In Love With A Monster (Armin X Annie)

~Chapter Eighteen~

Armin awoke that morning, not to the smell or sound of the usual barracks but to the sound of birds chirping and the touch of sunlight on his skin. He didn't even have to open his eyes to know where he was. The dreams had begun again. He sat up suddenly and looked around. It was the same as before, rolling fields, trees, the sea that sat in the distance. The only thing he couldn't see was Annie. He got to his feet and began to walk around, his eyes darted all around him. He knew she would be here, he never had these dreams here without her being somewhere around.

"Annie!" Armin screamed out.

"Armin?" The voice sounded far away, but he knew it was hers. He could hear her voice before him in the distance. He had only looked away from that spot for a moment and she had appeared before him far away.

He ran faster than his legs could carry him, he could see her begin to move towards him as well. Starting as a slow walk until she realised it was truly Armin, and not some figment of the dream or some trick to deceive her and when she realised it was him she began to sprint. He was so relieved she was alive, that they could talk and hold one another if only for a few moments. He could find out where she was, this was hope that she could finally come back to him and they could live their life together again. They both held their arms out before they had even reached one another, that's how desperately they wanted to hold one another. And when they finally were able to feel each other, wrapped in their arms, neither of their legs were able to stay and they both crumbled to their knees.

Armin pulled his head out of the crook of her neck for a moment, he held her face in between his hands. He just stared into her face, he was finally able to admire her again. His biggest fear was that she wouldn't come back, they wouldn't see eachother again and that he would forget what she looked like. He would forget the rush he got everytime he was able to stare into her ice blue eyes and the way his heart beat faster everytime he saw her smile. Armin couldn't help but kiss her. Kiss her lips, her cheek, her forehead, her nose. He kissed all over her face just so he could feel her again.

"I'm so glad you're alive." Armin smiled, tears rushing down his cheeks.

Annie turned her face so she could feel his whole hand against her face, she kissed the palm of his hand. She looked like she was trying to hold back her tears, but no matter how hard she tried they kept coming out. As happy as she was to see him, she was torn. Annie had made up her mind about the mission and she would continue with it but just seeing his face could easily sway her to make her abandon the mission again. To leave and run to find him. She knew she had to tell him, there was no guarantee that these dreams would last every night, this may be their last chance to talk.

"I miss you so much." Armin pushed her hair behind her ear and turned her head to face him. "Annie, I need to know where you are. As soon as I wake up I can get the scouts, we can come find you and we can be together again!" His face lit up. Armin was overjoyed and he couldn't help but think of what their life could continue like if Annie was able to come back to him. Armin could continue to work as a scout, Annie could help them take down the other Titan shifters and use her powers for good. Or they could settle down, maybe find another isolated village, they could get married and have children. He wanted anything, anything as long as she was there with him again.

But his joy quickly turned into sorrow. A pit grew in his stomach when he saw her face, he had seen that face on her before.

"I don't know where I am." Annie said, it wasn't a lie. She had no clue whereabouts she was, Reiner refused to tell her. "Armin, I have to tell you something..."

She pulled herself away from his hand, she pulled her entire body away from him so they were no longer touching. He couldn't speak, Armin felt like his heart was going to explode in his chest when she spoke again because he knew whatever she was about to say wasn't what he wanted to hear, and he was right.