𝙇𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 | Armin x Annie

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐈𝐈𝐈

❝ 𝐃 𝐄 𝐂 𝐄 𝐏 𝐓 𝐈 𝐎 𝐍 ❞

Armin.

Armin is a normal person, like any other people. He has likes and dislikes, hobbies and interests, talents and capabilities. But when his name is asked to strangers, their mouths are shut tight and their brains tries to comprehend the rather perplex question until they utterly fail to answer, not even taking an effort for a hasty guess. In this world, it's quite an unfamiliar name. People barely recognize the five-letter name despite of his excellence in arts. When asked to others they often reply "Armin? Who's that?"

Arlert.

His surname, what people recognize him for. That six letter sur name held a much bigger recognition despite having just a one letter difference from his name. It holds generations and generations of illustriousness, similar with people who has old money. When the sur name is mentioned, people make all sorts of reverberations and are not afraid to verbally speak about their opinions on the family that holds that name. "Arlert? You mean the family of doctors who earns billions every year?! He's from that clan? Mind if you plan a dinner with him and I so I could introduce my company to the future heir."

For eight generations, the Arlert clan gave most of their time studying medicine in order to keep up the family's history. That one family history slowly became the family's tradition. But why? Why exactly would a man who holds such an influential name, decide to waste half of his time daily inside a tea shop owned by a sinister-looking man? And why is the son of billionaire health workers, spending most of his time creating art? Perhaps it is his hobby these days. However, he takes so much time and effort for it to be called just a hobby. Is it his dream? Is it what he truly wanted?

Armin was a weak child when he came into the world. Almost losing his existence to a life-threatening disease. He was pale, silent, and emotionless; detached to the human world and its reality. His parents calculated his time left, to their surprise, he proved them wrong. He lived longer and the longer he lived, the healthier he became, or so they thought.

Growing up, Armin was already fascinated with the anatomy of the human body. Both of his parents were glad to have seen this kind of behavior from him. Thinking, they wouldn't have a hard time trying to put him in the right path, the path that his ancestors tried so hard to build. The moment he was born, he was intended to follow the path and create more in the future. He needed to become a doctor just like them. Thus, when his parents already grasped the idea of him having the slightest interest in anatomy, they spoiled him with educational medical toys and several mannequins of realistic human bodies. But little to their disappointment, Armin was indeed fond of the human body, not to treat them but to replicate them in a piece of paper.

"What is this? and this? and THIS? Did you even study Armin? These are all just drawings of the mannequins in your room! You need to study their internal and external portions and parts to already have a clear vision of them in the future!" His mom furiously scattered his creations that he had worked hard for. It was the first time Armin felt wrathful of his family's aspirations of what he needed to become.

He was never shaken by his parents. He knew what importance his place was in the family. After all, he was the only child. A miracle child. His mother had a series of pregnancy losses and he was the only one who survived from them. He barely did. One wrong guidance and the family loses its traditions and so will their streak that they badly wanted to keep so he uses this against them to gain the upper hand.

"From now on, you will be having a tutor. Miss Lanford, do everything you can to educate this child." Armin's mother ordered the professor. From that day on, Armin had no choice but to learn from her for thirteen hours straight in five days a week. He no longer had the approval of holding art supplies and all he was offered was a tablet. But it wasn't enough to stop him from pursuing his interests. Using his wits, he hid his art application on his tablet to not be opened by anyone but him.