The Country Boy: Annie X Reader

Chapter 5: The two mischiefs

It was about sunset when I headed home. The sun was barely peaking through the thin layers of trees that dotted beside my house. For some bizarre reason, I felt ecstatic after the match. I couldn't believe my eyes when Annie had won and defended her title as the champion. However, a wave of guilt swept over me as I realized that I may have unintentionally hindered her training. This was made worse when Mikasa pointed out to me that she was not at her best today. She seems distracted today... To quote her words. 

When I entered the front gate of my house, I let the rope around my gunny sack lose and began to rummage through the souvenirs that I got today. Before I knew it, I was grinning from ear to ear whilst inspecting the treasures of today's trip. In my hand now is a signed glove by Annie that she had given to me. It was a sight for sore eyes. The green and white color that coated the glove gave it a festive look. On the bottom of the glove however, it was yellow which further reminded me of Annie if her signature wasn't enough. Seeing some specks of dirt covering her signature, I brushed it off with my thumb and began to feel the words Annie engraved onto it. 

Yes. Surprisingly, it was engraved just for her. Which made me even more confused when she gave it to me to use. 

 As I fumbled through my sack again, I managed to pull out a pair of  boxing shoes along with a membership card that Mikasa had provided me. 

Courtesy of Annie! 

According to her words. Though it is hard to believe that they would go through all that trouble, deep down I was glad that they did. 

Tomorrow I'll get to train with them! 

I thought to myself or at least that's what I thought. 

But before I could celebrate with a minor victory dance, I was abruptly interrupted by the sound of the door flinging open. When I turned to look at the door, I was met with two pair of eager eyes and two widely plastered smirks on the two individuals. The one with the silky smooth dark hair seemed to be the leader of the two. Behind her smirk lies something so sinister that could put the world to shame. She mumbled a couple of incoherent words and let out a stifled giggle.

I was left dumbfounded for a moment, before making out some words which immediately sent shivers throughout my entire body. I could feel my face was burning and my throat was dry. The palpitation that grew in my chest set fire to my cheeks and caught my breath unevenly. 

"Um... what do you mean?" I asked in a fake nonchalant voice, praying that they would not probe me any further. 

"Oh I mean...you and the blondie sitting in a tree-" 

 "K.I.S.S.I.N-" 

Before Falco could finish, I lounged forward and covered his mouth with my right hand while trying to hold Gabi in place by her shirt. "Can you guys shut up with all the romance stuff?" I blurted out in frustration before ruffling up their hair to get back at them.

"Oh come on...It's true...Didn't you go on a date with her today?" Gabi said while nodding her head clearly obsessed with the romance theory that she started all by herself. 

"Or maybe both of them..." He said while trying to contain his giggles. "Gosh man...save some ladies for the rest of us." His chest heaved up and down like he had just said the funniest thing in forever. 

Clearly my words had no impact on them as Gabi bursts out laughing on hearing Falco's witty remark. Without hesitation, I brought the sack along with the precious treasuries to my room leaving the duo behind. Today was exhausting for me. Not only was it my first time around the city, it was also my first time in a place filled to the brim with people. I am not a people's person. 

----------------------------------------------------------------

After the unusually long and quiet dinner, I returned to my room and started unpacking the sack. Inside were the gloves by Annie, the card and shoes by Mikasa and lastly the most prized possession of all. A picture of Annie posing after the match. In the picture, her arms were held high in victory with a huge smile plastered on her face. On the surface, it may seemed as though she is happy to have won. However upon closer inspection, I felt that she was just relieved that she had won after her grueling months of hard work. But I felt that something about her expression felt off- 

A knock on the door interrupted my trains of thoughts. "What is it?" I grumbled. 

"Uh...well...I just want to say sorry for-" 

"It's alright" I replied cutting her short and walked towards the door. 

Upon opening it, I could feel a pang of guilt in my heart that was growing rapidly. In front of me stood two teary little children. Gabi's trademark smirk was nowhere to be seen. Their cheeks were dusted red and tears were forming at the brim of their eyes. 

I was seriously conflicted on whether I should laugh or cry. Their crying faces looked hilarious. 

I wrapped both of them in the warmest embrace, tears flooding the brims of my eyes. Alas, I succumbed to temptation and started to burst out laughing. 

At that point I think I was beginning to question my sanity. 

"I think I want to take back what I said just now..." Gabi pursed her lips in annoyance while choking on her last bits of tears. "Who in the right mind will laugh at a bunch of crying children?" 

Somehow and some way, my laughter seemed to have calmed the two crybabies down. 

"Don't worry, I'm fine. Just slightly overwhelmed because it's my first time at the city." I said in a scratchy voice before smiling weakly to let them know everything was alright.