Unwavering | Annie Leonhart x Male Reader

25. A Break of Pace

Several hours passed from the time the two of you descended from your treetop hideaway to the time the sun finally fell from the sky, hours that you'd spent quietly processing the past few days as best you could. Following Annie's suggestion you'd taken off north early that day, following the curve of the wall from afar towards the next nearest city of Utopia.

"So, sundown... I guess it's time for the Titan, ehh?" You looked over to Annie in the fading light with a soft smile "You up for it?"

"Shouldn't be too much of a problem." Her smile was only just visible, obscured by the suns glare but even still gave off an air of comfort "We should be able to make it to Utopia by midnight at this rate."

"That works for me, I can't even imagine how nice an actual bed is gonna feel after the past few days." Both of you came to a stop as her hand fell to your waist "Just don't go crazy or anything... Seems like any time that Titan is around I'm fighting for my life in one way or another."

"Sounds like a deal as long as you can keep those blades away." She grinned before raising up on her tiptoes, pecking you on the lips before flipping her ring's blade out "Ready?"

"Ready as I'm gonna be... Go ahead." Her arm wrapped tightly around you before flicking her ring open, triggering her transformation as lightning engulfed you both.

Amazed even still, you watched as her Titan rapidly formed around her from nothing in the blink of an eye. You found yourself entranced, even after seeing Eren transform more times than you could count, it was still incredible to watch. In no time her Titan had fully formed, quickly lifting you safely into the air in the palm of her hand. Her eyes met yours briefly before she gently placed you on her shoulder, securing your hooks just before she took off in a jog.

"This is unreal... Three days ago I was terrified that she was going to die, scared that she was some irredeemable monster and now we're together again. I'm riding on her Titan, headed towards a part of my past I'd nearly forgotten, and on the run from the whole military. From all of my friends..." She glanced over to you, readjusting her course to the north at your gesture "But I'm still somehow... Happier. Maybe the happiest I've ever been."

Memories of your time with the Scouts, all the time you'd spent with them played back in your head as you stared off into the night sky. A small wave of guilt cascaded through you as you thought about Miche, what he could be thinking of you now that your identity had almost surely come to light.

"They almost have to have put it all together by now, even if I didn't fully understand it all when I wrote that letter. It's definitely been long enough for them to add it all up; I disappeared from the village, told Miche where I was going, then a rogue soldier shows up and turns into a Titan in the middle of Stohess to save her... I'm probably right next to her at the top of the list of enemies of humanity by now." Your stomach knotted at the thought of being hunted or having to fight Miche or Levi, gods forbid it every come to that "They have every right to think so, it only makes sense. All I can hope is that we have enough time to plan this out and that Annie really does join us... There's no way their minds couldn't be changed then, we would have too much to offer."

Those thoughts pinballed around in your head for hours before a calm began settling over you as tiredness crept in. You looked over, meeting with her Titan's icy blue eye as you inched out towards the edge of her shoulder.

"Annie...I just wanted to thank you again. I know that you're taking a huge risk by staying here, by helping us-me, but I swear I will keep you safe if it's the last thing I do." The edge of her mouth peaked up into a small grin of sorts as your hand came to rest on her cheek "Nothing about that ever changed, and never will. And your dad...-"