In Love With A Monster (Armin X Annie)

~Chapter Three~

The dream has ended and back to reality Armin went, his eyes were soaked with tears as he woke his body felt hot and sweaty. The only time he had woken in such a state was when he was ill back when he was a boy.

"Annie!" He cried out, his arm reached out to grab her, nothing was there but the air. Armin panted, adrenaline rushed through his body, his quickening breath was uncontrollable.

Armins cry woke all of the other boys from their sleep. They all poked their heads up, yawning and rubbing their eyes they all asked Armin what was wrong and if he was okay. Armin didn't respond though, he was still stuck in this terror, his head spinning and his stomach felt nauseous. He didn't have the strength to speak. It was a dream but it felt so real.

Eren stood up from the bunk below. "What stupid nightmare was it this time, Armin?" His tone was impatient, god knows Eren hates his sleep being interrupted especially after the last few days of hard training and restless nights they'd all been having.

Armin frequently had nightmares but never  screamed out a name like he did. Usually when he woke from these nightmares, Eren was the only one who noticed him sitting up in the early hours of the morning. Eren would always ask what was wrong, Armin would reply with what happened in his nightmare this time. The nightmares Armin had most consisted of Eren, Mikasa or any of his friends getting eaten, Armins grandfather passing away, Titans breaking into wall Maria, so it was usual for Eren to know his nightmares usually meant nothing but fears, PTSD and assumed it was nothing more.

"Earth to Armin?" Eren waved a hand in front of Armin's face.

"I need to get her out..." Armin whispered, his face was pale and it looked as if he was staring into another world.

He jumped down the ladder with not a moment to spare, not bothering to put shoes on or change out of his sleepwear which was just a vest and some underwear. He was so determined to get to Annie and didn't care what it would cost, have it be sore feet, strange stares or being cold, he had to get there in time. He ran as fast as his bare feet could carry him, slipping and almost falling multiple times but he was determined. Eren followed fast behind him, even though Eren had always been faster than Armin, he wasn't at this moment, Armin pulled ahead with such speed and drive Eren had never seen from him.

Luckily no one was on duty at the cell at this moment, it was one of the only times that no one was stationed there to watch Annie. Armin ran in at full speed, swinging the gate open with such power, it made a loud clang as it hit the brick wall.

"Come on! Come on! Come on! Open, goddamn it!" Armin demanded, repeatedly banging his fists as hard as he could until his hands were bruised and bleeding. "Annie please, I know you're in pain!" Not a single scratch was made to the crystal, Annie didn't move.

"Armin, stop it!" Eren restrained Armins wrists, holding him away from damaging his hands more. Blood dripped from Armins knuckles, it ran down his hands and to Erens hands also.

Eren stared at his friend in such shock, he was usually the most composed and calm person but he was acting like he had really gone crazy at this moment, he had truly lost his mind."We aren't allowed to be here when no one is on duty, especially when you're trying to break her out, they're going to have to arrested if they find you doing this!"

Armin pulled his hands from Erens grip. "Don't you see that she's in trouble?" Tears beginning to well up in Armins eyes, many emotions overwhelming him to the point of breaking down.

Eren shook his head in disbelief. "It was just another nightmare."

"Eren it wasn't a nightmare! I could see her, I could feel her! She was cut and bruised, and she was scared for her life!" Armin fell to his knees, the tears could hold no longer and one by one they rushed down his cheeks.

"Why do you care so much about her, Armin? There's plenty of other girls here, why her of all people?" Eren questioned, kneeling down.

"You didn't know her the way I did, we spoke to eachother, I had never met someone I had this connection with and I know she felt it too. Eren, I truly felt something for her... And I betrayed her with ease! I can't get the guilt out my head! I want to tell her I'm sorry... I want to help her repair her mistakes, I know she's a good person!" Armin held his head, Eren patted his back in hope of comforting his friend.

Eren sighed, he couldn't believe what he was about to say, this went against all his morals, his beliefs but seeing armin in this state was deeply hurting him.
"I guess we can-"

"What are you two doing here at this hour, it's far too early." It was Mikasa, stood at the gate. She was already dressed, she looked displeased, the tone of her voice suggested she was as well.

"How did you know we were here?" Eren asked.

"Jean came to the dorm, told me you were most likely about to do something reckless, somehow he was correct... what's going on?" Mikasa questioned, her tone was demanding now. Her eyes caught a look at the crystal, there was blood. She looked at both Eren and Armin, both their hands were covered in blood, her face turned from the usual expressionless to an increasing amount of concern. "Were you trying to break her out?" Mikasa snapped.

"I was angry..." Eren began, he was lying through his teeth to save Armins skin from Mikasa's wrath. "I wanted her out, I want answers. I'm impatient, Armin was here to stop me."

The look on her face didn't buy it, she knew it was bullshit from the minute Eren opened his mouth. Her gaze shifted to Armin.

"She's not the person you think she is, Armin. You need to stop living in a fantasy. Whatever you're doing you need to stop, she'll just hurt people again." Mikasa was realistic, she knew broken dreams almost as much as anyone else. She was cruel, didn't sugarcoat anything to anyone, she was honest.

"She's a good person, Mikasa. She's in pain and she doesn't deserve this!" Armin argued back, it was unlike him to argue back especially against Mikasa. In an argument with her he was bound to loose, but he stood by his opinion.

Mikasa sighed, she kneeled to the boys. With Eren she was usually harsh but she was always kinder to Armin, she saw him as a younger brother while she knew Eren needed sense slapped into him every know and again.

"How many people has she killed Armin, I think the victims families believe she deserves worse. She's tried to kill Eren multiple times, you need to understand that." Mikasa explained bluntly. Armin knew this, he knew. It hurt hearing it from someone else though.

Eren sighed, he had to side with her. "Sorry Armin... She's right, and we both know it."

Armin took a deep breath, he rubbed his face and brought himself back to reality. Maybe they were right, maybe it wasn't meant to be. This was all just a realistic nightmare, his dreams playing tricks on him. "Maybe..."

"Come on, let's go. We can get an hour extra sleep if we are lucky." Eren patted Armins back and followed Mikasa out of the cell.

Armin stood for just a moment. He looked at the crystal, she hadn't moved, not a bit. "I'll see you one day... hopefully." And he left.

But what Armin didn't know, when he was just out of earshot was the faint cracks that began to grow louder and louder and louder, until it happened.

It smashed.