In Love With A Monster (Armin X Annie)

~Chapter Six~

The scouts were going into their third week of the search and at this point everyone was beginning to lose hope, even Armin was starting to believe it was a lost cause. The only places left to be searched within the walls were some standalone structures that were isolated from villages and districts. Armins group was sent to investigate some old castle ruins in wall Rose named the Utgard ruins. No one usually went near there since it was a fair distance away from any nearby villages, it was usually occupied by bandits and runaway criminals. Armins group this time consisted of himself, Bertholdt, Mikasa, Ymir and Christa. If after today the scouts came back empty handed, the search would be cancelled. The scouts would stay alert, they would keep an open eye for her but after today all they could do was wait. Missions had to continue as normal. It would be assumed she had escaped, left and went back to wherever she came from or she was simply hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.

After checking the entirety of the ruins and turning up with nothing they began searching the castle. It wasn't large, it was nothing the king would live in, but it was possible for Annie to be hidden in there.

"Don't you think we should just give this up, it's been weeks." Ymir complained, she was barely even searching. She was sat on a windowsill, looking outwards at the view before the castle. Ymir was usually this pessimistic and according to everyone else, she had been whining each and every search that it was pointless and she was tired, even though she did little to nothing. "I doubt she's even in the walls, if I was her I'd be long gone."

"Yes, Ymir, you said this yesterday, and the day before that." Mikasa sighed, she had been in a group with Ymir multiple times over the course of the search. She heard every single complaint and argument Ymir had to share with the group. It genuinely made Mikasa wonder why Ymir bothered to join the scouts if she wasn't even willing to do a given mission without a fuss.

Christa grumbled, even she was beginning to get slightly annoyed at Ymir's hopelessness. "I know you think that but can you at least lend a hand please?"

"Don't you think if she had left we would know, some of the villages near wall Rose would have reported it surely?" Bertholdt asked. Everyone looked to Armin, they knew he was the logic. He could explain it with ease.

Armin just simply shrugged, he was as clueless as everyone else was. "We have inspected the full diameter of the wall. When she tried to get out of Stohess the first time she climbed the wall, her fingers left a mark, some of the wall crumbled off, nothing of that sort has been found."

"Plus no sightings of a Titan within the wall, it's unlikely she escaped." Christa added.

"What if she never shifted?" Bertholdt asked.

Armin chimed in again, "The only way she'd be able to get out of the walls without shifting would be ODM gear, everyone's gear has been accounted for, none is missing."

"What about the horse, she took one when she left did she not?" Ymir asked, finally taking an interest.

"I'm certain they found the horse abandoned near a village in the south-east of wall Rose, she clearly abandoned it just after escaping." Mikasa further added. She had been consumed with the case, if any new information came to light Mikasa was one of the first to know. She remembered how Annie's main goal was to capture Eren. It kept her up at night knowing Annie was still roaming free, possibly still trying to complete that mission.

Christa sighed, "We have checked everywhere for weeks, it scares me knowing she's out there."

"Maybe she is waiting for the right moment when we are all sleeping before she comes and kills us, she could just eat us all." Ymir chuckled, she found this funny. However, no one else found it all that hilarious, they all scowled at her, as usual, she did not care.

Armin felt a pinch of anger spark within him, he didn't like people thinking of her that way, as some mindless monster, never the less joking about it. However, he was never quick to rage however, instead he just let the emotions simmer and stayed silent.

Bertholdt shook his head, "Give it a rest, Ymir."

Ymir turned her head to face Bertholdt, she looked like she was about to say something snarky. She had a look that she usually did whenever she had something to say that would clearly get someone riled.

"She wouldn't hurt you Bertholdt, don't worry. Or maybe she would, did you ever even tell her?" Ymir's devious grin grew wider as she taunted him. Bertholdt's cheeks flushed bright red. Armin knew exactly what she was referring to. Clearly Reiner had told Ymir of Bertholdt's little crush and from time to time Armin saw Ymir chime in whenever Reiner would tease him. Armin felt a pit in his stomach, butterflies in his chest, he tried his best to ignore the feeling but it was strong.

Bertholdt tried to respond but all he could do was hopelessly stutter. Christa finally told her to knock it off and only then did she decide to listen.

After that, the five of them split up to search different areas of the castle, Bertholdt and Mikasa searched the cellar of the castle. Christa and Ymir searched around the inside of the castle and Armin went up top. He stepped out, the wind hit his face and sent a chill down his spine. He needed a deep breath of fresh air, Ymir's comments were beginning to get to his head. She knew all the right ways to press all the wrong buttons, she annoyed everyone even if that wasn't even her goal. From this view you could see the rolling fields going on for miles, he was reminded of the meadows in his dreams. It was a beautiful sight especially at this time when the sun was setting. There was only an hour or so before the night came which also meant the conclusion to the three week long search. Armin wasn't ready to give up, every day he always begged the group he was stationed with to continue on the search for a few minutes until they all denied him any more time. Every night he would make a checklist of all the places searched. Every night he saw Annie he wanted to ask her for her location but she never even let out a clue. The dreams had became more scarce, it wasn't every night that they occurred instead it was every other night and then every few nights. He didn't know what caused them or what made them happen less often.

After Armin took a look around he was about to go back inside when his foot accidentally kicked over a basket that was turned upside down. He had barely noticed it and at first glance it looked like nothing but a wicker basket however he noticed that something was underneath it. He picked the basket up and took out a book from underneath. He could instantly recognise the cover, it was his book, the one Annie kept. Not only was the book there but there was something else was in the book, there was a visible bump. When Armin opened it, something metallic fell out and hit the brick with a clang and for a moment Armin stared in shock, he couldn't move. It was Annie's silver ring. It was very unlikely Annie would leave without her ring, it was the one thing she would never be seen without, surely she was still here. Armin didn't want to let out that she might possibly be here with a group around him, especially Mikasa. She wouldn't have a second thought about taking Annie in to the scouts after finding her, however all of the searches would finally be worth something, worth everyone's time. Armin even thought about it only for a split moment, everyone's time wouldn't have been wasted by the mistake he originally made. Maybe they wouldn't hurt her, maybe they'd just keep her captive, she may turn around and end up being more of a help than a hindrance to the scouts. Two shifters were better than one. But he knew the promise he made himself, he wouldn't be able to sleep at night if he made the same mistake of betraying her and it turning out badly. She could decide not to cooperate at all, she may re-encase herself in the crystal, only to never come out again. The guilt would eat Armin alive this time. Torn between his duty as a scout and his feelings towards Annie, Armin decided to stay quiet. For now at least.

Armin heard his name being called, it was finally time to end the search. He stuffed the book under the basket and turned it to where it had been placed originally, then rushed down to join the group. Instead of also putting the ring back, he pocketed it. It was highly likely she was there, he wanted to see her. He had no intention of keeping the ring and would return it as soon as they saw each other once more. All disappointed, they returned to Stohess for a final night before they would return to their HQ in Trost. Armin and Bertholdt were the last of the boys to return back to their rooms, all of the boys had all their extra clothes packed away in their satchels, ready for departure early in the morning.

He knew he had only tonight to see her before they returned to Trost and the missions began again. It was now or never. He had to make a plan, quickly!