Awakened

Chapter 9

There were certain things Annie expected from being in a dungeon cell.

One, she expected to sleep on a hard floor. Two, she expected for people to either interrogate or harass her. And three, she expected to be alone.

So when a certain raven-haired girl stepped into her cell it was only natural to have her eyes widen in surprise.

Mikasa closed the door to the cell softly, her grey eyes never leaving Annie's. The Female Titan frowned, remembering how Mikasa acted in the courtyard today. She was stoic, calling her nothing more than a solider.

"What do you want?" Annie said stonily.

Mikasa didn't wince, but Annie could see hurt flash across her eyes from the harshness in her own voice. The Captain walked towards Annie, dropping to one knee and getting out a key. "I'm taking you out of the dungeons."

Annie was taken aback. "What?"

Mikasa's eyes snapped to her for a moment, a ghost of a smile appearing on her face in amusement, then they went back down to her cuffs around her wrists. "I'm pretty sure you heard me."

"Don't be a smartass."

"Don't say stupid things."

Annie rolled her eyes, and Mikasa was just finished unlocking her chains around her wrists. The Captain stood up, hesitating. For a moment, Annie was sure Mikasa was going to hold out her hand for her to take, but then Mikasa took a small step back, waiting patiently for her to get up.

Once again Annie was reminded with a twist in her gut how much she hurt Mikasa, and just how far the rift between them was.

The blonde rubbed the sore skin on her wrists as she stood up. "So," She began, "I'm assuming as soon as I leave this cell I go back to that poor excuse of a room with the cot, right?"

"Did you expect anything else?" Mikasa asked, pocketing her key and walking to the door.

Annie followed. "Well, I mean, escaping here would be nice."

Mikasa raised a brow. "You've had plenty of opportunities to escape." They both left the cell, and Mikasa closed the door behind them. They walked down the length of the underground hall, back to the surface. "I don't know why you haven't already."

Annie walked beside Mikasa, and she fixed her gaze to her, never wavering. She studied the Captain who did not return her gaze, and said, "I have my reasons for staying."

There must've been something in Annie's voice that conveyed what she meant, because the blonde saw Mikasa swallow hard.

"I see," Was all the Captain said.

Annie turned her gaze away from Mikasa and focused in front of her. Mikasa led her out of the underground tunnels, and to the first floor of the Keep. They continued down anther hall, no doubt to whatever room Annie was to stay in, but the blonde saw through the windows that a full moon was out.

She was instantly drawn to the window, complete forgetting where she was going. Mikasa noticed and stopped walking, looking back at Annie. The blonde felt her gaze on her, but she didn't care. She walked to the large window, looking up at the moon.

"I can take you...if you want."

Annie's head snapped to Mikasa, and she saw the Captain fidget in her spot. Annie couldn't remember a time when she saw Mikasa fidget. Mikasa didn't meet Annie's eyes, instead she fixed them out another window next to Annie's. "I mean, the top floor of the keep is open. You could see it better from there."

Annie turned fully to Mikasa. "Do you remember?"

This time Mikasa did meet Annie's unwavering look with her own, and Annie could see a struggle in them. Mikasa stuffed her hands into her pant pockets, her arm muscles under the linen of her shirt showing. The Captain knew what Annie was asking of. She had to.