Tomorrow

[A/N: Been really inactive lately, cause of exams and school. Here, have a one-shot that I wrote for a friend :3 Vote and follow me for more oneshots <3 (since I doubt I have the perseverance to do a series, but who knows.) ]

"A-Annie!"

The aforementioned tsk-ed softly, her pale blue eyes fluttering shut with a sigh, promptly snapping open again as she spun on her heel to face who she knew with a certainty that it would be.

Armin Arlert.

"What do you want, Arlert?" The shorter female tucked a lock of her blonde hair behind her ear, looking up at the other cadet with her signature cold, couldn't-care-less expression. "I don't have time to waste." To her surprise, the usually timid and cowering look Armin wore was gone, replaced by a tentative sort of confidence; the sort where you knew to a certain degree that something would succeed but wanted to make sure it was okay with everyone before taking the first step towards it.

"I need your help, Annie." The words tumbled out in a rush, spoken with such sincerity that she was honestly taken aback by it, barely managing to reply with "For?"

Relieved that she hadn't come out with a flat 'no', Armin gave a wan smile before continuing. "Eren told me that you're skilled in combat, and I was wondering if you could perhaps teach me some moves? I know I'm physically weak, and I'd probably not be much use in battle the way I am now--" he paused for a while -- "--but I don't want to be weak forever! You're strong, even if Eren hadn't said anything I'd know you are. Y-You're like a warrior..."

Up till then, she had listened half-heartedly, but the word 'warrior' struck something inside of her.

"I'm not," she spoke quietly, averting her gaze to the stone floor. "I'm not, but if you wish it so much, I suppose I can tutor you--"

What was this sudden warmth enveloping her? The rakish tickle of blonde hair that was not hers, on her face?....

"Thank you!" He was exclaiming, his head on her shoulder and arms locking her tight in an embrace, so she couldn't decipher his exact expression. However, judging from how heated his cheeks were, he was blushing. As if just having registered the fact that he had hugged Annie Leonhart, the lone she-wolf of the trainees, he blurted out an apology hurriedly. "--Sorry! Should I let go?"

It all passed by her in a haze, all she could think was that she was probably blushing too from the shock that anyone would try to make physical contact that wasn't combat with her. Disentangling herself from his arms, the blonde spoke. "We start tomorrow."

Walking away, she could still feel a pleasant warmth lingering, and there was a lump of emotion that hadn't been there before, too.

Tomorrow, huh. A promise to tomorrow, a reason to stay here one day longer.

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"I'm sorry, Armin... I couldn't become the warrior you thought I was..." Those were among her final thoughts, at least until the crystal crept up, enclosing her entirely, and she fell into slumber. For some reason even then, the tears wouldn't stop flowing... knowing that the once-bright tomorrow would not yield anything, any more.