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Breached. The wall had been breached by titans again.
All around Annie Leonhardt, newly graduated trainees were panicking. Their hands shook as they checked their gear. Their voices too, as they tried to seek reassurance from their fellow soldiers. One man tried to ease his nerves with a sarcastic remark to his friend. He broke down crying soon after. But Annie appeared unshaken, quietly checking her blades.
“Annie!”
There was only one person the blonde would have expected to try speaking with her, but that person wasn’t there. Or at least, she wasn’t supposed to be. Nevertheless, Mina Carolina came running up to her.
“Oh, oh good, you’re still here…” she put on a smile, but it did little to hide the fear in her eyes.
Annie was about to ask if something was wrong, but she decided such a question was unnecessary. What could possibly not be wrong their situation? She awaited an explanation.
“I know there’s no time for this, but I had to – I just, I had to come talk to you before…before we head out.” Her voice faltered, matching her trembling body. “I’d feel a lot better if we were on the same team, you know?” She tried to laugh just a bit. It was a flustered, almost manic sounding little laugh.
Annie’s cold expression went unchanged, but she reached out to place a hand on Mina’s shoulder, saying, “you’ve been trained for this. Keep yourself calm, and stay focused. You’ll be fine.” They were unusually positive words, coming from her.
“Okay.” The girl nodded, pursing her lips into a thin line as she smiled, holding back tears. “Thank you…”
For a moment, the blonde assumed their talk was done. The clock was ticking, after all. But as she began to take her hand away, she felt it held down by Mina’s.
“Wait, there’s something else.” Beneath Annie’s hand, the girl began to shake even more violently than before. “Since…since we met, I’ve really looked up to you, Annie. You’re so brave, and kind-”
“I’m neither of those things, Mina.” Never one to take a compliment, Annie seemed to grimace a bit as she looked away.
“Please, just let me finish.” She pleaded, lightly squeezing the hand on her shoulder. Begrudgingly, Annie obliged, bringing herself to face the girl again. “What I wanted to say was just…”
Mina swallowed nervously, aware of how everyone around them was either finishing up with their preparations, or on their way to join the battle – many had already left. A handful of trainees were still overcome with dread, sobbing and crumpling to the floor.
“I think I love you, Annie.”
Before Annie could fully register the words, Mina leaned forward to kiss her. It was supposed to be quick, but now that she’d done it, Mina couldn’t bring herself to pull away. Instead, she pressed her lips harder to Annie’s, eyes shut tight. She wondered if it was Annie’s first kiss, too, when she finally stepped back.
Dumbfounded, Annie didn’t say a word. Her mouth hung open slightly, and in place of her former calm, she felt fear. Not of the titans, not of the walls crumbling around them, but of the way her heart was racing. Afraid of Mina, afraid of all the feelings she’d kept locked up inside her, afraid of how they all came flooding out. Afraid of how real they were. She couldn’t speak.
“I want…an answer from you, when we’re done. So come back alive, okay?” Mina, still blushing terribly, gave Annie one more smile before turning on her heel and running off to join the rest of her squad.
Alone now, Annie touched her lips and regretted her stunned silence.
With Mina long gone, she murmured,
“You too, Mina.”