The blade glided against her skin allowing beads of crimson red to form and dribble down the pale flesh. A twisted smile formed on her lips as she watched it allowing her eyes to follow the trail. The pain slowly ebbed away as pleasure took its place and she laughed soundlessly to herself while gazing into the mirror. Her eyes which were vibrant and filled with life had now been dulled, her hair fallen out of its bun to her shoulders framing her face. There were scars though. Scars on her shoulders traveling down to her back and around her legs and arms. She raised her hands to stare at them not minding the blood that coated her fingertips staining her skin. Even when she washed her hands she could feel the metallic coldness of the liquid against her fingertips and for some reason, it was rather comforting. Looking at her reflection, she didn't know where the sudden fit of anger came from but it did.

     Her eyes narrowed and flared with the same intensity of hatred and rage that was directed towards the man on the other side of the door. She slammed her fists against the mirror shattering it and punching although the glass was embedding itself into her hands. She continued to punch and grab at anything that she could snapping and tearing, her rage took form as she let out an animalistic scream not minding who heard. She wanted to get out. She wanted to be free. The blade was her only friend. It was the only thing that could save her from the feelings deep inside. From the person she wanted to hide.

     His footsteps were coming closer.

     He was banging against the door.

     He sounded angry.

     Annie didn't care.

     She grabbed her bookbag, wrenched the door open and then it began. He grabbed her up by her hoodie and began to yell. His breath smelled like cigarettes and cheap alcohol, he reeked of perfume along with morning breath and the more he talked - the harder it got for her to breathe as he grabbed tighter. Why had it come to this? When had everything gone wrong? She began to fall into her secret place, a void where no one else existed but herself. She could see that happy child, blonde haired and sweet standing with her father watching as her mother bid them goodbye with tears in her eyes and redness on her face. But why was their red on her face? Why was she crying because of the red? Who were the people taking her away? No. Don't take mommy, Annie tried to cry. Annie tried to reach out to her fading mother but her father tugged her back and when she asked why, he hit her and she was quiet.

     He apologized.

     She forgave him.

     He hit her again.

     She forgave but didn't forget.

     This continued to go on for years. He would grow angry, he would drink and smoke. Take random women into their household and sleep with them only to have arguments and violently throw them out of the house. Then he'd turn on Annie and blame her for everything. He blamed her for being born. He blamed the world for giving him a useless child and he would try to beat her. But everytime he beat her, he taught her something new and eventually she'd have to stand up to him or else he'd kill her. Zoning in once again, his hand raised to slap her down and her fist connected to his jaw sending him back into the ground.

     Then she was upon him.

     One hit.

     Two.

     Three hits.

     She continued to mercilessly beat him into the ground unsatisfied as his nose broke and he began to splutter with blood. She tried hard not to show any type of emotion, she tried hard not to show that it hurt. Others would grow worried. Then they would try to intervene. Then she would have to let other people in and that would only hurt because they'd try to hurt her and she didn't want to hurt anymore. Raising her fist, a hand shot out to grab at her elbow and she jerked forward only to turn and glare. Her eyes softened and her fist slowly dropped as she came face to face with grey eyes.

     "Annie."

     The tears began to well up and she gritted her teeth trying to look away but those eyes had her caught.

     "Fall."

     On command the tears fell and she wrapped her arms around her hugging her tightly. Mikasa pulled Annie close to her and away from the groveling man who wept for his injuries. Supporting the blonde against her chest, Mikasa kissed the top of her head and held her close slowly backing towards the door where Eren and Armin stood with Reiner and Bertholdt.

     "You sick f-" Reiner began but Bertholdt and Armin held him back while Eren shook in rage.

     Mikasa looked down at Annie taking in the scars on her arms remembering when she had first saw them, when their lips first met and when their relationship began to bloom from simple rivalry. She promised Annie that she would never let anyone hurt her and she meant it. Securing the girl against her, she lifted her up into her arms and sent a gaze so cold that it could have frozen the room and the inhabitants.

     "I want you to hear me and hear me now, Mr. Leonhardt. I will never forgive the torture you put her through. But I will say this, as long as I am standing I will never let you hurt Annie again. My name is Mikasa Ackerman, I am Annie's girlfriend, and I will protect her forever. Remember my name."

     Annie's grip on her tightened and Mikasa returned it with a grip of her own before the teenagers left the snivelling man to his own devices.

     That afternoon as Annie sat in one of Mikasa's shirts staring at the half-naked girl, she reached out to touch Mikasa's hand. The taller girl met her halfway before leaning down to kiss her softly. The kiss deepened becoming something much deeper full of the emotions that they couldn't say to one another but in the end, it was evident. They had found love in the form of one another.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------