empty spaces ~ armin x reader

chapter eleven // standby

a/n: this chapter was so much fun to write. hitch is an absolute goddess, and i am madly in love with her. (spoiler: she makes an appearance in this chapter). WE NEED MORE OF HER IN SEASON 4!!!!!!!

i will try to have another chapter out by aot/euphoria sunday. i am so sorry for making you wait for this chapter. i will be dutifully slaving away to deliver more armin content. thank you so much for being patient! 

also, shame on berry (my pet frog) for not proofreading this. i had to do all the work by myself. lazy bastard. please let me know if there are any grammar errors. i'm going to try to go back and edit previous chapters (because some of them are just so awful it boggles my mind. thank you for making it this far and observing the evolution of my writing skills.)

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𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓪 𝓵𝓮𝓶𝓸𝓷

𝔀𝓱𝔂 𝓭𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝔀𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓬𝓸𝓵𝓸𝓻 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼?

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I spent what felt like hours standing before the dark oak door to Commander Zackley's office, though I knew it had only been about a minute or two. Doubt tore into my thoughts like claws shredding through my reasoning. My ambitions were finally within my reach, but none of it carried the exultation that being a low-ranking Survey Corps member did. Perhaps my fears laid more along the lines of never being satisfied than being a disappointment. The former was much more unbearable than the latter, which I had already expected. This wouldn't be the first time I turned my back on my operation, but the first time had been thanks to my hopelessly romantic adolescence. My love was no longer hopeless, which made me curious to discover what other choices could lead me to happiness. Choices that were not predetermined.

I knocked on the wooden door, taking the first step towards the decision that was completely my own. Not a leader's decision. Not my father's decision. Not Armin's decision. It was mine.

"Come in," Zackley grunted.

"Commander Zackley," I began as I stepped into his grimly decorated office. Devices intended to inflict pain hung on the dark walls like paintings. Despite being surrounded by torture tools, the man sitting before me was still the most fearsome thing in the room.

"Ms. L/N, your presence is a pleasant surprise. I saw what you did at Queen Historia's Baby Shower, and I must say that I was very impressed by your seduction," he said with a slight twist of his wrinkled mouth. I'm sure he expected me to blush, but I did the exact opposite and recoiled.

"I'm flattered that you see the value of my actions," I replied with fake sweetness dripping into my meaningless words.

"Your display was exceedingly beneficial. The best way to get a greater understanding of a man is to exploit his weaknesses. He wouldn't budge when we allowed visits from his closest companions, especially Ms. Ackerman. His behaviors altered after you aroused him. Now he's much more susceptible to our commands. We could use your skills to tame other enemies if it is of interest to you."

I fought the urge to tear one of the tools off the wall and turn it on him. Instead of maiming this repulsive creature, I smiled to show my fictitious gratitude.

"You're very kind, but I didn't come here to offer my seduction skills," I added with a slight bite to my words. "I'm here to request a transfer."

Commander Zackley shuffled through the papers on his desk as if he hadn't heard my words. A recent press article about Eren's temporary release lay on his desk. I glanced at it and caught sight of my name blurred into the rambling sentiment to Eren. The words "dangerously tempting" followed it. Armin's name was also mentioned. Conspiracies were brought up by simple-minded people who believed I was courting Eren and secretly seeing Armin while he was behind bars. I refused to believe that my sexual affairs were the most notable part of this week's news while there was a war brewing around us.