It was quoted once that when someone is in a tight spot in their lives and often lose everything that they really see what they're made of. That when they possess nothing more than an inch, one's true self with come out. An inch. It's small, fragile and the only thing in the world worth having. It should never be lost, or sold, or given away. Because it's within an inch of any situation that a life can be saved or lost.
"Listen, just tell us where they are and we'll let you go."
Janelle looks up at her captors through thick, dark blue hair. Her hazel eyes are sharp and cold. The Central Military Police had decided to capture the one person left in the Scouting Legion who had been close with Squad Levi. It was a dark night when Janelle was grabbed and carried off to the interrogation rooms.
At first they had tried to play a nice angle, thinking she would crack immediately. That wasn't the case though, she may have been shy but she wasn't pathetic. Janelle kept her mouth shut and soon the nice act went away. They tortured her day in and day out for the information they wanted, the information she refused to give up.
"Just leave her for today. Perhaps another day without food will loosen her tongue." Hah, fat chance of that. Like reduced food is really going to bother me.
The officers leave out of the cell and Janelle is left to lean against the wall, her deep bronzy skin soaked in fresh and dry flaking blood. Her hair hangs in dark tangles and her hazel eyes are swollen up and bruising again. Still she wasn't going to give in. Closing her eyes she smiles and thinks of him, the only thing that still made her want to fight. She wonders where he is now. Safe, hopefully.
"Hey come on you coward, speak up already! Aren't you tired of just taking it and saying nothing?" Connie Springer cackles, pulling Janelle's hair hard.
She flinches but is too shy and scared to say anything. Despite joining the military recruits and surviving the basic training Janelle was still seen as someone who was weak; all because she wouldn't really speak to anyone or be forceful. It just wasn't in her nature to be outspoken or loud. She really was just a person who preferred to watch rather than jump into fights, unless it was against titans of course.
"Hey leave her alone Connie!"
The shaved headed male backs off for a moment as he sees Armin, Eren, and Mikasa standing there. He sighs and shrugs his shoulders, "Whatever, she was boring me anyways. Doesn't even bother to fight back."
Armin comes over to Janelle's side and helps her up, "Are you alright?"
She blushes and nods, "Y-yes... I'm okay." She whispers, looking down at her feet.
"Good. I'm glad you aren't hurt."
"Jeez Janelle you need to start learning to stand up for yourself! One of these days you're going to get into a situation where none of us will be around to help you! If you don't fight back then what are you going to do?" Eren groans, picking a piece of grass out of her hair.
Janelle looks at her feet, "Physical f-fighting isn't.... Isn't the only way to fight back." She says softly.
The Jaeger only shrugs, "Whatever you say, I still think you're pretty weak if you're not going to fight back. Then again that's just me."
Armin comes up next to Janelle and gently grabs her hand in a supportive way. She blushes and looks back down at their hands, she still couldn't get used to the idea of being in a relationship with him. He was just so wonderful and kind to her. She really didn't deserve him.
The cell door opens again and Janelle opens her eyes, it was already time for them to come back and interrogate her some more? Wow, how had six hours already managed to go by in what seemed to be the blink of an eye? Well if you're dreaming of something you love time does have a way of flying by.
"Listen sweetheart, I hate messing up your pretty face but if you're not going to tell us what we need to know then we're going to have to keep hurting you. Don't you think it would just be easier to give up already?"
Janelle still says nothing, 'so they're playing this angle again huh? Pathetic, it's not going to work.'
"Give it up Joel, she's not going to talk. Three weeks she's been here and hasn't uttered a word. The nice routine is wasted on her, just set up the waterboards."
The man, Joel sighs and heads over to the other side of her cell with the contraption already being set up. Janelle feels the fear rushing through her veins, she knows exactly what was going on here, they were really upping the ante now. Still, after everything else they'd done, this was just another chapter in the story. She didn't tell them when they broke her bones and starved her out and she certainly wouldn't tell them anything with this new form of torture; sensation of drowning or not.
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This was by far the worst torture they had ever concocted. Janelle's lungs were burning from not only the water and lack of oxygen but the screaming. Her wrists were aching from all of her flailing, causing the cuffs to cut into her skin. She wanted this to be over, it had to be over and done with, now.
She was strong but after everything else that had been done in the past two weeks Janelle wondered how strong she could continue to be. In times like this though, she just closes her eyes and goes to her happy place, her memories with him.
"Janelle I have bad news." Armin says as he sits there next to her in the empty common room at headquarters.
She looks over at him, eyebrows drawn down in a look of concern, "What? W-What's wrong?"
"Things are too dangerous for Squad Levi to stay around here anymore. We have to go on the move before the Central MP catch us." He takes her hands in his and holds them tightly as he'd done so many times before, "I'm going to have to leave with them.... leave you..."
"Armin..." She buries her face into his shoulder to hide the tears. This was the last thing she wanted, to be separated from him, "I don't want you to leave..."
"I don't want to leave either... but we have no choice."
She curls up into his touch and he caresses her hair, whispering sweetnothings into her ear. If this was the last night they would spend together then she was going to make the most of it. She had not been picked for Squad Levi and therefore couldn't just go with them. "I love you." Armin whispers.
Janelle is shocked, this was the first time he'd ever said that to her. She looks up at him, "I-I love you too."
She was so happy to hear him tell her that. Leaning up she kisses him full on the lips. Suddenly it didn't matter if this was their last night together. Somehow she knew that no matter what, no matter how far he was away from her or for how long, she would be right there with him. She would always be there for him and he would be there for her.
Janelle's eyes open and she's surprised to find herself back in her cell. When did she pass out? Well either way at least she wasn't back with them. She'd survived another day, even though it didn't seem like one it was a small victory. She'd survived and they still hadn't gotten anything. Still, she didn't know how much longer she could continue on with this.
There's a crashing sound and then some yelling just outside of the room. Her eyes travel toward the front of her cell, considering the rest of her was too sore to move. A flash of blonde shows up in her field of vision and before she can register who it is arms are thrown around her. "Janelle!"
Armin? Was that really Armin's voice or had she just cracked finally? Nope, that was definitely Armin in front of her. Same blonde hair and worried blue eyes. Though something in them had changed, she just didn't know what. Corporal Levi appears behind Armin, as sharp and intimidating as always.
"Is this her?"
Armin slides his arms underneath her frail body, devastated by the condition she was in, "Yes."
"Good then let's get out of here."
The entire way back out of her prison, Janelle can only look up at Armin; memorizing his face and the sound of his voice. Before Janelle knew it, she was outside. The wind hit her face and the souns of the night hit her ears. It was a wonderful feeling, it was exhilarating.
"Janelle! Oh my god!"
"Get out of the way!"
"Whoa, what the hell?!"
"Oi brats move it before I move you!"
Janelle is placed on a cot and then her eyes shut as exhaustion threatens to her. She was safe and that was all that mattered. She hadn't given up, she had stayed true and because of this she was free, she was safe. A hand moves into hers, clutching it tightly. Janelle had no fear though, she knew that hand very well.
"A-Armin..." She manages to get out.
"Janelle! Oh god I'm here!" his voice is borderline hysteric, "I'm so sorry, I'm so,so sorry! I never should've left you! This is all my fault!"
She squeezes his hand the best she could, "No... Love you..."
In impossible situations, it is the very last inch of a person that ends up mattering the most. It is truly small but within that inch a person is free.
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I'm so sorry I'm not really sure where this came from! I know it was really dark and I apologize for that but I was going over the latest chapters and for some reason this prompt popped into my head.