A/N: I was true to my deadline for once.

"Are you serious?" Annie chuckled, "He was right there?"

"Yep," Eren chuckled back, "Nobaody even heard or saw him or anything. It was like he was just blended in the shadows. Maybe he was the shadows."

Annie chuckled again, her cheeks becoming a brilliant shade of bright pink. Though she attempted to cover it with her sleeve, Eren could see the tints of pink cover her cheeks. Her could see her smiling, icy blue eyes. It made his heart flutter in and out of his chest.

"What were you even doing at Mitras, anyway?" Annie smiled.

"Cleaning up Historia's castle," Eren replied.

Annie turned to face Eren, her blonde brow hunched up in confusion and her lips pursed together. He immediately collected himself after realizing what he said. He forgot that there were some things that Annie either didn't know or was still adjusting to. Christa Lenz being Historia Reiss, the daughter of the king, was one of them.

"Sorry," Eren said, "That's Christa's real name-"

"Oh!" Annie gasped, "I remember. But why were you cleaning up her castle? Are her servants too lazy or something?"

"Not exactly," Eren replied, "Though now that I think about it, they did all miraculously have the day off that day. Either way, we had to help polish her castle for the royal ball she's throwing. Plus, as a thanks, we've got free invites, makeovers, dress and tuxedo fittings, and the works all on her behalf."

"Royal ball?" Annie smiled, making Eren's heart flutter once more, "That sounds like something straight out of a fairy tale."

"Yeah," he swooned, lying down on the soft grass, "I guess it does, what with her inviting everyone and all, and I mean everyone."

"That's cute," Annie replied, lying down next to him before turning to face him. Eren would look back and always remember that her face was almost grim when she asked, "So, if Historia has invited everyone, does that mean you're going?"

He turned up toward the blue sky, sneaking past the little spaces between the leaves along with the sunshine. It felt warm against his skin, and the grass was soft against his back. Thinking about these small things seemed to help Eren ponder on the question. He knew that he had to go to the ball unless he wanted Historia to banish him, but what was he going to do when he got there? He didn't, after all, have a date and he didn't want to have one.

"I'm going," he said.

"Oh," Annie said, her face blank like how it usually was, "With someone?"

"No," Eren replied.

Annie's eyes widened and she pushed herself up off the ground, bits of loose grass falling off the back of her sweater as she did so. Her mouth was open and her eyebrows were arched. She stared into Eren's eyes, her glare as sharp as daggers. Eren felt chills go up his spine, and he could feel two of his molars chattering.

"Are you saying you're just going to go by yourself," Annie said, "Without a date? You're not even going to go in a big group of friends?"

"Not really," Eren shrugged. 

Annie sputtered a little, unable to get some proper words out of her mouth. For a long time, she managed to shove a choked and mangled sound out of her mouth, but no real words. Eventually, the choked and mangled tone managed to shape themselves up.

"Seriously, Yeager," she said, "A boy like you and you're going single? Not even with friends? That's just... now that's just sad."

"Hey!" Eren replied, pushing himself up off of the grass, "What if I don't want a date?"

"You don't have to have one, then," Annie replied, "But you should at least you should dance with someone!"

"Who?" Eren replied, scrunching his eyes, "I don't want to dance with anyone except y-"

Eren shut himself up, but it was enough for Annie to comprehend. She stared into Eren's eyes, her own moving all over the place, as if she was searching for something. Eren didn't know what to do then, so he just sat there, allowing Annie to search his eyes for whatever it was that he was looking for.

No one said anything for the remainder of the time, so when Eren got up to go, he didn't wait for Annie to say anything. She had said enough with her eyes.

+++++

(TIMESKIP: A week later)

The orchestra ensemble had resonated across the ballroom as people dressed-up from their head to their toes were having a blast. The commoners danced the night away to the melodious tunes of the orchestra, and the upperclassmen held goblets of champagne within their fingers. They all talked, laughed, and awaited for the queen to make her grand entrance. Somewhere in the chuckling crowd of the Squad Levi soldiers, Auruo was exchanging witty banter with Petra, and a certain, down-in-the-dumps captain had been watching them from the sidelines, his heart breaking by the minute, yet his face didn't show it. 

Next to him stood Eren Yeager, who stood there with his arms crossed as he also stared at the witty Auruo. He was seriously wishing Levi was in place of the tongue-biting copycat, as he grew to become part of the Rivetra Club overtime. Regardless, Eren was enjoying the party, even if he didn't have a date and no friends to go with. He was still avoiding Mikasa, especially since there was alcohol within arm's reach of her. By extension, he avoided everyone else, as they all had tried to get Eren to forgive her. Plus, Jean was still sour over Eren spending time with Annie as well. So naturally, he did nothing except stand at the sidelines and watch all of the couples giggle together and friends drink together, all alone... unless you count the heart-wrenched captain next to him, whom he had shared some drinks (A/N: I don't know if this is true, but apparently Eren was supposed to have been an alcoholic after the timeskip). 

At one point, the orchestra got together and started to play a slow song for all of the couples. All of this slow dancing brought Annie's voice back to Eren's head, how she had hassled Eren for a dancing partner throughout the week. Of course, there was only one person Eren wanted to dance to a slow song with, but she wouldn't be pardoned, as she was a prisoner. 

"I will go get some more champagne," Levi said before leaving Eren be. 

Eren simply nodded his head as he watched all of the couples dance, his arms crossed. A drink would have great, for it would have numbed his senses, and, by extension, her voice in his head. A few minutes passed, yet Heichou still hadn't returned with the champagne. Eren simply closed his eyes so he could listen to the orchestra's instrumental medlies of love, war, hope, loss, and more. That's all he wanted to do. Just listen. However, he felt a small tug on his tux, which had yanked him out of his soliloquy. Eren opened his eyes to find a young MP standing in front of him, a note clutched in his small hands. 

"I was told to send this to an Eren Yeager," the MP said.

Before Eren could affirm his identity, the MP had shoved the note into Eren's chest and ran. For a long time, the note just remained in Eren's hand, unfolded and unopen, before he summoned up the courage to open it. The note was small, yet it was clear, and more than enough to save Eren's night.

I managed to pull a few strings with the guards, so I'm waiting for you in our spot. I have a date waiting to dance with you.

-Annie

Eren didn't bother waiting for Levi any longer. He had stormed out of the castle and hitched the cheapest ferry all the way back to HQ, where Annie was waiting for him in their grove.

+++++

If one thought that the grove was beautiful in the day, it shone with twice as much beauty in the night. Though the colors of the trees and the flowers and the grass had been darkened down to blacks and dark grays, they shone in the white light of the moon. The little lake reflected the glowing orb and the all of the stars in the sky right back at it. But nothing shined brighter than Annie Leonhart. Though she was sporting her regular sweatshirt, pants, and hairstyle, she looked like a goddess had descended to the earth from the sky. Her pale skin shone with the moonlight, as did her hair and her eyes.

"What is all this about?" Eren asked, a smile on his face, though praying that a blush didn't make it's way to his cheeks.

"I wasn't going to let you waste a night like this without a dance," Annie smirked.

"Oh?" Eren asked, "But where, oh where is the 'date' you promised?"

"Couldn't make it," Annie replied.

"Admit it," Eren smirked, "You're my dance partner."

"Oh shut up," Annie replied, "Now let's dance."

Eren took a few steps closer to a point where there was only an inch of space between them. He found that his heart was fluttering up and down his chest as he stared into Annie's eyes. Those beautiful eyes.

"Do you know how to dance?" Annie asked, her voice leaving her as well. 

Eren couldn't bring himself to say anything, and he wished that his voice would grow stable. However, with Annie's radiance, so did his direct nervousness.

"A-a-a-l-litt-little bit," Eren choked out.

Annie blushed to herself, her own heart fluttering in and out of her chest at that moment. She prayed that the moonlight didn't accent the growing pink tint on her cheeks. 

"I know," Eren said, calmer now, "I know that girl is supposed to put her hands on the guy's shoulders and the guy is supposed to put his hands on the girl's waist."

"That's correct," Annie said, taking a step closer, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Despite the wild beating of his heart, Eren managed to smile, the corners of of his lips turned upward.

"If there is anyone in this entire world I'd want to dance with," Eren said, "It's you, Annie Leonhart."

Annie looked downward, but Eren could see the way her eyes smiled and how the corners of her lips were turned upward. Gingerly, he placed his hands on her hips, tenderly in a way that wouldn't make her uncomfortable. She placed her hands on his shoulders in a similar manner, and though there was no music, the two swayed in the moonlight. Similar to the night of their first kiss that night in the 104th, the moonlight had put it upon itself to turn into a giant spotlight for the two, shining upon them with a radiance unlike any other night.

For hours, though they never knew the exact timing of that moment, they swayed together, almost everything in rhythm with them. Their faces sweetly grew closer to a point where their foreheads touched, their eyelashes grazed one another, their noses were touching, and their lips were just inches away. At one point, his right hand and her left hand gradually slid from their respective places into one another, their fingers softly intertwining. Eren felt his thumb stroke the side of Annie's index finger, and Annie pondered on the night of their first kiss, how they were this close to one another when he told her that he was beautiful, how their lips touched, and how everything was a beautiful heaven before she ruined things. If only she could turn back time and not make that mistake.

"You're beautiful, Eren," she said, not one ounce of doubt dripping in her voice.

"So are you," Eren replied, nuzzling her nose.

They stayed like this for what felt like an entire night before Annie slowly moved away to face Eren. The top row of her teeth bit down on her lower lip, but she managed to say something that was on her mind all night.

"Eren, after... that night in the 104th," she said, her words dragging on, "Did you ever... kiss anyone else?"

Eren moved to get a better look at her, though their noses were still touching. 

"Why do you ask?" He asked.

"I'm just curious," she said.

Eren was silent for a long time, worrying Annie that she had been too forward and scared him. Though she felt a great relief when he told her,

"No. I haven't. You, Annie, were my first and only kiss."

Eren stared downward for a long time.

"You were honestly my first and only crush. I've only ever loved you."

Annie felt her heart skip a few beats, and the butterflies in her stomach beat their wings faster and faster. 

Eren... loved me?

"I know you probably don't and didn't feel the same way, but I've loved you ever since that night you kissed me," Eren said, gently cupping her cheek, "I'll admit that I was at odds with my feelings, especially after you were revealed to be the Female Titan. But that was then, and this is now. Now, I know everything, Annie. I know that you were only trying to achieve honor and respect within your community. You were only protecting your home. And it wasn't your fault. You didn't know anything. You didn't know it was just propaganda. Annie, oh Annie, it wasn't your fault, and I know that now. Even then, when we were in the dark, I forgave you. My anger against you... it didn't last long. I know that because there is some anger for Reiner that still lingers. 

"But you... I can never hate you. I can never hate you... because I love you. I love you and I missed you so much, Annie. I love you and I want you to know that. You don't have to love me back, but I want you to know that I do. I love your passion, I love you smile, I love your goodness. I love you so much, Annie Leonhart."

Eren loves me. Eren loves me.

Annie felt her eyes sting and grow warm and wet. She tried to blink them away, though it didn't work, as they only made them flow down her cheeks, distinct and blatant. Eren flinched as he saw those rivers run down her cheeks, as he had known that he had gone too far. 

"I'm so sorry," he said, his hand slowly sliding off of her cheek, "I didn't mean to-"

"Hush," Annie pleaded, hurriedly placing his hand back on her cheek before leaning into it.

"Huh?" 

"You say you love me, right?" Annie asked. Even with her eyes closed, she knew that Eren nodded yes. She blinked her eyes open again, waiting for them to focus again before looking into Eren's eyes. 

"Close your eyes," she said. He did, and she leaned in with all of her might. At that moment, once again under a moonlit night, Annie kissed Eren. 

For the fist few seconds, Eren was frozen, unresponsive. Gradually, he kissed her back, tilting his head a little to kiss her a little better. For what felt like forever, the two kissed, uncaring of the cold and ruthless world around them. They were the only people there, and they didn't want it any other way. In a way, this was like their first kiss, but even better. For starters, they weren't on the ground, and Annie never pushed Eren away. In fact, Annie cradled Eren's, running her fingers through his longer, chocolate-colored hair, head to push him closer, and he wrapped his arms around her. Eventually, the two lost their breath as their kiss grew more passionate and pulled away, but kept their foreheads together.

"I love you, too," Annie replied, gasping.

Now it was no Eren's turn to cradle Annie's head and run his hands through her butter-blonde hair. He kissed her forehead, her closed eyelids, nose, cheeks, and lips before wrapping his arms around her, and vice versa. They held each other for the rest of their night, silent promises in the air. Though at the time, the two didn't know what it would be like the next day, they didn't think about it then because all they wanted, all they needed, at that moment was each other and their warmth.

A/N: Author-chan is fangirling right now. And hey, I stuck to my deadline, right?

I love you all,

-TBG290