Day 5: Gamble

"You did it again didn't you?" Armin says as he sees Annie come home with a large sack slung over her shoulder.

She drops the bag down on the table with a thud. "Yes, yes I did"

Armin rubs his eyes "Annie, I love you. But you have a problem."

"It's not a problem, It's a hobby. One which I'm quite good at."

"Good at it or not, This isn't a very good hobby to have."

Annie clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes "It's just a little gambling."

"A little gambling could end us up on the streets! I'm not trying to be overbearing-"

"Which you are" Annie said as she sat down in a chair crossed her arms and closed her eyes.

Armin sighed walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on the top of her head. "I'm sorry for raising my voice, but there might be a time when you loose and you can't pay the debt back with money so you'd have to use… different ways of payment and…" he slightly tightened his grip around her. "I just don't want anything to happen to you."

"Armin…" Annie rubbed his arms and kissed them. "I'll be careful I promise, I'll never bet anything That we can't pay back."

Armin closed his eyes "Alright"

5 months passed and Annie stays out all night gambling, Armin barely ever sees Annie anymore and when she does come home early, she's carrying at least three bags of gold.

"Okay, this has got to stop Annie." Armin says to her after she comes home one day."

"Why I honestly don't see a problem, we're richer than ever. We could send our kid to school for all four years with all the money on the table right now"

"That doesn't..." Armin stopped and looked at Annie as he realized what she said "Our kid?"

Annie's eyes widened "D-Did I say that?"

"Uh Huh. Annie is there something you need to tell me?"

"What? No I-I meant theoretically, "Annie began stuttering" If we had a kid we could send them to school, but no i'm not having a baby, not that I don't want one but...no! not like now but like one day I wouldn't mind having one, or two but it's totally up to you If you don't want any that's okay to you know? It's just an idea and we definitely have enough money to take care of a few but it's not that big of a deal and…" Annie looked at Armin whose eyebrows were raised very high.

"Oh what i'm trying to say is we have a lot of money now okay?!" she yelled at him,ending her long studdering spiel and her face turning bright red.

Armin slightly laughed. "Maybe so but one of these days you're going to loose, you can't keep this streak up forever.

"sure seems like I can."

Armin began pacing. "This is gonna end sooo badly."

"Armin nothings going to happen, I'm a pro at this. I have been since I was a little girl. Gamblings actually fun if you stopped freaking out about it."

Armin stopped pacing and looked at her. "Really?"

"Yes really." Annie said as she counted the money in one of the bags.

Armin thought for a moment, "gamblings basically just playing cards and betting money that you'll win the round right?"

"It's more complicated than that, but more or less yea I guess."

Armin pulled up a chair next to her. "Then lets play."

Annie looked at him and raised an eyebrow "What?"

"You said gambling is fun, I wanna try it."

Annie blinked a few times, unsure if she heard him right. "Uh okay. What do you wanna bet?"

"How bout….if you win you can keep gambling like you usually do, and you can use all this money for whatever you want. And I'll do all the chores for a year. And if I win, you have to give up gambling for a year, do all the chores for a year, and all the money goes to the Scout Regiment for new weapons, expedition funding, materials and Titan research."

Annie smirked "alright deal, but i'm warning you Arlert, you can't beat me.

"I win...I think." Armin says as he lays down his ace, king, queen, jack and ten of a suit. down on the table.

Annie's jaw drops "A Royal Suit?! but...what...huh...HOW?"

Armin shrugs "I don't know, but it wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be. Maybe I'm a natural, although It probably didn't hurt that I could see thru you're poker faces either. Like how you get a slight gleam in your eye when you've got a good deck, or the way you play with your ring when you're nervous or upset when you've got a bad deck, you're poker faces are just like your regular faces when you talk to someone, and /i know you're faces and quirks like the back of my hand."

"I can't believe it….you beat me." Annie said in complete shock.

"You're right I guess I did. I told you your streak couldn't last forever. Soooo…." Armin stood up, picked up the bags and slung them over his shoulder. I gotta go get this to commander Erwin." Armin smiled "When I get back we can talk about the kids you were talking about earlier, but for now…" he bent down and quickly kissed Annie's lips. Once he broke away he shoved a broom in her face. "Have fun with the chores."

Annie stood up with the broom in her hand and watched as Armin left the house. "Oh my gosh…" Annie said still in shock. she shook her head and started sweeping the floor, she could tell immediately that this was going to be a long year.