AN: The second part is finally here. Took me long enough, haha. I'd like to thank everyone who read and reviewed the first part, and thanks to all your requests, we now have this continuation. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Shingeki no Kyojin nor its wonderful array of characters.

The spring months passed by in a dull whirlwind of numb schooldays. Christa halted her routine of showing up at my doorstep in the mornings after that rather notable night. As time went by I stopped being able to recall exactly what we had been discussing. All I could really remember was that inkblot of a sky and the probability of getting utterly lost within it.

As our small town crept its way into late June, sweaters were shed and uniform restrictions became a little looser. Although now I didn't have anyone to complain about how my shirt was one too many buttons undone.

I glared at my mirrored image, mood only worsening by the sunken scowl reflected across the glass. My skin had already begun to darken under the ever-present sun, leaving my freckles almost unnoticeable unless one looked close. As if anyone ever did.

I backed away from the mirror and grabbed my schoolbag, sluggishly heading toward the door. The air conditioning was in need of repair, and I suppose that was the only thing tugging me back to the bland establishment that was my high school day after day. I wanted to skip, I really did, but I'd roast in the damn apartment and it's not like there was anywhere else for me to go.

My phone vibrated from inside my pocket as I locked the door behind me. Tugging it out, I stared with only mild interest at the caller ID. After a few moments standing in the thick, humid air, I finally caved and answered the device.

"What?" I drawled, already beginning to descend the bright metallic stairway.

"Such a pleasant greeting" Annie noted monotonously. "Where are you? Armin's freaking out because you have the project's research paper."

I wracked my brain, attempting to remember what, exactly, she was talking about. Oh, I thought, that. The three of us had been assigned to do some huge term project that included a paper and a physical module. Annie took care of the construction, Armin wrote the paper, and I typed it out.

"You have it, don't you?" she asked, a hint of exasperation creeping its way into her tone.

"Of course" I supplied, drawing closer to the large building. "I may be lazy, but I'm not thoroughly irresponsible." I turned the corner and stepped onto the school grounds.

Annie snorted in what I'd assume is a sign of amusement. "Just get here by second period or Armin will throw a major hissy fit" she quipped, promptly hanging up thereafter.

I sighed, already at the establishment's entrance. Swinging open the door, I felt sweet relief as the cool air washed over me. There were virtually no students in the entryway, and as I passed through the hallways, the absence of anyone else was a common theme. I must have been later than I had originally assumed.

"Ymir" Hanji stated as I walked through the classroom door. "You're late."

"I'm well aware" I replied, taking my seat towards the back. Sensei simply rolled her eyes, well accustomed to my frequent attitudes. The rest of class paid me little to no attention, and soon enough I was zoning out as Hanji began speaking once again.

My gaze drifted toward the window where bright rays bore through the glass, unnecessarily heating the small room. There were four trees in the courtyard, two on each side in a parallel fashion. Their leaves had deepened to a darker green hue, making the swaying branches of each plant look livelier than they had earlier in the year.

Birds sung and chirped, the cacophony blotting out every word of the humans around me, turning everything else besides the repeated song into simple, white noise. My eyes drooped. Maybe they'd do me a favor and sing my mind to sleep.

"Ymir" a voice spoke an undeterminable amount of time later. "Ymir." They snapped their fingers in front of my blank face. I blinked a couple of times to readjust to my surroundings.

Annie stood beside the desk with arms crossed over her chest, adorning her usual mild scowl. "The paper?"

"Ah, yeah" I muttered, slowly reaching down to retrieve said item. "I-"

I stopped, barely even beginning my statement when she walked through the door. On her rise to social domination, Christa had moved up a class, ensuring her a spot with the brightest kids on campus. Keeping us from ever crossing paths.

"Petra-sensei would like to know if she could borrow your stapler" Christa said to Hanji, the corners of her mouth twitching up into a small smile. I bit the inside of my cheek, resisting the urge to shout fake in her direction. What did I expect? The petite blonde has to suck up to the whole Goddamn world.

"Oi" Annie snapped, snatching the sheets of paper from my still fingers. "Get your head out of the clouds, Ymir." I swallowed a lump in my throat. I don't remember the rest of the day's events.

The first day of summer vacation was spent in a coffee shop, earbuds in, music turned up as high as it would go without damaging my body, and an iced black coffee on the table in front of me, left untouched.

I leaned back into the plastic covering of the seat's cushion, not particularly interested in doing anything. I leaned forward and took a reluctant sip of the icy beverage, wincing at the bitter taste. Black was too bitter, anything else was just too sweet. It seemed my palette could never make up its mind on what it wanted.

I caught the movement of two people through the corner of my eye. Glancing over to get a better took, I had to blink in astonishment. "Eren?" I asked, sitting up slightly and pulling the right earbud out. "And Levi?"

The younger made an expression as if he had been caught red-handed. A slight blush dusted his cheeks as he realized there was no worming his way out of this. "Ah… Hah, hey, Ymir" he awkwardly greeted, quickly throwing a glance at his frowning counterpart still standing just a few steps away.

Looking between the two, I pieced together the puzzle and a grin began to spread its way across my lips. "How'd this happen?" I asked in a knowing tone.

Eren's shoulders slumped forward slightly, realizing that he had been found out. But instead of the brunette answering, Levi did. "The entire week I substituted, this brat wouldn't leave me alone. Kept on insisting for my number."

"And I succeeded" Eren stated with a proud smirk.

My eyebrows rose is surprise. "The age difference doesn't bother you?" I asked, glancing at both of them.

Eren shrugged. "If it did, I wouldn't have tried so hard to get him" he replied, latching onto to the elder's arm. Levi simply rolled his eyes, but I noticed the hint of amusement sparkling behind his cold façade. Levi nudged Eren, making it known that he was ready to leave.

"Well, see you in a couple weeks" Jaeger said, already moving toward the exit, boyfriend (?) in tow.

I leaned against the table, head held up by my palms. The sun had shifted lower, reminding me that midday would soon descend into night. I played with the coffee cup's plastic straw, yet found no entertainment from the small act. At this point Christa would have scolded me for not drinking the beverage, claiming I didn't have the money to be wasting on such trivial items. Then she'd probably steal the coffee without another word.

I shook my head, attempting to rid all thoughts of the blonde. I gathered my belongings, and started the trek home.

"Mikasa's dragging to a hot springs a few towns down. You should come with us" Annie suggested over the phone, though she wasn't exactly enthused about the idea.

I leaned back against the old sofa of my apartment, stretching although I'd barely moved an inch all day. I lit another cigarette, only slightly bothered by the smoke already fogging up the household. The room was not only smoky; it was stuffy. Maybe I'd go out when the sun set, and buy some groceries while I was at it. I could check if they have that ginger tea that Christa lik-

"No. I'd just be a third wheel. Besides, there are only a few days of the break left. You should be spending that time with your girlfriend, not someone as lazy and depressing as me."

"Ym-"

"If you're that determined to bring your sex life to a complete halt, I suggest you invite Sasha. She loves those sorts of girly, friendly trips. Although, you should be sure the hotel offers a buffet. Otherwise your dining bills are going to be particularly high" I finished, sitting up with a long yawn. I glanced at the dusty clock on the kitchen wall, tick-ticking the summer away. Seven o'clock, the convenience store closed at eight.

"Whatever. In twenty years when you're bitter and alone, don't say I didn't try" Annie reprimanded. Mikasa shouted something in the background. She sighed into the speaker. "You need to do something, Ymir. Because laying around and thinking about her will get you nowhere."

"I know" I stated, biting the inside of my cheek. I released another breath of poisonous excess into the atmosphere. "Night, Leonhart. And don't get too wild at those hot springs" I said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

She snorted. "As if Mikasa would let me." We ended the call. I picked up my wallet and left the apartment.

There were stars out. That was the first thing I noticed upon exiting the convenience store, holding two plastic bags of groceries. They all seemed to be watching me. Glaring, perhaps. One could never tell when it came to inanimate objects.

A couple of streetlights sluggishly flickered on, casting their dull light on the gray pavement below. Moths and various other flying creatures crowded around the new source of artificial warmth. I swear if their tiny insect wings made sounds that could be heard by the human ear, they'd blot out the cicadas with the most horrifying resonation of buzzing.

I blew a strand of hair out of my eyes, walking ahead like there was no real destination. I heaved a sigh and wished I had brought my half packet of cigarettes along. At least smoking was mildly entertaining.

Laughter erupted from my left. It echoed across the alley walls, assuring me that the noise occurred quite a ways away. They were jeering, I realized. Deep, taunting tones like hyenas mocking their prey.

Just leave it alone, Ymir, I reprimanded myself, it's none of your fucking business.

I resisted the urge, counting the moments as I passed. One… They quieted… Two… A few stray giggles… Three… A roaring guffaw followed by the sound of skin against pavement. I dropped the plastic bags, flexing my fingers in preparation. Just a glance, I reminded myself. A small look-

Blonde hair. Small body. Pale girl.

Christa. On the pavement. Blood.

I was moving blindly without a comprehensible thought. Before I could realize my own actions, two were already on the ground, one out cold and the other holding his head. I grabbed the third, the final, the top hyena, and slammed him against the alley wall. He was a good two inches shorter than me. Perfect.

"Mind telling me why she's on the ground?" I spoke, attempting to hold back the growl rising in my throat.

"She was," deep inhale, "mouthin' us off like," strangled exhale, "the damn bitch she is." The corners of my mouth twitched up. I was going to eat these kids alive.

"Ymir" Christa muttered as she wearily struggled to her feet. Her knees were already bruising, deep red beneath her right eye. And blood, on her thigh. They cut her thigh. "Stop."

I froze, boiling blood threatening to freeze over. Stop? Stop what? From bashing these animals' heads into the concrete like they'd done to her body? From cackling as they bled, groaned, whimpered like they'd done to her?

She rubbed her palms against her skirt, accidentally smearing the blood oozing out of the gash on her leg. "What are you doing out here with these dimwitted fucks?" I asked, tearing my eyes away from the brat I still had pinned against the wall.

"We… Were hanging out. They said they'd walk me home, and…" She trailed off. Was she embarrassed? Humiliated? Or just empty? I began to wonder if she had opened up her cavernous chest, waiting in anticipation for yet another beast to gnaw on her bones, suck out the marrow, make a meal of her intestines. Hollow her out more than she already was.

"If I can't bash their skulls in for what was probably attempted rape" I paused, and released a heavy breath in hopes of the anger bubbling inside my stomach to seep out. "Can I at least bring you home? Safely?" I asked quietly.

She pushed blonde locks behind her ear, blue eyes impossibly dull. "Yeah." I released the top hyena, held in my satisfaction as he struggled for air. Let him wheeze, I thought, let him breathlessly writhe for hours.

Christa grabbed the belt loop of my jeans, tugging me away without actually touching me. And the thought occurred that maybe I'd never feel the smooth touch of her skin again. At this rate, her existence will be devoured within a matter months.

"You should really be more careful about who you hang around, especially when there's no one trustworthy close by" I supplied, walking next to Christa with grocery bags in hand. We were close, yet far enough that my arm would never graze hers.

"Trustworthy?" She echoed, which was followed by a humorless chuckle. "I can't recall having any such thing as trust in my life. And why are you lecturing me? I don't see how my problems are relevant to you any longer."

"Christa" I said softly. She looked up. "You don't need to push yourself to such an extent. I'm sure there's a way to achieve your goals without giving up yourself as a whole. No mask is worth dying for."

She stopped walking and clutched the hem of her short skirt, eyes downcast and mouth set in a thin line. "What are you talking about?"

The street lamp above us flickered out for a moment, and as it came back on I had to wait for my eyes to adjust to the new level of lighting. The moths continued to swarm overheard, unaware of the momentary change.

"What do you mean 'yourself'? I'm a shell of a human. I don't have any dreams or aspirations. Barely anything to gain, and certainly not a thing to lose. You know this, Ymir… I'm hollow."

I tightened my grip on the plastic in both palms. "If you have nothing, then work for something, dammit!" I shouted. Christa's head whipped up, shock crossing her face. True emotion. She had finally shown me she was capable of feeling.

"What you're doing now won't bring you happiness or fulfillment, and in the back of your head you know that. You don't have to lie to yourself just because you've been taught that this is the extent of your ability. You don't have to sacrifice your body in order to be praised by men. You don't have to be quiet, petite, and soft spoken. What is it you truly want, Christa?" I exclaimed, slightly out of breath.

She gaped, caught completely off guard. Her eyes flicked back and forth from a spot behind me to my eyes. She was nervous, I could tell, and confused and so many other things. But that was what amazed me. She was letting these emotions free, an action she had never thought possible.

"I-I" Christa stuttered. Christa didn't ever stutter. "I don't know."

"Well there's a start" I stated, leaning back on the heels of my feet. She knit her brows with inquiring eyes. "Now all you have to do is find something you want."

I looked behind me. Christa's father's home was just a couple of houses down. She'd fine from here. I began to walk back in the direction of my apartment. Her eyes followed me as I took the first few steps, perplexed as to why I was suddenly leaving.

"Christa" I added. Her eyes were bright as she gazed back at me. "When you find that one thing you want, go for it with all you're got. And don't you dare hold back."

She was stoic for seconds on end, hair standing out against the inky black sky. The bright stars, rarely visible, but now present, only managed to highlight its golden sheen. She nodded, and I turned my back.

The old clock on my dirty kitchen wall kept track of the weeks that passed, second by second. The past few days, the clouds poured out all the contents within themselves, breathing life back into the scorching earth and giving the heat hazed humans a short break from the scalding sun.

It was a Tuesday afternoon, particularly rainy and damp in the least dreary way. I inhaled a long drag of tobacco, feeling the sweet relief of the poison stick wash over my body. I hadn't smoked for two days, and I had begun to feel an itch within me like a monster waiting to claw itself out.

After that night when I left Christa speechless and full of foreign emotions, I hadn't seen or heard from her. Despite that, I picked up that she had been slacking in her classes and was facing the possibility of being placed back on the regular curriculum. The glossed up girls that roamed the hallways between classes mentioned that she hadn't had a boyfriend in weeks. It was apparently a very strange occurrence.

Then finally, the silence was broken as a shivering blonde wound up outside my apartment door. She was soaking wet, tattered, and mildly bruised. But she was smiling. And oddly enough, I couldn't tell where the façade ended and where the real Christa began.

"I figured it out" she stated, pushing her way into the apartment like she did months prior. Her dripping hair left a trail of rainwater on my floor and I held back a snarky comment on behalf of her frighteningly pleasant mood.

"What's with the bag?" I asked, glancing down at said item held up by her slim, pale fingers.

"My dad kicked me out" she said simply. I blanched. Taking note of my shocked expression, she added, "my test scores were faltering, I stopped pretending, so he kicked me out. I'm" she inhaled deeply, "I'm finally free."

"That's great, but uh, did you just assume you'd stay here or something?" I inquired, still confused as to why she had arrived in the first place. The kitchen light caught the newfound glimmer in Christa's eye, and my breath hitched. Something had changed.

"That brings us back to my previous topic. I figured it out, Ymir" she said, just as vague as the first time. I took another long drag, in dire need of the drug's comfort.

"Figured what out?"

"What it is that I want" she answered. Christa dropped her bag and took three steps closer. I pulled the cigarette away from my lips with a sudden curiosity. I leaned down with narrowed eyes.

"Oh? And what could that be?" I asked, my voice growing hoarse by the sudden proximity. The situation felt familiar. Yet neither of us were under any kind of influence. I began to question whether or not I was awake.

"You" she whispered against my lips. Her frail arms snaked their way up until they circled my neck, drawing me even further downward and closer.

"A-are you sure?" I stuttered against her lips, left arm already moving to circle her waist while the right still had a cigarette perched between two fingers.

"Ymir" Christa muttered as her eyes slowly fluttered close. "Do you still love me?"

I paused for a moment, mentally debating my answer. I had tried to quit, attempted it countless times over the past few months. And yet, I always failed. No matter what I did, where I was, I couldn't get the blonde out of my mind. She was an ever-present idea, a desire I couldn't shake. And finally, after so long, here she was. Willingly, without regret, happy in my arms.

"How could I ever stop?"

Our lips melded together in the next instant. It was softer than before, but not lacking the hunger I had experienced with our previous encounter. She still managed to make my insides flutter with something indescribable. And I couldn't suppress the urge to never let her go. Christa deepened the kiss, and I gladly complied.

I reached down toward the ash tray on my coffee table, and with a newfound determination, I snuffed the cigarette placed between my fingers. It mixed with the ash of the pieces of tobacco that I would never again light.

As we parted, I inhaled deeply, feeling the air spread and bring relief to my weary lungs. And the most fascinating part of it all, I finally felt alive.

AN: Feel free to let me know what you thought with a much appreciated review.