Her eyes turned to Meeyn, who stood by the cliff. His back was to her, and his cloak moved slightly in the wind while he worked with the Living Abyss.
Black, shadowy strands moved around a big boulder, carefully sliding it to block a narrow path into the clearing.
Annie's hand stopped on the spear. She thought of the others' shelters, each one showing that they had made their own place here. Reiner, Bertholdt, Ymir—they had all built homes for themselves, carving out their own space.
But Meeyn hadn't built anything. He either slept outside or stayed in her hut when it rained a lot.
Why hasn't he made a house? The question stayed in her mind, bothering her in a way she couldn't explain. He had given them a reason to stay, a place to live, but he hadn't taken one for himself.
Was he planning to leave? The thought hit her hard, and she held the spear tighter.
She stood up, brushed the dirt from her cloak, and walked toward him. Her steps were quiet but sure. Meeyn noticed her coming. The shadowy strands paused as he turned around, his red eyes meeting hers. He smiled a little, like he was teasing. "What's going on?" he asked casually. "Practicing with the spear or just bored?"
Annie paused, her usual coldness softening a bit. "The others… they built houses," she said in a quiet, careful voice. "Reiner, Bertholdt, Ymir—they each have their own space." She paused again, then looked him in the eyes. "You don't. Should I… build one for you?"
Meeyn's smile faded just a little, and surprise showed in his eyes. He tilted his head, as if trying to understand what she really meant. "A house for me?" he said, his voice gentler now, almost curious. "You worried I'm going to sleep on the ground forever?"
Annie's cheeks turned a little red, but she didn't look away. "You're always on the move," she said, quietly but firmly. "Always fixing things. You made this place for us, but you don't have anything that's yours." She looked down for a second, gripping her spear again. "I can build it. If you want."
He stepped closer, and the shadowy strands disappeared as he gave her his full attention. "Annie," he said, his voice calm and low, "you don't need to build me a house just to make me stay. I'm not going anywhere."
"Then why don't you build one?"
Meeyn laughed a little. "I guess I never thought about it. Been too busy keeping this place running." He paused, then gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "But if it matters to you… yeah, build me a house. Something simple. Just don't make it nicer than yours."
Annie's lips curved just a bit into a small smile. "Fine," she said. "But you're helping. I'm not doing everything alone."
"Deal. Choose the spot, and we'll begin tomorrow."
The Next Day – Forest Base
Morning sunlight came through the trees, casting patches of light on the clearing. Annie and Meeyn stood next to a flat spot on the ground, with a pile of cut logs and branches nearby.
Reiner, Bertholdt, and Ymir were back, busy with their own chores—making the walls stronger, finding food—but they looked over at the two of them from time to time, curious about what they were doing.
Annie knelt down, measuring a log with her knife, her movements neat and exact. "Here," she said, pointing to the ground. "It's flat. Good for the base."
Meeyn nodded and crouched next to her. "Looks good. You're the one who knows how—where do we begin?"
She glanced at him, cheeks slightly pink from his trust. "We dig shallow holes for the posts," she explained calmly. "Support the corners. Then we build up the walls."
"Alright. You lead."
By the middle of the day, the frame of a small hut was done. It was simple but strong, with a low roof and walls made of woven branches. Annie stepped back, wiped the sweat from her face, and looked at what they had made. "It's… good," she said softly, clearly pleased.
Meeyn stood beside her, hands on his hips, his red eyes warm. "Better than good," he said, gently nudging her shoulder. "You're a natural. Thanks, Annie."
She looked at him, her blue eyes softer now, and gave a small nod. "You're welcome."
Forest Base Beyond Wall Maria – Several Days Later
The base in the forest was starting to feel more like a real home than a temporary camp.
The clearing was busy, filled with sounds of work—axes hitting wood, stones being scraped, and Ymir muttering under her breath as she fought with a large rock.
Reiner's lodge had grown. Its walls were now strengthened with packed dirt to keep the cold out. He had even built a simple chimney from flat stones to let out smoke from his indoor fire pit.
"Keeps the place warm," he said when Bertholdt asked about it, though it was clear he was proud—he often stayed nearby, cleaning the logs with a cloth.
Bertholdt, always careful, had made his hidden shelter even harder to see by weaving vines into the outside. Inside, he had carved a small shelf where he placed smooth river stones he had collected.
Ymir's spot by the cliff had grown bolder. The inside, carved from rock, was now lined with animal furs Meeyn had brought from one of his trips. She made a door from twisted branches and claimed it was "way better than Reiner's hut." She'd also found wild herbs near the stream, so now the camp smelled a bit like mint and sage.