𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑳𝑨𝑺𝑻 𝑩𝑨𝑻𝑻𝑳𝑬 ⇢ 𝘙𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘹𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

introductory

His fingertips traced against the ridges of your spine, his spare hand interlocked with yours so tightly that it hurt. Reiner protectively held your body close against his, your chest touching his as you anxiously held onto your breath.

Your lungs began to ache.

You remained silent, hearing enemy soldiers swarm the neighbouring area as you stayed hidden within the shadows of the night. Bombs were hailing from the clouds, shattering onto nearby buildings with an apoplectic rage.

The aroma of his fresh cologne melted into your senses, heightening your every thought. You swiftly became drunk with lust as his smell intoxicated you.

"Reiner, I-"

He pressed his index finger against your lip before you had chance to finish your sentence, slowly shaking his head with a lour against his defined cheeks.

"Don't say a word." He whispered as you felt his minty breaths against the sensitive skin of your lips, "You want to live, don't you?"

Your body felt weak to his touch, melting into his protective embrace as Reiner Braun held you against the cold, brick wall.

"Yes." You softly whispered, your figure flinching against him with each gunshot as goosebumps arose onto your skin, "I want to live, Reiner."

FOUR YEARS EARLIER,

The early evening was beginning to dawn. The tangy-orange rays of sunlight from the setting sky were seeping into the large lecture room.

The sky was a wilting ebony - it was fading from a deep orange as the night took over. Reflections of rose-crimsons and charcoal-greys bounced off of the fields surrounding the Training Corps building. Freckled stars shon brightly amongst the setting sky.

Your eyes were scanning the view outside of the classroom window, pondering on where the night would take you following your final Titan Anatomy Lecture.

You sighed into the palm of your hand, hearing your professor ramble on at the front of the lecture room. The muscles in your face relaxed as you sighed.

"And that marks the end of our last Anatomy session," Shadis placed a piece of chalk against his desk with a bitter frown, "Any questions regarding our course?"

You glanced around the entire room, making eye contact with numerous classmates as silence filled the large lecture hall: everyone anticipating supper time.

You felt a breeze as Jean raised his hand from beside you: "I have a question." A prideful smirk stained his lips.

"If it involves graduation, it can wait until tomorrow." Shadis's glare intensified as his brow furrowed downwards,"I'm sure you all are ecstatic for tomorrow: I'm hoping all of you have put much thought and deliberation into which route you will be taking."

Your closest friend, Jean Kirschstein, shon you a pearly smile as you offered one back.

After some final comments and utterances from Keith Shadis, he finally excused the class to leave for the last time.

You arose from the birch-wood seat, nostalgia filling your body as you felt your knees weaken: worries about your graduation filling your brain. You pulled your coffee-coloured satchel-bag over your right shoulder: saying a quiet 'goodbye' to the pretty view outside before beginning to leave your classroom.

You glanced back over your shoulder to get one last look at the lecture-hall, before sighing solemnly as a warm voice called your name.