Crumbling Walls | Erwin Smith x Reader 18+

Chapter 8

The Seeing

The next morning, for the first time in a while, you woke up early. Bathed, changed and headed out just as the sunrise light creeped through the horizon. Heading for the dining hall for breakfast.

You decided, after last night's encounter with your commander, that you wouldn't let him hold any form of power against you anymore. Because it was all in your hands, your choice, and not his. So now you're stripping away that power from him, you're not letting him affect your life anymore. Whether it's about what happened in the past, or what happened between you two. You're just not going to let him have any kind of control over you ever again!
Not your life, not your emotions, and not even your time here in these barracks. He's only powerful here because people view him that way, respect and fear him too much!

I'm not doing that...

"Morning..." You murmur when you pass a few scouts on your way, wrapped up in thick scarfs and jackets as they stand catching up near the common barracks. They nod and answer you as you continue walking. Your hands reach up and you wrap your jacket tighter over your body, taking a few breaths in and blowing them out in a steamy fog. Preparing yourself to walk in...

"Y/N!" You hear your name and halt, your eyes glancing at the source to see Connie and Jean approaching you from the boys barracks side. Connie taking long strides, too long for his short legs, and struggling to walk over the snowy path. Jean is following after him, his jaw set and teeth almost chattering while he rubs his hands over his upper arms.

"Hey!" You smile at them when they get closer.

"I swear it's getting too much to bear..." He mutters, looking at where his feet are stepping. "We'll wake up one day to find the snow had buried us alive!"

"Oh, shut it! Just be glad for this cold because we don't have to train so early!" Jean says as he comes and nods at you. "Hey, didn't see you around lately. You okay?"

You nod, still smiling as you feel your nose growing red and numb from the cold. You sniffle. "Mhm, was feeling unwell for a while, that's all."

"Glad you're doing okay!" He nods again then pats your shoulder. "Can we go in now? I'm freezing down to my balls!"

Giggling, you nod and take Connie's arm, walking him through the snow with careful steps.

"You think the titans can freeze and die?" He asks as you both walk the rest of the way.

Your mouth lets out a loud, curious sigh, then you shake your head. "No, if it does, they should've been dead years ago."

"Fucking creeps."

You nod in silence.

"Hey, Jean!" Connie shouts at Jean, who's walking a few steps ahead of you two. "Wait for us, man! It's not like you'll put your balls in any use soon!" He takes one long step with you. "Plus, I think Mikasa wouldn't mind if you were balls-less, right Y/N?"

You giggle, then laugh loudly, when you see Jean running back toward Connie. Tackling him so hard, they both fall to the snowy ground. Shoving and rolling and slapping one another. It makes you laugh harder, and them groaning in annoyance at the fact their clothes got damp and cold.

"Come on, we're here!" You say as you finally reach the big wooden doors of the dining hall. "You can dry yourselves in there!" You keep smiling at them, ignoring your stomach that started knotting anxiously at the fact you'll be seeing him in there again.

"Fucking idiot!" Jean mutters grumpily as he walks to you, pushing the door open and walking in. Connie follows, patting snow from his clothes.

"You had it coming!" You say to him when he reaches you and he rolls his eyes, pushing the door for both of you to walk in.