Beyond The Walls // Attack On Titan

How You Met

It was a normal day in the Cadet Corps Training Grounds, cadets were training and bickering with their superiors watching from a distance.

You on the other hand, were slacking your ass off. You were hidden among the trees, it was ODMG training day and you didn't feel up to it.

So here you were, sitting on a tree far from the other cadets. It was relaxing just sitting there and listening to the other happily zooming past each other, once and a while you would hear some cadets argue about some race but that was the least of your concern.

"You do know that Instructor Shadis could come up at any time, right?" a voice whispers from behind you, sending you screaming and falling from the branch. You quickly latch onto a tree and climb back up, looking at the sudden unfamiliar voice who almost sent to to your death.

"Shut up, what was that for? I could've gotten caught if they heard me. Be lucky that the boys' screaming is louder than mine!" you spouted, you were both pissed and flustered.

Why were you flustered? Well because of the large blonde with broad shoulders standing infront of you. His golden eyes and serious expression intimidated you, that was until he smirked.

"Shadis is gonna beat your ass when he figures out you're here, unless I'll be the one to tell him." he chuckles, his deep voice reaching your ears.

"Alright, what's your name? I wanna be sure I know who you are when I kill you." you cross your arms with a pout, glaring at him.

"Reiner Braun. You know, I might reconsider snitching on you because you're so cute." he leaned down to your height, flicking your nose.

You roll your eyes and scoff, "Reiner, huh? Aren't you the dude who got his ass kicked by Annie?" you smirk at him, his expression falters.

From serious and intimidating to nervous and annoyed, "I let her win, she's really strong." he replies, narrowing his eyes at you.

"Keep telling yourself that, pretty boy." chuckling, you latch onto another tree. "Well, I have to go before Shadis sees you slacking off. So, goodbye." you wave and blow him a kiss flirtatiously and fly away, zooming through the trees and catching up with the other cadets.

"Cadet Braun, what do you think you're doing? Get your ass back to training before I make you run laps!" Shadis bellows, his voice almost echoing throughout the forest.

Reiner curses under his breath and goes back to training, "That damn girl." he mutters under breath and looks for his friends.

~~

You were hanging out with Jean and Marco after dinner, sitting outside and chatting. Leaning on the wooden railings outside the mess hall, staring into the night sky.

Jean and Marco were laughing about whatever corny joke Jean told him, you on the other hand, were thinking of how life would be outside the walls.

'It would be so fulfilling to go beyond the walls, see what's out there and explore. To not feel trapped in these walls, to see if there are other people living out there. What would life be like without titans? With better technology? I wish I could experience that.' you sigh, burying your face in your hands.

"(Y/N), are you okay? You've been so silent." Marco asks sweetly, worry in his eyes as he gave you a sympathetic smile. Jean goes over and gives you a hug, ruffling your hair.

"Brighten up, whatever is bothering you will go away at some point. Let's just be happy, okay? This isn't the (Y/N) i know and it's sucks seeing you sad." he gives you his signature grin, trying to cheer you up. 

You hug you ash-brown haired friend tightly, quietly crying into his chest. Marco sighs and hugs you too, they felt like brothers to you. Brothers you never had, people you could count on.

"I feel so trapped in these walls, I'm so tired of hearing about the deaths of soldiers just because they're trying to figure out the secrets. I can't handle any of it, that'll be us really soon. Not only soldiers are dying, but citizens too. Innocent people are dying either by the hands of titans or by starvation. I don't think I'll survive out there." you take a deep breath, trying to gain your composure.

"Don't say that, we're gonna live. We're gonna live in the interior where it's nice and safe, okay? We'll all be safe and you won't have to worry about any of that." Jean reassures you, "We'll always be there to protect you, you're like a sister to us and you should be thinking positive." Marco says, patting your head.

You nodded, pulling away from the hug. "Thanks, you guys. It's just... I've been paranoid since what happened in Shiganshina. I know I don't live there but when I saw all those people enter my hometown, crying and broken from losing their family members, it made me think. That's all." you managed a small smile at them, to which they chuckled.

"It'll be okay. Let's just focus on the present, okay?" Jean asks, you nod. "You guys are the best, I'm so lucky to have such dorks as my friends."

"I'm not a dork!" Jean glares, you laugh. "Fine, you're not a dork. You're a horse!" you exclaim happily, Marco laughs along with you. Jean was mad at first, but then joined you laughing.

Everything seemed alright at the moment, it seemed happy. But what was unknown to you was that Reiner heard everything, he heard everything and it broke him inside that his actions hurt you so much. But he knew he had to do this, he was a warrior in disguise as a soldier.

It was almost like he was in love with you, that's why it hurt him when he heard you crying to your friends. He knew this was against the mission but he couldn't help it, he fell for you.