Y/n's POV
It almost seems like sneaking out of the barracks keeps getting easier and easier. Probably because I've been doing it every night for about 3 months. Walking through the forest isn't exactly something I dread anymore, either. I actually find it quite peaceful now.
Tybur: 'I have additional information for you tonight, but you have to agree to actually train tonight. No slacking off.'
Y/n: 'Oh wow, additional info. How great for me. Sure, I'll actually try.'
Tybur: 'Start with your usual warmup. Go.'
I started with my stretches.
Tybur: 'Well, first thing's first. Would you like to hear about Ymir or Christa?'
Y/n: 'I guess that depends on the severity.'
Tybur: 'Okay. Let's start with Ymir. She's from beyond the walls. I know that for sure.'
Y/n: 'What gave it away?'
Tybur: 'The name. She was once worshipped by others who believed her to be the original Ymir. The first Titan shifter.'
Y/n: 'Tell me more?'
Tybur: 'Of course. She was exploited as a child, told she was royal and destined to rule. Of course, as a child, she believed it. She "ruled" well into her teens. When she was discovered, she was cast out and turned into a Titan.'
Y/n: 'How do you know that? Were you there?'
Tybur: 'That's how they dispatched of them. Subjects of Ymir, people called them.'
Y/n: 'Wait, but if the Marleyans turned her into a Titan, then how is she...Oh, my walls!
Tybur: 'Yeah. The only issue is figuring out how to approach her.'
I moved on to breathing exercises.
Y/n: 'Wait. Back up a bit. I thought there were three Titans unaccounted for? You know something I don't?
Tybur: 'My bad. Let's start with the Titan war, where our people practically damned themselves. The agreement made was that Karl Fritz would retreat to an isolated area and ensure that the Eldians would never be an issue again. In doing so, he wiped the memory of his people.'
Y/n: 'This is why nobody has any idea that others are beyond the island. Or that the island is even an island, to begin with.'
Tybur: 'Yes. Karl had the idea of peace. He knew that Eldians were hunted and that the only way to ensure their survival was to wipe our memories and lock us away. I deduce that whoever has the Founding Titan also wants to spare the Eldians.'
Y/n: 'How did the name "Paradis" come into play?'
Tybur: 'That was an asshole move on the Marleyans' part. Essentially, with the people not having to worry about war, it would seem like paradise.'
Y/n: 'Oh.'
Tybur:' Right.'
Y/n: 'Okay, so only people with that wish for peace can wield the Founding titan?'
Tybur: 'Probably so? It seems that those who want peace are the issue, though.'
Y/n: 'Meaning that whoever has it now wants peace? And the Founding Titan is probably kept within the family.
Tybur: 'Sounds about right.'
Y/n: 'So what of the Attack Titan? You said you knew who could possibly have it?'
Next was practicing my left and right jabs on the nearest tree.
Tybur: 'You might want to sit down for this one.'
Y/n: 'Whatever it is, I can take it.'
Tybur: 'Don't say I didn't warn you.'
Y/n: 'Whatever. Just spit out.'
Tybur: 'Eren Yeager could be our Attack Titan.
I punched the tree a bit too hard, chipping the bark a bit.
Y/n: 'What?! How-How do you know that?'
Tybur: 'I've conversed with Zeke quite a few times and earned that he has unwavering loyalty to Marley, so I can confirm that he did indeed expose his father. His name was Grisha Yeager. Can you confirm that's Eren's father well?'
Y/n: 'That name sounds familiar. My mom used to mention his name from time to time. She never spoke of him having a family, though. Could that be important?'
Tybur: 'Potentially. We need to know if we have an absolute allied shifter.'
Y/n: 'So that's why it was easy to find out which Titan Ymir could have. Wait. So, we're talking to her first? '
Tybur: 'Until we can gather more information, yes. We will also have to plan out our approach toward her as well.'
Y/n: 'What about Christa? She's not the Founding Titan, is she?
Tybur: 'No. She's...Well, first of all, her real name is Historia.'
Y/n: 'Pump the fucking breaks. "Real name"? Why isn't she using her real name?'
Tybur: 'Your guess is as good as mine. What I'm about to tell you, Y/n, you cannot tell anyone, do you understand?'
Y/n: 'I understand.'
Tybur: 'Historia is the rightful heir to the throne. I think this may be why she's not using her real name.'
Y/n: 'Oh wow...that's...something.'
I stopped punching to gather my thoughts.
Y/n: 'How in the hell do you know? Just by looking at her?'
Tybur: 'Remember back in the barracks? That chill that fell over you?
Y/n: 'Yeah...?'
Tybur: 'You felt that because with her being royal, she's the next supposed queen. And her being the queen means needing elite protection. That's where you come in, with the Warhammer and all.'
Y/n: 'Is she not related to King Fritz? What's her last name? Do you know?'
Tybur: 'Her last name is Reiss. I fear that if word gets out that she's truly royal, she will be in serious danger.'
Y/n: 'Ymir has to know. She has to.'
Tybur: 'What makes you seem so sure?'
Y/n: 'They're in a relationship. There's no way they're together, and Ymir doesn't know. If that is the case, though, then I think we should let Ymir know.'
Then came the thought that almost made me shiver with fear.
Y/n: 'If Historia is the rightful heir, and we believe that the Founding Titan was kept in the family...-'
Tybur: 'You think that she could have the Founding Titan?'
Y/n: 'It's a possibility, yeah.'
Tybur: 'Having so many different shifters in such close proximity...'
Y/n: 'How does that make you feel?'
Tybur: 'It's been a while since any more than 4 have been working together. But, if this plan works, we'll have at least five.'
Y/n: 'Let's deal with all of this tomorrow, okay?'
Tybur: 'Sure. One more thing, though.'
Y/n: 'What is it?'
Tybur: 'I want to apologize for how I acted when I found out you had feelings for Leonhardt. It was incredibly rude, and I'm so very sorry. I should be supporting you, not belittling you. Like it or not, regardless of our end-goals, we're in this together. I'll do my best to remember that from here on out. This means putting an end to the childish arguments.'
Y/n: 'I appreciate you doing this, Lady Tybur, and I'm sorry too. We can both do better.'
Tybur: 'Good. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, goodnight.'
Y/n: 'What? Where are you-?'
Annie: Y/n.
Y/n: Holy shit, Annie!
I turned away from the tree towards her.
Y/n: You scared the shit out of me! What are you doing here?
Y/n: 'Why didn't you warn me? We just agreed to be better!'
Tybur: 'Sorry, I thought you knew! You should be paying more attention!'
Annie: Sorry, I didn't mean to. Are you okay? You were punching that tree a bit hard. There's a chip in it.
Y/n: I'm fine, just doing my nightly training. I've been punching this tree this hard for a bit, and this was a long time coming.
I fully stepped away from the tree to get a good look at her.
Y/n: You didn't answer my question, though. Why are you all the way out here?
Annie: You told me you frequent out here. So, I came to check up on you. Do you...not want me here?
Y/n: Oh no, that's not it at all! I just wanted to make sure you were okay.
Annie: I'm fine. I do have a question for you, though.
Y/n: Go ahead.
Annie: Did what I said earlier upset you?
Y/n: Huh?
Annie: After I told you we should separate for dinner? You kind of went nuts on that punching bag.
My face reddened in embarrassment.
Y/n: Oh, that.
I frowned.
Y/n: Uh...kinda sorta? I wasn't mad at you for real, though.
Annie: "For real"? Care to elaborate?
Y/n: I was upset at your clear blue eyes, the shy smile that you give me sometimes, and the small laugh that I get when I actually manage to humor you. I'm upset that I'm actually falling for you.
Annie stood staring at me for quite some time.
Annie: What am I supposed to do with that?
I shrugged.
Y/n: I don't know, you tell me. I just figured it would be best to be honest with you.
She stared at me some more and then stepped forward into my personal space.
Annie: What is it that you see in me, Y/n?
I said nothing for a short while, compiling my thoughts.
Tybur: 'Don't be afraid to be honest here, Y/n.'
Y/n: Right. Well, I think you're beautiful and that you have more personality than half of the 104th.
Tybur: 'Not that honest!'
I paused to work up more of my courage.
Y/n: I have the weirdest desire to know you more, and I really like spending time with you as well. But as for what I see in you? I don't think we have enough time for me to tell you everything.
Annie: You say these things, yet it's only been 3 months.
Y/n: And I'm tempted to ask you to think about what I'd be saying if it had been longer! Look, Annie, I don't care about how little you trust yourself. If I want to put my trust in you, then that's my decision.
I pulled her into a hug.
Y/n: I am choosing to put my trust and faith in you because I care so very deeply for you, Annie. Please don't push me away.
I let her go before she became uncomfortable if she wasn't already.
Annie: My turn?
I nodded and gestured for her to continue.
Annie: You told me to ask you when I could answer as well, and so, I want you to know that I feel the same.
She stopped to kick at the dirt with a scoff and a roll of her eyes.
Annie: I can't tell you to hide your feelings for me when I feel the same. It's a dick move, and I want to apologize for that.
Y/n: Apology excepted, Leonhardt.
Annie: On one condition.
Y/n: Yeah?
Annie: We take it slow. I've never done this before, and it feels special. So I'd like to treat it as such.
Y/n: Did you come all the way out here just to tell me that or...?
She looked like she was about to kick my ass, but just then, her expression changed, and I could tell she was about to do something really risky.
Annie: No. I came all the way out here to do this.
After she finished her statement, she pulled me into my very first kiss. It wasn't forceful at all. In fact, it had a soft calm to it that I could discern was Annie's doing. It was unlike anything I'd ever felt before, and that pleasant yet unfamiliar feeling only grew when Annie deepened the kiss. The feeling hit me so hard I started to sway a bit and had to cling to Annie to steady myself. She pulled away with a chuckle.
Annie: You alright? You were holding me pretty tight there.
Y/n: I'll hold you as tight as you want if you keep on kissing me like that. I mean, holy shit, Annie!
Annie: Was it really that good?
Y/n: Uh, yeah! That was amazing!
Annie: Thank you.
She looked as if she'd just remembered something.
Annie: Did I interrupt your training? I'm sorry.
Y/n: Uh...
Y/n: 'Tybur?'
Tybur: 'It's all good, go on ahead.'
Annie: Y/n?
Y/n: Ah, sorry, I was working out my schedule. I'm free to go if you want to go somewhere more...I don't know, private?
Annie: You hoping to go further?
Y/n: Not necessarily. We did agree on taking it slow, after all.
She gave me a soft smile in thanks.
Annie: You remembered.
Y/n: Of course I did! There was only one condition.
She stood on her tiptoes to kiss me on the cheek.
Annie: Thank you, Y/n. That means a lot to me.
Y/n: Of course, Annie.