Zeke had been watching from the very beginning. McGrath had told him to follow Y/n back to paradis and he did just that. Along with Reiner, Annie and Bertholdt. They had to be sure she really was being swayed by the Commander of the Survey Corps before withdrawing her from the mission. He was surprised when he saw the commander with another woman. Maybe he was wrong after all.
But it was upon watching y/n return to her home one day that he began to understand. Drinking without hesitation and sobbing into the arms of another man. He was scrawny looking with rosy freckled cheeks and curly hair. Someone quite the opposite of the Aryan commander. He had seen them again walking through the market hand in hand being bustled by the crowds. For once he was glad of his cover job. A florist selling all kinds of beautiful flowers. He caught his attention easily. Handing him a flower that would surely sabotage whatever was going on between them was an easy way to clear up business. He could rest easy for a while.
But the time came when McGath wanted updates and Zeke had to leave the comfort of his abode and go back to being stealthy once again. He asked after the post boy at the post office. They informed Zeke that he was going through a tough time and they were "deeply sorry for any inconvinience caused by Stefan's mood lately."
"Oh it's no problem. My package can wait. I just wanted to make sure he was doing okay. He's a lovely lad and I'd hate for him to be in any kind of trouble." Zeke smiled turning away and dropping the act almost immediately. He hated having to fake being nice to people. But at least he'd learned the boy's name. Approaching him on a street corner he pushed him against the wall by his shoulder.
"So. What happened between you and
y/n. Care to explain?" He asked his voice laced with venom in an attempt to scare the boy.
"N-nothing...who are you?" Stefan whimpered in fear
"It doesn't matter. I know something happened. " Zeke puffed on his cigarette.
"N-no nothing happened...." Stefan trembled looking around for anyone to call out to that could help him. Zeke moved to stay in his eyeline.
"Stefan. I know an awful lot about you. You know that? It would be a shame if something were to happen to say.... Maggie...." Zeke snarled. He was impatient.
"Alright alright! Please...just don't hurt Maggie.... She...ended things with me..." He quivered his eyes glistening with tears
"Really....hmm...so she's back with the commander then..." Zeke's voice lowered as he talked to himself in thought as he did so Stefan broke free of his grip and ran off his face red and tears bubbling in his eyes.
Zeke chuckled to himself. 'What a wimp. As if I'd actually go through the hassle of finding out where he lived and hurting his dumb cat.' he thought to himself as he circled back around towards the town and climbed up onto a roof nearby the scout HQ. He watched there for day after day through his binoculars. Waiting for evidence that Y/n was back with the commander. Until, bingo. He saw her in the office only the back of her head but he snapped a photo anyway.
That night a storm rumbled through Paradis. Sheets of rain and lighting flooded the sky and he saw and oppurtunity. Scaling the wall he transformed while the city slept. He looked over at the Scout HQ, Y/n's silhoutte illuminated behind the curtains. He smirked to himself. He hoped she was frightened because she should be. Turning back into his human form he returned to his perch and waited for morning.
During his reconnaissance he had a lot of time to think about things. He despised her. He'd always wondered as a child what made her so special. She looked just the same as him and yet she was fed everything with a silver spoon. He understood that she was Marleyian but until he became a warrior he didn't know why that mattered. Even though his parents told him he still couldn't really comprehend. But once he inherited the beast titan he understood perfectly. The only thing that made them different was fear. And he would sure as hell use it to his advantage.
Seeing them together in the market was the final straw. He placed his hand on her shoulder his grip firm.
"Excuse me miss." He said sounding as innocent as he could muster. She froze as she turned her eyes widening. He simply walked away, down a side alley into the darkness.
'Lets see what you have to say for yourself. Shall we?'