No. 7 from the fanfic troupes with Dazai pls đâš
Everytime I think of the roommate trope I think of vine lmao. Reader is gender neutral!
Update: I was suppose to post this last night and I passed out instead my bad yall đđđ
CW: minor language, mentions of suicide (cause itâs Dazai) but nothing graphic is mentioned
Dreamâs 800 Follower Special đ
Your roommate was⊠very eccentric, to say the least. That was the nicest way you could put it.
Heâs a horrible cook, he uses almost the whole bottle of detergent and doesnât tell you, takes forever in the bathroom, and you have caught him on more than one occasion trying some new concoction or method to try and leave this world (which scared the hell out of you at first, but now you just scold him for wasting money and out of concern for his mental state).
But he does pay his share of rent and bills on time, he offers to share his bottle of alcohol with you, heâs somehow always find a way to make you crack a smile even when he knows that youâre irritated. Heâs made it moreâŠlively here. From your experiences of having past roommates, heâs been the best one you had which is very surprising. Does he have moments that make you very tempted to smother him with his pillow (which he would encourage no doubt)? Of course. But then you think about how fun your life has been recently and how you canât picture living with anyone else, and the thought goes away.
But something changed recently. You started to notice more about him.
How contagious his genuine laugh was, how the simplest touch made your heart race, how much butterflies you get in your stomach just hearing him say your name- the list could go on and on honestly. You werenât expecting this arrangement to be like this when you agreed for him to move in- just another body thatâs here to find a cheap place to live and thatâs it. That was until he came and introduced you to something new, something refreshing, and you werenât mad that you were proven wrong for once.
The prank wars, unplanned movie nights, late night talks that left you both vulnerable- it was all so refreshing and he helped you welcome it all in. What started out as a business agreement with strangers came to bloom something beautiful between you two, something special. You were smiling a lot more these days because of him, and it made you feel so light inside. It was like you guys were already a couple and-
Then you realized what was happening and your heart sank.
âOh no.â
âHm? Everything okay?â
And your situation was only worsening when you heard Dazaiâs voice, and you choked when you saw how close he was (he still didnât understand the concept of personal space). He looked curious and he wouldnât stop leaning in-
âIgottagoBYE!â
He moved back when you rushed to your room and slammed the door. And you lost count of how many times you screamed into your pillow that night.
Before you made what is possibly the worst decision of your life, you did the responsible thing as an adult- and hid yourself away until you were convinced that your feelings were just temporary. Except that they never went away, and only grew stronger. But just as they grew, so did your pain- youâve been distancing yourself from him until you get your head together. You canât fall in love with him, heâs your roommate! Getting your heart broken and then having to live together was a nightmare that youâve seen come true too many times, and that was not a risk you were willing to take. You werenât even planning on being this close with him to begin with!
Besides, you doubt that he would even look at you the same way. If anything, you would just be wasting his time, so why not save yourself the heartache now? You werenât in middle school anymore, you didnât have time for fleeting crushes. Youâre an adult now that has to face the reality that the advice to follow your heart doesnât always work and thatâs okay. Itâs time to wake up from this little fantasy and get back into the real world. Just keep acting like everything is normal, like nothing is wrong, like youâre not falling in deeper and deeper each day, and everything will turn out fine.
â
Everything is not turning out fine.
You and Dazai are just roommates- yep. Just roommates. It wasnât uncommon for roommates to be laying on each other when watching a movie. Nope, itâs totally common to do this between friends.
And itâs not weird for how he pulled you into a random dance, gliding and holding you in his arms so gentle. Heâs just messing with you like always, even if you havenât laughed like this in a while and didnât want it to end.
Itâs definitely not out of place for what you hear through the walls too. The walls are paper thin, so of course you would hear some of the things he said (but the way your heart felt like it was going to give out at any second when you swear that you heard your name escape from his lips among other things). All normal in your eyes- YEP HAHA. Totally no romantic feelings involved, NOPE.
How you got roped into drinking with him after coming in so late from work still remained a mystery.
Drinking with Dazai wasnât uncommon, and he already shuffled you to the table and into a chair and poured you a glass before you could even open your mouth. And honestly, you needed the drink to somewhat drown out the troubles of work and your love life. He knew what he was doing- he wasnât sneaky in getting your favorite brand either. Sly bastard.
The warmth was already soaking into your body from your first glass. It felt nice to chat with him like this, with no stress hanging over your head (at least for the time being anyway). Itâs easy to forget about your worries when youâre with him, and alcohol doesnât even have to be included.
âWhat is it with you and bothering that Kunikida guy?â
âCan you blame me? Itâs free entertainment! You would do it too if you could see how he reacts. It never fails in making my day less boring.â He poured more into your cup, then propped his head on his arm. âOne day Iâll take you to the agency so you could see for yourself.â
âMhm, sure. Looking forward to it.â You sipped on your drink, feeling the tingling sensation in your throat. Glancing at the clock, you saw how late it was getting. Standing up and stretching, you thought it was time to make your leave before you let something slip out that you donât mean to say, âWell alright. I stayed up past my bedtime, and my bed is calling my name. Try not to stay up too late tonight, okay?â
âAh, still so caring, even when I donât deserve it.â He swirled his glass around. âAnd leaving me so soon? The night is still so young, and thereâs still so much I want to talk with you about.â
âLike what? What new ideas youâre gonna torment your coworker with?â You chuckled.
âNo, about us.â
That caused you to freeze. You almost choked on your spit, and youâre grateful that youâre faced away from him. âUs?â You gulped. âWhat is- what is there to talk about?â
âA lot if you would give me the time. Thereâs so much to say about us.â
âI mean- not really. Weâre just roommates, thatâs all.â
The silence in the room grew that came after was damning.
âJust roommates?â You couldnât bring yourself to turn around and meet his eyes, and you could just feel his own burning into your skin. âReally? Nothing else?â
âI mean weâre friends too- yeah. Just- roommates that became friends. Yeah, roommates turned into friends turned into BFFs. Thatâs what I would call it. Just really close roommates/friends.â Keep your head together, donât ramble, donât ramble-
âI see.â And it was quiet after that, and you are trying your best not to squirm. Why did you have to make this so awkward. You turned around and gave him a quick wave, taking increasing steps backwards to your room. âWell, itâs really late so Iâll see in the morning Dazai-â
âThen I havenât been very clear with you then.â
You did choke on your spit at that moment. ââŠhuh? I donât- I donât understand.â
When he placed his glass down and stood up, you just stood there mouth agape. When he made his way to you, you were convinced that you were going to collapse at any second. You werenât drunk, youâre still coherent enough to know whatâs going on, to know how close he was getting- you shouldâve made the move to push him away. But how could you when it felt so nice to link your hands together with his? So right?
The look heâs giving you- itâs so soft. His chestnut orbs have this affectionate glow to it, one that made you think you were dreaming, that this couldnât be happening. You wanted to sink into his touch, you wanted to bolt back to your room, you didnât want this moment to end- your emotions were all over the place.
âYou donât have to feign ignorance you know. The walls arenât exactly thick, and I must say- if the last thing I heard was my name falling from your lips, I would die a happy man, especially knowing that my affections were returned.â
âReturned?â You said in a small voice.
Dazai just laughed again, and leaned in closer, nose brushing against yours. âWhy of course. I would be a fool to deny them, and a bigger one to let you slip away.â
You couldnât believe what you were hearing, and your heart soared at his words. But the little doubt in the back of your head had you second guessing.
But what if I mess this up? What if I lose you?
âYou wonât. If anything, Iâm the one who should be concerned about losing you.â His hand caressed your cheek. You flinched- you didnât mean to say that out loud!
You couldnât even look him in the eyes, but he titled your chin up to do so anyway. âIâm more than willing to take the chance. To have you in my arms before I leave this world is a chance I will always take if you allow me to.â When his eyes flickered between your own down to your lips, you closed the distance and hoped that you didnât come to regret it.
And as time passed, you didnât come to regret anything at all.
â caramel frappucino.
â© description. in which sakusa kiyoomi tries not to fall in love with the girl who spilled her favorite drink on him or;
sakusa being your breakfast buddy until you both realize your feelings and eat together for every meal
â© pairing. sakusa kiyoomi x reader
â© genre. college!au, enemies?? to lovers, friends to lovers, lovers to friends, crack, fluff, angst to the bones
â© warnings. swearing; angst; basically my madness showing itself from time to time
â© disclaimer. pictures used are not mine and are all credited to their owners. haikyuu characters are owned by haruichi furudate.
â© status. ongoing đ
TAGLIST CLOSED
â© TABLE OF CONTENTS:
00 â introductions
y/nâs squad || sakusaâs squad
01 â let the clowns be
02 â pokemon macaroons
03 - donât leave me on read
04 - something called love
05 - donât miss me too much
06 - just us two
07 - am i doing it right?
08 - see you at 8
09 - mom, i think iâm in love
10 - code red
11 - sheâs a psycho
12 - are you asking me on a date?
13 - that sounds desperate
14 - ship: sailing soon
15 - be a man
16 - please donât be sakusa kiyoomi
17 - iâm just her friend
18 - letâs go out
19 - you were right, tooru
20 - the truth untold
21 - our love wasnât meant to happen
22 - too early to break my heart
23 - damn you, tetsurou
24 - you like y/n
[...]
â whatâs new, scooby doo? â
Ë˰âą*ââ·Â aoba johsai is having its annual halloween festival, and oikawa has the great idea to go as mystery incorporated this year. none of you guys expected to have a run in with a ârealâ ghost yourselves, however.
⌠pairing! aoba johsai vbc x manager!reader, iwaizumi bias this time lol
⌠warnings! cursing
⌠type! fluff, humor, a little spooky
⌠authorâs note! last one of my halloween fics, others linked at the end! please keep in mind that this is the first time iâm posting on here and first time iâm writing for hq, so i apologize beforehand if there are any mistakes or the characters seem ooc. anyways, happy halloween! have fun and stay safe. enjoy this little treat! <3
Keep reading
â in the middle of the night when the wolves come out, they head straight for your heart like a bullet in the dark. one by one, i gotta take them down. â
Ë˰âą*ââ· Â mattsun is prepared to fight off anyone who attempts to steal your heart
⌠song! wolves - one direction
⌠pairing! matsukawa issei x fem!reader
⌠word count! 2.3k
⌠warnings! a lot of talk about murdering oikawa, inaccurate representation of how valentineâs day is celebrated in japan, not properly edited
⌠type! fluff, humor??
⌠authorâs note! happy valentineâs day! (i am in fact, not late. itâs still the 14th in california). hereâs a slightly inspired valentines matsukawa one shot. part of my haikyuu x one direction series!
Keep reading
Pairing: Trafalgar Law x fem!reader
Summary: On a quest to find what you've been looking for, you acquire the help of the Straw Hat pirates, who've agreed to let you temporarily join them. There are however many challenges that come along with your temporary recruitment - an alliance with a certain Trafalgar Law being one of them.
Warnings: fluff, angst, kinda slow burn, swearing, OP spoilers.
01 || 02
Heâs so crazy I canât take him anywhere đ€Ș
based on a tiktok audio!
HE FUCKING THAT SHIT UPPPPPPP
Traitor
Reiner Braun x f!reader
Summary: All the times Reiner found a home in you that he will never be able to return to again.
Warnings: angst, fluff, aot spoilers if you havenât watched season four pt. 1?? cursing, panic attacks, Reinerâs self-deprication and poor mental health, suicidal ideation - Reinerâs, implied reader death but is it true? Me thinks not. Also in good me fashion, I havenât proofread this teehee.
A/N: Season four Reiner had me in a chokehold.
wc: 9k+
aot mlist
God I wish you thought this through before I went and fell in love with you.
He didnât think devils were supposed to be beautiful. Not when, for the majority of his life at least, he had pictured them to be vile and cruel monsters, with grotesque faces that snarled down upon him and his people â cursing them to deal with the consequences of the evil-doers actions. Those, only an ocean away, were grimly cackling at what was left of the Eldianâs sheltered in Liberio; the demons were howling so loudly at how his people failed to run away, instead choosing to take responsibility, that the force of their laughter was what pushed the wind inland, towards Marley. That is what everyone said to him as a young boy, anyway, and he figured it mustâve been the truth.
However, within the few years he spent hiding in the devil's den, he found that those scary stories weren't exactly true. At least not in present terms. What he was taught â ever since the early days of his life where he questioned why he had to wear an armband and why he wasnât allowed to leave the walls â about the devils on the island was a lie.
He didnât understand how history and all those lessons could be so wrong. These devils, who he had lived beside and shared smiles with, werenât the ones he had been forced to learn about. It was a bitter truth he was certain of.
And sure, maybe the way they acted was questionable. Perhaps their customs and ways of living were a little strange and primitive, but when he turned the pages of a dictionary to look upon what would fall under the definition of âsavageâ and âevilâ never did he see their faces underneath the printed words.
Because according to all those lessons and stories that had been drilled into his mind since birth, devils were not supposed to be kind, or caring, or funny, or beautiful⊠but you were.
You were beautiful in how you made his heart sing, his cheeks glow, and his body float. You were beautiful in how you were strong, in how you were attentive, and in how you were determined. You were beautiful â inside and out. So no, Reiner did not think you to be a devil; how could you be when every fiber of your being resembled that of an angel instead?
And he missed you, his angel, with every long, bleak day that dragged by.
âSay, Reiner, when are we going to finally meet the girl in your sketchbook?â His mother asks from across the table, and Reiner feels as though he was young, naive and in training again â the wind completely knocked out of him as he lands flat on his ass.
His tongue feels heavy and dry, as if he had swallowed buckets of sand -- God knows he had done plenty of that for the past few months -- a sensation that was unpleasant and choked him of every word he had.
Although it doesnât distract him from the fact that his family were all looking at him expectantly. Everyone always looked at him like that and he despised it; big brother Reiner, so reliable, dependable, and always knowing what to do.
Naturally, he wonders how they have seen his sketchbook, the one hidden in his room and under his pillow; the one he constantly drew in out of fear of forgetting what you looked like. Why did his family know of its existence and more importantly, why did they know that a poorly sketched angel danced within the pages?
It was unfair how they thought it was ok to breach his privacy⊠but, considering how fragile his mind has been lately, he can somewhat understand his motherâs spying.
âSince when did you have a girlfriend, Reiner?â Mushed broccoli and potatoes sputter across the table as Gabi yells out, âyou work all the time, I thought you were too busy?â
Fuck, he is busy; run down and beyond worn out. There are days where his limbs refuse to move and all he craves is a few extra minutes of pretending to be somewhere, anywhere, else.
The war in the east only made his suffering worse, with each devastating blow his body received, and as much as he was glad he was out of the line of fire, he still didnât feel safe and at home. Not a soul would ever hear him admit that though, he didnât deserve a second of pity for what he had done. This was his repentance.
His uncle scolds Gabi and yet she does not ease on her stare. In fact, none of them do, their eyes eagerly awaiting a response, still so expectant of him -- he wishes he could still look at himself with that much hope.
Reiner clears his throat amidst the noise, âwhat?â
âOh, honey, donât play coy with usâ â his mother smiles â âitâs perfectly ok for you to have a crush.â
His brows furrowed further, restraining against correcting her because it was so much more than a crush. A crush was childish, a miniscule moment of affection, a simple spark compared to the all-consuming fire that burned in his heart for you. It was so much more than a crush.
âNo, I am just curious as to how you found it,â he instead chooses to say.
âOh, I was cleaning whilst you were away and it fellâ â a lie, he knew that was a lie â âall the pages have the same girl in. She is beautiful, Reiner, donât be shy, bring her over for dinner sometime.â
âNo, uh, that wonât be possible. Sheâs not⊠sheâs not available.â Reiner says, his words a solemn slew that seemed to reach the hearts of those across the table. He hates that pitying look.
Whilst his mother is right, you are beautiful â no, more than that, shit, he didnât think there were enough words to describe how good you were â the truth is you hate him, most probably. No, most definitely. And whilst he stays up late at night imagining you, here, smiling with him at those around the dinner table, a ring shining proudly on your fourth finger soon to claim you as another Braun, he knows it all will remain just a naive dream to indulge in when the intrusive thoughts become too much.
You would probably try to kill him if you were to ever meet again⊠though at this point, time seems to be leaning towards when. He never thought he would dread seeing you but anything would be better than watching your eyes burn with hatred for him. Although, maybe dying by your hand would be ok; Reiner thinks that would be a good way to go, taken out by an angel, his angel. He would let you. The real question, however, was if he deserved such a merciful end.
His mother grimaces with her typical sad and old eyes that begged for something to remain of her only son once he passed on, âOh⊠sheâs in a relationship then?â
God, he hopes not.
âYes.â
And that was that. Pitiful looks are shot his way, maybe a few simple apologies too -- even the bitter âwell, thereâs plenty of fish in the sea, Reiner,â as if anyone else could compare to you, as if he even had time to think of looking for someone else with his scheduled death right around the corner.
He didnât care to listen as they moved back to talking about Gabi and the whole warrior program, his fork instead prodding at the food still on his plate. They move on and he sits there for the rest of the night with his tongue craving to speak your name, of how alive you made him feel. His family wouldnât find it so easy to talk down on the island devils -- like they were now -- if they knew you; if they knew your kindness or your intelligence.
In some ways, Reiner comes to envy them slightly, the way his family remains so unaware of how truly ethereal life can be. Remaining oblivious means that they can continue going about their normal, bleak day, but not Reiner who merely survives knowing that there is a taste of sunshine out there he can no longer bask in.
Reiner? Why would you do this? Reiner, tell me youâre lying?
Violently, he jolts, the chair screaming loudly against the wood floor and amber eyes are panicked when all he sees are walls surrounding him along with those he betrayed. He could feel the wind whipping at his cheeks and the dull throbbing of his arm. He could remember the harsh yellow light that shadowed the pained look on your face.
How could you do this to us, Reiner? I thought you loved me?
No, not again, please not now, he begs. He didnât want to hear your voice, not like that, not now. Chest heaving, he does anything but meet his familyâs concerned gaze, grabbing at the shirt material over his heart as he harshly pants out, âIâm going to bed, Iâm tired. Thank you for dinner.â
They donât call after him as his footsteps roar against the stairs, they never do because they know better after four years of the same shit; he wouldnât tell the truth, a rushed âIâm fineâ half-hazardly thrown over his trembling shoulder as he flees to his room. His heart thunders at a worrying pace, choking him with fierce regret.
He canât breathe. Then he stumbles. Weak feet thudding against the wood floor, looking for the soft comfort of blankets. Itâs hard to focus but he knows that he canât breathe. Not as he falls against his bed, hand frantically searching under his pillows.
Reiner, I hate you.
No. Please donât say that. Iâm so sorry.
His aching fingers find leather. Gripping the book tightly as he opens the pages. He still canât breathe. And it hurts. Even as he looks at your face printed in graphite on the pages of his sketchbook, it hurts. Fuck, it hurts so much -- missing you. He misses you so much. So, so much. The burning of his eyes makes his vision fuzzy, but he knows the paper is getting wet. He hopes he hasnât obscured any of the details of your face, because what if he forgot? God, what if he forgot? He canât forget you. He canât, he canât, he canât.
His mind is screaming, his heart, his eyes. It is all so loud. Clutching his ears he sobs into his pillow, wails like the infant he is until he can no longer see, think or feel.
Yet, even as his body surrenders to sleep, he cannot escape that final pitiful howl that reverberates through the four walls of his room.
Let me see her again, please.
But he only does in his dreams.
+
If there was any way for him to die, Reiner didnât think sunstroke would be it.
The mid-summer sun bore down intensely as it watched the soldiers that lined the dirt ditch. With him were maybe fifty trainees in total, if he had to make a rough guess. A sea of naive faces; children who didnât know the meaning of what it was to fight, to sacrifice. It was easy to laugh at the stupidity of those he stood with â the fact that they truly thought they could stand a chance in battle. At least here, Reiner can see that the rest of his fight should be an easy one.
With that being said, he still couldnât help the way his knees trembled. Only a small movement, barely noticeable to the normal eye, but he still felt it was obvious to those who knew what to look for. This was the lion's den, and ultimately, these were the evil bastards he would have to fight. Kill. Surrounding him from every side were past, current, and future soldiers, all worked to the bone for the name of a battle they were set to lose.
Although, despite how pitiful he saw them to be, Reiner was anxious. What if they figured him out? He knew it was an outrageous thought, hardly likely to actually happen. But, as Commander Shadis stands in front of him with his ugly teeth bared and demanding a name, Reiner cannot help but fear that the lion's jaws were about to snap down on his neck.
Golden eyes glared at him, daggers nearly piercing through his resolve. If anyone here could blow his cover, then this wrinkly bastard would be it.
Luckily -- Reiner never thought he would say this -- he had encountered far worse than Shadis in his relatively short lifetime. Training for years within the deadly observation of the Marleyan elite, had taught him what it meant to be a warrior. He didnât struggle to introduce himself with a steeled face, no stutter or nervous shift in his eyes to be found. A warrior wouldnât do either of those, and Reiner refused to be the exception. This was nothing compared to what he had done, and what he would do.
He refused to lose now, there had already been enough of that.
The Commander says nothing more to him, and Reiner steadily exhales through his nose in relief. He had passed, and now all he had to do was blend in. Blend in and kill these evil Eldian devils, for the sake of his home, for the sake of his people.
Shadis struts out of his line of sight, instead moving on to the person standing to his left. Curiosity gets the better of him as Reiner finds himself sneaking a small glimpse towards the next cadet, âWhatâs your name?â
âY/N L/N, sir.â
Reinerâs eyes widened like dinner plates as he spotted you. He almost had half a mind to grasp at his heart with the way it betrayed him and stuttered in his chest.
Because fuck, you're pretty. Like, super fucking pretty.
Almost instinctively Reinerâs cheeks flare up against his will, no matter how much he tries to remind himself that you are a dirty island devil. A desperate attempt is made to remove his gaze from you, before you caught him staring, and yet, no matter how hard he tried to steer his gaze forward -- to look for Bertholdt or Annieâs reassurance amongst the crowd -- Reiner just couldnât take his eyes off of you, as if you had bewitched him. He wouldnât put it past you, considering what you were.
Although, he had to admit, staring at you was like staring at the sun; he knew that he shouldnât, that he would only be burned by it, yet the call was practically irresistible.
He watched your lips move, unaware of the dopey grin on his face as they formed another slew of candied words, âfrom Shiganshina, sir.â
His smile drops. Nevermind.
Even if he wanted to, Reiner had no chance with the pretty girl whose hometown he had willingly destroyed. He couldnât really picture dinner with your family going well. Shit, imagine that, sitting down and saying âhi, yes, Iâm Reiner Braun and Iâm the armored titan that forced you to give up everything you had.â
Sure, that would go over with no issues at all.
It was probably a good thing, Reiner sighed to himself as Commander Shadis moved on to the next cadet to interrogate, the heavy weight of his footsteps drowned out by the orchestra of crickets in the fields above. They werenât here to make friends, Reiner would have to kill you when the time called for it. So, the thought of future dinner plans with you and your parents -- if they were even still alive after the mess he and Bertholdt made -- really was stupidity at its finest. Nothing will ever develop that far during his time here, he refused to house the disgusting thought.
Still, he canât help the small quirk of his lips as he hears you mutter a baffled, âis she seriously eating a potato?â
And he most certainly didnât mean to mumble back, âat least potato girl is taking one for the team; number one spot on the shit list. Makes it easier on us.â
It got a smile from you though, and shit, it really was like looking at the sun. Reiner quickly decided in that one moment, he loved your smile, and he was going to continue making sure it stayed on your pretty faceâŠ
Yeah, itâs most definitely a good thing Reiner wanted nothing to do with youâŠ. Right?
+
âIâll never get this,â you complained, flopping down against the grass with a loud huff.
Sweat dripped off his forehead as he fought to catch his breath. The fabric of his now slightly sheer button up uncomfortably clung to his skin and he thinks perhaps he shouldâve chosen different attire for this.
âYes, you will. Come on, just a little longer, you are already so much better than before.â He smiles as he sits down beside you, electricity enticing shivers throughout his body as your shoulders lightly brush.
The sun was setting, painting your face in a golden glow. It was almost funny how much he envied how the sun could so openly and confidently kiss you. Though, he knows he shouldnât be thinking that; he shouldnât want to give a devil affection, not when he now trekked the long road to repentance. Feelings towards you were no more than your evil heart casting webs in his mind. Still, he couldnât find it in himself to deny it, you looked beautiful. You always looked beautiful, even whilst covered in sweat and grass stains.
âYouâre just saying that, Reiner. Youâre one of the best at hand to hand combat so you have to be nice to me.â
âI donât have to say anything, you are improving. Donât disregard your progress. Besides, you are better than the rest of us with the ODM.â He says and bumps your shoulder. Though, he didnât expect the force to send you flat on your back, his heart dropping to his stomach as he watched you do so. Apologies lined the tip of his tongue yet they were cut short as you unexpectedly laughed.
Your laugh was something he also quickly grew to love; a beautiful melody, so deeply enchanting like the chiming of wind. He had quickly found that whenever you laughed, his eyes would soon find you and refuse to leave. Especially in moments like this: the grass was your halo as you lay there and he wondered -- even as you fell to the ground so ungraciously -- if the color green had ever been prettier. No, probably not, he thinks with a flustered grin.
It is then that Reiner, as much as he envied it, also thanked the sun for concealing the red of his cheeks. If it hadnât dusted the fields you both lay in within a golden glow, he was sure the fire behind his face would have been enough to light the whole world, sun be damned.
Honestly, he doesnât know what he would do if you were to catch onto the fact that his blood was hot and racing around his body at a million miles per hour because of you. The friendship you had developed over the past two years of training was⊠remarkable. If anything threatened or imposed on it then, as much as he hated to admit, Reiner knew he would be devastated.
Instead, you both sit there, still trying to catch your breath from vigorous training in the summer heat, and watch the sun set behind roaring hills. The wind starts to cool and the birds stop their chirping in favor of listening to the crickets sing out from within the long strands of grass. It was as if Reiner was living within a dream, blissful and sweet like a person his age should.
âI used to be scared of you.â You say, eyes closed and smile wide. Your voice was nonchalant and yet he still frowns. The mere image of you being scared -- of him nonetheless -- unsettled his stomach, as if he had eaten a bad slab of meat.
Lightly grasping at his gut, Reiner realizes there that he never wanted you to be scared, especially of him, âwhy?â
Sitting up, your body leans against him and he isnât sure whether it is subconscious or not but he doesnât care, âwell, you know⊠youâre big and strong and you kinda had that face that screamsâ -- you lower your voice and dramatically puff up your chest -- âIâm big and strong donât fuck with me or Iâll kill you.â
If only you knew how true that statement was.
âI do not sound like that.â
âYou do sound like thatâ -- you giggle, lightly swatting at his arm -- âbut anyway you arenât like that at all. You are basically just a huge ball ofâŠâ You pause then, eyes coated in a warm, far off haze and a faint smile on your face. Your head comes to rest against his shoulder as you wistfully sigh, âyou are one of the nicest people I have ever met, Reiner Braun, and Iâm so glad I met you.â
And in that one moment Reiner felt as though he had swallowed the sun. With only a few simple words you had lifted the weight of the world off his heavily burdened shoulders and instead placed a smile so large on his face. It was a smile put there because of you.
Truly, you had no idea of the power you wielded over him, and yet even if you did, Reiner knew you would never exploit it -- not that he would care if you did, he would still be proudly wearing the same old giddy smile he was now.
Confidently, he held your hand and a flurry of flowers bloomed within his chest. Reiner delighted in the size difference of your soft hands in comparison to his -- it always made him feel like he was made to be by your side -- softly playing with your fingers as if they were made of glass. He doesnât think twice as he places a chaste kiss to the center of your palm and embraces the heat that licks at his heart. Your body shudders at the gesture causing his own to explode with fireworks⊠he hopes he gets the chance to show you them in the future.
âIâm glad I met you too.â He breathes, transfixed as you peer at him from behind fluttering eyelashes. He meant it, every single word.
Magnetized, you both get closer and closer and he feels hotter and hotter as you do. Your lips were all he could focus on, the mere thought of their sweet taste simply too divine to ignore. He hoped you couldnât hear his heart thundering like that of a race horse in his chest. Though it would all be worth it when he finally gets to kiss you after so many months of longin-
âReiner!â
But he doesnât get the chance to kiss you like he desperately wished to, not when Bertholdt calls for him across the field. He wants to ignore him, wants to finally crash into you like a wave to the shore, like he had dreamed of for all these months, but no matter how many extra minutes he spent by your side nor how many times he glanced at your pretty lips, Bertholdt kept on calling his name like a broken record to which you break apart. Once again he was cold.
You huffed as you stood, offering him your hand, âI guess thatâs our training done. We both know he wonât shut up if you donât go, Reiner.â
He lets you pull him up, touch slightly lingering on your hand before finally drifting apart after his name is called once again. Reiner groans, âhe has his timing and Iâm going to strangle him.â A silent message that he doesnât regret what was about to happen, he doesnât want you to think of it as a mistake on his part.
Your laugh blesses his ears once more as Bertholdt's figure gets closer and closer. You hug him again, quick and warm, and his heart stutters at the unexpected affection. He hopes he adapts to it sooner rather than later.
âThen let me know when you are going to do it so we can both ring his neck and put my training to use,â you wink before you leave -- your silent, coded response to let him know that you didnât regret it either -- before joining Mikasa, Armin and Eren with a loud cackle as you retreat.
Although he cannot reflect on your words nor the lingering tingle he feels shooting up his spine from your touch for long, not when Reiner is met with stern disappointment as Bertholdt frowns, âyou are getting too attached, Reiner. You have to stop whatever you have with her.â
He pushes past his friend, his blood boiling,âIâm not getting attached, Iâm just blending in.â
Bertholdtâs hand grips his shoulder, spinning Reiner to meet his eyes, and with hushed fury Bertholdt says, âBlending in doesnât involve falling in love with someone, especially the enemy. Get it together Reiner, you know what the goal is.â
The weight is back on his shoulders and the world crushes his spirit once again. Bertholdt is right, Reiner shouldnât be fond of you like he is. If this was left unchecked, to grow like the weed it was, then Reiner would surely fall in love, if he wasnât already and that was dangerousâŠ
But as you both walk away, back to back, he canât help the way his heart yearns for your comfort.
He sighs, defeated, âyes, you are right. Iâm sorry, Bertholdt.â
+
âWhen we graduate, what branch are you going to go to?â You whisper as you fiddle with his hands, tracing the shape of them lightly with your pointer finger.
You were both sitting on a roof, the night sky alive with millions of stars -- you like to think of them as fireflies, it made the nighttime seem not so lonely. There was a chilly breeze, one that sent goosebumps flaring up across your skin. He must have noticed because no more than a second later, he gently drew you into his arms.
It was hard not to fluster as you sat there against his chest. The sonorous beat of his heart made it hard to stay awake as your breath started to even out and eyes fluttered shut.
âHmm, I always said the military police would be it for me butâ -- you look up at him to see him already dazedly smiling down at you -- âI think I may reconsider depending on a few things.â
Smiling into the material of his shirt, you shake your head a little at the implication of his words, âwell, if I told you I was going to join the Scouts, what effect would that have?â
It was well known amongst the 104th that after Shiganshina, you, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin were going to the Survey Corps. There was no way you could forget the screaming and the blood that rained down upon the streets that you grew up in; no way you could erase the image of your family crushed by debris and eaten alive. Although, it was mainly due to Eren that you all decided to join, after all, the small group of you were all you had left. There was no way you couldnât follow, even if it meant your own demise would be met out there, though you tried not to think of that.
But to imagine that Reiner would give up his safety to join you out there⊠well, it made you feel like you mattered; cozy and complete.
Reiner chuckles, the sound rumbling deep within his chest, âI would tell you that I always thought I looked good in green.â
Your laugh echoes throughout the air as you lightly shove him, although he is quick to grab your arms and pull you back towards his chest. The two of you fall silent then, his hands gently gliding up and down your back as he blissfully sighs.
âYouâre stuck with me,â he finally says, placing a familiar kiss to the crown of your head, âI donât think I can leave your side, even if I wanted to.â
âReiner,â you breathe, a gentle smile taking over your face, âI guess itâs a good thing for you that I never want you to leave me then.â
The arms around you squeeze a little tighter and you can hear the smile in his voice as he agrees, âyeah, thatâs a good thing indeed.â
+
Eren had truly caught Reiner off guard. The way he harshly grabbed him and pulled him into a shadowed corner between two cabins with a glare that had never once been directed towards anyone other than Jean.
âYou like y/n, right?â Is what he says, and the question causes Reiner to choke on his spit. He had only wanted to go to sleep, the day was tiring and the food had only pushed him further towards exhaustion. However, he still made sure you walked back to your cabin safely, even if there was no need for him too â you both knew he did it just so he could spend an extra few minutes with you. Reiner only wanted to sleep, but it seemed that Eren wanted to pick a fight instead.
Coughing, he hits his chest a few times before croaking, âuh, what?â
Eren rolls his eyes before scoffing, âIâm not stupid, Reiner. You like her, it is written clear as day over your stupid face.â
Reiner had never considered his feelings for you to be embarrassing, no, they were quite beautiful actually; equated to a field of flowers or a roaring sunset. Although, being forcefully confronted about his liking towards you was another matter, right now it felt as though he had been punched in the gut.
Sighing, he sees no other choice but to give in to Erenâs probing stare, bashfully whispering, âI think I more than like her at this point, Eren.â
Itâs quiet between the two for a while, awkward and tense. The silence causes Reiner to shift uncomfortably on his feet, looking anywhere but the green eyes of the boy before him. No one would have expected a sight like this: Reiner cowering at the sight of a maniac like Eren Jaeger, it was almost funny.
However, that soon ends when Eren sighs, placing a hand on Reinerâs shoulder and awkwardly mumbling, âif you hurt her, Iâll kill you Reiner.â That was all the younger boy â one of the only people important enough to be considered family by you â said before quickly turning on his feet and walking back towards their shared quarters.
And as Reiner watched Eren kick a few rocks as he left, he smiled because he knew that was as close to a blessing he was ever going to get. Somehow, that little threat, well, it meant the world to him.
For a moment he forgot about who he truly was, because in that second he was excited for what a future by your side entailed. It was a shame Reiner was who he was, because fuck did that future look utterly divine.
+
They had done it, Bertholdt and him.
They had easily broken through another wall and let carnage descend upon Trost. Many were already dead and more about to join the fallen. All that was left after Rose was Sina, and once that final barrier was destroyed the mission would be complete. They could go home. After so long in this hellhole they could finally leave and be heroes. He should be joyous, excited, thrilled. Yet, Reiner couldnât understand why instead his mind flooded with panic; refusing to leave your side for even a second since he had joined you all.
You were a spectacle, that was to be sure. Graceful but deadly as you danced through the air and sliced every titan unfortunate enough to stumble into your path.
If Marley had a warrior like you, then fuck, this mission would have been so much easier. Marcel would probably still be here and enemy nations would be nothing but rubble beneath your feet. Marley didnât have you though⊠and you were an enemy. Reiner tried his best to remember that.
âThere are too many, shit,â you seethe, a murderous glint lining your eyes, âI donât have much gas left, fuck, fucking damnit it to fucking hell.â
Unfortunately, you were correct. All of you -- him, Jean, Connie, Sasha, Annie, Bertholdt, Armin, Marco and a few others -- were practically running on fumes by this point, with no shelter and far too many meat headed bastards littering the street, picking people off one-by-one. HQ was plagued with titans and supplies were looking to be unoptional for the foreseeable future. They had already lost a large number of friends during this battle -- including Eren, which he knew hit you hard despite how calm you tried to remain -- and it was only a matter of time before someone else joined the rest of the corpses lining the titanâs bellies.
So, as much as Reiner refused to believe it, with the way things were looking, you were going to die. He couldnât risk transforming to save anyone, even you. Not that he should, because the mission will always come first. He just hoped he didnât have to watch as your blood stained the streets below, your body torn apart and crunching under the force of a titanâs jaw.
You're pacing back and forth now, hands pulling at the skin of your face as the shock begins to set in. Shivering hands are easy to spot, and it is even easier to conclude that the action likely isnât caused by the rain. Marco tries his best to comfort you from his spot by Reinerâs side, but you are completely unresponsive to him; muttering wildly under your breath as you continue shakily stumbling across the rooftop. This is grief, Reiner recognizes, grief and acceptance of your death.
âHey,â he grabs your arms as he watches you tear up, âweâll get out of this ok? We arenât dying today. Iâll make sure of it.â
No one else around him says anything. He is, of course, aware of Bertholdt and Annieâs burning stare focused on the back of his head but he tries not to fixate on it. Instead he chooses to concentrate on the smallest movements and changes in your face, awaiting the moment you finally break.
âHeâs gone, Reiner,â your voice is wobbly, so uncharacteristically gloomy, and it pulls hard at his heart, âmy best friend is- heâs dead, just like..â Just like your family is what youâre going to say but choke before you could even begin to form a single syllable. Armin had broken the news to you through a slew of tears -- you hadnât reacted then, too caught up in the current situation. He was eaten by a damn titan with only an arm left of him, shit, what an awful way to go. Eren didnât deserve that.
Reinerâs thumbs quickly wipe away the tears that fall, and he quickly pulls you into a tight embrace. This wasnât the place or time, he knew that comfort was the last thing he should be offering right now but⊠but you needed it. Reiner wasnât completely fucking heartless.
Soft hushes escape his lips as he lightly rocks you back and forth, âI know, and Iâm sorry. I am so, so sorry.â
This was his fault, your pain, your anguish. He did this, he was guilty.
Sniffling, you slowly pull back from where he held you to his chest. You smile at him, a tragic thing that doesnât reach your eyes and he has half a mind to think that he may have preferred it when you cried, at least then he didnât have to see you force being ok for him. You shouldnât have to comfort him in a moment like this. You should let yourself grieve and not force a mask of solace to ease the harsh frown on his face, because you always knew how much he liked your smile. God, you were such an angel.
Lightly patting his chest, your voice is completely exhausted as you utter, âdonât apologize, Reiner, this isnât your fault.â
But it is, it is all his fault, he thinks as he brings you into another hug. Wincing against the top of your head, he silently begs for your forgiveness because he hurt you, he hurt your family, he hurt your friends, and he is so, so fucking sorry.
Reiner has ruined your life and yet here you stand, nuzzling into him as if he were deserving of such tender affection. You had no clue of the crimes he had committed⊠Just like Reiner doesnât know if the wetness on his cheeks is from the rain or his building regret.
+
âHave you seen, y/n?â Reiner asks as he finishes bandaging Arminâs head.
His body ached slightly, nothing he wasnât prepared for or wouldnât heal from, and thus something that became a second thought in comparison to the anxieties that were slithering in his head. He was thankful that the small, little group had found shelter beneath the trees. The heat was messing with his brain, it made him see all kinds of things and think all kinds of thoughts. The sweat practically dripped from his forehead like a leaky tap, he felt disgusting, and he really hoped you had a spare handkerchief on you for him to use. He smiled slightly at the thought, you were always prepared when it came to stuff like that.
Jean stops whistling as both he and Armin shoot anxious glances at each other, and Reinerâs smile falls. Their mutual hesitation does nothing to settle the sinking of his gut, nor does it quell the boiling of his blood. Although Reiner was a patient guy -- he had to be in order to keep a cool head, to lead like he had promised his fellow soldiers -- the longer their shared silence continued the shorter his fuse got. Images of you being torn apart, eaten, scared, trampled, screaming for someone, for him, to save you plagued his mind.
Broken and bloodied, the idea of you in that state became nothing but clearer in his mind the longer they allowed the silence to tick by. Nausea overwhelmed him as he could practically smell the iron-y scent and taste the bitter copper tang. Shit, what if you got mixed up in this mess? What if you encountered the female titan?
Annie⊠she wouldnât kill you, right? There was no way, you were both friends, surely she would take mercy upon youâŠ
He prayed to whatever God there was that she was sympathetic towards you, towards him.
âWell? Have you seen her?â He snaps, far harsher than he should but he cannot bring himself to utter an apology, not if he didnât know whether you were ok or not.
The land was open for miles, only the grass and bordering trees could be observed from the acres of fields. Yet, Reiners eyes didnât once stop inspecting the area around him, silent pleas screaming to see you riding towards him and diving within the safety of his arms. Only, there was nothing there. You werenât there.
Armin stutters slightly before finally and timidly uttering, âno, Reiner. We havenât, but-â
What did that mean? What did that mean? What did it mean?
âDamnit,â he seethes and desperately tries to withhold the tears that were prodding at his eyes. He couldnât stop himself from hunching over as if struck, hands on his knees as the acidic taste of bile washed his tongue.
âShe was stationed on the right wingâŠâ He chokes and the air is tense as he watches both his comrades tense.
âMaybe she is fine, Reiner. She is tough, you know that from training and⊠Trost. Besides, we need to figure out how we are getting out of here first.â Jean speaks between piercing whistles.
The noise was infuriating. A constant high-pitch ringing that battered his brain with excess noise that overwhelmed his every sense. Reiner truly wanted to scream at Jean that his stupid horse wasnât coming back, to cut that shit out incase more titans come. Fuck, he wanted to claw at everything and anything around him; rip his ears off, punch a tree, something to get rid of all this stress.You were out there somewhere, possibly fighting for your life, and he was standing here doing fuck-all.
Of course, whilst the what ifs would continue to flood his mind in a constant taunting loop, he knew his anger towards Jean was stupid and heavily irrational; not an act a soldier should be engaging with. After all, emotions do not save lives when it comes to missions, in fact they make them deadlier. So, as much as Reiner is appalled by the suggestion because there was no way he could prioritize his escape when you could be out there in need of help, he supposes he canât help you if he is dead.
Sighing, Reiner stands straight before finally stating what he knew the three had been thinking since their encounter with the female titan, âno, youâre right Jean. Anyway we look at it, one of us has got to stay here. We need to figure out who.â
He couldnât afford to stay behind. Whilst he could ultimately survive out here, there was no way he would be able to look for yo- to finish his mission if he were assumed dead. Although, he didnât exactly feel comfortable leaving Jean or Armin behind either -- especially Armin, you would be devastated if anything were to happen to the blond.
However, that doesnât make anything easier. Someone has to stay behind, and Reiner doesnât want to play a part in choosing who.
âWait a secondâ -- Armin protests before coming to a wobbly stand -- âshouldnât we fire a signal? If everyone kept going straight then the final row should be in close proximity by now,â he reasons.
It was a valid option, something that wouldnât hurt to try. After all, what could really be worse than this?
The three look between themselves before Jean retrieves a canister from his satchel with a sigh. Loading the emergency flare into the gun, Jean fires it into the air, and the three watch it paint the sky. Reiner watches it travel, and as much as he knows safety is unlikely, he really hopes someone sees the purple smoke. A naive part of him hopes you see it too.
âThere we go, but I highly doubt someone is going to see that and think someone is in need of a horse,â Jean laments, walking off to once again whistle for his missing horse.
âWe stay here three minutes tops, Armin. After that, we are making the decision.â Reiners' words hang heavy in the air.
âWait, someone is coming.â Jean interrupts.
Jean wasnât wrong, someone was coming, emerging from the fields of red and green. The world had taken pity upon the three wounded soldiers and sent them, him, a guardian angel⊠because there you were, riding full speed towards them.
Reiner doesnât realize he is running until he is right before you, a blinding grin on his face. âAre you ok?â He asks, grabbing your hand.
There were no visible wounds to you, at least not ones he could spot as he frantically inspected you for the nth time within the short seconds you had arrived. Your eyes were slightly watery and your brows furrowed far more than he would like them to be, but you seemed fine. He was so fucking glad you were fine.
In that moment he wanted, needed, to kiss you, though really he had wanted to do that for a long time, knowing you were safe and ok convinced him to finally admit his fond feelings.
âI should be asking you that.â You exclaim, squeezing his hand before bringing it to rest on his cheek, âare you all ok?â
Reiner nuzzles into your palm, a subconscious movement, and places a sweet kiss to the center of your palm, a habit he had picked up within your presence.
The boys behind him are thanking you, he can hear the desperate sounds of relief floating through the air. No one would be left behind because you had seen their call for help and you had brought them horses, Jeanâs as well. You really were an angel.
He hears you cry out from above as you fling yourself down from your horse, âoh my God, Armin, your head!â
Within seconds Arminâs face is cupped gently within your hands, a nasty, green feeling settling in Reiners gut. Your fingers lightly trace the bandage covering his forehead, relieved to find that the bleeding had stopped a while ago and no longer seeped through the white material. Although, it was a battle for Reiner to contain the urge to pull you away, to hug you again and ward Armin off with a glare; ugly possessiveness rearing its head at the sight of the two of you. He clicks his tongue in frustration, more than aware that feeling this way wasnât fair -- you both are just friends, he reminds himself, nothing more.
But as you turn back round to face him, striding over and gripping him tight within your embrace, he canât help but indulge in the fact that you never hugged anyone like this, nor did you ever place a gentle kiss to their cheek like you are doing right now.
Since when did anyone under the terms âjust friendsâ act like this?
You pull back, only a little bit, but when you whisper the sacred words, âyou donât know how devastated I wouldâve been if anything had happened to you,â he feels as though he is complete.
Reiner only feels it right to respond with a light kiss to the crown of your head, and against the warm skin he smiles, âoh, Iâm pretty sure I know.â
+
âReiner?â He hears your shaky voice mumble, the weak sound prompting him to quickly turn around. Within the shadows of the cold Survey Corps hallways, he can still make out the tear stains on your cheeks.
He races towards you, only a few short steps, but a distance traveled as fast as he humanly could. Grasping your face gently within the comforting, protective hold of his calloused hands, his thumb traces over the watery paths, his own eyes burgeoning with tears as he rasps, âhey, whatâs wrong? Are you hurt?â
Hazel eyes are quick to analyze every minute detail of your body, looking for scrapes, or blood, or bruising, or-
He jumps when you cup his face, similar to how he does you -- gentle and loving. Beneath your hands he can feel his cheeks burn, as if your skin were a match and he was gasoline. You pull his head down towards you, a gentle tug that is futile to resist, and as your foreheads rest against each other you confidently say, âReiner, I love you.â
For a moment, he truly believes he misheard you. In his broken, twisted mind, there was no way you could love him back. You deserved the world and all its treasures, so why would you ever decide to settle for a man like him instead? He was broken, evil, and a murderer. Selfishly, he couldnât find it in himself to tell you that, selfishly, because he had wanted for so long to hear those sweet words tumble from your mouth.
At his silence, he watches your face wince, panicking as if you truly believed he hadnât been obsessed with you since day one, âI just had to tell you, after the last expedition and hearing you almost died, I- I just-â
âSay- say that again,â he smiles, eyes watering.
You smile back, âI love you, Reiner.â
âAgain.â
âI love you, Reiner.â
He whispers, âagain.â
âReiner,â you groan, throwing your head back with a roll of your eyes.
Although, he doesnât give you much time to complain. Instead he laughs brightly, louder than he had in years, picking you up and holding you close as he spins you around, âI love you too. I love you, I love you, I love you.â
The words easily fall from his lips, bursting like water through a broken dam. He would say them over and over again, millions upon millions of times if that is what you needed, wanted. Reiner loves you, he loves you, and is certain that for the rest of his life -- a life not long enough -- he will continue to love only you. How could he not?
You were perfect in every definition of the word, a perfect blend of kindness, determination, strength, and empathy, all drizzled with the sweetest layer of honey. Loving you was easy, Reiner found. He doesnât believe he could ever regret such a beautiful thing.
Then he catches it, through the dizzying spins he catches a glimpse of your smile -- a smile he still adores to this day. It begs him to end the years worth of pining, longing for your lips on his. Your smile, a smile he has loved since he first lay his hazel eyes upon it, hardly needed to do much convincing.
After years of waiting, as he places your giggling self back to the ground, he finally gets to kiss you like he wanted that late afternoon in the field. He kissed you to convey all those millions of words he could not say; kissed you to show how long he had desired to love you; he kissed you like it would be your lastâŠ
Funny really, considering that when a scout came to collect Reiner, and only Reiner, a minute later to venture off somewhere down South, that single moment truly would be your last shred of shared happiness until you both rejoined on that wall after the events of Utgard Castle. Before Reiner finally and fully broke both of your hearts.
If he had known, he wouldnât have left.
+
âSo, youâre telling me⊠Reiner and Bertholdt areâŠâ you couldnât even finish your sentence, your throat burning under the acidic taste of bile.
You couldnât believe it, how could you? Reiner? A traitor? No, Armin had to have this whole thing wrong. Reiner had been nothing but kind, and sweet, and loving. A traitor wouldnât care as much as Reiner did, a traitor would never show you love like the one you had known with him. If everyone could maybe just listen, maybe they would understand how good Reiner was.
Because he bandaged your scrapes and kissed them better. He protected you from titans when Trost fell. He helped you improve with self-defense when it seemed like a hopeless task. He told you stories when you couldnât sleep, even if he was so tired all he wanted to do was pass out. Those werenât the actions of a bad person. So maybe, if they just listened to you, they would see that Reiner Braun could never, ever be a traitor⊠right?
Collapsing to your knees, tears singe your eyes red. It seemed Eren was also having a hard time with this. Denial pouring out of his mouth faster than the tears escaped your eyes. The more Armin spoke, the more he explained everything, as much as she tried to drown everything out, the more it made sense⊠and you hated yourself for it.
If Reiner was the traitor⊠the armoured titan like they believed then that meant⊠that mean he murdered your family⊠Erenâs family⊠everyoneâs family.
Oh God. He⊠he killed them.
Bringing a hand to your mouth with a gasp, you gag at the thought that you had fallen in love with the man who ruined your life. All the times you wept in his arms, sobbing about what you saw that day⊠he knew the entire time.
He knew what he did to you, and yet⊠oh God.
A hoarse voice echoes throughout the room, it belongs to you, as you numbly say, âif Reiner is a traitorâ â you gasp, sniffling as the sobs threaten to break free â âI will kill him.â
It was a promise. You would, even if the thought of his blood staining your hands shattered what was left of your heart. If Reiner was the traitor, you would kill him⊠you had to⊠you hoped you had the strength to at least.
Although something deep inside you whispered that you didnât.
+
It was dark, damp and putrid within the basement walls, thick layers of mold crusting over the beige stone. Water dripped from the ceiling with a slow yet incessant pace, similar to that of a ticking clock -- the continuous sound was a taunting reminder that time was quickly running towards its end. So much was happening, so much to be processed. He truly felt as though he had finally gone insane. After all, it was only a matter of time until he did; the breakdowns, nights of plagued dreams, the thoughts of craving death. This was bound to happen, yet he was terrified at how real it all was. Could it be that this was actually happening? He never thought he would hope so, but that seemed far better than the other option, that this was all real.
Falco remained shaking against the wall, silently gasping in shock. Reiner wished he could reassure the boy, tell him that this wasnât his fault. He didnât know what sending those letters meant, he didnât know that the supposed injured man he was trying to help was the enemy from overseas. Reiner so desperately wanted to tell Falco everything he needed to hear, but the words were stuck behind the lump in his throat. He burned with an unholy fire, tears singing his skin as he begged Eren for forgiveness that he knew he didnât deserve. His knees were beginning to hurt as they dug into the stone ground, the material of his pants growing wet the longer he bowed.
Reiner babbled like the infant he is, words an incoherent slew of snot and tears. He was just a kid too, he didnât want to hurt anyone. Eren had to understand that he really didnât want to hurt him, hurt his friends, hurt you.
How could you do this to me, Reiner? I loved you.
God, he was sorry. So, so sorry. He didnât want any of this to happen, not anymore. You had to understand that, right? You had to know he never wanted to hurt you, that he didnât think of you as a devil like everyone else here did. Not when he knew you to be better than anyone who walked this pitiful world.
âYou want to know how she is, right?â Erenâs voice is a monotone drawl, all hints of the once familiar fight that lit his bright eyes was gone. This person, this man, sat before Reiner was a stranger; the vacant shell of an old friend turned enemy. Maybe this was one of the consequences of his betrayal, and Reiner wonders how many of the others are like this too. He ignores the voice murmuring in the back of his head that he had made you into one of these numb soldiers, that his betrayal shattered you for good.
Even so, Eren is not wrong. Reiner craved to know every detail about you, for the past four years all he wanted was you. The medals, the praise, the recognition, to hell with all of it -- you and your beautiful smile was all he needed. It was the air which he was desperate to breathe.
Nodding his head, fast and vigorous, he brings his palms together and prays to hear your name. He wants Eren to describe everything: how you had changed and how you had stayed the same. Was your favorite color still that of the blue sky? Did you still always drink a cup of tea before walking around the fragrant fields? Were your eyes still vibrant and full of stars? Did you smile whenever you thought of him? Reiner knows he still smiled when he thought of you.
âReiner,â Eren says, looking down upon his trembling form. There was a weak pause, full of tension that detained his airways in a vice grip. Reiner sits up, quivering beneath Erenâs detached gaze.
âSheâs dead.â
He was shot. Reiner didnât see a gun but Eren mustâve had one. There was no other way to describe how his flesh felt as though it had ripped in two, the way his lungs were suffocated and choked, the way his body went into a painful shock. Finally breaking down, Reiner screams, at least he thinks he does with how his throat ignites in furious ache; He wouldnât know of the dreaded noise he unleashed within the cold walls -- like a wounded animal cornered and about to die -- because Reiner cannot hear anything beyond the shattering of his chest.
Refusal was all he had, complete and utter denial for the vile words that slithered from Erenâs lips. He shakes his head back and forth, a fast paced movement that causes his brain to rattle painfully within his skull. You couldnât be dead. Eren was lying. Reiner had heard you, with the group, with Jean and Hange as they detained him. He had heard you, seen you, protected you. You couldnât be gone, not you, anyone else but you. No, this had to be another nightmare. A lie he had no choice but to suffer through for how he had sinned.
âYouâre lying, Erenâ -- he gasps, like he had been submerged under water for far too long and now he finally breached the surface for precious air -- âWhy would you say that? Sheâs not dead. She canât be. Please, Eren, tell me youâre lying.â
The green-eyed boy glared down at Reinerâs trembling form, lips slightly curled into a vicious snarl. It was the first hint of emotion that had been seen on Eren since the beginning of this interaction, and Reiner shivers at the intensity, âyou have no right to cry after what you did, Reiner. You have no right to ask of her, not after what you did.â
Pitiful whimpers echo throughout the walls, âI love her, Eren. I swear, I love her.â The defeated words repeat over and over again like a broken record, in hopes that eventually he would get Eren to understand that his feelings for you had never been a lie.
His skin prickles as Falcoâs concerned, or perhaps curious, gaze falls on whatâs left of Reiner. He knows what questions the young boy wants to ask, he knows that Falco wants to know who you are. How was Reiner supposed to say that this was your best friend, here to bring the dreadful news that you, his soulmate, was dead? Falco wouldnât be able to understand how Reiner fell in love with a âdevilâ nor would he ever know just how easy you made falling to be.
âI suppose that is one of the many ways we are alike,â Eren stands before grasping Reiners hand with an iron clad hold. It was just enough to gain the fleeting remnants of Reiners attention as Eren continues, âwe both have lost people we love⊠to you.â
To⊠me? Had he heard Eren right? Did that mean he had⊠Did he kill you?
Youâre killing me Reiner, how could you do this?
âHow?â Reiner croaks, he couldnât understand it, he couldnât understand what Eren was saying. Reiner needed to know, he desperately needed to know.
But Eren ignores him, doesnât offer any closure or solace, only the familiar words of a monster, âI told you what would happen if you hurt her didnât I?â â Reiner gasps at the haunting, far off voice of his resurfacing memories âif you hurt her, Reiner, Iâll kill you â âand just so you know, I will keep moving forwardâ â Erenâs grip on Reinerâs hand tightens, a painful constrictor refusing to let its prey flee. Amber eyes widen as Erenâs begins to glow, and within the split second of time he has, Reiner tries to rush towards Falco before it is too late â âuntil I exterminate my enemy.â
You killed everyone I loved. Youâre a murderer, a traitor. I hate you, Reiner. I hate you.
Reiner once upon a time thought the island devils across the sea were the most vile and cruel of creatures to walk this earth, but when a bright light followed and as he felt the burning heat scorch his skin, Reiner understood that the cruelest of monsters had been him all along.
And as he falls with the ghost of your name on his lips, Reiner truly wished he was dead too.
Maybe then he could finally feel safe and at home once more.
DIFFERENT
lingyang (wuthering waves) x gn! reader
SPOILERS FOR HIS STORY QUEST!
lowercase intended, full of fluff!
lingyang's story quest spoilers, (incase you haven't played it yet)
no dialogue (tried to do something new) hope you enjoy!
ever since stepping foot in jinzhou, lingyang knew who, or rather what he was. he knew he was different from his clients, young or old, he knew he was different from shuncai, who sells his food at his little shop, he knew he was different from his fellow liondance troupe to his master.
he knew it all.
he knew but can he accept it?
can he accept the fact that he is different from everyone he knows? "yes!" lingyang would reply in a heartbeat. his mind fast as light to give an answer while his heart hesitates to even think about it. no matter how many "yes" he would answer to questions like those, his soul would always tell a different story.
while there was nothing wrong with being different, it hurts just as much because he was alone. he had no one to talk to, to relate to his problems of self identity and where he belongs. that was until a person called rover came to his life.
rover...
that's what everyone calls them. while lingyang has his name, rover doesn't recall theirs and this sparked something inside of him. for a moment he did not feel alone, he did not feel different. which is why it was easy for him to open up his past, telling it to the rover without directly mentioning that he was the "jingle monster", that he was a beast, that he was the last suan'ni.
despite everything, the rover was a busy individual. they could'nt possibly be there 24/7 for lingyang since their always helping and fighting people left and right while finding their true self in a world where everyone wants them. that thought alone made lingyang frown. was he even valid for feeling that way knowing someone else has it harder? or was he just a selfish individual?
lingyang sighed the tenth time that night. sitting on top of the many boxes behind the stage with hands crossed over his chest, a troubled look swirled around his face. the crease on his forehead keeps getting bigger and bigger as time passed, so big that he didn't even notice the additional weight on the box he was sitting on.
before, a little nudge used to be enough to get his attention but now it seems like a scream on his ear wouldn't even pull him out of his thoughts. but that was alright, for lingyang, they're willing to wait. even if it meant falling asleep on his shoulder.
minutes passed and still, no lingyang on earth.
another, and another, and another... and another.
that was until he felt his own body moving. his arm tucked underneath his other arm moved without a second thought, catching the person who had fallen off his shoulder. call it his "animal instinct" if you will.
lingyang immediately looked over, curiosity and worry replacing his look of trouble. slowly but surely his worried expression begins to flow out as he releases a somewhat happy and contented smile as if he wasn't in a negative headspace earlier.
he looks at his surroundings before looking at the moon which was directly above them.
a look of surprise immediately took over his face, guilt hurriedly seeping into his veins. just how long did he spend sitting there? was it too long thatâ
huh...
lingyang looked over again at the person sleeping on his arm and minimal movements, he moved the person in his lap, providing them a comfier place to rest on. he couldn't help but smile and in the lowest voice he could muster he whispered...
[name].
[name], a fellow resonator, one of the outriders in jinzhou, sometimes his "lower half" during performances.
[name], who found him sneaking at the outskirts of jinzhou, who welcomed, showed and toured him around the city on his first day.
[name], who helped him ever since he was new. who was there sleeping on his lap, who stayed with him during his times of trouble. with a look of adoration, lingyang combs his hand through their hair hoping that he could provide comfort as they sleep.
lingyang smiled, as flashbacks of both of them immediately played in his mind. from when he first met them, until now. with one final look at their sleeping face, lingyang looked at the moon above.
thanks to the rover, he finally got the affirmation that he doesn't have to be human or a suan'ni.
but thanks to [name], he was happy that he was different.
because if being different meant being close to one another, lingyang will always love being different.
currently on wuwa grind! feel free to add me^^ mostly active on ASIA server but I do have a SEA one.
anyways, lingyang is so cute! but his dialogue either makes me cringe or laugh đ
lingyang; sorry you have to see that side of me, rover
hello!! dropping by to say that your writing is so welllllll written!!! excited to read more fics from you >_<
thank youu!! if you have any specific fics in mind (maybe from other fandoms too jic i also watch them) feel free to lmk <3
Doodle đł
Couldn't draw the other eye đ