aot oneshots

REINER

His voice seemed to echo from every wall guarding Karanes District as the thirteenth commander of the Scout Regiment, Erwin Smith announced the commencement of the 57th Expedition Outside the Walls. The soldiers advanced and passed through the gate. Once outside, they separated into their assigned groups.

"I guess I should consider myself lucky.", you said with a smile. "With you on my team, I might just survive."
Your good friend and comrade, Reiner Braun, repaid the smile.
"I'll personally ensure that.", he promised.
You looked past Reiner to find Bertholdt with an amused look on his face.
"Get a room already, you two!" The three of you chuckled, all of you good-humoured.

"Hey, 104th!" A higher up yelled at you. "Stop joking around and focus on the mission. Get ready to assume the formation."
"Yes, sir." You shouted in unison, saluting to him with a stern look on your faces. As soon as he went away and your team departed from the trail, the facade broke and you started laughing again. Being deep into Titan territory, the teams on the front of the formation were starting to spot Titans.

You checked the flare guns on your belt. Red for regular Titans, black for Abnormals. If the direction you were headed was to change in order to avoid combat, the command group would fire a green flare.
So far, everything went smoothly.
"I wonder why they'd put Eren on the right front of the formation.", you thought out loud. "If he's so vital for the success of our mission, why put him in such a vulnerable position?"
"Maybe it's so he can fight off Abnormals if need be.", Reiner assumed.
"It doesn't make sense to me, though..."
You let your gaze shift from the meadow in front of you to the right, where you suspected the Special Operations -so Eren's - Squad to be.
You squinted as you mindlessly stared into the sky, when suddenly, a black flare shot through your field of vision.

You had fallen behind as you inspected the sky up above, so Bertholdt took the time to catch up to Reiner and, without you hearing, scolded him.
"What are you doing, flirting with one of them? Our mission is to exterminate the people inside the Walls, not try to make babies with them!" It was rare for Bertholdt to speak up against Reiner or criticise him, but as this was the first time they progressed on their own mission, success was essential. On top of that, he was nervous and worried about Annie and whether she'd make it out of this unharmed.
"If y/n notices that we're undercover and infiltrating them, we're doomed."
"We'd have to kill her." Reiner stated calmly. And besides appearing all put-together, the thought of having to kill you, scared him to death. Yes, they were here to wipe out the Eldian population inside the Walls, but if they succeeded, he could surely find a way to spare you. Assuming their identity and living amongst them, Reiner had come to notice that the monsters the blood running through their veins made them, they weren't all that bad. The Eldians in the 104th Cadet Corps and the Scouts were people just like himself. They had lives of their own, they loved, they feared, they cried. They didn't seem to pose as big of a threat after all.
No, having sympathy with them would get himself killed, Reiner reminded himself. Eldians were beasts, monsters just like he was. Only that he, Bertholdt, Annie and the others that awaited them at home had the power to restrain them and end them for good. That's what he was trained to do half his life, that's what Marcel died for all those years ago, and that's what he was going to accomplish.
But it wouldn't be easy.
"But could you do it?" Bertholdt doubted him. Of course he understood how Reiner felt, but he was set on his goal.
Reiner closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"If the day ever comes, I'll be ready. I promised to kill each and every one of them. That includes her." He wasn't so sure of that, but it seemed to convince Bertholdt, who finally averted his piercing eyes from his friend.
"We're Warriors."

You were about to tell Bertholdt and Reiner about the oncoming danger, when you overheard their last sentences as you approached them. You didn't know what hit you, but as soon as you realised what was going on, your mind turned off and your body acted on instinct. Your brain identified the threat and as soon as you were in reach, you stood up on your horse and kicked Reiner out of his saddle. He landed on the ground and didn't get up.
Having jumped over on top of his horse, you now tackled Bertholdt, whose eyes were wide open in shock, and the two of you went down together.
"What is going on?!" You didn't hit the ground too hard as Bertholdt's body cushioned the impact, however the boy fell on his back, the landing having him gasp for air.
"Are you conspiring against us?"
He didn't say a word in response, and instead tried to get up from underneath you. He pushed your body off of his and punched you in the face. You engaged in a heated hand to hand combat, but soon you overpowered him, again assuming your position on top, repeatedly beating his face until blood dripped from his nose and his lips were split.
"I can't believe you'd betray us!" You screamed at him. At first you thought you perhaps misunderstood, but as soon as your friend started to fight you, you knew you hadn't.
"I can't believe you." Tears ran down your cheeks and you started to sob, your punches getting weaker each time.
"You wouldn't understand.", Bertholdt muttered. He, too, was at a loss for words, not knowing how to deal with the situation he was in. Where was Reiner?
"Explain yourself!", you demanded.
"It's too late for that. Annie is looking for Eren as we speak, so that we can retake the Founding Titan and destroy you people forever!" He revealed his plans, and he was right. You didn't understand.
"Annie?" Mentioning her threw you off guard and Bertholdt took the opportunity to throw you off him once again, but he failed. Instead, you drew your blades and placed them by his throat. "What's Annie got to do with this?"
"Annie is a Titan shifter." Bertholdt figured that withholding the information from you would only get him killed faster, telling you could buy him some time.
"The Abnormal that was spotted by the right front. It's Annie. We're gonna capture Eren who holds the most powerful Titan of all."
"Bu-but how do you know that?" You started to ask yourself if he was messing with you. Telling you some absurd, made up story.
With a sigh, Bertholdt proceeded to tell you more. About Marley, Eldians and Paradis. You couldn't believe what you heard.