Attack on Titan (One Shots/xReader)

(Zeke Jaeger) "Till The End...Right?"

  Zeke Jaeger x !Fem Reader
I'm thinking about making this a couple of parts, but I'm not sure rn, but if anyone would like that feedback is appreciated!

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Every breath was painful, every step shot pains through your feet and up your calves, pushing yourself to the limits you continue to run. The backpack swung around your shoulders filled with rations and ammo only weighed you down more causing a burning ache to seer through your shoulders.

  That's all your life consisted of at this point but what other choice do you have? All you wanted was your family to be proud of you for once, to make life easier for them in Liberio. You were never good enough for them, though...at least, they didn't show any signs of being proud of you. Unlike your cousin her was fortunate enough to inherit the Female Titan after completing their time in Marley's Warrior Program. She became the centre of attention, the golden child of the family that you would never amount to.

  Now you're here, enrolled in the very same program your cousin once was. You had to push yourself, you had to. It's the only time you saw even a faint glimmer of satisfaction in your parents eyes when they came to watch your progress during each exam. Each time going up in the ranks as you pushed not only your body, but even your mind to its limits.

  You're pulled out of your thoughts when a hand rests on your shoulder and another warrior candidate doubles over a panting and gulping mess like you. You must have finished the run without realising it...at least your body subconsciously knows what to do. Regaining your breath as quickly as possible despite the protest from your lungs screaming for a longer recovery time. You had no time to show any weakness, any faults if you ever wanted to inherit a titan.

  The warmth from the other candidates hand slips off you shoulder and onto their knees. You glance over seeing the shaggy blond known as Zeke Jaeger, doubled over right next to you. He wasn't the fastest, nor was he the strongest of the candidates...in fact, he high in the ranks at all and faced being kicked out for poor performance. What he lacks in strength and endurance, however, he makes up for in smarts. Even helping you study for written exams.

  Zeke was your closest, perhaps even your only friend in the program. You related to him more than anyone, you could tell his parents were the same way with Zeke...all he wanted was for them to love him and to be proud of him, but they forced the same things on him as your parents did to you. It made you sick to your stomach they would do that to him, and the audacity Dr. Jaeger had to even compare him to you in the program.

  Pushing down the anger that bubbled in your chest, you smiled at your friend. In the time you've gotten to know Zeke, you couldn't help but think he was rather cute. From the cool, blue eyed stare, his blond shaggy hair and how it fell at the sides. He was taller than you by quite a bit..but you didn't let your short stature get in the way when it came to teasing him. Although it would backfire on you quite a bit when he would place your things somewhere up high, forcing you to give him a pouty lip and pleading eyes to get your stuff back.

You had finished third which is better than last time, but you weren't happy that Marcel still came in second. It wasn't a spoken challenge but you and Marcel silently raced each other during these exams.

Focusing back on your friend Zeke, a half hearted smile tugged at the corners of your lips. His eyes were down toward the ground, a sad hue clouded them and you knew why...he almost, if not, dead last finishing once again and Magath was getting fed up with it. "Hey...it'll be alright-" you began, only to be cut off by sarcastic laugh from the blond haired boy.

"It'll be alright? If I fail anymore training and I can't pass the endurance exam or even beat someone in a fight I'll be kicked out," Zeke's stressed, his voice rough as he was still recovering from the run, taking in deep gulps of hair when he could. "My dad expects me to be able to do this, but every time I just disappoint him more..." he trailed off at the last part, you could practically see his heart shattering and tearing itself apart from just the thought of his fathers disappointment.