Allies and Enemies (AoT Reader Insert)

Chapter 15: "It was just a moment passing by..."

Year 854: Libero Internment District

Day of the Festival

Summer.

For many, summer is seen as the height of the year. Not only in temperature, but in spirit and festivities. This year in particular was exceptionally lively.

It wasn't often that the Eldians of the Libero District came together to celebrate anything. However, with the conclusion of Marley's most recent war it seemed as though Libero had just as much to celebrate as Marley itself.

From food to crafts, the summer market was brimming with life.

For many of those who'd previously been out fighting Marley's war, this was the first summer in nearly four years where they were actually back home. This was especially apparent for a select few who, due to a mission across the sea, would be attending their first festival in nearly a decade.

Porco Galliard had never been one for festivals. Sure, he enjoyed the lively atmosphere and excited smiles, but he'd never really understood for himself why festivals were so great.

Not that he was trying to be a stick in the mud or anything. He'd never go out of his way to make others feel like a festival such as this one was not worth enjoying, and it wasn't that he wasn't enjoying himself, but he just never really understood the excitement.

For the most part, Porco was content with trailing behind the Warrior Cadets in their quest to find the most intriguing foods at the festival. However, a small part of him longed for something. He wasn't quite sure what that something was, and he had no idea how to find it. He doubted he'd be able to find whatever that something was here at the festival.

"Aren't you hungry, Pokko?" asked the Cart Shifter, Pieck.

"I'm not usually hungry in the mornings."

"But it's not morning anymore. It's almost two in the afternoon."

"Oh," Porco shrugged, "I guess I just haven't been very hungry."

"That's a shame. There looks to be so many good foods here! The children are certainly enjoying themselves."

And sure enough, they were. Porco hadn't really been paying attention to what the Warrior Cadets were getting the vice chief to get for them, but it seemed that in particular this case it had been the Crystal Shifter who'd bought something for them. As a matter of fact, it seemed that she had gotten something for herself and the vice chief as well.

While Porco didn't think Pieck had meant to bring his attention to something like this specifically, (Y/n) and Reiner seemed to be sharing a rather... intimate moment.

They weren't doing anything particularly couple-like, but something in the way they laughed together seemed to rub Porco the wrong way. After all, it wasn't as though Reiner had confessed feelings for the girl, had he? Perhaps Porco's jealous side was getting the best of him. He and (Y/n) weren't in a relationship or anything. He doesn't owe anything to her, and she doesn't owe anything to him.

Even so, Porco suddenly found himself a lot hungrier than he had been before.

"Hey!" Emanon, the girl named to be the successor of the Crystal Titan, skipped up to her predecessor, "is it alright if I head to the other side of the festival with Colt? He says that he saw a few stands set up with games, and I want to try and win some prizes!"

(Y/n) turned towards Emanon, "and how exactly do you plan to buy the tickets to play games?"

"Right... well, about that..."