Attack on Titan (SnK) One shots Xreader! [requests open]

7. Bertolt - Watching

The white houses were built so close to each other that a stranger unfamiliar with this place would not have known about the street that lay in between, one might not have seen it. The houses on one side had balconies that almost touched those on the other side, creating a strange sort of roof over the narrow path below. I stepped into the darkness and leisurely walked on. It had been a tiresome day with many practice exercises and duties to fulfil. Seeing our exhausted faces, even someone like Captain Levi acknowledged a break might come in handy.

And thus, on our evening off, I had escaped the soldiers' territory and walked through the streets of the city surrounded by the warm air of a summer's evening. The sky was already painted into a deep shade of dark blue that bordered black, but the air still bore the warmth and humidity of the day that had passed. I was slightly bothered by not being able to see the sky from where I was walking and decided to escape this narrow lane as quickly as possible to exchange it for the free open world. As open and free as this world could be, locked behind the walls. Thinking of my favourite spot that I had decided to be my new destination, I started to hum happily and even started hopping as I had done in my childhood, but only when I was sure no one was watching.

Who would be watching me, at this time of night, on this far end of the city?

The thought sneaked into my cheerful mind and unsettled me, and I started to feel as if eyes were prying from behind. The doorknobs, windowsills and clothing that was hung out to dry suddenly started to form faces that watched me angrily, pleadingly or smiling. I wasn't surprised to see them appear, for I had been forced to live with these faces since the moment I joined the corps. The constant feeling of someone watching me was displayed by the formation of faces influenced by my imagination and fears. But even though the faces I made were often scary, the feeling of someone watching me was not. It was more as if I had a guardian angel than a wrathful demon. As if there was someone with me at all times, watching me protectively. Sometimes, during training, as the feeling of eyes emerged again, I found myself doing my best at everything I did, more so than normally, just to make whoever was looking at me, proud.

I refused to let the faces kill my good mood and hopped on until I reached the end of the street. Then I walked into the open air and let the summer air fill my lungs. I gazed upon the big bright moon that beamed welcomely at me and flashed it a smile. At nights like these, all was well. At nights like these, I was at peace.

But my peace was short-lived as some voice penetrated the gentle air. It was a harsh, loud and foul voice that besmirched the beauty of the night. The fine air that had first filled my lungs was now exchanged for the putrid scent of booze. "Hello there, good evening. Are you out for a stroll too? Wasn't expecting to find someone like you here."

"Someone like me?" I asked the man in return. He was a man of short stature that wore a thin tunic revealing his chest which in turn revealed the thinness of the layer of skin that covered his bones. The man looked weak as many of the starving population did, but his hands were clenched around a small sharp dagger with an unexpected firmness. He stumbled closer to me, and the foul smell intensified. I pitied the man, but did not turn my gaze away from the weapon that pointed at me at the height of my nose. "I'm gonna tell ya two things. Nay, give ya two options, that is what I wanted to say..."

The dagger made its way higher up to my eyes. I instinctively gasped a little but forced myself not to move a muscle. "Either ya empty those pockets ya've got there for me, or if you can't pay, yar coming with me. Are we clear here?"

"I have no money." I said firmly.

"Then we have an easy choice to make! It's the second option for ya, pretty thing."

"I'm not going anywhere either."

The man exclaimed a loud "Whaaat" and wanted to move even closer. He raised his dagger in the air to prepare for a slashing motion and proclaimed: "then it's sayonara, dearie", but just as the dagger was supposed to come for me, I was pushed backwards with great force. In front of me stood Bertolt, with his arms spread widely as if he formed a wall between me and the danger.