Cracked Glass | AOT x Male Reader

Chapter 1 - Boot Camp

_-{Year 847: Ceremony}-_

The morning sun beat down harshly on the prospecting cadets. Hundreds of them were gathered within a barren plot of land, in rows. It was much too early for the lot of them, the eyes of most were droopy and discolored. The same could be said for F/N. It was the last time he'd be enjoying the pleasures of the inner city, at least until he was a member of the MPs in three years, so he was going to make the best of it. In his hands he drew out a small match box and cigarette. With one quick strike it was lit, and the next second he inhaled a plume of smoke, before quickly snuffing out the burning match under his boot. He didn't need the guards making an example of him.

Much to his amusement, the other cadets around him were astonished, like he'd committed a sin right before their eyes. What a bunch of softies, to think they came from the interior, the boy shook his head. That did make him wonder though, if even the MPs back home would take a smoke at a time like this. Certainly not, he chuckled. They probably would've gawked right alongside the lot of 'em. After all, flowery words and good behavior garnered them status. Worrying about impressions was half the job of an MP, if you didn't want to stay as a recruit for your entire career.

"Attention magots!" The idle chatter ceased instantly as the commandment stepped onto the naturally elevated stage. "Today marks the beginning of the 104th Cadet Corps Boot Camp! As of now you are all useless pissants! By the time three years have passed, I will have shaped each of you into competent soldiers, capable of wiping your own asses!" He continued on, but F/N couldn't care to listen. Degrading introductory speeches were never his cup of tea. Instead, he looked through all the recruits, for any that seemed interesting to talk to, or good lookin'. Both those criteria were met almost instantly, upon spotting a brown haired girl with a strange, also brown, object in her hand.

A? Potato? The girl was holding a potato. It also seemed like she was still eating it... A low chuckle rumbled in his throat as he stifled his laughter, to think he'd meet someone as stupid as he was. Hopefully he'd get to talk to her sometime, cause damn that was funny. Again, the other cadets looked at him confused, they must think he's some lunatic, smoking and laughing to himself. This time he didn't judge them, he would've stared as well. At least, he supposed, it'd keep the normal ones away from him. Normal is boring.

Finally, after five minutes, Commandment Sadies made his way down from the overlooking stand and tore his way through the cadets. He ridiculed each one in a different way, making sure they understood their insignificance perfectly. F/N on the other hand found it funny, watching the angry bald man scream his new recruits. He could tell it was just an act, to weed out the idiots. Yelling was no stranger to him.

Fighting the titans, protecting the king, or the walls. F/N listened to all the recruits and their reasons for joining the cadets. The majority of them were lying, he could tell that clearly. They wrote it on their panicked faces, with some noble goal that came out all stiff and recited. But even so it was a reason nonetheless, and it made him wonder what he'd tell Sadies come his turn.

"To join the Military Police Regiment, and live in the interior, sir!" That's what I'd say, he thought, then realized it wasn't him who'd said that. Instead, it was a boy with pasty brown hair and an undercut, who was now on the floor, following a nasty headbutt from Sadies. In his head F/N noted to brace himself for when it was his turn.

F/N looked out at the crowd. Overall he had a lucky position, around the middle of the sixth row, with six more in front and seven behind. The commandment was currently at the rear of the fourth, so he estimated he hadn't much time before the bald man noticed his idiocy. He'd already seen that potato girl before him.