Beyond The Walls (AOT x OC Fanfic)

The Weight of Waiting

The days without the Survey Corps felt like weeks. Jeiden had never been good at sitting still, and the longer the expedition dragged on, the heavier the weight of waiting pressed on her chest. Every morning, she woke with a knot of anxiety in her stomach, hoping—praying—that today would be the day they returned.

But as each day passed, with no sign of them, the knot only tightened. The guilt gnawed at her. She was safe, tucked away behind the walls at HQ, while those she cared for—Levi, Hange, Petra, and the rest of the squad—were out there facing unspeakable dangers. The thought of them fighting Titans while she remained idle made her feel helpless, useless.

Jeiden couldn't stand it anymore.

On the third day of their absence, as the sun hung low in the sky, Jeiden decided she needed to get away. She had to escape the suffocating feeling of being trapped inside the walls, even if just for a few hours. Her thoughts swirled with worry, and her restless energy made her feel like she was going to crawl out of her skin if she didn't do something.

She saddled her horse, Reyko, a sleek chestnut mare with a wild streak that matched Jeiden's own. The horse had been with her since the beginning of her training, and the bond they shared had grown strong over the months. Reyko was fast, sharp, and always ready for a challenge—just like Jeiden.

As Jeiden led Reyko out of the stables, the sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow across the fields that stretched beyond HQ. She mounted the horse, her body tensing with the need to move, to break free from the chains of waiting. With a gentle nudge, Reyko set off at a steady pace, the wind ruffling Jeiden's hair as they rode out into the open.

The fields were quiet, the tall grass swaying gently in the breeze. The horizon seemed to stretch endlessly before her, the peaceful landscape a stark contrast to the turmoil in her heart. For a moment, Jeiden let herself breathe. The open air, the steady rhythm of Reyko's hooves against the ground—it helped to ease the tightness in her chest, if only slightly.

But no matter how far she rode, she couldn't outrun her thoughts.

Are they okay? Did something happen? What if they don't come back?

The questions haunted her, each one weighing heavier than the last. She had faith in Levi and the squad—she knew they were strong, knew they were capable. But the dangers outside the walls were unpredictable, and the thought of losing any of them sent a chill down her spine.

Jeiden urged Reyko into a faster pace, the horse galloping through the fields as the sun began to dip below the horizon. The sky shifted from gold to deep shades of orange and pink, and the wind grew cooler as night approached. For a moment, Jeiden allowed herself to get lost in the motion, the speed, the freedom of the ride. It was a temporary escape from the weight pressing down on her.

But then, without warning, it hit her.

The ringing in her ears came first—sharp and sudden, like the crash of a cymbal. Jeiden gasped, her grip on Reyko's reins tightening as her vision blurred. The world around her shifted, the field disappearing, replaced by something else—something familiar.

A memory.

She was back in that place again, the place she had seen in her earlier visions. The field was vast and green, just like the one she was riding through now, but there was something different about it. The air felt lighter, the sky a clear blue, and in the distance, she could hear laughter—her laughter.

Jeiden blinked, her breath catching in her throat as the memory sharpened.

She was there again, with him—the boy with the blue eyes. But this time, he was older. His hair was longer, and his face had matured, but those same kind, familiar eyes stared back at her with warmth. He smiled, his laughter mingling with hers as they ran through the field together. She could feel the joy in her heart, the lightness of the moment.