Beyond The Walls (AOT x OC Fanfic)

Bonds and Bread

The barracks cafeteria buzzed with the sound of cadets settling in for the night. The long day of training had left most of them exhausted, but the energy in the room remained lively as they dug into their evening meals. Jeiden sat at her own table, her tray barely touched as she idly pushed around a piece of bread, listening in on the conversation happening at the table across from hers.

Eren Jaeger was at the center of it, surrounded by a small group of curious cadets. His voice, though not particularly loud, carried an unmistakable conviction that cut through the casual banter of the others. Jeiden's eyes occasionally flickered toward him, her curiosity piqued by the way he commanded attention without even trying.

"I already told you, I saw it," Eren said, his tone firm, though there was a weight in his words that made Jeiden pause.

Thomas, sitting beside Eren, leaned forward, eyes wide. "Really? You actually saw it with your own eyes?"

Eren nodded, and Jeiden caught the subtle tightening of his jaw. "Yeah. I saw it."

Samuel, sitting on the other side, wasn't about to let it go. "How big was it?"

Eren's face darkened slightly. "Big enough to look over the walls."

At that, the entire table seemed to lean in, captivated. The idea of something so massive, so monstrous, sent shivers down the spines of the cadets who had never experienced the terror firsthand. Jeiden felt her stomach twist slightly at the thought of it—a Titan large enough to tower over Wall Maria?

"What?! I heard it stepped right over them!" Samuel exclaimed, his voice rising in excitement and fear.

Hannah, sitting beside Franz, nodded eagerly. "Me too! That's what they said in my village!"

Eren shook his head. "No, it wasn't that tall," he corrected, his voice calm but resolute.

Mina leaned forward, her eyes wide with curiosity. "What did it look like?" she asked softly, as if afraid of the answer.

Eren's expression darkened further, and for a moment, Jeiden saw a flicker of something deep and haunting pass behind his teal eyes. "It barely had any skin," he said quietly, his voice dropping lower. "But it had a huge mouth."

The table fell silent at that, the image of the skinless Titan searing itself into the minds of everyone listening. Even Jeiden, who had yet to witness a Titan in person, could feel the weight of his words. It was one thing to hear about the Titans in theory, to know they existed as an abstract danger. But hearing Eren's firsthand account made it all too real.

"What about the Armored Titan that broke Wall Maria?" another cadet asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"They call it that," Eren said, his tone shifting slightly, "but it looked like a normal Titan to me."

Samuel, visibly shaken, stammered, "Th-then... w-what's a normal Titan like?"

Eren's face paled, and for a moment, he looked like he might be sick. The other cadets seemed to sense it too, and before anyone could ask another question, Marko spoke up, his voice gentle but firm. "Guys, let's stop with the questions. I'm sure Eren would prefer to forget some things."

Connie scratched the back of his head, looking a little guilty. "Yeah, sorry for asking..."

But Eren shook his head, his expression hardening as something fierce sparked back to life in his eyes. "Don't be," he said, his voice stronger now. "The Titans aren't all that tough... If we can master the 3-D Maneuver Gear, they won't stand a chance!"

Jeiden couldn't help but glance up at that, her interest fully captured by Eren's sudden shift in demeanor. There was a fire in his eyes now, one that she hadn't seen before, and it was contagious.