The Happiness You Gave Me

Finally Mine

*Bertholdt's POV*

I woke up the next morning to someone shaking me gently.

"What do you want Ri- oh, Eren, sorry about that." I said when I realized who it was.

"Why did you come in so late last night? You woke me up." He asked.

"I was coming from the infirmary." I said as I pulled off my shirt to show him my bandaged shoulder.

"Are you ready for ODMG training today?" I asked.

"Ouch! Yeah I'm ready, but it doesn't look like you are. Did you get an excuse from the doctor?" Eren said once he saw my wound.

"No, I'm just gonna deal with it." I said as I got up and dressed myself.

"Alright...if you're sure...I'll see you there." Eren said as he walked out.

Reiner woke up shortly after.

"Hey Bert..." He said apprehensively.

He was one of the last people I wanted to speak to.

"What?" I said.

He got up and put his hand on my shoulder.

"I hope you can make it work with Christa." He said.

My eyes grew wide with shock.

"You mean it?" I asked in disbelief.

"Really. I know Annie was a jerk last night. I'm sorry I even told her what happened." He said as he looked down in shame.

I put my hand on his shoulder and smiled reassuringly as we both turned to leave.

"Hey, people make mistakes...besides, we're just friends, me and her...I don't think I'll ever get the chance to be more with her." I said in disappointment.

"I think you're selling yourself short." Reiner said, obviously not remembering who he was talking to.

"You really had to pull out a height pun? Come on Reiner, be serious here. I don't see myself as anything more than her friend." I said.

Suddenly I heard someone sniffling. I looked down to see blonde hair.

"Ch- Ch- Christa!?" I exclaimed.

"Oh...hi." She sniffled.

"Wh.....Wh.....What's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm a failure..." She said as she rocked back and forth.

That broke my heart.

"Christa...why...why would you say that?" I asked.

"Captain Levi...He said you got shot because of me...He's right." She said through tears.

"Captain Levi Ackerman? I wonder what he's doing here?" I said to myself.

I helped Christa up and pulled her into a hug.

"I don't care what he said. I took that bullet because I was trying to protect the woman I.....care about." I said as I caught myself.

"If I could have defended myself you wouldn't have gotten shot..." She said, still disappointed in herself.

I didn't want to have to do this.

"Christa, do you want me to show you why I saved you?" I sighed.

"It might help me make sense of it." She said.

I blushed.

"So I could have a chance to do this." I said as I pulled her into a gentle, deep kiss.