My Reason to Smile

Marco Bott x Reader

So... this was written a long ago, maybe two months or so? Eh. Enjoy the story!

She never smiled.

Now, this wasn't to say that she was cold. She was nice, helping others if she can.

But she still never smiled.

And there was a reason why…

Eren's POV

"... So why doesn't she smile?" Horseface asked me, and I just shrugged. He sighed, and asked again. "Why doesn't she smile? She's nice, she's pretty, she's damn skilled, but why doesn't she smile? Not once?"

"I told you, Horsie! We don't know" I responded to his question, but it was starting to bother me, too.

Why won't (y/n) smile? She's so pretty, she graduated in first place, tied with Mikasa. And she had so many things to smile and be happy for…

She had a family…

She had friends(us, duh)...

She could have a boyfriend if she really wanted…

But why won't she smile?

Bertholdt's POV

"J-Jean, don't," he looked at Armin, and he continued. "Heichou might be able to hear your yelling, and it's past…"

I trailed off when I heard the door banging open, revealing a rather tired-looking Corporal.

"What. Is. Going. On. In. Here" he demanded, and I stuttered out,

"J-Jean wanted to k-know why (y/n) doesn't smile…"

At that statement, his expression changed, though slightly, from an angry one to a curious one. Nobody saw the change, though.

"Tch. And why is that?" he asked, and this time, Eren answered.

"We don't know" Heichou just blinked once at his answer.

"Well, what about we…"

Reader's POV

I didn't know what was happening, but it's seriously pissing me off. The boys started acting all weird around me, cracking random jokes and pranking each other at random times. Were they trying to make me laugh?

I just shrug it off, probably some dare they're doing or something. I ignored the terrible jokes and pranks, and walked over to the training yards.

It was another 3DMG practice day, another day with the boring wooden "titans." I saluted Corporal as he passed by, and he just nodded at me, walking to wherever he was going in the first place.

I readied the straps, adjusting it so that it was comfortable but tight around my body. Then I walked to the direction of the forest, which was where we were going to be training.

Almost everyone was there. I took my place next to Christa, waiting for the instructor to start us.

"Go!"

Hanji's POV

I noticed that the boys of 104th were weird around (y/n) today. And so was Levi! She and I are pretty close, maybe I can ask her why…

As I was thinking of places where she could be, I saw the familiar (h/c) hair.

"(Y/N)~~~~~~~~~~~!" I pounced onto her, making her flinch.

"Hello, Hanji," she pried me off her, and I smiled.

"So… Do you know why they're like that?" I asked, getting the the point right on.

"Who? Oh, no, I don't" she said, and her voice was an honest one, so I believed her. "But I think I know what their objective is."

My smile widened at her comment, and I eagerly nodded my head, encouraging her to go on.

"I think they're trying to make me smile or something…" my smile faded, and a serious and concerned expression took its place.

"I'll tell them off. Why don't you go and relax? I'll inform Erwin…" I trailed off, and she nodded weakly, and headed to there.

"Hey, Shitty Glasses," Levi called me, and I stared at him, smiling.

"Yeah?" I responded, and he sighed before asking,

"Where's (y/n)? I haven't seen her in dinner."

I could see the 104th boys gather around me, and my smile immediately fell from my face.

"If you're trying to make her smile, then I advise you to give up on that," my serious expression must've surprised all of them. I could read the shock on their faces, even Levi.

The girls from the 104th, walked towards us, their eyes sad. They must have heard our conversation…

"Yeah, guys. Leave her alone," Sasha said, coming to my aid. I smiled gratefully at her, and she just gave me another sad smile. The guys were speechless, and Eren was the first one to recover from the shock.

"Don't you care about her? She never smi-" he never gets to finish as Mikasa punches him, none too gently, in the stomach. His eyes are basically saying: "What was that for?!"

"We do. And if you cared about her, you should've noticed when she smiled, and who she smiled around," Mikasa turns to leave after that statement, and other girls from the 104th graduates follow.

I turn on my heels to follow them, and stop at the doorway. I look back at the faces of the surprised males, and I don't smile cheerfully like I always do.

"Think, boys. Use those brains of yours," with that, I put a smile back on my face and skip away.

Armin's POV

"What was that?" I hear Eren asking, but I was too busy thinking about what Mikasa and Hanji said. When did she smile? And who did she smile around?

Then everything suddenly fits into place.

Everyone is thinking, and it's really easy to get their attention. "Guys, remember our trainee days?" Everyone, save for Corporal, nodded. "Well, back then, she used to smile a lot, right?" Again, the same people nodded.

"And who did she smile the most around?" I watched as realization struck them, their faces clearly showing that they understand now. Even Connie, no offense, got it after a couple of seconds.

"Shoot," Eren mumbled, and in the silence, we could all hear him.

"She smiled most around..."

Reader's POV

"...Marco. It's been so long, hasn't it?" you say, and pluck a flower from the earth. It's a small blue flower, the ones he always used to tuck behind your ear. You smile, a small, sad smile, looking up at the stars above you.

"I always used to sneak you out after curfew, and we would look at the stars until we were too tired to keep our eyes open…" you smiled again at the memories. Once, you almost got caught by Shadis, but thanks to your sneakiness, you got out of the situation.

"I don't smile as much anymore…" you sigh, and look down at your boots. "I know you wouldn't approve of it…"

"But you were my reason to smile."