A/N: Inspiration (as well as a line or two of dialogue) taken from one of the SnK smartpass offerings, featuring Annie and Ymir.
Autumn was dreary. The morning was grey and lifeless, sky the exact colour of snow. The air was chilly and damp, clouds hanging low, heavy with the promise of foul weather.
An icy drizzle began during breakfast and refused to let up. The trainees were sent out into the rain and their clothes were quickly soaked, boots mud-stained. Some were more enthusiastic than others.
Ymir wasn't one of these people. After the roll-call was finished she drifted away from the rest of the trainees, left on her own, because Krista could fend for herself for a few hours. The rain was not heavy enough to beat down on her shoulders, but it did not ease up, and she was respectably sodden and grumpy by the time she trotted over to one of the storage sheds and took cover under the eaves.
"Ah, damn," she muttered to herself. "I'm all wet."
"It's raining."
Surprised at the unexpected reply, Ymir turned around to see Annie leaning up against the furthermost wall, watching her as she wiped herself dry.
"…Fancy seeing you here, Leonhardt. Do you come by this place often?" The girl did not reply. Ymir chuckled. "Ah, never mind that. You must be pretty confident in your abilities to be slacking off here." Annie stared at her, indifferent. "Do you reckon it's all right?"
"Combat training won't earn us any points," said Annie simply. "I'm not fool enough to try it in this rain."
She was clearly not the only one of this mind. There were some trainees taking cover, or simply standing by idly, watching the few others who were fighting.
"That's fair, but how do you explain him?" Ymir pointed to where Eren was now waving to his sister, and though he was too far away to be heard, his gesticulations were easily interpreted. "He seems damn interested in your combat skills." Mikasa walked over stiffly, obliging his request. A couple other kids gathered, hooting, cheering them on.
"He doesn't know what he's doing," said Annie smoothly.
Ymir raised an eyebrow. "I thought you taught him the techniques."
"Only because he wouldn't shut up about them."
The rain picked up, coming down in waves. Eren and Mikasa continued to trade blows.
"…I told you that's not how you use your strength." The words were incredulous, out of Annie's mouth without thought as they watched as Eren was knocked effortlessly to the ground by his sister's hand.
Ymir cast a side-long glance over at her. "Concerned for your little disciple?"
"No," Annie said. "That was a stupid move on his part."
Eren was already sitting up, brushing off the others' concerns, offering Mikasa his hand, somewhat reproachful. She took it, hauling him to his feet again.
"I fail to hear the irritation in your voice," Ymir said. Annie glowered silently at a corner of the wall. Ymir chuckled, no longer attending to her. "God, look. He's going to do it again. Stubborn little bastard, isn't he?"
"I don't need your commentary," said Annie stiffly.
"You're a terrible act." Quiet, but for the rain pounding on the roof. "I can see it," Ymir went on. "Not just with him. The uptight kids, the slackers, the weak ones…they're all the same to you, aren't they?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." The ice in her voice sounded false, uncomfortable. Another pause. Ymir glanced over at her companion, then sighed.
"Sure. It doesn't matter." Of course, Ymir thought, what had she expected from a girl like Annie?
Annie didn't reply. Ymir turned her gaze up to the sky, squinting through the dull brilliance of the sun's light as the rain dripped in from the outside, thinking. Shadis's voice boomed and she blinked. "Ah, shit. That's ol' Shadis."
"I know," said Annie.
The two separated, joining the crowd of trainees. The didn't look back.
Above, the rain fell.