Ok, this is it. The original plot i had intended: ludicrous badassery, with Nikolai being, well, more of complete bastard. Read at your own risk or otherwise wait until another lemon chapter shows up; this one takes place at the recovery mission in Trost.

Chapter 7: The Devil.

Untrustworthy, unwilling to be part of a team and too eager to fight; unstable. Nikolai's mouth had twitched slightly, slowly turning into a teeth filled grin as Pixis numbered the reasons of why he would not be part of the escort mission. Despite Ian's protests, the bald commander did not reconsider his decision.

_Aren't you a great judge of character, Commander... -he had said, chuckling at Ian's dumbfounded expression.

_I hold myself as one, young man. Am i wrong in my judgment?

He had laughed, as if the fate of everyone inside the walls was nothing but a joke. A very amusing, o very bad one.

_Not at all. I'm glad you're in charge; you don't have qualms if you think you need to change things, no matter what others say. I was afraid i'd have to babysit.

The man eyed him with something simlar to the cautious admiration one could hold for a dangerous dog looking behind a thin fence.

_To your post, cadet Nikolai.

_Do you think we could kidnap Eren now, or do we wait? -said Bertholdt

_I think we should wait. If he seals the wall taking him will be a damn hassle, meanwhile we can get... -he snapped his fingers, trying to find the exact word.

_Get what?

Both froze at the calm voice; they turned around and found Niko standing there, with a curious, childish expression. The man suddenly smiled and pointed a sword at them.

_I must admit, i didn't expect this day to get any more interesting but now... -he let out a husky laugh- now i understand some things much, much better.

_Understand? Nikolai, we... we were joking...

Braun shut up when the other clicked his tongue and shook his head.

_Reiner, Reiner, Reiner... you should try and have some degree of dignity. The good soldier, the leader guy, the one willing to take the burden for the team... a facade; you are a joke. And Bertie, so weak willed and doubtful and nervous, the big frail boy so unlikely to be... a monster. I am really surprised. -he said almost admiringly, looking back and forth between the two friends, who shared a look then glanced back at the cadet.

_And what now, Nikolai? -said the blonde, in a slow, dangerous tone.

_Oh, i believe the question is not "what" since we know how this ends. It's "when", and maybe also "where". And i see a good spot where we can end this, over there...

He pointed with a blade somewhere behind the two soldiers, deeper into Trost.

_Further into the district we won't be bothered or interrupted. We can have all the fun we want, no people showing up without warning. Or at least that i hope.

Bertholdt blinked, clearly confused by his behaviour, his complete lack of nerves.

_Are you not... afraid? -Nikolai stared him down for a few seconds and then chuckled deeply, almost threateningly.

_What is it Bert, you want me to cry and beg? To buy time in hopes of tricking you into a smartly devised trap? I don't have time or need for subtetly; this ends with death... be it yours, or mine. A monster's blood is just the same as another's.

Reiner and Hoover exchanged a nervous glance while the other man scratched his chin, uncaring of the threat of titans or the operation itself; then he looked at the blonde.

_What is it like? To be a titan? The Armored one?

Reiner blinked, surprised by the question; Nikolai's voice had a child's curiosity, staring quizzically at him. He swallowed and licked his lips.

_It feels... good. Great, even: i am... invincible, unstoppable. Nothing can hurt me.

_I see. -Niko answered with slight admiration before turning to Bertholdt- And you Bertie? What does being a giant dickless asshole feels like?

Hoover opened his mouth, awkwardly looking for words for a few seconds until he managed to speak.

_It's... n-not bad at all, i guess? -he said with a weak smile. Nikolai grinned smugly.

_Oh... so shifting into the Colossal is nothing new, huh? -he said with a loud laugh.

The brunette frowned until Niko's words made sense; before he could think of an answer the other lunged forward in a blink and jumped between them, swinging his way between the houses. Only a moment later he heard gear working behind him, following him deeper into the district; however, one of them moved much faster, more aggressively.

He spun around and his blades clashed with Reiner's; the albino's smile faced the serious, willing-to-kill expression of Braun as their steel sung with the impact.

Not gonna wait, huh?

With a laugh he landed on the roof, kicking the blonde in the chest and making him fall on his back as Hoover got there and quickly helped his friend up; Bertholdt showed a deeply concerned expression, barely keeping eye contact with him. Niko clicked his tongue, eyeing them without care and opened his mouth to speak when he suddenly stiffened and quickly looked aside with both shifters following his gaze.

Annie landed on the roof meters away from them, looking surprised at the way Braun seemed ready to pounce on his comrade; her chest raised and lowered as she caught her breath from the constant fight.

_Reiner? Bertholdt? What are you... Niko, what's this?

_He's mad -he answered quickly, almost tripping on his own words- cause i said he and Bertie weren't a good couple.

_What?

_A little joke Annie, nothing else. -he assured with a grin- Don't worry, we'll be leaving to another pla...

_He heard us. He knows. -Reiner cut him, pointing with a sword.

Nikolai stopped mid-talking, hands frozen in gesturing; his awkward smile faded as he looked at Reiner's serious face, then turned slowly to watch the girl suddenly going pale.

_Oh. -he said softly.

She blinked in confusion, until Braun's words made sense and her face turned into a mix of anger and despair.

_What do you mean...!? How were you so stupid!? Why did you have to fuck it up!? -she shouted, gripping the sword handles tight until her knuckles turned white.

Her eyes went from Nikolai to the other two; no one was sure to whom she was yelling and the tall blonde looked around nervously, fearing someone could show up while they argued. Nikolai didn't move, studying Leonhardt's anguished look.

_So you too, huh? -he said, frowning and shifting his eyes away from her- That... explains some things.

Annie stared at him without understanding, but heard -felt- the pity in his voice, and she cracked slightly.

_Niko, i never... -she mumbled

He turned fast as lightning, raising a sword to block both of Reiner's: he attacked while he thought Nikolai was distracted. The white haired soldier swept the blonde's legs and made him fall on his side, and a punt on his stomach sent him a few meters away, gasping for air. Bertholdt gaped momentarily at the strength he showed before lunging forward to cut him down; the other locked his blades back on his gear and faced him bare-handed, avoiding the first slash by stepping to a side and throwing a solid, bullet-fast punch to his temple: Hoover stumbled, disoriented, and Nikolai shoved a knee in his gut to force him to bend and punched once more; Bertholdt fell like a puppet whose strings were cut from the roof's border down to the street with a cracking noise.

A savage howl marked Braun's comeback as he rushed head on towards the male and Nikolai did the same, grabbing the blonde by his shoulders, spinning a full circle and throwing him back where he came from.

_Stop! You two, just... stop! -Annie half cried, half shouted, unable to move.

Both ignored her and Reiner attacked once more, holding Niko by the shoulders; however he was shaken off easily and his rage increased at the other's relaxed expression and threw a brutal punch Niko stopped with a hand. His shocked face earnt a smile from him and a moment later Niko's fingers hit his neck, cutting off the air to his lungs. Reiner held his throat choking and the grey eyed man positioned behind him. Leonhardt saw his fists move too fast for a human being and heard a sound akin to dry wood breaking three times before Braun fell on his knees with the spine in his nape broken, paralyzed from the neck down. Niko moved once more and a metallic flash was followed by the blonde's head almost hopping forward, free from the body's attachement.

A moment later Niko dashed towards the girl who reacted by lifting both swords, unable to think; Reiner had been killed off like it was nothing... it was all over without him, no way to go on. Her mind knew this and didn't bother to fight back, specially knowing what Niko was capable of: better not to resist as he easily dodged her clumsy defense and got behind her, locking her arms against her chest with a hand, the other taking a blade from his back. She hoped (she knew) he'd be quick about it. She heard him sigh almost in resignation, almost sadly.

_I wish it didn't have to end like this, Annie.

She closed her eyes.

_Me too, Nikolai.

Bertholdt opened his eyes amidst waves of pain, the world blurring as he sat on the street. He felt the disturbing way the bones in his right arm healed and repositioned, rubbing his temple with his left hand; then the sting of panic made him stand, ignoring the pain in his leg while looking up. How long had he been unconscious?

_Reiner? Annie? -he shouted- Answer me! Did you...?

He froze with his mouth open when Nikolai showed up, watching from above without much interest.

_Well, that was disappointing. Hope you fare better than those two.

_Wha-what did you do?! -Berthold asked with fear in his voice- Reiner! Annie!

Nikolai crouched, then stood up with something in his hand. Hoover narrowed his eyes... and then screamed.

_YOU PIECE OF SHIT! MOTHERFUCKER! I'M GONNA... I'M...!

He tried to use his gear, but all he got was a weak stream of gas leaking from the canister, the wires linking it to the rest of the 3DMG broken by his fall. On the roof, Nikolai walked to and fro, without even glancing at him as he frantically tried to repair the broken equipment.

_You know, after knowing Eren had grown back his arm and leg, i started to wonder if you guys could grow your heads back...

He paused and lifted Reiner's head up, staring into his dead eyes.

_I guess you don't. Neither of them could.

Bertholdt went pale and stood in place, unable to move, to think. He had to be lying...

_Annie! -he shouted, tears beginning to run down his face- ANNIEEEEE!

Nikolai looked back, somewhere in the roof; he fixed his gaze on a particular point looking disappointed.

_What a waste. Such a strong, perfect girl. But at least -he said smiling slowly and turning to Hoover- I got to sample the goods back in camp, get it?

_SHUT UP! YOU'RE LYING! ANNIE, ANSWER ME! ANNIE!

_Oh, i'm not lying Bertie. Do you think we sparred so often just because? We did it, little soldier. Time and time again we fucked. Enought times so i can close my eyes...!

He dropped Reiner's head and punted it further inside Trost, while Bertholdt trembled of rage and agony, a murderous glare Niko didn't even flinch at.

_And her moans come to my mind before anything else!

_YOU FUCKER! I'M GONNA KILL YOU! KILL YOU! I'LL TEAR YOU FUCKING APART!

_Finally some nerve! -he said mockingly- It only took the death of your two best, well only friends! Ready to finish our little act? To let the monster finally out?

_I'LL FUCKING END YOU YOU BASTARD! -he howled, spitting in anger- YOU AND THIS FUCKING CITY AND ITS PEOPLE ARE FUCKING DEAD! ALL OF YOU, TO THE LAST ONE!

_That's how men talk! Let's get this over with Bertie!

Laughing in triumph Nikolai left, making his way towards the wall. Bertholdt roared when the gear refused to work, and his mind snapped. He wanted a monster? Then he'd have one.

End of Chapter