1ST POV

.

.

The next day was the aptitude test. We were all waiting for our turn. I looked around a bit before hearing my name being called.

"COLITH TOBE, YOUR TURN." Shadis yelled. The other cadets looked at me. Some of them blushed, while others simply got curious about what I could do. I saluted and went to the lifter.

Putting the equipment on, I looked forward and saw my little beans trying to encourage me. Shaking my head fondly, I waited to be lifted.

"A-are you ready?" the cadet charged to lift people, asked me shyly. I only nodded.

As he lifted me, I found it quite easy to get balanced. I remember when I was young, I would always walk while trying to balance myself. My dumbass wanted to be a tightrope walker. Don't ask why, I was weird back there.

I stayed still almost immediately. "Huh, this is like being on a swing.." I murmured as did some tricks. I chuckled a bit, until remembering where I was and looked up to meet incredulous, shocked, and appreciative glances. "Ah sorry!" I squeaked when I saw Shadis looking at me, puzzled.

'Allah, this man is even scarier up close..'

He only shook his head before telling the cadet to put me down. I removed the belt hastily before plopping right next to Armin and Mikasa.

"You did great, Colith!" Armin cheered happily.

"It looked like you were having fun, there." Mikasa quietly added.

I grinned. "You guys did great too! Mikasa, it felt like you weren't even trying." I proudly stated. We watched the others' turns until we saw Eren. upside down.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, JAEGER? RAISE YOUR UPPER BODY!" Shadis shouted, kneeling at his level.

'Ya hypocrite, you're the one who destroyed the boy's belt. Bastard.'

I tched as I heard others mocking him. The distress was so obvious on his face that it made my heartache. He looked at me pleadingly and I just sighed and nodded.'We'll come back later to help you' I mouthed. It reassured him a bit.

That afternoon, Mikasa and I stood in front of Eren while he was attached to the machine. Armin stood behind him, near the handle.

"You can do it if you focus on the basics." The Ackerman started. "Don't worry about being perfect for now."

"Yup! You need to distribute your height equally if you don't want to end up upside down again." I advised. "It's like putting a ruler on a pencil and trying to balance it, but this time, the pencil is your waist."

The boy nodded. "Stay calm and you can pull it off. Even I managed to do it." The blond behind him added.

"Alright, I think I've got it this time. Lift me, Armin." The brunette said a bit unsure. The blond nodded anyway then started turning the handle.

'Should I catch him..?' I thought for a moment. 'yeeeh no, he's a shifter, he'll be okay.'

He immediately bent forward and slammed his head, HARD on the ground. I instantly cringed 'Or Maybe not. DAMN THE SOUND IT MADE' and watched Mikasa hurrying to help him. Poor boy had knocked himself out.

That night, some cadets mocked him.

"Look at him now." A guy starts, "He talked big yesterday, saying he'd kill all the titans. Heh, he'll be working at the reclaimed lands after tomorrow." he smugly states "Useless ki-"

I slammed my hand, hard, on the table interrupting him as they jumped, startled. The cadets were all staring at me in surprise, even my three little beans.

"Could you spare us your stupid comments, please? some are trying to eat in peace here. Thank you very much." I finish with a smile on my face. Eren looked at me, thankful.

One of them scowled, and had the audacity to say "Why should we listen to you, huh?! Freaky skin!"

I paused. My beans' eyes widened in shock.

'Did he say what I think he said..?'

Reiner, Annie, Bertholdt and Ymir started sweating bullets. They knew veeery well that black people don't take these kinds of comments very nicely.

"That's right! You think you're better than us? And what's with that skintone? Pretty sure that's some sickness you got there. Nobody can be this dark! " one of them sneered, proud for stating the 'obvious'.

'Oh boy...' thought the four shifters.

Eren snapped out of his shock and almost immediately rushed to the guy who talked if it wasn't for Mikasa, who restrained him." HOW DARE- SAY THAT TO MY FACE, BAST-" but he suddenly stopped when he heard me chuckling.

What shocked them the most was the sound of pure amusement behind it, not even a trace of malice. My chuckling became a burst of full-blown laughter which weirded out the two who were insulting me.

"Oi... Is she crazy...?" no.1 said, unsure all of a sudden while no.2 blinked, puzzled.

I suddenly stopped laughing, face as blank as a board, and stared at the two little shits. The four shifters my beans, paled at the sudden change.

"Well, Have you finished mocking me for something I cannot control?" I stared them down, which made them flinch. "What did you gain with this? Except me disliking you. Did you really think I would take this nicely?" I shook my head in disappointment. "You think mocking me will make you stronger? That I will cower, and run away?"

I asked but didn't give them the time to reply "Well you are wrong. I may not look like any of you, but you don't see me mocking someone, who, yes, failed today, but could tomorrow, prove you wrong." Eren slightly flushed at my encouragement.

I stood up, eyes hardening with a glare directed at them. "Feel lucky that I don't feel like beating the shit out of you for saying that to me. Because," A feral grin appeared on my face, spooking everybody in the canteen, "I could make the both of you cry." I finished darkly.

"..."

Silence greeted the end of my statement as pale faces and scared expressions caught my eyes. I just giggled, waving my hand, amused.

"Don't look so pale, guys! Now that the message is clear, you can all continue what you were doing!" I chirped before plopping next to a bewildered Armin. "What?" I innocently asked him.

"No, nothing," he said looking back at his plate. Smiling, I pat his back.

"Don't worry, Min, I won't let that kind of behavior pass. It's alright!" I turn my gaze to Eren and Mikasa, as the girl spoke:

"You're really impressive, Colith." her eyes softened. "Thank you for defending Eren."

"Nah it was nothing." I sheepishly replied. "I won't let some scoundrel hurt one of my precious people. Not 'till I die or something" I murmured the last part, but I knew they heard me because they smiled, kindly.

"And you, Eren. Don't be discouraged by the first hurdle! You still have tomorrow to succeed! "I affirmed, pumping my fists in the air." So trade this sad look for a determined one!"

He perked up "Yeah!" now motivated.

"That's the Jaeger I know! " I cackled.

After curfew, I found myself lying on the bunk bedI shared with Mikasa. She let me have the bottom one in her great kindness. 'ALLAH I love this girl.'

After my stunt in the canteen, the majority of the girls avoided me except the ones I knew.

"Hey, I only bite if attacked" I had told them. The girls nodded, still wary, but asked me questions about, guess what, my skin color! which I answered without a problem. They soon understood that it was natural and some even complimented me by telling me that I, obviously, stood out a lot.

'How cute of them.' I thought, before carefully getting out of bed, wearing a casual outfit, and sneaking out using stealth.

Once outside, I started walking. Having deactivated my ability, a familiar voice, as well as set of footsteps, stopped my walk.

"Psst! Colith!"

I turned to my favorite shifter and coconut baby, throwing them a warm smile "Hey Eren, Armin!" my gaze landed on the two figures behind them. "Good evening you two." and greeted them politely.

Bertholdt immediately flushed as Reiner tried hiding his, without success.

'meh at least he tried, lmao'

"What are you doing here?" pretending not to know, I asked.

"This is Bertholdt and Reiner." He designed the two. "They said they would help me train for tomorrow."

I hummed, looking at the two. "Thank you for helping him. I suppose he asked almost everyone who succeeded with the test, am I right?" I chuckled. Eren immediately spluttered while Armin slightly chuckled along with the two giants.

"Yeah, he was quite insistent about it, so I gave in and Bert over here decided to tag along." the gentle giant slightly bowed his head. Sheepish.

'Cute!!' I cooed.

"Mind if I tag along too? I'll just help if you need bits of advice." I asked, looking at Eren who immediately perked up.

"Oh! Yeah, that's the reason why I called you over actually." He said, scratching his cheek.

I nodded " Alright, lead the way then."

With that, we walked to the woods, soil lamp in hand. Armin and I were discussing on random matters while the three shifters said their dialogues. I felt a gaze on me and promptly looked toward a red-faced Bertholdt who quickly looked away.

'Is the colossal titan having a crush?? Hehehehe this is gonna be fun *snickers*'

I casually neared him. "Hey Bert," he jumped, surprised before looking down at me " You're so tall!! How's the view up there?? I wish I could look down on people too" I snickered while strolling beside him.

"Uh... Hum it's alright...?" he said, unsure.

I cooed at his cuteness. "You know that you're cute? Keep it up, buddy! You give gentle giant vibes, it's pretty comforting!" I patted his back affectionately as his face turned shades darker.

The boys all stopped their conversation when they heard my statement. Eren and Armin glared at the giant while Reiner looked flabbergasted.

"c-c-c-cu...te?!" Bert stuttered, completely red.

I blinked 'innocently' "Nobody ever told you that? They must be blind then. " I nodded my head seriously. "Try being more confident, I heard some girls say they liked tall confident guys or something." I crossed my arms while shaking my head. "Honestly, I don't really care about the heights or appearance, as long as I can trust and be trusted in return, everything should be alright." I smiled gently at him.

Reiner seeing his comrade's evident distress intervened. "Say, Colith, what does 'Vibes' means?"

I blinked, '...Right, of course.'

"I don't know how to explain it, it's more like a feeling you get from something or someone. Like I said earlier, Bert gives me gentle giant vibes. Like he's so tall and cute! I think you understood what I meant." I winked at him.

His cheeks slightly turned pink before I caught the scowling faces of Armin and Eren.

"Jeez, kiddos, stop glaring at them like that." I slapped both their backs which made them topple a bit forward.

"I don't like it when you talk like this with others.." Eren grumbled which I heard. I slid an arm on his shoulders.

"Is my Lil Jaeger perhaps, Jealous?" I started snickering. He huffed in indignation before looking away. My snickers transformed into cacklings " Don't worry big baby! You still have a big place in my heart~" I dramatically chanted "You too, Min~" I pulled the blond in a hug before kissing his cheek. He merely blinked as he looked forward.

The two shifters were surprised at our interaction.

"Is she always like this?" The muscled blond asked.

"You have no idea." They both said at the same time.

I gasped in offense "Are you two for real, now?!" I reached for their hairs and ruffled them, intentionally bringing chaos to their haircuts. The two little rascals just snickered at my pouting face, leaving the two shifters in wonder

'They act like siblings...'