When They Don't Get Any Sleep
~ REVISED ~
A/N: What do you guys think of the longer scenarios?
Remember, requests are open for scenarios if anyone wants to suggest any :)
Disclaimer: Attack on Titan does not belong to me; I only own the nameless OC and the mini-stories for each scenario. The cover image does not belong to me as I found it via Google Images.
~ oOo ~
JEAN
It had been like any other morning. You were up before the morning bell, dressed and ready to go before the others in your dorm had a moment to blink. You had always been an early bird and liked being ahead of others regarding the schedule. Per usual, you made your way to the Mess Hall for breakfast, gathering your plate of potato mush, a roll, and a mug of water. Seeing as how it would be some time before your friends arrived, you patiently waited at your usual table for Jean and Marco to make their appearance.
They promptly arrived about thirty minutes later.
Your plate was clean, and you used the roll to scoop up any raining potato soup from the bowl. You were still hungry, though not as hungry as Sasha normally was. You could handle the wait until lunch before being provided more food.
As your two friends gathered their morning meal, Marco sat across from you while Jean sat beside you; another morning usual.
The three of you conversed, though it was mainly you and Marco speaking. Jean inserted himself into the conversation here and there, but he remained silent. Glancing over at him, he, too, had finished his meal. His arms were crossed over the table, his head bobbing back and forth, and his eyes nearly shut. Stealing a peek at Marco, you smiled.
"Jean said he didn't get much sleep last night," Marco said.
You nodded. That explained the sleepiness. "Ah," you said, gently ruffling Jean's hair. The man moaned at your antics, his eyes slowly opening as they sought yours out. "Hey, good morning, sleepyhead."
Jean smirked and then closed his eyes again. "I just wanna go back to bed…" He complained.
"You…Jean, do you realize we have to be at the training grounds in the next ten minutes, right?"
He waved his hand. "I know…just give me five more minutes…"
To your surprise, Jean scooted closer and leaned his head against your shoulder, his hair brushing your cheek. Though your skin grew red, you huffed at his silliness. "Ugh, my shoulder's not a pillow, you know." Across from you, Marco laughed into his hand.
"Jean's not gonna move, Lyla. You are officially stuck with him for the time being." Your friend's words had you rolling your eyes.
"Yeah, what Marco said," Jean mumbled quietly. "Besides, your shoulder sure is comfy."
"Oh, Jean…" You shook your head. Sighing, you decided to humor your sleepy friend. To help him gain even a few more minutes of sleep, you rubbed your fingers up and down the length of his spine. "Fine. Five more minutes, you cutie."
"…thank you, Lyla…" He was asleep when your name fell past his lips.
"You're really gonna let him sleep on you?" Marco asked as he leaned against a hand.
You wanted to shrug but decided not to wake your precious prince awake. "I can't help it. He's just so adorable."
Marco's eyes lit up. "Oh? First, he's a cutie, and now he's adorable? I see someone's crushing on Jean."
If you had one, you would have thrown a roll at Marco's head. But you refused to move even an inch because Jean was truly asleep on your shoulder; the gentleness of his breath whisked across your cheek.
And because you didn't feel like waking him up, Jean was difficult to rouse when you needed to leave. All the other cadets had left the Mess Hall, leaving only you, Marco, and Jean behind. By the time you had finally nudged Jean awake, the bell signifying training had rung, all three of you groaning because you knew what that meant.
Subsequently, you three were late for training. Your punishment?
Fifty laps around the training ground and stable duty for the next week. And that was just the start. All because you had allowed Jean to fall asleep on your shoulder.
MARCO
Training early that afternoon had been rough. However, Commandant Shadis was in a good mood today and dismissed all cadets to enjoy an early dinner. You were beyond stoked, and the first item on your agenda was to nap. Collapsing into your bed, you didn't rise until the evening bell rang, telling all cadets it was time for dinner. When you entered the Mess Hall several minutes after everyone else, you were surprised to find Marco had already made your plate and was waiting for you to join him. The two of you enjoyed each other's company, keeping mostly to yourself this evening rather than joining the conversation with your friends.
Afterward, Marco asked if you wanted to spend time together, and you agreed. Walking through the forest's edge, Marco led you to a small clearing where the night sky was visible. You gasped upon entering the small meadow, loving the scenery, the beautiful flowers, and the stars above.
So there you were. Instead of lying on the grass, you leaned against a tree trunk and stared at the stars, admiring their beauty. You were amazed at the sight. The stars were so bright, and the moon seemed so big. Conversation between the two of you was sparse, but you didn't need to talk. The silence was welcoming.
Upon hearing something shift beside you, you glanced at Marco, who moved his body slightly to the side. And then he suddenly placed his head in your lap. You were surprised for a moment but then smiled. The gesture was sweet and adorable; you couldn't tell him to move. He placed his head in your lap for a reason.
Turning slightly, Marco peered up at you through half-opened eyes. "Is this alright, Lyla?"
You smiled more, deciding to rake your fingers through his hair. By doing so, Marco's eyes grew sleepy as they closed, opened, and closed again. He could barely keep them open for several seconds at a time. Chuckling softly, you said, "It's more than alright. Is it comfy?" Marco seemed to purr at your antics. He tilted his head further into your lap where you continued running your fingers through his hair, using your nails to occasionally scrape against his scalp.
With a slight yawn, he said, "Extremely."
Absentmindedly, you started to talk. Before, you welcomed the silence, but now, you wanted to hold a conversation. Occasionally, Marco would briefly answer or hum a response. As you stared at the glowing sky, anything and everything poured from your mouth: your training, the weather, dreams, aspirations, and even the future.
"So, Marco, what'd you think of the move Shadis taught us today?" When your friend said nothing, you moved carefully and peered at his face. Marco was fully asleep, breathing deeply as he continued to dream away. "Marco? Huh…he's completely out."
LEVI
It was late at night, and the moon's brightness filtered into the room through the open window. You were currently sitting on the couch in Levi's office with a book held open in your hands. You had been in the same spot for several hours and were nearing the end of your beloved book, wondering if you would finish it before heading to bed. Across the room, Levi sat at his desk, pen in hand, reading through document after document. The pile on his desk that had arrived after dinner had dwindled, but it still seemed the papers were never-ending.
Hearing Levi sigh, you glanced up to see him looking at the clock. "Lyla…you should probably get some rest."
His words had you chuckling. Flipping the page, all you did for a moment was to read. After several seconds, you tilted your head to find the man staring at you, hands clasped upon the desk. Placing your book down, you gave him the same stare. "Coming from the man who's still finishing paperwork despite how late it is? Nah. I'll go to sleep when you do."
Levi sighed again, rubbing at his temple. "I'm used to this, Lyla; you are not."
Rolling your eyes, you closed your book and stood, making your way behind Levi. Glancing at the paperwork, you couldn't imagine what needed Levi's attention this badly that it at least couldn't wait until morning. Rubbing a hand up and down his arm, you said, "Levi, come and take a five-minute break. You at least deserve that. You've been working nonstop since we came back from dinner."
Peering up at you through his lashes, Levi's eyes spoke volumes despite the blasé expression he held. You and he had had this conversation numerous times, and he had never won a single one. "…will you shut up if I do?"
You nodded and smiled. Stepping back, you gave Levi enough room to stand before you grasped his hand and led him to the couch. Lowering him to sit beside you, you reclaimed your spot. Taking hold of your book, you opened the pages up to where you left off when you felt a presence press against your shoulder.
Levi was staring at your book. "What're you reading this time?"
"It's so good!" you exclaim happily. "It's about a princess who loses her memories, and the prince she's engaged with tries everything he can to restore them."
"That sounds…interesting."
"The book is better than my description, trust me."
"Lyla, will you…read it to me?"
You smiled, rubbing his thigh lovingly. "Of course."
You began reading the words on the page, the sentences flowing easily from you. Page after page, you read, your voice the only sound echoing across the room. Before you knew it, you had reached the last page, your finger skimming the words as tears swelled slightly in the corners of your eyes.
"…and so, they lived a somewhat happy life for the rest of their lives - the end." Sniffling, you were happy that you had finished the book. Your list of what to read next was large, and you were excited to start the next book. "Levi! Can you believe I finished it?" When you heard no response, you turned your head only to smile at the sight before you. "Oh goodness…"
Having fallen asleep while you had read, Levi was leaning against his arm, fist holding up his chin as the male breathed quietly and deeply. Standing, you carefully grasped Levi by the arms, guiding him to lay on the couch, curling his legs onto the cushions. You quickly grabbed a blanket from the bedroom and draped the fabric over his sleeping body. Lastly, you kissed Levi's forehead lovingly.
"Told ya you needed some sleep."
EREN
"Lyla…I'm tired…"
Peering at Eren over your morning bowl of potato mush, you stared hard. He found your gaze, and you could see the tiredness in his eyes. The underside of each eye was almost black, signifying his lack of sleep the previous night. Or the previous several nights. He'd been sluggish all morning, and usually, he was the one to initiate the conversation over breakfast, but today, it was mainly you and Armin who were speaking.
Taking a bite of your breakfast, you swallowed. "Did you stay up late last night?"
He shyly glanced away, almost knowing exactly how you would take his answer. "W-Well, yeah, but…"
You rolled your eyes. At first, you had thought that maybe he just hadn't been able to get any sleep. Now, that thought went right out the window. Instead, Eren was the reason he wasn't gaining any sleep. You looked at Armin, who merely shook his head. "Armin, do you know what he was doing all night?"
Armin peered at Eren, who almost seemed slightly delirious, before eating his meal. "Eren was awake most of the night talking with Reiner and Bertholdt."
"Seriously?" You pointed your spoon at Eren. "Just what the hell were you three talking about that you forgot to sleep?"
Eyes heavy with sleep, Eren shrugged. "…mainly girls."
Your eyes widened slightly. You had expected something else they would discuss, such as training, but not this. What the hell were they even talking about concerning girls? And why? Spooning more potato mush, you ate another bite. With a shake of your head, you then said, "You're fucking nuts."
"But, but Lyla…!" Eren tried to argue but couldn't find the words.
"No buts, Eren. You'll have to suffer for the rest of the day."
Eren groaned, rubbing his forehead as he glanced at Armin at his side, but his blonde-haired friend ignored his plea. "But…I'm just so tired…"
"Then you should have thought about that before deciding to stay up and talk about girls instead of sleeping."
"Armin!" Eren cried.
Armin shook his head, actually scooting away from his friend. "Nope, leave me out of this."
You tried so hard not to smile. Watching the spectacle between the two friends was hilarious, and you enjoyed Armin's cold shoulder towards Eren. Just as you were about to swallow another bite, you glanced at Eren just as he stopped speaking. Your friend's eyelids were starting to rapidly open and close, his head tilting forward as the seconds passed. Knowing exactly what would happen, you quickly grabbed his bowl of porridge and moved it away just as Eren's head slammed into the table.
Though you couldn't see his face, you could hear a muttered "Ow…"
Your shoulders were slightly shaking from laughter while Armin desperately tried not to chuckle as he hid his mouth behind a hand. With his head still on the table, Eren mumbled a few incoherent words before finally falling silent, softly snoring. Reaching across the table, you rubbed Eren's head, a mix of guiltiness and glee at the outcome of his morning. Still, you knew the bump on his head would suffice as punishment for staying up late.
CONNIE
Having met Connie outside of the Mess Hall that evening for dinner, the two of you made your way inside, where you filled your bowls with potato soup, a slice of bread each, and a mug of water. As you sat down, Sasha, Ymir, and Christa eventually joined you, the five of you consuming your last meal of the day. As you ate, Connie merely stirred his spoon in his soup, watching the contents swirl back and forth. You couldn't put your head on it, but something about your friend didn't seem right.
Suddenly, Connie lifted his tired eyes to you and mumbled, "Lyla…I'm sleepy."
Lifting your head, you noticed the dark circles beneath Connie's eyes. Over the past several days, he'd mentioned not getting much sleep, and from how he was staring at you, you could see the end results. Not knowing what else to say, you said, "Considering it's almost curfew, why don't you just go to bed?"
He rubbed the side of his head. "I mean, yeah, that's a good idea, but I haven't been sleeping. I don't think I can take another night of this." Cradling his cheeks, the man looked at you sadly.
Beside you, Christa said, "Have you tried drinking some tea?"
Connie's ears perked upward. "Where the hell are we going to find some tea?"
She shrugged. "I-I dunno, it was just my first thought."
You patted her arm. "Connie appreciates your thoughtfulness, Christa. We just need to think of something we can obtain right now."
Ymir twirled around Christa. "We could just smack him so he goes to sleep."
You rolled your eyes and flipped your friend off. "Not helping, Ymir." She merely laughed.
"Guys," Connie said as he lay his head down. "I just wanna get some sleep…"
Smiling sadly, you suddenly remembered something your dad used to tell you and your siblings when you were little. "Hey…have you ever tried counting sheep?"
"What's that?" He asked.
"It's where you count sheep in your head from one hundred down to zero. My dad used to tell my brothers and me to do that when we were little, and it helped sometimes."
Connie shrugged, looking somewhat hopeful. "Yeah…yeah! You know what, it's worth a shot!"
Sasha asked on the other side of Connie, "How does that even work? Forget sleeping. I'd just want to eat all the sheep."
Smacking your cheek, you watched your friend eat. "Not everything can be about eating, Sasha."
"Aw, why not?" She cried.
Connie suddenly stood, rubbing at his eyes. You and your friends watched as he gathered his bowl. "You headed to bed?"
He nodded, a yawn escaping from his lips. "I'm gonna try that trick you mentioned. Wish me luck that I actually gain any sleep. See you guys tomorrow."
You smiled gently at your friend, saying, "Sweet dreams, Connie."
ARMIN
Today was one of the rare days you had off from training, leaving you and Armin to do whatever you wanted. However, not this morning. Today was your assigned day to help prepare the kitchens by peeling potatoes for the lunch and evening meals. Sitting beside each other, you grabbed potato after potato and curled your sharpened knife around the edge, effectively slicing away the peel. Glancing at your blonde friend at your side, you noticed how he had been sluggish since meeting each other an hour prior.
"Arming, are you ok? Your eyes keep closing."
Stealing a glance at you, Armin shook his head, rubbing at his eyes. "No, I'm very tired today. Last night was…"
He didn't need to say anymore because you understood. Ever since meeting Armin on the streets of Trost several years prior, you had known he suffered from the occasional nightmare. You thought they had been getting better since joining the Cadet Corp, but you guessed you were wrong. "Oh, did you have another…?"
He nodded quickly, avoiding your gaze. "Unfortunately."
It all started with the fall of Shiganshina several years ago. The titans festered on his dreams every night. But what made it worse was when your friend had to say goodbye to his grandfather when the government decided they needed to reduce the population in the only way they knew how - by sending them out past the walls to try and kill the titans. Since then, the nightmares had been almost nightly.
Not knowing what else to do, you knocked your shoulder against his. "Well…we've got some time before we're needed to finish these potatoes. Take a nap."
Armin snapped his head at you. "Take a nap? Are you serious? We'll get into so much trouble!"
You chuckled. "Not if they don't catch us, silly."
Your friend viciously shook his head from side to side. "Nope, I'm not going to risk it."
Sighing, you placed your knife on the ground, turning to your friend. "Armin, I care about you, and you need your sleep. Seriously! They leave us alone for hours to peel these potatoes by ourselves. What's thirty minutes, an hour, going to kill you?"
He didn't look convinced as he stared at the still large pile of potatoes and then turned toward the door. "I…I mean…"
Placing a hand on his shoulder, you reassured your friend. "I'll take the blame if we get caught. Trust me."
His eyes widened at you. "A-Are you sure about that? Shadis will have your hide!"
"Does it look like I care?" Picking up your knife, you continued with your task. "I just want you to be able to get some sleep; that's all I want."
Stealing one more glance at the door, Armin moved away toward the wall where he sat and leaned against his back. "You are sure?"
Turning around, you smiled brightly at your friend. "More than anything."
He sheepishly cast his eyes away. "I…I thank you, Lyla."
The moment he closed his eyes, Armin was dead asleep. You continued to peel his portion of the potatoes to make it look like you were slacking off in case Shadis came in search of either of you. Still, you smiled brightly. You wanted nothing more than to ensure your friend received the best sleep he deserved.
REINER
Having just been dismissed for lunch, you had grabbed your bowl of food and a mug of water before making your way to your usual spot in the Mess Hall. It had been a long morning of stretches, drills, training exercises, and anything Shadis wanted you to suffer through. Though the training was strenuous, you were a fighter, always pushing through to come out on top. Just as you claimed your seat, Reiner claimed the seat beside you, with Bertholdt sitting across from you. Smiling in their direction, you began a light conversation to fill the air.
Suddenly, Reiner nudged you with his shoulder. "Hey, Lyla…why aren't you as sleepy as me?"
Wanting to play dumb, you raised an eyebrow in fake confusion. "Huh? What're you talking about?"
Reiner rubbed a hand down his face. The closer you looked, the more you could see the tiredness of his features. His face didn't look tired, but his eyes were screaming the opposite. "I'm always tired lately; I don't understand how you're not. Especially with the last couple of days we've had."
This made you laugh. "Who's to say I'm not tired?"
Bertholdt pointed a spoon at his blonde friend. "Just ignore him, Lyla. He's been grumpy the last several days."
"Yeah, I've noticed, too." Nudging his shoulder this time, you said, "You wouldn't be so sleepy if you didn't stay up all night long."
Redness grew on Reiner's cheeks. "I…I don't stay up late!"
You openly laughed as Bertholdt tried hiding behind his hand. Bertholdt's choked laughter left him actually choking as he downed several gulps of water. Once he could breathe, the giant cadet narrowed his vision at his friend. "You...You seriously think you don't stay up late?"
Clearly avoiding his friend's stare, Reiner muttered, "I don't!"
"Yes, you do!" you exclaimed. "At least I'm not the one who's up all night trying to sneak into the girls' dorms!"
Bertholdt could only laugh once again at the fall of his friend's face. Reiner looked confused, annoyed, and then shocked. Instead of rebutting, the male sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Heh…you knew about that?"
"Of course, I knew about that! How could I not?!"
"I-I don't know! I thought I was being sneaky!"
"Oh, Reiner…" Bertholdt stated beneath a lowly breath.
With a roll of your eyes, you punched your fist into his side, though it did little to the muscled male. "I'm not dumb, Reiner."
"I never said you were!"
"But you were implying it!"
"Was not!"
This is where Bertholdt stepped in. "Yes, Reiner, you were."
Grasping his half-eaten chunk of bread, Reiner threw it at his friend. "Shush, Bertholdt! You're not helping!"
Holding a hand to your temple, you rolled your spoon into your bowl of mush. "I cannot believe we're having this conversation right now…"
Reiner was all smiles when he heard your statement. "Geez, it's not that bad…What's so bad about sneaking out at night?"
"Because you're trying to sneak into the girl's dorm, you idiot!" You were nearly yelling. Despite your anger, you still didn't want the other females to hear this, especially Annie or Mikasa, as they would clobber your muscled friend.
"Oh, come on! I just wanted to see if you slept naked or not, Lyla!"
Freezing at his statement, you turned to Bertholdt, who had turned red as a tomato, before turning to Reiner. The male was smiling brightly as he just stared at you. Huffing, you stood to your feet to step away from the conversation when you suddenly had a better thought. Turning sharply to Reiner, you immediately socked him square in the face with a right hook. Your fist landed directly with his nose as the male fell backward off his seat, landing against the wooden floor completely knocked out.
Smirking at the male, you said, "Nighty-night, you airhead. Hope you can finally get some sleep."
BERTHOLDT
"L-Lyla…?"
Glancing up from your book, you realize that your close friend Bertholdt was standing before you. It was late afternoon, and you had been granted an early release from training. Instead of wandering back to the dorm, you decided a quiet afternoon with a book is what you so desperately wanted. So, after finding a spot behind the dorms, you sat against the wall and were satisfied reading to your heart's content. You weren't sure how long it had been, but here you were with Bertholdt standing before you.
Smiling up at your friend, you said, "Hi, Bertholdt!"
He stared down innocently at you as you held the book in your hands. "Can I…join you?"
Instantly patting the seat beside you, you answered with, "Please! I would love the company!"
Giving you a soft smile, Bertholdt knelt and then sat down, seemingly watching you as you smiled back. Peering around your shoulder, he asked, "So…you're hanging out here instead of with your friends?"
"Yeah, I think I wanted some time alone today, that's all."
"Oh," his face fell slightly. "Did you…want me to leave?"
"No, no!" You grasped his arm earnestly. "No, I love that you came and found me. I always love your company, Bertholdt."
His smile returned, fingers rubbing against yours on his arm. "Then, um…what b-book are you reading?"
"This thing? Would you believe me if I said this was my favorite book?"
He glanced at the cover. "Considering the way it's torn, yeah, I can. You…love to read, don't you, Lyla?"
"Oh, yes! I've had some good conversations with Armin about books we've read. It's a great pastime."
His smile was so earnest. "I've tried reading, but…it's just not my thing."
"Nothing wrong with that, Bertholdt. At least you tried; give yourself some credit for that." You watched as your friend rubbed his eyes; the only thing you could see was the defeated look on his face. "Hey…are you ok, Bertholdt? You look kinda tired."
He nodded slowly, dropping his hands into his lap. "I…I didn't sleep very w-well last night." At that moment, he yawned. "To tell you the truth, I haven't been sleeping at all these past few nights. That's why I was kinda glad Shadis gave us the afternoon off."
"Sweetie…" You said gently. "Then why don't you go take a nap? We're done for the day, so why not see if you can get some rest before dinner?"
A soft redness coated his cheeks. "I-I thought about that, but…as I was making my way to the dorm, I saw you by yourself, a-and I thought…maybe you'd like some company."
Your heart instantly swelled at his words. "Bertholdt Hoover…" You called your friend by his full name. "Has anyone told you how incredibly sweet you are?"
He smiled at your words. Stifling another yawn, Bertholdt cleared his eyes of unwanted tears. "Lyla, I…I think I need to go and take that nap."
You chuckled. "Go do so, sweetie; we can talk at dinner."
He shook his head. "No, I…don't want to leave you. So…can I rest my head against your shoulder?"
You were caught by surprise at his request and blinked. Though startled, you still nodded. "I think you're too tall for my shoulder, but…you can use my lap."
Sighing greatly, Bertholdt relaxed and scooted away slightly before bending his body down and curling against the ground. As he lay his head in your lap, you gently ran your fingers through his hair. "Thank you, Lyla." He was snoring slightly before you could even speak.
"You are so welcome, Bertholdt."
ERWIN
"How many times do I have to tell you to go to bed, Erwin?"
"Probably a few more times, Lyla. I need to get this information mapped out before any sleep happens."
Standing before the Scouting Commander's desk, you crossed your arms and tapped your foot. Erwin was pushing on his sleep as he was trying to get every single last detail for the next expedition done before he retired for the night. Except, by your understanding, that was unacceptable as the man needed his sleep. Erwin Smith deserved his sleep.
Sighing, you held your temple as you watched the man continue preparing the details for the next mission. The man had been working since dawn, and it was well past sunset. The dark sky outside was barely illuminated by the moon, hidden before a blanket of clouds.
Inhaling and then exhaling, you responded to your partner, "You're just gonna fall asleep at your desk again."
Taking a moment to pause, the man smiled brightly at you. "I won't, I promise."
Despite his smile being so endearing, you knew what would happen. The moment you fall asleep, Erwin decides to crash at his desk. It wouldn't have been the first time you have woken up in the morning to find the man drooling over his important papers. However, despite your attempts to get him into bed for some adequate sleep, you have never convinced him to listen to your pleas.
"And what're you gonna do if you wake up at your desk again? Remember last time when you almost pulled a muscle because of the position you found yourself in?"
Erwin waved a hand. "Won't happen again, I swear."
"You swear?"
"I swear."
You inhaled sharply. "I don't believe you."
He exhaled sharply. Dropping his pen, Erwin clasped his hands and stared at you with wearied eyes. "What can I do to convince you otherwise?"
"Come to bed with me."
He shook his head. "Anything but that."
"Oh my god…" Rubbing a hand down the length of your face, you sighed. What would it take for this man, the Commander of the Scouts, to see reason? "I swear you are the epitome of being stubborn. Worse than Levi!"
He mockingly gasped at your statement. "You take that back," he playfully hissed.
You smiled evilly. "I will if you come to bed with me."
"I…oh goodness, Lyla… what can I say that has you understanding how important this is?"
"Trust me, Erwin, I know how important it is. But the Scouts also cannot function without a sane Commander who hasn't slept reasonably."
He rolled his eyes. "I will be fine."
With a last sigh, you caved. "Fine. Fine! You win, Erwin Smith. But don't say I didn't warn you." Leaving the man to his devices, you left the office and went to your shared bedroom. Blowing out the candle, you curled into bed and soon fell asleep.
A few hours later, you suddenly awoke from your deep sleep. Rubbing at your eyes, you peered around the room toward the door, where a soft flicker of light could be seen. Knowing exactly what it could be, you meandered your way out toward the office to find the candle on Erwin's desk still glowing. Next to it lay a sleeping Commander Erwin, the pen still held between his fingers. Not knowing what else to do, you grabbed a spare blanket from the bedroom and placed it around his shoulders. Considering you would not be able to lift the man yourself, Erwin would have to remain at his desk for the rest of the night as punishment.
Smiling at the man, you whispered, "I told you so."
PORCO
"Porco! Watch out!"
Since meeting each other randomly, Porco had been teaching you basic fighting maneuvers as you weren't part of the Warrior Program. He wanted you to be able to take care of yourself whenever he was called away for duty on behalf of the Marley Army. Currently, you two were in an open field far enough away from the city where you had the space and privacy to practice. You'd noticed Porco hadn't been acting his normal self all afternoon, and when your fist landed directly against his cheek, you knew something was up.
Falling to the ground, Porco groaned, holding his cheek as you dropped to your knees. Pulling his hand away, you noticed the swelling of his skin as it was plastered red. With a shake of your head, you calmly stated, "What is up with you today? It's like you're here but not really here."
Moving into a sitting position, he rubbed his face, his hand dropping into his lap when a yawn escaped his lips. "Sorry, Lyla, I'm just…not sleeping lately."
Quirking your head, that's when you noticed. His eyes were slightly red with dark circles under both eyes. "How long has this been going on?"
Staring at you through his peripheral, he said, "…a few weeks."
"And you didn't say anything?" He shook his head. "Why not? What's going on?"
"N-Nothing," was his immediate reply. "Just going through a phase, I think."
"A phase, huh?" You weren't convinced. Maneuvering your body until it lay flat against the grass, you pulled Porco and forced his body to adjust its position until he lay his head in your lap.
"W-What?!" Quickly trying to sit up, you yanked his shoulder back down, instantly running your fingers through his hair. Though you wanted to chuckle, you withheld from doing so as Porco released a hefty moan. Fingernails scratching his scalp, you kept your movements slow, calming. After a few quiet moments, he called your name. "…Lyla?"
"Shhh, just get some rest; we're not going anywhere for a while." Knowing he shouldn't go against you when you ordered him around, Porco curled onto his side, all tension melting from his body as you began humming a soft tune.
He was out within seconds.
ZEKE
It had been a few months since you and Zeke met on that fateful day in the park. Since then, he has become aware of the situation with your violent home, going so far as to offer the home he shared with his grandparents to give you a safe space. You relented, deciding you didn't want to impose on his family as they lived in a tiny apartment. That is when Zeke suggested you join the military. As an Eldian yourself, you knew how those in the military were treated, but even they were granted some respite for joining the service. After a few months, you decide this is the best way to leave the current life you held. Bags in hand, you didn't even say goodbye to your parents as you moved into the barracks, ever waiting to become a soldier.
In that time, you trained. Seeing as how the Marleyan Commanders favored Zeke, he oversaw most of your training as a recruit. Today, you both practiced perfecting your aim with a pistol against several dummies. Before joining, you didn't have any experience manhandling a gun, but upon learning, Zeke soon found you had talent. A talent he often put to good use to show you off to the higher-ups.
Since it was just the two of you, Zeke had instructed you to increase your ability with the handgun before moving on to a bolt-action rifle. The idea of using a gun against another still scared you, but the longer you were in the military, the easier it became that one day, you would have to kill someone. But today was not the day. Today, you would follow the orders of your superior. Kneeling behind a box, you aimed your gun at the target ahead, firing multiple rounds straight into the poster's head. There were five posters on five pillars, and within a matter of seconds, all had shots straight into their skull. If they had been human, all would have fallen dead.
Content, you smiled. "Now that's one way to kill someone," you muttered, making your way toward the posters and inspecting the efficiency of your shots. Three of the five were perfect shots right between the eyes, while the other two could have been aimed better. Shrugging, you removed all posters only to replace them with new ones. Heading back to your spot, you called out to your superior. "Zeke! I finished with the handgun!"
There was no retort in return. Head lifting, you glanced across the small area to see the man sitting on a box, his back against the side of a building, head rolled slightly to the side. The man was fast asleep.
"Oh geez," you muttered.
Dropping your weapon, you walked to the man who, you would say, had saved your life. You felt you were in debt to Zeke as he provided you with the opportunity to leave your home and find a purpose in the life you felt so lost in. Appearing by his side, you poked his shoulder, curious to see what he would do. Considering he was asleep, the man did nothing.
"Zeke? Zeeeeeke," you called out. Still, he did not move. Rolling your eyes, you flicked the man who would obtain the Beast Titan against the forehead, which provided an immediate effect.
Startling awake, Zeke rapidly blinked, eyes moving from side to side to see what the hell had happened. When they landed on you, the man yawned, hand tracing his forehead where you had given him a good flick. "Geez, Lyla, what the hell?"
"I'm not the one who fell asleep while on the job."
"Is it really on the job, though?"
"In this case, yes. You're supposed to be supervising me, not sleeping."
On that note, Zeke yawned again. "Can't help it, I'm tired."
Leaning against the building beside him, you asked, "So…what's got you so sleepy? This isn't like you?"
Zeke shook his head. "I was late at work last night. Magaath called in a last-minute meeting to go over when I would take over as the Beast Titan, which then turned into another impromptu meeting about the Warrior candidates."
"Oh," was all you could say.
Considering you were still a recruit, there wasn't much information said to you about all the higher-ups received. And considering Zeke was to become the next Beast Titan, he was considered one of the higher-ups for the Warrior candidates. Though he was an Eldian, the Marleyan Commanders put a lot of their faith in Zeke, and he was doing everything in his power not to fuck that up. So, if he was required to stay late last night, then you could see why he didn't get much sleep.
"Did everything last night go ok?"
"As good as it could, I suppose. By the time I made it home, I just about crashed." He yawned once more.
Smiling, you patted his arm. "Then why don't you take another nap? I'm supposed to be working on my shooting anyway, and you're the one who said I had talent. Is there really a need for you to be watching me?"
"Oh, trying to get out of practice, are you?"
"Ah! I'll have you know that I've been working hard this entire time that you've been asleep!"
"Where's your proof?" He asked lazily.
"It's right there, dumbass!" You pointed toward the posters you had just taken down before deciding to wake his ass up.
The man blinked. "Ah, then, very good work! So what do you plan on doing next?"
You squinted your eyes. "Are you only asking me that so you can take another nap?"
"You're the one who just said I could."
You rolled your eyes. "Fine, fine, you do you, Zeke. Don't blame me if you get off slacking on the job."
He waved you off, crossing his arms and then closing his eyes. "Nah, they like me too much." And just like that, he was out within a few minutes. Watching him sleep, you scoffed, loving and hating the attitude this man had toward life sometimes.
~ oOo ~
For the next chapter, should I:
- Rewrite the next scenario (When They Give You Random Kisses)
-NSFW Alphabet Armin
- Headcanons for Connie and Armin (SFW & NSFW)
Leave a comment and let me know what you think!
DragonGoddess629
