#ymir x bertholdt | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ridingtorohan · 5 months

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How the shifters react to you having a high body temp, knowing that it represents your platonic/romantic attraction to them

Goofy headcanon time!

Each titan shifter can recognize how another shifter feels about them based on their body heat. This includes all attraction: familial, platonic, aesthetic, romantic, so on.

SPOILERS for shifter identities AND events up to Season 4 Special Literally everyone has some spoilers for the anime to some extent. Older shifters like Kruger and KSaver is excluded, but there's 11 listed. It's in order from oldest to youngest.

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ZEKE YEAGER

He feels it for a second, when your knuckles brush against his wounded shoulder, fastening his restraints tighter, making sure he's secure while transporting him out of Marley on the blimp

Blue eyes darting to you, tracing the features on your face, lingering for a second on the titan marks beneath your eyes

Then he focuses on the task at hand, filing that away for later

He has a lot of time to stew on it, the simmering heat under your touch. Low but steady. Lucky for you! You're assigned to his guard detail in the forest with Captain Levi

Shifter to shifter, you're able to relate on a different level than he does to Levi.

Also makes note how you drop to ice cold when the horrors of Shiganshina. Probably realizes that's where you snagged yourself a titan ability.

Listen... if you saw him coming out of the Beast........... you're smoking, iykyk?

Because he's a little shit, he uses it to his advantage. Makes full eye contact with you during conversations, leaning forward. Which makes it interesting when you or Levi nip off his arms to restrain him and you have to give him a drink.

Leans in nice and slow, eyes staring directly into yours, letting you watch him as he takes a long, slow sip. Licks his lips, knowing you're watching him, leans back, eyes lidded. "Thank you, I was terribly thirsty"

Levi kicks his teeth in

Lord have mercy on you for when it's time to bathe

He literally will always use it to his advantage if you let him but will never clue you in unless you already know

Zeke will tease you about this, pressing a cigarette to his lips, his arm or leg brushing yours. "Are you cold? I can help you feel warmer" (Levi is murdering him with his eyes in the background)

Y'know maybe he does warm you up later 😏

Probably starts warming up to you shortly before his jailbreak, though it's hard to tell in what way.

After this point, it's a little too late to do anything else about it.

LARA TYBUR

Bro you hardly even realize that she's a titan at first.

As a titan inheritor, the Marley Gov't requires that you and your fellows play nice with the Tybur family whenever they visit.

She's tepid temperature at first, your thoughts and ideas making you a little colder to the touch.

You brush against each other at some fancy schmancy dinner party. She act very much like an Eldian at the party, silent, refilling your cup and you thank her.

Later, you're just feeling soo awkward with her family, with watching Willy dance around his family, laughing and jesting.

Some of the Warriors keep trying to make guesses as to who the Warhammer is but ultimately you don't figure it out

You try your luck at befriending all of them, painfully aware of Willy's eyes on you every time you talk to his sister

But something about Lara keeps drawing you in. Her quiet demeanour, the sleek attire, her proper figure. Dutiful and classy, voice quiet but confident.

Telling her about books and the latest movie, offering tea and biscuits from your Zone whenever you visit.

She never says anything about your body temperature and honestly you don't touch her often enough to notice a difference

But you do notice that she talks to you a little more, lingers by your side more than she does anyone else

During the attack, you do everything you can to defend her crystal - so painfully, carefully aware of how it burns under your titan's hand

REINER BRAUN

Sorry, he's made to suffer. Nothing in his life is ever easy. Isayama decided that. (And so did I.) (There's a happy ending, I promise.)

Things would be simpler for Reiner if everything went well, if he became a great warrior, if his father noticed him, if he did well on his missions. The first thing that goes wrong is Marcel.

When he meets you for the first time, a memory tickles at his mind. Something familiar in the way your skin touches his. Then he gives you a smile, introducing himself and Bertholdt.

Something about you always drew him in. He'd watch you across the training yard and smile whenever you looked at him. Always glad to help you out, shedding himself of the warrior skin and so much easier into the soldier one.

Sucks as a sparring partner btw. Always checking to make sure he didn't go too hard on you.

At some point you probably made mention of him working up a sweat during the training. His body temp is not much warmer than normal but noticeable. Everyone in the Cadets is his pal but there's something special about you

You, who feels like they've had a bit too much sun, but still comfortable.

With time, it may increase to a warmth that lingers in his bones, reminding him of his mother's teas and fresh bread.

He really likes wrapping his arms around you for this, a big bear who just holds you tight to his chest. Big squish!

Likes to clap his hands to your shoulders from behind, feel your warmth in his hands

If you are this warm, he'll always do a little start when you touch him, caught off guard. With as often as he's thought about you, he'll become a bit flustered at times - he begins to entertain a crush and/or getting to know you better.

However, a part of Reiner always remains..... apprehensive

Lays awake at night wondering about you, your tale of being orphaned, family long dead. Something not quite settling

This is what stops him from actually getting close-close to you

At Utgard Castle, it's obvious why something niggled inside him at the sight of you. Because one day, when his dreams were shattered by a boy, a titan lunged out of the ground. That's how you inherited the Jaw

It explains everything, in the end. He may not have recognized that you were a fellow shifter but he did recognize the body heat

You, unfortunately, are either kidnapped or agree to go along with Reiner and Bertholdt in the forest.

You are, either, an unfortunate soul cast out of Marley or a former warrior candidate who was cast out alongside your family thanks to Zeke's efforts years prior. If the latter, Reiner does mention it to Zeke in hopes of him sparing you because, technically, you are on "their" side. It's not a positive outlook either way.

Knowing your fate in Marley, Reiner spends time with you. Painfully aware of how broken his betrayal meant to you (if you're colder) or how you still believe in him (if you remain the same/increase)

Above all else, Reiner considers you a friend and he's so sorry.

If, by sheer chance, he leaves you unsupervised or your chains a little loose to "let your blood circulate" and you accidentally escape, he won't be upset.

And if, he saw you, years later, doing recon work in Marley.. and your eyes caught, he would make the conscious choice to turn away.

Marcel may have been his first mistake but he doesn't regret these two.

Very awkward when you join forces with him to take down Eren.

Reiner remembers the last time he saw you, what your touch felt like.

But the thing about Reiner isn't that his soldier personality was a persona - it's still him. He still cares for you. At this point you know what the touch means, can't blame it on the campfires. You may or may not have trusted him before but you trust him now.

Your hand slides in his, reminiscent of your first meeting, letting him know. "I trust you, Reiner. We'll work with you"

He'll still be withdrawn from the Paradis group but ... his feelings about you never really stopped. Time, distance and circumstance may have changed it, but never stopping it.

He thinks of your touch, even now, even during the final fight.

And, when everything is said and done, when the titan blood doesn't linger in either of your veins, Reiner knows how you feel by the look in your eyes.

BERTHOLDT HOOVER

Whatever you do, do NOT think about Bertholdt touching a non-Marleyan shifter after he escapes beyond the walls. Do NOT think about your touch burning under his, with Bert pleading for Zeke's mercy. Because despite everything, you still thought so highly of him.

Real talk: THIS GUY IS THE REASON YOU BECAME A TITAN SHIFTER

Unfortunately, despite being a fellow warrior candidate, you weren't chosen. Your score was a smidge below what they were looking for.

Bert was one the first to shift. In the practice field where this is done, he, unfortunately, steamed the heck out of you. Bad enough that it was a matter of getting medical attention asap. Fortunately, thanks to your score, the generals decided that you would be swapped out with one of the candidates and inherit a titan!

This is Bertholdt's first memory as a titan, by the way. :) He feels beyond terrible for what happened.

But having grown up together, helped each other through the trials and training... you two wind up being friends. Decently close, because he winds up telling you about his family, what he's doing for his father.

Bert looks up to you a lot. Always staying by your bedside when you got injured, kept a Band-Aid in his pocket for whenever you tripped during the training. (Or if he does. As gangly-limbed as that boy was, that happened often too.)

He knows but also doesn't about the significance of the warmer touches. It was probably one of those tidbits that was filed away for later and then forgotten. It doesn't matter when you're in bed injured and recovering from the heat damage he literally inflicted on you.

Super caring. Always having to talk both of you out of trouble when you wind up in it. But Bertholdt finds himself admiring that anyway, how different you are to him. (He's actually so thankful that you're a warrior with him, even if this was the worst way for it to happen.)

The other warriors clue in that you two are close but don't really comment on it. "Good for them" stance.

Bertholdt likes sitting next to you! Thighs brushing, his leg touching yours. Just small intimate moments that mean the world to him.

Then Marcel gets attacked and all Bertholdt can think about is 'thank god it wasn't you'. He'll stay wide awake watching you sleep at night, only nodding off when/if you let him sleep beside you, his palm on yours.

During training, Bertholdt finds a lot of comfort by sleeping next to you. Even if he ends up sprawled all over your body.

Thing is, Bertholdt doesn't really quite piece together the heat thing. Just knows that you're his, in some shape or form, that you're what's making this mission bearable. He doesn't miss Marley, he just misses you whenever you're not around.

Gets fidgety if you elect to join a different faction from him. But he understands. (But when you walk past him during the scouts enlistment, his hand catches yours for just a moment. Just for this. Because no matter what you mean to him, he wants you to stay.)

Fake dating trope because how else are you supposed to inform Bertholdt about the information you gathered while in the interior?

Everybody believes the ruse lmao

And, the thing with him is, there always feels like there's going to be more time. Sitting at tables, talking about your days. Reminiscing about Marley and campfires.. it's easy to think that you'll get those days back. That it's just another year, another season, another "one more time" before you get to go home.

For Bert, his feelings are... kind of a catch-all. Could be inferred as romantic or platonic. All he knows is that you're the most important person to him. He's just so glad that he gets to spend your thirteen years together.

And, when the mission goes wrong, when the attempts to kidnap Eren go awry and he has to pull your battered body from your titan, Bertholdt is right by your side, as he always is. There's always going to be another attempt, another chance. (Until there isn't.)

Bertholdt feels like home, his hand warm in yours. (He wants to keep coming back to you.)

Maybe those three simple words are whispered, right before it all goes to shit and you're captured/immobilized and Bertholdt grows desperate to get you back. Maybe you two never say them at all. But when it's just you two, the moments feel like they last forever.

(But you do. You know you have to talk about what this means for both of you, even if it meant defining your friendship in a different way. And he'll stutter and stumble over his words but listen intently, knowing that nothing is worth the cost of losing you. And he's secretly so relieved that you feel the same way, no matter what form your affection takes shape as.)

Bertholdt will cherish your friendship for as long as he lives.

PIECK FINGER

Whoo! Titan! Bes - ties!

Warrior trainees together, it totally sucked when you were passed over and Pieck inherited without you. She's pretty chill about everything, walking down the street with you while holding hands, throwing her arms around you constantly. Letting you ride atop her titan's back while she runs around the airfield.

Consider your relationship with her a mix of her squad and Porco

Legit you both are close before you even get a chance to inherit your titan, which you do! Eventually!

She's honestly not that great at explaining how titan shifting works or how to "focus" and "control" it but she'll help you get your bearings by walking around with you in titan form

Her body heat is like a heated blanket, warm and comfortable, ooey gooey melting cookie in your mouth kind of warm.

If you're ever on a long trek together, it's easy to doze off next to her, backs pressed together or her head in your lap.

Honestly she probably doesn't even think to mention how you feel to her, or acknowledge what it means. Pieck is happy with everything you are, how it feels with you.

actually tbh might comment about it everytime she springs a hug on you

"Incoming hug! Ahh... this is nice. you're so warm😊"

Your warmth is so comfortable to her. She's often nuzzling against you.

Honestly you guys would be borderline romantic, even if one/neither of you felt that way. It's just how you two are.

If you do cheek kisses, she'd be all up for that.

If you're romantically attracted to her, it'd be a seamless transition. Like you could invite her somewhere and mention it's a date and she'd just go "oh yay :)".

Otherwise at some point someone comments about how you two are always together on outings (calling them 'dates') and Pieck just goes "yes. :)" then later when it's just you two, "it really does feel like a date sometimes, doesn't it?"

Definitely respects it if you're not interested in her that way + just think of her as a sister or best friend. She won't change how she interacts with you at all (unless you mention that it makes you uncomfortable)

ANNIE LEONHARDT

A year (or a few) older than her, your family has warrior heritage; it’s a point of prestige and honour for you, moreso than for normal candidates. You have an expectation and responsibility to your ancestors to follow through. Of course you’d get a titan. Especially the one your family has meticulously trained for again and again; it’s not so much about the high esteem but keeping it in the family. Inheriting their memories. (For giggles, imagine it’s the attack or female titan.)

By the time Annie and the other warriors are partway through their training, you’ve all but confirmed your spot. It’s just a matter of establishing which one you’ll get.

You’re not exactly friends with Annie initially, especially with her aloof nature. But she’s companionable, sitting quietly if you ever approach her. Everything about her at the start is like that - withdrawn, solemn. Just as focused on her duty as you are. Either you find companionship over this fact or in spite of it - finding life worth living outside of being a candidate.

When you’re recovering from your inheritance, Annie is the one to tend to you. While you don’t remember a lot of it, amnesia getting the better of you, you’re almost certain that she was holding you.

Annie often watches as you continue your training, especially as a titan. She’ll gladly train in titan hand to hand combat with you once she inherits the female titan.

All the shifters are given books to learn about how to best utilize their titans. As they’re leafed through, it’ll mention the odd quirk of the shifters. Pieck is the most excited for this, followed by Reiner. It becomes a point of conversation, where everyone compares their temperatures - though Annie is quite reserved about the whole ordeal. She takes pity on Bertholdt who feels hot to her touch, though she does throw him under the ringer. You, though? She says not much at all, calling it quits at that point (if she hasn’t already).

She doesn't make a big deal of it at all, merely treating you like another candidate. One that she gets along with better than anyone else, at any rate.

In the group, you're dubbed "Annie's best friend". If Annie ever hears of this, you never know.

When it's time to leave for the wall, her knuckles brush against yours. The only indication that she's restless and has any qualms about what they're doing.

But as children honed for war, sometimes rivalries are hard to beat. Especially when the first tragedy strikes your group and Reiner takes the lead, leading you to wall. To mayhem. Murder is a different burden to bear, one that sits funny in your throat.

She sits with you at the refugee camps. While you've never seen her grab extra portions of food, she always seems to have some for you. She takes care of you (and you remember your first shift, how she had been the one to hold you).

Joining the Police is the only sane decision, the inner network so much like Marley. So much like home. You're relieved when Annie goes with you, even though you think it was for duty. (You never know if it was.)

Hitch gets added to the short list of Annie's friends. But nobody replaces you, nobody knows her as well as you do. You know each other's mood, the subtle raise of her brow or scrunch of her nose.

She takes her duty seriously - but she takes you seriously too.

You're the only comfort from home she has.

In the forest after she's hacked up by Levi, you're the one to grab her. To take her back, tending to her as she's cared for you so many times.

Unfortunately your close bond makes it easier to seek you out as a titan. Easier to goad you into advancing attacks, to defending her honour from horrors Armin promises she's enduring.

For you, Annie felt like home more than Marley ever had. Siblings, best friends, lovers. Whatever you felt for her, it was strong.

If you get a chance to see her chrystalized, you touch it desperately, trying to feel a sense of life inside. And you feel it, an echoing thrum beneath your hand.

She mentions it, later, when you two are alone on the ship. "I don't remember what you said, but I felt you." (She always has.)

And when you both go to fight Eren, fighting for something you want so desperately to keep now, you feel her knuckles brush against yours like they did so long ago. When you two were sworn to duty, marching to the walls. This time, you take her hand and never let go.

If you both survive this, she'll show you exactly how much you mean to her.

YMIR

100000% figured out you were a titan shifter because of this.

Her memories of the castle are hazy at best; initially she only remembers the heat and fog, the truth of Christa's real name.

While she knows quite a bit about her titan and its abilities, she doesn't know anything useful. The body heat memories? She knows it. Knows how her previous shifter learned about it, knows how he felt about his comrades.

She's hardly had reason to touch you before this, but like she figured out Reiner in the castle (they touched briefly) she also knows who you are. Knows the truth of your Marleyan roots.

Like Annie, you had been more distant from the group and more independent - you weren't as easily found out compared to them. At that point, it was only Ymir who really knew. Go, you. Clap yourself on the back for a job well done.

As well as you'd hide your identity, unfortunately the capture must take precedence. With Annie compromised, Reiner and Bertholdt outed, you have no choice but to pick up their slack.

Eren is fucking pissed that you're a titan and regardless of your involvement with the walls breaking, often voices his displeasure towards you loudly.

Ymir saw it coming so she takes it in stride and is dismissive towards you. You two really don't get a chance to speak, not until she's back in Marley and that's all that's left for her. Stone walls and iron bars, her complacency and feeling like a debt is owed is what keeps her there.

You sit with her most days, where she eventually opens up about the cadets. That's not to say you're best friends, but she's not dense enough not to take advantage of how you feel about her.

Listen, if you're not a woman, you stand no chance. If you are, she might confess her feelings towards Christa, how Christa helped her change as a person, how she felt like she could be herself.

How she could be herself around you, too.

While Ymir was never as buddy-buddy with you as she had been Christa, she had often roped you into being indebted to her, owing her favours one way or another.

She's back to her usual tirade even while imprisoned, using those unreturned favours to charter better meals or pen and papers. Most days you watch her write, rewrite, try to figure out what she wants to pen to Christa. Ultimately she writes her final draft with Reiner and leaves it in his possession.

Ymir is never quite hostile towards you, not when she learns of your service to your country, to the threat you thought Paradis posed. To the family and people you swore to protect. She understood it. Perhaps better than anyone bar Marcel.

You get a chance to touch her sometimes, changing the irons or giving her new clothes or meals.

There was a time when you were closer, as cadets. When she'd sling an arm over your shoulder, teasing about something or other. That's what it mostly was, her goading you into some tasks for her or taking the fall for things.

Back then, she used how you felt about her against you.

Unfortunately, facing death, she's mellow and more withdrawn. You don't learn much of anything during this time, not verbally anyway. But you learn about what kind of person she was, what role she had before.

And she asks for you to be there when she's eaten. Not directly, but something Reiner tells you later. When he's telling you that you've spoken more to her than she has, that she had tolerated your presence better, that you were the only Marleyan that she looked forward to seeing.

And when you go through her cell later, rifling through what meagre possessions she had, you find a letter addressed to you, hidden beneath leaflets of messy unfinished letters. Thanking you for not treating her as a monster, for not using Christa against her like Bertholdt had. That if she had a choice, she'd want you to inherit the jaw solely for your friendship with your fellow cadets and Christa.

She writes of other things too, little things she noticed about you, tips on how to get better at hiding or hitting. Advice on to living for yourself and not under the charade of the Marleyan government.

There's scrawled out ink, too, of things that she crossed out. She writes in that familiar, knowledgeable but closed off way that she does. In those sentences, under candle light, you can make out her thoughts on the heat exchange, moments from your cadet days. Once, what she would've done if you both had stayed on Paradis. Even a list of favours that she wanted to bank on, teasing remarks written in margins of paper and belittling comments that felt only praising coming from her.

Strange, how you only know her better in death, where you can no longer speak to her and hear the words left unsaid.

PORCO GALLIARD

the biggest baddest boldest guy who will LATCH ONTO YOU SO FAST MAN. I'm half joking

But he zeroes in the second your temperature spikes whenever you touch him. Turns his head towards you, gesture a little quick, eyes watching you, half-lidded. Aware, aware, aware of what this means

He's always always watching you after this, smirking softly to himself, just nodding along

You're so lucky he feels the same way because otherwise he'd just wrinkle his nose and turn his head away, "ew, you're hot" like the turd he is /affectionate.

Once he notices, Porco will always be hovering over you, in your personal space, raising his eyebrows and smirking when you turn around and bump into him. Gtfo Porco. Always casual about leaning against you, your arms brushing.

Porco doesn't really do cuddling but he'll be annoying about this, lightly touching. all. the. time.

Porco knows what it means. And if you don't say anything about it, he will. Just casually drops the fact about shifter body heat before shoving his hands and walking off casually. Leaving you guessing about his intentions.

Eventually it culminates in frustration because this smug mf won't tell you JACK.

Honestly you're going to have to confront him about this at some point unless one of the others point out the weird dance you two are doing.

(If you get frustrated with him enough that it affects your temp towards him, he'll knock it back so fast. Rubber banding it like a pro. He may be a dick but once it's clear he's making you uncomfortable he'll back off.)

Raises his eyebrows, leaning back. "You know what it means, don't you?" All smug. Leading into him talking about his own temperature, "Well, what do you think it means?" Literally makes you guess about how he feels about you. If you guess romantic, he'll lean his arm up against the wall, getting close to your face, eyes half-lidded. "Yeah."

Free boyfriend.

If you don't do teasing, he'll be more upfront. “You know what it means.” He's reciprocal so even if he didn’t romantically like you if you guess boyfriend, he’ll be like “yeah”.

Again, free boyfriend.

If you're strictly platonic, he'll do a little sigh, expression smoothing and go, “You're my best friend, dumbass.”

Free best friend.

Will become the bitchiest bitch to ever bitch if your temperature ever lowers.

Possessive possessive possessive. Competitive af. “Well, the other shifters don't feel hotter than I do, do they?" Glowers and sulks if anyone teases that your touch feels scorching hot to them.

Other than these instances, he actually NEVER mentions your temp or asks how you feel when he touches you. Would listen intently if you ever decide to describe in detail what his body temp feels to you.

Gets super smug if you mention it in front of the others.

EREN YEAGER

Sorry, there's no happy way this can end at all. :(

Eren straight up does not know about the heat thing until he inherits the attack titan's full memories.

But he's always kind of ... known in a way too. Every time your hands slap together or you pull each other out of danger, he feels it. The warmth lingering under your skin.

Grisha learned it during his studies with Zeke and Eren inherited that memory. Eren remembers then forgets in that same instant when he inherits his titan as a kid. So he knows, by pure instinct, that it's good. It feels right

He emotionally warms up to you more because of this.

Does not get touchy feely over this, although his hands often linger a little longer on you

There's two paths here. One where you're a Marleyan warrior and one where you inherit it after (jaw or in Shiganshina).

As a warrior, your betrayals burns worse than anything else. He's always suspected Reiner because of his cold+hot flashes but you? You who always burned like a star under his fingertips, who sent a wave of comfort through him?

It stings like nothing else has ever before.

It stings when he's in Marley, bandage to his face and leg, watching the people walk past.

He either waits for you purposefully or has Falco grab you a day/hours before the Marley exhibit. (Conveniently, this would be when Reiner is busy and he has an excuse to talk to Reiner later)

Or you come along with Reiner

It's such a small moment, in the end. His palm meeting yours, or your shoulders touching when you pass him by.

But it's a supernova, lit under his touch. And it settles the idea inside him that Marley and Paradis are the same, that there are people he cares for both in and outside the walls.

As a non-Marleyan, in the end, it doesn't change anything. He's still Eren and you're still you. Despite everything.

He's like a comet when he touches you later, after the rescue from Marley. Even when his knuckles are bruised from Armin's bones, when there's a fire in his eyes and death on his lips

But he's still Eren and you're still you.

And there's never enough time

(There's a memory that you only get later, after Everything. Where you sit together, toes on the beach, shoulder to shoulder. Where his skin is warmer than the sands. Where he tells you in what way he thinks about you. Where he asks you about yours and you answer. And you will remember this with a heat in your throat knowing that you'll never feel his touch again)

ARMIN ARLERT

I'm absolutely losing it just thinking about going to a sauna with Armin and after he finds out about the body heat thing he accidentally exclaims, "wait why'd you gET COLDER?" (if you do it's def because you went through the mental gymnastics of respecting his body and not getting thorsty)

He honestly didn't even realize there's a difference between normal people vs shifters because he actually hasn't touched the Warriors trio a lot prior to his shifting (so he has no baseline to compare it to). And Eren always ran hot

He really only clues in when he notices that your body temperate is a lot higher than normal and he freaks out a little, thinking you have a fever. Except everyone else assures him that no, you feel perfectly fine to them, what are you on about Armin??

Hange knows jack all about it; it's not a normal titan feature. Armin eventually has to ask Eren, Zeke or Annie about it directly

Gets flustered and comforted by the realization that you care so deeply for him. If you run crazy hot then it'll be like making him face his fear of fire (rip Armin)

If you don't know what the body temp means, he'll be all too glad to inform you! He won't ask you what temperature you feel his touches at BUT would be all too willing to test what influences the increase/decrease!

Turns super red if the experiments get a little too handsy and you both feel each other's temperatures spike

He's actually super touchy feely! Always reaching for you, giving you lingering hugs or brushing at your clothes/hair. He'll take your hand when its just you two, thumb stroking over the skin, basking in your warmth.

Will cuddle if you let him/ask him. Absolutely adores it. Always happy to indulge

If you're crushing on him, this is the thing that tips Armin off! He's so studious and acutely aware of each minute change so he notices when you get a little warmer, esp if you're reacting to him grabbing your arm or brushing something from your cheek

Probably noticed how you act around him too

If you're not crushing on him the it's just an awkward fiasco BECAUSE:

He confronts you about this. You're both just sitting down somewhere, him across from you, knees drawn up as you're talking or enjoying the silence. Eyes downcast as he brings up, "Do you have... feelings for me?" Voice soft, skin even hotter than his tomato red face. He takes your hands in his and looks up at you earnestly, "this is how I feel about you", letting you feel his emotions

In the case that Armin thinks of you strongly as a friend/ally only, he'll let you down gently. By directly referencing his newfound knowledge. Purposefully going "It's interesting that we can tell so much about the other person when you touch them like this" and he grabs your hand, looking right up into your eyes, smiling gently, "Like this. See? You'll always be my best friend" Emphasis on 'always' and 'best friend'. #friendzoned #ripyou

FALCO GRICE

Sunshine baby, baby boy, my literal son in another universe

He's always holding your hand. You're so cool! A warrior who trained with Reiner, he looks up to you immensely, although your term being close to being up stresses him TF out about Gabi

Listen, you're stuck with little brother Falco who always follows you around, tugging on your sleeve or running off on errands for you. Give him the time of day and you'll have a new dog. I mean child

If you're close to Reiner at all he'll latch on even harder. You're both his parental figures, although he gets so flustered if anyone mentions it.

He's deadset on inheriting the Armour but if you have the choice of who you can give yours to and you pick him, he's gonna cry.

He doesn't remember a lot about his first shift or the events surrounding it, except the smell of burnt flesh and fire in his arms. If you touch him at all when he immediately comes out of his titan, he'll dissolve into hysterics, crying without knowing why, because your touch reminds him immediately of the memory he's almost forgetting

Fortunately, he does forget

When you finally get to touch him after the amnesia period is over, Falco absolutely melts in your arms. Also immediately cries. Because he does know what this means, has studied this in his books, knows it from Porco's memories. Sobs and wails in your arms, feeling so secure and loved. Because you love him and you care for him. After everything he's been through, he needs this

Hugs you so, so tight every chance he gets, getting red-faced whenever Gabi teases him. Hovers by your side a lot, knowing everything will keep being okay so long as he can feel your warmth.

Always touching you, probably gets a little anxious when you leave him alone but eventually comes around.

For the kiddos out there who are crushing on my son, I raise a counter scenario. Just for you. You're now my child-in-law

Training together!! Yay!!

Your grades will vary, though you're definitely behind Gabi on the roster. Sorry, I do make the rules.

Falco excitedly told you about body heat when he read about it in a book!! You two excitedly try to figure out how you'd feel to each other.

Unfortunately, this is about the time he gets a crush on you. So Falco gets so flustered the next time you mention it to him and he ends up blurting that he hopes he never finds out what temperature you'd feel like to him.

Wants to protect you forever and ever, taking a similar route that he does with Gabi in canon.

You became shifters together! Terrible news!

Except when you're both pulled from the napes of your titans. When you have to ride with Connie, forgetting everything except the press of his hand in yours.

Falco may not remember the meaning behind the warmth but knows that it's good, that he can trust you.

Once his memories come back, avoids you to high heavens because he is so acutely aware of the flipside of this scenario. That you can feel how hot he burns because of his crush. He doesn't even think about what your hot touch means for him

You have to chase him down.

Keeps making excuses until you almost fight him trying to get him to settle.

He's definitely heartbroken if you tell him you only see him as a brother/best friend. Probably gets teary eyed and red-faced but accepts it before running off. He'll stop avoiding you after this.

Gets so red if you tell him you romantically like him too.

After the confession or when he's calmed down from the rejection, he comes back around. He's pretty constant at your side and will hold your hand if you let him, reassured by your warmth.

No matter what happens, at least you have each other.

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mill3rrrd · 6 months

Text

DEAR DIARY b hoover

“i need to get her out the picture, she’s really fucking up my frame, she’s not developed like we are..” – tyler, the creator

cw. slutshaming, rumours, hints at bertholdt’s bisexuality, sexism NOT PROOFREAD

wc. 3.5k

synopsis. bertholdt was jealous. of you. why did you get so much of reiner’s attention? honestly, he nearly hated you as much as reiner said he did.

chapter one. first impressions

dear diary,

i HATE my life.

you wasted no time bringing out your diary, filled with previous entries. a lot of them were vents about one person in particular, reiner braun. he made your life so miserable to the point you actually cared that he made it miserable. he’s always had it out for you, like picking on you for the thickness of your false lash clusters and mind you, they weren’t even that thick. honestly, it’s reiner’s problem for getting so bothered about them but then it came as a surprise to you when he was flirting.

exactly, flirting! it was a shitty technique though and that’s when he started spreading rumours about you. they were probably the most believably unbelievable rumours ever because boys thrive on making girls out to be sluts.

obviously, people believed that you sent him nudes and fucked him in the woods behind the school. why? because reiner’s the big bad popular boy that everyone loves and adores as a big brother. however, you would never be caught dead in that shady spot. and you’d put your comfort before your desperation any day. you’d need to wait until your mom got home to go through your day and debrief every part of it. you let out a sigh, scribbling your feelings down into your paged heart.

if i didn’t already have ONE boy plotting on my DOWNFALL, i have another plotting on ME. if it wasn’t for the fact that he’s reiner’s best friend, i’d feel flattered but considering that fact, it’s probably a plan to embarrass me. it’s weird how you never really acknowledged him though. if i remember hearing reiner correctly, he called him bertl.

i’ve never heard that name in my life. however, as i walked away i heard someone else call him bertholdt. probably porco, but again, never heard of him. which is SUPER weird because he’s soo tall, surely i would’ve atleast recognised him because i’m in my junior year. i can say for sure, though, i don’t like him. i don’t even know the guy and he’s giving me fake googleys and stammering. i can tell for sure he’s a really bad liar. ugh, i HATE reiner braun. honestly, that boy has no home training and the smallest dick ever and i don’t even need to see it to know. how embarrassing for him, i AM embarrassed for him and that’s probably the best feeling i’ll ever harbour for him.

i’ll probably ask historia to ask ymir about him since she’s somewhat friends with reiner, even if he’s weird. to be fair, they did grow up together so i can’t just ask her to tell him to piss off. and ymir usually fucks off with him to pull pranks on the janitor anyway so it’s not THAT much of a bother.

you closed your diary shut and sighed, slipping it into your bedside cabinet. your bed frame creaked as you got up and padded toward your desk, staring at yourself in the mirror. with a cringe, you leaned forward and examined your lip liner. it was smudged from the rain you walked home in and your lashes looked like they were one blink away from falling off. it was a wednesday, but you had a stressful day so your peeled the clusters off, bit by bit.

with nothing better to do, you began your skincare routine. the feeling of a cold, almost gel-ish like substance rubbing into your skin sent a shiver of satisfaction down your spine.

halfway through, your mom came home, your younger brother in tow. she had shouted up to announce she was home and your brother bounded up the stairs and burst into your room.

“n/n! hi!” he squealed, light shining in his eyes as he climbed into your lap and hugged you. you laughed, returning his hug, “hi jude, how was your day?” you asked softly, readjusting him in your lap so that he was curled into your left arm.

“it was so good, the teacher let us have indoor playtime because it was raining and we played twister and i won! i can backbend now, like you can,” jude giggled, smiling so brightly at you. you giggled, “we have a gymnast in our house, i bet you’ll be in the olympics one day and make us so, so proud.”

jude nodded, “some of the girls make fun of me though, they say gymnastics is a girl’s thing and i should play football..” you shook your head, “you just do what you’re good at, those girls are just jealous they can’t do what you can.”

again, your brother nodded enthusiastically, his smile returning to his face. lifting him up, you set him upright and brushed through his hair briefly, “go see if mom needs help, okay?” jude scurried off, his socked feet creating small thuds as he went back downstairs.

you finished your routine, leaving your lashes to then be applied. on your desk, your phone buzzed but you payed no mind to it, only putting dnd on and busying yourself with your task at hand. only when you were done, did you pick it up, seeing the ymir blow up your phone with your name.

ymir y/n u are still single right

you yea y?

ymir just wondering, bertholdt seemed pretty interested in you 🫢

you who even is that😭 i swr ive never seen that boy in my life

ymir doesnt surprise me, hes been reiners shadow since first grade, surely u would’ve atleast heard his name in class tho.

you no?? im telling you i never knew he existed

ymir y/n hes in gym, english and chemistry with us🤦‍♀️

you oh ..

read 05:32

that’s embarrassing, you thought as you did your blink test. your lashes weren’t too far or too close to your lash line so you smiled in triumph as you applied lip balm. it didn’t bother you too much, though, any best friend of reiner is not a best friend of yours.

not until later into the night did you give ‘bertholdt’ another thought. you layed awake, waiting for sleep to take your body and soul for another night. you figured you could atleast look out for him tomorrow, just to really look at him this time. last time, all you saw of bertholdt was his head peaking behind reiner. he seemed like the type to speak when spoken to, which wasn't necessarily a a bad thing. until you fell asleep, the conversation replayed in tour head.

“look at her, bertl, why would you go for her?” reiner tutted, an obnoxious tone edging his voice as he forced his hand onto your shoulder to keep you in place. ‘bertl’ went red in the face and began stammering excuses, “what gave you that impression, what are you getting at?!” you didn’t really pay attention to him, focusing on the hand bruising your shoulder.

“go away, reiner, i’m not interested in your bullshit today,” you shoved his hand away and strut off in search of pieck or historia. as you walked away, a boystrous laugh sounded over all the chatter, followed by a ‘i was only joking!’ and another ‘the one time you actually show interest in a girl, it’s the slut?’ and then a firm ‘i don’t, stop playing around.’

morning rolled around quickly, light streaking into your room. a thin ribbon of sunrise created a bridge across your nose, causing your face to crinkle into consciousness. you rubbed your eye carefully, grateful that your lashes on during the night. however, that gratefulness dissipated when you saw your uniform hanging individually on your wardrobe door. lifting your phone, the time read 06: 27 which meant you slept through your alarm.

with a groan, you slipped out of your bed, trudging into the bathroom but not forgetting the extra blanket from your bedding. it was nearing the end of winter, which meant morning chill and rain. amongst the sound of bristles mingling with your teeth, you could hear low chatter coming from your brother’s room. probably your mom waking him up. after spitting into the sink, you came back up with a yawn and slipped your toothbrush into the holster.

by the time you got changed and applied your usual makeup, you had enough time to eat breakfast. you settled for porridge oats with honey. the gooey warmth felt nice, striking up your body heat like an ember somewhere in your core had been blown on until it caught fire again. your brother came down with your mom, who gave you a look of adoration, “good morning, baby, how did you sleep?”

she caught you at a bad time, you had scarfed downh half your porridge all at once. with a big gulp, you smiled, “i slept well, maybe too well.. i slept through my alarm.”

your mom bent forward, wiping away stray porridge that had made its way to the side of your mouth, “what have i told you about stuffing your mouth, n/n?” she smiled as she teased you and you responded, “not to.. historia’s dad is supposed to be here soon.”

“is that so?” she murmured, tending to your brother’s meal. as if on queue, a horn beeped. you hopped out of your chair and grabbed your bag, “that’s her! bye mom, bye jude, love you lots!”

you kissed their cheeks before slipping your shoes on and heading out of the door. your friend’s car sat infront of your house, historia and her dad in the front, leaving you to get into the back with ymir.

“hey guys,” you beamed. they exchanged greetings with you and began conversation with you. the drive to school was much shorter than it would be if you walked, which you were grateful for, especially in this weather.

when historia’s dad dropped the three of you off, ymir immediately poked you. it was hard enough for you to feel it through your coat. “ymir, what the hell?” said girl laughed, looping her spare arm around your shoulders, her right already around historia. she brought you in close, “how about i properly introduce you to bertholdt, hm? that way you won’t be unfamiliar with him.”

“will reiner be there?” you asked, fiddling with the hood over your head. the cold was really getting to you. ymir shrugged, “probably.”

you hummed, feigning interest, “no.”

historia giggled, covering her mouth and peering up at ymir, “you know what reiner’s like.. i’m surprised you haven’t lashed out yet, y/n.” you shrugged, “he’s not worth that sort of energy.”

“ah,” historia let out, “fair enough.. oh, speak of the devil!”

in the distance, reiner stood in the centre of his group, irritatingly standing out. he was cracking a joke with marcel from the looks of it. his big group hogged the steps and the entrance, which was in perfect alliance with the fountain, your groups usual spot. you could see pieck and annie waiting for the three of you to arrive, the black haired girl waving at you all just ten steps away.

“oh yeah, guys,” you perked up as you spotted mr smith, your history teacher, walking through the car park of the school building, “i need to talk to mr smith about my history grade, he said he could give me tips to get it up since i’m falling behind..”

you groaned at your admitted failure on your midterm, “i’ll see you at first period, though.” the two girls bid you a brief farewell before you strolled towards the other side of the courtyard to meet with your teacher.

“ah, miss y/n,” mr smith smiled as a greeting, taking his hands out of his usual tie behind his back, “come for advice, i see?” you nodded, “yeah, i don’t think i’ve ever done so bad on a test.” he asked you to walk with him, so you followed him up the steps. it was a comfortable silence, he was always your favourite, not one to yell but that was what happened when respect was an automatic for you.

spotting a small rock, – small enough it couldn’t even be considered a pebble – you kicked it up, narrowly hitting the shell of reiner’s ear. you snickered, hiding your nasty grin behind your hand, as reiner glared at you. he then redirected his gaze to mr smith, a smirk appearing on his face. you turned away, facing ahead.

“i hope that wasn’t you that kicked that, miss y/n,” he wished, though the humour behind his voice told you he was using a facade of proffesionalism to hide his amusement. you gasped, “i could never, sir.”

mr smith was aware of the ongoing feud between you and reiner and, against your protests, reported it to his higher ups. however, all it got was an assembly on anti-bullying.

“i have to say, you have incredible aim,” mr smith praised as the door closed, giving you a curt nod which you returned and thanked him for as the two of you strolled into his classroom.

break rolled around after second period. annie met up with you in the halls, her class opposite yours. she said hello first and you happily greeted her back. all was peaceful until reiner blocked your path, marcel and jean in tow.

“where’d you run off to with mr smith earlier?” he interrogated, tease at the ready, “fucking him for a better grade, hm?” laughter erupted from him and his friends.

you peered up at him through your lashes, “do i look like your girlfriend?” that made reiner’s laughter stop, “what do you mean by that?”

“i mean to stop questioning me like a jealous boy,” you sneered, “the only reason you hate me is because i rejected you and maybe if you brought yourself out of your big ego for once, you would realise i might’ve said yes had you been a little nicer!”

annie whistled beside you, a proud smile on her face. that boy looked hurt. momentarily. then, his smirk reappeared, “you have a zit on your nose.” laughter again. what the hell was wrong with him and his friends. you rolled your eyes, a retort on the tip of your tongue.

“reiner, maybe you should stop..” that shy, almost lazy voice from yesterday.. had he always been there? your eyes drifted to the bertholdt character you’d only now just been aware of.

“aw, bertl it’s just a bit of fun,” reiner slapped his shoulder, crinkling the boy’s blazer near the arm. bertholdt looked at it and frowned, an almost sad and far off look remaining in his eye. the buffer boy of the two leaned in, barely any space between their noses, “don’t tell me you like her..”

the taller one sighed, “stop it, i’m just telling you not to waste your breath, she wasn’t wrong when she said you look like a jealous boyfriend..” and bertholdt was jealous of you. honestly, he wanted you out of the picture.

with a sigh, reiner backed off. his bicep bumped your shoulder, emphasising the height difference. marcel and jean scoffed at you and annie, following him. this time, you noticed bertholdt too.

“you struck a nerve,” annie giggled, letting you join arms with her. nodding, you prided yourself, “i know!”

later on in the day, reiner sat in the boy’s changing room, venting to bertholdt about earlier’s interaction. bertholdt, however, was more concerned with the lingering thought, does he still like her? exchanging his formal shirt for his gym shirt.

“hey reiner, do you still like her?” the boy asked, irises quaking with uncertainty. reiner’s face exploded into pink.

“i hate that bitch..” he grumbled, slipping into a pair of sweatpants, “i just love giving her a hard time.”

there was silence between the two, being the last ones out of the locker room. then, a sigh followed by a “is it that obvious?” ensued. bertholdt looked down, a non verbal i knew it going through his head, “yeah, it is..”

“honestly, i think you should drop it,” his jaw tensed, “your bully tactic isn’t working, it hasn’t worked.” reiner was quick to be at bertholdt’s side, “if i didn’t know any better, you are jealous.. what kind of friend are you?”

clearly not the loyal type, bertholdt thought, biting his cheek, “the friend that’s tired of seeing and hearing you pursue a girl that hates you.. calling her a slut isn’t getting you anywhere! no, i’m not jealous, i’m bored..”

“ah..” reiner let the noise slip and retreated to his claimed section if the locker room, “i.. i get your point, sorry bertl.” he was surprised. bertholdt had never been one to raise his voice.

with a sad glance in his direction, bertholdt said nothing and left to join the others on the track field. reiner knew he was jealous, just not aware of who he was jealous of. entering the field, everyone had already lined up and was ready to complete whatever task had been explained.

“hoover, you’re late!” mr shadis yelled, “where is braun?” all eyes were on him. he could recognise everyone’s faces, but he payed attention to yours. bertholdt could acknowledge a pretty girl, you were definitely in the higher ranks of his mental list. you were the bane of his life, the thing reiner focused on.

“i’m sorry, sir, we were in the nurses office,” bertholdt excused himself, “reiner is still changing.” shadis gave him a weary eye before tutting, “don’t let it happen again.”

“yes, sir.”

shadis asked your team, consisting of you, ymir, eren, and connie to demonstrate a relay race once reiner came out. the full track was 400 metres, meaning you would all run 100 each. the four of you got into your agreed order in the middle row: eren, ymir, connie, you. eren received a bright yellow baton and got into position before the siren went off. when it did, he sprinted towards your friend. as he gave her the baton, he tripped over himself and landed ass-up on the floor, receiving laughter from everyone.

before you knew it, you had your hand holding out for connie as you began to jog when he got within ten steps of you. you were on the school’s national team for relay. you prided yourself for that. that’s how you learned a particular technique to preserve energy.

you’d jog as you waited for the third person to pass on the baton and when you finally received it, you would begin longer, slower strides–almost like you were hopping–on your tiptoes before takung shorter, faster steps. not to forget to lean your body lower towards the ground to propel yourself forward. that always earned you top two in annual nationals.

so, you did just that. you crossed the finish line, chest barely heaving as ymir walked up to you. shadis had set up four individual stop watches and got three other students to control them everytime the baton had been passed.

“jaeger, 13.57 seconds,” shadis glowered at him, “shave off seven next time.”

putting down that stop watch, he examined the next two, “fritz and springer, you both landed on 11.8,” his lip twitched into a smirk that quickly left his face. shadis moved onto your one, “l/n, 9.7, keep that up and you’ll hold a world record.”

a smile erupted onto your face as ymir pat your back. historia, annie, and pieck surrounded you to congratulate you, which you brushed off as practice.

bertholdt observed you, he really wanted to know what was so special about you that made reiner so obsessed. he noticed how, unlike most people, you had dimples under your mouth instead of on your cheeks. they showed up when you smiled. your eyebrows were naturally full and you had great facial harmony. as you ran, bertholdt noticed that you had a body lots of girls wanted but that didn’t make you stand out to him.

ymir guided you over some point during his analysis, his face heating up when he realised ymir was talking to him amd not you.

“sorry, what were you saying?” bertholdt apologised, slouching to ease tension in his shoulders. ymir gestured to you, who had a bored, almost uninterested look on your face as you glanced up at him from your fingers, up to his face, and back to your fingers.

“i said, since you two don’t know each other well, i thought i’d introduce you two,” ymir repeated herself, irk edging her tone, “y/n, this is bertholdt. the boy you had never seen before until now.” you didn’t know who he was? his lips thinned in minor embarrassment. he probably looked like an idiot. reiner and ymir already accused him of liking you, and now he happened to be distracted and went all red while he was looking in your direction.

“hi,” you murmured, finally taking away your attention from your fingers. considering his low presence, he was big. he had wide shoulders and his arms strained against the fabric of his long-sleeved shirt. he had to be 6’5 minimum! it impressed you, sure, but he was just another follower of reiner’s.

“oh, ymir, annie and pieck are running,” you pulled on her arm, dragging her away from the boy. that’s when bertholdt realised it. it wasn’t your beauty that had reiner hooked, nor was it your body shape and curves.

no, it was your unattainability.

#bertholdt hoover x reader #aot fic #aot x reader #female reader #snk #reiner braun #bertholdt hoover #fanfiction #annie leonhart #pieck finger #aot ymir #historia reiss

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