The morning air was sweet with floral-Spring scents: a warm breeze flowing through the open windows of the dormitory. You were huddled up in the soft blankets of your bed, clutching tightly onto your pillow.

Your eyelids were tightly closed, blocking out the obnoxious noise as an unknown intruder spoke to you at the foot of your bed. You could hear the male voice murmuring your name with a hint of attitude.

You ignored the ambiguous voice.

Or at least, you ignored them until you felt them pull the warm blanket off of your skin. You immediately erupted in goosebumps, groaning with anguish. Your eyes finally cracked open as the unknown intruder sat themself beside you - you realised it was none other than Reiner.

"Rise and shine, princess." Reiner's hoarse, morning voice spoke.

"Fuck off, Reiner. You know men aren't allowed in the women's dormitory."

"That's no way to talk to your boyfriend," The blonde teased, "You're late to breakfast, everyone else is already sat down in the Mess Hall."

You groaned again as he referred to himself as your 'boyfriend', feeling genuine disgust and repulsion in your stomach.

You sat yourself up with another yawn, throwing your legs off of your bed as Reiner stood: he plucked your leather jacket from your wardrobe and grabbed your ebony boots, placing them in front of you.

"Hurry the hell up." He snapped with furrowed brows, "We need to get to the Hall before everyone leaves for their duties, and we're already late because someone decided to sleep in."

"Fine," Your E/C eyes rolled into your skull whilst folding your white, crisp shirt on your lap: "Turn around already so I can change into my uniform."

He lifted his large hands to surrender whilst slowly turning around to face the wall; you swiftly and nervously changed into your clothes, keeping a sharp eye on the back of his head.

You sighed when you finished changing, watching a prideful smirk again his face as he said: "You ready, sweetheart?"

"I don't appreciate these nicknames you're giving me."

"Tough-luck, gorgeous." His left arm hooked across your shoulder, holding you in a tight embrace whilst you both began your journey towards the Mess Hall, "It's all apart of the show, so you should get used to it."

Still feeling an ongoing sickness from his touch, you cringed: "I don't think I'll ever be able to get used to this."

You could see the double doors to the Mess Hall at the end of the long, narrow hallway: your anxiety increased with each step on the creaky, wooden floorboards. Your breaths were becoming heightened, your chest feel compressed.

"Christa was sat on the same table as Eren when I left to wake you up," The blonde explained, "She asked me where I was going when I left the table, and gave me a confused look when I told her it was to wake you up."

"Unsurprising."

"We'll have to do our best to convince them all that we're telling the truth." He pressed his free hand against the door to open it, before murmuring: "You ready?"

You swallowed, able to see your closest friends all sat together through the cracked-open doors: "Let's just get this over with. The sooner we make Christa jealous, the sooner this charade is over."

"That's the attitude." He finally opened the door, his left hand still resting on your shoulder before it slowly travelled down your back.

Each table was completely filled, including the one that was filled with your closest friends. There was one table about five meters away from there's that was completely empty: Reiner signalled for you both to go sit there.

You noticed Jeans head perk up at the sight of you both together, immediately curious as he watched Reiner's outstretched palm rest on the bottom of the back. Jean leaned across the table, whispering something to Connie and Sasha - they both simultaneously looked in your direction.

You averted your gaze away from them; nervous; your stomach now twisting and turning.

Reiner pulled out a chair for you, and as you sat he leant down to whisper in your ear: "Looks like we've got an audience."

He pushed your chair in before sitting opposite you, folding his arms against the birch-wood table. Reiner stared at you intently for a few moments, awaiting for you to break the silence between you both - but you didn't. Your anxiety over the situation made you choke up and prevented any words from leaving your lips: your eyes refused to meet with his.

Reiner leaned closer whilst innocently tilting his head, "Y/N, at least try to look you can stand to sit next to me." He grumbled, "You don't have to like me, just pretend that you do. Speaking of which, laugh."

"What-?"

"They're coming over, act like I said something funny."

Your pupils glanced off to the right, seeing your friends silhouettes walk slowly in your direction. With all of his strength, Reiner impatiently kicked your knee with his charcoal boot: earning a glare, and an extremely fake laugh.

"Oh, Reiner. You're too funny." You gritted your teeth as your friends finally arrived at your table, watching Reiner smirk innocently in your direction.

Armin sat himself to Reiners left, and Sasha sat on his right; Connie and Jean squeezed themselves on either side of you whilst Eren and Christa stood curiously at either end of the table. The others had apparently already left for their duties.

"So," Jean rested his chin against his palm, "Are you going to explain, or do you want us to ask?"

"Ask what?" You acted oblivious, feeling a sudden, immense pressure from those who surrounded you.

"Why did Reiner go to wake you this morning?" Christa Lenz tilted her head to the side as strands of soft, blonde hair fell from her shoulders.

"And, why are you both sat together?" Eren added.

"Well, it's not like Y/N to sleep in during the week so I decided to check that she was okay." Reiner began in a surprisingly warmer tone than usual - it was becoming apparent to you that this was the Reiner that other people saw, "And besides, since we've started dating, I haven't had much chance to get some alone time with her."

"Excuse me, what?" Sasha's chocolate-brown eyes widened with skepticism.

"Oh, did we forget to tell you guys?" Reiner bashfully rubbed the nape of his neck with a soft laugh, "We began seeing each other after the Battle of Trost."

You furrowed your brows, unsure on whether to be impressed or disgusted by how easily lies slipped from Reiner's lips.

Jean used his elbow to nudge you and grab your unfocused attention: "Is this true?"

You slowly breathed in, and then out, finally able to look your friends in the eye as the lies began.

"I've had feelings for Reiner for about two, or three, months now."

"And you didn't tell me?" The fawn-haired boy cringed with offence in his tone.

"I was too ashamed - Reiner and I have loathed each other from our first week in the 104th, and I knew that after our time in the training Corps finished I would never see him again. And besides, I didn't even consider the possibility that Reiner could ever reciprocate my feelings for him."

You rehearsed the story that Reiner had told you the prior morning whilst adding your own theatrics: blushing, coyly smiling whilst saying his name. Reiner was impressed by your ability to deceive the others, his false smile transforming into something real.

"And after Reiner saved me life during the Battle of Trost, I-" You pushed a strand of hair away from your face, glancing towards Eren Yaeger who was listening intently to your story, "I couldn't keep my feelings to myself for any longer."

Reiner carried on, his stare focused on Christa: "We didn't want to waste any more time, so we made our relationship official soon after."

"I see!" Christa's cheeks rose with her cheerful beam, "So that's why you were talking during the fire! I've been ever so curious about that."

A soft smile on Armin's face brightened the room as he uttered, "I'm so happy for you both! And I'm even more happy that you're getting along - we'll finally be able to sit in peace during meals."

"Well," Sasha snickered whilst glancing at Jean and Eren in turns, "I don't think I'd say it's going to be completely peaceful."

Eren swallowed, his eyes still interlocked onto yours as he spoke: "I would've never expected the two of you to be together."

"Believe me, Eren," You sighed, now resting your jaw on your knuckle, "Me neither."