Reiner, tiredly yawning into the palm of his hand, used the blade of his shoulder to pry open the hollow doors to the Mess Hall. Reiner's piercing gaze searched the area, seeking out his friends. However, he was left with a surprise as he realised that one person was missing from the table.

"Where is Y/N?" Reiner asked his friends before even acknowledging them with a 'good morning'.

"Bed-ridden." Jean Kirschstein replied with a mouthful of food, "I tried to wake her this morning, but she looked awful. She said she felt awful, too, so Levi has ordered for her to stay in bed all-day."

"Oh, really?" The blonde-male squinted with genuine concern in his tone, "I didn't know."

Christa pressed her hands on the wooden bench that she was comfortably sat on, shifting her petit figure across to give Reiner room. She offered him a warm, courteous smile as she gestured out her hand.

"Thank you, Christa, but you don't have to make room for me." Reiner shook his head dismissively, "I'll go and bring Y/N something to eat."

"Seriously?" Jean, knowing the truth behind yours and Reiners facade, asked with genuine curiosity, "You're going to take her something to eat? That's.. considerate of you."

"Sure," Reiner's broad body shrugged nonchalantly, "She'll need her strength if she's going to get better."

"Reiner?" Christa's soft voice interrupted as she gestured towards the empty seat once again: "I think that rest is the most important thing Y/N needs right now. You should stay - breakfast this morning has been delicious!"

"Later." He raised his large hand, stepping away from the table, "She's alone in her dormitory right now with nothing to do - I'll keep her company."

"Then, someone else can keep her company." The blonde girl abruptly snapped: the attention of the table drifting onto her sudden outburst, "I'll do it!"

"Huh?" Connie leant forward curiously, raising his brow.

"Christa?" Ymir draped her arm across the pretty girls shoulder with an awkward expression, "I think that what Reiner is trying to say is that he wants to spend some time with his girlfriend. Take the hint, honey."

Now feeling defeated, Christa lowered her head and apologised for her unusual behaviour.

༺♰༻ 

Your eyes cracked open to the stroke of dawn that morning, instantly feeling as if something was dragging you down into your own bed: like there were one-thousand weights strapped to your entire body. 

You groaned a little, unable to breathe through your nose as hazy gasps left your lips.

You heard a knock at your door as Reiner warned you that he was about to enter.

Reiner finally cracked open your dormitory door before his mouth dropped, giving you a weak glare: "You look like shit, ha."

"Thank you, Reiner." You mumbled under your breath, your voice slightly nasally as your eyes slowly looked around, "You really know the way to a girls heart."

Reiner Braun sighed, sitting against the side of your bed as he pressed the backs of his knuckles on your forehead. He gave you a defeated sigh, running his free fingertips through their short hair before retracting his hand.

"Jean told me that you weren't well."

You coughed raspily - your lungs beginning to hurt.

You looked back at Reiner, only noticing that he had placed a steamy bowl on your bedside table.

"Why are you here, anyway?" You asked with weakness in your crackly voice, already knowing the answer to your question but wanting to hear it confirmed.

Reiner folded his legs comfortably, dropping his leather jacket onto the ground: "I'm here to take care of you."

"But, Eren and Christa aren't here right now. You don't have to pretend to like me."

"I want you to get better as soon as possible, otherwise, who will I have to piss-off?" Reiner replied to you with a satisfied smirk pried on his smooth lips, "I find you cute when you're angry."

"You always have the purest intentions." You scoffed, sinking into the mattress of your bed before your body jumped: realising what he had just said to you, "Cute?"

"Why do you think I try to annoy you so often? You're adorable when you get hot-headed." The blonde's smirk grew with each raspy syllable that fell from his lips, "Let me look after you today, Smith. Starting with something to eat."

"Something to eat?"

"I bought you some fresh-soup from the Mess Hall," Reiner leant over your weak body, carefully handling the ambiguous, steaming bowl he had placed beside you: "It's your favourite flavour, too."

He lifted the spoon, tracing it around the liquid as the steam waltzed in the air. The silver smoke danced; the air becoming filled with the aroma of fresh soup.

Whilst cupping it beneath some soup, he chucked: "Open-wide, Princess."

"I'm sick, not five. You don't have to try and feed me by spoon, Reiner." Your eyebrows furrowed with agitation as he edged the spoon closer to your lips, "I have some dignity left, and having you spoon-feed me will crush it. I can feed myself."

Reiner shook his head dismissively, a pretentious smirk staining his chiseled face, "I thought you told me that I could take care of you today. Don't be stubborn, Y/N."

You shook your head, before ultimately caving into the charming, blonde male. You allowed Reiner to feed you, finding a surprising amount of pleasure in the situation.

Reiner spoke throughout your meal, filling the silence with details of what had happened before he had arrived at your dormitory. You were genuinely surprised that Christa had acted with such desperation for Reiner to not come and visit you whilst you were ill. In your private opinion, you had already dismissed the idea of her having any feelings for Reiner. You weren't even aware that Christa had the capability to feel jealousy.

What did she have to feel jealous of?

He had forced every last drop of soup down your throat, insisting that you needed it to get your strength back.

"How are you feeling?" Reiner carefully placed the empty bowl back onto your bedside table.

Reiner twisted his body, placing himself beside you in your bed. Due to your bed being so small, your bodies were closely packed together; his body heat radiated onto you - the smell of his cologne intoxicates your senses

"My whole body is in agony; my head feels as though it's going to implode any second," Your head arched back with fatigue, "I feel like I'm burning alive, but the doctor said that I need to wear a blanket to keep my body heat high."

Reiner's head twisted round with an unfamiliar expression staining his face.

Concern.

Reiner Braun felt genuine concern for your well-being.

"The doctor came?"

Feeling the instinct to comfort the blonde boy, you placed your hand against his. Your fingers slowly twisted around his knuckles, entwining with his fingers to tightly hold onto his hand. You squeezed; his thumb traced in circular motions on your skin.

"I'm okay, Reiner." You lowered your voice whilst offering an endearing grin: "Levi demanded that I should be seen by a doctor, and he's difficult to say no to."

"Captain Levi really cares about you, doesn't he?"

"More than my own father does," You scoffed, "Although, I don't think that's a difficult competition. Captain Levi practically raised me whilst my father was absent - during my childhood, I spent most nights sleeping in Levi's office besides the fire-place."

Your E/C eyes swiftly fell downwards at your clasped-together hands.

His hands were pretty, you noticed. You knew it was a 'strange' thing to notice about someone, but you couldn't help it: his skin was soft, and his nails were surprisingly clean and in good shape for a soldier. His fingers were long and slender; his arms were muscular, and strong.

You looked up at him as he did the same to you: your faces were just a couple inches from eachover. You could feel his warm breaths against your lips, practically begging to be kissed. You could remember how delicious his lips tasted: and, you could remember how softly they kissed yours.

You both simultaneously turned away, clearing your throat. You let go of each others hands; you wiped your palm on your shirt.

"Thank you for the soup." You blurted out with a bashful frown.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," The blonde smiled, "And, I'm glad of how jealous Christa seemed - I was almost shocked by how she reacted."

"It seemed so out-of-character for her," You agreed with a nod, "Looks like our plan is working."

"Seems so. It won't be long now until we don't have to pretend anymore - we can go back to the way things were before." Reiner carried on, playfully extending his arm around your shoulder with a boyish smirk, "I'm sure you've missed the days where you didn't have to see my face 24/7."

"I have." You replied with a cheerful smile, despite feeling an unusual ache in your chest at the thought of not spending time with him anymore.

You blamed it on your illness.

The thought of you actually enjoying Reiner's company was enough to make you want to vomit.