The ride home was pure silence, only a few Scouts had made it back from the mission. Your father rode beside you, Levi on your other side, none of you speaking of the expedition you had just endured.

You used your left hand to cover the bloody wound on your right thigh, cascading your cape around your body. You didn't want to worry your father or Levi, so kept the injury to yourself.

You kept seeing Reiner out of the corner of your eye: his bronze iris's were fixed in front of him. He rode far away from you, barely apart of the group as he slowly drew behind.

Your heart ached: deeply. Your brain was muddled with confusion as to why he had reacted like that towards you - even for Reiner, it was harsh.

It was nightfall by the time you arrived back in the walls; the stars twinkled above you as silver rays of light seeped into your skin. Your eyes slowly drifted closed, exhaling softly as mist left your lips.

You pretended there was no one else in the world but you; you pulled yourself completely out of your own body. And for a few moments, it worked: silence filled your ears. You fell into a deep, calm relaxation that seized your mind.

Or at least, that was until your father snapped you back into reality.

"Y/N." Erwin Smith sternly called out with his thick brows pierced together.

"Have you been paying attention to anything that Erwin has said to you?" Levi scoffed, shaking his head: "Listen to him, for god-sake."

Your father, the Commander, thanked the short Captain with an egotistical smirk.

Your E/C eyes subtly rolled backwards into your skull as you murmured out loud: "Even without a mother, it's like having two-parents at once."

Whilst Levi buried his face in his hands with a hint bashfulness, Erwin began to explain what was becoming of the next month: "There's a ball being held by King Fritz in six weeks time, and I've been invited as the Commander of the Survey Corps. And seeing as you're my kin, you're expected to join me."

"Is Levi joining us, too?"

"No, thankfully." Levi shook his head, his silver eyes piercing daggers into the road ahead: "But, Hange will be there."

"You're allowed to invite a plus-one, as well." Erwin carried on, "I don't expect you to sit with me and Hange all evening, as well as the other soldiers, to discuss business. It's only fair that I allow you to bring someone else. Although, Eren Yaeger should be making an appearance, too."

"I guess I'll bring Reiner." Your voice lowered: cold eyes now glaring towards the saddle of your horse, unsure on how to ask him after your two arguments earlier that day.

"I thought you would say that." The ebony haired man tutted.

"Reiner?" Erwin squinted in curiosity: "Who's Reiner?"

"I'll explain later, Erwin." Levi raised his hand in defeat whilst all of you began to slow your pace, finally reaching the Barracks.

༺♰༻

You winced, applying pressure to the wound on your thigh. Your body was sprawled on the counter of the upstairs toilets; blood-soaked tissues and medical ointments covered the tilted surface.

You groaned to yourself in anguish, your body growing fatigued.

Meanwhile, Reiner Braun was making his way back through the barracks after a shower. His comfortable clothes were clinging to his damp, hot skin; he tightly held onto a towel that he had used to dry his short, blonde locks. He was making his way back to his bed after a draining day.

The midnight sky was clear with a flawless ebony background that highlighted the florescent stars. The full moon cascaded shadows of pure-silver onto the creaking-floorboards of the Survey Corps barracks.

Reiner walked up the narrow staircase to the top floor of the building, before halting as he heard a wince from nearby. Immediately alarmed, he slowed his pace down, trying to work out which direction the noise was coming from.

He was able to hear pained, heavy breathing coming from a few rooms down, followed by another whimper pain as he drew nearer. After realising it was coming from the women's bathroom, he curiously knocked on the door: Reiner called out to ask if he was allowed in, but was only met with silence.

Although, with his concern only increasing, after hearing yet another whine of pain: he let himself in.

"Are you okay in there?" Reiner asked with exasperation in his voice.

Your eyes darted forward, instantly being met with the eyes of a Reiner. He instantly glared downwards towards the wound on your thigh, inhaling a sharp gasp.

Reiner stepped forward instinctively, before halting as you extended your arm: "Don't come any closer to me." You snapped hoarsely, "That's what you told me. Back off."

Reiner guiltily looked away from you, deflecting your cold gaze.

After a few moments of silence, Reiner attempted to step forward again: and this time, you didn't stop him. Reiner stood in between your thighs, analysing the damage.

He leant down a little, extending his fingers until they were about an inch away from your bare skin: "That looks painful." He whispered softly.

"It's fine." You lied; "The blood makes it look a lot worse than it actually is - it hardly even hurts."

Reiner subtly pouted, his caramel eyes till staring down at your thighs with concern in his tone, "Still," His piercing eyes finally locked onto yours as you jumped a little, "I should help you clean and bandage it up."

"I'm fine. Honestly."

"Please," His shoulders shrugged with a calm smile against his soft, pink lips: "It's the least I can do after earlier today."

Your chest tightened a little at the memory.

You felt unsure on whether to accept his offer or not, but the pout on his face was excruciatingly difficult to say no to.

"Please?" His soft voice asked, leaning close to your face as the aroma of his warm, vanilla-ish cologne filled your senses. You could smell the shower-steam on his collar.

"Just make it quick," You clasped your hand over your forehead with a sigh, "And, this doesn't make us even."

Reiner swiftly got to his knees to pull out a fresh set of medical supplies. He pulled out a water-soaked cloth; he knelt down, pressing one of his hands on your thigh for balance as he slowly traced the cloth along the wound on your thigh.

It stung like hell, but you were too distracted to even notice the pain as your eyes stayed completely glued onto Reiner's hand on your bare thigh.

His hands were comfortingly warm and his touch was overly gentle, as if worried that he would hurt you in his grasp. Reiner Braun had an oddly comforting presence, and you didn't like that. It only made you feel nervous, as if scared that he was hiding his true intentions that weren't as 'nice' as he made himself out to be.

Not glancing away from your leg, his lips parted to speak: "I'm sorry."

Your eyes widened: "You're... sorry?"

"Yes," You could feel his every breath against your bare leg as he sighed through his nose, "I'm sorry for yelling at you, especially whilst you were only trying to help me. I'm also sorry that I grabbed your arm like that."

"I can't believe you just apologised to me," You smiled a little, tilting your head off to the side, "I also can't believe, that after all of the things you said to me over the years, you've never apologised before."

"I know that it's overdue. If you still want to get even," Reiner lifted his chin to look up at you through his thick eyelashes, "I'll let you hit me. Lightly."

"I'll pass," You felt yourself chuckle, "I already had my chance to hit you this morning after breakfast, but I butchered it."

Reiner smiled gently - a soft laugh escaped from his lips.

"And besides, I'm sorry, as well." Your shoulders shrugged as you watched him move onto the other knee, "You told me to back away, and I didn't listen to you."

"Wow." Reiner scoffed whilst shaking his head towards the side, his eyes lazily half-closed: "Look at us - you'd almost think that we're friends."

"That's because you've learnt how to apologise, instead of acting like a complete ass."

"And you've finally learnt some maturity," Reiner soft chuckled, screwing-up his face: "Instead of acting like-"

"Don't ruin this."

"Yes, ma'am." With his eyes still on your legs, Reiner finally started bandaging your right thigh: "So, have I made it up to you?"

Your eyes shut tightly, "Almost, I still need a favour from you."

"Go on?" Reiner glanced up at you once more, "I'm listening."

"You're going to be my date to the upcoming ball."

Reiner dusted off his trousers, finally beginning to stand up from the tiled-floor; he pressed his hands at either side of your thighs, his torso in between your legs with a relaxed expression.

"Your leg looks as good as new," He beamed, "And, why the hell would you want to go with me?"

"I'm allowed to bring one person with me, and Eren will already be there." You explained, taking his hand and hopping off from the counter: "We'll need to go shopping together for a dress, and you already know how to ballroom-dance, right?"

"No."

"I'll teach you."

"Why do we need to go shopping together?" Reiner Braun groaned as he began to walk you back to your dormitory, "You would be better off asking Sasha or Christa for help with clothes-shopping, rather than me."

"Well, your tie should match my dress. Therefor, you deserve a say as well."

Reiner groaned once more: his sound was far more obnoxious than the last and gathered the attention of some nearby soldiers, "I hate dancing."

"Suck it up," You wagged your finger with a hint of a sinister chuckle, enjoying the resentment lurking in his brooding eyes, "It'll be fun, trust me."

You both halted outside of the women's dormitory, Reiner pressing his torso against the doorframe. Whilst you carelessly rambled about the ball and how you both needed to prepare, your eyes ran down to his arms.

His skin was flawless; smooth. It made no sense considering the shredded sleeve and the wound you had noticed during the mission a few hours prior.

You lost your train of thought, beginning to stammer on your words as Reiner tilted his head. He waved his hand in front of your eyes, teasing you for stuttering.

"Your arm," You paused, leaning closer, "There's.. nothing there. But, I could have sworn that I saw blood."

"I told you that I was fine, it must have been the light." Reiner shrugged, placing his hand on your shoulder whilst stepping in the direction of the boys dormitory: "See you around, Smith."

"Good night, Braun."