Torn [Bertolt x Reader]

The Promise we Made

BANGBANGBANGBANG

My eyelids peeled away from my bloodshot eyes, awakening to the horrible sound ringing throughout the halls; a throbbing pain vibrating through my skull. My hand instinctively shot to my forehead, trying to keep what felt like my brain from oozing out my ears. My mouth felt like an arid desert, and my throat was scratchy. I attempted to swallow, which only caused me to cough as there wasn't enough saliva produced from my glands.

"Wake up, you shitty brats!" Lance Corporal Levi's voice rang out from outside the door. He didn't sound too pleased.

Multiple groans were heard from within my vicinity, as well as the sound of sheets ruffling as the others thrashed about. I turned over to see an extremely groggy looking Krista, who was also holding her forehead, as she propped herself on her other elbow. A little patch of dry drool stained the area beneath her lip.

"Ugh, shuuuut up!" Ymir called out from above her, tossing her pillow at the door in protest of the knife-like sound.

Clearly the wrong move, as the door slammed open, Squad Leader Hanji's boot holding it wide. She was holding a metal ladle, and a cooking pot; a manically grin stretched across her face before beginning to bang it again.

"The faster you get your butts out of the bed, the sooner it will stop~" Hanji sang in a voice dripping with sarcastic cheer, while repeatedly whopping the ladle to the pot. The wretched sound continued to pierce our eardrums.

It must have been obvious to them that we had been involved in some sort of misconduct last night. Our unmistakable hangovers were being used as a form of punishment. All of us scurried out of bed, and began gathering our uniforms to change. Anything to make the high pitched sound of metal being beat cease.

We scurried to line up with the other scouts, after we had quickly dressed and exited the barracks. The boys of the 104th were hot on our feet, lining up right after us. I don't think any of us expected the after effects of the alcohol to be this harsh.

Before Levi could continue to berate us for our stupidity, Erwin arrived to give his final debriefing before our mission outside the walls. The Long Distance Formation was keenly knocked into our skulls at this point, either way, as we had spent a lot of time in classroom prior to migrating to the new barracks. I prayed this mission would go well, and that I wouldn't have to lose anymore friends.

---

I felt a lump start to form in my throat, my mouth remained dry. I instinctively kept licking and smacking my lips, trying to rehydrate them. I was getting nervous. The steed I was straddling began to shuffle it's hooves around from sensing my apparent tension.

"Hey, hey... it's going to be okay." I ran my palm along the side of the horses neck, and pat his mane. I was sure I was mostly speaking to myself. Anything to help me relax.

I was placed on the left flank for this expedition. I had memorized my comrades positions nearby. Sasha, and Mikasa were in the formation in front of me. Over to the left, was Bertolt.

Bertolt... of course he was nearby.

I looked over to see him ardently staring at me from his horse. I was a little taken aback when I caught his gaze; I opened my mouth to speak to him, but was promptly interrupted by Commander Erwin yelling to advance. All the soldiers around me began instantaneously riding off with the crowd. Of course I followed suit, but I couldn't shake the fear as I left the safety of the walls.

Immediately as we exited the gate, a titan had made it's advance towards the formation. Luckily the support squad took it out as the troops ran past it. I tried my best to keep my eyes forward, not wanting the fear to overcome me, but such proved difficult and I'm sure it showed on my face. It was a completely different world out here. The ground was flat, once we made it past the abandoned city. The level plane would make it difficult to use 3DMG. My only chance if a titan attacked, would be to attach my hooks to the titan itself. I wasn't sure if I would be able to survive such a feat. I was a little reassured that my especially strong comrades were nearby.