Compassion

Author note: Written for a request at the snk kink meme.

It was always Reiner and Bertholdt. If one of them was present, so was the other and usually sticking to him as close as possible. It was understandable, slightly, after they explained that they were childhood friends, but of course Annie knew better than that.

Word of Bertholdt’s amazing sleeping poses travelled to the girls’ dorm. What truly interested her however, was the rumour that sometimes Reiner had suffered because of it. To make another suffer, a course of action Annie knew well, didn’t quite match Bertholdt’s persona. If anything, Reiner was the brute.

“Friends don’t sleep with each other” she told Reiner one day when they were about to pass each other at the stables. She had finished her cleaning duty and was on her way to mess hall when she spotted the bulky blonde. At first she thought of ignoring him like she did on a regular basis, but something about him irked her lately. It had all started the day she noticed Bertholdt sitting down for breakfast with a slight wince.

“Friends with benefits do” Reiner countered, both trainees not pausing their steps and continuing on their way after their exchange of words. Later that night she had pulled Sasha aside after dinner, scaring the hell out of her when pressing her against the side of the building and stared at her with her usual penetrative gaze. She only wanted to know what ‘friends with benefits’ were.

The next morning she sat down at Reiner and Bertholdt’s table, her plate of oatmeal left untouched as she analyzed the duo. The men glanced at each other with mild concern when Annie kept silent.

“Is there something you want to talk about?” Bertholdt asked nervously.

Annie nodded, knowing they didn’t necessarily have the same subject of speech in mind. It didn’t matter, they’d surely come to the training grounds tonight if they thought it was urgent enough. Unfortunately it took them a while to finally show up. Annie figured their dormmates took longer to fall asleep or perhaps they had to lay low to not get caught by a supervisor, but when she saw them approach, Bertholdt’s face flustered and Reiner’s carrying a grin; she jumped off the tree branch and gave Reiner a glare.

“You’re late” she stated, watching Bertholdt start sweating at the menace in her voice.

“We got distracted, is all” Reiner explained, nudging his tall friend.

“Do I need to remind you why we’re here?” the little girl asked with squinted eyes.

“No need” Reiner assured her, but she begged to differ.

“Indulging in sex with each other isn’t part of it” Annie responded bluntly. She heard Bertholdt choke on his spit. Honestly, did he believe Annie didn’t know? That no one knew? “You’re the latest, hottest gossip – stop it” she told both men sternly. The last they needed was attention drawn to them at all times. They were already well known for their combat skills and high ranking, that should suffice.

“I rather have them talk about our relationship than that” Reiner said, taking a step forward when Annie did too. The man towered over her, leaning forward to intimidate her. Annie’s face showed no fear, but she quirked an eyebrow as if questioning him: ‘have you forgotten the way I can flip you over in a second?’ She raised her fists, ready to strike.

“I think Reiner’s right..” Bertholdt said slowly, watching the blondes have a stare-off. He feared they’d start a real brawl if he didn’t speak up. Why wasn’t Annie surprised? The girl glanced at the giant man, lowering her fists to her hips.

“So you actually enjoy it” she said frankly. Her straightforward attitude caused his ears to catch on fire.

“Reiner is actually quite gen-!“ Bertholdt started with a soft, embarrassed voice only stopping when Annie proceeded to stomp Reiner in the stomach. The buff man gasped at the sudden pain erupting where her fist pressed onto his organs. He bared his teeth, growling at her in anger.

When she pulled back, Annie looked as indifferent as always. She had allowed the men to control her emotions, causing her to grow impatient by their lovey-dovey relationship. It was foolish of her to have called them out here, Annie thought, when Reiner straightened and Bertholdt stepped closer to lay a hand on his lower back, looking concerned. Reiner was correct in a way. She didn’t understand the value of someone’s embrace, but she knew from her fellow female trainees that the boys were ‘horny’ – whatever that meant.

Many of the trainees used sexual escapades to unwind and Reiner and Bertholdt being men, it meant they would rouse more suspicion being celibate than sleeping with each other. What irked her wasn’t the way they were together from dusk till dawn or the fact they cuddled – amongst other things – in their bunks, nor the fact Bertholdt did whatever Reiner asked of him. It had been that wince, that obvious sign of pain Reiner had inflicted.

Annie turned her back on the silent men who watched her carefully. They expected another lecture or attack and stayed cautious for Annie was fast and skilled in close-combat. The girl gave the tree closest to her an annoyed look. Feeling protective over the giant had nothing to do with her purpose in this training camp, she reminded herself. It was none of her business.

“Are you.. concerned about us?” Reiner suddenly asked, speculating out loud.

The sharp turn of her head combined with the dark glint in her eyes made him jerk back automatically.

“Just don’t get caught” she told them, eyes glancing to Bertholdt’s uncertain expression. Annie left without another word, her hands swinging in fists beside her lithe body as she returned to the girls’ dorm.

When she climbed back into her bunk and stared at the ceiling, sleep wouldn’t come.

She didn’t like this, this thing Sasha told her was ‘compassion’.