#beruani fluff

[carolina-skies]

ℂ𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕖 𝕊𝕙𝕠𝕡 𝕊𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕜 - ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕨𝕠: 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕗 𝕐𝕠𝕦

Bertholdt Hoover x Annie Leonhardt Beruani Coffee Shop AU

Published: 9/26/2021

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Masterpost

Ko-Fi

Bertholdt’s entire mood was shifted for the rest of his shift at the coffee shop. Even when his coworkers and boss came in a few hours later, they noticed his chipper attitude. He was the kind of employee that preferred to open up shop and get everything started before anyone else showed up, this coined him as the main opener for Brewed Awakening. The bell above the door chimed, hardly loud enough to hear over the current crowd of java patrons. Bertholdt prepared himself to repeat his usual customer service greeting before he was cut off.

“Good morning! I’ll be right wi-,” he started.

“You keep that goody-two-shoes-good-morning to yourself, boy. I’ll be in the office if you need me.”

Bertholdt smirked at this response. Dot Pyxis wasn’t exactly the poster child for the ‘The Customer is Always Right’ type of customer service. How he managed to have such a booming caffeine-based business, Bert will never understand. He knew the older man meant well, though. He just wasn’t about to sugar coat anything that came out of his mouth. His boss beelined for his office and shut the door behind him.

A tall, ashy brunette strolled out of the back room, carrying a gallon of milk and replacement bottles of flavored syrup.

“Y’know, I’ll bet you my entire paycheck that he’s a morning person,” Jean teased, voice dripping with sarcasm.

The raven haired boy faked a gasp.

“Jean, keep your voice down! Do you know how upset Pyxis would be if he heard you call him a person?”

The two boys shared a laugh over this before getting back into a coffee-making routine. Those two were the dream team for a small coffee shop; they worked like a well-oiled machine. Bertholdt would document the customer’s orders onto the disposable cups and pass them along to his coworker, who was lightning fast at creating the desired drinks. When Jean had one-too-many beverages to handle at once, Bert would step in and co-pilot, forming a non-stop method of cranking out sugary, caffeinated bliss.

The flawless routine encountered a hiccup when Jean did what he was notorious for: opening his giant fucking mouth.

“So, Bertholdt. You seem like you’re having a pretty good day, huh?” He prodded.

Bert looked at him with suspicious eyes, pausing after his friend’s comment before replying.

“Yeah, I guess?”

“Listen, all I’m saying is, I’m proud of you. It’s about time you got up on that horse.” Jean said, shrugging as he dried part of a blender with a hand towel.

Bertholdt was beyond lost at this point. He had no map, no compass, and no GPS to help determine what the fuck his friend was talking about.

“Do you have any idea how ironic it is for you to be making small talk about horses, considering you look like one?”

His teasing earned a swat with a damp towel.

“Eat me, would ya? Besides, this isn’t about me. It’s about you.” Jean bit back before allowing a shit-eating grin to return to his features.

“Dude, what the hell are you even talking about?” Bertholdt asked, pausing to write down a customer’s order of a pumpkin spice latte.

He would be the first to admit that those drinks were tasty, but a little too sweet for his liking. Jean let out an annoyed sigh as he felt that he had to spell it out for his overly-tall friend.

“Y’know, for someone as tall as you, you sure do let a lot of things go over your head, but that’s another problem for another day.”

He inched closer to his friend to bring up the apparently top secret topic.

“You obviously got laid, dude. You’re practically glowing!” Jean whispered, giving Bert one of those I’m-proud-of-you slaps on the back.

This time, it was Bertholdt’s turn to let out a laugh. Jean’s grin didn’t falter for a second, though.

“Dude, I don’t know what you laced your coffee with this morning, but I’ve got to try it.”

“What do you mean?” He interrogated.

“Jean, I wake up at the asscrack of dawn, usually before 5am, every morning. Could you please enlighten me on when I’d have the time to get intimate with another person?”

The shorter boy took a moment to think about this, seeing how it made sense. He shrugged but then a thinking look returned to his face. Something changed, what was it?

“Ok, fine, but you are in a really good mood, even for you.” He instructed.

Bert shrugged at his friend’s observation. He wasn’t quite sure how he felt about verbally acknowledging that his mood was altered by the petite blonde girl from earlier this morning. He smiled to himself for a moment, now knowing her name.

Annie.

He decided that it was very fitting for her. It was a name that appeared to be simple, but it could have so many layers if one would look. Annie could be short for a number of names, or it could create a whole cluster of nicknames. He’d bet half his paycheck that she had many layers to her, most she probably didn’t let others see.

“Ha! Something did happen! I don’t know what’s going on inside that big ass head of yours, but you smiled. Spill.”

Bert let out an annoyed sigh. Jean had always been good at reading people and picking up on subtle body language meanings. He could’ve sworn that’s what his coworker was going to school for, but he could confirm that later. He very much wanted to keep this morning’s interaction to himself, but he knew Jean would never drop it until he told him. He dropped his hands to his side after placing an empty disposable cup on the counter.

“I just had a really good…,” he paused, not knowing what to call it. “Interaction. I had a really good interaction with a customer this morning.”

Jean bumped Bert’s shoulder with his own, encouraging him to give a little more detail.

“Ooh, you got a girl’s phone number, didn’t you? Well, I’m so proud of you, son. You’ve really grown up so fast.” Jean teased.

It was no secret that Bertholdt was kinda shy when it came to any aspect of relationships, including flirting, small talk, etc. He’d had relationships in the past, but nothing too serious, just enough experience to know what he was doing. Sort of.

“No, Jean. I did not get a girl’s phone number. I got her name.” He smiled at the end of his sentence.

Jean looked at him with the most lifeless stare, like he had explained the most boring thing ever. This look felt familiar, he could’ve sworn he had the same look on his face throughout the entirety of his high school physics class.

“Her name? You’re over here having heart palpitations over a girl’s name? Geez, Bert, did you get all flustered when she told it to you so you could write it on her cup? If she gave you her name, of all things, for her order, it must be true love.”

Bertholdt whacked Jean with an empty syrup bottle. “Lay off, would you? I just thought it was interesting because she’s very quiet, and doesn’t really talk a whole lot unless it’s necessary.” He defended, throwing the empty bottle, previously used as a weapon, into the sink to be rinsed out later.

“Hold the phone, Bertholdt Hoover, that means you know her. Or you at least know of her. Is she a regular here? Do I know her? What does she look like?” Jean pestered, riddling off a row of questions.

“Yes, Jean, she’s a regular. You might know her, though. She’s small, and she’s got blonde hair and icy blue eyes,” he described, seeing a blip of her face in his memory.

“Icy blue eyes,” Jean mocked.

Bertholdt soon regretted telling him what Annie looked like, because every time a woman with blonde hair walked into the shop, he’d harass him with a ‘hey, is that your girl? Is that her? What about her?’. Each time, he’d have to tell him that it was not her. However, there was something about hearing Jean ask if someone was ‘his girl’ that made that infectious blush rear its ugly head again. Thankfully, sometime after this awful conversation, Bertholdt got to return the teasing.

The three-person group that Bert had briefly remembered this morning was now making their way in. Eren, the stoic girl, and the blond boy whose name probably started with an A made their way up to the counter. Out of the corner of his eye, he could’ve sworn he saw Jean freeze. Bertholdt turned to greet them.

“G’morning! Er, afternoon, I guess. What can I get started for you?”

The stoic girl returned his greeting with a nod before turning to the two boys with her, and asking them what they wanted. The blond boy quickly muttered his drink preference, to which the girl nodded again, and dismissed him to go grab a booth for them. Eren pondered for a moment, looking at the menu on the wall behind the counter. He finally decided on something with caramel and a shit ton of sugar. The girl relayed the orders to Bertholdt, and ordered her drink with an additional pastry. As the transaction completed, Bert couldn’t help but notice that Jean had been stuck in the same spot since they approached the counter. Eren stepped forward a bit.

“Hey, uh, Bertholdt, is it?” He asked, squinting to read his nametag.

Bert nodded.

“What’s up with your buddy, here? Or is he a wax figure? I feel bad for the guy, since apparently no one has ever told him it’s impolite to stare.”

The taller boy turned his head to look at his once frozen, now thawed out friend. Jean’s face was bright red. He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed.

“Uh, s-sorry. Thought you looked familiar, is all.” He excused lamely.

The girl paused for a moment, looking Jean over. After what felt like an eternity to him, she finally spoke.

“Do you go to Maria University?” She asked.

Jean’s head nearly fell off of his shoulders from it shooting up so quickly. He stuttered to speak.

“U-um, yeah. I’m a psychology major at Maria.”

This answer seemed to satisfy the girl. She nodded and put the back of her hand against Eren’s chest, moving him back a bit as if to tell him to back off a little. Eren seemed to swallow a bit of his protectiveness before taking a step back.

“Then you must have seen me around before. I’m a forensics major; I spend a lot of time in the Reiss building.”

Jean nodded and muttered something about having a few classes in that building.

“Mikasa Ackermann.” She stated bluntly, sending another short nod his way.

“O-oh, I’m, uh, Jean. Jean Kirschtein.”

Once again, Mikasa nodded and a smirk formed on her lips. She paid for their drinks and signed the receipt handed to her by Bertholdt.

“See you around, then, Jean Kirschtein.”

Bertholdt stood there watching like a fly on the wall throughout the entirety of the interaction. It was equal parts entertaining as well as awkward. He’d only heard of Jean’s amazing stories of how much of a ladies’ man he is, but he never got to witness it in person. There was a moment of seemingly comfortable silence before Bertholdt decided to switch the roles. He was mindlessly cleaning the register area when he decided to bring it up.

“So,” he started, earning a look from Jean. “Is that your girl, Kirstein?”

His look of defeat, which had apparently been plastered on his face since the moment Mikasa walked away, was quickly replaced with a smirk.

“Oh, please. She could be my girl if I wanted. What can I say, I’m just that kind of guy.”

Bertholdt desperately tried to bite back a laugh, but failed. His laughter earned a nasty look from Jean, who was trying to act like it also didn’t bother him. “Look, you’re just mad because you didn’t have the balls to ask out your mystery girl,” Jean shot back.

Bertholdt rolled his eyes. He knew his friend didn’t actually have any harsh feelings against him, but this was more than likely a reaction due to some sort of insecurity. If he were an asshole, he’d pry about it, but since they were still at work, he’d save it for another day.

“She’s not a mystery. I know her name, and what kind of coffee she likes.” Bert answered.

“Yeah right, you won’t even tell me her name, dude. I’m thinking you just made it up.”

In the middle of their banter, someone on the opposite side of the counter cleared their throat. Both boys looked up to see another one of their friends, which was always a pleasant surprise. This coffee shop was on the other side of town for most of their friend group, minus Bertholdt.

“Hey, Marco!” Bertholdt greeted.

The dark-haired, freckled boy waved at the two behind the counter, donning a goofy grin. The guy just really knew how to light up a room. He immediately dropped the play-fight with Jean and approached the register to take his order. He asked him the usual ‘what can I get for you’ and took note of Marco’s response. How he was never bothered by asking the same question possibly a hundred times a day, he’ll never know.

“Do you have any more of those little sandwiches with the egg and cheese on them? I just got out of class and I could hardly focus, it was all I could think about for the entire lecture.”

Bertholdt sucked in a breath and rubbed the bag of his neck nonchalantly.

“Gee, Marco, I don’t know. I think we sold out of those almost instantly this morning. Y’know, they’re quite a popular treat.” He bluffed, knowing damn well there was one waiting for him.

Marco looked a bit defeated before perking up a second later.

“Jean, you hog! I’ll bet you ate them all, didn’t you?” He teased.

“Oh, uh. Yeah. I’ll save you one next time.”

His response was dull and lifeless. One thing that Bertholdt always noticed was how peculiar their friendship was. Marco would always try to joke around with him and start some sort of conversation, and Jean’s response was very bland. One might think that Marco would have an issue with the monotonous responses from his supposed friend, but his usual goofy grin always seemed to grow wider after. He wasn’t sure how those two could consider themselves to be friends, they never hung out one-on-one, to his knowledge.

Everyone else in the friend group was known to hang out one-on-one. There were many times that Jean would crash at Bertholdt’s tiny apartment because it was closer than his own home and he was dead tired from work. They’d spend the rest of the day watching movies or showing each other stupid things on their phones. Bertholdt and Reiner were practically like brothers, in almost every way. They would often look out for each other, as well as try to screw with each other, just like real brothers.

Hell, he’d even hung out with Marco before. Marco was studying to be some kind of historian, so he often asked his friend group to help him study for exams. Bertholdt would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy their little study sessions, partly because the two just enjoyed being goofy together and partly because it made Bertholdt feel like a student. Almost all of his friends, minus Reiner, were in college, but that wasn’t the case for him. He’d lived on his own since he was eighteen, due to his parents basically disowning him. Granted, they hadn’t actually tried to disown him, but they didn’t try to be apart of his life either. It took them a week to figure out he had moved out. He had woken up to a phone call that morning of his mother asking where he was. When he explained that he found his own place and left, she was silent for a moment before mumbling some sort of acknowledgement to his statement, and hung up.

“I’m just messing with you, Marco, I’ve got two more behind the counter. D’ya want both of them? I doubt anyone is gonna buy a breakfast sandwich this late in the day. I’ll even discount them for you.”

He grabbed his phone out of his back pocket to check the time, confirming his theory that the sandwiches would probably go to waste. It was just after 2 o’clock, very rarely did customers come in wanting the breakfast food they carried.

“Oh, sure! Thanks, Bert.”

“No problem. Jean, would you do the honors of toasting those bad boys and packaging them up for our favorite billy goat, here?”

Jean responded with a curt nod, turning around to get started on his new task. Bertholdt and Marco made small talk across the counter while the food was packaged up.

“Hey, do you know that group over there in the far corner? The quiet girl and her two friends?” Bertholdt asked.

He knew Jean and Marco went to the same university, maybe it was a small world and they knew each other. Marco discreetly looked over his shoulder at the table. His eyebrows rose as he recognized two of them.

“Oh yeah, the girl is in one of my psych classes. Her name’s Mikasa. I've actually been partnered up with her before. I’ve seen the blond guy hanging around with her, but I don’t know his name. Why?”

Bertholdt nodded at the information and shrugged in response to the other boy’s question.

“Eh, mostly just curious,” he said, but lowered his voice. “I think Jean’s got a thing for her. He was saying she looked familiar and everything.”

One of the freckled boy’s eyebrows shot up.

“Oh, uh, you think so? M-maybe he does, I’ve never heard him mention her before. Who knew?” Marco shrugged with a sheepish smile.

Marco was awful at lying and the whole world knew it. He was hiding something, and Bertholdt was certain of it. However, he kept his interrogating questions to himself. He nodded once more. He wanted to ask further on how close the two actually are, but they were interrupted by the barista in question.

Jean made his way to that end of the coffee bar and went to place the white paper bag containing the two sandwiches down. As he did, Marco reached for the bag at the same time. He nearly jumped as their fingers brushed against each other, a jolt of electricity traveling down his spine, hoping it was something Bertholdt didn’t see. He wasn’t mentally prepared for his friend to make things weird. Jean looked over at the taller boy, who seemed preoccupied with the register, so if he did see anything, he wasn’t making it obvious.

He nodded at the paper bag on the counter and placed his hands on the edge of the bar, putting his weight on his arms. He pushed out a heavy sigh.

“Enjoy.”

Marco nodded in thanks and wished the two baristas a good day, appreciative of the extra sandwich. Jean watched as the freckled boy walked out the door, perhaps letting his eyes linger a bit too long. When he turned back around, he was met with a strange look on Bertholdt’s face. The shorter boy asked him what his issue was, to which the taller replied that it was nothing. Jean shrugged it off and they spent the rest of the shift running smoothly.

[encosy]

For all you people who love G/t fluff and Attack on Titan, I wrote a short Borrowers/ AoT crossover.

It features Bertolt and a child version of Annie as well as some more AoT references that add depth to it if you know the show. But even if you don’t know AoT, it’s still fluffy in an innocent childish way, inspired by the likes of Arrietty. :)

If autumnal chill has settled at your places as well, I recommend to grab yourself a blanket and a tea or hot chocolate before reading :)

Either way, hope you like it!

[demiromanticskwis]

Beruani Week Day 5: Drunk

There’s a slow blink of Annie’s eyes, staring ahead despite the rowdiness of the boys’ cabin. Someone had managed to smuggle in alcohol from the higher ups’ office and everyone had hid themselves in this poor building to partake in a night of self indulgence.

She can hardly hear herself think over the loud, more or less intoxicated ramblings and jeers from her comrades and it wasn’t that she was the odd one out here, but merely the fact was that she had a high tolerance for alcohol to both her and the others’ surprise.

“Hear me out, Bert! S’like, the shorter you are, the more you can take! You can’t tell me I’m wrong!”

An almost unfamiliar sound of a full bellied laugh rings through the dormitory followed by a snort, and it almost brings a vague smile to the edges of Annie’s lips. For a man as quiet as Bertholdt, his laugh was always so loud and boisterous but she liked it. It was genuine and himself.

Though her own head is a bit fuzzy and she knows she will have trouble walking perfectly, she’s still content with sitting where she is. Across from Reiner, right besides Bertholdt and comfortable around familiarity amongst the loud and overwhelming obnoxiousness that came from the other cadets.

“Maybe you just talked a lot of trash- you aren’t as much of a heavyweight as you thought, huh?”

Reiner’s mouth opens to protest but he pauses upon hearing the extremely rare snort that came from Annie. But before anyone can react to it, she’s already burying her face into Bertholdt’s sweater to hold back any further laughter than she would have liked to have been heard.

But her reaction causes Bert to start acting up again, both bodies trembling with restrained laughter and Reiner trying desperately to defend his honor. A private moment shared between the three of them despite the small gathering of people in the building.

It’s only at the dark of night that Bert walks Annie back to her dorm, both of them nearly stumbling over feet and very quiet laughs shared between the two before they part ways. But Bert’s smile disappears as he walks back alone, knowing full well that such a smile and laughter that came from Annie is a rare sight he wants to see more of, but knowing what they are here for; Bertholdt knows he won’t see much of it any longer.

[linootte]

Voilà! J’espère que tu ne m’en voudras pas d’avoir rajouté Bertholdt… Mais cela faisait longtemps que je ne l’avais pas dessiné et le gars me manquait. Quand au fait que ce fanart soit totalement cul-cul et dégoulinant de mièvrerie, j’assume.

… Je viens de me rendre compte que le t-shirt de Bert est beaucoup trop court. On dirait qu’il porte un crop-top.

[glassesandswords]

What do you think about Reiner x Historia, Eren x Annie, Armin x Annie, Bert x Annie 👀

Disclaimer: These ratings are my personal, biased opinions, and are purely for entertainment purposes.

1. ReiHisu: Pretty one sided. Although, I have to admit that seeing Reiner fall for Historia during season one and season two was pretty cute. Reiner truly did care for her, even if the same couldn't really be said from Historia's side. This ship, however, lost its charm for me quickly, and Reiner sniffing Historia's letter in the end was just plain cringey. Favourite moment: "No matter what, we are saving Christa from this war." Canon Rating: 4/10 AU Rating: 5/10 2. EreAni: This is a very season one ship, but I get its appeal. This is the ultimate quiet-girl-hyper-guy combination and Mikasa's rivalry towards Annie made me feel as if I was watching a harem anime for Eren. Annie taught Eren hand-to-hand combat, and a lot of it has been useful to him throughout the course of the series. However, this ship doesn't really do it for me; mainly because of Annie's absence throughout the majority of the story. Favourite moment: "Shouldn't you be more gentle with this fragile body of mine?" Canon Rating: 5/10 AU Rating: 6/10 3. AruAni: This is a ship that I desperately wish I shipped with as much intensity as I shipped Levihan. And that is mainly because this ship has one of the best endings out of any ship in Attack on Titan. They do have their share of angst, fluff, and their heart-to-heart talk, but because I couldn't form a proper attachment to Annie's character, I just wasn't really invested in this ship. A lot of people say that Aruani was pulled out of thin air, but I totally saw it coming from the very beginning. Armin was the only person apart from Reiner and Bertholdt that Annie was close to, and Armin kept company throughout the four lonely years that Annie had to spend in her crystal. The one thing that doesn't really sit well with me when it comes to this ship is how Armin used Annie's name to manipulate Bertholdt again and again. I do understand that he had no other option but to do it, but its just. Idk really. Otherwise it's a very cute ship, so much that they are even aesthetically pleasing to look at together. I think this is one of the best Annie ships. Aruani shippers really won this game and I'm happy for them. Favourite moment: The ship confession ofc. Apart from that, Annie's dialogue of "From when did you start looking at me with those eyes, Armin?" in season 1. Canon Rating: 8/10 AU rating: 8/10 4. BeruAni: Another very one-sided ship. Bert did care a lot about Annie, but Annie never reciprocated it back. It's definitely not the worst ship out there, but it really did not make much of an impression on me, and even when I'm thinking about it, it still doesn't. I just feel bad for Bertholdt. He deserved someone who loved him back with the same intensity as he did. Favourite moment: When Bertholdt got triggered because of Armin's statement about Annie being tortured during the clash of titans in season 2. Canon rating: 4/10 AU rating: 7/10

[ratz-r-us]

Posted (3/11/21), offer is open until I say otherwise.

I haven’t been on here in awhile but I’m looking for AOT rp partners. I hate to have ‘requirements’ but I find it necessary.

- MUST be 15-18+ years old. I’m 16.

- I prefer to do long response/Lit rp’s. I can handle short response though.

- Romance rp, ship rp. Fluff or smut, as long as the characters are of age.

- keep in mind that if we do a ship that has a female character, due to severe dysphoria I cannot play the female character. I always play a male character, as I identify best with them and feel I play them better than I would a woman. I hope this doesn’t bother you.

Any time period is okay, any AU is okay. I don’t have any triggers, please let me know if you have any!

Characters I main or would love to play:

- jean

- niccolo

- Kenny

- Levi

- Eren

- Bertholdt

- Zeke

- Porco

- I have played a young adult Grisha before!

- Miche

- Moblit

I do any mostly any ships. One I will NOT do are listed here:

Will not do:

Eremika

Ereri

Anything with Levi/104th cadet Corp is off limits for me.

Anything with Floch. I can’t stand him.

Ships I frequently roleplay, including but not limited to:

Nicosasha

Jeanmarco

Aruani

Erehisu

Pieck/Porco, Pieck/Zeke

Jeankasa

Springles

Eruri

Levihan

Beruani

Reibert

Ive also dabbled around with much lesser known / lesser liked ships. ‘Crack ships’ if you will, random example: Niccolo and Marco. As long as it isn’t a ship I listed in the OFF LIMITs part of this post, I should be willing to at least try the ship. Let me know if there’s any questions! You can either message me here or on discord at:

bug is disturbed#5010

[fics-ladyshudragon]

Homage for the Suffering Chapter 7: Her

Pairing: Beruani Setting: Mostly Canon

Summary: While still in Warrior training, the higher ups set up new programs for their cadets.  Injections to make their titan forms stronger and titan hybrid reproduction.  Only it’s not optional who gets placed where. Bertholdt and Annie must now find a way to survive not only for themselves but for their child.

Read it on Ao3 or Fanfiction

Previous Chapter

Rain drops hit the window ledge one at a time, sending smaller droplets shooting off in all directions.  It seemed to rain only on the bad days, and according to Annie, there were more of those than usual lately.  

Her nights were usually filled with waiting for him to come back.  It was a lonely process waiting for another person.  She sat back in her chair at the small wooden table in her kitchen, resting her small feet up on the edge.  The motion caused her knee to pop; surprising her in the quiet room.  

This was one of the many nights she sat there waiting for him to come home.  It seemed to become routine after the incident a few weeks back.  Bertholdt was changing with the training.  He was stronger.  He was angrier.

Annie figured he would want to talk when he got back from training that night. Curling up with a book in the kitchen was her best bet to passing the time and forgetting about being alone.

Of the three friends, Annie and Bertholdt were the bookworms.  She had actually been the one to teach Bertholdt to read.  On the bad nights at his home, Bertholdt would run to her and they would sneak into the loft of her father’s barn.  Together they would hide under a blanket with a lantern to light the pages.  It was those days that reading connected her most to him.  They’d fallen asleep like that numerous times, only waking with the sunlight coming through the open window.

         It was always a rush to get back before anyone noticed they were gone.  And she’d held his hand the whole way as they ran.

         It wasn’t long before Annie started hoarding her mother’s favorite books, and several blankets and pillows in the loft, just for such nights.

         Annie sighed.  As painful as some memories were, these only brought peace.  But the Bertholdt she knew now was very different from the one she knew then.

The front door creaked and Annie sat up, dropping her book in her lap.  A roll of thunder shook the window panes.  Bertholdt stood in the doorframe, his silhouette visible with a flash of lightning outside.  The breeze picked up, chilling the room.  

         Annie got up to grab a towel for him, quickly wrapping it around his shoulders.  He didn’t move at all from the spot by the door, worrying Annie that things were much worse than they already seemed.  She shoved him gently away from the door so she could shut it. “Bertholdt,” Annie whispered.  She reached a hand to this arm, resting it there. Rain water slicked off of him, dripping to the floor.  “Bertholdt,” she repeated, “c’mon, let’s get you out of these clothes, you’ll freeze.” She tried to tug on his sleeve.  

         He wouldn’t budge.

         While in the past she would not have hesitated to yank him down the hall and make him listen…this time she couldn’t make herself do it.  His face looked so broken.  So angry. So very unlike the loving, shy boy she knew.

         “Bertholdt, please,” Annie begged, worry seeping into her bones.  “You’re going to get sick.”

         He finally complied, lifting the edges of his shirt up and over his head.  The clothing tried desperately to cling to his body with the weight of the water. He dropped the shirt to the floor.

         Another roll of thunder sounded outside, shaking the ground.  

“Annie, you love me, right?”  He said the words slow and quiet, so quiet that Annie did not hear them immediately.  

         “Of course.”  

         He reached a hand up to wipe some of the water from his face.  “No matter what happened in the past?  Or what will happen?”

         “Yes, but why are you asking me this?” she demanded.  Annie didn’t want to give him any reason to doubt her, but his dark behavior was so uncharacteristic.  “Please get the rest of those clothes off.  You’re shivering.”

         “Then…” he stopped, thinking, ignoring her, as more water dripped down his face from his dark hair. “Then I want you to tell me everything.  All that you and Reiner knew.”  He looked down into her blue eyes, and she couldn’t tell it was rain or tears in his eyes.

         Annie reached a cool hand to his face.  “I told you that weeks ago!  Why now? I mean, if that’s what you wa–”

“Not now,” Bertholdt snapped, cutting her off. “Because tonight you’re mine.”

         Suddenly he was kissing her, more force and wanting than she had ever felt from him before.  His lips were rough, and he was so wet.  She couldn’t resist him, only accepting it, reaching her other hand up to his face and brushing whatever water was there away.

         He wrapped one tan arm around her waist, and the other hand behind her neck, gripping it tightly in his palm.  Annie felt herself being backed into the lowly lit kitchen.  In a few steps, her butt hit the edge of the table, and Bertholdt’s hands moved to lift her onto it.  Her hands traced his wet body.  He shivered under her touch, a little from the cold and a little from her.  With his chest already bare, she moved to his pants, trying to undo the button holding them on, but his fingers stopped her.  Burning green eyes glared into hers.

         Her hands went back his face, his neck, his chest.  She allowed her fingers and mouth to investigate his body as his hands started stripping her from her own clothes.  He tore off her shirt and pulled down her pants in just a few seconds, leaving her in her underwear before him.  

         His eyes softened some, seeing her like this again before him.   Slowly a large hand reached up to one of her breasts, cupping it gently.  Her head leaned back taking in the feeling of his touch, and she gasped a bit when his mouth touched the skin of her collarbone. Even though he had been soaked moments before, every place he touched her radiated warm.  She’d missed him so much, being the only one not allowed to train, being the one left alone all day with Gisa, in a house that didn’t feel like a home.  

         All she wanted was her best friend by her side.  The boy she loved.

         Annie looked down at his head, and wrapped her arms around him, hugging his head to her chest. “Hi,” she said tentatively.

         Bertholdt relaxed his muscles and leaned into her.  He breathed a laugh into her chest, moving to look in her eyes. “Hi.”

         She didn’t want this to be one way; she so badly wanted to let him feel how she did.  Annie wanted him to know how it felt to be loved, to be wanted.  How long had he pined after her; how many years of her not giving any romantic feelings a second thought?  Her thumb started to trace his bottom lip and she curled her other hand around his shoulder. “Are you okay now?”

         Bertholdt smiled up at her, a real, genuine Bertholdt smile.  The blush she knew so well crept up his face.  “Yeah, I’m okay.  Sorry about that.  We don’t have to do anything.”

         Annie continued to watch him, trying to judge his mood.  He was so angry when he left.  And even more so just then, coming in with the rain.  But the tender look in his eyes, the softness of his features were all it took to really reassure her.  “I believe you.”

           His lips slowly trailed up her chest to her face, kissing the edges of her mouth, her cheeks, her eyelids.  Annie took hold of his face between her hands and directed his mouth to hers, kissing him as earnestly as she could.  

          “Bertholdt,” she said, pulled back a little.  Her hands dropped to his chest.  “Are you sure you’re not tired?”

         “Not tonight.”

         She reached for his wrist. “Then let’s meet in the bedroom…”

         “So how’s the morning sickness?  Or did you not get any of that?”

         “You’re funny.  And I feel absolutely awful.”  Gisa sat back in the kitchen chair with a cup of hot tea held to her lips.  “But no morning sickness.  Jokes on you, it’s too soon for that.”

         Annie shrugged.  “I don’t know anything about this stuff.”

         The girls sat across from each other in Giselle’s kitchen, sipping tea and discussing the finer points of their days alone.  Annie picked at a sandwich in front of her.  She adjusted in the wooden chair, her hips very sore from the night before.

         “You two sure were loud last night,” Gisa mused, giving Annie a knowing eye.

         “Hush, I’m not the one ‘with child.’”

         Gisa smiled.  “Anyway, do you maybe want to go for a walk or something today?  I am so tired of this place already.”

         “You say that every day.  And we literally take a walk every day.  Why don’t we do something different for a change?”  Annie stood from her spot at the table to take her plate to the sink.  “We could maybe… do some training?” she asked tentatively.  

         Her friend’s eyes widened. “I thought you had given up on that already?”

         Annie shrugged.  “I’ve been thinking about it a lot.  It can’t be that damaging, as long as I don’t shift or overdo it.”  She turned to Gisa and leaned up against the sink.  “So same spot as before?”

         Gisa smiled.

With each hit, Annie processed all the pain in her world.

Paradis Eldians were the most flawed of all creatures. And titan shifters like her were created to eradicate them and fight for Marley.  This is what they were taught from the moment they entered the Warrior training.  The world would be a better place without the evils of mankind, the demons of Paradis Island.

Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie all believed it.

“How could you be important to them if your ancestors left you here?”

“Wouldn’t you rather be citizens of Marley, you demons?”

“Your humanity is nothing.”

They’d heard it all.  

Yet, nothing kept them from obeying, from falling for the trap set by the Marleyan government.  Fight for us and your family can be a citizen.  No more compounds.  No more war.

They bought it.  And they fought hard for the privilege to not only shift into a titan, but to inherit the power of the Nine.  

It’s easy to brainwash kids who don’t know any better.  Becoming one of the Nine powerful titans had it’s drawbacks.  It meant going to war.  It meant possibly dying.  It meant losing your humanity and becoming a murderer.  

Annie led another punch straight into the flour bag.

Her mother, small but strong, was ripped away from her when she was young.  And she didn’t see her mother again until the day she needed to shift for the first time.

Shift and come back.

Annie had been warned of the scene that would be in front of her: another human, tied by the hands and feet with chains, a gag in his/her mouth.  She would get injected a final time in the arm and then burst into her titan body for the first time.  It wouldn’t hurt, and she wouldn’t remember a thing.  

What no one had told Annie was that her mother would be the shifter sacrificed so she could change back into a human.  It was with horror in her young, teary eyes that the needle broke through her skin, too quickly to say “no!”  Annie woke with Reiner holding her head and Bertholdt her hand.  

On the empty stand where her mother had been only a single foot remained.  

Her father never told her.  Or maybe he didn’t know.

At that moment, Annie felt her first bit of true hatred for humanity.  What made them so special to fight back and ruin the world for us?  They left us to fend for ourselves in the Titan War, to lose to Marley.  To become their slaves.  Victims to their own cause.

The feelings persisted, as countless weeks of titan training control ensued.  How long could she last?  How big could she get?  How much of Annie was still present inside the mask of a giant monster?

She was a force of destruction.  Fast, athletic, strong.  Nothing like Reiner, but the longevity of her titan was above average, and her cognition from within outdid that of many of her training team. They said she looked like her mother’s Female Titan.  

Annie’s knuckles bled as she continued to strike the bag.

A weapon of her kind was made for the destruction of humanity, and she slowly forgot why she ever questioned otherwise. Humans were evil and they must be destroyed for the good of all.

Or that’s what she was taught.

“I assumed you weren’t going to do this anymore?” Bertholdt accused as he wrapped his girlfriend’s tiny hands with bandage.  

“I needed a different activity than walking with Gisa every day.  You can’t leave me alone all day and expect me not to continue my training.”  She winced as the bandage rubber the raw skin.  “Besides, the more I thought about it, the more I realized it won’t hurt a baby.”

Bertholdt sighed, too tired to contest.  “Fine.  Do what you want.”

They sat quietly in the bedroom, the only light the flickering lantern near the bed. While there was no thunder, a small breeze and rain flicked the windows like the night before.

Annie broke the silence first.  “How’s training?  Can you tell me about the mission?”

“Why so interested?  A few weeks ago you didn’t want to know the details…”

“Newly understood intrigue.  While I was training, I thought a bit about my mom and the first day I shifted.  At least what I remembered of it.”

“We are going to Paradis Island.  Reiner, Marcel, and me.  They want us to bring down a few of the walls.”  Bertholdt looked at Annie.  “They said this expedition may take a few years.”

“Years!?” Annie feel back on her bed, hands over her face.

“There’s a district called Shiganshina, a city that sits out of the first wall.  We have to break the first gate there… that’s my job.  Then Reiner is supposed to break down the inner wall.  Marcel is supposed to take out any weapons on the walls themselves.  The idea is that an evacuation won’t be quick enough for the population there.  Then the inner wall dwellers will lose their lands, humanity will be pushed back.”

Annie listened, understanding the importance of what he was tasked.

“They either die being eaten or at the hands of their own people.  Overpopulation and a small area, with little food, should end the reign of the island demons.”  Bertholdt quieted.  “Then we return, assuming we aren’t killed.  I get pardoned as an Eldian, treated like a hero, and we move out of the compound.”

“Until you have to give up your titan,” Annie spoke matter-of-factly, “or you die in the next 10 years.”

“Hopefully I will have the pleasure to train the future holder of my titan.”  Bertholdt got up from his chair and moved it back to wall beside the door, before joining Annie on the bed.  “There’s talk of you joining us for this expedition.  That is, Zeke is trying to convince them.”

“Obviously that won’t work,” Annie said.  “They can either have me pregnant or on the island. They can’t have both.”

“And that is exactly why he was shot down.”

The couple remained still.  This mission would change their world forever.  But what was the cost?

“Look, Annie, let’s not dwell on this too much?  Other than your torn hands, how was your day?  I feel like I don’t ask you enough.”  Bertholdt turned to look at her.

As Annie say up, she said, “Nothing too exciting. Nothing like your day, I’m sure. Did you kick Marcel’s ass yet?”

Bertholdt laughed.  “If I could, I would.  He’s had it coming for a while now.”  He continued to look at the tiny blond.  “But, let’s not talk about him tonight.” He leaned down to kiss her hair.  

“What should we talk about then, Bertl?” she teased.

“How about no talking?”  Bertholdt grabbed her middle and pulled her onto his lap.  He wrapped his arms around her chest and tucked his chin on her shoulder.  Bertholdt began with slow kisses to her nape, his fingers tangling lightly in her golden hair.  

Annie sighed, leaning back into him.  She felt his hands trace down her arms and then up her sides, following the curves, where he finally caressed the skin of her breasts through her shirt.  Goosebumps rose on her flesh.  His kisses continued lower on her collarbone as he leaned over her.  

“I am going to get this shirt off of you, okay?”  He growled.

Her voice came out in small breaths.  “Yes.”

Slowly his fingers began undoing the buttons of her shirt.  His lips grazed her skin, following the loosened buttons.  She turned in his lap, allowing him access to her chest and straddling his hips.  Annie could feel him under her seat.  Her body reacted in time with his.  

“Your pants are next,” he teased, biting one of her nipples.  

This elicited a loud sigh from Annie’s lips.

He tossed her from his lap, landing on her on her back against the pillows.  Bertholdt climbed on top of her.  “Ready?”

“Yes.”

“Berty!” the voice called out for him.  

Bertholdt opened his eyes, but was momentarily blinded by the sun.  It was a cloudless day, bright and blue.  His hands lay under his head, as he remained supine on a grassy hill.  

“Berty!” the same voice called again.

It was a young Annie, running up the hill toward him.   Her blond hair was long and tossed behind her like the blades of grass.  Her smile was bright.

He sat up to greet her.

But something was changed.  The face was all wrong.  Her hair looked like Annie’s, but her eyes were his.  

“Daddy!” the girl called, the sound different this time.  She threw herself on his lap, laughing.

Daddy? he thought, confused.  Who was this girl?

Before Bertholdt could process the girl or anything else, he saw them coming from the distance.  A mob of lab coats, followed by a horde of titans.  

Including his own, the 60 meter Colossal Titan.

Their eyes red.  Their bodies followed by a cloud of darkness.

The titans reached them first, reaching for him and the small girl in his lap.  He couldn’t move.  All Berthold could do was watch in horror as a titan picked up the girl and slowly directed her to its mouth.

Her screams were deafening.  She reached for him desperately.

He could do nothing but scream and watch as the titan devoured her whole.  

Next Chapter (In Progress)

[zacekova]

The Ship Story Chapter 5

Summary: A collection of ficlets that are all loosely connected within the same AU. That being the SNK main cast are all pirates but this isn’t really about that.In other words, the fluffy, slightly cracky, pirate AU where everyone is dating pretty much everyone but no one’s really bothered by it. Because I am a multi-shipping whore. Featured Pairing: Titan Trio (Reiner x Bertholdt x Annie)  Side Pairing: None 

First - Previous - Next

ANNIE 

There was a heavy weight pressing down on her chest, a long line of heat that seeped through her shirt and spread out from her ribcage and into her limbs. It was hard to breathe.

She heard the door creak and opened her eyes to Reiner easing into the room, rubbing a towel over his head and down his neck, chasing away the remaining droplets of water from washing up. He glanced up as he shut the door behind him, eyes locking with hers for a long moment before drifting down the length of the bed. His lips began to curl up in a smirk. “Comfy?”

Annie’s gaze turned away with a roll, looking down to see Berthold sprawled across her side, his hip and the top of his leg hooked over her own, his face wedged beneath her arm and pressing into her ribcage. His arm was thrown across her waist haphazardly, fingers dangling off the edge of the bed. He was mumbling in his sleep.

“‘Tis hard to breathe,” she said, speaking softly.

Reiner hung the towel on the back of a chair and crouched to root through his trunk for a clean shirt. “Ye could just move his arm out o’ th’ way.”

When Annie didn’t respond, shifting gently in place on the bed for a long moment, Reiner rose and turned to her with his brows raised in question. “He might wake,” she said, eyes shifting aside and knowing a flush had crept onto her cheeks. When she finally worked up the nerve to turn back to him, Reiner was grinning broadly, eyes twinkling.

“Aye, he might,” he said. “‘Twould be a right shame.”

“Yer an arse.”

Reiner laughed. “If yer wantin’ more time to snuggle I won’t make fun. Might even join ye if ye ask nicely.”

Annie looked up. He was looking down at her with a fond smile, the kind that made her belly churn and she turned away again. “Don’t ye have work to do?”

“I reckon it can wait a few more minutes,” Reiner said, coming around to her side of the bed and gently lifting Bertholdt’s arm to lie down on his side, face inches from her own. “Mornin’,” he whispered, easing forward and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Mornin’ Bertholdt.”

A sleepy grunt was the response.

Annie tensed, gaze shifting to the mop of brown hair down at her chest. “How long have ye been awake?”

Bertholdt only pressed his face more tightly into her side, wiggling closer.

Reiner chuckled. “He woke before I did, lass. He just wanted to lie around wit’ ye for awhile since ye don’t come round much.”

Annie looked back and forth between the two of them, debating between being amused and annoyed for a long moment. Finally, she huffed. “Ye don’t have to suffocate me next time. Just ask.”

[messyfruit]

“Mint”

Why does everyone always have to gang up on Porco? Why do they have to call him mean and make him feel all alone all the time? And why does Colt have to have strategy classes with Zeke six times a week when the rest of them have sparring?! Why can't Colt just be there to prove everyone wrong when they turn on him?! He has friends!

That's right: even if Colt is a little weird, he's Porco's best friend! Unlike everyone else, Colt doesn't mind Porco's temper. He trusts him, and that makes Porco feel very important.

... And that's why he's is going to get him that Marleyan ice cream he wants!

Chapters: 2/28 (can be read as standalone) Words: 6100+ Rating (chapter): General audience Rating (series): Explicit  Relationships: PorcoxColt (porukoru), ReinerxBertolt (Reibert) Characters: Porco Galliard, Colt Grice, Pieck, Marcel Galliard, Reiner Braun, Bertolt Hoover, Annie Leonhart. Tags: Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, stormy relationship, violence, fluff, childhood fluff.

Illustration by @nenekantoku​ 

Note: this can be read as a standalone, but is part of an ongoing series. Tag relevancy will change with story progression. General series info under the cut. 

Series summary:

Colt and Porco grow up together and find comfort in each other's company when their friends leave for war. When they catch feelings for each other, they get caught in a perpetual whirlwind of feelings, denial, anger, and makeup-kisses. Colt has to face off against the duties that bind him, while Porco fights as much for Marely as he fights to understand his place in his friend (maybe boyfriend?)'s life.

A chronicle of Porco and Colt's love story through the years - every other chapter told from Porco and Colt's POV. Written to fit seamlessly between their canon interactions in them manga (and to give delicious, shippy context to those moments).

Series title: Perpetual Words (so far): 9600+ Rating (series): Explicit Relationships: PorcoxColt (porukoru), ReinerxBertolt (Reibert), BertoltxAnnie (beruani), FalcoxGabi (falbi) Characters: Porco Galliard, Colt Grice, Pieck, Marcel Galliard, Reiner Braun, Bertolt Hoover, Annie Leonhart, Theo Magath, Falco Grice, Gabi Braun, Mr. & Mrs. Galliard, Mr. & Mrs. Grice. Series tags: Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Fights, stormy relationship, Violence, BDSM (yes they go rough), Denial, War, Fluff, Childhood fluff, Makeup Kisses, locker room scene, coming of age, misunderstandings, canon-verse.

[carolina-skies]

ℂ𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕖 𝕊𝕙𝕠𝕡 𝕊𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕜 - ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕖: 𝕎𝕚𝕤𝕙 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕎𝕖𝕣𝕖 ℍ𝕖𝕣𝕖

Bertholdt Hoover x Annie Leonhardt Beruani Coffee Shop AU

Published: 9/30/2021

Subscribe on AO3

Masterpost

Ko-Fi

Bertholdt woke up the next few mornings more excited for the day than most people, especially considering that he gets up before most office employees and warehouse workers. Hell, sometimes, he even saw a boy on his bike delivering newspapers as he walked to work. It was kind of a brutal gig, but it paid the bills and now he kinda had something to look forward to in the mornings.

The shitty part was, he didn’t see Annie for another four days after their previous interaction, not that he was counting or anything. If she didn’t show up for a morning coffee for another day, he would maybe convince himself that it was logical to start worrying. Even if he did start worrying, it’s not like he would be able to do anything about it. He tried to imagine exactly how that would go down.

‘Hi, I’d like to report a missing person. Her name is Annie. I can’t tell you anything else about her but she does like Java chip coffees.’

Bert shook his head at his own stupid imagination, making his way to the cafe door and unlocking it. If his hands weren’t full with his keys unlocking the shitty front door that nearly required an angry bull to unlock, he would have slapped himself upside the head. He flicked on the lamp and started preparing for the day, getting lost in his own little world. He must’ve spent about an hour preparing baked goods in the display case, making sure he had all the ingredients he’d need for the day at his station, and cleaning his workspace. A customer came in to disturb his peace briefly, but it was just to use the restroom. After he left, he seriously contemplated locking the door behind him to open the coffee shop an hour late, just so he could have his well-deserved peace and quiet. Pyxis would certainly have his ass, but it would probably be worth it.

He was glad he didn’t, though, because as he was wiping down the coffee bar for what felt like the seventeenth time this morning, the doorbell jingled. He looked up before spouting his usual greeting, and couldn’t help the small smile that formed on his face as a petite blonde entered the building.

“Good morning,” he nearly breathed.

He couldn’t help that the greeting sounded a little more friendly and warm, and a little less ‘please leave a tip’. She returned his greeting with a silent nod. If the lighting weren’t so poor due to the singular lamp combating with the not-yet risen sun, the light blush on Annie’s face may have been visible, thanks to Bertholdt’s direct attention.

“What can I get you today?”

She pondered at the menu for a moment, which allowed him a moment to observe his surroundings in order to avoid just staring at her as she decided. She noticed this and took this as an opportunity to really look him over. Though he had a very lanky figure, he had strong, broad shoulders. He sported a navy blue long sleeve, which he had rolled up to his elbows. His hair was strategically ruffled, in a way that if it were any longer, it would be considered shaggy. Upon first glance, his eyes appeared to give off a dull black color, but if she looked close enough, she could swear they were actually a shining silver. She didn’t know how long she had been examining him, but it must’ve been long enough for his gaze to meet hers. Both of their faces began to heat up at the interaction.

“A white hot chocolate and a scone… please.” She said carefully.

It’s not that she was rude and didn’t say please and thank you to people, but her tone behind the formality felt different. He noticed it as well, allowing his head to perk up a bit as he entered her order into the machine before him. The smallest hint of a smile graced his lips at her response as he murmured something along the lines of ‘it’ll be out in just a few minutes.’

She took this time to eyeball the coffee shop, never having stuck around for more than a few minutes. She was almost always the first customer here in the mornings, having to have an early start to her day. She noticed the rustic feel of the shop, with various colored seating everywhere. Each table had eccentric chairs paired with them, almost like they had their own separate personalities. If she stayed here long enough, maybe she’d pick a favorite. The booths all had the same kind of worn out diner seating, complete with peeling leather. She found herself drawn to a velvet, olive green reading chair wedged into the furthest corner of the small shop. She could picture herself curling up in that chair as a young girl, lost in her fantasy book of the week. The chair probably witnessed a lot of that in its former life, wherever it was before it found its forever-home here.

“You’re welcome to stay.”

Anne whipped around with a gasp, being met with the tall figure that was once behind the counter. She wasn’t expecting a voice to be that close behind her. Their eyes locked for maybe a moment too long before Bertholdt took a step back and cleared his throat. He extended his arm to hand her the drink she ordered, which she had all but forgotten about. He mumbled something about the scone being in a paper bag on the counter. He then found himself looking at the floor, as if the scuffs and scrapes done by the chairs were suddenly the most interesting thing in the world. Annie mimicked a noise that roughly translated to ‘pardon?’

“I uh-, I mean, you can hang around, if you’d like. Lots of people will sit here for hours with a book or crossword puzzle, y’know?”

She looked around once again before glancing back at him. Part of her wondered if he wanted her to stick around. Her theories inside her head were running wild, she was surprised he couldn’t hear them.

“I just mean, I’ve seen you here a few times, is all.”

He was definitely blushing. This was pretty bold of him to be asking a girl he hardly knew to hang around the shop. In his defense, he wasn’t directly asking her to spend time with him, but there also wasn’t anyone else in the small store.

She responded with a small nod, not one that was exactly a yes, but more so that she acknowledged the sentiment. She could maybe see herself hanging out here once in a while, as long as it wasn’t too crowded. He took her lack of verbal response as a ‘I’ll consider it’ kind of answer. It wasn’t exactly a no, though. He had a feeling that Annie was definitely the kind of person to stand her ground if she was uncomfortable with something. He didn’t know her very well at all,but sometimes you just get that feeling about a person.

There was something unspoken in their short interaction, but they were both aware of it. Something tiptoeing around understanding. She thanked him for the coffee before finally taking a sip. She let out a hum of satisfaction as the hot liquid directed energy through her veins. Bert would be lying if he said he didn’t find that to be adorable.

He spun on his heel and made his way back to the other side of his counter, back behind his safety coffee bar. Annie approached the bar to grab her bagged pastry. As she picked it up, she noticed the paper receipt under it. She glanced up, eyeing a distracted Bertholdt, who was once again tidying his work station. She quickly searched the counter for something to write with, making quick work of the pen laying by the register. She scribbled something onto the receipt and quickly hid the piece of paper as he turned back around. She was acting casual, taking another sip of her drink as if to linger in the shop for a moment longer.

“Sweet tooth?” He suddenly asked.

She slowly pulled the coffee cup away from her lips and eyed him for a moment.

“Pardon?”

“You always order those super sweet drinks. You must have a sweet tooth, huh?”

This much was obvious. He had no idea what he was doing, but he wanted to start a conversation. He wanted her to stay for just a moment longer, but he took note of the sugary caffeine she liked.

She nodded as a small blush crept across her features, joined by the corner of her lip twitching upward.

“Ever since I was a kid.” She provided.

He let out a huff of laughter. She decided that the noise was intoxicating, and what she wouldn’t do to hear more of it. Bertholdt turned for a brief moment, allowing Annie to have a moment out of his sight. Still clutching the receipt in her hands, she spotted the tip jar on the counter. She had kind of a silly idea, but if it worked out, it would be worth it. With his back still turned, she dropped the receipt into the tip jar almost being spotted by the tall boy behind the counter. She made her way towards the door before looking over her shoulder once more.

“See you around,” she said, sending another small smile his way.

He returned her gesture and waved, watching her walk out the door. To his horror, as she walked out, she nearly bumped into an ashy-haired man, clad in a red and black flannel, black slacks, and a casual grey t-shirt with a printed graphic of what looked like a coffee mug. They both mumbled their own versions of ‘excuse me’, and went on their way. Bertholdt’s blood ran cold as his eyes darted between the two, waiting for Jean to make an ass of himself as he brushed past Annie. The other boy finally made his way to the counter and peeled off his hoodie, due to the difference in temperature inside the coffee shop. He turned to greet his coworker, bundling the clothing item in his hands.

“Hey man, g’morning- why do you look like that?” Jean instantly became suspicious.

Bertholdt had the worst poker face in existence, and he’ll never know how he managed to act like a normal person in front of Annie. He’s surprised and also proud of himself that he hadn’t broken down and confessed some sort of admiration to the girl yet.

“L-look like what?” Bert tried, hoping Jean would drop it.

He did not.

“No, no, you usually look gangly and weird considering you’re twice the height of a normal person, but there’s something wrong with you. Like more than usual.”

Bertholdt let out a huff. Even when his friend was trying to interrogate him, he still took every opportunity to make a comment about his height. Asshole. He shrugged and muttered something incoherent.

“Y’know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you just embarrassed yourself in front of a girl or something-,” he stopped the second the words came out of his mouth.

His eyes widened as he looked at Bertholdt for confirmation, who was growing red in the face.

“She was here, wasn’t she?” He interrogated, channeling the most wide-eyed, excited look he could muster.

Bertholdt attempted to stutter out an excuse to get Jean to lay off, but there was no use. If he could harass or embarrass someone, he could practically put his own life in danger just to do it. Jean promptly ignored his friend’s attempts at speaking, continuing his line of questioning. As his mouth was running a mile a minute, Bert made the mistake of eyeing the door that Annie had just walked out of. Jean’s eyes got even wider, miraculously, as he caught on to the taller boy’s body language.

“That was her, wasn’t it? I just walked by her! Hell, I bumped into her!”

He beelined for the door, pushing it open and half-leaning out as he looked both ways down the street, ignoring the cold burst of wind that chilled his bones. Right now, his concern was not that he was hoodie-less, but that the girl that had somehow caught his friend’s attention walked right by him, and he didn’t even notice! This wasn’t to say that the girl he’d been talking about couldn’t be attractive, but when it came to women, Bertholdt was about as attentive as a toddler. He continued to eye each person as they continued their treks into the cold weather, not paying him any mind. He soon gave up when he didn’t find any young blonde girls in his sight. Jean let out a huff and made his way back to Bertholdt, who had an unamused look on his face.

“Are you done?” Bert asked, crossing his arms.

“With?” Jean replied smugly.

“With making an ass of yourself! What are you trying to accomplish?”

Jean provided some sort of excuse about wanting to meet Annie, and how he was just looking out for Bertholdt. It took all of ten seconds for Bertholdt to see through his friend’s bullshit.

“Yeah, right. Knock it off, Jean. One of these days, you being a nosy prick is going to come back to bite you in the ass.”

The ashy-haired man shrugged his friend’s comment off. They spent the rest of their shift picking at each other, and making insulting comments about the other. They were once again running as the well-oiled machine that made them such compatible coworkers. The day was filled with the two boys rushing past each other, exchanging bottles and coffee-making-vessels that the other needed. By the end of the shift, they both had various sugars and coffee ingredients speckled and smeared across their shirts. Jean even had a piece of paper straw stuck in his hair.

“Hey man, do you just wanna crash at mine? Today was brutal,” Bertholdt offered.

He was exhausted, to say the least. Not to brag about himself, but he was the kind of guy to easily run a 12 hour shift without stopping, so if he was exhausted, Jean had to be dead on his feet. Jean let out a groan that came from the heart.

“Yes, please. I drove to work today so we can take my shitbox home,” Jean suggested, referring to his beat up car.

They were both grateful that they didn’t have to make the trek back to Bertholdt’s apartment on foot. Today felt like one of those days his grandparents would always refer to where they’d walk to school ‘for three miles in the snow, uphill both ways.’ The coffee shop was only open until the late afternoon, except on certain occasions, so once it started slowing down around 2pm, the boys started cleaning up. Finally, by 3, it was nearly dead. The only movement inside the shop was from a clock ticking mercilessly away on the wall. They threw the last bit of the dirty dishes either in the sink or dishwasher, deciding to be dealt with tomorrow. Jean was standing around, waiting on Bert to finish his final cleanliness inspection. The raven haired boy urged his friend to go on.

“I’ll only be a second, go start up the car or something,” he suggested.

Jean shrugged and made his way outside, tugging his hoodie closer to his thin frame as the wind whipped at his exposed skin. Inside, Bertholdt did one final look-around before his eyes landed on the glass jar at the edge of the counter. He made his way over to the tip jar, deciding he’d split the tips left in there with Jean. As he gathered the crumbled bills and loose change, his fingers brushed something familiar. It felt more like paper than a dollar bill would. He pocketed the money, mentally noting to divide it up later, and grabbed the piece of paper. It felt like a receipt.

His brow furrowed as he examined the folded sheet. He unfolded it carefully, making sure not to damage it. As the paper laid in his hand, the small smile that he’d become accustomed to found its way back to his face.

Maybe next time.

-Annie

He folded the receipt back up and tucked it into his other pocket, opposite from the money. He decided he’d bring it home and keep it with the first one.

[emmabodt]

Bad Hanji!!! BeruAni 1: Part 2

Day 1:

Annie sleepily blinked her eyes open, and started when she saw that she wasn't in the dorms. She quickly scanned the room, and saw that someone had put a tray of food on the table. Had she been kidnapped?!

Something squirming against her stomach snapped her back to her senses. She gingerly lifted the blanket, and under it was Bertholdt, nuzzling himself closer to her stomach, still asleep.  Annie shook her at the black haired baby. "What is it with you and my stomach?" she muttered, pulling off the covers to expose him. He kicked his little legs and tightened his hold on her hoodie, burrowing his face into the heated material. Annie rolled her eyes, refusing to admit how adorable he looked.

She gently sat up, supporting the former giant as she went so she didn't topple him over the side of the bed. Then Annie gracefully stood up and picked him up in one fluid motion. As she expected, he didn't wake up. She groaned, then lifted him over her head and shook Bertholdt, just like Reiner did the night before, internally cursing about how much of an idiot she looked like. Moments later, Bertholdt's green orbs flickered open, and he let out a tiny yawn. Annie lowered him to the floor with a huff." Good Morning, Sleepyhead."

Bertholdt blinked up at her, then began to rub his eyes. While he busied himself with waking up, Annie strode over to the desk with the tray of food. Next to it was a note from Reiner. Picking up a piece of bread, she opened the note and read;

“Good Morning

I brought some food for you and Bertl from Moblit, and I changed him before I left for training. I'll be back around lunch to change him again. Moblit and Hanji want to drop off more toys for our mini Bertl, so that will be my excuse.

By the way, I have to say you and Bertholdt looked really adorable this morning. Tell him I say he picked a good spot.”

"Why you little-!" Annie crumpled the note with her fist before throwing it across the room. Bertholdt swiveled his head to watch the unfortunate paper's flight, and when it landed, he stood up and toddled over to it. Bending over, he picked it up and looked back at his blonde babysitter. She watched blankly as he looked between her and Reiner's note, then jerkily drew arm back to throw it. It landed a few inches away, and he went over to repeat his process. Over and over and over.

After a minute, Annie sighed and shook her head. He looked like he was having fun, but he needed to eat something before she ate everything." Hey. Bertholdt."

The baby spun around to face her, then toddled over and handed her the paper. Annie couldn't help but smile a little at Bertholdt's cute antics." You need something to eat. Here," she said, handing him a small piece of bread. He took it and looked at it, then raised his head to Annie. She watched as his gaze switched between the bread and her face. Then he lifted his arm and threw the bread away.

"Seriously? You're supposed to eat it, not throw it," Annie deadpanned, shaking her head as she walked over and picked up the bread. Bertholdt watched her every move with his green orbs. Annie looked back at him thoughtfully, then slowly brought the bread to her mouth and took a bite. She swallowed the bite and held out the bread to the baby again. Green eyes blinked at her before toddling closer to her and taking the abused bread. Bertholdt stared at the bread in his hands before slowly bringing it to his mouth and biting into it. Then another. And another.

Annie stood up, satisfied that Bertholdt wasn't going to throw his bread anymore. Then she sighed and looked out the window, wondering when Bertholdt was going to grow up and hoping it was soon. He was so cute she couldn't stand it.

Day 4:

Annie glared murderously at Reiner, who was bent double with mirth in front of her. The sound of his laughter was seriously grating on her nerves. However, rage had nothing to do with the red  color burning her cheeks.

"Shut the hell up, Reiner! Bertholdt is sleeping!" she hissed venomously. Said baby unconsciously nuzzled her bare stomach, his tiny toes poking out from under her sweatshirt. Reiner barely stopped his laughs, wiping tears from his eyes.

"This is just too funny! How the hell did he wiggle himself up your shirt, Annie?!"

Annie glowered at him." I don't know, and I don't care. The last thing I remember is falling asleep with him in my lap, and when you woke me up he was half way up my sweatshirt."

Reiner smacked his thigh and covered his eyes with one hand, trying hard to supress his giggles. Annie huffed in annoyance." Get out. Now."

Reiner shook his head, still smiling." Sorry, have to change him first. Mind pulling him out for me?"

If looks could kill, the hunky blonde in front of Annie would be burning in hell right now." Turn around, and I will," she growled. Reiner shook his head as he turned to look out the window behind him.

Satisfied, Annie looked down at the bulge that was Bertholdt and tried not to think about what that bulge could mean one day. She let out a puff of air through her nose before gingerly lifting the hem of her sweater to reveal the side of the mini giant's face. His nose was stuck snugly in her belly button, and his face was firmly rooted to her abdomen. The little puffs of breath that escaped his mouth slightly tickled. She experimentally tapped his head, and he nuzzled her stomach with his head, clenching and unclenching his puny fists. Shaking her head at him, she slowly lifted him off of her stomach and settled him down on the bed next to her.

"Okay, Reiner. He's ready now," she growled, pulling up her hood. Reiner immediately spun around and hefted Bertholdt above his head, giving him his daily gentle shake. He smirked when the baby's green eyes flickered open.

"Morning, you troublemaker. Best stop embarrassing Annie, or else she might kick you later."

"The only person I'll be kicking when he's back to normal is you, Braun," Annie groused.

Reiner ignored her and turned around to change a still sleepy Bertholdt. A few minutes later,  the hunky blonde lifted his best friend turned infant into the air." There we go. Good as new!" Reiner said cheerfully.

Annie, still posted on the bed, held out her arms." Alright, you did your part. Give him back and go back to training."

Reiner cocked one eyebrow at her as he returned Bertholdt to her." You are seriously in a bad mood today."

Annie carefully placed the already fast asleep baby in her lap." Maybe I wouldn't be if I hadn't been woken up with someone's teasing," she said icily, staring him down with her equally icy eyes.

Reiner nodded apologetically." Sorry. I'll go now." He crossed the room to the door and opened it, but paused before exiting." You know, I think I know why he goes for your stomach."

Annie eyed him wearily." Why?..."

"Well....don't take this the wrong way, but I think it's because your stomach is soft and warm."

Annie cocked an eyebrow, silently as kind for explanation, to which Reiner face palmed." If you sleep with the guy long enough, you'll find yourself in a lot of strange positions. But he always has his face in something warm or soft, like his pillow," he explained.

"What does he stick his face in that's warm?" Annie asked, subconsciously stroking Bertholdt's silky black hair.

Reiner deadpanned." My stomach. Which isn't exactly the softest thing you could ask for."

Annie surprised herself by giggling as Reiner walked out of the room with a huff.

Day 7:

Annie woke up, but didn't open her eyes. She was so comfortable...and warm. She could almost pretend she was back at home, under her favorite blanket with a book... She smiled slightly and snuggled into the warmth, rubbing her nose against something hard but strangely soft at the same time....Wait.

Annie froze.

Pillows don't feel warm or hard. They were just soft.

And why couldn't she feel Bertholdt nuzzling her stomach?..... Annie then became aware of warm air hitting the top of her head, and the warm weight around her waist. Her eyes flew open to see a bare, well built chest. Her heart jumped up into her throat before plummeting to her stomach. Slowly, she tilted her face back to look at the face of the person holding her. Sharp chin, long nose, black widow's peak. Bertholdt, all grown up...and probably nude.

Annie willed herself not to look down as she started to detach herself from the regrown Warrior. She carefully wiggled out one arm and tried to lift his arm off of her waist. Instead of succeeding, he only gripped her tighter, pulling her even closer to him. Annie groaned. She had to get out of his arms before he woke up, or else he'd be a mess. Not that she minded staying...because for some reason, Annie was enjoying her current situation.

The door creaking open almost made her jump out of her skin. Twisting her head, she saw Reiner's bulky frame fill the doorway. She hissed to get his attention, and his golden eyes went wide as he took in the sight of his friends.

"Don't just stand there! Help me! He won't let go!" Annie whispered frantically.

Reiner blinked, then quickly rushed to her aid. He gingerly pryed Bertholdt's arm off of Annie, causing the giant to mumble in his sleep and stick his nose in Annie's hair.

"Quick! Roll out of there before he does something worse!" Reiner ordered quietly, moving aside with Bertholdt's arm firmly gripped in his hand. Annie didn't need to be told twice. She quickly rolled off the bed, smothering a yelp as she caught herself. By the time she'd picked herself off the ground, Bertholdt had replaced her body with a pillow, his entire face shoved into the soft piece of fluff. She huffed and pulled her blonde hair back before turning Reiner.

"So...what now?"

Bonus Ending, because this didn't fit with the baby part and it's cute as hell:

1 Week Later:

Annie groaned, turning over on her other side and staring at the wall. As payment for watching Bertholdt, Moblit and Hanji had let her keep the room she utilized with Bertholdt. It was nice and quiet compared to the dorms, and she was grateful for it. The bed was big and soft, a nice treat after a long day of training. But she couldn't sleep.

She hadn't been sleeping well since Bertholdt 'grew up'. She wondered why for weeks, and the answer came to her while she was sparring. It was because she'd become used to having something sleeping right next to her. And for some reason, her body didn't want to readjust.

Not wanting to futilely readjust herself again, Annie got up and marched to the door. After pulling on her boots, she strode down the hall, out the door, and over to the boys barracks. Just as she had expected, the boys were still up. She quickly rapped her knuckles on the the door. Moments later, Marco opened the it.

"Oh! Hi Annie! What are you doing here this late?" he asked, giving her a friendly smile.

"I came to get Bertholdt. Can you send him out here?" Annie replied emotionlessly.

"Yeah! Just a second," Marco said before looking over his shoulder." Hey Bertholdt! Someone's at the door for you!"

Annie tapped her foot as Bertholdt joined them. His green eyes went wide when he saw who was waiting for him." Oh,uh, hi Annie. You needed something?"

"SHUT THE F***K UP, HORSEFACE!"

"GIVE ME YOUR BEST SHOT, ASSHOLE!"

"OH YEAH!?"

"HELL YEAH, SUCICIDAL MANIAC!"

Marco sighed and looked up at the door frame. If he hadn't been so pure, he probably would've been muttering curses under his breath." Looks like those two are at it again...excuse me, I have to go make sure no one loses a tooth," said the exasperated freckled boy, shaking his head as he turned to curb the fight and leaving the two Warriors to themselves. Bertholdt coughed awkwardly.

"Uh, Annie? What do you need me for?"

Instead of answering, the short blonde grabbed the green eyed giant's wrist and began dragging him back to her room, startling him."A-Annie? Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

When they arrived Annie opened the door and shoved him inside. After she shut the door, she began tugging off her boots, while Bertholdt watched her uneasily. She stood up and pulled her hair down with a huff.

" Take off your boots."

Bertholdt blinked, then silently bent down to obey as  Annie watched him. When he placed his boots neatly beside her own, Annie grabbed his wrist again and dragged him over to the bed. She could feel the muscles in his arms tense up in anxiety as she sat him down on the bed.

"A-Annie, what's going on? Why did you bring me here?"

 Bertholdt asked, looking up at her with his all too familiar green eyes. Annie sighed, taking pity on him.

"I needed help, and you're the only one I want to help me."

Bertholdt dropped his gaze and nodded quietly." Okay.... What do you need me to do?"

Annie reached behind him and pulled back the covers." Take off your shirt and get in the bed."

"...Wait, what?!"

Annie stared down at the now slightly blushing giant in front of her, silently repeating her command through her ice blue eyes. Bertholdt ducked his head and obeyed, removing his pajama shirt and placing it on the floor before hiding himself under the covers. Annie closed her eyes for a moment, removing her hoodie, then opened them to join the Warrior in her bed. When she slid in next to him, his already tense body went rigid.

" A-Annie....."

She put her her hands on his -very muscular- shoulders and pushed him down towards the foot of the bed. Then she gently pressed his face into her stomach. She could feel him starting to sweat from anxiety, and his breaths were quick and panicked. She could only imagine how high his heart rate was.

"Bertholdt, relax. You might as well as make yourself comfortable; you're not leaving for a while," she murmured, curling herself around his head slightly. She felt him swallow against her skin.

"Annie....how am I helping you....like this?" murmured the giant, unable to help how his lips touched her.

The blonde puffed through her nose in amusement, curling her hands in his black hair.

" You're helping me sleep. Anymore questions?"

"....Permission to...touch you?....."

"Granted."

Bertholdt sighed, his breath warm on her stomach. Then he gently wrapped his arms around her hips, positioning himself so that his torso lay between her legs. He gave her stomach a small, tiny nuzzle, pressing his face into her. Annie smiled a tiny smile and moved one her hands to his nape, rubbing small circles into sensitive skin.

"You nuzzled me like that every time you fell asleep, back when I watched you."

She felt his eyelashes tickle her as he blinked.

".....Is that what this is about?....." Bertholdt murmured quietly.

Annie hummed instead of answering, and a comfortable silence fell between the two. Bertholdt was the first to drift off to sleep, unconsciously tightening his grip on the blonde, nuzzling her stomach. Annie puffed in amusement as her lids fell closed, her final thoughts appreciating the warmth of her sleeping partner.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reiner stood a few paces from the bed, taking in the sight in front of him with a satisfied smirk on his face.Annie was once again trapped between between Bertholdt's arms and his chest, and his chin was resting on her golden head. And this time, Annie was fast asleep, snugly cradled by her partner's arms. Reiner was going to have to ask him how the hell his green eyed friend did it, and if he was feeling lucky, he'd tease Annie about it, too.

[ohgodwhy151]

Heyyyy I need something to cure my depressionnnn... So can you do Beruani pregnant lol I need fluff rn... Your fics are great thank you for blessing us all 😂 💔

Thanks for the ask. I know how you feel and can tell you I am now working on a pregnant fluff thing for you and everyone else who needs a pick me up 

[shingeki-no-killme]

Chapters: 8/? Fandom: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Reiner Braun/Bertolt Hoover, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir, Sasha Blouse/Connie Springer, Marco Bott/Jean Kirstein, mainly ReiBert, Some mention of past BeruAni Characters: Reiner Braun, Bertolt Hoover, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss, Ymir (Shingeki no Kyojin), Sasha Blouse, Connie Springer, Marco Bott, Jean Kirstein, Annie Leonhart, Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman, Armin Arlert Additional Tags: Reincarnation AU, College AU, They’re roommates and they’re super gay, Frottage, Hand Jobs, bisexual!Bert, Fluff, Mild Angst, Explicit Language, CamBoy!Bertholdt, chapter spoilers up to and including 95, smoking, drinking Summary: Reiner and Bertholdt are roommates. Bert is bi and Reiner is gay as all hell. Was originally a little idea for ReiBert Week but it has evolved into a glorious multi-chapter fic. Updates on Saturdays. I’ll be adding more tags as I add chapters but also please check chapter notes for warnings specific to that chapter. That one fic where Reiner and Ymir are bros. (lol how do you even write a summary) This is for ReiBert week 2017 Day 1: Reincarnation AU

[fancymuffinparty]

Annie Leonhardt ^_^

My NOTP for them: Annie x that stupid crystal! D’:

My BROTP for them: BeruAni or HitchAni

My OTP for them: EreAni of course! :D

My second choice pairing for them: Mikannie or RivaAni

My fluffy pairing for them: EreAni needs more fluff! 

My angsty pairing for them: Mikannie is pretty damn angsty :/

My favorite poly ship for them: RivaMikaAni

My weirdest pairing for them: ReiAni I guess lol (is it weird that I ship her more with Reiner than Bertolt??)

Thanks @nakamatoo ;)))

[kyojuuros]

annie

My NOTP for them

My BROTP for them: Hmm… For some reason I find appeal in Yumiani for this kind of thing.

My OTP for them: Ereani is my favorite Annie ship, so I suppose that’s the closest that would apply, haha

My second choice pairing for them: Aruani

My fluffy pairing for them: I’ve seen some adorable beruani fluff art, so I’ll go with that! 

My angsty pairing for them: Mikaani. Mikaani. Mikaani. LOL

My favorite poly ship for them: Eremikaani, definitely.

My weirdest pairing for them: Maruani? (Marco and Annie)

Send me a character!

[carolina-skies]

ℂ𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕖 𝕊𝕙𝕠𝕡 𝕊𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕜 - ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕆𝕟𝕖

Bertholdt Hoover x Annie Leonhardt Beruani Coffee Shop AU

Published: 9/25/2021

Subscribe on AO3

Masterpost

It was a peaceful autumn morning. The air was crisp, and the leaves on the sidewalk were crisper. Everyone’s favorite season was finally in full swing. Well, almost everyone.

While the rest of the world was still asleep, wrapping themselves in soft blankets to keep the cold out, Bertholdt was stumbling around his tiny apartment in the dark, trying to throw some clothes on. He fought a sweater as he quickly tried to put the garment on. His alarm was somehow set to go off a few minutes later than usual, so he was a bit behind the eight-ball. For anyone else, a few minutes wouldn’t have made a difference, but he didn’t have a car, so his mode of transportation was either walking or biking. Once, he contemplated getting a skateboard to ride to work, but this idea was quickly shot down by his friends.

“You want to buy a what? A skateboard? Bert, have you ever stopped to consider how long and lanky you are? One wrong move, and your gangly arms will probably kill someone,” Reiner argued.

This earned a snort from the rest of their small group, and a smartass remark from Jean, as he tiredly dragged his hands over his face.

“Oh god, I don’t have the money to bail you out. Your limbs are weapons of mass destruction. Please consider the well-being of humanity, dude.”

Bertholdt couldn’t help but laugh a little, even if the jokes were at his own expense.

Reiner and Jean were the first to make jokes about everyone, including themselves. They both had that super quick sharp tongue about them, which gave them both the ‘life of the party’ attitude. Marco was definitely the brains of the group. If there was anyone going somewhere in life amongst the four of them, it was him. He could be a lawyer if he wanted to. Or hell, even an astronaut.

He knew which piece of the puzzle his friends were, but sometimes, he wasn’t quite sure where he fit in.

The memory eventually guided him back to reality as he threw together some sad excuse for breakfast on autopilot. Surely, his boss wouldn’t mind if he grabbed one of the discount pastries from the previous day. He’d also end up making himself a coffee once he got to the shop. He knew damn well he could buy the same coffee beans that his place of work thrived on, but somehow, it just tasted better when brewed at the coffee shop. He fantasized about the liquid caffeine awaiting him as he hurried out of his apartment and down the stairs, making sure he locked up behind himself.

His panic regarding time wasn’t necessarily because he would be late to work, but he deeply enjoyed the quietness of the shop before 5am when he could make himself his own coffee and quietly hum to whatever tune was stuck in his head.

There was probably something ironic about working in a coffee shop and waking up at the asscrack of dawn before anyone else gets there to enjoy the ambiance of the place, but he was too exhausted and not caffeinated enough to process it. Thankfully, the coffee shop was only a few blocks from his apartment, but the sharp chill from the windy morning nearly electrocuted him as he made his way to the sidewalk. He bit back a gasp and let out a quiet groan as he tried to ignore how cold it was.

That weatherman is a dirty liar, he thought to himself.

He could’ve sworn that he caught the last bit of a weather forecast saying that the temperature wouldn’t drop for another few weeks. He pulled a navy blue scarf up over his nose to help keep his face warm. He recalled contemplating a heavier coat than the fleece-lined denim jacket he settled on, and now regretted deciding against it. He briskly walked down the sidewalk, trying to think of anything to keep his mind off of the cold that was nipping at his skin. His brain eventually decided on remembering customer’s names and their regular orders.

He started off easy, remembering the older lady who would come in almost every day and sit in the back corner of the shop. He could’ve sworn her name was Gertrude, but since she was here all the time, Bertholdt had been given her permission to refer to her as Mrs. G. She would sit there for a few hours, working on some sort of word puzzle and people-watching. She had done this for as long as he could remember. As far as he knew, she didn’t really have any family that lived in the area, so this was her method of entertainment and socializing. Her coffee order was always something different, but she loved the blueberry scones the shop offered.

Pleased with himself for achieving the bare minimum, he went down a list of a few more regulars, including a group of kids his age who often had to be told to keep it down. The kid who he considered to be the leader of the group was a guy named Eren. From the way his friends acted, he seemed to be the favorite. He only knew the boy’s name because of how often he would hear his name being scolded, followed by some sort of whack to the chest or arm. The physical blows were often delivered by a stoic girl who was always by his side. He wasn’t sure what her name was, but she always ordered an americano for herself and a caramel macchiato for her friend.

The third member of their group had shoulder-length blond hair, and always seemed to be experiencing some flavor of stress. He was sure his name was something along the lines of Aaron or Arven. Maybe it was Armin? Either way, he was certain he’d get his name from him the next time he ordered, which was usually some sort of espresso.

As he walked, he picked his head up to look at his surroundings. He had a few more minutes of walking, so a few more minutes of keeping his brain preoccupied.

As he sorted through his mental list of customers, he stopped on a name, or the lack of one. There was this petite blonde girl that would always frequent the coffee shop before most customers arrived. She had piercing blue eyes, as if the second she looked at you, she knew every last secret about you. The only words she would ever say to him consisted of her coffee order, and a ‘thank you.’ He couldn’t recall what her name was, most likely because he never had to ask. She was almost always the only other person in the shop, minus him of course, when she was there, so it wasn’t really necessary to call out a name for her order. He always thought she was pretty, and tried to internally deny the fact that his neck and face would warm up any time she came in. He wondered what her name could be.

Maybe I’ll ask her next time.

As his daydream about the mystery girl came to an end, the tall boy finally reached his place of work. He stopped for a brief moment and peered up at the name of the shop, Brewed Awakenings. He let out a snort. He certainly felt that this morning was a brewed awakening. He always appreciated the humor in the name of the shop, partly because it was funny but also because it fit his boss so well. Pyxis was an interesting character. Some might describe him as a cranky old man, but others that knew him or worked for him knew that that’s just how he expressed himself.

He grabbed his keyring out of his pocket and unlocked the shop, ready to enjoy his few minutes of bliss. He left the lights off, but he clicked a lamp on as he walked by it so that he wouldn’t be flying blind like he was earlier this morning. He made his rounds behind the counter, inhaling the fresh scent of java as the coffee machines whirred to life. He readied the display counter with pastries as he pulled them out of the fridge. As he finished this, the first batch of coffee was done and ready for him to transform it. If he were an artist, he would compare the freshly brewed black coffee to a blank canvas, ready to be made into a masterpiece. With a concoction of sugar, cream, and syrups, he had yet to create a drink that received a bad review.

Bertholdt began throwing together ingredients as he experimented for his own morning brew (or at least, the first one of the day.) He hummed to himself as he played scientist, having a slower rock song stuck in his head. He couldn’t recall the name, but then again, he was good with names and faces, not songs. As he worked, he hardly heard the jingle of the door, signalling that he was not alone. Whoever it was had to have been incredibly quiet, seeing as they nearly snuck up on him. He was finishing his drink and taking the first sip of his new masterpiece when he heard a shoe scuff against the laminate hardwood floors of the shop.

He whipped around and made a small startled noise as he prepared himself for the first order of the day, swallowing a gulp of coffee. He nearly lost his balance as he saw who had approached him so quietly.

It was her.

“Oh! Uh, morning! Sorry about that, I wasn’t expecting anyone else to be here for a while. Um, I was just experimenting with… I was making uh… y’know what, not important.” He stuttered.

She looked at him with a slightly amused look, but to him, she looked less than amused. Her reactions were very slight and hard to pick up on unless you knew what to look for. She wasn’t sure what kind of drink he threw together in the white wax coated cup behind the counter, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t intrigued. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee enveloped her senses the second she walked into the shop.

“Smells good,” she spoke quietly.

A small smile graced his features at her comment. He couldn’t remember, out of any of the times she had visited the shop, where she had made a casual comment like this. He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to push away the feeling of his face heating up.

“Ah, thank you. I try to experiment sometimes, it’s more of an addiction than a job anymore. What can I get started for you?”

He mentally kicked himself for tripping over his words and rambling, instead of focusing on the task at hand. She was not here to listen to him go on and on about whatever creation he had sitting in a cardboard cup behind the counter, she was obviously here to get her own brew and be on her way.

“Just a tall java chip macchiato.”

He nodded as he took note of her order. Her tone was the same quiet level, almost as silent as a heartbeat. If the coffee shop had customers in it, he may have not been able to hear her. He mentally took a deep breath and prepared himself to ask the big question.

“Can I get a name for your order?”

She stayed silent, briefly locking eyes with him and proceeded to look around the empty shop. She was very clearly pointing out that the shop was empty, and he knew it. A blush crept across his neck and face as he let out a small, awkward laugh.

“Right. I’ll have that out for you in just a minute.”

Bertholdt punched the coffee order into the register and waited for a moment as her receipt printed. He grabbed a pen from the cup behind the counter and set it on top of the now-warm paper, placing it on the counter in front of her. He stepped away from the register to begin making the girl’s drink.

He poured a mixture of various creams and syrups together before throwing in the chocolate chips that would complete the drink. He raised an eyebrow at the drink once it was finished. He didn’t peg the mysterious girl on the other side of his counter to have such a sweet tooth. Maybe he didn’t notice as much before because he never really thought about it, but maybe she did order super sugary drinks in the past.

He brought the drink to the counter and watched for a moment as she approached him from her spot a few feet away. He decided to push his luck once more as she looked at him expectantly.

“Ah, but how do I know this drink is yours? There’s not a name on it, so…” He trailed off, wondering if she’d fill in the blank. His anxiety was through the roof as he opened his mouth to speak, he hoped that he at least sounded somewhat charming.

She gave him a slightly annoyed look that was desperately trying to cover a corner of her lip from twitching into a smile. She held her stare as he offered her one more smile and placed the drink on the counter. He wished her a good day and she nodded in return.

He watched her leave for a brief moment before turning around to clean up the small mess he’d made while preparing the small blonde girl’s drink. He threw a few things into the sink and wiped down the bar. As he turned around to tidy up the register area, he noticed a small piece of white paper on the counter. It was the receipt the girl had just signed. He picked it up to put it inside the register where the rest of the receipts resided. As he held it, he noticed something scribbled next to her signature. He looked at it for a moment before letting a smile form on his face.

Annie :)

He folded the receipt gently and looked out the large window of the coffee shop, wondering if he’d catch a glimpse of her crossing the street or heading in another direction. He almost froze as he saw her, Annie, looking right back at him with the same smile on her face. She looked over her shoulder at the soon-to-be-busy street as a car went by before looking back to him. She nodded in place of saying goodbye before heading off in another direction.

Bertholdt’s smile grew when she was no longer in his sight. He tucked the folded receipt into his pocket, certain that no one would miss it. He kept that smile on his face all day as customers began trailing in for their morning dose of energy.