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One Week Later
"Listen up, Maggots." Keith shouted to the rows of cadets in front of him; it was still early in the morning, and the sun had just peeked over the horizon as if saying 'Good Morning' to everyone. The cadets looked exhausted, but Shadis could see some of them seemed more exhausted than the others, the dark bags under their eyes were a clear sign.
Shadis quickly told them about all the training they would do today. First, they would do pushups, sit-ups, and run laps around the place. Once that was done, they would train with their ODM Gear; once Shadis was done giving orders, he expected the cadets to groan or maybe even complain, but it was mostly silent; their eyes didn't have the same brightness they used to have. Shadis knew and hoped they all would return back to normal soon.
Once the orders were given, Naruto wasted no time; he started doing push-ups and then sit-ups; near him were the boys since boys and girls would split up into two groups before they started doing push-ups.
Naruto occasionally looked at the others; even someone like Marco wasn't as joyful as he used to be; they only smiled now when Connie made a dumb comment.
"Armin, are you tired?" Naruto heard Eren near him as he kept doing sit-ups. He looked from the corner of his eyes; it seemed Armin was having trouble doing his push-ups. Naruto looked back forward and soon was the first to complete his push-ups and sit-ups. The Instructor said nothing since Naruto had the right to rest for a few minutes, but he wasn't in the mood to rest.
Naruto grabbed a skin bottle filled with water as he walked amongst the cadets still doing push-ups; many of them were struggling. Eventually, he reached Armin; he was still struggling more than all the others.
"Armin." "I don't need help." He interrupted before Naruto could say anything; his blue eyes briefly flickered at Shadis; the man was busy yelling at a cadet who apparently needed to pee. The one watching over the girls doing their push ups was a female helper of Instructor Shadis.
"I never said you do," Naruto said, taking the bowl head by surprise, causing him to stop doing push-ups momentarily, looking up at him.
"Armin, we have been here for more than just twenty months. If you were already at the point where you still needed help, then you would have fallen from the Training Corps long ago." Naruto said, causing Armin to try harder to do his pushups, his head almost drowning from the sweat.
"B-But I saw you helping cadets."
"All I did was tell them to move their arms a little, they still would have made it," Naruto said dismissively before looking down straight at Armin's eyes.
"You can do it, your muscles might burn, but I know that from all the cadets, you are one of the few with the biggest talents." Naruto's words made Armin look at him with appreciation before trying to do push-ups again.
"So clench your teeth, strengthen your arms, and complete your training."
Armin didn't need help again; he was the seventh boy cadet who completed his push-ups, followed by Connie, Marco, and Samuel. Eren appreciated Naruto's help, and the same for the bowl head. After they completed their training, they ran laps around the place.
The three of them discussed the upcoming ODM Gear training, which resulted in Eren saying he would one hundred percent do better than Jean, but unfortunately, or fortunately, Jean heard him. It didn't take long for them to start bickering like an old married couple, as always. A few cadets gathered around, watching them bickering like this was a show, and since they had been in the Training Yards for twenty months, their lives didn't have much excitement.
"You know Jean. I think you should just tell him." Naruto said with a growing smirk, causing both Jean and Eren to turn their heads to face him simultaneously.
"Tell me, what?"
"Well, Eren, there's a reason why he wants you away from the Survey Corps. Our dear, Jean doesn't want to see the love of his life perish to the Titans." Naruto teased while wiping away fake tears; his words earned a round of chuckles from everyone nearby while Jean glared at him furiously.
"That's Not True!" Jean all but shouted, looking embarrassed, while Eren stepped away from him.
"Now, now. I'm simply stating what I have observed, isn't that right, Armin?" Naruto asked, giving him a side hug; the latter chuckled in amusement.
"Well, Jean. I have never seen anyone try so hard to change Eren's mind about joining the Survey Corps, not even Mikasa is that persistent." Upon saying that, many others busted out laughing; even Bertholdt chuckled in amusement; the only ones not having fun were Eren, Jean, and Mikasa.
"Is Not Like That?!!" Jean shouted desperately, but soon they were interrupted by a voice.
"What Are You All Maggots Doing Here?"
"Shit, it's Shadis." Connie cried out loud first as everyone else scattered, allowing Shadis to look at Eren and Jean, both glaring at one another.
"Are you all here to laugh or train, and you two," Shadis shouted, pointing an accusing finger at both Jean and Eren who gulped, not knowing what kind of punishment they would receive.
"Since you two love each other so much. You two will help the chef to make the dishes." Shadis shouted, many closed their mouths, trying not to laugh, Jean turned red with embarrassment, he looked like he wanted to explode.
"And you Cadet Cat Boy. Since you love running your mouth. You will clean the common room until I can see my own reflection on the tables." Shadis told Naruto with a cold glare.
"Still worth it," Naruto said as he looked at all the smiling faces; even if it would be momentarily, he still couldn't help but feel the joy that they all seemed happy, even if it was only for a few short minutes.
.
Naruto wiped his brow, surveying the empty common room as the last rays of sunlight filtered through the windows.
"Finally," he muttered, setting down his cleaning rag. A mischievous smile spread across his face as he glanced around one more time to ensure he was alone.
He placed his palm flat against the nearest wooden table, channeling just a hint of energy through his fingers. The wood responded immediately, warming beneath his touch. With delicate precision, he guided tiny alterations in the grain, creating subtle swirls that looked like they could have been natural variations in the wood.
"Just a little here..." he whispered, moving to another spot. Under his touch, the knots in the wood softened into gentle spirals, barely noticeable unless you were looking for them. He worked his way around the table, adding minute details – a barely perceptible leaf pattern here, a slight refinement to the edge there.
Moving to the next table, he traced his fingers along a particularly ugly scratch. The wood fibers slowly knit together, not erasing the mark completely – that would be too obvious – but softening it, making it look like it had weathered naturally over time.
"Can't make it too perfect," he reminded himself, stepping back to examine his work. "Just enough to make it... nicer."
He continued through the room, table by table, adding subtle touches that most would dismiss as tricks of the light or simply never notice at all. A slight smoothing of a rough patch here, a gentle enhancement of the natural grain there. Each modification was minimal, but together they gave the worn tables a warmth they hadn't possessed before.
At the last table, he noticed a deep gouge, probably from Keith's gear during one of his more dramatic lectures. Naruto pressed his palm against it, concentrating harder than before. The wood responded slowly, reluctantly, but gradually the deep cut began to shallow, its edges softening until it looked like nothing more than an old scar in the grain.
"There," he said with satisfaction, standing back to survey his handiwork. To most eyes, the tables would look the same as always, just somehow... better. Like they'd been lovingly maintained rather than enduring years of abuse from countless cadets.
He gathered his cleaning supplies, a small smile playing on his lips as he imagined Annie's reaction if she knew what he'd done. She'd probably call him an idiot for risking exposure over something so trivial, but he'd seen the way her eyes had softened at the blue flower he'd created.
Later
The common room buzzed with its usual dinner chaos, filled with the clatter of plates and overlapping conversations.
"Hey," Sasha paused mid-bite, running her hand along the table's surface. "Does anyone else think these tables look... different?"
Connie leaned in, squinting. "Yeah! They're like, shinier or something. Not as beat up."
"Maybe they got us new tables!" Sasha's eyes lit up. "Because we're such an exceptional class of cadets!"
"Hell yeah!" Connie high-fived her. "We deserve nice things!"
Jean snorted from across the table. "Are you both idiots? These are the same old tables. They probably just cleaned them properly for once."
"No way," Sasha shook her head vigorously. "Look at this spot – it used to have this huge scratch that would always catch my sleeve!"
"You just weren't paying attention before," Jean rolled his eyes. "Too busy thinking about potatoes."
At another table, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin exchanged knowing looks. Armin traced one of the subtle patterns with his finger.
"Interesting craftsmanship," he murmured, just loud enough for his friends to hear.
Mikasa nodded slightly. "Very... natural."
"Almost like it grew that way," Eren added with a small smirk.
Across the room, Annie sat alone as usual, but her eyes occasionally drifted to the wooden surface before her, a ghost of a smile playing at her lips as she recognized the same delicate touch that had created her blue flower.
Ymir narrowed her eyes at Naruto, who was cheerfully slurping his soup and pretending not to notice all the discussion about the tables.
"He is hiding something from us," she muttered.
"Hmm?" Krista looked up at her. "Did you say something, Ymir?"
Ymir's expression softened immediately. "Just that you look especially cute when you're eating, my precious Krista."
"Ymir!" Krista blushed, but smiled.
"The tables definitely look better," Reiner commented, running his hand along the edge. "Maybe we should thank whoever's responsible."
Bertholdt shifted uncomfortably beside him. "Maybe they don't want attention drawn to it."
"Hey, Naruto!" Connie called out. "What do you think? New tables, right?"
Naruto looked up, noodles hanging from his mouth. "Huh? Oh, I dunno. Same old tables to me!" He slurped up the noodles noisily.
Annie watched him from the corner of her eye, noting the way his shoulders tensed slightly despite his casual demeanor.
"You're all overthinking it," Jean insisted. "They're just clean for once."
"But look at this pattern!" Sasha traced the subtle swirl. "It's so pretty!"
"It's always been there," Jean said exasperatedly. "You just never noticed because you're too busy inhaling your food like a starved animal."
"Hey!" Sasha protested, while simultaneously stealing a piece of bread from Connie's plate.
"Hey, that's mine!" Connie grabbed for it, but Sasha had already stuffed it in her mouth.
"Children," Ymir muttered, turning her attention back to Krista. "Want some of my soup?"
As the conversation devolved into the usual dinner chaos, Naruto caught Annie's eye across the room. She raised an eyebrow slightly, and he responded with the smallest wink before returning to his soup.
"Idiot," Annie murmured, but there was warmth in her voice that hadn't been there before.
Tomorrow
Reiner slammed into the hard ground with a groan. "Damn, that hurts!"
"Sorry," Eren winced, extending his hand. "I got carried away again."
Reiner grabbed it and pulled himself up, brushing dirt off his clothes. He handed the wooden knife back to Eren with a grin. "Nothing a real soldier can't handle. Your turn to come at me."
Eren took the knife but hesitated, his brow furrowed.
"What's wrong?"
"I just don't see the point," Eren said, turning the practice weapon over in his hands. "We should be learning to fight Titans, not each other. And who's stupid enough to face someone with a knife unarmed?"
A flash of memory hit him – standing over a corpse, his hands sticky with – Eren's jaw clenched. He felt no remorse. That thing had only looked human.
"That's naive thinking," Reiner's sharp tone snapped Eren back to the present. "We're soldiers. Sometimes we can't run, no matter the situation. We don't know who our enemies might be. That's why they teach us everything – knives, guns, hand-to-hand. A soldier needs to be ready to fight, weapon or not."
Eren nodded slowly. Reiner always made sense. Of all the recruits, Eren respected him most. Like Eren, Reiner had joined to take back what the Titans stole – his hometown. Sometimes it felt like having the big brother he never had.
"Speaking of training..." Reiner nodded across the yard. "Look who's skipping again."
"Annie," Eren sighed. "How does she keep getting away with it?"
A sly smile crossed Reiner's face. "Why don't you go teach our lazy friend a lesson? Show her how a proper soldier acts."
"Are you insane?" Eren backed away. "You've seen what she does to people! I'd like my bones unbroken, thanks." Strange that Naruto wasn't around – he was usually the only one who could match her.
"Come on," Reiner goaded. "How're you going to kill Titans if you're scared of a girl half your size?"
Before Eren could protest further, Reiner was already heading toward Annie. With a resigned groan, Eren trudged after him.
Annie slipped between the wooden training posts, her loose blonde hair catching the afternoon sun. Each step was calculated as she scanned for instructors, until a mountain of a figure blocked her path.
Reiner towered over her, his broad shoulders casting a shadow across her face. His military-issued boots were planted firmly in the dirt, uniform pressed and proper as always. A knowing smirk played across his features.
"Looking to scrub latrines for a month?" His voice carried that edge she hated. "Maybe if you took training seriously, you wouldn't be stuck at that height forever."
"Hey, what's your problem?" Eren cut in, his green eyes darting between them. His disheveled dark hair and crooked gear straps betrayed his earlier sparring session.
When Annie turned, the temperature seemed to drop. Her ice-blue eyes burned with such raw hatred that Eren unconsciously stepped back, boots scuffing in the dirt. It wasn't just anger in those eyes – there was something deeper, darker, especially when they locked onto Reiner.
With a grunt, Reiner's massive hands clamped down on Eren's shoulders, practically lifting the smaller recruit off his feet as he thrust him forward. "Show her how it's done, Eren!"
"What? Why me?" Eren's voice cracked as he tried to dig his heels in. The sight was almost comical – Reiner, built like a brick wall, cowering behind the lankier recruit like a child hiding behind their mother's skirts.
Annie's lips curled into a cold smile. "Big talk about slaying Titans, but you're trembling at the sight of me. Some warrior you are."
Eren went rigid, his fingers curling into white-knuckled fists. The wooden knife in his belt suddenly felt very heavy.
"What did you just say?" Heat crept into his words.
"Did I stutter?" Annie cocked her head, a few strands of pale hair falling across her face. That infamous half-smirk appeared – the one that only ever seemed to become a genuine smile around Naruto.
"Are we going to fight, or should I find somewhere to take a nap?" She shifted her weight, the movement subtle but predatory.
With a snarl, Eren yanked the practice knife free, his boots digging into the packed earth as he squared up. "Don't expect me to hold back!"
Before he could even complete his charge, Annie's leg snapped out like a whip. Her boot caught him just below the knee with doctor precision if Naruto happened to be here. Eren crumpled, clutching his shin as he hopped on one foot.
"Son of a– What kind of move was that?" He hissed through clenched teeth.
Annie glanced back, her stance relaxed but ready. "Low kick. Basic stuff. Didn't see it coming?"
"That's fighting dirty," he managed, but there was a hint of admiration in his voice.
"In real combat, there's no such thing as dirty." She turned that cold gaze on Reiner. "Satisfied? Or should I keep teaching your friend here how real soldiers fight?"
Reiner's smirk widened as he crossed his arms. "Not yet. Training isn't over until you disarm him." His eyes held a glint of amusement, knowing full well what was about to happen.
Annie's exhale was barely audible as she shifted her attention to Eren. Her ice-blue eyes studied him with an almost clinical detachment, though the slight tilt of her head betrayed a hint of resignation at having to continue this demonstration.
"Annie, wait—" Eren's voice cracked slightly as he backpedaled, his wooden knife clutched tightly in his trembling hand. "There's a proper way to—"
Before he could finish, Annie's hand shot out like a viper, fingers gripping his chin. In one fluid motion, she swept his legs out from under him. The impact of Eren's back hitting the ground echoed across the training field, followed by a pained groan as his legs involuntarily folded over his face in Annie's signature position.
The wooden knife clattered beside him as Annie casually tucked a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "There. Now you can try to attack me." Her tone was matter-of-fact, almost bored.
"N-no," Reiner stammered, his earlier confidence evaporating as he watched Eren's predicament.
"Do it, Reiner," Eren managed to grunt out from his awkward position, his green eyes burning with a mix of pain and determination. "Weren't you going to show her how a real soldier fights?"
Annie's stance shifted ever so slightly, a ghost of a smile played at the corner of her mouth.
Reiner's jaw clenched as he steeled himself. "You're right. Sometimes a soldier can't run away." His face set in determination. "Like now!"
He barely took three steps before Armin burst into the training ground, his blonde hair disheveled from running. "Eren! Come quick! It's Mikasa and Naruto!"
The tension instantly broke as all three heads snapped toward Armin. Even Annie's perpetual mask of indifference cracked slightly at the mention of Naruto's name.
They rushed through the crowd of cadets, pushing past excited faces and hearing snippets of ongoing bets. The circle of onlookers parted to reveal Mikasa and Naruto locked in combat, their movements a blur of calculated strikes and dodges.
"What happened?" Eren demanded, his earlier humiliation forgotten.
Armin wrung his hands nervously. "It started as a friendly spar, but something changed. Look at their eyes..."
Indeed, both Mikasa and Naruto's faces were set in intense concentration, their usual sibling-like warmth replaced by an almost predatory focus.
"Who will win?" Sasha asked nervously, her village accent momentarily slipping for a moment.
"Naruto. One hundred percent," Ymir declared confidently, while Krista bit her lower lip in concern beside her.
Jean shifted his weight from foot to foot, clearly torn between his crush on Mikasa and his friendship with Naruto.
"Annie," Reiner called out, his earlier smile returning. "You spar with Naruto more than anyone. What do you think?"
Annie's eyes never left Naruto's form as she analyzed the fight. "Mikasa has raw strength," she stated, a note of professional assessment in her voice. "But she lacks proper technique and understanding of hand-to-hand combat fundamentals." Her lips curved slightly upward. "And Naruto... he can be surprisingly cunning when he wants to be."
Bertholdt's shoulders slumped at her words, while Reiner's grin grew wider, clearly enjoying the spectacle before them.
Naruto
Mikasa lunged forward with power, her fist cutting through the air where Naruto's head had been a split second before. He weaved under her strike, moving like someone who had spent countless hours training on hand-to-hand combat.
"Stop dodging and fight back!" Mikasa's normally calm voice held an edge of frustration as she pressed her assault. Each of her strikes carried enough force to seriously hurt, but Naruto continued to slip just out of reach, his blue eyes focused and alert.
The gathered crowd tensed with each near miss. Mikasa's superior strength was evident in the way the air whistled around her strikes, but Naruto's speed kept him just beyond her reach. His footwork was impeccable – another testament to Annie's training.
"He's toying with her," Reiner muttered.
Annie watched silently, her arms crossed. Her keen eyes caught the subtle shifts in Naruto's stance, recognizing the setup for what was coming. The corner of her mouth twitched upward slightly.
Mikasa's next punch was particularly fierce, the kind that had sent many trainees to the infirmary. But this time, instead of dodging, Naruto stepped into her attack. His left hand deflected her punch outward while his right grabbed her extended arm. Using Mikasa's own momentum, he shifted his weight and swept her legs – a perfect execution of Annie's signature throw.
The impact of Mikasa hitting the ground drew a collective gasp from the crowd. She lay there, legs folded over her head, looking up at Naruto with wide eyes. It was the same position Annie had left countless opponents in, including Eren just minutes ago.
"I yield," Mikasa said quietly, a hint of respect in her voice.
Naruto immediately helped her up, his serious expression melting into his usual warm smile. "That was amazing, Mikasa! You almost had me a couple of times."
"That throw..." Eren started, looking between Annie and Naruto.
"Was perfect," Annie finished, allowing herself a small but genuine smile of satisfaction. Her pride in Naruto's execution of her technique was evident, though she quickly schooled her features back to neutrality when she noticed Reiner's knowing smirk.
"Man, I should've bet money on this," Ymir laughed, while Krista finally relaxed beside her.
Jean still looked conflicted, but managed a grin. "Well, if you had to lose to someone, Mikasa, at least it was to the guy who spent months getting thrown around by Annie."
"Months well spent, apparently," Reiner added with a meaningful glance at Annie, who pointedly ignored him.
As the crowd began to disperse, Naruto caught Annie's eye and gave her a small, private smile – one that acknowledged whose teaching had given him the victory. Annie responded with the briefest nod, but those who knew her well enough could see the pride shining in her usually cold blue eyes.
Later
Shadis watched carefully as the cadets used their ODM Gear; for someone who wasn't trained, they all appeared no different from one another, just young fools flying around the trees like headless chickens, but not for Shadis. He could see the little mistakes that someone else might not be able to pick up. He watched as Carla's first slashed through a bag; his cut was deep enough, but it was a knee bag.
Shadis watched as he tried to slash the nape, but a blur passed; the Instructor's eyes widened as the entire bag, including the neck of the mannequin, was obliterated, and the blur quickly flew away using his ODM Gear.
"Was that Naruto?" He heard the boy shout in disbelief, and for the first time, Shadis was in shock at what he had witnessed.
Out of all cadets this year, the three best Cadets when it came to ODM Gear were Mikasa Ackerman, Naruto Yeager, and Berthold Hoover; those three were easily better than the others. The tall cadet didn't really try, but Shadis was sure there was hidden potential in that boy.
But Shadis knew Grisha's boy was in some kind of rivalry with the Ackerman. But despite how hard he tried, Mikasa Ackerman was always the best in ODM Gear.
Days Later
"Why exactly are we here again?" Naruto asked, letting out a sigh as he followed Krista behind on the streets of Trost. The sun had just risen over Wall Rose, engulfing the city in an orange glow. People had just woken up, shops were being opened, and the merchants were calling out for potential customers.
All cadets had three free days ahead of them.
Knowing he had no training for three days straight, Naruto had decided to train in his skills with ODM Gear, that was until Krista and Ymir invited him to go to the market of Trost; well, Krista invited him, while Ymir complained that his existence was ruining her free time with her Krista.
"I have told you, ugly freckles, and I will say it again. Krista is not just yours; she's mine, too. Isn't that right, my beautiful Krista?" Naruto japed while mimicking Ymir, who growled, while Krista blushed at his words, making her look more adorable.
"You know I can just stomp on you, toddler?" Ymir loomed over him like a giant, speaking in a threatening voice; Naruto simply snickered; he never really felt threatened by Ymir.
"You wouldn't do that; your heart can't handle a world without Naruto; it would be too boring without me." He japed with an innocent grin as Ymir rolled her eyes, much to Krista's amusement. '
But Naruto quickly realized that there was more to this visit than simply seeing stuff and perhaps buying something, especially when Krista told him that she needed his help to buy something special.
"To buy something special," Krista answered vaguely; Ymir was further behind them, looking at something that perhaps Krista would like.
"Special can mean many things, Krista. What exactly?"
"Something special for Ymir." She answered as a merchantman shouted as loudly as possible for people to check his shop, which grabbed her attention; she quickly ran up to the merchant, looking at everything he was selling.
"What is that?" Krista asked, pointing at what seemed like a scroll; the merchant unrolled the scroll, revealing a map of the three walls. Naruto had to admit the details on the map were quite impressive; the map was fully painted, and the streets, the villages, the mountains, and the cities had numbers on them. Beside the map was a letter that showed the numbers and a name near each number.
"It's a map!"
"Not just any map, my beautiful lady. It has sixteen times the details of all the other maps." The merchant boasted much to Krista's amazement.
That's bullshit, Naruto thought as he led Krista away from the merchant.
As they kept exploring, Naruto quickly noticed something a merchant was selling; all kinds of beautiful necklaces were lying on a large table covered with a red carpet.
"Is there a special day coming that I'm unaware of?" Naruto eventually asked, knowing Krista must have a reason to want to buy a gift for ugly freckles.
"It's her birthday," Krista answered with a small giggle; her words caused Naruto to stop abruptly.
"When?"
"Two days later, why?" Naruto had a sudden idea in his head. Since the incident with the kidnappers, he knew everyone was feeling a little down, so having a party would do well to uplift everyone's mood.
"That's amazing. I think I need to buy her something." Naruto said before looking at the necklaces that the merchant was selling; the merchant was quick to try and convince him to buy the most expensive one before saying something about it being made of gold.
"Naruto, when is your birthday?" Krista asked curiously, only now remembering that they never celebrated his birthday the previous year.
"My birthday is on 15 May." Naruto answered with a warm smile.
Eventually, they both brought something for Ymir. Naruto knew ugly freckles would love anything that Krista brought her.
Once they returned to the Training Corps, Naruto made sure to start his evil plan to celebrate.
Later - Tonight
"Krista, where are we going?" Ymir asked in confusion.
Throughout the whole day, Krista had been somewhat quiet with her, and often Ymir saw her talking with Naruto, but far enough away so she wouldn't be able to hear them, which was unusual for both of them.
Ymir wondered what they were talking about; Naruto, despite being annoying sometimes, she knew he never looked at Krista in a romantic way, so she had no idea why they were talking away from her.
But Ymir had noticed that Naruto and Krista weren't the only ones acting odd today. Even Annie, the cold-hearted girl, was rather odd today, odder than usual; Ymir had seen her talking with Reiner, Naruto, and Jean away from the others. She didn't know what they were talking about and hadn't bothered to ask.
Eventually, the evening came; Ymir watched as, one by one, they all left, but instead of going to their domains, Ymir saw them going to the woods; soon, Krista told her to follow her, saying a surprise was waiting for her.
"It's a surprise." Krista said with a bright smile; Ymir sighed wearily, having a feeling that she wouldn't like this 'surprise.' She knew Krista wouldn't say anything else, so she bit her tongue and decided to just follow without questioning.
As they walked through the trees, Ymir started hearing people talking, including the lights twenty meters away from them, illuminating the forest. Ymir suddenly understood what was happening, the odd way Naruto and Krista had been acting.
Shit!!
The crackling of wood and bickering voices filled the forest clearing as the sun began its lazy descent through the canopy. Jean and Eren stood toe-to-toe, their faces flushed with annoyance.
"Are you blind, Jaeger?" Jean thrust a log forward. "This piece alone is worth three of your twigs!"
Eren scoffed, gesturing wildly at his pile. "Quality over quantity, Horse-face! At least mine will actually catch fire!"
Marco, kneeling by the firepit, let out a long-suffering sigh. "Guys, maybe we could focus on actually starting the fire?"
Near the edge of the clearing, Annie methodically sliced potatoes with precise movements, her expression unchanged even as Sasha hovered nearby, practically vibrating with excitement.
"Is it true you're using Naruto's special seasoning?" Sasha's eyes sparkled. "The one he uses for his meat dishes?"
Before Annie could respond, Krista's clear voice rang out across the clearing. "We're here!"
Activity ceased as all heads turned. Naruto broke into a genuine smile – not his usual mischievous grin – and approached Ymir.
"Finally!" Connie jumped up from where he'd been wrestling with a wooden crate. "Now spill it, Naruto. What's this mysterious gathering about?"
Naruto's blue eyes glinted in the fading sunlight as he casually draped an arm around Ymir's waist. "Today happens to be a very special day."
"Special how?" Eren asked, momentarily forgetting his argument with Jean.
"It's the birthday of our beloved freckled goddess here." Naruto squeezed Ymir's side playfully.
A chorus of "Happy Birthday!" erupted from the group. Ymir felt heat rise to her cheeks, cursing internally at how soft she must look.
"Why keep it secret?" Armin asked, genuine curiosity in his voice.
Ymir shrugged, trying to maintain her usual aloofness. "Didn't seem important during first year training." She moved toward the camp, hoping to escape the attention.
"NARUTO!" Sasha suddenly launched herself forward, clasping her hands together. "Does this mean we get to taste your special meat dishes?" Drool actually dripped from the corner of her mouth. "The ones you only make for special occasions?"
"The meat's just the beginning," Naruto grinned, gesturing to the three mysterious crates. "We've got something extra special tonight."
Armin leaned forward, ever curious. "What else did you bring?"
"Reiner?" Naruto nodded to the larger boy.
Reiner snapped a playful salute, his smile wider than usual. "Aye aye, Captain!" Even Bertholdt seemed to forget his usual nervousness, watching with excitement.
The crate creaked open, and Connie's eyes went wide as he pulled out a bottle. "No way! Is this... wine?"
He reached to uncork it, but Naruto smoothly intercepted the bottle. "Not so fast, my vertically challenged friend."
"Hey!" Connie protested both the intervention and the height comment.
"First," Naruto raised the bottle, "we need to properly toast our birthday girl." His eyes met Ymir's, and there was something in his expression that made her usual cynicism falter. "To the person who pretends she doesn't care but actually cares the most."
Ymir struggled to maintain her scowl, even as warmth bloomed in her chest. "Shut up and pour the wine already," she muttered, but there was no real bite in her words.
As Naruto began distributing cups, Annie approached with a carefully arranged platter of seasoned potatoes. "You planned this didn't you?" she asked quietly, just loud enough for him to hear.
Naruto's answering smile was all the confirmation needed. "Everyone deserves to feel special sometimes," he whispered back. "Even our prickly freckled friend over there."
The forest clearing glowed with warm firelight as everyone gathered around, cups raised high. The aroma of Naruto's specially seasoned meat dishes wafted through the air, making Sasha practically whimper with anticipation.
"To Ymir!" Naruto called out, raising his cup first. "The most brutally honest person I know!"
"To the only person who can make Krista blush with just a look!" Jean added with a smirk, earning a fierce blush from Krista and an eye roll from Ymir.
Mikasa raised her cup quietly, a small smile playing at her lips. "To someone who never hesitates to protect what matters to her."
"To the tallest girl in our class!" Connie chimed in, then quickly ducked behind Reiner as Ymir shot him a glare.
"Would you idiots just drink already?" Ymir grumbled, but the slight upturn of her lips betrayed her true feelings.
They all drank, and Sasha immediately dove for the food. "Oh my GODS!" she exclaimed around a mouthful of meat. "Naruto, what did you DO to this meat?"
"Family secret," Naruto winked, serving portions to others. "Though Annie helped with the seasoning."
Annie nodded slightly, accepting her plate. "He wouldn't tell me the full recipe either."
Eren took a bite and his eyes widened. "This is amazing! Almost as good as Mikasa's cooking!"
Mikasa's cheeks colored slightly at the compliment, while Jean quickly interjected, "I think it's BETTER than Mikasa's!" He immediately withered under Mikasa's sharp glance.
"The potatoes are perfect too," Marco added diplomatically, trying to ease the tension.
Bertholdt, who had been quietly enjoying his food, suddenly spoke up. "Reiner, slow down before you choke."
"Can't help it," Reiner managed between bites. "Food this good doesn't last long with Sasha around."
"Hey!" Sasha protested, already on her second helping.
As the banter continued, Naruto quietly moved to sit beside Ymir, who was watching everyone with poorly concealed contentment. "I have something for you," he said softly, pulling out a small wooden box.
The conversations quieted as everyone turned to watch. Ymir opened the box with uncharacteristic gentleness, revealing a delicate silver necklace. Inside the pendant was a miniature drawing of her and Krista, captured in remarkable detail.
"I had help with the artwork," Naruto admitted. "Armin's pretty good with small details."
Armin rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "It took a few tries to get it right."
Ymir stared at the necklace, her usual sharp tongue momentarily silenced. Krista leaned over her shoulder, gasping softly at the detail.
"If you don't like it, I can always—" Naruto started, but Ymir cut him off by pulling him into a quick, rough hug.
"Shut up," she muttered, quickly releasing him and turning away to hide her face. "It's... acceptable."
"That means she loves it," Krista translated with a bright smile, helping Ymir put the necklace on.
"Well, well," Jean teased, "looks like the tall queen has a heart after all."
"Keep talking, Kirstein, and you'll be wearing that wine instead of drinking it," Ymir threatened, but her hand kept straying to touch the pendant.
"More wine!" Connie announced, already slightly flushed from his first cup. "We need to properly celebrate!"
"Maybe you should slow down," Mikasa suggested, watching him sway slightly.
.
The bonfire crackled merrily in the forest clearing, casting dancing shadows on the faces of the gathered cadets. Empty wine bottles already littered the ground around them as they sat in a circle.
"Alright!" Naruto announced, placing an empty bottle in the center. "Time for truth or dare!"
"Already drunk enough for that?" Jean smirked, taking another swig.
"Speak for yourself, horse-face," Eren retorted. "You're already swaying."
"Both of you shut up," Ymir commanded from her spot next to Krista. "Birthday girl gets to spin first."
The bottle spun, landing on Connie. "Truth or dare, baldy?"
"Truth!" Connie declared, his cheeks already flushed from wine.
"Boring," Ymir drawled. "Fine. Who would you rather kiss - Sasha or Jean?"
"WHAT?" both named parties shrieked while others howled with laughter.
Connie's face turned redder. "I... uh... S-Sasha? At least she always has food..."
"HEY!" Jean protested while Sasha threw a piece of bread at Connie's head.
Connie spun next, landing on Reiner. "Dare!"
"I dare you to... to... give Bertholdt a piggyback ride around the fire!"
Reiner stood up, stumbling slightly. "Easy! Come on, Bert!"
What followed was a disaster of epic proportions as an already tipsy Reiner attempted to carry a nervously sweating Bertholdt, resulting in both of them tumbling into the grass while everyone else roared with laughter.
The bottle spun again, landing on Marco. "Truth," he said sensibly.
"If you had to join another regiment besides the MP, which would it be?" Reiner asked.
"The Survey Corps," Marco answered without hesitation, making Jean choke on his wine.
The game continued, growing progressively more chaotic as the wine flowed freely. Armin had to recite the military oath while standing on his hands (he failed spectacularly). Eren had to admit his most embarrassing childhood memory (involving mud puddles and missing pants). Mikasa was forced to speak in a silly voice for three turns.
The bottle spun and landed on Eren. "Truth or dare?" Reiner asked with a mischievous grin.
"Truth," Eren replied, taking another sip of wine.
"Tell us about the most embarrassing thing you did as a kid," Reiner demanded, leaning forward with interest.
Eren's face immediately flushed red, and not just from the wine. "Oh no... do I have to?"
"Yes!" several voices chorused.
"Fine," Eren groaned. "I was five, and I... I thought I could swim."
"Oh no," Armin covered his mouth, already knowing where this was going.
"I was convinced I was some kind of fish-person," Eren continued, the wine making him more animated in his storytelling. "So I just... jumped into the river near my house."
"You WHAT?" Mikasa's eyes widened - this was a story she hadn't heard before.
"Yeah, this was before I met you, Mikasa. Thank god Naruto was there. He and our dad were talking in the garden when they heard the splash."
Naruto chuckled at the memory. "I remember that! You just walked up to the river, yelled 'I am fish-man!' and jumped right in!"
"Naruto dove in after me while my dad ran along the bank," Eren continued, face burning. "I learned pretty quick that I was definitely not a fish-person."
"He coughed up half the river," Naruto added, making everyone laugh. "And then tried to claim he was just testing the water temperature!"
"I was five!" Eren protested while others howled with laughter.
"The mighty Eren Yeager, defeated by a river," Jean wiped tears from his eyes.
"Shut up, horse-face! Like you never did anything stupid as a kid!"
The bottle spun to a stop, pointing at Bertholdt. Connie's face lit up with a devious smirk.
"Truth or dare, Bert?"
Bertholdt, already sweating more than usual, mumbled, "Truth."
"Do you like anyone here?" Connie waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "You know, like-like?"
Bertholdt's face turned an impressive shade of red as his eyes inadvertently flickered toward Annie for a split second. Instead of answering, he grabbed his wine cup and drained it in one go.
"Booooo!" Ymir called out. "That's cheating!"
"The wine answers for him!" Reiner laughed, slapping his friend on the back.
"I think we all know the answer anyway," Ymir smirked, causing Bertholdt to sink lower into himself while Annie remained seemingly oblivious, though her shoulder pressed slightly closer to Naruto's.
When the bottle landed on Annie, everyone held their breath. Her cold blue eyes surveyed the group. "Truth."
"Who do you think is the cutest boy here?" Krista asked, giggling.
Annie's expression didn't change, but her eyes flickered briefly to Naruto. "No one. They're all idiots."
"Aw, come on!" Reiner protested. "That's not an answer!"
"Fine. Naruto's the least idiotic," she conceded, taking a sip of wine. Bertholdt's face fell slightly, while Naruto tried to hide his smile.
The bottle spun again, landing on Sasha. "Truth or dare?" Annie asked.
"Dare! I'm not scared!" Sasha declared, swaying slightly.
"Eat this entire loaf of bread without using your hands," Annie said, tossing her a fresh loaf.
"That's not even a challenge!" Sasha dove face-first into the bread while everyone laughed.
When the bottle landed on Naruto, Ymir's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Truth or dare, whiskers?"
"Dare!" Naruto grinned, though he immediately regretted it when he saw Ymir's expression.
"I dare you..." Ymir drawled, "to let Sasha kiss you. On the lips."
The circle went quiet. Sasha's face turned bright red, and Annie's expression hardened imperceptibly.
"I... uh..." Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "How about a compromise? I'll give her a kiss on the cheek instead."
"That's not how dares work!" Connie protested.
"It's fine," Sasha mumbled, though she looked disappointed. "The cheek is okay."
Naruto leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, making her squeak. Annie relaxed slightly, though only Naruto noticed.
"Booring," Ymir complained. "You're such a gentleman, whiskers."
The bottle spun again, landing on Jean. "D-dare!" he slurred.
"I dare you to confess your undying love to Eren!" Naruto declared.
"WHAT? NO WAY!"
"A dare's a dare, horse-face!"
What followed was the most dramatic and poorly performed love confession in history, with Jean stumbling through flowery metaphors while Eren tried not to die laughing.
"Oh, Eren," Jean declared, swaying on his feet. "Your eyes are like... like... angry green things! And your face is... is a face I want to punch with love!"
"That's the worst confession I've ever heard," Mikasa stated flatly, while others clutched their sides laughing.
The bottle landed on Bertholdt next. "Truth," he mumbled.
"Why do you sweat so much?" Connie asked, earning a smack from Reiner.
"I... it's just... nervous condition..." Bertholdt muttered, shrinking into himself.
As the night wore on, the dares became more outrageous and the truths more revealing.
"Spin the b-bottle!" Connie hiccupped, nearly falling over.
It landed on Annie again. "Truth," she said, her cheeks slightly pink from wine.
"What's your type in guys?" Sasha asked, still slightly put out about the earlier dare.
Annie's eyes met Naruto's briefly. "Someone who sees the good in people. Even when they don't deserve it."
"That's... surprisingly deep," Marco commented.
"I think Annie's drunk!" Reiner announced.
"Say that again and I'll break your arm," Annie threatened, but without her usual edge.
"Your turn to spin, Naruto!" Krista called out.
The bottle landed on Ymir. "Since it's your birthday, truth or dare?"
"Dare, whiskers. Give me your worst!"
"I dare you to let Krista feed you cake while you're blindfolded!"
What followed was both adorable and hilarious as Krista attempted to feed cake to a blindfolded Ymir, most of it ending up on Ymir's face while she tried (and failed) to maintain her dignity.
"You're dead, Naruto," Ymir growled, wiping frosting from her nose while Krista giggled.
"Naruto!" Reiner boomed, "Truth or dare!"
"Truth," Naruto chose, his head spinning slightly.
"If you had to marry someone here, who would it be?"
Naruto's eyes flickered briefly to Annie before he laughed it off. "Probably Mikasa, she'd keep me alive the longest!"
"I already have my hands full with one Yeager," Mikasa said dryly, but her lips twitched in amusement.
As the night wore on, the dares grew bolder and the truths more personal. Krista had to give Ymir a piggyback ride, which ended with both girls tumbling into the grass, laughing. Armin revealed his secret dream of seeing the ocean, which led to a drunken chorus of "We'll find it together!"
"Hey Annie," Connie slurred, "why're you so mean to everyone 'cept Naruto?"
"I'm mean to everyone equally," Annie replied, but her tone softened slightly when Naruto passed her more wine.
"Lies!" Ymir called out. "You're totally soft for whiskers!"
"Shut up, Ymir," Annie and Naruto said simultaneously, causing several knowing looks to be exchanged.
Bertholdt watched them with a mixture of concern and jealousy, while Reiner threw an arm around his shoulders. "You okay, buddy?"
"Fine," Bertholdt mumbled, taking another long drink.
The bottle landed on Eren again. "Dare!"
"I dare you to tell us your most embarrassing childhood story about Naruto!" Jean challenged.
"Oh! When we were seven, Naruto tried to-"
"Don't you dare!" Naruto lunged for his brother, but Eren dodged.
"He tried to impress this girl by climbing a tree, but he fell and landed in horse poop!"
"EREN!"
The clearing erupted in laughter as Naruto chased Eren around the fire, both brothers stumbling drunkenly. Mikasa watched them with fond exasperation.
"Your turn, birthday girl," Marco called, spinning the bottle toward Ymir after Eren and Naruto returned back to the others.
"Dare," she said confidently, despite her slight swaying.
"I dare you to let Krista do your hair however she wants!"
Five minutes later, Ymir sat with flowers braided into her hair, trying to look annoyed but failing as Krista beamed at her handiwork.
"You look pretty!" Krista declared.
"Whatever," Ymir muttered, but she didn't remove the flowers.
The game continued as the night grew deeper and the wine bottles emptied faster.
"Truth or dare, Naruto?" Connie slurred, swaying slightly.
"Truth," Naruto replied, taking another sip.
"What's the weirdest thing you've ever seen? I bet it's the Colossal Titan, right?"
Naruto laughed, the alcohol loosening his tongue. "Nah, that's not even close. The weirdest thing... hic ... was this huge fox with nine tails. Met him twice actually. Real jerk, that one. Always yellin' about something..."
The group burst into laughter, except for Annie and Mikasa, who both thought this was a little strange, especially coming from Naruto, of all people.
"Man, you're so drunk!" Jean cackled. "Hey, speaking of weird things... how come you look nothing like Eren? I mean, blonde hair? Blue eyes? You two don't even look related."
The atmosphere tensed slightly. Eren casually wrapped an arm around his brother's shoulders. "Naruto was just born different, that's all."
Jean leaned forward, squinting at Naruto, but suddenly recoiled. In the firelight, Naruto's usually bright blue eyes had shifted to a deep, threatening red. Jean sobered up instantly.
"Sorry, sorry!" Naruto quickly grabbed the eyeglasses hanging from his shirt - his father's glasses - and put them on. His eyes returned to their normal blue. "It's just a medical condition Dad explained to me. Something about melanin and genetics... makes some babies born with silver or blonde hair even if their parents don't have it."
"Right..." Jean muttered, still unsettled.
"My turn!" Reiner boomed, trying to lighten the mood. "Truth or dare, Bertholdt?"
"Truth," Bertholdt answered nervously.
"What's your proudest achievement?"
Reiner, quite drunk himself, answered before Bertholdt could. "Mine was when I broke through this big ass wall, it was-"
Bertholdt choked on his wine and quickly interrupted. "Remember when we won that training exercise last month? That was pretty proud-worthy!"
Annie shot them both a sharp look while Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Truth or dare, Sasha?" Marco called out, redirecting attention.
"Dare!" she exclaimed enthusiastically.
"I dare you to do your best Shadis impression while eating bread!"
Sasha stood up, swaying slightly, and pulled out a piece of bread she'd been hiding. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, POTATO GIRL?" she bellowed, then stuffed the entire bread in her mouth.
The group roared with laughter as Sasha attempted to continue her impression with her mouth full.
"Truth or dare, Annie?" Ymir asked with a mischievous grin.
"Truth," Annie replied coldly.
"What's the real reason you won't sit on Naruto's lap? Afraid you might like it too much?"
Annie's glare could have frozen hell itself. "I choose violence."
"That's not an option!" Ymir protested, but wisely dropped the subject when Annie cracked her knuckles.
"Mikasa!" Connie called out. "Truth or dare?"
"Dare."
"I dare you to not mother-hen Eren for the next three turns!"
"Impossible," Eren laughed as Mikasa automatically reached to stop him from drinking more.
The bottle spun again, landing on Armin. "Truth or dare?"
"Truth," he said, hiccuping slightly.
"If you could be any animal, what would you be?"
"A bird," Armin answered dreamily. "Then I could fly beyond the walls... see the ocean..."
"You're such a sap when you're drunk," Jean teased.
The game continued, with Krista having to give everyone pet names (she called Ymir "grumpy bear"), Marco having to do twenty push-ups while Connie sat on his back (he managed five before collapsing), and Eren having to tell everyone his most embarrassing secret.
"Sometimes I talk in my sleep about killing all the titans," Eren admitted.
"Sometimes?" Mikasa raised an eyebrow. "Try every night."
As the night wore on, the group grew progressively drunker. Connie tried to prove he could walk on his hands and ended up with a face full of dirt. Sasha attempted to steal more of Naruto's food but missed his pocket entirely and grabbed air. Jean kept trying to sing what he claimed was a love song but was actually just a jumbled mix of military cadences.
Through it all, Annie remained close to Naruto, their shoulders touching whenever they thought no one was looking. Bertholdt watched them with increasing dejection, while Reiner kept trying to cheer him up with more wine.
As Naruto reached for another bottle of wine, Mikasa's hand shot out and intercepted it.
"That's enough," she said firmly, using the same tone she typically reserved for Eren.
"Aw, come on, Mikasa!" Naruto whined, his words already slightly slurred. "I'm fine!"
"You've had more than Eren already," she pointed out, moving the bottle away.
"Yeah, but I can handle more than him! I've got... special circumstances," he argued.
Mikasa's expression softened slightly, but her grip on the bottle remained firm. "Special circumstances or not, you're still my little brother too. No more."
"I'm only younger by like two months!" Naruto protested.
"Three months," both Eren and Mikasa corrected simultaneously.
Annie watched the exchange with subtle amusement, while the others laughed at Naruto's predicament.
"The mighty Naruto, getting mothered just like Eren!" Jean teased.
"Shut up, horse-face!" Naruto and Eren shouted in unison.
"See? Definitely brothers," Sasha giggled.
Naruto made another grab for the wine, but Mikasa simply raised an eyebrow. He slumped in defeat, knowing that look all too well from years of failed attempts to escape her protective nature.
"Fine," he grumbled. "But I'm not a kid anymore, you know."
"Of course not," Mikasa agreed, but she still ruffled his hair as she used to when they were children. "You're just my reckless little brother who needs someone to watch out for him."
"Does she ever turn it off?" Reiner whispered to Bertholdt.
"I heard that," Mikasa said without turning around. "And no, I don't."
The group laughed again as Naruto crossed his arms, pouting in a way that made him look exactly like the child he was claiming not to be. Even Annie's lips twitched in a barely suppressed smile.
"Just accept it, Naruto," Eren advised, clearly speaking from experience. "It's easier that way."
"Yeah, yeah," Naruto sighed, but there was fondness in his voice as he looked at his adoptive sister. "Thanks, Mikasa."
She nodded, satisfied that at least one of her brothers was being sensible for once. The wine bottle remained firmly in her possession for the rest of the night, much to Naruto's theatrical dismay.
"One more spin!" Eren declared, his words slurring.
"Last one," Annie agreed. "Dare."
"I dare you..." Ymir said slowly, "to sit in Naruto's lap until we're done here."
Annie's cold glare cut through the firelight. "No."
"Come on, you have to do the dare!" Ymir pressed, grinning wickedly.
"I said no." Annie's voice carried a dangerous edge that made even Reiner lean back slightly.
"What's wrong, Annie? Afraid you might enjoy it too much?" Ymir teased, clearly enjoying herself.
Annie stood up smoothly, despite the wine. "I'm not doing your stupid dare, Ymir. Find someone else to mess with."
"You can't just refuse a dare!" Ymir protested.
"Watch me." Annie's icy stare would have made a titan think twice.
Naruto coughed awkwardly, his cheeks slightly flushed from the wine. "Maybe we should move on-"
"Scared of a little physical contact, Annie?" Ymir continued pushing. "Or is there another reason you won't-"
Before she could finish, Annie had moved with frightening speed despite her intoxication. She stood directly over Ymir, her expression promising violence. "Finish that sentence. I dare you."
"Okay, okay!" Krista intervened, tugging on Ymir's sleeve. "Let's spin again!"
Bertholdt watched the exchange with a mixture of relief and jealousy, while Reiner patted his back sympathetically.
Annie returned to her spot, noticeably closer to Naruto than before, though still maintaining a careful distance. Her eyes met his briefly, carrying a silent message that made him smile slightly.
"My turn!" Connie announced loudly, breaking the tension. "And I choose dare!"
"I think we should call it a night," Armin suggested, noticing several of their companions were already dozing off.
"Best birthday ever," Ymir declared, her arm around Krista. "Even if some of you are cowards about dares."
"Sorry about that," Naruto whispered to Sasha as they began cleaning up.
"It's okay," Sasha smiled, though a bit sadly. "Can't blame a girl for trying though, right?"
Annie pretended not to hear as she helped gather empty bottles, but her hand brushed against Naruto's as they worked, a silent acknowledgment.
As they made their way back to the barracks, supporting their more inebriated companions, Naruto found himself walking beside Annie.
"Sorry about earlier," he murmured.
"It's fine," she replied quietly. "It would have been more suspicious if you'd agreed."
"Still..."
"Naruto," she cut him off, her voice barely audible. "You don't have to explain. I... trust you."
Coming from Annie, those words meant more than any grand declaration of love could have.
The group stumbled back to their respective barracks, Jean still humming his would-be boy band songs, Eren half-carrying a sleeping Armin, and Ymir refusing to let go of Krista's hand. As they separated.
"Happy birthday, Ymir!" Naruto called out as they parted ways.
"Yeah, yeah," Ymir waved dismissively, but she was smiling. "Next time, no chickening out of dares, whiskers!"
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