Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

X  Stutter

"Ymir," The tiny blonde glanced up from her work, her face brightening up once she saw the older woman walk through the door. Their eyes met, and Ymir gave a soft smirk before shutting the door, a soft click sounding behind her. Krista stood up, watching as her friend and lover took off her shoes, and instantly reached out for a hug once the woman reached her vicinity. They held each other for a long while, both enjoying the quiet of being the embrace.

"Did you have a nice day?" Krista asked as she released Ymir and headed to the kitchen to prepare a simple snack for the both of them to share before dinner was to be served. Ymir gave out a sigh, smiling all the while as she plopped into Krista's abandoned chair. Krista returned the same smile as she approached the table, a plate of biscuits in hand.

"Originally, it was very crappy; Shadis was chewin' off my ass again because I hadn't been paying attention. Bastard should clean his eyes, since I was damn listening to his shit and focus his attention to Sasha. She keeps fuckin' eatin', that goddamn glutton," Her tone let on a bit of an enraged note as she recounted the highlights of her day, inserting exaggerated gestures when she felt was necessary. Krista quietly listened, adding quiet questions of clarification before urging Ymir to continue (which she happily did).

"It sounds like a real rough day," Krista muttered, placing her small hand over Ymir's. She squeezed it softly, and Ymir raised her eyebrows in exasperated agreement.

"You have no idea, Krista. Anyways, like I said, it was originally crappy. That was," An almost malicious smirk crossed her face as she leaned in, elbows on the table to support herself. There was a red smear coloring Krista's face, and Ymir took the grace to enlarge her smile. "until I saw you when I walked through the door." She finished with a quiet voice, taking Krista's warm face in her hands and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "You never fail to cheer me." She mumbled against the other's forehead, going in for another peck.

Krista on the other hand was dying of flattery and embarrassment. She was thankful for having such an amorous lover, but she thought Ymir's compliments were a bit too much. She moved away from Ymir's grasp a bit, her bright cerulean eyes drifting to the table, to those charming brown that Ymir sported.

"A-All of that can't be true…" Krista muttered insecurely, her cheeks burning and her face getting splattered with red paint of embarrassment. Her eyes settled on Ymir's face long enough to watch it morph into an expression that she couldn't quite name, before she barked out a laugh. Krista tilted her head to the side, her confusion and curiosity overruling her previous emotions. "W-What…?"

It took a while for Ymir to calm down, and by the time she did, she was having trouble breathing while clutching her stomach as she released random fits of laughter. "Ah man. You did the thing again." She grinned a lazy smile, slouching in her seat.

"W-What thing?"

"The stutter thing! It happens when I just shower with comments of affection. I find it quite cute really." That trademark smirk of hers appeared again on her face. "Makes me want to get on one knee and propose to you."

"Y-Ymir!"

"Oh Krista, just marry me already."

"S-Shut up!"

X  Just a Dream

"Krista! The hell are you?" Ymir bellowed, flinging the wooden door to the dorms. It was mostly empty, with neatly made beds and sheets. But there was a small lump near the back corner that no one really noticed unless you looked very carefully. Walking up to the buried person, Ymir yanked off the covers, revealing a curled up blonde, sleeping peacefully on her side. She let out an aura that pulled viciously on Ymir's cold heart, beckoning her to lie next to her. It was tempting, to say the least.

"Mm, Ymir…" Her tone was soft, with a hidden erotic note hidden somewhere. Ymir's eyebrow twitched up, a burning feeling in her chest. Who knew innocent Krista could sound like that.

But Ymir wasn't here to listen to Krista's case of somniloquy. She needed to wake her up in time so that the both of them wouldn't get yelled at by Shadis and eventually be denied food. So she shook the girl, softly at first to eventual shoves. Once Krista woke up, she was on the floor.

"What was that for?" She called out, climbing onto a kneeling position as she glowered from the opposite of the bed. Ymir rolled her eyes before turning to leave the collapsed blonde behind.

"Just waking you up to tell you that dinner was ready. Better get your ass in gear before Shadis finds out that we're both gone and forbids us breakfast and dinner for the entire month." Ymir recalled such a punishment when the strict instructor caught Sasha eating again during the morning routine. The girl had barely survived, and hung on to the dear bread that Krista had kindly provided (with Ymir's help).

By then, Krista already remembered the said consequences and was behind her tall companion. She muffled a quiet yawn, and wrapped her arms around her friend's waist.

Ymir stopped. She took a quick, bored glance at the fingers that were intertwined together, holding her close to the small, petite body behind her. She placed her larger hand on top, covering Krista's two. Offering a faint squeeze, she felt a soft hum of appreciation and the tightening of the other's grip.

"You know Ymir, we should sleep together tonight."

There was a brief pause. And then a, "What?"

"Because we should share a bed together. Isn't that what people do when they like each other?" Aside from curiosity, there was a mischievous tone, one that only appeared when they were alone together.

Ymir stayed silent, putting two and two together, before pursing her lips and slowly turning her head to look at Krista.

"Krista?"

"Yes?"

"What were you dreaming about?"

Krista offered a soft smile before releasing her and exiting the dorms without another word.

X  I'm Yours

"Piss off, Braun!" A tan shadow loomed over the sitting blonde. Krista watched with fear, anxiety, and a tad bit of awe as she saw Ymir throw an impressive right hook to Reiner's jaw. The muscular male flew back a bit, landing on his back with a groan. Ymir cackled, spitting on Reiner's face before turning to return to her spot next to Krista. A small smile was on her face when she saw her friend backing away from the fight, but now it faded away immediately when she saw how quickly everything had escalated from a simple punch. Soon enough, she found herself trying to pry off the taller girl from Reiner.

"Ymir, that's enough!"

Ymir turned to Krista with a vehement stare, and the blonde instinctively backed away, hands up in a gesture of surrender. She chewed the inside of her bottom lip, almost positive that Ymir was going to try to punch Reiner to death, but sighed a breath of relief when she saw her wobbling to her feet. She threw the male a last glower before limping her way to Krista, wrapping her arm securely around her shoulders. It was an obvious gesture that yelled out, "Back off douche, she's mine."

"Let's go, Krista." Ymir blatantly stated, not giving the bleeding male behind her a second thought.

"You overdid it again, Ymir. If Reiner returns with injuries like that to class, who knows what's going to happen to you," There was a worried tone in her voice as Krista help support the taller's weight. There was an occasional grunt, and Krista couldn't help but wonder if Ymir was going to be facing expulsion; Ymir had one too many suspensions throughout the year, and it seems that the staff was starting to become exasperated with the delinquent. "Honestly, you should learn how to restrain yourself from getting into unnecessary tiffs."

Ymir slipped her arm away from Krista's grasp and allowed herself to flop onto the grass. It was a foolish move, and the impact only made her hiss in pain. She groaned out her exhaustion and agony, petting the spot of grass next to her. Krista just looked down on her with a look of disapproval on her face. Ymir fidgeted subtly under the heavy gaze and silence, flitting her eyes here and there.

Krista broke the silence. "You knew that was unnecessary."

Ymir bristled. "Unnecessary?! Krista, Reiner was trying to get his grubby hands on you again. The bastard needs to know to fuck off."

"He was just asking the homework for Levi's class!"

"And I bet that includes calling you endearing names like 'Angel' and 'Goddess,' yeah?" She spat out blood, the spittle foaming a bit. She turned her glare up to the tiny blonde, who had decided against a retort. The wind blew a bit, annoyingly mussing up their hair and sending chills up their arms.

"I'm yours."

Ymir quirked an eyebrow while giving Krista a confused glare. "Excuse me?"

Krista extended her arms out, to cup Ymir's bruised and bloody face in her hands. Her touch was gentle and comforting, to say the least. "I said I'm yours."

"And that means?"

"It means that I'm yours no matter what." She gave one of her sweetest smiles, and Ymir's cold heart seemed to melt a bit.

"Marry me." Ymir blurted, giving in to a rare smile.

Krista blinked, a rising blush filling her cheeks. "What?"

"Nothing, my little Angel."

Chapter Text

X  Little Talks

"Oh God, she's here again," Ymir groaned, shifting her bag up her shoulder. She gave a menacing glare at the small blonde that waited for her beside the open gate, a giddy smile that just screamed excitement. Unlike the jubilance the girl expressed Ymir scowled and shuffled past the blonde.

"Good morning, Ymir!" She chirped, skipping alongside the taller girl. Ymir gave a grumble as greeting and picked up her strides to lose the girl. As usual, it was a vain attempt and Ymir found herself half-listening half-ignoring the girl's morning rants and rambles about various subjects. A small hand clasped around her forearm, and she looked down on the small girl beside her.

"What do you want?" She grumbled, stopped in her tracks. Her bored eyes trailed the head of blonde hair as she stood in front of her. Ymir thought she was going to go blind by the way her blue eyes shone in the dim light of the school building. Looking down, she saw various math problems, and a space that was left blank near the bottom right corner. The answer was very apparent to her, but Ymir knew that the blonde had a difficult time understanding this particular subject. "You didn't get it?"

The blonde smiled sheepishly. "A bit…?"

Ymir raised an eyebrow and snatched the parchment out of the girl's hands. "God, how'd you manage to get to this grade?" She mumbled under her breath plopping into her designated seat. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a mechanical pencil. She clicked it several times before the lead poked out, and she went on to solving the problem, roughly describing her procedure to the girl, who nodded in understanding.

"Oh, I get it now!" She exclaimed. Ymir rolled her eyes.

"Whatever Krista," Krista giggled and took her homework away from the tanned girl, shoving in the front pocket of her book bag.

"Did you do the homework for Hanji's class?" She asked, sitting in the desk beside Ymir. The tanned girl made a guttural sound of approval before turning her head to look out the window, her chin resting on an open palm.

"She hardly assigns anything when compared to Levi and Shadis." She commented, her tone deadpan. There was some sort of finality in her voice that stopped the conversation, leaving an awkward silence in its wake.

"What period do you have her?" Krista asked.

"Third."

"Cool."

Silence.

Each word seemed like an added weight, and the silence grew heavier. Long minutes passed before Ymir turned her head to look at the blonde. Krista was reading a book, but raised her head when she noticed the movement in her peripheral vision.

"Why do you always talk to me?" Ymir asked, her monotone voice hiding a note of curiosity. "I mean, there are other people that you could talk to like Reiner, Connie, Sasha, and all of them," Ymir furrowed her eyebrows together, narrowing her eyes at the blonde. "But out of the entire fucking school, you decide to talk to me, one of the most intimidating girls here."

Krista fidgeted, folding the corner of her page before clapping the book closed. "I do talk to them, but I don't exactly enjoy it as much as I enjoy talking to you," Krista offered a small smile. "There's something about our little talks that I enjoy."

The bell rang, it tinny squeals echoing through the room. Krista stood up and walked over to her own desk in the front of the room. Ymir watched her sit down before averting her gaze to the morning view.

"Something about our little talks, huh?" Ymir mumbled into her hand.

Ymir didn't know exactly what, but that phrase had a nice ring to it. Maybe there was something about their little talks that Ymir enjoyed to. She smiled into her hand, watching the sun poking out.

"Yeah, that's probably it," she finished quietly.

X  Six Weeks

It has been six weeks. Six fucking weeks since Krista had left on her business trip. With no other way of entertainment aside from the bland channels on TV and the repetitive songs on the radio, Ymir was dying of boredom as she lied on the couch, staring at the white ceiling of their apartment. A leg was dangling off to the edge, while the other was resting on top of the cushions. The dangling leg was swinging softly, a steady metronome that kept a steady beat of boredom.

Groaning, she heaved herself up and made her way to the kitchen; if there was nothing to do in the living room, there must be something to do in the kitchen. Or at least she hoped so. Once she opened the fridge, her dream died quickly as she stared at the emptiness that occupied inside. Ymir slammed the door closed, rattling the half-empty jars that were inside. Sighing, she opened a door that housed packaged foods. Ymir reached for the ramen package, tearing it open.

By then, Ymir had the suspicion that someone was in her apartment. She was positive that she locked the door. Or at least I think so.

A scuffle of feet and Ymir's hand flew to the handle of the pot and she brandished it like a long sword. A whimper of resignation came from the small blonde in front of her, who had her tiny hands covering her face. Her cerulean eyes poked out from their lids, and an unsure yet greeting smile was on her face. It nothing more than a split second for Ymir to recognize who she was, and the blonde was crying in delight as she swung around in Ymir's arms.

"W-Why are you back early?" Ymir asked with a rare grin on her face as she placed the petite woman on her feet. Krista had the same expression.

"I asked Erwin for a leave early since we did so well with our negotiation with Pixis," Krista loosely explained, knowing how easily bored her tall lover can be when she talked about her business. Ymir nodded her head enthusiastically, not understanding a bit of what the petite blonde had said. But who gave a damn? She was back!

"Okay, okay. So the question is, how long are you staying before you go on your other trip?" Ymir asked, her grin rushing off and her ardor trampled. Krista still had her smile on her face, and it grew impossibly bigger.

"Two months or so."

"Two months," Ymir's jaw slacked. Krista laughed at her stupid expression. She nodded, and Ymir's grin came running back.

"So now we have more time to ourselves, hm?" Krista mumbled, pulling her lover close to her. Ymir hummed, enveloping her arms around the blonde.

"Yeah."

"You just ate fast food and ramen when I was gone, didn't you."

Ymir scoffed. "You know I can't cook for shit, Krista."

Krista laughed and pulled away from the embrace, making her way to the stove. "I know, I know," she said, as she opened the fridge door. Clicking her tongue at the lack of ingredients, Krista turned to Ymir. "You wouldn't mind buying some stuff for me, would you?"

Ymir grinned, grabbing her keys that were on the counter. "Of course, my little Krista." They returned a grin to each other, leaning in for a soft peck on the lips before going their separate ways.

Six weeks of boredom ain't so bad if Krista comes back early, Ymir bemusedly thought, closing the apartment door behind her.

X  Dirty Paws

Krista scowled as she gazed on Ymir's bloody and muddy palms. Disappointedly, she looked up at the taller girl, who had averted her gaze and decided to look at the plain wall of the infirmary. Sighing heavily through her mouth, Krista reached out for a cleaning cloth that she had already soaked. Delicately and deftly, she wiped away the crusty grime on Ymir's hands.

"How'd you get like this, Ymir?" Krista asked as she turned over Ymir's hand. There was less dirt on the back, but still dirty nonetheless. Ymir mumbled something that sounded faintly of "It's none of your business." Of course, Krista would have none of that, and asked the question more firmly.

Feeling like she had no choice but to comply with the blonde's demands, she answered the question. "I got into a fight with Connie and Reiner," she mumbled below her breath. Ymir glanced at Krista, expecting to see her wrath glowering furiously in her eyes, her shoulders quivering with suppressed anger. Instead she was met with a worried and almost scared look, and it caught her off guard.

"You weren't hurt, right?"

"…No?"

Krista let out an air of relief. "Good," Ymir offered a smirk, but Krista shot it down with a maternal glare. "But going into another fight isn't going to help solve things. If Shadis gets whiff of this, then you're head is going to be gone." She shivered at the thought, and went back to cleansing Ymir's hands.

"It's their fault for starting it," Ymir interjected softly. Krista paid her no mind.

"You keep getting your paws dirty," Krista sighed for the umpteenth time, throwing the red and brown cloth in the basin of water. It sloshed about before settling a moment later.

Ymir gave silent thanks before raising an eyebrow. "My paws?" She asked, glancing at her clean hands. As far as she knew, she wasn't an animal. Of course, I'm not necessarily human either, she quickly thought, before pushing it away.

Her cheeks burned, and Krista turned away to prevent Ymir from seeing her red cheeks. "Yeah, 'cause…I get the impression you're like a wolf, you know. And if you're a wolf, and you keep getting your hands dirty, then you have dirty paws…" She mumbled incoherently to herself. Of course, Ymir was a sharp person, and managed to capture each word Krista was saying.

"So if I'm a wolf, then you're the little innocent bunny, right?" Ymir had a lazy grin on her face, and Krista whipped her head around, her cheeks fuming red, while wearing an adorable pout as an expression.

"F-Forget it!"

"My little bunny," Ymir teased, laughing.

A headbutt from the blonde made her shut up.

Chapter Text

X Call My Name, Please

“Well if it ain’t little pipsqueak!” A voice jeered behind her. Krista exhaled heavily through her nose, and turned around, giving that taller girl a weak stare.

“What do you want Ymir?” Krista muttered, exasperated with her day already, despite the fact that it was only morning, and the bell has yet to ring for first period. Ymir barked out a loud laugh, and draped her long arm around Krista’s shoulders.

“Is the little shorty in a bad mood today?” She asked, flicking the blonde’s ear and sneering when Krista’s expression darken a bit.

“Not really,” Krista grumbled, picking up her pace. Ymir’s arm flopped back to her side, and she scowled a bit. One long lazy stride and she already caught up with Krista, much to the blonde’s dismay.

“Whatever shorty,” Ymir commented, blowing an air of bemusement. Krista gritted her teeth at the name, and turned a corner sharply in a futile attempt to try and lose the freckled girl. It was obviously in vain.

Krista did not know how long it has been since Ymir had picked her as her object of torment. But one thing was for certain; her temper was getting shorter, and she was certain that another jest about her short stature will send Krista in a raging fit in front of her friends, classmates, and teachers. Initially, Krista hadn’t mind the names, but now she was getting sick of it. She just wanted Ymir to call her by her actual name.

“Whoa pipsqueak, where you going? You missed the class!” Ymir called out, pointing to the open door that she was standing next to. She raised her brow, and then furrowed it when she noticed the angry look in Krista’s eyes.

“You know, I’m sick of it.”

Ymir tilted her head in confusion, her trademark scowl on her face. “What?”

“Of the name calling! Why can’t you just call me by my given name?” Krista fumed, her tone letting a frustrated and distressed note.

“Oh, you mean Historia?” Ymir asked, her grin returning again. Krista stared at her blankly, her cheeks either red from anger or embarrassment from getting caught off guard; most likely it was a mixture of the two.

“I meant that you should call me Krista,” She mumbled, looking away. Ymir was the only one that could blow away her aggressiveness in one statement.

“I guess,” Ymir breathed out, scratching the nape of her neck. “Krista and Historia are pretty cute names,” she laughed at the rising blush in Krista’s cheeks. “But I enjoy calling you ‘pipsqueak’ and ‘shorty,’ since no one else aside from me call you that.”

Krista stayed mute for a bit, before mumbling “You’re an idiot.” She entered the class without another word.

Ymir rolled her eyes and trailed after the girl, smile on her face.

I’m just an idiot in love.

X Beauty and the Beast

God, why am I doing this? Ymir questioned, fiddling with the cuffs of her sleeves. She gulped inaudibly, walking in a circle in front of the full-body mirror, her tails of her coat following her every move. How the fuck did Krista talk me into this? She groaned, knocking her head on a nearby wall.

“Of course, she always wanted to dance with me, but this has gotten a bit too extreme,” Ymir accidentally undid her cuff, and she muttered profanity under her breath as she struggled to fasten it with the cufflink. “Honestly, it’s like she wants to reenact that scene from that one kids’ movie.”

There was light knocking on the door, and Ymir opened her mouth to retort what was on her mind to Krista, but no sound came out as she gaped like an idiot. Bertholdt towered above her, a confused frown on his face. Ymir rolled her eyes as she tied her hair back with her clip. Taking a shaky breath, she glanced over at Bertholdt, who know had a humble smile upon his face. He took a step to the side, bowing deeply as he did so.

“Your lady waits,” He declared softly, extending his arm in the general direction where Krista was waiting. Ymir bit her tongue to hold back a snarky remark; it was funny yet fitting to see Bertholdt play the role of butler.

Wait, how many people did Krista force to play along? Ymir paused in her steps, her eyes widening a bit. She poked her head out of the corner to their small living room, taking a brief sweep of her eyes before retreating. Good, Connie’s not here; if he saw me like this, he wouldn’t let this slide for ages. She mused, fiddling her with her cuffs once more. She exhaled heavily, before striding out of her hiding place.

Krista was now in the center of the room, wearing a white dress that ended somewhere near her calf area. Her blonde hair framed her face brilliantly, and her cerulean eyes shone with nervous yet enthusiastic energy. A small smile was on her face, and Ymir could hardly contain hers as she strode confidently to her lover’s side. Taking a step back, she bowed, a hand over her heart as the other reached for Krista, palm up.

“Shall we dance, my lady?” Ymir asked, her tone gentle yet hiding a note of jest. A small hand clasped around hers, while giggles rung in her ears.

“Of course my prince.”

Ymir straightened, slipping a hand on Krista’s waist, going a bit lower than what was appropriate. She noticed the blonde’s cheeks redden a bit, and she bit back a guffaw. Krista placed her hand on Ymir’s forearm, and once they were in position did Ymir remembered something crucial; she didn’t know how to dance.

“Krista,” Ymir whispered urgently. “how the hell do I begin?”

“Just take a step back or something, I’ll follow.” Krista replied.

How reassuring, Krista, Ymir sarcastically thought, following her instructions. Looking at the ground to know where she was going, she took a step backwards, and then a clumsy step to the left. Krista expertly followed, like she knew what she was doing. If I recall correctly, Krista took dance when she was little. Goodie, the midget has an advantage. She thought bitterly, going for a step forward. At least I don’t have to worry about stepping on her toes.

“Keep your head up Ymir,” Krista chastised quietly. Ymir did so, but almost led Krista to the clumsily moved table in the corner. The blonde narrowly avoided it when Ymir took a step right.

It began as a tedious pattern, but eventually the taller woman grew bolder and more confident in her strides, even making Krista twirl a bit before returning to their steps. There were smiles on their faces, both of them clearly enjoying the moment.

Time passed by quickly, but neither of them noticed how dark it grew, and how their butler had sneaked out to return to Reiner. They were entranced with their dance, and with each other.

“I love you, my Beast.” Krista muttered, her smile growing bigger.

Ymir released an amused breath. “As do I, my sweet Beauty.”

X Waiting on Winter Morning

Krista exhaled through her mouth, watching her breath become a white puff of air that dissipated. She smiled, and continued doing so, watching her breath fade away. She blew into her hands, the tips becoming red with the vicious bite of the cold. As she waited patiently for the bus to come along, a tall, warm shadow loomed over her. Knowing exactly who it was, Krista smiled even more, leaning back again Ymir.

“You’re heavy,” Ymir blatantly stated, not making any action to move the blonde. Krista giggled.

“Well you’re warm.” Krista remarked, snuggling closer to her tanned friend. Looking up, she noticed that Ymir’s nose was rosy with the cold. Ymir sighed heavily, a cloud of white warming Krista’s entire face.

“How’d you sleep last night?” Krista asked, knowing how Ymir disliked the cold.

Ymir let out a throaty laugh. “It’s a wonder I fell asleep,” she commented, rolling her eyes. “But I guess it was okay?” She scrunched her nose, looking ahead. The sides of the pavement were building small hills of snow now.

“I heard that there was going to be a snowfall sometime today.” Krista said, her tone jumping with jubilance.

“Oh yay. More shoveling to do in the morning,” Ymir yawned loudly, a large cloud emitting from her.

Krista puffed out her cheeks, tilting her head up. Her blue eyes met brown. “I expected you to like winter; your personality matches the weather after all.” She laughed at her own joke, and Ymir frowned.

“You should know by now that I don’t like a lot of things.”

“True.”

There was a small silence between them, save for the breathing. They waited patiently for the bus, Krista giving quiet acknowledgements to every passerby while Ymir scowled at them to scram.

“You know, if there was one thing I liked about winter,” Ymir started, picking up where their conversation had ended. “it would be getting chances to cuddle you in public.” She proved her point by slipping her arms around the small blonde’s waist. Krista yelped with surprise, and then ultimately laughed. Ymir followed suit, throwing in a fit of chuckles. She buried her numb nose in Krista’s hair, enjoying the warmth and scent of her girlfriend. There was a faint roar of the transit bus coming around the corner, and her eyes followed it until it stopped completely in front of them.

Krista walked out of her arm length, therefore breaking the embrace. Ymir frowned a bit and was about to board the bus until a cold kiss touched her forehead. She looked up to the sky, noting the clouds. Ymir sighed heavily, entering the transit and paying for her fee. She sat next to Krista, whom was looking out the window. Curious, Ymir took a quick glance as well, watching the snowflakes fall slowly to the ground.

“You’re going to drag me out to play with you in the snow?” Ymir teased, reaching out for Krista’s hands.

“Most likely.”

Ymir smiled, squeezing her hand. 

Chapter Text

X  Love, Love, Love

Ymir took her place in the class, which was in the back corner, away from everyone else. She bothered no one, and no one bothered her in return. Her eyes trailed across the room, boring into the heads of each person, spouting curses at them inside of her mind.

Damn you Mikasa, for being so damn clingy.

Screw you Eren, for being a naïve idiot all the fucking time.

Sasha you damn glutton, stop eating for once.

Shut up Connie, you're nothing but a goddamn dolt.

Her eyes stopped at a head of blonde hair. They studied her intently, paying close note to how those strands of hair just managed to catch every ray of dim light. It burned bright, and shimmered with every move. The blonde was the only one that really captured her attention, and actually managed to hold on to it. From the way she looked, Ymir had expected Krista to be the typical rich girl; snotty, stuck-up, sassy, and just a general pain-in-the-ass. She expected her to ignore her like the others, and treat her with disdain with the others. What she didn't expect was the opposite; how kind, generous, and just the plain opposite of what Ymir had assumed she was.

But that still didn't stop the string of curses she began.

Damn you Krista, for being so adorable. From there Ymir stopped and glared at her desk. Krista was unapproachable, and it irritated her greatly. To add to her agitation, the bell rang its tinny ring, dispersing the groups of students talking to one another. But all of that went away when Krista turned around, to give the briefest of smiles to Ymir. Ymir flushed a bit before offering a small wave and turning away. Krista had turned away by then, but Ymir could just see the growing grin on the blonde's face. The thought made the freckled girl smile despite herself as her eyes settled again on the blonde.

Just as she first thought of Krista, one would think that they didn't share anything in particular; just a kind girl trying to reach out to an unapproachable teen. One would think that they were strangers that knew nothing of each other. No one knew about their secret relationship that was built on top of love, love, and even more love.

"And honestly, it's just a bit more fun that way," Ymir mused, watching the teacher enter the class.

X  Monster

If asked what to describe herself, Ymir would stick with one word: monster. It was true. This abnormal trick to transform herself into the very creature that she was being trained to kill seemed like a sick and twisted joke. Might as well kill myself then, she had joked to herself, smiling grimly as she had jogged up the mountain Shadis had assigned them to scale.

Had she truly revealed who she was, most of Trainee Squad 104 would unsheathe their blades with no hesitation. She was the one most people were skeptical about, and the one that most did not approach because of that cold aura that stuck to her. Ymir was content with that; as long as people didn't find out what she was, then everyone went along on their business, happy and oblivious on the creature lurking amongst them.

The moment she revealed herself to that one person, she had expected her to run away, to shun her and rat on her to her comrades. But she didn't, and the blonde instead grew closer to her. Ymir was confused and allowed the blonde to do whatever she pleased, and soon enough she was swept up with the current, actually enjoying the company of the small blonde. She didn't know how, but how she was able to develop feelings for her was an eternal paradox that she never found the answer to.

Looking down at the tower, she gazed blankly at the horde of Titans crowding among them. Was she scared? If Ymir was, she didn't feel it. Her heart was pulsing rapidly, and blood and adrenaline were rushing to her head as she took deep breaths to still herself.

"Ymir, don't do this," a meek voice behind her squeaked, tremors of emotion shaking it. Ymir paid it no heed as she gripped the blade in her hand and jumped.

I'm a monster.

She sliced the skin of her hand, feeling the transformation taking place.

I'm a monster.

She landed heavily on the ground, dust flying up, coating her.

I'm a monster.

She raised her head, and let out a cry.

I'm a monster. But I'll protect you no matter what.

She charged, fast and quick, the Titans falling one by one.

Because I just want you to see you smile for once as I call out your real name, Krista. Let me say I love you, with your actual name please, Krista.

Please give this monster its final wish.

X  Can I Sleep With You?

"Ymir?" Krista nudged the bulge next to her, poking the shoulder sharply. An annoyed groan came from the girl. She turned slowly on her back as if it hurt (which it must have, due to the intense training Shadis had put them through) and lazily opened her eyes. She blinked slowly, like she had not a single care in the world. They gradually hardened into a glare, but the mussed hair and the way it just framed her sharp features just right, Krista couldn't take her stare seriously. She replied silently with a small smile.

"Yes, Krista?" Ymir drawled, slapping a hand on her tan forehead before sliding it down, stretching her features as far as they would allow. Her hand stopped over her mouth, and she looked at Krista with the same glower, along with a bit of annoyance. Krista applied a cute nervous pout on her face, and she watched Ymir's glare soften a bit much to her mild satisfaction.

"Can I sleep with you for the night?" Krista asked, her initial timid tone taking over once more. Ymir sighed, curt and short. She then scooted over near the edge of the bed, leaving a sliver of space for the tiny blonde.

"Can't you leave a bit more space for me?" Krista grumbled lowly, slipping into the sheets nonetheless. She heard Ymir scoff and turned to see what the tanned one had to say.

"You're tiny, so it doesn't really matter."

Ymir held back a flurry of profanity as she hissed in pain. Krista was rubbing her forehead before settling her head on the pillow. It sighed heavily under the added weight, and she turned on her side to stare at the empty rumple of sheets where she once was. Her eyelids grew heavy with fatigue, and she felt herself drift into sleep until an arm that curled around her waist yanked her back into awareness.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Ymir questioned, lowering herself so that she could easily nuzzle Krista's neck.

"No."

Warm air tickled the blonde's skin as Ymir scoffed. "Then why the hell did you join me in bed?" She stressed the last word, which successfully brought a blush across Krista's face.

"N-No reason, I just wanted to be next to you, that's all."

"Little Krista wants to be next to me? How sickeningly sweet," Ymir's tone dripped with sarcasm, and it was Krista's turn to use her friend's trademark eye roll.

"If you don't want me here, I can always go back."

The arm tightened its grip, and Krista smiled.

"Nah, I think it's best if you stay here."

Krista twisted on her other side, so that she could look into those homely brown eyes that Ymir had. They blended in somewhat with the dark, yet managed to stand out when inspected closer. They studied her curiously, and Krista's cerulean ones did the same. Eventually each of them broke into a smile and closed their eyes.

"Good night, Ymir."

"Night."

Ymir placed a soft peck on Krista's red forehead; she winced in response.

"Marry me one day, will you?"

Krista laughed.

"Sure."

Chapter Text

X  You Found Me

She was hiding, but what was she hiding from? Was it the cruel parents that only saw her as an object for commercial success? Or was it possibly from the boys in her school that saw her as a toy for their dirty and defiling thoughts? Maybe it was from the girls that envied her petite figure, her looks, her shimmering blonde hair and cerulean eyes that captured everyone in a trance? The more she thought about it, could it possibly be from her own friends, the people that she trusts and confide in with her secrets and hidden thoughts? Krista Renz didn't know why she was sitting behind the old oak, its great canopy of leaves sheltering her from the warm sunlight. The wind seemed to fly more energetically in the shade, and it sent chills up her arms and neck, only to travel down her spine to repeat the process once more.

She shivered, pulling up her knees to her chest and wrap her arms around them. It provided temporary warmth, but the cold was just too vicious to keep away. She sniffed, followed by a soft cough as she sat there, studying the sway of the grass blades.

"Oh yay, I sick midget took my place." A derisive tone drawled from behind. Krista turned her head, needing to tilt her head back to see the clipped back black hair, tanned skin, and freckles. The look was complete with that scowl that the tall one was notorious for using. But seeing such an expression comforted Krista, and the cold air nipping at her softened its blows as Ymir took a seat next to her.

"Looks like you found me," Krista absently said aloud, earning her a quizzical look from Ymir.

"What the hell you on about this time shorty? You playing hide-and-go-seek with your friends or something?" Ymir snorted at her own joke, stretching before falling on her back, limbs spread apart.

"No."

"Serious today, now aren't we?" Ymir yawned, before turning on her stomach. She studied her companion with those menacing brown eyes. Krista fidgeted under her gaze, not meeting the unintentional glare of her friend's; there was always this cold twinkle in Ymir's caramel-like eyes that always seemed to get to Krista.

"I suppose."

"Something happen today or something? Got into a fight with the stiff-ass parents of yours, or with your dunderheads of friends?"

Krista gave Ymir a look, one that was annoyed and exasperated. "Ymir, don't call them that."

Ymir rolled her eyes, going back on her backside, staring at the filtered streams of light making its way through the leaves. "Well, it's true. Can't really say otherwise without lying."

Krista stayed silent, looking away, her thoughts blank. What was she doing here? She came here for solitude, didn't she? So why wasn't she turning Ymir away? Everything was too complex and confusing.

"You know, you should be pretty thankful that you got friends. Hiding from them seems a bit mean, huh?" Ymir said, giving her a side-glance. Once more, it was like Ymir knew exactly what she was thinking. How she did it, Krista would never know.

"I know, but I just need a bit of space to myself, you know?"

Ymir hummed and nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, I know. But still, I'm just saying."

Krista smiled a bit, unraveling herself from her little ball, to lie on her back beside Ymir.

"When you talk like this, it's like you care about me."

"Never said I didn't."

Krista laughed, scooting over to her left so that she could bask in Ymir's warmth. The tanned girl tensed, before relaxing somewhat.

"But you know why I sometimes want to be alone?" The blonde asked, looking up so she can see the small freckles that dotted Ymir's cheeks and nose. Those charming yet cold brown eyes looked down, clouded with confusion. That look never failed to give shivers to Krista.

"Why's that?"

"Because I want to be with you and only you."

Ymir barked out a laugh.

"I guess that's true for the both of us then."

Once she heard that, Krista just had to smile.

X  You're my Golden Star

For all that Krista cared she was having a shit day. She was having an incredibly stressed day, and she was positive that she was going to rip out locks of yellow hair in fistfuls soon.

"First, my parents come with the suggestion with a man I haven't even met, despite the fact they already know about my relationship with her. And now I just find out the damn due date for the essay is tomorrow of all days, and Ymir has gone missing and I can't find her and now I can't vent to anyone else except to no one and this is annoying and frustrating and—augh!" Krista slammed her forehead against her laptop, the keys crunching and making cracking noises. The oncoming pain only served to add to her rage. She lifted her head wearily, glancing at the blank document in front of her.

"This is going to be a pain now is it?" She sighed, letting her head collapse on the computer again. The front door opened this time, and Krista did not bother to raise her head; instead, she turned to the side, watching the tall figure of her partner walk in.

"Take it you having a rough time?" Ymir asked, removing her shoes and the white earphones in her ears. Krista let out a guttural groan, to which Ymir raised her eyebrows at. "Either you had a real bad day, or just wanna seduce me; I can't tell which." She gave the blonde a rakish grin, winking at her as she made her way to the kitchen table to give Krista a kiss.

The blonde remained immobile as chapped lips pressed against her cheek. She closed her eyes, exhausted from her earlier rant. As much as she would love to, she just didn't have the time to…assist Ymir with her business.

"Not right now."

Ymir straightened, running a tanned hand through her lover's hair. Krista hummed, enjoying being pampered.

"Real bad huh?"

"Yeah."

"You know what will cheer you up?"

Krista sat up, eyes wide as she watched Ymir climb on top of the table.

"Oh God, don't tell me you're going to—"

Ymir laughed. She was so tall, she basically towered over Krista and her head was nearly grazing against the ceiling. She took a deep breath and then cleared her throat.

"Give me your, give me your, give me your attention, baby!"

Ymir's voice wasn't the best—in fact, to put it kindly, it was dreadful to listen to. But the fact that she was making her already-horrible voice even more exaggerated, Krista had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing too loud.

"I gotta tell you a little something about yourself!

"You're wonderful, flawless, ooh, you a sexy lady!"

The blonde gave up with containing her laughter and started shaking with amusement, tears already blurring her vision. Her throat was already scratched raw with how hard she was laughing, and her sides ached.

"Oh, whoa-oh-oh!

"I know you don't know it, but you're fine, so fine!

"Oh girl, I'm going to show you when you're mine oh mine!"

Saying that Krista Renz couldn't breathe would be an understatement. She was gasping for each breath of air; it was like she was forced to run five miles without walking. "O-Oh God!" She coughed, and then resumed with her laughter fit.

"Treasure! That is what you are!

"Honey, you're my golden star!

"You know you can make my wish come true!

"If you let me treasure you!

If you let me treasure you-oh-oh!"

By the end of the first chorus, Ymir stopped and panting, an idiotic grin on her face as she watched Krista trying to calm her giggles. She crouched on the table, chuckling as she watched the petite blonde.

"Made you cheer up, right?" Ymir swelled with pride, her grin growing impossibly larger. Krista could only smile and nod, wiping away the tears.

"It sure did."

X  I'll Be Waiting for You, Alright?

It was the last day of school, and their final day together as classmates. Had she not met her, Ymir would have gladly left the wretched academy without another word to any of her teachers and others. But that was then, and this is now, and now they were standing in front of each other. A bittersweet moment, Ymir realized. Watching the small blonde in front of her just bawl her eyes out as she clutched desperately to the shirt of her uniform hurt, she noticed. As she placed a hand on the small of Krista's back, rubbing it in slow circles, Ymir wondered how lonely it was going to be without this girl bothering her.

"I-I don't want to leave y-you!" Krista hiccupped, holding Ymir tighter. It made no difference whether or not how constricting her grip was, they were going to be separated and both of them will just crave the closeness once they let go.

"I know."

"I-I wish I c-could do something about it…"

"You can't. You have to uphold the Reiss name, Historia."

She felt the girl flinch in her arms. "Don't use my real name…"

"Why? It could be the last time I will probably use it."

"I know…"

There was a moment, where neither of them spoke and the sound of sniffles and Sasha's loud and obnoxious cries to Mikasa was the only thing they head.

"…I love you." Krista mumbled, nuzzling closer to Ymir.

"I know."

Krista gave out a croak of laughter. "You never say it."

"I was always uncomfortable with using those three words, you know."

"I know."

Another moment.

"I think I should go now; I don't want them to keep them waiting any longer." Krista broke away from their embrace, and just as Ymir expected, she felt the carnal urge to scoop up Krista in her arms once more and never let go.

"You're leaving tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah." Krista furiously scrubbed at her eyes, trying to remove the upcoming tears. She turned around, her back towards Ymir. The tanned girl suddenly realized how this could finally be the end of everything.

"Bye, Ymir."

"…Later." Came the response. Dammit, she should have said it. Krista was walking away, step by step, creating an unbearable distance neither of them could handle.

Just say it. Krista was so far away now, a speck of blonde. If you don't do it now, you might never get the chance.

So she ran with her mind blank as she was suddenly in front of Krista. Her blue eyes trailed up, swollen and puffy, but still managed to be that wonderful hue of color that Ymir was so charmed by. They held confusion.

"I love you Krista. And I'll be waiting for your return." That was it. The first time she said it. Krista gaped, eyes wide. Ymir couldn't help the burn in her cheeks, and she turned away. "I really do, and when you do come back," she scratched her cheek, unnaturally nervous. "maybe I'll propose to you or something." She finished hurriedly, words slurred together.

It took a while for Krista to fully register what Ymir said, and once she did, she smiled, touched. "Yeah, okay."

"You better go now."

"I know."

"…Have a safe trip."

"I will."

"If someone tries to get you, I'll beat their ass!"

Krista laughed, sniffling. "I know."

Ymir reached out for one last embrace, squeezing her tightly. Krista did the same.

"I love you, Historia."

"I love you too, Ymir."

"I'll be waiting patiently for your return.

"And I can't wait until that day comes."

Chapter Text

X  Brush my Hair

"Ymir!"

The small, tiny voice of her lover sounded behind her, and Ymir stood up from the couch, trudging over to where Krista was. There was shuffling coming from the bathroom, and soon the bathroom door clicked open. A head of blonde hair popped out, blue eyes gleaming brightly. She smiled, extending a hand that held a brush. Ymir eyed the grooming tool with a raised eyebrow before glancing at the shorter girl.

"Yeah?"

Krista grinned, spun around, and bent her arm in a way where the brush was hanging over her shoulder.

"Comb my hair for me!" She exclaimed, almost ready to jump in delight as Ymir took the comb away from her fingers.

"You're like a little kid Krista," Ymir chuckled, combing the girl's hair. It was soft, still damp from her shower. That familiar scent of what seemed to be lilac always clung to Krista, and it was especially strong after she came out of the shower. The flowery scent was sickeningly sweet, but Krista always managed to make everything tolerable.

"I always wanted you to brush my hair." Krista chirped, enjoying the pampering she was receiving from her taller lover. She closed her eyes, humming an absent tune. Krista winced here and there, feeling the sting of the knots becoming untangled as Ymir worked quietly. Soon, the mindless song ended and a comfortable silence fell between them. There were, of course, the occasional grunts from Ymir as she struggled to straighten Krista's hair, and the small whimpers of pain coming from the blonde. Once she was done, Ymir was almost blinded by how bright Krista's hair shone in the light.

"Damn, your hair is bright as fuck," Ymir commented, exaggerating her statement by shielding her eyes with her forearms. Krista laughed, playfully slapped her arm, and took back the brush only to throw it into the bathroom, unaware of its direction.

"Well, I think it's time to take my leave. See you soon," Krista tip-toed up, giving the taller girl a peck on the cheek. She didn't bother with drying her hair this time, and gathered her stuff necessary for the day. Krista looked back, giving a small wave and a soft smile before exiting the door.

Kinda wanna brush her hair once she gets home… Ymir absently thought, picking up the wet clothes her tiny lover had forgotten to clean up. Straightening, she scrunched her nose as she threw the laundry into the basket, before trudging back to the couch.

She's real cute when she gets worked up. Ymir smiled, focusing on her show once more.

X  The Girl with the Flaxen Hair

Ymir had no idea what she was doing, sitting in an amphitheater just packed with people. She absolutely hated crowds, but the concert she was attending was much too precious to miss. One would assume that one frightening as Ymir would enjoy rock, metal, maybe even screamo. But the woman didn't enjoy such genres of music, and had a more quiet taste for classical. Of course, she hardly ever attended concerts, just settled for purchasing the CDs or downloading them on a music player.

But this particular player was quite the charmer, and certainly caught Ymir's attention as she was going about her business. It was a violinist, a short, petite girl by the name of Historia Reiss, but more well-known with her stage name of Krista Renz. The moment Ymir saw that Krista was playing near her area, she instantly bought the tickets. She could remember how damn excited she was, just to see this adorable girl play. How long it has been since she had been so worked up over a small performance, she could not recall.

Now sitting in her seat, she could hardly contain her impatience as she tapped her foot on counts of four, waiting for the player to appear. It seemed like hours once the red curtains pulled back, revealing a lone blonde clothed in a simple dress, a violin propped on her chin, bow at the ready. Ymir straightened in her seat, attention full and alert.

The first note absolutely took her breath away.

It was a cover of the song, The Girl with the Flaxen Hair, a personal favorite of Ymir's. To see such an adorable girl play one of her favorite pieces, Ymir was entranced. Soon, the piece was over, and everyone applauded aside from Ymir; she was too busy gawking at the girl, amazed by her talent.

And in that moment, Krista Renz seemed to notice the tan woman's gaze, and returned it with a gentle smile.

Possibly, at that moment, Ymir might have fallen for the girl with the flaxen hair as she walked offstage.

X  And I'm Home

It has been ten years since Krista had left. Ten years since she had left the town where they had spent their last high-school day and year together, going on to University, while Ymir stayed at the small town where they first met, making her living from patrolling the streets as a police officer. It was decent pay, seeing how she needed to do minimal effort like driving around the streets and handing minor crimes with a quick write-up of a ticket.

Now, Ymir was sitting alone in her small, yet homely apartment eating a bowl of convenience-store bought food. Her amber eyes flitted across the words on the browning page of her novel, mouth opening to welcome a spoonful of fast food. During mid-chew, an unexpected knock nearly made Ymir choke. After recovering from her mini heart attack, she coughed into a fist, standing up and striding to the door with her book in hand. The woman fumbled with the locks a bit, before throwing the door open.

"Who the fuck you think you are," the words died in her throat, as a pair of familiar glistening blue eyes stared up at her. She had grown a bit, possibly an inch or two, but still remained the short girl that was constantly picked on because of her height. Ymir couldn't help the growing smile on her face as she studied Krista's features, an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia coming over her. "Krista."

The blonde smiled, stepping inside the apartment. That familiar scent of lilac filled Ymir's sense of smell as she returned the embrace.

"Hey. I bet you were jumping up and down waiting for me." Krista mumbled, nuzzling into the tan woman's chest.

Ymir rolled her eyes, burying her nose in the soft gold locks of her lover. "Sure. Let's go with that."

Krista laughed, and tilted her head up a bit, going on her toes to enjoy a leisurely kiss with Ymir.

"I'm home, Ymir."

She grinned, beyond ecstatic. Exultant would be the word to describe her in the moment.

"Welcome back, Krista."