REINER LAID WITH his hand behind his back, one casually stroking the hair of the girl who laid on his chest. He twirled her (h/c) between his fingers, rubbing away at her split ends. He glanced down at her, feeling her rub her cheek against his chest.

He let out a sigh, thumb casually rubbing against her cheek bone and his nose closer to her head. Her hand clenched onto his side, her dreams acting in her subconscious that led her to move some in her sleep.

Reiner turned to look at his night stand, thinking back onto the conversation he had with the other warriors. His head began to hurt, thinking about the island and the people on it. His heart began to pound, looking back down at the girl laying on his chest. He only had two years left, less due to the fact that one of the younger warriors was gonna inherit the Armored Titan.

It was struggle and a regret, knowing that in his arms was his soulmate. The soulmate that less than 1% of the population got to find. He was a child when he inherited the titan. How was he suppose to know any better what it would be like to have someone waiting at home for you. Waiting for you with open arms and a happy smile.

Though were they truly happy?

He glanced at the single armband that was placed on the nightstand.

His armband.

The girl had entered the internment zone without one, having been known as one of the Brass's general's daughter. She was also known as the caretaker for the Eldian Warriors. What a story it was to explain to the higher ups that having a caretaker in the unit would benefit Marley greatly. Truly it was just a bunch of bullcrap that was spilled from the girl's mouth to get them to let her stay close with the Warriors. Especially Reiner.

He went back to his reminiscing, sighing when he remembered why he truly wanted to be a warrior and inherit a titan.

Oh, yeah. Back then, I strove to become a warrior so mom and I can become Marleyans.

(Y/N) GOT UP from her crouched position, having followed a trail of ants to the back of the building she was waiting outside of. She heard people talking, children's voices catching in her ears. They were fighting, which garnered her attention.

She had been brought to the internment zone with her father, the man explaining that they were going to talk with some other men about the warrior unit.

She had always been an obedient child, following her father's orders about how he wanted the best for her. The best meaning learning all there was to know about the island devils and even the devils that resided near them. She wasn't susceptible to opinions though, having her father's hateful lessons going in one ear and out the other.

Why would she think hateful things about people? The lady who sold (Y/n) slices of pie or cookies always gave her smiles, even if she didn't have the same armband as her. The janitor in the warrior building always gave her thanks, after she would help to clean up her own messes. She would be reprimanded for that last one sure, but as she walked hand-in-hand with her father out the building she would throw a small smile over her shoulder.

So here she was now, on her day trip with her father to the internment zone. Though she had told her father she was going to wait outside, giving him a lie about how she wanted to see the planes fly for a bit. She just didn't want to go in just yet, having been brought into a sad mood after witnessing her father sneer at some Eldians for just walking.

"Anyone can whine about how much they hate the island!" One of the boys with slicked back hair sneered. "That's why you'll be doing it here for the next 13 years."

(Y/n) frowned, tilting her head when she saw a blonde boy laying on the ground. She casually walked to the edge of the alleyway, hands on the wall of the building as she peered her head to get a closer look at the group.

"Porco!" The one who looked like the other boy shouted, shoving his brother back from the blonde. Porco scoffed, turning around to walk off.

"Come on Pieck." The oldest of the group said, walking away from them casually and heading towards (Y/n)'s direction. "Hurry up, when you're done crying. I'll catch another beating if you're late."

(Y/n) hid in the shadow of the building, watching as the group walked past her. When she turned to look back at the others, two boys were left as the final girl began to run to catch up with the others.

(Y/n) finally stepped out of the alley, casually walking over to the boys as her curiosity was eating her. Why did children feel the need to think such hateful things? Her father was a general in the Marleyan army, but it wasn't her business to think about others. She just needed to enjoy her childhood and play. So why were these kids so hateful?

"Why do you guys hate the island devils?"

Her small voice made Reiner and Bertolt flinch, turning around to face the girl in a flash. Bertolt looked at her confused, a frown on his face as he took in her question.

Reiner on the other hand, had been wiping off the dirt from his uniform, stopping when he glanced up at the girl's face to see who she was. He began to blink rapidly, his eyes feeling as though something had touched them. There was also a small scratchy feeling at the bottom of his left pinky, the boy subconsciously moving to rub at it.

The little girl on the other hand rubbed at her eyes, thinking maybe the wind had caused them to feel irritated. With that in mind, she too also felt a scratch on her left pinky, rubbing away at it much like the boy.

Bertolt had turned to look at his friend just in time to see something flash in Reiner's eyes; a teary film almost. But it was quick to disappear, leaving the boy to wonder if it was just his own imagination.

"Anyways," (Y/n) spoke, frowning when she saw a light mark wrapped around her pinky. "Why do you guys hate the island devils?"

Bertolt looked at her profound, glancing at her arm to notice she didn't have an armband.

"Where's your armband? You can't be walking around without it!" Bertolt exclaimed, coming to his feet.

Reiner snapped out of his stupor and glanced up, eyes wide at noticing the girl in fact did not have an armband.

"Huh?" The girl looked down at her arm then at theirs.

"Oh." She said, now realizing they were in fact Eldians. In the warrior unit no less from what she gathered on their attires.

"I don't need one. I'm not Eldian." She explained, waiting for them to say something.

"You're Marylean?!" Reiner yelled, feeling a bit sick to his stomach from the revelation. "Why are you here than!? Won't you get in trouble!"

"Not really. I came with my dad. He works with Commander Magath in strategize with the warrior unit."

"Your dad works here?" Bertolt spoke.

"Yeah."

"Does he know who's going to inherit the titans then!" He suddenly shouted, his statement making Reiner's eyes grow wide from the fact.

"I mean he could. But I don't think he does yet-" The girl was cut off mid statement, the boys suddenly running up to her to get more information.

"You have to ask him!"

"I said, I don't think he knows yet!" She rattled off, trying to fend the boys off from their rapid excitement. "The off chance of one of you not getting a titan is very slim. There is after all six."

"But there are currently seven in the Warrior unit." Reiner explained in a somber tone. (Y/n) felt bad that he was feeling upset, moving a hand to clench his in her own.

She gave him a smile, the boys cheeks turning a rosy red.

"Than try not to doubt your abilities. I'm sure you can do it."

What a regretful thing to say later on in life. Learning that they only had 13 years to live after inheriting one of the titans. Half of which was spent feeling scared for his life as he tried to survive a mission on Paradise island.

They were children, how were they supposed to know what love was. 

"HEY DAD, HOW is the picking going for the Warrior Unit?" (Y/n) asked her father at dinner that night, having been curious now that she had made friends with the two boys.

"Why do you ask?" Her father questioned, enjoying his dinner.

"When I was outside, I heard people arguing about who was going to inherit the titans. I think they were part of the Warrior unit."

"You did, now?" Her father hummed. "Gonna have to talk with Magath about the children's fighting."

(Y/n) suddenly frowned her eyebrows, sitting up in her chair.

"Do they get punished for that?"

"I don't know. I'm not in charge of the unit. I just strategize for the army to cooperate with the titans." (Y/n) nods, going back to eating her dinner.

When her mother had began to tuck her into bed that night, the older woman took notice of a mark that was on her daughters hand, a bit darker than her natural skin tone. It looked like a birthmark, but the marked looked like it was drawn on perfectly to wrap around her pinky. She frowned, picking up (Y/n)'s hand and examining it.

"Where did you get this, (Y/n)?" She asked her daughter, the girl sitting up to take a look at what her mother was fussing about.

"Oh, I don't know. I got it earlier today when I was at the internment zone." The women frowned, thinking maybe her daughter had caught something from that dirty place. She rubbed at it harshly, trying to see if it would come off.

But (Y/n) protested, telling her mother she was rubbing it too hard. She retracted her hand, tucking it back under the blanket to keep it from her mother's eyes.

"If your hand starts to hurt or something tell me. We'll wait and see if it's a disease or something."

On the other side of Liberio, tucked away in the internment zone, Reiner too was being tucked into bed by his own mother. She too took notice of the little skin colored band wrapped around her son's pinky.

"Where did you get this, Reiner?" She asked her son, taking a seat on his bed.

"I don't know. I fell earlier and thought I must've scratched myself on  a rock or something."

"No. A scratch wouldn't look like this." His mother said, tracing the mark. She suddenly smiled, giggling a bit to herself.

"You don't think this is your string of fate. Do you?" Reiner's eyes grew wide, the boy hastily yanking his hand back.

"What!? What's that!?" He shouted, cradling his hand.

"Don't worry, Reiner! It's nothing terrible!" His mom laughed, trying to calm down her son.

"The string of fate is a string that connects two people." She started. "It's something that is so rare, that people believe it to be just a legend."

"What is it?"

"It's destiny." Reiner's mother smiled. "It's a thing that connects soulmates to each other. But it's a sad thing, not everyone gets to meet their soulmate."

Reiner frowned his eyebrows, looking down at the new mark formed on his pinky. He flexed it, thinking back to the day he had.

"Do you know more about it?"

His mother smiled sadly at him, standing up from his bed and moving to kiss his head.

"I wish I did."

"Was dad your soulmate?" The question caught her off guard, the woman trying hard not to cry in front of her son.

"We wouldn't be here if he was."