"HAS HE ALWAYS BEEN THAT MUCH OF AN ASSHOLE?"

Jeon Jeongguk, the freshest recruit of the 104th unit of the Survey Corps whispered with faux curiosity, dripping from his gravely morning voice. His head spun with adrenaline as he turned to face yet another soldier beside him, instincts fairly certain that she was older than him by a couple of years at the least- she'd definitely know the answer to his rather inappropriate question, for sure.

It had been mere seconds after his first confrontation with his section's superior. In fact, scratch that, not just his section, but the superior of all sections of the Scouting Legion. Respected by his seniors and comrades alike, across all three of the walls that held humanity enclosed, across the Three Regiments; The Garrison, The Recon Corps and the Military Police Brigade- the last, by far the hardest to sway.

But if there was one thing that Jeongguk could conclude in the first eight seconds of their meeting... it was that he was an asshole.

Lance Corporal Kim Taehyung, humanity's finest, most dangerous, elite soldier... was an utter ass.

"Don't you know it's treason to grumble such a thing about your superiors?" The girl whispered back, eyes never leaving the dias, were he stood, proud in all his glory, feline eyes scanning the recruits lined up before him.

Jeongguk couldn't quite see his face from where he stood, neither had he seen his face before their morning drill. Only the back of his head.

If the stories were true, he had the face of a God.

And if he did have the face of a God, Jeongguk was fucked because he was a sucker for fighting skills and pretty faces.

But if his face was anything like his personality, then Jeongguk had a very good reason to throw up.

Though his features weren't visible from this far off, there was a glint, bold and true, resting in his dark eye that Jeongguk would probably never understand, something else he wasn't so sure about.

Why was it treason to express one's opinion in this place?

He had a fair idea as to why, the courtyard was deadly silent in answer. No one dared to speak up against him, no one dared to question, they simply didn't have a reason to, not with their throats on the line. Any opposition faced immediate execution. It was just law and order here.

"But yeah, he's always been an asshole." The voice chuckled back. Jeongguk swizzled his head, his big, brown doe eyes wide as saucers at her remark.

"I'd be careful what you say around here, newbie. Everyone listens to everything." She warned, bleak eyes flickering to where he stood before carrying out the salute of allegiance in unison with the soldiers stood in stately rows around them. He too placed his fist over his heart in oath. Jeongguk was at the front for God knows what reason- he was just put there, which must have meant that the girl next to him was in a higher unit with far, far more experience considering all of his friends were in the very back.

"W-what's your name?" He asked nervously. He really didn't feel like getting into trouble at this point, so fresh and new in.

The girl didn't reply at first. Jeongguk didn't think she'd heard him when she spoke up, voice lower than ever.

"Jennie." She whispered, her fighting leathers rustled as she shifted her weight onto her foot, stance calm and controlled, like her gaze. Then, Jeongguk saw it. The glint in her gaze, identical to that of the Captain stood on the stage, only visible when she fully turned her head to face him, only then did he see her ethereal features, her dark eyes, her thin nose, her red lips and the signature frown that was only worn by two people in the whole Regiment.

There was only one Jennie in the Survey Corps.

Kim Jennie, Taehyung's twin sister.

If there was anyone that came second in line to Taheyung, it was her.

Jeongguk wondered how he was still alive, this very second.

Not only had he disrespected one of his superiors, but he'd done it in front of Taehyung's own fucking sister, oh, he was dead, he was so dead, shit, shit, shit-

"What? Don't look at me like that, yeah, whatever I should probably report you for degrading humanity's only hope... but you know, I'm human too and what you said was pretty damn hilarious. I couldn't agree with you more. You're pretty bold to do it in front of his own sister, though. Some guts you have there." Her voice was smooth like butter, Jeongguk had no clue how she could be so calm when she'd lived through hell to get here- and yet, there wasn't a scratch on her perfect face.

"I-I apologize f-for speaking ill of my elder and s-superior-"

"Save it, piglet. I don't care, I told you, I'm not going to snitch on you, now shut the fuck up and pay attention or I might change my mind and slaughter you like a chicken, right here, right now." Jeongguk shut his mouth in an instance. He'd rather not die a cowardly death, and dear God, did he want to respected by Jennie- it'd be a dream come true.

Well, at least he could confirm another thing.

Jennie was an asshole too.

The best type.

His attention flickered back to the dias, Taehyung was stood calmly next to the thirteenth commander of the Scouting Legion, known for his brilliance in leadership and strategic battle ideas. Though, his ability was sometimes questioned with the loss of life incurred with his tactics. Everyone knew why, though it would never be said aloud, nothing ever was said aloud.

"Welcome. To the Recon Corps' outer most base, towards the outskirts of the city and in confrontation with Titan territory, north of the Gate Of Sina. Note, this is where you new recruits will be staying, whether you like it or not. It is part of your mission to stay alive, to keep on your feet, always weary of your surroundings. You will be found. The barricades surrounding the castle will not hold, nor should you expect them to, it's cowardice to assume that your life will be spared amongst your comrades. No one survives. If one is eaten, you all are. Understand?" Kim Namjoon's authoritative voice boomed across the courtyard, grasping the attention of every single soldier without fail.

Jeongguk understood plenty that what he'd signed up to was an immediate death wish.

A death wish that he was more than willing to carry on with.

He wondered why Taheyung wasn't stepping up to say anything, why he was so... ghostly in his presence. He only watched like a halk.

"Why won't your brother say anythin-"

"I told you to shut up, listening is respect, piglet- give your superior some when he's talking." Jennie snapped.

Jeongguk shut up again, trying to keep the corners of his lips from tilting into a small smile.

"You'll be expected to clean the castle, since it hasn't been used in over four decades, you'll have your work cut out for yourself. Part of being a soldier is knowing your roles and responsibilities along with your position. Respect your position and your peers, along with your superiors and you will always be in the right. Never question. Never fight." You could hear a pin drop.

Jeongguk heard Jennie smirk next to him, her gaze hot on the side of his face.

"You are dismissed for the rest of the day to clean this gunk up. The 104th, 103rd, 102nd and 101st unit will take the upper floors with Captain Taheyung. The rest of you, start on the lower."

The soldiers scattered hurriedly, he'd never seen people so eager to clean before, ah well, Jeongguk guessed he'd have to too.

He swizzled in his heel to turn to the stables to get a brush.

And tripped over, landing face first into the floor.

"Wh-what the fuck?" He rolled over in agony and brought his shaking fingers up to his nose, wiping the blood away grudgingly. Who the hell-

"You. With me. Upstairs. Now." Five words. That's all the voice had said. Jeongguk didn't even have time to lift his head to know who it was, they'd disappeared in the blink of an eye.

It wasn't Jennie for sure, the voice was far too deep for his own liking. Far too deep and sultry.

It was the second time he'd been tripped up that day. The first was by Lance Corporal Taehyung himself, the second... was by this guy.

So, Jeongguk dusted himself off, walked to the stable to grab a brush and stomped up the old cobbled stairs to the very top floor of the castle, where the conference room was held, overlooking the courtyard and the soldiers milling about, passing time, thinking they weren't being watched, when it was quite the opposite case.

Jeongguk made sure that no one was inside the room before he timidly stepped over the threshold and scurried to the window, placing his grubby little hands on the glass. His gaze flickered over the edge of the castle barricades that stood as crumbling stone walls around them, then the rolling crisp hills of lush grass and towering black mountains in the distance. It was breathtaking what they were surrounded by.

To think that an earth so beautiful, nurtured by the humans could fall to such beasts, such monsters.

It hurt his heart. It made his mind strain against the force of his terrifying memories, locked deep within the underlayers of his head that he wanted to let go of, to move on and pass by.

But the Titans never moved on.

So neither would Jeon Jeongguk.

"I just cleaned those fucking windows you donkey." The same deep, dark voice. He same voice from outside rang out.

When Jeongguk gasped and turned around to face him, his breath hitched in his throat.

The man had turned around to lock the door shut with a tranquil click- the back of his head far too familiar, more familiar than Jeongguk wanted it to be. He wanted to hate him. He really did.

But when Lance Corporal Kim Taehyung turned his perfect fucking head to face him, Jeongguk realised something vital.

It was that he had the face of a God.

And that he was totally, truly, absolutely...
fucked.

________

First chapter was shite but I promise it will get better 😭💕

(Note: this book is INSPIRED by aot, it doesn't follow the same story line)