I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin

Only Nice to Her

Ymir isn't the best of people. She knows it, she doesn't care. However, Christa tries to give a good light when needed.

Prompt:

Krista being protective of Ymir.

Daz muttered as Ymir walked by him,"I don't like the way she looks at me."

"Same, she looks like she wants to kill," Thomas said.

"We'll fail if she keeps that up."

Usually, the taller girl would be accompanied by Christa wherever she went. Both boys were waiting for said girl to appear at one point but they were shocked to see that she sat alone at the farthest end of a table; she situated herself by the corner. No food or drink, she just sat there and leaned against the wall to gaze out the window.

Arms crossed were crossed over her chest, she would have looked like she was relaxing if it weren't for that stern front she put up. However, every so often, she would look down at her lap, then back to the window.

She was irritated today.

Daz raised his mug to his lips, he further scrutinized Ymir from his distance. "Where's the other one?"

"Probably hanging by the barracks- oh, heard Reiner caught them the other day."

"Doing what?"

"Y'know," Thomas murmured, he made an obscene gesture under the table; Daz choked on his drink to laugh. "Maybe she's hanging back to recover."

"Not surprising, but I don't think that face is what you make after doing it."

It wasn't a secret among the recruits. In fact, people took bets on the supposed rumors, however, it was the boys who took part in it; the girls kept quiet about it, Ymir may have had something to do with that.

Connie suddenly appeared, he took his seat by them with his tray of rations in hand. "What'cha guys on about?"

"Ymir," Thomas said, he used his chin to gesture towards the corner.

When Connie looked directly at her, Ymir's eyes fell to him. The glare she sent the young boy scared him to no end, he shuddered and uttered,"The fuck is her problem now?"

"Beats me, does she normally give you that?"

"Practically every day, only because I talk to Christa."

"Maybe you should not?"

"C'mon, it's just talking, I talk to her. I should have a right to talk to anyone-"

"Would you talk to Annie?"

Connie gave a mortified face. "And let her break my bones? Hell no. I don't get why Mina can sit by her anyway."

"You'd think the same about Christa," Daz uttered. "Girl thing, maybe?"

As though she were on cue, Christa came into the mess hall. However, Ymir was looking out at the window once again, she was preoccupied to notice. She was about to pick her pace in approaching Ymir until Connie reached out and took her sleeve, but he gently pulled her back. Catching on to this, she stopped in front of the boys.

"What is it?" She asked, curious about them.

"Has Ymir always been like that?" Connie inquired.

Her head tilted to the side a bit. "Like what?"

"Ymir being..."

"Being a female dog," Daz finished for him.

Christa gave a frown. "Reiner stopped me the other day for that. She's not that much of a bad person if that's what you're saying, I mean...she has her moments- it's not like she's absent of a conscience. She's nice-"

"To you," Thomas butted in.

"I mean, look," she said while looking directly at Ymir.

They watched Sasha approach Ymir from the side.

The brunette glutton came up to her with a pleading face, they heard the exchange,"I smell something good."

"Go away, Sasha."

"Is this why you sneaked out to town?"

Ymir shrugged. "Maybe I had."

Sasha drew too close for comfort, she was literally sticking her nose where it didn't belong. "It's a pastry in your lap, I can smell it across the room. Can't you share?"

"Is your name Christa?"

"Well..."

"Then go away."

Sasha pouted, saying,"You owe me for it," while pulling out of Ymir's space.

She was obviously peeved, maybe it was out of the fact she now had a debt to fill; most likely a way to pay off Sasha was giving her the next meal. More or less, her pride was stung for having to go to Sasha for a favor. The pair probably have a history of various debts and payoffs, though Sasha would be the usual debtor in it. Ymir scoffed and as Sasha went to sit by Mikasa at the other end of the table.

"Seems kind of rough," Daz commented.

Christa sighed. "She's a good person when you get to know her."

"To you," Thomas murmured again.

"Why're you sour against her right now?"

"Tomorrow's the team exercise on horseback, we'll be paired with the both of you since it's co-ed," Thomas explained,"Reiner gave us a warning ahead of time since he saw the list, we'll be graded on this too."

"Reiner?"

"Out of good faith for us, everyone knows how hard of a time Ymir has with animals," Connie said,"he always looks for her name to tell the teams to prepare whenever Shadis isn't in his office."

"It's just Thomas and I," Daz added.

"Alright, riding isn't her forte, she has a rough hand," Christa told them with a shaking head."

Thomas clicked his tongue. "And if she can't be kind to animals, would there be a difference to humans?"

"At times, I feel like she's just adjusting to things. You can't blame someone who's trying to-"

"Trying? Hardly! She only gives a kind hand to you!"

Christa had a blush across her face, she nearly whined,"Can you guys just-"

"Christa."

A hand popped onto her shoulder. Ymir must have overheard and discovered Christa standing about near the boys. Each of them, without finding time to look away, were fixated at staring at her. They found that in her other hand was a small box, something that Sasha was trying to confiscate moments ago.

"Are they bothering you?" Ymir asked, her voice was cold.

Christa was still red. "No, not at all. I was- uh, Connie was telling me about tomorrow's drill."

Connie gave her a weak smile. "Eh-heh."

"Tch, whatever." Ymir began to usher her out of their conversation. "C'mon, let's go outside, I got something for you."

As she was turning, the blond girl mouthed an apology to the three of them.

When they were gone, Daz looked into his drink and said,"Damn, sneaking out to town just to get her a gift?"

"She's only nice to her," Thomas repeated with a heavy sigh,"I hope she fixes Ymir for tomorrow. I can't stand working by her."