#((i'msorry))

The time of my life...

Fighting dragons...

With you.

AN: Thank you for taking the time to read this mess. It’s pretty much just porn. Albert/Female Builder

I ride my horse into town square, the gentle thumping of her hooves making a loud beat with every step she takes. The usually quiet town of Portia is lively and loud tonight. The Winter festival was about to start. It's always a big celebration that consists of a massive hot pot, gifts, games, and lots of drinking. The party usually lasts well into the early morning hours. And right now it was about 9:00.

“There you are! Geeze Ellie, what took you so long!” 

I stop my horse in front of Emily and get out of the saddle. “I was finishing up this Commission for Albert. He needed these pipes for….something? Now that I think about it, he didn’t really specify what he needed them for. Oh well, it’s not really any of my business anyways.” 

“Do you ever stop working?” Asked Emily.”

“On occasion.” I say as I fish around in my saddle bag for the pipes. I get them out, taking a moment to inspect them one last time. “Look at these. They’re damn near perfect.” I say, holding them out for Emily to see.

“Yep, they look great.” Said Emily.

“Yeah yeah, I know you don’t care too much about this kinda stuff. I look over at the other side of peach plaza and spot Albert hanging around Gust and Ginger. Oh, there he is! Let me hand these off to him and I’ll meet back up with you in a second.

“Hurry back! I have so much to tell you about last night!” 

My ears perk up. “What happened last night?”

“Let's just say, I heard a certain civil corps member hooking up with Nora.” Said Emily. 

“Oh my god, it’s Arlo isn’t it?” I ask.

“I’m not telling you until you get back.” Says Emily. 

“Ughhh fine, I’ll make this as quick as possible. I’ve gotta know!” Eager to hear her gossip, I push through the small crowd and quickly make my way over to Albert. He spots me headed towards him and flashes a warm smile my way.

“If it isn’t my favorite builder!” He says. 

“Yep it’s me! With your commission!“ I say, holding up the pipes.

“Oh wow, I wasn’t expecting you to have those done just yet. Those look fantastic! Exclaimed Albert. Amazing work as always. Er, I don’t really have a place to put these though.”

“You could put them in your shop. I suggest. It's not too far from here.”

“Yeah, I suppose I could do that. Mind giving me a ride?”

“Sure thing, just let me go tell Emily I’ll be a bit longer.” 

It doesn’t take me long to find her again. She’s chatting with Antoine over by the playground equipment, probably telling him what she plans on telling me. I tap her on the shoulder and let her know I’m gonna take Albert to his shop real quick.

“Okay but seriously, hurry back!” 

“Trust me babe, you’re gonna wanna hear this.” Says Antoine.

“I know, I know! Don’t tease me, damn it!!” I quickly find my horse and lead it over to Albert. We get on and I get her into a gallop. Within five minutes we’re outside of “A&G construction.” 

Albert hops off and extends his hand to me. “Come on into the shop and I’ll get you paid.” He says. He helps me off my horse and we go inside. He places the pipes down behind his desk and starts rummaging through its drawers. 

“Let’s see, it was $600 gols right?” He asks.

“Actually, it’s only $300.” I say, looking around the shop.

“Only $300? Huh, I thought it was more than that. “That’s alright, I’ll pay out $600. Consider the other $300 a tip.”

I was flattered but it was a rule of mine to never accept a tip over $100. It was a rule my father had that just kinda got passed down to me. I shake my head. “That's very generous but I can’t accept that, just pay me the $300 and we’re good.”

“Nope, you’re getting $600 whether you like it or not.” Albert Says as he tries to hand me the money. I playfully step to the side to keep him from putting it in my hand. 

“I’m only going to take it if it’s $300!” I say. 

“Why!?”

“I don’t know! Just pay me the $300!”

“No! Accept the tip!” Says Albert, pushing the money towards me. I step around him. 

“I can’t! It’s…company policy!” I say. Technically I wasn’t wrong. 

“I call bullshit!” Says Albert.

He playfully grabs me by the waist, holding me against him. He tries to force the money into my jacket pocket but I wriggle out of his grip and run across the shop. 

“You’re not leaving here without this!” Says Albert. I hear the lock on the front door click. He stands in front of it giving me a triumphant smirk. 

“Oh you underestimate me!” I exclaim. I charge towards him and he grabs me again. We wrestle for a bit, laughing the entire time until he manages to pull us both down onto the floor. I landed right on top of him.

“Oh crap, are you okay?!” I ask through another fit of laughter.

“Yes I’m fine. You know this wouldn’t have happened if you would have just taken the extra money.” Says Albert. 

“Yeah but this was kinda fun. By the way, I'm still not taking it. 

He rolls his eyes at me. “Fine. Just $300 then.”

“Thank you. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you. I say. You ready to go back?”

“I don’t know, I’m kind of enjoying this. It’s been a while since I’ve had a pretty girl sitting on top of me.”

My face turns bright red. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Oh, did I say that out loud? My apologies.” He says.

I'm caught off guard. First of all, I don’t get called pretty. People know me for my work, not my looks. Guys never really look in my direction. Being called pretty is a first and I can’t conceal how I feel about it. My face probably looks like a tomato right now. I try to look away but his hand cups my chin and pulls me towards him. I find the courage to look down and the look he’s giving me is…different. It’s not playful, it’s not his usual sly expression.

It’s Desire. Want. Lust.

I feel his hand reach around my back and pull me closer to him. I can feel his warmth, I can smell his expensive cologne, I can feel his heart drumming against his chest even with his jacket on. There’s something between us. A spark of some kind that I didn’t even know we had. I would consider us good friends but I never could have imagined we had this kind of connection. It feels almost electric. At that moment something ignites in me and I have the sudden urge to lean in even closer and kiss him. But before I can do that he pulls me in and his lips crash against mine.

Incredible is the only way I can describe this moment. The kiss grows deeper with each passing second, his tongue manages to slip between my lips and dances around with my own. His hands find their way to the back of my head and with a swift movement he releases my hair from the band I had it tied in. His fingers work to undo my braid and a waterfall of soft brown tresses now envelopes us. 

“I want you.” He murmurs between kisses. 

“Then take me.” I say. 

He begins to kiss me even harder, all while unbuttoning my jacket. I help him get it off along with my shirt and bra. He tosses the garments to the side leaving me there with my chest fully exposed. He takes a second to admire my breasts, then he gets back to work. He carefully rolls me onto my back so that he’s now on top. His kisses start to trail downwards as he begins to work on getting my pants off. A moment later I’m fully bare. His lips trace over my neck and collar bone, as he nips and pecs at my exposed flesh.

He makes his way down further and further until he’s in between my legs, spreading them to reveal my womanhood. He dives in and begins to lick and suck at my clit.  The feeling is intense and I can feel the pleasure building up inside of me with each and every stroke his tongue makes. I grab fistfulls of his hair to keep him in the right spot. I feel as though I’m about to explode! But suddenly he stops. I let out a disapproving groan. 

“Why must you tease me like that?” I ask.

He gets on top of me and leans down close to my ear. “Because I want to fuck you now.” He growls. 

Hearing him say that sends a shiver down my spine and I can feel myself turning red again. Words that I never thought I’d hear come out of his mouth are now playing on repeat in my head.  “You gonna take your clothes off then?”

 “Oh right, I should probably do that, yeah? He starts to strip down, a bit clumsily but he manages. And oh my god, he’s absolutely gorgeous. He’s not buff but damn, he's well sculpted.  And from what I can see, he’s nicely endowed. He repositions himself and leans down close to my ear again. “Okay, now I’m going to fuck you.” He growls. 

He slowly guides himself inside of me. It stings a little because it’s been a while since I’ve had sex. But once that feeling passes, it’s incredible! The shop is echoing with the sounds of our moans, grunts, and our bodies pounding against one another. For being labeled as Portia’s most unsuccessful ladies man he sure knew what the hell he was doing. I can see him smirking down at me as a loud moan escapes my lips. 

“That feel good love?” He asks.

“ Yes! God yes!” I manage to say. 

He leans his head down, capturing one of my breasts in his mouth and I gasp at the sudden sensation.

“F-fuck Albert. If you keep it up I’m gonna cum.” I say in rasped breaths. 

He releases my breast for a moment. “Don’t be shy, cum for me darling! I wanna hear you scream my name!” He says. 

His mouth cups my breast again and everything that has been building up inside of me begins to release. 

“Albert! Oh god Albert!!! Albert!!” I cry out as I reach the peek of my orgasm. God that felt amazing! 

His pace starts to get erratic as he thrusts harder into me.

“I’m gonna cum!” He growls as he tightly grips my hips. “Fuck Ellie, I’m gonna cum!”

He thrusts into me a few more times before climaxing himself. He falls into a heap on top of me, trying to catch his breath. He looks wild. His once perfectly styled hair is out of place and he’s glimmering with sweat. He looks so sexy at this moment. I wanna see him like this more often.

“You wanna head back now?” I ask. 

“Yeah we probably should.” Said Albert. But afterwards you wanna hang out at my place? Maybe spend the night? I have another commission I’d like to discuss with you.”

“You wanna discuss a commission with me or do you wanna fuck me again?” I ask.

“A little bit of column a, little bit of column b.” He says as he gets up from on top of me. 

We get ourselves dressed and fix ourselves back up the best we can. Some of Alberts hair is still out of place and my lipstick is a little smudged but other than that it’s not super obvious. I'm certain no one will put two and two together. 

The hot pot is just  getting started when we ride into Peach plaza. “Come find me when you're ready to go.” He says as we dismount. “The sooner we get out of here the sooner we can discuss that commission.” He whispers in my ear. “And the sooner I can fuck you again.”

“Ellie! There you are! Come on, you gotta hear the story!”

“I’ll see you later Ellie.” He says, winking at me as he walks back towards Gust and Ginger.

Emily looks at me and then Albert but doesn’t say anything. “So, you’re not gonna believe what I heard last night. Nora and Arlo snuck into McDonalds stables and……

Pairing: Reiner Braun x Reader

Summary: Once Reiner returns to Marley with survivor’s guilt, you teach him the beauty of life.  

WC: ~1.5K

Warnings: angst, mentions of suicide and depression (if you ever feel depressed, I’m always here!), character death

A/N: I’m writing a lot of angst rn wtf, I’ll change that in a bit hold up

“Tell me.” Clicking your pen to start taking notes, you asked, “What did you do today?”

“I tried to commit suicide,” Reiner stated. He wrung his hands together, posture curved so he could stare at the ground. His body language was so familiar to you now that you knew he felt insurmountable guilt. He continued when you only stared at him. “I took a shotgun and shoved it down my throat.”

“What stopped you?” These questions were uncomfortable but necessary if you wanted to remain in good standing with the government. You tried to maintain a stoic face to remain as professional as possible. On the inside, you wanted to pull the big man into a hug. The topic of suicide was always gut-wrenching. Yet, you knew that it came with the job.  

Reiner has attended sessions ever since he was recommended to have therapy by the military. You thought you made significant progress, but then there was always a step back. Today, you were experiencing the step back that would hopefully lead to progress. (remember love, it’s always about progress)  

“I heard Falco on the other side of the wall,” he muttered. “’Figured I should stick around for him.”

“That’s good. Have you done anything with Falco since then?”

“Yeah, we talked,” he stated. His responses always answered the question but he never chose to expand on them. You knew the only progress you’d ever make with him was how much progress he wanted to take himself.  

Unfortunately, the rest of the hour was spent prompting him to talk, but making little progress. At least, this was better when he wouldn’t talk to you at all. The events of this morning still clung to him like a shadow hovering over his shoulder. “I’ll see you in a week, Reiner.”

He nodded, but didn’t look you in the eye. Now, you knew he was lying. You were used to him lying to you about coming. Sometimes you’d sit in your office for an hour waiting for him. But when he did show up, he was always a minute early.  

~

“I don’t think that these sessions are working,” you stated at the very beginning.

Reiner looked up at you quickly, eyes slightly widened in his usual stare – one that showed fear for what would happen next. Although he never talked much about his childhood, you could assume that he always looked for parental approval. Or, that he feared about a parent leaving him. Perhaps his fear of being left behind was why he was here now.  

You continued, “I think that we should go outside.”

“Outside?”  

You nodded, “I don’t think these walls are doing you any good. Right?”

The rough man’s eyes softened, with tears that sprung to the surface. “Y-you’re right.”

A smile rose to your face, happy that he was responsive to you. Reiner always had a hard time following through with coping skills you advised him to take. Now, he’d have to do one with you right next to him. “Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that matter the most.”

You both stepped outside of your office, enjoying the celebration that was about to come. The Tybur family would be holding an announcement of sorts. Of course, everyone wondered what the prestigious Eldians had to say to those they left behind in their reach for power.  

For you, you only cared that there was more food in the internment zone. Ice cream was a precious food that you couldn’t have often. So, when it was here, you indulged in it at every chance. You dragged Reiner to the ice cream stand, like an invisible string pulling you along.  

“Do you want any ice cream, Reiner? It’d be on me,” you replied, gesturing to the vendor.  

He shook his head with a chuckle, “I already had enough from spending time with the kids.”

“That means more for me,” you grinned, rubbing your hands together.  

Reiner observed your transaction, especially focusing on the smile that stretched your face. He didn’t understand how you could be so happy in a world like this. Maybe it’s because you never witnessed the horrors that he grew up with. He shook his head; you’d tell him not to do this. Anything negative could have a positive side. Your lack of knowledge regarding the tragedies on Paradis was a reason why you were so safe for him. Here, he could escape those thoughts.  

Of course, that’s the reason why he was put into therapy. The military needed a functioning, rational, level-headed warrior, so they put the broken soldier into sessions. Yet, the fact that he could tell you everything? Without your judgement? He knew it was your job, but he hoped that you weren’t just forced into the job because of your circumstances; he hoped that you were there because you were as kind as he imagined you to be.  

But the way you smiled at him from simply enjoying a cold sweet? There was no doubt in his mind that every action you made was genuine. In a world where everything was dreadful, where he didn’t want to get out of bed, where he thought he wouldn’t find a will to life, you were here.

“Are you okay, Reiner?” You asked, tilting your head in real curiosity. The question solidified in his mind that only you would truly care about the people you counseled. “You’re staring.”

“Oh. Sorry, that’s my bad,” Reiner said, scratching the back of his neck. He smiled with a dusting of red across his cheeks.  

You giggled, “It’s fine. Sorry, that took so long. So, do you want to walk along the beach?”

Your hand reached out for his. His hand reached for yours.  

~

Soon, the Tybur family was ready to make their announcement. The night was abuzz, with officials and families watching from all angles. The dead internment zone was suddenly lively.  

However, you were anything but festive. Alone in the crowd, you anxiously searched for Reiner because he said that he would be there. Despite having a professional relationship, you still felt responsible for him outside of it.  

Yet, Reiner wasn’t near the stage with the rest of his comrades. In fact, it seemed like the Warriors were dropping like flies, going off in different directions. Reiner’s red armband and blond hair were nowhere to be seen, especially when he ran off with Falco. You gnawed on your lip, an unsettling feeling growing in your stomach. Something was wrong.  

But you still sat down for Willy Tybur’s announcement. Indeed, something was horribly wrong. Several reasons why he’d confess to his family’s secrets arose in your brain. Yet, those flew away when you realized something: the Warriors were still nowhere to be found. The strongest in all of Marley weren’t at the most important place to secure.  

As you were about to rise from your seat, the next statement of Willy’s truly chilled you. A declaration of war? Then, a Titan appeared. You didn’t have time to process any of it, but you imagined this was how the Eldians on Paradis felt.  

~

The sight of your grave sickened him. The words engraved in your tomb replaced your smile. Your eyes were no longer looking at him, as he was only met with a stony slab erected from the ground. Reiner looked down at your tomb. Sad scenes in stories were always rainy and grey, but not today at your funeral. If anything, the sun parted away the clouds to shine on the world and the birds flew freely without a care in the world.  

It was incredibly ironic.

He only saw it now that you were gone. You were right. The simplest things in life were the most beautiful.  

When would he have realized this?

When was the last time he cried this hard?

When was the next time he'd see you?  

Maybe if Eren killed him in the Rumbling he would die. He could die. No. He had to live to avenge you. Something told him that he wasn’t allowed to die. Not yet, at least (totally not Isayama lol). He found that purpose: it was you all along.  

alt prompt: “I’m sorry.”

ao3

alright I know this au is bizarre even for me so some background: - yes I started another matrix-inspired au - yes it's a separate au from both coppertop and the force battery au I've been writing this month - in this au, star wars canon is a simulation a la the Matrix, except on a much smaller scale and run by a shady research group, not run by ai - only ahsoka and anakin (that they know of) are actually people plugged in to said simulation; obi-wan, palpatine, and other characters are real people who live in the town nearby, whose personalities were imitated to fill the world up (because creating important people from scratch is much more difficult and takes up far more resources than just using a premade jumping off point) - at this point in the au, Anakin and Ahsoka have escaped (they escaped in what would be the Clone Wars in star wars canon), and are basically in hiding in the town - and they've explained everything to the real obi-wan, who's just like. a regular dude in town vibing until nowthere'll be another part that explains a bit more later in the month, but until then, enjoy! "I know it sounds impossible to believe," Ahsoka says softly, once they've finished their story. "But this has been our lives for. . . we don't even know how long, Mas—Mister Kenobi. I mean," she laughs humorlessly, "I don't even know how old I am. I don't even know my birthday." 

Obi-wan raises an eyebrow at that. He turns to Anakin. "Neither do you, I presume?"

"Uh," Anakin swallows nervously. Obi-wan's gaze is too much to handle; he looks away. "I didn't know age or birthday in the simulation either. They went a bit overboard for the tragic backstory."

He tries to make it sound lighthearted. Instead it just sounds bitter.

The silence stretches awkwardly. He can't imagine what Obi-wan is feeling right now—he doesn't even know what he's feeling. The man in front of him is—is the real Obi-wan. And the Obi-wan he knew never even existed.

It hurts like a knife to his gut.

"You have to understand, I had no idea the research would be used in such a way," Obi-wan says finally. "I was told it was for a psychological study—I had no idea it would hurt anyone."

"Well, it did!" Before he knows it he's on his feet. The other two look at him in shock. "You—you raised me in there, you know. You were practically my brother. My father, even. And you—it was never real. Any of it. And I meet you in real life and I'm—" He blinks back tears. "I'm a stranger to you," he finishes quietly. "You don't even know me."

Obi-wan looks at him, lips slightly parted. Finally he sighs. "I am. . . deeply sorry, Anakin. I had no idea it would come to this—that I would hurt someone in this way with that research. I," he bows his head. "If I had known, I would have never have done it."

Someone. Not Anakin, but someone. It still stings even though Anakin knows the real Obi-wan has never even met him before today.

"They didn't change that," Ahsoka muses, and they both turn to look at her. She meets Obi-wan's gaze. "Your kindness," she elaborates. "You were just like that in the simulation. A sarcastic bastard sometimes, to be sure, but you. . you cared." 

She blinks and looks around. "I'm sorry we bothered you, Mister Kenobi. I'm sorry we dumped all of this on you like that. I know you don't know us—you don't have to help us, if you don't want to."

Part of Anakin bristles at that, but he shoves it down. If he had been in Obi-wan's position, a couple of strangers telling him that some government survey he'd down years ago was part of a shockingly unethical research program in which random kids were dumped into some false simulation of a fantasy world—

Well. He doesn't know what he'd do. Probably accuse them of having a little too much to drink.

He's avoiding Obi-wan's gaze, he realizes. It's just—too strange.

Finally he looks back up. 

Obi-wan meets his eyes and he tries not to flinch. "Well, of course I want to help," he finally says. "This mess is partially my fault, after all."