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Chapter 7 (A Dinner of Joy), and Chapter 8 (A Feeling of Freedom) is already available for Patrons.
Nine Months After Starting The Training Corps
As the night grew darker and the moon reached its zenith, the boy's barrack was filled with the soft sound of cadets breathing as they all lay sleeping soundly in their bunks. Exhausted from the rigorous training they had endured throughout the day, the cadets had eagerly anticipated the blissful escape that sleep provided. With their muscles aching and their minds racing with memories of the day, they had eagerly slipped beneath their blankets, welcoming the chance to rest and recharge for the challenges that lay ahead. In the peaceful sanctuary of slumber, they could finally let down their guard and allow their bodies to heal from the strains of the day, safe in the knowledge that they would awaken refreshed. Still, the darkness of the night was the perfect time for the thieves and murderers to thrive.
As the moon cast a dim light on the wooden floor, someone took each step cautiously and precisely, ensuring that the floorboards would not betray him with a creak or groan.
The moon was shining brightly outside Jaime's window as he lay in his bed, deep in slumber. Suddenly, a hand abruptly closed his mouth, causing him to jolt awake in alarm. Without thinking, Jaime grabbed the wrist of the person closing his mouth, giving it a little twist, making the person groan in pain. Jaime's survival instinct kicked in, and with his other hand, he quickly grabbed his trusty bowie knife, which he always kept under his bed. He opened his eyes and stopped his knife just mere inches away from... Reiner's right eye.
Reiner's heart was racing with fear as he felt the cold metal of the knife hovering dangerously close to his right eye, causing beads of sweat to trickle down his face. His mind was clouded with panic, his thoughts racing as he struggled to comprehend what just happened.
Suddenly, he heard Jaime's voice, cutting through the haze of terror, as he yelled out in shock and disbelief, "R-Reiner, what the hell are you doing?" Jaime's quick reflexes had stopped him from stabbing Reiner through the eye as he swiftly moved the knife away from his eye, leaving Reiner shaken and grateful to be alive. But Jaime's body was still tense as he tried to understand why Reiner woke him up like this.
Jaime's violet eyes squinted as they attempted to adjust to the darkness around him, the only source of light coming from the faint moonlight that managed to seep through the window curtains. As he regained his vision, he came to the realization that Reiner wasn't the only one awake in the room. To his surprise, Bertholdt, Armin, Eren, Jean, Marco, and Connie were all up, their eyes wide open and alert, despite the late hour. Though he could tell they were tired, he couldn't blame them, knowing it was 2 am.
Reiner's heart was pounding in his chest as he carefully massaged his sore wrist, which Jaime had twisted with such force that it was still throbbing with pain. "Damn, man," he muttered uneasily, looking up at Jaime with a mixture of fear and anger in his eyes. "Calm down a little. You almost killed me back there."
"Why did you wake me like that?" he questioned, his voice muffled with grogginess, a little annoyed, and he wasn't trying to hide it. He hadn't been attacked in his sleep since his days of living in the underground city, where every night was a battle for survival, and every sound was a potential threat. Memories of those days flooded his mind, and he felt a shiver run down his spine as he tried to shake off the remnants of the nightmare that still lingered in his thoughts.
The only thing that had stopped him from piercing Reiner's eye was his brain, reminding Jaime that he was in the training corps and not in the underground city.
Connie, who had been standing by the bed, looked sheepishly at him and shrugged his shoulders. "Reiner said it would be funny to wake you up like that," he explained, rubbing the top of his bald head. Jaime shook his head in disbelief, feeling a mix of anger and frustration.
"Why did you wake me up anyway?" he questioned Reiner, who had been the culprit of the disturbance.
Reiner, rubbing his wrist in pain, remained silent, leaving Marco to fill in the gaps of what had transpired. "Reiner said he heard a bear outside. He woke us up to investigate," Marco explained, his voice laced with a hint of concern.
The other cadets who had been roused from their sleep nodded in agreement with what Marco had said, their eyes scanning the dark forest surrounding their training corps for any sign of danger. However, Jean, ever the skeptic, rolled his eyes in disbelief, muttering under his breath about Reiner's tendency to exaggerate.
"Say what now?" Jaime exclaimed with a tinge of annoyance in his voice, interrupting Marco mid-sentence. "There are no bears in these mountains. Hell, the largest animal you can find around here are deer and wild boars," he continued, his frustration building up. It was 2 am, and he had been woken up for no good reason. Jaime had always been a light sleeper, and even the slightest noise could jolt him awake.
Jaime couldn't help but recall the time when he was under the tutelage of an eccentric mentor who had a strange penchant for waking him up at the most unexpected hours of the night. The memory brought a smile to his face as he remembered the look of mischievous glee on his mentor's face as he would barge into Jaime's room and rouse him from his slumber for no apparent reason other than to mess with him.
"I was playing chess with Bertholdt when I heard him outside. We should do something about it." His eyes darted around the room, meeting the gaze of every cadet who Reiner had awakened. Meanwhile, Jaime, who had just risen from his bed, stretched out his arms, shaking off the remnants of drowsiness from his eyes, ready to join in on whatever action was about to unfold.
Jean's voice was filled with exhaustion and frustration as he voiced his opinion to the rest of the group. "I'm with Jaime on this one," he began, "we should call the officers or instructor Shadis. Why should we bother with a bear in the woods?" His tone was laced with irritation. Despite his attempt to hide it, the early morning hour of 2 am seemed to be taking its toll on him, especially since he was not accustomed to waking up at such an ungodly hour.
Eren's voice was dripping with disdain as he spoke to Jean, "Of course, you say that. If it was for you, Jean, you would rather let the bear attack everyone rather than move your finger and help." Jean let out a loud groan in response, clearly annoyed by Eren's words. The tension between the two of them was palpable, and it seemed as though they were on the brink of physical violence. Marco and Armin quickly stepped in, separating the two of them before they could come to blows. They knew that if Eren and Jean started fighting, their commotion would surely wake everyone else in the camp. Despite the intervention of their friends, Eren and Jean continued to glare at each other, their faces twisted in anger and frustration.
"We should do this now," Reiner said with a sense of urgency, trying to convince his friends to follow him and find the bear. He knew that waking up everyone else would take time, but he was determined to hunt down the bear before it went into the girl's domain. Jaime, on the other hand, rolled his eyes in response as he put on his boots.
Jaime was tempted to say that both Mikasa and Annie were capable of killing the bear on their own, especially Annie; in the last six months, Jaime and Annie had fought hand-to-hand combat countless times, and all of them had ended up in a tie, but for some reason, Mikasa had avoided Jaime and hadn't asked for a fight yet, despite fighting everyone else but Jaime and Annie.
"Very well, Reiner," Jaime said, his voice calm and steady as he took out his knife and held it firmly in his hand. "I have my knife, and if a big, scary bear attacks us, I will shove it down his eye without hesitation." His eyes darkened with intensity as he spoke, making it clear that he meant every word he said. "But I swear, if it's not a bear, you owe me food for an entire week," he said firmly, making his demand clear. With a final glance at Reiner, he walked past him, his footsteps echoing through the room; the latter was about to nod in agreement when Jean spoke...
Jean had a sly smirk on his face as he exclaimed to Reiner, "Same here, food for an entire week!" before giving Jaime an enthusiastic fist bump. The two young cadets were eager to venture outside of the boy's domain and into the vast forest to find the bear that Reiner had been talking about. As they made their way through the wooden door, the crisp autumn air enveloped them, and the sound of rustling leaves under their feet filled the silence. The forest was dense with tall trees, their branches swaying in the gentle breeze.
Jaime and his companions trudged through the dense forest, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any hint of the elusive bear they had been tracking for some time. Despite their best efforts, the bear seemed to have vanished without a trace, leaving the group frustrated and exhausted. As they advanced deeper into the woods, the moon was covered by clouds, and the forest became cloaked in darkness. As Jaime trudged through the dense forest, the only sound that pierced the stillness of the night was the hooting of an owl perched high up in a tree. He strained his ears, listening intently for any other noise, but all he could detect were the rustling of leaves, the soft footsteps of nocturnal creatures, and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot.
As Connie trudged through the swampy terrain, his boots sinking deeper and deeper into the mire, he suddenly spoke up with a tone of frustration and disappointment, "We are wasting our time." With each step, the sticky mud seemed to suck at his boots, making it nearly impossible to move forward, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of hopelessness creeping in.
"Boldy is right," Jaime agreed, earning a 'hey' from Connie.
As Reiner led the group of cadets through the dense forest, the rustling of leaves beneath their feet and the chirping of birds above their heads was the only sound that could be heard. Suddenly, without warning, Reiner halted in his tracks and raised his hand, signaling for everyone behind him to stop walking.
With a look of concern etched on his face, he leaned in and spoke to the group of cadets in a hushed tone, "Did you hear that? The Bear is somewhere around here. Be cautious." He crouched down almost to the ground, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of danger, while the other cadets followed suit. The others nodded along, except Jaime and Jean, who rolled their eyes, almost not believing their ears.
As the darkness crept in. The rustling of leaves and the creaking of branches, accompanied by the howling of the wind, created a symphony of sounds that filled the air. The nocturnal creatures of the forest had awakened, scurrying about their business, stealthily and silently moving through the underbrush. Despite the cacophony of sounds, none of them could hear the lumbering footsteps of the massive black bear.
"Reiner, there are no bears here, man. I think you are being paranoid," As Jaime spoke, Reiner's eyes darted around nervously, scanning the surrounding area for any sign of movement. Despite his friend's reassurances, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Suddenly, a rustling sound broke the silence, and Reiner's heart leaped into his throat. He gestured frantically for Jaime to be quiet, and the two of them crouched low to the ground, moving stealthily towards the noise source, except Jean and Jaime, who were walking without a care in the world.
Reiner suddenly halted in his tracks, causing his friends to pause behind him, unsure of what was happening. With a quick glance over his shoulder, Reiner's intense gaze locked onto something in the distance lurking just beyond the bushes ahead. Without a moment's hesitation, Reiner motioned for everyone to stay quiet and signaled for them to follow his lead. Reiner slowly reached for the knife that was securely fastened to his waist. The others watched as Reiner skillfully maneuvered his way through the dense foliage, parting the bushes with his bare arm as he approached their formidable foe...
"... A Squirrel!" Armin said with a deadpan look pointing at the poor creature froze for a moment, its beady eyes darting around before it scampered away from them in a flurry of fur. The group let out a collective groan, some even rolling their eyes at the false alarm, realizing that there was no bear in sight. However, Jean and Jaime were not surprised by this turn of events.
With a smirk he could barely contain, Jean spoke up and said, "Good thing you were so cautious, Reiner." Jaime, standing beside him, chuckled in agreement at their friend's expense.
"Quiet!" Reiner warned with annoyance. He couldn't believe that he had mistaken a mere squirrel for a bear, and he was feeling a bit embarrassed about it.
"He's right, Jean. Show some respect. That little squirrel could have been the death of us all," Jaime japed, nudging Jean's shoulder slightly and causing everyone in their group to erupt in laughter. Even Bertholdt, who was usually the quiet one of the bunch, couldn't keep himself from chuckling slightly. But Reiner groaned even more loudly than before and stood up, brushing the dirt off his pants. "I think we should head back to the boy's domain," he said. "I don't want to risk running into any more of those deadly squirrels."
"Well, Squirrel boy, it seems you owe us food," Jaime claimed as he looked at Reiner with a mischievous glint in his eye. Reiner let out a groan.
Jean, who was standing next to Jaime, couldn't help but laugh along with him, and the two of them shared a high five, reveling in their shared humor. Meanwhile, Bertholdt, who had been trailing behind the group, was doing his best to stifle his laughter. The group continued to joke and laugh as they made their way through the forest, their spirits high despite the looming threat of Titans. For a moment, they were able to forget about their troubles and just enjoy each other's company, united by their shared sense of humor and camaraderie.
"We spent half an hour hunting for a squirrel," Connie said with a loud yawn, his eyes feeling heavy with sleep. He was exhausted and desperately wanted to crawl into his cozy bed and drift into a deep slumber.
However, as the group of cadets came out of the dense forest, they noticed the imposing figure of Shadis standing at the edge of the clearing, his arms crossed behind his back. The sight of their stern instructor waiting for their return made Connie's heart sink with dread. He knew that any hope of catching up on his much-needed sleep was now out of the question. Shadis had a reputation for being tough, and Connie didn't want to end up on his bad side.
"We are Fucked," Jaime claimed, his voice quivering with terror. The others couldn't help but gulp slightly, their faces turning pale as they realized the severity of their situation. Shadis, their instructor, had noticed them and was making his way toward them with the nastiest glare they had ever received from him.
As they stood frozen in place, Connie suddenly spoke up with a panicked voice, "I don't want to die." Cold sweat was rolling down his cheek, and he couldn't help but hide behind Armin as their instructor marched closer. The tension in the air was palpable, and everyone knew they were in trouble.
"Squirrel boy, if I die. I blame you for this," Jaime said with a tone filled with a hint of regret, glancing at Reiner behind his shoulder before looking forward at Shadis, taking a deep, preparing himself for all the upcoming shouting as he decided to walk in front of the group of the cadets.
Jaime stopped in front of him, feeling a knot of anxiety tightening in his chest as he met the older man's piercing gaze. Shadis glared at Jaime, his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for an explanation for this blatant disregard for the rules.
"Instructor Shadis, it's so good to see such a fine gentleman before us," Jaime's attempt at humor fell flat as he tried to break the somber mood of the occasion, but even he knew he had failed miserably. Still, he knew he was digging himself even deeper into the grave; Jaime's friends, on the other hand, were less than impressed with his antics. With widened eyes and facepalms, they silently wished for the ground to swallow him up, but alas, there was no escape from the embarrassment that Jaime had brought upon himself.
As the moon hung low in the sky, its pale light casting eerie shadows across the training grounds, Cadet Jaime found himself face-to-face with the imposing figure of Instructor Shadis. His heart pounding in his chest, Jaime tried to steady his nerves as the instructor's sharp gaze bore down on him, seemingly piercing him to his very core.
"Cadet Jaime, might I know what has possessed you to be outside at such a late hour along with your friends?" Shadis questioned, his voice laced with an edge of suspicion. Jaime could feel the weight of the instructor's disapproving glare, his eyes flickering over the group of cadets standing behind him, who seemed almost to be using Jaime as a meat shield against the intimidating gaze of their superior.
Keith was glaring at Jaime to almost the same extent as when Sasha ate a potato in the introduction.
"I heard a faint noise in the forest, I thought it could be a wild animal, so we walked outside and got lost a little in the forest," Jaime explained with a friendly smile. He knew he would take the blame, but Jaime knew little bro Arthur would have done the same if he was in his place as he should have been.
"Well, good to see such a devoted cadet," Shadis praised, his tone dripping with sarcasm. Jaime couldn't help but feel a sense of unease wash over him. He knew Shadis was not one to give out compliments easily, and he had a sinking feeling that this was no exception.
"So I'm happy to tell you," he said, drawing out each word, "tomorrow you will spend the entire day in the kitchen." His tone was almost gleeful as he continued, "You'll be helping our head chef prepare his signature dishes, and I must warn you, it won't be easy." The thought of spending a day in the hot, bustling kitchen was enough to make anyone break out in a sweat, but Shadis seemed to delight in the discomfort it would bring. "But I have faith in you," he added, his grin widening even further. "I'm sure you won't mind it."
"Huh, that's not so bad," Jaime wondered out loud, but it took a few moments to understand that he had said that out loud in front of the instructor; his face had gone slightly red from anger; Jaime briefly wondered if the veins around his forehead would suddenly burst.
"Then, after the kitchen, you will clean all the bathrooms," Keith shouted right at Jaime's face before pulling back.
"I hate you, Instructor," Jaime said bluntly, the words dripping with venom as he glared daggers at the man standing before him. The sound of his own voice echoed in his ears, and he could feel the weight of his friends' gazes on him as they held their breath, waiting for the instructor's response. To their surprise, the instructor merely smirked in response, a glint of amusement in his eyes.
"Good to know our feelings are mutual, Cadet Jaime," he quipped, earning a gasp from Jaime's friends. "Now Go To Boy's Domain," he ordered the cadets, his voice firm and commanding. As the cadets trudged towards the boy's domain, Jaime's eyes wandered toward the half-moon in the sky. He felt a sense of calm wash over him as he gazed up at the celestial body, its soft, silvery light casting shadows across the ground. Jaime knew his birthday would be soon.
"Jaime, thanks for saving my skin, but why did you do that?" Reiner questioned, rubbing the back of his head while looking at Jaime with uncertainty as they all walked inside the boy's domain through the wooden door.
"He would have done the same," Jaime's response to the situation was filled with a hint of melancholy in his voice as he walked towards his bed at a slow and steady pace, each step feeling heavier than the last. With each article of clothing he removed, he left behind a layer of the day's events, hoping to shed the weight of his past actions and thoughts. As he slipped into his night clothes, he knew that he needed to use the remaining night hours to sleep, for he was aware that their instructor would show no mercy in the morning.
"Who?" It took a moment for Jaime to realize that Armin was the one who asked the question instead of Reiner.
My little bro, Jaime, wanted to say but held his tongue. "It doesn't matter. He's gone." Jaime said instead before lying on his bed, not looking at his teammates. Jaime decided to focus on the beauty of the half-moon outside his window. It was a small comfort, but it brought him peace in the midst of the turmoil. As he lay there, he couldn't help but think about how different his life would be if his little bro were still alive. He wondered what their conversations would be like and whether his brother would be proud of him for being a part of the team.
Morning
"So why exactly did you cover for him?" Ymir asked for the fifth time now. Once the sun had risen from the horizon, Shadis had told Jaime to carry heavy boxes from the carriage to the kitchen, which was around two hundred meters of walking, and they were around a hundred boxes Jaime needed to carry, all of them filled with different kitchen items and ingredients.
When Krista and Ymir had noticed Jaime carrying the boxes, Krista had decided to help him, and Ymir had tagged along, knowing she couldn't leave Krista alone with Jaime.
"I told you for the fifth time now. I felt like it," he said, with a hint of irritation etched on his face, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. Jaime's arms were strained under the weight of the heavy box he was carrying, the thirty-ninth box of the day, and he could feel his muscles slowly going numb as he trudged along the corridor. The constant pressure of the box on his arms was increasing the pain he felt, and he could feel his grip loosening.
As Ymir and Krista carried their own box, their eyes met with Jaime's, and a sudden tension filled the air. Ymir glared at Jaime; her eyes sharpened to a piercing gaze as if trying to penetrate through his soul. The freckled girl could tell that the midget was lying through his teeth, and there was something he wasn't telling them. Ymir, being a skilled observer, could tell that whatever it was, it bothered him to the core. Jaime's fidgeting and the nervousness in his eyes gave away his uneasiness, and Ymir knew that they needed to get to the bottom of it before things got out of hand.
"Why?" Ymir asked yet again. Her question made Jaime growl in annoyance; he didn't want to talk about him, especially with Ymir and Krista.
Instead of answering, Jaime decided to stay quiet, but Ymir wasn't about to let him off the hook that easily. "Why?" She asked again, a little louder.
Usually, Ymir wouldn't care if Jaime decided to be selfless, but just like Krista, she knew he was hiding his true self, not to Krista's extent, but she knew he was not okay and knew something was bothering him.
As Jaime remained silent, Ymir became acutely aware of the growing anger emanating from him with every passing second. Despite Jaime's stoic facade, Ymir could sense the frustration boiling beneath the surface, threatening to spill over at any moment. Frustrated and confused by Jaime's refusal to speak, Ymir couldn't help but shout out her question once more, this time directing it right into his ear.
"My little bro would have done the same," Jaime finally answered with a look of sudden sorrow as he looked away from Ymir and Krista, looking at the ground below.
Krista couldn't help but feel touched, she quickly placed her hand on his shoulder. "Where is he?" Krista asked, wondering why Jaime's little bro wasn't with Jaime, Ymir didn't know why, but she felt like scolding Krista for asking such a question. Damn it, the only one that should matter to me is Krista, not Jaime too, Ymir thought, getting a little annoyed with herself.
Jaime choked back a sob, a shudder went through his body, the blood on his hand. "I'm Sorry," Jaime repeated in his head.
The sight of his little bro's fallen guts, carried by the pool of blood, his right hand missing; he could taste the smell of blood in his mouth...
Suddenly, Jaime found himself on his knees on the ground, the rough small rocks digging into his kneecaps as he struggled to make sense of what had just happened. As he tried to gather his thoughts, he felt a pair of arms wrap tightly around him from behind, and he knew without looking that it was Krista, his closest friend and fellow trainee. Despite the turmoil in his mind, he felt a sense of comfort and safety in her embrace, knowing she was there to support him through whatever was to come.
"Jaime. I'm here for you. We both are," and he turned around to see Krista, his best friend, standing there with a gentle smile on her face. Jaime felt his heartbeat slowly but surely going back to normal as he felt the warmth of Krista's hugging him from behind. Overwhelmed with emotion, Jaime struggled to express his gratitude.
"Krista, y-you truly are an angel," he said sincerely, his eyes welling up with tears. As he spoke, he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder and turned to see Ymir, standing beside him.
Ymir, with a hint of sarcasm in her voice but with complete sincerity in her intentions, expressed her annoyance at the situation. "This is annoying, but I'm here too shorty," she muttered. Jaime, couldn't help but burst into laughter at her comment. His laughter was so contagious that it spread throughout the place, bringing joy and happiness to everyone. With tears streaming down his face, he managed to wipe them away before placing his hand on top of Ymir's hand, a gesture of support and solidarity. Despite the annoying circumstances, Ymir and Jaime found comfort in each other's presence, and their laughter brought a sense of lightness and relief to the situation.
"You know, you're not that bad looking, ugly freckles." Krista couldn't help but giggle, amused by Jaime's playful banter. On the other hand, Ymir rolled her eyes and let out a groan, clearly unimpressed by Jaime's attempt at humor.
"If this is your declaration of love to me. I will beat your ass," Ymir said, slightly annoyed, earning chuckles from Jaime and Krista. After sharing a group hug together, they started carrying the boxes again and talking to each other. Jaime didn't know why, but his footsteps felt much lighter than ever before.
As the sun began to set and the shadows grew longer, Jaime, Krista, and Ymir walked through the door, their arms loaded down with boxes of varying sizes and weights. Beads of sweat dripped down their foreheads, their clothes sticking to their skin as they pushed themselves to keep going. The sound of their labored breathing filled the air as they finally made it to the kitchen, the destination of their long and arduous journey. Jaime set down his boxes with relief, his muscles aching and his body exhausted from the effort. Krista and Ymir were in even worse shape, their chests heaving and their hands trembling as they struggled to catch their breath.
Despite not being as exhausted as his companions, Jaime could still feel the strain in his body as he let out short breaths. As he tried to steady his breathing, he couldn't help but notice the soreness in his arms. The weight of the boxes had taken its toll, and Jaime knew that he would feel the effects of this task for days to come.
"Thank you, girls. I really appreciate it," Jaime said genuinely; Krista smiled brightly at him while Ymir simply massaged her sore arms.
"Well, I couldn't leave a midget like you do all the work alone," Ymir japed; Jaime gave her a deadpan look as Ymir and Krista walked away to continue Cadet training.
As soon as Jaime stepped into the kitchen, the overwhelming aroma of spices, sizzling oil, and savory ingredients filled his senses. After a brief introduction, the chef wasted no time putting Jaime to work. With slight apprehension, Jaime rolled up his sleeves and got to work, determined to showcase his culinary skills. The chef had expressed a keen interest in seeing what Jaime was capable of, so Jaime focused his attention on the task at hand. He started by meticulously washing and preparing the vegetables, not leaving any dirt or blemishes.
Then, with a sharp chef's knife in hand, Jaime began slicing the vegetables into thin, uniform pieces, each one precisely cut to the same size. Jaime moved quickly, but not so fast that he risked injuring himself with the razor-sharp blade.
Jaime's curiosity was piqued as he watched the chef skillfully slice through a chunk of meat with a sharp, gleaming blade. With a glimmer in his eye and a hint of excitement in his voice, he posed the question to the chef, "Chef, can I cook something myself?"
"Jaime, my boy, feel free to let your creativity flow in the kitchen, but I must caution you," the experienced chef said with a warm smile. "We take pride in our culinary creations, and it is important that we adhere to the highest standards of safety and quality. So, please be mindful not to add harmful ingredients that could ruin the dish." Jaime breathed a sigh of relief.
He set to work, expertly chopping the onions one by one, despite the pungent aroma that made his eyes water and sting.
With a sizzling sound, the garlic and spicy powder with boiled eggs were cooking in separate bowls, each aroma filling the air. Jaime expertly stirred each pot, ensuring the spices were thoroughly mixed and infused into the ingredients.
Once the flavors had intensified to perfection, he combined the two mixtures into a single bowl, resulting in a mouth-watering scent. As the aromatic spices were cooking, Jaime began to slice a freshly baked loaf of bread in half. He then added the baked garlic to one side, spreading it evenly across the surface.
Next, he added a colorful array of vegetables, each one sliced with precision and care, before topping it off with several cooked eggs. With a final flourish, Jaime sprinkled a pinch of spicy powder on top, adding an extra kick of flavor to the dish. The result was a delicious and visually appealing meal, bursting with a variety of textures and flavors that tantalized the senses.
As the savory aroma of his dish wafted towards his nostrils, Jaime relished every last bite, savoring the flavors that danced on his taste buds. Suddenly, a voice pierced through the silence, jolting him back to reality. "So you are here?" the voice said. Jaime's head swiveled around, and his eyes locked onto the figure of Annie, who stood behind him, her eyes fixed on him with a hint of curiosity that she was trying to conceal behind a veil of mystery.
Jaime, with a playful grin on his face, teasingly remarked, "Good to know you have missed me, Annie," as he skillfully stirred the pot of bubbling tomato sauce on the stove. Annie, standing beside him, couldn't help but roll her eyes at his comment, yet a small smirk of amusement tugged at the corners of her lips as she watched him work his culinary magic. The tantalizing aroma of garlic, onions, and spices wafted through the air, enveloping them both in a warm and comforting embrace.
As Jaime was busy preparing the meal, his friend approached him with a curious expression and asked, "I heard you took Reiner's blame. Why?" With her arms crossed and a determined stride, she walked over to the table where Jaime was cooking and leaned against it, waiting for his response. Her eyes were fixed on him, and Jaime knew that he had to explain himself.
"He reminds me of my little bro, both loved to help people," he said, his voice filled with fondness and affection.
"Well," Jaime said, his grin growing wider, "Squirrel Boy owes me food for two weeks. And I figured, if I could use this as an opportunity to cash in on that debt, it was definitely worth it." He winked at Annie, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
"I mean, who doesn't love free food, right?" Annie chuckled in amusement, despite trying to suppress it as she tried to look away from him.
"Ohh, I didn't know I could make the Ice Queen smile. This is a big privilege, your majesty." Jaime spoke sarcastically with a bow of his head towards Annie, who shook her head.
"You're a peasant," Annie said, but not really meaning any of it; she still remembered their talk when Shadis had punished them.
"Well, the peasant here has prepared food. Do you want some, my Queen?" Jaime questioned, speaking sarcastically, before bowing his head a little; Annie could not resist the temptation and giggled playfully before accepting the bread.
As she held the piece of bread in her mouth, savoring the taste, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to relish the moment. After a few seconds of pure bliss, she swallowed the bread, her tongue instinctively licking her lips as if to capture the last remnants of flavor. Jaime, who had been waiting patiently for her to finish, was eager to know if she liked the taste. Yet, as he awaited her answer, a few moments of silence passed, allowing her to fully comprehend the experience. Finally, with a smile on her face, she answered him.
"Not bad," Annie said casually before taking another bite and enjoying the many different flavors on it.
"I'm honored, your majesty," Jaime said sarcastically; Annie rolled her eyes before slapping his shoulder.
While Annie enjoyed his company, deep down, she wondered what was wrong with her; she was supposed not to be friends with anyone, yet, now here she was, becoming friends with Jaime.
Annie thought playfully, "Damn you, Jaime. You're so annoying,"