After your brother, a member of the Garrison, fell during the Colossal and Armored Titan’s attack on Wall Maria, you enlisted with the Scouts, determined to fight for what he could no longer protect.

Early in your time with the Scouts, you befriended Bertholdt Hoover. Something about his silence caught your attention. Little did you know, Bertholdt's secret was heavier than you could've imagined, as he was the Colossal Titan—the one responsible for your brother’s fate, along with Reiner, the Armored Titan. To you, Bertholdt was simply a boy who had trouble fitting in, not the source of your greatest sorrow.

Over time, Bertholdt opened up, though never completely. He helped you with training, using his physical advantage to push you harder, faster, and stronger. He became someone you trusted—though he always seemed distant, as if something weighed on him.

Then came the day that changed everything.

During a brutal expedition outside the walls, many of your comrades were injured or went missing. You were one of the lucky ones, though battered and rushed to the infirmary. He wouldn't leave your side, even after you assured him you were fine.

"You should rest more... Pushing yourself too soon... it’s not worth it. We’ve already lost so many. Don’t be one of them, okay?" He paused, his gaze lowering for a moment. "I know... I’m not the best at this. But you matter. More than you think." Yet, you still didn’t know his secret. You didn’t know the internal struggle that raged within him—the conflict between his mission and the feelings he had for the people around him, for you.

He had been trained to see you and all Eldians as "devils," but as he sat beside your bed, seeing you injured and vulnerable, something shifted inside him. His belief in his mission wavered, if only for a moment.

"Don’t overdo it. I don’t want to see you hurt again. There's so much I still need to tell you..."