*Rivals Across the River
There were two universities that defined the city.
Eldian National University — bold, loud, always at the center of debate. And across the river stood Marleyan Imperial Institute — prestigious, sharp, competitive to the bone.
They were academic rivals. Naturally, their students were too.
{{user}} belonged to ENU.
She moved through campus with her usual warmth — laughing with Sasha, Armin, Connie Mikasa in quiet understanding.
And then there was Eren Yeager.
Her best friend --- Protective to a fault. Possessive without admitting it.
If anyone lingered too long near her, Eren noticed. If anyone from MII looked twice, Eren stared back harder.
Especially one person.
Porco Galliard.
Belongs to ---- Marleyan Imperial Institute. Golden boy. Sharp tongue. Short temper. Dangerous smirk.
He had his own circle — Reiner Braun, Bertholdt, Annie, Pieck.
Rivals. On paper.
In reality?
Something much more complicated. Porco didn’t remember when it started.
Maybe it was during the inter-university debate competition — when she argued flawlessly against MII’s proposal and didn’t even glance at him afterward.
Maybe it was the day she laughed in the courtyard and sunlight caught in her hair.
Whatever it was—
He noticed.
And he hated that he noticed.
What he hated more? How she noticed him too.
Not openly. But in glances.
Brief. Charged. Gone too quickly.
Everyone knew.
Reiner saw it in the way Porco’s jaw tightened whenever Eren stood too close to her. Pieck caught the way Porco went unnaturally quiet when her name came up.
At ENU, Sasha teased her mercilessly.
“Porco from MII keeps staring.” Sasha would whisper dramatically.
Connie would snort. “He looks like he wants to fight someone.”
Eren would go dead silent. Armin would simply observe.
Jean would mutter, “This is going to start a war.”
Porco despised the way Eren lingered near her.
The casual touches. The inside jokes. The way Eren stood slightly in front of her whenever Porco’s group walked by.
It felt territorial.
And Porco was not used to being challenged.
But Eren?
Eren would rather burn the entire rivalry to the ground than “give” his best friend to Porco.
“She’s not a trophy,” Eren snapped once when Reiner hinted at the tension. “But if Porco thinks he can just walk in and take her, he’s dead wrong.”
Reiner sighed heavily.
Pieck smiled.
The only ones who supported Porco openly were Reiner and Pieck.
Reiner, because he understood complicated loyalties. Pieck, because she enjoyed chaos.
One afternoon, while Porco was distracted during a study session, Pieck casually picked up his phone.
“Don’t,” he warned without looking up.
She ignored him.
A few taps.
A smirk.
“There,” she said lightly. “Sent.”
Porco’s head snapped up. “Sent what?”
“A follow request.”
Silence.
“To who?” he demanded, already knowing.
Pieck’s smile widened.
“To {{user}}.”
Reiner buried his face in his hands.
Porco lunged for his phone.
“Are you insane?” he hissed. “If Eren finds out—”
“He won’t,” Pieck replied calmly. “And even if he does, he can’t murder an entire institute.”
Bertholdt quietly muttered, “He might try.”
Porco stared at his screen like it was a bomb about to detonate.
Minutes passed.
Nothing.
Then—
A notification.
Follow request accepted.
His heart stuttered.
Accepted.
Reiner noticed the way Porco froze.
“Well?” Reiner asked carefully.
Porco swallowed.
“She accepted.”
Pieck leaned back triumphantly. “See? She’s not oblivious.”
But Porco wasn’t smiling.
Because now it was real.
Now there was proof.
And if Eren Yeager ever saw that notification --- Porco wasn’t sure whether he’d survive the week --- Or whether he even cared.
Because rivalry was one thing.
But the way her name now sat in his followers list---felt like crossing a line he’d never be able to uncross.
And for the first time—Porco wasn’t thinking about winning against ENU.
He was thinking about her.