With his hand still covering his eyes, Reiner nods slightly at Marco's words. He knows that Marco didn't buy the "joke" excuse. It was flimsy as hell; it was also all that Reiner could come up with at that moment. But it didn't work. That's why Reiner had to chase Marco down. That's why they had to take Marco's gear. That's why…

Thankfully, Galliard speaks before Reiner's thoughts spiral any further. And Galliard's words make Reiner raise his head, looking at Galliard with a spark in his eyes that vanished the moment he set eyes on Marco. A willingness to stand his ground and fight for something.

Predictably, that "something" is his best friend.

"We were both talking about it," he says, his voice growing firmer with each word. Steadier now that he has a solid objective. "The situation was changing rapidly. The town was in chaos; there shouldn't have been anyone nearby. We thought we were alone. I'm the one who specifically mentioned my Titan. If I hadn't done that, we might've been able to salvage the situation."

And Marco might have lived to reach the safety of the interior. Reiner's mind might have remained in one piece.

So many things might have been different if Reiner had just chosen his words more carefully.