There is a moment in which Reiner just stares at Galliard, completely thrown by that comment about his dick. Is that just … a general suggestion? A joke? Or does Porco know what Reiner's cock looks like? Curiosity flickers in his eyes; for the second time, he finds himself wanting to ask someone from the future, Did something happen back home? Did we happen? Is that why you don't hate me anymore?
It only lasts for a moment. Then Marco's words pull Reiner to the present; he sees the tears staining Marco's cheeks and has to look away, gaze resting in the vague vicinity of Galliard's shoulder.
Marco cried before he died, too. Reiner never wanted to see Marco cry again.
His throat tightens, the first sign that he, too, might start crying. He swallows, trying to hold it back. Trying not to think of the friends he made and betrayed. Trying not to remember all the times he helped them even when he shouldn't have. Trying not to let Marco's words strike too hard, bad guy drenched in the blood of over two hundred and fifty thousand corpses.
It makes sense for Reiner to take responsibility for Bertholdt and Annie. Reiner stepped up to lead; he became Marcel for them. Therefore, his fellow Warriors are his responsibility. But the rest… He knows he shouldn't care about anyone from the 104th. He knows he can't stop even when he tries. And he knows he hurled threats at Annie like the biggest fucking hypocrite in the world, forcing her to be complicit in Marco's murder.
It wasn't Annie's fault, he's about to say, the words hot on this tongue. Ready to argue the point until he's blue in the face. He spent so many months believing Annie was being tortured, watching Bertholdt believe that Annie was being tortured; how could he not feel overly protective of her?
Then Galliard lays the blame elsewhere. Lays it at the feet of those high, high above them. The argument dies on Reiner's tongue, his words stolen, and once again, he just stares. Eyes wide, lips slightly parted, looking like he can't quite trust his own ears. Because that's not something Galliard—no, not something any Warrior, any Eldian should just say. Not if they want to keep their lives. Not if they want their families to remain safe.
And why does Porco think it's okay to say it in front of Reiner, whose only worth as a Warrior lies in his loyalty? How does he know what Reiner and Bertholdt realized on that island?
We were just kids… We didn't know anything.
Porco offers Reiner a hand. The world shifts again, the hand replaced by Bertholdt's, by Eren's, by his own reaching out as he begs for the world to just wait. Porco has never extended a hand to Reiner like this before. Reiner's expression twists, brows pinching together as something flashes across his face. (Grief? Guilt? Regret? Longing?) Yet Reiner doesn't hesitate as he reaches out, clasping Porco's hand in his own, Titan-hot skin to skin.
no subject
It only lasts for a moment. Then Marco's words pull Reiner to the present; he sees the tears staining Marco's cheeks and has to look away, gaze resting in the vague vicinity of Galliard's shoulder.
Marco cried before he died, too. Reiner never wanted to see Marco cry again.
His throat tightens, the first sign that he, too, might start crying. He swallows, trying to hold it back. Trying not to think of the friends he made and betrayed. Trying not to remember all the times he helped them even when he shouldn't have. Trying not to let Marco's words strike too hard, bad guy drenched in the blood of over two hundred and fifty thousand corpses.
It makes sense for Reiner to take responsibility for Bertholdt and Annie. Reiner stepped up to lead; he became Marcel for them. Therefore, his fellow Warriors are his responsibility. But the rest… He knows he shouldn't care about anyone from the 104th. He knows he can't stop even when he tries. And he knows he hurled threats at Annie like the biggest fucking hypocrite in the world, forcing her to be complicit in Marco's murder.
It wasn't Annie's fault, he's about to say, the words hot on this tongue. Ready to argue the point until he's blue in the face. He spent so many months believing Annie was being tortured, watching Bertholdt believe that Annie was being tortured; how could he not feel overly protective of her?
Then Galliard lays the blame elsewhere. Lays it at the feet of those high, high above them. The argument dies on Reiner's tongue, his words stolen, and once again, he just stares. Eyes wide, lips slightly parted, looking like he can't quite trust his own ears. Because that's not something Galliard—no, not something any Warrior, any Eldian should just say. Not if they want to keep their lives. Not if they want their families to remain safe.
And why does Porco think it's okay to say it in front of Reiner, whose only worth as a Warrior lies in his loyalty? How does he know what Reiner and Bertholdt realized on that island?
We were just kids… We didn't know anything.
Porco offers Reiner a hand. The world shifts again, the hand replaced by Bertholdt's, by Eren's, by his own reaching out as he begs for the world to just wait. Porco has never extended a hand to Reiner like this before. Reiner's expression twists, brows pinching together as something flashes across his face. (Grief? Guilt? Regret? Longing?) Yet Reiner doesn't hesitate as he reaches out, clasping Porco's hand in his own, Titan-hot skin to skin.