You're still the golden boy, aren't you..?

My glare could have sliced through a thousand napes, and it was directed straight into the back of Eren's skull. His presence had only pissed me off more, as I was already struggling with both a concussion, and the fact that Levi was making it glaringly obvious that he was trying to keep me away from Reiner.

"How you doing, kidlett?" Hange's voice was more mellow than it usually was, and she poked timidly at the bandage around my head. "I'm beyond impressed! From what some of the recruits told me, you took down at least ten titans by yourself, easy!" Shrugging, I glanced off to the side, watching Betholdt say something excitedly to Reiner as they lingered around Armin and that Jaeger bastard.

"I wasn't really counting...Hey, Hange...why is everyone trying to keep me away from them? I wanna go talk to Rei and Bertha..." When I turned back to her, I caught her expression switching from a frown to a forced smile.
"What? Don't be silly! We're doing no such thing! If you want to chit chat, go right ahead!" A bead of sweat drizzled down behind the frames of her glasses. "Though, it would be swell if you could come with me for a bit and give me a short report about the whole ordeal..."

They're up to something...

I was already walking away from her, waving her off over my shoulder.
"Later. Not in the mood." Ignoring her complaints, I made a beeline for the burly blond, who was sitting cross legged upon the wall. Laying my chest against his back, I squished my cheek against his, minding his sling, and sighed. "How's the bite doing, big guy?"

Reiner almost seemed to nuzzle against me, reaching up to place his hand over mine, where it hung over his chest.
"It fucking hurts...but it'll heal. How's your head?" He asked, shifting so he could look at me out of the corner of his golden eyes.
"Feels like a titan smashed me into a stone wall and spun me around like a windmill..." I paused, snorting lightly. "Oh, wait..."

Though his lips pressed against my bandages instead of skin, I still felt the blazing warmth that came along with the small kiss to my forehead. There was something stronger than friendship readily growing between the two of us, but part of me felt like it would be okay to let it happen.
"Y..you guys..." My attention turned to Bertholdt, who was hiding his face behind his elongated fingers, flushing a bright rouge thanks to our exchange.

"Sorry, Bertha...Are you alright? You didn't get hurt too, did you..?" I looked up at the flustered beanpole, and he shook his head, still avoiding proper eye contact.
"Uh, no, I'm fine...Thanks for asking, (Y/N)..."

What a lanky baby boy.

"So, what were you two so excited about? I saw you guys smiling a little while ago." I asked, finally pulling myself off of Reiner's back and opting to lean against his uninjured side on my knees. The pair exchanged a strange look, but as soon as it came, it was gone again.
"Just about our hometown...We think we might be able to go back sooner than we thought." Reiner said with a small smile, taking my hand and giving it a squeeze. "You should come with us..."

"Uh, Reiner...I don't think that would be such a great idea..." Bertholdt shifted his weight uneasily, knitting his brows together, but Reiner clicked his tongue loudly.
"After what we've gone through, it's the least they could give me..."

Am I...missing something..?

Before I could question his strange mumbles, I heard somebody call out to me, and when I turned around, I wasn't sure why I felt kind of happy to see who had spoken my name.
"Lived to see another day, Kirstein?" I put a fair whack of my weight on Reiner's shoulder as I pushed myself to a stand, as my head was still giving me a lot of trouble.

If my jumbled memory served me correctly, Jean had been stationed with the Garrison's advance unit, which had just arrived back from a survey mission along the circumference of the wall.
"Yeah...but what's this I hear about you going suicidal solo?" He looked kind of shaken up, but I couldn't blame him. God only knew how many titans their squads had to face.

"Haven't you heard? It's my thing." I joked dryly, leaning forward to give his chest a pathetically light punch. Reiner kept his hand on mine, which was still resting on my shoulder, but he didn't turn to greet the copperette.
"Don't fuck around saying shit like that..." Bitterly, Jean sucked in his lower lip and looked out over the vast wasteland. "This is all too much for my brain...How the fuck did they get in?"

Huh..? Obviously through the hole...

"Didn't find the breach?" I questioned, though my mind was wandering as I followed his gaze. My heart was still hammering wildly in my chest, and I didn't see it regulating any time soon. My life had been so close to being cut short, but the scales; for whatever reason, tipped in my favour.

"...Did you even hear a word I just said..?" Jean tapped me on the arm, and I blinked out of my daze. "Just how hard did you hit that thick skull of yours?"
"Shut it, Jean...She's been through enough shit today..." Reiner let out a throaty growl, and it made me flinch a little. He had definitely been out of sorts since we had left Utgard, but it was kind of nice having him stick up for me.

"...Right...Well, I said that there was no hole...We checked every single inch of this damn thing..." Jean stomped on the wall beneath us. "...but there wasn't even a crack."

So that's why he looked so stressed out...

"How the hell..?" That information made my head throb even worse. "That makes no sense..." No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't figure out an answer. If there hadn't been an entry point, then how could there have been so many titans?

"Look, I gotta go talk to Hannes and the others, but," Jean thumbed over his shoulder before leaning in a little closer, lowering his voice so nobody else would have much of a chance of hearing him. "don't let your guard down, okay..?"

What the fuck do you mean by that..?

Perplexed beyond all reason, I just watched him stride off before a strong arm pulled me back. Reiner had climbed to his feet, and he rested his chin gently atop my injured, (H/C) head.
"It would really mean the world to me if you and a couple of the others would come home with us, (Y/N)..." He murmured, rubbing his thumb over the thin material of Levi's shirt, which I had no intention of returning.

He's so warm...I think I like this feeling...

"I'd love to visit with you...just as soon as I heal up, okay?" I wriggled a little so I could look up at him, feeling some of the heat he was sharing rise into my cheeks. That gave him the perfect chance to steal my breath away, and part of me blessed the rains down in Wall Maria for Bertholdt, who readily stepped in to block the view of us from the majority of the other soldiers.

I never imagined such rough lips to feel so tender and soothing, but there I was, growing dizzier with each second he held them against me. When we finally parted, he took a step back, smiling at me almost happily.

I can't shake the feeling that there's something hiding behind that...Is he worried about what his family might think or something..?

"We're heading to Trost! Remain on standby! We'll figure this pickle out!" Hange yelled out, her booming voice reaching every single one of us, and my heart sunk. I just wanted to go home and sleep; either in my own bed or curled next to something, or someone, warm. That would have to wait.

"Yuck...Standby..." I grumbled, trying to take a step away to follow, but Reiner held onto my arm tightly. A little too tightly.
"Wait." He met my eyes, and there was a sudden seriousness to their golden sheen, which had me halting in an instant. "Eren...We need to talk to you about something..."

Remembering that Eren was in the vicinity made my jaw clench, but I still stayed by Reiner and Bertholdt's sides and avoided looking at the titan shifter as he lingered behind.
"What is it?" He asked curiously, allowing his two little lapdogs to stray away towards the higher officers.

Reiner took a deep breath, releasing my arm and shifting closer to Bertholdt, who looked like a startled rabbit in the glow of a lanterns light. The clouds were swirling overhead, and I felt the chilled wind begin to pick up, causing one of the flags hoisted upon the wall to flicker.

"I'm the armored titan, and he's the colossal titan..." The blond motioned to his companion. "Our goal was to wipe out all of humanity...but now, there's no need to do that anymore."

Hang on just a fucking minute...I can't keep up with this bullshit...

"Eren, if you come with us, we won't need to destroy any more of the walls...and (Y/N)...you said you'd come along with us...right..? Do you understand..?" As Eren spluttered out his confusion, I kept mine in the form of blinking, owlish eyes. I had absolutely no idea what had gotten into that man, and I felt like I was harbouring Bertholdt levels of panic.

Is my concussion contagious..?! Did that titan that bit him have some kind of drug-like effect?! What the hell is this?!

"W..wait up! No! I don't understand!" Eren barked, finally managing to spit out his words.
"I'm telling you...both of you...to come with us. It's sudden, but it needs to be now." Reiner reiterated his urgency, and I could resonate with the lanky ravonet beside him, quivering and completely beside himself.

"Right now? Where are we going?" Eren was putting on a brave face, but he was just as shaken as I was. My head was swimming as they continued the exchange.
"I can't tell you that. Not yet. I guess you could call it our hometown..." Reiner seemed far too calm, just saying all of this out of the blue. It wasn't right. Something was definitely amiss. "So, what do you say, Eren? Not a bad deal, right? It means no more crisis for now..." He then turned to me, and I couldn't even manage to breathe.

He's in shock...He's like I was...That has to be it...

"Well, (Y/N)..? Will you still come with me..?" The hope in his voice was agonising, and I felt like my cranium was being split in two. So many parts of me wanted to say yes, and play along with his meltdown just to avoid upsetting him, but I just couldn't do it.
"R..Rei...You're scaring me..." I whimpered in a pitch that would have had dogs howling, and my hand slowly rose to press against my temple, pleading with it to quit it with the throbbing.

"Um...I don't know..." Eren hummed, looking up to the sky, leaving me to be the one to deal with Reiner's pleading glare. He seemed to sure of his delusion, it was almost too much for me to bear. Once we had calmed him down, I knew I had to plead with Levi and Hange to let us return to the barracks and recuperate. He seemed to need is just as much as I did.

You're just under too much stress...I know what it's like...I know you're just scared, Reiner...

"Listen..." Eren boldly placed his hand on Reiner's shoulder, tilting his head. "...you're tired. Right, Bertholdt? (Y/N)? What you've gone through has made you go a little crazy..."
"Y..yeah! That's right! Reiner's just r..really tired!" Bertholdt agreed frantically, tugging on the hem of his jacket. I phased out what Eren continued on to say, about why he would even say that in the first place, if it had been true. I was too focused on the fear in those golden irises.

Even the strongest can fall apart...but, even if I'm on the same boat...I'll help you pick up the pieces...If only I could get a damn word out..!

"Y..yeah..." Reiner's tone was pitched and shaky, and he turned his wide-eyed gaze to the concrete beneath our feet. "I guess you're right...I wonder what I was thinking..? Maybe I really have gone crazy..?" That's all it took. Hearing those words come out of his mouth hurt me, and I took a weak step closer and placed my palm against his cheek, wiping away a droplet of sweat that had beaded below his waterline.

"Y..you're not crazy...just exhausted...We're gonna be okay...Y..you're okay, right..?" I was almost begging him. Deep down, I knew that something bad was going to happen, but I couldn't accept it. Reiner was one of my only remaining safety nets, and he was slipping fast.

"I've probably been here too long...I've lived here for three years, surrounded by complete idiots..." I noticed the way Bertholdt's eyes snapped wider, and my chest tightened in utter panic. The low, rasping way Reiner's voice was coming out was petrifying. "W..we were just kids, y'know..? (Y/N)...we were just kids...and we didn't know a damned thing!" His hand flew up to cover mine, and all of his attention seemed to be directed at me.

"R..Reiner...please...you-"
"If we had never known that these bastards existed...If someone as human as you existed...then..then we wouldn't have become these half-hearted pieces of shit..!" He suddenly broke away from me, and I had to shove Eren away from me as he tried to help me from falling backwards.
"Stay back..." He whispered, but I didn't give a shit what he wanted. Things were getting out of hand, and I needed to stop the man I cared about before he did something he would later regret.

Bertholdt drew his lip between his teeth as Reiner began to remove his sling, and I had to will my feet to stay in place.
"I don't know...what's right anymore..." The blond muttered to himself, tossing the rag over the edge of the wall. "But...I do know that I have to face the consequences of my actions...and carry out my duties as a warrior, to the bitter end..!"

The entire world seemed to freeze in time as the man held his injured arm up. The only thing that seemed to move was the spectral smoke emitting from the bite wound as it sealed up completely, without leaving so much as a mark. Hysteric or not, Reiner hadn't been rambling about nothing. Everything he had said was true, and I still couldn't comprehend it. Reiner wasn't one of the bad guys. My Reiner wasn't the enemy.

"Reiner..?! Are we doing this?!" Bertholdt gasped loudly, clenching his fists painfully tight. "Here?! Right now..?!" He simply got a rough nod in response, then Reiner turned to look at me with burning eyes. Eyes that still fostered so much fear.
"(Y/N)...I'm gonna ask you again...Will you come with us..? I meant what I said. I don't want to leave you behind. I care for you, more than I can even begin to describe...and I need you to stay with me..!"

I..I can't...It hurts...Why does this hurt so much..?! I can't breathe..!

I had reverted back into my catatonic state of shock as the world started up again. It felt like my lungs had been filled to the brim with gruel, and I was choking on it.
"We decide this here and now..!" What happened next was the real kicker to my unravelling.

Before Reiner had the chance to grab hold of Eren; of either of us, his arm had been sliced clean off his body. Blood seemed rained from the sky as he roared in pain, and when I finally managed to focus through my tears, Mikasa was aiming her sword directly towards Bertholdt, who was retching on his own blood, with his throat slit open beneath her.

Something was dragging me away, but my body; completely detached from my mind, resisted with all the force I could muster. I was trying to scream out to Reiner, trying to gain his attention, but nothing would come out. Not single, strangled sound. The man had rammed Mikasa over the edge of the wall, and now the ragged, bleeding pair were so just standing there, glowing in a light that reminded me so much of the sunrise earlier that day, when we had shared that cursed kiss.

"R..REINER..!" I could see his eyes; now a raging sunburst, flicker to meet mine. That was the last I saw of Reiner Braun before a scorching wind sent me spiraling through the air. It was so hot that it almost felt like ice, whipping over my skin and splitting my head in two. When I landed, I felt someone else take the brunt of the hit beneath me, still clinging onto me like I was about to be ripped away.

They dragged me, kicking and screaming, behind a chunk of the wall, which had been sent flying with us, landing atop. It was very little cover from the blistering inferno of the wind, but it was something, at least.
"K..keep your head down..!" I still fought against my apparent saviour, who curled their cape over my head and forced my head low. I could hear their heart hammering as my ear pressed firmly to the side of their ribcage, and the stench of sweat that would normally make me gag had no effect whatsoever.

This is all a bad dream...I was knocked unconscious earlier...I was killed at the castle...That's it...This isn't real...This is what hell is like...

I knew that wasn't true. Hell was on earth, and we were living in it. I wasn't sure how long I struggled against the force of an arm much stronger than me, but it felt like hours before the roaring of the wind faded, and a loud crash sounded above the clangsand scrapes somewhere below. Everything shook, and I took the opportunity to pull away, scrambling to get a view of whatever chaos was unfurling on the ground.
"O..oi! No way..! Not this fucking time..! I know you, (Y/N)..! You're not jumping into this shit..! Not losing you, too..!"

I was spun around in the opposite direction, two firm, quivering hands holding me in place, and those startlingly fearful eyes; like desert sand, bore into me so urgently that I stilled, if only for a second.

"J..Jean...give me y..your gear..."

.
.
.
.
.
***I drank 4 litres of chocolate milk during the process of writing this so at least when I cried it would taste delicious***