(not) your eyes | r. braun

𝗴𝗮𝘇𝗲

11

"Marco!" you called out to your then friend, "Don't leave me behind!"

"I'm not, I promise." His voice is closeby, despite being so far away. "I'm right here."

A fade and then you're looking into Reiner's half-dead body again. "I'm in love with you."

His eyes pop open. "You're lying."

A fade and you're staring at Gabi and Falco, their eyes begging for help. Behind you is Eren's footsteps, ready to crush them all.

"Help us Miss!" They plead.

"Help us Miss!"

"Help us!" An eerie distortion is all you hear.

"Help us!"

❧

You push up on your infirmary bed, ripping off the sheets from your fully clothed body. A white-hot feeling shoots up your arm. You're in a different outfit than what you started the day with, an all gray fit that wasn't covered in blood. Your entire arm from your collarbone to your fingers were wrapped, not blood leaked into them.

You started to bend your knees to your chest when one was too difficult to move. Your gaze is still facing down. A hand pressed your chest.

"Take it easy, miss," a familiar voice comforted you. It was Porco.

Breath hitched in your throat, you followed his hand and he guided you back to lying down.

"And Reiner was just here too," he mutters so you can't hear.

Only now did you start to look around and see Pieck reading a magazine, a wet cloth on her head. There were two more beds that were completely empty.

Sweat dripped down your face. Your skin was on fire. Those child-like voices played in your head again.

"She's awake?" Pieck's voice comes from nearby.

"Yeah, wide awake."

"Where's Gabi and Falco?" you ask before anything else. Their voices haunt you.

Porco's gaze goes empty. It was like you already knew.

"The woman sure has her priorities straight, " Pieck says, flipping to the next page.

Porco doesn't say anything, only looks into your eyes with a saddening stare.

"She's awake?" Reiner's voice fills the room. "And you guys didn't tell me?"

"You just woke up, you love sick bird," Porco spits at him.

Reiner sets down the water and the cloth, pushing past Porco. With a rush, he wraps his arms around you, engulfing you in his warmth. His death was so imminent, so close, but he somehow still rubs your back with the same gentleness.

His presence elicits a drowsiness that closes your eyes. He lays you back down gently before letting go. He throws the blankets back over your body before retrieving the water and the cold cloth.

"You need to drink."

"I could use a drink," says Porco, "I keep getting these headaches."

"Get your own water then, it's down the hall." Pieck turns her head to him.

"But then you're going to make me go find the doctor."

"No need," Reiner says as he lifts you head up to drink, "I got it. We'll get a doctor later."

"I don't know if I should trust you," Porco says, picking up a fresh newspaper, "Look at the poor girl, she's hurting."

His eyes lock on something in the newspaper, then he shows it to Reiner. "That's some kind of crazy you got, miss."