The Color of Suffering | AOT

●What's Left of Us● part 2

Reiner's voice was low "It's your call, ymir. what's it gonna be? Is it krista's future? or your own petty existence?"

"Shut up, reiner!" the words flew out of my mouth. I looked to ymir, "don't listen to anything that comes out of his mouth. he's a liar, a manipulator, and everything he says is a lie."

For a moment, ymir's gaze faltered, before she could respond, eren's voice rang out, "ymir, tell me...who's the real enemy?"

Her expression was distant, almost resigned, "couldn't say..." she muttered, her voice dry and indifferent.

Then, a distant crack split through the air. like a gunshot.

I stood abruptly, my eyes darted to the left, scanning the horizon. then I saw it, four green smoke flares arching high into the sky, leaving trails of vibrant green.

They were finally here.

I turned back to look toward reiner and bertholdt. they were talking quietly, their voices too low to catch, I knew what they were planning.

They were going to take eren now.

Reiner's gaze locked onto eren. and then, in one swift motion, he zipped to our branch, landing just a few steps from where eren was now standing.

My hand flew to my sheath taking the dagger out. reiner's voice was calm, disturbingly calm, as he spoke to eren.

"I'm gonna ask you nicely," he said, his tone steady and quiet. "don't put up a fight."

Before eren could even respond, I was already between them, my dagger drawn and my stance firm. blocking the path between reiner and eren like a shield.

"Penny, stop," eren's voice broke through, "you sho-"

I glanced back at him "you're not even close to being healed," I said, cutting him off. "you can't fight like this, let me handle this."

His mouth opened, but he didn't argue. he knew I was right.

I turned my attention back to reiner, gripping my dagger tightly. my hand stretched between us, the blade gleaming in the light as if daring him to move.

"Penny," he said, his voice calm, "move aside,"

I didn't even blink. "fuck you," I spat, venom dripping from every word.

From the corner of my eye, I caught bertholdt zipped to our branch, i was certain he was going for eren. but he didn't. he landed near ymir, crouching beside her.

I refocused on reiner, narrowing my eyes as he took a slow step forward.

"Don't," I warned, my voice low and dangerous. "If you even think about taking another step toward eren, I'll kill you right here, right now."

Reiner stopped, his gaze steady. "penny, just move."

I didn't move an inch. "one more step," I hissed, tightening my grip on the dagger. "and I swear to god, reiner, I'll do it."

The air between us was tense, electric, as though the entire world was holding its breath. and then, he moved again.

I surged forward, closing the distance between us in an instant. my dagger pressed against the left side of his chest, the tip of the blade sinking just enough to draw a thin line of blood that seeped through his shirt.

He didn't even flinch. his eyes locked onto mine, steady and calm, as if the blade pressed against him was nothing.

"Penny," he said again, his voice softer now. "please, move."

My grip tightened on the hilt of my dagger. "I'm not moving," my voice trembled with fury. "you think I won't do it? you think I won't kill you?"

Reiner's eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I could have sworn I saw a flicker of the same look he gave me back at the castle, in that quiet, storage room.