Never let me go

22: Reiner Braun

Reiner Braun – 4 February 852

"I will pray for our victory"

His mother embraced her son, who had to lean over for her to kiss his cheek. His long trench coat sagged across his shoulders, giving him the appearance of a man slowly shrinking. Their eyes met, his weary with dark circles underneath, hers large and watery. He straightened himself up, and saluted her halfheartedly. As he turned and began walking down the street he had to suppress the urge to run. Mr. Dolinski saluted him as he passed by, urging him to lend all his strength to the nation, to which he inclined his head. The smile made his mouth ache. Alicja Pianka, the seamstress, said she would pray for their victory and for the warriors. He saluted her. Little Julia and Krystian Michal were playing together with Oleg Stefanik and Klemens Berkhoff. Oleg called the opening line to the nursery rhyme "Here comes an old soldier", and the other children replied what they would give the soldier today. The game was to remember all the items as the list grew longer. These kids were only a few years younger than his little cousin, Gabi, who wanted to become a Marley warrior. She had been nothing but a snot nosed brat when he left the first time. The children's game came to a halt, and he found four sets of eyes peering at him hesitantly. He had come to a halt, staring at them. The deep frown felt as familiar on his face as the company of an old friend. The kids scattered, running down the street and turning into alleyways further up ahead. They must have thought their rhyme about the old soldier had offended him. He rubbed his face, feeling the coarse stubble on his chin and cheek. He walked on.

They were awaiting his arrival by the gate leading out of the internment zone. With his shoulders sagging, Porco yawned. The pack containing his clothing lay misshapen and bulging at his feet, indicating that he had thrown his things together in a rush that same morning. Pieck's glossy black hair looked to have been brushed, her shirt was crinkle free and her long pleated skirt looked freshly cleaned. Her hooded eyes gave her a deceptively sleepy look. Zeke, with Colt beside him, looked to be talking to the other three. The four of them, and Colt next in line to inherit the beast titan, were all that was left of the group of six who had been chosen nine years ago. Porco now filled the empty shoes left by his brother. Why Marcel had pushed Reiner out of the way that day had been a mystery to him for many years. Now he'd come to think that Marcel had wanted to be forgiven. Colt spotted him, and nudged his mentor slightly. The boy was fifteen by now and had begun to come out of his shell. Colt's sandy blonde hair would catch the light from the sun during bright days, shining like pale gold. He found the boy difficult to look at. Averting his eyes, he felt the scowl tug at his cheeks.

"Ah Reiner, there you are" Zeke greeted him with as he came up to them. "Now there's just the captain missing." His eyes scanned the area outside the gate.

"He better hurry up so we can get to the train" Porco complained, "I'm in no mood to laze around here." Another yawn made his jaw crunch slightly. He eyed Reiner critically as he stretched his arms. His baggy eyes were puffy and red. "The hell are you staring at" he muttered under his breath. Reiner broke their eye contact. Porco preferred to be referred to as Galliard, perhaps that's why he found himself unable to think of him as anything else than Porco.

"Easy, Galliard" Zeke cautioned.

"It's your own fault you stayed up late Pock." Pieck batted her haze of thick dark eyelashes at him.

"I didn't" he muttered. "Think I'm coming down with something. Feel like absolute crap, and man I've had some messed up dreams." A kick of his foot sent some pebbles flying. He sighed irritably. Reiner turned his eyes to the blue sky above, remembering a time when he looked up at the same sky with Bertholdt at his side. He heard the gate creak, and then the familiar screeching as it opened up.