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Liberio has never been so lively before.
At least not this part of the city, Porco thinks bitterly, trying to lose the collar of his shirt.
He hates how tight the uniform feels, but Commander Magath made it clear the day before. He has to look pristine like the rest of the Warriors in front of the elite.
Fuck them all.
Who does even care? Ten years in the military taught him that no matter what you wear, an Eldian remains an Eldian in the eyes of those bastards.
Thank goodness, you don’t wear it every day, his mother said while she ironed the uniform that morning. You will look like the perfect gentleman, she laughed then softly.
Like Marcel would surely have been, Porco thought to himself while he kept her company.
It feels like she is always in search of a ghost when she stares at his face. Not that Porco really blames her. He does the same, every morning in front of the old mirror when he does his hair the way Marcel taught him many years ago.
“This way, Reiner!”
Gabi’s high voice pulls Porco out of his thoughts and he looks at the Braun cousins.
Reiner has his usual pained expression on his face, but he does still follow the cadets to the next colorful stand. It is quite entertaining and extremely pathetic to see such a huge man being bossed around by a group of sugar powered kids.
“I’m starting to feel sorry for his wallet,” Pieck says like she didn’t enjoy the pizza earlier. After all, food tastes better when it is bought by someone else.
Porco turns to her. “Isn’t this the duty of the vice-captain?”
Pieck shakes her head and gives him a look. “Should you not practice then?”
Porco raises an eyebrow.
“After Zeke, Reiner is going to take his place,” Pieck continues, looking ahead.
She thinks the brass will make him the new vice-captain? Reiner being appointed vice-captain instead of him still stings. He should be happy at the prospect, but the news leaves him just with an ugly feeling in his gut. Will he always be just a substitute with the time he has left?
“What about you?” Porco asks, pushing the thoughts away.
“Me?” Pieck blinks. “Oh, too much work. I want to pass those last years in peace.”
The words make Porco pause for a moment, make him close his hands into fists.
Pieck, Zeke… Reiner. Their time will be soon over. Somehow the one who always remains behind is him.
Pieck turns her head and gives him an understanding look. “This is not the moment to think about these things,” she tells him softly.
“I wasn’t,” Porco says too quick, his tone harsh.
“Right,” Pieck smiles, eyes half-closed, “you just bulldoze through things.”
Porco glares at her but Pieck just continues to smile at him.
“Come on or we are going to lose sight of the kids and Reiner.”
“Who cares about him-”
“Pocko-”
“Hmpf, fine.”
Music accompanies them anywhere as they walk through the crowd and when they reach the end of the road, they see a group of people dancing to the rhythm of what sounds like string drums, violins, and bagpipes.
“That looks fun!” Gabi shouts, closing her fists.
Falco perks up at that. “Do you want to dance?” he asks shyly.
Gabi nods, pursing her lips. “Yes,” she says but she grabs Reiner’s hand. “Come on, Reiner!”
Reiner’s eyebrows almost reach his hairline. “We can’t, it’s getting late.”
Always the goody two shoes soldier.
“Please!” Gabi begs, making her eyes look bigger.
This was an unmissable opportunity. “The sun is still up, we have time,” Porco speaks up, holding back a smirk. “Don’t tell us you are scared of dancing.”
Reiner turns towards him and their eyes meet for a moment. The vice-captain looks annoyed which is a rare sight.
“We Braun are scared of nothing!” Gabi answers, stepping in. “Let’s show them, Reiner!”
“I- what?” Reiner sputters when Gabi takes his hand and starts to drag him to the dance floor. “Gabi, wait!”
Of course Gabi doesn’t. Reiner sighs, probably realizing there is no way he can change the little girl’s mind and lets her drag him in defeat.
Porco can’t help but smile smugly at the scene.
“That was cruel,” Pieck whispers to him.
Porco shrugs. “He needs to loosen up.”
“Look who is talking,” Pieck says, chuckling. “But I don’t disagree. He looks down more than usual lately. Maybe you did good.”
Porco just crosses his arms in front of his chest, not saying anything. He didn’t do it for Reiner’s sake, it's not like he cares about how he feels. He doesn’t want to.
“Let’s join them!” Falco says, turning to Udo.
“What?” Udo frowns. “But I don’t know how to dance!”
“Neither I,” Falco answers.
“Then I don’t think this is a good idea!” Udo cries in panic but Falco ignores his protest and pulls him to the dance floor.
When the crowd notices the Warrior candidates join the dance with their vice-captain they start to cheer at them.
Porco chuckles as he watches Udo and Falco be an uncoordinated mess. “Good thing dancing isn’t required as a Warrior skill.”
Pieck snorts. “Now I’m imagining Commander Magath giving us dancing lessons,” she says with amusement.
Porco shudders at the thought.
“That’s not a picture I needed, Pieck.”
“You started it.”
Porco shakes his head and his gaze moves to Reiner who twirls Gabi around under his arm and back again. He doesn’t dance so badly. Damn it.
“What is it, Zofia? You want to join the dance?” he hears Pieck ask at the child. “I’m sure Porco will be a gentleman and dance with you.”
What? Porco turns to stare incredulously at Pieck, who just gives him one of her lazy smiles.
“I would like to dance, but my back doesn’t feel so well yet,” she adds. “You don’t mind, right, Pocko?”
Porco narrows his eyes at her but something pulling at the hem of his uniform makes him halt.
He looks down and gulps. Zofia is staring at him with a deadpan expression that contrasts with her supposed desire to dance. It is a bit unsettling how much the little girl remembers him of Annie.
“You really want to dance?” he asks, crouching a little.
Zofia gives him a curt nod. Porco holds back a sigh and a curse. Dancing isn’t really his thing (pub nights don’t count)- but Zofia keeps staring at him with her unnerving eyes.
“Alright then,” he gives in.
He offers a hand and Zofia smiles at him.
“Thank you, Mr. Galliard!”
He can feel Pieck eyeing him with amusement as they make their way through the crowd and join the dancing.
Porco doesn’t even know where to start, so he looks around and tries to imitate the others’ movements. After all, he is a fast learner. Thankfully Zofia seems to enjoy herself, smiling with amusement as Porco twirls her around.
“Partner change!” suddenly someone from the band shouts.
Porco raises an eyebrow when Udo shows up and takes his place with Zofia. He shakes his head and turns around but freezes when he comes face to face with Reiner.
Of course him.
They are probably looking like two fools by being still in a crowd of dancing people.
Reiner is staring down at Porco with a frown, like Porco has just stepped on one of his feet, or is going to do soon. His gaze then looks away for an escape route and Porco rolls his eyes.
He would probably do them a favor if he left the dance floor- but he has never done Reiner any favors. And he will not start now.
Reiner makes to get away but Porco surges forward and grabs his arm. The contact makes Reiner flinch before he looks back at Porco with questioning eyes.
“Just keep up,” Porco tells him before linking their arms together and forcing Reiner to move in a circle, following the beat of the folk music.
It is a bit awkward at first, both refusing to look at each other’s faces, but soon they find their pace, maybe thanks to all those years they fought side by side without saying a word on the battlefield. When the pace changes, they join their hands in the middle like the rest of the crowd as they twist and turn around themselves.
Reiner’s hand is heavy and clammy but Porco doesn’t really mind.
Another twirl and then he meets Reiner’s gaze. A slow smile spreads across Reiner’s face and Porco feels a rush of warmth fill him. Why is he smiling now? This is the first time after a decade that he sees Reiner genuinely smile at him.
It’s- distracting. Suddenly Falco and Gabi crash into him but somehow Porco manages to stay upright and not make them all fall on the floor.
“Ohi!” he turns, noticing after a moment Reiner’s hand on his shoulder. So, this is why he didn’t fall. Always the great shield of Marley. Porco gives Reiner a look and Reiner quickly removes his hand.
“Mr. Galliard! Vice-captain Braun! I’m so sorry!” Falco apologizes frantically.
“It’s his fault!” Gabi shouts. “I told him to follow my lead.”
“But you kept stepping on my feet,” Falco answers, upset.
Gabi huffs. “I’m going to dance with Zofia.” She gives Falco an annoyed look and turns on her heels.
“What?” Falco cries. “Gabi, wait!”
Porco sighs, although one corner of his mouth tugs upwards as he stares after them. A strange wave of nostalgia hits him as the two kids continue to argue while Udo and Zofia try to calm them down.
He tilts his head towards Reiner and sees a fond look in those amber eyes.
“She is your little cousin,” Porco tells him casually. “Doesn’t it upset you?”
Reiner blinks and then chuckles lightly. “Falco is a good kid but they are still so young.” Reiner stares at Porco, eyes still looking soft for the kids. “Whatever it’ll be, time will tell.”
Porco just nods, averting Reiner’s gaze. Time isn’t on the side of people like them.
Thankfully a new tune starts to play, a much faster beat than before. Porco raises his eyebrow when he sees the couples around them get closer, chest against chest. Well, he is done now. He starts to get away but this time it is Reiner who stops him.
“Don’t tell me you are scared now, Galliard,” Reiner says with a grin on his lips, throwing the earlier jab right back at Porco. The jerk.
It’s stupid and infuriating, but so endearing.
“Well?” Reiner prompts when Porco doesn’t still give him an answer, his smile starting to waver.
Porco answers by taking Reiner’s right hand in his left hand. “Don’t step on my feet,” he grunts.
Reiner lets out a snort. “I will try to keep up,” he shots back at him, putting a hand on Porco’s shoulder and getting closer.
Porco holds his breath, a shiver runs down his spine at how close they are now. He puts his hand on Reiner’s waist and before he knows it, they are moving and dancing in a circle with the rest of the crowd.
They bounce around looking anything but graceful, but it doesn’t matter because well- it’s fun and liberating, and something inside Porco gives in.
He laughs and moves faster as the song peaks up and Reiner doesn’t have problems keeping with him. He locks eyes with Reiner who is laughing as well. He is sure they are dancing much faster than the people around them since the kids are no more in view.
Porco’s heart hammers inside his ribcage and everything but Reiner seems like a blur. He likes the way Reiner’s hands feel, how his body is close to his, his laugh mixing with his- and then the music ends. It’s a bit abrupt and awkward. He and Reiner break apart and take a step back.
Reiner claps his hands with the rest of the crowd, but his eyes are staring right at him. His cheeks are red and a few beads of sweat run down his face.
Porco realizes that he must look like a mess too. A strand of hair escaped and fall over his front head and his ironed shirt feels a bit clammy against his back.
Reiner smiles, and it makes him look much younger, much more carefree. Like the stranger that he thought existed only in Ymir’s memories-
Porco feels his stomach flip just when Reiner lifts a hand, going for his loose hair.
What the fuck am I doing?
He takes a step back and Reiner’s smile falls.
Rage, and mostly shame, burn inside Porco’s chest because he can’t stop the way he feels. And he hates this. He hates Reiner. He does have to because-
What about me?
I’m sorry, Porco.
And then five years later-
What about my brother?
I'm sorry, Galliard.
Reiner stares at him a bit worried now and- fuck all this, because he still wants to kiss Reiner, to punch his stupid handsome face, to tear his too much tight uniform off, he wants to-
Porco pushes his hair back and turns away.
“I want a drink.”
“Porco-” Reiner calls, but Gabi interrupts him, asking to buy her another slice of pizza since dancing made her hungry.
Porco puts everyone behind and heads to a drinking stand. He orders a beer, hoping it will be cold enough to erase the ash from his mouth.
“I didn’t know you could dance so well,” a soft voice says behind him.
Porco doesn’t answer as he takes his beer and drinks it in one go.
“Well, the Jaw was also known as the dancing titan, right?” Pieck continues with that calm voice of hers that always makes Porco relax. He puts the empty glass down and looks at her.
“Never heard about it.”
Pieck hums, leaning her back against the counter.
“You and Reiner seemed pretty in harmony.”
Porco has to look away, the knowing look in Pieck’s keen eyes is too much for him to hold. He stares down at his glass and is tempted to order another one.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
Of course Pieck doesn’t fall for his bullshit. “Porco…” she sighs softly. “I know it still hurts you-”
“We’re not talking about this,” Porco snaps and quickly chastises himself. He breathes in deep, his grip around the empty glass tight.
“Sorry,” he mutters. She doesn’t deserve his shit. Thankfully, Pieck doesn’t look upset, well she rarely does outside of battles.
She puts a hand over his one, making him lose the grip around the glass.
“It’s all right, Porco.”
No, it isn’t, but she indulges him. Better this lie than the ugly truth. He lived without it for five years, hoping, praying for his brother to finally come back. He even vowed to put anything behind with Reiner if it meant to finally have Marcel back.
But his brother never returned, and he only got a girl with a fake name and a broken man back.
“Lad?”
Porco blinks at the bartender who looks at him annoyed. “Do you want another one?” the man asks, indicating the empty glass.
Yes, a keg, Porco wishes but he shakes his head. He takes out his wallet to pay but someone else puts the money on the counter.
“My treat.”
Porco looks up at Reiner and he is lost for words for once. Reiner just gives him a solemn nod and walks to the kids that are waiting for them.
“Generous of him,” Pieck points out.
Porco grunts, irritated at being caught off guard like that.
“I’ll have to pay him back,” he says after a moment.
“Yeah, you should,” Pieck says quietly. “Come on, or we are going to get late.”
Porco stands up from the stool and raises his head.
The sky is slowly turning into pink-orange hues. He turns and looks at Reiner.
Aren’t you tired of this? Pieck asked him once.
Yes, but he can’t stop.