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“do you think it’s out there?“ you whisper, hand reaching out towards the clouds above you. reiner lays beside you, head propped up behind bent elbows.
eyes still fixating on the white puffs, he slowly turns to you. the warm wind flies by, whispering secrets between the two of you as the sun’s light casts an ethereal glow on your face. shadows accentuate your mesmerizing features and reiner finds himself in awe. his eyes soften when they wander down to your lips, your smile bright and present. his world seems to revolve around you. he always saw you as his light, his hope, but you were also his greatest distraction.
he almost forgot to respond, “what do you mean?”, he mutters, and you swear you can hear a hint of sadness in his tone.
nevertheless, your smile stays put. your mind hazy, falling entranced into the world you created in your head moments ago.
“one day, i want to get out of these walls, somewhere far away,” you pause, “so that we can be together, live our lives out. maybe even start a family.“ you turn to him, “doesn’t that sound nice?“
he stares. he stares in amazement at the person in front of him. the person who he devotes his life to inside these damned walls. the person who he’s grown to care for and to love for.
then he remembers.
he remembers that the person in front of him won’t be his for long. he remembers his mission, his mission to save humanity- marley’s direct orders. and in order to do that, he has to leave you. he can’t bear the thought.
“reiner?“ you say, sitting up in concern. he didn’t even realize he zoned out. you bring a gentle hand to his cheek, caressing it with soft strokes of your thumb. “are you okay?“
his chests swells with sorrow and he feels his lip tremble. he tucks his face into your palm, a pitiful attempt to hide his emotions he thinks. he wants to say no, he wants to tell you the truth, his truth. the one that gnaws at him and he feels his lungs begin to give up. you continue to stroke his cheek and he feels himself melt into your touch.
when his composure returns he lets out a breathy laugh while he glances up at you. he can’t help but think that you look like an angel from his view, so much for being an island devil.
“yes baby, that sounds amazing.“ he forges a grin. you lay back down, this time on his chest and sigh contently when you feel a hand in your hair. he tenderly strokes your scalp, lulling you to a peaceful sleep within minutes with a small smile painting your face.
if only you noticed the gentle shakes of his body as tears fell down his cheek.