When we landed on the roof by the riverside, we saw soldiers from the Garrison surrounding the plume of smoke. Looking up at the wall, I noticed there was a cannon pointed in the direction of the smoke. Something had been shot at.
"Hey! What happened?" Jean shouted as he landed by us along with Annie and Bertholdt.
"I'm not sure," Reiner replied. "but this is where we left Eren."
"Eren?!" I exclaimed loudly. Reiner winced, and I realized that was the information he wasn't allowed to reveal.
"Reiner! We were under a gag order!" Jean yelled at him. They started to bicker, but I couldn't help but stare at the plume of smoke... Is Eren under there?
The smoke began to clear, and revealed the most alarming sight. The upper torso of what appeared to be a fifteen meter class Titan. It was as still as a rock. It had no skin, and its arm reached up to where the cannon was placed. Had it stopped the cannon fire with its arm? I jumped back in fear when its eyes suddenly moved.
"It's alive!" Some of the soldiers shouted below. Eventually the eye movement seemed to stop, and the Titan began to decay. I turned to Reiner and whispered.
"Reiner... Is that Eren?" He seemed to understand my question, and he nodded. My whole body quivered at the thought that Eren was alive. His death had impacted me so, and now I was being told he was indeed not dead and now he held a similar power to Reiner? I couldn't possibly understand what it all meant...
This was what I wanted, wasn't it? I wanted to discover the truth... I'm already discovering more than anyone else, so why is it so startling to behold?
Armin emerged from the smoke, with his hands raised in the air. Armin?! He was in there the whole time?! The day was filled with surprises. How could so much have happened already, and it had only been a single day? I felt my thoughts swirling around like a storm cloud brewing.
Armin claimed Eren wasn't a threat, shouting that he was willing to give up his life for humanity. If his words wouldn't convince the Captain who shouted orders below, I was unsure what would.
Then, the Captain's hand began to rise, signaling for cannon fire.
"No!" I shouted aloud, but they couldn't hear me below.
I couldn't bear the thought of possibly losing Eren and Armin at once. Before the order was given, a skinny bald man walked up to the captain and grabbed his arm. Before I knew what was happening, he had saved Armin and Eren. After all the smoke had cleared, I noticed Mikasa was there as well.
I later learned the man's name was Dot Pyxis, the commander of the Garrison Regiment. He took the three of them up to the wall in an attempt to talk. About what? That I did not know, but I knew that I was ready to question Reiner, and after that kiss, he would dare not refuse me an answer. At least that's what I hoped.
After the troops had cleared, the two of us went to a bench by the riverside and sat down. There was a pause for a moment. Neither of us fully knew what to say.
"I shouldn't have kissed you so abruptly, but I couldn't help it." He laughed lightly. We both stared ahead, gazing at the river, but I glanced at him through the corner of my eyes.
"You shouldn't regret it, because I don't." My words surprised me, as much as they surprised him. "Actually, I kinda liked how spontaneous it was." He turned to look at me.
"So... you feel the same way as me then?" He asked with a slight smirk on his lips.
"I do," I said plainly. "I think I always have, but I never knew you did as well. I honestly thought you saw me as a sister." When I turned to look at him, he was snickering with his hand covering his mouth.
"I never thought of you as a sister in the slightest!" He laughed. "Do you realize how long I've wanted you? I still do! Every second of the day, you're on my mind and I can't control it. I don't know what you did to me in these past three years I've known you, but whatever it was, it worked." He sighed, gazing at the river and running his fingers through his hair. In a way, it seemed as though he didn't want to like me, as though it wasn't his choice.
"I didn't do anything." I insisted. "I just existed, you happened to see me, and you started liking me." I said casually. He smirked and turned his body and legs towards me. He placed his hand on my thigh.
"But you're at fault as well. You started liking me too!" He raised a brow playfully at his own remark. "Why do you treat me so coldly? It just makes me like you more." I wanted to give in just by seeing him smile. I gave in by kissing him before, but I knew I couldn't let myself surrender to him any further.
"I may like you, and I've come to that realization now," I began. "But it doesn't change what you told me. It doesn't change all the questions I have." I wanted to forget what he had said in Trost so badly. I wanted to forget that a part of him was meant to be my enemy. I just wanted him, but something kept holding me back.
He gripped my thigh tighter, but gently.
"I promised you," He began. "I'd wait for you to decide whether you forgive me or not. I feel like I'm so close to reaching you, that I can almost taste it. So, I'll answer your questions." He paused. "But, there are still some things I can't tell you." I stared at him for a moment, and placed my hand on his.
"Alright. I can accept that." I said, and he smiled lightly. "First, I want to know, how do you become a Titan? What happens to your body when you do so?" He pulled away his hand, and gazed at it as he flexed it. His face was solemn, but he tried smiling to hide it.
"Somewhere on my body, I have to draw blood. I need a specific goal or intent in mind, or else I won't shift. When I become a Titan, my body is still there, but it resides within my Titan's nape. The same could be said for Eren." He turned to face me. Instead of disturbed, I found myself growing more interested. Reiner must've noticed this as he looked at me with more confusion.
"What is someone like you called?" I began. "I know it sounds stupid, but I've been debating whether to call you a Titan or a Human. Which one are you truly?" I asked, leaning in as my curiosity peaked. For some reason, the darkness that used to fill my mind at the thought of these questions, turned to excitement.
"I'd be called a Titan-shifter, or a human-clad Titan. I am both Human and a Titan, not just one in specific." He averted his eyes from me, and looked back to his hand. "I guess both are a part of me... right?" He mumbled his words, as though he thought I couldn't hear. At the time, I chose to let it go. Perhaps, I shouldn't have.
"So how did you gain this... well... power? Were you born like this?" He looked at me sadly. Does he not wish to speak of it? Does he not like this ability?
"I– I wasn't always like this..." He hesitated. "I did gain the power." He stood up and paced over to the river as he stared at his reflection.
"How did you gain it?" I asked.
"I can't tell you." He replied. I heard the pain in his voice. "In fact, I think that's the most I can tell you as of now. I'm sorry..." He tilted his head back to look at the sky. The sun glistened upon his face, and I felt sorry for him. It occurred to me that this power, in a way, was a burden to him.
I stood up hastily and walked over to him. As I stood by his side, he looked back down to me. His eyes, longing for something once again.
Do I dare say it? I thought to myself.
"Reiner... I– I forgive you." I said it. My heartbeat quickened. He smiled suddenly, as though he were a small child who had just been given their favorite toy.
After a beat, with one arm, he hastily grabbed me by the waist and pulled me in closer. As I pressed against him, he kissed me passionately. After a moment, he took his lips off mine and smiled.
"You know when people say, 'I'm so happy, I could kiss you?'" I nodded my head. "Well, I can't even say it! I just have to do it myself!" He laughed, looking at me in his arms. "Come here," he said, kissing me again, though it was just a peck. He put his hand on my head and gently nuzzled me into his chest. He held me there, by the riverside, his strong arms around me, and my head buried in his muscular chest. I had forgiven him completely. I had given in, and surrendered, and I loved it.
I love... I love this.
I tilted my head up to look at him. I hoped my smile would hint that I wanted another kiss. He returned my smile, and laughed as he pressed his lips on mine. I squealed with laughter as he dipped me down a bit, mid-lip-lock. I placed my arms around his neck.
This was what I had wanted, all along. It didn't matter what, or who he was. I just wanted him. And through him, I was also discovering the truth I longed for so badly.
"You bastard! Let go of her!" Mid-kiss, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jean running over. Reiner stopped kissing me, and pulled me upright as he turned his head to face Jean. He kept his hold on me all the while. He glared at him with a menacing and terrifying look.
Reiner held me tighter, so tightly I could barely breathe. Reiner's eyes were piercing, and I sensed his anger.
I felt his rage.