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Chapter Text

Through Darkness, Hand in Hand

"What with that gaze of yours?"

His tone was gentle, blooming among Night’s silent shades embracing them, caressing like a frail but oh so stunning butterfly wings, the gusts of wind that dared to trouble their own little world.

"I haven't seen you in such a peaceful state for ages." Her lips could not help but curl into a small smile. "It is... heart-warming to witness."

With a light touch, Reiner's fingers grazed against his own traits, as if not believing her words completely yet, but still with the fear of, once again, drowning in the dark waters he believed would be his sole companion until time had come to meet with the astral lights up there, had he came to fully acknowledge this instant of quietness.

"You might be the reason for it," he shrugged faintly before his hand rested back on the washed-out balustrade, next to hers. "You make it feel like there is still a bit of hope for such a damned like me. For once, the scent of the blood that has been carved into my skin, sticking under my nails despite scratching those cursed walls of shame making me suffocate more and more as time passes by, isn't lingering around like a deadly venom. I forgot how it felt, to breathe an air that isn't stale, that isn't pressing in a bruising way against my sore heart."

A few strands of hair fluttered around her face as the wind blew across the small stoop of her house, unrestricted.

"And I don't know how you're able to do that. To stop all of this from taunting me so easily." His voice was then reduced to a quiet murmur. "But I'm aware that there will be, sooner or later, a price to pay. And I don't want you to be the one who will suffer from it."

"I wouldn't mind if it allowed that faint sparkle to remain still within your eyes, that weight on your shoulders to be just a bit less heavy to carry."

At her words, Reiner's breath caught in his throat before facing her again, a mix of tenderness but also injustice embracing his senses.

"Vina." He shook his head but did not escape the hand that came to cup his face. "Don't."

"I just want you to be okay, Rei." Her grey irises locked into his, the insistence in those amethyst-tinted lights of hers urging him to give in, despite his fiercest resilience to be the strong one.

Silent lingered for a few seconds, as if time had suddenly stopped, before his fingers covered hers.

"Someone like you doesn't deserve to dive into an abyss of regrets and horror. If there's somebody who has to endure it, it is obviously shall be me."

"I am already standing right in the middle of it, whether you like it or not, soaked in the tears and blood of the lives I have taken. And it might swallow me, someday, if I don't walk away, that I know well."

At her answer, Reiner scoffed slightly in disbelief.

"Then why aren't you trying to save yourself? I'm far from being an example to follow blindly."

"If it means I can be by your side, then it doesn't matter where I am standing. Even amidst the darkest hell, I know I'll find heaven if it means my hand is entwined to yours."

And as he leaned in her soothing touch, his arms wrapping instinctively around her waist she once again murmured with conviction, before sealing their lips together in a gentle but full-of-meaning kiss.

"Let them come. I do not fear drowning in this endless ocean of sins, as long as we can cherish one another.”

Chapter Text

Az Arany, mely Felettünk Ragyog 

The Gold that Shines over Us

Serene were the skies above one’s head, made of a noble golden shade as the sun was about to begin its descent toward earth's realm, leaving little sparkles shine within the river's flow. Pearls of century-old glory that trailed their every step, her slim hand clinging onto his arm with a gentleness that belonged to those whose souls lay entwined to never ever let go. A pure, genuine tranquility rested over the blond's face, welcoming that so cherished touch of hers, a presence that had become his shelter amidst the toughest storms, his guiding flame through uncertainty.

“Places like this… They take your breath away in a second, don’t they?”

Vivian glanced at the man by her side only to discover he had been, in fact, contemplating her for the entire time, those hazel eyes of his shining with tender, almost reverent glints, as if witnessing one of those sacred miracles for the very first time. A timeless piece of art, this one never fading throughout the ages, be it in the brightest or darkest blossoms of Humankind, would be the way to describe how she felt in the embrace of his gaze.

"Here, Reiner."

With a gentle caress, her fingers lifted the blond's chin, orienting his face toward the ornamented building standing with pride before them, her touch lingering for a few more seconds, unwilling to let go of him yet.

"I think you're beautiful too." Reiner's tone was soft, cradled in the crook of a sudden gust of wind blowing through their hairs, the warm lighting of the sun reflecting on his skin, accentuating those features Vivian had always been fond of.

She blinked twice, her lashes fluttering briefly over the pale grey of her irises as she turned toward his taller frame.

"You always know how to make my heart content." A small smile played on her lips as she readjusted a lock that had just brushed against her nose. "But please, take a look at that piece born from Man's brilliance before Night holds it tightly against her chest."

“I can’t help it, Vina.” His thumb moved over her palm in a few loving strokes before pulling her closer, a hint of amusement playing on his traits. “Your sight attracts my gaze everytime you’re by my side.”

“Has the city turned you into a romantic man, by any chance?”

At Vivian's words, Reiner could not refrain a soft chuckle from escaping his mouth.

“You think so?”

“Certainly.”

He then inhaled her scent — a mix of frozen berries and sandalwood — as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“I suppose that's not something you would complain about.”

Those eyes of hers met his, once again, their shade almost translucent, mirroring the timeless painting the two of them mingled with. That ocean the blond man would eagerly drown into, its waters never trouble, suffocating, a source of faith his very heart would always follow fervently. And yet, had the waves shown any ambition to beat him down, he would face them still with open arms.

“Complain?” Vivian repeated quietly, her fingers playing with the hem of his shirt. “Please, never stop loving me the way you do. There's no other thing this powerful that could ever make that world of ours a place I can call home.”

Reiner's traits softened even more and this time, he could not refrain the urge to pour into a chaste yet passionate embrace of their lips, the everlasting adoration he nurtured for her. His hand came to brush against the silken texture of her cheek as she responded to the kiss, her brown hair cascading over her shoulder as she leaned in the tenderness of his caresses. 

“I promise” He nodded gently after pulling away, though still holding his lover’s fingers in a careful grip. “And may you always welcome my heart in the genuine warmth of your affection.”

“That I may.” The young woman squeezed his hand in hers, a silent confirmation to their shared vow. 

He offered her another loving gaze before the two of them resumed their walk by the golden river, the rich building following them still, guarding the city and its sparkles, sole witness to their intimate declarations.

“T his is why I sing and I torment myself.

I should love to be loved.

I wish to be of someone, I wish to be of someone.”

(Endre Ady, “I should Love to be Loved”)

Chapter Text

Zamrznjeno Cvetje

Frozen Flowers

For one more day by your side
Before the cold waters drag you away from
The warmth of my embrace
And the tender gaze of the Stars
Hovering over our shared journey that
Has been stolen from our bleeding hands,
Those very hands that have cast Death over
Countless blooming souls.

Like flowers we rose
Like flowers we exhaled
To the final petal
We caressed one another's heart.
That I wished the cold waters
Kept us eternal
Frozen in the bed of our affection
Sparing us the affliction
Of an already decided fate.

And I prayed
Oh my Lord, that I prayed
To catch a single glimpse
Of what could have been,
Of what I have longed
From the bottom of my heart.

Mercy is the fortunate companion
We could not welcome against our chests
May we receive them
The day my hand brushes against yours
And holds it tight
In the crook of our final resting place.

- A Poem by Vina

Chapter Text

“We might reach the coast within a couple of minutes. Look, I can even catch a sight of the crowd waiting for us. Never thought there’d be so many of them.”

Conny’s face was glued to the porthole, akin to children whose eyes could not detach themselves from a shiny, colorful toy on display that appealed to their playful minds. It had been, in fact, hours that the grey-haired man had been staring through the glass, the sight of the land that saw him rise making that heart of his beat with a cherished yet uncertain anticipation.

“I hope you realise that they might as well come for our throats,” Jean leaned back in his seat, the wood of it cracking faintly as doing so. “Though some might understand, it’s still clear that they're not going to welcome us with open arms.”

“I’m sure we still have a few friends left.”

“Your Queen assured us we'd be fine, didn’t she?” Pieck placed the small cup of tea back onto the assorted plate, the taste of honey lingering still on her lips. “Yet the fact she accepted with no conditions to receive the former Warriors of Marley, the same ones who aimed at Paradis’ full demise, still surprises me quite a bit. Are we certain we’re not getting lured into a revengeful trap?”

At her words, Armin shook his head, his hands carefully aligning the reports against the table before sliding them back into his suit pocket.

“It’s not like Historia to plot such a thing.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if a bunch of Yeagerists suddenly decided to act on their own, instead.” Vivian's words led the room to glance toward her. “After all, diplomacy and forgiveness don't exactly run through their veins.”

“That’s why we’ll keep an eye open. Though I doubt they'd show recklessness so soon.”

“In the direst case, we’ll just run around, playing hide and seek.” Jean let out a faint scoff, yet with no heat in it. “Just like we used to. Add a kidnapping to the lot and we’re back to the old good times.”

“I can't run well, remember.”

“Come on, Pieck, it’s been three years. Don’t tell us your legs are still as weak as you claim.”

“Nobody can compete with a horse when it comes to galloping.”

Reiner's teasing caught a few laughs around the table. The targeted one took a long sip of his drink before shooting him a mock glare. 

“You're lucky Vivian's standing behind you, Reiner. Because that glass of mine would have ended up right into your face.”

“Look at that. A gentleman. Yet you're making fun of a frail lady like me.” Pieck’s hand moved to her chest, right over her heart, a feigned indignation etched on her features.

“We all know how you use it to your advantage. Frail body, yet sharp mind.”

“My, are you complimenting me, now?”

“No. Just stating a fact.”

Finger’s eyes rolled faintly before returning her attention to the empty cup of tea, toying with it. Back then, it would have been impossible to imagine herself sitting at the same table as the so-feared Devils born from the crook of a blighted tale, the words blowing their influence, akin to a stale gust of wind that would anchor an everlasting affliction to the ones breathing that air for a bit too long. Yet she had come — and so had the other ones coming from Liberio — to grow quite fond of them, to enjoy their companies and even sometimes catching herself to think of them as friends .

A living proof that both sides of the world could reach a mutual understanding, and move on from a painful history.

Springer’s enthusiasm, at last, reached the rest of them, sparkling within their beating chests. After three years away, moving from land to land they had learnt to navigate through, they were finally home . 

And no matter how clashing the numerous changes the Island had endured were, they knew from the bottom of their heart that the flowers would always grow back, carrying with them both the tender memories and blossoming hope for the future.

“Come here.”

Vivian’s gentle tone stirred him out of his state of contemplation, and Reiner let himself be pulled closer. Her fingers moved with swiftness to his tie, caressing the fabric as she adjusted it back. The brief glint of the diamond on her ring — the same one that made it possible to call her his wife — caught his sight. God knew the endless hours spent to find a gem that captured her very essence, something that would perfectly embody the way she shone before him, that grace of hers untouched.

Yet there was no greater wonder than those eyes of hers.

“Always making sure I look decent, huh?” The blond man thanked her with a soft nod, his hand lingering over hers for a few seconds before moving back to his side.

“You just can’t show up with a half-loose shirt to such an important meeting.” She shook her head in a light amusement.

“It’s always windy at this time of the year, or at least, that’s how I remember it. In the end, I’ll appear all messy again. But I appreciate your caring attitude.”

“Reiner, Vivian.” 

Annie’s words interrupted the two of them.

“The boat is about to dock. It would be unfortunate to get us late.”

“We’ll be there in a minute.” Vivian offered Leonhart a faint smile before pulling away from Reiner.

Her fellow did not answer and joined the others, never leaving Armin’s side for too long.

And at last, my steps have brought me back to this land.

Paradis, yet the name tasted still like the bitterness of his past hauntings. Trailing faintly in his back, those rotting claws grazing his ankles with a desperation that equaled the turmoil he once allowed himself to be taunted with. Afar, yet still there. An undesirable companion whose moans of pity attempted to bring back into its jealous embrace.

“You okay?”

Her brown hair fluttered in the fresh breeze, as she once again faced him. Before answering, Reiner took a deep breath, ignoring the lingering unease running still through his veins

“I’ll be fine.” 

“You will.” The softness of her fingers entwined with his. “If someone can stand still before the world's darkest face, it’s you.”

“You’re the one who refrained me from falling.” He mumbled.

“In the end, you did it on your own, Reiner. It was your sole decision to fight still, to… how do you say..?”

“To keep moving forward.”

The two of them stopped by the boat’s fence, gazing at the horizon, the echoes of the crowd gathered now reaching their ears — whispers of excitement, suspicion, or simply the brushing shoes of the ones who could not bother with that arrival of theirs.

“I’m proud of you.” 

Simple yet cherished words that felt like a caress to his heart. His eyes searched for her face, affection slowly but surely warming up those cheeks of his.

“Don’t make me feel all sappy now.”

“I mean it.” Vivian smiled back at him.

“I know, Vina.”

He then gave her hand a gentle squeeze before following the others toward the land, where Queen Historia could be seen, surrounded by her closest counsellors.

And this time, no fear was to be felt.

Thank you, Vina, for never letting go of me,

For the warmth of your embrace through the hell we had swam in for so long.

May your hand never leave mine

And may we rest eternal among those flowers of ours.

Chapter Text

Early 854, Liberio, Marley

“Do you think Zeke feels lonely?”

The sudden question echoed to her ears before Vivian could even acknowledge it, breaking the soft, comfortable silence that lay between the two of them. Reiner’s lips immediately left the tender skin of her neck, his hazel eyes moving up to seek her grey ones.

“Why are you asking?” 

“I’m not sure. Just… wondering out loud.”

He let out a faint hum, a hint of concern etched on his features, still discernible in spite of the midnight obscurity lingering in the room.

“Has he said something to you?” 

“No, nothing like that.” A strand of brown hair brushed against his shoulder as she rolled to her side, now fully facing him.

As soon as the final letter was pronounced, the wind’s melody blew over the ridges of the roof — sharp, gritty. Akin to the salty waves that gnawed at the docks, snapping against the concrete before pulling back to strike again, their strength never faltering. 

A relentless song, mirroring winter’s roughness— both upon Liberio and the heart of Men.

“You used to find him unbearable,” the blond man murmured after a moment, propping himself up on his elbows. “And now, the two of you sit at the counter of a coffee house every two weeks. How come your impression of him has changed so drastically?” 

“I’ve learnt to bear his presence.”

“Are you two friends?”

“I wouldn't say that.”

He remained silent, his gaze caressing the curves of her face, seeking any clue that could help him make sense of this elusive answer. 

To Vivian, Zeke was no friend — never had been. He embodied ruthlessness, his hand led by an utopian purpose she still could not fully grasp a clear, limpid vision of — akin to a puzzle that would only hold meaning once complete. Until then, the numerous patterns would still confuse, mislead, the ones attempting to solve it.

Countless months had passed since she became his shadow, accomplishing his dirty work on promises she hoped he would keep. And then the young woman had come to see more than the despicable character she once portrayed him as — a man shaped by loss and sacrifice, willing to commit the worst crimes in the name of what mattered most.

Just like her.

Wandering in the dark waters whose caresses they had at last welcomed, their eyes remained wide open as they unblinkingly watched the painting of chaos their hands had created come to life — and they would not hesitate to repeat it all, until the day they reached what they longed for.

Until it was fully granted.

Yet Reiner did not have a single clue about his lover’s somber involvements — kept in the dark so that he would not shatter even further.

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable." Vivian’s fingers brushed against his jaw in a quiet apology, his stubble faintly ticklish under her touch.

“You did not.” He pulled her closer, throwing with a careful gesture the blanket over her frame. “The man does — Zeke has a knack for obtaining what he wants from people. I wouldn’t want you to fall into whatever ruse he may have planned."

Reiner then paused for a few seconds, his eyes shut. What he had just told her was true — he himself had capitulated more than once before his superior’s scheming authority. Crushed like a miserable ant. Body and mind. 

But now, the conditional cover the Warchief was providing with mock selflessness might be dangerously heading toward its own collapse — this sudden warming between Vivian and Zeke deeply unsettled him, his guts twisting every time she returned with that faint tobacco smell lingering in her hair.

As long as he proved his usefulness and behaved as demanded, there would be no reason for the older one to betray his own word. Yet could Braun really trust him?

And that was why he desperately needed to make sure Vivian would never find out about the fate Marley had finally decided for him.

“As for your original question — I don’t know. The Captain has always been complex to read, and I doubt anyone can fully understand what’s going on in his head, even after years spent by his side.” The blond man then took a deep breath, trying to keep himself steady. “Do me a favor, Vina — be careful around Yeager.”

Her gaze met his for a moment before she let out a soft hum and nestled into his chest, the heartbeat under her palm thudding at a tense, heavy pace. It was something that usually soothed him, to feel her embrace, that warmth that had never failed to make blossom the peace he had sought for so long. Until fear murmured to his ear, toying with his thoughts, convincing him that his lover might uncover everything, had she held him close for one second too long.

And Vivian hoped he would not notice her trembling fingers and the remaining carmine under her nails…

Chapter Text

Carmine cascaded down like velvet — from the marble stairs, the wooden furniture, and the hundreds of glasses the guests once raised to their pampered faces. Gunfire bloomed through the air like barbed flowers. Carnage blazed behind — swallowing anyone who lingered too long. 

The targets — all taken down, golden masks off. Perhaps they would be uncovered at dawn. Or perhaps the flames would devour their cold forms — reuniting with the dust of oblivion. 

Fingers remained curled around the pistol. She followed the terrified crowd through the opulent gallery — one of the many rooms the Tyburs’ mansion offered to the eye. The perfect stage for vipers and their sour honey act — smiles and waltzes that veiled acute fangs and lethal conspiracies.

And now dozens of them lie dead, mouths frozen with the grin of demise.

Boots clicked on the elegant floor — feet soaking in the clingy warmth. The fabric of her attire pressed against the wounds she had earned earlier. Brows twitched, yet no sound escaped her lips. Quietness would be her most loyal shield.

There was no way she would be able to return to the Internment Zone in such a state — bloodied, clad in one of those theatrical costumes, and especially without the armband . Dead on the spot .

Maybe she would be able to catch up to Zeke before he vanished — one of his many talents. 

The entrance doors stood ajar — forced open by frenzied shoulders. Just a few more steps …

But a hand yanked her back — bruising, nails carving tiny crescent moons into her skin. Air fled her lungs in a violent gust. Head snapped toward the sudden attacker. Heart clenched. Stomach twisted. Her grip on the pistol petrified.

And she met the eyes she had hoped never to face tonight.

Chapter Text

"In the wake of every battle of mine, I used to pray for it to be the final one. To never witness a single dawn rising over the trail of corpses that has been clinging to my every step. To meet peace amidst oblivion — that dull, neverending abyss that scarred most souls as coppery hit to the nose. 

Yet now all I pray for is to return home — to your arms carrying that warmth I have never expected to receive."

—

"And should you fall, I'll fall with you. Should you meet hell, I'll bear its blaze with a smile. The everlasting shadows might blind us, but that heart of mine would shine still until your hand finds its path back to mine."

"I'd rather see you in the midst of a field of flowers, where the sun caresses your face."

"Sometimes the prettiest flowers arise from the darkest soils."

"Vina."

"Yes, Reiner?"

"I'd bring you the world to be you garden."

“And I’d make it bloom in the crook of my chest.”

Chapter Text

His hand reached for hers — tentative, a faint shiver caressing the curve of his fingers, too careful to risk a single shatter within the touch she let him offer. At first, Vivian did not turn to him, eyes wandering still over the frozen branches of the trees embracing the street beneath.

Yet she curled against his palm — seeking the quiet warmth of him in spite of all.

The calm after the storm, when one gathers the shards to be one again.

Then a subtle vulnerability in the way her shoulders unwinded. Head tilted to him, fingertips sliding up his arm — wrist, then inner side where the skin was tender, then the soft rumble of his heart — mapping him as if made of crystal. Precious, and one who threatened to escape the fearful hold they shared with one another.

Had she lost him once more , she would certainly fall too .

Gazes met to never part — entwined through the whirlwind that had not ceased to whisper at first, then cry out concealed aches in the crook of their chests like a forgotten scar that had never truly healed. His thumb brushed against her spine, tracing gentle patterns as he moved up, uncovering the back that had carried the weight of this merciless world they were thrown in. Hand tangled briefly in her locks — a silken caress — before completely resting on her blade, drawing her closer.

Reiner would let himself drown in those silvery eyes of hers — the waters his shelter amidst the blaze.

Arms wrapped around her, never letting go. The scent of her conquered his senses in a welcomed wave — frozen berries, a touch of sweetness amidst winter’s roughness. She nuzzled up, grazing the jaw whose stiffness had long vanished for a bloom of gentleness.

And then a single kiss to her temple — like a quiet promise he would find the strength to hold her through the everlasting tempests.