Idk this one was hard?

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Disclaimer: SnK is not mine, but did you see Annie this week she was so cuteeeeee

Three Warriors

xxx. escape .xxx

The rain pelted at his thin cloak relentlessly, but he couldn't afford to slow down. His hands were frozen stiff; he shoved them underneath his armpits in an attempt to thaw his icy fingers as he ran on. He'd long since passed many fellow trainees, slogging through the mud and collapsing in the sleet. There were probably only a few that could keep pace with him, and a rare one or two that surged ahead.

He soon passed Eren, who doggedly fought to keep his head up, even though his assiduous attempts at freeing himself from the knee-high mud landed him deeper and deeper. Feeling a tad bit of graciousness, Reiner paused and offered a hand. Eren hissed, debating whether or not he would accept the help, but ended up grasping Reiner's hand before he slipped further into the hungry mire.

Reiner ran on, leaving a drenched and exhausted — albeit determined — Eren Jaeger behind, making sure to avoid the deep pools and slippery rivers that the rain had made in the path. Perhaps it was because he'd stopped to help so many trainees along the way that he'd fallen way behind, but as soon as he could make out the bobbing heads of what must've been Annie and Bertholdt — who else would make such a dynamically contrasting height duo? — Reiner picked up his feet and elatedly trotted up to them.

"H-how much longer to the next checkpoint?" he panted, falling in stride with the other two. Annie very bluntly ignored him — not that he expected much more — and Bertholdt's silence grew unnerving after about five seconds. "Guys?"

Rainwater splashed beneath his boots, one of which he swore had a hole in the inner sole, and the suctioning slop beneath his heels grudgingly allowed him to pull away. It wasn't until they reached the small, dimly lit cabin that Bertholdt said:

"We can't stop now."

So, as the storm raged on and his limbs grew weak from fatigue, Reiner ran. Never once did he fall a single step behind Annie and Bertholdt.

But, it seemed, they wouldn't have left him behind anyway.

He didn't quite remember making it to the final checkpoint, but he was there nonetheless, his arm slung over someone's shoulder, and someone else gripping his sleeve tightly.

"Wake up, Reiner."

He had no strength left, yet he ran on. This time, the earth was hard-packed and dry, the grass prickling the soles of his immense feet. He covered miles within a dozen strides, and the birds dove away from his flying figure. But, as he carried them farther and farther away, he couldn't help shake the guilt that clung to his shoulders.

He'd left someone behind.

The sun streams through his window, and he can't help but admire the flickering shadows of tree branches on the floorboards.

Someone knocks on the windowpane; it's Bertholdt.

And then suddenly, there's a little boy and a little girl grabbing his hands, and they're running into a field of grass taller than even Bertholdt, and they're not stopping, not any time soon.

At least, that's what it seems like, if only Bertholdt was not crying into his hands and Annie was not running in the opposite direction.

He can't remember the last time they were together, but he never stops.

He'll find them.

/chapter

sorry if I make no sense lol