Worship

I grew up in fundamentalist religion, so you might say the Wallists and even the Warriors are my favorites.

"Let us pray to the walls." A pastor spread wide his arms, inviting his followers to imitate him.

Bertolt stood at the back of the crowd, with his arm brushing against Reiner's broad shoulders. Annie had warned them the service would be weird, but he felt more out of place than usual.

These people were praying to walls that couldn't save them. To walls that housed the beasts they feared. Bertolt's eyes misted.

Their hope was a lie. He'd been expecting a vile race, but these people were so desperate for life they believed walls were gods. They were people, crazy for hope, and it hurt him.

It didn't hurt that the wealthier members fed them lunch after the service, either.

"Don't you think," Bertolt began later that day, as they faced the walls, "it's a shame?"

"What is?" Reiner stared ahead at Wall Rose, the soup and bread still warm in his stomach.

"That they're all so good? And bad and mixed and selfish, and really stupid, but they're almost kind." Bertolt shook. "I – I'm not saying they're right or anything, but just that I don't hate them, you know?"

I wish they were right. I want to believe it, and you do, too, thought Reiner.

"Yes, I agree," he said aloud.

Bertolt smiled at him. "You always understand me."

Reiner grinned back. "You're my best friend. Of course I do."

Bertolt held his smile as he looked back at Rose. He loved Reienr. He didn't ever want to be parted from Reiner, no matter what that meant. He heard whispers of gay and straight and all of that was too much for a warrior to focus on right now.

But he knew that whatever future he had, he wanted Reiner to be there.

"Let's go. We begin training tomorrow!" Reiner's stomach knotted up. To become one with the people he warred against…

Bertolt placed his hand on Rose. Wallists loved to pray to her while literally embracing her.

He wouldn't go that far. Just a quick prayer for a way forward, wherever that way was.

He didn't know to whom he was praying, either, but when he looked back and saw Reiner's face against the setting sun, he knew they heard.