Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

On this day, we received a grim reminder of what it was like to be ruled by humans and the humiliation of living in cages.

The courtroom floor was cold against Bertholdt's knees. His arms ached from the metal handcuffs that were harshly ratcheted to his wrists. There he sat, kneeling on the ground with a sack over his head, arms bound behind him, waiting for a trial by millions of soldiers who stared down at him with nothing but contempt.

"Bertholdt Hoover," Judge Darius Zackly said his name in his ominous booming voice, "Of the Survey Corps in the 104th division. Or better known as..." The silence that fell upon the court room was suffocating. Even without sight, Bertholdt could feel their glares burning through the fabric, "The Colossal Titan,"

The hood was yanked off him, exposing his pitiful expression to the thousands that sat in the courtroom. What unnerved him most, however, was not the sheer number of people staring down on him but rather, the almost complete silence that fell upon them. He heard from Armin long ago that the crowd had nearly turned into a riot with everyone barking at each other like mad dogs fighting over Eren like a scrap of meat. Today, they were silent. Eren's punishment was contested; that's what caused the riot. Bertholdt on the other hand, everyone was in absolute agreement. This was a dread that Bertholdt had never experienced before.

He shouldn't be crying. This was a war and he did what he had to do. Even then, he couldn't stop himself. He hung his head and wept slowly as no one in the crowd watched with pity. The judge said nothing as he wept, waiting for him to compose himself before continuing. This was no mercy. He wanted Bertholdt to absorb the sheer hatred in his words, not lose them in desperate sobs.

When Bertholdt finally stopped, glancing up at the judge with the most pathetic look in his eyes, the man continued, "Your punishment has been decided unanimously by all three military branches. Death," Bertholdt felt his heart clench yet by the look in everyone's eyes, he knew this was not it, "...would be far too kind for you. Bertholdt Hoover, the colossal titan, for the murder of millions and the destruction of our city, you are to be tortured without end. Nothing but a slave to the whims of our soldiers,"

The gavel came down, sealing his fate. No one protested. No one pitied him. Bertholdt could see it in their eyes. He could read it off their lips: When I get my hands on him, I'll rip him apart.

When he was dragged off, legs only barely moving from kneeling on the floor, he saw Eren and Mikasa in the crowd. The sheer amount of rage and hatred flowing from the two sent Bertholdt into another fit of tears. There will never be any mercy for the Colossal Titan.

He was thrown back into his cell. It might have been filthy and smelled of refuse but right now, this was the safest place Bertholdt could be. In his cell, no one would be allowed to touch him. He tucked himself into a corner, hugging his knees and sobbing quietly. He tried his best to block out the jeers from outside his cell. Even the most honourable soldier couldn't resist hissing at him with cruel words or spitting into his cell. The less honourable soldiers, the ones from the military police, leered at him, gestured at him in a way that made him want to vomit.

"Bertholdt," Mikasa called at him from the bars.

Bertholdt didn't look up.

"Look at us!" Eren growled, his voice startling Bertholdt to the point of crying out. He paused, waiting for Bertholdt but when he realized that the pitiful man wouldn't move, he started, "I didn't want to believe it at first. It had to have been a mistake. But now that I know the truth, there's nothing that can possibly make me hate you more," He gripped onto the bars, as if he couldn't restrain himself, "You mass murdering psychopath...I swore I'd make you die in the most excruciating way possible. I intend to keep my promise," He kicked the bars, his titan strength bleeding through his human body making the entire cell tremble, "Hear that you BASTARD! I'll make you SUFFER FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE!"

Bertholdt kept his hands tightly over his ears, screwing his eyes shut trying to drown out Eren's threats. That titan might flowing out from him was so much more terrifying with his own shifting powers stripped away.

When Eren finally left, Mikasa escorting him out personally, Bertholdt finally moved from the corner, screaming out in frustration as he hammered his fists against the wall to no avail. All he managed to do was scrape up his arms horribly. With morbid fascination, he watched as the wounds stitched themselves back together. The 'cure' wasn't perfect. It may have stripped him of his titan shifting powers but his regenerating ability remained. That was no reprieve in his mind. All this meant was that he'd be able to last much longer, suffer much longer.

"I want to go home," Bertholdt sobbed as he pressed his arms against the wall. He tucked his head under his arms, desperately trying to disappear.

It was a hassle getting back into Wall Sina, having to fake his credentials, smuggle in his 3DM gear as a sleeping bag, dye his hair, and make sure that no one who knew him was on duty, but he made it in. He wasn't sure why the two guards today were old, worn out veterans. It was almost an ironclad rule that the gate guards were newer recruits so they'd be able to eye the traitors right away.

And of course, by traitors, they meant Reiner.

This must've been a special occasion, Reiner thought. Something had called all the younger soldiers away letting him slip in easily under his new identity 'Berik Weiss'. Despite his desire to stay under the radar, he needed information. Luckily, it was cold this night so bundling himself up in a hooded cloak looked natural. He picked the sketchiest bar he could find. It had to be a place where he was sure that he'd find no youthful soldiers fresh out from the academy.

He stepped in, already reeling at the smell of stale food and cheap liquor, and took a seat by the bar, "Just water," He said to the bartender, a friendly looking old man with wide eyes who looked talkative. From the sight of the military regulation rifle mounted on his wall, there was no doubt he was the type that liked to keep up with the current events. "So you heard about it?" Reiner said, interrupting his thoughts as he nodded to the rifle on the wall.

"Yep, happiest news I've ever heard," The bartender chuckled as he handed him a glass of water, "Now, we don't have to be scared of titans anymore. Just one shot and bang, they're down. I tell you, that Hanji Zoe might be a bit screwy but she's an absolute genius!" Hanji Zoe, Reiner knew that name. She was from the survey corps, a real fanatic for titans and research. He knew from the start she'd be a threat. That's why they had Annie kill those titans she had captured. They could not allow her to progress with her research.

Helooked over Reiner, searching around his cloak with his eyes, "Hey, you haven't gotten one yet? They're handing these out for free to all civilians."

Reiner scrambled as he looked over his coat, pretending like he had lost something, "Damn it! I must've dropped it."

"Hey, no problem. I'm sure they'll reimburse you for free. Everyone deserves to have a fighting chance against the titans now," The bartender said, "Hey, did you hear about what happened when the soldiers fired a shot at a titan?" Reiner shrugged dumbly, "They said that it turned into a human!"

Reiner laughed dryly, "So are you saying all along, titans were just humans?"

The bartender laughed along, unaware of the malice hidden in Reiner's voice, "I know. That's madness. I heard they designated a whole section of Wall Rose into a giant sick bay for the humans trapped in titans. All rumours but that'd be interesting if it were true,"

Lazily, Reiner reached for an olive on the bar, popping it into his mouth as he thought about his next words. First and foremost, he needed to learn about what happened to Bertholdt but there was no way to phrase it without being suspicious. Instead, he thought about his second question. Where were all the new members?

"Hey," Reiner called out to the bartender, waving the elderly man over, "Why are all the soldiers old geezers? What happened to the pretty ladies?"

The bartender chuckled along, laughing at that intentionally perverted remark, "I asked a few old soldiers when they popped in for a drink a while ago. Apparently, they all went to this trial back at the castle."

"For who? Someone they took out of a titan?" Reiner wanted to sound baffled. He was afraid that his tone was too hateful.

The bartender didn't pick up his tone, merely continuing on with a surprised reaction, "Yeah. I don't know if you were old enough to see the fall of Wall Maria,"

"I was there," Reiner replied, "Just a kid. I made it out before both gates were smashed,"

"You must have a lot of good stories then!" The bartender announced. His enthusiasm was almost sickening, "You remember that big ole Titan that busted down the wall. They said they got the little bastard and their holding a trial for him,"

What a joke, Reiner thought spitefully. This was no trial. There was no way they'd treat him like a human. This was just to uphold the failing illusion of their so called justice.

"Heard he's just a kid too. He's going to be put through hell. I almost feel sorry,"

"Hell?" Reiner asked. He was sure they'd just execute him. What was he talking about?

The bartender leaned in, the smell of whisky and cologne caught Reiner immediately, "Don't tell anyone alright. A couple of my old Garrison buddies came in today. They said the kid's sentence was to be tortured by every single faction. They have free reign to do whatever they want with him!" Reiner's blood went cold. He could barely contain his shaking, "Don't know what the Garrison or Survey Corps will do but those bastards in the Military Police, they'll probably put him to work as a comfort slave."

It took everything Reiner had to restrain himself from kicking down his stool and storming out in rage. Death was a mercy too kind for the Colossal Titan. Reiner knew that but he still couldn't stand the thought of Bertholdt being tortured. He nodded silently, absolutely mortified.

Reiner changed the subject quickly, meandering around meaningless current events before asking to rent a room. He still had a bit of money left. He had accidentally kept it in his uniform and now it was coming in handy. When he reached the room and locked the door tightly, he unravelled his sleeping pack revealing his uniform and 3DM gear. This was his final defense so he had to treasure it.

He undressed shortly after, laying back in the bed looking out the window. It was chilly. He missed the feel of Bertholdt lying beside him. The man was a human furnace and Reiner enjoyed every moment of it. He tried to lose himself in the happy thoughts like spending time with Bertholdt but all he could think of was what they could be doing to him. Would it be non-stop? Would they do it till he died? How long would it last?

Reiner still remembered their defeat. He still remembered the impact of the prototype harpoon they had shot at him. The hole it made was no bigger than the fist of a small child against his titan body but it made no difference. The poison seeped inside of him and disintegrated his titan body, leaving him powerless. He only just barely escaped, taking the impact of the fall and running off with his gear.

Bertholdt faired far worse. When his colossal titan disintegrated, he had nothing to latch onto and ended up plummeting to the ground. Had he been a human, the fall would have killed him. Instead, even as a blood splatter on the ground, his wounds regenerated and the survey corps captured him.

Reiner looked at his body for a moment. It was free of any wounds he knew he must have sustained in that fall and hasty escape. His regenerative power was not dampened. Deep down, he still wasn't a human and he couldn't have been more happy about that.

Reiner tried his best to sleep. Tomorrow, he needed to find out more about Bertholdt. If he was lucky, maybe he could find Annie too. If this was how they were going to treat Bertholdt, he began to doubt that Annie was still alive. The thought made him cringe and sweat even after he had fallen asleep.

"Bertholdt," The voice that called to him was familiar.

Bertholdt was lying on the bed, turned to the wall and hiding his face under his arm. He didn't want them to see him crying himself to sleep. It was only a minor release from his humiliation but he couldn't stop himself. He tried ignoring the voice, keeping his eyes shut and hoping they'd leave him alone if they thought he was sleeping.

His eyes snapped open involuntarily when he heard the metal gate open. He sat up immediately, scrambling back on the bed to see Jean staring back at him, "Jean," He murmured. It was the survey corps. He wasn't allowed to look at the schedule but he knew that each faction would alternate ownership of him every other day

Even if they had to punish him, he knew they wouldn't be cruel. After all, a major chunk of the faction was made up of his former friends.

"I'm here to escort you to my faction," Jean said in an empty monotone. The look on his eyes was nothing short of malice with the slightest hint of pity. The way he delivered that phrase so clinically seemed...off. Bertholdt suspected nothing of it till Jean turned to the door. The mythical creature upon the emblem on his back had never looked so horrifying.

"No, no," Bertholdt mumbled, staring up at Jean with pleading eyes.

"They drafted me in. They said they needed some experienced soldiers closer to the king," Jean didn't sound happy. Clearly, the safety given from joining the military police was not worth the miserable state of the faction, "Bertholdt, let's go,"

He was already trembling, sweat dripping down his face and soaking the collar of his shirt. He had seen how the Military Police soldiers would visit him just for the own amusement. He watched them leer at him voraciously, scanning him in a way that made Bertholdt want to cover his body despite wearing a full set of prisoner garb. He could still hear the comments they made and feel how it made his stomach twist with horror and disgust.

"We're going to have a lot of fun,"

Bertholdt screamed,  voice cracking at the sheer volume. He scrambled backwards on the bed and continued to scramble frantically even when his back hit the wall. Jean didn't move from his spot. He tore his eyes away and looked to the floor as two other soldiers from the Military Police rushed in and grabbed him, "Please, don't do this...!" Bertholdt gasped as the soldiers grabbed him by his wrists and yanked him off the bed, "STOP!" He screamed again, using all his strength to kick at one soldier only to be struck over the head hard, "Stop! Stop!" Bertholdt cried out repeatedly as the two soldiers wrestled him to the ground scraping his face against the stone floor as they bound his arms behind him, "JEAN!"

Jean couldn't help it. He shut his eyes tightly and gripped onto his head. Bertholdt didn't deserve pity, not after what he had done but no normal human being could subject anyone to this sort of torture and live with a clear mind and conscience, "I'm sorry," Jean mumbled, looking up one last time to see Bertholdt dragged out of the cell by the two soldiers still struggling with all his might.

If this was justice, why did Jean feel so unclean?

They brought him to the showers first, spraying him with nearly boiling water while scrubbing him down with sponges. It took two more people just to restrain him as the previous two lathered him with soap. He eventually stopped struggling when they pinned him against the wall, face pressed against the tiles till it left a sharp red bruise. They didn't bother dressing him; they knew he wouldn't need it.

He was tossed into a considerably nicer looking room. The carpet was cheap, the gaudy red dry walls were flaking, and there were no furnishings other than a bed and a stool. Bertholdt took special note of the bed. Compared to the simple decor of the room, this almost luxurious looking bed didn't fit in at all. Bertholdt knew exactly why. He knew what they planned. His eyes darted to the soldiers who had brought him here.

"Don't do this," He pleaded weakly, curled up on the floor covering his extremities with his bound hands.

"Your first client will be here in a bit. You should rest," One of them, a woman with sandy hair and a wicked grin said. After they left him alone in the room, Bertholdt swore he heard them laughing as they walked away.

He wasn't going to sit on the bed. No matter how comfortable it looked, he would never climb onto that bed voluntarily. Instead, he took the stool, staring idly at the floor, his lap, the ceiling, anywhere but that damned bed. Despite fully expecting it, the sound of the door opening and heavy footsteps coming in scared the hell out of him. Bertholdt was already in a full sweat. All he could do was keep his gaze firmly against the ground as the 'client' stood directly in front of him.

"Hello there," The voice was soft and terrifying all at once. Bertholdt swallowed, silencing the voice inside him that said there was still hope. He'd only set himself up for disappointment if he tried to believe that. There would be no mercy, "My, you're a tall boy," The man said as he knelt down, eyes staring directly into Bertholdt's. From here, Bertholdt could see his greying hair and cloudy green eyes. He could smell his cologne, almost a bit like what Dot Pixis wore, "That stool can't be comfortable for you. Why don't you take a seat on the bed?"

Bertholdt shook his head in tight, rapid jerks. His whole body stiffened as the man touched his bare shoulder, caressing it with lustful enthusiasm, "I insist. It'll be much more comfortable for you,"

Bertholdt wasn't sure when it happened. His body moved without his approval, standing up off the stool and walking over to that dreaded bed. Despite the hand on his back trying to position him in the middle, Bertholdt's body fought against the touch and he sat himself right on the edge, staring at the stool.

"Good," The man replied, sitting on the stool in front of him, "My name is Captain Luka Gavin," From this distance, Bertholdt noticed that Gavin was dressed in his Military Police uniform. Why he chose to dress like that way for a situation like this was an absolute mystery, "What's your name?"

He knew damn well what his name was. Who wouldn't know the name of the colossal titan? He was trying to coax words out of Bertholdt, lure him into a sense of peace before tearing him apart. At least, that's what Bertholdt hoped this was, "Bertholdt Hoover," He whispered.

"Why does such a tall boy speak so quietly?" Gavin laughed, leaning on his knees, "It's hard to believe that this meek boy is The Colossal Titan. That means, six years ago, you were only eleven when you took down Wall Maria, right?" Bertholdt froze at those words. He may he broken down the wall willingly but that didn't mean he was free of guilt. He had nightmares haunt him for years, thoughts that almost drove him to leap off the high point of the wall and end everything. He bit his lip tightly and refused to respond.

"You know, I was in the Military Police at the time. I was only a new recruit. My wife lived in the Shiganshina district. I spent weeks trying to transfer her into the central district but alas, I was just a new recruit at the time," Gavin said, smiling morbidly as Bertholdt began to tremble, "She didn't make it that day. You see, my wife had a bad skin condition so she always stayed near the wall. More shade, you know? So that day when you kicked down that wall, she was the very first person to be devoured when the titans came pouring in," Bertholdt was trembling, tears building in his eyes as the endless hours of guilty nightmares returned to him, "I'm not even guessing. My neighbour miraculously survived despite living right up by the wall. All he could bring back to me was her hand, wrapped in some bloody cloth. Could you imagine how I felt when I saw that?"

"Please stop!" Bertholdt cried out, screaming at the top of his lungs and he covered his ears and curled up on himself.

Gavin smiled, wild and unpredictable, "Stop?"

With only a hand grasping at his hair and an inhuman amount of strength, Gavin slammed his head into the fine oak backboard. Bertholdt cried out at the impact, trying to tear that monstrous hand off of him, "You don't tell me to fucking stop," He straddled his chest and grabbed Bertholdt's throat with both hands, choking him with all his might. As desperately as Bertholdt tried, he couldn't even squeeze the slightest breath through his throat, "You goddamned monster! She's dead because of you!" He lifted Bertholdt, slamming his head into the backboard once more while still crushing his neck in his grasp, "And you have the audacity to command me?" When Bertholdt's complexion began to darken, Gavin released him only to backhand him furiously over and over again.

By the time he had climbed off his chest, Bertholdt's face was a mess of bruises and blood. The mark on his throat was the worst as if someone had drawn a line around his throat in pitch black ink. Bertholdt flipped himself over, spitting out blood from when he had accidentally bit through his tongue. His entire body froze over when he heard the sound of clothing dropping to the floor behind him.

"I'm going to enjoy this," Bertholdt squealed pathetically when Gavin gripped him by the hair and yanked him into the center of the bed, pressing his face into the pillow as he slicked himself up with lubricant, "I'm going to enjoy this a lot," Any time he began to squirm he'd be rewarded with his head getting slammed into the backboard. The amount of strength this man contained was almost inhuman, fueled by his hatred.

Eventually, when Bertholdt finally gave in, going limp on the bed as he sobbed quietly, Gavin released his head and placed both hands on his narrow hips. There was nothing Bertholdt could do but endure the pain and humiliation he was about to suffer. The white hot pain as the man entered him was unbearable. The more he struggled, the more it hurt yet he couldn't stop himself from trying to get away. He screamed, begged, cried, till his throat was raw but no one was listening. The man kept his savage pace, almost aroused by his cries for mercy.

Everywhere he went, Reiner found himself tearing down posters everywhere. They drew Bertholdt like the devil, painting him as the cause of all suffering in this city, blaming him for the most irrelevant issues like the grain shortage or the excessive rain. Despite the ridiculousness, he could see the people gobbling it up. The city had fallen in hard times and were ready to blame the government for this failing society. Reiner wondered if this had gone on, would the city have fallen?

But no, Bertholdt came into their possession and almost instantly became their new scapegoat. His sentence was needlessly cruel and monstrous even for Reiner's standards. It was nothing but a farce, trying to sate the public's bloodlust with Bertholdt's suffering.

A poster slapped lazily onto the wall of a back alley caught his eye. It looked as if a child had drawn it with its shoddy penmanship and pathetic drawing of Bertholdt with horns and glowing eyes. Words were written in the corner, "A demon with no remorse," Reiner could have laughed if the situation was not so dire. Those words couldn't have been more wrong about Bertholdt.

He still remembered the days after they had broken down the wall when it was nothing but them and the world. Bertholdt wept for years, plagued by the worst nightmares imaginable. He'd wake up in the middle of the night screaming and crying before clinging onto Reiner for his life. They had done horrible things. They were criminals . They had no right to say that they did not deserve punishment. But if there was one thing Bertholdt wasn't, that was a monster.

Reiner tore down that final poster, crumpling up and ready to toss it before noticing a stamp at the bottom. The People will have their justice on the 26th in the Central square. Those words were stamped in red right next to the Garrison emblem, "April 26th?" Reiner murmured to himself. That was tomorrow. Was that his execution date? It made his heart clench till he remembered that bartender's words. He would be a slave to every faction. If the Garrison had him tomorrow, who had him now? The corrupt, self-absorbed Military Police or the Survey Corps filled by those Bertholdt had spurned with betrayal, which one was better?

Regardless, after he tossed that poster away, he was going to rescue Bertholdt. Since they were children, Reiner swore he'd protect Bertholdt from the world, swore that even if the world was to turn against him, he's always be at his side. He wasn't going to go back on his promise now.

He kept close to the walls, peeking out whenever a group of soldiers came by to check if there was anyone friendly. No doubt most of them would be on the lookout for him. Bertholdt's punishment wasn't just for their amusement. It was bait. As long as he kept his head down, with his hair messy and ashen brown with thick stubble all over his chin, they shouldn't be able to recognize him on sight.

He ran through a mental list of anyone he could trust. Eren and Mikasa were out of the question. He had seen that sadistic glee in Eren's eyes when Bertholdt plummeted to the ground. He could still remember the vicious and childish threat, swearing that he'd kill them in the most excruciating ways possible. Mikasa with her absolute devotion to Eren was no different. Reiner had to assume that she'd follow his lead.

Connie and Sasha were wildcards. Reiner had never hurt them directly but he knew those two were suckers for 'justice'. They would never forgive a betrayal, especially one with such epic impact. On the other hand, if they really were such suckers of justice, would they be able to agree with Bertholdt's treatment? Reiner had to take note that they may join him temporarily if he made it clear that all he wanted to do was protect Bertholdt.

Jean and Ymir couldn't be trusted. No one was more hurt by their betrayal than Jean and no one hated them more than Ymir. They'd be sneaky about it too. Unlike Eren who'd rush in hot-headed and berserk, they'd convince Reiner that they were on his side by preying on his guilty and weakness and at the most important moment, they'd backstab him and leave him for dead.

This left him with Krista and Armin. Krista without a doubt would help him. Even after everything he had done, everything Ymir had done, she looked upon them with the mercy and kindness of a goddess. And Armin, even if he believed that they deserved punishment, he could never look upon Bertholdt's suffering and call that justice.

The sound of uproar and joy alerted him. A crowd was gathering in the middle of the street. Reiner could see them parting slowly, allowing him to see the flag that was paraded down the street. He recognized the emblem immediately: It was the survey corps. He swiftly moved into the alley to hide himself. He couldn't be sure who would be there.

Right at the head, he saw Irvin on his horse looking like a king as he paraded down the street. His arm was missing though. Reiner sat there for a while, pondering when this could have happened. The second person who caught his eyes was Captain Levi, heading down the street on his horse nonchalantly. Even with victory in his hands, the icy cool captain still couldn't bother looking like he cared. Reiner was about to give up and turn down the alley until the last horse came up with Armin sitting upon it.

The boy had certainly grown since the last time he saw him. Here he was now, headstrong and valiant, waving at the crowd while everyone cheered him on. He was the master strategist, rivaling even Irvin in prowess. He also came up with the strategy that allowed them to catch Bertholdt in the first place. Reiner burned that fact into his memory.

In the split second of rage with Reiner's concentration blurred for just a moment, Armin turned his head and spotted him. Their eyes locked; time became still. What Reiner hadn't expected when they locked eyes was the sudden malice that flashed over Armin's features. He had only seen that maddening malice once when he had told them that Annie was being mercilessly tortured. The malice continued to grow until Reiner thought he had found himself staring straight into Eren's berserk titan. Before Armin could be completely sure, Reiner tore away and stepped into a post office. Had he bolted down the street, there'd be no doubt that Armin would have chased after him. There would have been no escape, especially with Levi at the head. The lack of activity behind him meant that Armin hadn't called him out. Whether it was mercy or uncertainty, Reiner didn't want to test it. He betted on the latter. There was no doubt that Eren's berserker rage was rubbing off on Armin.

It made Reiner fear what would happen if the Survey Corps got their hands on Bertholdt. Eren, Mikasa, Ymir, Jean, Armin, they would not hold back, "Now more than ever..." Reiner whispered to himself as he exited the post office through the backdoor and rested against the side of the building. I have to save you.

His reprieve was short. Once Gavin had finished up, he casually took a cigarette as if raping a young man was the most natural act in the world. Those few minutes, while the cruel man taunted him with words like 'Even if you heal yourself, the shame and pain will never disappear', were the only peace Bertholdt received as he laid on the bed facedown sobbing into the sheets.

Almost immediately after the sadistic man left, another took his place with the most petrifying smile he had ever seen on human or titan. Bertholdt struggled harder this time only to end up beaten into submission and taken on the floor when he refused to climb back on the bed. This man wasted no time afterwards. With his body still tainted with the smell of sex, he left the room immediately, calling out to the next soldier who waited outside.

Over and over again, Bertholdt was beaten and raped. In short moments, when the pain was numbed by the overwhelming humiliation, Bertholdt noticed that each soldier that came in was at least of senior rank. He would have thought such petty, vile revenge would be reserved for people of lesser value. The military police truly was as corrupt as Annie had said. If he still had the heart to smile, Bertholdt would have laughed at how the senior members went out of their way just to have Bertholdt first when there was clearly plenty more work to do in their city.

By the time the final senior member left the room, Bertholdt was absolutely breathless and immobile. He lay sprawled on the bed on his back barely able to breathe fast enough due to the intense exhaustion. His entire body ached fiercely, especially in his loins. He cringed as he saw the horrible tearing on his flesh from where the cuffs were placed on him. He caught sight of his reflection in the steel plate on the base of his handcuffs. His face had a nauseating amount of damage to it; Patches of blue were splattered all across his face like a poorly made painting. The sight of his own face made him sick. He didn't want to see what his ass could possibly look like.

No one was coming in. Whether this was a break or not, Bertholdt didn't care as he peeled the sweat soaked blanket off the bed and pulled it over himself. It smelled of filth and sex but Bertholdt didn't mind. He needed to hide from prying eyes even if it was just temporary. He curled up weakly, careful not to put any more pressure on his worst pains.

It was only now, curled up under the blanket trying to forget the feeling of rough, calloused hands all over him did he realize that he had stopped crying. He wasn't sure when it happened. He must've ran out of tears. Regardless, he covered his eyes with a single wrist, wiling himself to sleep even if it was just for a short while. Long ago, he once wished he could survive without sleep as long as he could avoid his nightmares. Now, sleep was his only ally in this merciless world.

"Hey, wake up sleeping beauty..."

It wasn't the slimy voice that woke Bertholdt but the dirty, thick fingers that pressed their way into his mouth. Bertholdt choked momentarily before his eyes snapped open. Immediately he reached up to grab at the hand in his mouth, gagging harder when he felt fingers slip their way down his throat. With a firm grip on his jaw, Bertholdt was yanked off the bed and thrown to the ground. The impact sent a dull pain coursing up his spine.

Something wasn't right. He was expecting far more pain than this. He glanced down at his still bound wrists, staring at his perfectly intact flesh in petrifying amazement. His regenerative factor had kicked in while he slept and sealed up all his wounds, leaving him ripe for the picking all over again. He scrambled away backwards, looking up at the three soldiers who stood in front of him staring down at him enthusiastically. They looked like fresh recruits, possibly even from the latest generation of soldiers. This provided no solace however as one of the soldiers restrained Bertholdt on his knees on the floor right in front of the bed.

Pleading did nothing to the senior officers who were running on hatred and rage. Bertholdt had to try even if he knew it was futile, "Don't do this," He gasped out, throat still raw and dry from screaming before. He struggled weakly against the soldier who held him down.

"Say that again? I couldn't hear you," The soldier who sat on the bed directly in front of him said.

"Don't do this," Bertholdt pleaded again, sounding more and more desperate, "Please,"

"Say it again,"

Bertholdt should have realized something was wrong. It wasn't just the faint sounds of suppressed laughter behind him or the feeling of those hands restraining him moving lower on his body, mapping him out with his fingers. It was the way the man commanded him, like a ruthless master over a lovesick pet.

"I'm begging you," Bertholdt whispered out, testing his ground as the soldier in front of him smiled. Bertholdt shivered as the man traced his jaw with his fingers, "Please,"

"Please...sir," The soldier corrected.

Bertholdt shut his mouth in disgust. For the senior officers, it was about pain. They wanted to inflict on Bertholdt as much pain and evil they could out of vengeful anger. They were acting out humanity's punishment on the colossal titan in their own bias way. For these soldiers, fresh out of training without any contact with war and titans, it was about pleasure. Titans meant nothing to them. Punishment meant nothing to them. Bertholdt could've been anyone. These soldiers were a new breed of evil, pure and refined preying on those who couldn't fight back for their own sadistic glee.

Pleading would do nothing but please them more. Bertholdt shut his mouth and looked away.

"Open his mouth," His patience was lost already. Not even the briefest moment of defiance was tolerable for these new monsters.

Bertholdt groaned as he felt fingers once against dip into his mouth. One soldier held him still, keeping pressure on his shoulders to keep him on his knees while the other reached into his jaw and forcibly pried his mouth open. They kept his head nearly in the lap of the other soldier, pressing his cheek right up against his thigh as he took off his belt and unzipped his pants. The man gripped Bertholdt's hair in one hand and his half-erect cock in the other.

"Open," He growled as he pulled Bertholdt's forced open mouth closer. With all his strength Bertholdt desperately struggled against the soldier that restrained him. He cried out, trying to shut his mouth and only managing to gnaw slightly on the fingers holding him open, "Stubborn bitch," The man on the bed signalled to the other two in the room.

Without warning, he was hurled into the wall. His head made a sickening crack as he slammed against it and the world began to spin around him. He was given no reprieve however as all three soldiers came down upon him and beat him viciously. One moment he found himself standing up against the wall and the next moment he was on the ground being crushed under their boots. When he tried to cover up his head with his arms, one soldier knelt down and pulled his arms back, revealing his face while another quickly stamped down on it breaking his nose in the process. By the time they were done, Bertholdt was a bloody mess on the ground barely breathing with blood dripping out of every orifice on his face.

"I think he's finally obedient," The soldier that had sat on the bed stated as he nudged Bertholdt's legs open with his boot. Bertholdt could barely groan in disagreement, "I'm going first," The man said, almost laughing as he took off his jacket and threw it aside. Bertholdt wasn't sure what happened next. The world kept blinking in and out.

It was a sunny day. Bertholdt remembered this clearly because it had been the middle of winter and there was not a spot of snow on the ground. Instead, the sun was staring down at them, nearly cooking away the plants in the dirt. It didn't matter though. All Bertholdt could concentrate on was the crowd of friends Reiner had surrounded himself with. He missed it when it was just him and Reiner but he couldn't fault Reiner for making so many comrades. He was a friendly guy and Bertholdt wouldn't want him any other way, especially not like himself.

That being said, Bertholdt really couldn't help but feel jealous whenever Reiner would opt to spend time with Eren, Jean, or Sasha instead of heading back to the dorm with him. He would never tell Reiner though. He didn't want to be his burden.

Bertholdt considered himself rather good at hiding his emotions. After all, he had been hiding the guilt of a thousand deaths for a fairly long time. A little bit of jealousy was child's play for him. But Reiner, no matter how many barriers he put up, Reiner would always know.

"Is something on your mind?" Reiner asked as he climbed up the ladder and into his bunk bed right beside Bertholdt.

Bertholdt shook his head, "Why do you ask?"

"Because you have something on your mind," Reiner replied plainly, staring at him, "Well?"

With a heavy sigh, Bertholdt caved in and scooted over to Reiner's side, whispering into his ear, "I don't think you should be getting so close to Eren and the others. They're a bad influence on you. We need to stick together," There was a pause as Bertholdt reviewed everything he had said, "Because of our mission," He added in a quick whisper. For a minute there, he thought he sounded like some jealous, clingy girlfriend...

...which Reiner completely picked up on. Instead of being angry or awkward, Reiner merely smiled back at him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, "Bertl, are you jealous?"

Bertholdt stuttered uncontrollably, blushing right to his ears as he began to sweat profusely. He hated how awful he was at hiding his feelings when they were about Reiner, "Of course not," He squeaked out. Bertholdt pressed a hand right to his face, covering up Reiner's lady killer smile, "Stop looking at me like that," He was startled silent when Reiner pressed his lips to his palm.

He took Bertholdt wrist and gently led his hand down, lady killer smile still intact and more seductive than ever, "You'll always be the most important person to me," Reiner said in a soft voice, making sure no one else was listening in the dorm, "After all," He took in a deep breath, "YOU ARE MY BOYFRIEND!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, alerting everyone in the dorm and outside the dorm.

"Oh man, seriously? When did this happen?"

"Ha! I knew it!"

"Damn, I guess I owe you lunch now, right?"

"Do you guys...you know, in the bed? Because you realize that I'm sleeping RIGHT BENEATH YOU GUYS, right?"

Reiner, with one arm wrapped tightly around Bertholdt securing him in place, took his free hand and patted Bertholdt's chest, "That's right! Why do you think we're always attached at the hip? This bombshell babe is all mine!"

The dorm ripped with laughter. With his over-the-top words and charismatic personality, Reiner had convinced them all into think that it was a joke. Bertholdt knew better though, despite his face looking like a zoned out tomato. This was his first public confession to Bertholdt and even if everyone else thought it was a joke, those words still touched his heart.

That night, laying in his bunk trying to sleep. Bertholdt found Reiner's hand gently clasping his. Taking this as a sign, Bertholdt slid over to the edge of his bed so the left side of his body was pressed right up against Reiner. Both boys smiled briefly before finally dozing off.

It was then when Bertholdt realized... this was the first time since he was captured that he had thought about Reiner.

"Ugh..." Bertholdt awoke with his face pressed to the pillow with the upper part of his arm flat against the mattress propping up his bound wrists in the air like a desperate prayer. His wrists bounced with every brutal thrust the soldier behind him made. A musky, salty flavour was left lingering in his mouth; his tongue felt dry and swollen as well. Bertholdt groaned at the intense pain already blooming inside him. It felt like a piece of molten glass was biting into him from the inside as the soldier's cock sawed in and out.

He cried out as he felt someone bite into the nape of his neck. He wasn't sure what he felt, pleasure or pain. All he knew was that it was intense and brutal and he wanted it to stop. His body had given up on fighting long ago but this foreign sensation made him struggle like all his energy had returned.

"Well shit," He heard a voice behind him, "He really is like a titan," Another bite came down upon the back of his neck, making Bertholdt squirm all over again.

"Or maybe he's just a kinky bastard and likes that?"

"When they break Annie out, we'll just try it out on her and see what happens!"

Annie!?

Above the pain and humiliation, Bertholdt concentrated on their words. This whole time, given his horrible treatment, he assumed Annie must've died. Armin told him that she was being tortured. Was he lying that day just to make him give in? What did they mean by break her out?

The short burst of knowledge quickly fizzled out, leaving Bertholdt drained and helpless as the remaining soldiers continued to have their way with him.

The new recruits were worst than the senior members in a way that Bertholdt couldn't figure out. It was like comparing a death by fiery explosion to death by forest fire. Bertholdt could still sleep after the senior members had wrung him dry but after hours and hours being torn and toyed by these new recruits, the poor man couldn't even shut his eyes. He lay on his side on the floor, trembling furiously as his assaulter left the room. His body ached in a way he couldn't describe, like someone had tore through his flesh, crawled into his body, wore him like a deranged puppet, and then tossed him aside.

He involuntarily whimpered as he heard the door open again. There was only a single set of footsteps but that was little solace to him. Those who came alone were the worst. Without witnesses, they could let out all their inhuman savagery in the privacy of the room. A hand came under his head, turning Bertholdt towards him. This was a man Bertholdt had never seen before with a bowl-cut head of dark hair. He was clearly not an officer but he looked nothing like the others. This man looked wise and strong with eyes almost like Reiner in his prime.

"I'm going to carry you back to the bed," The man said quietly, "It's going to hurt, alright?" Bertholdt nodded weakly. What else could he do? He knew better than to fight. He grunted as the man picked him up, struggling to stand due to Bertholdt's height. He eventually dropped him off at the bed, carefully laying him down before throwing off the sweat caked sheet on top. The man threw his jacket over Bertholdt afterwards, covering up his fragile body before searching his pockets.

What was this man playing at? It had happened before. A previous soldier came in all smiles pretending to be some messiah to Bertholdt only to go berserk on him when Bertholdt refused to pander and worship him like a saviour.

"I'm Marlow," The man, Marlow, said as he tinkered with something in his hands, "You probably haven't eaten this entire day, right?" A tangerine, already fully peeled, was dropped onto Bertholdt's palm.

Silently, with his eyes flicking to Marlow every few seconds, Bertholdt brought the tangerine to his mouth and took small bites of it. His stomach was already aching and sick from everything they had made him do. He fought the urge to just stuff the fruit into his mouth and satisfy his hunger. He needed to take small bites or else it'd all just end up on the floor.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get more. This was all I could sneak in," Marlow said as Bertholdt ate slowly, "Is there anything else you need?"

Bertholdt paused to gather his thoughts. Was there anything else he needed? He had been locked in this windowless room for what felt like days. Time would be nice to know, "What's the date?"

"It's the 25th," Marlow replied. He could already see the horror spreading on Bertholdt's face. He'd only been in here for a few hours at most, "It's been 9 hours since you were brought here," He fully expected when Bertholdt began trembling, his breath coming out in short, harsh puffs. Marlow stood from the stool and came close, "Hoover, please calm down,"

How could he stay calm? It had only been nine hours and he already felt like his soul had been torn to shreds. Bertholdt scrambled away from Marlow, letting the coat drop to the bed as he tried to leap off the bed and onto the carpet. Marlow quickly wrapped his arms around him in a bear hug and hauled him back, pinning him down as Bertholdt struggled and screamed incoherently. He threw his head back, trying to wrestle himself free, "No more! I can't take it anymore!" Bertholdt screamed, finding his tears again as he sobbed noisily against the bed.

Marlow continued to restrain him, waiting for him to finally calm down before laying him back on the bed. His body had been beaten badly enough; he didn't want Bertholdt to hurt himself in a fit of hysteria. He sat back onto the stool, watching as Bertholdt gripped the pillow tightly and cried into it.

"If it will get your mind off of it, is there anything you would like to talk about?" Marlow asked politely. He wanted Bertholdt to know that he meant no harm. He wasn't like those pleasure-seeking bastards.

Bertholdt largely ignored his attempts to talk. There was nothing he wanted to ask or say. Nothing would change regardless of anything he knew. And yet... there was something that Bertholdt desperately needed to know despite the contradiction to his belief.

"Do you know where Reiner is?" Bertholdt asked.

Marlow paused, searching his thoughts. He remembered this name during a debriefing with the captain. This was the second titan shifter, the armored titan. They had said that both Reiner and Bertholdt were very close friends and the idea that both of them were partners in crime was not completely farfetched. Other than that, however, he knew nothing else of Reiner. He had evaded capture for a while.

"No, he isn't in our custody," Marlow said. Almost immediately, Bertholdt slackened on the bed in relief. Clearly, this man meant a lot to him, "I think they're using you as bait," It was the suggestion from the Survey corps captain. It was arguably the most sensible option compared to the sick lust of the Military Police and the sheer rage of the Garrison.

"I know," Bertholdt replied softly, burying his face into his arms and sobbing again, "I don't want him to rescue me. I couldn't bear it if he got captured," Captured and subject to the same evil he was forced to endure.

Marlow nodded weakly, "If I see him, I will tell him,"

A knock came from the door. Marlow had overstayed his time. He left his jacket behind, pushing it away gently when Bertholdt tried to hand it to him. Instead, Bertholdt stuffed it under the bed to hide it from the next soldiers. After a quick nod, Marlow headed to the door and opened it up, "I'm done. Who's next?" He didn't even try to hide the spite in his gaze as he watched two soldiers almost giddily enter the room. Only now did he see the absolute corruption that had taken over the Military Police. He suddenly felt foolish, thinking so long ago that he could change the system. There was nothing to change, nothing left but sin and pleasure.

"Huh, Marlow, I thought you'd be all uppity and everything about this," Hitch said, approaching him with a sneer on her face, "Looks like you couldn't resist. I don't blame you. You're a growing boy after all. Hey, hey, you want to know what we call him? Bertholdt Fubar, Fucked Up Beyond All Reason." She explained in a condescending tone, as if Marlow didn't know what the term meant.

"Just shut up," He growled under his breath.

"Hey, you miss him already? Don't worry about it, the survey corps gave up most of the time slots since they've got work outside Wall Sina. You could have your pretty little titan all to yourself," Hitch said, laughing cruelly, "Actually, he's not very little right? He was the colossal titan, right? Is any other part of him that's 'Colossal'?" She started laughing again, reaching out playfully as Marlow turned and walked the other way, "Geez, what a killjoy,"

There was little else Reiner could do. He had not run into a familiar face since Armin. He should've suspected this when he had come to Sina district. Everyone here was either part of the Military Police or wealthy Garrison members who could afford to hide in the safest part of the city. There was no way he'd know anyone here given his heritage.

Although, Reiner had to wonder. That time when they had kidnapped Eren and almost fled the wall, the military police had been sent to capture them alongside the survey corps and ended up slaughtered in seconds. With this knowledge, would the higher-ups decide to draft the experienced survey corps members into their division? It was certainly a possibility and unfortunately, Reiner's only hope.

He snuck quietly around in the alleyways, following patrols and disappearing as soon as he figured out who they were. Stealth was never his forte. Annie was quite proficient at it though. Must've been her size, Reiner thought as he tried to squeeze through a crack between two buildings. This was the first moment in his life where he thought that it sucked to be so big,

He was just barely through the crack when he sat a couple soldiers just exit the bar in front of him. He stayed silent. The darkness should be enough to hide unless they decided to come closer. What caught his attention was a tiny blonde girl that stood in the middle of the group with her back to him. That stature and head of gold was a dead ringer for Krista but even then, Reiner couldn't be sure. He stayed quiet, waiting for her to speak up or turn around.

"I finally got my turn with Fubar this afternoon," The tall, freckled man said as he nudged his bulky, balding friend.

Fubar? Who the hell... The realization struck him like a train. For a moment, he was left breathless like someone had just smashed him in the gut with a sledge hammer. That shock didn't linger for long. As that soldier described it, described the pain and pleasure he had forced  upon Bertholdt, Reiner could feel his very soul boiling in anger. He almost forgot his goal till he heard her.

"Don't describe it man! I don't want anything to do with it," The shorter, balding man said to his taller friend.

"Well, I think it's not enough. It's his fault millions of people died. If it were up to me, I'd make him suffer even hard!" That girl, high pitched with the slightest southern accent, shouted words so cruel that it made Reiner feel guilty for even considering her to be Krista.

Reiner crept back into the shadows, curling up on the floor and taking deep, heaving breaths to calm himself. If he still had the power, if he were still a titan, he'd personally make sure everyone who even laid a single hand on Bertholdt would die. When his rage could not subside, Reiner called quits for the night, laying against a brick wall as he looked up at the sky.

Tomorrow, Central square, that was what the poster said. Oddly enough, no time period was given on the poster. Did that mean he'd be there the entire day? He didn't want to think about it. He shut his eyes tightly, forcing himself to forget his rage for now and sleep.

Bertholdt wasn't sure when he passed out. The last thing he could remember was a sour taste in his mouth and an excruciating pain deep inside him. When he came to, he found himself back in his cell. No one was staring at him. No one was touching him. Bertholdt sighed heavily, body tensed up in fear finally relaxing as he laid out over the bed.

He looked down upon his hands. The handcuffs were gone along with the dozens of wounds that littered his body. Only the very deepest injuries, the very worst bruises and cuts, were still visible. They left the slightest patch of blue-grey on his skin. His regenerative factor was at its limit due to its continued use, his exhaustion, and psychological damage. He curled up on the bed, hugging his knees and burying his face into them. How long would it take for his regenerative factor to fail completely? How long would it take before they'd let him die?

His only solace for now was that young Military police soldier. Marlow said he hadn't seen Reiner. That thought alone gave him peace. More than anything in this world, more than his own freedom, Bertholdt wanted Reiner to be happy and free from this wretched life. If he shut his eyes tightly enough, he could pretend that he was back in the dorm room. He'd look up at Reiner from the sheets, eyes teary from a nightmare. Reiner would smile back at him, wrap his arms around him, and clutch him right against his chest. He'd do nothing else, letting just his steady heartbeat bring peace to Bertholdt's soul.

For a moment, Bertholdt was there. A small smile came upon his lips as he lifted his head from his arms. This was his peace and just as quickly as it came, the sound of the cell doors opening tore him out of it. Bertholdt immediately scrambled backwards on his bed, immediately spying for the emblem on their uniform. He didn't know how to feel when he saw the dual roses.

"Bertholdt Hoover, you are in the custody of the Garrison for today," The Garrison scout said. He nodded to the soldier behind him who immediately came forward with clothing and rope in hand. He dressed Bertholdt in plain grey prison garb and bound Bertholdt's wrists together with rope, "Follow us,"

There was little else he could do but follow with his arms bound by a rope being pulled away by the captain. Bertholdt fought the urge to ask the soldiers what was going to happen to him. If they were anything like the Military Police, he'd be better off not knowing at all.

They led him outside into the streets, escorted by the military police. The cobblestone road was hot and sharp against Bertholdt's bare feet but he paid it no attention. The sickening feeling of fear overwhelmed every other sense. In the distance, he could already hear an angry crowd. Even in the break of morning, everyone in the city gathered here to witness the fall of the colossal titan. Moments before they entered central plaza, a thick cloak was tossed over Bertholdt to hide him from the prying eyes. They led him up a tall wooden staircase and into a makeshift tent. From the feel of the wood beneath his feet and the height of where he stood, Bertholdt swore this was the gallows. Would they be merciful enough to execute him and be done with it?

Of course not. The hooded cloak was taken off of him, revealing an archaic wooden pillory, "In the past, use of the pillory was reserved for petty criminals. It was used for public humiliation and to let everyone know the criminal's face. Never again would that person be trusted by the people of their village," The soldier that held the rope jerked Bertholdt towards it, "It has no longer been in use except for our most heinous criminals. And now, it has become your punishment,"

The Garrison scouts wrestled Bertholdt over to the wooden device, using excessive force to pin him down and bind his wrists. Once his neck and wrists were secured in the wooden board, the scouts locked the wood in place and stepped back. What appeared to be a Garrison senior officer stepped in front of Bertholdt, staring straight into his eyes with a mix of wonder, triumph, fear, and sickness. Bertholdt couldn't keep eye contact and couldn't turn away. He pathetically shut his eyes to avoid looking at the man.

He heard the man leave the tent. Immediately the crowd outside fell silent. In the darkness of the tent, Bertholdt felt an uneasy calm as the officer began to speak, "Good people of Utopia! On behalf of the Garrison, I, Officer Kitz Weilman, present to you the colossal titan!" The tent around Bertholdt fell, revealing the trembling figure to the crowd below.

Bertholdt yelped as the blinding light of the sun struck him. He hadn't seen the sun in nearly a week, merely catching glimpses of it during his trial. When his eyes finally adjusted and panned over the enormous crowd hanging around beneath him, Bertholdt began to hyperventilate, trembling on the spot.

"Make no mistake," Weilman cried out as he pointed to Bertholdt, "This is no mere boy. For five years, he masqueraded as a human soldier leading to countless deaths on top of the millions who have already died because of the titans," He raised his sword, voice soaring over the crowd, "For the people who have fallen to the titans, avenge them by shaming this monster! Carve into his mind the names of everyone who has perished because of him! For Justice!"

His riveting speech about shaming a helpless young man sent the crowd in a blazing cheer. Just for today, everyone could believe that they were heroes taking on humanity's rage against the titans. Even before the cruel words and pelting, Bertholdt was in tears.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered sincerely.

As soon as Weilman left the pillory, a barrage of food, stones, and anything the crowd could get their hands on rained upon Bertholdt. The rotting fruit was the worst, even if it missed, it left a hoard of angry fruit flies wafting around Bertholdt who could not even swat them away. The stones were not big enough to do damage but just enough to cause him pain. Soldiers kept the crowd in line. After all, they had to make sure Bertholdt lived as long as possible and a single angry father or bloodthirsty thug could end everything.

A well aimed stone struck him right in the eye, making him cry out and reach for the swelling flesh only to be stopped by his restraints. He groaned, hanging his head and doing his best to endure. Really, what else could he do?

You fucking monsters... Reiner watched the crowd scream at him as they battered him with anything they could throw even as Bertholdt wept for forgiveness. Could they not see the guilt and misery twisting upon Bertholdt's face? Reiner fought the urge to run up those stairs and cover Bertholdt from harm, sheltering him from danger just like he always used to as the armored titan. With nothing but himself, what could he do now? At best, he could fight his way up there, break Bertholdt out of the restraints, and then zip away on his 3DM gear but there'd be no where to go. It would only be a matter of time before he was cornered and then all hope would truly be lost.

Reiner tore away from it all, trying his best not to throw up at this unrestrained display of humanity's evil, "I'll save you," Reiner whispered, words lost in the crowd's obscenities. He convinced himself that he was just waiting for the opportune moment. Even when he couldn't stand it anymore and hid himself in an alley, covering his ears to muffle out the sounds of suffering, Reiner kept telling himself that he was just waiting, that he hadn't abandoned Bertholdt to the dogs.

He sat there for at least several hours. The sound of the crowd dying out was what called him back to Central Plaza. Whether it was lunchtime or if the people just got bored, the crowd at the Central plaza had thinned considerably. No one pelted him anymore except for rambunctious kids or soldiers spiteful of what he was. As long as no crowd gathered, no one would dare assault him like they had this morning lest everyone see their true nature.

The sight of Bertholdt shattered Reiner's heart. Even from afar, Reiner could see Bertholdt's legs trembling in exhaustion. His face and hands were littered with bruises and splattered with rancid produce that was already starting to turn black in the open air. The rest of his body fared no better, his prison garb already dyed a myriad of queasy colours. However, it was his expression that made Reiner lose it: Absolute defeat, exhaustion beyond recovery, grief beyond hope.

As bad an idea this was, Reiner rushed towards him. He had to go to him, had to tell him that everything was going to be okay. Before he could cry his name, he heard the sound of footsteps going up the stairs. The footsteps were far too light to be soldiers, sounding more like cheap sandals than leather boots. Reiner immediately rushed to the back of the wooden platform, noticing that the Military Police guards were no longer there, no doubt slacking off on their duties.

"Our whole family was killed in Trost," A voice that came from the top of the wooden platform said. It was distinctly female and almost a hiss, "It's just me and my brother now. Waiting for this day,"

"Do you know how long we waited for this?" A male voice said to Bertholdt.

There was a brief moment of silence. Reiner assumed Bertholdt was speaking, apologizing.

"Shut your damn mouth!" The woman screamed, "You don't understand a thing!"

Just like that, the two began mercilessly beating on Bertholdt. Reiner couldn't tell if the heavy sounds of wet impact was caused by the rotting food slathered all over Bertholdt's body or if the assailants were hitting hard enough to break flesh. Without the soldiers standing guard, there was no one to stop them. Before the third punch had even struck, Reiner had already bolted up the stairs.

"Get the hell away from him!" Reiner barked grabbing the woman who had been beating against Bertholdt's face and throwing her off the platform. Her brother followed after. Commoners without a lick of training stood no chance against Reiner.

As soon as those two had fled, Reiner immediately rushed to Bertholdt. The man was barely conscious. The worst of it all the damage was his face with his left eye badly swollen, nose clearly broken, and lip torn clean in half. Reiner worried most about the rotting juice that he was nearly coated in. His regenerative ability should be able to fix him up but a bad infection would definitely prolong the process.

He cupped Bertholdt's face gently, cleaning away the juice from his good eye, "Bertl, it's me," Reiner whispered as he knelt in front of the man, "Can you hear me? Bertl?" There was no response. With no guards around and central plaza nearly deserted except for apathetic bystanders, Reiner knew this was the best opportunity he would ever get to save Bertholdt. He reached for the sleeping bag on his back, reaching for the handle of his blade.

"Hey! Get down from there!" Someone barked. Reiner counted only a single set of footsteps coming up the stairs.

It was do or die, now or never. Reiner was fully prepared to kill this man and flee with Bertholdt. He had already drawn his sword, a fresh blade already attached to the handle. Dropping the sleeping bag, he rushed across the platform and readied his slash, only to stop at the sight of the man before him.

"Reiner..." Jean said in complete awe.

"Jean," Reiner muttered, completely frozen. His eyes dropped to the Military Police emblem upon his jacket before looking back at his face. Jean could have been the ally he needed. He couldn't afford to cut him down now and flee with Bertholdt in hand with an abysmal chance of escape, "Forgive me Bertl," Reiner muttered quickly, before turning and running off the platform.

Jean didn't follow. He stayed on the platform, watching as Reiner fled the vicinity. He was the last warrior remaining. The moment they captured him, humanity would claim its absolute victory over their titan enemies.

"Kirstein!" Weilman was calling him from behind, stepping up the stairs himself, "Did you see something?"

He'd be hailed a hero if he ratted Reiner out. He saw him disappear into the slums. It was a tight place with many hiding spots but not even a rat could hide if they flushed the place with soldiers. He opened his mouth, ready to speak, only to find his words drowned out by the sound of Bertholdt screaming for help yesterday as he was dragged off by the military police.

"No, just a couple punks," Jean replied, saluting the officer quickly.

Jean's shift was only meant to be the afternoon. He opted to stay for the remainder of the day should Reiner return. The man never did. As he waited, watching in disgust as Bertholdt was put through more and more abuse whenever a crowd built up. Everyone was afraid of attacking alone. Cowards. Occasionally, a Military Police scout would come by with a whip of some sort, furiously attacking Bertholdt while goaded on by the cheers of the crowd. Revenge for the people? Justice? My Ass, Jean scoffed. He could barely keep watch as Bertholdt's face twisted in pain as his back and thighs were littered with horrible red lashes.

During downtime, Jean pondered about what Reiner was planning. With his blade at the ready and Jean armed with nothing but a rifle on his back, Reiner could have easily incapacitated Jean and fled with Bertholdt. If he didn't kill him, he must've have needed him for something. As much as it was a betrayal to his faction, Jean took a small hunting knife from his belt and carved his room number into the wood of the pillory below Bertholdt's left wrist, hoping that this would be enough for Reiner to seek him out.

Jean felt responsible to look after Bertholdt especially after letting Reiner go. He signed up for guard duty the next day despite dreading it yesterday. The thought of Bertholdt being brutally raped while his supposed comrades took pleasure in it made Jean sick. Luckily, the Survey Corps would have him tomorrow. He may even get to catch up with his old friends. It had been far too long since he was drafted into the Military Police.

"Kirstein, you will be guarding the comfort cell tomorrow," Captain Gavin said in an icy cold voice.

Jean could feel his heart sink through his chest and melt away in his bowels like molten lead, "Excuse me sir, but the Survey Corps will be taking custody of him tomorrow,"

"An emergency in the Wall Rose sickbay has called the majority of the Survey Corps out of the district. They've given up most of their share of the time. Therefore, we shall be taking custody of Hoover tomorrow," Jean looked utterly sickened. He didn't even bother trying to hide it, "What's wrong, Kirstein? Are you feeling pity for your former friend? He's a titan, son. He's the reason why your hometown was trashed," What he said was true. Even then, this level of cruelty... "If you are unfit for the job, I can assign someone else to take your place,"

Jean straightened up quickly, saluting Gavin as he cleared away the sickness in his face, "No sir. I will take the duty,"

"Good. You are dismissed,"

The morning debriefing was less than desired to say the least. Jean had spent the night planning out the day in his head. He'd probably spend some time with Eren, maybe sneak into a conversation with Mikasa. Connie might come up to him later in the day when he got lazy. Sasha would definitely come up to him during lunch. Even with Bertholdt captured and Reiner on the loose, Jean had just enough distractions to keep himself occupied. And now, he was stuck guarding the comfort cells with no one but the Military Police assholes.

Jean dreaded the walk to Bertholdt's cell. Once again he'd have to hear the man beg and cry for mercy. Worst of all, Jean could do nothing for him. He stepped into the cell, puzzled when he noticed the empty bed, "Bertholdt?" He murmured before kneeling on the floor. Bertholdt had curled himself up tightly under the bed, eyes clenched shut with hands covering his head. He must have heard of the schedule switch up.

"Get out from there," Jean commanded in as soft a tone as he could. Bertholdt shook his head in reply, pressing himself further into the wall, "Don't make me pull you out," If he really had to drag Bertholdt personally to be ruthlessly tortured, Jean might just lose his mind, "Please, don't make it harder for yourself," He reached a hand out to him, leaving it just beside the bedpost.

It took a while but the logic sunk in. As much as Bertholdt wished for them to just leave him alone in his cell, he knew it would never happen. He reached out from beneath the bed and took Jean's hand firmly. As Jean pulled him out, Bertholdt leapt at him, hugging him tightly as he sobbed into his shoulder.

"Don't let them take me," He sobbed hard, only gripping harder into Jean's jacket as Jean returned the hug, "I'm begging you. Jean, help me,"

"Hey, hurry it up, will you?" A female soldier said, "He's fully booked and we can't afford to waste time,"

Utter and pure contempt was all Jean felt towards this woman. The short moment he spent glaring daggers through her, another pair of military police scouts came in and snatched Bertholdt away. Desperately, Bertholdt reached for Jean, grasping onto the arm of his jacket, "Wait!" Jean cried out to the soldiers. He was promptly ignored as they merely yanked Bertholdt's arm away and dragged him off. His partner left shortly after, leaving Jean kneeling on the floor of the cell with Bertholdt's warmth still lingering on his arms.

Luckily, he didn't have to be in the room with Bertholdt. If he did, he knew he would have broken down then and there. Instead, he waited outside the door, desperately trying to tune out even the faintest sounds muffled by the reinforced room. That didn't stop the soldiers from gloating at they came out, talking about how good his mouth was or how much better he was when he stopped fighting back. Sickening, just sickening, Jean thought.

"Hello there Jean," Hitch greeted. Everyone had noticed her bad habit of slacking off and wandering around this hall whenever she was bored. Whether it was out of actual boredom or from some sort of pleasure she derived it, Jean wanted her away from the room as soon as possible.

"Hi," He responded quickly, "Do you need something?"

"Of course not. Can't I just drop by and say hi?" She eyed the door, surprised that not a single sound was coming from it, "They really soundproofed this room, didn't they? If you think about it, that's kind of twisted," Jean had to agree. He had hoped he was wrong about Hitch, that she wasn't just a selfish bitch, that she wasn't just like him before Marco died, "Hey, do you want to know what we call that guy?" She said, nodding to the doors, "Bertholdt FUBAR," She said with a quick shrill laugh.

Jean was right. Hitch was nothing like what he thought. She was a hell lot worse, "Shut up,"

She was taken aback but reacted nonchalantly, "Have you been hanging around Marlow? And I thought you looked like a party-type. Lighten up, geez,"

"You're asking me to lighten up while my former comrade is getting violated, tortured, and driven to suicide in the next room?" Jean growled, glaring her down with utter disbelief.

"Former comrade? There's a reason why he's a former comrade. He betrayed you. And on top of that, he's a mass murderer. You should be ashamed for pitying him," She returned the intense glare. Why she was getting so angry, Jean couldn't understand. It wasn't her who was torn between saving Bertholdt or letting him rot.

"Of course I understand that he should be punished. I was there at Trost. I lost my best friend at Trost! But this, this is inhumane!"

"He's not a human. He's a titan,"

Maybe it was how ignorant her words were, or maybe it was because he was just so angry that shouting could not voice it. Whatever the case may be, Hitch was disturbed as Jean suddenly burst into laughter. The sound was dry and gravely as he forced all the breath from his lungs when he laughed. His eyes were wide open, focusing on nothing and everything. When he finally stopped, he dropped his head and rushed past Hitch, nearly knocking her to the ground with just his shoulder.

Jean burst into the men's bathroom, immediately rushing into a stall and vomiting. This was what he was fighting for. When Marco died, Jean thought he finally understood the truth: He couldn't live selfishly if he wasn't prepared to lose what mattered to him. That's why he joined the Survey Corps so he could go out and do something in the world even if it all ended with his death. Everything was as it should have been, fighting on the front lines ready to lose it all for the sake of their home.

However, if this was the world he was fighting for, if at the core of this city was corruption so deep that its roots dwarfed even the largest titan, then what the hell was the point? Jean growled in his mind. All those big dreams from Eren about saving the people from the titans were nothing but cruel jokes when the society was so broken.

"Excuse me, are you alright in there?" A man said through the door, "I can head to the medical wing to grab some medicine for you,"

Jean sighed heavily, wiping away his mouth with a sheet of toilet paper before leaving the stall, "I'm fine," He looked at the man, stunned by his appearance, "... Marco?"

"Marlow, actually," The man replied, "Are you Jean Kirstein by any chance? I don't remember seeing you at any of the recruitment ceremonies," Jean nodded back, "Ah, pleasure to meet you," Marlow almost immediately turned back to the mirror, tucking in his pockets and fixing up his clothes. He was just about to leave before a tangerine suddenly popped out from his sleeve and rolled across the ground.

Jean, utterly puzzled, bent down and took the tangerine in his hand, "You dropped this," He said plainly before placing the tangerine back into Marlow's hands. At close inspection, he spied another tangerine hidden in pant pocket and another in the other sleeve, "What in the world?"

Marlow laughed shyly, tucking the tangerine away, "I'm sneaking them in,"

"In to what?" Jean asked. Marlow didn't reply. His blank look and their proximity to the comfort room was more than enough for Jean, "Oh,"

"They don't feed him, you know," Marlow said, checking over the rest of his carefully tucked away fruits, "I'm not exactly sure how titans work but I know Hoover is starving," He shook his head in disapproval, eyes glancing over the Military Police emblem on both their uniforms, "It's sick how anyone can waltz in and do god-knows-what with his body yet anyone trying to smuggle in food or medical supplies will get suspended immediately."

"Makes me wonder what we're fighting for," Jean replied, staring off lazily to the side, "Whether it's in here or out there with the titans, it looks the same to me,"

Marlow looked him straight in the eye, "I know what we're fighting for," Marlow said, "We serve humanity, not humans," From that moment, Jean knew he had found the single pure soul in this godforsaken faction. Marlow nodded to him, leaving the bathroom to visit Bertholdt.

It was a breath of fresh air knowing that buried within the Hitch's and Gavin's, there was a single man who still held his morals. He reminded Jean of Marco. Appearance-wise, they looked nothing alike with Marco's features being softer and rounded while Marlow was far more angular and sharp. It was the way both of them acted as a beacon of light in even the most hellish darkness.

Thinking about Marco left Jean disoriented. He was told Annie had something to do with his death which by extension meant Bertholdt and Reiner also had a hand in it. If he chose to protect Bertholdt, would he be betraying Marco or would he understand that Jean was doing the right thing? Throughout the entire day and even after Bertholdt was returned to his room, those were the questions he distracted himself with.

The day finally ended with Jean miraculously still retaining his sanity even after escorting Bertholdt back to his cell. However, he knew his day was not over, not yet. He opened the door into his dorm room and shut it quickly behind him. After all, he couldn't risk someone seeing Reiner sitting on the desk with his table lamp casting ominous shadows on his face.

"Jean," Reiner greeted.

"Reiner," Jean replied, taking a stool out from the corner and sitting in front of Reiner.

Reiner breathed out deeply, sitting up straight as he talked, "We could talk circles around each other the entire night so I'll just cut to the chase. I need to get Bertholdt away from here," When he noticed Jean look away exasperatingly, Reiner leaned forward, ducking his head in submission, "I'm begging you here, Jean."

After so many dead, having his hometown ripped to shreds by titans, Jean should have felt rage against Reiner for even considering such a suggestion. But now, after being exposed to the core of the city, he was beginning to doubt himself, "You do realize that you're both criminals, right? Bertholdt murdered millions of people that day when he kicked down the Shiganshina district gate and I'm not just talking about those who got eaten by titans," He glared at Reiner. For once, despite Reiner's impressive size, Jean felt like he dwarfed the man, "Those who starved to death when the land became too densely populated. Those who died in civil wars. You're more than just murderers, you're a whole new level of evil," Jean hissed his words out, "And you have the audacity to ask me to save Bertholdt and let you two run off scot-free after everything you've done?"

Reiner was silent, contemplating his words carefully. He couldn't lose Jean especially if he wanted to save Bertholdt, "What is justice?"

"Oh shut up," Jean replied, "Just get to the point,"

"What's happening to Bertholdt right now, is that justice?" Reiner corrected his statement, "Letting a man be beaten, raped, humiliated every day until he dies, is that justice? Even for the most wicked criminals in the world, is that justice?"

The fury of a million deaths, this was what Bertholdt was suffering right now. By all logic, this was true justice. Yet, this was wrong, so wrong that he might end up clawing out his own heart if he refuses to do something. What made this so much more complicated was the glee the perpetrators took in Bertholdt's suffering. It was no coincidence that the guards from the day before had disappeared, leaving Bertholdt to the mercy of anyone who caught him. Was it the happiness of finally avenging those that were lost or was it all just for pleasure? Trying to wrap his head around whether or not anyone should be enjoying Bertholdt's punishment was too complicated for him to comprehend. Everyone should be glad that a villain is finally getting his just desserts. Yet, he wasn't and he never would be.

"Yes," Jean mumbled, "No, I mean... shit," He stood quickly, kicking his stool to the ground.

"Please Jean, I don't want Bertholdt to suffer anymore,"

Jean quickly drew his sword. While he rarely used his 3DM gear anymore, he always kept his sword polished and ready should the situation arise. He pointed it at Reiner's face with an absolute stoic expression, "Or maybe, I should just kill you now then kill Bertholdt, and let the court decide what is to be done to me. That's justice, right?"

Reiner was dead silent now. Jean noticed that he looked distraught. What he said was not wrong, this was a proper punishment for criminals even if others thought it was too kind. Reiner looked almost afraid like he didn't want the death he deserved.

Jean was almost furious at his audacity until he finally spoke, "Then kill me, do whatever you wish to me, but let Bertholdt go,"

"Alright, your death for his life," Jean muttered quietly, lifting his sword up as Reiner dropped his head to expose the back of his neck. Reiner was fully prepared to die for Bertholdt. The sword trembled in his grasp. Right here and now, he could kill the armored titan, the man inadvertently responsible for Marco's death. Yet, after words like that, Jean didn't have the heart to kill him. He dropped the sword next to Reiner, staring at him indignantly.

"I can't do it," Jean muttered, stumbling back a step, "But I can't let him go free either," Jean was torn between his duties as a soldier and as a human. He couldn't kill Reiner and he couldn't dishonour the millions who suffered by letting them get away scot-free, "Shit," He leaned on his desk, refusing to look at Reiner, "I can't help you Reiner. I'm sorry,"

Jean fully expected to die. He left the sword right beside Reiner's leg. Instead, Reiner left without a word. His final hope was dashed into pieces.

Total Failure. Failure to be a warrior, failure to protect Bertholdt, failure to convince Jean, failure to do anything except stand in the crowd and listen to Bertholdt's cries as the Garrison ground away at him. Every other day, when the Garrison had their hands on him, Reiner would follow the heavily guarded escort team to their next station. It was their plan to parade Bertholdt all over the Sina settlements. After all, every citizen deserved to exact revenge against the titans.

Reiner fought the urge to dive in on his 3DM gear and whisk Bertholdt away. As good as it looked on paper and in his mind, with Bertholdt in hand, he knew he wouldn't even reach the wall before he was hunted down by the Military Police or Garrison. The divisions located inside Wall Sina might've been the lazy soldiers who bought their way in but their sheer number and density in Wall Sina's small district would make it utterly impossible to escape. That urge, if he gave in, would doom them both.

It was getting harder and harder to fight it every day.

The last time he saw Bertholdt, the man still carried the scars and bruises from the previous day. The bruising around his neck from repeated attrition by the pillory was still visible. His regenerative factor was crashing hard. Reiner couldn't be sure if they were even feeding him. If this went on, Bertholdt would surely die.

Reiner lingered in the southern plaza even after Bertholdt was released and escorted back to wherever they kept him. When he was sure no one was left, he walked up the wooden platform  and pressed a palm against the pillory. It was still warm to the touch.

In a fit of rage, he kicked at the device with all his strength. He was rewarded with a loud snap as the wood crumpled beneath his repeated strikes, "Bertholdt," He repeated over and over again as he furiously kicked at the device. Emptying all his rage, he tore the restraining device apart and kicked the pieces off the platform huffing and angry, "God damn it!" He roared, clutching at his face when he noticed that he had started crying.

He was the warrior. He wasn't supposed to cry. He needed to maintain a proud and heroic image so he'd never burden anyone with his weakness. He needed this so whenever Bertholdt had broken down in tears and despair, he knew he could always run into Reiner's embrace for protection.

"Damn it all," Reiner muttered, wiping away his tears with his wrist, so angry at himself for failing so miserably.

In his misery, Reiner almost missed the soldier coming down from the main road and walking towards the bulletin board in the middle of the southern plaza. Reiner bolted off the wooden platform, diving behind a tree as the soldier posted a flier up. There was only one reason a soldier would be posted up news outside of recruitment season.

As soon as the soldier left, Reiner went to the bulletin board and snatched off the flier. The first thing he noticed was the big stamp at the bottom of the Survey Corps emblem along with the date, "May 3rd," Two days from now, Bertholdt Hoover would be in the custody of the Survey Corps and he would be subject to experimentation. The flier mentioned that the forest would be off-limits since that was the only place open enough for them to experiment.

The forest was certainly an odd place. With the 3DM gear, even a moderately skilled user would be able to throw off pursuit. The whole setup screamed of a trap but Reiner knew that if he didn't try, this may be the last time he'd ever see Bertholdt. He couldn't forget that he was the second best student in his generation and even then, he was holding back to protect his identity.  

He wasn't the best at 3D Maneuver though. That title belong to Bertholdt.

It was his last chance. If he couldn't save Bertholdt, he swore at the very least he would end Bertholdt's life with his own hands. I'll never let them lay their hands on you again.

The peaceful sound of nature was a welcoming change for Bertholdt. After an entire week of being locked in a room that suffocated him with sweat and sex and being restrained in public smelling of refuse and dirt, this was a very pleasant environment. He wasn't walking either. Instead, he was sitting in an open carriage with his wrists bound, flanked by the Military Police and Jean.

"Jean?" Bertholdt murmured, looking at the intensely concentrated expression. On close inspection, Bertholdt noticed bruises hidden by makeup on his face.

"Yeah?" Jean replied casually, eyes still surveying the forest around him.

"What are they going to do to me?"

Jean paused. The Survey Corps told him that they planned to use Bertholdt as a specimen for research but in this dense forest screaming for 3DM gear, Jean has his doubts, "Experimentation, Hanji will probably be in charge so don't worry,"

The solace his words gave Bertholdt were instantly ripped away when they entered the experimentation camp. Irvin stood in the center flanked by Eren and Armin. Hanji was nowhere in sight. Bertholdt was stunned, turning to Jean frantically hoping for some sort of reassurance. Jean didn't know what to say.

Jean leapt off the carriage first, carrying Bertholdt off carefully before the other soldiers took him. Without a doubt, this had to be a setup. Of the 104th generation recruits, only Armin and Eren were here. Connie, Sasha, and Mikasa, the top three at 3D Maneuver along with Levi were missing. The fire pit directly in front of Bertholdt was no doubt making a smoke signal through the trees. Even the way Bertholdt was bound was suspicious with his wrists bound to the branches of a tree leaving him almost dangling in the air. The excessive length of rope was just daring someone to zip in and cut it.

"Hey, Eren, Armin!" Jean greeted, walking over to them as Irvin oversaw the preparations, "I don't see Mikasa anywhere. Did she come with you?

Armin shook his head, "She's staying back at the Wall Rose Sickbay."

"Ah, that's a shame," Jean replied. And a complete lie. No way in hell would Mikasa abandon Eren after everything that has happened, "So, what are they planning on testing?" He already felt sick to his stomach when he watched iron rods been stabbed into the fire pit, "I don't see Hanji around,"

Jean didn't want to say too much. He didn't want to look like he understood what was truly going on. After all, he wasn't supposed to know that Reiner was even in the city.

"We're testing his regenerative factor after prolonged use," Armin replied a bit too casually as if he'd been practicing it, "It's going to get really brutal. That's why Sasha and Connie didn't want to come,"

Jean noted that he didn't mention Sasha and Connie at all.

"I'm hoping for it," Eren added quickly.

Jean cringed at his words, "After everything, he's still Bertholdt, you know."

"That's exactly why I'm hoping for it," Eren said through clenched teeth, "Throwing our world into disarray and thinking that he could live a normal human life after all that? I can't accept it," Jean couldn't blame him. Bertholdt was directly responsible for the death of his mother and Eren was always a hothead, viewing everything intensely in black and white.  

A sharp whistle came from Irvin who was standing directly in front of Bertholdt. Jean couldn't see his face but he could tell that Bertholdt looked terrified of him, "Bertholdt Hoover, on behalf of the Survey Corps, I Irvin Smith deliver you to the hands of the Survey Corps. You shall be used as a specimen for research to support the progress of our Anti-Titan research," Finishing off the welcome, Irvin removed an iron rod from the fire, examining the glowing orange tip.

Jean noted a slight hesitation in Irvin's usually implacable tone. Even he wasn't comfortable with cold-blooded torture. It made Jean wonder who truly came up with this plan. His eyes fell upon Armin.

Irvin's hand hesitated to move forward, just pointing the glowing rod in front of Bertholdt's chest, "No, no, no, no," Bertholdt mumbled, struggling in the air helplessly, "I can't take anymore," His pleas were visually taxing on Irvin's resolve but his iron will forced him forward.

He plunged the rod into Bertholdt's side, watching as his flesh sizzled and burned. Bertholdt screams rose to a screech the deeper that rod pressed inside him. The pain was worst than anything he had ever felt and it just wouldn't relent. He was writhing desperately in his bounds, trying to find some leverage to get away. His brain felt like mush, drowned out by the throbbing pain. He couldn't even plead with words, everything coming out in nonsensical babbling mixed with hysteric tears.

Eren didn't tear away. He stared straight at Bertholdt with unwavering conviction. What surprised Jean most was Armin's resolve, how he kept watching without a single waver. Whether he was too soft or too human, this was too much for Jean, "I-I I need some..." Jean choked over his words, "Fresh air," He spat out quickly before stumbling off into the trees.

The scream was utterly horrifying. Bertholdt's wailing echoed through the trees comparable only to the most brutal kills by titan. Reiner caught it immediately, standing from his hiding spot beneath a hollow tree.

Fully equipped in this 3DM gear, Reiner stood at the far side of the forest away from civilization hidden in a moss covered cave. For all of yesterday, Reiner spent his time mapping out the ideal path. The city was no good with its dense population. He'd have to cut through the forest and stay in the wilderness. To travel the entire way in his 3DM gear was pointless if he had to carry Bertholdt along. In fact, it was a disadvantage. The survey corps had fuel supplies. Once Reiner ran out, even if he somehow escaped, it'd be over. Using this crutch, Reiner deduced that the best plan would be to take the river. Carrying Bertholdt and trying to run was just as pointless as using the gear, so, why not let the water do the job for him? It was risky. It was stupid. He didn't even know how harsh the current would get further down the river but he didn't have a choice. He'd leap into the river with Bertholdt in his arms and hope for the best.

"Hang on, Bertholdt," Reiner muttered quickly before launching himself into the air. If he went at full speed, he could guarantee to have at least half his gas remaining after his return trip. He had to do his best to filter out Bertholdt's screams. He needed absolute concentration if he was to succeed.

Reiner had almost missed it when he soared past a small clearing. There was a neon marker on one tree. The paint looked fresh, as if it hadn't even stopped drying. In that short moment where he had paused to contemplate his next move, Reiner was tackled to the ground by a figure from the leaves. He rolled across the leaves, back striking a stump hard when he finally stopped. His attacker was still on him, trying to wrestle him to the ground despite their clearly smaller stature. On reflex, Reiner grabbed at the handle of his sword and stabbed it forward.

His attacker only barely blocked the blade before removing his hood, "Damn it Reiner, it's me!" Jean hissed, trying to shove both their swords out of the way, "Drop your sword!"

"You sold me out!" Reiner barked, refusing to back down even when he was clearly at a disadvantageous position.

"You idiot, I'm trying to save you here," Jean replied, "This is a trap!" Jean threw his sword aside as he stood up, watching as Reiner sheathed his own blade.

"Don't you think I know that?" Reiner replied, kneeling on the ground, "But what choice do I have? Bertholdt's going to die if I don't save him now," An excruciating scream made both of them cringe at just the sheer volume, "I promised I'd protect him."

Jean took a deep breath. Whatever he was going to do next, he knew he would regret it for the rest of his life, "Meet me at the Northern Utopia district at midnight by the Military Police base. Bring your 3DM gear," Reiner looked confused. He couldn't understand why Jean was helping him.

Both of them were startled again by another scream ripping through the woods. What made this scream stand out was what he was calling: Reiner. Reiner immediately stood up, looking in the direction of the scream and fighting with himself to either listen to Jean or go for Bertholdt.

Jean clasped a hand on Reiner's shoulder, "Trust me, this is the only way you can save Bertholdt,"

In the end, even though it broke his heart to leave, Reiner trusted Jean's words and fled the forest. Jean started to make his way back to the clearing, leaping over a log right before running straight into Mikasa, "Mikasa?"

Mikasa leapt down from the trees, "Been a while," Wall Rose Sickbay, my ass, "I didn't know you'd be here,"

"Just keeping an eye on Bertholdt, you know. I was assigned to him by the Military Police," Jean replied coolly.

Mikasa maintained her dead stare into his eyes, "Did you see anyone on your way here?"

 "No, haven't seen anyone." Jean replied, hoping that Mikasa couldn't see through his lie. Luckily for him, she merely nodded quickly before starting her patrol again.

Exactly what would Jean lose if everyone were to find out that he was helping Reiner?

Still equipped in his gear but now with a cloak to hide it, Reiner waited outside the Military Police base. All he could do was hope for the best. This area was not exactly ideal for a getaway but he had to trust Jean. If the man really did want to capture Reiner, he would have let him rush head first into the forest.

"Psst," Jean whispered from behind the gate, waving Reiner over with a small gesture, "Use your 3DM gear to get inside. I can't unlock the gate without them hearing,"

Reiner nodded quickly firing his hooks into the tree and reeling himself in, "Thanks," Reiner said. Jean gave him a quick nod before leading Reiner over to what appeared to be a storm cellar. He knelt down shortly after, picking the locks while Reiner watched.

"What made you change your mind?" Reiner asked, trying to understand Jean.

Jean didn't reply. Whether it was because he was gathering his thoughts or busy picking the lock, Reiner didn't blame him for it. They sat in silence for a while longer.

"I don't know if you'd want to hear it," Jean finally said, breaking the silence.

Already, Reiner could hear Bertholdt's screams, "Tell me,"

Bertholdt could barely stand. Jean honestly considered carrying Bertholdt on his shoulders as he escorted him back to his room. Instead, to avoid suspicion from his colleagues, Jean lent him a shoulder to lean on and slowly walked him back. Before Bertholdt could even make it to the bed, he shoved Jean back in a hysteric fit and bent over the side of his bed, throwing up violently. Slimy chunks of tangerine mixed with a cloudy white substance splattered the floor and scared the hell out of Jean. Almost immediately after, Bertholdt reeled back and passed out on the bed.

"Shit..." Jean mumbled, staring at the mess on the floor, the perfect metaphor of exactly what the Military Police had become.

Jean had only been gone for a minute, off to find some towels to clean up the mess. He left the door unlocked for a goddamn minute and when he returned, he had lost all hope in humanity. Three soldiers, two Military Police and one Garrison, had gone into the cell. From their position and expression, Jean could already tell what they planned to do with an unconscious Bertholdt.

That was it. He couldn't take it anymore. He threw the towels to the ground but before he could rush in, another man pushed through.

"Get away from him!" Marlow shouted, marching in with all the grace of a true captain, "That's an order!"

Jean had hoped they'd just back off and leave. As he expected though, they turned on Marlow instead, ready to beat the hell out of him for daring to command them. Jean immediately rushed into the fray, delivering swift punches to the pathetically trained soldiers. Sitting dormant in the walls had made them soft. Getting into petty fights with Eren every other day during training made him quite formidable.

Even with two against three, Jean and Marlow eventually scared off the bastards, "And stay out!" Jean barked, wiping away the blood from a small cut on his lip. He touched his cheek, feeling the damage he had taken when one of them managed to punch him in the face. Minimal damage overall, he'd need to cover up the bruise tomorrow.

"You okay?" Jean asked Marlow. The man was clearly less adept at fighting than he was but still held up well.

Marlow nodded quick, "I'm fine. Nothing I can't walk off," He searched his jacket for a moment before turning to the floor, groaning when he saw the crushed sandwich he had saved for Bertholdt.

This was odd to Jean. Initially, he thought Marlow was just good person, bringing him food when he needed it like Krista usually had when they were punished. But this? He was risking everything, throwing himself into fights that he may not have been able to win, just to protect Bertholdt.

"Do you know Bertholdt?" Jean asked, "Were you friends with him before all this?"

"No, I've never met him till now," Marlow replied, brushing himself off.

"Then, why are you helping him this much?"

Marlow stared at Jean with what looked to be disappointment, "I didn't know I needed a reason to do the right thing," He reached into another pocket, taking out a small piece of candy and placing it in Bertholdt's hand. It was the only food he had left on him and it was better than nothing, "I can't deny that he deserves this especially after everything the titans have done but I don't have to agree that this inhumane act is right."

Jean watched as Marlow took the towels he had dropped and quickly wiped up the mess, disposing of them in the trash. Here was a man, helpless against the system but still doing what he can to make it right unlike Jean who held all the cards and had no idea how to play them, "Wait!" He called out to Marlow before he left the cell. The man turned around, waiting for Jean to ask his question, "You said he deserves this but that you don't think it's right," Marlow nodded in confirmation, "Then, if you had a choice between leaving him be or saving him, what would you do?"  A choice between letting the humans finally exact their revenge on the titans or sparing a man from immeasurable suffering.

Justice for the humans or justice for humanity?

"I told you before, didn't I?" Marlow said with a small chuckle.

"And that's where I stand," Jean said, finally picking open the lock and swinging open the doors, "Even if I hate your guts more than anything in this world, I can't let someone suffer like that,"

The two made their way done the tunnel, spiralling down at least three stories before finally entering another pitch black tunnel, "Where are we?" Reiner asked as Jean made a quick torch.

"It used to be a dungeon before it was refurbished into a prison. It's not in use though since they just use the one at HQ," Jean explained, "I was originally assigned here till they passed me over to escorting Bertholdt. Luckily for us, no one ever takes guarding this place seriously,"

"You said there weren't prisoners here," Reiner replied.

Jean paused at a heavy wooden door that wasn't even locked, "There's only one prisoner here and since she can't move anyway, no one bothers guarding it," Jean pushed open the door and walked in first, holding his torch high in the air to illuminate the room.

Reiner could barely believe when he was seeing, "Annie," He gasped out at the sight of Annie trapped inside of a giant crystal.

Jean said, placing the torch upon a stand, " If you can somehow get her out, you'll definitely be able to save Bertholdt."

"How long has she been in here?" Reiner asked, touching the crystal. It was of similar composition to the plates on his armored form.

"Since the day she was captured. She encased herself in this crystal the moment we caught her," Jean explained, "No one's ever broken through and we've never gotten a single reaction from her," Jean looked to Reiner, seeing relief wash over him. He was absolutely thankful that the fate that fell upon Bertholdt had not fallen upon Annie as well, "Which means, of course, that she still has her titan shifting abilities,"

Jean honestly wasn't expecting it when Reiner suddenly hugged him. He couldn't see Reiner's face but he could tell that the man was overwhelmed with happiness. His hope was restored. Bertholdt could be saved.

"Um, hey, so, I can't really help you anymore after this, you know," Jean rambled while still in Reiner's hug, "I've got appearances to keep up and I think Mikasa is already suspicious of me. So, we're not meeting again, got it?"

Reiner nodded, letting go of Jean and patting his shoulders, "I got it. Thank you,"

Before Jean left, he handed Reiner one final package, "I think you'll need this," Reiner tore off the newspaper wrapping, revealing a leather bound book and a civilian issue anti-titan pistol. Reiner flipped through it briefly, already understanding what it was, "It's the schedule for Bertholdt's custody. You might need it."

"Right, thanks again," Reiner said, tucking the book into his jacket.

Jean gave him one final nod before leaving the room, never to speak to Reiner again. He took a heavy breath when he exited the dungeon, closing up the door and leaving the lock on the ground for Reiner to seal up after he left, "What the hell was I thinking?" Jean mumbled to himself with just the slightest of smiles.

He may have sat there for an hour, staring at the crystal, "Hey Annie, you always have such a hard time waking up. Since you've been sleeping for so long, I bet your waking face will look ten times scarier," Reiner joked when the tension was too much, "Come on Annie, speak to me," He muttered weakly as he stood up, pressing his palm to the crystal.

No more jokes, Annie deserved better than that, "Annie, we failed our mission. I failed, big time. I let the humans win and now Bertholdt has been captured. They're torturing him. Everything you said was right, at the core of the city is only corruption and evil and now Bertholdt is suffering the consequences of my failure." He pressed his second palm onto the crystal, "We lost our powers and now we're helpless against the humans. Now more than ever, I need you. Wake up Annie, please, for Bertholdt's sake," He slammed his fist down on the crystal, so frustrated at himself, "I'm begging you, wake up!"

When there was no response, Reiner was ready to give up. He lifted his fist and was ready to leave before he noticed a pattern of cracks over where he punched the crystal. The cracks continued to spread till they made a spider web of slivers, "Annie!" Reiner cried out as the crystal shattered in front of him.

There she was, gracefully landing on her feet as if she hadn't been sleeping at all, merely floating in space waiting for the right time to respond. Her eyes opened, cold and beautiful as they always had been. She looked to Reiner searching for everything that has happened in his eyes. When she had her fill, she looked to the ground, examining the shards.

"Reiner," She said, stepping past the crystal shards, "What did you say about Bertholdt?"

The two headed out of the room, shutting the door behind them as Reiner walked on ahead, "I'll fill you in,"

It wasn't a pleasant talk. To be fair, any conversation with Annie, unless it was about hand-to-hand combat, was fairly harsh. This, on top of the plethora of bad news Reiner had to deliver only made the tension between the two even worse. Reiner could see the disappointment on Annie's face. She hated failure especially if she could have avoided it.

Reiner knew she'd chew him out later, that'd they'd be discussing this for hours and determining exactly what went wrong and what to fix next time... If there was a next time. For now, Bertholdt was first priority.

"Sickening," Annie remarked, glaring out of the small cave Reiner had previously used to hide. It was still the dead of night even after they left the prison and fled into the forest. Moonlight was the only source of illumination and it left everything in an almost ghostly pale tone.

"Looks like you were right all along," Reiner muttered, flipping through the agenda Jean had given him, "Everyone is a monster when the opportunity arises. Good people are rare," He noticed that the Survey Corps stamp was quite sparse in the book.

Annie took the pistol into her hand, un-chambering the single anti-titan bullet and examining it carefully, "What's the situation look like for Bertholdt?"

"Last I saw him, he could barely move. His regenerative factor is failing. And yesterday, they put him through hell. I can't say exactly how much longer he'll last," The words broke Reiner's heart but Annie needed to hear them, "Each faction gets him each day except for the Survey Corps. Looks like they gave up their time. The Garrison tends to go for public humiliation. The Survey Corps claims to use him for experimentation but I'm fairly sure they're using him to lure me out," Reiner didn't want to say what the Military Police were doing to him. Anytime he thought about it, all he could think about was Bertholdt writhing in pain as a million eyes watched and violated him.

Annie growled quietly. It was then Reiner remembered that Annie was in the Military Police for a short while. She already knew what they were capable of.

"Right," Reiner stuttered out, flipping through the agenda lazily, "The Military Police keeps him locked up inside HQ. The Garrison brings him out in public. And the Survey Corps have been using the forest," He had to carefully consider their options. First and foremost, Annie was their trump card. They would never expect her titan to appear. However, with the civilians handed anti-titan weapons, even the weakest man could take down her down with a single shot, "HQ is out of the question since we won't be able to use your titan in there. On top of that, too many riflemen who could shoot us down. Similarly, in public areas, everyone's armed with anti-titan pistols since they were distributed freely. That's out of the question for you. Our best bet is the forest when the Survey Corps has him,"

"No,"

"Huh?" He hadn't even gone through his entire thought process yet!

"Going in when the Survey Corps has him is out of the question," Annie replied, "They're expecting you which means they probably have more than enough plans and backup plans to take you down. And on top of that, Eren is there," Annie's gaze darkened, "Which effectively puts me out of commission if he catches me,"

Reiner had completely forgotten about Eren. He sighed heavily, dropping the agenda, "Then what do we do?"

"We go after him when the Garrison has him," Annie said, picking up the pistol in her hand, "These pistols are of poor construction, probably rushed out the moment they discovered this anti-titan poison," She pointed to a gap at the top where the flintlock mechanism rested, "Just a bit of water and this gunpowder is soaked."

The pieces were clicking together inside Reiner's had. Just a single day of rain, anyone out there would be soaked to the bone and their pistols were done for. The guards would probably be the only ones with proper firearms. Lucky for Reiner, there were only a few at a time.

"That takes care of the civilians," Annie said, "About the actual soldiers,"

"I can take care of them," Reiner said, "They'll probably have real guns on them but I doubt anyone this deep in the walls is good at 3D Maneuver. I'll take them down,"

Annie paused for a moment, obviously contemplating her options before nodding in agreement, "And once we have Bertholdt, we need to get out of there," She looked to the walls, remembering how she tried to climb them and how Mikasa had quickly dispatched her. She glowered at them; escaping over the walls was no option.

"Annie," Reiner said, calling for her attention, "How good are you at hardening your skin?"

Three days later, when the Garrison had Bertholdt in their custody, was one of the heaviest downpours the city had ever experienced. Luckily for them, the crowd was small that morning, most preferring to stay dry over having their fill of vengeance. Annie and Reiner stayed apart, hiding on either sides of the Hermiha central plaza.

Reiner was beginning to panic when the soldiers weren't showing up. Every day at the very break of dawn, the Garrison would walk Bertholdt to the pillory. Nearly half an hour had passed and no one was showing up. Reiner couldn't keep his thoughts from the worst case scenario: They were too late. Bertholdt died at the mercy of the Military Police and his corpse would be tossed out into the wilderness to be devoured by hounds to add further insult to his existence.

During his mild panic attack, Reiner spied Annie from across the plaza glaring daggers at him. Focus, she said with her eyes. They couldn't be sure. Anything could have happened. And sure enough, the soldiers eventually arrived with Bertholdt in tow. All of them were dressed in raincoats, their rifles visibly sticking through. Bertholdt wasn't though and was left to weather through the intensely cold rain. He didn't look like he cared, expression blank and body limp as he compliantly bent over and let them restrain him.

Exactly 10:00 am, when everyone would be busy working, when the crowd would be thin enough to reduce the chance of failure, when the guards would leave Bertholdt behind to take their unofficial breaks, that was when they'd strike. Reiner had already positioned himself behind the wooden platform, incrementally making his way over while watching for soldiers. Annie stayed in the opposite alley, watching the clock tower with absolute concentration.

"No room for error," She whispered to herself, "Not this time,"

Before the clock tower bell even reached its tenth ring, an explosion erupted from the Hermiha plaza. There she stood, in all her grand beauty after a year of rest.

"Titan!" Civilians shouted, panicking the moment they saw her. Most of them abandoned their pistols and ran. The sight of a true titan that could fight back revealed everyone's true, pitiful, pathetic nature.

"You bitch!" One man shouted, pointing his pistol at her point-blank, "Die!"

Annie couldn't stop the maddening smile from spreading over her lips when the gun shot a water-clogged blank at her. Before the man could even check his pistol, she stepped down on him, crushing him beneath her feet. If the civilians were still standing their ground, Annie's cruel display would have sent them all running away.

"It's the female titan!" One Garrison soldier shouted as he drew his pistol, "Take her down! It'll only take one shot!" Three more followed after him, two from the military police, none of them Jean.

Before they could even step onto the platform, Reiner cut them to pieces from behind, slashing through the back of their necks in ironic revenge, "This is for Bertholdt," He growled, running over their bodies and onto the wooden platform, "Bertholdt!" He cried out. He didn't have time to worry over him even if Bertholdt failed to make even the slightest response. He cut him free of his bonds, picking him up onto his shoulder, "Annie!"

As soon as she heard him, she abandoned the civilians she had been tormenting and scooped them up. Holding them against her chest with a single hand, she fled at full speed to the edge of the city.

When Reiner was sure that he wouldn't slip out of Annie's grasp, he lowered Bertholdt from his shoulder and cradled him in his arms, "Bertl," He muttered. No response. He touched a hand to his forehead, noticing that Bertholdt's forehead was burning but the rest of his body was nearly ice cold. Without medicine or bandages, there wasn't much Reiner could do other than take off his raincoat and bundled Bertholdt up, trying to help him save whatever body heat was left in his body.

"Stop right there!" A soldier shouted. The sound of 3DM gear was almost lost in the torrential rain.

"Behind you!" Reiner shouted, alerting her of the incoming soldiers.

Grasping them in a tighter hold, Annie turned in an instant and delivered a swift kick to the incoming soldiers, sending them to the ground in a heap of bloody pulp. With the momentum of her kick, Annie slid back smoothly in the other direction and resumed her run.

Reiner kept a tight hold on Bertholdt, afraid the slippery rain would make him fall right through the cracks. He had gotten so thin; Reiner could feel his ribs through the raincoat, "A bit smoother wouldn't kill you, would it?" Reiner shouted to Annie.

She didn't respond. Instead, she lifted her thumb, prompting Reiner to look out. The gate was right in front of them with soldiers all lined up against it with rifles aimed right at her, "Shit," Reiner hissed. If Annie were to charge now, there was no guarantee that a single bullet wouldn't hit her. Without her titan form, their chances of escape were nothing. There was an alternative though. Reiner held onto his sword handle, looking out at the soldiers. There were at least eighteen of them but most of them appeared to be Military Police. At close range, they wouldn't dare use their rifles lest they hit each other. If Reiner could get close, he could slay a few, distract the rest.

"Annie, hold onto Bertholdt," Reiner said, resting Bertholdt against her palm, "I'm going to distract them. You run off with him," This was something he had to do. It was his duty to protect Bertholdt. He gripped the handle of his sword, looking one last time at Bertholdt before pressing down the handle, firing his hooks.

Only to be stopped by Annie closing her thumb over the space, trapping him and Bertholdt in darkness, "What... what are you doing!"

Annie, mad with determination and conviction, screamed at him, "Just shut up and trust me!" Her voice echoing through her titan body to reach Reiner.

The moment she entered shooting range, the moment every soldier fired, the moment Reiner abandoned his doubts and put his full faith in Annie, her entire body crystallized, blocking every single shot.

"Shit! Shit! Retreat!" The captain shouted.

"Retreat!"

"Get out of the way!"

Soldiers scrambled away in fear, not even bothering to fire a second shot as Annie came at them at full speed like a rampaging beast. "Military Police Brigade," Annie muttered to herself as she continued to charge, "At the end of the day, when real terror strikes you, you're all just the same. Pitiful, pathetic, human,"

The gate shattered to pieces when she tackled through the gate. Annie opened her hand allowing Reiner to reel himself away from the body with Bertholdt in his arms. As a final salute to Wall Sina, she crystallized her entire body before bursting out from inside, creating a perfect crystal cork in the gate.

It was a waiting game now, waiting for Annie's stamina to return and hoping that the cork would hold long enough for them to escape on their 3DM gear. With Bertholdt safely tucked in his arms, Reiner soared on ahead. For once in a very long time, there was hope.