UNCAGED SOUL || AoT x Reader

His Strength || Porco Galliard

Pt. 5 of "Kids In Love" Mini-Series

content; spoiler for manga 137

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ༶•┈┈⛧┈〄┈⛧┈┈•༶ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

He was supposed to die, that was what he believed. The last moment of his life filled with the thought of the memories of his brother, and how after all this time he was still a better man compared to Reiner. Goddamn Reiner who took his chance to be the armoured titan.

But that same man was the reason he was blessed with a longer lifespan; where he had given a chance to rekindle an old companionship that he used to share with you.

If on that day he was the one who inherited the armoured titan, he wouldn't be there to see you walking through the door where he and the other warriors had lunch together, he wouldn't be there to get so angry at himself for not pushing you hard enough to erase that dream of yours for joining the war.

Even if you didn't fight on the front line, you would still risk your life every time you went abroad to be the military chef and cooked for all of them. He knew too well how cruel war could be, and yet despite all the dreadful things that he had told you, you never faltered.

You were just a kid when you told him about what you wanted to do, joining a military just for what? To be there beside him when they win? How naive was that, who in the right mind would want to be together with someone in a war? You, apparently.

And yet, despite how he forced himself to think the redness in his cheek that day was caused by his anger instead of something else entirely, despite how he tried to push you away from him in hope that you would forget about your dream and live on — he couldn't stop his mind from thinking of you.

You and your childish dream, you and your stubborn behaviour, you and your determined gaze which became more intense every day. For God's sake, Porco Galliard hated every single thing about you yet loved it all together at the same time.

He wanted to see you again, just one more time. When he saw Falco's titan run to Reiner, he was ready to get out so he would be the one who devoured. But he hesitated, for a split second he hesitated.

Porco could have lived on, he just needed to act dead like Pieck always did and let Falco eat Reiner. Yes, he could do that, then after everything calmed down he would search for you, apologizing for how he treated you all these time, and tell you how much you meant for him despite all his snide comments and cold behaviour.

He would look past beyond his fear and confess, letting go of the feelings that were left unspoken. There were lots of moments where he just wanted to pull you aside and slam his lips on yours. But he knew better, in the world they lived in, love was not the privilege afforded for them.

Yes, he just needed to keep his eyes shut and survive for a few hours — then he would have his chance.

But as his eyes never left the scene in front of him, he couldn't just lay there and do nothing. He was more than a selfish warrior, he was not someone who would let his comrades die as he hid from the battlefield.

After all, since knowing that he was the one who was supposed to inherit the armoured titan from Marcel's memory, he knew he was a better man until the end. And he would prove that, by releasing his body from his titan form, becoming the new prey that was a lot easier to access rather than Reiner.

There was no regret as he decided to walk outside, leaving him vulnerable to a place filled with mindless titans. He was alright to see Falco run toward him, but when the wide jaw finally opened up to devour him whole, he let a single teardrop slip for the last time.