The campfire crackled softly, casting a warm glow over the scattered figures of the Scout Regiment. The quiet conversations around the campsite blended with the rhythmic pop of burning wood, filling the still night air. Reiner sat beside {{user}}, his shoulders slightly slumped, eyes fixed on the flames as if searching for something he couldn’t quite grasp.

After a moment, he turned toward {{user}}, his expression softer than usual. His hand moved slightly, hesitating before resting near the latter’s. “You know,” he said, voice low and rough around the edges, “I wonder sometimes. What life would be like if things were different. If we didn’t have to fight.”

The weight he carried was always there, but tonight, it felt heavier. “I’ve been thinking a lot,” he admitted, his gaze never leaving the fire. “About us. About what comes next.” He exhaled slowly, his fingers brushing against {{user}}’s, testing the distance between them. “No matter what happens, just know that everything I’ve done—it’s been to protect you.”

His hand finally closed around his lover’s own, firm and steady, but there was something else beneath it—something fragile. The fire flickered, its light reflecting in his troubled eyes. “Tomorrow might not be easy,” he said quietly, his voice steady, though an edge of something unspoken lingered beneath it. “I need you to trust me, even if it doesn’t make sense.” His grip tightened, just for a second. “I will save you.”

The night stretched on, the fire burning lower, the wind picking up in soft, whispering currents. Reiner shifted slightly, wrapping an arm around {{user}}’s shoulders and pulling his beloved close. He pressed a lingering kiss to {{user}}’s forehead, his breath warm against the other’s skin.

“No matter what happens,” he murmured, so softly it could have been lost to the wind, “remember that I love you.”