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wing-ed-thing · 6 months

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Marriage Pact (Erwin x Reader) Part II

Synopsis: To the surprise of the cadets, Commander Erwin is married to more than just his work. Their curiosity brings up fond memories of your and Erwin’s early days in the scouts.

Word Count: 6.2k

Tags/Warnings: Language, No Reader Pronouns, Fluff, Marriage Pacts, 104th Cadet Corps Shenanigans

Part I Part II Part III

Notes: It's heeeeeeeeeereeeeeeee

He woke you up the morning of your expedition before the sun rose, gently shaking you awake where you had slouched over. It took a few blinks to remember where you were and the night of drinking, games, and stories you orchestrated the night prior. You sat up with a yawn, back cracking in the multiple places where your makeshift mat of seat cushions hadn’t been kind to you. Erwin knelt on one knee in front of you, his frame outlined in the dark blue hue of the early sky that trickled in through the tall windows. He spoke softly about getting everyone up to prepare to head out.

Hange remained curled up in your lap with their arms wrapped around your leg.

Erwin’s cloak draped over your shoulders and enveloped your form. You wouldn’t even remember you were wearing it until you stopped by your quarters to change into your full uniform. Unable to catch him in the chaos of the expedition prep, you left it hanging up near his horse.

He hadn’t even asked for it back, nor did he bring up your agreement from the night before.

***

“Like… the captain in the Garrison?” Eren chewed his bread thoughtfully, betraying an otherwise bored expression. Jean leaned forward to gauge everyone's expressions around the table. His face fell as everyone seemed to busy themselves with their mundane meals. Jean’s brows knitted together as a severe pout tugged at his lips.

“Yeah…?” He glanced at Eren, who didn’t meet his eye, before surveying the table again. He repeated your rank and name, stressing each syllable. Jean waved a palm in the air. “Hello? I thought you guys would be more invested in this.” A wave of silent hums and acute cringes spread throughout the gathered cadets. Jean sputtered, throwing his hands up in disbelief. “What?”

“I mean…” Armin started, staring off into the grains of the wooden table. “It makes some professional sense.”

“Armin—”

“Really, Armin?”

“Stop.”

The few low hisses circling around the table made Armin bow back toward his meal. Jean blinked, rubbing the back of his hand across his eyes, trying to convince himself that he wasn’t dreaming.

“What is with you guys?” Jean exclaimed, slapping away Sasha’s hand, which was slowly creeping onto his plate. His mouth opened and closed as a croaking sound stalled in his throat. While everyone ate as usual, Bertholdt was unfortunate enough to meet Jean’s crazed expression. He gulped, quickly shoving a spoonful of stew in his mouth. “Really, Bertholdt?”

“Jean,” Reiner swiveled in his seat with a roll of his eyes and a heave of his shoulders. He breathed out a sigh, letting his spoon hit his plate. Reiner hand waved once assertively in the air in front of Jean’s face. “It’s just not believable.”

“The commander’s initials were literally on the bouquet.”

“No way is Erwin sending roses to a government office,” Eren interjected as if stating the obvious. He blew a few strands of his bangs away from his face, hardly looking at the rest of the group as he tried to play off his clearly piqued interest. “No way Erwin’s sending flowers at all.”

“Damn, Jean, get a grip,” Connie muttered, elbowing Jean in the side.

“Did I mention that his initials were on the card?” Jean swatted at Connie’s arm, the two briefly engaging in a battle of swats and slaps before Jean turned to the table with a determined fervor. He held one hand planted on Connie’s cheek, keeping himself out of range of Connie’s attempted slaps. “And they used to be section commanders together. There is quite literally a picture of them framed in the captain’s office.” He pointed confidently off in the vague direction of Garrison headquarters.

“There is?” Mikasa muttered, her forehead knitting together slightly as she cocked her head to the side. She pinched her chin between her fingers in thought. “Huh, I always just focused on the tea cart.”

“We all focus on the tea cart! And the snacks that are sometimes also there!” Reiner asserted, slapping the table, causing the dishes to clatter. He crossed his arms with a disappointed shake of his head. “Psh, everyone knows that. That’s why running paperwork to the Garrison is the best job you could get assigned. I’d fight a man to be able to sit in a cushy room drinking tea for an hour. It’s like getting a paid break to sit with a— a, uh—” He held his clenched fingers up to his lips as he searched for the word, nose scrunching. —“A wise tree.” Reiner’s hand opened emphatically to accent the phrase.

“I have fought a man for gopher duty!” Sasha barked, food still in her mouth. “And when I got there, I got extra sugar and that really expensive bruise ointment—”

— “Oh shit, really? That’s where you got that from?” Ymir blinked from the other end of the table. “That stuff is really nice.”

“And I got to keep it!”

Jean huffed, sitting straight to cross his arms with a stuck-up nose.

“Look at the shelf on the opposite side of the desk the next time you’re there because I guarantee you that ointment was paid for by a commander’s salary.” He struck a fist into his opposite hand. His determination to be right had hardly been extinguished.

“Let’s go now.”

Jean’s eyes snapped wide open.

“What?” The others were already beginning to stand. Jean’s gaze darted to each of them as everyone began to gather their jackets and pick up their plates. A decision had apparently been made silently and without him. “You want to break into Garrison headquarters?”

Eren paused, his uniform jacket slung over his shoulder. He offered Jean an absentminded shrug.

“It’s not breaking in. We’re scouting. Surveying, if you will.” He left Jean alone at the cafeteria table to turn in his dishes. Jean noticed after a beat, immediately scooping up his dishware to follow the group.

“You’re kidding! I thought everyone wasn’t interested!”

***

A priest came to the Survey Corps hospital the morning after the expedition. You gathered a bouquet of flowers from a shrub in the courtyard for Murray and sat in attendance as she and Owens were married right there in the hospital. Wrapped up in bandages with missing limbs and bleeding wounds, they tearfully exchanged vows before succumbing to their injuries. You sat with them as a witness to their union until they were pronounced dead.

Both of them served under your command, after all. You thought you owed it to them.

You would be given their death notices to sign off on a day later.

You updated Murray’s certificate to “Owens” and sat at your desk, staring at the twin pages before you. Murray’s last name had been carefully blotted out in your correction, leaving her new name slightly bumpy. There were three spaces at the bottom labeled in smaller writing: one for the medical examiner’s signature (if applicable), one for the section commander, and one for the commander. The notice was written on quality paper, and from a quick glance, you would have guessed that the page was for an award rather than a certificate of death.

A light tapping broke you from your thoughts. Erwin stood in your doorframe.

“Am I interrupting?”

You almost jumped, face rising from where it had rested against your palm. A single, intense palpitation shot through your chest at the sight of him. He was as neat and put-together as always, from his combed bangs to his crisp uniform. You shook your head, beckoning him into your office.

“Not at all.”

He walked across the room, a small stack of papers in his hand wrapped in a neat string.

“These are yours. They must’ve gotten mixed up.” You stood, staring at them with a quirk of your lip as you tried to hide your nervousness. You stared at the bundle of pages, doing nothing at all, before you decided to take them from his hand.

“Oh, I haven’t even looked at these yet. Here, I probably have yours.” You set the compilation down to immediately sift through a larger stack of paperwork in the shallow wooden bin to the side of your desk. You felt like your hands were shaking, but Erwin didn’t seem to hold the same anxiety as you. Lingering patiently, Erwin glanced around your office as you consulted your collection of work to do.

You wondered if he remembered your conversation from the night before the last expedition. Hell, if it weren’t for Erwin’s cloak, you wouldn’t have been able to decipher whether your agreement was a dream. A part of you prayed that he hadn’t remembered— A marriage pact. What were you thinking?— but your instincts reluctantly told you that he not only remembered but could probably recall every word.

You spared a single glance toward him as you rifled through your pages. Erwin caught your eye, offering you a slight, closed-lipped smile and a pleased raise of his thick eyebrows. You averted your attention with a newfound nervousness.

You had no issue interacting with Erwin before. You were as close with him as you were with any other section commander and would have dared to consider him a friend. A good friend you’ve known for many years, he had your back on the battlefield and saved your life more times than you could count. He broke into that storage closet for your daft idea. That had to have meant something.

But he couldn’t have possibly been serious about your agreement. Of everyone you knew, Erwin sat near the bottom of the list of people you’d consider interested in marriage. Looking like he did, he had good chances of courting anyone he wanted. And yet, he agreed to marry you.

“They made it.”

“Hm?” You glanced up from your shuffling to follow Erwin’s gaze. He brushed the corner of one of the certificates, pulling it on the desk by the corner so that it sat at an angle. He cocked his head to read it better, then glanced back at you. “Oh.” You turned away as you continued your sifting. “Their injuries were terrible. They passed in the hospital yesterday—”

“But they made it.” Erwin never took his attention off you as he tapped Owens’ corrected name. Your heart twinged with guilt as you heaved a light sigh.

“I suppose they did,” you resigned, displacing a chunk of the pile on your desk chair. You blew at a strand of hair in your face before a realization hit you. Your lips formed a thin smile, and your forehead made the slightest wrinkle as you quirked your head to yourself, finally finding the files you were looking for. “I forgot I told you about that.”

“Forgot?”

You offered the bound pages across the width of your desk. The same colored string hung off them, the ends in a neat bow. Erwin’s bright blue irises held a certain seriousness in them.

“Things have just been… busy.” You didn’t know what else to say. Erwin glanced off to the side momentarily, tucking the stack of pages under his arm.

“I see,” he said with a nod. You stood awkwardly, the files you had displaced on your seat. “Thank you for looking for these. I’m glad we could get it sorted.” Erwin turned to walk casually back out to the hall, only stopping when you called out his name.

“Erwin?” He turned, thick brows raised in attention. He pivoted on your area rug, and once you had his attention, you didn’t quite know what to do with it. You leaned forward with a hand on your desk, letting the moment pass as you searched for words. “Um— did you want some tea?”

Erwin offered you a small, dimpled smile.

“I’ll have to pass. I need to get these done.” He held up his handful of papers. It was an answer that made sense for two section commanders such as yourselves. You were coworkers. Perhaps you were even coworkers before you were friends.

“Oh… yeah, of course,” you laughed nervously, watching the back of his head retreat into the hallway and down toward his office at the other end of the hall. You sank down to the floor in mortification.

Great, now you’ve made it awkward.

***

It was a week full of paperwork, and you were officially one expedition down out of three. Three. What an oddly specific number. Between expeditions one and two sat the Military Ball, which was less about celebrating service members as advertised and more about political schmoozing and securing funds for the three military branches.

The entire headquarters was in a scurry to prepare, the rush to get the paperwork done and aesthetics in order starkly contrasted to the usual bustle and priorities of the Scout Regiment. It was an odd time to attend. While the Garrison and Military Police continued their business inside the walls, the Survey Corps reeled from your most recent expedition just a week prior. But in typical fashion for the Scouts, the world moved on. Having signed off on the death certificates for your fallen squad members days ago, it was in your best interest to rest your sights on the future, even if that meant attending a celebration in the wake of tragedy.

You scurried up the steps, making last-minute tucks and adjustments to your dress uniform. Always the one left to tie up loose ends, you insisted that everyone else go on without you. Being called back to the office to finish tasks wasn’t out of the question. Erwin once told you that the last full batch of section commanders had been called out of the Military Ball in the first hour for missing reports.

You offered the greeting committee at the front a heartfelt salute, gesturing toward your credentials before they finally let you in. The ballroom was illuminated in a golden glow, highlighting the shiny, rich decor fitting for a grand venue in the Capital Mitras. You tried to hide your rushing, slowing your pace to offer polite smiles to the military personnel and politicians who lingered about enjoying their appetizers and complimentary aperitifs.

Hange had made their way deep into the room, their voice ringing out over the sea of chatter. From what you could tell, they had gathered quite a crowd of wealthy nobles excited to hear harrowing tales about the titans. They certainly chose the wrong soldier to prod about titan information. Not only would they be engaged in conversation for the entire night, but you wouldn’t be surprised if someone grew physically ill based on the level of detail Hange decided to spout. You pushed on, swiping a bubbling drink off a service tray and a small hors d'oeuvre off another as you scanned the bustling ballroom.

It wasn’t hard to find Erwin. He stood tall next to a cocktail table outlined in a thick, white cloth. With a cocktail flute in one hand, he struggled at the knot in his bolo tie.

“I see they're letting just anybody in here.” Erwin’s pretty blue irises flickered up as you approached, your snack quickly disappearing past your lips.

“Same could go for you. Is that a non-standard issue No. 20 brown belt I see?”

“Oh, shut up!” You hurried over, giddy like a schoolchild afraid of getting scolded by the headmaster. “Mine broke on expedition. I was hoping no one would notice.” You shook your head before placing your drink down on the table and wiping your fingers with your cocktail napkin.

“You wore your dress uniform belt on expedition?” Erwin’s hands immediately fell away as you stepped forward to work at the tight knot the leather strings had been contorted into. You bobbed your head from side to side.

“My straps have gone to shit. I really need to order new ones, I just haven’t gotten around to it.” You dug your nail at the tough bundle of leather before withdrawing for a moment in disdain. You cocked your head to the side, holding the bunch in your fingers. “What the hell did you do to this?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.” The tightest portion of the knot loosened. Your shoulders drooped as you let out a short breath of relief before continuing to unravel the knot.

“I’m surprised they didn’t give you a hard time about credentials. I swear that one guy looked at me funny because my lapel wasn’t properly ironed.” The loop you were making steadily grew larger. With a few more strategic pulls, the center would open.

“I was holding it in my hand when we came in, if you’d believe it.” You could feel his chuckle reverberate through his chest.

“I’m sure Shadis was thrilled by that.” The knot came undone, and you tugged at it until the leather strings sat kinky but otherwise untangled across his collarbone. You took to adjusting the entire tie so that the ends sat orderly and symmetrically with the clasp neatly in the middle.

“I won’t tell if you won’t.” Erwin looped a finger through your thin belt, giving it a playful tug. You didn’t look away from your work for a second, all too aware of your close proximity. You avoided looking at his face as you stepped back, his bolo tie finally arranged at the center of his collar.

“You’re sure in high spirits tonight,” you mused with a roll of your eyes. “Looking for the bottom of that bottomless champagne?”

“I can’t say I’ve started such a challenge,” Erwin said with a bounce of his brows, a smile creeping onto his lips. He clasped his hands behind his back as he surveyed the room. You picked your drink back up, swirling it in the glass with a shrug of your shoulders and a dip of your lip. You stared out into the crowd along with him.

You were content to stand with him, watching as people mingled around the room in a sea of uniforms, gowns, and suits. The members of the Survey Corps were the easiest to spot. Members of your squads grouped together, claiming their own territories amongst the circular dining tables. The prideful sported their dress uniforms, but it appeared that most were content to shed the Wings of Freedom for a night in exchange for their best formal attire.

A part of you was relieved that the dress uniform was mandatory for all four section commanders. You hadn’t had anything too special in your closet anyway.

“Probably for the best. When things settle, I’m going to take a crack at Senator Montgomery.”

“Are you now?” Erwin quirked a brow as he continued to look out into the distance. A serving tray traveled by with champagne, and Erwin took one. “Eager for a few more expeditions?”

“He’s pretty agreeable after dinner,” you continued. You didn’t even hear him. “Not to mention that his children are fascinated with horses. I’ve been giving them lessons, and I take the youngest riding on the trail near the outskirts of Rose about once a month.” You took a sip of your bubbly, savoring the taste. Another group entered through the rich double doors. “It’s been our little arrangement for quite some time. I’m sure he won’t take much more convincing. Besides, I know you’re going for Edmonds.”

“You’re quite the detective.” Erwin offered a polite smile to a pair of politicians passing by before glancing back at you. “I expect no less from you. You’ve always been quite sharp when it comes to these things.”

“Please—” You shook your head, toying with the stem of your glass. —“Everyone knows Shadis wants you to bag the big one. Edmonds is tough, but you’re good with your words. I think you’ll have an in by the end of the night.”

“You give me too much credit.”

“You can play modest with Edmonds, but I know you better than to believe that.” You weren’t really thinking when you snorted, eyes trained on the familiar faces traveling across the ballroom. A small, sentimental smile played on your lips. You didn’t notice that either.

“Do you now?” You incidentally met his eye, and the simple act of doing so made your heart skip a beat. A light, curious glimmer glinted in his expression. You quickly glanced away, fiddling with your glass before bringing it to your lips. Erwin’s attention was still trained on you in your peripheral.

“We’ve served for a long time,” you resigned with a sigh. The nervousness you had never felt with Erwin before continued to constrict your chest. You tried not to let it show. Erwin seemed to let the matter go, turning his attention forward again to your relief.

“That we have…”

“Erwin? Erwin! AHH!” A woman’s voice carried over the crowd. A puff of strawberry blonde hair peaked out over the top of the bustling throng along with a single, dainty pale hand. You could see glimpses of her periodically jumped on her low flats to catch a glimpse of Erwin as she gradually made her way through the horde of people. “Excuse us. Sorry. Excuse us!”

It didn’t take long for her to break through, and to your surprise, she tugged Nile Dok in tow. She was a beautiful woman with long, curly hair, the color of which complimented her deep mustard-colored gown. The fabric draped elegantly over her rounded stomach and her shoulders were decorated in light tulle. She dropped Nile’s sleeve as she stood in front of you and Erwin, stretching her arms out with a gleeful smile. Erwin graciously greeted her, letting her wrap her arms around his neck in a deep hug. She just about squeezed the air out of him.

“Erwin! Look at you! It’s been too long!”

“Careful,” Nile warned apprehensively but did little to get involved.

At a loss for what to do, you made eye contact with the ever-serious Nile Dok, offering him a salute and a polite greeting.

“It’s good to see you, Captain Dok. You’re looking well.”

“The same could be said for you, Section Commander.” He nodded cordially. Your attention snapped back to Erwin at the sound of your name.

“I’d like to introduce you to my good friend, Marie Dok. You’re acquainted with her husband, Nile Dok.” He gestured toward the woman before you. “Marie, this is my colleague—” The way he spoke your name sounded like an afterthought, but Marie paid no mind. She smiled at you, holding open her arms again to pull you into a warm hug.

“Oh—” You reciprocated her gesture when the momentary shock wore off.

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Section Commander,” she oozed before pulling away. She smelled subtly of fresh flowers.

“Please, no need to be so formal,” you insisted with a light laugh.

“The two of you are going to eat with us, aren’t you? We have more than enough room at our table,” Marie pressed on. She turned in search of Nile’s approval while you glanced toward Erwin. Nile spared a knowing look toward Marie and a sigh before joining yours and Erwin’s silent conversation. Not being a fan of the mental exchanges being had without her, Marie couldn’t help the pout that found her lips. “I know the three of you have to make the rounds, but at least come to our table for dinner. Just the dinner part.” She playfully nudged Nile’s arm before taking it in her own. “If the senators and commanders get to talk shop with you all night, I think I deserve at least some of your time.”

“I couldn’t intrude,” you attempted to politely decline. Marie continued to pout.

“Please—” She huffed with a certain informality refreshing in comparison to the setting. It almost made you laugh. “Military folk are so hard to pin down these days. Besides, any friend of Erwin’s is a friend of mine!”

You finally relented, head stuck on that word “friend.”

***

Dinner that night was by no means cheap. Not only were the attendees given a choice of several dietary selections for the main course, but among the spread were prime cuts of beef, whole fowl, sides of decadent potatoes with gravy, and a mix of fresh greens unlike anything most Scout Regiment soldiers had ever seen.

You tried to savor your meal, but more than half your plate was gone before you could blink. Glancing around, you were willing to bet that most Scouts had just about scarfed their portions down with gusto. The fresh, high-quality food was in stark contrast to your usual rations of bread and meat scraps, after all. Marie ate just as much as any soldier, using her clearly pregnant appearance to persuade the waitstaff to bring more food to the table.

Two other military police officers joined you with their spouses, who wore high-quality formal attire. You had seen the officer’s faces around at some time or another— most certainly at last year’s Military Ball— but didn’t know them closely. Despite your unfamiliarity with most people at your table, everyone seemed well acquainted with Marie.

“Marie owns Mulligan’s. We met her as cadets way back when she was a server,” Erwin noted to you with a nostalgic nod. Even Nile’s serious demeanor melted some at the memory.

“Really?” Your face lit up in recognition. A hotspot for military personel, the pub had been taken over by Military Police types in recent years. But even so, you held some fond memories of the place. Marie offered a humble nod. “You have a killer ale. What a small world.” “Feels smaller every day,” Marie sighed with a smile.

With dinner over, the chatter and mingling started up again. And just like in years past, officers and public figures alike began to drift from their tables in favor of chatting up the people they had intended to persuade since the beginning of the night.

Erwin drifted, eager to bag a promising opportunity for the Scouts as Shadis’s most charming section commander. Someone came to talk shop with Nile the next instant, and soon, you were left at the table alone with Marie.

“It’s that time, isn’t it?” she mused knowingly. You offered her a sheepish and reluctant quirk of your lip as you stood from your chair.

“Unfortunately,” you said, straightening out your uniform. You glanced at Senator Montgomery out of your peripheral before returning to Marie. “Thank you for inviting me to your table. It was nice meeting you.” You offered her your hand, but she didn’t take it.

Instead, Marie propped her elbow on the table, resting her cheek against her palm as she looked you over. The action lacked malice or severe judgment as she collected information to fuel her following words. Her lips parted with purpose.

“The two of you make quite the couple,” was all she said.

You were taken aback as you thought about what she was saying. Your brow furrowed, along with a slight curl to your bottom lip. Marie tilted her chin downward with a slight arch to her light eyebrows as if to say what she implied was obvious.

“I— um— we’re, uh…” The more you grasped for words, the harder it was to find them. You sighed, letting your chest deflate as you collected yourself. “We’re colleagues. The time we’ve served allows us to work well in a professional setting, as is the usual relationship between section commanders.”

Colleagues. That’s what Erwin had introduced you as.

“I see,” she hummed, staring off in another direction. You stood in front of your pushed-in chair, silently following her line of sight into the bustling ballroom. It was too crowded to make out what she was so fixated on. “You know, I’ve always subscribed to the phrase, ‘you can’t be a little bit pregnant!’”

Marie let out a boisterous laugh as she stood out of her chair. You swiftly stepped over to help her as she cradled her rounded stomach with her left arm. She accepted your help but ultimately didn’t require much support.

“Whoo!” Marie stretched a bit as she found her bearings. Her hands quickly found yours, giving you two firm taps to the back of your wrist. “I won’t keep you any longer. But if you see Nile milling around, would you do me a favor and send him back to me?”

You agreed, trying to center your thoughts on Senator Montgomery.

***

The deal was wrapped up in a snap. If anything, you considered that you included too much preamble before getting to the meat of your proposal. Senator Montgomery snapped it up without much further negotiation. He had always been very fond of you, so much so that you likely could have brought the issue up at the start of your lengthy conversation.

Senator Montgomery was a talker, and after he expressed his dedication to your proposal, you were swiftly whisked into a detailed conversation about his children. You were acquainted with all three of them, and the question took a sharp turn from politics to which one of his children was making the swiftest progress in their riding lessons?

Having his children be trained by such a high-ranking officer in the Scouts was apparently quite the point of pride for the senator. For the rest of the night, he referred to you as a close family friend to other elite residents of Wall Sina. The senator made sure to gesture to your credentials as he did so.

If that meant his continued support of the Scouts, the senator could call you anything he pleased.

By the time you could excuse yourself, the festivities were already winding down. Dessert was already half-gone. You took another champagne flute to disappear onto the balcony with.

You leaned against the white stone railing, breathing deeply before exhaling a steady stream of hot air. You took a sip of your drink, staring off at the lights of the city. Even at night, Sina was littered with warm streetlamps that grew less in number as the distance ran on. A dark sheet of night existed past the sloping city. The stars that littered the horizon marked where the wall stopped in its reach toward the sky.

“Need a breather? How was Montgomery?”

Erwin took his place next to you, leaning on his elbows to mirror your posture. You hadn’t even heard him approach. He scooted a little plate across the stone surface. The two dessert pastries wobbled, knocking against each other. He offered you a dessert fork, and you weren’t about to deny him.

You met his gaze, letting the exhaustion on your face show for the first time that night. Another labored breath vibrated the skin of your lips and you rolled your eyes with a shake of your head. The tips of your four fingers met your thumb, snapping your hand open and closed to mimic the loudmouthed chatter you endured. Erwin’s shoulders jumped— his version of a snort.

“That good, huh?”

“I mean, we have a deal, but damn—” You glanced behind you to ensure that you were truly alone. Erwin instinctually swiveled his head with you. —“I hope the Montgomerys aren’t planning to have more children.” Erwin hummed a chuckle, digging his fork into the dessert. A sheepish smile found your lips as you couldn’t help but chuckle along with him. “What about you? How was Edmonds?”

Erwin’s fork action halted, and you laughed as he rubbed at his temples.

“We have a meeting first thing Monday morning,” he breathed after a few moments of carefully choosing his words. You continued chipping away at your dessert. “Edmonds is a very thorough man.” Erwin shook his head, dismissing the rest of his words.

“It was a full interrogation, huh?” you mused before taking another bite.

“Mh-mhm.” Erwin placed his fork on the little plate, savoring the last of his pastry. He turned to lean his back against the railing you continued to rest on. His arms coiled over his chest. He continued to chew; he had wide chews. “By the way—” You didn’t know someone’s jaw could move like that with their mouth still closed, but that was none of your business. —“Sorry about Marie. She can get a bit excitable sometimes.”

“Not at all. Dinner was nice. And Marie seems nice…” You set your fork down as you continued to stare out at Sina. You paused, hesitating for a moment. “She seems a bit—”

“Different compared to Nile?”

“Yeah.”

The two of you let the moment pass. You traced the wall's outline in the distance, trying to keep track of how many stars hovered above the black mass. Erwin kept his sights on the ballroom, which cast a golden glow onto the balcony, stopping just short of the two of you. People were starting to trickle out, having had their fill. A decent portion of the attendees continued to chatter. The waitstaff were beginning to take away the dessert table.

“We used to spend a lot of time together years ago,” Erwin continued out of the silence. You didn’t know how to respond. He continued again. “I think she just wants to remember how things were when we’re together like this. We don’t keep in touch, so she gets a bit overinvolved to make up for lost time.”

“That makes sense.”

You wanted to ask him. You wanted him to connect the dots for you so you could have another clue in deciphering what exactly the two of you were. But you held your tongue, and the night continued like all the previous Military Balls. You decided you didn’t need to ask him if Marie Dok was the woman he wanted to marry all those years ago. You already knew.

***

“Is this, like, illegal?”

“Shut up.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Hurry, please.”

“You try picking a lock in the dark.”

“Move aside and let me try.”

“I got it,” Ymir gritted in the darkness. “Go fuck off over there and keep watch.” She pressed her ear to the door, feeling around the lock with her picks before finally hearing a satisfying click from the latch. With a single tug of the handle, the door quietly swung open. The former members of the 104th Cadet Corps filed into your office, quietly taking in the sights in the moonlight trickling through the window.

“There it is,” Sasha whispered, practically foaming at the mouth as she immediately ran up to your tea cart. Connie, Christa, and Reiner followed on her heels, instantly picking up the teacups and other accoutrement on the top tray as the others scattered around the room. Mikasa closed the door behind her.

“The picture’s right here.” Jean gingerly opened the cabinet of memorabilia. The cabinet gave the same resistance as the day before, giving way to reveal the items inside. Sure enough, the framed drawing sat in the same place next to your old Scout cloak. Those less interested in the tea cart gathered around as Jean took it in his hands.

“I have never heard of a branch transfer,” Mikasa remarked, taking the ends of the cloak in her hands. The fabric felt stiff between her fingertips.

“Maybe you have to transfer if your husband gets promoted to commander of your branch.” Jean rubbed his thumb over the glass where you and Erwin were depicted. The scene was a large outdoor fire where you and your old squadmates were illustrated in an artistic and detailed outline. You and Erwin sat to the right of the frame, smiling and talking. Yes, the figures were undoubtably the two of you. Jean passed the picture on in favor of looking for more evidence.

“Why would someone give up the title of section commander to work for the Garrison?” Eren muttered a bit too seriously. Jean had to stop to blink a few times. He was kidding, right?

Jean continued his search, but you didn’t have much memorabilia from the early days. Besides the picture and your cloak, all that remained was your patch with your last expedition number and a few fancy documents littered with formal signatures.

Something bounced to the floor in Jean’s peripheral. He bent down to retrieve it, leaving the doors of the cabinet ajar. Eren turned the frame over in his hand, inspecting the back of it before also leaning down. Jean clutched the squishy little knot in his hand just moments before his head collided with Eren’s. They both recoiled, only for Eren to knock his head again against the bottom of the cabinet, which had swung open. Slamming his head in the same spot, the picture frame went crashing to the ground.

“Fuck! Dammit, Yeager!”

Glass scattered across the floor, and everyone’s attention simultaneously shot toward the sound. The room froze. Jean gaped at the mess on the wood floor, slowly moving to make eye contact with Eren. But before either of them could say a word, the door to your office creaked open, and the light flickered on, illuminating the dark room.

You stood in the doorway, out of uniform and with a stack of files under your arm. You glanced across your office, forehead knitted as you processed the collective presence of the ten wide-eyed Survey Corps members.

“What are you all doing here?”

Thank you to all who liked, reblogged, followed, and supported. Your support means so much and is greatly appreciated.

Notes: I love writing baby Reiner, I always give him the most banger lines. There will be a part III, which will hopefully be the final part. I just had a lot to set up and write and it wasn't logistically possible to fit it all in this part. If it doesn't fit in part III, I plan on dutifully writing a part IV.

For those who don't know, the phrase "you can't be a little bit pregnant" refers to dedicating all or nothing to a situation since the status of being pregnant is either that you are or that you aren't.

Notes: I’m happy to add people to the tag list, but requesting to be added without interacting with any part of this series outside of your tag request will result in a swift block

Part I Part II Part III

@goddessinsweats