March 1921
"It's so empty here without your guests."
The echoing voice danced off the walls and pressed against the small blonde's back as her hands lingered on her front door. It had been mere moments since she'd sent her last guest away with a smile, but it seemed that another lingered in her hallways. She turned, hands running down the length of her short dress to land on the tops of her thighs.
"I thought you went home, Ymir." She said softly, eyes gazing around the foyer and into the now empty ballroom. She could just make out the rising sun through the windows. She admired the light for a brief moment before a tall and shadowy figure stepped in front of her line of sight.
"You know I never leave, Historia." the other woman said, voice like that of a cat's purr. The blonde did not laugh, but let out a heavy sigh. She scooted past the other, short heels clicking against the floor as she staggered up her adorned stairs. She stopped at the top, leaning over the top railing to glance down at Ymir. The taller stood below her, hands deep inside her pockets as she watched the blonde from the bottom of the staircase.
"Why must you look at me in such a way, my love?" The blonde breathed. The brunette seemed to shrink within herself, her sorrowful look only growing stronger. Historia continued up the stairs. "Aren't you coming?" she called down. Ymir barely moved, staring at the shorter woman until something inside her clicked.
The brunette made her way up the stairs, legs dragging behind her with hesitation. She moved as if her body was too heavy to carry, and her eyes laid solely on the other. Her eyes' clouded and weary gaze fell only for a moment at top stais as she slipped her hand from her pocket to lace the smaller woman's gentle fingers with her own.
Historia was silent as she led Ymir down the familiar, dark hallway. The taller figure slowed her pace so her partner's shorter legs could lead the way. They came to the end of the long hallway, Historia going first through the doorway with Ymir not too far behind.
Their hands fell apart, Historia's finding the wall switch to turn on the dim ceiling lights, and Ymir's tucking back inside her pocket as she fell into a worn love seat in the right corner of the room.
It was an office, a large window to the left of the room and a large wooden desk towards the center of the room. There were cabinets along the back wall as well as a small side table beside Ymir's seat. The floor was covered in a large oriental rug that looked older than it was, and it added a sense of mystery to the regal room.
Historia lingered at the right side of the desk, looking through drawers until she found a pack of matches. She struck one against the flint along the package with a snap. She held it in her hands for a moment before lighting the two candles on her desk and blowing the match out with a single huff.
She left the crumbling match on the desk and slipped her heels off, glancing to Ymir for a moment with an inquiring eye.
Ymir did not move from her spot. She was now seated, fully relaxed with her legs spread and a fist folded under her chin, elbow resting atop the arm of the chair.
Historia gave up after a longing glare, and began to stretch her legs as she moved over to the cabinet, opening the top door and reaching all the way to the back. Her fingers found the handle to a secret compartment, sliding it open and pulling out a large bottle of caramel colored liquid.
At the sound of the quiet splash, Ymir's eyes lifted to watch her partner. Historia's other hand reached back again to pull out two crystal glasses, and she placed her load on the desk.
"What's bothering you?" Her silky voice came lightly, questioning the other woman who stared at her every movement from afar.
Ymir shifted, crossing her legs so one ankle rested on the opposite knee, her hand remaining firm under her chin. She swallowed, reaching up with her other hand to scratch the back of her neck. Her freckled face remained emotionless.
"Erwin was here." was all she said.
Historia nearly flinched, dress making a noise as her body shifted at the words.
"I invited him." The blonde returned, popping open the crystal glass and pouring enough of the drink to fill each glass halfway. Ymir nodded once, eyes drifting downward to watch Historia's feet as the blonde sat the bottle down and closed the top.
Ymir's gaze was steady, even as Historia reached upwards to unlatch the top of her dress. Ymir hummed in a way that her partner couldn't interpret.
Historia glanced at the other woman for a moment, seeing her face's color deepening in a dark blush.
Historia fiddled with the button for a moment, seeing Ymir's eyes find the opposite wall as the top of her dress slid downwards.
"I hate you."
Ymir scoffed at the blonde's sudden remark, a smirk fired in the blonde's direction. "How so?" She responded.
Historia slipped out of her dress with ease and turned away as it fell to the floor with a soft thud, leaving her only in a silk top that hung just below her ribs and equally silky underwear. "When my guests are here you're a mongrel, but the minute they leave you're an absolute doll."
Historia's eyes fell over her shoulder as she watched Ymir turning her head away although she knew Historia's path was directed to her. The blonde smirked to herself and reached up again, unpinning her hair and shaking the long strands out as they cascaded over her shoulders and around her neck.
She took the two glasses in her hand after a deep sigh, and began to make her way over to Ymir. The other woman sat up a little straighter and uncrossed her legs. Ymir's eyes found it hard to track the other as she sauntered over to her, both glasses in hand. The blonde took one and set it on the table, and placed the other in Ymir's outstretched hand.
Historia's hands found her thighs as she picked up each knee and sat them on either side of Ymir, straddling the other woman as an airy breath escaped. Ymir kept eye contact with the blonde as she lifted the glass to her lips and drank the entire glass in one gulp. She sat the empty glass down, eyes steady as Historia's hands wrapped around her neck and pulled her closer. Ymir bit her lip, glancing over the other's body for a moment before her eyes landed on Historia's.
"These days people drink to get drunk." She posed quietly, fingers fanning out over Historia's soft abdomen. Her darker skin looked even more so as her palm ran down to her navel, then to her hip and thigh. Amber eyes flicked up to meet blue ones. "And I am very," she breathed between words for emphasis, "very, drunk."
Historia almost laughed but she did not, hands finding Ymir's shoulders to pull the taller girl forward. Ymir closed her eyes, though, and held back against the chair.
"People forget when they're drunk, Historia," she said calmly, "and I need t' forget this night."
"Was what Annie told you... unpleasant?" Historia asked, tilting her head and leaning forward, nose brushing Ymir's. Ymir grunted in an affirmative response, eyes still closed. She opened her eyes suddenly, hands reaching up to take Historia's face in her palms.
"I can't be with you tonight." She said in an airy voice, barely above a whisper. Historia nodded. "I want to remember every moment with you," she leaned forward to press and gentle kiss against the other's lips, "and if we fall tonight I may lose my mind when the precious memory is lost to something as common as alcohol."
Historia laughed at this, wrapping her hands around Ymir's that still held to her warm cheeks.
"Will you tell me what Annie told you?"
Ymir shifted uncomfortably and the blonde moved so she sat across Ymir's lap, one arm slipped behind Ymir's back and the other around her waist. The brunette's eyes drifted along the floor and she frowned.
"You don't have to-" Historia started, but the other cut her off.
"In all my time of being her partner," she started, "I have never known Annie to care for another human being." Historia's brows furrowed but she listened as Ymir continued. "It was hard for me to even fathom that I could come to love someone like I love you, but Annie is different. Annie is vicious and cold and cunning." she paused and the blonde nodded as if to will her on.
"But it seems Miss Leonhardt has taken a lover." Ymir scoffed and the surprise from Historia is evident in her eyes. "But what Miss Leonhardt does not know- or perhaps she does and has not done anything about it- is that Mister Armin Arlert's best friends belong to the Surveys." Historia's posture faltered for a moment but Ymir began to speak again, "Not only that, but she alerted me to specific happenings around upper Manhattan. I got a lot of news that I didn't wanna hear and I have several more jobs to complete before the end of the summer."
A look of agony sweeps across Historia's face but it is silenced with a kiss.
"I don't want you to leave me again." the blonde breathed, sighing and slipping out of the chair. Ymir slowly followed.
"Don't be afraid, princess" Ymir said with a chuckle as her hand extended to take Historia's. The blonde complied and smiled weakly, "I'll return to you like I always do."
The sun rises before their next conversation but it is one of headaches and bullets and Ymir departs before dusk the next day. She does not return to Historia's home in this way ever again.