Chapter 13: Wood Morning.

Annie woke up suddenly, sitting on the bed with her eyes wide open; her mind felt confused at first when she SAW the still unfamliar room she was in and looking around found out it was early in the morning: she could see the sun's light slowly creeping over the buildings and from far away came the noise of cannons, busy destroying whatever titans still roamed in Trost. Something stirred beside her: she eyed Nikolai still asleep, shirtless and relaxed, and remembered all that had happened so fast the stream of clashing feelings made her cover her eyes and take deep breaths to relax, fighting the guilt and burying it all under the relief of freedom; partial and still endangered, but freedom still. Her companion yawned and opened an eye, watching her as she lowered her hands on the sheets.

_Mornin'.

_Yeah.

Leonhardt looked at her hands, feeling the fabric of the blanket against her skin since all she had on was her bra and panties, heard the rustling made by him when he stood up and left the room with only his underwear on... and couldn't help but to steal a glance of his firm buttocks before he left the bedroom. As the sound of water came from the bathroom the girl fell back on the pillow, not really wishing to leave the bed so instead reminded herself the most important details of their made up story for later.

_Here.

His voice brought her out of contemplation, and she turned to see him leaving a small basin on the nighttable and holding a glass in her direction; she took it and the faint smell of mint got to her nose. Annie washed her mouth while Nikolai stretched his arms and back, the cracking of bones followed by a satisfied sigh.

_Thanks. -she said, putting the glass on the table as he sat on the bed.

_How are you? -he asked after a moment of silence- How do you feel?

Annie bit her lower lip and looked at the ceiling, trying to calm her mind and silence the voices attempting to fill her head with whispers; she partially succeeded, her gratefulness at being alive and mostly free of her former ties relieving part of her burden, and turned to look at him with tired eyes.

_I've felt better.

_That's for sure. But more important is... have you felt worse? -the girl frowned at that, then nodded without hesitation- Good. It means there is a good chance this will work.

_Not that i'm exactly joyous right now.

_I doubt it... the first days are the worst. You know you have to avoid thinking too much, but it's almost impossible without help.

She looked down, curling up on the bed while considering his words and glanced at him without moving.

_And how do you avoid thinking? -she asked and he sat on the bed, facing her.

_Doing things... anything that needs you to focus and keep your mind on it; then, once you've spent some energies, you'll find out you have an easier time ignoring your own head.

_When should i start? -Annie whispered.

_Whenever you feel the need. -he said honestly.

The girl fell silent for a few moments and then let go of the blanket, instead kneeling in front of him; Nikolai didn't move or change his expression, just stayed there waiting until Annie finally acted and cupped his face with her hands, placing a long kiss on his lips. His hand went up immediately, gently caressing her thigh up and down while letting the girl's tongue play at her leisure until she broke the kiss, blushed and ready.

_Lay down on the bed, now. -she ordered and Nikolai complied quickly.

Annie was on him as soon as he got on the pillows, her fingers running along his torso while she nibbled and sucked on his neck; Niko hummed pleasantly and his hands went inside her underwear to grope her ass, his middle finger brushing against her hole and earning a soft sigh of pleasure from her.

_Don't rush. -he whispered on her ear- Take your time, focus.

The girl relaxed on top of him, her breathing becoming more steady as she positioned to stradle Nikolai, her firm butt pressing on his growing bulge; Leonhardt eyed him calmly and let her hands brush and touch every scar on his skin, studying him: she memorized every texture, checked every reaction when she moved from scarred tissue to normal skin. Unlike most, Niko hadn't lost any sensitivity on the hardened scars; it was just... different for him.

Satisfied, Annie leaned to suck on his nipple, earning a surprised but pleased look from him; then she began to grind her crotch on his throbbing member, making him hiss in need when the fabric of his underwear became oppressive. The blonde moved to lie on her side, still kissing and sucking while her hand crept into his boxers and massaged his hot member; He threw his head back and sighed when Annie pulled his cock out and jerked him off slowly, feeling every vein as she went up, teasing the glans's slit with her slim finger and smiling when he rocked his hips upwards.

After a while of masturbating him Leonhardt decided it was time to move on and left his dick alone momentarily, which made him look at her expectantly while she removed her underwear; Niko did the same hurriedly and laid down again, waiting her next move, and hummed with interest when Annie turned around, sliding on him until her pussy was in front of his face. The soldier licked his lips, appreciating the sight of her moisty pussy and firm, pale buttocks; his hands groped her cheeks as he leaned forward and gave a long, hungry lick on her labia.

She grumbled in pleasure and bobbed up and down on him until his length touched the back of her throat; her hand massaged his balls and Niko gave a playful slap on her butt making her jump and getting a soft glare. Annie decided to repay him with a gentle bite on the head of his cock that made him stiffen and hiss, then chuckle; his fingers prodded both holes while kissing the inside of her thigh and Leonhardt hummed in pleasure, stroking him slowly with a tight grip as she slid on him like a snake, rubbing her wet cunt on his manhood.

_Turn around. -he said suddenly- Face me.

The girl hesitated only for a moment, before doing as he said and shift on the bed, holding his length as she squatted slowly, taking him in to the root; she stayed on that position breathing deeply, feeling his cock throb inside her and she clenched around Niko when he moved his hips. Annie leaned on him, her hands pressing on his chest while her lips brushed his and let out an almost imperceptible sigh; he put a hand on her nape and brought her for a slow kiss that began to increase in heat until Leonhardt pulled back, her nails scratching his skin when she began grinding on Nikolai.

He relaxed and let her set the rythm, enjoying the sight of Annie with her eyes closed and sweat beginning to cover her body as she increased her speed; the girl bit her lower lip to hold her voice until a sudden slap on her butt made her yelp, opening her eyes wide and fixing them on his smiling face.

_Don't hold back on me Annie. -he said slowly, with a fierce smirk- Come on, time to fuck me like you mean it.

She eyed him from above with a cold face that belied her lust before rising and slamming against him, getting the soldier to grunt under her; once more and Annie finally let a loud moan out when his cock pierced her. Taking deep breaths the blonde squatted on top of him and began moving up and down at a fast pace, her panting and half muttered curses filling the air as Nikolai straightened supporting on his elbows and sucked on her breast; she chuckled briefly and held him there with a hand while moving her hips in circles, his dick completely buried in her.

Suddenly the girl pushed him away and used her hands to support herself, now moving back and forth to give him a full view of her body, drops of sweat making their way down to her pussy making him lick his lips in anticipation; Annie kept the show up for a short while and then fell forward, caging Niko's head between her arms and giving him a hungry look.

_I'm speeding up. -she said- Okay?

Nikolai ran his hands on her sides, barely touching her skin, and answered with a quick wink and a smile.

_Do what you want, baby; right now it's all about you.

Closing her eyes, Annie buried her face on the pillow and raised her hips, smashing them on Nikolai with a loud slap; her moan was muffled and she hugged him around his neck while his hands helped her move. She did it again with mor strength and his cock kissed the entrance of her womb; the blonde made sure he went in as deep as possible with each hump, panting right on his ear when her hips went up and marking each penetration with a lewd moan.

_Nikolai, i... -she begged, pausing to bite his lobe- I need more! Fuck me!

Without a word he sat up, grabbed Annie by the waist and made her lie on her back; she threw her head back with a hearty cry when he made her swallow his member to the hilt, pulling out quickly only to smash more and more brutally with each pump.

_Yes, yes, like that! -she purred, eyes unfocused and a trembling smile on her face- Shove it deeper, give me more!

Without a word he obliged, speeding his movements while spreading her legs and kneeling on the bed to thrust as deep and hard as he could; Annie moaned in ecstasy as he fucked her relentlessly, one hand cupping her breast while the other went under her and shoved a finger up her ass, then two. She felt it, the tingling sensation crawling all over her body when the orgasm was near and this time didn't try to hold it as her partner rocked against her.

_Yes! -she panted.

Nikolai bent down and bit hard on her shoulder, sending sparks of pleasure and pain coursing through her; Annie lost all inhibitions left when he put both hands under her and fucked hard and strong, pulling out fast and burying himself like a battery ram. They didn't moan anymore, instead grunting and panting harshly as they mated, her nails now carving deep in his back; his pumping sped up by the second while she got tighter and tighter around his erection, legs locking around his waist to hold him as close as she could.

_M-more... I'm g-gonna...

The blonde felt it nearing, the strongest orgasm she'd ever had as he pumped into her tirelessly, burying himself violently; fire ran through her with every thrust and her breath came ragged and irregular until she felt it explode inside her and came with a loud cry, her eyes and mouth wide open facing at the ceiling, nails drawing blood from his back and her legs twitching around her lover. Her body went limp little by little but Nikolai didn't stop, taking advantage of it to straighten and fuck Annie while she was still under the effects of her climax until he felt dangerously near his limit and pulled out, running his hand fast on his throbbing member and letting out a long, satisfied sigh when the first cum shot splattered on her chest and abs, followed by a few more reaching up to her open mouth.

She gave him a tired smile, slowly and deliberatedly sticking her tongue out to collect some of his cum, while her hands went up and down her body at a sluggish pace mixing her sweat with his semen; he eyed her appraisingly and smirked.

_Damn, girl. -he said- We were always intense but that was... another level.

She shifted on the bed, rubbing her thighs and cupping her own breasts, licking her lips, and saw with satisfaction how his member pulsed and began to swell again; Nikolai blinked and bit his lower lip.

_Are you sure you'd be ready for round 2? Remember we'll have visitors, and it's morning already.

_I know. -she purred- I just want to be lazy a little longer.

_Oh, okay.

_Anyways... -she looked at her nails and saw the blood on them- How's your back?

He shrugged, taking a piece of cloth and handing it to her to clean up.

_Stings, but it's alright. How about you?

She sat up and looked through the window, seeing the houses now lit by the sunlight; soon some officers would be visiting them and she'd lie once more to survive, but for the first time she didn't feel that hook of guilt that had been pulling inside her for years.

_I'm better. Thanks for that, i needed it.

_My pleasure -he said winking- now let's get ready before our visitors arrive.

They shared the only shower, being so used at each other they had no problem at all; he washed her back, a strange gesture she found pleasing but more akin to friendly than romantic.

They were finishing breakfast when someone knocked on the door; Nikolai answered while Annie cleared the table, still munching on a toast, and Pixis entered followed by his two assistants and three MP members. After a round of presentations and warm greetings and congratulations Dot and the representant of the Inner Police, Nile Dok, asked Annie to stay with them and one of their companions who'd take note of everything in the dining room to hear her report while Nikolai waited in the backyard in the company of the other cohorts. The man smiled impishly and followed the others, spending the time sitting on the grass, answering a few questions made by the soldiers about his exploits which no doubt would be informed to their superiors later and ogling at Anksa's butt until the door opened and Annie walked out, pointing above her shoulder to send him in.

His took his time to inform them, giving them a more or less similar version of what Annie had told them minus a few things he could have easily let slip by in the heat of the moment or adding others she could have missed to give it a sense of credibility, the feeling of having two people in the same setting and cirumstances but with differing emotional states and perceptions; he hesitated and showed certainty at the right moments, gave them a carefully constructed lie that he knew they'd find believable, specially Dok. They listened quietly and interrupted a few times to bring up questions in certain points, mostly to corroborate if it was true that they wanted to kidnap Eren and also that they had mentioned nothing more and in the end praised him for his bravery and called both inside, telling them they'd be travelling to the capital soon to take part in Jaeger's trial.

_That covers everything then. -Nile announced, letting out a sigh of relief and standing- I'll be leaving for Wall Sina soon; Commander Pixis, cadets, i'm looking forward to meeting all of you again to settle this once and for all.

_I say the same. -answered the older man.

Once Dok left, the old Commander relaxed on his chair and took a gulp of his liquor.

_Excuse me young cadets, i needed a refreshing sip. -he said with a small smile- My position and the nature of the current situation demand i begin my day very early. All too early indeed...

He drank again; Annie watched him with a raised eyebrow, but when she eyed Nikolai she found him eyeing Pixis carefully, until he leaned on the table on an elbow and gave the old man a resigned smile.

_Go on, ask; it's not like i can't deny something you already know.

Dot chuckled, swinging his flask slightly and hearing the liquid swirl inside.

_Why young man, won't you even let me have some fun playing along?

_Not now the MP jerks are gone.

_Nikolai? -Annie asked a bit concerned- What's going on?

He didn't answer right away, instead fixing his eyes on Pixis; after a few moments he chuckled and looked at her.

_He said his days starts early... you came here in the morning, didn't you? You heard us.

Leonhardt's eyes widened and she straightened on her chair, looking at the veteran cautiously.

_Well, you caught me; i wanted to see if i could get some information before Nile came, and i did! Not the kind i expected though. So let's go to the point: what kind is the real relationship between you two? -he suddenly turned to the girl- Miss Leonhardt?

Annie blinked at Pixis, momentarily confused, but quickly regained her composture.

_We're friends... fuckbuddies is what he calls it. -she added quickly, pointing at Niko with her thumb and blushing slightly.

_For how long?

_Since training camp, like three months after we started. -she said and instantly regretted it when Pixis eyebrows rose.

_That's quite a long time, in my opinion. Don't you agree cadet Nikolai? -the old man questioned, glancing at the younger while taking a sip; the white haired man shrugged nonchalantly at his comment.

_We were never exclusive Commander: i had other girls to go around with, our encounters were random depending on our mood or availability; it actually lasted this long because i never had a real romantic relationship. In fact, if you ask around you may get others to confess a similar status of fuckbuddy with me... if they're willing to admit it of course.

_How many?

_Well... five come to mind right away, not including her; can't give names though, no matter your suspicions.

Pixis laughed good heartedly, waving a hand dismissively.

_No need young man, i made some quick inquiries with the cadets of the 104th before coming here; the boys in particular were quick to talk about your "notable deeds" while training, and some girls seem to be hoping you'll give them a chance in the romantic sense.

_Well, at least i'm popular. Any other things?

_Not for now. We are almost done eliminating all titans inside Trost, and soon will have to take care of all the dead; i was told to relieve you of that duty as you'll soon be taken to the center ring once Dok arrives and gives his report... i thought he'd take you with him to be honest. -Dot stood up and made a gesture to his aides- I guess they want time to prepare a fancy reception; the Heroes of Trost thing should keep people busy until Eren's fate is decided. Good day cadets, and once more congratulations; no need for salutes, thank you.

Once he left Annie sagged on her chair, loosening up completely like a puppet without strings while Nikolai relaxed and smiled; she put both hands on her face and sighed.

_Fuck i can't believe that last part, i thought we were fucked. -she said.

_Meh, not really; from his reaction i think he knew our status and just wanted to tease us; i mean your face...! -Niko answered giggling.

_Don't laugh! -she snarled.

_Sorry. But it's alright now, all we need to do is wait until Eren's trial; i know you'll be careful in there, just play your part and smile when necessary.

_Whatever... but i can't stand the idea that old geezer came and, and... ugh! We'll have to be quieter if we do that again.

_We? I wasn't the one screaming mind you. -he said with a smirk that turned into laughter when she smacked his head.

_Don't laugh!

End of Chapter