As You Are
Chapter Twelve
Watch Me Unfold
"Don't fear change. The surprise is the only way to new discoveries. Be playful!"
Gordana Biernat.
Amatsukaze en route to Marley
Main Seas
The dining hall fell into an immediate silence the moment she stepped into the decorated area, with Gabi's eyes glued on her figure and a stupefied expression on her innocent doe-like face. A tiny pang of guilt tugged at the bottom of Mikasa's heart, upon remembering the images that surged through her memories in a split second, replaying the almost unfortunate incident that happened back in their private chambers earlier, which would have mentally scarred the young girl inappropriately, if it wasn't for her swift agility. She was very, very close in throwing Reiner into the bathroom or worse, under the bed, since the window was not a viable option.
"Miss Gabi, wait, please! Lady Mikasa-" Helplessly, Akane tried to grab the little girl's shoulders to no avail, as the latter was already barging through the wooden door without any hesitation.
Gabi's mouth gaped open, eyes widened like a koi out of the water upon the vision greeting her sudden intrusion -- her older cousin on top of Miss Ackerman amidst the crumpled crimson sheets and disheveled state of clothing. The muscles on Reiner's hands could be seen straining as he seemed to be holding back his own weight from crashing down on Mikasa's more slender form, who was trying to hide her reddening face within the folds of Reiner's parted robe. Even her older cousin himself is having difficulty looking up at the two early guests directly in their eyes.
The little girl squeaked, "Reiner! What are you doing? Are you hurting Mikasa?"
Wait, what?
Reiner bit the insides of his cheeks to prevent himself from breaking into an unwarranted chuckle, but he produced a grunt instead when his bride poked him too hard using her elbow.
Apparently, the impact of her touch vibrated through his abdomen, quivering down the rest of his lower body, which apparently was still conjoined with his blushing new wife. She could feel the same vibrations too and Mikasa had to bite her lower lips in her own struggle to hold down an unsavory moan herself, lest she would make a big fool out of herself despite the teasing sensation against the more sensitive parts inside her. Still winding down from the aftermath of her first ever release.
Thank God their modesty was still hidden between the bunched up satins and intertwined limbs."
Of course not, Gabi." Reiner shook his head in response, trying to maneuver their way out of a rather potentially embarrassing situation. He looked down at the woman underneath him and asked, "Am I hurting you, Mikasa?"
All while she could feel the twitching muscles of his softening member from within, sending a short burst of shivers up her spine, threatening to trigger another post-orgasmic reaction from before.
Her pathetic lips could only utter a small 'no'.
The corners of the young lord's lips curved upwards into a devious smirk. "We had a minor 'disagreement' earlier but we resolved it 'amicably' and we could really use more time to 'gather our bearings' and get ready for the day," explained Reiner in a cryptic nature that could only be deciphered by a young adult, which, thankfully, were picked up on by Mikasa's handmaiden."
Huh?" A confused Gabi shook her head, trying so hard to comprehend information that she would only succeed to understand in the next seven or eight years. Fifteen, if it was up to Reiner.
"You guys were sparring?"Reiner nodded, agreeing with another one of Gabi's immaculate misconceptions. "Yes, Gabi. We were 'sparring'." 'With almost nothing on', emphasized the dark, inner voice that only he could hear.
Akane nodded diligently as she assessed the situation. The daughter of the Azumabito's household matron was very quick on her feet as she bowed down hastily, preparing to take her leave with Gabi. She would carry that little girl under her arms if she had to.
The future of their empire is at stake.
"Let's wait for Lord Reiner and the Lady Mikasa in the dining room, Ms. Gabi."
"But--"Akane tapped her chin lightly with a finger before good-naturedly suggesting, "Oh, I just remembered! I've left some peaches and cream pie baking in the oven. Just like the one you said your mother used to make for you back home."
"Can't I wait here for Mikasa?""Alright but I promised young Mr. Grice a big piece of the pie before breakfast since he's helping me to set up the table right now."
At the mention of Falco's name, Gabi's cheeks puffed in annoyance. "Not fair, Akane. You never asked me for help! I am so much better than Falco in everything." The little girl lost the battle against her own stubbornness and competitive streak before kicking her legs in stride towards the dining hall. There's no way she would lose to Falco!
The young Hizuru maiden bowed down to excuse herself, respectfully averting her gaze to ease her lord and lady's situation. "I truly apologize for my carelessness, milord, milady. Please take your time. I'll make sure this chamber remains undisturbed for the whole day."
Gripping the front of her own yukata tightly within her grasp, Mikasa shook her head. "There's no need for the trouble, Akane. I--we'll be there shortly."
As soon as the retreating figure disappeared and the click of the closed-door could be heard, Mikasa tried to push against the much heavier figure of the Marley War Chief. "We should get cleaned up." She pushed slightly harder, yet he did not even budge an inch. As if she had never even touched him at all.
Odd….. The afterthought became lost in the myriad of haunting assaults that came from the tip of his nose, the warmth of his breath and the tingles ignited by the light yet coarse flaxen hair framing his chiseled jaw.
Reiner nuzzled lazily at the spot below her ear, admiring the prickling tiny goosebumps adorning the pale porcelain skin there and whispered an unhurried response in return. "Stay in bed for a little while?"
A small sigh escaped her lips the moment she felt the edges of his teeth seizing her skin, gnawing playfully on the tiny pulse he discovered there. Her already erratic pulse jolted in retaliation. "You have a fleet to run." Her protest was as feeble as a loose feather in the tranquil morning breeze, floating freely to where the wind blows -- truly living in the moment.
"I have help. Right now, my main duty is here." His unrelenting mouth ghosted sinfully warm kisses, thin lips grazing against milky skin, starting from her collarbone and leading all the way down towards the valley of her breasts, still damped and flushed from their mid-coital exertions.
He could really get used to this.
Dutiful after all was his middle name.
Like a wildebeest's hunger that was finally satiated after a thousand years of starvation, yet the aftertaste of a damn fine meal only stoked the burning desire to have it more and more. And again. The low grunt from his throat only served to give away this newfound greed of his.
"Reiner?" A breath's distance in between, her voice was a beautiful melody calling out for his name, her tongue emphasizing on each syllable, beckoning its given meaning - a strong, blessed Judgment Warrior."
Hmm?" Despite her coaxing, he didn't even look up from his torturous pursuit. He wanted to savor the taste of her, so much so that he could store her warmth and very being inside his memory. He wanted this moment to completely replace all of the haunting visions of her that he had in the darkest corner of his brain, almost succeeding in taking his final breath away years ago.
He didn't want to remember the rage and desperation he had once seen in her eyes for him.
He wanted her to always look at him the way she is right now.
Tender. Compassionate. Merciful.
Yet today, she took his breath away so effortlessly and he found himself wanting to offer all that he has - even his last.
Mikasa's voice became a note higher than before, threatening to shatter the heaven he had built for her in his secret headspace. She knew he was trying to push her patience to a new limit, which, sadly would not be possible if she could help it. "Pull out. Please. I need to shower. Again." No, she certainly wasn't begging. The demure, innocent smile on her shy face was betrayed by the stern words and the firm tone of her voice.
As he looked down, the beautiful afterglow only accentuated her radiance even in the naturally lit room. No thunderstorms or stormy seas could steal nor break this shared moment between them.
Reiner remained still, the pads of his fingertips gently pushed the silken tendrils resting on her forehead to the sides of her face, observing the way her thick eyelashes fanning against the top of her cheeks. He placed a languid soft peck on the spot in between her eyes, leaving behind his warmth that seemed to have seeped into her skin.
He reluctantly propped himself up on his elbows but not before his long, thin fingers helped her with the ties to her own yukata and eventually, allowing her the space to prepare for the day that lies in waiting.
And the duties that came along with it.
He wanted to prolong this secret illusion of paradise that he had discovered through every inch of her body but alas their reality and responsibilities awaited them on the other side of this chamber.
He would indeed be counting and dreading each second of the day when he would finally have her in his arms again.
Taking advantage of his personal musing, Mikasa pushed herself up from the bed, taking her warmth along with her scent and the apparent evidence of an innocence loss - in the form of smeared dark red stain on the glossy satin, its existence only being highlighted more by the surrounding combination of translucent bodily essences secreted by their carnal consummation.
A deep feeling, one akin to guilt and not regret, immediately manifested itself, weighing heavily against the pit of his stomach as well as his own conscience. He mulled over the newly-discovered information, seemingly unable to decipher its impact or the appropriate way to feel about it.
She was still an untouched maiden until this morning.
Too close to losing another internal battle with his own thoughts once again, Reiner had almost missed the way his new bride's eyes were peering at him from behind the wooden door of the chamber's bathroom.
Did she need something?
He received the wordless answer the moment she disappeared behind the open door and her yukata, already discarded behind her without any apprehension and abandoned freely on the chamber's floor. He swallowed a huge figurative knot in his throat and realized that he'd ceased breathing for far, far too long.
She held his life in her hands and that was the only resolve needed for his legs to move out of its own accord, overriding the importance of everything else in this whole world and strode across the old Captain's cabin in three long, rushed steps.
His own robe became undone and inevitably met its other half on the cold wooden surface.
The ethereal vision that greeted his eyes upon entry should be that of one of the forbidden sins in the history of humankind. She was even more breathtakingly beautiful in her purest form - scars and marks, imperfections and all.
Like the cracks on an unbreakable golden chalice.
He was the luckiest son of a gun to be the first to drink from said chalice and it made the wine tasted even sweeter. He could get drunk or get high on this woman for all eternity.
He always had a gut feeling that Mikasa Ackerman would be the death of him. One way or another.
Colt stood up from his seat at the dining table to pull a seat for Mikasa, much to her slight perplexity, presented in the way Mikasa almost forgot to thank the older Grice brother with his help. He was a gentleman that came from a fine upbringing without a doubt. Respectful and somewhat friendly in nature based on her observations since they were formally introduced to each other a little bit before they were thrust into the battlefield back in Paradis. She would have made a genuine friend amongst her enemies if Falco's brother had also been at the wedding.
She also noticed the way the same young man was looking shyly at her handmaiden, who was diligently preparing a plate of breakfast and fresh herbal tea for the newcomers. It wasn't too long before Reiner joined in the morning party, bidding the younger ones a 'good morning' with a rather unusually uplifting zest. Even Colt swore he'd seen a tiny blink-and-you-miss bounce in his immediate superior's steps. The same look from Falco seemed to confirm that it wasn't just his imagination. Yet it was quite a welcomed change from the sullen, reserved man they had known in Marley for the past four years.
"Good morning War Chief Braun." Both the Grice brothers responded to the older man's greetings with jovial smiles plastered on their happy faces as he took the dining chair at the head of the table. At the back recesses of Reiner's mind, it truly felt as if he was already home with his family as the bonds between them had become much closer than before. He really couldn't remember the last time he had ever enjoyed having a family meal together.
As they break their fast together, the boys had been engrossed in a conversation pertaining to their hometown just like the night before. The only difference had been the sole non-participating member of their small makeshift brood, the only girl. She was more content in prodding the baked potatoes and gravy on her plate instead. Her silence, however, was not able to escape the sharp observation of the older woman without notice.
"Gabi, is everything alright?," asked Reiner upon noticing her withdrawal from the group's conversation. She, who was once the chatterbox of the Braun family seemed to be quite the opposite from the day before.
The little girl nodded weakly instead.
"I know we're not used to talking about personal feelings in our family, but...things are different now. I hope we can be more open with each other, Gabi." Reiner tried to offer a better explanation, completely unaware that Mikasa was already a step ahead of him the night before.
Before Reiner could press his baby cousin to open herself up more, a hand rested against his own, stopping his words before they could even be said. It belonged to none other than his own wife.
"I….", remarked the little girl hesitantly, "Okay, if you want me to be honest with my feelings then, I will say it." There was a slight pause as everyone present at the dining table stopped savoring their first meal of the day to show their silent support.
"Reiner, I don't feel too happy to know that you're hurting Mikasa earlier."
WHAT.
Gabi expressed her disappointment towards her own cousin. "You can't hide the marks on her neck, Reiner. It's obvious to everyone here. Mikasa is like a big sister to me. I don't want her to get hurt, not even by you."
"Gabi…." Mikasa understood the girl's concerns but there was no cause for alarms, even more so from the bedside conversation they had just the night before.
Reiner on the other hand was already cradling the side of his head with slight nervousness as he could foresee the direction of their morning conversation. The squirmish looks from Falco and the concerned look on his older brother's face didn't help make things better. "I did not hurt Mikasa, not in that way, I can assure you." His answer only made Gabi's face scrunched up in uneasiness. "I mean, I would never ever place Mikasa in a position she's not comfortable in, Gabi…"
Really, Reiner? That makes it even worse. Mikasa bit her lower lips to prevent a blossoming smile at the rather difficult albeit comical way Reiner was trying to give his younger cousin 'the talk'.
At least, it wasn't extremely embarrassing as it had been for her with Shiori-han.
Mikasa cleared her throat, before offering her own explanation. "Gabi, do you remember what we talked about last night?"
Gabi replied hesitantly, trying to recall their conversation from the night before. "Yes…."
"I said we might need time to- you know…." Mikasa tilted her head gently to her right hand side, particularly in Reiner's direction. The latter remained calm despite the rather intricate issue at hand. "...because we needed to learn to trust each other again after all that has happened between Paradis and Marley."
"Okay…." The twelve-year-old girl's eyes blinked in further confusion as she tried to comprehend the explanation following suit.
"We talked….a lot since last night. One thing leads to another and it just happened."
"You mean, you resolve your problems by sparring this morning? Like we do in training?" inquired the little girl again, her curiosity piqued.
Reiner began to toss uncomfortably in his seat, even more so when he noticed Falco's innocent gaze was now darting awkwardly between the other three people at the dining table. He'd never expected to have this sort of conversation with Gabi. She's supposed to have it with her own mother.
"Sort of….." Reiner's words trailed on, unfinished. He'd just wished for Gabi to slowly change the topic. Colt, being the other young adult in the room, took heed of the predicament his superior was in and tried to change the course of the conversation, partly because his own younger brother was also not ready to have the 'talk' yet.
"The-the weather seems to be looking better now," said the oldest Warrior trainee, who was almost completely invisible to the younger girl as she continued to ask the Hizuru princess with another question.
"But, Mikasa--"
Mikasa was very quick in diverting the younger girl's attention. "Do you know, when we were younger, Reiner and I used to be sparring partners during training."
Gabi's ear perked up upon the discovery of the new information. "Really? Like Falco and me?"
Reiner nodded, simpering at the sudden walk down old memory lane. "She used to throw me across the training yard like I'm no more than a sack of potatoes. I swear if things were different back at that time, I would have asked her out on a date myself. Heh, she had my attention on the very first ass-kicking."
The Marleyan girl broke into laughter while the boys just stared at the Hizuru heiress in amazement.
"She still is, the strongest person I've ever met", added Reiner, with nothing short of admiration in his voice and a shy look at the raven-haired woman's way.
"But," Gabi's confusion became more apparent. "What does sparring have to do with babies? You said last night that babies take time."
Reiner looked at Mikasa, who was surprisingly unbothered, nervously.
The young noble's eyes squinted in uncertainty. "Has anyone ever talked to you about how babies came to be?"
Colt, who was nervously chewing on his own food, swallowed by accident and almost choked, prompting Falco to pat his brother's back none too gently as Akane ran to offer a much-needed glass of water to the young man.
Gabi shook her tiny head, lips pouted in uncertainty. "No. I just thought that everyone who got married will have a baby immediately."
"Gabi, sparring for adults is a bit more different. We 'sparred' to get to know each other better as husband and wife." Mikasa, who was calmly nursing the hot herbal tea inside her cup, offered a rather vague yet simplified explanation of human procreation to Reiner's innocent cousin. "We'll take a walk outside and will chat more about this later. I'll answer any questions you have. Is that alright?"
The little girl nodded. A smile returned to her face, causing Reiner to speak to his wife in a hushed whisper. "She's too young to know about this, Mikasa. I don't believe it's even our place to talk to her about it."
Mikasa's rebuttal came back to signify the end of their discussion. "She's too young to be in the military, too young to have blood in her hands and yet here we are."
mement even if he did not fully support the notion that Mikasa believes in - Gabi is ready to know about the more complex nature of adult relationships. It was so easy to disagree and argue about it but he learned that despite the short duration of the two girls knowing each other, Reiner should never underestimate the bond Mikasa has established with his own cousin. Gabi, being the only child, had always been the only girl among his cousins. Mayhap Mikasa couldn't be the more perfect person for Gabi to have that very delicate conversation with.
The moment the day broke into noon, the skies gradually became a beautiful azure from the mundane gray once again. The sounds of the Hizuru naval crew's hustle and bustle could be heard all over the ship's deck after a long overdue silence. The diligent men under Lord Takeshi's command seemed to have doubled up on their pace, to make up for the temporary delay caused by the previous storm that subsided only the next hour after the crew's early lunchtime. Despite the weather halting the ship's movement, Amatsukaze once again proved that it was not dubbed 'the mightiest and fastest sword of the sea' for nothing as it traversed through the now clear, blue waters of the ocean.
Later that afternoon, a recent message that came through the morse code transmission became the primary topic of discussion amongst the fleet leaders with the new Lord of Hizuru and their Princess. Colt Grice, the young Warrior Trainee from Marley was also in presence. From inside the war room, Lord Takeshi began to report the recent rebuilding updates received from the Hizuru's main base in Liberio, to his immediate superior who had been listening intently. "Hundred relief camps have been set-up to shelter the survivors who lost their homes. The resources are all in place however, until the wreckages have been completely cleared, the foundation works could not be started."
A frown marred his face, as stress lines made themselves evident on his forehead, distraught upon hearing the latest news from Lord Takeshi. "But winter is only less than two months away. These people can't remain in the makeshift camps in that extreme weather conditions."
"We only have one functional crane that was flown in from Odiha and we have to remain cautious not to overwork the machine until it breaks down, my Lord. At the moment, our team is experiencing a temporary hold-up because of the shortage of manpower. Even our soldiers are moonlighting as builders to support the clean-up process."
The young Lord of Hizuru tapped the gold-trimmed pen in his hand impatiently against the paper he was reading. "What is the projected timeline for the new building's completion, Lord Takeshi?"
His right-hand man shook his head. "We're falling behind schedule, my Lord. Even if all of our builders worked without rest, which is inhumanly possible, we still won't be able to put a sturdy roof over the survivors' heads in time without a miracle."
He ran his hand through his already tousled blonde hair in agitation. He's not very pleased to learn of the setback and shook his head. "We have to at least, try, don't we?."
"You can't overwork our builders and soldiers, Reiner. Those who are doing double duties are doing it out of their own compassion. We shouldn't take their efforts for granted," pressed Mikasa, trying to persuade a different suggestion to the newly-mandated leader of their nation.
The Marley War Chief argued back, "My people, what's left of them will die if we don't get the relief center completed in time."
"I agree and all I'm saying is that my people are also working really hard and doing their very best to make sure your people survive."
His amber eyes bore deep into her own granite orbs. "Which one are you referring to, Mikasa? The ones from Hizuru or the ones who caused all the destruction in the first place?"
Fuck. He did not just say that.
Poor Colt was cowering in his own place at the table. He had a gut feeling that there was more than one unresolved issue between his superior and the Lady Ackerman since the Gabi 'incident' earlier this morning.
The existing tension between the two newlyweds has escalated into an alarming point, to which the other fleet leaders were taken aback with the sudden shift of the atmosphere and by which manner the Lord of Hizuru had made an underhanded remark towards their Princess. The more elderly attendees of the meeting began to fidget nervously in their seats. The five of them, not including Lord Takeshi were from an older generation, yet in spite all that remained silent in respect to their new Lord's authority. Lord Takeshi was not from the same generation who believes that respect is given to position and not rightfully earned. Their Lord was not entirely wrong for his commitment to the Eldians in Liberio. The animosity there would not just disappear over the course of several days, months or years even. Nonetheless, their Princess deserves to be present and heard as well. From the day Lady Mikasa Ackerman returned home from Paradis, Lord Takeshi was very aware that she was different from the royal princesses in the ruling family's history.
"My Lord, we understand your frustration at this sudden hiccup in our plans but Lady Mikasa does not view your people's importance any lesser than she does to our people. We are still working towards the same goals, this is but the first of many more challenges we have to face. We can't let our past differences affect the decision-making for our present and future."
The ensuing silence was as uncomfortable as it could possibly be and the heavy tension was solid enough that you could possibly cut it with a blade if it was capable of materializing into the space existing between the newlyweds - both literally and figuratively.
Mikasa, however, took the higher route like she always does with all the male figures in her life and instead of withdrawing, her right hand shot up towards the back of Reiner's neck, easing the tense muscles she knew would be there. The hands that were still clutching the paperwork with enough force to destroy the whole documents apart began to gradually loosen its grip. "I understand your frustration, but being angry about things right now is not going to expedite things, isn't it?" She asked back, trying to gauge his level of emotional control.
She knew his nape would be his ultimate weakness - a fact that was discovered only that morning itself to which she was more than delighted to use to her advantage.
The former shifter released the papers in his grip and sent a regretful look towards his bride, apologizing for his earlier outburst. "I'm sorry, I should never have said what I've said earlier. It was uncalled for."
"I know." Mikasa agreed nevertheless with a relieved smile that matched his own upon the potential crisis' aversion.
Reiner took the hand that was soothing the stress veins around the column of his neck and rubbed them gently with his own. "Forgive me?"
Still smiling gently, Mikasa nodded quietly in return.
The private interchange between the newlyweds and the intimate body language involved did not escape the observation of those in attendance, prompting knowing looks from the other senior officers in the war room. They were not oblivious to a different kind of tension brewing between the Princess and the young Lord.
They were all newlyweds once.
Their Princess had been trained well by Lady Kiyomi without a doubt. Their new Lord's loyalty was no longer a question they should be concerned about not when it only took a touch of the princess's hand to appease the young hot-blooded Lord's impending frustration. Even more so when said Lord was once a feared Eldian Titan shifter.
Maybe the rumored legend that was told decades before - the Ackermans were the man-made Achilles heel to Titan shifters, the failsafe to keep the titan shifters in check - was not just ramblings of a madman.
"Are there any more vital updates from Liberio?" asked Reiner, having regained his composure and reverting back to their original topic of discussion.
Lord Takeshi nodded, "Yes, but, we can only offer more concrete information in person once we have regrouped with our team in Liberio tomorrow."
Unbeknownst to the young couple, Lord Takeshi had been discreetly signaling to his senior officers to give the couple the much-needed space and privacy before the real work that awaits them begins. "Pardon us, your Highnesses. We believe that it's best if we adjourn our meeting today until we have docked. May Izanagi and Izayami ease our journey safely. Lord Reiner, Lady Mikasa, may we be excused first?"
The blonde-haired young military veteran nodded his approval and watched as Lord Takeshi, along with the rest of the fleet veterans dragged the clueless Colt away with them with the guise of an impromptu naval training just so they could leave the war room quickly, much to the young lad's puzzlement.
Mikasa only stared at the group of gentlemen in disbelief while Reiner only grinned in return, even more so when he noticed the way his wife was trying to avoid his gaze as she too, stood up from her seat seemingly trying to exit the room herself. He immediately caught her wrist in his grip once again, playfully reprimanding her for leaving without his consent.
"And, where do you think you're going, your Highness?"
Her instant reaction was to pull her hand back, hoping to somewhat jerk his body off the designated captain's chair but instead, the tiny action backfired as she was the one who ended up falling towards his direction instead.
Her place of landing? Very specifically in between his thighs. Of all the places.
"Reiner….." She protested lightly, attempting to stand up but his arms were very quick to wrap themselves around her waist, holding her down and close to him with no spared space in between. Instead of pushing forward, she tried to wriggle her way out of his hold by pressing inwards with all of her strength, which seemed to be nonexistent at that particular point in time. She shook her head, mystified by the new discovery. Completely mindful that her efforts of escaping only stirred her lord husband's physical appetite awake once more.
"What's wrong?" He asked as he picked up the instantaneous way her body became rigid, assuming that he was the cause of her discomfort. He loosened the iron grip he had around her waist and waited patiently for her answer. Yet, he only received another wordless shake of her head in return.
He turned her body to the side, so he could look into her eyes but he can't seem to stray away from her beautiful kissable lips. She drew in a long, deep breath when his left hand snuck under the hem of her white button-ups, the tips of his digits playing with the tiny curvature of her navel right below the end of her abdominal line. "Rei..-" Her words trailed before stopping short of the first sonant of his name, the minute his mouth latched on to the spot underneath her left ear, her hands gripped against the muscles and the veins straining underneath the skin on his triceps in reflex. The ensuing whisper from his wicked lips did its terrific job in breaking down her first guard. "I did say that I would never, ever place you in a position that you're uncomfortable in. I really mean it." The double entendre in his pledge was not missed or overlooked in between the sensual assault that he had surprisingly mastered in such a short time of knowing the way her body works - as if he had known her his whole life.
After a gentle coaxing, his lips finally found its counterpart as his nose picked up the haunting tease of her natural scent - soft, clean and warm like fresh linen in the sun. Like an ignition, he'd only need to feel her lips on his to rev up his biological engine.
She could feel his hunger through the urgency in his kiss the same way she did this morning.
On the bed.
As he undid the strings of her flimsy chemise, revealing the parts of her he had never ever seen for the first time.
In the shower.
The way he ran his lips against the irezumi on her back, drawing a cross with his tongue like a sacred offering, lapping up the water drizzling down her skin like the nectar of an exotic flower. Right before he filled the impure void within through one messy yet solid thrust into her, clinging to her lithe body from behind as they fell into a familiar rhythm not too long after.
While Reiner could sense her burning desire from the way she grasped against the tendrils of his hair in utter desperation, her derriere grinding dangerously on his semi-hardened member. Separated only by two layers of clothing in between yet the scorching heat could still be permeating through regardless.
She gasped, mildly stunned upon sensing the bulge stretching against the crisp fabric of his breeches, hugging his sturdy thighs even tighter than it should be. "Again?"
She didn't need to ask as she knew his answer all along, her body itself was already giving away the evidential signs of her own arousal - through the prickling buds of her breasts, and the trickling slickness between her legs. It wasn't supposed to be this easy yet her own body betrayed her guarded reaction.
It only took that one damn kiss to reignite the recently-satiated untamed lust of hers.
They had their fill of each other two times earlier of the day yet twice was the limit of mere men.
They were not mere humans.
Rooted on the large captain's chair, Reiner adjusted his seat by pushing the chair further back and pulled her snug in return against his chest, lips grazing against the juncture of her neck and shoulder between the folds of her collar. His answer to her earlier question came in the way his left hand fumbled with the second and third fastening of her white shirt until all his five digits could slip through. Oh, he knew exactly which button of hers he needed to push to make her writhe like a feral animal, heady with an untamed call to mate. It was a repeat move of his, already predictable at this point yet it didn't matter to her. Not one bit as the moment she felt his palm grabbing hold of her breast, her own senses jumped into their own hyperdrive, abandoning all logic she ever had.
It was a tiny intimate gesture, but she furtively took delight in running her own hands along the veins protruding on the muscles of his triceps. She has always been one to appreciate fine, well-worked muscles on men. The fleeting thought of gripping against the solid tendons of his arms while he worked his wicked magic on her body was more than enough to make her sopping wet with need.
It didn't matter if there would be people outside that door that could overhear the lewd noises coming out of her mouth. Mikasa was more content in defying all societal expectations of her on becoming a proper, obedient, shy wife who wouldn't even make a peep during intercourse.
Reiner Braun knew he married a beast on the battlefield and he'd only just unearthed the darker, intense side of her lust but he already decided that there are still more waiting to be explored.
He was only just beginning.
He wasn't blind to her secret kink. He knew he was the first man to have ever touched her in such a way and it boosted his ego more to know that he checked out her boxes like no other men ever did in her life before.
Not even Eren actually could.
(A/N: Full smut available on my AO3 page!)
As their bodies fell into their acquired rhythm, the tug and pull between them were too fierce, too forceful that the door was almost loosened from its hinges, threatening to showcase their mating to the public eyes, yet their decency was at the furthest recesses of their minds when no one or nothing else matters at that moment, but only the way their bodies seemed to mold perfectly into each other.
Their latest rutting of the day was nothing gentle like the first time. It was just raw, mindless fucking between two lust-driven young adults and they kept on pushing their already inhuman limits to another level of momentum through the union of their bodies, feeding on their insatiable nature like a double-edged sword. Their pleasure hurts too good to be regretted over.
He came first, unloading his seed deep inside her before she followed suit with lingering trembles of the top half of her body to the tremors along her legs and knees. Reiner's own strength was slowly leaving his body as he managed to shift their bodies to the only counter nearby, slowly regulating his breaths, dwindling down from their climax. Still inside her, he let her rest her head against his chest as he took in their reflection in the hanging mirror on the wall next to where they were. They were a hot mess - buttons of shirts undone, ruffled skirts, breeches hung low on his hips, heavy gaspings and heaving chests in between.
It wasn't until he posted a second glance back to the reflective surface that he swore he caught a glimpse of a face that only ever existed in his dark memories. The one whom he had thought had gone away completely.
'Hello, old friend. It's been a while, isn't it?'
Bertolt…
The last time he 'saw' his 'former partner' was when he tried to pull the trigger of the rifle that he had been aiming down his own throat.
'He' was the one who told him that it would be quick and painless.
'You really didn't give Mikasa a rest don't you? Does fulfilling your needs justify abusing her body?'
Shit.
Why now?
Survey Corps New Headquarters, Trost
Eldian Island of Paradis
The sounds of chirping birds from outside the windows of her office took her attention away from the large stack of documents on the table, awaiting her undivided focus. However, the serene afternoon breeze that blew in through the open windowpane lulled her to an almost relaxed state. There had been a lot of action plans that required her immediate decision-making, follow-ups and following through ever since the ruling yesterday.
She noticed the untouched porcelain cup of tea that had grown cold from the corner of her eyes. Black tea with a tinge of honey. A certain grumpy old man's favorite that he had left behind for her before his departure to Hizuru.
"Hey, Four-eyes. Put in your notice to Pixis and come with me to Hizuru," said the former Special Ops squad captain of the Survey Corps.
Her only visible eye unhidden by the cloth patch blinked incredulously, clutching her heart in a feigned surprise. "Oh my, Levi….was that a proposal?"
She received a disgruntled groan instead. "I'm serious, Hange. Come with me. I haven't got a clue on how to raise a newborn brat."
Hange draped an arm around the shorter man's shoulders, chuckling when Levi grumbled due to the pain coming from his dislocated joints. "It's not like you'll be doing the hard parts, Levi. The Azumabitos got you covered."
"I'd rather get myself bombed by that asswipe again and I barely survived so that tells you something, Hange."
"Don't miss me too much, Levi. Hey, if you ever get lonely, you can always visit Eren in his 'retirement' cell."
Levi reached out to smack the back of her head gently. "I'd rather you just kill me, Four-eyes. That would be easier."
"I'm going to miss you too."The raven-haired man nodded. "I have a feeling that the Azumabitos will be reaching out to you soon. Till later, Hange. Oh, you can have my last batch of black tea that I kept in my room."
A soft rapping could be heard coming from the double doors of the room's only exit. "Come in." She called out to the visitor, giving her approval for entry and her face lit up the moment she recognized the face of the newcomer.
"Armin! Just the person who I've been looking for."
The blonde-haired military strategist presented his salutation to his immediate superior before he placed a batch of freshly-gazetted circulars on the large writing table for the older woman's signature. "Anything I can be of assistance today, Commander?
The former scientist rested her face on her hands before asking, "Armin, what do you think if I were to endorse you as the new Commander of the Survey Corps?"
"WHAT?" His jaw dropped in pure astonishment. "It's not funny, Commander! You can't be making a joke about this right now especially since yesterday's conference."
"I'm really serious, Armin. There's no better candidate for my replacement but you." Hange opened the top drawers underneath the table and retrieved a brown paper folder that she handed over to the former Colossal holder. "This is my personal recommendation letter that I've been saving for you and I know you won't let all of us down."
"B-but, where are you going?"
Her fingers traced the outline of Levi's favorite teacup. "Hizuru seems like a good place for retirement."
Next chapter preview: The Toro-Hagashi ritual by the Amatsukaze's crew helped Mikasa find her inner peace as she prayed for the peaceful passing of her loved ones. However, Reiner's haunting visions of his dead comrades are gradually ebbing away at his sanity. In Liberio, the aftermath of the ambush that greeted their arrival was a lot more devastating than she had envisioned. The moment they reach his home, their duties and his inner demons drive them further apart within their own painful reality as each struggle in their respective new roles.
A/N: Thank you so much for your time in reading this chapter, lovelies!
