unclench your fists, my lover, the war is over now.

(i've forgotten how to uncurl my fingers from the trigger.)

be gentle, my lover, the war is over now.

(i don't remember what it's like not to have gunsteel in my bones.)

come home, my lover, the war is over now.

(i'm back at the place i left but home is gone where i cannot find it.)

sleep, my lover, the war is over now.

(the war follows me into sleep. i'm afraid i'll never leave it behind.)

kiss me, my lover, the war is over now.

(my fingers still drip red and i do not want to stain you with them.)

— teach me how to be at peace again ( j.p. )

The wet soil glued on your shoes is starting to feel disgusting already yet you still can't stand up and go, perhaps it's the tip-taps of the impending rain and your hurling thoughts that makes you glued to where you are — in the cemetery, leaning back on your mother's tombstone.

You won't forgive her, that's what you're clear with. You're not a saint and forgiveness isn't the only thing that gives comfort to those who are hurt. Sometimes it's just the mere acknowledgment that unlike what they've done, you have the liberty to choose what to happen, what to think of it, and what would it take to move forward.

And that's why you pressed Erwin to tell every affront gesture he had done before you came back. After you finally regained your consciousness, that's the only thing you've been talking about. You didn't go to him for other matters, let alone for some lighthearted talks, and he also knows better than to ruin it for you.

"You're not shooting a music video here. Look how disgusting your feet are already." Tiny raindrops aren't falling on your head anymore. When you looked up, Levi's standing in front of you with an umbrella. "I just came back. I'm quite impressed at you staying in the very same position for three hours."

You didn't respond at first, only a gloomy look at the man. It's only when you remembered something that you opened your mouth again. "You know, we're not on good terms there but whenever we coincidentally bump at the cemetery, we end up cleaning tombstones for hours."

He squinted his eyes, "Then we're on good terms. I sure as hell won't be doing that with someone I'm repulsed to."

You shot him a smile, "You think so?"

"Why? Sad that you can't see that world anymore?"

You quickly faltered and looked down in lament, "I can't believe a time will come when I'd admit that."

"Yeah, that's surprising. A moment ago we're rushing towards your house because you called Isabel while wailing." He then reached a hand on you. "Come on now. Let's go home."

Home.

Indeed, you only need that reminder and you're good to go with your days again. Maybe when you're finally on good terms with Erwin, you could ask how he's doing so far in Paradis.

"So," Levi prompted as he finally started the engine. "How are you and Erwin so far?"

"He finished telling me everything yesterday. As usual, I immediately went home afterward." You looked out the window. "You should allow him to drop by the house whenever he likes, you know? You don't need to forbid him from doing so until we're goods again."

"He told you that?"

"No. Isabel did." You sighed when another thought came. "It's getting hard for me, though. I miss the cat lurking around his house."

"Oh, that cat. It's gone in his house."

"He disposed of it?" You exclaimed loudly. "I won't forgive him."

"It's one of his depressed days when you're still stuck on life support. He forgot to close the balcony door and so the runt jumped. He tried to find it around the area though. Cut him off some slack."

"If he hasn't found it yet then he's not trying hard enough."

"He found it from an uncanny kid and tried to get the animal back but the boy was persistent and told him to die. The lad got a snarky mouth despite the quiet attitude. I like him."

Your annoyance was replaced with a loud laugh. "Oh no. I hope my cat is in a better place."

"When I accompanied Erwin to meet him again, the boy demanded Erwin to coax his caretakers so he could keep it and to provide 'child support' because of his negligence."

"Smart. I like him already."

That's when he pondered in reluctance. This matter has been delayed for quite a while already and he's just waiting for Erwin to finish his accounts. Still, he's quite worried about how you'd be able to take this. "That boy could be your brother. He appeared in the nearest foster home right after your mother died."

Your stomach quickly churned then. It's just like a moment ago that woman was forcing you to die so he'd exist and now— "Can you drop me at Erwin's home?"

"Yeah, I know you'd say that. I rerouted minutes ago if you still hadn't noticed."

Despite the forming heap of questions, the primary one ringing inside your mind might be quite away from the matter at hand. Still, you rushed towards his place as soon as you went out of the car. It doesn't take long for Erwin to open the door as well. It's needless to say that he got wide-eyed too.

"You're panting. What's up?"

"About my mother—" You let your breath steady first or else you'll cry messily in the doorway. You closed the door and leaned your back into it. "This might be the last question I'll ask about her. Was she able to regret what she did and forgive me?"

He was silent for a while, "I don't think that's important anymore."

"Answer my question."

"Regret and forgiveness are two different things."

"Then which is it? Which one did she end up feeling?" You rushed, surely hoping it's the latter but the way Erwin looks right now only formed a lump in your throat.

"Is this inquiry really important?"

"Answer it."

He contemplated again but the urgency in your features made him sigh in defeat. "She regretted it because I made sure she would but she's dead set on not forgiving you."

Indeed, the feeling would be mutual but if your brother finally existed in this world because of her, you feel like you don't have the right to channel whatever indignation you have over that woman. You huffed a shaky exhale as your horrified eyes dampened with tears. "She'd never—" You huffed a sob and your knees gave up.

Erwin quickly crouched down to check on you. "I told you, that's not important anymore."

"It is." You muttered lowly and had your eyes glued on the droplets of tears falling on the floor. "She ended up using that so my brother would exist. If I just went by her wish and died—" You rested a palm on your temple, the ringing pain of worlds existing in your head resurfaced for a while out of frustration. It didn't take long until you started hitting your head while repeating that remark.

Back when you asked Erwin to tell you everything he did, you forbade him to give you any sort of comfort. If you end up crying with his accounts then he gets to watch it without being able to do anything — not even a squeeze on your hand nor a hug. You also reiterated that he mustn't stop talking until you say so. The thing that'd get him down from his tendency to be downright cruel is the humanity of his loved ones. A reminder that he doesn't need to be merciless in this world because he had people to call his own. You know he won't be guilty of what he's done so the only thing that'd bring him back is your raw emotions from what he did; because you lived and you came back here to forgive him.

However, this is a different matter at hand. You really are successful in establishing the veracity of his actions and thanks to that, he's more than tormented at seeing you cry. But unlike usual, he won't be able to acquiesce to your wants now. The last thing he wants you to feel again is how unwarranted your existence was. You haven't told him everything yet but when you said it's by his will that you're here again, he's completely set on maintaining it that way even at the expense of everyone's existence.

He held onto your wrist to stop you from hitting yourself. "It's not. Cruel beings who think their grievances deserve to be aired more than their deeds are nothing but imprudent fools. Even more so to those who would regret their actions only when forced." After all, he's not any different; he thought to himself. He hesitated to say more but your voice resonated; the thing you have to compensate for is your honesty. "I'd still kill her nonetheless and the way you're thinking like that will just make me more unremorseful of what I've done."

He's right and so you stopped. However, the glare you intended to shoot for his last remark subsided upon looking at his face. He's not the person who'd only have pity on his features if you're the one splattered brokenly on the ground. Someone will be paying for it, whether it's him or another person.

Realizing all of it, you wiped your tears emptily. "Stop making that face. She's dead."

"And you're certainly not the one who's supposed to." He said, his face not changing at all. He's not just making a point to counter yours — he's making a fact known; anyone who'd dare change it won't get past him, not even the Parallel itself.

You didn't speak afterward, just a dead look on the floor. You swear you're getting better at this recently but a snap like this and you're about to break again. You thought you were past thinking that the one at fault is you and you never had such sentiments in a while. You even thought you'd never have it again.

And now you just showed such a face to him after attempts of establishing that he didn't have to do what he did.

However, as if he could hear your mind, he finally softened. "Of course, it doesn't change the fact that my actions were unnecessary. I'm way beyond thinking that it is."

And with the commotion, the silent agreement of no comfort touching is now broken. He wiped up the rain droplets splattered over your clothes and head all the while you remained glued on the ground. Not long after he engulfed you in his embrace. He's been uttering apologies recently so now he decided to stay silent instead. Whether you walk away without a word just as you usually do or you hug him back is all yours to decide. When you chose the latter, it's as if a thorn finally plucked out of his skin.

"Some beings deserve to have their sentiments heard, though. On a case-to-case basis." You muffled in his sweater.

"Only if they don't think it deserves to be attended more than their crimes." He replied. "And doesn't change the fact that they're all fools."

"Are you a fool?"

"I am."

You huffed a laugh then. When you withdrew from the hug, he took his time to look at you up close. He landed a peck on your forehead after a while, "Thought you're not letting me this near again."

"I can't. You made me go back here for this."

"I did?"

"You didn't know? When you said I had to go back to save you, it's not heard by the air alone. I'm not the only one to decide whether or not I'll go back that day and apparently, your resolve was firmer than mine at that moment."

"You have to tell me more about that. She told me you're supposed to disappear after going there to change things."

You shook your head no. "I was able to do that because the founder granted me so. His pity is unrelated to my existence. I'm in this world only because of your will."

"I almost went for the knife when she said that. Good to know I didn't shed blood for a wrong theory." Before you could glare at him for that again, he added. "And all this time I'm in fear that your existence is in constant threat because of it."

Despite his relief, a reminder about your existence struck you. Even before it'd consume your thoughts, however, you strayed the topic away. "If that boy isn't my brother, I'll pulverize you and Levi."

"I almost hoped he wasn't because he's being rude to me. I can't believe someone will tell me to die in this lifetime. I was trained to please people regardless of age."

"Oh, I completely own him as my own if that's the case." You stood up and ignored his glare. "Bring me to him, then."

Somehow, you tried to hide your jitters by lowering your expectations. You neither know what to say if you get to see him again nor how to manage your emotions if the time comes. And so soon as you saw him, your knees faltered. You pretended it was intentional by kneeling down as if coaxing him to go to you. You bit the insides of your mouth so you wouldn't cry and scare him away.

But then the little boy cried upon seeing you. Your mouth hung agape.

"Does he not like me that much already?"

He patted your shoulders in consolement. "I've been there, but don't take it personally. He's got quite an attitude in this lifetime."

But no, both of you are wrong because he came running to you instead as if he finally found someone he knew in a space full of strangers. His cries sounded in sheer relief as if he's been in a fret all this time until you dropped by.

You gasped when he threw himself in a hug and continued his wailing. "What took you so long? I thought you wouldn't come to me anymore!"

"Huh?" You're too shocked to even cry. "Do you remember—" But cut yourself off when his wailing got louder. You hushed him at first until he calmed down again and when he withdrew from the hug with a sniff, you asked. "What do you mean by that?"

It took him a while to reply and his face slowly transitioned into confusion. "Yeah, why did I say that?" He looked at you as if it was someone who spoke on his behalf instead. "Are you my mom?"

Despite it being trivial, the gleam of curiosity on his face finally made you cry. That gleaming curiosity— he's indeed your brother.

You laughed in between your cries. "I'm quite young to bear a child and I don't plan to have one." You heard a stifled chuckle from behind and you almost turned your back to glare. "I can be your older sister, though. How about that?"

"As long as you'll take me to lots of adventures, I'll think about making you one."

"You can get whatever you want in this world." Now you finally understand how Erwin takes this remark seriously. "What sort of adventures would you like to have, then?"

"I don't remember everything about me and I feel like I was left here for no reason. I see lots of kids walking around with adults and they usually look as if on the way for some adventures." His voice tipped lower, "I'm just quite curious about it."

It punched your gut with guilt then. With his form, he looks at least eight years old. Aside from the fact that this is exactly how old he was when his childhood got ruined in Paradis, he must've been so scared all this time — having to appear out of nowhere and going to strangers because he got no one to help him. Maybe if you woke up way earlier, you'd be able to get him quickly. Or perhaps he didn't have to go through this had you died. Maybe he'd have a normal childhood—

As if your silence had words in Erwin's mind, he held on to your shoulders to halt it and patted the kid's head. "This lady right here can be quite boring, though, so you can rely on me when it comes to adventures."

All the grim thoughts dissipated with that because indeed, it was Erwin who was able to satiate his curiosity by doing unimaginable things. A circumstance similar to that but without the threat of death is more than you could ever wish for.

Your months have been peaceful since then. You were busy handling the process of fostering your brother and you were earnest in doing so. Finishing it means he'd be under your care for good after all. However, that doesn't erase the fact that things aren't supposed to be so smooth in reality and you have to come to terms with that.

Heaps of memories come unexpectedly to deprive you of good days.

After a hectic day of daily errands and dropping by Erwin's house to sleep, what daunted you was his figure in the kitchen as he prepared food — how harmless, peaceful even, but not for your mind. You tremblingly walked towards it as you coaxed yourself that it's different this time, that someone cooking in the kitchen doesn't mean doomsday.

You have to get used to it too. You can't have your brother bothered by the dining room because of this.

When Erwin turned to you, he quickly grasped what just happened in your head. It's as if he knows you better than yourself. He calmly dropped the utensils, brought them back to where they came from, which is out of your sight, washed his hands then walked towards you. You stopped in your tracks, utterly terrified. Suddenly, Erwin doesn't look like Erwin anymore. The place isn't his anymore. It was a cue for your limb to take a step back.

"Don't go near me." You lowly blurted out.

Then it snapped back and the place shifted again. But this time, Erwin's completely wide-eyed as well. And he really did stop walking. That's when both of you realized that this might be quite a challenging night again.

"I'm sorry." You blurted out even before he could say anything.

"You didn't do anything wrong."

"No, I—" You hid your trembling hands behind your back and quickly thought of a lie. "I just, fuck, had a rough day and I—"

"Okay, it's okay. You can tell me about it." He hummed, "But you know no one's gonna hurt you now, right?"

Your mind went on a rampage. It's as if every nerve of your brain is trying to come up with ideas on how to reverse your action. "I don't know why I said that. I'm not angry at you. I mean, yeah, we had a disagreement about what my mom did b-but we already talked about it so this is not what you think it is—" Erwin called your name and so your thoughts halted. "Yes?"

"Can I go to you now?" He gently asked.

Shit.

He's been so, so good to you. When you decided to sleep in his place for the first time in a while, he's very quick to realize your subtle flinch upon looking at the dining table. After all, Kuchel eliminated the dining room since you started living in their place. When you asked, she just said she was getting sick of the home's current style. It was that moment in Erwin's place when you finally realized why.

Since then, you'd settle to have your meal outdoors and he's okay with that. When you told him you actually want to try doing it inside the house again, he made sure the dinner would be ready even before you arrived at his place. Then he would nicely usher you to the living room — ask you if you prefer to have company or eat alone.

After weeks of preferring to be alone, you started to ask for his company. It means that you're the only one to eat though hence you're worried. Nonetheless, he made sure you'll see it as a milestone. You'd sit down on the floor carpet, rest your food on the coffee table, and he would lie down on the couch behind you, caress the crown of your head from time to time as you eat, say gentle reassurances that no one's gonna attack you while you munch your food especially if he's here. You would laugh at him and resolutely clarify that you would never feel in danger if he's near.

He's been so gentle to you, so considerate, but you uttered such a hurtful word instead. You've been through a lot already, in that world and this one, so why would something as trivial as this rattle you?

"You shouldn't even ask for that," You're a tiptoe away from crying but you don't think you could forgive yourself if you cried about this again. "You don't deserve this when you've been nothing but kind."

It means yes, then. He walked towards you and engulfed your figure in his embrace again. "But you've been so good for me, my prettiest soldier. Such a strong lady for us." He soothed. "Your heart's beating really fast. See? That's how your body responds and it's beyond your control but you're handling it so well."

You closed your eyes in frustration, "I know. No one's gonna hurt me at the damn dining table especially if it's you and I don't know why my body's responding like this and I can't deal with this anymore."

"That's why we talked about the reason why. So we could deal with it. Processing miserable things from that world and this one is different. Something that happened directly in this world would affect you way more than what happened there." He replied. "Your terror at a dining table would transcend your repulsion towards giants and it's okay. It's normal."

"But I'm not in danger and you've been so considerate of me and yet—" Your muscles were tightening, your breathing was ragged. You were trying so hard to stop. That's why his hold on you didn't falter. He didn't speak but rather let you air out everything as he calmed you down with his warmth.

After the silence and his hands rubbing circular motions on your back, he finally reached you again. Your brain cooperated with you again. "I don't want to be like this anymore."

"If this happened to Isabel instead and you saw her hating the place, would you blame her for it?"

"I would never."

"You would understand, right?"

"Who wouldn't?"

"So why do you think your behavior is out of place?"

"Because we're different. That world has unimaginable horrors so it's expected for me to be more resilient about this."

"Every negative thing you've been through isn't supposed to make you stronger. They're negative for a reason and they shouldn't be treated as if they exist only to grant you a stronger emotional threshold."

You were completely grounded then. When your breathing subsided and he felt your heart slowing down, you could feel Erwin smiling from behind.

"Don't you dare apologize for being in the kitchen before I came." You sternly remarked.

"I won't." He chuckled. He had learned it now after all. You don't want him to apologize for your responses that he didn't cause. Your relationship with the dining room is something beyond his control and you want nothing but for the both of you to establish that. The same goes with his bad days when he prefers to be alone with his mind, or when he suddenly gets crippled by his guilt after a nightmare and would like to do nothing but stay occupied without talking to anyone.

"Are you almost done preparing?"

"No, I just got home." He replied. "We should just call for delivery."

"No. We just did that the other day and you don't like eating outdoors all the time." You tapped his back and kissed him on the cheeks. "I'll take a bath then roll myself on the bed after. Call on me when it's done."

"Wear my clothes."

You scoffed, "Are you that delighted at me clad in nothing but your clothes? The things I've brought here are barely touched until now."

"Yeah, down bad." He immediately answered. When you huffed and just walked away, he grabbed you for a kiss instead. It went on for a while until you couldn't breathe. He withdrew when you continuously patted his shoulders for a tap out. "I could kneel down at you wearing my clothes and you'd have to deal with it." Then finally let you walk to the bathroom.

When both of you were done, he insisted on cleaning everything and didn't let you lift a finger. You usually get vexed with that but he told you to just walk around the house wearing his clothes for a whole week in exchange.

"About to sleep?" Erwin scooted on the bed after washing up. You were lying flatly with the futon wrapped all over your body except the head. If someone was to look from afar, it's as if you're lying down in a king-sized coffin. The only difference is that your eyes are actually open.

"Tried." You reported in lament.

"It's okay. There was an attempt." He hovered above you and kissed your forehead, nuzzled his lips down until he reached your neck and it stayed like that for a while. His breath tingling on your skin and the heave of his chest breathing in and out eased the tension so easily. It's some sort of a nighttime routine by now whenever you drop by his place to sleep since it got more challenging than usual. The sleeping pills could help but you don't want to be dependent on them and so you thought Erwin would be an effective alternative. Not only is it true but he also assured you that it's completely okay to be dependent on him. He knows by now that his warmth helps you a lot in sleeping as it's one of the very few places where your body feels utterly safe. He'd spoon you, tuck you nicely, bury you in his neck — and you'd savor the heat, his sweet scent that keeps you in solace, his soft nuzzles, everything about him.

After a while, he finally let his head up again to examine your face. He clicked a smile upon realization. "It seems like this is getting more fast-acting than usual. This must be an everyday activity already."

You blinked slowly, eyes already fluttering a bit. "My main residence is kilometers away from here."

"And I could easily transfer your stuff from Levi's to this place." This time he's lying beside you.

"Isabel still tends to go to my room from time to time. Her episodes have subsided but are still there." You replied as you buried yourself in his neck to savor his after-bath scent. God, he smells so good and it's making you mushy. Maybe this is really what makes you sleep all this time. "And Kuchel gets quite paranoid when I'm gone for quite a while."

"I could give them hourly updates that you're here, then."

You let out a weak chuckle. "It's not too long 'til I get my brother again. I'll live here with him by then."

"Not patient enough. This life's too short for this."

Then the reminder about your existence flashed before you again. "I have to tell you something." You said and he hummed, encouraging you. You sat up before resuming. "You know, the founder had told me your will instigated chaos again and caused glitches in the conditions. He sounded quite annoyed with it, though." You chuckled at the memory. You paused for a while and clutched the pillow you were holding. "However, this might be— no, it's not actually might. This will be the last time I'll exist everywhere."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, a world is materialized with every choice made by every living being. Meaning, there are countless of you existing in different places. But in my case," You bit your lip. "—in those heaps of choices, I cease to exist. I saw it too. I already vanished everywhere. This is the only world left where I exist. And if I die here, I'm good as gone. My existence would get sucked into a hole and when that hole gets full," You flashed him your clenched fist then opened it up quite slowly. "It would erupt every particle it sucked into dust and that's what I'll be — a dust."

It seems like the realization took time for him to register so you waited, albeit with a rapid heartbeat. You can't just break like this in front of him. What's important right now is how you'd coax him that it's okay.

However, he won't let you out of it. "Are you scared?" He gently got up as well so you'd be on the same level.

"No. I accepted it. I already have my best life here. I could wish for nothing more." You averted your gaze somewhere.

He cupped your face and gently turned it until your foreheads bumped. "You're scared."

"I'm not."

"You're about to cry." He whispered. Indeed, that obvious remark almost made the tears run down the precipice. "That huge tree with a crevasse as its base as you've illustrated to us back in that world, I'm pretty sure something like that exists in this world as well."

"I don't know. The founder said he's also unaware of all the glitches this world had after I existed. Given that my mother was able to trigger the parallel by herself, I think that tree is still somewhere. She also mentioned going to the woods before. Maybe she tried finding it as well."

"Then you will not cease to exist."

"I told you, it's okay." You looked at him wistfully but his face was completely resolute as if there's nothing this world could do when he's the one who wants it. You held onto his hand on your cheeks and closed your eyes. "Besides, even if the tree is still here, it can't guarantee the power of the parallel again. We have nothing left to do, but that's fine! I'm still happy—"

He went for a kiss then, perhaps his way of telling you that you don't mean what you just said that's why he's cutting you off into silence instead. You're too exhausted as well hence you just let yourself falter. Along with the kiss were your silent sobs; you're scared, really, really scared. Back in Paradis, you didn't care about your existence because you believed that the life you had was so awful and you wouldn't mind it if you were as good as gone. But here? Oh god, here— even if some of it was really painful, you loved every single part of it. This world is so beautiful. The man who granted you existence again is so beautiful. The way he never fails to give you love is so beautiful that you want to live a lot of times and have it again. The thought of him giving this love to another being in another life pained you more than anything else. You didn't even dare explore worlds that led him to that choice.

He noticed you were crying so he didn't withdraw it just yet. He didn't let your sobs nor fear take over. After a while and when he's sure all the tears were wiped out by his fingers, he gently pulled himself away. "There's no way it'd be impossible. You don't need to worry about it."

You want to believe it as well no matter how futile it is. After a small chuckle, you asked, "Why is it possible, then?"

"Because I said so." He firmly answered. You laughed again and Erwin gave you a slight frown. "I'm serious."

"I don't think it works that way."

"I made you exist again, hadn't I?" He asked with a smile. "So tell me, how is it impossible? When I'm the one who said so?"

"It's a coincidence–"

"It's not. That man said my will instigated another chaos and it'll stay that way. I exist to wreak havoc."

With that, the fear you've been hiding was splattered completely on your face. "I'm moments away from disappearing when I had the power at my disposal hence I got no time to be anxious, but now that I'm aware and I still have presumably decades until death," You tried to tone down the tremble as it daunted you. Erwin might be the most dangerous man in here so if he wouldn't be able to do anything about it, you would really be— "I don't want to be gone."

Erwin was silent for a while. It wasn't the loss of words for him but rather the heaviness of what you just said and how you said it. For all the times that he saw you vulnerable and scared, this is perhaps the most despairing sight so far.

"And you won't be. I could unremorsefully eliminate all threats in your existence." He responded with resolve, just as he always does. "That includes the circumstances you're mentioning."

You stared at him for a while and he sure waited for your affirmation. No thoughts ran inside you aside from your vanishment and how you're coaxing yourself that it'll be fine. So what if he found another one after that? If it would give him comfort and contentment, just who are you to be greedy about it?

Okay, that's it.

You just have to convince yourself to believe it.

"If it won't work then we don't have to beat ourselves up for it. If I die here, it's not like I'll be gone completely. I'll be remembered as long as everyone who knows me lives. If you're all gone in this world, it won't be painful as well. I don't have to see and get insecure about it. I think we could get by with that."

"Then good for you, couldn't be me though. If I have to ruin all the preexisting conditions to have you exist again then everything in this world will be damned." He interjected. "You went to me while acknowledging how greedy I am and so we'll deal with it. You should know how far I would go by now. If I'm the one who caused the glitches then the glitches are staying for good."

Yeah, he pretty much won't let anyone win this one. Not with that tone of voice. You brushed off the reluctance away and let yourself ponder with a smile. His desire for your company is enough. You're having so much love right now and so you'd relish the present with gratitude.

"Ruining conditions must not include killing anyone, okay?" You squint your eyes while he glanced sideways and didn't answer. "No blood will splatter here, Erwin. You hear me?"

"Then everyone should know better than to get you away from me. See," He started unbuttoning your top as if to prove a point. This is one of the nights when he'd prefer to have you quite bare so the heat would come from his embrace and the futon instead. "As long as you're here and I can freely do this, no blood will splatter."

"Then what would happen if you couldn't do this?" You deadpanned as you helped him remove it.

"What do you think?"

"I can't believe we still have to talk about your tendency to do evil things."

"Yeah, have this utterly terrible man for the rest of your life and have him stuck with you even beyond this world." He chuckled and finally removed the garment. "Are you scared of me now?"

You wrapped your arm around his neck. This time, you're the one to initiate the kiss. "I hold so much power over you. You wouldn't be able to do anything that'd intentionally make me angry."

"Oh, is that so?" He feigned a surprise.

You looked at him with curled eyebrows. "Am I actually wrong?"

"No. It's just quite scary that you're aware of that." He ushered you down and raised the blanket to cover the both of you. The dim lamp stayed open. "Someone as powerful as you must not be fully aware of their abilities."

Warning: There will be explicit content in the next chapter but I indicated what part to start on if you prefer to skip it (sorry!)