Broken Bodies, Severed Feelings (Erwin x OC)

|34| Her

Nathalie, Miche and Erwin were in Erwin's office, making some last-minute preparations for the upcoming Expedition. Miche arched an eyebrow as he stared at both Nathalie and Erwin, sitting on Erwin's desk, side by side while he sat across them. The three of them rereading Erwin's plans for the 57th Expedition and everything seemed to be making sense so far. That Expedition was at least two months later, and Erwin had predicted a great many things based on Nathalie's speculations. Both Nathalie and Erwin were quiet and trying their best not to look to each other or even brush each other with a touch. She was sitting further away from Erwin, by the corner of his desk that didn't seem very comfortable for her.

Miche sniffed. Awkwardness. He was sniffing awkwardness in the room right now. He sniffed again. Yup. What the hell was going on between those two? He knew they had been trying to keep a distance with each other but things felt tense. It happened before every Expedition. Miche and Nathalie were the only ones to first examine the first drafts of Erwin's plans for every Expedition since they were both members of the first squad – Erwin's squad.

"Alright, what the hell's going on with you two?" Miche asked.

Erwin sighed and Nathalie's cheeks got a bright red right away. "U- Uh, w- what?" Nathalie asked dumbly.

"Let's not have this conversation now, Miche," Erwin said.

Miche sniffed. "Ah, I see," They weren't together, were they? Even though everybody thought they were. Erwin hadn't even told her how he felt yet. "Well," Miche stood up and the two of them finally looked up at him – almost pleading him with their looks to not leave and leave them alone in the same room. "Nature calls," Miche left the room and Erwin held back the urge to stop him from leaving. Nathalie turned her back on him and pretended she was focused on the papers in front of her.

Fuck. Miche shouldn't have left. He shouldn't have left them both in the same room! This was a disaster. Nathalie didn't even want to be there. This man had neglected her feelings, her parents' death, he had hurt her again and there was no point for her to talk to him about it. If she talked to him, what was she supposed to say? How could she hope for him to change his mind, to stop hurting her?

Nathalie stood up and gathered the papers in her hands. "I got to go. I'll study these in my office," She turned to leave but he caught her hand and held her in place.

"Nathalie, please. Stay. We need to talk,"

She looked down at his grip on her forearm and she tried to pull her arm away from his own, but he tightened his grip enough to make her let out a soft wince. "Erwin, please, let me go. Have you not hurt me enough?"

It broke his heart the way she said it. But he didn't have a heart. No, a stone could not break. He hadn't even noticed how tightly he was digging bruises on her forearm. He stood up and approached her.

"It was not my intention to hurt you,"

She chuckled bitterly. "It never is," She tried to snap her hand away from his own, but he tightened his grip even more, she let out a cry. It hurt. "Erwin!"

He dragged her closer to him so that he could get a better look at the red bitemark on her neck. He released her hand and she rubbed her bruised forearm. What was that for? Why was he suddenly so angry about? She had done nothing wrong. She was the one who should be angry at him, but she couldn't find it in her heart to be. She was merely sad. That was all. And she would let him sadden her and break her heart over and over. She loved this man. This stone-cold man.

His large fingers found her neck and brushed over the hickey. Who the hell had marked her? And she had allowed them to? Was it Levi?? Erwin felt his nerves get on fire. He gritted his teeth. "You've been sleeping with Levi, haven't you?" He almost growled but tried to stay calm.