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You sat eyeing your lover methodically with hands clasped and jaw set. You had just told him you were pregnant only to have him stand before you cold and emotionless like a sack of used flour.

“Are you sure it’s mine?” He sputters with half meaning.

“What kind of dumb ass question is that? Of course it’s yours.”

“Well, it could be...”

“Erwin and I use preventative measures…the few times that…” Your voice trails off into the distance to join all the other sentiments you have left unsaid. The mere mention of you and Erwin being intimate was already bordering on the “off limits” area of conversation; things that you and Reiner didn’t acknowledge as truths when you were together.

“And we don’t. So…”

“So, the probability of the kid being his is-”

“Slim to none.” He concludes solemnly.

“You’re not as slow as you look.” Reiner gives you a stern frown before sitting down next to you on the edge of his cot. He runs his hands through his short, blonde hair and sighs.

“You know I never wanted kids.”

“Oh, and like I do? This world is fucked up enough without us bringing one more innocent into it.”

“Yeah but…” Your body tenses as Reiner begins his all too familiar ritual of self-denial.

“Don’t you dare throw this all on me Reiner Braun. We knew what we were getting into when we started this affair. There was always the possibility…”

“I just never thought-” You were quick to cut him off.

“That’s right…we never thought about the next day. We always focused on the present, relinquishing ourselves to each other and our selfish pleasures.”

“And what’s wrong with that?" He counters defensively. "We deserve to be happy just like the next man.”

“True and we can still be happy...together...if you'd just-”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Yes, it is. You’re just too weak to let go.” Reiner winces at your accusatory statement. He knew you were telling the truth but would be damned if he admitted it.

“I’m all Annie has left. After Bertholdt…”

“How many friends have we lost over the years? Eld, Gunther, Marco….? It’s not like Bert was any different. We’ve all had to move on and learn to live without them.” Reiner blocks your reasoning with another one of his well-practiced excuses.

“If I left her, she would be devastated.”

“So what then? You stay with her out of kindness? Or worse...out of pity?”

“Isn’t that why you’re still with Erwin?” You balk at Reiner’s hypocritical statement. He knew very well why you stayed with Erwin.

“If I left him…I would be leaving you. The minute things were settled between us, Erwin would send me to the Garrison to keep me safe. Is that what you want?”

“We knew this would end eventually.”

“You know what’s funny, Reiner? I never saw it that way.” You thrust yourself up from the cot and stand in front of him with your back straight and shoulders broad. Your e/c orbs locked on his gold ones. “It’s true that this all started out as a summer fling fueled by need and adrenaline but, never once was I looking for an end. All I did was think about how amazing it was to be with you. How we had so much in common and how…” You bite your lip to maintain your composure. You had been about to say 'and how come we didn't find each other sooner' but the point was made moot when you hadn't even known of Reiner's existence until three years of marriage with Erwin had passed.

“It’s been five years, Reiner. Five years. You can’t just bat your eyes and say it was destined to end eventually.” Your cloudy hues search Reiner's hardened features, hoping against hope for the response you were wanting.

“__________...” The way he said your name was all you needed to know.

“Don’t. Just don’t.” You drop your head and close your eyes willing the tears back from the precipice before they spilled over. He wasn’t going to see you cry. Not this time.

You puff in your chest and take a deep breath. You knew what you had to do.

“I haven’t made up my mind one way or another but one thing is clear. I have to tell Erwin.”

“No!” Reiner bellows in protest. Your eyes fly open accompanied by a surprised expression.

“Why the hell not?” You say, jerking your head upwards.

“He doesn’t need to know.”

“Of course he does. Especially if I decide to-”

“Keep it? Are you fucking crazy?” Reiner looks at you with every ounce of incredulity he possessed.

“What’s it to you? You wouldn’t have to take care of it. You would still be free to roam about and do as you please.” You spat.

“I will not have another man raise my child.”

“Ha! A few minutes ago you were asking me if it was even yours and now you’re claiming your rights as a father to tell me what you will and won’t allow? You are a complete joke, you know that?”

Riener grits his teeth and stands up, his 6 foot frame towering over yours. You shrink backwards and turn your head to ward off some of his wrath as Reiner’s chest heaves up and down with varying strains of emotion.

“Don’t test me, __________. One thing I love about you is that you never force me to do things I don’t want to do. You let me be who I am and because of that I never felt trapped…until now.”

“I didn’t do this on purpose if that’s what you’re thinking.” You shoot back petulantly. Reiner snatches your face in between his massive fingers, making it so you looked him in the eye.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” You arch your eyebrow in a faint attempt to be brave.

“Do I?” Reiner releases you in disgust and backs off, leaving you room to collect yourself.

“Damn it, ____________. Is this what it’s come to?”

“You tell me. I came here because I thought I could count on you to help me through this, but, I see I was wrong.” You walk over to the door to Reiner’s bunk and grab your cloak, wrapping it around yourself protectively. “Good bye, Reiner.” You swiftly exit the room and don’t bother looking back.

Reiner watches you leave, dumbfounded about what just happened. The two of you were supposed to share a rare afternoon alone together but instead…instead things had gone straight to hell.

I can’t believe it. She’s with child. My child.

Reiner drops into a nearby chair and bows his head under the weight of the realization that he was probably going to be a father, whether he liked it or not.

Description
You sat eyeing your lover methodically with hands clasped and jaw set. You had just told him you were pregnant only to have him stand before you cold and emotionless like a sack of used flour.

“Are you sure it’s mine?” He sputters with half meaning.

“What kind of dumb ass question is that? Of course it’s yours.”

“Well, it could be...”

“Erwin and I use preventative measures…the few times that…” Your voice trails off into the distance to join all the other sentiments you have left unsaid. The mere mention of you and Erwin being intimate was already bordering on the “off limits” area of conversation; things that you and Reiner didn’t acknowledge as truths when you were together.

“And we don’t. So…”

“So, the probability of the kid being his is-”

“Slim to none.” He concludes solemnly.

“You’re not as slow as you look.” Reiner gives you a stern frown before sitting down next to you on the edge of his cot. He runs his hands through his short, blonde hair and sighs.

“You know I never wanted kids.”

“Oh, and like I do? This world is fucked up enough without us bringing one more innocent into it.”

“Yeah but…” Your body tenses as Reiner begins his all too familiar ritual of self-denial.

“Don’t you dare throw this all on me Reiner Braun. We knew what we were getting into when we started this affair. There was always the possibility…”

“I just never thought-” You were quick to cut him off.

“That’s right…we never thought about the next day. We always focused on the present, relinquishing ourselves to each other and our selfish pleasures.”

“And what’s wrong with that?" He counters defensively. "We deserve to be happy just like the next man.”

“True and we can still be happy...together...if you'd just-”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Yes, it is. You’re just too weak to let go.” Reiner winces at your accusatory statement. He knew you were telling the truth but would be damned if he admitted it.

“I’m all Annie has left. After Bertholdt…”

“How many friends have we lost over the years? Eld, Gunther, Marco….? It’s not like Bert was any different. We’ve all had to move on and learn to live without them.” Reiner blocks your reasoning with another one of his well-practiced excuses.

“If I left her, she would be devastated.”

“So what then? You stay with her out of kindness? Or worse...out of pity?”

“Isn’t that why you’re still with Erwin?” You balk at Reiner’s hypocritical statement. He knew very well why you stayed with Erwin.

“If I left him…I would be leaving you. The minute things were settled between us, Erwin would send me to the Garrison to keep me safe. Is that what you want?”

“We knew this would end eventually.”

“You know what’s funny, Reiner? I never saw it that way.” You thrust yourself up from the cot and stand in front of him with your back straight and shoulders broad. Your e/c orbs locked on his gold ones. “It’s true that this all started out as a summer fling fueled by need and adrenaline but, never once was I looking for an end. All I did was think about how amazing it was to be with you. How we had so much in common and how…” You bite your lip to maintain your composure. You had been about to say 'and how come we didn't find each other sooner' but the point was made moot when you hadn't even known of Reiner's existence until three years of marriage with Erwin had passed.

“It’s been five years, Reiner. Five years. You can’t just bat your eyes and say it was destined to end eventually.” Your cloudy hues search Reiner's hardened features, hoping against hope for the response you were wanting.

“__________...” The way he said your name was all you needed to know.

“Don’t. Just don’t.” You drop your head and close your eyes willing the tears back from the precipice before they spilled over. He wasn’t going to see you cry. Not this time.

You puff in your chest and take a deep breath. You knew what you had to do.

“I haven’t made up my mind one way or another but one thing is clear. I have to tell Erwin.”

“No!” Reiner bellows in protest. Your eyes fly open accompanied by a surprised expression.

“Why the hell not?” You say, jerking your head upwards.

“He doesn’t need to know.”

“Of course he does. Especially if I decide to-”

“Keep it? Are you fucking crazy?” Reiner looks at you with every ounce of incredulity he possessed.

“What’s it to you? You wouldn’t have to take care of it. You would still be free to roam about and do as you please.” You spat.

“I will not have another man raise my child.”

“Ha! A few minutes ago you were asking me if it was even yours and now you’re claiming your rights as a father to tell me what you will and won’t allow? You are a complete joke, you know that?”

Riener grits his teeth and stands up, his 6 foot frame towering over yours. You shrink backwards and turn your head to ward off some of his wrath as Reiner’s chest heaves up and down with varying strains of emotion.

“Don’t test me, __________. One thing I love about you is that you never force me to do things I don’t want to do. You let me be who I am and because of that I never felt trapped…until now.”

“I didn’t do this on purpose if that’s what you’re thinking.” You shoot back petulantly. Reiner snatches your face in between his massive fingers, making it so you looked him in the eye.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” You arch your eyebrow in a faint attempt to be brave.

“Do I?” Reiner releases you in disgust and backs off, leaving you room to collect yourself.

“Damn it, ____________. Is this what it’s come to?”

“You tell me. I came here because I thought I could count on you to help me through this, but, I see I was wrong.” You walk over to the door to Reiner’s bunk and grab your cloak, wrapping it around yourself protectively. “Good bye, Reiner.” You swiftly exit the room and don’t bother looking back.

Reiner watches you leave, dumbfounded about what just happened. The two of you were supposed to share a rare afternoon alone together but instead…instead things had gone straight to hell.

I can’t believe it. She’s with child. My child.

Reiner drops into a nearby chair and bows his head under the weight of the realization that he was probably going to be a father, whether he liked it or not.