"Wait a minute what are you doing here?" I couldn't hide my confusion any longer. "And how do you two know each other?"

ymir shouldn't have any involvement with him- he was just a normal aide as far as i knew

"How do you know him?" Ymir's head whipped to me, her eyes wide in shock.

I COULD SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT YOU

"He's my fia- he's Reiner's aide," I frowned. "They were quite close."

at least i thought they were?

"THAT'S WHO YOU WERE WORKING FOR?"

"I've told you before," Bertoldt shrugged.

"YOU'VE BEEN SOME ASSHOLE'S LAPDOG THIS WHOLE TIME?"

"He's nice enough."

he really isn't that bad ymir- i liked him enough im just a lesbian

"YOU'VE BEEN SITTING AROUND DOING PAPERWORK?"

"That's right- why is someone who I only saw sitting behind a desk suddenly cornering us in a back alley?" I watched Bertoldt's expression as we questioned him, his nervous smile unchanging.

"I do more than paperwork," he paused, motioning for his men to come up around us. "For example, I've been requested to bring Miss Zacharius back home."

so that makes us enemies

did reiner ask for that?

i kinda got the feeling that he wasn't happy with our marriage either- the only people who were satisfied with the arrangement were our parents

"I'm afraid that I won't be able to let that happen," Ymir frowned, moving to protect me. "I'd rather not fight you but you don't seem to be backing off."

"You wouldn't want to lose my connections," Bertoldt appeared unphased.

WHAT CONNECTIONS

"Wait- hold on-" I cut in, the tension dissipating. "Would you mind explaining just what you're doing here? And how you two know each other?"

I KNOW THIS IS KINDA A TENSE MOMENT BUT ????

"This asshole has connections with some other rich asshole who has some sort of sway over the police." Ymir explained, drawing her blade, "we have, or I guess had an agreement that helped keep them off our ass."

OK.......

"That 'rich asshole' is your fiance."

"My ex-fiance, but thank you both for the explanation."

ok you can fight now i guess

"Wait a minute- ex-fiance?"

YEAH ???

"Did you not-"

"That changes a lot," Bertoldt breathed a large sigh of relief. "Ymir, I thought you kidnapped someone."

AHAHHAH

"I did."

"No, you didn't I came with you."

"Sure you agreed to it but I did steal you away."

I MEAN SURE BUT-

"I'm sorry for my rude introduction- let's go talk somewhere else," Bertoldt cut in, waving his men off. "There's a restaurant nearby."

OH THANK GOD I WAS STARVING

"How do I know this isn't a trap?" Ymir glared over at him, "I'm not exactly comfortable blindly trusting you."

idk i mean ymir for some reason i feel like u could take all these ppl

plot armor or something

<3

"Here, cuff me," Bertoldt held out his hands.

HUH ???

Two seconds later the three of us were casually marching through the streets new sets of eyes watching us as we passed, all of them glued to the 6'4 man Ymir had handcuffed and at knifepoint.

THIS FEELS LIKE A DUMB IDEA

"This is the place," we came to a stop in front of a small, but expensive-looking restaurant. Dark curtains covered the front windows, that coupled by the large imposing door made it look anything but welcoming.

"Oh, we were headed here anyway," Ymir mused quietly to herself.

THESE PPL SERIOUSLY SCARE ME

"Start speaking," the three of us had found a small booth in the corner of the restaurant, not that privacy was exactly an issue, the place was totally deserted aside from a waiter who kept nervously glancing in our direction and a bartender who was minding his own business off to the side.

"I was sent by my partner to bring Miss Zacharius back home," Bertoldt paused, looking between the two of us. "I was told that you kidnapped her."

"I did."

"No, she didn't," I quickly cut Ymir off, "I asked her to help me escape."

"Then your marriage?"

"I sent a letter notifying Reiner and the rest of the Braun household that I wasn't planning on going through with it. It appears that my Father failed to let them know."

that's to be expected- im not sure why i didn't think of that

"I don't have anything against Reiner- it's just," I trailed off, "I'm not interested in men, and I'm especially not interested in not having a choice about who I'm forced to spend the rest of my life with."

besides the only thing i genuinely liked about that household was gabi- and i can see her whenever i want

"So, you still want to drag her back? I'm just going to come take her again," Ymir warned, leaning forward over the table.

she knows how to reassure me

"Actually- that makes all of this a hell of a lot easier," he breathed a loud sigh of relief. "I wasn't interested in making enemies out of either of you."

"So what now? Is Reiner going to be ok with me just leaving?"

"I was only sent to find you out of a sense of duty, he doesn't have any attachment to you or your business." Bertoldt shrugged, "I'll go back and relay the message."

hopefully, he's as understanding as you think he is

"Can I ask you to relay a message to him?"

"What kind?"

_______________________________

i am a high school graduate as of four hours ago!

- ami