Broken Hearts, Severed Limbs (Levi x OC x Erwin)

|84| Honours

The big moment was close. Nathalie didn’t even know why she was there. She didn’t want to be given the title of a doctor. Actually, she wanted it but she knew she could never be a doctor. Her life wasn’t letting her. The cruelty in this world had made her take so many lives. She had tortured so many people. She had hurt so many people. She did not deserve such title.

Whereas, Moblit and Hange were way too excited to add the Dr. beside their names. Nathalie couldn’t deny it. She wanted that title. She wanted it so damn much. But she did not deserve it. She could never be a true doctor. Alas, Premier Zackly had insisted and she had a feeling Erwin had something to do with that. They had changed the vows too. They said they had made them suitable for soldiers who still had a duty to kill and take lives.

Nathalie didn’t ponder on it too much when her kids stormed towards her and pulled her into tight hugs and they began whining about how much they had missed her and her cakes. Nathalie promised to make them a new cake once they’d get back in the HQ. But for now, the time came.

The veteran squads of the Scout Regiment gathered in a large room of the Royal Palace. The superior officers of the other Regiments were there to watch and honour the heroes of the Scout Regiment. Nathalie could tell that it was Erwin’s doing as well. Erwin must have been the one to insist that they honour the three scientists first.

Hange was standing in the middle with Nathalie on the right and Moblit on the left. They knelt down in front of their Queen. Hange raised her hand. She was the first to take her vows and become a doctor. Then it was Nathalie. She couldn’t deny it. She was nervous. She was sure she was going to stumble on her words and ridicule herself in front of all those people.

But she didn’t. Levi knew he was supposed to remain knelt till his turn would come, and he was supposed to keep his face down, but he couldn’t help it. His Nathalie was right there, in front of everybody, in her green Survey Corps trench coat. In the white shirt and that good black skirt that he had brought for her. She would always preserve that particular skirt for such occasions. Her hand lifted up as she repeated the words that Historia said first.

He could tell that for once she had tried to brush her hair that no longer were a mess. Her glasses were tucked at the bridge of her nose and he could tell she was nervous by how tight her shoulders were. A small, invisible smile spread on his lips. His Nathalie, always so insecure whilst she didn’t have to. She was so perfect. But something told him he wasn’t the only one staring at her. It was Erwin as well.

Levi turned and looked at the man and he recognised that excited, playful gleam in his eyes. The one of utter love and adoration. Erwin was staring at his wife with that same adoration that he had in his eyes. Levi didn’t know whether he should be frustrated and disgusted or just… content that someone else was recognising her perfection. Content that someone else was looking at her and saw in her what Levi did.

It was a strange feeling that he couldn’t shake away, but neither could he explain it. Levi’s attention was caught by Historia’s words. “Dr. Moblit Berner, Dr. Hange Zoë and Dr. Nathalie Ackerman, you may now rise as doctors and Heroes of Shiganshina,”

The three stood up and turned and looked at the people who clapped and cheered for them. The Levi Squad was way too excited and they didn’t try to hide it. Levi had a smile on his face, and Erwin’s smile was just so big, Nathalie could have sworn it had reached his ears. Historia passed them one by one, and she passed the green medals around their necks, giving them all the title of the Heroes of Shiganshina.

But when Historia reached Eren, almost everybody noticed that Eren held onto her hand just a little bit more. Nathalie had a feeling he must have seen something. A memory perhaps. The boy carried the Founder and Historia was of Royal Blood. Bringing those two in contact could be catastrophic. Nathalie mentally noted to herself to talk to Eren and Erwin about this later.