Freefall | Eren x OC *CURRENTLY BEING RE-EDITED*

Chapter 15: A Toxic Marriage

⚠️ GENERAL CW ADVISORY. PLEASE READ A/N FOR SPECIFIC CW ⚠️

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Rose spent the four days thinking back on her tumultuous marriage to Porco as she mentally prepared herself for Eren's move-in, scheduled to take place that Sunday. She had no idea why she thought back on her marriage so often, it hadn't really been on her mind in any real tangible way for more than a year. It had taken her close to two years to get over what had happened with Porco, she didn't even go on a real date until past the one-year mark.

Things hadn't been helped by Porco's looming presence over her life at home and work. It had only taken a handful of months for him to show back up on her door. 'Amy had left him, he didn't care because he was so confused, he didn't know what to do when it came to her,' he had cried as he walked back into Rose's home and back into her life. She had comforted him warily, telling him the whole time he should go see his brother Marcel instead. She rubbed his back before he desperately turned and kissed her deeply, the first physical touch she had experienced since he left and one she quickly reciprocated.

That happened so many times now, it was hard to keep track. Rose had no idea what made her constantly accept him back into her home, back into her arms. He'd be affectionate, reminding her of the way they once were one minute, be the callous monster that reminded her of why she left the next. Then there were the more shameful encounters. The nights she'd call him in utter desperation, longing to feel his hands on her, his lips on her, him inside her. Desperate for things to return to the way they were. Those were nights she'd never live down for as long as she lived, nights where she realized that deep down, she was still a weak and scared girl not wanting to be alone.

And there was this business of claiming Rose was still his wife in bed? Why? Why did he even want that for either of them anymore? At work, he wouldn't look Rose in the eye except to give her a stare that ranged from cold to aloof. She often wanted to march to his work desk, let his work buddies know that no matter how much he bad mouthed her, he always came crawling back to her so what did that make him? God, what did that make her?

'God', she shakes her head in disappointment in deep thought. 'How can you say you're over him, you're over this marriage when you let him do this? When you let yourself do this? How can you even stand and look someone straight in the eye and claim you've moved on when you still let your ex-husband play with your emotions whenever he or you want him to? What will happen when there's someone else here?'

"Oh god," Rose says out loud as she stands in her kitchen, "oh god, Eren..."

She doesn't want Eren finding out his soon-to-be colleagues at his new record label are not only separated but also current lovers. Her cheeks flush in shame; that would just be too much for him, hell for anyone to deal with.

Rose lets out a deep sigh; she can't believe what she's about to do. She needs to talk to him; she just needs him to come over so she can talk in person. Just talk. Nothing else...

Her hand is steady as she calls him up. The phone rings several times and she prepares to leave a long-winded message before he answers, yawning in boredom.

"MMMM-ahhhh hellooo?"

"Hey, umm, I was wondering if you're free right now?"

There's a pause. "Yeah. Why?"

Rose shuts her eyes tight as she speaks, "Umm, I need you to come over; we need to talk."

There's a chuckle on the other side. "Oh, is that right, Tweety? 'Talk'?"