"Where's.. Erwin?"

Zeke held a steady contact with her, allowing the realization to sink in. Isanna had remembered everything.

But as much as how he wanted to address that, he recalled the doctor's words, "Expect that there could be complications when she wakes up." He scanned her face, looking for any signs for anything out of the ordinary, then he realized Isanna's breathing had gotten heavier.

He dropped his shirt in the bag and cautiously made his way towards her, aware that she was still disoriented upon waking up.

"Isanna, how are you feeling? Do you—"

"I said," she snapped, clearly irritated and impatient, "where's Erwin?"

Zeke paused a few steps beside the bed. Isanna stared at him like a cat on high alert, a stiff, defensive stance and waiting to pounce as retaliation. He didn't want to provoke her.

Zeke tried to recall amidst the conflicting emotions swirling inside him. Erwin had just left. Granted, he probably just exited the hospital, but he didn't want to leave Isanna by herself in this situation.

"First, stay here for a bit. I'll call the nurse—"

"Zeke."

A shiver washed over him. For a second, he was actually surprised that she could still recognize him, then remembered that just because she regained her memories in the past didn't mean it overwrote her present memories.

"Yeager.." Isanna muttered, more to herself as if something in her head was whirring. She slowly lifted a hand and held the side of her head, staring at her balled fist on the comforter with a frown that was turning more into a scowl.

"Zeke.. Yeager," Isanna repeated, an airy voice like the revelation suddenly caught up to her. He turned to look at him once more, eyes slightly widened and the slightest crease on her forehead.

"Who exactly.. are you? You know something, don't you."

Zeke never felt as slow and stupid at that moment. He couldn't take his eyes off her, and all he could see was the confusion decorating all over her, as if she had a suspicion but couldn't move—not until she confirmed it with her own ears.

Disconcerted, Zeke parted his lips but couldn't find the right words to say. This was it. This was his chance to put an end to it once and for all, to shut the lid and completely forfeit whatever hold he had left on her. Although, he knew—he knew so well, that the moment Isanna had regained her consciousness with her recollection, he had already lost.

Yet, some part of him thought he had more time. Time to prepare himself.

He tightened his fist, feeling the furrow of his own brows, and a sense of bitterness wallowing him when he pictured their last dance on the night right before her accident.

He had ruined their last memory together, and it was something he could never repair.

".. Who am I, you ask?" he started, feeling the strength leave his tense shoulders. "Well.. I'm still the Zeke Yeager you know."

There was an acrid aftertaste in his tongue as if he could already feel the weight of his next words. Zeke couldn't look her in the face; he had to avert his gaze to the side.

The rain continued pouring outside.

"But I suppose... you know me better as the Beast titan."

Only a second passed. He wasn't able to glimpse the look of recognition that instantly fell in her eyes.

Zeke felt a harsh, numbing blow to his cheek.

The hit was hard enough to blank his mind for a moment. Zeke staggered backward, almost falling to the floor had he not regained his footing, and his hand quickly flew to hold the side of his face. He snapped his eyes to her, finally seeing the look of utter fury spread across her face, narrow slits and a death glare that could have sent a shiver down anyone.

For a second, Zeke truly thought she did deserve the title of being a soldier.

Isanna had stepped down her bed in swift movements, and when Zeke's eyes trailed down her arm, he realized in alarm that she had plucked out the IV off her hand. A drip of blood was already trickling from her finger, leaving droplets on the polished floor.

The doctor's warning echoed in his mind. She shouldn't be moving like this.

Zeke realized he made a mistake and instantly cursed himself. Isanna was still disoriented, allowing her emotions to overtake the rationality in her body. For her, she probably felt like she had just woken up right after Shiganshina. Her rage was fresh.

Zeke tried to placate her fiery temper.

"Isanna, calm down—"

"You," she seethed, bristling even more. Isanna stomped over in large strides and grabbed the front of his shirt with both hands. She didn't seem to mind the dripping blood from her hand. In fact, it seemed like she didn't even notice she was bleeding.

Zeke grabbed her wrists, gritting his teeth as he could only feel powerless. He didn't want to get rough—but he didn't know how to get her to stop.

"You.. bastard..!" the curse came out more as a gurgle—she was furious. Zeke realized he would never get through her with words alone.

She really did hate him. His heart ached.

But he didn't have the time to wallow in despair—he could overpower her. Isanna had just woken up, after two days of sleep, so she was bound to feel sore. Zeke had the upper hand, so if he could just—

She suddenly let go of one hand and before he could process, landed a hard punch to his face. The force flung his head to the side, and he heard a distant ringing in his ears. Still, her other grip held tight on him. She threw another punch that sent a charge of pain spreading across his face.

Before Isanna could land another flimsy, desperate hit, Zeke caught her wrist.

He clenched his jaw, tasting blood in his tongue. He had cut his lip. "Isa—"

With a grunt, she used her brute force and much to Zeke's shock, managed to flip him down on the floor with her on top.

Shit—had she always been this strong?!

"Don't say my name!" she spat, absolutely feral. Her wrists shook in Zeke's hold. She tried to escape his grip. "Bastard! You! You—you took everything from me!"

Her accusation felt like a huge slap. Zeke felt like absolute shit.

It was war, Zeke. You were hardly at fault.

Pieck's assurance echoed in his memory, but it was hard to feel good knowing that Isanna was essentially right. He did take everything from her—her friends, comrades, the man she loved—including her very own life; a future she could have had with Erwin.

The rain outside continued to storm. It wasn't as raging as the other night, but loud enough to drown out the yelling. Zeke figured that was why no one had come to check in on them and the noise.

He racked his brain, desperately looking for an excuse, an explanation, an appeasement—anything to get Isanna to calm down.

Until he noticed she was no longer screaming at his face. He frowned in worry when he felt her hands go limp in his hold.

Something wet hit his cheek, and when he came to, Zeke realized Isanna was crying.

The words immediately left him. All Zeke Yeager could do was stare dumbfoundedly at her face as she looked down on him from above, the sobbing filling the momentarily silence.

"Why.." Isanna choked, her expression of rage faltering, replaced with what looked like regret. "why.. did it have to be.. you?"

Zeke didn't know what to say. He didn't know what she meant by that. Why did she have to meet him in this life, of all people? Or why did he have to be the person who had done irreparable damage and pain to her in the past life?

He wasn't sure. He couldn't find it in himself to ask. Every time he saw Isanna cry, his mind had always shut down.

When Isanna pulled her hand back from his grip, Zeke let her go. He could only watch helpless as she buried her face in her hands, her weeping rendering her words faintly incoherent. He couldn't even comfort her with a hug, wary that she would pull away from him.

"Where's Erwin?" she cried, so much like a lost child, and Zeke suddenly felt so stupid that he couldn't even do something as simple as get the person she was looking for for her.

"Why isn't he here?" She clutched the front of her shirt while her free hand tried desperately to wipe her own tears away. "Where is he? Tell me, where did he go—?"

Zeke finally lifted himself off the ground, carefully grabbing her shoulder to guide her off him.

"Isanna, breathe. I'll go get him—just stay here and—"

"No," she cut him off, vigorously shaking her head. "I'll—I want to see him. I want to go to him."

She grabbed his arms and lifted her face at him. All Zeke could see was the sheer desperation in her eyes.

"Please—I want to go."

—

The rain brought bad memories.

Thick, grey clouds hung and covered the sky overhead. Huge raindrops fell and pattered against the surface of the umbrella Erwin held over him. This time, there were no winds, but he thought he'd rather take the longer route from the back of the hospital instead of leaving from the front entrance because the cluster of trees could shelter him at least a quarter along the way.

There was no thunder. The rain was loud but lighter than the other night. Plus, visibility wasn't as low—Erwin figured he could settle with that.

There was an outdoor parking lot at the back of the hospital. Only a few cars occupied the slots, and because it was raining hard, not a single person was in sight.

Erwin powered through the rain, stepping on puddles of water, his shoes sloshing in each step.

Even though it wasn't like the storm the other night, Erwin couldn't help but feel somber as he recalled. He had never been a fan of the rain because of the thunder that almost accompanied it, but with everything that had happened, he was beginning to develop a particular dislike for the natural phenomena.

He gripped the handle of the umbrella tighter.

Isanna had yet to wake up. He had taken turns with Zeke staying with her, more so because even though they were now civil towards each other, even he could feel some discomfort, as if something was still floating in the air, unresolved.

Erwin lowered his gaze with a frown.

He felt like everything would only fall into place if Isanna wakes up. The air between him and Zeke, the ugly feeling bubbling in his chest ever since the accident, the nagging in the back of his mind, and the anxiety rolling inside his stomach. Right now, Isanna waking up, was the only way for it all to be resolved and for him to finally be at peace.

The buzz of the rain and the smell of petrichor surrounded him.

At that moment, he was totally unaware of the back door of the hospital being flung open.

He took another step forward.

"ERWIN!"

He stopped.

His feet stayed glued together as his eyes strained ahead of him. Erwin thought he imagined it.

Still, that nagging tug in the back of his head returned. An invisible force beckoned him to turn.

Feeling a shiver, he slowly turned halfway; he wasn't sure what he was expecting to see. Something that was similar to anxiety but not exactly gripped him. He didn't realize he was holding on to the umbrella's handle as tight as humanly possible, it was a miracle he hadn't snapped it in two.

His breath hitched.

A few meters away from where he stood in the middle of the almost empty parking lot, she stepped out of the back door, breathing heavily as she looked back at him.

Clad in the hospital pajamas, she let the door close behind her, never taking her eyes off him.

Erwin thought he was hallucinating. Perhaps the gods above had taken pity on his paranoia and decided to calm him down in the form of Isanna's ghost.

But—

She looked real. So real, Erwin wanted to believe it really was her.

Isanna clutched on the hem of her shirt. She looked so small, shivering under the cold. And when Erwin looked closer at her face, he thought she looked.. crestfallen. Like she just saw something heartbreaking and was about to burst out crying.

Before Erwin could even process everything, Isanna stepped out into the rain.

She started out with small steps. One foot in front, then the other, then the other one.. until eventually, her speed picked up and she was full on sprinting.

Erwin still couldn't figure out if it was a dream, but the sight of her running in the rain, wearing nothing but the hospital pajamas, with no shoes on, ignited something in him.

Don't run, he wanted to scold her, knowing that she probably just woke up after two whole days of bedrest, and she could trip and fall—

But something had lodged in his throat—he couldn't hear himself amidst the rain.

Erwin found his own legs moving on their own.

Never taking his eyes off her, a feeling he could not quite explain continued to bubble inside him, building higher and higher, until Erwin found himself running to catch her halfway.

He didn't realize he had already let go of the umbrella until Isanna fell in his arms, burying her face in the crook of his shoulder, arms wrapped around his neck.

Even as his thoughts ran to try and catch up, Erwin's hands seemingly wrapped around Isanna's back, his eyes still dancing in confusion over his own actions. Even as he held her, he still couldn't quite wrap this mind over the fact that he could actually feel her weight in his arms.

In his ears, the rain sounded so distant, and so did everything else. They stayed like that under the showering rain, allowing the water to soak them.

"Idiot!"

Erwin blinked, still mystified, as Isanna pulled back. Her frustration was apparent. Her voice shaky. Erwin wasn't sure if the liquid streaming down her face were her own tears or the rain.

"Where do you think you're going?!" She hit his chest. "I told you to stay! Stay by my side! Which part of that do you not understand?!"

Erwin stared at her, his eyes carefully roaming her face as the rain drenched his own. When he found his autonomy back, he slowly lifted his hand to her face, tentatively pressing his palm against her cheek as if he was testing the waters. As if he still couldn't believe it.

Then, it finally hit him.

Isanna was really here, in front of him.

Erwin cradled the back of her head and pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair. A tangled mess of emotions crashed into him all at once; joy that she had woken up. Regret when he remembered she'd been in pain because of him. Relief that she finally remembered. Sorrow that it took them so long.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, squeezing his eyes shut as he hugged her tighter.

The rain felt cold on his skin. Erwin hated the rain, because it seemed like everything bad and painful that had happened to him were always in connection to it.

But as he held her tight, relishing in her embrace in the downpour, Erwin realized he wanted to stay under the rain longer.

—

"Please refrain from excessively moving," the doctor advised, a clipboard in his hand as the nurse tended to Isanna. "Your temperature has spiked up, and your stitches may re-open. It's important for you to stay in bed and recuperate for a few days at most."

When Erwin came to, he'd realized he should bring Isanna back inside. It was only then did he find out that Isanna had yanked the IV drip and clambered down from the second floor to catch up to him, and although he had every right to scold her for moving around so recklessly, he couldn't find it in himself to be stern especially after everything.

He had called for a doctor to assess Isanna's condition while the nurse inserted another IV drip in her.

"I apologize," Erwin spoke up. "I'll make sure she stays in bed this time."

Isanna didn't utter a word. In fact, Erwin noticed she'd been oddly quiet ever since they got inside.

After a few more words of caution, the doctor and the nurse exited the room with a nod of goodbye, leaving only the both of them inside. Once the silence had settled, Erwin pulled his attention away from the door and turned to Isanna, who seemed to be lost in her own thoughts as she sat on the side of the bed.

She lightly grimaced and pressed a hand to her temple.

Erwin walked over. "Does your head hurt?"

Frowning, Isanna's eyes stayed on the floor. "Like someone hammered it in. I feel sick."

"It's a side effect," Erwin mused as he stopped beside her and felt her forehead. "It should die down tomorrow at most; you should stay in bed."

Isanna almost jumped when she felt his hand, cold against her warm skin, but she didn't look at him.

"You've been quiet," Erwin pointed out, absentmindedly pushing the damp stray hair from her forehead. He had her briefly wash up when they came back inside earlier, not wanting her temperature to worsen after getting soaked in the rain.

Isanna pursed her lips.

"Where is.. he?"

It took Erwin a second to realize who she was referring to.

He had run into Zeke in the hall earlier on his way to call a doctor. Erwin remembered seeing a stark purple bruise on his cheek, and there had been some dried blood on his lip. He looked like someone who just got back from a devastating wrestling match.

"I don't want to stress her out. Take care of her."

"He said he'll be staying at an inn nearby."

Erwin caught the way Isanna furrowed her brows even more.

"You don't have to worry about him."

"I'm not worried about that guy," she spat, looking to the side.

Erwin studied her carefully, recalling how she'd always been a stubborn woman who denied an observation even when it was written all over her face. He decided not to push her.

He was about to tell her to keep it easy when he noticed her hair was still dripping wet. The bed she was sitting on was getting soaked. Heading over towards the closet, Erwin rummaged for a towel.

"Stay still; your hair is still wet," he gently instructed as he moved in front of her, slotting himself between her legs and carefully rubbing her hair with the towel.

Isanna stayed quiet as Erwin dried her hair, his movements slow and steady as her head bobbed with the towel. There was something stirring in the gesture.

For some reason, Isanna found her own hand moving. She balled the front of his shirt tight in her grasp.

Erwin stopped and looked down at her.

"If you want to say something, say it," she told him.

Her words rang in his ears. Erwin had to bring back his composure, summon back his thoughts for the last two days and all the emotions he'd been suppressing.

Isanna had always been like this—like she could feel he was keeping something in and was the only one who could open up that wall he'd erected.

His hands twitched. Crumpling the towel, he let it fall on the bed.

Erwin could feel his own face faltering at the memory.

"Please.. don't ever do that again."

Isanna looked at him, carefully scanning his face. "What?"

"Putting yourself in harm's way for me," he supplied in a frustrated whisper. He raised his hand to her face, gently caressing her with the back of his hand as the other tenderly cradled her, making Isanna crane her neck at him.

Erwin frowned, recalling the way her ice-cold skin felt under his touch. Isanna had now regained some of her warmth, and maybe that was why he had this urge to touch her frequently—just to be sure.

"You can't even begin to imagine the dread I felt when I saw you.. when I saw you unmoving." The word left him like a curse on his tongue. "Isanna, I was prepared to end my life."

His bold declaration caught her off guard. Isanna almost doubted it, but when she realized he was being serious, she could only defend her actions.

"But you would have done the same for me."

This time, it was Erwin's turn to be speechless. He recalled his decision to lose his arm for her, and it hit him—yes. Yes, he would do the same for her. Over and over, if it meant her wellbeing.

He mutely sighed, shaking his head in defeat.

"That doesn't mean I'd want to see you like that. The thought of anything happening to you.. the possibility of you never opening your eyes again.. it fills me with fear I didn't know existed."

"Erwin.."

A rush of emotions suddenly came over him. Erwin let go of her face and lowered himself, kneeling before her. Isanna followed him with her eyes, almost mystified, as he took her hand and lifted it to his face, pressing her palm against his cheek.

A shuddering breath left him

"I couldn't bear it, Isanna," he sighed, "I will never find peace in a life without you. So I thank you, for waking up. For coming back. That's all I ever prayed for."

Erwin turned to kiss the inside of her palm, the gesture tugging something inside Isanna. She almost couldn't believe he was the same man from before, but maybe, deep down, Erwin Smith had always been capable of being the kind of man who was deliberate with the people he cared for.

—

The rain continued till nightfall.

Erwin stared out the window, watching the pitter-patter of droplets racing down the glass. He was thinking of catching up on some sleep, but eventually found out that his body couldn't entirely shut down yet.

He looked away, turning towards the bed in the private ward where Isanna lay, her chest heaving in a rhythmical pattern as she slept soundlessly. He had already turned the lights off, so only the glow from the window provided the room with meander light.

Even as the day went on, he still found it hard to digest that he was no longer a random man in Isanna's eyes. She now looked at him with a different hue, with a certain shine in her eyes that she'd used to before. Erwin thought that was too good to be true.

Ah, he realized. Maybe that was why he didn't want to sleep yet, too scared that he'd wake up and find out everything had been a dream.

He considered contacting Hange and the others, but figured that could wait tomorrow. It was late into the night, and he was sure they were already sleeping by now.

Erwin stood from the couch and stretched his arms, deciding that his throat needed a cold drink to go down with. He stalked towards the bed, taking note of the serene expression on Isanna; the sight made his heart squeeze. Erwin wondered how long it would take till he got used to the feeling. He adjusted the blanket over her before he walked out of the room.

He slowly closed the door behind him and began trekking down the corridor. The hall outside was dimly lit, and it was a few steps from the room until he found the vending machine situated by the wall, the lights inside the machine illuminating a small portion of the hall.

Erwin inserted the right amount and pressed the drink he wanted, waiting in front of the machine as a clack indicated the canned metal had been dropped. He bent down and picked it up, pulling the tab open.

The sound of fizzling drink briefly filled the otherwise empty and quiet hall. Outside, he could still hear the light rain.

Throwing his head back, Erwin tipped the drink to his lips.

When his throat felt cold enough, he lowered the can and stared at it, lightly shaking it in his hand to assess how much was left.

Erwin sighed. Despite the drink, he suddenly felt really exhausted. The day hadn't even been physically taxing for him, yet he now had a feeling he'd immediately get knocked out on the couch as soon as he returned to the room. Perhaps his mind had finally reached its fill for the day.

Erwin downed the rest of the dregs in the can before he leaned down to throw it in the trash can beside the vending machine.

"Erwin?"

He almost jumped. Erwin snapped his neck, freezing in place when he came face to face with Isanna. She stood a few steps from him, in the middle of the hallway, a hand on the IV stand right next to her.

The windows casted minimal light in the corridor, and shadows decorated the floor.

Erwin blinked twice before he realized. "Isanna. You shouldn't be walking—"

"You weren't there," she suddenly said, cutting him off. The thin, weak voice emanating from her made Erwin briefly pause, lightly creasing his forehead.

"I woke up.. and you weren't there." Her voice was shaky, her other hand gripping the hem of her shirt. Erwin noted the paleness of her face. "I'm sorry—I thought—I thought everything had been a dream, and I—"

It dawned on Erwin. Isanna was scared. Something tugged his chest; like rubber was being wounded tight around him.

He strode over towards her in quick strides, pulling her in a gentle hug. His hand found hers on the IV stand and enveloped her smaller fingers.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in her hair, cradling the back of her head. "I won't do it again. I won't leave you."

He felt the tension in her shoulders instantly leave as Isanna allowed her weight to fall on his hug. Erwin mentally cursed himself. She had only just regained her memories—he should've known better that her emotions would still be all over the place, trying to balance reality from her dreams. He knew the feeling very well.

He placed a light kiss on her hair.

"Let's get back to the room," he softly told her, guiding her as they walked, a hand on her shoulder while he held the IV stand with the other, pushing it along.

When they returned, the lights were still turned off. Erwin noticed the blanket that was supposedly on the bed now on the floor, as if someone had thrown the covers off in a haste.

"Sorry," Isanna murmured beside him. "Kinda panicked. A bit."

"You don't have to apologize," he assured her, bending down to pick it up. "At least you had better sense not to pluck the IV drip this time."

He heard her scoff and pictured her mildly rolling her eyes behind him. Erwin held back a smile.

He flapped the blanket, dusting out any dirt that could have clung to the cloth, before he laid it over the bed.

Erwin suddenly felt a tug on his shirt. He let go of the edge of the cover to turn to Isanna, who seemed conflicted.

The buzz of the rain outside and the hum of the air conditioner filled every inch of the space inside the room. Even with the lights off, the windows in the room allowed Erwin a view of her face as he waited for her to break the silence.

Isanna inhaled.

"It's not that.. I'm being clingy or whatever," she started, having difficulty meeting his eyes. "I'm not saying that I need to know wherever you are—each second of every day. I'm not a baby."

"But," she continued, finally lifting her eyes to him, "at least, for a few days.. I just want to see you with my own eyes. Just to be sure that.. I'm not dreaming. I just want to know that this is real. That you're here with me."

The feeling returned, the feeling that something was tugging in his chest. As her words finally clicked in him, Erwin realized he could no longer put his desires on hold.

He took her hand just as she let go of his shirt, held it securely in his grasp, then Erwin leaned down to kiss her.

It was a short and slow kiss of patience.

Erwin didn't want to scare Isanna off, especially right after recovering memories, so he thought he should put the thought off, at least until she initiated it herself, but he figured this had been his last straw. He wanted to kiss her.

The sensation of their lips pressed against each other sent a charge of electricity that almost consumed him. Erwin missed this. He missed her, so badly—he felt like he could kiss her long enough until his yearning carved itself on her lips.

He held her hand tight in his, the other gently caressing the back of her neck, as he allowed himself to get drunk in the feeling. When Erwin pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers, slowly opening his eyes as his breath fanned against hers.

With her eyes slowly fluttering open, Isanna met his quiet gaze with an equal intensity of emotions.

Erwin realized there was no need for him to be careful of scaring her off.

Because after just a few seconds of parting, their lips met once more in a heat of desire.

Hot breaths were mixed into one, puffed in between kisses as Isanna's fingers roamed and carded his blond locks, Erwin could have gotten drunk with the mere sensation of her fingers playing with his hair. He found his hold on her waist, gripping her tight enough and pulling her close against him.

Something hot burned in the lower regions of him, a feeling Erwin had long pushed far at the back of his mind. And when he found himself being pushed on the bed with Isanna straddling him, their lips still connected, an involuntary groan poured past his lips.

The feeling of her hips pressing flush against his ignited a sinful thought, and it only burned hotter when Isanna rolled her hips into him. Erwin instinctively bucked his hips up, meeting hers with equal vigor and eliciting a small gasp from her when his clothed bulge pressed into the thin fabric of her pajamas.

That sound. That light gasp she made was enough to send Erwin's thoughts spiraling. He always regarded himself as a man who moved after careful consideration, but now, with his skin burning feverish under Isanna's sensual touches, he wasn't so sure of it anymore.

Erwin peppered kisses across her jawline, eventually reaching her neck, sucking that sweet spot that he knew she used to love. Instantly, he felt the moment she seemed to melt in his arms, a satisfied sigh singing from her lips, and Erwin felt the urge to give her maximum satisfaction.

His hand trailed the middle of her back, steadying it there while the other reached up to hold the back of her head, and with slow, gentle movements, Erwin laid her down on the bed with him on top.

Wrapping her arms around his shoulder, Isanna eagerly reached up to capture his lips, giving him a slight nibble and earning a low groan from Erwin. He surrendered to her with parted lips as their tongues danced, lighting up the cold air in the room with their desires.

But, just when Erwin was about to take it to the next step, he felt the plastic tube of the IV drip brushing against his arm, then he realized this was not appropriate to do in a hospital, no matter how much he wanted to take her then and there.

He squeezed his eyes shut, and with much self-control, grabbed Isanna by the shoulder as he pulled back.

Heavy breathing filled in the gap between them as they held the other's eyes. The soft rain pattered against the window.

As Erwin read the mild confusion on her, he leaned down briefly to kiss her sweetly on the lips once more, if only to satiate him one last time.

He pulled back, breath fanning against her parted lips. Isanna stared at him with half-lidded eyes, still heady and slightly breathless.

Erwin held back a sigh.

"Believe me when I say that.. I want you just as much." The words left him in a strained whisper as he affectionately caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "But you're still recovering, and I don't want to hurt you."

When the understanding dawned on her, Isanna lightly pursed her lips. "You won't hurt me."

A smile crept its way to his lips. "You only just got your memories back, so I know you're caught up in the moment, emotions still over the place."

She wanted to rebut him, that she was perfectly capable despite it, but then pieced together that he was spot on. Her arms remained wrapped around his neck, twirling his hair around his fingers as Erwin used his forearm to steady himself above her.

"Why do you always have to be so rational all the time?" she huffed. "Can't even let loose once in a while.."

A low chuckle rumbled from Erwin's chest. If only she knew how he was already walking on thin ice around her.

His gaze softened, pure affection twinkling in his eyes as he scanned every detail of her face. The arch of her brow, the shine in her eyes, the curve of her nose, the bow of her lips, still slick from his kisses.

Erwin reached for a few of her stray hair, twisting it between his thumb and forefinger, before he brought it to his lips in a kiss of devotion.

"I promise you," he whispered, "once everything has settled down, once your memories have fully sunk in and you've calmed, I will be yours to have, my love."

Isanna seemed off-guard, even when he leaned down to tenderly kiss her eyelid. Something fluttered in her chest, a foreign feeling she almost forgot.

A feeling she only felt around him. Stability. Peace.

"Stay with me tonight," she said, the plea coming out more as an order than anything.

Erwin planted a soft kiss on her forehead. Isanna couldn't help but feel like he's been kissing her everywhere he could reach, but she wasn't about to complain.

"Of course," he muttered against her skin, and Isanna thought she could feel him smiling.

In the next few moments, the bed that had felt so cold and spacious earlier now held the both of them, wrapped in each other's hold. Isanna pressed the side of her face snug on Erwin's chest, finding tranquility in the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

The last thing she felt before finally succumbing to sleep was a gentle kiss pressing on the top of her head, a silent whisper of love and affection, reminding her that this—this very moment, secured in his arms like the faint scent of home, was real.