Nathaniel didn't know what he was doing for a long period of his life. He had no clue as to what he was doing ever since the walls fell. His mother's death during the fall of the Walls kinda triggered him to wander through life, even when he was with his father for the briefest of time.
During those darker times, when millions of people starved under his father's orders, he looked up to the sky seeking comfort. He sought a better world, a better time, like a time before the Walls fell when things were much happier and simpler then. Of course, he didn't want the types of sins committed during those times to be committed to what he envisioned as the future for the Land of the Walls, he did it because it was the best comparison he knew of. He knew of the outside world, his father had made sure of that. Nothing in human history could compare to the Golden Age of the island, the paradise, no, a utopia that was the island. Deep down, he knew that it was wrong to be ignorant and live behind the Walls as most of his kin suffered in the rest of the world, but he still wanted to have what was once paradise again, but this time, with more of his people, correcting the wrongs of his ancestors.
He walked that path he had laid forth for himself, not just to prove his father wrong, that he couldn't change the curse of the Reiss family, but to do it for the people. The path was lonely, very lonely. Often, months would go by without any other travelers on the path of life he took. Often, he stopped along his journey and wonder why did he take upon this burden? He did not know any answers that he sought, nor did the few travelers that he encountered on his journey.
After a year of travel, he heard of the 104th Cadet Corp being formed. One of his goals, not THE main goal, but one of the most important goals was finding his lost sister. In one of his brief moments of being a genuinely good human being and father, Rod had lamented to Nathaniel about sending his sister, half-sister away. Of course, Kenny was a factor in sending her away, not knowing that Nathaniel was already brought to the estate, but that detail isn't important, what was important detail was that the Church of the Walls hide the details of where she ended up at, even from the King of the Walls, so all he could do was regret his actions.
The military, he thought, could be where his sister ended up, so he joined, to get to know the people more, after all, he was raised as a nobleman for most of his life. Starting training was grueling, at least the physical part was, the true challenge was mental problems. Keeping up that dammed mask on 24-7 drove him mad. To put it on to show them all that he was a normal person, with a fake life, fake hobbies, fake everything, it made his skin itch every moment he did it.
After antagonizing months had passed, he noticed something. In the earlier days, he could notice when his masked started to crack and slip for the day. He'd soon withdrawn from the daily shenanigans when it happened. Catching another mask, not his slipping intrigued him. Annie, the cold-hearted killer of the 104th Cadet Corp, is friends with no one, not even the other 2 from her village that was destroyed when the walls fell. She, of all people, had a mask that slipped in front of him, granted, it wasn't all of it, just her persona, he knew at that moment he was about to be gutted. "Top Cadet Gutted", he could see that headline near in the future if he didn't act quickly so he dropped his, and like Annie, not all of it, just his persona.
As 2 boats lost in a storm, together to stand against it, that was like their souls. Both had family problems unresolved. Annie missed her adopted father, Nathaniel knew that she might be from Marley, the outside, or at least that's where his father thought the Colossus Titan came from. Nathaniel could never see her as being that Titan. He shared his father's problems also, hinting to her that he was at least a nobleman's bastard, though he didn't reveal at the time his heir to the throne status.
Both warmed up after their first conversation, first, it was just the small gestures, like nods or winks during training, but as the days, weeks, and months melted by, it developed into a friendship of sorts. It was one where Annie only truly interacted with Nathaniel as her maybe real self, switching to the mask for others. It made for odd conversations with others. And well, there was that time that Nathaniel confided to her in some details of what happened that fateful winter training day.
Ah! Those sweet days are long gone!
As graduation loomed over them, Annie started to act more skittish around others, especially him. She blushed often, mostly during sparring or in conversation with him. Silly him that was oblivious to all of this. It took flowers on Valentine's Day and an hour to process that for him to realize what she had wanted.
So at dinner that night, they officially became the first couple of the Cadet Corp. Yes, they were those that judged, some teasingly or more out of shock, but there were plenty of others that supported their relationship. Those final months were heaven for them, their relationship blossoming to new heights. The night before graduation peaked their relationship.
They survived the Battle of Trost and started to have a long-distance relationship afterward. Her going to the MPs, him to the Scouts. It was a small rift that formed in their relationship, though nothing that they couldn't overcome. When it came to writing the letters though, each could tell that their secrets of the past were bubbling up. He didn't think of it until that dammed mission, the 57th Scouting Mission. He had seen her transform within the woods. It had hit him like a bumbling titan. He had collapsed, just staring at her form makes its way toward the expedition.
Later, when recalling that day, he seem to himself that he moved without his accord, racing to stop her, which he had somehow. He was inconsolable that day and was still a bit miffed now nearly 2 weeks later.
Seeing her in action, in all that glory, really had him blushing. One, because he had to remind himself that she was still a possible traitor, two, he had dated her, three, her Titan looked dammed sexy to him, he didn't realize it last time, but now looking at her, to him, it was just another version or her beauty. Love transcended all, including free will. That moment after cutting down his father, after rousing the people in front of him, adrenaline coursed through him like it was the gift of gods.
Next thing he knew, bliss ran through him as he kissed his sweet dear Annie, oblivious to the crowd that was still there. Granted, not everyone was looking, only those close by, however, Eren was right next to them. Needless to say, he was more than displeased that he was right next to what was soon to be a full make-out session.
Quickly realizing that there were watchers to their make-out session, they both blushed as they ran off, heading towards somewhere far far away from the congregation of people. Chuckling could be heard from those that were of the 104th Cadet Corp as the congregation slowly dispersed, setting themselves off to finish clean up of Orvud.
Erwin, intrigued by the chuckling, asked Sasha about it. Her reply caught him off guard.
"See you don't know of it. Even I, the great foody of the 104th know of it. Before the … well, the 57th Expedition, those two love birds were the famous couple of the 104th Cadet Corp.Them 2 was the best in all of the 104th. Annie on the ground, Nathaniel in the air. You know of that at least. But, what you don't know is that before they got closer, Annie was on an island in the sea of the Corp, if you catch my drift. Nathaniel was also an island, but not as high n' mighty nor as lonely as Annie, he even had some friends from then. Granted, looking back, it makes sense for both of them."
Erwin thought of that. It was true, both had hidden missions from the get-go it seems. Nathaniel, to overthrow his father and find his sister. Annie, well he didn't know, something about bringing the walls down, but even that slight notion was cast aside today. Perhaps… no, he shook his head, probably not that. Best still keep an eye on her, granted if he could find her and her boyfriend, the king. He shudders at the thought that she could be queen, as he walked the streets. That just didn't sit well with him.
The two love birds, unaware of the surroundings they found themselves in, a back alleyway unscathed by the recent battle, found themselves continuing what they had left off with. Blissfully, they progressed. The kissing got more intense, more sensual. Hands buddled up in clothing broke free, helping the rest of the body to break free from their bondage. Each touch drove each closer in more than one way. Each knew what to do now, it wasn't their first time after all. Pent-up tension exploded forth from each, washing over each other. Love to them, was more than this, but at the moment, in that small moment in an ocean of others, love was only that. The climax to that moment in that alleyway, was as if heavenly forces descended upon them to bless them.
Even hours after, miles away in Mitras, as the crown descended upon his head, the masses cheering, his head raised to the sky, even then, his mind was still in the alleyway, far, far away.