The noise of the mess hall was as loud as always, except this time, people weren't discussing their usual conversations. This time, everyone was talking about the new guests that had arrived on Paradis Island just about a week and a half ago.

Natalie walked in, looking more tired than normal.

She fell into her seat next to Sasha, back against the table with her legs spread.

She let out a groan, running her hands through her hair and muttering a soft "fuck."

Armin looked up from where he was seated across from her, a look of concern on his face.

"You ok, Nat?" He asked.

Said girl tilted her head back to look at him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just didn't get alot of sleep last night." She said.

"That's been happening alot, lately." Armin commented. "Are you not feeling well?"

"Oh, I'm feeling something alright." She muttered.

Before Armin could respond to that, Jean approached the table with a tray of food in his hands.

He gave the dark haired girl a sour look.

"Can you stop man-spreading? No one wants to smell whatever's between your legs."

Natalie gave Jean a tired, cocky smirk.

"You wanna get between 'em and find out?" She asked, teasingly in a low voice.

Armin spit up the drink that was in his mouth as he muffled a laugh with his hand, his cheeks turning pink from how he was holding his breath.

Jean scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Not interested, sorry. I don't fuck around with whores."

Natalie's gaze turned bitter.

"I'll have you know Horse Face, that I haven't fucked anyone in my entire life, and I bet you haven't either, so don't go around calling me a whore."

Jean just rolled his eyes once again and took a seat beside Connie.

"I bet you want that tall lady to fuck you with how much you've been talking about her."

Natalie's cheeks turned red as she shot up from her seat.

"Hey, fuck you! You don't know shit!"

"It's true, isn't it?" Jean replied, a knowing smirk coming onto his face.

"No, it isn't! Yeah, I talk about her, so what? That's what everyone has been doing ever since she got here!"

Natalie threw her arms in the air in frustration.

"Y'know what? Fuck this, I'm outta here."

Tossing Jean the middle finger, she stormed out if the mess hall.

Armin sighed, picking at his food.

"I don't understand why you always have to start fights with her, Jean. You know how she is."

Jean scoffed, spooning some food into his mouth.

"She always thinks she's better than everyone, I'm sick of it. She's just as bad as Eren."

Armin slammed his spoon against the table, making everyone stare at him in shock.

No one had ever seen the blonde look so mad before. Not even Eren and Mikasa.

Mikasa stared at him with wide eyes. "Armin..."

Armin glared at Jean.

"You don't know anything about her, what she's been through. What makes you think you have any right to say that? She doesn't think she's better than everyone else, you're just being an asshole."

Everyone gaped at him, shocked by his words.

With a frustrated sigh, Armin stood up and left as well.

Everyone at the table stared at eachother in awkward silence.

"Does Armin, y'know, have a crush on her or something? I've never seen him that defensive before." Connie said.

Eren, who had been quiet for most of the conversation, spoke up.

"No, they've just been friends for a long time. Longer than Mikasa and I have been friends with him. They're just close, but I think Natalie crushed on him for a while during our time in the cadets."

"Jean," Connie started. "Seriously, what's your problem with her? You've treated her like this since our first year in the cadets."

Jean stayed quiet, not meeting their eyes.

After a few seconds, he sighed.

"You guys wouldn't understand." And he left it at that.

~~~

Natalie slammed the door to her bedroom closed, kicking a chair close by.

Running her hands through her hair, tugging at the greasy strands, she kicked the chair again.

"Fuck!" She yelled out when her foot twisted a certain way and pain shot up the entirety of her right leg.

Falling onto her bed, she brought her leg up and rubbed at her ankle, muttering curses as she went.

She didn't know why she was so... Angry. She'd never been like this. What was going on?

Before she could answer the question for herself, a knock sounded on her door.

Sighing irritably, she fell back onto the matress, her arms spread out beside her.

"Come in."

The door opened and she looked to see who it was, scoffing when she saw her brother.

"What do you want, Mal?"

He came in, shutting the door behind him, and sat on the bed next to her.

"I saw what happened in the mess hall. You ok?"

She scowled, turning her head away from him.

"I don't need you to check up on me."

Maliath shrugged.

"Yeah, well, it's kind of  my job as your big brother to make sure you're safe and all that. Why'd you get so angry at Jean?"

With a sigh, she sat up on her bed and rested her elbows on her knees. She internally groaned at the sight of her feet not touching the ground all the way due to her height, but that wasn't important.

"He just... Said some things about me that didn't make me feel too good. Like, calling me a whore and all that. I mean, I know I'm not, and that I shouldn't take it personally, but it still kinda hurts."

She took a breath as she prepared herself for what she was gonna say next, clearing her throat as her freckled and scarred cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

"He... Also said that I wanted Yelena to fuck me because of how much I've been talking about her..."

Her face burned hot all the way up to her ears and down her neck as she avoided her brothers gaze.

Maliath tensed, suddenly remembering said woman's oh so intimidating gaze.

"Well," he started. "Do you want her to...?"

Her head shot to look at him, shaking it frantically.

"No! I mean, maybe? I don't know! I might've developed a bit of a crush, but that's all it is! It'll go away eventually!"

Maliath pursed his lips, running his hand over his chin where a slight stubble of hair was beginning to grow.

"You know she can't be trusted, right? None of them can, no matter how nice they are."

Her gaze lowered to the floor.

"I know."

Giving his sister a sympathetic look, he placed his hand on her shoulder, making her look up at him.

He smiled at her.

"Hey, if it's just a crush, then that's what it is. It'll go away at some point."

She gazed at him, before a teasing, mischievous grin came onto her face.

"Right, like you haven't had a crush on Captain Levi for about two years."

His face turned red.

"Hey, I told you I'm never gonna act on that!"

She laughed and punched his shoulder.

"Chill, I was teasing."

He blew a puff of air out, puffing his cheeks in a similar manner to how his sister did.

Standing up from her bed, he ruffled her hair, messing it up and making her scowl.

As he turned to leave, Natalie glanced at the strands of hair falling into her face.

"Hey, before you go, can you help me with something?"

He turned to look at her, an eyebrow raised.

"Depends on what it is."

She bit her lip, fidgeting with her fingers.

"Can you... Help me cut my hair?"

His eyes widened slightly.

"Really? You want to cut your hair? Since when?"

She shrugged. "I've been wanting to for awhile, just haven't found the time, and I don't really trust myself with scissors."

Maliath crossed his arms, laughing.

"Yeah, I wouldn't trust you either. But, sure, I'll help you."

She gave him an awkward smile, giving him a thumbs up as well.

"Awesome."

~~~

Natalie smiled to herself as she looked at her hair in the handheld mirror Maliath gave her, running her fingers over the shaved parts of the undercut she now had.

Lowering the mirror, she looked up at her brother, who was putting away the scissors.

He turned to her. "So, what do you think? I did a pretty good job, huh?"

Setting the mirror beside her, she smiled.

"I love it, thank you."

Wiping his hands of stray pieces of hair, he headed for the door.

"Anything else you need? I could bring you some food if you want."

Natalie shook her head, folding her hands in her lap.

"Nope, I'm good. I think I'll just stay by myself for a bit so I don't punch Jean in the face."

Maliath chuckled, nodding. "Alright, well you have fun by yourself. Just, not too much fun."

Natalie gagged and laughed. "Gross! Get out."

With a final laugh, he walked out the door.

Her smile fell slightly as he left, and she glanced at her white shirt, which was covered in dark strands of cut hair.

Sighing, she unbuttoned her shirt, leaving her in her grey workout bra and black trousers.

Tossing the shirt into a basket she kept by her bed, she headed for the drawers at the foot of it, opening one of them and taking out a dark blue one.

She slipped it onto her shoulders, getting ready to button it up, before a knock sounded at her door once again.

Growing confused at who it could be, she headed for the door assuming it to be Maliath, even though he just left.

Completely forgetting her shirt was unbuttoned, she opened the door.

And was met with the dark gaze of Yelena.

'Oh, shit...'