their beginning

Marlene and Floch, both former trainees of the 104^th Training Corps, never shared a friendship together in those times, they lived in different ways, the only connection they had were with Danilo, who joined the Garrison. During the 4 years time skip they got the chance to get to know each other:
Danilo visited Marlene in the pub a lot, where she worked again. Floch accompanied Danilo sometimes, to share some evenings as comrades together, so he began to small talk with Marlene. It didn't need a lot of time until both remembered each other: both included in the battle of Shinganshina and went through the same hell. Floch was curious about why Marlene joined the Scouting Legion again, when she had left the military before. Marlene felt uncomfortable to talk about "personal reasons", so she blocked his questions about it.
"It was because of Reiner, right?" 
Marlene was shocked by his directly question, but of course Floch would know: he was good with Danilo. She felt a bit insulted, asked, if Danilo and him didn't had better to do than talking about her. Surprised by her temperamentally call out, Floch countered, that her stiff arm would be the result of her decision to be with a warrior. They both goaded each other with this conversation and Marlene made him clear, that he wouldn't had the right to judge her.
"It was my fault and my fault only. I wanted to fight, I wanted to join the Scouting Legion, instead of the Garrison. Nobody else has the responsibility for my actions, I did all by myself! It isn't the fault of Reiner, if it's any fault, so the fault of the Scouting Legion, who didn't said clearly, that I was used to be a bait! For someone like you who should have crushed by rocks, I believed you would be more empathic!"
Marlene left that conversation not in a good mood, she was angry about him and avoided any talks with Floch in the future. Between them both ruled some silence, until Floch went to the pub later to apologize to her for what he had said. Marlene was surprised, that he made the first step towards her;  she respected that and tried to break the ice with asking about Floch's intension to join the Scouting Legion formerly. Floch said, that the Scouting Legion recruited new people because of lack of personnel, as she knows, so he was triggered to be a part of the soldiers who would take back Wall Maria. He thought, he would be a part of something big and important for the military and for humanity.
"So...you wanted to be a...hero?" 
"Kinda. I wanted to show myself that I have something contributed as well to our homeland, like all the big soldiers did before us. But... If I had known for what I was really needed, I wouldn't have left the Garrison. After the Shiganshina battle, I recognized it: I was used for the suicide attack. I didn't understand for what I was fighting anymore. So yeah - I feel you. It would have been nice, if the Scouting Legion had said the truth to the beginning." 
(...) Time passed and Floch went with Danilo more often in the pub, so he could talk with Marlene. With her, he was able to talk on a same level, even they both discussed a lot and didn't share the same opinion sometimes. Especially Marlene was often against Floch's views on the world or questioned his political statements, but every time he spoke about that content, he did it with passion. Passion was something Marlene appreciated a lot; in her opinion someone with passion is someone with energy, people who are alive and make impossible things possible. Marlene herself does all with passion, so to see that energy on someone else, made her curious about the person who talks infront of her.

[...] Time by time Floch accompanied Marlene at home after her shift in the pub. Marlene was ok with it, she didn't saw it as "bodyguarding", more as a way to spend more time with her.
"You don't seem like a woman who needs protection to be honest. Do you want to go home alone next time?"
"Floch, you are too curious. And that's exactly the reason why I need protection: because I seem like I don't need it. Some idiots wanna test their limits and I'm handicapped."
"Ah, the arm. Who hits this handicap more: you or the men in the pub, who are sad that you can't waitress them correctly and only are able to hold one beer with your healthy arm?" 
Marlene laughed and used that moment for thanking him: He was always honest to her, that was something she admired a lot and she liked that uncomplicated talks they had in the evenings, although he was sometimes harsh and not very sensitive. Floch made a proposal, to go on another place for talking, without drunk people around them, maybe she would like to go out for dinner with him. Marlene, clearly saw his intension to go out with her, approved his idea. She was surprised by it, yet kinda happy about, which confused her - Would she go on a date?

their confession

[...] To be at restaurants were now a thing they both enjoy as much as often. One evening, meanwhile a dinner, Floch asked out of sudden about Marlene's intension to be with someone like Reiner. Marlene, surprised about that question, blushed and answered:
"Uhm that's kind of a very private question ... it's ... Reiner was the whole time good to me and respected me in all way. I felt very "myself" with him. He truly ... I-I truly loved him. But I'm unsure if he remembers me, his warrior life doesn't allow it? I don't know ... at least he chose his warrior life instead of me. I guess that's the reason why he has left me and because ... I wasn't there for him. Maybe things would have turned out better if I would have listen to him better. Anyway, in the end he's gone, without any explaination and I don't know exactly why. I had waited every day for him, I mean ... I'm still waiting ... but nothing happens. That hurts, but that's life I guess ..."
Floch, who listened to her attentive, responsed only: 
"You still waiting ... I see." 
Suddenly Marlene knew she said something hurtful to him. They both finished their dinner without sharing words with each other anymore. Marlene knew, she did something wrong, so on their way at home she apologized to Floch for what she had said.
"You don't need yourself excuse. But to hear that you still like him, feels like a shot directly in my heart. That hurts too, but that's life, right? At least you were honest." 
With this statement Floch left her in a confused mind back and a break of weeks followed between them; he still came time by time in the pub with Danilo, but it was always an awkward situation for Marlene, especially Floch avoided any talks with her and didn't went out for dinner with her again.
After time, Marlene searched a conversation to him, she felt very uncomfortable about how things turned out for both of them. She thought a lot about Floch's words and wanted to say something to that, at least she was the opinion Floch deserved it:
"I'm sorry, really. It wasn't meant to be like that, I didn't want to hurt you. I mean ... I'm confused at the moment and even more I'm afraid of what could happen between both of us. It's because I don't know what to do. I don't want to be left alone again ... I-I make all wrong, I know it and I am sorry. You said that I have hurt your feelings, yet I can't understand why you wanna to be with someone like me?"
Floch looked at her like he couldn't understand why she wasn't able to see what was very clear to him:
"Because when I'm with you, I have no nightmares anymore. But you deserve someone who values you more, if this isn't enough."

[...] Marlene was overwhelmed of what Floch said to her, it felt like he confessed twice with saying to her, that he slept well when they both are together and that she was worthy enough to value. She searched a conversation with Danilo, because she wasn't able to think rational about it.
"I don't want to be alone in the end. It hurts so much, I don't want to go through hell twice."
"Marlene, it's not about leaving - It's about staying and protecting. You want someone you can trust. Did you ever think about, that maybe there's someone who's prepared for fighting for you? We all have reasons to fight and you are a reason too. You are worthy! Why you are always thinking the world would be against you? You are loved. Your friends loving you, your family loving you, Reiner showed you love and now here's Floch. Begin to love yourself, otherwise you will never be able to see it!"

Floch wasn't the type for chasing after, yet it was hard for him, that Marlene turned down him; he tried to accept that. During a daily training time in the military, Marlene suddenly appeared on the training ground.
"Floch, I thought of you the last weeks in an endless time. And I only wanna say to you, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I always let you think that you are my second choice, because you aren't - you are the right choice."

their engagement

[...] Few weeks before the Scouting Legion was sent to Marley, Marlene decided to visit her parents; a lot had happened in her life and she wanted to let her mother and father know, that she was together with Floch. She was nervous about how her parents would react, yet she was optimistic to leave some good news to them, because she took the relationship with Floch seriously.
During breakfast her father started a serious talk about how afraid Judith and he were about Marlene, before Marlene was able to mention Floch. Joseph said, that her current situation - working in a pub, not earning enough money and scratch a living, would make them afraid to see their daughter in a short time in "darker places of society". Matthias, who was based in the military police inside Wall Sina, would know another police officer, who was interested to get to know Marlene and Joseph pleased her to give him a try. Marlene refused immediately, she knew what Matthias' true intension was: to see Marlene together with a yeagerist defame himself and his name as a good police officer. Matthias hated her and so of course her decision to be with Floch. Her thoughts regarding Matthias she covered infront of her parents and said only, that a blind date isn't needed, because she already was interested in a man. Before Matthias could talk with Joseph and Judith, Marlene played with open cards:
"His name is Floch Forster, he is soldier and ... he is the leader of the yeagerists. I beg you to don't judge his decisions he does in the military, judge how he is with me. And he is very good to me. Please give him a try. Sorry, if I break your heart with being not a perfect daughter, but I'm not interested in get to know another man, because I want Floch."
Judith wasn't happy about Marlene's decision to stay in the pub and be with Floch. She said to her daughter, that she was afraid to see her included in that upcoming rebellion of the yeagerists if she was with someone like Floch, also he wouldn't be good for her. They had an argument, Marlene left thereupon the house, but promised to her mother, that she will be ok.

Back to her living place, Marlene cried about all in the presence of Floch and Danilo. Of course, her parents wanted the best for her, but she was afraid that Matthias and that police man would be able to take her away and she was shocked about Matthias' cold-blooded behavior only for his image. Floch tried to calm her down; behind her back he made the decision to take a visit to Marlene's parents, with Danilo, whom Marlene's parents trust:
"[...] Marlene doesn't know that we are here, because she would freak out. But Marlene is important to me, I never would hurt her. She doesn't want to go with that police officer. That's why I'm here: I wanna ask for her hand, Mr. Kuehne."
"I haven't a good feeling to give her to someone who is only a crush to her. I'm too protective of my daughter."
"I'm not a crush, sir. I'm her lover."
"And you think it's a good decision to be that honest to me?"
"Yeah, because I want to marry her and so it's a good decision to play with open cards."
Even Danilo was shocked about Floch's sincerity, maybe it would have been better to talk about the things more sensitively, but Danilo promised Marlene's parents as well, that Floch wouldn't be a danger for Marlene. Joseph needed some time to think about and begged the men to wait. After some hours Danilo and Floch were ready to leave the house; before they went Joseph said to Floch:
"I really don't know, if I should like you or not, but that doesn't matter. When Marlene was here for some days, she was happy, she was alive. She was in a constitution I didn't saw her for a long time because of her depressions she had back then. Her feelings towards you are true and I guess yours too, if you come that long way to my house, asking me for her hand and being that honest to me. I will make one thing clear: You are allowed to marry her, but only if SHE wants it."

[...] Floch pressed a letter into Marlene's hands. Marlene, not knowing what's going on, read it: It was the approval of her father to marry Floch if she wants.
"You don't have to do this. It's all up to you. But I was at your parents' house, with Danilo whom your parents trust, and talked with your father. I asked for your hand and I promise that this approval is legal only, if you want it. If you won't - it's ok, but it protects you of that police man. And sorry, I know - this isn't the normally way and very unromantically, but I wouldn't be good in that anyway, as you know ..."

Marlene's mother was heavily against that engagement; she didn't trust the yeagerists and was afraid to see her daughter included in war and danger. Joseph tried to calm her down and said that they have time to get to know Floch better in future.
"Marlene's happiness is all I want, Judith."
"With selling her to a cult? Is this happiness for you?"
"I don't sell her. I give her the permission to choose her future and happyness she wants."

Marlene remembered the words Danilo said to her: "(...) It's not about leaving, it's about protecting (...)".
This time she didn't needed long for her decision:
"Well, Floch, your approval was a joke ... a handwritten piece of paper, wow ... and as far as I know you, you were very honest to my parents, I guess. Embarrassing. That's why I should be angry at you, but not today: I will get enough time to be angry at you, when I'm Mrs. Forster in future."

Floch's death and unspoken words to the end of their relationship

[...] Despite Floch's hard work as a soldier in the Scouting Legion, later in the Yeagerists and Marlene's job as a waitress in the pub, they both developed a courteously and loving relationship to each other. Their marriage should start after the war for paradis, because especially Floch had to focus himself more on the military, but there was something Marlene was worried about:
As much as Floch tried to let outside Marlene of military things, she randomly spyed a talk between Floch and Danilo: the content was about Eren's plan to do the rumbling and Zeke's plan to use euthanasia to free the eldians. Marlene was shocked about what she heard and asked her fiancé what was exactly behind those ideas. Floch explained all to her.
" ... So you mean I have plan A: to die without getting the chance to live my life or plan B: to support the rumbling with a small chance to be free and do what I want."
"Not a small chance, the rumbling will be a success: We will be free and can start a new life in Eldia."
"But what if not?"
"I haven't any doubts about it. Eren's plan is the only solution for us. We have to be successfully!"
Marlene started to cry, overwhelmed of the situation they were in.
"Please listen to me Floch: I can't support a genocide, I can't support any kill. But I don't want to talk with you about THAT. I want to talk about US: My whole life I had to give up my dreams: My dream to have a normal view on men, my dream to become an artist, my dream to live in peace. All that was the fault of others! And now you standing here infront of me and saying, there is a man who tries to wipe out our race... A man will make a decision about if I can start a family or not. I'm done, I'm so done that men make decisions about what I can do and what I can't do. I don't care about how egoistically I seem at the moment, for the first time in my life I will be very egoistically: Doesn't matter what you will do, Floch, I only care about how you are to me and you values me, that's the only thing which matters. Can you promise to me to win this war and come back to me?"
"I can and I will."
"Then do all what is necessary to win. It won't change my way of how I see you, I will be with you. I want to live with you in New Eldia."

Before Marlene went to her parent's house for her safety and to leave the war and her fiancé behind, she wrote her wish, to have a family with Floch, down in a letter. In the end she refused the idea to give him the letter, because she didn't know how Floch would react on it: would his emotions lead him in a wrong way or would he become more determinded to win the war? Because she didn't want to be responsible in which state Floch would join the war, she hold back the letter. At this time she didn't knew that she was already pregnant. However, Floch recognized something differently since a short time, because Marlene acted otherwise.
"Wait for me at home, I will come back soon."
"I hope, I will wait."
"... Are you ok? Something to say?"
Marlene thought he would mean the letter, but was confused how he could know about it.
"I don't know what you mean. Do you want a farewell party for leaving me?" She laughed.
"Not today, no. I thought ... you want to say something to me. Something which means changes in future?"
"What you are talking about, seriously. Floch, it's all ok. I'm waiting here. Come back with victory. I'm ready to marry you then. Spar your voice for later."
Actually Floch knew there was a little chance of a pregnancy, still trusted her, why she didn't want to talk about that. Marlene herself was heavily stressed inside, the situation was too much for her, but she wanted to hold her head up towards Floch. She ignored the signals of her body, she truly didn't know about what happened at the moment. In conclusion: They never talked about that directly.

Floch's death left a big hole to her life. Marlene, traumatized of her childhood abuse, war and the loss of her brother and now Floch, was leaded again into a phase of depressions, she wasn't longer strong enough to fight against. She isolated herself first, wanted to die later at home. What kept her alive, was the recognizing of her pregnancy. She found her reason to live.