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cerastes · 2 years

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Somnium Files 1 spoilers.

I want to talk a bit about Date’s Somniums/Somnii (well, his one Somnium and the tutorial dream).

It’s very telling of Date as a person that the rules of his Somnii are based on color.

The Somnii of characters are all reflective of key aspects of themselves, for example, Iris’ Somnii are fundamentally informed by 1) her passions, that is, streaming (particularly ShovelForge), dancing, mythology, and the occult as the foundation to her psyche, 2) her delusions, the flawed perception of reality that comes as a side effect of her brain tumor, to which her love for the occult feeds, and 3) her fear of her coming death, which mixes with her passion for mythology to create an escapism where the Fruit of Immortality may save her. There’s a cohesive connection between Who Iris Is and What Iris Is. The same goes for Saito, whose Somnii all take place in ideal locales for murder (abandoned warehouses and factories), and all necessitate revisiting either his childhood of killing animals, represented by childish drawings of animals being brutalized in various ways, or his latest ‘achievements’, the Cyclops Serial Killings both old and new. The foundation of both of these is, again, passion. The only way Saito knew any sort of joy was when killing. It was quite essentially all he lived for.

If we do a cursory look of other Somnii, passion paints an important picture and plays and important role in all of them: Ota’s love for tokusatsu makes his Somnium play out like a toku fight, Ota’s mom focuses on the moments with her family, both the sad and the joyful, and even Mizuki’s Somnium, the one most colored with sorrow and trauma (it took place shortly after discovering her own mother’s corpse, after all), takes place in the park that housed the sole happy memory she had with her parents, and some parts of the Somnium allude to this joy and how important that is for Mizuki. The grand exception would be Hitomi’s Somnium and Rohan’s Somnium, which are entirely rooted in past regrets and sorrows. One could say these overpower their passions at that point in their lives.

So, we return to Date, Date Kaname, our dirtbag of a man, sleazy ass cheeky piece of shit, lovably charming loser. For all of this and more that he is, however, it’s easy to miss something essential about Date, something that also makes him stick out among the gallery of amnesiac protagonists: He’s happy. He’s perfectly happy where he is, he is not wholly uninterested in his past, but he doesn’t pursue it, either. He’s very content where he is in life. He likes Boss. He likes Aiba. He likes Mizuki. He likes Reika from the cabaret club and her fat thighs. He likes Mama. He likes hitting the bar with his drinking buds such as Okiura and Shoko. Date is in a good place... More than that, he’s thankful.

As the dream tutorial immediately shows us, there’s plenty of subconscious memories he is not even remotely aware of inside of him, of his past life, and even in these, the prime directive of his Somnii, the foundation, the passion, is represented by color.

In the Dream, it’s color that leads the way and dictates what can and cannot be interacted with. Date’s Somnii are very straightforward because he has nothing to hide, and what he is hiding, he doesn’t even know of. We see the stew, we see drawing Iris made of the Okonomiyaki Incident, we take a peek inside of Iris’ toy box where she keeps her UFO toys and occult magazines, right before being thrust into the completely colorless scene of ‘Rohan’ shooting at ‘Falco’, accidentally injuring Hitomi in the incident. Completely colorless, because what’s done is done and there’s nothing he can do about it, the guilt being such that even in his dreams, he cannot change those events. The main characters of this deep dream, however, were the good times, lingering as fractal memories that Date has no easy access to.

In the Somnium proper, when Mizuki is Psycing with the comatose Date, color once again dictates the rhythm. It’s no coincidence that his Dream took place where he considered home as Yagyu -- the Sagan Household -- and that his Somnium proper takes places where he, as Date, considers home, the Date Household: Domestic joy and stability is invaluable to him, again, he’s thankful. He has no memories of his days as a vigilante assassin, but the associated emotions linger, he wanted out of that life, he wanted to simply live a nice and peaceful life. As Date, that is exactly what he has. That’s what the ever caring Boss made sure he got. His passions are his peaceful, fun days with Aiba and Mizuki. Getting in fights, arguing, joking around, making up, going for disgusting stew, awkwardly greeting each other, covertly doing good things for each other, never honest, always earnest, a domestic routine, a life as regular as can be, despite the eccentricities of the events themselves (such as regularly diving into people’s heads and having an eye that’s also a buddy).

It’s precisely because Date has nothing to hide that his Somnii are so incredibly linear, he’s not making any secret of his memories, he is, in fact, proudly showing them. Unlike the other Somnii, where one has to do puzzles and use esoteric dream logic to peel each layer away, Date’s Somnii is basically a tour. He’s showcasing an exhibition of memories dear to him. Even the moments that were no doubt stressful, such as Mizuki throwing a tantrum or, worse yet, throwing his police badge out of the window, are regarded as dear and frankly fun memories. There’s no shortage of them. And eventually, when Mizuki does reach the innermost sanctum of the Somnium, a black void where he stands opposite to Okiura and Shoko, the negativity and sadness he keeps buried under so much happiness and color, it’s all born from a feeling of guilt towards Mizuki, believing himself insufficient as a guardian for her. “She should have her proper parents, I don’t stand a chance, is this the best for Mizuki?” In the end, it’s not that he doesn’t want to take care of her, it’s that he’s unconvinced that he’s the best option, and that maybe he’ll screw up and Mizuki won’t be the best version of herself.

Which is such a mundane and completely understandable inner sorrow to have! Of course you care for the ones you love, especially when you suspect it might be you that’s holding them back! End of the day, Date is many things, but the most important of them is that he’s a fun-loving, caring dude of all time. He’s a pathetic garbage dirtbag man that blows his money pouring ponzu between Reika’s thighs and can’t see anything but a pair of tits behind the reception desk at Lemniscate, but he’ll go through hell and back (silently and without ever admitting it, of course) for those he loves.

It all ties to one of the other biggest themes in Somnium Files: “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb”. With the exception of the Matsushita family, every single family by blood relation in Somnium Files is a strained mess, and to contrast, every single family tied together by love for each other rather than by blood -- Hitomi and Iris, Date, Aiba and Mizuki, even Rohan and Moma! -- is healthy and loving as can be.

To wrap this up, I do want to call attention to something important that is referred to very subtly in both the Dream and the Somnium:

In the Dream, Date can instruct Aiba to wear the box on her head. When she does, the box also covers the skeleton’s head. As we learn much, much later, the skeleton with the bleeding left eye socket represents Date’s old life, Yagyu.

In the Somnium, when Mizuki find Date in the innermost sanctum of his psyche, Date’s left eye is yellow, or in other words, Aiba.

In the Dream, Aiba wearing the box on her head puts it on the skeleton as well because Date considers Aiba as a literal part of himself, and is not whole without her, ergo, her wearing the box is essentially him also wearing the box, and in the Somnium, Date doesn’t have his proper eye or his eye closed, and has Aiba very clearly in there, because, again, his image of the self is simply not complete without her.

Date loves Mizuki and Aiba so much that they are inseparable from his deepest memories, psyche, and even sense of self. He is not only the dude of all time, he is the tsundere of all time (who happens to love his tsundere foster daughter Mizuki and his tsundere best friend-slash-literal part of his body Aiba).

#dreamfiles #ai the somnium files #date kaname #okiura mizuki #aiba

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dorn-queen-of-thorns · 7 months

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" A farewell for a beginning"

4th chapter

Sleep ends reluctantly for Gabi; the exposition of a nightmare so frightfully familiar still ebbing at the forefronts of her mind. It’s a receding haze of stampeding colossals, screaming crowds, a surge of power she’s never known before, and then…

She starts awake, her curled body jolting against her heavy confines as her eyes snap open. Where in the hell? She thinks, though already knowing the answer.

It hadn’t been a dream at all, but a hibernation, one from which she would very much have preferred never to wake.

Through the scant shards of light that filter in through the dark, a feeling of shame courses through her.

So I’m a devil now, she realises. And waking is no second chance at all. It’s a sentence; the very same one for which other nations have feared her people for centuries.

A curse.

Her jaw clenches in rage. With the world now rendered to ash by now for all she knows, what point was there to waking?

Anger boils in her at the realisation not for the first time that subservience has ruled her life since childhood. First, in the well-meaning motives of her parents, then her teachers, and finally her officers and generals of a war in which there was no other choice for them to escape unless one offered themselves as a living weapon. She had wanted to give her parents and Aunt Carina a better life with better privileges by consuming her cousin Reiner and becoming the vessel of the Armoured Titan when the time came.

But irony had a funny way of sneaking up on you. This subservience eventually led to committing her life to a higher power who only transformed her into a mindless creature in return. Legends had always said that the sins of Ymir were to blame, but even so, Gabi knows that the true enemy has never really been their founding lady at all. No. It’s this cursed vessel; the scorn of every living and breathing non-Eldian. And what power could Ymir hold from the depths of her grave when there was Eren Jaeger; the Eldian who carried the Founding Titan within himself and who enforced his power over the rest of the world. Not even Devil himself could compare.

Eren Jaeger… the man she hates more than anything in the world. It was he who was responsible for the attack on her hometown, Liberio, and she had sworn revenge for this. Zofia…Udo.... so many died that day because of him. His ruthlessness didn’t even stop at his old friends. He had crushed them, too, before her eyes and she was nothing she could have done about it. Oh, the fear she had carried since Liberio.

Even now, she can recall that her last thoughts and hopes before her transformation were directed to her best friend Falco, to meet again at some point, somewhere. It had all really felt like a dream; a thick swirling soup in which she notices everything, but is not allowed to make independent decisions and has to obey again and again. She saw how exhausted and tired Annie was, no longer able to transform, then so quickly eaten by a mindless person. She tore Pieck from her neck and was about to eat her, but another mindless tore her away and Pieck was torn in two. She saw Reiner try to fight so many. Even in his last moments, she felt his determination to protect her.

It was a bloody mess, and overhead she’d seen Falco fly to Eren Jaeger with the last soldiers of the alliance: Commander Arlert, and both Ackermann members. The female Ackermann was supposedly family to Eren Jaeger, but she didn’t get the impression that she could or wanted to stop him. Everything seemed hopeless...

Then, she woke up in Paths next to a man she knew. Eren Jaeger, the instigator himself…

—

"Come with me, Gabi Braun," he said quietly, moving ahead of her without a single glance at her face.

Her treacherous fear made her all but vulnerable towards him. “Where to?” She’d stuttered to ask.

"Back again,” he replied. “To where you were before you came here.” Only then did Gabi finally notice that she was no longer on the desert field, her eyes widening when they soon land on a glowing tree in the distance.

"Where am I?" She asked herself more than Eren.

“Where all Eldians go, when it’s their time,” Eren answered her. Gabi didn’t quite understand. "Reiner asked me to help you if I managed to lift the curse. He and his Titan will stay in Paths.”

“Reiner…,” she gasps. “ Please, may I see him and my parents one last time? ”She begged. He only stared at her then, emerald eyes impassive.

“That won’t happen. You wouldn't be able to find your way back. That would have happened to my sister, too, if she had seen me here. You have to go back. You have to let go of your family and fellow comrades.”

Let it go. Three difficult words for a twelve-year-old. What would become of her, then? Was Falco still alive or was she all on her own now? Not that she couldn't manage. She’d made it to Paradis before, but Falco had been her constant companion. Journeys, no matter how gruelling, were made bearable because of his company. The thought of being all alone filled her with emptiness. Tears welled up in her forest green eyes. They walked a bit further before she finally confessed: ”Do you know that I hate you for all the people you took from me?” Her fist curled even as she said it. “Always will," she whispered woodenly.

Eren simply nodded. “I know.” His voice was wistful. “But I had to do it to break the Eldian curse, so that there can be long-term peace.” He shrugged then. “I was just trying to build a secure future for my unborn child and the woman I love. Sadly, I couldn't save the lives of most of my friends,” he looked into the distance, a great sadness weighing on his features. “But unlike me, you have the chance to start all over again. Use it wisely…”

—

And then, she was here, buried beneath a pile of rubble, dressed only in a ripped vest, the petrified body parts and faces of people she knew keeping her tucked securely inside. Please! Let it be a bad dream. Let me wake up, she thinks over and over, even though she knows that she has only just awakened from her hibernation and now has to live with the consequences.

The sound of an engine approaching breaks her from her thoughts. Could there really be survivors after all? Seized with desperation, she whimpers for help as it passes by, but nobody hears her, the humming of the engine soon fading into the distance. She almost laughs at the irony, and immediately begins to wonder how long it will take to die here. In this desert heat with no water, probably just a couple of hours.

She can wait. Her whole life has been laden with torment, after all. What’s a few more hours?

“Mom. Dad. Wait for me. I’ll be with you again soon,” she whispers.

Her only wish is that when death does come, it’ll take her peacefully.

_________________________

Though Mikasa had suspected as much, the ascent back to Eren’s maw in her ODM gear is more difficult than the descent, and she is frustrated to find she greatly underestimated how much gas it would take to reach it.

Please! Don’t fail on me now! She thinks in strain. In times like these where things don’t go as planned, she is inevitably reminded of Sasha and Liberio, and how if she hadn't been so fixated on Eren and wanted to attack Levi again in blind rage after he took physical measures to scold Eren for his antics, perhaps Sasha would still be here.

Don't fool yourself, she chides herself. Sasha would have turned into a titan like Jean, Connie, and the other Eldians. Perhaps that was the easier fate to endure.

Her thoughts wander then to her captain. Before her descent, he’d given her permission to call him by name, something only reserved for a select few in his close circle. It’s curious to her why he should do so now. Their relationship has not always been easy, after all.

She remembers back four years ago to the day after they’d joined forces to save Eren and Historia from her father. They’d made significant strides in mending their relationship from that day on, only for her to destroy that progress by trying to slit his throat in Shiganshina. Granted, Armin had been in mortal danger at that time, and urgently needed the Titan Serum in order to subsequently eat Bertholdt and the Colossal Titan in order to survive, but that didn’t change the fact that she had acted selfishly on impulse. Erwin had probably meant to Levi what Armin meant to her, but in that moment, she felt almost powerless to control herself no matter how much she knew it was wrong, just as she’d done several minutes before.

She remembers her last conversation with Eren that her last name was of no insignificance, but rather, that of a race like the titans; those endowed with special powers and firmly anchored by their blood. A race serving nothing more than to protect an undeserving higher power, except, to make matters worse, this subservience has proven to extend beyond the battlefield to personal matters: building a trusting relationship with her captain only to destroy it afterwards. Why do things always have to be so difficult?

She thinks of her last meeting with Armin in Paths and that desperate cry. She’d heard her name. Then, she’d woken up in Levi's arms and attacked him. As frightful as the possibility makes her, she can’t shake the thought that it might not have been mere coincidence after all. She has to ask him the next chance she gets, when they are all safe, and Gabi is found.

A cold chill settles against her skin that has nothing to do with the sharp winds of her ascent.

But… what if this opportunity no longer exists? What if Levi has died in her absence? After she left, he was so strangely friendly, affectionate even, towards her. The return of panic riles her to pick up speed.

She won't be able to bear losing anyone else close to her, even her captain. But how close are they really? They’d only recently learned from Grisha's notes that there had to be at least two Ackermanns still alive, and not long before they’d discovered the caller had Levi revealed his ancestry to her. That Kenny, his uncle, was an Ackermann, and that Levi had experienced the same rush of power she’d felt the day Eren saved her. The questions seem to pile up the more she ponders them, but it’s too much for her to grapple with in this moment, so she files them away for later, which she’s yet to discover still exists.

By the time she reaches the threshold of Eren’s maw, her heart is beating wildly in her chest. She stiffens upon landing, bracing herself whatever she might find. She calls Levi's name while her eyes readjust to the darkness, but receives no answer. Frantic now, she crosses the expanse of Eren’s tongue and finally sees her captain slumped on the floor next to Eren's scarf, still covering Eren’s severed head. Mikasa freezes in alarm at first, her grief arresting her with the sudden urge to disappear with Eren's head to give him a proper burial, but she quickly overcomes this feeling at the memory of her captain.

The dead stay dead no matter where they lay. The best way to honour their sacrifice is to look after the living. If he’s still alive at all. "Capt-“ she starts, then corrects herself.”Levi?” she calls fearfully. To her reassurance, he opens his still seeing eye, but it is little comfort when matched with his feverish glow.

"Mikasa…,” he all but croaks out.

Immediately, she rushes to him, hands hovering uncertainly over him. “I’ll get you out of here. Help is waiting for you downstairs.” She touches his shoulder then to rouse him when he makes no response.

“Mmhmm…,” is all he can say.

“Please, Levi. I’m gonna need your help. I can’t do this without you,” she says, opening her arms in a gesture for him to embrace her. "Listen to me, Levi. I'll strap you to me for your safety. You just have to hold onto my shoulders.” She adds when he gives her a tired look. “Talk to me while we are repelling so that you remain conscious,” she instructs while she ties him to her with the rope she brought with her.

Hobbling on his one good leg, Levi mutely obeys and leans into her, wrapping his arms around her in a manner that is uncharacteristically feeble for a man so strong. Were it not for the way Mikasa now supported his weight and secured him with a steady arm, she was sure he’d crumple to her feet.

The shaky breath Levi takes as Mikasa hoists him for better leverage does nothing to calm Mikasa’s heart rate, which violently beats at their proximity, though she knows it’s not the first time they’ve been this close. She hopes he doesn't notice her nervousness. Why is she having such absurd thoughts at a time such as this? There are really more important things to do now, she scolds herself. Get it together, Mikasa.

The two of them hobble to the exit. Mikasa takes another look at Eren's human remains for one final goodbye. “I'm sorry, Eren,” she whispers with tears in her eyes. “You made your decision a long time ago. It’s time for me to do it for myself, too.”

"Did you say something?" Levi husks tiredly.

“..It's okay, "she replied, attaching her ODM gear to the rim of Eren’s jaw and giving it a firm tug. “Let’s go.”

Knowing the precariousness of their situation and the less-than-satisfactory rope, which seemed to be better made for tying limbs than repelling, the first push-off is by far the scariest. Mikasa is quick to plunge her blade into the Eren’s titan’s collarbone, however, setting them on their first notch of the course down the petrified torso. The impact rattles them a little bit, but it’s nothing Mikasa can’t sustain, her main concern being the captain’s wellbeing. Levi, thankfully, doesn’t seem to be too affected by it, though if she relies on what she knows of the stoic captain, he’s probably trying his best to bear it without making a scene.

Their second repel, while not as scary, is more difficult than the jump, owing to the fact that Falco is significantly lighter than Levi and Mikasa is doubtful whether the ODM gear can sustain their combined weight, and also because she only has one free hand with which to manoeuvre because she is holding Levi by his lumbar vertebrae with her other arm.

Through the torrent of worry Mikasa is currently wrestling with in her head, she almost didn’t notice that Levi had since put his chin over her shoulder and was now holding onto her very tightly. In a less life-threatening setting, it would be no different to an intimate hug, especially given how close his head was to her bosom. Any embarrassment she feels at this is eclipsed by her relief at his calm demeanour. It’s almost as if he’s perfectly content being strapped to her fifty meters above the ground. Either that, or he’s too exhausted to notice.

His ragged breaths warm the skin between her neck and earlobes, eliciting goose bumps all over her body that spread from the tips of her hair to the centre of her legs, the familiar warmth that blossoms there making her body go rigid.

Great…, she thinks. Now is not the time for this. Is he trying to upset me?

"You smell nice…,” is his answer.

“Nice of you to wake up," she replies with a searing face, and prays that he doesn’t notice her complexion in his condition.

Thankfully, he doesn’t. In fact, he doesn’t seem to be registering much at all. This causes her to panic for the nth time that hour. “Levi! Hey! Please, stay with me!” She shouts, a little too close to his ear. He winces at the volume. “I can't do this without you. Come on, damn it!” She growls through gritted teeth, only to falter when she realises the familiarity of her own words, said in almost exactly the same key as the ones she heard in Paths…

Apparently, her shock at this was so great that the ODM gear on the Titan came loose before she could react, sending them both into a careening freewill.

“SHIT!” she yelped, trying with all her might to fasten the loosening ODM gear with her free hand, only barely succeeding the second time. They jerk to a halt with some strain, but Levi’s grunt tells her he’s still with her, and so she calms some. A quick scan of their position tells her that, though they had what could have been a fatal fall, they had managed to cover thirty metres very quickly. The disadvantage of this was that the straps of her ODM gear had cut painfully into her skin and the already flimsy rope was creaking in a way that suggested it had been worn down to some degree. Hissing at the pain, she righted themselves against the Eren’s titan’s upper thigh, and began to ease them down again. She had to get them down soon if they didn’t want to fall the rest of the way.

“Levi,” she asks breathlessly in an attempt to keep him awake. Gods knew he was slipping with every passing second by the way he almost sagged against her now. “Levi!”

A soft moan leaves him at that. “I never would have guessed… that swearing would be so becoming on you,” she hears him chuckle weakly.

She fights back the tears that sting at the edges of her eyes. “Save your observations for when we’re safe on the ground,” she replies sarcastically, with no small tinge of relief.

The last leg of the journey to the ground is slow, but without any further complications. When they finally commence the last ten metres, Levi surprises her when he asks: "Mikasa, do you actually hate me?"

Mikasa tenses a little. Though she knew he was serious, she can’t help but think what that strange question that was. How is she supposed to answer that? She doesn’t get the luxury of figuring it out, because as soon as her feet touch the ground, she’s surrounded by Onyankopon, Falco, and the others, who had been waiting for her expectantly this whole time, and immediately took Levi from her.

“Are you all right, Ms. Ackermann?” Onyankopon dark eyes survey her worriedly as she is visibly unsettled, the sudden lack of her captain’s weight and warmth against her making her feel strangely bereft. “We saw your fall. It's good that you were able to react so quickly. Do you have any injuries needing attention?”

"I'm fine. Just take care of the captain,” She says more roughly than she means to. The look Onyankopon gives her in response is startled, but knowing, and he leaves her to rejoin the others with a nod.

Realising she should probably sit down to collect herself from the adrenaline, she sits down to collect herself, the whole time keeping an eye on how Levi is being stabilised for the drive to the fort. Onyankopon, seeing her skepticism, returns a moment later to reassure her. “He’s been given a pain reliever and an antibiotic for the journey to the fort. Hopefully this stops his fever from rising any further. In addition, his leg is receiving emergency care,” he explains, disappearing again to look over Levi’s bandages.

“What is an antibiotic?” She asks suspiciously, not so familiar with medical terms as she should be after living for so long under Hanji’s wing.

“Oh yes, that didn't exist on your island. At least, not in this form. It is a means of preventing a possible infection in his leg. Falco told us that he was bitten in the leg by a titan and it is crucial that we treat it immediately,” he expounds.

Falco comes up to her then, wrapping his arms around her in an unexpected hug. "I was scared for you and the captain when you were up there and lost your footing," he says in a trembling voice.

Though surprised by Falco’s reaction and hug, it is not unwanted, and Mikasa strokes his head, “Hey, now. Don't cry… everything went well."

Falco nods and releases her when he sees Onyankopon approaching her again. “Unfortunately there is a problem,” he says. “We do not have enough space in the transport trolley because the captain has to be transported lying down. Someone has to walk the distance back. ”Falco and Mikasa both look at Onyankopon and before Falco can say anything, Mikasa decides for herself. "Take the child with you and let me run.”

Falco opens his mouth to counter her, but she raises a hand to silence him, expecting his reluctance. She also notices Levi's apparent dislike of two paramedics, whose work is made more difficult by his poor cooperation. She closes her eyes, “Falco, listen to me. I will look for Gabi for you and help her. I‘ve promised you and I‘ve promised Reiner. Roger that? Alone, I can make better progress than the two of us together.” She assures him. “Listen to what the captain and Onyankopon say to you while I’m gone, okay?”

Without waiting for a response, she walks past the paramedics and, for the first time since they landed, kneels down next to Levi, who has since been strapped into a stretcher. As if sensing her presence, Levi opens his one good eye to look at her. Much to Mikasa’s relief, he seems a little more awake than before, but she can’t help but wonder if he’s only doing this to reassure her. He stares at her wordlessly, azure meeting silver gray, and Mikasa finds herself remembering the colour of that Pathian sky once again. Her breath hitches at the realisation. What does all this mean?

Before she can ponder further, she is interrupted by Onyankopon, who looks at both of them knowingly, just as he had looked at her several minutes ago. "I'll give you emergency equipment and provisions for your time out here, as well as an officer's coat. It can get cold out here at night. From here, it's about a day's walk .“

Mikasa nods to him and turns to Levi, her hand finding its way into his seemingly of its own accord in spite of Onyankopons presence .

"I don't." She finally says in answer to his question from earlier, her heart tightening in a way that she doesn’t dare question yet when she sees that shiny, almost watery look appear in them again.

Please, don't make it so difficult for me..., she thinks, then stands and watches as the others drive away into the distance, leaving her alone on a field of debris between two huge petrified titans.

#rivamika #levi x mikasa #levimika

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imagionationstation · 7 days

Note

And also for the rise x 2912 separate au

that does mean the hidden city, and draxum and stuff exist

my idea for draxum is that he’s one of the scientists that made the mutagen that mutated the turtles but accidently got mutated himself. He ran, found the hidden city and became how he is in the rise show.

— ♊️

Connected to This Ask.

See, there’s a different between “Big Mama exists” and a Rise x 2012 au, mkay. I have about six hundred things to rethink. We’re stepping into unprecedented territory. I assumed the Hidden City existed (there is no Hotel without residents) but Draxum exists?? And he was a scientist that made the mutagen?

So what does that mean about the Kraang???

No, no, wait- I GOT IT.

Draxum was a scientist like Rockwell and Victor Falco who was working on the mutagen UNTIL he found out that the Kraang were aliens. Then he learned why they were on the planet and realized that he probably shouldn’t be working on this for them. Upon finding out that one of the humans were pulling away, the Kraang decided to eliminate a potential threat and take back their mutagen.

Since he’s “how he is in the Rise show”, maybe he intended to make the turtles using the mutagen. His experiments were interrupted by the Kraang who starting blasting things. Draxum touches goat DNA and turns into goat-man, stumbling away from the wreckage.

He sees an open portal, and hearing sirens in the distance, escapes through it to avoid getting back into Kraang hands.

Why was there a portal? Well, Big Mama had heard of a substance created within the city that could turn normal creatures into something more. She was keeping an eye on Draxum when the place exploded. The Yokai in charge of watching the place was there when crazy went down. They found a baby Donnie in the wreckage. Upon hearing the sirens and seeing movement in the rubble, they scooped him up and took him back to the Hidden City. From there, Donnie found his way into Big Mama’s curious appendages.

Now, Draxum thinks his turtle experiments are gone.

In reality, Splinter is drawn to the explosion and finds a sobbing Leo alone and injured. He accidentally steps on a rat, catching his balance on a dumpster coated in mutagen. After his transformation, the poor man escapes to the sewers to hide with his baby boy <3

The O’Neil’s were driving past a while after the place went ✨boosh✨. They almost hit the turtle crawling in the road, barely swerving out of the way. Toddler April claimed that turtle as her own. And Kirby, heartbroken over his wife and hoping to bring joy to her life, let her keep the turtle mutant. He keeps any suspicions about where the creature came from to himself.

Shredder had his Foot Ninja casing the joint. (Maybe he has suspicions of something happening within his city?) When the place exploded and the little freak of a turtle was launched at the building that they were perched on, the ninja were shocked to find it still alive. The tiny turtle struggled to move, brazenly attempting to hiss and bite when they came close. They scooped him up and brought him back to their master.

AND SO- Draxum has an obsession, similar to the show. And he thinks creating stronger mutant creatures will solve this. (Humans are mutant monkeys, apparently.) Draxum has spent his life trying to figure out how to rid the world of the Kraang. And he doesn’t care what he has to do to stop them from taking over. Or who he hurts.

And there you have it. ✨2012&Rise backstory✨

ALSO WHAT DRAXUM’S CANON?

WELL WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SO-

(Based off the fight scene from Rise’s Bug Busters)

“Mother!”

Big Mama snaps her head towards Donnie’s voice, his arms pushing against the vines that hold him down, struggling to get out from inside them. He winces as they squeeze; the turtles trapped in her web cry out in alarm. The vines continues to coil tighter around shell as she picks up on the grin in Draxum’s tone. “It seems we both have something that the other wants.”

“Big Mama is not a high pillow to be intimidated, Draxy.” All premise of civility drops from her tone, letting a dark fury slip in. “Now I recommend you get off my primy-prom premises before Mama gets nasty.”

“Oh, I plan to.” He sneers. “With my property. And you’ll let me leave, or I’ll squeeze your turtle until he pops. How’s that for a deal?”

“Ngghh-” Donnie’s hands slip as the grip tightens, pain and panic consuming his features. “Moh-hhh- Mother!”

“Have it your way.” She presses the pad on her little boy’s invention. It releases the hover feature as her thumb taps a button underneath, pushing it over to the goat man. “Take the mutagen. But this will not be the last you hear of Big Mama.”

“Perhaps it should be.” Draxum lays his hand on the box. “Or I’ll do much worse.”

He flicks his hand and the vines holding Donnie whip, sending him flying. He slams into one of the glass windows that surrounds her office, carapace shattering it on impact, flying through to the street below. She doesn’t notice Draxum call out to his pets, or hear the turtles’ shout. A blur of green races past her and to Draxum.

She doesn’t pause to think. She chucks herself out after him. Glass cuts at her but her hairs prevent her from feeling a thing. She falls, her weight and momentum bringing her straight to him.

She grabs him, burying the limp form in her arms, and shoots a web. It splatters against the building and she swings, launching herself into one of her lower floors. The room is vacant as she crashes into the bed, knocking several expensive items off the dresser and shelves. The room may belong to a human who won’t appreciate the mess, but she doesn’t spare it a thought.

She uncurls from her protective ball, two large arms cradling him as her smaller ones cup his face, scanning for any major injuries. Her poor, innocent baby boy is cut and bruised from all the excitement, ever as light and tiny in her arms. “Oh, my clever, sweet boy. What kind of fizzlewinkle have you gotten us into?”

Obviously unconscious, he doesn’t say a word. She holds him close, moving over to the panel on the wall. She brushes along the side, mutant DNA unlocking the shield, and then flips it over. She presses the shimmering button, stating, “Send security up to my office. There are multious invaders and I want every one detained.”

“Right away, Big Mama.”

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sixpennydame · 1 year

Text

North Star✶Chapter 2

A Levi Ackerman x oc slow burn

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Levi tries to escape his ghosts, and he thinks he's found the perfect place. He just didn’t expect to find you there.

A/N: Thank you to @youre-ackermine for providing a mood board for Mursa. I can't wait to explore this town more in following chapters.

Would you say that of our fallen comrades? Their lives, were they meaningless? No, they weren't! It's us who gives meaning to our comrades' lives!

It feels like…my time has come. Hey Levi, can we face our dead comrades with pride?

Devote….your heart…..

Can you still see us?….Levi….Levi…

LEVI!

Levi wakes up with a start.

“Captain Levi! You alive in there? We gotta be at Council Hall in 20 minutes!”

“Shit.” Levi gets out of bed and goes to the closet. He never oversleeps - what’s going on with him lately? And why can he never escape these dreams?

He limps to the water basin to wash his face. Levi was able to adjust to losing sight in his right eye and two of his fingers, but two years later, his left leg still gives him trouble. He had worked hard to recuperate; although it was incredibly painful it was a hell of a lot better than being pushed around by Gabi and Falco in that damn wheelchair. He’s resigned himself to the fact that he’ll never walk normally again. He grabs his hat and jacket and opens the door to see Jean standing there.

“Damn, Captain. I knew you never really slept before, but this is overboard, don’t you think?” Jean teased.

“Shut up. I may have a bum knee but I can still beat your ass to a pulp. And how many times do I have to tell you: I’m not your captain anymore,” Levi huffs, as they both walk down the stairs and out the door.

“Ok, ok, I hear you loud and clear,” Jean says, lifting his hands in surrender, “The rest are meeting us there. Let’s take the trolley.”

The city of Lira became the capital of Marley as most of the northern and eastern coasts had been completely decimated by The Rumbling. The few that were left of the central government and military converged here and began the slow reconstruction process. 80% of the world’s population was gone and those that survived needed food and shelter. Lawlessness increased when those who’d lost everything converged upon cities that weren’t destroyed. Because Lira was further inland, it was left fairly intact, and this is where Levi and the other surviving Scouts ended up after leaving Fort Salta.

Not that Levi had much of an option of places to go. After the Battle of Heaven and Earth and the destruction of the Founding Titan, he and the others were deemed enemies of Paradis. Mikasa was the only one brave enough to return to the island, in order to bury Eren in his homeland. Levi, Armin, Connie, and Jean decided to stay in Marley as advisors to the military and assist with reconstruction efforts. Pieck, Annie, and Reiner tried to build homes with the other displaced Eldians.

“Home..”, Levi thought, as he rode the trolley car to Council Hall. Is this where he was fated to stay for the remainder of his days? His closest friends dead and gone, and he, the lone survivor again. No longer in a physical state to fight as a soldier, yet he keeps pushing forward. But to what end? Now that there are no more titans, what is his purpose?

“‘Bout time you two got here,” Connie smirks, “they hate it when we’re late.”

“Don’t blame me, I had to rouse Capt- uh, Levi - from the dead this morning.”

“You’re hilarious, Jean,” Levi replies dryly. “Let’s go, brats.”

After meeting upon meeting regarding road development to a fort in the west, Connie, Jean, and Armin invite Levi to eat dinner with them. While the young men discuss a possible peace envoy to Paradis in the near future, Levi silently listens, but his mind is elsewhere. He doesn’t care about building roads and peace treaties. He’s tired of the constant struggle.

Levi stands up to leave. “Where are you going?”, Armin asks.

“Back to my place. I’m tired.” He grabs his jacket and hat.

“Does he seem grumpier than usual?” Connie whispers, just within earshot of Levi, as he walks out the door of the cafe and down the road back to his apartment. The sun is starting to set and shopkeepers are closing for the night. Lira just got electricity and the street lights blink on. He thinks about how he looked up at the stars that night long ago with Farlan and Isabelle. When the sky was endless and riding beyond the walls was the pinnacle of freedom. The city lights of Lira make it impossible to see the stars tonight.

He wants to escape. Somewhere far away where he’s not known as a devil of Paradis, Eldian, or ‘Humanity’s Strongest Soldier’. He’s done what he promised for Erwin and his comrades, but their ghosts still haunt him.

As he enters his apartment, he opens the drawer of his desk and takes out a map. He’s got to get away from this city and make his own way in the world, away from the responsibilities of being a soldier. He looks at the map of Marley and traces his finger west, far west into the mountains. “Mursa”, he says, as he sees the name on the map. Why does this name sound familiar to him? It looks to be at least a three-day train ride, but it would be just far enough to escape all this. He gets up from his bed and begins to pack a small bag. He collects the money he’s been saving and folds the map up to bring along. He starts to feel the slightest tinge of guilt leaving the group behind. He’s known them for so long, but they’re capable young men with dreams of building this new world; they don’t need him - not anymore.

Levi writes them a note and leaves it on his desk. He decides he’ll leave Lira and The Scouts behind come dawn tomorrow, and turns out his light.

The next morning, Jean is knocking loudly on Levi’s door again. “Oi! Levi! Two days in a row is a bit much. I have a mind to just leave you”- he notices when he turns the doorknob that the door is unlocked. “What the hell has gotten into you? Hello?” Jean looks around and sees a note on the small dining table:

Jean, Connie, Armin ~

It’s time for me to move on. Take care of yourselves.

~Levi

——- ✶ ——-

You knew the journey back to Mursa would be difficult, but you never imagined it would be like this. As the wagon made its way further from the fort, all you could see were steaming, decomposing titan bodies. The steam covered the sky making it a perpetual evening. It was as if a giant bomb had gone off and decimated whole towns, where only ruins of buildings and flattened bodies remained. As you made it closer to the mountains, the titan carcasses became less frequent, but they had still done some damage. You prayed Mursa was still there. The small town was seated in a valley between two large mountain ranges, and the only way to get there was to take a long, winding road through the south range. At the best of times it was treacherous, and you wondered what it was like now. When that wagon would go no further, you hitchhiked with whoever would take you further. After four days, you finally arrived exhausted, dirty, and starving. Your friend Mabel was the first to see you wandering aimlessly down the road. “Catherine?! My god!” She ran towards you as you practically fell into her arms.

In these two years since The Rumbling, you’ve helped the town to slowly rebuild, as many of the buildings and homes had been weakened from the earthquake-like impact of the titans. You kept yourself as busy as you could, since it helped to divert your mind from thinking too much about your own loss. But every night, you returned to the large home that Martin and you once shared. It was actually his family home, but his mother and father had passed and his younger brother hadn’t been seen in years, and seemed to have no interest in returning to Mursa or living in the home. At first, the loneliness of all the empty rooms nearly drove you crazy. In every corner there were memories and photos of your previous life. You have no memory of your parents, and Marten’s father brought you in when he’d found you as a small child wandering in the woods. They never officially adopted you, but you loved them as your own family; it was no surprise when you and Marten finally fell in love. Now they were all gone and only their pictures remained: too painful to look at, but you couldn’t bear to put them away.

After a year, you decided to turn the home into a boarding house. Silver had recently been found in the mountains, and that had brought more people in looking for a temporary place to stay until they started their own homestead or moved on. There were five other bedrooms in the house, and it was frequently full. In the past two years, you’ve created a nice routine for yourself: wake up at dawn, go out to the chicken coop and collect eggs, make breakfast, clean, do laundry, work in the garden, prepare dinner, talk and play piano with the tenants in the sitting room, go to sleep. On the weekends you’d go horseback riding in the meadow outside town. You’ve discovered that the busier you are, the less time you have to linger on the deep sadness you felt in your heart - constantly surrounded by people, but always feeling alone.

“Catherine, another amazing dinner. Would you just marry me already?” Max said, after a hearty laugh. The other four guests laughed as well.

“Oh Max, I’m sure you say that to all the women in Mursa.” You tease. Max has been living in the house for 3 months and was always joking and laughing.

“She is way too good for you Max. You don’t stand a chance!” Albert added. “Seriously, Cathy, I don’t know how you do it all. Here - let me help you with those plates.”

“The pleasure is all mine! But if I don’t find another tenant for the other room I might be in trouble.”

“Ah, don’t worry, Catherine,” Max replies, as he puts his arm around your shoulder, “it’ll all work out. And if nobody takes it…can I have that room? It’s got a bigger window.”

“Absolutely not! It’s right across from my room and I don’t want to hear you snoring every night. Now it’s your turn to do dishes.” You laugh as you make your way into the kitchen.

——- ✶ ——-

The last leg of the journey to Mursa was proving more difficult than Levi thought. The train stop deeper into the mountains still hadn’t been repaired, so he found himself stranded at the train station in Levaro, just at the base of the southern mountain range. Levi’s choices were to get lucky and find someone taking a wagon or truck there or to buy a horse and ride into the mountains. He decided on the latter - he’d always loved horseback riding and it would be good to have a horse anyway, should anything happen. He stopped at the stables in Levaro to see what he could get.

“Mursa, eh? That’s quite a journey on horseback, especially since the roads still ain’t so good. Beautiful country…but usually a place where people go to forget or be forgotten.” the stable owner says.

“Sounds exactly like what I’m looking for,” Levi replies, taking out his wallet. “How much for the brown mare?”

As Levi made his way further into the mountains, he realized he’d made the right choice in buying a horse. Many of the roads were in serious disarray, and being worked on in sections. Levi could see a large group of workers repairing the train tracks that went into Mursa. After a two-day ride, the two mountain ranges opened up to a beautiful, green valley, with Mursa settled neatly within. At this height, Levi could see one main road with several stone houses dotted throughout, and although the journey here was long and difficult, he could understand why people would want to settle here. A creek ran through the northern side of town and there were a few farms on the outskirts of town and what Levi thought to be several horses grazing in a large meadow.

It was late morning, and Mursa was bustling with people buying goods and talking with each other. Although the town had grown in three years, the townspeople could still spot an outsider, and Levi felt all eyes on him as he entered a small restaurant to eat breakfast. As he ate, he went over what he needed to do: find a place to stay, and then find a job. A bath would also be nice, he thought to himself. He asked the waitress about any hotels in town.

“There’s the Songbird Hotel just down the way, but if you’re looking to stay a while I’d suggest the boarding house just down the road. Catherine was telling me she had a room to rent. Tell her Maddie sent ya.”

Maddie gave Levi directions on how to find the house, but as there was only one main road through Mursa and it was the very last house outside of the town center, it was easy to find.

The first thing Levi noticed about the house was that it was old but well-kept. Wild flowers of all different colors covered the front garden and roses grew along the white picket fence and up the front walls beside the front door. Even though the house was just outside of town, there was a quiet peace here, with only the chirping of birds being heard.

He tied his horse to the fence, opened the front gate, and knocked on the door, but there was no reply. As he was about to leave, he heard something from behind the house. You were singing and humming to yourself, as you always do when you hang all the bedding out to dry. You see a shadow from behind one of the sheets and lift it up.

He recognizes you immediately. Your wavy hair was tied up, but some strands had fallen around your face, loosened by the wind. Your eyes, no longer red and tear-stained, now bright and shining. What are the odds that you would be here, in this town? And then Levi remembers; you had mentioned Mursa in that hangar bay. You smiled as you saw him, and he could have sworn you recognized him too.

“Oh! you startled me! How can I help you?” You felt slightly embarrassed that this man came upon you as you were singing your heart out, especially since he seemed so serious. You assumed he was a veteran, since he had a long scar across his face, but maybe he worked in the mines as well. He didn’t look like he was from around here, but most of the workers that came through Mursa these days were from all over.

It doesn’t seem that you recognize him after all. He was wearing a lot of bandages at the time, so of course you wouldn’t know him. Maybe it’s better that way, he thought. It was a painful time. “Maddie told me you had a room to rent. I’m looking to stay in Mursa for a while.”

His accent was different from others you’d heard, and you wondered where he came from. “Yes, I do. You came at the perfect time, actually. Let me show you around the house. Follow me.”

You grab your empty laundry basket and he follows through the back door of the house. The kitchen is large, with several cabinets, a gas stove, and even an ice box, which Levi was impressed to see. “I cook breakfast and dinner every day for all tenants, seven days a week. A portion of your rent goes to buying groceries but you’re welcome to buy whatever you like and store it here. You can also use the kitchen as much as you like; all I ask is that you clean up any messes you make.”

“Cleaning is no problem for me”, Levi replied. As you both leave the kitchen and enter the dining room, he notices that everything is spotless.

“That’s great to hear. I’m a bit of a clean freak, so I expect the tenants to keep their rooms clean and to help me with chores around the house every once in a while. I’m only one woman.” You say, as you lead him into the sitting room.

Levi follows you into a beautiful sitting room with two sofas, a small writing desk, and a piano in the corner. The fireplace has a large stone hearth and mantle with several photographs displayed. “This is our sitting room, or lounge area. We all enjoy coming in here after dinner and reading or playing music. I do ask for everyone to be quiet after sundown, since most of the men who live here have to get up rather early for work.”

“It’s only men who live here with you? That seems a bit dangerous for a woman.”

You give the man a serious look. “All of my tenants are completely respectful, though some are a little rough around the edges. But I can assure you, I can take care of myself should there be any trouble.”

“Understood,” Levi replies. “I have no doubt you can defend yourself. I meant no offense.”

He looks at you and you can tell he’s being sincere. “None taken. Let me show you the room you’ll rent.” You walk out of the sitting room, past the front door and down the hallway. “There are four bedrooms upstairs and two down here, one of them being mine.” You take your keys and open the door to the room across from yours. It’s a spacious room with a large armoire, dresser, and brass bed. “This is it. I hope you don’t mind that there’s only one wash room on this floor, so you’ll be sharing it with me, but we have indoor toilets and hot running water; we’re one of the few places in town to have that.”

“Looks great. I’d like to move in immediately, if possible. And maybe take a bath too.”

“You have yourself a deal, Mr…”

He doesn’t know at first if he should use his full name, but doubts that any detailed information about Paradis or him has reached this far out. “Ackerman. Levi Ackerman.”

You shake his hand. “I’m Catherine Reader. Welcome home.” You say with a smile as you hand him the key. “I’ll get the contract ready while you take a bath. There’s towels and soap in there if you need.”

Levi starts the bath water then walks to his room, puts his duffle bag on the bed, and grabs a clean set of clothes. He takes a long sigh as he settles into the bathtub. It was a little silly, he thought, you welcoming him “home”, as if he was some long lost part of the family. But something about how you said it with that warm smile made him feel relaxed for the first time in a long time. The bath was helping with that too.

After Levi bathed and put on some clean clothes, he walked to the kitchen, where you were taking out some cups and your hot water kettle. There was a small table in the center of the room and when he saw the contract there, he sat down to read it.

“Would you like some coffee or tea? I’m just heating up some water. If you want tea I’m afraid all I have is jasmine. I’m the only one who drinks tea in the house and it’s my favorite”

“Tea would be great. And jasmine’s my favorite too, actually.”

“Really? What a coincidence! I only thought there was coffee or black tea in the world until this gentleman I met down at a cafe on the coast bought me some jasmine tea to bring home. It changed my life,” you say with a laugh.

Levi’s eyes widen. “Oh really? How long ago was that?”

“Oh gosh, about…two, three years ago. Feels like an eternity, though. Everything is so different now.”

Levi couldn’t believe what he was hearing. You had to have been the woman he ran into on the piers and then met later at that cafe. It was coincidence enough that you were the same person he met in the hangar at Fort Salta, and now he was going to live in your house. He stifled a laugh. Three random meetings, and you had no idea who he was. He decided to keep his discovery to himself for now.

“Yeah, everything has certainly changed.”

——- ✶ ——-

While Levi took his horse to the stables and settled into his new room, you started preparations for dinner. Your new guest seemed…particular….to say the least. You could have sworn you saw him run his finger across the credenza as you were showing him around the sitting room. For some reason, you wanted to impress this man, even though you’d just met him. You were going to make a simple soup tonight, but decided to make your specialty: breaded pork cutlets with mashed potatoes and greens from the garden.

As you finished cooking, you heard the others arriving home from work.

“Catherine, we bring gifts!” Max exclaims, entering loudly through the door as usual.

You meet them at the door. “Peaches! Mr. Nuzzo’s orchard is producing already?”

“Yep, and we all pitched in and bought a bushel for you,” Luka replied.

“I’ll have to make a pie with these tomorrow. Thank you so much! Go wash up - dinner will be ready in 15 minutes.”

You’re taking out the dishes when Levi enters the dining room. “Can I help you with anything?”

“Could you set the silverware? I’ll go grab the glasses.”

“Was that the other tenants I heard coming in?”

“Yes, they all arrived in Mursa in the last several months. They can be a bit obnoxious, but they’re young and just starting out on their own,” you laugh as you set the glasses at each place.

The others come downstairs, freshly bathed, and take their seats at the table. “Catherine, is that your famous pork cutlets?” Luka asks as you all sit down to eat. “What’s the special occasion?”

“Well, we have a new arrival to our home. This is Levi Ackerman. He’ll be renting the open room on the first floor.”

“Nice to meet you Levi,” Albert says, as he passes the mashed potatoes to Max, “I’m Albert, this here’s Max, and that’s Luka. We all work at the Silverthorn Mine up the road. Patrick there is working on the new railroad track as an overseer. He’s fancier and smarter than us,” Albert says with a laugh.

“Where are you from, Levi?” Patrick asks, taking a bit of his potatoes.

“Far away.”

“..But you’re from Marley?” Patrick continues to prod.

“You could say that.”

“And what brought you to Mursa?”

“Just looking for a change of pace and a job.” Levi dryly replies as he takes a piece of bread from the basket. The others look at each other.

“We might be able to find you a job in the mines,” Luka mentions.

“I’m not interested in working underground. I’ll check around for jobs tomorrow.”

You can tell that Levi is uncomfortable answering all these questions and note that he’s definitely the silent type. “That’s enough questions for now, guys. Give the man some time to eat.”

You quietly listen to the young men talk about the fight that almost broke out over who found a large vein of silver, and as you finish your dinner, you stand up to take your dishes to the sink and to start cleaning up the kitchen.

“Here, let me help you.” Levi says as he stands up to follow you.

“You really don’t have to do that. It’s your first night.”

“It’s no trouble. I enjoy cleaning, actually.”

“Well, I can’t argue with that. You could learn some things, fellas.” You say with a laugh as you take the serving dishes to the kitchen.

As Levi begins to take the other dishes, Max stands up.

“You know, Catherine is an angel. One of the nicest people in this town. If you mess with her in any way, hurt her, or cheat her out of money, I’ll fuck you up. You got that?” He says as he stares Levi down. He’s much taller, and it makes him feel like he has the upper hand.

Levi looks up at him with his steely grey eye. He guesses Max is probably around 20 years old and a hothead, trying to prove something to everyone. He wouldn’t doubt if he has a bit of a crush on you as well. He reminds Levi of a mix between Eren and Jean - the worst possible combination of personalities, in his opinion. He’d love to punch this guy in the face, but that probably wouldn’t leave a good impression on his first night.

“Levi, don’t mind this asshole. He’s just messing with you,” Albert interjects as he puts his arm around Max. “Right Max?”

Max grins. “Yeah, I’m just messing around. Welcome to the house.”

Without saying a word, Levi grabs the other dishes and brings them into the kitchen. In his younger years, someone talking like that to him would have met the tip of Levi’s knife. But he knows it’s not worth it now. “I’m getting soft in my old age,” he thinks to himself.

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Series Masterlist

#levi ackerman #levi heichou #levi ackerman angst #North Star #North Star series #aot fanfiction #levi x you #chapter 2 #sailor's stories #eventual smut #slow burn #hurt/comfort #sixpennydame north star #north star chapter 2

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m1ckeyb3rry · 9 months

Note

STOP! THANK YOU! I love when someone says skmeth8ng about art!

Also drop those spark notes, I’m too impatient 😭🤭

IT’S SO PRETTY YOU’RE SO TALENTED!!! Sorry for taking forever to respond the sparknotes were extensive 😭

OKAY SPARKNOTES TIME:

Swear

— with may ducat’s help, Y/N escapes solitary confinement and they go to help rescue eren from reiner and bertholdt

— Y/N pretends like she reciprocates bertholdt’s feelings so that he lets down his guard and she manages to free eren but is injured in the process, the scream scene is basically the same as it was in promise i think but I’m undecided whether she and eren would’ve kissed and gotten together at that point or not

— the first part of season 3 is also generally the same as promise was except levi is the one that kills rod reiss as he promised to do so right after Eren’s trial and Y/N becoming the commander of the first interior squad wasn’t a surprise, it was actually historia’s condition for becoming queen

— after rod reiss dies, levi gives Y/N a dagger so that in some way or another he’s always protecting her

— she confronts lord maiar (the one she was like engaged to??) and he threatens her life, which allows her to lawfully kill him as because she is his fiancée, by threatening her he is technically attempting to end his own family’s line of succession, so as his fiancée she is able to attempt to kill a family member of equal importance to him as herself (which is him) (it’s complicated but it’s basically the same rule that gave lord maiar control over her father’s family line after he killed her mother, lmk if you want me to add the direct quote explaining the law)

— during return to shiganshina, Y/N is ‘killed’ while fighting the beast titan with levi. floch saves her instead of erwin and levi has to choose between her and armin; he ends up choosing Y/N so she inherits the colossal titan instead of armin

— when they reach the sea, Y/N finds an oyster and decides to keep it because she thinks it’s a cool shell or something idk it’s just a memento for her

— while visiting marley with the scouts, Y/N and levi end up together by themselves while everyone is drunk because they’re the #responsible friends, she asks him if things between them would’ve been different if she wasn’t a lady/noble and he’s surprised but tells her no, eren then leaves as per canon which ofc upsets everyone especially Y/N

— attack on marley follows canon but it’s Y/N instead of armin, sasha is the one who dies at gabi’s hand

— during the table scene eren tells Y/N that she would be nothing without bertholdt and that she took everything from him (she is still wearing the black cloak at that point as well as having the colossal titan) and she also is the reason armin died and she’s unable to protect anyone

— Y/N is the one to find levi and save him from the jaegerists, they are together when the rumbling begins and consider just hiding away but they both know they can’t ofc

— i believe the rest of season 4 would’ve progressed like it did in canon

— once everyone else has been turned into titans and Y/N enters the paths, she meets eren and he tells her that armin was the true savior of humanity before having her open the oyster she found at the sea, revealing a pearl in it (pearls in this story represent justice), Y/N realizes that she has to find justice no matter what and returns to the present timeline

— on falco’s back, she thanks levi for helping her believe in herself, helping her be strong, and for giving her his dagger. She then takes off her black cloak and gives it to him before going into the mouth of Eren’s titan and apologizing before swearing that she won’t leave him ever again

— using Levi’s dagger, she stabs herself through the heart and uses the pain to transform on final time, knowing that it’ll end the curse of Ymir and she won’t be able to regenerate, effectively killing both herself and eren

— the reason why it works is because ymir chose levi to watch over, and when he chose Y/N over armin back in Shiganshina, he chose love over justice; however, when he doesn’t try to stop Y/N from killing herself for justice his mistake is fixed because he chose justice over love the same way that Y/N did

— the first epilogue shows the aftermath of everything, levi marries may ducat, everyone else i’m not quite sure about but i do think i planned on tullia and reiner getting together?? idrk i think that’s one of those things that would’ve developed naturally with the story ykwim

— the second epilogue is Y/N and eren in the afterlife sitting next to each other at the beach; Y/N says that it feels familiar and asks eren if there’s any universe where they’re happy

— eren tells her that them meeting and losing each other in every universe is inevitable while they watch scenes from their past lives reflected in the water; the scream scene from promise comes up and eren tells Y/N that that was the moment that their fates were set in stone because his soul formed a contract with hers, causing the repetition of their reincarnation cycle

— eren reveals that the reason why things never work out for them is because they are not each other’s soulmates; Y/N’s soulmate is levi but she is forced to be apart from him because of the promise eren made to her. however because she made the choice to die with eren instead of fully losing him, she has the chance to break free from the promise and be with her actual soulmate. the visions in the water change to show her having a peaceful and/or happy life with levi, but she refuses, saying she doesn’t care about who her soulmate is as she only wants eren

— they sit in silence for a while before eren warns her that she’s condemning herself to an eternity of pain if she continues to abide by the contract as there’s no chance for them to ever be happy together and there might not be another opportunity for her to break free from it again. Y/N says that she can bear any amount of pain as long as he finds her in every life they lead; eren swears he will and she swears to always stay by his side, as long as she can

— they sit for a little while longer and contemplate things and wonder where they will go next; they end up hugging, Y/N asks if they can stay there together for a little while longer, to which Eren agrees and says there’s no rush

Hostis Humani Generis

— this fic was tough because the problem with Y/N Ackerman is that she was just too strong; several of the problems in canon simply wouldn’t have occurred if she was there

— most of the fic followed canon; jean had a crush on Y/N and mikasa liked eren, tullia reiss was in love with armin and he loved her as well (they had a relationship)

— the ackermans don’t have hosts but they are born with innate protective desires and wills to fight; they usually associate their desire with one person, hence the host misconception, as it’s usually someone who they have strong feelings for — for Y/N in this fic it was tullia reiss as Y/N was illiterate due to coming from the underground and tullia taught her how to read and write so that she wasn’t kicked out of the cadet corps

— right after trost, it’s revealed that levi is Y/N’s ‘brother’ (to the characters, obviously we as the readers know based on context clues), levi tells her that farlan and isabel are dead and that she should stop going by “Y/N Church” as that’s not really her last name and it’s okay to not have a last name as he doesn’t either

— post-stohess, Y/N sees eren and mikasa together right after he wakes up so she decides to leave the room as she believes eren deserves better than her and she thinks that eren and mikasa are in love (she knew that mikasa cared for eren since the cadet corp but didn’t think eren liked mikasa back until just then)

— during the scream scene, Y/N confesses all of her crimes — of which there are MANY because she was a little murderer in the underground — and tells him that she probably deserves to die for everything she’s done. Eren gets angry and tells her that she can’t die because she is the kind of person that will change the world someday. She is in disbelief, and he tells her that they will do it together before punching dina

— the only super notable thing that happens in the first half of season 3 is that Y/N sees Kenny again, revealing that he is her father (again, to the characters — it was obvious to the readers based on context clues) and finds out that she is an Ackerman as well as discovering that although levi isn’t her literal brother, he IS her biological cousin

— oh wait also tullia reiss is denied the throne in favor of historia because the military officials thought she would be too hard to control and she was too close to rod reiss as a child; they are afraid she will turn on them somehow

— during return to shiganshina and the conflict between choosing erwin and armin, Y/N gets into a fight with mikasa for pinning levi — she is loyal to her brother above all else and doesn’t give the others time to convince him to pick armin, leading to erwin being revived instead (i promise i don’t hate armin LMAOO idk why he dies in shiganshina in both fics)

— when zeke is trapped in the forest with levi, tullia somehow manages to inherit his titan, severely injuring levi in the process (he’s in a similar state as in canon); her beast titan has a deer-like form

— it turns out that Y/N, tullia, and eren have been planning to start the rumbling, and with tullia inheriting the beast from zeke, she fulfills the requirement of a royal-blooded titan. during the battle in shiganshina, Y/N manages to block gabi’s shot, so eren reaches tullia unharmed after she screams and they go into the paths and start the rumbling with 0 fuss

— Y/N wanted the rumbling because she didn’t want anything to hurt her brother or her friends, eren wanted it for freedom and safety for his friends and somewhat for himself?? and tullia wanted it to get revenge on the world for what they suffered and for what was taken from her (they are not meant to be seen as morally just reasons LMAO that’s just how they justify it to themselves)

— Y/N disappears at this point while the rest of the characters do what they did in canon

— when mikasa breaks into the mouth of eren’s titan, she finds Y/N is there waiting for her; once again, they get into a fight, which Y/N wins. Y/N taunts mikasa by reminding her of what happened in shiganshina and how Y/N won, how she will always win in any match between the two of them because she is stronger. She almost kills mikasa but at the last moment lets her go, remembering that they are sisters in a sense due to being from the same family

— once the rumbling is completed, the genocidal trio emerges and they are immediately punished for their crimes; eren is fed to reiner, tullia to erwin, and Y/N is locked away in prison for the rest of her life

— the epilogue is Y/N reflecting on her time in prison. She hasn’t spoken since the day that eren and tullia were executed — the only thing she does is sit in the jail cell and think. She remembers that reiner used to visit and sit with her in silence (likely because he had some sympathy for her) but he hadn’t come for some years; it’s implied that this is because his term ended and somebody else got his titans as the curse of ymir was not ended. Jean used to visit her due to being in love with her; his last visit is her telling her he married mikasa, and he never comes back afterwards. Connie occasionally comes just to yell at her.

— at one point, people trying to revive the jaegerist cause broke her out of prison in the hopes that she will help them overthrow the government and the monarchy, but all she did was sit in the grass until she was caught and sent back to the jail cell. she is very apathetic about life now that the rumbling is over and doesn’t seem to care about anything or react to anyone

— despite how many years it has been, levi has never visited Y/N. as she thinks that, the story returns to the present and levi appears in his wheelchair. he tells her that she looks awful and, in the first time in years, she speaks, begging him to kill her. he unlocks the door to her jail cell and enters it, she sits at his feet and lays her head in his lap like she used to when she was a child; beginning to cry, she asks him if he hates her now

— he tells her that although she might have been an enemy of humanity, she would always be his little sister. she closes her eyes and smiles slightly; he wipes away her tears and then stabs her in the back

— fun fact: Y/N escaped the underground because she wanted to see the sun; however, she spends the last few years and honestly probably the majority of her life in the dark/underground, even dying there. at least she had her brother in her final moments?? lol

#answered asks #the great m1ckeyb3rry cleanse #this is so much LMAOOO #but here are how i planned for swear and hostis humani generis to end!!#if you guys want the endings to any other victims of the great m1ckeyb3rry cleanse lmk and i will do my best to sparknotes it

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alicenafalco · 11 months

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┉

.·:*¨༺

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭. ༻¨*:·.

𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧. . .

What does it feel like to have a voice but feel like the cords were stolen? Or to be strong but feel your strength didn’t exist? These are the reasons I couldn’t be reliant on anyone ever again. I will n e v e r have it all and I don’t want it all anyways. At least that is what I told myself when I crossed paths with Dante Falco. I see traces of myself in his soul whenever I look into his eyes. Whatever our souls are made of I knew his and mine were the same. That we shared the same darkness that could snuff out any light.

Fate wanted us together. Our names were spelled in the mist.

I knew that now just as I knew it the moment he found me. The night still plays over and over again. How he found me with blood pooling from my knuckles. I was covered in dirt and shattered glass. If he looked close enough I’m sure he’d find pieces of me in it too. Another rampage for another decade of disappointment. Immortal life. You can say it comes with the territory.

I devoted most of mine to causing pain. The immature vampire. The brat princess killing whatever in my path for the thrill of it. I couldn’t find my purpose so I convinced myself it was to bring death. That this was the intention for my dark gift. I’m not ignorant to the way I have paved for myself. Any suffering I endure was the karma I deserved. I couldn’t blame my past or my wretched father or mothers cruelty for my decisions. They have been dead for decades. Killing them didn’t slay my demons. The demon I needed to slay was the one in the mirror staring back at me. I pass her every day and for whatever reason I spare her.

“𝑩𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅…”

Calls from a raspy whisper that was familiar and soft. One that my heart heeds to. A name of endearment that warms me whenever he called to me. “Another restless night?” Dante asked because he knew me well. At times when I should enjoy sleeping near him I would stay awake instead and think of all the wrong scenarios that soured my mood.

His fingertips moved gentle and swift to invade through my blonde tresses, grazing my scalp to tangle his fingers inside. Dante pulled me from my self sabotaging thoughts. It was only then did I realize I was no longer carrying the burden of Alicena Ivory. My weaknesses. My past. It had all been washed away once I had gotten a fresh start to be Alicena Falco. “No” My answer was dishonest and that’s why it didn’t land anywhere. Dante could always tell. I feel him shifting closer, his skin brushing against mine as he peels back the silk sheet. “When you lie to me it drives me even more mad now because we vowed honesty.” He moves my strands of hair away from my neck, leaning in so his lips could plant kisses along my exposed flesh. “I told you that I wanted you for all that you are….and for all that you were.” I was swept away in his passion as his lips continued down my neck, listening to the sweet whispers falling from them and I can hardly focus. I turned to him, my eyes finding his own as he said “And I crave you for what you’re meant for.” I arched a single brow before I asked “And that is what exactly?” Now I was just being stubborn and he knew it because he graced me with a contagious smile before he answered “You’re meant to be devoured, destroyed, worshipped and shown off like the Queen you are. Only by me of course.” With his way with words he could always take away my doubt.

“Only by you and death to anyone else who tries, right?”

Laughter escaped us both, sounds of a beautiful harmony bounces off each wall and afterwards I leaned in to claim his mouth with a kiss. I couldn’t deny that I enjoyed being in our world. It made me forget about all the dangers that lurk on the outside. My long list of enemies alongside his own. Could our world be too good to be true? Every now and then I find myself thinking about how long before the toxins seep in and taint everything. I could taint it all myself with just a single touch.

Perhaps that toxin stood quietly near our home and its using an angry Lestat De Lioncourt as its vessel. It was ready to take his vengeance on Dante for taking what he felt he was destined for.

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐧𝐞

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bunboxtoyou · 2 years

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a comforting teashop

had this idea in my head for a while but the writing inspo barely hit me now, sorry for typos, haven’t proofread cuz i want to sleep, will check when i wake, also sorry if it sounds like a ramble i was in a mood, thx for reading

tags: angst, comfort, minor spoilers, major? spoilers, idk it takes place after the war stuff, so i guess spoilers after ch. 139, alluding to pieck/porco and levi/erwin but its up to you its not fully stated, NOT levi/pieck but if you want it could be too, very much up to interpretation

the familiar atmosphere of freshly brewed tea alongside the smell of baked good has become a comforting source for our two veterans. they’ve become accustomed to working together after the war had ended. although they did fight alongside each other, they were not close. it wasn’t until years had gone by, where they were both trying to find what to do with themselves. after all, it was by a miracle that they even got to live longer than expected.

while they were recovering so was everyone else, some going back to the island and some choosing to stay. of course going back to ruins wasn’t easy but they all did what they could. staying back due to his injury and also needing some help to move around, levi found himself living among who once was the enemy. he also found himself in their care, often being led around by gabby and falco as they try to rebuild their lives together.

for pieck on the other hand, she was unsure where she would reside. in some ways she felt that she betrayed the goal, but also knew that they did the best they could in the end. it doesn’t mean the thoughts don’t eat her up at night, along with the images of her fallen comrade. just the one comrade in particular, the image of his face all bloodied as he gave himself up.

it haunts her, but she is not the only one with these nightmares. the stoic captain himself has seemingly grown used to seeing fallen soldiers, but all that is a façade he has forced himself to show outside. in truth, he is still haunted by the images of his family torn apart and his squad being thrown around. worst of all he is haunted by the moments of his commander taking his last breath. he knows he could have saved him, but did he really want his to suffer more than he already did. this was his way out, why would levi rob him of the freedom he finally had. the only freedom any soldier had.

as these two are plagued with these horrifying thoughts, there is also a small silver lining. a small shop that was run down in marley, had been restored as a gift to the ex-captain himself. a gift from his fellow comrades as their final goodbye, as they depart for new ventures back home. the home levi no longer calls home, it now seems so desolate after losing everything he had. having to start anew in the place he once fought against, but it feels awfully comforting in a way. it became his distraction, of course he had to have the occasional help of gabby and falco but he did not mind it at all. it was only when their parents intervened to also help out, it made him feel useless. even though it was for the better, they insisted he couldn’t handle running the whole shop himself so he needed to accept some sort of help. of course he could not hire a stranger, especially with the guilt he held so it seemed he wouldn’t be able to run this business fully.

that was until pieck had volunteered herself to help work around the shop. it was a shock for them all, mostly from the surprise of seeing she had stayed back in marley instead of leaving with the ex-scouts back to the island. of course she had thought about escaping her old home to join the island devils once more, but she decided to stay and work through her guilt towards her home.

at first levi was reluctant to let her join, but he felt he owed it to her. especially for having to lug him around so much during the war, but also for trusting hange and not killing them immediately. so with that, he no longer had to worry about the parents watching over him and no longer had to keep the kids away from living their own lives. it gave him a complete clear conscious, something he rarely felt.

at the start of their working together levi made it very clear on what he would handle on his own. pieck had no qualms about his choices, she agreed she would help only when needed as long as she got to do her own thing. while levi had his teas it came to a surprise that pieck had her baked goods, particularly scones and biscuits. it was the perfect mix of their hobbies that made their business become a nice little comfortable spot for the community, and at the same time they were finding the comfort they needed as well.

while it is true their nights are sometimes haunted with those traumatic incidents, it seems that they have gone down just a bit. only for a bit though, because sometimes the smell of a fresh brew reminds levi of those late night meetings he’d have with erwin. especially those nights before expeditions when they both thought it could be their last. sometimes pieck spills her mix because she sees porco asking when the scones will be done, she even swears she can her his voice calling out that her baking is burning right before the timer goes off.

all these memories play in their heads, but they’ve become bittersweet. when the day finally ends they take what’s left over and enjoy it themselves in silence. no words are needed, not even when they notice the other’s shaky hands or the single tear that falls down a tired face. they don’t need to be discussed because the feeling is mutual. the guilt they share will remain but the scones can make it taste a little sweeter and the tea can help wash away some of the fears they once had. this is their new way of living, this is their way of coping. this is what their peace looks like, for however long they manage. the small teashop in marley, a new home.

#aot #levi ackerman #fanfiction #aot fanfiction #pieck aot #levi aot #porco galliard #aot erwin #erwin smith #levi angst #aot angst #pieck x porco #levi x erwin #pieck finger #aot porco #angst #fanfic #attack on titan #shingeki no kyoujin fanfiction

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coolgirl32 · 10 months

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Dr Tyler Rockwell x Dr monkville I'm sorry this is the only image I could ever get of him

1.How they first met

Well we should be starting at the beginning of how it all happened Dr Tyler Rockwell was a human British neuro_scientist he had two Lab partners one was Dr Victor Falco and the other was Dr Trina monkville now Dr Rockwell and Dr Falco both had a crush on Dr monkville of course Dr Rockwell confess his feelings for her before Dr Falco ever did and Dr Falco was very jealous of Dr Rockwell because Dr monkville spend more time with Dr Rockwell than she did with Dr Falco Dr monkville only saw Dr Falco as a brother and as a friend when she and Dr Rockwell started dating things got a bit worse for Dr Rockwell and Dr Falco and their relationship as friends one day Dr Rockwell finds Dr monkville being sexually harassed by Dr Falco luckily Dr Rockwell saved her and Dr Falco being fired from his job for sexual harassment Dr Falco was not happy at all so he made a deal with the kraang if Dr Falco could turn Dr Rockwell into a mutant then surely Dr monkville would love him instead of Dr Rockwell when Dr Falco turn Dr Rockwell into a mutant chimp he thought his plan was a success but when Dr Rockwell escaped all hell breaks loose after Dr Falco was defeated by the turtles and Dr Rockwell was taken by the kraang and all the mutagen fell into New York City Dr monkville accidentally got hit with the mutagen sensing she was testing monkey DNA or monkey fur she was turned into a mutant chimp herself after Dr monkville and Dr Rockwell got back together Dr Rockwell asked her a few questions she answered them all of course soon they become even more close closer than ever and even more in love then Dr Rockwell asked her to marry him she said yes and they both invited their friends over and loved ones that include the mighty mutanimals and Dr monkville's female mutant friends the wedding was very beautiful Dr Monkville was in the most beautiful wedding dress Dr Rockwell has ever seen as he lifted up her veil they said their vows they kissed and had a wonderful time at the wedding party then when it was time to leave Dr Rockwell and the now Mrs Rockwell said their goodbyes to their friends and loved ones and went on to their honeymoon they had a really good time and when it was time to go back to New York they packed their things and went back when Trina was asleep Dr Rockwell since there was something in her when he sensed it again he realized it was a baby he told her that they were going to have a baby Trina thought he was joking but no he was not they were both so happy that they burst into happy tears of joy

Time Skip 9 months later

Dr Rockwell and his wife had a baby daughter they named her Tiffany they try to raise their daughter by homeschooling her because they do not want their daughter to be judged by humans they did their best as time went on Tiffany grew up to be a scientist just like her parents by helping mutants everywhere and people as well Tiffany ended up having her father's eyes and her mother's beautiful big heart they all lived happily ever after the end

Sorry this is so long I hope all of you enjoy it

#tmnt fanfic

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hatsue-exe · 2 years

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spring kisses.

reiner x reader, 2.6K words.

gabi and falco can't stand the tension between reiner and his oblivious crush, so they decide to do something about it. when it fails, it's reiner turn to try.

warnings: she/her!reader (no body description, but reader is ref. to as miss/she/her). set after the timeskip, but before the eps of season four. reiner's depression and ptsd are mentioned.

Spring and its festivities, once again, arrived at Marley faster than Reiner could have predicted. Even though the days seemed to crawl through him, dragging his thoughts along with the tortuously slowly passing hours, the seasons had still changed in the blink of an eye.

He laid in bed, looking out the window at the blossoming trees, the crushing weight on his chest contrasting with the soft colours around him, the sounds of happy chattering seeming to mock the threatening silence of the guilt in his guts. It had been four years since he returned from Paradis, and yet he hadn't managed to escape the memories eating him away from his family and friends. Sure, Reiner was now a hero that got smiled at and waved at in the streets. People would send all kinds of delicacies and trinkets to his house as a way of showing their gratitude for fighting those dirty, foul demons on the island. His mother would even find the eventual love letter shoved in the baskets, but he never cared for reading them. No amount of well-intended words could suppress the sins he committed.

And you knew it.

When he first arrived back, you weren't there to cheer him and the other warriors along with the rest of the people. Instead, you chose to give him some space to settle in and came to see him during the night after dinner, knocking on his window as you used to when you were kids. You smiled at him, a bouquet of yellow tulips and white camellias in your hands. He helped you in, his heart racing and his tongue heavy.

"'Hey, Reiner. I know you must be super tired, but I picked up a few flowers earlier and thought you might like some. Just a little welcome back gif—"

Your words got cut out as Reiner threw himself in your arms, hugging you tightly. He had grown quite a bit, engulfing you with his body, but he felt just like the boy you befriended so long ago. Rocking on your feet, you rubbed his back and hair. Under the candlelight and surrounded by your comforting presence after a day of being pushed around and smothered by the town's folk, Reiner broke down.

"He's gone. I left him. I left him."

Berthold. Gossip spread like wildfire about those that didn't make it back. You heard your neighbours cussing out the devils for taking the Colossal and Female Titan from the army, about what a terrible loss it was to Marley's war power. And you got mad, sure, but not at the same people they were. How could no one think of how the others were feeling? How was the war the first thing in these people's minds, instead of those who had just lost their loved ones? Instead of the rest of the warriors that saw their friends get snatched away from them?

Dawn had come up by the time Reiner slept, but you stayed by his side, not wanting him to wake up alone. You turned that into a small routine: every once in a while, you'd take him flowers, mostly white and pink roses, since he grew fond of those, and then he'd hold you close and rest better than ever, even if it was just a quick nap before you both went back to your chores.

Of course, you thought you were being sneaky, despite it being clear to everyone around how much you're mere presence brought Reiner into a state of contentment. He would find ways to see you through the days, although his cornucopia of duties kept him occupied. Even when he promised to spend time with his younger cousin, he somehow (and supposedly unintentionally) walked towards the general direction of where you lived or worked.

"Ugh, if you're so in love, just confess it to her already!" Gabi groaned after Reiner had seen you from afar and started smiling like a damn fool — as he usually did. The older Braun blushed, stuttering to find a way to retort.

"What would you know about love, kid?"

"Not much, but I don't have to when you look at her like that! Even dumbass Falco sees it."

Reiner didn't have an answer.

He also didn't deny anything.

Those words stayed with him, though. And he started holding you a little tighter, started noticing how soft your lips were against his skin when you gave his stubbled cheek butterfly kisses. He was, inarguably and without a doubt, in love with you.

And, sometimes, when you lulled him to sleep and lingered close to the corners of his mouth with your own and when he heard your breath hitch when his hands held your waist to help you steady yourself, he fell under the impression that you might love him too. As fast as these observations surfaced, he was twice as fast to dismiss them. How could you love him, knowing what he did? How could you ever love him after seeing all the ugly, weak parts of him? Fuck, there were days he could barely get his ass out of bed to eat something, days where the images of the children and friends that died because of him would have him sobbing his eyes out. How dared he aspire to your love when he could barely take care of himself?

"Reiner, dear?" His mom's voice pulled him out of the stupor of memories. "Gabi and Falco are here. They want to see you!"

"I'll be right there!"

Reiner washed up before going to the living room, Gabi immediately jumping at him.

"Reiner! Have you asked her?"

He frowned. "Asked who and what, kid?"

"Miss (y/n). Have you asked her to the fair? It's tonight." Falco concluded.

Ah, yes, the little fair that happened every spring at the small park the eldians in Marley had. Inviting someone to go with you was almost always the first step into a relationship, an unspoken tradition amongst the younger generations. He got asked a few times but politely denayed. "Too much work, I'm sorry," he justified.

"Are you going to ask (y/n) out, dear?" His mom chimed in. Before he could respond, she started chattering: "You two make such a lovely couple, and I'd appreciate it if you could give me some grandchildren. All of you have grown up so fast! I miss having little kids around the house. You were a handful, of course, but it was so worth it, you'll see!"

"Mom! Grandchildren?" He gasped, blushing at the thought of a cute, chubby baby that looked like the two of you but also thinking back to an argument they had a few months ago. Karina asked if he had someone in his heart and encouraged him to do so, claiming it'd do him good and maybe give her some babies. Things escalated quickly, and she ended up shouting about not wanting to be alone when the Titan's curse inevitably snatched him from her. "One thing at the time, ok?"

"Yeah, he needs to grow some balls first and ask her out."

"Gabi, language. Also, shouldn't you be worried about your training instead of my love life?"

"My training is going great. I don't have to worry about it. Your love life, on the other hand..."

Reiner sighed, used to his cousin's bluntness but not in the mood for it. "I have to go to work. I'll see you all later."

He kissed his mother's forehead and left. Karina, in turn, went to the kitchen to mind the house chores, upset about her son's denial. She knew she had gone too far, but god, anyone with a single functioning brain cell could see how madly in love you two were. Her son was not stupid. The reasons why he was acting like this were beyond her understanding.

"You shouldn't have said that, Gabi." Falco scolded her softly.

"You didn't help at all! I should've asked Udo to tag along."

Falco gasped. "Well, I'm not sharing my plan to get him to ask her out then!"

"Ha! As if you'd have a plan."

"I do."

"It's probably dumb."

"It is not!"

"Doubt."

"I'm going to send (y/n) flowers on Reiner's name with a note asking her out, and then I'll just say there's an emergency at the fair and they need him, so he'll go, and they'll work it from there!"

"What emergency would you even make up?"

"I... Well, I haven't gotten to that part yet."

"See? It's dumb! But, lucky for you, my friend Falco, I'm here."

Gabi smiled, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. 'Oh no', Falco thought as she explained his very own plan back to him.

Later, while in your job, a postman came to give you a bouquet of roses, red roses. "You're one lucky gal! My daughter tried to talk to him, but he never even spared her a look." Frowning over the weird comment, you took the flowers and read the small card that came with them — the card the postman had read as well, you realised, as it said in a bit shaken cursive: "I hope to see you at the spring fair. Reiner."

Your emotions were in overdrive. Did Reiner really mean this as you were reading it? It was obvious you were head over heels for him. The only reason you hadn't confessed was out of wanting him to heal first. You knew how scared he was because of the war, and the last thing you wished was to add to his already constantly overwhelmed heart.

"(Y/N)!" Your boss screamed, and you carefully put the flowers away before going back to work, your mind lost in what you would be wearing later.

Later, Reiner walked out of a meeting that had gone about as bad as all the others. The setting sun painted the sky a pretty rose colour, and it made him think of you, of the warmth you brought into his life. Maybe his mom and Gabi were right. A small voice in his head whispered about how you'd never like someone as broken as him, how you'd leave, how he'd be alone again. But didn't you see how broken he was? And hadn't you stayed?

So, he changed his usual path.

He went to the nearest flower shop.

And Falco, who was supposed to attract him to the park, couldn't find Reiner for the life of him. When he ran back to Gabi, desperately fumbling over his words to explain why he was late and alone, you had already left, trying to convince yourself that something must have held him back at the quarters, but hurting nonetheless.

You were getting ready for bed, crickets and cicadas shushing away your sad thoughts when someone knocked on your door. Reiner stood there, holding a trio of white roses, a shy smile on his face that soon disappeared when he noticed your swollen eyes. "(Y/n)? What happened?"

You laughed through your nose. How could Reiner think bringing you some more flowers would fix that he left you waiting for him for hours, watching as other couples danced away under the wooden gazebo? Did he think it wasn't a big deal to fill you with hope, just to empty it of you?

"Reiner, I'm not sure I want to see you right now. I understand you must have had your reasons to skip our..." You cut yourself. "To skip the fair, but..."

"The fair? What are you talking about?"

"Reiner, I'm talking about the invitation you sent me! The red roses?"

"What?! I didn't send you anything!" His brain made a quick connection, and he cringed. "Can I see this invitation, please?"

"My folks are sleeping. Wait here while I fetch it." You walked in and came back with a bouquet and a card. He took them, counting the flowers before anything else. 13. He sighed, looking at the small note and closing his eyes in frustration.

"(Y/n), I didn't send you these. The calligraphy here? It's Gabi's. She has been bugging me to ask you out, but I never imagined she'd resort to this type of thing. I am sorry. Besides, I've learned some things about giving flowers in my time away, and thirteen roses mean eternal friendship. That is not what I feel, at least not at all."

"Reiner..."

"I know you can't talk much here, so would you like to go to my house? My mother went to my uncle's. I could make you some tea, and we could talk. If you want, you don't have to!"

You took a deep breath. "Lead the way, Reiner."

Back at his place, Reiner made the two of you some warm tea and guided you into his room to have some more privacy, even if it was only the two of you. Only the two of you. Gosh, that thought alone sent the butterflies in your stomach into a frenzy.

"I'm sorry again. About Gabi."

"It's alright. She's just a kid after all."

"Yeah, but if I hadn't been acting like a coward for so long, she wouldn't have felt the need to do that." Reiner put his cup down at the bedside table, hand reaching shyly for yours. "I can't even put in words what you mean to me. Your support these last years is what keeps me going. Seeing you happy keeps me going. Knowing that even with all the things I did, you'd somehow be there for me at the end of the day is what keeps me going. I want to give back some of what you've given me, some of the comprehension and affection. I want to give you my love, (y/n). If you'd take it."

Reiner kept his eyes at your hands, fearing, waiting for the inevitable rejection, for the confirmation of his worst fears. Instead, your fingers intertwined and squeezed his.

"Rei, look at me. Please." So he did, and your soft smile shined something so bright inside his heart that it burned his insecurities away. "I want nothing more than to be loved by you, Reiner. As long as you let me love you too."

"I'm yours, do to me whatever you want." He whispered, eyes tearing up.

"Don't tempt me, Rei." You two laughed, leaning into each other. His other hand cupped your cheek. His voice was low, deep: "Can I kiss you?"

"Please, Reiner."

And his lips were on yours, at first just a brush, as if he was making sure you were there and this was real. Then a feverish crash, his hands quickly moving on your body to bring you impossibly closer to him, onto his lap, tongues exploring each other's mouths until his mouth ventured to your neck. His stubble tickled you into squirming away a little bit, a sigh leaving both of you.

"I should shave," he said into the skin of your shoulder. You pulled his face to look into his eyes, so much adoration inside them you wondered how much was his and how much was a reflection of your own.

"Don't. I like it. You're just gonna have to get me used to the feeling".

To prove your point, you kissed his jaw, moving his chin in your hands to cover every piece of his face with appreciation. He chuckled, basking in the attention.

"I can do that. I can definitely do that," Reiner pulled you to him again, the fresh breeze of spring and the smell of the night-blooming jasmines veiling you from the rest of the world night in.

The next morning, you'd both be late, with a lot of explaining to do.

But you'd be damned if it wasn't worth it.

i love him, arrest me.

#original.exe #reiner x reader #reiner x you #reiner braun x reader #reiner braun x you #reiner braun x y/n #aot x reader #reiner fluff #aot fluff #attack on titan x reader #attack on titan x female reader #attack on titan x you #attack on titan fluff #reiner headcanons #reiner hcs

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father-time-and-baby-new-year · 3 years

Note

Would it be to much to ask for a Eren scenario where both he and the reader are both equally toxic, manipulative and possessive over eachother but both just cannot let the other go to the point where even when they reunite when Eren escapes the survey corps he asks her to tell him if anyone else whether it was the army or the jeagerists, if they had touched her even if it was just to escort her which she just nods and refuses to tell him any names cuz she likes to see him riled up by her having been "corrupted" and seeing how with a single act she can have him on edge and he falls for her even more by her devious and selfish wiles to have him get irritated and angry but only to end up wanting more of her charms.

Just some good dark angtsy feels all around🖤

A/N: just a little drabble. i've never done canon-verse stuff for AOT so this was fun to try. thank you sending this ask. i did deviate from your ending a little bit so im sorry <3

Warning: AoT Season 4 Spoilers, extreme possessive behavior, toxic relationship, anger issues, gaslighting/manipulating

Eren can feel himself getting restless. Hange had been getting on his nerves. He was the literally the only reason they had secured their victory against Marley on multiple fronts. She and the rest of the fucking Survey Corps should be bending over backward in gratitude.

He cracks his knuckles although he had no need to, wanting to focus on a physical sensation. His thoughts eventually circle back to you. He misses you sorely.

In Marley, there was this kind child Falco. Eren could say he felt guilty for manipulating the poor boy. But that's not true. He's shed that part of humanity a long time ago. All's fair in war after all.

The fair-haired boy was worried about his friend, didn't want a certain special someone of his to become titanized.

Is this other candidate a girl?

Eren had asked. Because he could relate to the Marelyan child. There was a girl he was trying to protect too, who he'd raise hell over, who he'd destroy the world for.

The dark-haired boy can feel himself grow restless. There are a million things to do. Coups to start. Militia to gather. A brother to manipulate. A world to ruin.

But first, he needs to see you. It's already been so long. He had barked orders to Floch to make sure you were safe and secure. If any hair off your pretty little head was misplaced-well no one wants to witness the rage of the Founding Titan's holder.

CRASH

The ground shakes. Eren closes his eyes and lets the Warhammer titan's power course through his veins. Foolish to think any prison could ever hold him.

He's walking uphill. The sunset bathes the land in vibrant pinks, oranges, and light violets. There is a crowd of people standing tall and at attention, postures rigid, save for one.

You hurl towards him at the speed of light and twice the fury, wrapping your arms around his neck. If Eren wasn't six feet of hard muscle, he would have been knocked off his feet from the vigor of your crushing embrace.

"Eren!" You cry out.

The attack titan vessel is too shocked to respond. He's been anticipating your presence for the longest but to finally feel you in the flesh and to smell your soft pretty scent was sending him into overdrive. He couldn't believe you were tangible and not some hauntingly beautiful apparition.

He wraps his arms around you, enveloping your body in his warmth, and you rest your head in the crook of his neck. He feels your nimble fingers toying with his hair.

"I like this new look. It suits you." You mummer.

"Like me without a shirt too?" Eren teases.

He forgot how easy it was to be himself around you, to joke and laugh like he wasn't planning a global genocide of epic proportions. No, even that's an understatement. His goal was an omnicide, utter annihilation. Only Paradis will be left after the ashes settle. A Paradis with you.

"What are you thinking about?" You ask, eyes wide with an untouched innocence that Eren doesn't know how you still possess. All of that eager wide-eyed optimism had been snuffed out from all of his friends. From him. But you, you don't change like the seasons or winds. You're you.

And that was going to be his ruin.

After the Yeagerists brief him on what happened with Zackley and Zeke Yeager's possible whereabouts, Eren gives into his overwhelming urges to see you.

He approaches your chambers, trying to conceal his impatience with soft knocks. You don't answer which irritates him, so he knocks louder and louder, the sound of his fist banging against the door sounding like thunderclaps.

Where the fuck are you? Were you with someone right now? He knew you were getting a little too friendly with Floch from the way you guys were talking at dinner. It was so obvious. He's been gone, for what, a few months and you're already whor-

The door opens and exposes a sleepy-looking girl whose rubbing one of her eyes. Admittedly, very adorable.

"Eren" Your voice is saccharine, "Do you need anything?"

He lets himself in, and shuts the door behind him, locking it in place.

"I don't usually lock the door," You pout but there's a playfulness in your expression that Eren would have noticed had he not been consumed by rage.

"What? So you let anyone in?" He asks, nearly snarling out the words. as he stares scandalized at your slip of a nightgown. A pale translucent pink that reached the middle of your thighs. He could even make the outline of your nipples poking through.

"No, silly." You giggle, twirling the hem of your dress, "Floch's security measure." You pretended not to notice how Eren's fist clenches.

"Is that so?" Eren said, words spoken between gritted teeth. As long as Eren was here, there need be no concerns over security measures. But he knew Floch. The ginger worshipped the ground Eren walked on and would never make a move on you if he cared about his limbs staying intact.

You sat down on your bed and Eren couldn't help but watch your skimpy dress ride up your creamy thighs.

He stood over you, his form looming over yours as you sat on your bed, feet swinging above the ground.

"I wanted to ask you something."

You look up with those big childlike eyes, "Okay."

"Did. Anyone. Touch. You?" His voice is low and he punctuates each word slowly.

You blink "What do you mean?” But there’s a coy smile tugging at the corner of your lips.

"Quit playing dumb." He growls, anger evident in the crease between his eyebrows.

You're quiet for a still moment, mouth opening and closing. Eren's anxiety increases more each second and it finally boils over when you softly ask, "What kind of touch?"

Like a chess piece topping over, he shoves you down the bed, pinning your wrists with his strong hands.

Usually, Eren was smarter. Quicker to call you on your tricks. But alas, absence makes the heart fonder. You love making him lose his stoic composure, so lost in his lust and desire for you that all he can see crimson. And if the price for that is to play the fragile maiden, it is what it is.

"Ow." You pitifully whine, lightly shaking your right hand. Eren knew he wasn't holding you too hard so he experimentally thumbs over a certain spot on your right wrist, eliciting another small whimper. He brings your wrist closer to him and finds a purple bruise.

"Who touched you? Was is it any of the yeagerists?" His voice is deadly calm but an ice-cold rage simmers in his eyes. You can feel yourself growing excited, heat pooling in the bottom of your stomach. You’re rubbing your legs together for the friction but Eren assumes it a nervous tic to avoid answering any of his questions.

When you avert your gaze and simply look the side, he delicately cradles your cheek: “Was it the scouts?”

The delicate touch turns harsher when you don't respond, forcing your pretty head to look straight at him. He sees your eyes glistening, and when he looks into your dewy irises, he can see himself.

His voice drops a pitch, "Please tell me."

Your breathing is shallower and you can't help but enjoy this so much.

It's been so long since you've seen him-since you begged him not to go but he went anyway, and having him here right now--the pride and joy of the Eldian empire , the holder of the Founding Titan-unravel in your fingertips, well this was the closest to true power you've ever been.

Eren can feel his patience sleeping, anger seeping into his bones at your silence, and the bruise on your delicate wrist only serves to anger him further. He can't even do what he swore to do and that was to keep you safe.

"Are you not telling me who it is because you're protecting them?"

The words are delivered deadly calm with the tension of a brewing storm behind it. You're nervous, exactly aware of what your beau is capable of, but the excited kind of nervous where butterflies are swarming in your stomach.

Maybe you underestimated his anger because within a second, the telltale red lines start to form under his eyes, lightning bright sparks forming between each breath.

Without thinking, you envelop the back of his head with one arm (the other hand rendered useless bu the force of his hold), trying to bring his head into the softness your breasts.

Understanding your gesture, Eren immediately calms down and lets himself be smothered in your chest like a babe being cradled in his mother's warmth.

"There, there" you coo, words soft and melodious on your tongue.

You can feel wet-spots on your nightie, "Eren...are you-" you begin, not sure when to end.

His voice is tightly controlled as if not let his coiled emotions fuse again, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I was about to hurt you." He sounds so broken, and all you can do is stroke his hair.

You press a kiss to his head. You know what the right words to say are. You should be comforting him and assuring him he could never hurt you.

Instead you stay silent, softly exhaling. He can't see the pleased smile on your face.

"Your wrist feeling any better?"

You whip up your head to see Floch whose peering down at you in slight concern. You must have looked confused because he elaborated, "The one you accidentally banged against the doorway. Looked like it hurt."

"Oh." You pause, looking down at the fresh set of finger shaper marks overtaking the fading violet.

You laugh airily, "Yeah it's alright."

#toxic eren #eren yeager x reader #eren yeager x reader fanfiction #eren yeager x toxic reader #manipulative eren #tw manipulation #tw yelling #tw gaslighting #attack on titan fanfiction #eren yeager x y/n

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blxetsi · 3 years

Note

I was curious if you’d be up for headcanon of adopting Gabi Braun, or what it’s like being her older sibling?

If not maybe just Pieck relationship headcanons

Please and thank you

im so sorry im getting to this so late 😭🤚 ty for requesting ‼️

‼️CONTENT WARNING: SPOILERS FOR SEASON 4 AND CHAPTER 139‼️

adopting gabi braun headcanons (canonverse)

characters: gf!sasha braus x gn!reader, platonic!gabi braun x gn!reader, fatherly!levi ackerman x gn!reader, platonic!falco grice x gn!reader

warnings: death, angst, hatred for kids (fuck them kids‼️), peepaw levi 😁👍

- uhhhhhh,, your relationship w gabi had a very rocky start. Lol !

- it all started when your friend eren jaeger decided to run away to infiltrate marley causing the survey corps to go get him just as a war was declared between your countries, and then two kids snuck onto the airship you were using to escape and shot your girlfriend. and she died. Lol !

- you had a lot of hatred for gabi in the beginning, and it was understandable

- you blamed her for shooting sasha, but you also blamed yourself for not being able to save her.

- you were a trained medic, you were supposed to save people, and yet you couldnt even save the woman you loved. it was like a slap in the face, like god was playing some cruel joke on you

- you remember sitting against the wall with sasha's blood staining your hands. you could barely process what happened at the time, and then levi came

- he sat next to you, taking a handkerchief out of nowhere seemingly, and just wordlessly wiped your hands down.

- your relationship with the older man was never defined, even today, but you both cared for each other

- the next time you saw gabi, was in that restaurant, niccolo had attacked gabi and falco, injuring them both, and said she killed sasha

- your blood went cold, you felt so many things, the grief you had pushed down in favour of your job, anger, fear, among other things

- niccolo had said there needed to be justice, he said that gabi should die for what she did, he tried to get sasha's father to kill her, and all you did was stand there.

- your body went on autopilot, barely listening to mr. braus' speech, you watched as kaya pointed a knife at gabi, and you listened to her wails of agony as you blindly led mikasa, armin, and gabi to a different room

- you were scared of yourself, for what you were thinking. did you really want a kid to die ? she did kill your girlfriend, the woman you wanted to spend the rest of your life with, the woman that shared her food with you, the woman that held you when you got scared at night, the woman that promised you that after the war you two would live on a farm together, and have a family of your own.

- but she was still a child. she didnt know any better. you were conflicted in your feelings, especially after hearing what niccolo had said, but it all just emphasized what was already known to you. she was a child

- your blood was pounding in your ears, and you could faintly hear gabi asking your comrades if they wanted to kill her. when armin reassured her they didnt, she looked to you and asked "what about them ?"

- you didnt answer her, and continued to lead them down where eren would be meeting you all. you were supposed to drop them off, but eren made you stay, and then a fight broke out

- you dont remember when you did it, but you held gabi in your arms, shielding her from the fight. you think you needed to be held more than she did

- things got more complicated after that, and slowly the hatred you had for sasha's killer went away, until all you had left was a hole in your chest from guilt and sadness.

- at fort salta, you thought you were going to die there, next to your friends. you thought you'd become a mindless titan, like connie's family

- but you didnt, well you did, but only for a short time, and when you turned back, you reunited with your friends

- looking around for gabi, you saw her tackle falco into a hug, which made you smile

- "y/n !" jean called, you remember looking behind you in confusion, he sounded distressed, but you understood why when you saw sasha saluting the three of you

- you felt your legs move on your own, and you ran closer to her, before stopping about a meter away. she was dead, you knew she was dead, but she was there, wearing that goofy smile on her face and looking at you as if you'd hung the stars in the sky

- she looked at you. "you did good." hearing her voice felt like a dream. your mouth felt dry, and your jaw opened and closed like a fish before you felt tears sting your eyes. "i love you."

- she nodded, before looking at the sky. "i know." she replied. sasha looked back at you before giving you a soft smile. "you know what to do now." before she disappeared in the debris

- you knew what to do, so you did it

- you found levi sitting against a rock, and when you leaned down next to him he muttered something. "i saw erwin again. and hange. all of them." you nodded. "i saw sasha." he looked at you, and gave you the closest thing to a smile. "i guess we're both at peace now."

*****

- three years later, you've become a school teacher in paradis, teaching young children how to read, to write, and basic math. you teach them about art and music, and nature. its nice being surrounded by children all day, kids are lovely.

- you live with gabi, falco and levi, in a small house inside wall sina. levi's legs have gotten weaker with time, causing him to use a wheelchair and crutches. he's given up on his dream of a tea shop, but is content with the life he has now.

- gabi and falco have gotten more rowdy with age, but they've both matured quite a bit. they make you proud

- you send letters to sasha's family. kaya is growing up, and has taken over archery just like her sister. niccolo is living with them now.

- you'll never be able to let go of sasha, or what happened to her, but the pain in your chest has dulled immensely. you think about her sometimes, when youre in bed alone, wanting to feel the warmth of her body in your arms, you know you should move on, you get teased about not having a new girlfriend, even levi has made comments about there being "plenty of fish in the sea"

it was a late night, on a friday. you were grading spelling tests at the dining room table, one lone candle being your source of light. your pen moves swiftly across the different pieces of paper, adding check marks or x marks when needed, adding a note at the bottom of each test, before adding a smiley face on all of your students' hard work. it was tedious, but it needed to be done, and you had to remember to bring them in on monday, you couldn't forget like last time.

you heard footsteps coming down the stairs. they were soft, and slow, and at first you thought it was levi but realized it couldn't be since you couldn't hear the soft tapping of his crutches on the stairs. they came down to the bottom and stood there, it was gabi, dressed in a light pink nightgown that came down to her knees, and her disheveled hair in the braid you did for her before bed.

you pushed your reading glasses to the top of your head. "what are you doing up ? it's late."

she shrugged, and walked over to sit across from you at the table. gabi grabbed the stack of papers that you already graded and shuffled through them, giggling when she found a misspelling.

you rolled her eyes. "don't laugh, they're six."

she shook her head. "i was spelling ten times better than this when i was their age."

"uh huh."

"are you calling my bluff ?"

you chuckled. "maybe. you should be in bed though."

"why ? it's not like we have school tomorrow."

you shrugged. "i was thinking we could go on a picnic outside the walls. it gets stuffy in here."

she nodded. "that would be fun."

the silence came back for a while, until you finished grading and set your papers aside.

"you know, i hear you sometimes." she whispered.

you looked at the brunette in confusion. "how do you mean ?"

"when your in bed, sometimes you cry."

you scoffed, and leaned back in your chair. "yeah well, i try to muffle it."

"i don't think ive ever apologized to you," she started. her eyes welled up with tears and her hands shook on the table. her cheeks and nose became pink as she held herself back from crying. "i know i feel bad, and i regret killing her but, i've never actually apologized to you for-"

"don't." you said. you kept your eyes on your lap, you felt your throat growing tight. "please gabi, don't say anything."

"i need to apologize-"

"you don't. you killed her. she's dead, the war is over. it's done. just let it go." you said, your voice wavering.

"have you let it go ?"

your head shot up to her. "i lost the woman i was going to spend the rest of my life with. she promised me a safe home, a farm, and a family. and she promised we'd grow old together. and that didn't happen. i grew up with her, i've known her since i was twelve, we started dating when i was sixteen. of course i haven't let it go, gabi."

gabi looked shocked by your outburst, but nodded. she understood how you felt, and she felt so guilty. "you don't forgive me do you ? i get it, i really do. i'm sorry."

you shook your head. "gabi no, i do. i do forgive you. i just, i can't forget it." you whimpered, tears started streaming down your face and you choked back a sob. "i loved her with all of my heart, i still do, but i don't hate you-"

gabi rolled her eyes, tears coming out uncontrollably now. "you should. i killed her, i ruined your chance of a happy life ! she was your family and i-"

"gabi no !" you exclaimed, cutting her off. at this point you both looked like a mess, and you were worried you woke up the boys. you grabbed her shaking hands in your own and held them to you. "you are my family. you are. so is falco, and so is levi. i forgive you, and i love you with all of my heart." you said, a sad smile on your face. her eyes widened at your words, before she started sobbing.

you got up from the table to come to her side, and held her in your arms as she cried. her arms wrapped around your shoulders while she dug her head into your neck, tickling you with her hair.

you rubbed her back and cradled her head while shushing her. she sobbed out a muffled "i love you so much y/n." that you chuckled at.

"i love you too so much." you whispered back.

it took a long time for gabi to calm down, but when she did you still held her, rocking her and yourself back and forth slightly. you two moved from the chairs down to the floor, funny enough.

you kissed the top of her head before talking, the only noise in the room being your whispers, her sniffles and the living room clock. "you know reiner's coming home soon. are you excited ?" she nodded against your skin and sniffled again, clearing her throat too.

"i hope he brings me a gift or something." she whispered back, her voice hoarse. it made you laugh, and you had to cover your mouth to keep quiet.

"they're going to shiganshina district for a couple of days, to visit mikasa and eren, and then mikasa will come with them to the capital."

"do you miss her ?" she asked.

"so much. i miss all of them, but mikasa is a close friend of mine, she holds a special place in my heart."

"do you think you and levi will go to the meetings between the marley ambassadors and the jaegerists ?" she asked.

"maybe, if they feel as though they really need us."

you sighed through your nose, which was a bit stuffy from crying. "after we turned back into humans, i saw sasha again."

gabi lifted her head up from where it was resting on your shoulder. "what ?"

"yeah, i saw her ghost i think." you looked down on her with a smile on your face. "she told me i knew what i needed to do, and then i went and got levi and you and falco." you paused for a moment, thinking about how you would word what you were thinking. "i did what i needed to do, i got my family together." gabi's eyes widened. "sasha promised me a family, and although this wasn't the family i had envisioned, it's still a family nonetheless. i believe her last gift to me was you, falco, and levi. and i am so grateful to have you all in my life."

gabi smiled before hugging you. she opened her mouth to say something-

"oi !" a deep voice came from the top of the stairs. "you two woke me up with all of your crying. go to bed." before your heard the creaking of the floorboards and the closing of a door.

you chuckled before standing up, pulling gabi with you. you walked her to her room, and even tucked her in, you both exchanged 'i love yous' and 'goodnights' before you retreated from her bedroom, closing the door behind you.

across the hall, levi stood leaned on his doorway with his arms crossed together. "that family speech, that was cute." he commented. you rolled your eyes at the older man. "were you listening in on a private conversation ?" you teased.

the ex-captain scoffed and looked away. "go to bed y/n. we have a picnic to go on tomorrow." before closing his door.

you chuckled to yourself, remembering how you brought up the idea to him that morning, and he only replied with a curt "we'll see" before sipping on his morning tea.

you went back to your own room, and got into your bed. you turned on your side, and looked at the space you always left open for sasha, and brushed your hand against the pillow.

"goodnight love."

uhhhhh doesnt feel like my best work but whatevs 😁👍 enjoy my comeback to tumblr 🤩🙏

requests open mfs ‼️

#attack on titan #attack on titan fanfiction #attack on titan x reader #erwin smith #hange zoe #levi ackerman #levi ackerman x reader #levi x gn!reader #sasha braus #sasha blouse #sasha braus x reader #sasha blouse x reader #niccolo aot #falco grice #gabi braun #gabi x falco #chapter 139

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cesca-untoldstories · 2 years

Note

Wait, cesca knows johngali a?

Yes! And can you believe that once when they were younger they were the best of friends... those bad days where nobody care for them anymore in the Human Colliseum (Egypt)

In 1987 there were several statements by children and young people who disappeared in Egypt, including Francesca and Johngalli A, being one of the eldest who, lost, found themselves face to face in the decadent conditions that the human colliseum had to offer. In that time Francesca was 14 years old and Johngalli A was 12.

Both abandoned to their fate and receiving a tattoo from Falco and his stand Ammon. marking them as "prey" within that coliseum for vampires including DIO. living in precarious conditions for several months they learned to survive fighting vampires inside those filthy walls, both were the oldest trying to save children who were not older than 10 years. together they made survival strategies in the coliseum for themselves and the children. strategies to get food in that human labyrinth and knowing how to protect the backs of others while others took turns sleeping. The two of them and eight other children led thousands of children to make them survive.

But when DIO received the news that there were youths with impressive intellect within those walls he made his appearance, taking the 10 youths to the mansion to test their strategy and their determination to serve him. with time between Francesca and Johngalli A ,separated in that mansion, noticed that DIO's plans were not freedom but food for himself and that same destiny would be for them. Arming themselves with courage, both began to draw plans of the mansion, learn its shortcuts through sound and old pipes that nobody knew existed; they wanted to escape together as two young people who had not yet given up on their future.

Judgment day came for both of them, they were the last survivors and their escape plan began. their plan was to escape through the main door avoiding the traps that were inside the mansion and those who served DIO in those times. holding hands like friends who had experienced the worst trauma, they managed to circumvent all the traps and the door seemed so close.

DIO made his appearance against light opening the door for them but mentioning that only one could get out alive and the other would stay forever inside the mansion with him. both of them trembling didn't care and outwitted DIO by running to the door but in the end only Francesca managed to leave the mansion... Johngalli A had released her and DIO using THE WORLD was able to notice the exact moment when Johngalli A decided to let her go and stayed inside the mansion instead of her... DIO took that as an act of loyalty and undid Falco's tattoos as "prey" and welcomed him as one more servant... a loyal servant.

Francesca never forgot the promise both held since 1988 inside those mansion's walls, to search for eachother and be free again but sadly Johngalli A living there and getting so much power side to side with DIO make him lost his mind. he turned into a real servant in order to loose his life for DIO himself. so...

In stone Ocean they see their faces once again after 24 complete years without knowing from eachother. Francesca was the one that lead Jotaro take Jolyne out meanwhile she faced Johngalli A and have their final speech together. she was shot so many times meanwhile Johngalli A couldn't concentrate in his real business to end Jotaro and Jolyne's life... both having an argue of "why did you scape from DIO's hands, you were just a coward" like a sad discussion between old friends that now are in different positions one against the other.

In the end, Francesca has a change plans and calls her adopted daughter, Mia Kanokami, to bring the Speedwagon foundation submarine while Jolyne must drag Jotaro's body to it. both are caught by the police.

Jolyne receives fewer charges as Francesca announces that she, being the prison's "security cop", helped Jolyne escape. which Francesca is reduced to the jail of traitors in the prison in the high tower. while Jolyne is pardoned but with lighter charges. Francesca and Johngalli A could never settle their differences because he was blinded but not just literally. but he, despite shooting Francesca so many times, could have killed her directly... and he didn't.

that unconditional affection with his friend with whom he lived through the worst events of his life did not let him think straight.

#canon story #jojo oc #jjba oc #jojo's bizarre adventure oc #francesca castiglier #johngalli a #sorry for the long post ;w; <3 but I was working my english!!!#stone ocean oc

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aquilex139 · 2 years

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“The Scout and the Warrior”

Notes: One of my first fics for these two who I absolutely love, hope you like it and happy Jeanpiku week !!! ;)

“Another for the big booyy” Connie yelled, while extending his arm in the air with another cup of alcohol, poor Falco, he just turned 18 and this is how he was welcoming his manhood.

“You’re going to puke if you keep drinkin-“

“You heard him! Another, I can do this all night!”, the boy screamed while Connie was patting his back. There wasn’t any doubt, the boy got drunk with just four shots of tequila.

Jean couldn't stop feeling embarrassed at how loud his friends were, sitting at the same table as them, his arms crossed as he prayed for them not to get kicked out of the restaurant.

He couldn't deny it, after years of being considered heroes of Paradis (at least he and Connie), he was surprised how Falco became friends with them so quickly after he came to visit the island for a few days.

The past will always be there, each of them knew it, all the things they did, saw, felt....

But this was Falco's birthday, there was no way they were going to let the boy spend his night having an existential crisis or worse yet, do nothing.

“Why are you so grumpy? Come here, drink some!”, Connie offered a drink to his tall friend but one of them had to be sober for when they return.

“I’ll pass, I rather remember all of this to tell you about it in the morning” Jean stated, he really wished he had a camera right now.

The three of them started to hear some footsteps approaching them quickly, when they turned their heads, the only thing they thought it was how long this night was going to be.

“Don’t act like the only one sober Jean, I have to tell Pieck everything when we get back.” Gabi mentioned while jumping at the table with a grin on her face, he would have believed her if he didn’t saw how she could barely stand too.

Falco and her suddenly looked at each other in silence and their eyes widen, something told Jean that they were thinking the exact same thing.

“Pieck’s gonna kill us”, they muttered at the same time and as they did, after an awkward silence, the two of them fall to the ground laughing, Connie didn’t mind to join them too of course.

Jean let a small smile escape from his mouth, he liked spending time with the tree of them after all, well, more with Falco and Connie but that was because Gabi always made sure to get on his nerves.

Still, he cared for the girl too and he had no doubt Falco was going to invite her the moment he and Connie told him about the plan they had for him.

Why Pieck wasn’t here though…...?

The tall scout remembered her; they barely exchanged a few words during the Rumbling, the image when he saved her came present in his mind, he didn’t know much about her but he could tell back then she meant good, there wasn’t any tension when she was around and he could tell why Gabi and Falco liked her so much.

It was almost impossible not to remember somethings from her, like her long black hair, wait…. why was he thinking about her hair all of the sudden? He should be-

His thoughts came to an end when Falco invited himself to throw up on his shoes.

Long night, and it was just getting started.

“If you two keep sleeping I won’t be able to find your house”, the scout was carrying them both, Gabi was on his shoulder, with her head resting on his back, and Falco was being grabbed by his waist, he looked like a rag doll.

“R- right, turn r…ght”, Gabi managed to muttered while falling asleep, the scout was really wishing for her not to feel nauseous right now.

Of course, Connie had to be wasted in his bed already, it was a miracle he made it to his house, leaving Jean as a babysitter.

After walking through some streets, the scout figured out he made finally made it. There were two reasons for this:

1. After looking like a total kidnapper and earning a few looks, he distinguished a house with a green roof, which was the house he was looking for.

2. He could swear there was a small dark figure outside the door, with her arms crossed, standing there just waiting for him to get closer.

Some chills went through his spine, Falco and Gabi said that Pieck was going to kill them after all…. oh shit, that must also include him for letting them get wasted.

“Je-Jean…I need my bed” Falco commented while feeling nauseous again, "Why did we stop moving?”

The tall scout really could swear the small warrior was giving him a look even though he couldn’t see her face. “Falco, what time does Pieck go to sleep?”, his words were said in a nervous tone.

“Around 11 pm…. why?” the boy really wasn’t in the mood to ask questions, if Jean’s shoes had life in them, they could tell what was coming for them, again.

“Because I think she is awake….and pretty damn angry” he didn’t know if running was the best option, maybe he could leave Falco and Gabi, no, don’t be a dick.

“What is she doing?” the boy questioned the scout.

“She…is just standing there, menacingly” Jean knew he had to move sooner or later, this was getting awkward.

The boy chuckled, ��We’re so dead”

After finally taking a step forward, the girl became clearer at the sight of the scout, oh yes, she is really angry.

Already in her reach, the girl walked towards them and put Gabi in her arms, while holding Falco's hand so he wouldn't trip as they entered the house.

Jean slowly helped Falco putting him on the floor for him to start walking. “Here, let me hel- “

“I think you’ve done enough” the warrior didn’t even care to look him in the eye, those were her first words, those clichés but at the same time hurtful words.

“Pieck, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have let Connie offered them many drinks”, the scout was embarrassed, she had the right to be angry, they show up this late and with Gabi and Falco in that state.

“That’s right, you shouldn’t have” she said effortlessly while grabbing both kids with caution, how the hell was she that strong for someone of her size, well, she was one of the chosen warriors back then after all.

Jean would have felt worse if the door had closed completely after the warrior tried to close it with her leg behind her, through the small gap he saw how Falco fell to the floor.

This time not staying still, the scout invited himself inside the house, grabbing the boy and checking if he hurt his head in the process.

If it wasn't for Gabi also feeling dizzy, the warrior would have told him something about entering the house without permission before he interrupted her.

“It’s late, you and me are the only ones sober right now, I’ll help Falco why you take care of Gabi, they’re like this thanks to me, please, let me help you”, he said in a tone that was reassuring.

Even if she was angry with him, he had a point and it would be better and faster for the kids to fall asleep with his help.

Yes, Falco was 18 now and Gabi was getting there but right now it didn’t matter how she referred to them.

The warrior looked at the scout for a few seconds, “Call me if he starts throwing up, I’ll check on him after I take care of Gabi” she turned around still grabbing the girl and both of them walked slowly to the bathroom.

After a couple of minutes, grabbing the girl's hair in case she vomited, the warrior thought about how the kids would talk about tonight when they got back to Marley, that if they manage to remember.

She laughed inside at the thought of Reiner reacting at his little cousin getting drunk for the first time, it would be really funny to see for her. And for the rest of them, truth be told.

But there was also another thing bothering her, Jean, not just for the fact of what happened but because she hadn't seen him in a long time. She didn't expect to do it and she didn't care if she didn't, the two of them weren't very close but she felt indebted to him for saving her that time and for offering her comfort....when she was broken and alone. Maybe that’s why she hasn't kicked him out of the house yet.

“I…I sleepy, want to bed slep” Gabi somehow thought she was being very fluent right now.

“You sure? I’ll help you get there, okay?” the small warrior said softly to the girl while tying her hair into a bun.

After a couple of stumbles, they reached the room, the girl lay down on Falco's bed instead of hers but Pieck thought that it didn't matter, they should just get some sleep.

“I’ll leave this bucket next to the bed, alright? Try to sleep sideways, I don’t want you to choke in your own vomit while you sleep.” The warrior poke one of the girl’s cheeks to check if she was listening to her.

“Oww, Pieck” Both of them chuckled, Pieck then stood up from the bed but before she could go, she felt the girl grabbed her hand.

“Pieck…. don’t blame Jean, no one forced us to drink, we just wanted to…have some fun” the girl spoke very low that the warrior thought she was mumbling in her sleep, but it was enough for her to hear.

“I know, I’m not mad at him, don’t worry” she placed her hand on the girl’s head and smiled at her, “Get some sleep, I’ll bring Falco later”

The girl also smiled at her and closed her eyes the moment the warrior left the room.

She was walking to the living room, she wondered if Jean maybe checked Falco for a while and went home without any of them noticing.

If that was the case, she would be angry….and disappointed.

For her surprise, the warrior was a little startled when she looked at the couch and saw Falco sleeping with his head on Jean’s lap. If someone had broken into house and seen the two of them, they would have thought it was a father and his son sleeping.

She looked at Jean, he was sleeping too with his head laying on his hand, by the look on his face, he had a long night too.

He looked so...calm. Of course, he was asleep, but she didn't think someone could look so innocent and peaceful while sleeping, more if we talked about them...especially if we talked about them.

For a couple of steps the girl took, the old wood on the floor creaked, causing the scout to instantly wake up.

He frowned his face and realized he had fallen asleep, how could he? First he gets Gabi and Falco drunk, then he tells Pieck he’s going to help the boy but instead she caught him sleeping.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t-”, the scout tried to explain himself.

“It’s alright, they’re not the only ones who had quite the night, right?” the warrior responded, this time she didn’t look angry or frustrated, it looked like she was glad that the scout was still there.

“He…fell asleep the moment you walked with Gabi, the nausea is no longer there…I hope” he chuckled nervously.

“Thanks, for helping I mean and for staying in case something happen to him”, she expressed, the look on her face made the scout feel more peaceful with himself, those eyes of her really know how to give comfort with just a gaze.

“It’s no problem” he stated.

Both of them stayed in silence, they didn’t know if they should talk about how they’ve been doing, where they there yet? Was it rude to ask something about the other or were they just dumb?

Before the tension could get so thin for a knife to cut it, Falco grunted a little while sleeping, making the warrior and the scout aware that he was still there.

“Right…, I’ll take him to his room”, Pieck walked closer to them but was stop by the scout.

“It’s alright, I can take him, I don’t mind”, he was also about to tell her that the boy was heavier compared to Gabi but he knew that wouldn’t make sense after he saw earlier how the small woman could grabbed and hold both of them without trouble.

“Alright…it’s the room down the hall, at your left”, the warrior didn’t expect the scout to help her more than he already did.

Following Pieck’s indications, he walked with Falco on his arms and entered the room, being careful not to wake Gabi in the process.

Pieck followed them and lean on the door frame, watching the scout place the boy on the bed, the thought of him and the boy sleeping on the couch earlier and now he putting him to sleep really make them look like if they were a family.

Wait, what and why the fuck are you thinking about that Pieck? The girl shook her thoughts and snap out of them when the scout placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Are you okay?”, he asked so softly.

“Yeah....thanks for your help Jean” she gave him a little smile and walk away, heading to the living room.

Both of them stop at the door, it was late, Jean had to go home soon, staying the night wasn’t an option and the scout had that clear.

The two looked at each other again and it seemed that they wanted to say something, Jean did not know if the warrior was still angry with him and wanted to throw him out of the house quickly, the two haven't spoken in a while after all and today wasn't the best impression he wanted to give to the warrior.

“I’m not angry, if that’s what you’re wondering”, she ended the silence, of course she did.

“It wasn’t your fault, Gabi and Falco are old enough to decide what they want to do and I’m grateful that you brought them home” she was looking him in the eye this time, she always looked at everyone in the eye when she wanted her answer to be direct, another thing to write down about the warrior.

“It wasn’t your obligation but you still did, I appreciate that”, she noticed how the face of the scout was less tense now.

“No problem, you know…I like hanging out with them, they’re one of a kind, I think you know that better than anyone” the scout answered.

“Yeah, I do”, she said with a smile at the thought of them, they were like her little siblings and she knew she was an older sister for them.

The warrior saw the scout a little confused, she could see that he wanted to tell her something else.

Jean grabbed the door handle and thought about turning it but something was stopping him, the girl still didn't know whether to say goodbye to him or not, she thought that maybe he would ask her if he could spend the night there.

“Are you o- “, the warrior couldn’t finish her sentence.

“How you’ve been Pieck?” the scout finally turned to her and stopped holding the door handle.

She never imagined that the scout was troubled about leaving because he wanted to ask her how she was doing first. She was still looking at him a little startled.

“It’s just…. after everything that happened, I know some of us have gone our separate ways but we still are in touch. I know how Armin and Annie are doing, how Mikasa’s doing, I talk with Reiner sometimes and Connie....well, after this night you can imagine.” This time he was the one that looked determined when looking at the warrior in her eyes, like if he just wanted an honest conversation.

“But I never heard from you, only through Falco and Gabi when they mentioned you sometimes.” Pieck didn’t expect that at all, she didn’t know why Jean cared all of the sudden? Yes, they were enemies and comrades once, but that didn’t make them close.

“I…don’t think there’s time for an explanation, it’s late, you should get home.” The warrior stated.

“If I come tomorrow, would you mind talking about it?” the scout really looked like he was hoping for a yes.

“I’m not sure if we’ll be here tomorrow”, the warrior responded.

Jean looked at the kitchen and spot a bottle of wine. There’s no way….is he really thinking in offering her-

“Then would you mind if I offer you some glasses while we talk” he really had guts, he just carried Gabi and Falco who were drunk earlier and now his asking her if she would mind. Of course, she wouldn’t! Most probably.

Judging by the expression on her face, he thought for a moment that she really was about to kick him out, but it turned to a more normal look. Did she felt like she own him an explanation?

“Alright, but I won’t drink anything” she said to the scout.

Oh, how wrong she was.

Was it pity? Did she felt bad leaving him hanging for an answer and that’s why she agreed with his offer? Whatever was the reason, the scout felt good talking with the warrior again, deep down, perhaps he was asking to himself if she felt the same way.

There weren't many words coming out of her, she only spoke when Jean asked her things like how she was, how everything was in Marley since she, Reiner, Gabi and Falco spent more time there than in the island. He didn’t have to ask why, he knew it was their hometown after all.

“When my father died, I didn’t want to leave the house, it was the only connection that I had with him, Gabi and Falco wanted to stay with me since then, Reiner lives a couple of blocks away and comes to visit pretty often” this was the biggest sentence that left her mouth, Jean didn’t even think about interrupting her.

“As you already know, we came to visit for a few days, Falco wanted to celebrate his birthday in a different way and thanks to this title of “Hero of Paradis”, he made up his mind the moment he knew that I was offered this house a long time ago in case I wanted to live in the island” her voice was soothing to the scout’s ears, he did notice her tone changed a little when she mentioned about the title that she had.

It was not a title they were proud of carrying, even with the perks and recognition they had, it wasn’t right, not after this, not after everything that happened.

Like if the warrior was trying to read the scout mind while looking through him, she didn’t waste any other minute and asked the question.

“Why are you really here Jean?”, the tall man wasn’t insulted by her question the moment he heard those words, he knew that if he were in her shoes, he would wonder the same thing.

The scout looks down at his glass, they were both sitting on the floor on top of a carpet, the fabric make it really cozy to be honest. After a moment, he found the right words.

“I wanted to check on you…. like you did for me back then” he muttered, when he looked at the warrior, he was a little surprised to see that her eyes widen.

How did he remember? She thought that it was just a moment where the two of them were absolutely broken back then, she didn’t expect him to remember or mention the moment.

“As far as I remember, you were the one that approached to see how I was”, she answered.

“And after that, you did the same with me…. that night….it was horrible for us but still….” the scout stopped in mid sentence, he was looking again at his glass but just before finishing his sentence he met her gaze.

Her cheeks were starting to heat up, she did remember that night and while the words coming out of his mouth were so soft and tender, his look was piercing into her soul.

The scout smiled at her. “....it was good to know that there are good people in this world.”

His smile…was so distracting, her heart began racing the moment he said that, taking a look back at that moment.

“Back then….” Was the only thing that came out of her mouth, while she also made a dive in her thoughts, remembering that night.

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It was night and so many things were happening. So many things that made the scout want to punch one of the nearby trees until his knuckles shattered, so many things that made him kneel to the ground and scream in a frenzy of rage.

He didn't want to kill Reiner, even though he had just found out that his best friend Marco had died because of him and Annie.

Thank God he walked away from the campfire where everyone was sitting, his face was the one of a man who didn't want to fight anymore, a man who was exhausted, a man who had already seen too much death.

He ignored the steam that was heard in the distance, perhaps the cart titan returned to her human form, he did wonder how someone could be inside that body of meat for so many hours, even days.

He found a log lying on the ground and sat down, leaning his back on it, his gaze was lost in the stars, wondering if maybe there was life in them, maybe Marco was looking at him right now.... he and Sasha.... maybe they’re in a better place…. far better than this world.

He could have sworn that he heard footsteps approaching and receding, as if someone had passed him without noticing him but the truth was that he didn't care, he just wanted to be alone right now.

Still looking at the brightest star his eyes could find, he took a deep breath and calmed himself down, his expression was more relaxed than before.

“I’m glad you two had the chance to meet….one more time” he said in a really low voice, maybe he went crazy and was talking alone but he needed to think they were up there, just somewhere, somewhere better.

“This world didn’t deserve yo- “he was cut off when some cries reach his right ear. ……Someone…. crying…? ……A woman

After looking where the cries came from, he finally found her. A young woman, she was also sitting against a tree but wasn’t talking to any stars or having philosophical thoughts…. she looked devastated.

The woman stopped crying the moment she felt eyes upon her. She quickly looked at her left and there he was, the tall scout who beat the shit out of Reiner earlier, looking at her with the same broken look that she had.

Oh shit. The scout quickly turned his head but it was too late, the woman caught him staring at her, he was a little frightened at the beginning not recognizing her, a lonely girl crying in the middle of the forest and at night, yeah it would have scared anyone.

But he didn’t recognize her……wait. Those titan marks below her eyes, no doubt she was the cart titan, that explained when he heard some steam earlier, he had never seen her outside her titan form, she looked…. just like them. A poor soul who was forced to survive in this world.

Both stayed in silence, they didn’t bother to move to another place to have some privacy, what did it matter if both of them were looking at each other at their lowest right now?

As if unaware that the boy was there, or most likely ignoring him, the woman could not contain herself and let out a few sobs, she was grieving, there wasn’t any doubt.

The boy sighed and stood up, he took some steps away and began to hear the cries farther and farther away, he thought about giving her the space she needed.

The warrior couldn't even find her friend's corpse, she simply received the news that he had died, just like that.

She cursed the duty she had ever since she was a kid, the moment you become one of the candidate warriors you must be ready for everything, that is how her superiors always made it clear to her.

But was this her future? Keep receiving the news of how her loved ones were eaten? Tortured? Burned to the ashes?

Were there still good people in this world? She knew better than anyone that she wasn’t a saint, neither of them were but…this world made sure for them to be in the bottom of a hole and to never find the way up.

If she needed to save the world with those who were her enemy once, then she would do it, not for recognition, not because of a good heart…but for the few people that she loved and were still present, she would get up in the morning, hide her emotions deep down and continue with her mission.

But right now, right now this was her moment, she had the right to have at least a night to grieve.

Was that man from earlier broken as she was? She knew they were in the same boat feeling like crap right now. What was the name of his friend……Marco? She could only think on his eyes were full of rage back then when he was punching Reiner but she couldn’t blame the tall scout.

I’m gonna miss you Porco, she already did, she could feel her eyes heavy because of how much she had cried, that and the fatigue was already starting to wear her down.

Wherever you are, I’m sure I’ll meet you again, someday….

She felt a hand touch her shoulder, if it had been in an aggressive way, she would have reacted differently but the touch was…. comforting.

The woman turned her head, she tucked some of her hair that was blocking her view, just to find the tall man, offering her with one of his hands some tissues.

He wasn’t angry, he wasn’t sad, he was looking at her like if his objective was just to make sure for the woman to trust him.

The look on her face…. now that he could see her up close, she was really a beautiful woman, it’s a shame that she also fell as a victim within the grasp of cruelty from the persons that consider them devils.

“W-what are you doing?” the woman managed to speak, hoping that the scout didn’t have other intentions. But no…. his eyes were reassuring her, like telling her that she was gonna be alright.

Was it possible for a warrior to find comfort from a scout?

“I just.…wanted to check on you” his words were sincere, they didn’t know each other at all but they were feeling the same, the look on their faces was from people who were strugglers.

She broke the silence extending one of her arms, grabbing one of the tissues and cleaning her face from the dry tears resting on her cheeks.

“My name is Jean” the man respond, thinking that maybe in that way he won’t look like a stranger at her eyes.

“Pieck” the warrior looked at him, this time with a smile, it was everything the scout needed in that moment, he gasped a little when his eyes met that beautiful expression from her face.

Was it possible for a scout to find comfort from a warrior?

They locked eyes, and in that precise moment both of them felt a warm feeling on their chest, knowing that after all…

It was good to know that there are good people in this world.

#jeanpikuweek2022 #jeanpiku

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fanmoose12 · 3 years

Text

after death do us apart

Summary: Levi thinks his house is haunted.

Levi is in his kitchen, busy with a very important task of measuring leaves for the tea when he hears a loud, obnoxious thud, coming from his living room.

He softly curses, grabs his cane and rushes, as fast as he can with his body not as strong as it was before, there.

When he arrives, he sees that everything else is in order, except a picture frame that is now lying on a floor.

Levi's blood boils, an annoyance bordering on anger rushing through him. This picture - that one that now lies on the floor like some kind of useless shit - is his most priced possession. It is the only thing that keeps the memory of them alive, the one thing that reminds him during cold and dark nights that he might be alone right now, but there was a time where he wasn't.

It's a picture of him, Hange, Erwin and Mike all standing together with their arms around each other. He doesn't remember if that had ever happened, but that's what he had found in one of Moblit's notebook and after he made that discovery, he just couldn't leave it behind.

No picture of them exists - Mike and Erwin were gone even before they found out what a photo camera was, and in her last years, Hange was always too busy to take a single photo.

He regrets it now, not pushing her to take it, but Moblit's picture is vibrant enough. He doubts a photo could capture their essence quite like his sharp eyes and skilfful hands could.

Onyakopon tells him there are more pictures of Hange now. There are portraits made by talented artists that paint Hange as the last Commander of Survey Corps or during her last moments on Earth.

They're hanged in museums and various memorials but Levi doesn't wish to see any of them. He doesn't care about them, those pictures - they were drawn by talented artists, and Levi doesn't doubt that.

But they never knew Hange, not like he did. So how could they come up with something worthy of the light she bestowed on this world? How they could ever hope to put it on paper?

Levi crouches down, his bones and protesting, and picks up the picture frame.

Thankfully, it is still intact.

But just as his old, broken heart swells with relief, there is another thud. This time, the book falls down, nearly missing Levi's head.

He curses again, loud and vulgar, letting out the best of profanities the Underground taught him.

He whirls around, his eye searching for the offender. The room is empty, though. It's mostly silent too, the only sounds flowing around are those from outside his window. But then he hears it, a faint, feeble murmur that sounds almost like "sorry".

His heart clenches, his hand gripping the cane to keep himself grounded.

He knows that particular sorry. Heard many times many years ago - ehen he stumbled over the barely conscious, sleep deprived body, when his shirt got soaked in tea, soup or some kind of possibly dangerous chemicals, heard it repeating over and over as gentle, trembling hands inspected his injuries and wiped away the blood.

It was sometimes accompanied by cheerful, loud laughter, other times - with quiet, broken sobs.

He couldn't hear that sorry. He couldn't.

It was just a trick of imagination, nothing more, nothing less.

I am not old enough to go senile yet, he thinks as he puts the picture where it belongs to.

It was just a trick of imagination, he repeats and leaves the room.

He goes back to the kitchen and resumes his task. The skin on the back of his neck is prickling, like someone stares intently at it, but Levi chases that feeling away, convincing himself that he's simply being paranoid.

He pointedly ignores the quiet sound, the one that resembles a sigh of disappointment and the one he heard too many times too, during long nights at the lab and inside Commander's office, as well.

***

It's not the first weird (unexplained, she would say) thing that happened in his house. There are instances happening all over the place, each of them brings a different degree of strangeness

Windows and doors - close and open on their own volition, lights turn on and off, books, his clothes, kitchen ware - disappear for hours only to appear in the most random of places, bangs and knocks sound at all times of the day, merciless to his sleeping pattern.

Logically, he knows that it isn't normal. He also knows that he probably should talk about it with someone. But he was never good with that thing - talking. All the people he was somewhat comfortable sharing his troubles are now dead and gone.

He theoretically can discuss it with Gabi and Falco, but he doesn't want to, because, well, no matter how big they think they are, they're still children. Onyakopon is out of question too, because he might just get too worried and then send him into that building on the edge of the town - mental institution, he calls it.

And Levi might be old, but he's not senile. Yet.

Probably. He hopes so at least.

His mind is still his own, broken but not shattered. He knows right from wrong, sees the difference between reality and a dream.

He still functions properly, and yet those instances don't back away.

He'd ignore it, write it off as a product of imagination or strange coincidence. If only it happened once. Or twice. Three times even. Three weird happenings in a row is hard, but possible to ignore. But when it happens every damn day, for almost dozen times, it's not just hard to ignore. It's fucking annoying too.

He knows a name he can put to describe it all, of course. Born and raised in the depth of Underground, how can he not? Stories like this were well known and greatly appreciated down there. They were children of the dark, after all, friends with shadows. Everything dark and scary, anything feared above their little world was welcomed and encouraged.

Isabel used to warn him about enraged, vengeful spirits that hunt those who wronged them or those who disturbed their resting place. Kenny - when he was in a less shitty, kinder mood - used to tell him about souls that die without fulfilling their purpose and were destined to roam through the land of the living for all eternity, unable to sleep with their business unfinished.

Before putting him to bed or whenever she felt especially sentimental, his mother used to speak of those unlucky ones who died before their loved ones did.

"They cannot find peace even in death," she said. "And so they come back to our world and stay close to the ones they still cannot let go, watching them until they are able to reunite."

He never believed in those stories, though. Perhaps, he was born and raised in the Underground, but he got out of it, lived his best years with the sun shining on his face and wind blowing through his hair.

He thought ghosts doesn't exist.

But now that his best years are behind him, now that he has seen enough shit to know that anything is possible, now that some days he himself feels like a ghost, he starts thinking of them more and more.

Hange is gone, he reminds himself, she's gone and even though you miss her like crazy, it won't bring her back.

Hange is gone, and none of it is real.

But, god, does he really wishes that it was. *** It is the middle of the night, and Levi feels a presence behind him. It's not ominous like in that book about ghosts he recently found. It's quite soothing, actually. It makes him almost content.

It's not looming or hoovering over his form either. It's right next to him, as though this something - or someone - lays on a bed close to him.

It doesn't bother him anymore, nearly not as much as it did before. It brings him comfort, in some sort. It reminds him of-

No. It doesn't.

The presence behind him shifts and Levi feels the blanket slip from his legs.

No, that won't do.

He tugs the blanket back, but either he's getting too weak with age or that presence, ghost or whatever is so much stronger than him, but he can't get it back. They fight for it for a while, each struggling to get the upper hand. Levi yanks it back, applying all the force that's still left in him, but bears no result. He grits his teeth, sweat gathering on his temples as he pulls the blanket.

"Give it back, you little sh-"

He doesn't get to finish.

The loud, snapping sound of ripping cloth cuts him off.

"Fuck!" Levi yells, frustrated. It was his favorite blanket. "Is this so funny to you, you piece of shit? Why do you keep tormenting me?"

There is a bit of silence, and then lights in his room turn on. With wide eyes, Levi watches the paper levitate from a small pile on his desk. Pen appears next, and it hovers above the paper, the sounds of furious scribbling filling the dark room.

Before he can say anything else, shout more profanities or threaten the invisible fucker to get out (he may not be as strong as he was before, but he has a cane and he still knows how to use it effectively), the paper starts flying, catching him right in the face.

Levi takes it in his hands, squinting his good eye to see what's written there.

It IS funny, but i didn't wish to torment you. You know that, right?

Something resembling a sob escapes from his lips. Levi fists his hands into sheets below him, but eight fingers is apparently not enough to ground him and keep him from falling.

"Who are you?" he asks shakily, his voice breaking.

The pen starts moving again, flying over another paper. This one isn't thrown in his face. It's gently laid next to his thigh. Levi takes it, and his hands shake so much it gets hard to read. Words swim between his eyes, but Levi persists, laying the note on his lap and bending over to see better.

His whole world shakes when he finally deciphers the words.

Haven't you guessed already?

He closes his eyes and some sound escapes past his lips, he's not sure if that can be called a sob or a chuckle, or a combination of both, but his whole body is trembling as he tries to fight strength to whisper,

"Hange?"

From somewhere close to him, on his left side where she always used to be, he hears a delighted, happy laughter.

He looks around the room, his eye shifting, desperate to find her, but he sees nothing.

Fear grips at his heart.

So just a hallucination then? Simple wishful thinking?

"Where are you?" he murmurs, giving it all another chance. "Hange-"

"I'm here," a warm sensation travels up his forearm. It doesn't exactly feel like an ordinary touch would, but it's there, it seems real and it fills his chest with hope. "Right here, a little to your left," she continues. "Just look at me, Levi."

He does, immediately he does. But there is no one next to him. The gentle sensation doesn't fade, gets more persistent if anything, but Levi still can't see her.

"You need to look a little bit harder," Hange murmurs. "If you can hear me, I'm sure you can see me."

Levi stares, his eye focused on the empty place next to him. He strains his vision, moves his gaze up and down, huffs in frustration and then finally, finally, he sees something.

It's vague, indistinct, barely visible in the dark, but he makes out the outline of the body. He can see the mop of brown hair, and they're messy as always, can see strong arms and wide shoulders, that long, prominent nose, that rosy, soft lips that are stretched out in a hopeful smile, those brown, sparkly he missed so much.

"Hange," he breathes out, his voice barely above whisper.

He wants to touch her, god, he wants to touch her so much, but when he puts his hand above hers, it goes right through her.

"The situation is not exactly perfect," Hange laughs. "I don't think you can touch me, and I can't exactly touch you as well."

"I don't care," he shakes his head and moves his fingers, until his and Hange's are close. He doesn't feel much, but something warm is still there and it still makes his breath stumble.

Hange is here, she's not gone, not completely, she's here, with him. It is more than enough.

*** They fall into a sort of routine after that. It's easy with Hange, as it always was.

She disappears for short periods of time, refusing to tell Levi where she goes.

"They asked me not to tell you," she says enigmatically, and doesn't ever elaborate, no matter how many Levi asks.

At first, he still worries he's going crazy, but then Falco, Gabi and Onyakopon show up. They all sit down around the small coffee table in Levi's living room, chatting amongst themselves and sharing the last news and gossips.

"You look healthier," Falco remarks, as Levi brings the tea from the kitchen.

As soon as he puts the cups down, the chaos begins.

The door shuts with a loud bang, the windows rattle and chandelier above them starts to dangerously tremble.

Levi also notes that Hange is careful not to make any mess, but she still acts so damn loud. And dramatic. He hides a sigh as he continues to sip on his tea and watch Onyakopon, Gabi and Falco lose their shit in front of him.

Gabi ducks behind an armchair, Falco close on her heels, curling around her. Onyakopon keeps frantically looking around, his breath quick and shallow. Levi can almost hear the sound of his panicked heartbeat.

"Stop it, four-eyes," he murmurs, too softly to everyone else to hear (not that they could pay attention to him amidst all that clutter anyway).

Everything stills immediately. Silence washes over his apartment, interrupted only by Onyakopon's gasps.

Hange snickers beside him, but Levi is the only who can hear her.

"This was fun," she giggles, running a hand over his shoulder.

Levi can't disagree with her on that one.

"What was that?" Onyakopon exclaims, clutching his heart. "Was it-"

"A ghost?" Gabi cries out, looking both horrified and excited.

Levi glances at Hange, silently telling her 'she looks just like you'. She waves him off and turns back to Gabi.

"Is is the first time it happens?" Falco asks.

"No," Levi answers, shrugging. A week ago, he'd be as disturbed as his friends are, but now he moved past disturbance to acceptance to delight. "It's been happening for weeks now."

"You aren't safe here," Falco, bless his young soul, looks genuinely worried, down to the deep crease on his forehead. "We should look for another apartment."

"Don't bother. I'm quite comfortable here."

Of course, he's comfortable. Hange is here with him, after all.

"But!" Gabi tries to protest, but Levi silences her with a raised palm.

"I'm not injured or unwell," he gestures on himself, as if to illustrate his point. "And, besides, it gives house some character, don't you think?"

"A very scary character," Onyakopon notes.

"Well," Levi almost smiles, hearing Hange's laughter behind his back. "The house is not very different from its master then."

His guests leave soon after, but not before Gabi and Falco make him swear to call them if anything 'more dangerous and scarier' happens.

As soon as they're out, Levi sits down in his favorite armchair. Hange flies over to him.

"So," she looks up at him, and the bright sparkle in her eyes, even though it is still a bit indistinct, sets his heart racing. "Have I convinced you that you're not going crazy?"

He wants to ask how, opens his mouth even, but then promptly shuts it closed. Of course, it is Hange. She knows his thoughts better than he does.

And if he had any doubts about her realness, they've disappeared right in that moment.

*** Hange is almost always next to him, hovering over his shoulder and constantly chatting into his ear. It almost feels like the good old days.

Although now he can't kick her leg whenever she starts teasing or rambling too much. His trademark glare has to be good enough, though.

He brings Hange books and introduces her to all kinds of new technology. She is beaming like a child at every new thing he shows her, and Levi's heart is so full of love for that weirdo, he's afraid it's going to burst.

Hange accompanies him on his strolls too, and his poker face has never put to trial more than during those moments, when Hange starts joking or fooling around, making him almost lose all of his composure.

He can't laugh or even berate her in public, and she knows it, goddamn. And uses it for her advantage, the asshole.

Levi gets his revenge when they're back at his house, refusing to give her new books until she swears to behave.

She swears every time, hand on her chest and all that. And she breaks that promise the very same day. Levi can't stay mad at her, though. He never could.

*** "You know, I thought you were a vengeful spirit at first," he shares with her one evening.

He sits in front of the fire, his legs outstretched to the source of warmth. Hange is laying on the floor, book hovering above her. She closes and turns to Levi.

"I could be," she says. "But, unfortunately, the people I'd like to haunt are long dead as well. Floch is gone, Eren is too..." Hange scoffs, shaking her head. "And I can't very well haunt every bloodthirsty soldier back in Paradise. Too much work for the old, frail me."

Levi lifts an eyebrow. "You don't look that old to me. Especially, when compering with me..."

"Oh, Levi," Hange rises and gets closer to him. She sits down on his lap, and Levi feels warmth spread through the skin of his cheek as Hange puts her hand on it. There is a smile on her lips, the one that Levi knows too well. The one that means that Hange is going to say something very, very stupid. She opens her mouth and proves him right once again. "I was always more attractive than you," Hange murmurs. "Nothing changed since my death."

He rolls his eye and laments that he can't flick her nose.

Hange is still smiling, and when she leans in, he can almost feel a ghost of a kiss on his lips. *** "Don't you ever feel regret?" Levi asks one day.

He is sitting in his wheelchair, looking at the bright setting sun from the small garden near his house.

Hange is on top of him, her long legs dangling from the wheelchair. As he speaks up, she turns to him, and the happy expression turns into something more thoughtful.

"Regret?" she repeats, frowning. "What can I ever regret?"

"This?" Levi gestures around. "I know, you're still here, but don't..." he frowns, struggling to find the right words. "Don't you wish for something more? For us to have a proper chance?"

Hange looks up at the sky, and for a moment she's quiet. Levi thinks if he should take his words back, change the subject completely but it's something that's been bugging him for a long time. He's happy, so happy, that Hange can still be with him. But there are moments when he wishes for... more. To be able to hold her hand and share meals with her, to walk with her through the streets without worrying that someone might think he's some drunkard or lunatic who talks to himself.

He knows it's selfish to even think about it, he already received so much more than he deserved, but isn't selfishness an inherent part of a human?

Sometimes, he just can't help but long for something more.

"I'm sure you know what a method of trial and error means," Hange begins, looking back at him. Her words confuse him, but before he can open his mouth, Hange shushes him and continues. "Remember those days at my lab? Nothing ever worked out, every experiment turned into an ever bigger disaster than the previous one, and I was so frustrated I wanted to crawl up the wall. But there was a certain beauty in it all - I tried, I failed, I tried again. Over and over, until something good came out. And, boy," she chuckles. "When something worked, it worked perfectly. And, maybe, all of this, all of us," she swiftly runs her fingertips through his brow and Levi shivers at the warm, gentle feeling that spreads down to his soul. "As a failed attempt. We tried, it didn't work," she pauses, and her eyes are bright, much brighter than the sun behind her. "We can try again."

Her words stir something inside, a long forgotten feeling of hope. But he still can't accept it so easily, the cynic in him fights to make himself known.

"But you're already dead," he protests.

"And that means this attempt has failed. Not as spectacularly as that time when my experiment blew up and burned Moblit's eyebrows, but... not a perfect success either. We can try again, though. We can say goodbye, walk from each other and then meet again, in some other place and time."

"And what if we fail again?"

"Then we try again. And again, and again, until we can get it right. And when we finally do, oh boy!" she exclaims, flailing her arms into the air. "Wouldn't that be spectacular?"

She laughs, so happy and free, and Levi wishes to gather her in his arms and never let go. All he can do right now, though, is circle his hands around her waist, imagining that he's holding her.

Just like always, he trusts Hange.

They will meet again, and, maybe, it will all fall apart in a disaster worse than this one. But they can try again. They can keep trying, until... forever.

And, perhaps, that's the true beauty of life.

#not me ignoring all of my wips to write another barely comprehensible oneshot #ghost hange though!#we need more ghost hange lmao #levihan #levihan fanfiction

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