#Zeke is here to GROVEL

[abbott976]

Summary:

Zeke thought he was doing the right thing breaking up with Tina, but it’s been weeks and all he can think about is how badly he’s messed up everything. It’s time to pay Tina a visit and see if there’s a chance she can ever forgive him.

Or: Zeke had good intentions but is a mess and wants a second chance.

[melishade]

Number 29?

This ask game

asked so far.

Some spoiler stuff for chapter 94

"Some benevolent god you are," Zeke spat at Primus. The titan shifter was sitting in the field of flowers, sitting down with his arms crossed. Zeke felt his eye twitch when Primus didn't respond to him. Instead, his transparent armor had surrounded his body. Floating around him was a multitude of blue orbs, not the colorful orbs that resided around his head. He could hear whispers around the deity, some of them sounding annoyed. No doubt at his continued presence. Meanwhile, Ymir had merely clung to Primus' leg, hiding from Zeke out of fear.

"You let Eren take the power of the titans!" Zeke yelled at him, "Don't you see what he's doing?!"

Primus still didn't respond, but he heard groans of annoyance coming from the orbs.

"Why aren't you acknowledging me?! Is it because you know I'm right and refuse to admit it?!" Zeke challenged.

"My, my, you are just so fragging bold." The energy around Primus buzzed with blue electricity, and he could see the remnants of a shield surrounding him.

"You seem to be fine with genocide," Zeke seethed.

"Oh no, it's not like you weren't advocating for genocide too," Primus mockingly reminded as the armor buzzed with silver electricity.

"It's not like you're offering a better solution!" Zeke shot back, "Did you give Eren a choice to stick to your morals?! Did you really not find another solution to the madness?!"

Primus didn't respond to that, keeping his attention on the orbs surrounding them. He transformed them into flowers before planting them into the sand.

"I bet Optimus hates your guts," Zeke spat out. That turned out to his mistake, as the transparent armor had turned blood red. The deity snapped his head back to Zeke, causing Zeke to crawl back in fear.

"You want an answer to your questions, right?" Primus demanded, "Here's the thing, Zeke Jaeger: you don't deserve an answer to my questions. You wouldn't even be able to handle the answers I provide. Because you have constantly stared into an abyss your whole life that you would not be able the handle that weight. With your resolve, it would crush you."

Zeke watched as the energy surrounding Primus turned back to blue.

"Be grateful that I am showing you mercy considering your life, and that I am even allowing you to maintain your body as of this moment," the voices spoke in unison.

Zeke stared at Primus with contempt as Primus returned to his task. "I'm not going to grovel at your feet for your mercy."

"I don't expect you to." Primus voice lost his base and bravado as he pulled an orb forward, and it transformed into a flower. Zeke saw Primus pour more energy into the flower as a soul appeared out of it. It formed and took shape until it looked like...his father.

Grisha rubbed his head as his vision came into view. He blinked and turned his gaze upward to see Zeke sitting in front of him. Grisha gasped in surprise while Zeke couldn't help but stand up and take steps back.

"What the hell is this?" Zeke demanded as he turned his attention to Primus. Grisha snapped his head back to see the deity and gawked at the sight of Primus.

"It...it's you," Grisha spoke in disbelief.

"Here's what's going to happen," Primus began as he walked over and stood in between the two, "Grisha, despite your improvements as a better father and man, you still treated Zeke horribly. Zeke, you have let Grisha's treatment of you fuel your rage and sorrow, and you wished to take it out on the rest of the world. So the two of you need to get together, discuss your issues, and come to an understanding."

"You think I would be in the same vicinity as him?" Zeke demanded, earning a despondent look from Grisha.

"Zeke, I understand if you don't want to speak to me-!"

"And I'm saying both of you need to resolve your issues," Primus interjected, "You're both dead. What resentment and regret do you have left to hold onto? This is the time to come to an understanding, because there is a chance you may never see each other again."

Zeke and Grisha both pondered what Primus meant by that, but the deity refused to elaborate.

"...I don't feel comfortable being in the same space as him," Zeke declared.

"If that's the case," Primus summoned another flower in his hand before another person manifested in front of them. Grisha stared in confusion while Zeke looked ready to cry at the sight of Ksaver forming before them.

"Ksaver?" Zeke's voice was wet with emotion.

"Where am I?" Ksaver questioned in confusion. Primus merely placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I control the Paths. I brought you out, and I need you to moderate their conversation to prevent any physical or emotional violence," Primus stated bluntly.

Ksaver gawked at Primus. "Excuse me?!"

(I'm just gonna leave it here for right now. I write anymore and we're gonna be here for a while. Anyway the rest of whatever is left is free game.)

[touyastearss]

Quid Pro Quo (Professor! Zeke x Student!Reader)

WARNING: age gap, professor-student relationship (reader is legal), manipulation, noncon, typical blackmail situation, smut, oral, humiliation

///

“This isn't good enough. See me in my office later, Y/N.”

A familiar shade of red stains the page as your essay is handed back to you. There's crosses thrown across the page and entire paragraphs circled in bright red, small, with barely legible notes scrawled beside them. You can't read them, but you don't need to. You know what they say. What they mean.

Your heart thumps against your chest. You want to cry.

— —

You wait until late in the evening. The last thing you’d want is for anybody to stumble across the two of you. The grounds are silent, save for the rustling of the leaves in the trees as you walk towards the old building, and there are few lights to guide your way. But you know the route by now.

The oak door gets bigger and bigger until it looms over you, rooting you to the ground as you allow yourself a minute, like every other time, to prepare. To leave, to argue, to run. But the cold of the wind pulls you from your trance. You have no choice.

You don’t knock. He’s expecting you. He doesn’t even look up when you enter, silent at his desk, the scratching of his pen the only noise in the room as he writes. His jacket is off, hanging from the back of his chair, and his dark tie hangs loose around his neck. It’s a complete contrast to his put-together looks throughout the day; pristine, perfectly ironed suits and a smile. Now the top buttons of his shirt are loose, and you can see the dip of his broad chest as he leans over his desk.

You clear your throat, stepping forward into the room a little further.

“Sir.”

He looks up at you, finally, nonchalant as ever as he watches you close the door. He leans back against his chest, watching you through the rim of his round glasses. They glint as he speaks.

“Y/N. Can I help you?”

You don’t know why he does it. Why he makes you come here, makes you stand before him and grovel at his feet, all while he acts oblivious. It’s so unnerving, so sick.

He raises an eyebrow, leaning back into his seat and reaching into his pocket. The cigarette he pulls out is the same expensive brand he always smokes. He places it between his lips, balancing it as he watches you, expectantly. You swallow the lump in your throat.

“I’d like to speak to you about my grade.”

You don’t miss the flicker of amusement in his eyes as you speak, but it’s gone quickly with a puff of his cigarette, the smoke clouding round his face. He waits a moment, like he always does, and then speaks.

“I’m afraid the grades you’ve received are non-negotiable. I can’t give out any special treatment, Y/N. You know this.”

He waits, silently. You want to cry. His gaze hardens for a split second and you know you’re keeping him waiting too long for his liking. He enjoys a game, but he gets bored quickly.

“Please.”

He doesn’t speak.

You hate him. You hate him so much. You hate your parents for making you attend university. You hate chance for its unfair ways. You hate the way he touches you. You hate yourself for letting him.

“Please, Sir.” Your voice breaks, a singular tear trickling down your face as you avert your gaze from his face. There’s no smile, just a cruel, satisfied smirk at the way your body recoils from him as the words pass your lips.

You refuse to look as you hear him stand from his desk, watching as he leather Oxfords get closer until they're right in front of you, and you can smell the lit cigarette.

“Don’t cry, Y/N,” he cooes, voice soft and quiet in the silence of his office. His rough fingers come to rest on your chin, turning your head to face him with mock gentleness. “Pretty girls shouldn’t cry.”

He’s so close. You feel trapped. You’re drowning in a mixture of his cologne and smoke, a smell you’ve scrubbed from your skin countless times before. His thumb strokes your skin gently, and his touch sparks goosebumps on your skin. He lets out a soft hum, as if he’s so horrifically torn by the decision he’s about to make.

“You're putting me in a difficult situation here, Y/N.”

He waits a second.

“But maybe I can make an exception for you."

One more.

"You’ll just have to do me a favour in return."

He speaks like it’s the most gracious thing. Like he’s some saint. Like he's not bullied you into this corner countless times before. Like he won't do it again. You want to scream. Instead you meet his eyes, ignoring the soft smirk that forms on his lips.

Your line comes out weak, hopeless.

“I’ll do anything.”

— —

He likes to take it slow at first. You don't know whether the drag of his hands across your skin is for your enjoyment or his. You could take a lucky guess. The minutes he spends touching your skin set you on edge, eyes flickering to the door as images of the two of you being caught flood your brain. The risk is high, it makes you sick. He loves it.

He likes to tell you that what he's doing is for the best. That he's so much older than you, that he’s so much smarter. Surely only a Professor could know what was best for their student? He whispers praise and filth into your skin and tells you that you’re so good for him. That you listen so well. Like a good student. A good girl.

He likes it when you're beneath him. When you stare up at him with teary eyes and a helpless look on your face as he sits you on his desk. He parts your legs forcefully to step between them, guiding your head towards him. You don’t want to react to the feel of his rough palms travelling between the material of your skirt to the top of your thighs, but you can’t help but gasp as they enter you, curling and prodding at your walls.

He likes your skirt to stay on. The way it falls across your skin when he fucks into you, the material creasing beneath his grip on your thighs. The wood of his desk bruises your stomach with every thrust forwards, his thick fingers gripping your tits through the material of your shirt. You leave with bruises that never seem to fade.

He likes your reflection in the mirror that he fucks you in front of. Likes the way your nervous expression morphs into pleasure as he has his way with you. The way fear flickers across your eyes every now and then as you come back to your senses, the way it’s gone with the light pressure of his thumb on your clit. Your body shakes in his hold and he can only admire how perfect you look as you take his cock. So cute.

When you’re on the floor, knees pressing uncomfortably into the hard oak panels as his cock pounds into your throat. Your nails dig into his thighs and your whines are silenced as you gag around him. His own grunts are always loud, and he lets out a deep, guttural groan as he releases into your throat, pulling out just in time to taint your skin.

He likes you to say thank you, afterwards. To pick yourself up and ignore the shake in your legs as he places a light kiss on your forehead. To leave without a word.

And to return, as always, the next time.

[erenscherub]

chapter 4 | series masterlist | chapter 6

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞.

pairing: eren x fem! reader

chapter summary: a real life application of boyle’s law

warnings: implied infidelity, mentions of miscarriage, mentions of animal cruelty

word count: 3.0 k

When you feel numb and your fingers and toes are pruning, you decide it’s time to get out of the shower.

The first thing you do is scrutinize your appearance in the fogged up mirror for a couple moments. Your eyes are red and still a little puffy. Though you’d have to be pretty close to notice. You’re optimistic that if given just a little more time you can come up with a good excuse.

Time is clearly not on your side when you barely dodge the Masonite slab door, with a new crack in the middle, that’s falling off its hinges and towards you. Eliza’s head pops up between Mikasa’s legs. “Hi Momma,” she beams while her eyes scrutinize your form from head to toe. “Sorry for scaring you, but you were kind of scaring us. We just want to see if you’re ok. I love Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Amanda and Udo and Disneyland, but school and Cyrus and Falco are here in New Hampshire and not California.” It’s really hard to stay mad at your three friends when they use your daughter to do the apologizing for them.

Her puppy dog eyes don’t work as well as you as they do on Eren. Yet, you decide to let this incident slide.

You’re lucky your daughter even forgave you for losing your shit and taking her with you the first flight back home after Eren missed the wedding anniversary dinner that he rescheduled twice. There’s only so much Disneyland can do to distract a child.

You let Eliza drag you to the master bedroom you share with Eren. There’s rose petals scattered everywhere and another bouquet of red roses wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine.

A note with Eren’s chicken scratch is tucked in the middle of all the flowers.

The same promise he made when you two started dating.

The same promise he made to you at the altar.

Eren doesn’t have a good track record of upholding promises.

You’re petty. Proud of it too.

After pulling on a hoodie and sweatpants, the first thing you do is use the Dyson vacuum cleaner in the linen closet to clear any trace of the rose petals. Gone. Just like any respect he seems to have for your marriage vows.

Then you tear the note to shreds before flushing it down the toilet. Just like all the years you’ve spent with him.

Afterwards, you open up the window overlooking the backyard. Eliza asks if it’s too warm in the house. It’s a good temperature.

Annie, Mikasa, and Petra all tell you that they’re willing to take a brisk walk with you outside for a couple minutes if you need some fresh air. You don’t.

You just don’t want to run the risk of running into Eren on your way to the kitchen trash can.

So you opt for throwing the flowers out the window. Just like any self-respect you’ve had for yourself by putting up with him for so long and for inexplicable reasons you don’t even know yourself.

Your efforts don’t make a difference in the end.

They never seem to.

No matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to either keep Eren tied to you or even successfully push him away.

Because against the advice of his family and friends, he is there outside the master bedroom door waiting for you with another bouquet of red roses with the same note that has a bullshit promise all ready to grovel on his knees for as long as it takes.

It’s been a long day. You’re trying to focus on the positives. Karaoke was great. Clubbing with Mikasa, Petra, and Annie was more enjoyable than you thought it would be. Zeke gave you a dozen of those Oreo flash-themed cupcakes.

Colt and his six-year-old brother, Falco, joining you this year was such a welcomed addition.

Eliza and Cyrus were only a year younger than Falco. Though you love how all three of them get along so well. It’s heartwarming that both started calling him their brother after playing with him for only four days.

Your three Cubs were nothing but sweet to you the entire day. Got to watch another brilliant sunrise with your Baby Bear. Eliza even helped Colt and Zeke make you breakfast this morning for “the best Momma in the world.” You admire how your youngest Cubs try to protect your oldest by covering his ears whenever an adult curses.

Your Cuddle Bear was only six years old. Still, Falco was so well behaved and calm even with all the chaos unfolding in front of him. He and Cyrus even made you a birthday card addressed to “the best aunt ever.” You were so proud of your two eldest Cubs for their great team work when negotiating with Zeke.

Even your Bubba Bear wowed you with his sincerity in offering up all the funds in his beloved piggy bank dubbed ‘Porky’ to repair the window.

What’s not so great is that Eren forgot your birthday because he’s busy being balls deep in his co-worker.

There’s so many good things that happened today.

Yet, you just can’t help yourself from fixating on the bad.

You’re just tired.

Tired of trying to hold yourself together. Tired of Eren still pretending to love you. Tired of never being enough.

You ignore Eren and you continue trudging towards the guest bedroom hoping to shut out the world for just a few hours.

Colt, Mikasa, Annie, and Petra are all protesting that you can’t break the tradition of blowing out your candles. Why bother? You’re pretty sure you’ve run out of wish magic. All the birthday, 11:11, dandelion, and eyelash wishes for Eren to either love you back or let you go haven’t come true.

Eren won’t shut up about how sorry he is and how much he loves you. Then he’s physically clinging onto your leg, preventing you from entering the guest bedroom. Not even Mikasa and Annie are able to successfully deter him from just shutting the fuck up for once in his life. He’s tugging on your leg, begging for your forgiveness because you just need to hear him out that he’s so madly in love with you and how he never stopped loving you and how he’s so sorry.

This gives Eliza a window of opportunity to rope in both Cyrus and Falco to hype up the antics of her kicked puppy routine. Your three Cubs are now also clinging onto you.

They’re tugging on your hoodie and grabbing onto your hands and trying to drag you down the stairs. They’re insistent that you need to open their presents because ‘they’re the best gift givers out of all these losers this year!’ Eren may have messed up. ‘That doesn’t matter though because presents are always fun!’

Why the fuck is even Levi joining in with another steaming cup of chamomile tea and Zeke with another one of those delicious ass Oreo cupcakes?

Actually, they’re the most helpful people at the moment.

You take the tea and have a few sips to help restore some semblance of peace.

Then you give the cupcake to the kids to momentarily distract them with the opportunity for more sugar. They let go of you so they can focus on splitting the desert evenly between the three of them.

Two of your problems are resolved. And you’re also very proud of your Cubs for sharing.

The third problem is still looking hopeful that you’ll let him hold you tight in your master bedroom tonight and let him apologize further in the form of make-up sex, instead of isolating yourself in one of the guest bedrooms.

When you find $100 in the pocket of your hoodie, there’s a little hope in you that some wishes do come true.

You hand it to Cyrus to put in the swear jar later. Both Cyrus and Eliza’s eyes widen in surprise as they both hurriedly clamp their hands over Falco’s ears.

Problem three is also indirectly taken care of when you promptly tell everyone, “Fuck off. I’m in a mood.”

They’re shocked that you cursed in front of the kids. They’re shocked that you don’t want any form of physical affection. Not a hug from your friends. Cuddles from your Cubs. A hair ruffle from Zeke. Kisses from Eren. Or even the very rare hand on the shoulder that means “Hey, you’re kind of ok,” from Levi.

You know they’re just trying to make you feel better after you were obviously crying in the shower earlier.

You know that in the long term, you’re going to feel absolutely horrible for this behavior.

You know that the way you’re acting isn’t smart, mature, or even borderline reasonable.

But in the short term?

Yes.

Goddamn in the short term, it feels pretty fucking good to slam the guest bedroom door in all their faces.

It’s midnight when Calista Forrest-Springer bounds into the Jaeger household with a bounce in her step and in her curls followed by an exclamation of, “Hello, hello everyone. And an especially amazing hello to my favorite angel!” She pauses to survey the room when she sees no sight of you.

You’re not cuddling with or showering kisses on any of the faces of your Cubs- Falco or her son Cyrus or your daughter Eliza. You’re not sitting in Eren’s lap with his arms wound tightly around you as he blabbers on and on about how much he loves you. You’re not resting your head in Mikasa’s lap as you take a power nap or ask her about her day. You’re not sitting right next to and hanging onto Annie’s arm while you two sit in the corner and she talks in hushed tones about her past or her feelings or whatever shit the Ice Queen actually opens up about. You don’t have Petra’s hand between both of yours as you gush about some new dessert place or as she cracks jokes about her friend Oluo mimicking her husband. You’re not leaning on Colt’s shoulder with a blanket wrapped around the two of you. Zeke is here and you’re not linking arms with him as he ruffles your hair and pesters you with the nicknames Sonic or Speedy or Kid Wonder.

The air mattresses, spare blankets, and extra pillows are all out as customary for the movie marathon. The console table has been moved to a faraway corner of the room, but all the presents look untouched.

Everyone looks grim and glum like the time Calista accidentally ran over the neighborhood stray cat, colloquially referred to as Mr. Boots.

It must have been you that was run over today.

She swivels on her heel to face Eren and places her hand on her hips. “What the hell did you do to (Y/N), now? I honestly don’t know why such a precious thing like her is married to someone like you!” Eren rolls his eyes at Calista’s words as he finishes scratching down a note to you to include in another bouquet of roses he managed to purchase at the last minute at the grocery store.

As Zeke wipes his glasses with a handkerchief, without missing a beat he replies, “He takes advantage of her crippled self-esteem to make her believe that she will never be able to do better than him.” Eren snaps his head up immediately to return his brother’s words with a glare.

“I get it! I screwed up,” Eren huffs. “I love my wife! I know I’ve been doing a crappy job of showing that I love her! I know I messed up by forgetting the birthday and anniversary and not being there for her enough when she had the miscarriage-” Eren’s spiel is halted by Petra suddenly fisting the collar of his shirt to drag him off the recliner.

The miscarriage was news.

After you called in sick to work twice, most of them thought you were going to announce that you were pregnant at this birthday party like you did six years ago.

Levi writes out a check for $300 and places it in the swear jar.

Eliza and Cyrus now use the couch’s throw pillows to shield Falco as best as they can from what is to come.

The purpose of the swear jar was to make sure Eliza and Cyrus wouldn’t pick up the vulgar language casually thrown into conversations by Jean and Eren. A good 92% of the time, Eliza and Cyrus are mild-mannered and well-behaved.

No one anticipated that the other 8% of the time that they’re cruel and brutally honest little shits is all because their normally sweet Aunt Petra had helped expand their creativity in expletives that night.

It’s 12:52 when the tally of repairs to be completed in the Jaeger household now reaches a total of three as Annie takes her turn to kick down the guest bedroom door. It’s only been 2 hours and 17 minutes since you told them to fuck off. That’s not even remotely enough time for you to feel remorseful for your words or to be even a fraction calmer.

However, 3 minutes and 38 seconds is more than enough time to attempt to barricade yourself inside by pushing the six drawer oak dresser, the eighty pound office desk, and the three big ass filing cabinets in the room to slow down anyone’s attempts to drag you out of it.

Eren’s a hoarder. Your husband is obsessed with keeping irrelevant scraps of paper of everything from receipts from a fast food place he ate at ten years ago, to parking tickets from when he was in college, to holding onto the grocery lists you gave him last year, to hard copies of Excel worksheets listing pros and cons for every major decision you made starting from a decade back to last week. His obsession with holding onto paper copies of fucking everything has snowballed with the addition of his chaotic filing system.

The shit he keeps hanging onto has always been a nuisance. You’re now a little appreciative of your husband’s habit as now he physically has to face and tackle the crap he’s held onto for years if he wants to move forward to you.

Through the gaps in the objects you’re able to find Annie’s ice blue eyes as you call out, “Look, I know you all mean well. But I really just want to be alone right now. Is it possible that you could just let me sleep it off?” You take her response as “No way in hell” as she lands a judo kick against the dresser.

You can tell they’re frustrated with how much crap Eren was able to pile into the guest bedroom. It’s why you chose this room specifically.

You know that you’re only slowing them down. You love your friends. You really do. You know that they just want to comfort you and help you process your sadness. You know that they only have the best intentions and just want to help you shoulder the burden of your heartache and grief.

Boyle’s law describes that for an ideal gas under conditions of constant mass and temperature, there is an inverse relationship between volume and pressure. As you decrease the space in a container, molecular collisions with the walls occur more frequently. This in turn, results in an increase in pressure.

It’s a self-destructive cycle to bottle up your feelings. The more heartache, self-hatred, and grief you try to keep locked away inside of yourself, the more the questions of the what-if’s, the why’s, and the how’s bounce around the corners of your brain, stealing away sleep and confidence. There’s only so much space that can accommodate the increasing amount of sorrow you bury until the walls of your heart experience strain.

You always hope that maybe if you don’t talk about it, that maybe if it’s one of those things that you bury so deep inside of yourself, that maybe eventually you’ll forget.

Yet you still remember how you felt when you discovered Eren’s affair just like it was yesterday.

Combined with the disappointment that he wasn’t there for you when you miscarried, or your anniversary, and forgot your birthday. There’s only so much space that can accommodate everything you try to lock away into yourself.

There’s only so much you can take.

There was already a limited amount of space with your insecurities that Eren was way out of your league. There’s never enough space to accommodate the expanding anxieties, doubts, and anger, resulting in strain. You don’t notice that the pressure gradually builds up day by day, until one day there’s just no more room to keep everything locked away.

Everything you tried to bury builds up enough pressure until the container you locked it away in explodes. Everything you tried to bury will eventually be pushed out into the open.

You’ll be able to let yourself be vulnerable one day. One day, it will probably be a cathartic release to not have to stifle any sobs and to be able to grieve openly over the beginning of the end of your marriage. One day, your friends will be sincere as they hold you and let you cry it out until your wails temper to hiccups and then level off to sniffles. They will probably be patient and offer nothing but an open ear and words of comfort even if you repeat the same spiel of how you don’t understand how he could do this to you and why he couldn’t let you go earlier.

When will it end that you realize that you don’t have to shoulder everything by yourself?

You decide tomorrow. Right now, you’re not ready.

One day, you’ll be able to let yourself be vulnerable in front of all of them.

One day, you’ll tell them and allow you to pull you out of the waves of misery, self-hatred, and frustration that’s threatening to drown you.

One day, you’ll accept that it wasn’t your fault as your loved ones hold you tight while you cry it out in their arms.

One day.

Just not today.

A/N: R.I.P. Mr. Boots. You’re not even real but I’d still fight Calista even if I’m not a cat person. Thank you for all of your kind words in both the comments and asks. Reading those really make my day

Taglist: @pichara @izukine @bbylime @emepe @wakatvshi @ihatelettuce @unicornlover25 @didiyogo @6sakusa @trumpettay @littlemochi @rein4r1 @lukepattersin @rubesque

[scinnahunbun]

Me: *redesigns Zeke so he looks more distinct from other bullies*

Overview

Okay so Zeke as a character always bothered me not because of the things he did but he’s only there as the absolute bare minimum of a villain. His whole personality is just stock bully character when I think he had a lot of potential as an antagonist as well as being part of the top 10.

So here’s my idea on how to make him interesting without changing the plot or ’redeeming’ him.

Make Zeke more calculating from the start. Show him actually being charismatic instead of beating the shit out of people willy nilly. Like I would love to see him have a way with words and be gaslighting people from left to right which is why he has a following in Wellston. Like "hey, I'm not actually the villain but you’re the one who fucked up so you deserve the punishment."

I want to see him earn the title of being a snake. I just think that showing off how much Zeke has intimidated the rest of the student body makes it more satisfying to see him getting beat up rather than just “HE HURT MY WAIFU/HUSBANDO”

His ability ’Phase Shift’ would work well with such a manipulative shit of a character. I like to think that we rarely see him personally beat others and he’s usually just ’negotiating’ and having his minions do it for him. However even so, people seem to be too scared by his prescence.

This is because the only few times he had were absolutely sadistic and hospitalizing people but only a few so they could serve as a reminder of what happens if he isn’t nice. This could also make him more of a foil to John in a way as well as make things ironic when he was suddenly hospitalized during the Joker arc.

Make Zeke highkey unhinged. Make him absolutely dangerous despite his lower power.

Scene rewrite (sorta)

Here’s how I would change a scene with him. Instead of beating Sera because her powers are now gone, have him try to make an offer with Seraphina first in exchange for him protecting her and John in her powerless state. (Like maybe some kind of leverage against the Royals or have her admit his superiority.) Have Seraphina refuse and maybe even call out Zeke and then have Zeke beat the shit out of her to set an example to other students for defying him. Have it be brutal. Maybe it’s one of his points of vulnerability where he just snaps and becomes too emotional for the first time.

Motivation

Give him hints of insecurities, maybe from feeling inadequate compared to the Royals, not to redeem him but for his character to make a bit more sense with motivations.

His main motivation is him asserting as much power as he can towards the Boy’s dorm and everyone lower than him to cover his envy towards the other high tiers. To keep this sense of control no matter what.

Safe House Arc

John would initially recruit him just because of the following he has and his way of words towards less powerful people. While Zeke is a bully, John acknowledges that he’s useful. However, this is when Zeke regresses. No longer the cold and charming elite tier but John’s grovelling minion. Like he still keeps his cool at first but we slowly see him becoming more desparate for any sort of power as he looses trust with John and Cecile. He was to still be in control but no one takes him seriously anymore. We slowly see his incompetency and how weak he has become, this former shell of a once powerful student regressing into a child yelling for attention.

We almost feel sorry for him. Almost. But it’s more satisfying than anything.

[pleasantanathema]

Graves into Gardens | Reiner Braun x Reader | Chapter One

Chapter One: Living Ghosts

Pairing: Reiner Braun x Fem!Reader 

Rating: Explicit (18+ only)

Warnings: Modern AU, spoilers up to season four, slight manga spoilers (only by including characters met later), captivity, mentions of violence, enemies to lovers, angst, and eventual smut (don’t worry, it’ll come sooner than you think).

Word Count: 2.5k

A/N: Here’s chapter one of my multi-chapter series for Reiner— chapter two is already ready!

A very special thank you to @present-mel​ , and @whats-her-quirk​ for encouraging me to take the plunge and create this monster (I’ve got a lot planned for this fic and I’m so excited for it) 💕

Masterlist | Next Chapter

           You were having that same dream again, the one where you felt like you were dying. Your shoulder ached with the memory of bursting pain, but there were warm hands there, holding you, pressing down to keep the bleeding at bay. You could never recognize the face, never identify the voice, your ears still ringing from the sound of a piercing gunshot. It was always the same; a delirious memory warped into a nightmare. Sometimes the dream ended in the hospital, other times with you staring at the inside of a coffin, or in a shallow grave.

           But this time, you were waking up, eyes flickering open to meet harsh fluorescent lights and clinking, cold handcuffs around your wrists.

          A white-hot sense of dread pooled over your body.

          You knew where you were. You knew how you got here. And suddenly, you wished you were dreaming again.

          You could still see it all, still hear the deafening blades of the helicopter whirring above you. None of your team had expected the Marleyans to be in the warehouse; they hadn’t been on the soil of Paradis in years. They’d caught you off guard and sent your escape plan into action sooner than expected. You’d tried to follow Mikasa and Armin, but Jean was in your way. The lines of your vertical movement gear had tangled with his as you both hurriedly attempted to ascend and meet Levi in the aircraft, sending you spiraling back into the window, back into enemy territory.

          Someone kicked you in the skull when you landed, you could still feel your head throbbing with the soreness. That must’ve been what did you in, what made you easy pickings to become a captive to the Marleyan government.

          You sat up, taking note of your surroundings: of course, they’d put you in a cell, one void of a bed but thankfully containing a fucking bucket. How considerate. Just outside the iron bars was a table scattered with broken pieces of your gear, undoubtedly torn apart to be studied and to keep you from using it to escape.

          Anger brewed inside your chest, a familiar feeling of betrayal returning that you hadn’t felt in years. There were faces here you didn’t want to see, enemies with broken facades that still haunted your thoughts at night. People you’d trusted, people you’d loved.

          You knew they would show themselves soon. If you were still alive, it’s because there were questions that Zeke Yeagar wanted answers to, tendrils of doubt and duplicity that he wanted to sink into your mind.

━━━─── • ───━━━

          Reiner felt sick. He’d never wanted to see you again, yet he’d been the one to carry your unconscious body through the compound, to cuff you and leave you on the frigid concrete floor. He’d stood over your figure for a while, heart pounding his chest out of fear that you’d wake up and flash that scrutinizing gaze of yours toward him again. But you’d just laid there at his feet, small, vulnerable, like a lost memory washed back upon the shores of his life.

          And of course, now that you were awake, you weren’t talking, refusing to take Zeke’s bait.

          He watched the older man pace around the room, glasses glinting as he wrung his hands. Truly, Reiner had been surprised that Zeke didn’t kill you on the spot, instead opting to transport you all the way across the border to their headquarters, insistent that you be treated like precious cargo. Though, it had been hard to keep Porco from poking at your body in the floorboards of the armored truck. Reiner had tried to keep his gaze away from you, eyes glued to the dark horizon outside of the rain smeared window. Maybe if he had stopped looking at you, you would have disappeared.

          There was something pressing Zeke, something worrying him that he wasn’t sharing with the rest of the warriors. He thought you knew something, or perhaps that you could be valuable in some way.

          Reiner knew that if you were to live, you needed to speak, needed to give them a piece of information to work with. He placed his head in his hands at the table, palms rubbing at his eyes. He shouldn’t—he didn’t—care if you took your last breath here. You were the enemy, someone who’d once held a knife to his throat when his true intentions within the ranks of The Scouts were revealed. He almost wished you’d killed him then, that you’d ended all the years of misery and regret that still clung to his mind like a poisonous leech.

          “Maybe she’ll give in to someone she knows,” Zeke stopped his pacing, attention turning to Annie Leonhart who sat across from Reiner, “why don’t you give it a go?”

          “Absolutely not,” she rejected, long legs crossing at the ankles upon the table.

          “Bertholdt tells me that you two were quite the comrades during your reconnaissance mission.”

          “I wouldn’t say that. We just found each other tolerable. Bertie was always sweet on her, though.”

          Zeke sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Bertholdt is kind to everyone, he’s as soft as they come.”

          Bertholdt, per usual, stayed quiet in the face of Zeke’s remarks.

          Porco Galliard chuckled at that statement, straightening his shoulders before he spoke.

          “Which is exactly why you should’ve sent me to Paradis instead, Chief. I could give her a go. You were being too easy on her, anyways. Once you start ripping off fingernails people really start to give in, you know.”

          Reiner’s gut twisted at the thought.

          “You’re not allowed anywhere near her, Gailliard,” Zeke crossed his arms as a smirk settled into the lines of his beard, “she’s far too pretty, you’d break down and grovel to her before it was all over.”

          Galliard huffed, a pink tinge dusting his cheeks as he shrunk down in his seat.

          “Reiner—”

          He had an inkling that it would come down to this. There would be no point in disputing it, he’d have to come face to face with his past, with sins he thought he left behind four years ago.

          He stood before Zeke could complete his thought, heavy knuckles rapping at the wood of the table.

          “Well, looks like we finally have a volunteer.”

           Every inch of Reiner’s skin bristled as he marched down the corridor to the prison cells. His footsteps were jarring, heavy, like he was determined to leave prints in the floor to mark a final walk of shame. Some part of him hoped you’d be gone when he opened the door, that you would have used your wits and crawled through some air duct and run away from this, from him.

          He almost didn’t turn the door handle. He felt invisible, burdensome hands pulling at his shoulders, calling at him to run. He’d always been a coward, especially when it came to you. He hated you, loathed you because he knew you pegged him as fraud from the beginning. You never threw a kind word in his direction, always looked at him like he was below you, like his pride meant nothing to you.

          Reiner just wished that you had meant nothing to him. Even when the opportunity had presented itself, he couldn’t even find the strength to kill you like his orders demanded. He wondered if you remembered it at all, if your memories had finally flooded back after all this time. Something inside his heart wouldn’t let him that night, some unknown, egregious feeling that by some means overshadowed his hatred. 

          That feeling returned when he entered the room and found you sitting with your back to the wall, your tightly bound hands in your lap.

          He took in a deep breath as he averted his gaze, teeth gritting at the sight of you awake. Zeke was right, four years had done you justice; time had only made you more beautiful than before, and he worried he might fall to his knees before you.

          “Reiner.”

          Sometimes, he just really wished people would stop saying his name.

━━━─── • ───━━━

          A strange relief settled into your stomach at the sight of him. Reiner was as hulking as ever, broad shoulders stretching the threads of his shirt to their limits. But he was different, older…demure, in some ways. He didn’t hold his head as high anymore, didn’t immediately cross his arms across his barreled chest to appear larger. He took tired, golden eyes less intense than you last remembered. His fingers rubbed at his lips, at the facial hair that adorned more pronounced cheekbones.

          You hated to admit that he appeared even more handsome than you remembered.

           There was a red armband tied around his bicep, an insignia emblazoned on it that you’d never seen before.

          “Do I make you nervous, Braun?”

          You caught his attention then, made his eyes look at you as you leaned your head back against the stone wall.

          “Tough question from the one behind bars.”

          His voice had changed, too. He sounded more stoic, more serious. There used to be a hint of glee under that tongue of his.

          “Why am I here?”

          “I’m supposed to be the one asking you things.”

          You shrugged, biting at your cheek as you wiggled your toes to try to make them feel again. Your limbs were starting to ache, your head too, body feeling like it was starting to cement to the floor. You didn’t want to be Zeke Yeagar’s plaything, but you knew that if you were alive, there was something they wanted. There was some leverage you held, but you weren’t sure what it was just yet. You had hoped they would send Bertholdt in to talk to you, you always could get under his skin.

��         Reiner was a more difficult case for you. He always coated himself in arrogance, made it harder for you to chip away at his armor. He never let anyone in, just always grinned, acted like he had everything under control. But before you was a man with cracks, a man that time and guilt had eroded. You almost felt sorry for him, almost. A man like him deserved to bear the weight of his burdens.

          “Listen, if you don’t start talking—”

          “You’ll what? Kill me?”

          “We’ll torture you.”

          He said the words with a weight that knocked you back a bit, stole the last breath of gusto you were holding onto. You expected as much, but hearing it said aloud made fear crawl up your spine, made the cuffs around your wrist feel even more strained against your skin.

          “What do you want to know? I could tell Yeagar was prodding for something tangible to use against Paradis.”

          “I just want to know what you know about us, if you know anything about what Marley has been doing in the last few years.”

          “You’ve been fighting a war, that much I know.”

          And he looked like he had been through battle, been through hell in trenches and gunfire. Your intelligence agents had reported that Braun had been promoted to be Vice Commander of the Warrior Unit, and the hardline of his frown told you he’d seen more horrors than you wanted to know about.

          “Tell me something you don’t know from news headlines.”

          Levi had trained all his scouts for this situation once upon a time ago. You could still hear his voice in your head, commanding you to give up as little as possible, learn what the enemy wanted and then give them something else to cling on to. You had a few things you knew you could feed to them, beneficial tidbits that would satiate their hunger and keep them from feasting upon your teammates. But relaying any kind of information was a death sentence within itself; give the dogs a treat and eventually they’ll want more.

          And you knew that Reiner, that Zeke Yeagar, was a very greedy host.

          You stood slowly, releasing the aching tension in your lower back. Reiner didn’t flinch away from his place beyond the rusting iron, instead eyeing you like you were some exotic thing in a cage.

          There was a nostalgia of being in his presence, even if the atmosphere around him was contrary to what you were used to perceiving. He still made your blood boil, still made your fighting instincts come alive in the back of your mind. You still felt small in his shadow, but there was still a lingering feeling, a fleeting memory, about how being around him once made you feel safe.

          Your bare feet moved toward him, toes stinging against the cold of the floor.

          One of your hands wrapped around a bar to your prison, the metal of your handcuffs clinking against the barrier.

          You could catch his scent from being this close, and at least that much stayed the same—he always smelled like cedarwood, earthy and sweet, like the spice of the forest floor after a fresh rain. It was almost funny how smell created memories more frequently than any other sense. 

          Suddenly, you felt like you were back home, like nothing had changed, as if his deceit had never been revealed. Your mind’s eye flashed images of your old training camp, of Reiner lifting Connie onto his shoulders after the small boy had successfully managed to triumph over Jean in his marksmanship practice. He’d used one of the tricks that Reiner had taught him. That once sweet memory turned sour as you remembered just why Reiner was always such a good shot.

          You tilted your chin up to look at him, to come face-to-face with the imposing penumbra you thought you’d warded off. He was a living ghost brought back to haunt you once again.

          “You seem pathetic, Braun, like you’ve lost all that bravado that made you so special.”

          He took your words, let them bounce off his chest like you hadn’t even spoken them.

          “Why did they send you in here? Did they really expect I’d crack under such pitiful pressure? You’re a deplorable, miserable—”

          His fist wrapped around your hand, crushing your fingers between his might and the metal bar you’d secured yourself to.

          You hissed at the pain, but…there was something you had missed in that touch of his; he felt warm, worn, like there were secrets being pressed into your skin.

          “Be. Quiet.”

          You expected his fingers to flex, waited for him to crack your fingers under his pressure. But he kept his strength at bay, electing to keep a steady, continuous tension against your knuckles.

          “Talk, or tomorrow will be your last day. You wouldn’t want to die at the hands of a pathetic, wretched man like me, would you? No, you’re too proud for that.”

          He took a step back, releasing his bruising grip before turning on his heels to leave.

          A string of panic began to uncoil inside you, snapping as his arm extended towards the exit.

           “Reiner,” you called, “tell me something. How much do you really know about Zeke Yeagar?”

           “I know enough.”

           “No, you don’t,” you were starting to sound worried, you could hear it, “there’s something I know that you don’t, and I’d be willing to give you information in return for you answering a question for me.”

           You could feel your heart beating in your chest, every pump within your ribs like the ticking of an oppressive clock. He was silent, steady, back still turned away from you. You noticed that his fists were clenched by his side, a vein starting to appear up the exposed length of his forearm.

           “I’ll consider it. Depends on what your question is.”

           He still didn’t turn to look at you.

           “Reiner…tell me what happened to Marco.”

           The door was slamming shut before the last syllable of the dead man’s name left your lips.

Next Chapter

[bluebellhairpin]

Favours - Part Two

Mafia AU!Levi Ackerman  X Fem!Reader

Part One // Part Three 

A/N: Thanks guys, now look what you did. - Nemo 

Summary:  You meet with the head of the Ackerman family. An agreement is struck, and a plan formed - even if it wasn’t the one he had originally planned.

Warning(s): Language. Mentions of dismemberment. 

Listening to: ‘Looking at Me’ by Sabrina Carpenter (slowed) - ‘Did I catch your attention? You look like you lost your breath.’

Masterlist 

You’d seen this many men in one place before. Back at your first family meeting. You didn’t like it then. You definitely didn’t like it now. 

Even though there were only five other people at the table - the fact they were all men didn’t sit well with you. 

As soon as you sat down, one of the blond’s at Levi’s side introduced you to everyone. He was Erwin Smith, and the one opposite him was Furlan Church. Then closest to you on either said was Miche Zacharias and Mobilt Berner. 

You did like learning people names, but you hated the formalities. 

“Erwin I appreciate the introductions, but we all know I’m not here for a meet-and-greet.” 

Levi quirked an eye up at you from across the room. 

“Well you are right.” Erwin said, leaning back in his seat and cast a glance at Levi. “So I suppose beating around the bush with formalities isn’t on the table anymore.” 

Erwin raised his hand at Moblit, who then slid a piece of paper in front of you. You cast your eyes down to the card-like paper. The most noticeable thing was the coat of arms at the top, embedded into the paper with gold, and then two lines at the bottom - perfect for signatures. You didn’t need to read anything more to know it was meant as a signed deal. 

You clicked your tongue, pressing the paper a little ways in front of you before looking up straight at Levi. 

“Do you normally have your people talk for you?” you asked, gesturing to the others at the table as you shifted in your seat to cross your legs. “Or do I make you so nervous that your balls tighten and make your voice too squeaky to actually speak for yourself?” 

Hange snickered beside you, covering it with a hand and some coughs. You, however, didn’t hide your coy smile as his eyes narrowed at you. 

He leaned forward in his chair, and crossed his arms on the table. 

“It’s either you had no backbone at all, or the strongest I’ll ever come across in my entire life.” he said, “You should’ve known even before you came in that you’ve barely gained enough recognition to be in the same room as me, let alone hear me speak.”

“You asked for me, not the other way around.” You quipped, smile quickly fading and your tone turned serious. “Don’t act like I was groveling at your feet like some dog to be here, because we both know I wasn’t.” 

A few long moments passed, and neither you nor Levi even blinked to break the glares you were holding. He leaned back again. 

“Care to take a walk, (y/n)?” 

───────✱.｡:｡✱.:｡✧.｡✰✧.｡:✱───────

“You’re smart, and quick,” he said, “Which is probably why you’ve grown so quickly.” 

You’d both taken to the rooftop, leaning against one of the hand rails and sunglasses on. It seemed too casual, especially since everyone else was left either inside or in the patio that you both came from. Apparently Levi needed absolute privacy from all ears for this conversation.

“You’ve gotten the invitation too?” He asked. 

“From Jaeger?” You said, and he nodded. “Yes I have.” You looked up at the skyline. It sure did have a nice view up here. 

“I’ve hear it’s more for a meeting than a dinner. Rod Reiss is going to be there too. Apparently Zeke want’s to make a deal with all four of our families.” He shifted, now leaning his side on the rail rather than his back. “I want us to come to an agreement.” 

“Why? What’s in it for you?” you asked. “And what’s in it for me?” 

“Well,” he sighed, “If Jaeger wants to do something you, or I, don’t like, then we back each other up. If I wanna go one way, you go that way. If you wanna go one way, I go that way too.” 

You turned to face him. 

“What if I like what Jaeger wants to do, and you don’t?” you said. “What if he’s already come to me and told me what he wants and I already want it too?” 

Zeke Jaeger had not done that. 

“He hasn’t.” Levi said, crossing his arms. “But if that did happen, then I suppose I’d have no choice but to follow anyway. It’s what the deal says we’d do, so I’d do it.”

“Loyal are we Ackerman? Better not make it a fault of yours.”

“That mouth of yours better not be a fault either. People will have your tongue if you keep wagging it around like that.” He warned. 

There were people out there who did that. Dismemberment. You’d never been on the receiving end of any such threat or treatment. Your father, however, had. He had a box delivered once, back when you were around eighteen years old. Inside was four fingers and a thumb. 

“They’d have to get past them to do that.” you said, pointing over to Hange, Nanaba, and Mikasa. “And then they’d have to keep me still long enough to do it.” You smiled over at him. He shook his head - in disbelief or dismissal, you didn’t know. 

“So, verdict?” he asked, the subject now back on track. “Deal or not?” 

“How long is the contract for?” 

“Six months,” he said, “Then it can be extended, or we can do away with it completely and act like we never had it to begin with.” You rubbed under your nose.

“How about this.” you offered, “The meeting with Zeke Jaeger will be a trial of sorts. We see how it goes for both our sides to make sure we like the deal and then make it official.” 

He licked his lips, looking out at the other buildings and the slightly clouded sky as he thought. He turned back to you, shaded eyes flashing at you, and held out his hand.

“Fair.” He said, and you slipped your hand in his, shaking it.

“Fair. Business with you is a joy, Levi.” You said. “I have yet to know why people fear you so much.” You joked, leaning forward slightly. He rolled his eyes, turning you both back to walk back toward the patio. 

“Wait long enough and I’m sure you’ll find out. Jean!” He barked, stepping up into the outdoor area and flicking off his sunglasses. “Call Miss. Shiv’s cars back around to the front.”

“Yessir.” Jean said, scurrying away from where he loitered at Mikasa’s side to disappear around a corner. 

“Came to an agreement, I hope.” Erwin said, his mouth hovering against a crystal rocks glass as he smiled at you both. 

“Of sorts.” you said, eyeing the blond and his almost twin as you parted from Levi’s side to join your girls. “Although not the agreement you hoped for, I think.” 

Erwin looked at you, eyes glinting, and took a large swig from his glass before setting it down and casting a glance at Levi. 

“Better than none, I suppose.” he said, pushing a glass over at Levi. “You’re not staying?” 

“No, sorry.” you said, turning away from Nanaba to face Erwin properly. “Can’t have Jean running around for nothing, can we?” You flicked your collar, smiling at them. Erwin made a ‘sure’ face, while you caught Levi quirking his lips in a smile. 

“Here we were thinking you had somewhere else to be.” Erwin’s almost-twin, Miche, said. Speaking for the first time. Pity it wasn’t worth much.

“Well I do have somewhere else to be - not here.” 

With that you left, Hange shook her head at your antics as she and the other followed, finally leaving all the men behind. 

“She sure is something.” Furlan said, sitting himself down on a couch across from where Erwin and Levi stood.

“She’s trouble.” Miche added. 

“She’s powerful,” Erwin said, “We can use her and her smarts.”

“She’s an ally.” Levi said, tone a matter of finality. “Now we’ll treat her as such.” 

───────✱.｡:｡✱.:｡✧.｡✰✧.｡:✱───────

“So, you and Boss Man had a nice talk, huh?” Hange said, now comfortably sprawled in the backseat of your car. 

“He was definitely pleasant company, if that’s what you’re asking.” 

“So it went well then?” Sasha asked, looked back at you both briefly through the rear-view mirror. 

“Well enough that you can go through that McDonalds drive through.” You said, pointing to the golden arches just to your left. 

“Oh, really!” You laughed and nodded. 

“Sure. I’m paying.” 

[writingonesdreams]

I have your girl

Grayson and Zeke meet after years again. Zeke has a special offer for Grayson, one he won't be able to refuse.

Shoutout for the Street Magic universe of @cirianne, where this is set and to @kosmosian-quills, whose character is referenced. Thanks to the RP we are doing, I have been so inspired writing this!

Content: kidnapping, angst, threats

Lilly is gone again. She has taken to strolling around the city at night sometimes. I’m not sure why, but it’s definitely better than going back to spy on her family’s house.

It always worries me to have her alone out of my sight, but I’m trying to give her some space. Just because we have been closer recently - we are practically together - doesn’t mean I have to push myself on her too much.

When I can’t sit around anymore after it gets dark, I start to circle around the neighbourhood. Taking a walk and lowkey hoping to spot Lilly on her way back.

Since the incident we have been much more open, much closer, much everything. And I love every second of it. I don’t like remembering what my life before has been like, that dark cold lonesome existence, but Lilly has lit my days and shown me the difference between survival and living. I wonder if this is what Zeke meant with finding your point. I didn’t have a thing like that, a goal or something to live for. Not the way I have now. And I can’t see the weakness in it, when it fills me with so much joy. And joy has to be good, right?

That’s when I notice a person. Tall blond guy leaning lazily on the wall next to me. And he looks just like...But that’s impossible. I haven’t seen him in years, it was another city, another time, another life. He is surely murdering kittens somewhere far far away from here. Whatever turned out from Zeke, I don’t want to know. So I keep walking. I have just been thinking about him, it’s probably why the first punk I see looks like him.

“Long time no see, Gray.” Speaks the voice behind me. No mistake. The depth might have changed, but the tone, the slick melodic and threatening quality to it is the same.

I turn around to get a good look at him. Tall, blond hair in this surfer style kinda longer way. He is dressed well, in a loose suit jacket and a shirt buttoned open just enough to reveal the intricate tattoos on his neck. His silver eyes, the colour of a dead fish, shine with sharpness, despite the inviting smile on his face.

“It’s been a while, Zeke.” I don’t try to hide the annoyance in my voice. Although seeing him kicks my old instincts awake. I right myself up to my full height, steel my face, my hands loosely in my pockets. Not to look tense, like he makes me nervous, but not to look weak either.

“I see you escaped. Maybe that magic of yours isn’t so useless after all. Your hand’s not giving you trouble?” He tilts his head like a snake, watching my every move.

I ball my hands into fists inside the pockets. Zeke was the first one to break my right hand. Badly. Cheated about it too, twisted it until it broke. I won that fight, but I carried that break around for long. Long enough for others to notice, when I was on the streets, and always focus their attacks there. Weak spots. The surest way to win. That’s why Dallas went as far as to throw a brick at it. Break my bones to the point they stuck out my arms like a crowfoot. The biggest scars on my hands are from that. I have been lucky to regain the full use of that arm. It still hurts sometimes, when I’m at my limit.

And he knows I’m a mage. Well, if the big branded M didn’t give me out, maybe the news did. Caught mages are always a good thing to print in papers.

“Nothing permanent. But I see you have been doing well.” He is the same as he has always been. Maybe even worse. I shouldn’t waste time with this.

“Oh yes, I can’t complain. I build quite the empire in the underworld. I told you that people with their points figured out could make it big.” His eyes twinkle gleefully. “Say Gray, now that you are out and free, what about joining up with me? I could use a skilled fighter and a mage in one.”

So this is what it’s about. I shake my head and turn around to leave.

“Thanks for the offer, Z, but I’m good. See you around.” Or better not.

“You absolutely sure? You know, we are very similar, you and I. If we worked together, you could get anything you want. There isn’t a treasure in this world I couldn’t get you. I got the right ressources, the right people on the right places… It’s a good deal.”

“Thanks, but no thanks. I got everything I need.” The hell I would go with you. Zeke is a sadistic psychopath. He loves pain and power and death, and it’s best to stay as far from him as possible. Whatever kingdom he has build for himself, it can’t be anything worth having. My mind flashes to Lilly, the hideout, the other members playing cards and talking tactics. The world is bleak right now, but something better awaits there - I have a purpose now, and a place to go back to. It’s enough.

“I’m glad you say it. Otherwise all my work would have been for nothing.” Zeke’s voice it too happy as he throws something on the sidewalk between us. I turn to look at it. It’s photograph with a person on it. My feet carry me closer before I can think about it.

A girl, lying limply in a suitcase. Her expression dizzy and confused, blood on the side of her face. Blond hair in a ponytail. My vision darkens for a second. 

Lilly.

I move before I can decide, before the thought even forms in my head. I have my hands on Zeke’s throat in an instant, pushing him against the concrete wall he was leaning on.

“Where - is - she?” My breathing is so fast I can barely get the sentence out. I have never felt such intense all consuming rage. I smack Zeke’s head against the wall, then pin him to it with all my might. My voice is not more than a whisper though, as I speak each word carefully and slowly.  “What - have - you - done - with - her?”

“Easy there, high horse,” Zeke is smiling despite having his throat in my grip. How does he dare to smile.

“I haven’t done anything to her. Yet. What you are doing right now. Is. Not. Helping.” Any humor disappears from his voice with the last word. We glare at each other for a while, eye to eye, faces just millimeters from each other. It’s a battle of wills, one we have played hundreds of times. One we have been always matched in.

But I’m the one to back down this time.

I let go of him as he slides on the wall, coughing and holding his neck, but a winning smirk on his face.

All I can think about is Lilly. In hands of this creep. Trapped in that suitcase. She looked drugged, and hurt and scared. Absolutely helpless. The whole world is spinning. I feel like I might throw up and collapse right then and there.

“See, Gray, this is not what I meant with a point. Not falling for a girl, not such an easy prey. Cause love, Gray, is a weakness for losers. By caring about her, you have made yourself vulnerable.” He stands up, dusting invisible filth of his clothes. Gaining ground again.

“If you ever want to see her again, you will have help me out with some work. A mission here, a job there. With you magic and your predatory skill, it will be easy for you. And who knows, maybe you will come around and see some reason with time.”

It’s all too loud in my head. I barely register what he says. He has Lilly. It doesn’t matter what he asks. I can’t refuse.

“You just have to follow the rules. Not saying a word to your buddies from the rebellion. You don’t contact anyone, you don’t cheat. You behave. Come with me and do exactly as I say. And she will live.”

“Don’t you dare touching her.” I grovel. It’s not enough. What this guy can take from a girl like Lilly she could never survive, even if she lived through it. I made a tactical mistake. I reacted too quickly, I let my emotions show. He knows now how much I care and how much control he has over me. Idiot, idiot, idiot!

“As I said, she will be just fine, if you,...”

I move with intent this time. Suppress my emotions, freeze myself as I did back then. When I grab him by the collar, it’s purposeful, careful, well-timed. He breaks the sentence off in surprise.

“Fine. Let’s have a deal. But you remember something, Zeke. Don’t you, or anyone under you, dare touch her. I want her in the same condition and mind as you caught her in. No scars. No abuse. No injuries. No permanent damage. Cause if you don’t,” I can’t think about that, I can’t bear that option, “I will destroy you. You said it yourself, we are similar. If I don’t get Lilly back, I will do everything to get back at you.” I glare at him unblinkingly then, pulling him closer by the collar, so he almost can’t breathe again.

“I will build my own empire, and burn yours to the ground. Kill everybody who has ever met you, followed you or bought anything from you. Until there is nothing left of you, no trace, no memory. And then, only then, when you realize you are the last piece of shit, will I kill you.”

I want him to know what a danger I can be. How serious I am about every word. I can’t do anything, when he has my Lilly. But if he isn’t at least a bit scared about losing that leverage, I will never get her back. Right now, I can’t bargain for anything. Not really. I only have this distant threat and the chance he will believe I can pull it off.

If I lose her...then it doesn’t matter, who I will become, who I have to kill. A man who has never had anything isn’t even half as deadly as a man who has nothing left to lose. The pain I feel now, that horrible, gnawing fear that squeezes my chest, that I almost can’t breathe, has taught me that. There is nothing I wouldn’t do.

“Alright,” Zeke croaks, apprehension in his eyes, “we have a deal.”

Zeke always wanted me in. He respects me, values me. We have been rivals after all. I can still make him scared.

I let him go and turn away, trying to get my breathing under control. The hurt, the fear, I can feel its depth, the pitfall it is in my mind. If I don’t control it, I will go insane.

So I stuff those feelings back, freeze them, tug them deep inside myself and lock them away. I can’t concentrate if I can feel all this. I can’t save her if I keep being the way I learned to be only after meeting her.

“Come on Grayson. Your princess is waiting.” Back to the baiting. Of course. He is quick to regain his composure.

I feel my right hand tremble. It didn’t happen in years, that I felt it shake like this. Reached a new limit for myself. It’s almost funny.

Pulling my resolve and pain close, I face Zeke and what will happen next.

[perfectackeracy]

Please, tell me Eren is talking out of his ass when he says Armin has romantic feelings for Annie because of Bertolt! I hate BeruAni so much, it has to be the worst pairing in AOT because it ruins to amazing characters (Bertl and Annie), I'm so sick of Isayama mentioning it, if it was canon like yumikuri then I would suck it up but it makes no sense, if Annie and Marcel's roles were switched and he was in the crystal, would people be saying Bertl was in love with him? Sorry for the rant

I talked about it on Twitter so I’m going to say it here.

Q: Did Eren imply that Bertholdt was ‘sweet’ and his influence softened Armin? 🤣 the word he used was sweet or am i wrong?

A: Well, Eren started to call Armin the manipulated one because he feels too sympathetic to the enemy and keeps bringing up "let's talk it out", so Eren assumes Bert took control over him or some shit.We all know that, compared to Eren who holds the coordinate, Armin is less likely to be influenced by his predecessor's memories. Porco in example didn't jerk himself over some petite blonde because he ate Ymir

Q: Is it necessary to Isayama for dragging Bertholdt in every topic about Armeen showing creepiness toward rock-Annie? Like please just leave Bert alone in peace, he doesn't deserved to be dragged in for cheap excuse of Armeen's daily fap behaviour reason.

A: I feel like Isayama used Eren has his dudebro-fandom vehicle because he spouts the exact same shit redditors have been saying about the characters he confronted:Reiner attacked Paradis and felt bad? It's only because he's been conditioned that way.Armin visits Annie and proposes a global solution where everyone talks it out? Out of character and Bert must mind-control him.Mikasa cares about Eren and doesn't want to lose more of her loved ones because of trauma? Entirely due to Ackerman's blood.Not only Eren's discussion is biased in some way, but he also projects some aspects of his personality upon lecturing others. The three cases are him rejecting one's responsibility and only blaming it due to external factors, because he himself thinks he's free of consequences. Over the possession thing, it's particularly hilarious to see him accusing Armin of being brainwashed by Bert because Eren himself is even more likely to be influenced by Grisha or Kruger's memories, as seen when he talked to himself multiple times. Aside from the Reiss family, that's the only case where we've seen possession happening. The other users retained at least some sense of individuality.

Q: Not to mention Eren's literal argument is that all Armin wants to do is to talk and negotiate. This isn't a new development for Armin; back in Shiganshina he tells Bertolt the same, word for word. Armin's desire to solve conflicts by negotiation, no matter how pointless, is unrelated to Bert and the proof is right there in the manga.

A: He even tried to resonate with Annie way earlier and even with Kitz's unit at the beginning of the manga, but since it's not an "insidious plan" it quickly went over Eren's head. If Armin doesn't approve of Eren and Zeke's plan, that means there's something wrong with him and that it must be Bert's doing, according to Eren. Nevermind that Armin still rolled along with Eren's plan, using his gary stu nuke on Liberio's harbor, despite potentially wounding Bert's family or friends (especially Reiner).

Not to mention Bert and Annie didn’t have... really positive interactions when they ever interacted at all. It has to be one of the least relevant relationships from the whole manga but it’s either pushed by characters who can’t understand a damn thing of what’s going on.

I mean what’s so attractive about a girl who squashes insects for fun, beats your best friend to death and tells him he’s better off dead, while she calls the two of us “fucking assholes”? Doesn’t really make sense when you put your thoughts about it.

Not only that, but had it be Erwin, he wouldn’t sit down and grovel in front of a crystal, all miserable because he couldn’t stop Eren. That’s also denying Bert’s similarities to Eren when the two of them were confronting Armin:

Q: bert about armin: “you cant do a damn thing”eren about armin: “you are fucking useless” 😂

A: But if Bert was truly taking possession of Armin, then why can't Armin argue properly without punching Eren and why is he confessing to some waifu rock like a sore loser?

Someone told me Annie is just a ruse and Armin actually has feeling for Bert. That seems kinda weird when you think about it but uh... that’s a nice crack theory.

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

DOTW 45 - full - ya'll welcome

Levi was in a bad state. Floch had tracked down the real Marcel Galliard, only to find the man dead and locked in his own chest freezer. The house had been recently abandoned, and clues were running dry. Being unable to work, he had all the time in the world to drive himself insane. All the time in the world to play out every possible scenario of Eren's abduction. They'd found that the "heart attack" victim, had been paid to call in the emergency. He'd thought it a prank. A stranger having approached him and paid him $100 just to make a simple call to prank his friend. The man didn't even know Levi and Eren both lived in the building, and he'd already spent the cash so there was no way of tracking down the bills he was paid with. The ambulance used to transport Eren was found on the outskirts of the city, the same night Levi had come home. There'd been blood at scene, though it hadn't been Eren's, it was enough to drive the spike of fear deeper into his heart. If Eren had fought, his boyfriend could be out there somewhere in a critical condition. Levi couldn't even sleep without seeing Eren. His dreams never once being kind to him, as Eren blamed him for his death, over and over... For the first month after Eren disappeared, he, Hanji and Anna, and Erwin had all been living together in a "safe" house that Floch had organised. They hadn't had access to the outside world. He'd nearly gone crazy from Hanji mothering him, and Erwin trying to father him. He wasn't a fucking child. He didn't need the guilt of their concern on top of his own guilt. Titan had hated the safe house, so the moment one month was up, Levi had returned back to his apartment. If Eren was out there and trying to get home, then he'd be there waiting for him. Even if it took the rest of his life. * Drenched in blood, Eren stumbled down the dirt road. His body was shaking with shock, his hair wild from lack of care and his bottom lip chewed to something resembling a bloody pulp. The cold night wind seemed to rip through his near naked body, while the knife in his right hand seemed to be the only thing he was acutely aware of. The day he'd been taken from the apartment, his world had been turned upside down. In that moment, it was like someone spinning a mirror in its stand. As it gradually slowed, he was left looking at a sight that disgusted him, as much as it confused him. His father was standing there. His father who'd walked out and left him, was now the one coming for him. He'd thought the man dead, yet he showed up, screaming at him that they had to leave. Bertholdt and Reiner were the ones who were the ones who'd supposed to come for him. He'd say there, through the night and watched the door. The largest and sharpest knife in the house was his only protection. But his father. His father hadn't been expected. The desire to kill the man where stood was only bested by his need to know. And now, he'd give almost everything not to. Still. He'd left with him. He'd written what he needed to Levi, praying that his boyfriend would understand the things he was trying to say. The things he'd written just that little bit bigger without making it too obvious. Given the degree of shock he'd been in, and that he'd had to pull himself out of an impending panic attack, he'd been proud he'd been able to write anything at all. Taken down by elevator, Bertholdt joined them in the narrow space. Again. He didn't understand. Bertholdt had blamed the whole thing on his father. He'd cursed him, and told him end up dead, just like him. So why was the alpha now sullenly following his father's orders? The thoughts in his head wouldn't stop. His breathing ragged, as if he'd already done the runner he was planning too. For nearly fucking decade, he'd thought he was dead. He'd thought the man had forgotten he'd even existed, and that's why he'd up abandoned. Just having his father next to him was enough to make him physically ill, to the point when the elevator doors opened to the ground floor, he'd fainted. Waking up, he was in a small room. It was basic. Very basic, but he counted his blessings that it wasn't a basement. Sitting on the end of his bed, his father was reading... like he was some fucking right to be there. Trying to find his voice, nothing came forth. He wanted to scream, or at least tell his father to let him go. With a heavy sigh, the man closed the book he'd been reading. The look on his face unreadable as he turned to him. This was the face of the man who'd hurt him. Who'd killed his mother and beat him for being an omega. The face of the man who wanted to sell him off. Who considered him defective and dirty for having a second dynamic he couldn't help. The face of the man who'd fucking ruined his life "Eren, I hoped we wouldn't meet like this. I'm sure you must have some questions" Yeah. Like how the fuck did he get out of here?! And where was here? That was about it. He didn't want to know what his father had been doing, and he didn't care to know. The man had left him when he'd needed him the most "You're right. There are some things words cannot say alone. Not when those are listening. Perhaps it would be easier to show you" Eren wanted to protest, but again, nothing came out. His father rose from the end of the bed, walking to stand next to where he sat. Reaching out his hand, Eren recoiled from touch. His face filled with disgust. Just the scent of his father was enough to have him vomiting in his mouth "Eren, either you come with me, or we have you moved to less agreeable accomodations until you learn your place" Learn his place? He knew his fucking place. It was in Shinganshima, with Titan and Levi. It was waking up in Levi's arms, and cuddling on the sofa. This place. Was not his place "You have until three to decide, then I'll be deciding for you. One. Two..." Not giving him any time to think, Eren scrambled from the bed before his father could say three "Excellent. Zeke's training was effective, I see" Eren's throat tightened at the mention of Zeke's name. How did his father know about that? Or how Zeke had trained him... "You will follow me. You will be silent and if you run, we will chain you. Do I make myself understood?" Unable to speak, Eren nodded "Come along then" Blinded as the excited the room, he found himself in some kind of world that looked like it'd been lifted from a movie. The whole area was set in a wide circle, various people coming and going from the stark white buildings. Moving towards the building opposite them, Eren followed. There was something about this whole place that scent a chill through him. This wasn't good place. It felt cold and empty. Like everyone was here, didn't want to be. Trailing after his father, his bare feet froze against the damp grass. Trust Grisha to ruin everything he could for him, grass now included. Despite the humble outside of the building, Eren smelt disinfectant as he walked into what seemed to be some kind of laboratory. Once again, everything was too white, and the glass was just way too clean. With no time to stop and take it all in, he followed blindly until they reached a set of heavy dark doors, the silver handles looking imposing as fuck. He definitely wasn't supposed to be here. Taking two steps back, his heart was pounding hard enough for him to hear it. Turning and catching sight of him, Grisha covered the distance between them, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him forward "You will obey me, or they will kill you" What the fuck. Whoever "they" were, made plenty of empty fucking threats and promises. He was supposed to be dead already, not in some kind of fucked up dream world where his father was alive. Gripping his arm so hard that it hurt, he was pulled to the doors, Grisha giving a single knock before entering. Inside the room was decked in black. Even the plants either side or the desk seemed to be black. The space feeling so heavy and oppressive, it was hard to remain standing. Seated at the long oval table that filled most of the room, 11 sets of eyes were on him as he pulled over and manhandled down into a chair, his father taking the seat next to him "Eren Yeager" His name was said like it was a hair ball being coughed up. The old man at the end of the table looked slightly familiar, but he couldn't place it. Seated to his left, were Reiner and Bertholdt, both alphas looking like scared rabbits, rather than killers "Eren. We understand you've been causing some problems for all of us. Under your father's recommendation, we have decided to liberate you from your current life. Do you understand?" He understood nothing. Glaring back at the man seated directly opposite him, he crossed his arms "Grisha. You assured me the boy would talk" "And he will" "You know the penalty if he does not" Under the table, his father kicked him. What were they? 12? "It has come to our attention that you have been communicating with the Shinganshima Police Department, and with a certain officer Floch Forster" Floch had a last name? Dah. Of course people had last names "Eren, you seem to be under the impression we are bad people. We are not, and we hope that in time, you will see the mistakes you have made. Grisha, return him to his room" That was it? He was dragged up here, for that? Fucking seriously? He had more questions that fucking answers, and he still had no idea where the fuck he was. Was this a cult? Had his father really abandoned him, to join this fucking cult? He'd seen enough TV to know cults were filled with weirdos, and that these things never worked out well for anyone involved. In the movies, everyone always ended up dead with a lone survivor walking off into the distance as the place burned to the ground. Is that what he'd been caught up in? Escorted back to his room, his father didn't stay. Maybe he got that Eren wanted absolutely nothing to do with him... or more likely, he had to go grovel to whoever those people in that room had been... If the alpha thought he was simply going to take all of this, without a word of real explanation, he was sadly mistaken. For the first week Eren was kept isolated from everyone. His father brought him meals, and took him to what seemed to be a communal shower block. The number of omegas in the place took him by surprise, as did the number of children. It didn't look like a place for children, and none of them looked happy about it. No one talked either. Normally a pregnant omega took comfort in being with other omega's, but here, everyone tried to avoid everyone else. Something was going on here and he didn't like it. Nor was he going to let things keep going like this. His own omega was distraught from their smells, leaving him constantly on edge. He still hadn't been able to find his voice, but he had found that his door locked from the outside, which was useless, but his window. His window was wonky in its frame. That he might be able to use. His plans were dashed when he was moved into the same room as his father. Ninety percent of the room was filled from floor to ceiling with medical technology that meant nothing to him. Two small beds sat at the rear of the room, once covered with books. Locked in with his father, the first thing Grisha did was throw his arms around him, holding him tight like a loving father would "It's safe to talk here. I never meant to get you involved with any of this" Well that was a load of shit. If he hadn't wanted him involved, he could have fucking left him with Levi "Look, you may not believe me, but all I wanted was to keep you safe. What happened with your mother... I wish it could have been avoided. And then with Zeke. Zeke did well. He kept you safe and hidden..." Shoving his father off him, he bared his teeth as he snarled "Eren..." Trying to form his words, nothing happened. Instead he stood there like the angry idiot he was "Eren, it's ok. I know you must have a lot of questions, but for now, know that I had to drive you away. I had to make sure you wouldn't track me down, or come after me. I'm sorry for what happened. I was a fool. I was a coward. I tried to find a way out of this all... but now... no. Never mind. Just know, that if you do as they say, things will go much smoother... this... this was all I could do to keep you alive. Read the books on your bed, then you'll understand" Eren ignored the books for as long as he could. He couldn't calm down with his father acting so "normal" around him. Nothing about this was normal. Nothing about this place was normal. On the dresser that sat between his and his father's bed, were photos. Photos Eren felt Grisha had no right to have. Not only were they of his mother, but also of Zeke and Zeke's mother. It was bad enough that they were on display, but out of all the photos in the small collection, most of them were of him. Including recent photos of him with Levi. He'd suspected they were being watched, but there was no real evidence, other than Bertholdt working with Levi, and he hadn't known about that until months after it'd first started. Photos of him coming out of Krista's office. In Paradis. At the hospital. At Moblit's wake. The most recent was of him at the Charity Ball with Levi on his arm. It was sickening. He didn't want anything to do with Grisha. He'd rather... he'd rather be trapped in a room with Reiner and Bertholdt than sharing this room with his father. At least he knew the pair wanted him dead. He knew what they wanted from him, and who they were. His father on the other hand was a stranger from his nightmares. He probably wished Eren had been wasted across the sheets rather than ever be conceived. His father noticed that he hadn't read the books on his bed almost immediately. The man held off saying anything, until Eren was woken in the middle of the night. His father already awake, but the knocking on their door couldn't be ignored. Beckoned to follow, Eren was freezing in the thin white clothes he'd been gifted. He didn't even have time to slide his shoes on before he was being lead through the central courtyard area. Yeah. They were definitely in some kind of cult. Called to deliver a pup, Eren nearly bolted from the room the moment he realised what was going on. The poor woman had been left to ordeal everything alone, while two stocky alphas stood guard outside her room. Directed to hold her hand, and support her, he was grateful he didn't have to be down the other again. Birth might be a miracle, but staring at people's private parts was gross. Just because everyone had them, didn't mean they needed to show them off or anything... and he had no idea how people could work with those areas... it was not for him. Having been left until nearly the final moment, the female omega was a mess, the birth over in three pushes, and the baby a healthy girl. He was so fucking angry. The girl was taken from the mother with one of the waiting alphas like it was a normal thing to do. The woman was crying for her pup and he couldn't fucking do anything about it. Once his father had made sure he was alright, they'd been escorted back to their room, and his father had pushed the books he'd been ignore into his hands. He didn't know why he needed to read them, not when the moment he figured out how to get out of wherever he was, he was gone. He'd done some fucked up things in his life, but whatever this was... he didn't want any part of this. * Levi may have overindulged with his drinking the previous night. Though, he didn't know if was classed as overindulging, when he was still drinking. Erwin had decided he was fucking moving in 7 weeks after Eren's disappearance. It wasn't like Levi was still falling apart. He would have had to stop falling apart for that to happen. He'd plastered as many missing posters of Eren as he could onto their social media accounts, as well as printing physical copies, and distributing them everywhere he could. Each day got harder. Waking up without Eren by his side. Without his sleepy smile. His soft purrs and messy bedhead. The way he reached out for him if Levi moved away. The way Eren would smile as he snuggled into him, and would mumble his name in his sleep. His phone was constantly by his side in case Eren found a way to called him. Floch was still looking for Eren, without making things too obvious. He'd been sideswiped while driving, barely able to prevent his car from rolling, shortly after the discovery of Marcel's body. Floch was now working personally under Dot Pixis as an internal review was being conducted through the precinct. Being on the outside, he had no way of knowing what had been discovered, and the daily calls to the man in the hopes of news, had become weekly instead. Every time a dead body was found and reported on the news, Levi's heart would break a little more. He didn't want to find Eren dead. He just wanted to find him. He wanted things to go back to how they'd been... his apartment resembled more of a pigsty than a abode. The dishes sitting in the sink for days at a time, while the only actually shopping he did was for Titan, or printer ink when he'd run out from printing missing person flyers. Eren's room was just the way he'd left it. Erwin was sleeping on the sofa, with the hopes that he'd just fuck off back home. A fine layer of dust had settled over everything, but if he washed Eren's blankets, he'd be washing away Eren's scent, and he wasn't strong enough to do that. He needed his omega. Or he needed to make enough noise that Reiner and Bertholdt would come for him. He'd named and shamed them on social media, and still, nothing had happened. Eren had said they'd be after him once he was dead, yet it seemed more like once they'd gotten Eren, they couldn't give two fucks about everyone else... Erwin was at work, leaving Levi home with Titan and the bottle of scotch he'd been sipping on since the night before. There was only one benefit to Erwin being in the apartment and that was when he left. When he left, Levi could stay in bed, remembering Eren. He'd been looking forward to getting Eren out of that dress. They'd touched a little during Eren's post heat, when Eren had needed the physical contact to soothe his fears, but that was so long ago, it felt like he'd forgotten the heat of Eren's body against his. Rolling so his facing his phone, he ignored the device as it started to ring. People had called about Eren, some even texting him messages of abuse. Calls were worse though. Some where just heavy breathing, and some where people simply telling him he was disgusting or possessive and should let Eren be happy without him. The only calls he answered were Hanji's, because she'd show up in person if he didn't. He couldn't bare the look of pity in her eyes. Nor could he stand her lectures. He knew what he was doing wasn't healthy. He knew he needed to stop. He needed to rethink the situation, and formulate a new plan, but as soon as he'd start thinking about Eren... it was like something broke a little more inside of him. Eren was in his thoughts constantly, as he tried to remember every detail of every moment they'd spent together. The way Eren would light up when he learned something new, or the way he'd rush to hug him when he came home from work. He desperately didn't want to forget him. Letting the call ring out, two chimes dinged from his phone. Usually a missed call would only mean one, unless a message was left. With an exaggerated groan, he reached out and picked his phone up. His notifications informing him that there was indeed a message left. Whatever. He might as well listen to whoever had decided he needed to abused. Maybe it'd be a fucking joke. He could use a laugh. The moments of laughter in his apartment had been few and far between, without Eren there. Eren was the warmth and sunlight in his life, while Levi felt like he was sucking the life from everything as he continued his half life. Opening the message, he closed his eyes and hit play "Good Afternoon, this is Leah from Karanes Psychiatric Hospital. I am trying to contact Levi Ackerman, in regards to Eren Yeager. If you could please give me a call back on..." Karanes. He'd never even been there, let alone known anyone there. They had no reason to be calling, and he severely doubted Eren would be there... so why was his thumb hovering over the message? She hadn't said Eren was a patient. And Eren didn't need the kind of help those places usually offered... Anger flared in the emotionally exhausted alpha. This obviously had to be a prank call. It always fucking was. Erwin had urged him to remove the missing posters online, especially after Eren started getting all kinds of friend requests. He'd removed it on Eren's, but until Eren came home, he'd keep it online on his. Deciding Leah could go fuck herself, he called the number back with the intention of doing just that... only, it wasn't Leah who answered, and his mind panicked. He hadn't thought anyone else would. Shit. Fuck. He was fucking alpha, he wasn't supposed to get flustered like this "E-Eren Yeager..." He sounded like a retarded parrot as he stuttered the words out "Hello? Sir? I'm afraid I don't understand. Are you calling to talk with Eren Yeager?" God. She was still fucking talking to him. If he was her, he would have hung up or yelled at him for wasting her time "Yes..." "Eren is currently not able to respond. He is allowed visitors. Our visiting hours are between 10am and 2pm, Monday to Friday. And 9am and 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays. If you would like to leave a message for him, we are able to pass it on" "Wait. You have a patient named Eren Yeager there?" The woman seemed confused "Yes? Weren't you calling to speak with him? Sir, why don't you give me your name..." Levi hung up his phone. His heart racing as he scrambled out of bed. For the first time in 9 fucking weeks, he had news of Eren. And not just Marcel was dead in his freezer. Shit. Fuck. He needed to get to Karanes. He needed to pack. He needed to shower. Did Eren need clothes? Should he take clothes or a blanket? Eren loved his blankets. Eren couldn't wear a blanket. He should take both. And what about Titan? No. He couldn't take their cat... Titan would have to stay. Eren could see him when he came back. The energy that flooded his body dropped as his feet came to a stop. The "what ifs" of the situation hitting him. The woman said Eren wasn't taking calls. What if he couldn't take calls? What if he got there and Eren didn't want him? What if he got there and Eren wasn't himself? What if they'd done something to him? What if he never wanted to see him again? What if he was dying... No. if he was dying, he'd be in a proper hospital. Why wasn't Eren in a proper hospital? Was he ok? Did he even remember him? He was too intoxicated for this. He needed a shower. He needed to cook his head and calm back down. Shower. He should shower and then pack. His hair needed a cut... and he'd have to message Erwin to say he was going away for a few days... he didn't want Erwin near Eren. Not when he didn't know the full extent of Eren's injuries, and not when this could be a wild goose chase. It could be Reiner or Bertholdt using Eren's name. Fuck. He should have asked for a description. If it was Reiner or Bertholdt, he'd have to do something. Get them out of there. And then? Then what did he do? Kill them? Actually... He didn't trust himself not to... but they could know where Eren actually was... Fuck. Why the fuck did he have to be dealing with this while drunk? This was his own fucking fault. He should have taken better care of himself. For Eren's sake. For Eren's sake he should have remained strong. Stronger than this. He was an alpha. Top of the dynamic hierarchy. Not some stupid beta... Too drunk to drive, Levi booked a plane ticket to Karanes, being a last minute flight, it'd cost him a small fortune. He had no idea why. He'd never been to Karanes, but the cost of the flight to Karanes was the same as two tickets out to Paradis Beach... even when the flight was shorter. Having shit, showered and shaved, he'd felt more human than he had in days, until he was forced the enjoy the not so lovely recycled air of the flight. The wet smell seemed to cling to him, even once he'd gotten off the plane and made his way outside the airport, and into the first available taxi. Everything he needed had fit into his carry on luggage. Though it had been extremely tempting to pack Eren's whole wardrobe so his boyfriend would be comfortable. * It was well after hours when the taxi finally pulled up in front of Karanes Psychiatric Hospital. Levi hadn't even considered booking a hotel or anything, his mind too preoccupied with the possibility of Eren waiting for him. Gathering his bag and Eren's backpack from the taxi, he climbed from it with a sigh. The place didn't look the nicest... at least not nice enough for Eren. The tall grey building looked like a prison, so much so, that even the sad excuse of a garden didn't inject any happiness into the environment. Walking up to the front door, he frowned at the fact it was locked. Pressing the intercom, he could almost imagine the grumpy woman on the other end "Visiting hours are over" "I was contacted by Leah regarding a patient. Eren Yeager?" There was a buzz, followed by a click and the door opened. Grabbing the handle before she could change her mind and lock him out again, Levi stepped into the foyer. The place stank of lavender, whoever cleaned or whatever was being sprayed, some shitty arsehole needed to learn moderation. Carrying his and Eren's bags over to the reception, the woman behind the counter gave him a bored look "Leah will be down shortly. I need you to fill this in. Any personal belongings will need to be left here. No phones. No laptops. No electronics. And you will be monitored for the duration of your visit" This definitely wasn't the right place for Eren to be. His boyfriend would be fucking terrified. Angered at the lack of empathy shown, and the lack of acceptable conditions. He nearly snapped the pen given to him to fill in the forms. The woman taking photo copies of his ID, then giving him a box to dump both his bags in. Ignoring him, it was a long wait before another woman appeared. Smiling, her brown-grey hair was piled up in a messy bun "Are you Levi?" Rising to his feet, Levi nodded. His arse long since numb from the single plastic chair available "Levi Ackerman. And I assume you're Leah?" "Yes. It's lovely to meet you. Now, I'm sure you must have a lot of questions of how Eren came to be in our care, but the first thing you need to know is that he is currently sedated. He was quite distressed when he was first brought in, so sedation was necessary in order for him to get some rest" Levi hated the fact his lover was sedated, but he could understand it "He has PTS, depression and severe anxiety. He also has a history of self harming without consciously realising what he is doing" Leah nodded, her smile didn't waver "The first thing he did when he settled was provide your name and number" That was his omega... he'd remembered... Levi's alpha swelled with pride "I'm his alpha. He lives with me in Shinganshima" "Shinganshima? That's quite a journey" "That's very true. Look. Are you sure this is Eren?" Leah sighed "To be honest, I saw one of your posts of social media. Eren is currently non-verbal, and other than your details, he hasn't made any other attempts to communicate. If he hadn't provided your name or number, I most likely would have ignored the post. The number of alphas who track down their omega partners..." Non-verbal was never good, Eren had said he was non-verbal before and that was after being fucking tortured. Ok. He'd need to be prepared for that... it was just... having his post ignored. That pissed him off. He was perfectly alright person, at a distance and not when people were trying to hurt Eren... or making a mess. Ok. He was short and shitty. But Eren brought out the best in him "I used to work as a paramedic. I know all about that" Leah kept up the small talk until they finally reached a plain grey door "This is it. He may be sleeping, we've administer his medication for the night" 5pm seemed way too early for night meds. Part of him wanted Eren to be sleeping, but the bigger part was shaking with fear. His omega... his omega was supposed to be behind that door, but what if he wasn't? What happened then? Laying on his side, with his back to the wall, the omega was snoring softly. A mass of messy brown hair poking up from under the edge of the blanket. Sniffing the air, he found he couldn't smell any of Eren's telltale scents, and for a moment, his heart dropped "Go on. Technically I'm supposed to wake him, but we haven't even been able to confirm his name. He asked for you, so he must have known you'd come" Feeling oddly jittery, Levi nearly tripped over his own two feet as he crossed to the sleeping omega. Gently brushing the hair back from the man's face, a smile formed on his lips at Eren's sleeping features, as his knees gave out. Wrapping an arm around Eren, he started to sob earnest tears. His brat was so warm and alive. Being so close, he could catch just the faintest traces of his scent, rousing the deep instinct to protect. It was his Eren. Beneath his hold, Eren gave a sleepy groan, turning in confusion, before bright green eyes opened wide. His boyfriend's happiness was overwhelming "Hey, brat" Reaching out, he cupped Eren's face. Eren immediately nuzzling into the touch, letting out a rumbling purr as he did. Opening his mouth, the omega's smile turned to sadness. Fuck. He didn't want Eren to start crying. He didn't want his omega to think he thought any less of him "It's ok. I know, and it's ok. We'll figure this out, but for now, what matters most is that you're ok" Nodding as he nuzzled, Eren kissed his palm, closing his eyes as if drinking in the touch. Fuck. He couldn't help himself. Leaning in Levi's lips found Eren's, the kiss soft and followed by a second and third. His beautiful boyfriend was back, and alive. The circumstances behind Eren's return would have to wait for another day. All that mattered was that he was back with him. Back where he belonged "I fucking love you" Eren snorted, throwing his arms around him as he nuzzled his cheek enthusiastically "This is the most active I've seen him since he was admitted" "Yeah. He's a ball of energy usually. When can I take him home?" Leah sighed softly "I'm sorry, we cannot discharge patients without the director's approval, and he won't be in until tomorrow morning" Tomorrow. Tomorrow meant leaving Eren here for another night and he wasn't ok with that. Eren didn't seem ok with it either, his boyfriend tensing "Shhh. I'm here. It's going to be ok..." Eren clung to him like there was no tomorrow. Levi's knees were starting to ache from the cold concrete floor, his right knee especially protesting the rough treatment "Let me lift you. Ok? Here, up we go" Lifting Eren, Levi's knees groaned as he repositioned him, his omega hiding his face against his shoulder. Without thinking, Levi's hand moved down Eren's side, before resting in his boyfriend's lap. Brushing against Eren's thin shirt, he noticed the slight amount of stomach. Frowning in confusion, Eren sucked in a shuddering breath as Levi slid his hand across his stomach. The smallest of bumps beneath his fingers. Eren was pregnant? Levi's stomach dropped, the change in his scent obviously upsetting Eren as the omega started to sob against him. His alpha roared in anger. This was their omega. No one else had the right to be touching him... not like that. Not to impregnate him with their pup. That was Levi's right, and his alone. His anger shook his whole frame, taxing his alcohol taxed brain as he tried to rein it back in. This was his Eren. He loved Eren... even if Eren was now carrying a pup. He could never hurt him, or abandon him for something like this. Not that he could do either anyway "And this. We'll get through this. This doesn't make me love you any less" He'd have to make an appointment with Eren's doctor and organise an ultrasound. The last time they'd had sex... was what? 11 weeks. 11 weeks ago in the shower... Eren had been having a rough night with his post heat depression. His love had woken up a crying wreck... it was just before the Ball... They'd taken a shower together, so he could take care of Eren and get him calmed again. It hadn't been the best sex, Eren had cried and kind of put a dampener on the mood, but his lover had settled when knotted... If Eren was around the ten to eleven week mark, then there was a fair chance the child was his... Fuck... Eren was pregnant. This... was a thing. A big thing. He didn't know what to do for a baby! Anna slept like crazy. Did all babies do that? And what if it wasn't his? Would Eren want to keep it? His lover desperately wanted a child, and he wasn't going to take that from him... but if another alpha had sired the pup, it wasn't exactly likely to have been consensual. He was going to have to find some way for Eren to communicate with him. They could share a phone... and fuck... Eren hated flying and he was going to have to organise flights back... unless Erwin drove up to collect them. Eren would like that. He liked watching the world when they'd go for a drive. He'd probably have a million missed calls from Erwin. Fuck. That wasn't a conversation he was looking forward too "Levi, I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over for the day. And with Eren now having a name to his face, there are a number of forms we'll need you to fill in" Eren wasn't having it. The hold on him turning painful as the omega's finger tips dug in "Is there anyway I can stay with him longer?" He wasn't ready to let him go. Even if it was overnight. That was way too long "Well..." He understood she was just trying to do her job. But this was Eren. His Eren. His Eren who'd been missing 11 fucking weeks "I'm sorry. I'm already bending the rules as it is. We can do the bulk of the discharge paperwork tonight, that way you'll be able to take him earlier in the morning. There will still be a wait, but if everything is in order, you should be able to have him out of here before lunch" Lunch was 18 odd hours away. He didn't want to wait 18 fucking hours. But Leah was going out on a limb. He'd done patient transfers to places like this before, and they really didn't appreciate after hour visitors "Ok... Eren. Eren, I have to go. But I promise, first thing tomorrow. First thing tomorrow I'll be back" Shaking his head, Eren started whimpering "You know me. I promise you. I promise I will be back for you" Shit. Eren was melting down. He probably thought he was going to abandon him because he was pregnant "Eren, hey. Here, take my shirt. It's got my scent all over it... and probably some of Titan's fur. He's missed you like crazy" "Levi..." "The shirt's cotton. There's no buttons, rips, tears, zips or ties" He'd been through this before. Though this time he was on this side of the rules, not watching during patient transfers. He'd always gotten annoyed by the sight of those trying to break the rules, and now he understood "Alright. I'll give you two a moment" Trying to pry a clinging Eren off was near on impossible and wouldn't have been able to be accomplished without the sedatives in his system. Losing strength halfway through his fight to hold on, it was a shit feeling to lift Eren off his lap. Taking Eren's thin top off, he couldn't help but stare at the small swell. Eren was too exhausted to do much but blink at him sadly, before Levi manhandled him into his shirt, and replaced the one Eren had been wearing over it "I will be back tomorrow. Very first thing. I don't care what they say, or what they do. I'm taking you home. You're my omega. I love you. I love you and you're coming back home with me. You and the pup. Ok? And no. I don't want to leave you. But Leah has to do her job, and if I cause trouble right now, they might stop me from taking you. I promise, I'll stay. I'll be with you until you fall asleep" Eren growled, but it was completely adorable. Laying him down, his boyfriend tried to fight sleeping. Levi finding his way back to kneeling, kissing and nuzzling into Eren's face as his fingers played with the omega's soft hair. He didn't want the moment to end. Slowly, Eren fell asleep. Dragging his thin blankets back up, he tucked Eren in. Ready to face the paperwork to get Eren the fuck out of here.

[wonderspectacles]

The Beast came equipped with the will of its inheritor. One of the most fearsome Titans, but without a doubt the most adaptable. Its abilities were transformed to benefit its user. Zeke had the arm a pitcher would be most envious of, but purely situational, was his voice. He could overturn the trees, leave the soil moist with blood. Unlike instantaneous healing, his roar didn’t need the body of his titan. Just because of his ploy, Zeke would prove himself right. All of his cards were aligned. 

Except now he decided to humor him.

Which soldier was his favorite? Did he truly care about his damned? Pointless. Zeke didn’t understand his defiance to begin with. Although, being raised on this pitiful island, without the hatred of what was on the other side. Zeke supposed someone like Levi couldn’t understand. Afterall, at war with titans, with less fortune than what the Eldians in Marley received. At least they were taught. His greatest foe very well could’ve been Bertholdt during their siege those years ago.

“Now you’re just being unkind, Ackerman,” Zeke scolded, tsking. “You don’t expect me to sit here without any food, do you?” Food was somewhat scarce as it was, at least for him. Shelter, water, and even strategy, was a pleasure Zeke wasn’t given. Possibly a right for these troops, but Zeke was an outsider. Offered beforehand, a week ago, might’ve been a stale piece of bread. Believed if he ate quick enough, the mold would have turned invisible. His previous babysitter had no history with him. Zeke’s was the island’s history. Their island was reduced to a morgue in under twelve hours.

He couldn’t teach a hound to read. Zeke was their race’s salvation. All he was required to be right now, was patient. An opening was what he needed. Zeke couldn’t blast through with the agility of the Female or Attack Titan. He heard what Levi was capable of, and lived it from  recurring memory. Brute strength wouldn’t break this man. Some finesse, and one spontaneous move, and Levi would be an afterthought. Fiendishly, he dared himself to wonder if he even needed to steal such an easy victory. If the extremity of spiked wine was the only path. 

In wolves, the hierarchies were set, teeth and claws, willfully hurting their underdog, forcing them to grovel. To submit. They weren’t friends, or even comrades. Zeke was meant for greater things than to bow his head. Not to the enemy. He almost had to pity him. A fine way to rationalize his own demise. If he continued living, without cutting a few strings along the way, it all would have been worth something. 

“Help yourself.” He smiled. Either way, his book would have been stolen. Better to maintain his composure. His pulse was still climbing down from that shot. “If you’re having a hard time reading it, I can give you a play by play. I make pretty strong character voices.”

— Zeke Yeager | @wonderspectacles

He had to admit it to himself, before he could think of expressing it on his face, which had oozed smugness, there was a second or two where he panicked. Hair at the back of his neck stood on end, feeling a dozen barrels pointed at him. Death was something Zeke evaded many times. Now he had the finest honor of relishing in the captain’s company, with his little subordinates. His prize, something he earned, for washing away his commander, wasn’t a medal, but a barrel aligned just perfectly to his skull. It wasn’t the hesitance to kill which stopped Levi, he’s seen him fight, the man was a monster, but the very reason he hadn’t slit his throat on that airship.

Levi needed him.

Miles away from the walls of Paradis, was the forest they currently inhabited, likely laced with greedy parasites in the trees, but no true predator. Even by horse could no one reach them in time. And certainly not hauling a mindless titan. For how his soldiers flinched around him, there wasn’t a chance a squad could be tasked, or competent enough to lead his successor. Zeke would have long bonded with the mulch and dirt.

He saw it in Levi’s eyes. Ferocity alone, he was a lion waiting to gnaw the hind leg of an antelope, and despite his calculations, Levi easily had the means to pull the trigger. Silver eyes met Levi’s with arrogance, one indisputable fact, both of them understood. He couldn’t do it. Yet, his stomach was ice cold with something he couldn’t name.

He drew in a slow breath.

BANG!

Birds scattered from their perch at the draw of a well aimed shot. The noise got lost in the thick of the forest.

Pressure immediately left his wrists, but he felt the beginnings of soreness creeping into his body. Zeke leaned forward to pick up the bullet that rolled beside his boot.

The subject of their disdain, or rather Levi’s hatred, came to mind. Someone he forgot the name of the day Reiner brought up the regiment, and someone who could have been a pebble beneath his feet. If his esteemed commander ordered Levi to kill him, to bring their flimsy plan to ruin, maybe, just maybe Levi would have rolled over and brought him a bone while he was at it. Zeke had to laugh.

“Ah! Much better,” Zeke said, disregarding the look in Levi’s eyes. “Now, would a bowl of soup also be out of the question?” Zeke wasn’t sure if he wanted to continue testing his violence. Pain didn’t particularly worry him, but with Levi at the hilt of the blade, he was reasonably hesitant. Those would be wounds he had to suffer with since his healing stunted, and there was no way in hell Zeke could challenge Levi in a brawl with only his fists.

Arrogance. That look in the beast’s eyes, holding the certainty of a winner in a game with no rules or safe bets. Incapable of looking past his pride, the man would falsely believe to be the one to hold the power. The master of a plan, when he would only be treated as a tool, when the time was about to come. Unless he had another idea of what would become of him. Unless they were all acting, playing the roles they were worst at: Zeke as Eldia’s last hope, and Levi as the grateful host.

Levi wasn’t supposed to treat him like that, like a means to their cause, but as their valuable ally — an ally to have nearly annihilated the Survey Corps. One he was ordered to look after, and treat with the minimum tolerance he could stand showing. Feed his ego, let him buy his own fairytale. Let him believe he was the one having the upper hand, when it’d be the other way around. This was the only reason he held back on beating him to a pulp. The expectancy of the look on the monkey’s face, when he would have been cut to pieces like the piece of meat he was.

With Erwin’s death, and his unfulfilled promise to kill him, feelings to belong to the past, as if to somebody else, someone he had forgotten about, had reawakened inside of him. The almost irresistible urge to kill another human. There was a part of his past almost nobody knew about, a secret to have died with the last to have known and accepted him fully — was it a secret, or a horrible truth they had chosen to overlook — that he had murdered people. Violence was meant to be repaid with violence in the underground, and Levi had gotten tired of watching the blood flow endlessly in his time as a thug. Something the other was blissfully unaware of. That Titans hadn’t always been his enemy.

“ Valis. Please make sure our guest won’t eat or drink anything for the next three days. Since he seems not to be fond of the food we provide. ” He’d certainly enjoy watching him fade away, but this wasn’t the plan. It was a game of dominance, the one they played and he had no intention to give the blond bastard the slightest hope he’d let him win. He was in control, and in every attempt to defy him, Zeke would pay one price bigger than the other. Maybe, instead of playing at being the kind host, Levi could enjoy his time by trying to break him. It would only be between the two of them and his squad, wouldn’t it? But a broken puppet wouldn’t suffice in the play they had prepared, wouldn’t it?

He moved to pick up the book the other had been reading. “ Come on, I’m doing you a favor. You won’t need to shit for a while. ” His attention turned to the last opened page of the book, only to be reminded, that their alphabet was different. He’d only stare at a bunch of symbols to make absolutely no sense. How convenient for the bastard. “ You won’t need this, will you? ” he asked, but it wasn’t a question expecting an answer. “ I was thinking about giving it a try. ” Better say, taking the last thing that could keep him somewhat busy.

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

DOTW 45 - update...

Levi was in a bad state. Floch had tracked down the real Marcel Galliard, only to find the man dead and locked in his own chest freezer. The house had been recently abandoned, and clues were running dry. Being unable to work, he had all the time in the world to drive himself insane. All the time in the world to play out every possible scenario of Eren's abduction. They'd found that the "heart attack" victim, had been paid to call in the emergency. He'd thought it a prank. A stranger having approached him and paid him $100 just to make a simple call to prank his friend. The man didn't even know Levi and Eren both lived in the building, and he'd already spent the cash so there was no way of tracking down the bills he was paid with. The ambulance used to transport Eren was found on the outskirts of the city, the same night Levi had come home. There'd been blood at scene, though it hadn't been Eren's, it was enough to drive the spike of fear deeper into his heart. If Eren had fought, his boyfriend could be out there somewhere in a critical condition. Levi couldn't even sleep without seeing Eren. His dreams never once being kind to him, as Eren blamed him for his death, over and over... For the first month after Eren disappeared, he, Hanji and Anna, and Erwin had all been living together in a "safe" house that Floch had organised. They hadn't had access to the outside world. He'd nearly gone crazy from Hanji mothering him, and Erwin trying to father him. He wasn't a fucking child. He didn't need the guilt of their concern on top of his own guilt. Titan had hated the safe house, so the moment one month was up, Levi had returned back to his apartment. If Eren was out there and trying to get home, then he'd be there waiting for him. Even if it took the rest of his life. * Drenched in blood, Eren stumbled down the dirt road. His body was shaking with shock, his hair wild from lack of care and his bottom lip chewed to something resembling a bloody pulp. The cold night wind seemed to rip through his near naked body, while the knife in his right hand seemed to be the only thing he was acutely aware of. The day he'd been taken from the apartment, his world had been turned upside down. In that moment, it was like someone spinning a mirror in its stand. As it gradually slowed, he was left looking at a sight that disgusted him, as much as it confused him. His father was standing there. His father who'd walked out and left him, was now the one coming for him. He'd thought the man dead, yet he showed up, screaming at him that they had to leave. Bertholdt and Reiner were the ones who were the ones who'd supposed to come for him. He'd say there, through the night and watched the door. The largest and sharpest knife in the house was his only protection. But his father. His father hadn't been expected. The desire to kill the man where stood was only bested by his need to know. And now, he'd give almost everything not to. Still. He'd left with him. He'd written what he needed to Levi, praying that his boyfriend would understand the things he was trying to say. The things he'd written just that little bit bigger without making it too obvious. Given the degree of shock he'd been in, and that he'd had to pull himself out of an impending panic attack, he'd been proud he'd been able to write anything at all. Taken down by elevator, Bertholdt joined them in the narrow space. Again. He didn't understand. Bertholdt had blamed the whole thing on his father. He'd cursed him, and told him end up dead, just like him. So why was the alpha now sullenly following his father's orders? The thoughts in his head wouldn't stop. His breathing ragged, as if he'd already done the runner he was planning too. For nearly fucking decade, he'd thought he was dead. He'd thought the man had forgotten he'd even existed, and that's why he'd up abandoned. Just having his father next to him was enough to make him physically ill, to the point when the elevator doors opened to the ground floor, he'd fainted. Waking up, he was in a small room. It was basic. Very basic, but he counted his blessings that it wasn't a basement. Sitting on the end of his bed, his father was reading... like he was some fucking right to be there. Trying to find his voice, nothing came forth. He wanted to scream, or at least tell his father to let him go. With a heavy sigh, the man closed the book he'd been reading. The look on his face unreadable as he turned to him. This was the face of the man who'd hurt him. Who'd killed his mother and beat him for being an omega. The face of the man who wanted to sell him off. Who considered him defective and dirty for having a second dynamic he couldn't help. The face of the man who'd fucking ruined his life "Eren, I hoped we wouldn't meet like this. I'm sure you must have some questions" Yeah. Like how the fuck did he get out of here?! And where was here? That was about it. He didn't want to know what his father had been doing, and he didn't care to know. The man had left him when he'd needed him the most "You're right. There are some things words cannot say alone. Not when those are listening. Perhaps it would be easier to show you" Eren wanted to protest, but again, nothing came out. His father rose from the end of the bed, walking to stand next to where he sat. Reaching out his hand, Eren recoiled from touch. His face filled with disgust. Just the scent of his father was enough to have him vomiting in his mouth "Eren, either you come with me, or we have you moved to less agreeable accomodations until you learn your place" Learn his place? He knew his fucking place. It was in Shinganshima, with Titan and Levi. It was waking up in Levi's arms, and cuddling on the sofa. This place. Was not his place "You have until three to decide, then I'll be deciding for you. One. Two..." Not giving him any time to think, Eren scrambled from the bed before his father could say three "Excellent. Zeke's training was effective, I see" Eren's throat tightened at the mention of Zeke's name. How did his father know about that? Or how Zeke had trained him... "You will follow me. You will be silent and if you run, we will chain you. Do I make myself understood?" Unable to speak, Eren nodded "Come along then" Blinded as the excited the room, he found himself in some kind of world that looked like it'd been lifted from a movie. The whole area was set in a wide circle, various people coming and going from the stark white buildings. Moving towards the building opposite them, Eren followed. There was something about this whole place that scent a chill through him. This wasn't good place. It felt cold and empty. Like everyone was here, didn't want to be. Trailing after his father, his bare feet froze against the damp grass. Trust Grisha to ruin everything he could for him, grass now included. Despite the humble outside of the building, Eren smelt disinfectant as he walked into what seemed to be some kind of laboratory. Once again, everything was too white, and the glass was just way too clean. With no time to stop and take it all in, he followed blindly until they reached a set of heavy dark doors, the silver handles looking imposing as fuck. He definitely wasn't supposed to be here. Taking two steps back, his heart was pounding hard enough for him to hear it. Turning and catching sight of him, Grisha covered the distance between them, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him forward "You will obey me, or they will kill you" What the fuck. Whoever "they" were, made plenty of empty fucking threats and promises. He was supposed to be dead already, not in some kind of fucked up dream world where his father was alive. Gripping his arm so hard that it hurt, he was pulled to the doors, Grisha giving a single knock before entering. Inside the room was decked in black. Even the plants either side or the desk seemed to be black. The space feeling so heavy and oppressive, it was hard to remain standing. Seated at the long oval table that filled most of the room, 11 sets of eyes were on him as he pulled over and manhandled down into a chair, his father taking the seat next to him "Eren Yeager" His name was said like it was a hair ball being coughed up. The old man at the end of the table looked slightly familiar, but he couldn't place it. Seated to his left, were Reiner and Bertholdt, both alphas looking like scared rabbits, rather than killers "Eren. We understand you've been causing some problems for all of us. Under your father's recommendation, we have decided to liberate you from your current life. Do you understand?" He understood nothing. Glaring back at the man seated directly opposite him, he crossed his arms "Grisha. You assured me the boy would talk" "And he will" "You know the penalty if he does not" Under the table, his father kicked him. What were they? 12? "It has come to our attention that you have been communicating with the Shinganshima Police Department, and with a certain officer Floch Forster" Floch had a last name? Dah. Of course people had last names "Eren, you seem to be under the impression we are bad people. We are not, and we hope that in time, you will see the mistakes you have made. Grisha, return him to his room" That was it? He was dragged up here, for that? Fucking seriously? He had more questions that fucking answers, and he still had no idea where the fuck he was. Was this a cult? Had his father really abandoned him, to join this fucking cult? He'd seen enough TV to know cults were filled with weirdos, and that these things never worked out well for anyone involved. In the movies, everyone always ended up dead with a lone survivor walking off into the distance as the place burned to the ground. Is that what he'd been caught up in? Escorted back to his room, his father didn't stay. Maybe he got that Eren wanted absolutely nothing to do with him... or more likely, he had to go grovel to whoever those people in that room had been... If the alpha thought he was simply going to take all of this, without a word of real explanation, he was sadly mistaken. For the first week Eren was kept isolated from everyone. His father brought him meals, and took him to what seemed to be a communal shower block. The number of omegas in the place took him by surprise, as did the number of children. It didn't look like a place for children, and none of them looked happy about it. No one talked either. Normally a pregnant omega took comfort in being with other omega's, but here, everyone tried to avoid everyone else. Something was going on here and he didn't like it. Nor was he going to let things keep going like this. His own omega was distraught from their smells, leaving him constantly on edge. He still hadn't been able to find his voice, but he had found that his door locked from the outside, which was useless, but his window. His window was wonky in its frame. That he might be able to use. His plans were dashed when he was moved into the same room as his father. Ninety percent of the room was filled from floor to ceiling with medical technology that meant nothing to him. Two small beds sat at the rear of the room, once covered with books. Locked in with his father, the first thing Grisha did was throw his arms around him, holding him tight like a loving father would "It's safe to talk here. I never meant to get you involved with any of this" Well that was a load of shit. If he hadn't wanted him involved, he could have fucking left him with Levi "Look, you may not believe me, but all I wanted was to keep you safe. What happened with your mother... I wish it could have been avoided. And then with Zeke. Zeke did well. He kept you safe and hidden..." Shoving his father off him, he bared his teeth as he snarled "Eren..." Trying to form his words, nothing happened. Instead he stood there like the angry idiot he was "Eren, it's ok. I know you must have a lot of questions, but for now, know that I had to drive you away. I had to make sure you wouldn't track me down, or come after me. I'm sorry for what happened. I was a fool. I was a coward. I tried to find a way out of this all... but now... no. Never mind. Just know, that if you do as they say, things will go much smoother... this... this was all I could do to keep you alive. Read the books on your bed, then you'll understand" Eren ignored the books for as long as he could. He couldn't calm down with his father acting so "normal" around him. Nothing about this was normal. Nothing about this place was normal. On the dresser that sat between his and his father's bed, were photos. Photos Eren felt Grisha had no right to have. Not only were they of his mother, but also of Zeke and Zeke's mother. It was bad enough that they were on display, but out of all the photos in the small collection, most of them were of him. Including recent photos of him with Levi. He'd suspected they were being watched, but there was no real evidence, other than Bertholdt working with Levi, and he hadn't known about that until months after it'd first started. Photos of him coming out of Krista's office. In Paradis. At the hospital. At Moblit's wake. The most recent was of him at the Charity Ball with Levi on his arm. It was sickening. He didn't want anything to do with Grisha. He'd rather... he'd rather be trapped in a room with Reiner and Bertholdt than sharing this room with his father. At least he knew the pair wanted him dead. He knew what they wanted from him, and who they were. His father on the other hand was a stranger from his nightmares. He probably wished Eren had been wasted across the sheets rather than ever be conceived. His father noticed that he hadn't read the books on his bed almost immediately. The man held off saying anything, until Eren was woken in the middle of the night. His father already awake, but the knocking on their door couldn't be ignored. Beckoned to follow, Eren was freezing in the thin white clothes he'd been gifted. He didn't even have time to slide his shoes on before he was being lead through the central courtyard area. Yeah. They were definitely in some kind of cult. Called to deliver a pup, Eren nearly bolted from the room the moment he realised what was going on. The poor woman had been left to ordeal everything alone, while two stocky alphas stood guard outside her room. Directed to hold her hand, and support her, he was grateful he didn't have to be down the other again. Birth might be a miracle, but staring at people's private parts was gross. Just because everyone had them, didn't mean they needed to show them off or anything... and he had no idea how people could work with those areas... it was not for him. Having been left until nearly the final moment, the female omega was a mess, the birth over in three pushes, and the baby a healthy girl. He was so fucking angry. The girl was taken from the mother with one of the waiting alphas like it was a normal thing to do. The woman was crying for her pup and he couldn't fucking do anything about it. Once his father had made sure he was alright, they'd been escorted back to their room, and his father had pushed the books he'd been ignore into his hands. He didn't know why he needed to read them, not when the moment he figured out how to get out of wherever he was, he was gone. He'd done some fucked up things in his life, but whatever this was... he didn't want any part of this. * Levi may have overindulged with his drinking the previous night. Though, he didn't know if was classed as overindulging, when he was still drinking. Erwin had decided he was fucking moving in 7 weeks after Eren's disappearance. It wasn't like Levi was still falling apart. He would have had to stop falling apart for that to happen. He'd plastered as many missing posters of Eren as he could onto their social media accounts, as well as printing physical copies, and distributing them everywhere he could. Each day got harder. Waking up without Eren by his side. Without his sleepy smile. His soft purrs and messy bedhead. The way he reached out for him if Levi moved away. The way Eren would smile as he snuggled into him, and would mumble his name in his sleep. His phone was constantly by his side in case Eren found a way to called him. Floch was still looking for Eren, without making things too obvious. He'd been sideswiped while driving, barely able to prevent his car from rolling, shortly after the discovery of Marcel's body. Floch was now working personally under Dot Pixis as an internal review was being conducted through the precinct. Being on the outside, he had no way of knowing what had been discovered, and the daily calls to the man in the hopes of news, had become weekly instead. Every time a dead body was found and reported on the news, Levi's heart would break a little more. He didn't want to find Eren dead. He just wanted to find him. He wanted things to go back to how they'd been... his apartment resembled more of a pigsty than a abode. The dishes sitting in the sink for days at a time, while the only actually shopping he did was for Titan, or printer ink when he'd run out from printing missing person flyers. Eren's room was just the way he'd left it. Erwin was sleeping on the sofa, with the hopes that he'd just fuck off back home. A fine layer of dust had settled over everything, but if he washed Eren's blankets, he'd be washing away Eren's scent, and he wasn't strong enough to do that. He needed his omega. Or he needed to make enough noise that Reiner and Bertholdt would come for him. He'd named and shamed them on social media, and still, nothing had happened. Eren had said they'd be after him once he was dead, yet it seemed more like once they'd gotten Eren, they couldn't give two fucks about everyone else...

[ackerpotato]

I am. As always. SPEECHLESS. OKAY FIRST OF ALL. I need to acknowledge that u took reader on a freaking date with eren. WITH EREN!!!! I’ll speak for myself but mikasa would DESTROY ME in a fight nooooo questions. Second of all, you got LEVI AN ZEKE IN THERE TOO I-iminlovecanigoongroupdates 🥺

But alright ERWIN. MY BIG STRONG. HULKIN BLONDE BAAABY. his texting, the DAMN ROSES. the demeanour??? And he’s ONTIME EARLY FOR A DATE?? Take me on the table no problem. The way you describe reader is so great, how Erwin shines through reader’s decisions (or lack of) and how they reflect on their dynamics??? (I see the little freebies u threw in there where I go “hey!! That’s me!” and I LOVE u for em) Amazing. Beautiful. Effortless. The way u incorporated my god awful size kink describing how much money this man has with his watch is immaculate. IMMACULATE U HEAR ME.

The coat part was where my hand came up over my mouth and it never left from that spot. And then I think I blacked out reading the next part bc YOU KNOW. YOU JUST KNOW ERWIN TURNS IT UP TO 11. The hand around the wrists, the neck @@ and then the TEASING. I’m GONE. leaving him on read? Oh no. Princess? Oh no. Shatter expectations? Oh no. “That’s my good fucking girl. OH NOOOO. MERCY ANLIAN MERCY. Yah I think I lost consciousness here due to blood loss and never recovered. THE SIZE TALK. IM GONE. The counting down IM. I HAVENT STOPPED SCREAMING.

I am forever in ur debt for all the amazing content you provide, for feeding my insatiable thirst. For just. Everything you do for me 🥺. I worship/grovel/feed u grapes and hold the parasol for u shielding u from the sun for all eternity and it would still not come close to how thankful I am for u and how much ily (,: . But also prepare urself for court bc I’m suing, this fic is too good to be allowed. TOO GOOD.

Resident hoe with the size kink is here to request for Thursdays

So here’s what I’m a imagining. Blind date with Erwin, and reader is all “no way I’m putting out on the first date” but after so many shitty dates with shitty people, Erwin is just ah, a breath of fresh air, just such a gentleman, and plus he’s TALL and BROAD and towers over u and HNG. So one thing leads to another and...oh, he’s not quite the same gentleman in the bedroom....

Thank u I love u thank u I worship at ur feet 🥰

For my lovely, patient, incredible friend! I tried my absolute best because you deserve nothing less. I hope you enjoy, my love! 🥰

Word count: 3200 Tags: NSFW, size kink, modern AU, fem!reader

Sure, it was a much nicer bistro, but - in your eyes -  still a bar nonetheless, the same type of venue as all your prior dates. 

You had lost count of how many shitty encounters your friends had set you up to. The tally had been forgotten, but the memories singed in your mind for what felt like an eternity. Smoke-ridden clothes, slender finger repeatedly pushing up his glasses, a demeanor that screamed he was over it all. A steel-eyed ravenhead whose attitude was as dark as his features, minimal replies and swear words made the air both stiff and heavy - suffocating. Neither of those could even compare, though, to the time that the other woman marched in, threw her scarf at your - her - date, and the two fought it out in front of the entire place. You were near tears when you simultaneously snuck and stormed out of the bar, but as soon as you got home and downed a few, laughter turned those tears happy and let them spring freely. Someday, you would forget about Zeke, Levi, the rest, but Eren and Mikasa would forever be a funny memory.

You scoffed as you crossed your legs over the other, leather bench of the waiting area left warm after the shift of your thighs. Looking down to your skirt, you gave two slow blinks at the goosebumps that formed. The dress was itchy, the weather was frigid, each time a new patron entered, they brought the cold air in with them. Skimpy outfits, heavy makeup, and the hours you sunk into them, you rolled your eyes, What’s even the point, anymore? 

With mocking timing, two vibrations in your jacket pocket. Disappointment arrived before even your date did.

> I’m running a little late. 

Lips pressed together, suppressing a sigh. Figures. After all the I’ll be late texts you had received, you had learned the hard way: there’s nothing to say to that. 

> Read 6:39 PM

> Take a seat and I’ll be there soon. 

> Tell them you have a reservation under Smith. 

A reservation? You gave your phone a double-take, a bit thrown off from your expectations, there had not been one of those yet. You could have said sounds lovely, thanks! You could have said okay. You could have even put an emoji. Instead, you remained indecisive, letting your device speak for you. 

> Read. 6:40 PM

> I’m looking forward to it.

At first, your cheek tinged upward, just a hint of a smile. It was just the kind of person you were. When someone said something nice to you, it was your instinct to respond likewise. Two thumbs danced in your innate politeness, in the wake of a reservation and his kind words, happy to reciprocate the feeling. 

Wait. 

This was that overt kindness that had been your downfall. The attempted smiles, the hollow questions, the empty laughs, the that’s so interestings and oh wow, that must be so fun for yous, had not always been for the better - in fact, maybe the opposite. It was not your fault that the dates had flopped, but your impossible hospitality had undoubtedly made the evenings longer than they should have been. Too nice for your own good. 

You were not going to get your hopes up too high, his either. 

On the other end, he watched those three dots appear and disappear. The towering grey block of his repeatedly unanswered texts stared him down. The final Read 6:41 PM marked an end to a conversation deemed stagnant. Erwin scoffed, tucking his sleek black phone into his jacket of the same look. It seemed he had his work cut out for him. She’s a difficult one. 

But he wouldn’t have it any other way.

// // //

A few more minutes, you sat waiting, seemingly in denial that he would be late even though the evidence was bright there on your screen. Meaningless taps through apps, scrolling through your conversation from start to finish and back again, you huffed and stuffed your phone into your pocket. Standing from the bench, you took one last look through the restaurant doors. With no new pair of headlights appearing, you tiptoed to the podium.

“Reservation for Smith?”

The host ducked down, a slow scan of a list you could not see, “First name?”

“Erwin.”

When his name fell past your lips, you immediately bit your tongue. Something about saying his name, speaking for him, claiming his reservation - you felt you were stepping out of place. Of course, if you let the time slip by, letting the reservation slip through, that would have been rude. However, you could not help but feel as though this right was reserved for someone very close to him - a family member, a girlfriend, a wife.

A cheery voice snapped you back from wandering thoughts, “Ah, of course!” Hand hovered above two piles of paper. “Dinner and drink menus?”

Internally, you faltered. Drinks? Dinner and drinks? You had not really discussed it yet. “J-Just drinks.” I guess?

“Right this way.”

Following to the table, you kept your head ducked down, hoping your guide would not ask about your date. Is he coming from work? What’s the occasion? The fact that this was a blind date, you would do anything to hide it. Maybe they had read your body language, maybe the night was just simply too busy, no matter - you were glad to be seated without inquiry. 

“Someone will be with you shortly, miss!” A coy smile, leaving you at the hands of another. 

Shouldering off your coat, you took a moment to take in the sights. A tealight candle beside the salt and pepper grinders, a quaint chandelier above each table, the atmosphere was painted in a dim golden light. The illumination’s radius was small, forcing your attention solely on the spot in front of you which, even though it was empty, you acknowledged was a nice scene. Surrounded by couples while you were seated solo, you tried to keep your gaze lowered. However, you soon noticed that just as your vision was limited to your own area, the other patrons’ were to their own as well. Shadows comprised shades of privacy. 

It was why - one of many reasons why - when the figure appeared at your side, you visibly and audibly startled in your seat.

A low voice and concerned gaze. “Ah, I’m sorry. Did I scare you?”

Running late? It was still five till 7:00. Just how early was he planning on getting here?

“N-No!” Yes. Brushing a stray strand behind your ear, you attempted to bring your wits about you, “You must be Erwin?”

But that attempt was futile as soon as you laid eyes on him. Blue irises of midafternoon sky, blonde hair combed slick over an undercut, skin more radiant than candlelight. Naturally, you rose to greet him, and with each inch you stood, it was that much more you understood.

He’s huge.

Giant yet gentle hand scooped under yours, stopping you in your tracks. A small kiss placed on the back of your hand. He glanced up from his hold on you, meeting your gaze, and spoke against your skin, “please.” 

In that one word, it was so clearly conveyed and understood, No need to stand, just relax, take your seat, darling.

Unwinding his scarf, removing his gloves, he hung up his jacket and garments. With just a hint of breathlessness, he lulled, “I’m sorry I’m late.” Reaching into his inner pocket, he revealed a tiny bouquet, “They were busy.”

As he gestured the flowers towards you, you bit your tongue, but the widened eyes and lifted brows spoke for you, For me? Your instinct screamed to peck his cheek with a kiss, but you were held back by the ghosts of your previous experiences. You’re not giving it up on the first date.

Bringing the roses to your nose, adoring their scent, you subdued a couple of giggles, “Don’t worry,” you could already tell, “it was worth the wait.” 

// // //

For the first time, you never felt obliged to fill the air with questions, they just came naturally. Curiosity was never forced, but genuine. In fact, you could not drink him up fast enough.

For this young man, young professional, he was shamelessly all smiles to at last be with you. You were prettier than he could have pictured, smarter than he could have imagined, more perfect than he could have ever dreamed.

The only time his lips flattened was when he examined the menu. Instead of food, there were solely drinks listed on each side. 

“Did you want dinner?”

Your stomach was rumbling, but it was not easy to admit your hunger on a first date with a handsome man. Debating with yourself, you stuttered, “I - umm…”

“I promised you dinner and drinks,” he smirked, “and I always keep my promises.”

In that instant, when your waiter returned, Erwin so politely requested the dinner menus. So willing to spend more money on you, spend more time with you, you felt chills course through you from head to toe. You thought him oblivious, but someone like him was anything but. Instead, it was you who failed to notice his confidence boost - the grin that tinted his lips.

As he ordered his entree and beverage, you trifled over your choices. You were always indecisive, but especially with so many dynamics in place. Dinner was a hard choice for you, and that was even without the gentleman across from you.

“And for you, miss?”

In the split seconds that followed, you snuck countless glances between the menu and Erwin, trying to read the signs. Leather gloves stuffed into his jacket pocket, Lexus keys reflecting a glimmer, the silver watch so large, it made even his hand look normal-sized.

He can afford it.

You averted your eye contact from Erwin, asking the server instead, “Can I have the steak, please?” 

The most expensive thing on the menu - on the first date at that. Indeed, he was a gentleman about it - not even batting an eye. Internally, though, he gleamed. For, at the very least, it seemed you felt comfortable enough around him. He could already tell, you were not the type to use someone. Only if you saw him in your future would you wine and dine like this.

A tinge of his cheek - he would be spending more time with you, certainly.

// // //

Check paid, generous tip left, it was unspoken but understood that additional time together would be had. It was you who voiced your thoughts, making it clear, just how soon that time would come, inviting him to your apartment. 

Denying your invitation would be discourteous, but even given his mannerisms, the thought did not even cross his mind. Ever since he first laid eyes on you, before then even, he was dead set on being with you, seizing the opportunity to win you over for good.

Not only were you both eager to head home together, but the weather further encouraged it. Sunset when you started the date, rain now that you were leaving, it seemed that nature itself was pushing for your togetherness.

That short skirt of yours, his glance was not of curiosity, but concern. It was not the lotion you had put on beforehand, but rather, the accelerating droplets of rain that made your legs shine. You heard a tsk of his teeth and a rustle of fabric before you felt a heavy warmth drape over your shoulders. 

“Here,” Erwin jostled his jacket, ensuring it covered you completely, “you’ll catch a cold.”

Completely, it did. The coat that went to his knees, on you, it dragged on the ground. Sleeves that stretched far past your hands, you bunched them up as best you could, trying to pick his expensive garment up off the wet concrete. You picked up your pace, in heels, hurrying as best you could towards his car. A few steps behind you, he allowed himself a laugh. Too cute.

As he was left without his jacket, left to soak, he still made haste to open your passenger door, “After you.”

Apart from the fact that he drove you there, those two words paved the way for the rest of the night. For it was you who held his hand, dragging him up the stairs to your unit. It was you who clasped his collar and pulled him inside. It was you who led him to your bedroom and slammed the door behind him. 

But even though the way had been paved, it did not mean the road would be traveled, for even though he was a gentleman then, it did not mean he would be one now. 

// // //

As soon as you slammed the door behind him, it was as if something switched within him as well. In an instant, your wrists were clasped together by a single strong hand - the same one he had used to kiss your hand just an hour ago - and pinned above your head. At the same time, his knee propped up against the door and between your thighs. His hard cap a perfect contrast to your soft and sensitive skin, his leg wide enough to act as your chair, you could not help but minutely grind your hips against. 

Any qualms about sex on the first date, any promises you had made to yourself, you forgot about them immediately and gave them up willingly. Alertly in love, he was just that intoxicating. Shins wrapped around his back, hips arched towards his front, you gave yourself completely to him.

Ripe for taking, he was quick to act. Chests pressed together as he brought his harsh lips to your ear, “Leaving me on read all afternoon? What was the reason for that, huh?”

“Wh - ?” What? You started to ask, but a drag of his thigh up and down your crevices, the word caught in your throat with a few pathetic coughs.

And just like you had earlier, he showed no mercy. Strong hand in your hair took hold of your locks, a mind-numbing pressure that demanded all your thoughts. Your lips stammered as his snarled, “You must’ve thought I was like the rest, hmm? Does that sound about right?”

Eyes, once fluttered shut in pleasure, snapped open - immediately meeting his. The sky blue gaze that you swore you could get lost in, you had a feeling you were about to now - maybe never leaving the maze. You had completely forgotten about your careless attitude and demeanor from the beginning of the night - but he had not. It stuck with him and festered, but he told you he was a problem solver. The proof was here and now. 

A low chuckle rumbled from deep within his chest, but something told you things were far from funny. “Well, princess…” His hand at the side of your throat, once caressing, now tightened, “I’m here to change your mind about that.”

Fingertips massaged your nodes, squeezing slightly, “Shatter expectations, if you will.”

Finally, a deliberately undeniable pull of your hair - through his hand around your neck, he felt your gasp ascend from chest to mouth, drawing a few more of those unsettling laughs, “And turn your world upside-down.”

You sensed punishment was in order, but come to think of it, there was nothing you wanted from him more. Shaky hands reached over his shoulders and down his back, raising his cotton, revealing his skin. Nails made jagged scratches in his back, yearning, pleading. 

“Erwin, please!” You begged, “Please!”

“Please what?” Painfully teasing.

In the midst of your head spinning, only one thought was discernible, “Please make me feel good!”

A smile you could feel, he snickered against your skin. “Good girl…” a quick lick at your ear, “that’s my good fucking girl.”

Hands drifted from your scalp and from your neck to land beside your cheeks. A perfectly pressing caress, he brought you to his lips. Passionate nips were swiftly followed by piercing nibbles and demanding tongue. Wet muscle swirling with yours, you nearly choked on that alone. So adorable. So pathetic. He chuckled into your mouth, remnants of mint gum and premier whiskey refreshing. His taste the one you had been missing all along. 

Preoccupying kiss, he multitasked, pushing the spaghetti straps of your little black dress down your shoulders and to your elbows. Moonlight through your bedroom window, your curves were exposed just for him. Mouth left your lips, letting you catch your breath, trailed down your jawline, neck, breast, and taking you into his mouth. Your hardened and sensitive buds played perfectly by the oscillations of his tongue - flat to pointed at all the right places and times. Your stimulation and shock, all the while, making his arousal rise as well. 

Your sex pressed on his abdomen, he could feel your heat slicken against him. A poised smile fell, his own vulnerability making itself known through the invariable and increasing rocks of his hips - all of which you felt directly. Desires so apparent to each other, what was the use in waiting?

Fingers woven where his undercut met his strands. Unsteady hand was certain in pulling him to you. Trembling voice was definite in offering yourself to him, “Take me, Erwin.”

“Ahhh! Erwin!” Screaming, writhing, “f-fuck! Oh, fuck...!” You whined, gritting your teeth while loving every second, “You’re so big!!”

A snide, teeth-revealing grin. That modest little sweetheart from dinner was nowhere to be found.

He could have mocked. You like that, baby? I can’t hear you. However, with that acute arch in your back, the way your walls stretched thin around him, the tenderness of the patch he rubbed, the warm and wet arousal dripping down his length, he bit his lip instead. So obviously fucked-out - so soon at that - he just had to get you there before he could hear it next time.

His curve, his pace, his size, all of him - so much pleasure and pain that they acted as one. Pounding heartbeat, accelerated exhales, the throbbing between your legs both entirely new and telltale. Already?! You could not delay it or deny it. You could not even believe it yourself. “E’Erwin, I - !” Impossibly rapid pants, you could not even keep up with yourself, “I - !”

He wanted to hear your admission, just how intensely he had won you over, but the evidence was so obvious, he could practically count it down. Three... Two... It was your ritual to acknowledge your climax, to communicate it to your partner, but for the first time in your life, you failed to. Completely overwhelmed, overstimulated, overcome by him, the pleasure he provided, and the praises that fell upon your ears. Between slaps of his skin on yours, knocks of the wooden door in the frame, there were the low repetitions of his voice and compliments - That’s it. Cum for me, princess. Such a good girl. - all in the midst of his own cascading waves. 

Your expectations shattered, your world turned upside-down, and you had not even gone to bed with him yet.

masterlist

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

DOTW 45 - Start

Levi was in a bad state. Floch had tracked down the real Marcel Galliard, only to find the man dead and locked in his own chest freezer. The house had been recently abandoned, and clues were running dry. Being unable to work, he had all the time in the world to drive himself insane. All the time in the world to play out every possible scenario of Eren's abduction. They'd found that the "heart attack" victim, had been paid to call in the emergency. He'd thought it a prank. A stranger having approached him and paid him $100 just to make a simple call to prank his friend. The man didn't even know Levi and Eren both lived in the building, and he'd already spent the cash so there was no way of tracking down the bills he was paid with. The ambulance used to transport Eren was found on the outskirts of the city, the same night Levi had come home. There'd been blood at scene, though it hadn't been Eren's, it was enough to drive the spike of fear deeper into his heart. If Eren had fought, his boyfriend could be out there somewhere in a critical condition. Levi couldn't even sleep without seeing Eren. His dreams never once being kind to him, as Eren blamed him for his death, over and over... For the first month after Eren disappeared, he, Hanji and Anna, and Erwin had all been living together in a "safe" house that Floch had organised. They hadn't had access to the outside world. He'd nearly gone crazy from Hanji mothering him, and Erwin trying to father him. He wasn't a fucking child. He didn't need the guilt of their concern on top of his own guilt. Titan had hated the safe house, so the moment one month was up, Levi had returned back to his apartment. If Eren was out there and trying to get home, then he'd be there waiting for him. Even if it took the rest of his life.

*

Drenched in blood, Eren stumbled down the dirt road. His body was shaking with shock, his hair wild from lack of care and his bottom lip chewed to something resembling a bloody pulp. The cold night wind seemed to rip through his near naked body, while the knife in his right hand seemed to be the only thing he was acutely aware of.

The day he'd been taken from the apartment, his world had been turned upside down. In that moment, it was like someone spinning a mirror in its stand. As it gradually slowed, he was left looking at a sight that disgusted him, as much as it confused him. His father was standing there. His father who'd walked out and left him, was now the one coming for him. He'd thought the man dead, yet he showed up, screaming at him that they had to leave. Bertholdt and Reiner were the ones who were the ones who'd supposed to come for him. He'd say there, through the night and watched the door. The largest and sharpest knife in the house was his only protection. But his father. His father hadn't been expected. The desire to kill the man where stood was only bested by his need to know. And now, he'd give almost everything not to. Still. He'd left with him. He'd written what he needed to Levi, praying that his boyfriend would understand the things he was trying to say. The things he'd written just that little bit bigger without making it too obvious. Given the degree of shock he'd been in, and that he'd had to pull himself out of an impending panic attack, he'd been proud he'd been able to write anything at all.

Taken down by elevator, Bertholdt joined them in the narrow space. Again. He didn't understand. Bertholdt had blamed the whole thing on his father. He'd cursed him, and told him end up dead, just like him. So why was the alpha now sullenly following his father's orders? The thoughts in his head wouldn't stop. His breathing ragged, as if he'd already done the runner he was planning too. For nearly fucking decade, he'd thought he was dead. He'd thought the man had forgotten he'd even existed, and that's why he'd up abandoned. Just having his father next to him was enough to make him physically ill, to the point when the elevator doors opened to the ground floor, he'd fainted.

Waking up, he was in a small room. It was basic. Very basic, but he counted his blessings that it wasn't a basement. Sitting on the end of his bed, his father was reading... like he was some fucking right to be there. Trying to find his voice, nothing came forth. He wanted to scream, or at least tell his father to let him go. With a heavy sigh, the man closed the book he'd been reading. The look on his face unreadable as he turned to him. This was the face of the man who'd hurt him. Who'd killed his mother and beat him for being an omega. The face of the man who wanted to sell him off. Who considered him defective and dirty for having a second dynamic he couldn't help. The face of the man who'd fucking ruined his life

"Eren, I hoped we wouldn't meet like this. I'm sure you must have some questions"

Yeah. Like how the fuck did he get out of here?! And where was here? That was about it. He didn't want to know what his father had been doing, and he didn't care to know. The man had left him when he'd needed him the most

"You're right. There are some things words cannot say alone. Not when those are listening. Perhaps it would be easier to show you"

Eren wanted to protest, but again, nothing came out. His father rose from the end of the bed, walking to stand next to where he sat. Reaching out his hand, Eren recoiled from touch. His face filled with disgust. Just the scent of his father was enough to have him vomiting in his mouth

"Eren, either you come with me, or we have you moved to less agreeable accomodations until you learn your place"

Learn his place? He knew his fucking place. It was in Shinganshima, with Titan and Levi. It was waking up in Levi's arms, and cuddling on the sofa. This place. Was not his place

"You have until three to decide, then I'll be deciding for you. One. Two..."

Not giving him any time to think, Eren scrambled from the bed before his father could say three

"Excellent. Zeke's training was effective, I see"

Eren's throat tightened at the mention of Zeke's name. How did his father know about that? Or how Zeke had trained him...

"You will follow me. You will be silent and if you run, we will chain you. Do I make myself understood?"

Unable to speak, Eren nodded

"Come along then"

Blinded as the excited the room, he found himself in some kind of world that looked like it'd been lifted from a movie. The whole area was set in a wide circle, various people coming and going from the stark white buildings. Moving towards the building opposite them, Eren followed. There was something about this whole place that scent a chill through him. This wasn't good place. It felt cold and empty. Like everyone was here, didn't want to be. Trailing after his father, his bare feet froze against the damp grass. Trust Grisha to ruin everything he could for him, grass now included.

Despite the humble outside of the building, Eren smelt disinfectant as he walked into what seemed to be some kind of laboratory. Once again, everything was too white, and the glass was just way too clean. With no time to stop and take it all in, he followed blindly until they reached a set of heavy dark doors, the silver handles looking imposing as fuck. He definitely wasn't supposed to be here. Taking two steps back, his heart was pounding hard enough for him to hear it. Turning and catching sight of him, Grisha covered the distance between them, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him forward

"You will obey me, or they will kill you"

What the fuck. Whoever "they" were, made plenty of empty fucking threats and promises. He was supposed to be dead already, not in some kind of fucked up dream world where his father was alive. Gripping his arm so hard that it hurt, he was pulled to the doors, Grisha giving a single knock before entering.

Inside the room was decked in black. Even the plants either side or the desk seemed to be black. The space feeling so heavy and oppressive, it was hard to remain standing. Seated at the long oval table that filled most of the room, 11 sets of eyes were on him as he pulled over and manhandled down into a chair, his father taking the seat next to him

"Eren Yeager"

His name was said like it was a hair ball being coughed up. The old man at the end of the table looked slightly familiar, but he couldn't place it. Seated to his left, were Reiner and Bertholdt, both alphas looking like scared rabbits, rather than killers

"Eren. We understand you've been causing some problems for all of us. Under your father's recommendation, we have decided to liberate you from your current life. Do you understand?"

He understood nothing. Glaring back at the man seated directly opposite him, he crossed his arms

"Grisha. You assured me the boy would talk"

"And he will"

"You know the penalty if he does not"

Under the table, his father kicked him. What were they? 12?

"It has come to our attention that you have been communicating with the Shinganshima Police Department, and with a certain officer Floch Forster"

Floch had a last name? Dah. Of course people had last names

"Eren, you seem to be under the impression we are bad people. We are not, and we hope that in time, you will see the mistakes you have made. Grisha, return him to his room"

That was it? He was dragged up here, for that? Fucking seriously? He had more questions that fucking answers, and he still had no idea where the fuck he was. Was this a cult? Had his father really abandoned him, to join this fucking cult? He'd seen enough TV to know cults were filled with weirdos, and that these things never worked out well for anyone involved. In the movies, everyone always ended up dead with a lone survivor walking off into the distance as the place burned to the ground. Is that what he'd been caught up in? Escorted back to his room, his father didn't stay. Maybe he got that Eren wanted absolutely nothing to do with him... or more likely, he had to go grovel to whoever those people in that room had been... If the alpha thought he was simply going to take all of this, without a word of real explanation, he was sadly mistaken.

*

For the first week Eren was kept isolated from everyone. His father brought him meals, and took him to what seemed to be a communal shower block. The number of omegas in the place took him by surprise, as did the number of children. It didn't look like a place for children, and none of them looked happy about it. No one talked either. Normally a pregnant omega took comfort in being with other omega's, but here, everyone tried to avoid everyone else. Something was going on here and he didn't like it. Nor was he going to let things keep going like this. His own omega was distraught from their smells, leaving him constantly on edge. He still hadn't been able to find his voice, but he had found that his door locked from the outside, which was useless, but his window. His window was wonky in its frame. That he might be able to use.

His plans were dashed when he was moved into the same room as his father. Ninety percent of the room was filled from floor to ceiling with medical technology that meant nothing to him. Two small beds sat at the rear of the room, once covered with books. Locked in with his father, the first thing Grisha did was throw his arms around him, holding him tight like a loving father would.