#also what do you mean marco is blond

[silvr-skreen]

AUHH?H>>

Imaginary Friend Institution | Teaser Trailer (youtube.com)

[yuyuswrld]

O Captain, My Captain || 1

series intro here, or read chapter 2

characters: reiner x reader (this chapter), various aot boys x reader.

notes: this is an 18+ series, please don’t interact if you’re a minor! reader is referred to with she/they pronouns.

content warnings: explicit smut, fingering, reiner eating pussy like a god!!, alcohol consumption, degradation, mild slut shaming (?), mentions of marijuana at the end

“Has he always been a bitch?” You question Marco, inhaling bites of your ramen. He shrugs, “We’ve both been on the team since freshman year and I’ve never had a problem with him. Maybe you’re the problem?” He meets with dead silence as you stare up at him from your bowl.

“Funny, Bott. I’m just not looking forward to spending so much time with him, if he behaves like that, anyway.” Exasperation visible, you slump in your chair to think. “It’s not like he’s on the sidelines. He’s the damn captain, which means I have to talk to him a lot.”

Marco shrugs. “You’re being dramatic. He’s a pain sometimes, but he’s not that bad. Just try to be nice to him, please. Eren won’t get any nicer if you’re mean. Plus,” He stops to take a bite of his food, “we don’t have the time for fighting. We’re expected to go to nationals this year, and that’s not happening if you two scare each other off.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Bott. I’ll see you at practice later.” Uncrossing your arms and brushing off your legs as you get up from your seat. Okay, sure, Eren has yet to be anything except slightly dismissive and maybe just a little shit. He hasn’t actually done anything to you. You toss your bag over your shoulder before thanking Marco for the meal and dismissing yourself.

As the time for practice draws closer, you collect your thoughts as you stand outside the cold metal doors of the university’s second largest gym. Sure, you went to a school notorious for its D-1 volleyball, but the gym’s size was excessive. The high rise bleachers felt as if they would swallow you alive and the walls would collapse in. They had before. You remember the bile pool in your throat as the sports cameras flashes ate at your failure and spat you back out. Like a gazelle running from its predator, your body craves to run away from the glorified arena ahead of you.

“The fuck are you standing in the doorway for? Are you going in, or what?” Is it wrong to want to choose violence? Couldn’t he just say excuse me or ask if something’s wrong like a normal person?

Ugh, you should choose peace and not mess up a good opportunity. Just think about the money and all the nice things you can buy.

“I’m obviously just trying to get in your way.” You push the door open and walk into the gymnasium, not bothering with holding it open for Eren. In fact– hopefully it hits him! 

You hear the door fly open again behind you and a bag hits the ground with a loud thud. Eyes landing on the congregation of men in jerseys surrounding a smaller man, you beeline over to them. As you near, the smaller man, who you assume to be Coach Levi, locks his gaze with you. Is he… angry? Concerned? It’s impossible to determine what he’s thinking as he continues to stare.

“You’re not pregnant, are you?”

Your jaw drops. You’ve met more people in your life than you can count and never did a single person start a conversation in such a way.

“Not as far as I’m aware of…?”

“Okay, if you do what Hanna did, I will rip that baby out of your-”

A blond kid speaks up, “Um, Coach, you probably shouldn’t be threatening them on the first day. I just don’t think it’s a good idea to do that when we really need someone to organize our itinerary and keep practice stats. We’re nothing if we don’t have those numbers.”

“Fine, Arlelt. You and Braun stay here, explain how game statistics work and start having her do one-on-ones after. Performance evaluations for all of you.” You watch as Coach Levi’s eyes hover over Eren, who looks less than pleased. You’re not sure what’s going on there, but also can’t bring yourself to care. “Rest of you can go practice.”

As you glance over at the two boys who stayed, it throws you off that you’ve seen both of them before. The little blond one, you’re pretty sure his name is Armin. You’ve seen him walking around with Eren before, but he always looked so out of place in how gentle he is. You’re pretty sure you watched him bump into a trash can and apologize.

The other, however, you don’t think you’ve ever seen a man with such a commanding presence. He’s well-built. You’re pretty sure even a Greek god couldn’t hold up in comparison. You scoff internally, ‘it’s always the fucking volleyball players.’ But there’s something that lingers on your tongue, a conversation revolving around him. Then it hits you, Petra’s gossipped about him before!

“There are some really cute guys on our volleyball team. Did you know that?”

“Not this again, Petra. We’re supposed to be doing our biology homework.”

“Bitch, please. Let me speak. Anyway, there’s this guy on the team, his name is Reiner and oh my god- that is one fine ass man. He’s built like a tank engine. Not only that,” she says, a little giggle follows. “I’ve only heard this from two girls. He says he doesn’t like to hook up a lot, but his head game is insane. Like cum in a minute insane.” 

You stare, “I’m pretty sure that’s impossible, Petra.”

“I don’t know! Hook up with him yourself and you can give me all the juicy details afterwards.” You can only sigh in response, disturbed by your best friend’s inability to study.

But, here he was in the flesh, all 6’2 farmers tan of him. You couldn’t possibly do something so scandalous on your first day, could you? You shake the thought out of your mind as Armin talks.

“Volleyball stats are relatively easy to get the hang of. You just need to watch pretty closely. Even if you do miss something, we record them and you’ll go back through with Eren to make sure everything is recorded properly. Then, you’ll want to convert the numbers of each hit, serve, and pass into percentages compared to how many times it occurred per set.”

Reiner laughs, just a small one, but lord it’s like music to your ears. “Armin, you’re dumping too much info on them at once. It’d probably just be best to just show them the ropes visually and they can go from there. C’mon, let’s have coach set up the camera and record the three-on-three’s that they’re doing now.  We’ll watch the game, I’ll have you watch me record it, and then we’ll go back over it while watching the tape later.”

You nod, feeling just a hint of warmth across your face. Is this even possible, to have a school-girl crush in university? Those days were supposed to be behind you, but you can’t help but have the smallest bit of a smile as you follow him and Armin to speak with Coach Levi.

As you watch Reiner and Armin record the stats, your mind spins with utter confusion. You’re beyond lost, unsure how they’re even keeping up with the sheer amount of movement the players are doing. Dig? Write it down. Set? Write it down. You want to groan, or maybe even just go get dinner as you feel your stomach rumble.

As practice wraps up, your stomach rumbles in pain once again as it craves its next coddling. Reiner glances over from where you two stand, finishing up showing Coach Levi the statistics and getting a dismissive, “make sure it’s right,” instead of an appreciative response. He smiles at you, looking down.

“Gettin’ hungry?” He asks.

“Beyond hungry,” you say, shoulders dropping in defeat. “I’m being tortured. I haven’t eaten since noon. It’s 7 now! It’s criminal that you guys would starve me for so long.” You tease Reiner. He only responds by glancing at the gym door where most of the boys say their goodbyes before tapping out for the night.

“Y’know, I’ve heard I make a mean rice bowl.” 

It didn’t take much convincing for you to follow him back to his dorm room as practice winds down. Upon sitting across from each other at his make-shift dinner table, you learn Reiner is one of the middle blockers, coming at no surprise to you when taking in consideration to his stature. Although, you also learn he was from the countryside and this scholarship was his way out.

“Y’know, I always kinda dreamt of moving to the big city and being able to do what I love. But it’s crazy, man, I still can’t believe I’m here sometimes playing for the top university on the island.” 

Hearing the passion in his voice, you question if it’s right for you to intrude as a manager. Is it okay for you to be in charge of the livelihood of the men who’ve come so far and done so much for their passion? The men who could very well play on Paradis’ Olympic Team in the future? The concern is quickly shoved into your mental locker to be returned to as Reiner asks about watching a movie over some post-dinner snacks and beer. A much needed chance to relax after endless studying, you agree chipperly and move over to his plush couch.

As you two get halfway through Inglourious Basterds, you feel his arm wrap around you and his head turn in your direction. The alcohol running through your system has you heating up just from the skin contact. You blush as Petra’s words return to the forefront of your mind. You turn your head to face him, eyes interlocking with each other. His eyes signal a look of need, not want. You’re not sure if anyone’s ever looked at you like that before. Like a hunter who’ll starve without the meat of the deer he’s trailing.

“You’re so fucking hot” He mutters, you’re surprised a man of his stature can be so quiet. “I don’t think I’ll last with you as our manager.” Reiner closes the gap between the two of you. There’s a slight metallic tinge on his lips, but it’s addicting in the worst of ways and only deepens the experience. You two continue, allowing yourselves to sink into the couch, your body hitting the arm rest. His kiss moves from your lips to your neck, hands beginning to roam until they find purchase underneath your shirt. First, he plays with your bra before making his way under. Reiner moves his lips from your neck gently, almost like he’s scared of making a mistake. He helps you pull your shirt over your head and follows by removing your bra, his delicate touch unhooking the backing.

“You don’t have to be gentle,” you coo to him, lust-filled gazes connecting. “Please, I like it a bit rough, I swear.” He groans into the valley of your breasts.

“Don’t say that shit, I might break you.”

You can only laugh at his words, unfazed by the prospect, if not even more turned on by it. 

“Holy shit, please do,”

“In that case,” He says, voice lower as if weighing his options internally. “Don’t blame me if you limp to practice tomorrow.” Reiner helps you remove your pants before his fingers begin to dance over your body again. The touches are soft as they ghost the outline of your skin, your heart beating as you wait for him to soothe the ache between your legs. You attempt to rub them together for a semblance of friction but his arms find their way to keep them split. His gaze shifts up to you, eyes narrow as if disapproving of your behavior. Reiner’s face then begins to move lower, tongue licking a stripe up the inside of your thigh as his fingers begin to dance over your clit. He moves his face over to meet his fingers, tongue flattening against your clit, which draws a moan of approval from you. It seems evident that it spurs him on further as he begins to speed up his tongue, then switching to sucking your bud and having his fingers delve lower to your hole. Reiner holds eye contact with you as he begins to press one of his monstrous fingers inside of you. 

You can only make a noise of approval as he pushes it further in, approving of how well even one of them feels inside. It heightens your pleasure as he thrusts it forward, keeping his tongue dancing and sucking against your clit in a flurry of movements that have you questioning if Reiner is really a man and not a god in disguise. As he pushes a second large finger in, you cry out much louder than you should be in the dorms. You bite down on your lip to withhold any further noises, but Reiner puts a complete pause on what he’s doing.

“Keep moaning, baby. Let them hear how well you’re getting finger-fucked right now. This is what Armin wanted to be doing to you right now, did you know that?” He lets out a deep laugh, lips and face glistening in the dim lighting of his tv. “Bet you’d like that, though, huh?” His fingers move again and you gasp. “Yeah, you’d fucking love it if I bent you over and fingered you from behind to show off the entire team what a good little pocket pussy you are.”

That’s what tipped you over the edge. In fact, it’s probably disrespectful to feminism that you allow yourself to be finger-fucked while getting off to the disgusting words spewing out of the blond’s mouth. But social constructs be damned if this man didn’t stick his dick in you soon. You clench around his fingers as they continue to move, despite your cum gushing over his fingers.

“You’re fuckin’ nasty. But you’re still not ready for me.”

His face returns to its original spot, blowing hot air on it first as you wriggle at the stimulation. Reiner only adds another finger in response, allowing the three large digits to stretch you out before moving them once again. It feels as if you’re melting around his fingers as your back arches to the stretch. Despite slight discomfort, it’s overwhelmingly pleasurable to feel the expertise in his ways.

It’s not long after he adds another finger that you feel the coil in your stomach once again. As his tongue laps at your clit with a technique unknown to you, you’re about to unravel against his touch once again.

“‘M gonna cum,” you pant out desperately.

“Do it, cum on my fuckin’ tongue.” He replies approvingly, allowing you to take the time you need to ride out the rush to your body. For a second, you feel as if you’re floating in the way your back arches off the couch and your head spins in pure ecstasy. You glance over at Reiner, eyes fixated, as he removes his pants and reveals the thing you’ve been so curious to see. It matches his stature in almost every way, which makes you cringe at the thought of him fitting it in.

“You said you like it rough?” It’s a trap, that much you’re sure of. You glance back down to examine how large he is before you reconfirm, but before you know it, the condom has slipped on and he’s making his way back to you. He asserts his way on top, arms on either side of your head as he leans in to give you a quick kiss. It catches you a bit off guard, the earlier metallic taste has changed into the taste of your own cum and there’s a slight wince as you taste it. You can’t tell if this man is slightly depraved or hot as hell.

“I asked you a question. It’s not nice to ignore me.” 

A loud smack to your clit resounds as you let out a sharp, pleasure-filled gasp. 

“Yes, please,” you whine. It’s slightly pathetic, how you’re behaving for this man, but god be damned if anything were to impede your moment. 

He only grunts in response, lining himself up with your entrance. As he sinks in, you bite your lip to fight the stretch. You attempt to lie back and relax in his touch to allow him in, but he’s just so large. Reiner bottoms out, tip just ghosting against your cervix. He only grants you a few moments to adjust to his size before he’s pounding into you, your cries of pleasure nothing but music to his ears. The tip kissing your cervix is making your brain fuzz beyond anything you’ve felt before, and your walls hug him in intoxicating ways. Reiner grips both of your legs, bringing them onto his shoulders to push in further which earns you a grunt of approval from the larger man. 

He fucks you like he hates you. Every so often, his head falls back, and he lets out grunts of pleasure. His body moves like an artist painting their long-lost lover from only a distant memory, hips ferocious in their assault of your cunt. Reiner flips you over onto your hands and knees after an indiscernible amount of time, your sweat-covered body cringing at the chilly breeze it causes. His pace is still unrelenting from the back, cock feeling as if it’s touching every inch it can inside of you.

“Holy shit,” He cries out. “I’m gonna cum. I wish I could cum inside this pretty little pussy of yours.”

Without another word, except for your moan of approval, Reiner finishes and delicately slides out of you, removing the condom and disposing of it. He arrives back a couple minutes later, towel in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

“So, round two?”

“I’m pretty sure you started my period just now.”

[levilaughlove]

❝𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩❞

w;c : 1k+ (fuuccc)

warning: bottom!m!reader || toxic reader? || levi being butthurt || monster fucking || nsfw || minors dni || male bod reader || reader is a slut || oops, made him cry || Modern AU || heavy lemon - I gave Levi a height boost. He is 8 inches taller than reader. ily lol || x Erwin??? brat taming??

You are a very attractive man. Like, get anyone you wanted type of a man. You had an attractive body and a haircut/style that just fit you so well.

You also are very observant. You work at a high class modeling agency and you are one of the world's top paid male models. You are first and someone you work with often is 2nd.

"Good-morning Levi." You said with a smile. "Good-morning, M/n." Levi said avoiding your gaze, tips of his ears red. Noticing this you smirk to yourself.

"Um, Pat needs emergency green screen photo's from you so you should go see him." Levi mentioned still looking away. "Alright talk soon." You said flirty under the cut and walked away. You heard Levi sigh relieved just before the voices in the room slowly faded.

"Pat. You needed me?" You ask, peeking your head into the equipment room. "Yes! I did, we are lacking in photos from you heavily and the people...as bad as it sounds.. aren't that interested in seeing the other models as much as you.

That high-key gave you a power boost but you wouldn't say that out loud. "So, we've prepared some quick outfits from Prada and Balenciaga. Try em' all on. We got work to do." Pat says enthusiastically. You sigh. It's gonna be a long day.

Many hours later, you're finally finished with you photo-shoot and you're heading out to the indoor parking lot. "M/n!" A woman's voice echos through the lot. You turn to see a blonde woman with blue eyes. "Krista!" You smile. "Hey hey! How are you?---Scratch that there is bigger things to talk about." Krista says joyfull. "Well, get to it." You say impatient. "Erwin is hosting a colleague party for the huge skyrocket in revenue. You're our top paid model. You HAVE to be there!" She smiled widely, clearly excited. "I mean how could I say no?" You smile slightly.

"When is it held?" "Tomorrow night at 11:00pm." "Alright, i'll definitely be there." "See you."

The night ended on a good note. You had takeout for dinner, had a h or c shower then went to bed. The next day wasn't very eventful, you went to a couple fashion shows like normal, then shopped online most of the day.

Soon came Erwin's revenue party, you had a very eye catching outfit. (you can choose) You took an uber as you planned on having a couple drinks. You finally arrived at Erwin's penthouse and you knocked. "Hey M/n. Good to see you." You low-key had the hots for Erwin. He was very handsome and slightly reserved. "I was hoping you'd come." He smiled.

"It's your party. I'd never miss it. " Your eyes darkening. Erwin let you in and you were greeted by many colleagues. You felt an intense gaze and soon realized it was Levi. When you noticed him, he looked away embarrassed. You knew exactly what you'd do.

You walked over to Levi, drink in hand. "Hey. You didn't say hi to me." You say with a fake sad tone. "Yeah, sorry. I just-." He stopped. "Hmm?" "I don't know. Can I get you another drink to make it up?" Levi offered. "Sure. Then I can show you something." Levi had a curious look on his face but didn't ask any questions.

"What can I get you?" A woman with short brown hair asked. "Um, 2 Lemon-drop tequilas. Extra tequilla please." Levi requested. You stared at him with lust which Levi noticed many times. "Be right up!"

You start a normal convo with Levi at one of the tables in the penthouse. "M/n!" Marco called from the pool table. "Wanna play?"

You look over at Levi who looks a bit bummed at the sudden end of the convo. That secretly made you want to press it more. You look back over to the pool table. Erwin giving pleading eyes and you give in. "Sorry Levi, talk soon?" "Sure.."

You knew you were an asshole. Not that you cared however. You walked over to the pool table. Those around you began to chant "Illegal shot, Illegal shot, Illegal shot!" You were focused but a bit tipsy. You made the shot anyway. Everyone around the room cheered.

You can see Levi staring in your peripheral view. You took this as an opportunity to stir some more shit up. You look at Erwin and tell him to follow you. Erwin knowing where this is going, takes your hand as you lead him to another side of the penthouse.

Levi begins to shift around the room unsubconsciously following you. When you see nobody is around beside Erwin and Levi who is around the corner, you bring erwin into a heated kiss and begin to grope his cock. Erwin groans deeply and lifts behind your knees so now his manhood is pressing against yours. He begins to dry hump and you bury you head in his neck. You meet eyes with Levi and grin.

Just to overstep, "Erwin, I want it.." "Want what, doll?" Erwin acts oblivious. "Your dick, daddy." You say all this while look at Levi dead in the eyes. The man looks like he could cry. He disappears into the corner and Erwin brings you into the room of the door you were making out on.

You get pounded by Erwin for the next 30 minutes. You couldn't lie and say it wasn't a bit hard to take. You were sore but made your way back to the party. You saw Levi sitting alone at the "bar" and decided to "spill your drink" on him. You made it look realistic too, impressive.

"Shit sorry 'Vi." You say, definitely not just drunk on tequila. "It's fine." Levi avoids eye contact. "Here, lemme.." You say lowly as you attempt to rup the alcohol away with your bare hands. You look up at Levi and he has a certain look in his eyes.

"Maybe you can help me wash it out." Levi says, hinting at something. "Hic- of coursee.." You say, stumbling past people while holding Levi's hand. "Here's the hic- bathroom." You open the door with your back. As soon as you get inside, Levi slams the door shut and holds your waist from behind. His other hand around your neck. "Why're you fucking with me?" He ask in your ear.

"What do you mean, Vi'?" You say sarcastically. "I got something for you.." Levi roughly shoves you onto the bathroom counter. Pulling off your pants and boxers. You knew where this was going which is why you fueled the fire all night. Without warning, Levi shoves himself deep into your ass fully bottoming out. You were stretched out because of your exercise sesh with Erwin. So, it was easy.

That fact pissed Levi off even more. Having to relive seeing the man he liked with a close colleague. Levi took both your hands by the wrists and held them behind you with one hand. The other hand around your neck.

"Gnn..Vi'----" "Shut the fuck up." And with that, he began pounding and rutting his body violently against you. His dick and your ass making a loud slosh and fapping noise. You completely rested your body so you could feel the pounding in your stomach.

Levi gave you no room to move. Asserting dominance over you. You were so well, your ass began to drip on the floor. Groaning and moaning filling the room along with the aggressive shifting of Levi, practically tossing you around.

As Levi pulled his hips in and out with liquids connecting his pelvis and your ass, you came. You came so hard with a loud groan, cum all over the sink mixed with drool. Levi didn't' stop though.

He rammed you through your whole orgasm, not giving you a chance to scream, my coving your mouth. He found your prostate and rammed harder. He began to hear a voice beyond the door and heard Erwins. He slams your body against the door, purposly being louder.

Releasing his hand from your mouth. "--Gkh--!!Levi pleas..e!" You cries, choked up. Erwin stopped and pressed his ear against the door.

Levi rutted more then deep thrusted penetrating your g spot. You came again then began cumming after every thrust. You eyes rolling back, mouth agape, drooling, face flush and hot. Levi loved seeing you like this. All to him. He was being mean on purpose.

He didn't stop for 3 hours straight, only rammed hard, the door pounding along, hitting your cock, now in pain but pleasure, cum all over.

Yeah, it was a long night.

[firefly--bright]

blooming hearts.

jean kirstein x reader, reincarnation au

chapter three - growth//act one

chapter warnings ; canon typical violence, death, mourning, mentions of suicide.

✿ previous ✿ series masterlist ✿ next ✿

Jean hadn’t known what he was getting into when he scowled at you from afar on initiation day. If he had, maybe he would’ve stopped it, and maybe it would’ve taken him faster to finally accept defeat and pray that his feelings would go away.

No, because even if he prayed to someone who never had the ears to empathize with him and lessen the burden of being in love, he knew he’d regret his wishes coming true. Loving you was the light that he’d hoped for – always present, never flickering, always standing and beautiful. He’d get burnt a thousand times over if it meant he could feel what your warmth again.

He couldn’t put a date to all the times he thought you were the hope. Of how many times he’d looked at his right side with tenderness in his eyes without even trying, of how many times he’d thought you were made out of everything he was curious about – the stars, fire, the sun. even when it was after training and you were sweaty and sat under the shade of a large tree, he wondered how you maintained your warmth in the blazing heat without making him suffocate.

You were on his right as always, he’d find out, as he relaxed lazily on the lush green grass, feeling the inkling of a breeze wash over him. He could only faintly hear his friends and their excited cheers – marco talking to armin about the book that they had read, something jean wasn’t all that interested in, mikasa softly telling eren that he’s doing better in training with the gear and jean could almost see the way the latter’s face would’ve gone red even if jean was looking at the sky above him. Connie and sasha argued bravely with reiner, the blonde's boisterous laugh taking over the whole field. Nothing could reach jean’s ears, however, because when he turned to look at you, on his damned right, you were looking at the clouds just as he was.

He shuddered. Summer in July with a full, heavy uniform on, he shuddered.

And his heart was beating so fast in his chest and he could hear it, almost taste it, when you turned around to look at him and smiled brightly.

Someone called your name. “how’d it go for you guys?” marco asked, armin turning towards you. jean watched as you shrugged and it all seemed effortless – uncalculated, relaxed, you responded with a soft smile, “y’know. Can’t complain. Reiner did try to shove me into a tree, though-“

“that was an accident, I’d never-“

“no, you did! I saw you!” sasha says, pointing at the blonde who looks around for support, red with embarrassment. Jean finds the strength to sit back up, his weight on his forearms, and you turn to look at him after instigating the bickering that now seemingly everyone but you and jean were a part of. He wondered if you could detect the softness that filled his eyes as he looked at you. you offered him your waterbottle, noticing the sweat on his brow, turning back to the conversation – if you could even call it that – at hand.

“I mean, it couldn’t have been intentional-“ bert reasoned, to which eren remarked “reiner’s a team player, though!” at reiner's defence. The man looked like a deflated version of himself, looking down at his lap shamefully.

You laughed. “total team player. Sorry, reiner.”

“honestly, I don’t blame you. if his big-“ connie gestures to his chest, cupping the air around it, “-bumped into me, i'd also fall into a tree.”

Eren laughs. Jean groans, his face scrunching up. “do you want me to tell everyone what happened last night?” he says with a smirk, leaning into the conversation, and connie’s eyes go comically wide.

“no-“ he says, his voice cracking, and the chatter breaks out once more, everyone urging jean to continue.

Marco glances at him with a smile. You and jean make a good team, he thinks, and he wonders how long it’ll take for the two of you to realise it without any help from him. The moment you stop talking, he completes you, without hesitation and with the same sharp glint in his eye as yours. marco always pride himself as an astute observer, the same as his best friend, but unlike the latter, he wouldn’t point out his discoveries outright, not without some coaxing or unless it was absolutely needed. So of course – even if it had been obvious to everyone else except maybe eren – the way you and jean conversed and acted like two halves of the same being didn’t go unnoticed by him, the way jean stole a couple spritz of his lavender perfume sometimes to make himself more “presentable” to no-one in particular, he knew it was for you. the way your shoulders relaxed under only jean’s soft gaze, the way you would try to spot jean’s ashy hair across the dining hall and would beeline towards him without hesitation. All of it, all the telltale signs of young love that was capable of turning so much more were all present, splayed out with its organs open to poking and prodding.

Marco wondered if this is how it would always be. If jean would always glance at you for a reaction while retelling a story against connie’s loud protests, if you would always laugh at his obvious attempts to bring connie down as much as connie did to jean.

Maybe it would. Maybe marco would always observe you two, skirting around your feelings because it was too obvious to say out loud.

And maybe it was, marco realized, his eyes squinting at your interaction with his best friend – unsaid, almost secret but not ashamed to be out in the open. He watches with only a little confusion as jean nods his head towards you with recognition and a small smile that barely reaches his cheeks and then he watches you, a stranger he doesn’t know the name of, do the same to him and almost wants to laugh at how obvious this is. But nobody else is watching, nobody witnesses the universe bait its breath and stop time for an intangible second.

And then, just as quick, you turn back to the rest of his friends and ask with your shoulders relaxed, “so, what would you guys like to order?”

Right. That’s what was happening. Marco blinks back at you.

“three cheesecakes. Wait, no, hold on-“ sasha says, and turns to her as connie squints at the menu again, no doubt having trouble reading, mustering up a loud but sure, “dooibos jelly!”

You tilt you head, “one rooibos jelly.”, you say, subtly correcting connie and marco laughs. “stupid ass name.” connie mutters, and jean’s head turns to him. “I know youre not talking, constance springer.”

Your movements still.

“that’s not even my real name. that’s fake. Like, I stole an id-”

“I have your birth certificate on my phone right now.” Sasha says, pulling out her phone from her pocket, but marco’s eyes are on you. “why the fuck do you have my birth-“ “research.” “the astrology bullshit again?” “something has to answer to this mess!” “excuse me? Im beautiful.” baldy - connie speaks.

Your fingers have gone stiff, shoulders tensed, blinking rapidly and it clicks. It makes sense. To marco atleast. He steps closer to the counter, placing his hands on the wood. “breathe, just breathe through it.”

Your eyes close, as if that would help with everything you were seeing. In the wooden, humid dining hall, connie stealing from your plate, repeating the same joke with him and the brown haired girl and doubling over with laughter as your beloved grumbled under his breath about how it wasn’t that funny but you knew he was smiling too; comforting connie after he lost his twin, accompanying him to ragako to see his family and listening to his stories about his small but loud village.

you did as you were told, not questioning Freckle’s instructions as you inhaled, exhaled. One, two three. Why did remembering have to be so painful? You could only faintly make out the concerned voices that filled around you, hands guiding your shoulders – they were warm and familiar is all you knew, all you wanted to know – and you try to focus on your breathing, but this name, this goddamn name sends you spiralling through a tornado, falling with you breath stuck in your chest; “connie springer” and his jokes, sitting in the dining room, standing near the stables, charging into an unfortunate carnage, flying through the trees as the branches scratch the side of your face, your cheeks stretched with the wide smile that spills from your lips, your laughter mixed with his travelling through the air because of a joke that was deemed lame by almost everyone but you.

A hand was intertwined with yours, pressing into your flesh with soft pressure despite its calluses, you note, another hand that you couldn’t feel through your clothes rested on your back, feeling the up and down of your breathing, moving their thumb in a small circle there. The wood pattern of the table infront of you, the small chatter from everyone in the café but your circle, the smell of fresh tea – chamomile, you think, you weren’t as good as Levi with the guessing game – berry flavoured gum that stained your tastebuds. Breathing in and then out. In and then out until connie springer became nothing but a name with a face and wrinkles around his eyes. Someone that could lighten the mood with one word. Someone that could hug you and pat your back awkwardly but with all the love he could muster up, which seemed to be a lot. Someone who was important to you. Was supposed to be important to you.

“better?” flower boy asks, and you know its important because he’s never looked at you like this, with this much warmth and knowing, and it was his hand holding yours. With flinching being involuntary, it left less of a choice for you to leave his grip. You can only find it in yourself to nod, a simple action bearing more than you want to imagine.

Connie’s on the other side of the table, looking at you eagerly. Freckles is to your right and Sunshine – this is what you will call her until you could have the courage to learn her name before you learn your own – is sitting to his right, connie’s left. Was his nickname just as heavy as his name? is that why you felt like this? You shift in your seat. You wonder how heavy your own name is.

“man, thought you died again with that look on your face.” Connie jokes, as always. Flower boy’s hand goes stiff in yours and you find it involuntary to squeeze it to relax him. Since when did you give yourself as much importance? Since when did you think that your touch could relax someone? Your hands have always been cold. Dead? Is that what connie said? Checked out.

“too soon.” Freckles says, a small smile on his face. Connie nods and shifts back in his seat. You don’t want to learn the rest of their names – not because you lack the courage or the grief but because you lacked the knowledge to. You couldn’t bear to hold that importance, the expectation that held up their faces, the same look your parents held, the same look that would be broken when you mentioned going to the university of paradis instead of the one you couldn’t get into. You couldn’t bear to break the news to them, their hopeful faces, looking at you for a word – your word, the one you hated to say out loud because it made your existence far more real than you’d like it to be, your name that was nothing but an outline of what you were supposed to be – and to watch their same faces fall because of everything you couldn’t provide. Your story was already written, however, because the next words you could think of were remnant of what you wanted to say and not what you were supposed to say, “so, what have you been up to?” with a pep in your voice that you didn’t recognize. You suppose you never have been able to recognize who you were.

Flower boy’s confusion to your avoidance terrified you, terrified of the importance you felt because you could identify his emotions without so much as a glance at his face. And then there were Sunshine and connie who talked over each other, their voices settling deep within your bones, everything you felt increasing tenfold, feeling like it was no longer contained within you but reached out of the boundaries of this store. It terrified you. You were giving yourself too much importance, a place that wasn’t supposed to be filled by you.

Freckles looked between the two of them, opening and closing his mouth to say something, interject their stories, and flower boy was still looking at you. You wondered what he was thinking. You wondered what you were thinking, too, to still be here. You had a plan, something that you were supposed to do. Complete high school graduation, something that would fulfil your parent’s wishes before everything else, pretend to care about further education, pretend to care about waking up no matter how exhausted your body was from never sleeping, pretend to eat, pretend to not lock your bathroom, pretend you didn’t want to let the ground bury you. It’s embrace would be infinitely warmer than whatever the air held, always smelling like built up guilt and discomfort that refused to leave no matter how many incense sticks you burnt, no matter how much smoke you filled up with. And then pretend to be alive for seven minutes as the cold felt warmer and the warmth felt colder. At least, that’s what it was supposed to feel like according to the minimal, hesitant research you had done about bodies after death.

Planned. Everything with you had to be put in perfect, cursive letters, reminding you of who you were supposed to be, of the shoes and clothes you were supposed to fill out. The heaviness of it all, too; you were listening, not quiet there, and it felt a lot like an apology. Like lost letters from friends who could never find the other’s new address because they never reached out to. It felt a lot like an admission of guilt than you actually being here, like this big performance the steps to which you were entirely unaware of, always teetering between the edge of being just enough and failing, always on thin ice.

Dead. That’s what you were supposed to be, right? Connie said it. Flower boy felt it, you were sure, and Freckles was aware of it. Sunshine tried to hide it entirely but the pea sized elephant in the room was made clear to you – you were not supposed to be here. Maybe some other, better, beautiful version of you was. she deserved it. You didnt know her but you knew that she did, and who were you to deprive her of that joy? The joy of getting to know the version of you that was long buried underground with dirt filling their lungs and whites of their eyes turned a cold grey. Whoever it was that you saw in your dreams – you refuse to call her your own name – was someone else entirely, crumpled under the weight of those fiery monsters in an island that went just as unnamed as you. Maybe that’s who they were looking for. You were dead, performing at a funeral of someone you’re supposed to know, someone youre supposed to be, and people are looking at you for answers you don’t have. They’re looking at you.

Theyre looking at you. You stare at the space between you and flower boy, Freckles is tapping you on the shoulder. You look up, theyre looking at you for answers you don’t have, expectant smiles on their faces for a voice you couldn’t bear to hear from yourself, for a name you could never make your own.

Sunshine shifts closer, her hands leaning on the table. You do the same, leaning in close so her excited whispers can reach your ears even though what she asks isn’t a secret. “what’s your name?”

right. You owe it to them.

You lean back. It hurts. You tell them who you are.

And then theres more silence. They seem to know how to deal with it – Sunshine leans back into her chair and stares as the ceiling much like connie, Freckles leans forward and rests his head on the table, flower boy stiffens entirely and you worry he isn’t breathing. He shifts closer to you without speaking and you let him. Who are you to stop him? They know you now. Or atleast, theyre supposed to. You rub circle’s on flower boy’s hand, rhythmic, performing. Speaking of a dead person was hard, especially since it was yourself. You never knew how to sign off on letters, you never knew how to give speeches or how to start them without sweating and now you had a crowd – a procession, some mourners for someone you were supposed to be – and it felt like an apologetic eulogy of someone you had never met but were supposed to know about, know of, become. It wasn’t you.

Maybe your parents were also mourners. The few friends turned strangers you had back where you regrettably grew up were also mourners.

but that was giving yourself too much importance. Who were you to have a funeral? You would never. But she – the you with the blades in your hands - could. she would. Was it him? flower boy? Who cried over your – her – dead figure drenched in blood, promising something important? Must’ve been him with the way he was holding you now but, then again, it wasn’t you being held. It was the body in the casket that went unburied not because she wasnt loved enough, but because she were loved too much.

Something that could never be you. Too much importance.

The silence was broken by Freckles. He smiled warmly, with familiar happiness, letters found by strangers turned friends after finding the right address to go to. “good to see you again.”

again, as if you’d met before. As if it was you who he’d met and loved.

You smiled back as performance, standing up with him as he took you in his arms, noting the way flower boy’s hands lingered in yours as you got up. she must’ve been important, this version of you that they had built up in their heads that you were sure to destroy with one wrong word. Freckles hugged you tightly, his arms circling your shoulders, his head resting on top of yours and you wonder if he thinks it’s an awkward form, one of your arms is pressed in between both your bodies, the other reaching around his back, your nametag digging into your chest, no doubt digging into his as well with your rapid breathing. Connie and Sunshine joined in a minute later, unable to stop themselves – how you could guess their emotions was a mystery to you. You were giving yourself too much importance, you assumed, flower boy’s hands engulfing the four of you now and despite the layers of arms covering you, you could feel his warmth the most.

You were giving yourself too much importance.

“connie, I cant breathe.” Sunshine says, her nose buried into Freckles’ dark blue sweater.

“its jean’s fault-“

“get your nose out of marco’s fucking big back-“

“just because im taller than sasha doesn’t mean I have a big ba-“

So many names being thrown without a care in the world; without the importance held under their tongues that you thought they’d hold. No longer Sunshine and flower boy and Freckles, their names meshed together with the memories and the pain of remembering, again, and you wondered why it had to be you. Why it had to be someone like you who had to hold this gun to your own head, you who had to recite a eulogy in front of strangers, you who had to forget and remember and forget again, why it was you who wasn’t allowed to give yourself too much importance, why it was you that was supposed to be important.

Your head buried itself further into Freckles’ – marco. Marco with constellations for freckles, marco who had asked you – her – for advice on what to give his youngest sister on her birthday while being so far away from her, marco who had told you your gear was loose before you headed headfirst into battle without knowing its consequences, marco who had told you that you and your flower boy make a good team after a mission, marco who’s face chewed off in an uneven chunk, half his limbs destroyed, his eyes closed. Without a goodbye.

Marco. His name was marco now, your eyes closed tighter, the chatter around you increased. Something about connie saying, “what did we do now?” only to be met with “did we not tell them our names?” “I don’t… I think we did?” “well clearly fucking not.” Followed by another pair of arms replacing marco’s, and the feeling itself made you crumble to your knees if it wasn’t for him holding you upright, your weight pressed onto him. He held you delicately, with a purpose you didn’t have the importance to serve. “I’ve got you. We’re here.” He says, and if just the sound of his voice could solve everything, you’d let him. You’d let him play god, you’d let him play with the strings of the universe that you’d let control you, you’d let him put you in your coffin and dig dirt on top of your stranger of a body.

“should I get them some tea? What’s their favourite?” previously Sunshine, now turned sasha asks. No, she was always sasha. Were you always yourself? You weren’t sure about that, but her voice makes you grimace, even with her honeyed tones flowing to your ears. It wasn’t her fault. No matter how much you tried to suppress all that you were feeling to show that you were fine because that’s what the mangled corpse of yourself would’ve done in another life, you don’t, because you're not her, and sasha’s voice serves as a reminder of her being a part of you. Bunking with her, her hair flowing over her shoulders as she took a hold of your hands and practically begged you to steal some extra rations from the kitchens, sitting on her bed after your first expedition, sitting in silence for the first time since you met her because both of you were incapable of having something to say to each other, opting to hold each other instead, brushing the knots out of her hair as she rambled to you about the countless horrifying ways her date with the blonde chef all while laughing at her drawn out conclusions about the end of the date that hadn’t even started yet.

And then there was him. Flower boy. Jean. His nickname felt just as heavy as connie’s, but if you had the strength to, you would’ve wondered why, knowing that the answer would be a low, inconsiderate hum from the universe, and the way your heart constricts in your chest makes you wonder if this serves as a punishment. The sin you hadn’t meant to commit, the sin of being someone else and trying to fill their uncomfortable shoes – maybe the hole in your chest was a cruel, albeit worthy, damnation and the only thing that brought you comfort was the fact that you had felt this before. That you had prepared yourself by knowing what it felt like to have nothing to thaw yourself from the frozen state you were in. even if it wasn’t in the same position as you were in right now, you had felt the drowning depth that your limbs ache into and ache for. The only problem was him. The same person who was quiet literally holding you up by the shoulders was the reason you were so conflicted, why everything felt worse because now you had people to let down. you knew what it was like to be held by him and you knew that it was him who was holding you and now you had to come to terms with the uncontrollable fact that you had to be the one to break his hopes. Tell him that the person he had been looking for was dead, waiting to be buried by him, body getting warmer by the minute because he was holding it’s corpse.

Dead. You were supposed to be dead, you had everything planned out. Complete highschool. Pretend. Dead. You were supposed to be dead but now jean’s warm breath is shifting the hair where his nose rested, his lips forming words you’re sure you can shape yourself into. You breathe out. He feels as real as nothing ever has and you shudder again and you think he thinks youre cold – you are – and he pulls his jacket off and on top of your shoulders as muscle memory even if your skin has never been used to the kindness he’s offering. Hes covering a corpse with his own hands. Bed of flowers growing over your previous body, you were sure, because only she was capable of growing something beautiful.

You control your breathing. You’ve done this before. back when you used to be afraid of the dark, back when everyone with a face claimed to hate you, back when the bathroom was your only respite to breathe. And then jean pulls away, only a little, and youre looking down at your shoes because you know his eyes will speak truth that you don’t want to read. His voice – vibrating, low, considerate, his – asks, “better now?”

Performance. Whoever you were in that life is capable of something far more beautiful than what you could say, and it’s a script that’s been provided for you, because you find the teetering strength to look up at him and speak, finally, with a voice that’s not yours because it’s alive. Or it’s pretending to be. “never better,” your teeth are rotting and falling out and there are maggots in your skull youre dead youre dead youre dead.

Jean smiles. The light falls down on his cheekbones and he looks like he belongs with this performance of you and youre glad your wear for worse body had provided him with a rare reason to smile like that, all soft and kind and eyes crinkled on the corners because he had lived. Your fingers move without the hesitant permission they usually openly have, brushing a lock of his hair behind his ear. His eyes fall shut momentarily, the universe baits it’s breath with patience that it hadn’t been kind enough to show you until now. You breathe in too, involuntary, unallowed, impatient, and your hand falls back down, resting on his chest, feeling the organ of his heart. A place you knew you belonged. Where she belonged. This new performance.

The stage has been set. All you have to do is act. Keep up the appearance of being the person they wanted you to be, all for the satisfaction of someone dead being miraculously alive. You wondered if your demise had anything to do with the way you unfortunately turned out – if the blood seeping out of you somehow tampered with the way you’d live (if you could dare to call it living) in this universe, in this life, but then you look over to sasha who’s deer-brown eyes have a glossy sheen to them, wide and waiting with her arms open, fingers waiting.

The stage has been set. All you have to do is act.

ACT 1, SCENE 1.

INTERIOR. BLOOM TEAS, 4:48 P.M.

SASHA’s arms open for POPPY. The lights filter in through the windows, afternoon warmth slipping into the cool of the store. CONNIE waits, expectant. MARCO’s smile is soft. flower boy JEAN’s hand on the small of POPPY's back. POPPY steps into SASHA’s embrace.

SASHA (smiling, voice cracking)

I missed you.

POPPY (reciprocating)

me too.

CONNIE (joining in)

stop gatekeeping the hug, sash.

SASHA

im not doing shit, baldy.

MARCO (joining in, chuckling)

this feels right.

flower boy JEAN (humming)

we should probably get out of here, though. That guy’s starin’ at us.

ALL turn their heads towards LEVI, who wipes down a cup, shooting glares towards the group.

POPPY

oh shit, I have to be at work right now.

SASHA (holding POPPY’s face in her hands.)

Her hands are soft, warm. Her thumb almost pokes into your eye but she’s careful to not let it.

does this mean we get stuff for free now?

MARCO

sash, I don’t think that’s allowed.

CONNIE

why not? POPPY’s an employee. There should be uh… a discount.

MARCO (turning to POPPY)

...is there?

POPPY

I wish, but no. we do get one free drink per day, though, and sometimes we get to take the leftovers home. I have some matcha cake in my fridge, if you’d like.

SASHA (grinning widely)

are you inviting us to have matcha cake at your place? D’ya have a crush on us or something?

Flower boy JEAN (groaning)

are you sure you wanna share with her, poppy?

SASHA (offended)

hey!

CONNIE

no, jean’s right. for the first time ever.

jean scrunches his face up. Its cute. If you had more importance and more of a connection to being a part of this play, you’d reach out to tap his nose with your index finger gently. Enough to annoy him but still find your affection.

MARCO

I really think we should leave, now that jean said it.

POPPY

don’t worry about it. That’s just levi.

Collective silence.

jean’s head rests on your shoulder for a moment. sasha and connie's face pales. you're not sure if its because of you saying his name out loud or if it’s because theyre still afraid of him. you wouldn’t blame them. marco simply tilts his head – you suppose he wasn’t there when levi had made everyone clean the cabin top to bottom five times over because he had found a singular speck of dirt under one of the beds.

CONNIE

yeah we should fucking get out of here I don’t want him to chop my fucking arm off.

SASHA

I don’t remember the last time I cleaned my room. Can he smell that on me? I feel like he can.

flower boy JEAN

I think he can hear it on you too. Hello captain.

LEVI enters the scene. All eyes are now on him.

LEVI

what's going on here?

CONNIE and SASHA salute, their fist against their chest.

BOTH (eyes screwed shut)

captain levi, sir!

flower boy JEAN (standing up straighter, fixing his posture.)

s-sir. Hello.

LEVI (narrowing his eyes)

names. Now.

FADING OUT

ACT 1, SCENE 2

INTERIOR. BLOOM TEAS, 9:56 P.M

you had the closing shift, and after serving some beverages and food – there were multiple rounds of this, considering sasha – and your hands shook with familiar cold as you pressed in the code to lock the back door of the café, your apartment keys heavy in your pocket, calling you back to your pyjama’s and mattress.

flower boy JEAN

hey, poppy.

POPPY flinches, turning around.

POPPY (smiling softly)

jesus, you scared me.

flower boy JEAN (also smiling, hands in his pockets)

boo.

POPPY

oh, im so scared… I hope a big strong man comes to save me.

flower boy JEAN (interlocking hands with POPPY)

right here, my love.

Huh. Love. It was strange how the nickname fell off his lips so nautrally, as if it were already there, as if it suited you and became who you were. But the name wasn’t meant for you. it was meant for this poppy. A reminder for you to stay on stage without breaking character.

POPPY (laughing softly)

were you waiting for me, flower boy?

flower boy JEAN

no, I was just… you know. Admiring this…. Beautiful alley. Yeah. Nice brick walls you got there.

POPPY (laughing)

yeah, I made them myself, thanks.

flower boy JEAN (starting to lead POPPY home)

I was going to drop you off. Missed you at the shop today.

POPPY

i forgot I took a double shift today. I would’ve told you last week if-

flower boy JEAN

its alright. Where do you live?

Another reminder that he doesn’t know you. this you, the one that half-assed decorating your apartment because you got too whipped up into the semester to care about how you lived. This you who couldn’t call any place a home. How could this you – someone who’s not a poppy or a love or a whoever he deems fit – compare to the one that had a temple built under her sacred name in the centre of jean’s heart?

POPPY

just straight and then a left. Takes about twenty minutes by foot.

flower boy JEAN hums.

Theres a lull in your barely-there script of a conversation, your hand still in his.

flower boy JEAN

you okay?

POPPY (smiling)

of course I am. Why?

flower boy JEAN

you’ve been acting kinda weird since you found out our names.

Fuck. Did he figure you out? Did you let yourself slip away? Youre supposed to be dead. Your grave was already made. Perfect coffin with your name crossed out and eyes forcefully screwed shut.

POPPY (leaning her head of flower boy JEAN’s shoulder)

just a little tired. I had a couple classes before work, so.

flower boy JEAN (humming)

wanna order some takeout when we reach your place? I know some really good pizza.

POPPY (smiling)

I’d like that.

FADING OUT, flower boy JEAN AND POPPY HAND IN HAND.

END OF ACT ONE.

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[marcobodtlives]

Here's a sad thought.

You know how titan shifters take the memories of the previous one? So, when Armin ate Bertholdt and took the colossal from him that means he more than likely saw the memory of what happened with Marco, and didn't say anything.

Not to Jean.

No one.

YEAH! THIS IS ON MY MIND CONSTANTLY 😓

24/7 RENT FREE

I say this to everyone I know who watches AoT and I believe it wholeheartedly.

Thank you 🥲 I think about this fact so often and I have so many headcanons about it!!!

Here they all are beneath the cut, I hope you like: 🥹

I reckon Armin would have had flashes of it, felt so sick, picked up Bertholdt’s lingering guilt, and then been utterly torn between telling Jean and keeping it to himself.

I think Armin and Jean are close, particularly so after their planned kidnapping in season 3. I think Armin has always reminded Jean of Marco, and I think a small part of Jean knows that Armin means a lil more to him because it’s the last shred of Marco that he feels he still has.

Marco and Armin were close. They were both smart, inquisitive, caring individuals that wound up being the ones keeping their chaotic friends in line. He might be short, blond, and lack the freckles Jean loved, but Armin is as close to Marco that Jean has - and Armin knows that too.

After Marco’s death, Armin notices how heavily it’s impacted Jean, and he reaches out. Extends an open line, lets Jean know that he’s there for him if he ever wants to talk - really talk.

After their planned capture in season 3, after Armin kills to save Jean’s life, after Armin’s sacrifice in Shiganshina, he’s torn.

On one hand, Jean was closest to Marco, was the one who took his death the hardest, the one who sees him and mourns him more than anyone else. Jean is the one who keeps Marco’s memory alive, he’s the one that fights the hardest to keep Marco from becoming ‘just another comrade we’ve lost.’

Jean has said “he died all alone, without anyone knowing or seeing.” Armin knows the circumstances of Marco’s death kill Jean, rock him to the core.

Armin knows Jean is the one who deserves to know the truth more than anyone.

But Armin also knows the other side to Jean.

Armin knows Jean feels the weight of every death. He knows Jean wakes at night, hands clamped over his ears. He knows Jean’s sketchbook is full of sketches of Marco, and he knows they’re becoming less and less accurate as time goes on.

He knows Jean would fall into a hole, so to speak, if he found out the truth. He knows Jean would need answers, he knows the fury of it all would compromise Jean in the field.

When they reach the ocean, he almost says something. They aren’t in immediate danger, it’s been over a year, they have their answers. Logically, it would be the best time to say something.

But he sees Jean with Conny and Sasha, sees their smiles, the carefree way they laugh as salt water twists their features. And Armin realises… he can’t do this. He doesn’t have the heart to sit Jean down and explain that his best friend of three years was held down and fed to a titan by three of their fellow cadets-turned-traitors.

Murdered. He can’t tell Jean that Marco was murdered. He just - he can’t do that. It’s hard enough seeing it himself when he closed his eyes, he can’t tell Jean and subject him to that truth.

He doesn’t need to fuel Jean’s nightmares by giving him more context. He isn’t going to be the gasoline to Jean’s trauma-fire.

He can tell the truth when they’re stable again. When Paradis isn’t under threat, when there’s peace and hope. When Jean has the time to heal without fear and uncertainty dancing over their heads.

Then they go to Marley. Then Eren leaves. War is declared. They’re fighting for their lives. Again.

Then Reiner and Annie are honest.

And Armin is reminded why he didn’t tell Jean when fists start flying and Jean ends up in the woods with his hands over his ears.

But he thinks maybe things will be okay, when Jean saves Reiner’s ass as they hang from Eren’s ribcage.

[stillxnunpxidintern]

So I've had a few thoughts on what it would be like to be in a relationship with both Ace and Marco, and reason why you would hide from them. I'm writing this mainly cause I had a dream with these two in.

Being with them is great, you balance them both well. With keeping Ace a little more ground on his impulses/recklessness and making sure at Marco doesn't overwork himself with Vice-captain and Doctor duties.

That being said and while you do love them both, you also escape and hide from them a lot of the time, to have some space/time to yourself because they are overprotective men and sometimes it gets a little too much, normally after some other pirate crew tries attacking, when they get a little clingy/possessive.

After the whole Teach incident where he murdered nearly Thatch over a devil fruit, which thankfully he never got his hands on. You had been in the kitchen finishing cleaning up and exited just at the right time, to stop Thatch from being killed, he was still wounded badly but he at least he was alive.

After that they both stuck to you like glue, worried that something might happen to and angry that they didn't see it, everyone was angry, that someone considered family could betray them like that.

So you took hiding, normally you either hide in the kitchen with Thatch causes he's a good brother and commander, always willing to help hide you if it means annoying both Ace and Marco, but you're also willing to hide in the engine work or with Izou.

Once or twice you have even used Pop's to hide from them, to which he is more than happy to help, knowing that it can be overwhelming sometimes with how many people are on the ship.

You knew that if it was dire they could find you easily, but neither were hurt by you hiding from them, though Ace would pout but then would either curl in your side or lay his head in your lap.

Sleeping in-between those two is great for when visiting some of the winter islands or if the weather turns cold, however when it turns hot, you try to escape as your always melting when in the middle, due to them always running hot, so sometimes you decided to sleep in the original bunk you were given when you first joined, just to so you get some sort of sleep to be able to function in the heat.

When it gets hot you have, you have a spray bottle on hand, that you use mainly on Ace cause that man likes to cuddle no matter what, spraying him with the only thing that seems to stop him, even if it's only for a while before he tries again. Marco doesn't try but he does encourage Ace which sometimes results in him getting sprayed but that just makes him laugh, as he can easily take the bottom from you.

If you get injured after encounter with another crew, you always avoid Marco like the plague. You know it's childish but Marco has more than important things to do, like dealing with major injuries and other doctory things. So you treat it yourself by cleaning it and either putting a plaster or bandage on it, as they ain't worthwhile Marco using his blue healing flame, but you would also say if you had a large/major injury, as you don't want to bother man.

If Ace tries to snitch on you to Marco, you'll do the same to him, cause if you're going down you are 100% bringing Ace down with you.

When you do eventually get lectured by Marco, after he corners you, most of the time by chance, then towers over you stopping any attempts at escaping while lecturing you, before dragging you back to his office, normally with Ace following behind to watch the show.

Like one time when you fractured your arm and somehow hide for a few days till Marco found only cause Ace was dancing with you and had tried to spin you, which resulted in a loud yelp and preceded to get dragged away by the blonde, while trying Ace just followed behind and wasn't smiling for once.

When you get sick, you avoid everyone and hide in one of the many supply room that don't get used. You have blankets and pillows as well as something that belongs to both men for comfort. You make sure to bring water and food with you.

You always make a "nest" of sort and curl up into a ball, just sleeping away till you no longer feel sick. A few times you have been found by accident by one of your many siblings, which then leads to Ace or Marco coming to get and bring you to the room.

Those there have been a few times when you've been sick and gone straight to Ace or Marco, depending on who's closest and fall against them. They know when you're willing go to them when sick, it's gonna get a lot worse before it gets better.

And when that happens, both men are stressed way more than normal, as they keep a critical eye on you and they hate seeing you still and not trying to escape.

[xamaxenta]

SPRAYS BLOOD EVERYWHERE GIRL MAS AGAIN I CANT HANDLE IT........... IM THINKING ABOUT THE COWGIRL/CHEERLEADER AU AGAIN BECAUSE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT HUUUUGE JUGS MILFY MARCO. SHE WEARS A BUTTON UP AND JEANS AND HER ARMS HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING THAT MUSCULAR, HOW DOES HER ASS LOOK SO GOOD SHE ONKLY EVER WEARS COWBOY BOOTS OR SANDALS. LONG DARK BLONDE HAIR STARTING TO GET THOSE SHINY SILVER THREADS IN IT... FADED SAILOR TATTOOS ON HER BICEPS.... HER NEAT AND WELL KEPT HANDS . SWEAT IS POURING DOWN MY FOREHEAD

also sabo debate team princess star cheerleader with the blondest hair and bluest eyes and pinkest lips, shes all willowy and lean but with the sultriest hips and she Knows It, she chews and pops bubblegum because she KNOWWWSSS it makes people stare. sabo gets anything she wants free drinks free real estate people will risk it all for her and she will take it all , turn around and go ace!!!!! look what i found :3

ace is like a gother version of the Cookie Monster Pajama Pants Girl. shes SMOKIN hot , GREAT rack FAT ass NO bras she does NOT give a shit. she wears a lot of casual skater clothes but she also wears some of the most obscene sexy goth gear imaginable. shes only a cheerleader because sabo is too and they had to ban her from any contact sports because she kept breaking people

maybe this is a college au idk im a degen and Need to have young bunnies acesabo scrambling over milf marco maybe she runs the equestrian team idfk . but my god acesabo. theyre THE hottest couple on campus like they are everyones lesbian wet dream and they absolutely know it and use this to get away with some of the worst innapropriate pda imaginable. sabo sitting casually in outside eating area in her cute mean girls esque little outfit when ace struts up in her tiny black and red plaid miniskirt and torn stockings and knee high boots with so many stupid buckles and the CHOKER, a fat studded leather one , ace just plops herself right down in sabos lap straddling her and sabo shamelessly slides her hands right up the back of aces thighs and grabs her ass, you can TOTALLY tell ace isnt wearing panties. theyre that couple basically frenching in public and theyre so gross but also everyone is too turned on to force them to stop . people try to join "ahaha looking for a third?" "plenty of this to go around if you wanna share 😏" and they are knowm for just the most BRUTAL, NO MERCY turn downs. they do it just because they love the attention and love playing hard to get, and then they love MARCO because their antics DONT WORK ON HER???? impossible. quickly ace we must make out harder.

ive never been into ponyplay in my life but imagining marco putting those metal mouth bridles on acebo and tugging them around like that in her cowgirl getup, acebo with matching red marks on both asscheeks peeking out from under their skirts from marcos flogger........ i need to lay down before i bleed out

As always a fucking banger i have no notes this is all i wouldve wanted to say

I fucking love hyper femme Sabo and her goth gamer gf Ace and how slutty and wanton they are for Miss Marco thee Stallion 😭❤️

[normal-sea-urchin]

Casey Jones Fucking Dies: Chapter 8

AND IT IS DONE! chapter eight that is. uh, @achilles-invulnerable-heel @veritas-dolos @clanofjones @theosb0rnway @builtlikeastickofcelery @samuel-yippee @less-depresso-more-espresso ok i think that covers all the tags. uhhhh, but anyways this chapter may have a slightly different vibe as it was written from casey's pov. anyways here ya go pookies, enjoy!

Yes. Yesss.

That stupid turtle actually fell for it. Casey couldn't believe Raph thought he would actually forgive him. Yet here he was, in the turtle's body, glaring down Raph's spirit, which was now trapped in the mirror. 

"Sorry, but this body's taken." he hissed, giving the turtle's ghost a toothy grin. The look of fear in his face was all too good. "Anyways, I have places to be. Later, Raph." Casey taunted, putting emphasis on the mutant's name.

Casey took a step towards the door, only to stumble and put his hand on the counter for balance. Huh. It had uh, been a while since Casey had needed to actually walk around. not to mention that he was now a turtle. Kind of. A mutant turtle. Close enough. Either way, being in this body might take a while to completely get used to. 

But casey didn't exactly have tons of time. Possession wasn't easy, and he didn't exactly have the practice. So whether or not Casey knew how to even walk in this body, he needed to. Just gotta get to my house, he thought to himself. 

He took a step, and another, and placed his hand on the door knob. He turned to face Raph's ghost in the mirror one last time. He gave one last, toothless grin; he blinked his eyes to wash out the ghostly green glow, now replacing it with the turtle's striking green eyes. He blew a taunting kiss towards the horrified face in the mirror before swinging the door open and waltzing out of the bathroom. 

Casey had been watching Raph and how he acted around his brothers and father since he became a ghost; meaning it wasn't very hard to imitate how he acted, at least until he got out of the lair. Casey tried to walk over to the turnstiles (which he had learned was the entrance and also the exit) but was stopped by one of the turtles.

"Yo Raph, where are you going dude?" Dammit. Casey slowly turned a bit to see which turtle was talking to him. It was the orange one, with the blue eyes. What was his name again? Marco? No no no. Uhh, Miguel? Mikey? Mikey! It was Mikey. 

"Uh, just going on patrol, I'll be back later." he lied. Ugh, he sounded like Raph. He sounded like the guy who killed him. It felt weird. To be honest the entire 'being in the body of a five foot tall mutant turtle' thing was weird. Y'know what, that would explain why he sounded like him.

"Hmm, okay dude." Casey turned back around and sped-walked over to the turnstiles as inconspicuously as he could. Casey turned the corner out of the lair and as soon as he was sure he was out of earshot, he started booking it. 

He didn't really have a reason why. I mean, he wanted to see his sister and his room, but he didn't really have any reason to rush. but it felt nice. It felt good to run. It felt great to do anything. Even though the smell of the New York sewers was the worst thing imaginable, Casey was glad he could smell at all. 

After a while, Casey reached a sewer plate. He couldn't wait to see his room again. He rushed up the sewer ladder and shoved the sewer plate up and out of the way. Here he was. Back on the surface. Casey took a deep breath in. 

The sound of car horns and people yelling and even just people's shoes clicking against the pavement brought such a comfort to Casey. It felt amazing. God, he had missed this. It took Casey a moment to remember what exactly he came up here for. Right, his room. Gotta get to his apartment. 

"AAAAAH! MONSTER!" a feminine voice from behind Casey yelled. He whipped around to sees some blonde chick yelling and pointing at him. Shit. He totally forgot he was in Raph's body.

Casey quickly scaled the nearest fire escape. About halfway up, he noticed that the woman had ran away; so he continued his climb, peaking into the windows of the apartment complex as he did. As much as Casey hates the whole normal life thing, he kinda missed the mundanity of life. 

Y'know, waking up in an unmade bed, cooking breakfast for himself and his sister, riding his bike to school after dropping his little sister off, going to the convenience store after school for a snack, that kinda thing. And even the occasional hockey game or practice, or maybe his little sister needed help with her homework. Casey missed it. 

He reached the roof of the building and turned around, looking for a store or restaurant that he would recognize. He knew New York like the back of his hand; if he could just see how close the park or something was, he could easily get home. Aha! The old theater that Casey went to like, all the time. That meant he was about seven blocks away from his apartment.

He turned to face the direction his apartment building was in and mentally charted out a route of buildings to hop across. Shouldn't take too long. Casey walked over to the edge of the building, looking at the distance between this one and the next. He took a few steps back before sprinting towards and leaping towards the next building.

Casey landed with a tumble near the middle of the building. He did not expect to jump that great a distance, which left him a little shocked. But he shook it off with ease, of course. He really needed to get used to the whole mutant turtle thing if he was going to posses Raph more often, which he planned on doing. 

Either way, he began to fade into a cycle of leaping from building to building for a few blocks until his apartment complex was in sight. Casey stopped for a moment, taking a moment to catch his breath. God he missed the burning in his lungs when he ran. He missed the wind blowing through his hair, which was still something he missed considering Raph was bald... 

Anyways, he continued towards to his apartment. Upon reaching the top of it, Casey started rushing down the fire escape to his room. He could barely contain his excitement. He threw the window open and leaped into the room, feeling the carpet underneath the turtle's feet (which felt like, really big to Casey). 

Casey waltzed over to his bed before letting himself fall face first into his pillow. He inhaled deeply before rolling over onto the turtle's shell. Man, he missed his room. His eyes shot over to his desk, where his face paint was.

Hmm.

Face paint. Casey had an idea. He walked over to the desk and sat in the old, torn chair  in front of it. He tried his best to get comfortable, although Raph's shell made it a bit hard. After deciding that this was as comfortable as he could get in this body, he turned his attention to the desk.

...

His homework was in the exact same place he left it. He had blown off finishing it in favor for vigilante-ing...

Whatever. Casey pushed it aside. Not like Mrs. Thomson's math class mattered anymore. Casey reached for his black and white face paint, hoping to push those thoughts away. He turned the small mirror on his desk towards him, turning it downwards to fit his now much shorter height.

"This is for FUCKING killing me freak face!" Casey remarked, pointing at the turtle's face in the mirror. 

"GIVE ME BACK MY FUCKING BODY!" Raph screamed back from his mirror prison; making Casey flinch back. He was not expecting a response. 

"Mmm, no. You could some time for reflection. Get it?" Casey mocked. Raph face morphed into a scowl before fading away, leaving Casey alone. Now then, the face paint.

Casey tugged the red mask off the turtle's head. He reached for a brush before dipping it into the white face paint. He smudged the paint all over the turtle's ugly mug. After two coats, the turtle's green skin was no longer visible. Casey grabbed a second, smaller brush for the black paint and went to town. 

It felt good. Defacing Raph. The man who killed him so ruthlessly. The man who had taken Casey from his sister, and from April, and from hockey, and from his life...

Whatever.

After a little while, Casey had finished. The black accents had taken only one layer, cause of how dark it was. And thus, it was done. The turtle had now donned totally metal skull face paint. Casey looked in the mirror, admiring his handiwork. Just one thing was missing. Casey reached into the left drawer of the desk and pulled out one of his spare bandanas. He tied it around his forehead and leaned back into the chair. Y'know the bandana really pulled the whole thing together. 

While staring at his new reflection, Casey thought back to his life before. Before his death. Before, when he had his own body, and didn't have to possess a mutant turtle. He regrets ever taking it for granted. Man, this was bumming him out. 

Casey's eyes began to wander around the room before landing on his hockey gear sticking out of his bag. Hmm. Casey walked over to the bag and crouched down beside it. He began to rummage through the contents, finding hockey pucks, spray paint bottles, and some other junk. Maybe he could take it with him, sneak it into the turtles's lair, so that he could throw up some graffiti or something next time he possessed Raph. He decided it best to at least take it with him, even if he didn't put it in the lair. He threw a few more things in: his face paint, some old clothes that just might fit over the turtle's body, that kinda stuff. As he was hunched over, he heard a voice erupt from behind him.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" Casey whipped around to see his little sister, Angel, staring at him with wide eyes. 

Oh no. Ooooooh no. Angel couldn't see Casey. She couldn't see Casey looking like... this whole situation! He threw the bag onto his shoulder in a panic and quickly fled the scene. He ran up the fire escape, paying no attention to his sister's "HEY! GET BACK HERE!" 

He made it up to the roof before repeatedly sprinting and leaping over to a rooftop about a block down. He took a moment to breathe, turning and looking back towards his room; looking back towards his sister. All this time, he had missed her, so much. But now, after having seen her, he wishes he hadn't. The way she reacted, the way she screamed... Casey felt like a monster. 

And it was all Raph's fault.

                _______________________

The clinking of the spray paint cans in Casey's bag echoed through the abandoned subway tunnel. He was now on his way back from his apartment to the turtle's lair. The thoughts about how his sister reacted to seeing him still haunted his mind. 

Man, fuck all of this. Casey didn't care enough to hide the bag. He didn't care enough to try and wipe off the face paint he did. He didn't care enough to pay any mind to Raph's voice echoing in his mind, demanding his body back. 

As he made it closer to the lair, the sound of the other turtles became clearer. A grin began to crawl onto Casey's face the closer he got. This was gonna be good. 

He turned the corner to face the turtles and April with an unnerving grin on his face. The turtles all seemed to be watching some dumb cartoon show while April was on her computer. Casey dropped the bag to the ground, but still holding the strap in his hand. He stood, waiting for a response or even a reaction, still grinning.

The turtles were staring at who they thought was they're brother with looks of confusion. But April, April was glaring at Casey, her eyes wide, yet angry.

"Raph... Where did you get that bandana? And that bag?" she interrogated, dragging a finger up to point at Casey's bag. The grin on Casey's face cracked into an eerie smile.

"Oh, y'know. Stole it from this guy I killed." he enthusiastically replied. The room fell silent. Dead silent. 

"...What?" April muttered slowly. 

"Yeah!" Casey remarked, "I think you knew him, his name was Casey. Casey Jones." 

And with that, Raph fell to the floor. Unconscious, but now in control of his body.

[golden-gitch979]

Fionna and Cake x SVTFOE AU

This idea has been floating around my head for a while, and eventually I decided to draw it! As of now this AU (If you can even call it that lol) is on a unspecified hiatus. but I may revisit it sometime soon. Anyways here's all of the characters I made for it!

Starting us off we have Star the Human! Similar to Fionna, she's rocking that classic blonde hair, but let's hers hang out rather than bunching it all up. She's never afraid of a adventure, and with Marco by her side, they can conquer anything

Marco the Cat! Best friend and older brother figure to Star, he's always there to support his friends and act as a voice of reason when things get out of hand

Prince Thomas Trident rules the Candy Kingdom with compassion and empathy but lets his temper get out of hand at times. He has some unusual features, "Demonic" as Janna puts it, with pointy ears, sharp teeth, and a extra eye, there may be more than the candy prince is letting on

Janna Lee the Vampire Queen! Owner of Star and Marco's tree house, she lets herself in whenever she pleases, takes what she wants, and messes with Marco as much as possible! Janna also enjoys pulling pranks on the candy people, and especially their prince

Lady Jackie-Lynn the Oceachromicorn! Right hoof to Prince Tom, Jackie's always there to calm her friends down, especially her Boyfriend Marco.

Hunter Wizard AKA Oskar is the laidback Wildman of the woods. He spends most of his days trying (and failing) to make music, and fending off the various threats that comes with living in a forest

Lumpy Space Pony! Does anyone actually enjoy her company? No one really besides Star & which causes her to be a little clingy to her since she's her only friend. Yes, she's selfish, yes she's entitled, but she means well in her own way and will always try to help

Finally, we have the Ice Queen, formerly known as Eclipsa Petrikov. She tries to maintain a professional appearance, but it's hard when a wand is making you lose your mind. She hangs out in the Ice Kingdom most of the time, and occasionally tries to kidnap a prince or two. Deep down though, she's just a troubled soul and I think she can sense somethings wrong too

And.. that's everyone! So far at least. Like I said this AU is on a hiatus for who knows how long, but I do plan on coming back to it sometime soon! I also plan on making more dynamic/expressive poses for the character images in the future, but that'll most likely take a while. With all that said, Thank you to anyone who stayed until the end, it means the world to me!

Here's the "finale" photo!

[the-brothers]

.Adoption.

"You kids know how I've been wanting to expand the family," your father started as the four of you had gathered around the dinner table.

"But Pops," you interrupted, "isn't it a bit late to be adopting more kids? I mean you're already so busy and not as young as you used to be."

His golden eyes narrowed slightly, "I'd like to remind you lass, that even though you are mature beyond your years, you are in fact only sixteen." he sighed, "These boys really need a home and can only be adopted together. You yourselves know how hard it is being grade school age in an orphanage."

You and Marco frowned. It had been almost eight years since your adoption, but you could never forget the way potential parents lit up when they saw the nursery. Not to mention all of the people who wanted to separate you from your self-professed twin. The social workers would always tell couples you were actually two years apart and not blood-related. You'd cry and shout to make things difficult, Marco would roll up his little sleeves and challenge anyone who dared to take you away. You were his sister and your DNA had nothing to do with it.

The day Edward Newgate arrived the two of you were separated to meet the man before he could take you home. It was less likely for you to act out if you didn't have your brother. When you entered the office, you were greeted by the enormous blond and another kid who had to be in his late teens. You were terrified, and shy having left all of your confidence with Marco.

After introducing himself and Thatch he began to ask you about your interests, typical stuff favorite colors, animals, what you wanted to be when you grew up, to which you murmured quick one-word answers. You also kept your distance.

"They told us you're quite the entertainer lass." Newgate pressed trying to figure out how the outgoing singer that was described to him was this timid girl.

You shrugged looking down.

Before you could think of a response there was a scuffle outside and the door burst open revealing the seething ten-year-old.

"Marco!" a worker desperately called after him.

He stood protectively in front of you scrunching his face at the man, "You can't take my sister, yoi."

"Sister?" Newgate sat back surprised, they hadn't told him you had a sibling.

"He isn't actually her brother," the woman corrected, "they've just been here for the last three years and are fond of each other."

"No," Marco growled, "she is my sister and you can't just take her."

Newgate watched you cling to the little blond, tears streaming down your tiny face. He was impressed by the boy's will to protect you and the bond you shared despite not being related.

"If they feel this strongly why on earth would you split them up?"

Your eyes snapped toward the man.

"That's just how it works sir, sometimes even siblings have to be separated. Our goal is to get them into a loving home, sometimes it's by all means necessary." the woman replied taking a step toward Marco.

"Marco was it?" Newgate leaned forward, "How would you like to leave here with your sister?"

Marco remained guarded but gave the man a nod.

"Then there we have it." he boomed, "Do you kids have any special belongings you'd like to bring?"

"But sir, you've only done the paperwork for F/N." she gaped.

"Then make copies for the lad," he smiled at her, "I'm doubling in fees. One would think you'd be thrilled."

"Boys?" you asked, "as in more than one?"

"Three." Pops nodded.

"She's just upset she won't be the baby anymore, yoi." Marco teased.

You swatted the blond.

"Two seven-year-olds and a four-year-old," Thatch confirmed.

"Awe~" you sang, "They're just babies!"

Marco rolled his eyes while Pops smiled and shifted.

"We'll go shopping tomorrow they've given me the boys sizes and the youngest will need a booster seat for the dinner table and the car." your father rumbled.

_____________

"They're here, yoi!" Marco shouted up the stairs.

"I'm coming!" you covered the receiver of the phone to reply, "Shanks, I have to go my little brothers are here."

"Call me tomorrow, babe." your boyfriend cooed, "Good luck with the rug rats."

"Of course. Now I gotta go before Marco drags me down." you flushed and said your goodbyes before hanging up and excitedly rushing down the stairs.

Thatch entered the house first with the small raven haired toddler in his arms. The two older boys followed with wide eyes taking in their new surroundings. The youngest shifted against Thatch's chest and turned toward you with an adorable grin. Immediately your heart melted, every fiber of your being was beckoned to protect him for all time.

"This is your new brother, Marco and your sister, F/N." the brunette introduced pointing at each of you

"I'm Luffy!" he chirped, tiny voice full of confidence.

"This is Ace," Thatch pointed to one of the boys who looked up at you with large ruby eyes that only accentuated the smattering of freckles on his face, "And this is Sabo." he motioned toward the other boy with messy blond hair.

The older two crossed their arms remaining guarded though Ace gave you a curt nod Sabo's green eyes refused to acknowledge you or your siblings.

"They've been to a few rough foster homes so give them some time." your father piped closing the front door behind him.

"Well, welcome home." you murmured, "Would you like to see your room?"

Luffy reached for you wrapping his legs around your waist.

"You guys have to share for now, but we'll be moving soon, and you'll have your own spaces, yoi." Marco added.

"We're used to it." Ace muttered following you up the stairs with Sabo far behind.

"Can I stay wis you?" Luffy asked squeezing your neck.

You squealed internally that the cutie in your arms already seemed to be attached to you, "Of course you can! I'll even read you a story."

After giving the boys a tour of the house and backyard Thatch called everyone in for dinner, which was a bit of a mess to say the least. Luffy rocked back and forth and side to side in his booster seat after clearing his plate trying to snatch food away from your and Sabo's plates as you both were stationed on either side of him at the table.

"I've never seen a toddler eat so much." Thatch said quickly fixing Luffy a second helping.

"Please hurry I can't fend him off much longer." You muttered blocking the kid again.

"He's always like that." Ace commented handing Thatch his plate to fill next.

"Are you not hungry?" you asked Sabo watching the blond poke at his food.

His green eyes moved toward you before quickly glancing away. He had been like this all evening carefully listening and watching but refusing to speak or make eye contact. It bothered you that he seemed to distrust the family so much. He must have survived some trauma in foster care.

"He'll eat when he's hungry, lass." Your father rumbled, "No pressure lad, if you don't like it there are plenty of other things to eat."

"But this is real good," Ace added.

The blond scrunched his nose at the freckled boy as if he were betraying him somehow. You could only hope he'd warm up to the rest of you in time. As you reached to wipe Luffy's face clean there was a sudden clatter of dishes and cutlery. Ace seemed to have passed out in his food splattering mashed potatoes everywhere.

Marco panicked and stood yanking the boy from his seat as he groggily opened his ruby eyes and muttered, "I'm not done."

"He has narnolopsy." Luffy chirped.

"Narcolepsy." Sabo quietly corrected.

"Does this happen a lot?" you asked watching Marco help Ace wipe his face and clothes.

"Yus." Luffy replied.

"If I'm still for too long or bored I guess. It's not so bad." the freckled raven replied getting back to his food.

After dinner, you set the boys up for a bath. It seemed the three felt comfortable all going at once though you worried if two seven-year-olds could really keep an energetic toddler in the tub or from drowning for that matter. So, you waited outside the door listening for any distress until they were done.

Luffy rubbed his eyes and yawned wide as you tugged him into the living room to pick a kid-friendly chapter book off the shelf. Not knowing what he was looking at he just picked the one with the most colorful cover and handed it to you.

"Pirate Adventures? Good choice." you hoisted him up on your hip and took a seat in the old recliner in the corner of the room.

Leaning back and covering up with a throw you read until Luffy was sound asleep snuggled into your chest and your eyes were too heavy to keep open. You dog-eared the page and set the book aside before drifting off yourself.

Some hours later your slumber was interrupted abruptly by the blaring pinging of the home security system. Not feeling the weight on your torso anymore your eyes shot open in a panic. Luffy was gone. Covering your ears, you stumbled to your feet and bolted up the stairs as the house phone began to ring.

Marco had already burst into the boy's room and was holding Sabo by the back of his shirt. All three boys had full backpacks strapped to their backs and the window was half open. Finally, the alarm cut off as Thatch entered the room still speaking on the cordless phone.

"No worries, it was just our little brother's opening the window," he spoke politely as he frowned at the boys.

The coming days, weeks, months, years, were sure to be interesting.

[marco-newgate]

Marco X CisFem Reader

7

You had initially thought this date wouldn't be so bad. You were wrong.

What you thought had been a Big Lebowski crack when he met you at the bar was actually a jab. He'd never even seen the movie. Who hates on bowling? You didn't mind a little sarcasm, look who you're surrounded by 24/7, but this guy was sort of mean about it.

He's a surgeon and a good one apparently, well known by most of the patrons surrounding you. One of which he got into a heated argument with. The attractive redhead eventually noticed your embarrassment and apologized before going back to his table. Law didn't apologize though; he actually didn't seem to care at all that you were embarrassed by all of the gawking their outburst had caused.

This cocky shit.

Super hot..cocky shit

The server came and picked up your menus. When he turned and asked what you wanted Law spoke instead ordering for you.

"I hope you don't mind." He started, "You seem like the type who will order the cheapest thing on the menu... to be polite or course."

Rude!

Well, there was truth to that but it didn't need to be pointed out.

"Excuse me for a moment." You smiled and stood.

Once you reached the ladies room you fished you phone out of your clutch furiously dialing Nami only to get her voicemail.

"Why would you set me up with this gorgeous asshole?? You are totally gonna pay for this."

Me: Worst. Date. Ever

Ace: Its all in your head. Give the guy a chance.

Ace: you didn't want this to work out in the first place.

Me: shut up

Me: he's a colossal ass

Ace: I'm not rescuing you so give it up and go back to your dinner

Me: I hate your dumb freckled face!

Ace: I love you too my darling sweet best friend

You sighed in defeat tapping your free hand on the counter as you scrolled through your text log and stopped on Marco's name. You could do it, but you also knew he might actually show up. And as much as you wanted him to, you also didn't.

Ace sat on the sofa chuckling to himself.

"What's so funny yoi?" Marco asked rounding the corner.

"Oh F/N was trying to fake emergency her way out of her date." He waved his phone, "I told her she had to suck it up."

"She wouldn't ask if she didn't have good reason, right?" The blond slipped into his favorite teal hoodie that hung by the door.

"She's just being difficult because she didn't want to go in the first place. It's for her own good. You should have seen her before she left." Ace turned to face his brother wiggling his brows.

"That's OK." Marco shrugged.

He'd honestly rather not see you dressed up for a fancy date.

"Where you going?" Ace asked suspiciously.

"The bar. Not that I have to tell you anyway."

_____________

"Will you stop sulking?" Thatch placed a shot in front of his brother.

"I'm not sulking yoi."

"What's up with him?" Shanks nodded toward the depressed blond.

"Nothing." Marco replied.

"He's upset because F/N is on a blind date with Trafalgar Law." Thatch laughed earning a sharp glare from his brother.

"She's hating it by the way." Marco started, "She was texting Ace."

"Not surprising." A female voice chirped from the other side of Shanks.

All three males turned to the pinkette.

"That guy has a terrible attitude. He's super hot though."

"Not helping Bonney." Thatch chuckled.

Bonney shrugged continuing to munch her order of nachos.

Marco spent almost two hours at the bar getting pity drinks from women who thought he'd just been dumped. He sat slumped forward eyes barely open, mentally torturing himself. What if the date took a turn for the better because you decided to give him a chance. A surgeon certainty sounded better than a high school art teacher, right?

Thatch : Can you come get this sad sack?

[[ Image received from Thatch ]]

Me: Yes! I'll be there in 15 or less.

You shook your head at the picture of a completely wasted Marco slouched over Thatch's bar.

"Everything ok?" Law inquired.

"Ah, yeah. Seems my friend got pretty drunk and I need to go pick them up." You smiled retrieving your keys from your clutch.

"I'm sure we'll see each other around." He smirked handing the valet his ticket.

"Sure. Thanks for tonight." You nodded and made your way to the mall parking lot the next block over.

You were so glad to get away from that stuffy place. Tossing your heels in the back seat you shifted into gear and turned onto the main road.

"Over here." Thatch pointed to the end of the bar.

"Hey F/N! You're looking well ~" Shanks winked as you passed.

"Charming as usual Red." You smiled slipping into seat next to the blond, "Oi...pineapple ~"

"Heeeey F/N." Marco smiled turning his sleepy gaze to you, "When did you get here yoi?"

"I'm here to take you home you drunken goon." You laughed.

"I'm n-not drunk." He hiccupped.

"Oh of course not." You stood as Thatch rounded the bar to help you pull him off the stool.

The drive home was quiet until Marco started fumbling with your radio. You didn't mind, you shared the same taste in music. He opted for a Blue October CD that was already in turning it up before slouching back into the seat.

What if we could

Where would we go

If it felt right

Would you want me to know

I would meet you

Would you meet me

Wildly appreciate lyrics for the car ride. You skipped to the next song.

"Sorry yoi." The blond murmured.

"For what?"

"You had to leave your fancy date to get me."

You chuckled, "If anything I should thank you. You saved me from having an awkward 'I'm not coming home with you conversation."

"He was gonna take you home yoi?" He sat up.

"He didn't say it...but I have a feeling that's how most of his dates end."

Marco frowned, "Bonney said he is super hot yoi."

"Well, I can't deny that." You looked at the pouty drunk, "But he isn't my type."

"I see." He relaxed.

"Think you've sobered up enough to walk a little? The boys aren't home and I'm sure pops is asleep." You asked pulling into the drive way and parking.

"Mhm." He hummed heaving himself out of the car.

"I mean I'll help you, idiot." You grabbed your shoes and shuffled to steady him.

"Ya know, you look really nice tonight yoi." He commented snaking an arm around your waist.

"At least someone acknowledges my effort." You laughed, "I thought it was customary to compliment your date."

"He must be blind yoi."

"Thanks." You flushed.

The two of you shambled into the house.

"Where do you want me to drop you? I'm not risking the stairs."

"Couch yoi."

"Your yois are more frequent when you're drunk." You commented earning a flushed glare from the blond, "What? It's cute don't worry."

He seemed more flustered as you plopped down on the sofa together.

"You wanna sleep out here? I'll get you a blanket and some water."

"Yeah thanks." He yawned stretching out.

After getting Marco situated you retired to your room to get comfortable.

What a weird fucking night.

A light tap brought you back to your door. Rubbing your makeup remover wipe over your face you opened it revealing a swaying Marco.

"Sorry yoi... I forgot to give you your shirt." He said far too loudly in the quiet hallway.

"Hush, you'll wake pops." You pulled him into the room.

He held up a small brown bag and plopped down on your bed. You took it and continued to wipe your makeup off taking a seat next to Marco. The plain gray v-neck you'd given him four days ago now had an elaborate turquois phoenix soaring across it.

"Marco this is amazing." You held it up to get a better look at the intricate detail of the curling flames.

"I'm glad you like it." He replied sheepishly.

"Like is an understatement." You wrapped your arms around his neck.

Before you knew it his lips were on yours.

[jayalaw]

I Saw the TV Glow Deviation: If Owen Had Social Media

This obviously has spoilers. The film is on streaming so definitely watch it if you can first. Using they/them pronouns for Owen given those spoilers.

Most viewers accept the hypothesis that Maddy is right, and the mundane world where she and Owen live is the Midnight Realm, meant to torture Tara and Isabel while they slowly suffocate. It explains why there is no social media, memes or mentions of current events. This life is a cheap copy of our world, and no dental insurance even!

But what if it did?

Suppose the 2010s arrived the way they did in our world. Meaning Owen has seen social media rise. On a whim they google the Pink Opaque, and find fanart on deviantart, fic on A03, headcanons and video edits. People have written their continuations of the show. One blog even reviews each episode, having a "Racism Alert" and tracking all the microaggressions and subtext that plagues poor Isabel. So that when Owen on streaming sees the other version of The Pink Opaque and sees Isabel is a white blond girl, they know something is very wrong. Especially thanks to the black fandom of The Pink Opaque. They also call bullshit and some teens talk about a class-action suit against Netflix for fraud and whitewashing.

In their free time, Owen keeps Googling. And they have a LOT of free time during COVID lockdowns, when his boss keeps paying all the employees not working. Owen insists he is grateful for having a nice boss and being able to pay his bills.

Tumblr exposes Owen to fandom. They sees the good and the bad: the rule 34 art, people who insist that fanfic authors continue their stories after abandoning them for ten years, some fan-artists getting shamed for not drawing Isabel's hair and skin properly. Wikipedia tells Owen that Tara's actress went on to do a sitcom about friends doing wacky side hustles when their jobs get outsourced. Isabel's actress quietly retired after season five of The Pink Opaque. Some forums and YouTube videos quietly assert that being a black teen lead in the 90s-- both actresses were the age. oftheir characters-- was not a safe career choice.

Other people talk about queerness. Owen learns the terms for asexual and aroace. They feel a sense of relief. This is a part of them. It's perfectly normal to not like girls or boys, or men and women in this case because Owen is no creeper. Others talk about transitioning, and the symptoms for gender dysphoria. For some reason, these posts make Owen's heart pound and he gasps for air. He doesn't follow those users.

It leads to the same conclusion: this isn't his home, or his world. Because the kinning culture reminds him that another random stranger isn't Isabel. Even Isabel's actress isn't Isabel; Owen watches a video where, at the first San Diego Comic Con held since lockdown ended, she talks quite calmly about how she was blacklisted, no pun intended, after The Pink Opaque ended. In fact, the showrunner fired her because he insisted she was "difficult to work with" when in fact, Isabel's actress was pointing out that the Luna Juice drugging looked too similar to a drug overdose and the writers hadn't considered how traumatic filming such a scene would be for her and Tara's actress. Isabel's actress said she didn't want other black girls to watch the show and feel that horrible fate engrained into their minds; she's introspective, talking more confidently than her character ever had. Marco and Polo's actors, a set of identical twins who went on to film an evil wizard movie, had taken the time to check on her after the multiple takes, and even bringing her chocolates as an apology. They argued with the showrunner a lot about some of the raunchier jokes and fanservice, despite knowing they could be replaced at anytime.

She discusses how she had pushed back before, how her parents were constantly on set and making sure no one was hurting their daughter because her parents were not stupid about Hollywood dynamics or racist subtext, and their protection had worked for years until it didn't. There was a reason Isabel had curly hair and not ironed waves, why her bathroom had pomades and picks that her actress used.

Maybe the showrunner had gained too much of an ego after five seasons of success. Or maybe he wanted to move on to direct the next X-Men film. He had beaten out Bryan Singer for the part.

There were rumors he slept with the underage teens on the show, extras and regular characters alike, grooming them; Tara's actress refused to confirm that rumor because she would play the game to fulfill her dream of becoming a serious performer. Isabel's actress understood, even if she didn't agree. But Isabel's actress asserts the rumors were very true, and she doesn't care anymore because she refused to sign NDAs about illegal behavior no matter the hush money or the harassment. It's not like she's returning to Hollywood; she does the convention circuit for the fans who thanked her for saving them, for being a positive role model. Tara's actress is currently married to a former producer on The Pink Opaque, who looks no different from other genetic white dudes. She and Isabel's actress meet up for drinks occasionally.

Isabel's actress apparently went to college and got her PhD in anthropology. Though the revenue from The Pink Opaque and its reruns meant that she never had to work again, she didn't want to be Isabel anymore. Because Isabel no longer belonged to her. Isabel belonged to the fans that saw her, saw themselves in a black teen facing a hostile magical world. And Isabel belongs to the people watching this video. Like Owen.

Owen sits long after the video ends. Most of the comments say in all caps, "I KNEW IT!" and "There goes my childhood." On Tumblr, the post with the video gains 100,000 notes in less than five hours.

They could respond. Perhaps they could say, "She isn't Isabel. And this isn't the show I remember." Or, "Maddy was right."

Owen doesn't respond.

The next shift at the Fun Center starts a few hours later.

Owen doesn't call in sick, send an email apologizing. They just don't go. Because it's a new moon, meaning no one is watching from the sky. It's time to leave.

[wiispywitch]

" A Not-So-Pleasant Reunion "

Fandom: Attack on Titan

Summary: After deciding to stay and continue onward with her training, Cadet Taylor Schuyler catches up with old friends she met in her youth: the three children from Shinganshina. Taylor wishes to catch up with what they have been up to in the last two years that she had last seen them, but as expected running into Eren Yeager wasn’t an enjoyable experience when he talks down about her choice of career.

Word Count: 5,399

Characters: OCs {Mel Oglethorpe, Sam Dossam, Nathanael Schuyler, Tay Schuyler}, Reiner Braun, Eren Yeager, Marco Bodt, Jean Kirstein, Connie Springer, Ymir, Krista Lenz, Armin Arlert, Mikasa Ackerman

Warnings: Major changes of canon, heavily implied OC x canon

Divider cred: ghoulbloggerrr

Author's note: Pt. 2 of this one-shot🖤 This fic takes inspiration from ep3.s1 of Attack on Titan with some changes of the dialogue and the scene. I also edited last chapter to where Mel doesn't get into trouble on her first day and so she is more interactive with the characters, if you haven't read it I would recommend so!

Poor potato girl was still running through the training field as the sun was beginning to set as part of her punishment. It was quite a shock having to witness not only this girl deciding now of all times was an appropriate time to start eating, but to offer Shadis a smaller half than the one she had with a straight face. Shadis was left speechless before he had completely chewed her out with his colorful vocabulary.

Nathanael followed Sam after grabbing some stew and bread, and mug of water. At least the water looked much fresher than the one from the pump he was used to in Windsor Village. As he walked to find a place to sit, he looked around for any sign of his little sister to see if she had decided to stay after all. His eyes had briefly met Mel’s before she went back to eating her food.

“Rough first day?”

Mel looked up from her mug at the big blond guy who decided to sit across from her.

“Not really. Why do you ask?” 

“You seemed tense. Thought maybe the commandant got to you.”

Mel shook her head. “I’m not worried about him. Besides, he’ll learn fast. I tend to have a bit of a mouth on me.”

He chuckled. “Hey, at least you’re honest.” 

Mel couldn’t help but smile. This guy seemed to have some charm to him, despite the scary look he seemed to have on his face. 

“I haven’t properly introduced myself. My name is Reiner Braun.”

“Melody.”

“I didn’t forget. It’s a nice name.”

Mel felt her cheeks heat up. As she took a glimpse at him, she noticed that he had beautiful golden eyes.

Sam took notice of Mel speaking to Braun. He thought he saw Mel’s cheeks a soft shade of pink when he had spoken to her. As he ate his stew, he looked at Sam, then at Mel, and back at his friend.

“Something on your mind, buddy?” Nathanael asked.

Sam looked over at him. “What do you mean?”

“Come on, I saw that look. You know, Mel is going to be talking to other guys unless you tell her how yo—” He was suddenly cut off by Sam shoving his bread loaf into his mouth, making him gag. Nathanael took the load out after taking a bite, and waved it at him. “You’re not getting this back,” he said, his mouth still full.

“Go ahead, I don’t want your diseases,” Sam grumbled. “I don’t know what it is, there’s something about that guy that doesn’t sit right with me. I mean, look at him.”

Nathanael looked over at Reiner, who seemed to be interested in whatever it was Mel was talking to him about. He seemed intimidating, but he seemed to soften up compared to the first time he saw him.

“Are you saying that because you’re jealous or because he’s a tough guy?”

Sam’s face turned as red as a fresh tomato as he stirred his spoon in his stew.

“I’ve been saying it for years and I will tell you again.” Nathanael leaned closer towards his friend. “Tell her the truth!”

“It’s not that easy,” Sam muttered. “I care about Melody, I don’t want to risk losing her.”

“Well, you will if you don’t say something.” Nathanael knew Sam had a huge crush on Mel since the day he met her. He looked around at the familiar faces that he would come to eat and sleep with for the next three years. For a brief moment, his eyes landed on a beautiful blonde girl who had her hair tied back into a bun, whom he had heard was from Sina and seemed to have experience in the medical field. Seeing her up close, Nathanael thought his heart skipped a beat. Her hazel eyes turned to his direction, and he quickly turned his flustered face away, his attention caught on the crowd beginning to form at one of the tables.

To his surprise, in the crowd he had spotted the mousy-brown-haired girl clutching her leather sketchbook tight in her heart that belonged to his little sister. 

“I’ll be damned. She didn’t give up after all.” Strangely, he was glad to see that Taylor didn’t give up after all, yet in the back of his mind he was still uncertain if she could make it far. She was standing behind a couple of other people who were circling around the table with expressions of shock, horror, and awe.

"What's going on over there?" Nathanael asked.

"It’s that kid from Shinganshina. A lot of people have questions about what happened that day when the titan attack happened," Sam answered.

“Oh.” Nathanael fell quiet. The idea of the titans tearing down the one thing that managed to keep them safe for over a hundred years made him suddenly lose his appetite. When the news reached his hometown, he lost sleep for weeks afraid that the titans would break through and devour his family.

Nathanael tried to tune out the questions, but his curiosity peaked. Even Sam found himself listening in to hear about what that kid had to experience.

“Didn’t Taylor and your mother go to Shinganshina?” Sam asked.

“Yeah,” Nathanael murmured, setting his food aside. “A doctor said there was someone who could help him when he got really sick. Mom mentioned she became friends with a couple kids when they were there.”  Nathanael glanced over, listening to some of the questions. He wondered if that person they were talking to was probably one of the children Taylor had met in her time in Shinganshina.

“Yeah, okay? I saw the big guy,” Eren said as though he had told the story many times.

Everyone gasped.

“Whoa, seriously?” asked the blonde guy with sideburns.

“Okay, exactly how tall was he?!” asked Samuel.

“He stuck his head over the outer wall,” Eren replied.

“Whoa, wait! I thought he stepped over the wall completely!”

“So did I!” exclaimed the redhead girl with the short ponytail.

“That was the rumor in my village too!”

“Nah,” Eren said, unphased. “He was big, but not that big.”

“So what did it look like?” Tay asked, clutching her sketchbook close to her chest.

He looked over towards her. “It had a mouth like a corpse, and no skin, just muscles.”

“And the armored titan,” asked another guy, “the one that broke through Wall Maria?!”

Eren looked over after eating some of his stew. “Is that what they’re calling it? In all the panic, it was just another titan to me.”

“No way,” Samuel exclaimed. “So what were they like?”

Eren immediately froze up. His spoon fell into his stew, and he covered his mouth as though he was going to be sick. Everyone immediately went silent when they saw his reaction, each looking concerned for him and some feeling bad for asking too many questions and thus reminding him of everything he had lost.

“Come on,” said Marco Bodt, the friendly guy with freckles, “that’s enough questions, all right? I’m sure he’d rather not relive everything he went through.”

“Sorry,” said Connie. “We didn’t mean to—”

“It’s not like that.” Eren’s demeanor changed as he took a bite out of his loaf; he acted more confident in himself, and perhaps a little cocky as he spoke. “Those stupid titans, they’re really not that big a deal. If we focus on mastering the omni-directional mobility gear they gave us, then it’s titan payback time.”

As he went on to talk about how he has waited years to train to become a soldier, Tay couldn’t help but smile as she listened to Eren ramble on about how he would butcher the titans and drown them all out. It was nice to see he had not changed one bit, she thought to herself. At the other table, Mel couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Eren's big talk; she sympathized with the fact that he had to endure such a frightening attack, yet here he was trying to act big and tough and to her, he just sounded ridiculous. Reiner was quiet most of Eren’s talk, but his eyes caught a glimpse of Mel shaking her head. He couldn’t help but chuckle at Mel having no interest in hearing some small kid try to act so tough. As soon as Eren revealed he was joining the Scout Regiment, Nathanael perked up, looking through the crowd to see exactly what his sister was thinking just as Jean decided to add his own input.

Nathanael felt uneasy at the thought of Tay reconsidering the Scout Regiment despite the promise they had made. He was so naive as a child to believe they stood a chance to go beyond the walls. The thought of even doing so now made him shudder. He had dreams of killing any titan he had faced alongside his father and uncle, two of the greatest soldiers the Scout Regiment ever had in his eyes. As young children, Nathanael was able to lift Tay’s spirits with made up stories about them becoming scouts and defeating the titans together. That used to be his dream up until they had lost their father. Since then, Nathanael realized the real dangers the Scout Regiment had to offer, and so he and Taylor made a promise they wouldn’t even dare to think of joining the Scout Regiment. But now that this guy was here, he worried his sister may end up having second thoughts.

Nathanael came back down to reality when he heard someone standing up, and saw that Eren Yeager kid was staring daggers at Jean, who had decided to add in his own input about the Scout Regiment.

“Are you trying to pick a fight?” he muttered.

“Stop it, you guys,” Marco said, hoping this wouldn’t turn into a physical altercation.

But Jean smirked, and stood up. “All right, sure. Makes no difference to me.”

Everyone turned their attention to them as the two stood face to face. Taylor took a few steps away from them just in case fists did start flying, and Nathanael began to inch up so he could be ready to snatch his sister away from them should this turn violent.

The sound of a bell ringing was heard overhead, alerting them they were to return to their cabins. At that moment, several cadets who shared no interest in watching these two knuckleheads bicker began to take their trays and make their way out of the mess hall. 

The tall dark-haired guy looked over at Reiner, noticing he wasn’t getting up from his seat, then his head turned to the redhead he was sitting across. A look of concern fell upon his face, but he just made his way towards the door.

 Jean sighed. “Hey, I apologize,” he said to Eren. “Sorry for calling you names and dismissing your choice of career.” He extended his hand out to Eren. “Put ‘er there, kid, what do you say?”

Eren didn’t smile. He didn’t appreciate the way Jean was talking down to him and was standing here trying to act all buddy-buddy in front of everyone. This guy was going to be a thorn in his side, Eren could tell right away.

“Right,” Eren said, uninterested. “Yeah, I’m sorry as well.” Instead of shaking his hand, Eren smacked Jean’s hand away, and turned to make his way out the door.

“Well that was very anticlimactic,” Mel commented, eating the last of her bread. She sighed and stood up.

Sam sighed, relieved he didn’t have to witness a fight. He grabbed his tray. “Come on, guys, let’s get going. Tomorrow is gonna be a long day.”

“Can’t wait.” Mel got up from her seat, stretching her arms out. 

“Hey, wait.” Reiner stood up. When Mel turned to face him, he felt his chest tighten. The first thing he took notice of was how beautiful her eyes were, reminding him of how the moonlight reflected in a body of water. “You need someone to walk you to your cabin?”

Mel turned her head, her eyebrow raised as she placed her hand on her hip. “I don’t know. It’s a long, merciless journey,” she said as she twirled her red hair. “You think you can handle it?”

Reiner smiled, liking this girl’s wit. “We’ll just have to see.”

Mel smirked, and he followed her.

Tay watched as Eren made his way out. She herself had several questions to ask him about what happened that day and since then, but from that previous reaction he had earlier, she didn’t want to overwhelm him and cause him to spiral. She was just glad to see that he wasn’t so sickly skinny as he was that night she caught him stealing bread from their shop. 

Nathaneal approached her, glaring at Yeager until he was finally gone. He turned his attention back to his sister. “Well, I'm glad to see you decided to stay after all.”

“Hm?” Tay came back down to earth after she was lost in thought, then it had already registered what Nathanael had said. “Oh, yeah.” It was a tough choice, but I didn't want to give up so quickly on my first day.”

“Well I'm proud of you for making that call, Tay.”

His tone said otherwise, Taylor thought.

“You know there’s no shame in doing so if it gets too much,” Nathanael assured her. “That’s entirely up to you.”

“Nathanael.” Taylor turned her head towards him. “I’m okay. Really.”

Nathanael nodded. “I know. Besides, it’d be boring without you around.”

“Oh, I know.”

Nathanael looked at his kid sister as they both made their way out. As they went outside, they spotted Jean standing there, who for some reason had the most dead eyes he had had all night, just wiped his hand along Connie’s back as he was desperately trying to reach behind him to get off whatever was on his shirt.

"What'd you wipe on me?!" Connie asked, annoyed.

"Don't worry...just my trust," replied Jean sullenly.

Nathanael and Taylor looked confused at the two boys, unsurely what had even prompted Jean to even say that.

"Uhhhh…let's just go over here." Nathanael gently pulled Tay's arm and fast-walked away from them.

As the two of them walked the field, they took in the sights of the cabins and the training ground they would be working hard in. 

“Well, at least it won't be boring with the crew finally together.” Nathanael stretched out his arms, trying to crack his knuckles. “It’ll be just like we always talked about when we were kids, huh? Only this time, we’ll be living the high life: Mom can open a much better bakery, the twins will have tons of food in their bellies, and we get to be with our uncle just like old times. Isn’t that exciting?”

“Uh-huh.” 

Nathanael noticed Tay had no interest in the Military Police like he did. Ever since he made that announcement, she had decided on a whim she would come alongside him.

“You know, you telling Shadis off like that was awesome,” Nathanael told her. “And what Shadis said doesn’t mean shit. I think you could do it.”

Taylor didn’t look at her brother. She knew he was only saying that to make her feel better, but he didn’t mean it. She was the smallest one in the group and the one who needed the most protection out of all of them. Deep down, she hated being seen as the weakingly and being treated as though she was so fragile.

Nathanael cleared his throat when Tay didn’t respond. “Oh, here’s something funny. Mel’s already got herself a boyfriend. Poor Sammy, I can tell the guy is jealous. I tell him every day ‘You gotta tell Mel your real feelings, otherwise someone else will come sweep her off her feet.’ Shame.” He shook his head.

Tay was half paying attention as she watched Eren and Mikasa pass by. Mikasa was holding a bit of her black hair; from the looks of it, she was trying to decide what length to cut it. Nathanael stopped walking when he realized Tay wasn't listening, and saw her looking over at them.

“Is that them?” Nathanael asked.

“Yes, it is,” she murmured. “Apparently, he lost his mother when the titans started coming in. He doesn’t have a clue where his father is, it’s like he just vanished. They've been on their own since then.”

“Damn.” Nathanael couldn't imagine how scary it must have been for kids like them so young to survive on their own. Still, a little voice in the back of his mind was setting off alarms that something about the kid with the scowl on his face, he didn't like it.

“Just be careful with people like them, Taylor.”

Tay furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, and glanced at her brother. “What do you mean by that?” she asked.

Nathanael crossed his arms. “There’s something about that guy—”

“Eren,” Tay cut him off, “that's his name.”

Nathanael shook his head. “There's something about Eren I don't trust.”

“Why, because of him talking about killing those things?”

“It's more so the way he said it.” Nathanael tensed up, trying to not remember the pain that he and his family had to endure when they lost their father to those monsters. “Taylor, don't forget we made a promise,” he said,

“I didn't forget, Nat. Besides, me catching up with an old friend isn't going to make me want to join the scouts. I already gave up on that a long time ago.”

“Good. But if I were you, I would stay away from someone like him.”

“You don't know him like I do.”

“You only knew him for a few months. What's so special about that?”

Tay thought back of that rainy night when she encountered Eren once again. Nathanael nor their mother knew of that night when she let him steal some food. She sighed. “He lost a lot that day, Nathanael. You don’t have to like him, but have a little sympathy.”

Nathanael sighed. “Okay. I’ll go easy. The most I’ll do is stay out of his way.”

“As long as you play nice with the other boys, by all means.” Tay perked her shoulders and made her way down the field. Nathanael made a face at her as she walked off, and as he followed her to catch up with her he did an exaggerated slip with his arms waving.

As they reached the girls’ cabin, Taylor approached the steps, and looked up at the night sky. The shades of purple and blue would look beautiful on a canvas, she thought.

“Okay, so you’re sure you’ll be okay for tomorrow?” Nathanael asked her.

“I will be.” Taylor sat down on the steps, opening her sketchbook and taking out her charcoal pencil.

“Good, good.” Nathanael nodded as he leaned against the staircase. “You know there’s no shame in going home if it gets too much.”

Tay stopped drawing. “Nathanael,” she muttered, “ you promised.”

“I know, I know, sorry.” He raised his hand. “It’s a force of habit. I don’t doubt you can do it, I only say that because I don’t want you to get your hopes up if things don’t work out.”

“Then I’m just gonna work hard and prove to Shadis that I can do it and that I’m not the weakingly everyone thinks I am.” Taylor began scribbling in her sketchbook. 

Nathanael looked at whatever it was she was drawing, noticing she was making it take the shape of a circle before shaping it into a head.

“Well, whatever ends up happening, just know I’ll be proud of you, Tay, just as you make sure to give them hell.”

“Oh, trust me, I will.”

Nathanael smiled, happy to see her give her smile at him. “Are you staying up?”

“I’m just waiting for Mel to get back.”

“Okay. Just get plenty of rest. It's gonna be a tough day tomorrow.”

“Oh, don’t I know it. It’ll be the start of the first three years of hell.”

“Damn right. Well, goodnight, kiddo.”

“Goodnight.”

Nathanael waved at his sister. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, not paying attention as he had bumped into a small blonde kid who was walking by and seemed to be staring off in the clouds, and he ended up stumbling back and falling. 

“Sorry! I wasn’t watching where I was going,” said the shaken blonde guy.

Nathanael, who was still standing, waved his hands and shook his head. “No, no! That was my fault, I kinda zoned out there.” He held his hand out towards him and helped the blonde kid back on his feet. “Sorry about that,” he said, patting his arm.

“Ah, it’s no problem. I’m fine.”

“You’re…Arlert, right?”

“Yes. Armin. Schuyler?”

“Nathanael.” He smiled. “Well nice to meet you directly instead of getting screamed at by the commandant.”

“Tell me about it.”

Back at the girls’ cabin, Tay found herself sketching what Eren had described the titan to look like when he spoke of it in the mess hall. “It had a mouth like a corpse, and no skin, just muscle.” Taylor had never seen a corpse up close before. She never even got a chance to see her father’s dead body since there was nothing to bring back on that final mission, aside from his cloak that was stained with red at the bottom half.

“Hey, move over.”

“Huh?” Taylor looked up, meeting the brown-eyed glare of the freckled-girl. who was carrying Potato Girl on her back. Potato Girl was just sleeping on her back, just snoring loudly with drool rolling down the side of her cheek. The petite blonde girl was trailing behind, carrying an empty shack that had water.

“Sorry.” Taylor scooted over.

Freckles didn’t say anything as she walked by. Taylor glared at her.

“Bitch,” she grumbled, hoping Freckles didn’t hear her. She did, but she didn’t pay her any mind.

“S-sorry about her, she’s just tired,” Blondie said.

“She could ask a little nicer,” Tay grumbled, going back to her scribbling. She realized she sounded harsh to the small blonde girl, and she felt a bit bad. “Sorry. It’s been a long day, and I don’t want to deal with anyone's attitude.”

“I understand.” Blondie smiled softly. “What’re you drawing?”

“I don’t know yet. I just kinda scribble until it turns into something.” She showed her the base of the head she was doing

“Wow, you have quite a talent,” she said, sweetly. “My name is Krista. You’re…Tabitha, right?”

“Taylor,” she said, chuckling.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Krista exclaimed. “Trying to remember names all night, everyone just blurs together.”

“It’s okay! I know it’s going to be a nightmare trying to remember everyone here.”

“Well I already know that we’re going to become great friends.” 

Tay smiled, surprised to see that tiny blonde girl in a place like this. Perhaps she had the same goal as she did. Then she noticed Mel approaching with the blonde brute. Taylor closed her book and stood up, feeling a bit intimidated by that big guy. His face had scared her the first time she saw him, and she was afraid he would probably be mean.

“Well, this is our stop,” Reiner said.

“Thanks for walking me to my cabin,” Mel said, smirking. 

“Anytime. You ever need an escort, I’ll be there.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“So I’ll see you tomorrow for the altitude test?” 

“I’ll be there.”

“Great! I’ll see you tomor—” Reiner walked backwards, bumping into a couple of barrels behind him. Reiner managed to turn around fast and stop it from falling over, making Mel and Tay giggle as he held it for a minute. “Stay!” he said when he removed his hands. He looked back at the girls with a nervous smile. “I, uh, I’m…I’m gonna go.” He pointed behind him and began to make his way to his cabin.

Mel shook her head, laughing at that big dork. He was not what she thought he would be, and something about him made her heart warm.

“Oooooh, you got a new boyfriend?” Taylor asked, leaning on the rail with her hands on her cheeks.

“Hah!” Mel said. “That’s rich coming from you when you were blushing at Yeager’s story!”

Tay’s eyes widened and her cheeks turned red. “What?!” she said. “Are you saying what I think you are?”

“I don’t know, you tell me.” Mel confidently walked up the steps.

Tay shook her head. “He’s just a kid I met years ago. There is no way I feel anything like that for him.”

“Mm-hmm.” Mel could read her best friend like an open book. She saw the look in her eyes when she heard Eren speak about his experience in the titan attack. “Well if you say so. I’m heading to bed,” Mel yawned. “You coming?

“Later,” Tay said. “I’ll be a moment.”

“Okay.” Mel watched as Tay gently lifted her skirt to make her way down the steps without tripping, and began to take a walk with her sketchbook in her hand. Mel shook her head, but she couldn’t help but smile at her friend. She was so proud to see that she stayed after all, and she was more than confident that her best friend would be able to achieve her goals.

Taylor looked around as she passed by several other cabins housing the other cadets. As she looked, Mikasa was beginning to pass by. She kept looking at her hair and was thinking about deciding on what length to shorten it.

“Hey, Mikasa?”

Mikasa looked in her direction.

“I, uh…didn’t really get a chance to speak to Eren earlier. Can you tell me where he went?”

“He went for a walk over that way.” Mikasa pointed in the direction at where she would find him.

Tay smiled. “Thank you.”

Mikasa gave her a slight nod, and Tay made her way towards the direction where Mikasa pointed her to. 

As she predicted, Eren was standing by one of the trees and looking over the training field. Those memories of when they were children and his big talks about how he wanted to join the Scout Regiment came flooding back. Now that time has finally come. Despite the circumstances that led him here, Eren was glad he was much closer to getting his chance at revenge against those beasts.

“Hey.”

Eren turned around to see a short brown-haired girl approaching her, holding her journal close to her chest.

“I didn’t get a chance to say hello in the mess hall,” she murmured, smiling.

“Oh, it’s you,” he exclaimed. “You know, I never thought I would see you in a place like this.”

“Shocking, isn’t it?” Tay agreed with a slight chuckle. “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

“Yeah, it has. Your hair is shorter.”

Tay habitually ran her fingers through her hair. Despite the breeze on the back of her neck, she definitely preferred it to be a much shorter length. “I thought it would be easier to maintain. I like it a lot shorter.”

“Smart. It’ll make working with ODM-gear a lot easier. How’s your brother?”

“Clovis is doing much better nowadays.” Tay’s smile faded. “Eren, I…I’m really sorry to hear about what happened.”

Eren tensed up at the mention of it, and Tay immediately felt bad at reminding him.

“Oh, I didn’t mean—”

“I know you didn’t,” Eren snapped, immediately making Tay go quiet. “What happened happened, but I’m not gonna let it hold me back. I’ll take back my home and I’ll butcher every last titan that comes my way. I swear it.” 

“Nice to see you haven’t changed at all.”

“Hmph. Funny you say that when you’re interested in the MPs. I never expected someone like you to even be interested in them.”

“You and me both.” Tay’s face reddened as she rubbed the back of her neck. “But it's for a good reason. At least I can do my part to at least try to make a little bit of a difference.”

“I guess.” Eren didn’t smile as he crossed his arms. “But I gotta ask, of all the places you had to choose, it just had to be the Military Police?”

Tay looked up at him in confusion. “Well, yeah. I mean, I’m no fan of them, either, but I’m only doing it for my family and to get stronger.”

“Is that what you've been telling yourself?”

Tay was taken aback by that remark. “Excuse me?” 

Eren was caught off-guard by Tay’s response. The first time he met her, she was so meek and quiet, more so than Armin. The only thing he ever saw her get mad was when those three bullies snatched her sketchbook and dropped it into some mud, but even then she didn't really do much to defend herself when he, Mikasa, and Taylor beat them up—Mikasa was the only one who came out without a scratch.

“Well I just mean that…you know, you really think you have what it takes?”

“Oh, you don't think I can't work hard enough to get into the interior?” Tay put her hands on her hips.

“I never said that,” Eren muttered.

“That's what you insinuated.”

“I just mean you were never the best at fighting back.”

“Yeah?” Tay crossed her arms. “What about that time I kicked you down when you tried to steal from me?”

“That's completely different.”

“I managed to knock you down.”

“That's because I haven't eaten in days, I didn't have much strength, so that was your only advantage.” Eren was growing more agitated. Normally Tay would clam up when someone got angry at her. Not this time.

“You know, I was really looking forward to catching up with you and us becoming good friends, but now I think my biggest goal is to get stronger enough to kick your ass.”

“Hah!” Eren laughed. “Get real. You expect me to believe you would change your mind about the MPs after you compared them to a bunch of lazy pigs?” 

“Times change.”

“Come on, Taylor. What are you really hoping to fight for?”

Come to think of it, Taylor never really thought to ask her that. Anytime she was asked why wanted to join the Military Police, it was a different response each time: For the sake of giving her family a better life, to become a stronger person who didn’t need to hide behind her friends for protection, to dedicate her heart to the king. But deep down, Taylor could feel there was always something missing. She wanted more than just the simple life. If it was any different, she would hope to see a new world, to paint something beautiful and to do something worthwhile.

“I have plenty of reasons, thank you,” Tay replied with snark in her voice.

“Hmph. Thought you would say that.” Eren could tell that what she was saying was bullshit. “Well don’t act so shocked when Shadis screams at you again and you go crying to your m—” Eren suddenly stopped talking.

Tay felt him tense up. “What?” she asked.

Eren’s fists trembled. He was fighting back his emotions so hard. Then he scoffed. “Forget it. Have fun with your little friends in the interior for all I care.”

“Yeah, good luck getting through the first week, you suicidal bastard.”

Eren stopped walking and turned around as Tay began to storm off. He was actually stunned that she, the girl who froze up like a deer in the woods, told him off the way she did. Eren didn’t even consider that what he said was out of line, but in his mind the Military Police were full of people who just wanted to cheat their way through life. And that’s exactly what Tay was doing, he knew what she was saying was absolute bullshit.

But Tay wasn’t going to give up so easily. She would show Eren, Shadis, and Nathanael that she was capable of earning her spot in the Military Police. At least it was better than spending your days not knowing whether or not it would be your last stepping outside those walls. As the moon began to rise over the camp for the 104th Cadet Corps, the first day starting the next three years of hell had ended.

[s-s-painland]

The Mystery of Spain's Lockscreen

The subject of Spain’s lockscreen was something of a mystery that almost everyone wanted to answer too. France especially wanted to know, no needed to know. His easy going friend had never been secretive before. Spain had also been known to just leave his phone in random places, even needing to buy a new one a few times. Now, however, he was always mindful of where he left it and tended to panic briefly when he didn't have it in his hand or pocket. Not to mention! Spain only let his friends look at his screen after it was unlocked! So obviously whatever was on that lockscreen is either embarrassing or scandalous! And France lived for the drama, sure it might piss off Spain, but he’ll get a glimpse of that lockscreen if it's the last thing he’ll do!

Easier said than done it would seem. France had been at it for little over two weeks now. Obvious and sneaky attempts all failed to get him any more than a brief flash of color. Although, he would admit, he never really asked Spain what his lockscreen was. And so! France’s next great plan would be to just ask.

Patiently, our silly French protagonist bided his time for the right moment to ask. And soon that day came. On a usual ‘boys’ night with him, Spain, and Prussia he decided to corner Spain and ask, wanting to finally, finally get his answer.

“Heyyy~ Tony? Gotta question for you.” He purrs, sliding closer into his friend's bubble.

“Hmm?” Spain looks up from his menu with a smile and a tilt of his head. “What is it?”

“It’s been bugging me for a while now,” France pauses for the drama, “what is your lockscreen?” At his question Prussia finally looks up from his beer and looks to Spain expectantly.

“Oh! Oh! Me too! I wanna know!” Prussia leans across the table to get in on the ‘invade Antonio’s space’ program. The interrogatee goes still for a moment, surprised at the question. Spain lifts the menu to hide the bottom half of his face and glances at his face-down phone.

“Mmm..It’s y’know..” He trails off thinking of what he wanted to say as a hidden smile forms on his face. “It’s..something special is all.”

“That,” Prussia starts, “that didn’t answer shit.”

“I agree, what the hell does that mean?” France speaks up next scooting closer, blue eyes flicking down to the phone. Instead of explaining, Spain just shrugs and goes back to checking out the food options. France, annoyed and ten times more curious, slowly reaches out and goes to grab his friend’s phone.

Just as he started sliding it over to him a rough, tanned hand slams down on top of his wrist and squeezes lightly. The blond goes still and looks over at Spain in surprise.

“It would be appreciated if you’d just let it go.” Spain’s smile was warm and friendly as always, but his tone was cold and clipped. Shocked at this shift in personality, France can only nod dumbly and let go of the phone. Quickly Spain swipes it off the table and into his pocket. 

“Gracias.”

After that frankly terrifying failure, France had seemingly given up on satiating his curiosity. Sighing loudly he leans back in his assigned seat. The world meeting had ended a short while ago and he was contemplating what to do. Normally he’d torment tease England, but the brat had been quick to disappear on him recently, seemingly having better things to do than to argue uselessly. And strangely enough, Spain had gone and fucked off early today too. Which was pretty lame of him, in Prussia’s words.

Unintelligible Italian screeching was heard sharply over the low buzz of conversation. Which took France by surprise, he knew that screech.

Normally, Romano is one of the first to leave, especially if Spain isn’t there. Curious for a whole new reason, France gets up from his seat and stalks around the room searching for his temperamental entertainment.

It didn’t take long truthfully. With how loud Romano was being, all he had to do was wait for the Italian’s next string of curses. It was like playing a weird one sided form of marco polo. With a wide grin he sneaks up on Romano and plants a hand on his shoulder. The older twin jumped in surprise and whipped his head around with an angry scowl. 

“The fuck you want?”

“Nice to see you too Roma~” At his teasing, Romano’s scowl turned into a snarl.

“Easy easy~” France chuckled. “I was just curious as to why you’re still here.” France removes his hand from a tense shoulder. “Spain isn’t here after all.~”

“No shit,” Romano spits before turning to face the blond, arms crossing over his chest. “Shithead took-” The brunette cuts himself off for a moment before correcting his statement, “He went out on a date. And I didn’t wanna deal with him being all lovey dovey again.” Romano finishes with an exasperated roll of his eyes.

“A date?” France is scandalized. “He has a lover?! And he didn’t tell me??”

“Yeah, can’t imagine why.” The sarcastic comment goes ignored by its recipient. With a hand to his chest and a dramatic lean back against a table, France looks at his annoyed conversation partner.

“Do you know who? Do you know who has weaseled their way into my dear friend’s fragile heart!?” He knows that his dramatics were only frustrating the younger even more, but he hadn’t been able to annoy England recently so of course he’d do it to Romano.

“I do.” France perks up. Straightening he goes to open his mouth but is cut off by Romano. “I’m not telling you though. That bastard can deal with your meltdown. Also, I think it was the other way around.” After he finished, Romano turned around to go hunt his twin down again and try to convince Feli to let him stay the night (Also to do some more nagging). 

“Wait!! You live with Spain! So do you know what his lockscreen is? It’s been driving me crazy!” France hastily asks, leaping forward a few steps to reinvade Romano’s space. Romano, to his credit, didn’t punch or curse out France but instead sighed heavily, seemingly exhausted by this short interaction.

“Unfortunately.”

“What is it?”

“Gross. It’s gross and soft and weird.” And with that, Romano speeds off. Leaving France confused and insatiably curious all over again.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

I love the idea that Spain is aggressively protective of soft England. But he also can't help but brag endlessly to Romano, who couldn't care less and desperately wants Spain to shut up. But at the same time, he kinda enjoys England's company when the blonde is over at their place.

Idk I just want Romano to adopt England as his honorary older brother :/

Also also, the marking on England are a head cannon of mine, they're inspired by but not based on any proper Celtic knotwork/druid tattoos. You don't see them normally because he wears makeup to hide the ones on his face and neck, and obviously he wouldn't be caught dead in anything "too revealing" at the world meetings.

And please do me the favor of imagining with me the shit show that will happen when France finds out Spain and England are dating UwU

Maybe I should write that one next.....

[naivesilver]

Crowsourced ideas for the EAH/OUAT crossover because I can't get it out of my fucking head apparently and I need to write them all down in a single place

Apple -> takes the place of baby Neal as Snow and Charming's second child, exacerbating Emma's bitterness because like, if you're a bit jealous that your parents are raising and doting on a baby like they couldn't go to you, that feeling must multiplicate tenfold if said baby is a little girl with blonde hair

Raven -> Regina's baby with Robin. Implies that Cora never dosed her daughter with an infertility spell and also that the whole Zelena pregnancy shebang was avoided somehow PLEASE I need this for my sanity. Has magic blood but ON GOD, Regina will bash Rumple on the head if he comes near her kid with weird power-teaching ideas

(when I made the first post about this I completely forgot that Sparrow Hood is a guy that exists in EAH, but it's fine, we can pretend he doesn't OR Regina can have twins - Raven and Sparrow are names that go so well together, after all! And the prospect is hysterical! Surely nothing could go wrong with those two in the same nursery!!!!!)

Ruby and Dorothy were implied to do some travelling together in the show, right? Maybe they could find the remains of a wolf pack like that of Ruby's mother, except all that's left is VERY mistrustful wolfblood young sisters Ramona and Cerise in severe need for adult intervention. Time for Red Kansas to become chaos moms and break some walls the girls have built, I guess

if Jefferson already has one daughter, there is no reason why he couldn't have TWO daughters! Enter Madeline/Maddie, AKA Grace's mad (honorific) little sis

Cinderella is already called Ashley in OUAT so I'd be loath to keep her daughter as Ashlynn but...Lynney? Lynette? Something? Anyway, a glorified Alexandra LMAO same for Hunter, though - for one, where would Graham get a son, and for two, would he name that son Hunter? Nope. Definitely not. Needs workshopping

other kids I have floating around are Briar (but Aurora is already pregnant in canon so whatever that's easy), Crystal (technically as the daughter of the Snow Queen she should come from Elsa or Ingrid's line, but that doesn't sound likely...maybe Anna and Kristoff instead?), Alistair Wonderland (probably Alice and Cyrus' offspring, but that would mean not interacting much with the rest of the crew), Lizzie Hearts (Cora has no right to a third daughter, so what's the closest thing to the Queen of Hearts? Anastasia the Red Queen? Idk??????) etc etc

and now the actual protagonist in my heart, Cedar Booth Wood

so because of Jojo's intervention, her backstory is established as such: she's the result of one of August's pre-canon flings that ends up in Storybrooke when she's quite young. That narrows the window of time where she could have been conceived before her dad was either wooden/a third grader/being a whole dumbass, but I wanted her to be about the same age as her friends and that means keeping her at about 5yo upon her arrival (timelines are wonky because OUAT's timeline IS wonky, but hardly anybody will even read so far, so ssssssh)

August is her nearest relation available, so that's why he gets a handful of child so suddenly. He is...a bit in shock, but he ends up loving her once the surprise wears off. Marco is OVER THE MOON because it's free granddaughter. Archie is just begging that at least ONE member of their family has a kid in a plain, normal way at some point in the future

then the angst kicks in because it turns out daddy's enchanted tree genes are just a little too strong and they resurface quite vehemently once Cedar steps foot in Storybrooke. Maybe she starts turning into wood, or has an averse reaction to lies, or both, I don't know I'd love it to be both, but I'm scared that I will get yelled at for torturing this child any further

the central point is - I was discussing this topic with @bewilderedmoth the other night and she had a STRONG hand in helping me reach the conclusion that a) this is probably the Blue Fairy's fault, so fuck her b) since Cedar is so young in this AU not only would August be desperate that she gets...cured? Un-cursed? Something, but he'd also realize that...shit. He wasn't much older than her when he got thrown into his personal hellscape. That's fucked up. Who thought it could be a healthy learning experience (see point a)? Unhand his kiddo RIGHT NOW or so help him

finally, this unreasonably funny concept from yours truly, to send you off on a lighter note

[xamaxenta]

You know what you need more of? Ace having the biggest and shallowest crush on Marco

Hear me out

Before they even meet ace stumbles across Marcos bounty and is immediately taken with the blonde. (Much to sabos and later deuces confusion)

Like ace thinks marco is super fucking hot and everyone else is like “huh?”

At some point he starts referring to marco as his “husband” (purely for shits and giggles and to make deuce sigh really loudly)

Sees Marcos bounty at a bar “that’s my husband”

Gets hit on “sorry I have a husband”

So imagine aces embarrassment when one day marco the phoenix drops out of the sky and onto his ship flames curling around the deck “hello husband mine”

After ace joins he starts getting to know marco and then has an entire breakdown because oh no he’s also super nice and awesome and how can he be that hot?

(Meanwhile deuce is fighting whitebeard for the last barrel of sake)

OH MY GOD Ace being so SO vocal and parasocial in regards to Marco and his own relationship that it travels

Word travels like lightning when it wants to and ? Marco the Phoenix has a husband? That’s gonna make the rounds CRAZY FAST

So fast Marco learns of it before he even knows who Ace is

Haruta: u have a husband now

Marco: i do?

Haruta: some brat named Ace

Marco: ok, any other info?

Haruta: full names portgas d ace, recenttly got a bounty for himself, kids cute but thats all he is. A kid.

Marco: huh

So when Ace Does come knocking and Marco decides to mess with him omg. Who knew assimilation would be so easy if all he had to do was return the sentiments, call Ace darling husband and its all fine and dandy

Im stupid btw i just misread like half ur shit i agree Marco going to the spades is eternally funny and Deuce fucking shits himself like WHAT DO YOU MEAN HES YOUR HUSBAND?

Ace smugly holding Marcos hand like i toldya

Ans then they join the WBP and actually start a proper relationship