#and like what anon said it just scares her. she'd much rather look away to save her sanity than accept the 'idol haruka' being advertised

[saintsaki]

Aaaaaa omg I'm so honored that my silly ask inspired more Anharu art!! They are THE best friends with secret gay feelings Of All Time, to me. Thank you for this blessing 🙏 the Anharu nation, all like. 5 of us, are being FED good today!!

I don't have much I can offer in return, but I did write this itty bitty Anharu fic a little while back? https://archiveofourown.org/works/59091166

On the lighthearted side of things: I think An tries flirting with Haruka at some point but realizes that it's just too similar to the playful banter that they've always done so it just flies completely over Haruka's head. They've been holding hands since they were little, of course Haruka doesn't think anything of it when An does it now.

On the more angsty side of things: I often think about An seeing Haruka's initial rise to fame from afar and being increasingly worried about the worse parts of the idol industry. It chews up the person she knew and spits out something manufactured and Not Right; someone constantly aware of what she's wearing, what she's eating, what she's doing in public, all to maintain that idol image. Haruka her best friend and Kiritani Haruka the Idol are almost different people and it scares her a little. MMJ being such a source of positivity was a massive relief.

more than 2 weeks late reply but anyway,, (looong post ahead ksjsghj)

ur very welcome anon!! im glad to know that im feeding us 5 anharuers. we deserve this tbh. we deserve good fucking food from the Very Cool Pair of Childhood Friends Who Are Obviously Gay And In Love With Each Other. and since ive done a few anharu art already i might as well continue doing more to feed us all 🥹 (goodbye minoharu and more more jump /j)

and your fic. OH MY GOD ANON YOUR FIC. im gonna be real with you ever since i got your ask i still have the fic opened in my browser 😭 i will keep it open and read it forever!! idc if its short!! i LOVE it!! Absolute Chef's Kiss 👌!! I NEED MORE ANAHRU IN THAT KIND OF FLAVOR HKAFGJBS 😭😭😭 ALSO idk why but after reading it, i imagined that this is a recurring convo of theirs. it starts with whatever topic then one of them deviates and it ends just like the fic. this happens over adn over and over and we're just out here wisHING ONE OF THEM CONFESS ALREADY OR SMTH 😭😭

lastly, your lighthearted anharu reminded me of that 'i love you too, egg' meme so, as what youd expect from me, i cant help but put the two sillys in that meme:

Just In: Sources Have Confirmed That Kiritani Haruka Is Dense (real)

and even if An would outright kiss her—a simple, long one or sloppy style even, your choice—Haruka STILL wouldn't think her Bestest Childhood Friend is in love with her, nope! (someone save them)

[hughiecampbelle]

Succession Preference: Running Away From Home

Requested: 1st preference: what each sibling would do if their youngest sibling {roysibling!reader} ran away from their home (logan's place) and showed up at their doorstep (maybe with a bruise or maybe just swollen eyes from crying or just generally looking exhausted or upset) - anon

A/N: Screaming!!! I love this so much my love, it is so angsty!!! Just thinking about it makes my heart break for them. I really hope you like it!!! Feedback is always appreciated!!! 💜💜💜

Connor jumps right into big brother mode. You show up at his ranch exhausted, shaking, with a nasty bruise settling near your eye. Immediately, he lets you in, holding you for as long as you need. He doesn't need to ask you what happened, who did this. Roman used to go to him with the same look, the same bruise, the same scared eyes. Connor sits you down, offering tea and an ice pack, pressing it gently to you. He asks if he can call Pops, but you beg him not to. You don't want to hear his voice. You don't want to think about it. You ran the second you could and haven't looked back. He assures you that whatever you need, he's there. He won't call him if it upsets you. He makes up the spare bedroom and reminds you that if you wanna talk, he's more than willing to listen. In the morning, he'll call your other siblings, letting them know where you are, that you're safe. They all want to know what happened, but he knows it's your story to tell. He doesn't even tell them about the bruise, not wanting you to be bombarded with texts and calls. You came to him seeking safety and shelter. That's exactly what he'll be there for. He'd do anything to protect you.

Kendall can't believe it. He knows that your father hit Rome, he still does, but you? He's never raised a hand to you. He's not blaming you, at all, but he knows you must've said or done something to push Dad over the edge. When you swear up and down that you didn't do anything to instigate him, hysterical, deciding that maybe you should just go to one of your other siblings homes, he finally believes you. Sorta. He tells you he does anyways, not wanting to upset you anymore. He offers what empathy he can, but he doesn't know. He's never feared your father like that. He thinks about giving Shiv or Con a call before deciding that isn't the best idea. Kendall is all too aware of what kind of image your family had to uphold. Getting anymore people involved would ruin you, your reputation. You were falling apart over what, a slap? a punch? You're his baby sibling, he loves you, but he can't help but also look down on this behavior. You ran away. Isn't that a little childish for your age? A little juvenile? You regret going to him, blaming your father for the way he is.

Shiv is shocked. She doesn't register that someone's been knocking on the door, too wrapped up in her emails and messages, until you start calling her by name. She doesn't know what to say or do, only that you're standing before her, bruised, crying, reminding her so much of the little kid you used to be. What, what are you - what happened? You just shake your head. You try to say something, but it only comes out in whimpers. Eventually, she just pulls you inside. She leaves you only for a second, calling Logan. His story doesn't match up with what she's seeing, the welt on your head swelling as you sip at your water, finally calmed down. She tells him that you're with him and you're safe, but he doesn't care. He calls you a few names she'd rather not repeat. She offers her guest room until things have cooled down. She's not really sure what to do, how to handle things. She's never seen you this upset and as far as she knows, he's never laid a hand on you before this. She doesn't push it, but she needs to hear it from your perspective. She was your big sister, your protector, and yet in this moment, Shiv felt like she was failing you. Failing her duties as big sister.

Roman plays it off cool, but underneath he's seething. You got into your fights with Logan, they all did, but the bruise he left made Roman himself flinch. There were certain rules and expectations that came with the sibling hierarchy. As far as you'd all known, you were off limits. This isn't the first time he's done this, he can tell, but this is the first time you ran to him. He's not sure what to do, how to help. He's never been any good in these kinds of situations. Offering comfort isn't something he learned growing up. Still, he tries. He tries for you. He makes you up a bed on the couch and gets some ice for your face, making sure you're really okay. You don't tell him what happened, but he's lived through enough of these scenarios to put the pieces together. When you've gone to sleep, or when he thinks you have, he gives Logan a call. It goes straight to voicemail and he can't help himself, he goes off. Blows up. He could do whatever he wanted to him, they all could, he'd made peace with that a long time ago, but you? You were off limits. You were the baby. No one laid a hand on his baby sibling, especially not your father.

[copperbadge]

I know that it’s been a Very Long Time but do you ever get terribly nostalgic for old/less active fandoms? I confess I recently came back to tumblr and saw that I followed you. I was like, of course Sam storyteller, the Bucky guy. But then I got a hankering for my older and dearer by far love Ianto Jones and went back to reread some of the greatest hits and I remembered. You are not the Loki guy. You are the Ianto guy, to me, and I can’t believe I forgot that. I miss that fandom so much it was so fucking. Toxic. The Gwen bashing, I simply cannot romanticize it in good conscience. But the fic quality and diversity was, dare I say it, nearly unparalleled (in my heart). Like when it hit it really hit you know? A golden age of trashy sci fi indeed. I miss my dead welsh son. Sorry to ramble in your ask box about the dubious old days

Anon, I am so sorry, a bunch of my asks got pushed way down in the inbox and then I forgot they were there, so apologies this is MONTHS late in getting posted.

I, eh, I don't really get nostalgic for old fandoms. Usually I leave them for a reason, but even if I just drift away, my experience of a fandom is pretty fundamentally different from most because of my higher profile. There are things I can't do or say in a fandom that other people could, and there are things that happen to me outside of my control. They're not even necessarily bad things, just stuff like...I'll write a fic in a new fandom, and people from my previous fandom will start engaging with the canon because I did. So often, rather than just falling away from a fandom, I'll leave a fandom and drag a bunch of people with me. They might not even leave the older fandom, but they come along to the new one too.

And often the wanks that pull people in without their consent simply don't touch me because there's a portion of fandom that is either scared of me (or my readers) or just doesn't want anything to do with me. I can't determine which.

Torchwood's a pretty good case in point -- the Gwen bashing was extreme. I wasn't a fan of Gwen but what I saw from the antigwenallies was really, really gross. Still, even though I wrote fic about Gwen and engaged in meta around her presence in the show, I avoided them and thus had exactly one interaction with them ever, which was when they posted up a fic of mine as "anti-Gwen" and I asked them to remove it and never recc anything of mine again. They did, and that was the end of that. Nobody ever came to my posts to attack her or me. Likewise, there was one really, really aggressive anti-Ianto wanker, but she never engaged with me or even as far as I know talked about me, despite the fact I was a huge Ianto fan and wrote a lot of fic about him. I really hated the shit she said, but I also didn't see any value in arguing, so I left her alone and she left me alone. (I won't name her because I checked up on her a few years ago and it turns out she was struggling with serious mental health issues that she'd gotten a lot of help for, and felt really terrible about the things she'd done, so I'm actually quite proud of her. But if you know you know.)

I also just...have a bad memory, so I often don't remember what happened in a fandom, or even sometimes that I was in a fandom. Most of the memories I do have are either vaguely warm and friendly, or "avoid this fandom/person at all costs" based in a negative interaction (which I sometimes don't remember the details of).

So yeah...I mean, Torchwood ended pretty terribly so I don't miss it in part because I try not to think about it. Generally if I have a good time in a fandom and then leave it, it's because I simply said all I had to say there. But I'm usually looking forward, not back, just because the past is a bit of a fog bank for me, most of the time.

[dreamwritesimagines]

alright so it's time for me to overanalyze this whole chapter (but particularly that last scene omfg)

okay so first of all im still not quite over the sneak peak. "for my beautiful wife" (get me a benedict bridgerton i beg of you).

the teddy scene was so sweet omg!!! the way ben and clover are just acting so domestic is soooo adorable! and it's so sweet that as clover starts to be more open with ben, so does teddy. he's literally gone from hiding behind clover's skirts whenever ben is around to “looking up at him as if asking for his help", and idk, to me that just seems meaningful that even teddy (who was so opposed to clover getting married) likes ben, because it would be so easy for him to not like ben because he 'took clover away' so to speak. AND THE WAY HE JUST PICKED TEDDY UP AND PUT HIM ON HIS SHOULDERS!!! MEN WHO ARE GOOD WITH KIDS ARE SO HOT ISTG!!!!

"You knew you were supposed to focus on your own work but it was a bit difficult when Benedict was sitting not far from you on the floor with his sleeves rolled up, letting you steal glances at his strong arms." she's honestly so real for that, arms are hot asf. and OMG don't even get me STARTED on “So that people will get to see what true beauty looks like even after five hundred years.” because holy shit benedict bridgerton is THE STANDARD. and the way clover has such confidence in bens art!!! pls i literally love them so much i can't-

awwww and then andrew/bess/josie bit!! i was wondering when ben was going to ask about them for a couple of weeks. i love how clover was willing to just tell him without being scared he'd massively judge them or something. like of course he wouldn't but clover is super distrustful most of the time so i was wondering how open she'd be about someone who is as important to her as josie is.

“I seem to like seeing you beat around the bush, that was rather adorable,” clover you're literally so in love with him, stop being in denial already!!!!!! 😭😭😭

alright now onto lady margery. honestly when we first met her i didn't like her AT ALL because i thought she was going to be the next kitty-type girl trying to steal benedict away or something. honestly i have mixed feelings on her because i automatically don't like anyone who makes our girl feel insecure but i also find her really likable. she's this perfect representation of exactly what clover wanted to (and could have) been had she not met, and subsequently married, ben. her and clover are a nice little "what i wanted vs what i got" situation and im honestly here for it.

AND THIS - “I find the idea of marriage quite absurd if you ask me, especially within the ton. It’s the worst prison to be.” “Not for everyone,” !!!!!!! THAT IS WHAT WE CALL CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!!! the best bit is she isn't under any pressure to say anything like that. lady margery wouldn't have questioned her if she said nothing, and there was no one there who she had to convince of anything. she just automatically defended marriage (or at least her and ben's marriage) without even thinking about it and yet she STILL DOESN'T RECOGNISE THAT SHE'S IN LOVE WITH HIM!!!??? CLOVER??? GIRL??? YOU'RE DOWN SO BAD PLS!! 😭😭😭

anyways i think im going to have to overanalyze the final scene in a different ask because this is getting way longer than i thought it was lol. (ill sign it off with a nice little mirrorball emoji so yk it's me lmao)

- 🪩

MIRRORBALL EMOJI ANON I LOVE YOU SO MUCH-

I saw this ask and I literally gasped and got so excited, I am hugging you respectfully! 🥰❤️ YOU'RE AMAZING! ❤️

Fangirling over you under the cut! 🥰❤️

Lolll Benedict went down to the garden to get those flowers all happy and excited 😂

Benedict and Clover are being such a married couple 🥰 And dare I say even parents? 😏

he's literally gone from hiding behind clover's skirts whenever ben is around to “looking up at him as if asking for his help", EXACTLY! 😍 Like, Teddy admires Benedict and looks up to him so much, and he feels so safe with him ❤️ I think it's because he can pick up how relaxed and happy Clover is around Benedict 🥰

YES OMG I AGREE WITH YOUUUU! 😍 Benedict being so good with Teddy...😍

Lolll Clover could not focus at all, she was eyeing him and his arms 😏

He is so romantic! ❤️

Clover trusts him so much, like more than he thinks she does❤️ The fact that she shared the details of Josie and Andrew's arrangement with him means a lot on her part ❤️

honestly i have mixed feelings on her because i automatically don't like anyone who makes our girl feel insecure but i also find her really likable. she's this perfect representation of exactly what clover wanted to (and could have) been had she not met, and subsequently married, ben. This is exactly what I was going for! 😍

Like, Clover won't know how to feel about Margery either 😂 She is, just like you said, a representation of what Clover was planning on, and what she thought she wanted 😏 But now that she met Benedict, it all changed -for the better- ❤️ But also there's the whole "being good enough for him" insecurity that hits Clover from time to time 🥰

DEFINITELY! ❤️😍 I was hoping that Clover's conversation with Margery would show her character development at this point in the story and IT'S SO GOOD TO HEAR THAT IT DID! ❤️ Clover had literally zero reason to "pretend" while she was with Margery, and it actually came almost automatic to her, like she didn't even think about it before she said "Not for everyone", she genuinely feels like it! ❤️

She is so in loveeee❤️

OH MY GOD I'M SO EXCITED FOR YOUR NEXT ASK AS WELL, HOLD ON-

AAAAAAAA I'M LEGIT SMILING! 😍❤️❤️

[yanderecrazysie]

more yandere miya twins soulmate au pls my liege 🙇🏻‍♀️

Of course my lovely anon!!

The twins would just be in numb shock after what happened and, obviously, you running away like the devil is on your tail isn't really a good sign for them. Atsumu tries to follow your path but he's too late- you're long gone by the time he remembers how to move his feet.

The rest of the team notices they're acting like they just saw a ghost- their eyes wide, movements stiff and slow, and their minds definitely not on volleyball.

They, like just about everyone else, always looked forward to meeting their soulmate. The words on their wrist- their matching sentences, always seemed so endearing to them. Maybe their soulmate was clumsy or she'd bump into them and look up at them all shyly.

To say they didn't expect their soulmate to look like she was about to throw up and/or cry at the sight of them was an understatement. Like you, they had the weekend to think over what they'd done.

Atsumu didn't honestly think what he did was too bad, but Osamu practically tears him a new one over everything he's said. Then, the blonde twin shoots back about how awful Osamu was too. They bicker and argue over whose fault it is, but, in the end, it's obvious they both screwed up big time.

And so, they desperately tried to come up with some sort of plan to get you to... you know... not hate their guts. It also crosses their mind (well, Osamu's mind- but he tells Atsumu) that you could even be scared of them.

They seek you out on Monday and spot you getting things out of your locker. You look so paranoid, eyes darting all over the place and, when your eyes land on them, you look like a deer in headlights.

The way you scramble away from them, even leaving your locker open and books on the ground, breaks their hearts. You're their soulmate... Sure, they haven't gotten off on the right foot, but the universe still wants you all together!

They wait outside your classroom for you after they get out of class early. Your friend walks out first, stops in place, stares at them then says in a much-louder-than-needed voice, "OH OSAMU AND ATSUMU WHAT A SURPRISE TO SEE YOU!"

The friend's obviously trying to warn you and buy you time to react, if the disdain on her face and not-so-discreet looks over her shoulder weren't a dead giveaway. Atsumu's visibly gritting his teeth, both insulted by how much you want to get away from your soulmates.

They finally manage to get past your friend and into the classroom, but you're not there. Atsumu goes to check the supply closet, but you aren't there. Osamu spots exactly where you are, though.

You've climbed out the window and scaled the two-story brick wall to avoid them. Atsumu's seething and Osamu's completely distressed. How the hell are they going to fix this when they can't get within 50 feet of you?

Two heads are better than one though, and they're starting to get some... less than savory... ideas to make sure you can't run away. You're meant to be with them- the universe declared it!

They wonder... would you rather be stuck in a cage or have broken legs?

Maybe if you stay still for a little bit, hear them out, and wholeheartedly accept them with open arms, they won't have to go to such extremes.

(damn this was longer than I meant it to be but TYSM FOR TALKING TO ME I WAS SO LONELY)

[rayofsunas]

cherry blossoms | scaramouche

A/n: good evening guys! how is everyone? I hope you're all doing well this week :) reader insert is fem once again (I've explained why in another recent post) but if someone would like a gn version let me know! I kind of think of this as a prequel to scara's mini-series, but rather the happier version shh- (I'm plotting things in the mini-series). since I was running late with this post, and I feel as though this is unfinished, if you guys want a part two, let me know!! as always, thank you for requesting anon, and enjoy!

Summary: s/o is a fatui harbinger and scaramouche's fiancé, who’s good friends with aether, paimon, mona.

Parings: Scaramouche/Fem! Reader

Warnings: swearing, fluff, angst, pregnancy (hinted + implied), Mona being Mona and Paimon being Paimon ;-;

Word count: 1k

"Mona, please, I just need you to try and get along, for once." You exclaimed, staring at the tall cherry blossom tree in your backyard, wondering if it could support a small swing; you hoped it could.

The beautiful astrologer huffed from her seat on a nearby large stone, that was now a bench of sorts. Your wish seemed to be the last thing on her mind, far too stubborn to give in completely.

"I'm trying! He's just so annoying..."

"Understood," You agreed, Mona tilted her head to the side. "But, I want you two to stop. I know he makes it hard, but be the bigger person, yeah?" She was your best friend, why wouldn't you want them to get along?

She nodded nonchalantly, only partly agreeing. She couldn't get along with your fiance no matter how much she tried. Everything he said was both annoying and infuriating.

Plus, he was a danger! But then again you were a Fatui as well... No, your personality and actions couldn't be chalked up to that of a Fatui, you and your fiancé were different, very, very different.

"By the way, where's Aether and Paimon?" You asked, moving away from the beautiful cherry blossom tree to bump your hip with the astrologers, eventually taking a seat when she scooted over.

"On their way, they decided to stop into town for something." A sneaky grin was on her face and you couldn't help but feel sick because of it.

"What's with that grin?"

"Nothing, no worries."

You hummed, looking back at the tree in thought. You'd have to figure out what that meant when the pair returned soon.

-

"Must you have such a grandiose house, so far away from the town?! It was really hard getting up here!" Paimon complained, large eyes angry. You couldn't help but smile cheekily at the small floating being, not phased at all by her behavior.

"Apologies, Paimon. My only excuse is we like privacy; being a Fatui isn't easy and brings a lot of unwanted attention."

"Paimon doesn't like the long walk,” She said speaking in third person. “Thank the Archons we don't come here often!" She smiled.

"Hey..." You said teasingly, with a frown.

"S-Sorry, um,-" She looked frazzled before floating over to Aether and snatching a small brown paper bag from his hands, "Here, an apology gift...?" The mysterious being nervously giggled, you stared at her in confusion.

"A gift, for me?" She nodded.

"Paimon!" Aether hissed lowly, glaring at her. It sounded like she wasn't supposed to give this to you... Because of that, you were going to give it back but then Aether relaxed and motioned for you to open it.

"We were hoping to give it to you when Scaramouche was here too, seeing as though it's a gift for both of you..." You gave him a questioning look. What could it be? For the both of you? Hmm... How thoughtful.

"Go ahead!" Paimon said cheerfully, a huge smile on her face. Aether's features mirrored hers and even Mona had a small smile on her face. You followed their orders, unfolding the fold at the top of the bag and reaching inside to grab the contents. Whatever it was felt small, soft, and there was even something round in there. Your eyebrows pinched in confusion as you grabbed the first item.

It didn't take long for you to realize what it was. A white baby blanket, dotted with tiny glittered silver, purple, and blue stars. It was beautiful...

"Oh my." You said shocked.

Everyone's faces seemed to drop, scared you hadn't liked the gift.

"What's wrong?" Mona was the first to question. "You don't like it?" She asked frantically.

"I love it... It's just-" You continued reaching into the bag to grab a little hat that looked exactly like your Fiance's, without a doubt for a baby's head. Glancing up at the group, you stared cluelessly. "How did you guys know?"

Paimon giggled, "Mona told us, duh!"

Looking at Mona who wore a bright smile on her face, you only stared in amusement. Of course, she'd find out first... She always did.

"You read my horoscope?"

She nodded, mimicking you. "I read your horoscope." She confirmed.

A sigh escaped past your lips. "I thought I told you to stop doing that?" The last time she did, she read Scaramouche's without permission and ruined the element of surprise when it came to his proposal. You assumed that was one of the other reasons why the two hated each other, outside the fact that he was a Harbinger.

"I couldn't help it!" Your best friend exclaimed, throwing her hands dramatically in the air. With a smile you approached her, wrapping your arms around her frame.

"Thank you," You whispered. She returned the sweet gesture, smiling. "It's nothing."

Pulling away, you asked, "So, who's idea was it?" Aether and Paimon looked directly at Mona, you smiled at her once again. Maybe she was coming around if she thought to have a milliner make a tiny hat much like Scaramouche's for the baby. "Yours truly." She said cockily, arms folding.

"Hey!" Screeched Paimon. "You can't take all the credit! We picked out the blanket! Plus, you didn't have any money so you couldn't even go with us!"

-

Scaramouche arrived much later, closer to dinnertime, and you were the first to greet him at the door, shoving the blanket and hat in his face. He cracked a grin at the hat but didn't care much about the blanket.

"You should thank her," you had said to him, teasingly reaching for his hat to plop on your head; something you’d grown accustomed to. “She was very thoughtful." He watched as you hopped through the house towards the living area, the charms and tassels of his hat jingling with each hop, without a doubt you were in high spirits.

"Them leaving tomorrow should be enough of thanks they deserve." He said once he was beside you again. You smacked his shoulder with the baby blanket. He just grinned cheekily at you.

"Asshole, they traveled all this way just for you to rush them away. The least we could do is host them for a while." He shook his head, frowning when he heard Paimons loud screeches coming from the living room, cheering about something to do with food. Annoying... "I don't owe them anything. They're guests in our house, I should be able to kick them out if I wish." You ignored his comment.

"About guests, I received a letter from Dottore,"

Scaramouche's face paled. Archons, what did he want now...? His presence was annoying as it is, almost matching Childe's, but because Scaramouche was ignoring that crazy clown, now he writing to his fiance?

With a teasing smile, you announced, "He'll be stopping by sometime this week. I hope that's not too much of an issue!"

3.24.21, rayofsunas

[heybeybey]

and it was your heart on the line

Rating: Explicit

Genre: Angst/Romance

Pairing: Rivetra | Levi x Petra

Word Count: 8,706

Summary: Turns out, it wasn't a request. It was an order. If he denies again, then it's an ultimatum. Pressured to continue the Ackerman line, Levi is forced to choose between his commitment to giving meaning to his comrades' deaths or sacrificing the future of the woman who have always been devoted to him.

(Anon Ask | AO3 Link)

(It's also Smutty Saturday so here, have smut + ANGST. MOSTLY ANGST THO)

It's been a month since he learned about his true relation to Kenny.

Two weeks since he, Hange and Erwin traced his Ackerman ancestry.

A week since they found out what his last name means and how inhuman his strength truly is.

And two days since he received that fucking memo.

Captain Levi Ackerman,

We were recently made aware of the extent of your capabilities. After much discussion in the court, we believe that you will be doing humanity a great service by continuing the Ackerman line.

We look forward to your cooperation.

A great service his ass.

A few days ago, he, Erwin and Hange found out that the Ackerman line used to be the bodyguards of the royal family in the past and that the reason why they were so skilled is because they are titans in human form. They were then persecuted for shit knows what and the whole clan scattered throughout the walls in the past hundred years.

It also turns out that this ability is accessible to all Ackermans. They haven't found out if it's automatically passed down but Levi noted that there was a time when he felt something jolt in him when faced in a life or death situation (which was almost a daily basis for him back in the Underground).

Now, they want to reinstate the line to help the military progress.

The way Levi sees it, the government basically wants him to breed as if he's a cow in a nobleman's farm.

Levi ignores the memo for the next few days and when they sent a follow up for his reply, he didn't hesitate in telling them to fuck off. That's when things went south.

Turns out, it wasn't a request. It was an order. If he denies again, then it's an ultimatum.

They argued that the captain's citizenship above ground is tethered to his role in the Scouts. Denying this request would be taken as an act of insubordination, no matter how much Erwin forgives the said "offense". Moreover, it's an insult to the crown.

The greedy fucks from the top brass gave him two weeks or he'll be kicked back down to the Underground. Since he's the only known Ackerman, he can't push this responsibility on someone else's plate.

- - -

Only his Special Operations team were made aware of the situation. Erwin said that his squad deserves to know why their captain might be out of commission for at least a week... or why he'd possibly be kicked out of the scouts soon.

Levi silently took in the horror on their faces when he broke the news.

"Captain, are they even allowed to do that?"

"That's just... sick."

"Maybe there's a way to delay it for a few more years, sir?"

The only one who didn't speak up was Petra. She just watched the four men converse, with Levi and Eld discussing what the next steps are in case the captain will be leaving the scouts.

The thought leaves a bitter taste in all of their mouths. Survey Corps without Captain Levi? They can only see their success rates getting knocked down further. At the same time, they also don't know which decision to support, knowing that the captain will be sacrificing himself either way.

- - -

Petra has been spacing out since that day. Sometimes, her squad needed to snap her out of it during trainings. She'd been a total recluse, rarely joining them at the dining table during their morning coffee. She'd still bring the captain's tea late at night but other than that, she looks more like a ghost floating around in their squad's side of the floor. They think it's heartbreak since her admiration for the captain is already an open secret between the five of them. No one would've even imagined what she was planning.

She was able to snap herself out of it two days after, and now she's barging into Commander Erwin's office during lunch time.

"Commander Erwin, there must be another way," Petra pleads. She rarely goes to Erwin's office alone and if she's here right now, the captain must've not been aware that his subordinate would approach this topic straight with the commander.

Erwin sighs. "Ms. Ral, I appreciate your concern for the captain. Believe me, I've personally reached out to Zackley regarding this. There's nothing much I can do. I've already swayed Levi's citizenship to our favor once."

It also doesn't help that the government sees the Scouts as the most useless of all three military branches. Learning about how powerful Levi truly is was the only thing that reignited their belief in their regiment after five consecutive failed expeditions and thousands of coins wasted.

The commander looks at Petra and he can tell from her face that the gears are turning in her head. He frowns, having an inkling of what her next words will be. Erwin knows how loyal Petra is to her captain. It's something that the commander himself leveraged and exploited during expeditions.

"Would... if I do it, will that...?"

Erwin's face softens, meeting her eyes in concern. If they were to ask for his opinion as commander, it would be a waste if they allow Petra to take the responsibility. She's one of the best soldiers in the corps and her ability to sync with any team they place her in was an asset that you wouldn't find in any other soldier.

But as Levi's friend, he'd rather not order the captain around when it comes to this matter. The part of him who's committed to humanity's survival knows what the right answer is to Levi's situation, and he knows the captain will choose what will always be best for his soldiers.

"Petra, you know that Levi wouldn't allow it."

"But does it even matter what we think anymore? Commander, they're going to take the captain away from us."

Erwin is quiet for a moment, careful eyes assessing how serious Petra truly is. "Are you sure about this Petra?"

"You know I'll do anything for our cause." Adamant and unwavering. Levi chose well.

Erwin nods. "I'll talk to Zackley what it will mean if the captain chooses a subordinate instead of a commoner. Normally, sleeping with your commanding officer would lead to a dishonourable discharge."

Petra flinches at that.

"But... we can all agree that this is a different case."

- - -

Petra comes to Levi that night. At first, he just assumed it's their usual evening tea time.

"I-I talked to Commander Erwin this morning," she starts, setting down his tea on the desk. He glances back at her for a moment before turning back to his paperwork.

"What about?" Levi said. "You do know that if you have a concern, you can also tell me. I'm the one responsible for you."

"It's not a concern," she replies quickly. "Well... it is but-"

Her hesitance finally stops him. "Since when have you held back whenever we have tea together, Petra?"

"Captain... I-I can..."

He doesn't turn his chair around, waiting for Petra to speak.

"I'm saying that if it will greatly serve humanity, I'm willing to have-," she gulps, pushing the fear from her face to look at him determinedly. "I'm willing to be the one to help you continue the Ackerman bloodline."

Levi's grateful his back was turned. If it wasn't, Petra would've seen how his slanted eyes widened with horror and concern at her words. He feels a headache starting to come along, and he schools his face before finally turning around, assessing hers. His heart fell when he finds that she somehow looks both determined and scared at the same time.

"No."

Petra deflates a little bit at that, seemingly both relieved and hurt from the rejection.

"Please captain, I don't want you to be forced out of the Survey Corps. The scouts need you. I-" She cuts herself off at that, but her silence was loud. He'd known for a while now the depth of Petra's devotion.

"Petra, are you even aware of what you're offering?"

"Of course I know!" She snaps, so unlike her to disrespect her captain outright. "Captain, I wouldn't have offered myself if I'm not aware of what I'll be giving up."

"Then you're fucking stupid for even wanting to go through with this. We don't even know how many they're demanding from me."

He stands up from his chair and grabs her upper arm in a bruising grip, almost desperate to get his point across. "You'll be forced to leave the Scouts, give up your career to take care of a-"

It's rare for him to be speechless, and he finds that the word baby can't even pass through his mouth these days.

"Sir, I just want to help..." Petra says quietly, gaze averted.

"This is not up for debate Petra." He looks at her coldly. "Leave."

"But captain-" He lets her arm go. Petra's expressive round eyes are starting to tear up.

"I said get out."

He watches her hurry out, trying to ignore the fact that she was furiously wiping her eyes as she leaves.

- - -

They went out for an expedition one morning and Levi was somewhat grateful for the distraction.

Reality only came crashing down on him again when he'd watched another soldier die. He seemed new and young, looking more like a cadet than an actual soldier. Probably fresh out of the training corps but died way too soon because he chose the wrong regiment. If Levi remembers correctly, this was one of the newer scouts who had the guts to approach him with bright and eager eyes and asked for advice.

"What's your name?" Levi asks the soldier. He kneels down beside the younger man.

"E-Ethan, sir," the soldier rasps. Levi silently nods in acknowledgement. He looks up, finding Petra tending to a fatally injured scout. Eld and Gunther was assisting a female veteran who lost a leg. He can't seem to find Oluo anywhere.

"C-Captain..." Ethan struggles with his words and Levi can see how his gaze is starting to lose focus.

"I'll avenge your sacrifice, Ethan." Levi says as he holds the young boy's bloody hand, hearing him take his last breath. "I promise you that."

Levi apologizes to Petra in his own way as they wrap up the expedition. He approaches her as she was about to mount her horse.

"Petra." She looks to him with teary eyes. She does this after every expedition, crying for all the fallen soldiers as her own way of commemorating their sacrifice.

"Yes, sir?" she replies in a gentle voice, as if he didn't just make her cry two nights before.

Levi hands her a white handkerchief. "Here."

She blinks up at him for a bit but accepts his offer. He never says sorry outright, but he and Petra have always had this way of communicating where words aren't needed to be said.

They were running out of time. Levi tried to take his mind off the problem by training until his own body gives up on him. A huge part of him have already accepted that he'll be marched back down to that shithole by the end of the week.

Hell, he already packed up the limited possessions that he has.

"Levi, you know this is for the scouts. Losing you would mean losing a battalion for the Survey Corps," Erwin argued.

"Are you asking me to force a woman to become the government's baby making machine?" Levi snaps. "Because that's sick as fuck Erwin!"

Hange told him once that there was a major decrease in the scouts' death toll since he joined. Levi didn't want to believe at first that a single soldier was enough to make that much of a difference, but Hange's numbers was more than enough proof. Since he joined, they didn't need to send 10 men on a dangerous mission when a single soldier can do all the dirty work and still live.

Erwin pointed out that many would jump at the opportunity to lie with humanity's strongest. Levi just wanted to vomit at the title.

How can something that used to boost his soldiers' morale now turn into a fucked up ultimatum that preyed on his commitment to making his comrades' deaths matter?

He supposes that there are other women. He can even just detach himself from the whole situation after the woman gets pregnant and let her raise the kid.

But Levi has an intimate relationship with abandonment. Of being used and treated as nothing more than just a tool. It was all he knew growing up with gangs in the underground, and eventually in the corps as comrades die and his strength used to the regiment's advantage.

He's not that big of a piece of shit as to use someone and leave a child fatherless until they come of age to become a soldier. If he was going to have a kid, he'd make sure that they at least have a good childhood to compensate for all the shit they'd be pressured in. He'd want to be there every time he leaves the walls—not as a captain commanding his soldier but as a father ensuring his child's safety.

Levi also feels sick at the thought of just bedding anyone. Whenever he thinks of this option, his mind would take him back to a dark closet, deep in the underground, where he'd hide as his mother takes on another client. He'd be no better than the men who he watched come and go from his mother's room in the brothel, leaving her crying and filthy once they're done. It feels as if he'd be disrespecting her memory this way. Spitting on his mother's grave would've been more respectful than this.

The only other option is to drag the woman he'd been secretly throwing longing looks at, so willing and devoted, down with him.

- - -

The night before the government will come knocking on their doors, Petra came to his office again.

"You're up for promotion." This was his last resort.

If she accepts, then he'll be leaving tomorrow for the underground. He doesn't really know which outcome to hope for.

Levi doesn't give her the chance to reply, silently handing her a folder. He wants her to understand the gravity of this situation. Of how much of a double-edged sword her devotion truly is.

"I've already signed it and Erwin's just waiting for you to accept before he approves. We'll be raising your rank, complete with a 25% salary increase. You're still in the Special Ops, but now with the opportunity to command your own team outside of our missions, or whenever Erwin and I see it fit during an expedition. This is a step closer to fully becoming a squad leader two or three years from now."

Petra sighs and shakes her head at that. She didn't even hesitate as she takes away the folder from his hand and sets it down on his office table.

"Please, Captain." Petra pleads, hand moving to delicately hold his. "The scouts need you."

The face of the soldier who died yesterday, (Ethan, he corrects himself) flashes on his mind. Levi's promise to the young man rings phantomly in his ears.

I'll avenge your sacrifice, I promise you that.

Levi surrenders.

- - -

"Captain?" Petra removed the last button of her uniform, her eyes on the floor, leaving her in only her cotton underwear. He watches her while he sits on the edge of the bed, eyes taking in her every move as she shrugs off all her clothing.

"Call me Levi," he corrects her. "Please."

"Levi..." She closes the gap between them, climbing on the bed and reaching out a hand to cup his face to help him relax. Petra gives him a shy smile when he leans closer to her touch, while he settles a hand at the small of her back. She leans forward, kissing his jaw and sliding her hand down to his chest to feel the quick drum of his heartbeat. "It's okay, Levi. I trust you."

Petra settles herself on his lap and gently turns his face up to hers, giving him a chaste kiss on the lips. His hands trail up her upper arms and she involuntarily shivered when he cups her cheeks to deepen the kiss. Emboldened by how receptive she is of his touch, Levi trails his mouth from her lips to her cheek, gradually making his way down to her neck.

Petra's eyes are closed, biting on her lower lip. She tangles a hand against his hair to pull him closer, encouraging him further. He feels himself getting hard fast when she aligns the heat of her core against his.

"Do you want me to turn off the lights?" She asks, testing the waters by grinding down on him. He shakes his head no, tucking a ginger strand of hair behind her ear. The last thing he needs is to feel like this is a casual romp with a stranger. He wants to know it's her.

He runs his hands against her bare thighs before twisting their bodies around so she'd end up laying back on his bed. She gave a quiet huff at the impact, but Levi was quick to lean down and kiss her intensely. He fears he might come faster than they need him to if she continues bucking against him and they need to pace themselves.

Levi plans to worship Petra tonight, because she deserves nothing less. He looks down at her and meets her eyes for a bit before he's trailing down kisses throughout her body. When he's closer to her chest area, Petra removes her bra off for him and his throat goes dry at the sight. She looks up at Levi with half-lidded eyes, guiding his hands to knead her breasts. The captain doesn't waste time, groping then leaning down to swirl his tongue over a nipple before tending to the other.

Petra whimpers with his every touch. When he makes a bold move to slip his hand down her panties, that's when she gives a low moan.

"Is this okay?" he asks quietly and Petra nods. He starts to massage her clit, feeling her core starting to dampen as his strokes become more intentional.

He soon replaces his fingers with this tongue, earning him a keening sound from the woman below him. Levi only pulls away when he's satisfied at how much of a dazed mess Petra is, hands gripping his black hair to stabilize herself. He levels himself again with her and Petra latches her mouth against him, once again grinding her naked pussy against his cock, still clothed in his pants.

They've both lost the initial shyness and hesitation from earlier on, now both driven by their eagerness to push their pleasure further. He's hard by this point, feeling the dampness and heat between her thighs through his clothed lower regions. Petra continues to grind herself against him and Levi gets harder at the thought of how she's fully naked and vulnerable below him. She desperately bucks up against his hips, delicate but scarred hands reaching down to finally start unbuckling his pants.

He allows her to shrug off his pants while he removes his white undershirt, towering over her. Petra watches him take off his top with a primal look in her eyes, sitting up and reaching out to pass her hands against the lines of his firm abdomen. Her eyes flares up at the sight of his cock, hand reaching out to touch before Levi grabs her wrist.

"I won't be able to last long if you do that." He says. Petra understands, opening her legs further instead to allow him in.

He positions himself between her thighs and looks at her one last time, making sure there's no doubt on her face. Petra, being the fucking amazing woman that she is, only nods at him with a small reassuring smile.

Levi grunts at how deliciously tight she is when he finally enters her, while Petra's arms found its way around his back to cling to him. It proves to be a struggle because her wet walls squeezes around him and he finds it hard to pull his head out of the pleasurable haze. He tries to pace himself, giving them both enough time to adjust to the feeling. When he feels Petra's hips slightly bucking up as if to egg him on, that's when he starts to move.

It was heaven and hell at the same time. For a second or two, he'd like to believe that this is a moment built on months of romancing and awkward dates. He lets his mind wander away from what it actually is—a task, a burden placed on his shoulders for an ability he never even asked for. And he dragged the bravest and most capable woman he knows down with him, willing as she may be.

"Harder, Levi," she breathes out on his ear, snapping his head from spiralling down in self-hatred at their situation.

Levi gives into her wishes, bracing himself by leaning down and pulling her hips closer. He starts to work towards an almost bruising pace, wanting to find a good balance between pleasure and pain for her. Her arms are encircled around him, hands running up and down the hard muscles on his back. Levi looks at the way Petra's breasts bounce with every snap of his hips, mesmerized. Her mouth was open in an o-shape, eyes unfocused as she surrenders to the heat of the moment, cheeks flushed, nipples continuously grazing against his chest with every thrust.

"Yes yes yes," she breathlessly chants. "Fuck me, Levi."

He'd dreamed of Petra like this in the past. But as her commanding officer, all he could really do is lock away those depraved thoughts and quietly steam in lust over his ginger subordinate. Being with her right now couldn't even compare to the nights he jacked off to the thought of her.

He can already tell that Petra's close with the way she's clenching him. Her pants are more desperate now and she bites on his shoulder blade as she reaches her own climax, and he eventually feels her hold on him slacken. Tired and pleased, Petra allows her head to fall back on the pillow and takes in his face to watch the emotions passing through his face.

The feel of her wet core clenching around him was more than enough to edge him closer towards his limit. The rhythm of his thrusts starts to stutter, his primal need to reach release urging him forward.

Petra starts moaning again, turned on at his uncontrollable lust. He waits until she eventually comes again, watching her fall tiredly on the bed, before allowing himself to let go.

One thrust, two, and then they tip past the point of no return. Petra makes a low noise once he comes inside her, her hips rising to meet his final thrust. Lost in pleasure, Levi had to grip hard on the bed frame above her to compose himself. Petra holds his gaze—a mix of adoration and desperation—through it all.

They both pant from the thrill of their coupling and Levi finally collapses on Petra. She pulls him close, allowing him to lay his head on her chest.

He didn't even know when he started crying. He only realized it when he felt Petra brushing away the tears silently running down his cheek with her thumb.

What kind of lowlife am I? Here he is, crying like a little shit when he was the one who'll be subjecting her to whatever hell that awaits them in the next few months. Female soldiers are normally allowed maternity leave but since his case is different, the higher ups demanded that at least one parent will see through the child's growth.

Everyone assumes that it wouldn't be the captain.

He didn't have to sacrifice his career and position. He doesn't need to sit around and nurture a living being inside him for almost a year. Petra will be the one who'll be taking the bulk of it all.

You're fucking selfish. You're a coward.

"I'm sorry," he whispers softly against her skin. He stays where he is, head laid on top of her bare chest and listening to the thump of her heart. Petra was just quiet for awhile, gently running her fingers through his jet-black hair as she stares up at the window and at the night sky.

"Levi... remember when you told us before to choose the choice that we'll regret the least?"

He doesn't answer back, not really knowing what to say at her hushed question.

"I chose this," Petra continues. "Because you going back to the Underground is the consequence that would kill me the most."

She gently tilts his head up so he can meet her eyes, her hand shaking from the barrage of emotion. Petra looks at his face, awe and adoration shining in her amber eyes as she traces a finger against the frown lines between his brows.

"You're a great man, Captain. I've never met someone who cares so much for his soldiers' lives more than you do." Petra continues. "I truly believe that you'll be the one who'll lead us outside these walls."

"I don't deserve you Petra."

She smiles sadly at that. "You have me either way, Levi. I'm here to stay."

- - -

The next nine months were... Well, they didn't even know how to describe it.

They decided to reveal it to their team on the first month of her pregnancy. That led to Eld's fist colliding with Levi's face. The biggest surprise was that the captain allowed his second-in-command to disrespect him in such a way.

"Eld, no!" Petra screamed.

"Captain, you told me before that you recruited Petra for her skills," Eld said. "I didn't know you'd be the type to take advantage of young girls!"

Levi understood where the younger man was coming from, knowing how Eld and Gunther treated Petra like a little sister. Oluo, on the other hand, just watched the exchange with a crestfallen look.

The guys only believed that Levi didn't force her into anything when they saw how Petra fretted over the captain's bruised face the whole afternoon. She'd constantly throw them a glare as she cups an ice pack on Levi's jaw and would constantly follow him around to make sure that he won't get attacked by the three guys. Not that they would even have the guts to attempt it, nor would the captain let it pass the second time around.

Frankly, Levi's grateful that he has a team who looks out for each other, even when they're not beyond the walls. That's one of the reasons why he trusts them. He doesn't know where he stands now as their captain and he knows these turn of events will greatly shift or even damage their squad's dynamics.

As the month comes to a close and with another mission beyond the walls in the works, Erwin pulled Petra out of all expeditions, much to the surprise of the other Scouts. Her role for the next three months were mostly to brief new recruits along with some clerical work before she closes this chapter of her life.

- - -

On the second month, they traveled to Karanese district to finally tell Petra's father. Levi had never met the man before, and the captain was quiet the whole way to her home town. If Petra didn't know better, she'd think that Levi's nervous.

The truth is that all he feels is guilt.

He knocked up the man's daughter and he was her commanding officer. What's worse is that they didn't do it because they were so hopelessly in love. Come to think of it, it would've been better if they chalked it up to them not being able to keep their hands off each other.

He'd be lucky if Petra's father doesn't assume that Levi just turned his daughter into a breeding stock.

"Petra!" The older man greets them. "Captain Levi, it's so nice to finally meet you. Petra told me a lot about you in her letters."

Levi takes a few moments to revel in the warm welcome, thinking that this day would probably end up in more heartbreak because of him.

"Mr. Ral." He accepts the man's handshake.

"Please, come in! I've prepared enough for the three of us. You're not allergic to anything, right captain?"

None of them mentioned just yet what they were there for and Levi was content just to hear Petra chatting excitedly with her father. Mr. Ral seems like a friendly man, and it's no wonder he ended up having a daughter who's such a sweetheart. The atmosphere in the room was light as father and daughter caught up on each other's lives.

Until Petra has to run to the bathroom to vomit.

He saw the rising concern on her father's face as they listen to Petra retching in the bathroom, and that whole five minutes of waiting for her to come back was absolute torture. Levi, for all his bravery when fighting titans, couldn't even meet the older man's eyes.

"Captain Levi, why are you really here?" Mr. Ral cautiously asks him.

The older man's face cracks when he finally learned the true nature of Petra's pregnancy. He couldn't look at Levi after that.

"Captain, I think you should leave." Mr. Ral says, voice cold that he couldn't believe that the warm welcome he received earlier on came from the same man. Levi didn't need to be told twice.

"Dad..."

Levi sighs as he stands up. "Thank you for the food, Mr. Ral."

"Dad, it's not his fault." Petra tries again as Levi moves to the door. "It's my decision. You know how Captain Levi is important to the Survey Corps."

"But why you, Petra?" Mr. Ral snaps. "You know, I was concerned when you told me that you were the only girl in his squad."

"Please, stop." Petra sobs.

"If I'd only known that I really did have a reason to be worried, I would've demanded you to come home."

Levi silently listens to the whole exchange from outside of the room, eyes downcast.

- - -

Petra signed her retirement on the third month. High from the mood swings brought on by the pregnancy, she cried and even hugged the commander. Erwin just awkwardly patted her head and told Petra that it might be best to let go now before Levi slices his hand off.

She also went to Mitras this month, meeting the people who forced Levi into this situation for the first time. Petra was shaking in anger as she walked inside the room, throwing the officials the dirtiest glare she could manage.

Petra didn't even bother to be respectful that whole afternoon as they brief her on what they expect from her, and what can or cannot be public information.

"I used to hope that the child won't inherit your glare but now I'm more scared to imagine if they got Ms. Ral's," Erwin whispered to Levi, watching as Petra backtalks another official.

Levi shrugs. "You haven't seen her when she gets too competitive during trainings."

On the same month, they ended up sleeping together without the goal of furthering the Ackerman bloodline.

They haven't touched each other since the doctor confirmed that Petra's already pregnant. Her every test was recorded and reported to the fuckers back at Mitras and that thought alone was enough to squeeze out the arousal in Levi's body.

Somehow, they found themselves making out in his office on this night.

"Why didn't we do this during our evening tea before?" Levi asked against her neck, peppering kisses on every inch of skin he can reach.

Petra laughs, elongating her neck further to give him access. "Gee, captain. I didn't know you wanted to be court-martialled so bad."

She's currently in civilian clothing since her last day with the scouts was yesterday. Her dress was easier to access and he'd long since unbuttoned the first few buttons that covered her breasts.

Fuck it, he thought as he moves away from his office chair and settles more comfortably on the couch, with Petra on his lap. He looks up at her, eyes alight in lust as he takes in her breasts spilling out of her dress, chest heaving and orange hair dishevelled. He hurriedly tries to unzip out of his own clothing, eagerly kissing her as she slides down his cock.

After a whole week of sex a few months ago, Levi thought he's already used to the feel of Petra around him. Egged on by their own baser instincts despite the situation, they fucked every chance they can get and it was the closest Levi had to a break. It would've been a blissful escapade if he didn't know any better, and the guilt would eat him raw every time he ejaculates inside her.

But for some reason, sex with her right now feels different. Still heated and pleasurable, because of course— it's Petra, but something has shifted between them. He feels lighter, freer.

He's careful as he bounces Petra above him, but still careful not to hurt her. Levi worships every part of her that he could reach without breaking away from the pace that they'd set, while Petra pulls against his hair and leaves her own marks on his chiseled skin.

It's the first time they had slept together without feeling as if someone's keeping a close eye on them.

This moment together is theirs.

- - -

They feel the baby move on the fourth month of her pregnancy.

Levi was the one who first felt it when he was laying his head on her lap. He was quietly reading a report while Petra was knitting a few socks when he felt a poke on the side of his head that was cozied up to her belly.

"Okay, stop it woman!" He scolds and sits up, thinking that she was messing with him. Levi pauses when he sees that Petra is tearing up.

"He kicked."

"What?"

"The baby." Levi's face slackens at that, eyes wide with wonder dropping to her tummy. She runs both hands over the skin, stops and smiles, before taking his wrist to place his own hand on one spot.

Sure enough, Levi did feel that faint poke. He lifts his other hand so he can place both on her belly. Emotion overwhelms him and he swallowed to keep himself at bay.

"Hey, kid."

On the fifth month, Levi was able to strong-arm the higher-ups to give him a goddamn house. Petra knows that this thought would continue to amuse her for years.

From what she heard from Erwin, Levi demanded that the child needs a nice place to grow up in. Since his salary wasn't worth shit despite his high rank in the scouts, it still would take him a long time to make a downpayment.

They approved the request and they moved in a few days shy of her sixth month. It was a simple house, complete with two floors and three bedrooms. One room in the first floor while another two above. Petra suggested that maybe the third bedroom can be his office but he refused.

"You're thinking of opening a pastry shop once the kid's here, right? You can use that space."

"Hmm... but that will still take some time." Petra answers, her voice taking on a teasing lilt. "Maybe we can use it to store all your brooms and cleaning solutions instead."

They once talked about what Petra plans to do once the child is born. Of course, most of her hours will be spent taking care of the baby but knowing Petra, she's not the type who'd sit around and rely on him for the rest of her life. They're still not sure if she'll be able to rejoin the scouts years from now, even when Levi tried telling her that maybe he can find a way to work around it the top brass' shitty conditions. They decided instead to focus more on what they can control now, and he suggested that he was able to save enough that they can use that as a capital for whatever she wanted to do.

As they were fixing their new house, Petra was also surprised that he was setting up his side on the master's bedroom.

Petra wanted to sleep beside him every night, of course. They've already been doing so since that first time they had sex after her pregnancy was confirmed. But Petra thought that it's just going to be her who will move in because the house was a good two hours away from the barracks, making it a hassle for Levi to go back and forth everyday. Petra tells him that she'd be alright with him only coming home for the weekends if it will save him a 4-hour commute every single day.

Levi brushed off her concerns and proceeded to set up the nursery room instead.

"Will a baby really give a fuck about all these colors?" He crudely asks, looking at all the paint palettes in his hand.

- - -

The sixth month was slightly harder. Petra thinks that it may be because the reality that she's now out of the Survey Corps, the one thing that gave meaning to her life for four years, is settling in on her.

Her closest friends in the scouts would visit her a few times every month. Hange's squad, sometimes accompanied by Nanaba, would drop by and Levi had to control Hange from turning Petra and his child into one of their experiments.

"Aww, Levi. I'm just trying to be a good aunt!"

"By trying to feed Petra one of your shitty concoctions?" He snaps back, taking the bottle with the godforsaken liquid as far away as he can from the mother of his child. Petra has to stop Levi from completely banning Hange from their home after that.

Eld, Oluo and Gunther visit her as much as they can.

"Wow, you look like a ball." Oluo blurts out when he sees Petra, earning him a slap at the back of his head from Gunther.

"Bozado, this is the reason why you still don't have a girlfriend." Eld said, smirking. "The captain has shittier social skills than you and he's now going to be a father. Up your game a bit."

Gunther grunts at Eld's quip, knowing that Oluo would take that differently. "Way to go Eld. As if the cravat's not worse enough."

Their visits make Petra feel as if it's just another morning in the barracks, except she now has a round belly. Gunther always asks about how she's feeling while Oluo would brag that he'd be the greatest uncle the kid will ever have. Eld indulges her in her cravings and always brings a basket of strawberries whenever the three of them visit.

She also learned that Levi never chose another scout to take over her place.

"Captain said that it doesn't really make a difference if he adds another member," Gunther informs Petra. "He screened a few. All of them ran away crying."

Oluo chuckles. "Remember when he screamed at them that they're all useless and would be good as titan shit on the next expedition?"

"Please, we all know he's just comparing all of them to Petra. Man's way too in love with you, Pet." Eld replies and Petra blushes.

"If you're done gossiping about me, you're all free to get your asses out here. It's late." Levi suddenly pipes up from the door. The three men shuts up, salutes and scrambles out after saying their goodbyes to Petra, along with promises to visit whenever they can.

"Welcome back," Petra greets, kissing him on the cheek.

"Did any of them give you trouble?"

"If anything, Oluo will give you more trouble." Petra giggles, having had a conversation with Levi about Oluo's tendency to imitate the captain. "He saw your parenting books by the way. I think he's setting up a budget so he can buy himself some."

Levi groans at that.

Through the months, she'd learned that bright little Nifa was recently selected to be transferred to Hange's team. Nanaba would share stories about her promotion to being second-in-command in Squad Mike. Oluo recently got a pay raise and he enthusiastically boasts that he more than deserved it, but Petra knows he's just overjoyed that it will now be enough to send his younger brother to university. Stories that are worth celebrating and Petra was all too eager to celebrate with all of them.

But when she's alone, she'd sometimes feel that time had stopped for her. She'd realize that this isn't just a simple pregnancy and she's not just on a maternity leave. At times when she really is down in the dumps, she'd bitterly question if the living being inside of her truly is worth calling a bundle of joy.

She'd shake that thought away as fast as it came, of course. She rubs circles around her rounded tummy as if to say a silent sorry to her child for even thinking of such a thing. Petra loves her and Levi's baby with all her heart. She doesn't regret any of it because this baby symbolises that Levi would continue making a difference in the scouts.

Still though, there were moments when Levi would come home and find her asleep with tear tracks on her face, hands clenching on her old green scout uniform.

- - -

She was seven months along when he first admitted that he's in love with her.

Well, he didn't admit it directly.

For someone who can easily throw an insult, Levi's shit at words. He made his love known and he didn't even say it to her.

He said it to her belly instead, and Petra almost died at how adorable it all is.

"Your mom's a handful, you know?" was the first thing Petra heard when consciousness starts to return back to her. Sometimes she'd fall asleep in the early evenings just before Levi comes back home. He'd let himself in on most days so that he won't disturb her slumber.

Hearing Levi talk to the baby wasn't something new for Petra. He started addressing her belly since the first time he felt the kid kick. Sometimes, he'd have (one-sided) conversations with her belly as if Petra wasn't even there. Hell, he was even more talkative to the unborn baby than when he's planning an expedition with their squad.

This was one of those moments.

Petra was about to pipe up and greet him a welcome back when he continued.

"If she wasn't the most reckless and beautiful woman I've ever met, I wouldn't have put up with all that shit she'd pulled." Petra's heart flutters. Levi rarely uses words of affection as his love language. He'd always made his feelings known through late night runs to resupply their strawberries just because she was craving them, or by offering to massage her swollen feet for someone who's a real clean freak.

"Don't tell your mom that I cursed." Levi continues as he settles down on the bed to rub her belly. "She'd have my head."

Levi must've been really tired if he didn't notice that she's already awake. He did mention this morning that Erwin was forcing him to catch up on a lot of paperwork the whole day. Still, Petra kept her eyes closed, wanting to hear what he says next.

"Did you know that there was this time when she broke formation to save a horse from being stepped on by a titan?" Levi said before murmuring to her belly: "I can't believe I'm in love with someone that crazy."

- - -

On the eight month, he proposed to her.

"Levi, you don't have to." She tells him, trying to stop the smile from beaming on her face. Her hand subconsciously goes to her round tummy, as if to share to the little one how his daddy can be so silly sometimes.

"Tch. What makes you think I 'have' to?" Levi says. "I want to. Now, tell me that at least you liked the ring because that cost me three years' worth of budget for our cleaning supplies."

He said it so nonchalantly but Petra can always tell whenever Levi is nervous deep down. She recently learned the truth about his past and she knows that the thought of a child of his being a bastard, the same way that he is, didn't sit right with him.

Petra gives him a peck on the cheek and presented her hand so that he can slide it on her ring finger.

"I love it."

- - -

On her ninth month, Levi requested a paternity leave the week she's due to give birth. It always amazes Petra how someone who seemed so cold can be such a great father before the child was even born.

"Are you sure?" she asks. "You won't get behind on work right? You've always been horrible at keeping up with paperwork."

"Don't get too full of yourself," he scoffs. "Just because you're not helping me anymore doesn't mean I can't get them done."

"I also don't trust our neighbours enough to take you to a clean hospital," he later adds.

Petra was excited because this means she gets Levi for a whole week. The last time they got this much time together she was still in the scouts. So she took full advantage of it, demanding that he take her out on a date.

"You won't reject your wonderful, bloated wife, would you?" Petra waddles over to him, asking him with puppy dog eyes.

"God, woman. Are you serious? What if your water broke while we're having dinner?" He snaps back.

"Come onnn. I've been stuck in this house for a week now!" She pouts. "You worry too much, Levi."

"No, I'm just not as reckless as you are." He tells with a hint of fondness in his voice.

- - -

Petra gives birth to a healthy baby boy on the 9th of June, and Levi spent the whole duration of the labor pacing outside her hospital room. His passive face doesn't reveal much since he looks like he was only frowning constantly. On the inside though, he feels his heart lurch every time he hears Petra scream in pain and exertion.

He can't remember how many nurses he'd snapped at. Some of them would even hurry away when he tried approaching them to ask Petra's condition. The head nurse was adamant he stay outside though, telling him that his wife is fine.

Hours later, they finally allowed him in and a nurse handed him a bundle. At first, he was confused because all he wanted to do was rush to his wife who's currently sweaty, tired and asleep on the bed.

It only dawned onto him that what he's holding is his child.

Levi's whole body freezes, and the first thing that came to mind is Kenny.

I'm going to be a shitty father, he thinks, mind spiralling down to the many ways for things to fuck up. I'm going to end up abandoning him and he'll hate me forever.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when the baby gave a gentle coo, eyes blinking open to reveal amber orbs. Levi stares down at his child and awkwardly reaches out a finger towards his face. His son immediately latches on to his skin, a tiny palm attempting to encircle around his finger, and Levi can feel a ghost of a smile forming on his face.

"Hi, brat." He sees from the corner of his eye that some of the nurses raise an eyebrow at that. He'd been talking to the kid for months now through Petra's belly and this is when he's speechless?

Petra wakes up to find her husband fighting back sleep on a chair beside her bed. His hands were wrapped protectively around what seems like a bundle of cloth and he's clutching it to his chest.

He snaps out of his drowsy state when he sees her eyes open. "You're awake."

Petra hums. "Is... is that him?"

Levi nods and Petra's eyes light up despite the exhaustion weighing them down. He moves to pass on the baby boy to her, leaving a kiss on her sweaty forehead before he sits back down on the chair. He's not surprised that Petra started tearing up.

"Oh, Levi... he's so beautiful." Petra leans down to pepper kisses on the child's sleeping face. "He looks just like you."

Levi had never felt peace like this for awhile. A sick and sad part of him feared that if he'll blink his eyes closed, all these will disappear once he opens them.

He received a congratulatory letter from Mitras that same evening, forwarded to him by Erwin.

"Who's it from?" Petra asks as she nurses their baby. She's glowing, and even though she's a sweaty mess right now, he can't help but think that this is the most beautiful state he'd seen her in.

"Nothing. Just some report from Eyebrows," Levi answers.

He threw the letter away without even reading. He'd rather not have his mood ruined right now.

- - -

"He's awake?" Levi groggily asks from their bed.

Petra nods, rocking little Theo in her arms. "I'm praying that he won't inherit his father's insomniac habits."

Levi sits up, opening his arms to quietly ask Petra to hand over the baby to him. "Go to sleep Petra. I'll take care of him."

His wife hums as her body hits the bed, cuddling closer to Levi who's currently sitting up against the bed frame. She throws an arm around his waist while he holds their 4-month-old child, attempting to rock him back to sleep. Little Theo's amber eyes just stares up at him, black hair tousled from all his fussing.

"Oi, kid. Let your mom rest." Levi pokes his button nose, earning him a cute little giggle from the baby. "I'm blaming you if she gets all grumpy on me tomorrow."

Petra lightly slaps his abdomen, a small smile on her face while her eyes remain closed.

Once his family settles down, with Petra now asleep and his son's eyes gradually getting drowsier as the minutes pass, he allows himself to drown in his thoughts. Having a son was both a joy and a sorrow at the same time.

Hange always teased him at how much of family man he's become, not expecting that a grumpy recluse like him who's willing to kick the asses of recruits would be so protective of his own little family. His motivation now during each expedition is just to come back as soon as he can to his wife and son.

He sometimes daydreams about leaving it all, packing everything up and leaving their home, his position in the scouts and finding the three of them a safe space to stay away from the military's demands and interests. Little Theo wouldn't end up getting pressured to join the Survey Corps or any other regiment once he comes of age and he and Petra can have another child or even two on their own terms.

For so long, his commitment to the scouts' cause has mostly been tied to the past, wanting to give meaning to his comrades' deaths. This is the first time he looked towards the future. For the first time, he's hopes for something—he hopes for a time when his son wouldn't even be forced to join the military, no matter how decorated the title they would give him. Now, he leaves for expeditions envisioning a future where they can go beyond these stuffy walls, where he can teach Theo how to ride a horse without the intention to prepare him for a mission. It's for a future where he'd teach his son to fight, just because the boy is curious and not because he needs to survive.

He doesn't know what little Theo's future will look like. For now, all Levi can do is protect his family.

[thisdreamplace]

I had a nasty fight with my former bff. This was long ago. She did the whole 'boycotting me' thing at school and afterwards had a mutual friend pass her msg to me, saying "tell her [me] to get it into her skull that she's not the center of the world, who does she think she is? Stop acting like a #" Im simplifying the words, her actual words were nastier

I got thinking today abt this fight, and her comment abt me that is still way too fresh in my mind even tho I hadn't recalled it in 2-3 yrs!, and I actually decided to use the law to revise my friendship to feel better as what happened after the fight was shameful on my part. But before I knew it, I started rmmbring my relationship with her. How I became a total victim. Got so stuck on her validation, begged her to be friends with me (after I got the degrading msg. 🤕 silly me w/o a backbone lol) and stayed her 'bestie' for way too long. Only after it's all over im noticing smth messed up abt out 'feiendship'. It wasnf that normal I think. She would get so pissed if I did anything that went against her thoughts/beliefs/way (which is why she called me a selfish # that major fight). It was so subtle the way she showed her disapproval. To her, if I did anything not aligned with her, or even makih decisions on my own which didn't involve her, it was wrong. And had consequences like her beinf distant for days etc, or getting angry if I didn't mind read her bla bla, I just had to keep her at the top 24/7 and she expected everyone else to do the same... which I thought was normal... It wasnt. And what would be even more crazy is she never realized how that meant she always wanted the attention. That she always wanted it her way! It just makes me feel... Sad.... When I look back. How couldn't I have notived it before? I used to be strong headed, opinionated before I became 'besties' with her.. That all has changed. I wonder why -_-

It may be dumb on my part but with the weak mind and insecurity I had then, I took that fight/her reaction to the heart and internalisef this stupidiy (DENY MYSELF if the other alternative was denying HER. I didn't think it was wrong. For the oldme, it really wasn't wrong smh). Aaah I'm so sorry old me :(

This fight started bcoz she asked me for smth and I refused, instead of relenting like I always would, and I see now that her reaction (to me not being an obedient # to her ig?🤢) was basically her setting rules. It was wrong of me to refuse, yes, but why did she react that way? Why did this pattern continue? That everyone was selfish if they didn't think of her ;_; like how do u deal with this? And the icing is when I too started to defend her and make excuses for her all the time. And ik I'm making her out to be so strong, don't worry... I accept the strong only rule when the weak submit. And I was weak as hell, so its understandable this whole thing. I think 😅

Idk. I seen your posts abt eyipo with other anons so i hope u can tell me figure out what this was. Its clear to me she was projecting smth about me, and mb throughout our whole friendship she was projecting me. And I would think it was her hurting me, that she was right and I was wrong or maybe I did smth wrong. Mb I thought I deserved being punished that way?!

Today I suddenly had an aha moment and I realised... this is how a victim thinks. I didn't know I was a victim when I was living that stoey aka thought I was powerless. When in fact I really wasn't?! Haha still accepting I 555% created ALL that. The law can knock you out haha

Enough old story I just want to ask, what du u think the msg she sent to me was? Did I really deserve such a reaction (did I mention she included other girls in the boycot? 🤢) just for standing up for myself? What about the whole 'fight' aka showcase of power? And the entire yrs of being friends why did I never realize I was only hurting myself so much by putting her before me? And also, with the everyone pushed out thing, how did it fit in? Like why the hell did I give her too much power in validating me by giving in after the fight in the first place?, and while I did have some fun times (saying this so anyone else who reads this doesn't think it was pure torture lol. We had some common interests tyat no one else in the class shared when we first became 'friends'), deep down I was so unhappy so why didn't this reflect on her? I mean why didn't she ever sense just how much she'd hurt me, why didn't she see how much I put on the back burner coz of her?! Was it as she saw it as her right? I'm just so confused

This is still a bitter pill to swallow tbh but I have to face this in order to move on. This person and my life with her has left me wit many scars and I got to understand how I did this so I never attract such a person in my life again. Its not even abt bejnf a victim. As I said, these victimy things were subtle and I only noted them when it was too late and I was a shell, like she getting super pissed and disapproving if I had a differing opinion and me blowijg it out of proportion and tailoring my views or not expressing them so as to not feel the disapproval...thanks boycott conditioning ig? 😭 Aaaah even talking agaunst her rn is making me uncomfortable. Which makes me think I still am scared of her subconsciously even tho she's no longer in my life. Like, what in me made me choose her? I haven't healed, obviously by this ask as u can tell, but idk what is it in my self concept that had this whole thing in my past even happen

My friend, I also want to say I think you're a beautiful soul 🥺. And im sorry for the long ask lol. And I pray you'll always have all your desires. And plz, was it hard for u at first when u learned about u creating everything? The good, the bad, and the repulsive (like this story)? How did u get over old stories? Ty ty ty 😭

To begin with you're being really harsh on yourself. Like, I know it's hard, but it's never that serious. And trust me, this is something I have to remind myself of regularly. Because there have definitely been moments in life where I look back on myself in that moment, and I feel like I was pathetic and would slap myself if I could. But the truth is, there's just no need for any of that. We always did the best we could. We always did, period. We couldn't have done anything differently and this will continue to be true our entire lives. Looking back on the past with such overwhelming feelings, is really not needed. I get looking back to learn from it, but practice coming from a place of love and acceptance instead. It will help you grow, rather than get stuck back in this cycle of self-hate and confusion. Plus, you actually never need to analyze the past to grow but that's beyond the point right now.

To me, by reading your ask, the message she sent to you was clear. You feel you deserve less in life, you feel you're not good enough, you feel like a victim to life and others, you feel like you're not empowered or the operant power of your reality. It's not about her being wrong and you being right, and I get this is one of the hardest pills to swallow. Everyone is you pushed out. Therefore, there's simply no such thing as who is right and who is wrong anymore. It was only ever you.

When it comes to everyone is you pushed out, you have to understand this person isn't this way because that's who they are. They were that way because that's who you were. Inside of you, you brought their character to life. Therefore, the same way you are not stuck to such an undesirable self concept, neither is that person. It's not that you chose her and attracted her in. You were just dealing with yourself. That's what I hope you walk away from this response understanding. Because by thinking she was outside of you, you're missing the mark. And this is such an important concept to understand when it comes to the law of assumption, because it's really at the forefront of everything. People play such a huge role in our lives, whether it's relationships, jobs, opportunities, etc etc. So understanding how everyone is you pushed out actually works is extremely important.

So instead of putting all this blame on her or even putting the blame on yourself, all these memories really do is give you a glimpse into who you were at the time. It shows you the beliefs you held about yourself. It shows you what your self concept was. That's all it's doing. So in that way, there's actually no one to blame at all. I know it feels good to put blame, even when it's on yourself, but the truth is there's no room for blame when you learn about the law. You simply take responsibility and become empowered by the power you have held this entire time. And you practice making it work in your favor.

If you want to see how something was apart of your self concept, all you have to do is pay attention to what you are thinking/feeling. Shame, not being good enough, etc etc is all just stories you once held onto. Now you don't have to hold onto those stories anymore. Now that you know the power you hold, you get to make a new decision for yourself. Rather than ruminating of the painful past, allow it to be and know how that's not your story anymore.

Was it difficult for me to accept how I created everything? Yes and no. It's been a journey. While I could accept it logically, emotionally it was still very painful. Many times I wanted to cry and lash out when I felt alone and felt upset that no one was there for me. Although, I knew deep down it appeared that way because of my own concept of self. So yeah, it's been a journey. And it's honestly not always delightful. But this is the journey we have to take for the rest of our lives, so we might as well get used to practicing and applying these concepts. Instead of continuing to hold ourselves in such painful lights. I got through old stories, and I continue to get through old stories, by feeling all the pain that came up. By allowing myself to cry and feel however I felt like during those times. And in the back of my mind I knew I was getting stronger in my power. I knew how I would keep persisting once the pain subsided. And little by little, old stories fade more and more. That persistence to continue choosing better for yourself, is truly more powerful than it may seem in a difficult moment. Have trust in how it's all working out for you regardless.

Hopefully this is helpful! Thank you for your kind words. 💖

[ask-beacons-finest]

How would the AFD characters react to being pregnant or having kids? (Asked by anon) (Long post oof)

AFD!Ruby, awkwardly fumbling with her acoustic, nearly dropping it: W-Whoa! Kids? Pregnant!? Slow WAAAAAY down there pal.

AFD!Velvet, sitting across from Ruby, plucking away at a bass guitar, laughing: What's the matter Rubes? The thought of a Weiss Jr. freak you out?

AFD!Ruby, regaining her composure, jokingly flipping Velvet off: For now? Yeah. No way, no babies for me. Not for this rockstar. What about you?

AFD!Velvet, smiling a bit: Well...maybe, I've always liked the idea of having a family with Coco, but for now I can wait. Neither of us are ready obviously.

AFD!Ruby, impressed: Geez, how long have you and Coco been together again?

AFD!Velvet, laughing a bit: Nearly all my life honestly, but that's a story for another day. What about you Merc?

AFD!Mercury, who's been silently sitting off to the side, sighs and sinks into his chair: Emerald and I had a pregnancy scare once, would rather not do it again.

AFD!Mercury, holding up his hand to silence the two shocked girls and their questions: Hey hey, like Velv said, another day.

~~~~~

AFD!Yang, laying down on her back in a gym, weight lifting: Yes. Absolutely. I'd love it.

AFD!Nora, spotting for Yang, standing next to her, impressed: Wow. Didn't expect it.

AFD!Yang, laughing a bit, slightly embarrassed: Oh, well yeah, I don't know. I just really like the idea of a family, I wanna have a daughter, name her something pretty. I don't know what personally, I'm sure Blake will have an idea. I just wanna be a good mom with her.

AFD!Nora, with a big smile on her face: That's cute, really. I don't know about me though, I don't know the first thing about being a mom, never really had much of an example. But we both know that story. Hmph.

AFD!Nora, nodding: Maybe one day...maybe...

AFD!Pyrrha, stepping over to them, wiping her face with a towel that's draped over her shoulders: I think it would be lovely, to have a family, and I'm certain we'd all make fantastic mothers.

AFD!Yang, dropping the weighted bar into its resting position with Nora's assistance, sits up and laughs a bit: Yeah? We could all go out from brunch and get mimosas. Be a big ol' mom party.

AFD!Pyrrha, laughing along with them: That sounds wonderful.

AFD!Coco, running on a treadmill further away, rolling her eyes at the group of laughing girls, muttering with earbuds in: Pfft. Sure.

AFD!Coco, speaking softly as she runs: Velvet and I have talked about it...one day, for sure.

~~~~~

AFD!Ren, wiping down a table at the café he works at, nodding slightly: Hmmm. I wouldn't mind, but as of now Nora and Jaune and Pyrrha, and even Yang and the others, are as much a family as I need.

~~~~~

AFD!Jaune, taking a break from cleaning the JNPR apartment, resting on the couch reading on his scroll, speaking aloud to himself: Oh X-Ray and Vav, you may have been cancelled but fan-fiction never dies...

AFD!Jaune, jumping in shock, throwing his scroll across the room, his face bright red with embarrassment: OH UHHH KIDS? KIDS YEAH! YEAH SURE ONE DAY MAYBE I DON'T KNOW.

AFD!Jaune, slowly calming down, taking deep breaths, looking a bit sad: Yeah...kids...I don't know, kids are a weird subject...for people like me. Sorry.

~~~~~

AFD!Weiss, sitting at her desk at work, typing away an email, her eyes glued to the screen as she talks: Pregnant? No. A child? Maybe. I like the idea of being a mom but I-

AFD!Weiss, freezing, the typing stopping entirely for a short moment before resuming: ...I would just want to get better...first.

AFD!Weiss, sighs, finishing the email and sends it, dropping back in her chair and rubs her face, looking at a picture of her and Ruby on her desk, a small smile forming on her face: But...I have to admit, even though she's an enourmous dork...I think she'd be an amazing mom.

AFD!Weiss, leaning forward a bit to pick up the photo, staring at it: If...If I ever am lucky enough...I can't think of anyone I'd really rather be a mom with.

~~~~~

AFD!Blake, sitting in a dimly lit room full of napping children, her legs curled up under her as she reads to herself in a corner, her voice quiet: I love kids, and being a motherly figure is my job...literally.

AFD!Blake, slowly closing her book, frowning: Yang and I have...chatted about future endeavors. A house, a kid or two. A family...and I'd be lying if I said I didn't want all that, I'd really be lying if I said I didn't want all that with her.

AFD!Blake, biting back some tears: I just...I don't know if I can trust that she wants that with me...

AFD!Blake, quickly wiping her eyes as a timer goes off and children start to stir, a few sets of sleepy glowing eyes cutting through the darkness, her voice hushed: I love her, I want to do those things. I want to trust her again. It just takes time.

~~~~~

AFD!Neo, cheerfully smiling as she half walks half skips down the sidewalk, two frighteningly imposing guards at her side, nods: ~!!

~~~~~

AFD!Glynda, kneeling down, holding a child's hands as he shakily walks: I think one is enough thank you.

AFD!Salem, uncharacteristically excited, clapping her hands together: Did I hear more grandchildren?

AFD!Ozpin, placing a hand on Salem's shoulder, shaking his head and chuckling at Glynda's groan: Now now dear, Oscar is more than enough for now.

AFD!Glynda, snapping: Don't say "for now"!

[ladylavellaan]

hello! can i get some hc's / imagines for an au where older! noctis is a single dad like his father was,, but he has a little girl and how she'd act around her older! chocobro uncles ;') tysm!

i got you anon….. chocobro dads are my weakness omg //// 

Noctis: 

- He is, of course, protective of his daughter

- With no spouse to help raise his daughter,�� she and Noctis rely on each other; as if they’re both two pillars leaning against each other. Should one lose its balance and fall, the other will fall, too 

- That’s a little dark, but it is certainly true for Noctis’ case 

- He’s inherited his father’s company and money, so he has leeway to spoil his daughter

- She grows up rather spoiled, but he loves her all the same 

- She gets his good looks, too, so she’s bound to attract attention from stupid teenage boys and girls 

- This irks him

- He wants them to go away and be stupid somewhere else

- Not in front of his salad!!!!

- He loves her so so much and he will have empty nest syndrome when she moves away for college or something

- His daughter is his life 

Gladio:

- Noct’s daughter is sweet and kind, but she has the recklessness of her father and is incredibly hard headed

- Noct can’t say no to her

- But Gladio can

- She and Iris are best friends and go to school together, so he sees her quite often 

- He likes her just fine, but she is just like her father

- Getting her to stay in line is hard because she’s so lovable and sweet but

- If he could get Noct to grow the fuck up, he will certainly help his daughter, too 

- Albeit, he’ll be less… strict

- Gladio: “Noct I swear if you got your daughter a car for her birthday–”

- Noct: “I got her a car for her birthday, Gladio.”

- Gladio, 3 seconds away from hitting him: “Noct. She’s 12. How will she drive that.”

- Noct, with a “:3c” expression on his face: “Simple. You drive her places–”

- He punches Noct so hard that when he wakes up he finds himself returning the car and getting his daughter a dog instead

- In short, Gladio is like the cool uncle that gives her good life lessons and helps you with stuff

- Has great advice for her

Iggy:

- Remember how I said that Noct has no spouse to help raise his daughter?

- I was mcfucking with you

- If Noct is the dad, Iggy is like her mother

- He cooks for you and takes care of her whenever Noctis is gone for long business trips 

- Iggy taught her how to read, write, and count

- He’s Noct’s secretary, but as time passed, he slowly became Noct’s babysitter. Babysitting soon turned into something more personal and less of a job; he wanted to help her, watch her grow up. 

- So he did

- He drives her to school and picks her up while maintaining his job as Noct’s secretary

- Helps keep the house in order

- When she gets in trouble, it’s Iggy she gets scared of, not Noct

- Iggy: “I hear the little one smacked a boy in school today.”

- Noct, nervous: “Yes. I say he deserved it.”

- Iggy: “It’s uncalled for, Noct. Violence never fixes problems.”

- Noct, attempting to lighten the mood: “Well, Iggy, if I could punch poverty away, I would.”

- Iggy, not having it: 

- Noct: 

- Noct: “I’ll see what I can do to ground her, or something…”

Prompto:

- She and Prompto are best friends omg

- Whenever he visits, he always gets her a present from all the places he travels

- He and Noct’s daughter scheme together

- Gladio, Iggy, and Noctis are always stressed when Prompto and his daughter do something dangerous

- Well

- Prompto would never put his daughter in harms way, he just wants her to have fun 

- The huge house she lives in seems so empty and lonely sometimes, and brightening up her day and seeing her smile brightens his day

- She gets him presents, too

- They’re not as good as his, but he loves them all the same

- He’s like her cool big brother or something