#and whoever helped him crack it might get him to spill the beans against those who brainwashed him

[grahamcarmen]

[nockfellblues]

I don't know if you do these kinds of asks but how about reader pulling a hunger games type moment and confronting Larry before he kills himself saying if you go I do too I won't let someone I love die alone type thing.

All aboard the angst train ♥  written as a mini fic! TW for attempted suicide! Reader is gender neutral.

If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline and get the help you deserve. Call 1-800-273-8255. If you are like me and are afraid to call, there are also live online chat options as well, located HERE! 

You’d known for awhile something was... off with Larry. Ever since Sal had officially moved in with Todd and Neil, Larry had been stadoff-ish on a good day, and on bad days would seclude himself in the tree house, Sanity’s Fall blasting from that tiny stereo so loud you could hear it from your shared basement apartment. To say you were worried about his behavior was an understatement. Especially after you’d begun to notice the pattern of near constant headaches, the fact that he was always saying it was too loud in the apartment, the occasional mutter of, “shut up,” to an empty room when he though you weren’t close enough to hear, and the quickly worsening whip of anger he’d been developing… You were walking on eggshells at any given moment.

Finally, it all hit a breaking point. 

You had been helping Larry pack up the remainder of his non-essentials, getting them ready to go over to his new room at Todd’s. It had been a process to pack a lot of his stuff up- it was a whole lifetime to sort through; countless weird knick knacks to decide to keep or not, finding old drawings and sketchbooks from his childhood, finding a random little thing that had been lost years ago tucked away in a dusty corner someplace… 

To be honest, it had been more reminiscing about his childhood and the memories about each of the items you both went through than it was actually packing. But it was fun, and the wistful smile he wore as he told you stories of his mother, his missing father and his years of shenanigans with Sal and Todd made every wasted second well worth it. 

When you unearthed a little silver puzzle box, you expected a fun story and for him to add it into the donation box for the local second hand shop for some needy kid to enjoy it later. But the simple question of, “Trash or stash?” quickly devolved into an argument about how much you didn’t care about his sentimentality or that it was an important object to him- and it just got worse from there- until you gave up, tossed up your hands, and stated you were gonna bring the box you’d finished earlier over to Todd’s while he cooled off, and walked out.

When you’d gotten there, the first thing you did was tell Sal what was up, hoping maybe he’d have some kind of wise words or what you could have done to set Larry off in the first place. Sally, ever the sweetheart, pulled you into a gentle hug, reassuring you that Larry was probably just having a rough patch and that he would talk to him and see if Larry might open up about it. 

Taking Todd up on an offer to stay the night, you threw on a movie and made yourself comfortable on the couch, falling into a dreamless sleep. 

Neil woke you the next morning with a killer cup of coffee and a poor mans breakfast of sugar coated pop tarts. Sally had come around not long after, letting you know Larry had texted him, and they’d be headed to the apartments for some, “Ghost hunting.” He seemed kind of tense but reassured you that he’d talk to Larry today, before he met up with Ash. Of course, you’d thanked him, and settled into Larry’s soon-to-be room to start sorting out some of the easier boxes.

—–

You woke up later, sprawled on the couch, to the sound of Todd rummaging in the kitchen. Yawning, you stretched and made your way out to greet him, smoothing out your bead-head. 

“Hey Todd, how as class?” You asked, grabbing a seat at the kitchen table. 

Todd shrugged, idly stirring an instant noodle cup, “No complaints. How’s Larry’s room coming along? Sal said you were unpacking this morning.”

“Well, I made it through the clothes and some oddball boxes… Did Sally mention anything about Larry by chance?”

Todd shook his head, “No, but he left with Ash almost as soon as he was back, so we didn’t have much time to chat. Knowing Sal, things should be smoothed over. He’s always been able to mellow Larry out like that.” 

With that, you decided to head back and see if Larry was feeling any better after some Sally time. It was getting dark, and the thick clouds looming overhead finally opened into a sweeping downpour just after you had left Todd’s. You stopped under a thicket of trees just off the road, hoping the rain would lessen, when your cell phone went off. 

Larry: [Name] im rly sry. i nvr meant that shit i said.

[Name]: Dude its all good i know youre stressed lately. Im heading back now.

Larry: stay at todds. and just dont blame urself ok? its my time to go.

[Name]: Larry wtf are you talking about? youre scaring me?

Without waiting for a reply you took off towards the apartments at a breakneck run. Bypassing the front door, you ran around the backside of the building to use the back entrance, when you noticed a light on in the old tree house- Then your gaze trailed down to the baggy with a neatly folded paper pinned to the lower steps on the tree.

You felt your blood run cold. He wouldn’t- no. 

“Larry!” You scrambled up the rickety planks, ignoring the note, and all but threw yourself onto the tree house floor. “Larry, don’t!” 

Tucked against the wall of the tree house, just under the little window, sat Larry, an old camping lantern lit in the corner beside him. His eyes were puffy and his hair disheveled, evidence that he’d been crying before. Tears welled in your own eyes as you took in his distraught expression and the bottle of whiskey in his hands. 

“[Name]..?” He whispered your name, and the way his voice cracked brought you to instant tears, and you all but launched yourself at him, pulling him into a desperate embrace. 

“Larry Johnson, you fucking asshole! Don’t you dare- don’t you dare take a sip from that bottle-”

“[Name]-” you cut him off, taking his face into your hands and forcing him to look at you. The circles under his eyes were so deep, and the absolute emptiness in them broke your heart.

“No! You listen here, you fucking string bean- you don’t get to do this. You can’t just… just push me away and expect me not to worry. You can’t just text… text me something like that and not expect me to come running to- to fucking keep you from being stupid! What the fuck am I supposed to do without you?!” You were openly sobbing now, practically screaming at the boy who all but held your entire world in his hands. “You’re all I have! You can’t just-just leave me behind and expect me to move on- who am I without my other half, Larry? Who am I?!” 

He scrunched his eyes closed, tears streaming down his cheeks again, as he shook his head.

“If you fucking kill yourself, I’m going with you. And you can’t stop me.” You knew it was a dirty trick to play, guilting him like this when his soul was this ravaged and he was so vulnerable- but you were being honest. What would you do without him in your life? What about Sal? God, what about poor Lisa? He was so dear to you all, so loved, and he was ready and willing just throw it all away-

“[Name], I-I can’t take it anymore- I just- the cult shit, that demon, the ghosts! The fucking whispers-  they’re dri-driving me insane! I‘m not like you or Sal- I can’t handle this shit anymore!” He finally breaks down into heaving sobs at that, burying his face into your shoulder, and dropping the bottle in favor of a bone-crushing embrace that you readily return.

You kick the bottle away from Larry, as far as you can get it, and quietly thank whoever will listen when the cap pops the rest of the way off, spilling the amber liquid and the mostly dissolved remnants of pills onto the tree house floor.

“…Why didn’t you just tell me? Or even Sal. Someone. You know we’d do anything for you, Larry, absolutely anything.” He didn’t reply, just shook his head and pulled you closer. What the fuck was was this place doing to him? You had to get him out- get him away- Larry’s phone vibrated from the other side of the tree house, but you elected to ignore it, praying whoever was calling was also smart enough to find you both before things got any worse.

He sniffled, hiccuping into you shoulder, “I’m so sorry, [name]. I didn’t mean anything that I said the other day- or anything I said in those other arguments. I just- This- this place is.. I think I’m going crazy-”

You shushed him, smoothing a hand down his hair and he devolved into body-wracking sobs that shook you both with the sheer force of them. Your soul ached for the boy you had known almost all your life- the boy you grew up with, shared secrets with, made countless memories with, and loved with all your heart. 

Why didn’t you see this coming sooner? “I know, Larry, I know. This place- there’s something still wrong with Addison apartments and we’re gonna get you out of here, forever. I promise.” 

“I-I’m so, so sorry, [name]. Please... Please don’t leave me.”

The rain continued to pour in violent sheets outside, but you distinctly heard the frantic voice of Sal, calling Larry’s name, as he ran towards the tree house. You had never felt such absolute relief in your life, even with Larry clinging to you like a lifeline, and the stain of his near-death slowly seeping into the floor of the tree house just behind you.

 “I’m not going anywhere, Larry. I’m with you, always, no matter what happens.”

—fin—

WHEW. I tried to make it so you could read their relationship as either romantic or platonic, and tried to stay as neutral as possible in gender as well! I hope this is alright, and I hope you like it! I’ve actually never seen the Hunger Games so I kinda went my own way ♥

I’d also like to use this space as a PSA:I’ve struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts and tendencies my whole life- don’t let your depression convince you that you are trapped or alone or unloveable. I know its hard, and there’s no easy fix for it, but there are things in life that make it worth sticking around. Even if its something as silly as looking forward to a new game or story or waiting for a flower you planted to bloom, there are reasons to keep living. Please be kind to yourself and remember, even if we’ve never spoken or interacted or existed in the same space, I know that you are worthy of being loved and cared for and you are not alone. 

If ever you feel like you are truly alone in this world, please reach out- there will always be people out here willing to lend a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold, and a friend to those who feel lost ♥ I know i will always be open to anyone out there in need of a friend so, please, never be afraid to reach out!

[dontatmethanks]

Part of your world

A levihan fic (mermaid AU)

AN: Hi guys! Sorry that I took so long with this chapter, it was hard figuring out which way to go with it but I think I like the how it turned out 🥰 lmk what you guys think 💕

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Chapter 5:

Levi watches them from below the observation deck, he eyes the group of kids who are observing him with wide eyed expressions as Hange filled them in with information. From what he can hear she’s telling them about how he got here.

He frowns.

Hange looks back at him and gives him a supportive smile, he pretends to look away.

“Mermyds can actually speak. From what I’ve gathered, Levi must have come from clear waters. His speech is in fluent English.” Hange tells them.

Sasha leans against the railing of the observation deck before calling out to the mer, “Hello mister mermaid, I’m Sasha would you like a treat?”

Levi ignores the girl and picks at his sharp nails.

“Oi! Don’t ignore us you damn guppy!” Eren yells from beside her.

Levi snaps his head towards the teal eyed boy and narrows his glare at him, gills flaring in annoyance.

“Get in here and say that again you bratty human infant!”

Hange sighs, “that’s enough of that, Levi please be civil.”

He just crosses his arms and growls underneath his breath.

Hange let’s the teens introduce themselves to the mermyd who gave them all an indifferent look.

“What happened to your tail?” Armin asks him timidly.

Levi’s glare turns into a sour scowl, the blonde teen flinches at the sight.

“None of your concern.” The mermyd growls and slides into the water, letting only his head bob above the surface.

He looks to Hange and gives her a look that says, ‘I’m done now’ and dives underneath.

“Don’t worry guys, he’ll warm up eventually hehe.” Hange tells them with a nervous laugh

It wouldn’t be an easy feat, but Hange was never one to give up easily.

The next day Hange makes it to work later than usual. Her day had begun a little rough, she overslept past her alarm, accidentally cracked her phone screen and almost got into a car accident when she spilled her cold brew all over the drivers seat.

Yes, today wasn’t one of her best days but it would take a lot more to truly dampen her mood.

Hange makes it to work thirty minutes late, clothes wrinkled and coffee stained, greasy hair pulled up into a haphazard ponytail and her signature wide grin slapped onto her face.

She changes into her wet gear and meets Erwin and Moblit by Sawney and Bean’s enclosure.

“Wonderful of you to join us Hange.” Erwin greets her, raising an eyebrow at her messier than usual hairstyle. Moblit notices and grimaces slightly.

Hange presses her hands together in an apologetic like gesture, “I’m so sorry Erwin I overslept past my alarm.”

“Pulled another all nighter Dr.?” Moblit asks her already knowing the answer.

Hange grins sheepishly.

“That’s alright Hange, the kids just arrived. Yeager, Ackerman and Arlert are with you today, Kirstein and springer are with Mike and Oluo and Reiss and Braus are with Petra and Nanaba.” Erwin fills her in and Hange immediately perks up.

He lifts a hand up before she can speak, “please be careful with them around Levi, I don’t need a lawsuit in my hands.”

Hange grins and throws an arm over the taller mans shoulders.

“Don’t you worry about a thing, I’ll take good care of the kids.”

Erwin just gives her a dead stare and dismisses himself to his office.

Hange goes over her work routine with the kids. She shows them how to punch in and where to report everyday. She shows them goes over all of her patient’s personal diets and assigns one to each teen.

“You guys will rotate between patients under my supervision of course.” Hange tells the teens who are already in their own wergear.

It went like this; for breakfast Armin will be feeding June, the kelpie. Mikasa would be feeding Sawney and Bean, and Eren would be feeding Levi with Hange. For lunch the my rotated to Armin feeding Levi, Mikasa feeding June and Eren feeding Sawney and Bean. And finally for dinner time it rotated to Eren feeding June, Armin feeding Sawney and Bean and Mika’s feeding Levi.

June appreciated Armind efforts in preparing her breakfast, her favorite being a large mixture of wild Krill and chunks of bluefin tuna. She even went as far as to let the shy boy pet her horselike snout. The blonde complied with equal enthusiasm, ocean eyes sparkling in awe as he stroked the water horse.

Sawney and Bean were equally as great fun for the breakfast Mikasa helped prepare for them. Hange showed her how to prepare the squid and octopus for them as well as the correct portion of vitamins that they needed. Bean allowed the girl to rub his snout after he ate, Sawney of course being the shark with the most attitude just thanked her with a dismissive thrash of his tail fin as he retreated from his usual brooding spot.

Levi much was less enthusiastic about having one of the kids prepare and feed him his breakfast, much less it being Eren. He ate his food regardless, all the whole glaring intently at the poor boy who fidgeted nervously where he stood.

“Not so mouthy when you’re in here eh brat?” Levi chided him with a scary glint in his eyes.

Hange rolled her eyes and stood from where she was collecting samples of the water.

“Don’t be scared of him Eren, he only acts like a pufferfish.” Hange reassured the boy while giving Levi a teasing grin.

Levi’s eye twitched.

“You shitty human. If I had those two driftwood looking things you call feet, I would shove one so far up your blowhole you’d be coughing it up for a week.”

That made Hange burst out laughing. She clutched her stomach and wheezed so hard that tears formed in her eyes.

“He-*wheeze*-called it-*wheeze*-a blowhole!”

Eren could barely contain his own laughter, a snort escaped through his nose and the teal eyed teen quickly slapped a hand over his mouth when Levi shot him a murderous glare.

Once hange calmed down she gave Eren and Armin the task of helping Moblit cleaning the filter of Sawney and Bean’s enclosure and as well as cleaning Levi’s enclosure. She had Mikasa help her take the samples to the lab and she showed the girl the ropes around the lab.

“We have water monitors set up in June and Sawney and bean’s enclosures and we’re working on setting one up in Levi’s.” Hange tells her and gestures to the testing kit in front her. “But I always like to be safe so I also lab test the water.”

Mikasa payed close attention as Hange taught her how to set up the kit and test the samples properly. She also showed her the cleanup system and the rules of the lab.

Once it hit two PM it was Armin’s turn to feed Levi his lunch. He was much more timid around the mermyd, fidgeting every time Levi glares at him.

“I’m not going to eat you brat, so stop looking so scared.” Levi tells him sternly as he rips into a juicy sardine. “Your friend though, he might lose a leg or two.”

Armin blinked.

“Oh ah, E-Eren?” He asks.

Levi nods and swallows, “That mollusk has a sly mouth.”

Armin grins a little and chuckles, “He can be a little abrasive sometimes but he usually means well, he is my best friend and all.”

Levi stays silent, eating his lunch in contemplation. He ignores Armin as the teen sits two feet away from him, looking as if he wanted to ask him something. Levi frowns.

Why the hell is he still here?

Levi looks up at the blonde haired boy with a look that said, ‘the hell do you want?’

Armin fidgeted before asking, “W-What was it like for you out there, underneath the ocean I mean?”

Levi paused in mid bite. Why the hell did this kid want to know about his shitty life under the cold depths of the sea? To be honest with himself it wasn’t much living, more like surviving. He didn’t remember much of his early years as a young fry, just some flashes of what he assumed to be his mother holding him while humming some unrecognizable tune. His more prominent memories was when he was forced to be a part of a small pod of other mermyds. He was constantly roughed up by the other members, the treated him like he was an outsider. They made him scavenge and hunt for themselves, and when they would encounter another pod of mermyds, which was rare, they would attack them. And if Levi would refused to take part they would attack him and make him starve to put him in his place. The leader who they called Kenny, taught him most of what he knew about survival in the waters, kill or be killed, eat or be eaten. Soon Levi broke ties with the pod and went solo, but his departure did not go without blood.

Armin was still waiting for him to answer, wringing his hands together in nervousness. Levi squeezed his eyes closed and shook his head softly, bringing his thought back to the present.

“Not as amazing as you’d think, let’s just say I barely survived.” Levi responds to his questions, voice a little scratchy.

Armin digested Levi’s response, his blonde brows furrowing in thought.

“Whoever did that to you,” He says, gesturing towards his injured tail with his chin. “Did they do it on purpose?”

Levi’s eyes glazed over, small fragments of fogged up memories flashed behind them. He couldn’t piece them together entirely, it made his chest ache. He should remember, especially since-

His thoughts halted.

“Where’s Hange?” Levi asks him flatly, mask not faltering. He needed someone he could trust.

That thought made him pause slightly, so he trusted that shitty doctor now?

“Ah she’s assisting Moblit and Eren with the sharks.” Armin tells him, breaking him away from his thoughts once again.

Levi wrinkled his nose when Armin mentioned sharks.

The teen opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Hange who bounded down from the observation deck.

“Sorry I left you guys alone poor Eren got his foot caught in Sawney and Beans filter hehe, he’s just as clumsy as me.” She announces as she approached them.

“It’s okay Dr. Hange,” Armin reassures her, “Mister Levi was well behaved.”

Hange places her hands on her hips and chuckled, “oh-ho, you’ve been upgraded to a higher title know mister Levi sir.” She teases with a mock salute.

The mer rolls his eyes and shoves the empty bucket towards Armin who grabs it and stand up.

“I should probably check on Eren to see if he’s alright.” Armin says to Hange with a small smile. She pats him on the back and nods, “Good idea they’re at the common room near the cafeteria in the main building.”

Once they were alone Hange sets down the bag that she had been holding and plops herself next to it.

“I need to check your vitals and I also will need a blood sample.” She briefs him with a huge grin. Levi ignores the way her grin makes his pulse quicken and narrows his steel colored eyes at her.

“You’re gonna stick me with that thing again aren’t you?”

Hange cringes before nodding, “yea sorry but it will be just as quick as the last time.”

“Let me guess you want me to piss in that cup thing again?”

Hange nods and laughs heartily when Levi’s fave forms into a grumpy pout, gills puffing our at his neck.

“What the hell are you laughing at shitty glasses?” He grinds out as she continues to giggle as she rifles through her bag, pulling out a stethoscope.

“You’re cute when you pout.” It slips out before she can catch herself.

Levi’s eyes widen as his cheeks turn bright pink. Hange snaps her head up to looks at him and she can hardly contain herself when she sees his embarrassed expression.

“C-cute?! The hell are you saying you dumb human, is all that pollution finally gotten inside your stupid head?!”

Hange laughs again and ruffles his dark hair, the mer slaps her hand away in response.

The tips of his ears still burn at what she said to him as she works on him. She takes his temperature and blood pressure after checking heart rate, surprised to find that it was racing slightly.

Levi avoided eye contact, what the hell was this woman doing to him. Every little thing she did, her big ass toothy smiles, cheeky grins and all those annoying ass noises made him feel all weird inside. It made him want her to be around him more than she already was.

He couldnt believe he was saying it but be actually wanted that shitty humans company.

Once hange finished she gathered all of her materials and samples and stood up.

“Oi,” Levi says to her before she headed out, rubbing the arm where she drew blood from. “We’re still reading today right?”

A goofy smile forms on her face, “Of course Levi, after dinner though, I’ll be here all night.” She tells him before winking and heading out of his enclosure.

Dinnertime rolls around at six, and Hange trusted that Mikasa could handle Levi alone for a while because she had to help Mike with a turtle hatching emergency.

Mikasa didn’t mind she did her job and brought the mermyd his dinner. Levi gave the girl a halfhearted thanks before digging into the bucket only surprised to find that not only there was his usual fresh catch of sardines but also a couple of crawfish mixed in as well. He gave Mikasa a questioning look.

“Hange said it was her treat, though you could use some variety in your diet.” The teen mumbles.

Levi huffs and tucks into his food graciously, he could feel the brat’s eyes on him as he ate.

“You have a pretty tail.” She says bluntly.

It catches him off guard and he gives her an incredulous stare.

“..it’s missing a fin, the color also makes it look shittier so I don’t know what you’re referring to as ‘pretty’.”

Levi was never fond of the color of his tail, it was an ugly grey black transition, it made him look scary unlike other mermyds he had seen.

Mikasa shrugs and sits down near the waters edge, crisscrossing her legs.

He eats in silence agiain while Mikasa just stares into the water, deep in her own thoughts.

“I used to be really obsessed with mermyds when I was little, it was something that me and my mother shared together.”

That made the mer sigh internally.

What was it with these kids being so mouthy while he ate, Why couldn’t they just leave him in peace ?!

“ it’s what made me want to pursue a career in the marine biology.” Her tone was flat, robotic almost.

“It’s not ugly, just different and being different makes you pretty.” She continued, eyes shifting look at the mermyd.

That sentence strikes a cord in him, a memory flashes before him. Bubbly giggles and watery smile engrained in them. His chest tightens as he swallows, it was getting hard to breathe.

“It’s just something she would say a lot.” Mikasa finishes before getting up and taking the empty bucket from him and leaves him to his own thoughts.

A few minutes go by while Levi just sits there breathing heavily.

The Memories were flashing quickly now, some broken and foggy and some clear as day. A hot day, cold darks waters, deep red blood swirling into sea space around him. They make the corners of his eyes burn.

Isabelle.

She had said something similar to him once

‘ your tail, it’s different, but that’s what makes it beautiful big bro!’

Isabelle, Farlan....fuck.

These stupid kids reminded him of them so much, the only real family he ever had.

The ones he lost along with his fin.

Fuck.

He was panting now, vision blurring with tears. The ache in his chest spread like a burning fire all over his body. The mer pressed his hands over his face and let out a heart wrenching sob.

He didn’t cry when it happened, he could barely react at the moment as he was being attacked himself. But now it finally hit him, like a boat against coral.

They’re gone and he couldn’t protect them like he promised.

Levi was hyperventilating now, curled into a fetal position as he sobbed uncontrollably unable to contain his emotions.

It all burned through his system.

He grabbed at his hair and screamed in rage and clawed at the ground beneath him as a heavy flow of tears continued to stream down his face.

“Levi, oh my god!”

Her voice made through the cloudy fog that was his head, his breath hitches and he let out a broken whine.

Hange was in her office when she was alerted by Moblit on Levi’s breakdown, he had been observing the live camera feed from the enclosures. Hange literally ran into his enclosure as soon as he told her.

She quickly kneeled by the broken mermyds side.

“Hey, hey Levi what’s happening, are you in pain? Can I touch you?”

At this point Levi didn’t care he just wanted the pain to stop, needed her to help him breathe again. He nodded.

As soon as she placed her hand on his quivering shoulder he let out another hard sob and curled up closer to Hange, sliding his head on her lap and gripping her shirt. His gills struggles to take in air as he choked on his own sobs.

Hanges arms hovered over the poor mermyd, he completely caught her off guard when he actually willingly touched her.

Her heart panged for him.

“It’s okay, it’s alright, I’m here, you’re safe nobody is going to hurt you anymore I promise.” She whispers to him in a soothing voice as she threads one hand into his surprisingly soft hat and the othe rubs his shuddering back.

“Breathe, Levi, remember to breathe in and out, slowly, everything is okay.”

He choking graduates back down to hyperventilating and then eventually slows down into weak shuddering sobs. His arms are now tightly holding on to her waist and his cheek was pressed against her stomach, tears soaking through her fishing shirt while Hange continues to bring him down.

“I c-couldn’t s-save them.” He tells her groggilly once the sobbing stopped but the tears still flowed.

Hange’s brows knit together. “Who?”

“Isabelle, F-Farlan, it’s all my fault.” His voice is raspy from all the sobbing and screaming. “They’re dead and it’s my fault, I-I-” He is cut off by another racking sob that vibrates through his entire body. Hange let’s him ride it out while she rubs his back and combs through his hair with her fingers.

Two minutes pass and the tears begin to slow down.

“Isabelle and Farlan, they were important to you?” Hange asks him quietly.

Levi nods and sniffles against her stomach and squeezed his eyes shut.

“They’re gone, along with my fin, I couldn’t save them.”

Hange sighs softly and rubs the tips of her fingers along the nape of his neck and he shudders.

“It’s not your fault Levi, you were in a too terrible condition to even swim yourself. Please don’t blame yourself, I’m sure you’re friends would understand and know that you did everything you could for them. Judging from how much you cared about them I’m sure they knew and if they could they would tell you that it’s okay, you’re alive. You survived and you’ll make them very proud by keeping their memories and the ones you shared with them alive with you.”

There was silence when she finally finished and she was worried that she may have said something wrong until Levi gripped her harder and completely let go of everything else that was left inside him.

He shuddered, quivered and shook, fresh hat tears poured from his normally steely eyes, leaving a river like stream in their wake. Hange held him as he sobbed, her heart squeezing uncontrollably at the sound of his low whines. She didn’t know why it hurt her so much to see the mermyd so broken like this. It almost made her angry as the feeling of wanting to protect him from everything came over herself.

They stayed like that for almost an hour until Levi was exhausted and was slipping in and out of consciousness.

The sun had already set and the cold night air blew softly against them.

Hange didn’t care, she continued to stroke his hair.

She made a promise to take care of him, and here she was doing just that and so much more.

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AN: HOLY FUCK! I actually teamed up while writing the last part 😭 maybe because I wrote it at three AM in the morning lmaooo. I really want Levi to have an emotional scene with Eren later on but for now he can be a little shit (*eren cackles in the distance*)

Anyways thank you so much for reading ily 💓 see you in the next chap!

[taurus-annie-main]

Table 13

Summary: Chanyeol is truly a mystery of a guy.He comes into the restuarant with different women at his hand and you can never pin point who excatly he is but in the end, all mystery’s are uncovered. chanyeol!escortau

There are about ten different Chanyeols. Some are near enough identical but most are different.

Sometimes, he's a tight-lipped business guy dressed in fitted suits and polished shoes. But the thing is, he's also a happy-go-lucky guy, one without a single bit of his life planned but he's just going along with whatever life throws at him. And sometimes, he's a doting 'husband' that wears old man sweaters and thick frames. With each Chanyeol you saw, stood by his side were different women. Most older than him, and sure enough were his mother's age - even though you'd never met her, you could guess. You always wondered about him, creating fantastical scenarios about what he could do. Now, you would ask him but, you've only interacted him in the confines of the restaurant you worked at and you're sure it'd be inappropriate to ask.

But you did have other ways.

On a slow evening, you plucked up the courage to ask Baekhyun. Baekhyun seemed to get along with him and you suspected they might know each other from the way they talked and made jibes at each other. "Uh?" He asked, stopping to dry the glasses. You leant closer, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. "What's with that guy?" You asked, your eyes gesturing to the table behind you. "Which guy? There's loads of guys here," he said, peering over your shoulder. "The one you talk to all the time. He comes with different women every week," you said. That seemed to do it because the ends of his lips lifted into a smirk. "Oh, him. That's Chanyeol. Why do you ask?" "Just wondering," you said. "So, what does he do?" Baekhyun shrugged and went back to drying the glasses. You could tell he knew. However, he didn't look like he was about to spill the beans anytime soon. "Ask him for yourself." "You're no fun," you sighed. "Anyways, I'm gonna need two scotches for his table.Table 13." "I'm fun, but you're too nosy," he said, spinning around to grab two glasses and the bucket of ice. "Curious, not nosy," you corrected. You lowered your voice and drew closer, "Is he cheating on his wife?" Baekhyun snorted as he poured the amber liquid into the glass. "Cheating? He's single if my memory serves me correct." You snorted. Single your ass.

His hand was clasped over hers in that sweet comforting 'were totally  together' way. Plus, they looked in love! His eyes were looking at her as if she was the prettiest woman in the world - fuck, he looked up. You whipped your head around.

"Then why are they holding hands like that?"

"Because" He left it at that and you knew you couldn't push anything worthwhile out of him. "The drinks are ready." You mumbled thanks and took the tray. As you walked to the table, his eyes were on you for a moment, but as quick as they came, they left even quicker and landed back on his date.

It wasn't every day you accepted Baekhyun's invites to 'Drink' however, with your roommate gone for the week, you decided that accepting the invite wouldn't be so bad. You hadn't the faintest clue as to who would be there, but after a few drinks, you're certain you could somewhat shimmy your way into the clove of Baekhyun's friends. You and Baekhyun go to the bar after your shifts end, it was only a minutes walk but you wished you'd taken your heavier clothes when you'd changed at the staff rooms. The bar is warm and the atmosphere equally warm. Baekhyun led you to a large table surrounded by a group of people which judging from their clamorous greeting and large smiles were Baekhyun's friends.

"You're late," a girl pipes up, swatting Baekhyun's shoulder as he takes the seat next to her. She nuzzles against him and you can only guess that they are together.

"Shh, I'm here now," he says, flicking her forehead. "Shit, guys, this is ..."

As you took the chance to introduce yourself, you hoped that they didn't notice the slight tremor in your voice. You hadn't expected that many people to be here. They fired their names back at you and you took an empty seat beside a chair draped with a wool coat and scarf.

You unravelled yourself out of your own heavy coat. Wasting no time, the girl who you guessed was Baekhyun's girlfriend (well, judging from the way she snaked herself around his arm, she certainly was his girlfriend) introduced herself as 'Rae' and mentioned it was short for something, but you didn't have the gusto to press on for more information. Instead, you nursed a glass of a cherry drink as she mused on about something you were undoubtedly clueless about.

You were in the middle of talking about the latest Netflix show, a horror anthology when the chair beside you was pulled out with a scrape. You whoever had left their jacket there was back to claim their seat.

Eager to see who the new person was, you tore your self away from the conversation to look beside you. It took you a few seconds, but when the 'stranger' turned his head towards you, you couldn't help but let your brows raise ever-so-slightly. It was the guy from the restaurant, the one with a dozen or so 'girlfriends' (quotation because you refused to believe Baekhyun's sentiments in the fact that those women were anything but his partners). You had his name on the tip of your tongue, it began with a 'C' or something, you remember Baekhyun letting it slip.

"Jesus, were you pissing your whole life away in there?" A guy piped up, he was staring at him from the brim of glasses with a lad-ish grin.

"Got lonely waiting for me or something, Soo?" C shot back, as he poured beer into his half-filled glass.

"You wish," the other muttered, before taking a swig of his own beer. "Jeez, you didn't even introduce yourself to the newbie."

If he recognised you, he certainly didn't make it known - maybe you were too insignificant for him to recognise. You couldn't blame him though; it was a sea of black and white uniforms in that restaurant.

He furrowed his brows for a moment. "I feel like I've seen your face before?" he said, tilting his head ever-so-slightly, with a small smile on his face.

"You're making moves ... already?" Rae snorted. "Just tell her your name you doof."

He peered around you to narrow his eyes at Rae. "Actually, I was not making moves."

"It's alright," you piped up with a chuckle, you could sense the tension rising but you knew they weren't about to start hurling glasses at each other, you suspected it was friendly banter.

"Don't be too nice to him, he's a sneaky one" Rae added with a wink.

He snorted and leant closer to you. "Don't listen to her, she's still mad I used her eyeshadows for a painting. I'm Chanyeol."

You guessed you must've looked super confused (well, you were actually ) because he cracked up after a few moments of staring you in silence. "I should've added some pre-amble to that - Rae's my sister, twin to be exact."

You turned to Rae, who was busy showing something on her phone to the girl on the other side of the table. You'd take a better look later, but even when you were talking to them you could barely see similarities in their looks, maybe it was because you weren't concentrated on her face?

"Don't look too hard," Chanyeol teased, snapping you out of your daze. You faced him now. "So, you work with Baek or something?"

You nodded. "I'm a waitress."

He snapped his fingers. "I knew it! I don't forget faces."

"I remember you too," you added. "You always come in with ..." you didn't finish off the last part of your sentence, either way, you're sure he caught your drift.

To forever seal your point, he leant back and raised his brow and nodded slowly. "Oh ... you do? Well, I guess you could say I'm a regular."

"Me too."

He rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "You work there."

The rest of the night went great, you'd found yourself surprised by the fact that you seemed to quickly meld into their group dynamics. You'd even gotten a few numbers too, problem is you weren't good at names so most were left nameless but they'd never now that. The only hiccup to the night was when Kyungsoo, the guy who Chanyeol referred to as 'Soo' spilt his drink on the red-lipped girl sat next to him, May that was her name. She huffed and you immediately gave her stack of towels, meanwhile, Kyungsoo was busy stifling a laugh behind his hand which of course earned him a hard wack from May. Who then stomped off with Kyungsoo hot on heels saying something along the lines of 'baby, stop!' At the sight, Chanyeol had nudged your arm, leant close to your ear and said 'Couples, huh?'

"How are you getting home?" Chanyeol asked as he stomped down on the cigarette he'd just had in his mouth.

It was raining, torrential style and the stickiness of your shirt was making you more comfortable the longer you stayed out. "Train," you answered.

You were the only two left, Baekhyun and Rae had left fifteen minutes ago after hailing a taxi. May and Kyungsoo had all but disappeared after having their fit outside.

"Train," he said, voice high and disbelieving. "I'll call an uber for you, you can't be catching trains at this time, especially with this rain-"

"Are you serious?" you said. "We're in 2017 remember?"

"It's still a dangerous world, especially for a cute girl like you," he said all too casually for an easily ruffled person like you. You thanked the low light for hiding the curved edge of your lips and blooming heat on your face.

"Anyways, whereabouts do you live?"

"Huh?"

"Where do you live?" he asked, tapping away at his phone. "I need it for the Uber."

"Oh - wait, you totally don't have to do that. I know how to use the train," you said, your words tumbling quick out of your mouth as you realised what he was doing. As much as a car ride home would've been nice, you couldn't bear to let yourself be a burden on someone, especially if you'd only started talking five or so hours ago.

"Don't do the too-polite thing," he said.

"It's gonna cost you though," you said.

"I know," he nodded. "We'll do multiple stops? So tell me your address."

After a moment of going back and forth, you gave your address - actually, you gave him the next street before it, to be safe of course. You'd watched too many Investigation Discovery to do anything less.

So now here you both were, stuffed into the back of a stuffy sedan that played a monotonous tone. You made small conversation here and there, nothing of substance really but it was nice. However, as the car approached the turn that neared your street your body begun to burn with a question. Who were all those ladies?

"Quick question," you started off. He looked up from his phone and hummed. "I hope you don't mind me asking ... but - hmm, it sounded easier in my head-"

"You wanna know about the restaurant thing?"

You were stunned for second but nodded. "Am I intruding?"

He shook his head. "I mean, I don't tell everyone but I'm an escort of sorts. Without the sex, just dates."

"Escort." you took the word in.

"Does it weird you out?" he asked after a moment. "You wouldn't be the first."

"I think it's interesting ... but, I think I did sus it out before," you said. "I always wondered why you came in with different ladies and your different looks. It was like a game of Guess Who, with me being the only player."

"Ahh, those are my 'personas', it's basically what the client wants and stuff," he said. "It's a bit of an acting gig, with way more money."

"How does one become a client?" you asked, with genuine curiosity.

"Why? Are you looking to spend the day with me?" he asked, raising a lone brow with a smirk.

Once more, your face was drenched in heat. No wonder he was an escort, he really had a way of cranking up the charm and making you feel flustered. "N-no, I was just wondering - I don't think I'm your target clientele."

"Rich and older?"

You nodded with a chuckle. "Yep."

"It's not what I go for in real life," he said.

You paused. Was he flirting?

"I think we're here," he said.

You peered out through the window, "shit, I didn't even realise the car had stopped." You grabbed your fallen bag."Thank you for the ride."

"No problem," he said. "See you around?"

"Sure."

It looked like 'See you around' was quicker than what you'd thought because in the following week Chanyeol was back at the restaurant. But, something was different. First of all, it was morning service and he never came in the morning service. Secondly, he was alone. Yes, alone. No rich older lady in sight.

"Your break's soon right?" he asked when you came over to take his order.

"Yeah ... how did you know?" you fired back.

You had a sneaking suspicion that the idiot who worked the bar had let loose your break time. You'd flick his forehead later and maybe thank him too - depending on how you felt of course.

"Baekhyun. He has loose lips when hung over," he said.

"I'm not surprised," you said.

"So, care to join me?" he asked. "I was thinking of ordering the strawberry pastry platter, but I don't think I can eat it by myself."

A/N

IT’S BEEN SO LONG MY DUDES!!!!!!! But im so glad I can finally post something!

Anyways, I was thinking of something, I want to add a wlw section to my blog -simpler terms I want to also write for girl groups too. I read girl group fics but I never see that many and it’s certainly a hole that needs to be filled. I think I’ll be doing Twice, Red Velvet and Blackpink. What do y’all think?? and of course drop some GG fic ideas in my inbox :)

[ghozt1ng-blog]

Chapter 5 - From the Horse’s Mouth

Naomi didn’t like to brag to others. Bragging was a tactic of those who were unsure about themselves.

    She was brilliant. She was already doing college work on the side, while fending off offers from some of the most prestigious universities both in and without the United States. She had taught herself how to speed read by the time she was nine years old. But beyond that, she had gained a near photographic memory. With these two abilities, she had read so many classics and contemporary works of art, she was better read than most professors trying to gain her patronage. She like to watch three shows, or read three online articles all at once. She had done it many times when she had free time; just set up three screen, her phone, and she was ready to go. Naomi did admit it to herself that the combo was kind of unfair.

    She also loved to take things apart and put them back together. Ever since she could crawl was she into everything. By eleven, she had already begun building her own computer. But she didn’t like being cooped up for too long, either. So she enjoyed running and camping when the occasion permitted. She memorized trails, smells, animal prints, the clouds in the sky, and more. Eagle Scouts wept at her amazing prowess.

Though she could work people or read them as well as Trick, she knew psychology and cool logic. She knew how to handle herself in social situations. Naomi could also lie her way out of Sing Sing. Seventeen years old, with another year of highschool to go, and she was already a walking PhD candidate in so many areas and a budding diplomat. Yes, she down played this a lot, much to her mother’s frustration, but she didn’t want to be seen as an absolute freak.

But why then!?

Why did being around Trick make her do and say dumb things? Like getting lycan and lichen so wrong!? But her pride refused to let her back down from what she had said. How embarrassing…

And also…

Why did this Brandon guy have to get her so flustered and upset!? He put shivers up her spine, and not the good kind by a mile! She could barely think with him around. He wanted to be so close to her. Touching her. She couldn’t understand why, though she knew the answer was staring her in the face. Why couldn’t she think this easy situation through properly?

This had to do something with Trick! She was going to slug him good for this!

For instance, she knew that everything that she was looking at from these manga volumes, and from the excerpt of the show she saw, everything was a fake. But they were brilliant fakes! So well done, that whoever was behind it was master forger. And all good forgers worth their salt wanted to be found out. There were important clues in every drawing and video. Why had it taken her so long to then demand that copies be made!?

At least they were going to where the adults could now steer the entire process and hopefully bring her back to clarity of mind. Ah yes… See Stacey Miles had that power to elicit a sense of aggravation powerful enough to snap her Naomi out of her funk.

Whew! Even if this next part is a waste of time, at least I’m beginning to think clearly again, even if just a little, and Brandon’s siblings are now making copies of what we have. I’ll happily go through all the clues later. Naomi thought. I know a lot about these different shows and serials, it should be a piece of cake to find where the discrepancies and the forgeries begin, and why they do what they do. Knowing that bit is key to understanding their presence in this house in the first place!

The agents sat patiently with a recorder and notes across from Mr. and Mrs. Jackson at the dining table. Naomi dove for a chair next to Trick’s mom and Managed to pull Trick into the chair next to her before Brandon swooped in to claim it. The proportionally challenged teen huffed and drew out a chair to sit behind Naomi. She closed her eyes and concentrated on not turning around socking him in the face. When she cracked her eyes open a moment later she was glad to see that Trick seemed to be struggling with the same impulses.

Conturbatio began. “Brandon, we’ve talked with your parents about the curse that you claimed to have followed you to the theater. Just how long has this so-called curse been going on?”

    “Oh, it’s so-called, is it?” The teen fired back.

    “Son,” his mother warned dangerously, but Brandon only pouted.

Trick nudged Naomi and shot her glance and a quick jerk of the head back to Brandon. She wished she didn’t understand then. He wanted her to pose the question to him. Conturbatio had hoped that Brandon would open up to Ben, but it was clear that wouldn’t happen. Trick knew that he would, however, answer to her. She sighed.

You owe me, Trick!

“Brandon, please, tell us how long this has been going on. That way we are done and over with this thing,” she said tersely.

“Oh, well, it’s been going on for about three months now. It was small stuff at first, but then things started getting weird and everything started changing! Still, I guess it wasn’t too bad until the things that were changing tried interacting with us! Like characters in a TV show turning and trying to address the people looking in on them. Or emails without addresses asking us to save them from a war. And even… Even shadows of stuff moving and hiding in the corner of our small house. Well, with you here Naomi, we’ll get to the bottom of this,” Brandon said quickly.

He laid a hand on her shoulder and she felt his fingers trying to massage her. Naomi shuttered. Trick’s hand suddenly swept behind her, knocking Brandon’s hand away, and then tapped his mom back.

“Does this sound familiar to any other strange cases from the Q Files,” Trick asked.

Susan Brown shrugged, but Agent Miles answered, “Oh, there are many elements that are similar to dozens of cases, but from what we’ve heard from the Jackson, this is something else entirely.”

“And it seems to revolve around you, Brandon,” the Sphinx said earnestly. “We need to know everything. Every little detail might help us to better understand and stop this odd phenomena. Because whatever it was originally, it is clearly becoming mobile and violent.”

Brandon was enraged by having his hand swiped away from Naomi’s shoulder, for which she was grateful. But she knew that she would have to the one to coax the rest out of him. She turned around and with a straight, bored face, began to grill Brandon for details. Naomi couldn’t tell if the guy was spilling the beans because he really liked her, or because he was intimidated, or if he because he finally wanted to get everything off his chest.

As he had said, things had started off small at first, amanga changing here, an episode of show being slightly off there. Then everything began changing. Video games started coming to life behind the screen, and the characters started doing things outside of their programming. They even talked to the players, talking to them about a war that was coming. And then emails started coming, telling Brandon and his family that the senders wanted to come to their home. They spoke of ways that the family could bring them across. Some of the processes were nothing short of disgusting and terrible.

Conturbatio and the other agents shared meaningful looks at this knowledge. It reminded Naomi of the door…. They had never found out what exactly created that portal, and the case files had mysteriously vanished a few weeks back according to her mom. She had even heard rumors that the Q Files were banned from further investigating the case. She wondered how the agents were holding up. Was that perhaps really why the Sphinx was so keen on coming here to Utah and pursuing this oddball case? If so, he might have just hit a gold vein of a new lead.

Brandon continued to explain, at Naomi’s insistence, that the phenomena, or curse as the Jacksons had come to call it, was first only centered around the house. But then the night came that he went to the theaters to escape the insanity for a bit. But then the dinosaurs came to life and attacked people.

Naomi asked the Jackson, “And you didn’t think of moving earlier? Whatever this is, has clearly latched onto you!”

    “We live around Mormons,” Mrs. Jackson said, as though this explained everything.

    Everyone else gave her blank stares so her husband explained further, “We didn’t want to be the subject of gossip.”

    Agent Brown nodded her head, “I have heard of that. Not all Mormon are like they are in Utah. At least I have been told; a completely different culture.”

    “Sounds fascinating,” Trick yawned.

    “Hey Trick, we have that strange episode we telling you about,” Tiffany called to him.

    Trick made to get up, but Naomi grabbed his arm and shook her head frantically. She did not want Brandon to position himself next to her. It had been hard enough to have him and his stale breath in her face.

    “What is this episode,” Conturbatio asked curiously.

    “It’s an episode of Star Trek that daddy recorded and then got all messed up,” Tiffany explained.

    “I don’t think the agents want to see that,” Mr. Jackson said, clearly uneasy about the whole situation.

    “Nonsense. I think that this might be vital evidence to the investigation,” the Sphinx said pleasantly. “May we please see it?”

    Mr. jackson was sweating profusely, but he nodded his head. They went to the entertainment center and Tiffany popped the VHS into an old player connected with the Blue-Ray player. Soon, the family and agents were watching a bizarre episode with Captain Picard leading the Enterprise into battle against a very, very confusing enemy made of shadows. What made it all even weirder was that Stitch was at the helm of the Enterprise. A velociraptor in heavy armor loomed over Picard and talked about people and worlds Naomi had never heard of. The Enterprise itself looked as though reavers from Firefly had had their way with it, and now it sported massive cannons all over it, perfect for destroying multiple ships. All kinds of space stories were present and helping combat the shadows. It was intense, nonsensical, and very violent.

    “Could this be the war the messages are talking about,” Stacey asked her partners.

    “Based on limited evidence and leads, I think it is a safe assumption to make for the time being, but I would not make it my leading theory,” Conturbatio answered. “We need to know more. We need to know more about these doors, and especially how they might connect all of this. Everything I am seeing here are works of fiction. But what we encountered last time was way too real to be something out of a TV show for the late 80s.”

    “It could be that whatever is behind the doors, is trying to speak to us through our stories,” Trick’s mom suggested. “This might be their best way of communicating.”

    “That is another strong possibility,” the Sphinx admitted.

    “Wait just a moment,” Naomi suddenly said. “There the Tscheapwhetzar. That strange guy with red eyes and a hood cloak who was in a couple of the changed stories!”

    “The what now,” Stacey asked.

    “I’m not sure, but it is someone who has been referenced in multiple changed comics in Brandon’s room. What if he is what connects them all?”

    “I’ll have to have a look at these,” the Sphinx said. His curiosity sounded to Naomi as though it had been replaced with sudden clarity. She wondered why that was, but her thoughts were interrupted.

    “Hey Naomi,” Kyle said as he came into the room. “I was making the copies you wanted, but then a strange message came over the screen of my computer and the copies were halted. You guys might want to have a look at this.”

    “You were making copies? Good girl,” Conturbatio praised her.

    “Let me have a look at this,” Brandon said, puffing out his chest.

    Naomi was not pleased when he snatched her hand pulled her along. The rest of the household followed, and Naomi felt like she was being humiliated. Once in Kyle’s room, they saw there was a message with an intricate Z above it.

    “That looks like the Legend of Zelda,” Naomi said.

    “Oh, you do know it,” Brandon said, evidently pleased at her knowing something that ought to have been common knowledge. “Let’s check it out.”

    “Hey! Let go of me,” Naomi now fumed as he hauled her along.

“Hey pal, listen to her. She’s already uncomfortable as it is,” Trick protested.

“Butt out,” Brandon snarled.

“Son, your behavior so far as been very unacceptable,” his father warned.

“Well what do you expect?! He gets it from your side of the family you know,” Mrs. Jackson huffed.

“Brandon, I don’t think you should touch that keyboard,” Susan Brown said, suddenly looking very intense and alert. “I can’t explain it, but something feels off.”

“Oh this is nothing,” Brandon said, still holding onto Naomi as she struggled with his grip and he pressed a key.  

An odd sensation coursed through her body and the computer screen lit up brightly. The next second, she was pulled through the screen, along with Brandon.

Trick could only watch dumbstruck as his friend and the potato kid were pulled into a computer. While everyone else looked dumbstruck, he ran for the computer and screamed to no one in particular.

“I’m going to kill Brandon for this! Naomi? Naomi! If you can hear me, I’m going to get you out!”