#dark kiyomi didn’t happen

[constellationguy]

Another perspective

Episode six

"Text: regular talking

'Text': regular thinking

"Text": Saiki talking telepathically

'Text': Saiki thinking

Previous episode

ATTENTION! You might want to rewatch episode six of The Disastrous Life of Saiki K before reading to fully understand the events.

Summary: Episode 6 in L/N Y/N's perspective.

Today Y/N was preparing for movie night with Kusuo. Y/N knew that today, Saiki was going to spend his allowance on coffee jelly so they decide to make a couple different cookies instead.

Kurumi always loved their cake-box cookies, Kuniharu likes white-chocolate macadamia nut, Kusuo like double chocolate cookies and Y/N just liked eating what they made. So they decided to make all of them if Kusuo’s parents wanted to sit want participate in movie night too.

When Y/N got inside the Saiki’s residence they walked into Saiki sitting at the kitchen table with the brightest, happiest face while eating coffee jelly.

“Well I’m glad I didn’t make coffee jelly, this time,”

Saiki then looked up at Y/N almost pouting.

“I had a feeling you’d spend your allowance on coffee jelly so I made a ton of cookies instead.” Y/N smiled and lifted up the lid on their tray to show off the array of cookies they baked.

Kusuo’s sad face then turned into a sweet smile and everything was alright again.

—————————————————————————

“What, you went to the house of fortune telling Chio?” “It was amazing! They told me I’d finally be able to break up with Takeru and find a new boyfriend!” Yumehara beamed.

“Takeru, you’ve been to the house of fortune telling?” “Ya it was great, they said me and Chio would make up and find happiness.”

“Well both fortunes can’t be true.” “Guess that’s a dud, if there really was a real fortune teller it would be so cool!” Y/N half complained, half speculated

“How naive, fortune telling is a ridiculous fantasy concocted on false profits trying to pry on the weak minded.” Kaido commented.

“For once me and you agree on something.”

“Anyway there are more important things happening. Come with me after school, haven’t you noticed? There’s a strange aura and Dark Reunion’s behind it.”

“That’s just a ridiculous fantasy you concocted. Don’t you have anyone else to ask to go with you.”

“Buddy! Did you hear about the new telling of fortune stuff?”

“It’s called the house of fortune telling and I’m sick of hearing about it.”

On Saiki’s way home, he came across the house of fortune telling. ‘So this is it?’

“How was it Kiyomi?” “Okay get this! They said that Kento Yamazaki’s fate is destined to mix with mine!”

“Oh hey look, it’s Kaido. Why is he here? Didn’t he say this stuff is bogus a couple hours ago?” Y/N whispered to Saiki.

“I don’t care about his excuses but their fortune telling seems suspicious.” Saiki commented back.

“Ah! She said I will go out with Kento Yamazaki!”

“Kento Yamazaki has two girl friends now.”

“Either it’s real and Yamazaki is a player or it’s fake and the only modern day celebrity she knows is Kento Yamazaki.” Y/N said amused.

“Next in line”

“We’re already here, might as well check this place out.”

“Hey Kaido! Do you mind if I go in with you? I’m rather curious and I think it’d be fun!” Y/N said trying to be charming.

“Oh L/N! I just want to warn them about Dark-”

“Okay how about we do it together then?” Y/N said while linking their arms and leading Kaido into the room with them.

“Welcome to the house of fortune telling, please have a seat.”

“Okay…” “Sure thing.” Kaido and Y/N then sat side by side.

“My name is Mikiko Clairvoyance and it is a true pleasure to read you two today. What made you come here seeking my advice?”

“Nothing in particular really, just curiosity ,” Y/N spoke for both of them.

“Oh my, I’m getting a very special aura from you. You’re no ordinary boy are you? I sense you have special powers.”

‘Now that he’s reacted like that she sees right through him.’ Y/N and Saiki thought.

“And you… I sense that you are ordinary but you have a big secret. Perhaps a secret between you and a friend or you and yourself. I can tell you have close relations to a very special person as well.” The woman said addressing Y/N.

‘Does she mean me?!’ Kaido blushed furiously.

“Mh, perhaps, but doesn’t everyone keep secrets? And for all I know you could be thinking me and Kaido here are dating or that my neighbor’s mom is a demon. You’ve got to be more specific, being general will get you no where.” Y/N replied smoothly, almost as if they were a character in a show being interviewed.

Kaido was in awe of Y/N smooth talking and was still pretty flushed at the thought of them dating.

‘That was quite the reaction. Hasn’t Kaido dated any- never mind.’

“Something is troubling you right?”

“How did you know?!”

“Let me tell you what it is, a romantic dellema……… is not the problem, so concerns about school or your future… are also not what’s troubling you but relationships with your friends…”

The woman paused a little bit longer on the first problem while looking between Y/N and Kaido, Y/N was looking back at her and Kaido was still blushing and looking sideways at Y/N, but she knew she could get a better reaction so she carried on. And she was right, on the last suggestion he gasped and made a funny shocked face.

“Yes thats it! I am getting a strong sense that your sense of distress has something to do with friendship!”

“How did you know?!”

‘You make it too easy’ Y/N and Kusuo thought plainly.

“Yes you’re right, that is the source of my distress. You see, I’m actually have super powers that…….”

‘This is gonna be a minute….’ Y/N thought.

“I’m used to fighting evil, but fighting solitude, that’s the hardest part. I have no friends- I mean comrands to rely on…”

“Oh Kaido… you could have told me that a long time ago, then you wouldn’t have to be so alone dear,” Y/N said while slowly rubbing Kaido’s back comfortingly.

‘I know we aren’t really close but I don’t want him spending money to try and get some when he already has me, Nendo, and Kusuo.’ Y/N thought.

“Oh uh, I guess I should have….” Kaido said blushing again and looking away from Y/N.

“You’re looking for someone to understand you am I right? Well that’s the wrong approach, you must understand them first. And I get a feeling that the people you are looking for are already close by so with thi-” the woman tried to get Kaido to spend money on things but Y/N caught on to early and interrupted her.

“I agree Kaido. How about we get about of here and we can schedule something with Nendo and Saiki hm?” Y/N said gently looking into Kaido’s eyes.

“Oh um, sure.” Kaido said awkwardly.

“Thank you miss, we’ll be going now.” Y/N said as they got up and started to walk out. Kaido was close behind following Y/N like a puppy.

“That was interesting want it?” Y/N said looking to Kaido.

“It was!” Kaido replied a little flustered.

“Hm, well, I’ll see you tomorrow ya?”

“Yes! I’ll see you tomorrow…..”

“Bye Kaido,” Y/N smiled and waved goodbye, leaving Kaido to find Saiki.

“You didn’t have to do all that you know?” Saiki said.

“Well I didn’t want him spending all his money to get what he already has, that’s just sad and cruel. And I doubt I really did anything, it’s nothing Kaido won’t forget in a week, right?” Y/N replied. Saiki only hummed in response.

—————————————————————————

“Are we there yet?”

“Oh! Fancy meeting you here Saiki!” Teruhashi said to Saiki.

“OH WOW” Nendo and Kaido yelled.

“What are you boys up to today?”

“Well knew said he knew of a good ramen shop so he’s taking us there now!”

“Ya we’re gonna pig out- I mean eat like gentlemen.”

“Oh ramen sounds good! Do you mind if I invite myself to tag along with you? Oops, I hope I’m not being overly pushy.” Teruhashi asked the group.

‘Tell me why I’m here again,’

‘Cause you wanted Kaido to get friends,’ saiki respond to Y/N telepathically.

“I don’t have a problem with it. Do you have a problem with it?”

“Nono not at all!”

‘Seriously,’ ‘Why are those two being so weird?’ Y/N and Saiki thought consecutively.

“Oh wow, just look at her!” “So pretty!” “Oh wow!”

“I never pegged you for a ramen girl,” Nendo tried to make an attractive face.

“Say Kaido, why do you always wear those bandages on your hands?” Teruhashi asked.

“It’s to keep my powers in check!” Kaido responded.

“Uh powers? Sorry I’m afraid I don’t understand what powers you’re referring too.” Teruhashi commented.

“It’s actually just something that happened by accident!….” He replied all flustered.

‘I didn’t know it was possible for Kaido to take those off.’ Y/N thought.

“Ah, we’ve arrived. There’s the ramen shop.”

‘I can’t tell if I like his voice like that or if I hate it.’

“Oh wow,” Teruhashi dead panned at the honestly moldy looking shop.

“I hear their ramen is like crazy good. My friend’s cousin’s ex dog walker said it’s good so gotta be good.”

“Ya I wouldn’t trust a rundown shop to feed me anything, that’s just begging for food poisoning.” Y/N commented generally.

“Something urgent just came up-”

“Are you out of your mind man?! She’s got class so there’s no way she’s gonna eat at a place like that! You don’t really want to eat in this run down rat hole do you Teruhashi?”

“I’m okay, with this place.” she responded looking like a corpse.

“Whoa! You’re sure you’re okay with this?” Kaido asked Teruhashi again.

“Ya, I’m fine with it.”

“Ah! What is this place, it’s filthy! Hey seriously, don’t feel pressured to stay.”

“I’m fine. Taste is what matters.” Teruhashi responded cheerfully.

‘Health and safety is what matters.’ Y/N thought honestly shocked with Teruhashi.

“Hey, I don’t think I can eat now. I’m visiting my grandparents later and they will pester me to eat their food until I’m overly full. So I think I should save my stomach space for later tonight. You guys order with it me.” Y/N was quick enough to make a good excuse to get out of eating. Saiki was a little jealous he didn’t think of that.

“Yo! Mr manager! Four ramens!”

“Four ramens coming up.”

“Here you go”

“Noodle time!”

‘Oh wow’ the whole group thought.

The only person to actually eat the food was Teruhashi, but she looked pretty sick walking out of the shop.

—————————————————————————

Next episode: in progress

—————————————————————————

I didn’t really have any ideas to add it the last two segments about Toritsuka and the gym cloths or the precognition and explosion so I left it out of this episode.

[garfunklefield]

Good for you!

CollegeStudent!Misa Amane/ CollegeStudent!Light Yagami Warnings: college AU, misa is smart YALL, insecurity, oblivious crushes, dating apps, academic rivals to lovers, one-sided rivalry/hatred, misa HATES light (or does she ;) ), honorifics used poorly bc I'm American I'm trying, meet cute more like meet and argue in the philosophy section of a library, jealousy, this hatred may not be one-sided Word count: 3379 DESC: Misa had always had trouble looking at dating apps, everyone after her beauty than her intellect. She wanted someone who could challenge her mentally. What if that someone happened to be a boy she hated, who had no idea she existed?

First death note post in a while! I am still however taking a break from x-reader content ;-;

NOTES: Honestly, I've been wanting to write this for so long, but I've been a bit timid to do so. So if this isn't your thing or you don't like the ship, I ask please don't send any hate my way. This really had no direction rather than I wanted one-sided beef instead of one-sided romance that we see in the anime/manga. Also, this is so not coherent I got derailed (and not proofread we ball) so go into this knowing it's a little bit bad.

“God!” She huffed to herself, rolling on her back and extending her arms out, holding her phone further from her face. Dating apps sucked and boys sucked! And not to mention everyone in her college classes thought she was too weird to approach. Or they were too snarky, like that older boy, Light Yagami, in her seminar class. All he did was talk every chance he got, insisting he was right on every point he made. He always got on her nerves, especially since he dressed so poorly. Sweaters and button-ups with no rhyme or reason. That boy didn’t even try with his hair either, opting for some bed-head looking swoop that barely covered his eyes. What was this, 2007? Well, Misa couldn’t judge too much since her style was influenced by the 2000s too. But it was the good part! Not Justin Bieber.

The blonde sat up and frowned at her phone. No new matches, nothing more than an empty box on her Hinge. She had been swiping all day but no one was catching her eye. No one would even reply to her comments on their profiles, it was pointless! Without saying another word, she dialed up her friend Kiyomi and prayed she’d answer. When it clicked and she heard her friend's voice, she didn’t give her friend time to speak. 

“Kiyo-chan! It’s just awful,” she whined, frowning to the air as she moved her freshly manicured hand in the air, “Boys suck!” Kiyomi laughed into her phone, something relaxed and laid back. Something her friend wasn’t. That’s why they complimented each other so much, they were different. The women didn’t care for fashion as her counterparts did, or boys for that matter.

“You’re just being insecure,” she replied, with the obvious tone of someone who knew she was right, “If you stop forcing it, you’re bound to find someone.”

Misa gasped at the blunt truth, furrowing her brows, “I’m not forcing it!” But she knew her friend was right, “It’s not my fault if I want a boyfriend sooner than later.” As she spoke, she stood up from her bed and stretched one arm out, looking at herself in the mirror before her bed. It was just tall enough to show her whole frame, long blonde hair cascading before her shoulders. Face was bare from makeup, hollow with acne scarring and blemishes she always covered. Thin eyelashes and thinner brows, dark spots, and freckles littered her skin. 

There was a reason she wanted someone to be with her more than obvious loneliness, it was because deep down inside she wanted someone to assure her she was beautiful. Not her face, but her soul. She knew she was pretty, even with her imperfections. But no one ever complimented her wit or her intelligence, it was all about her body or her face. A face no one had ever seen bare after a night spent together. No one had ever slept in her bed, not the whole night through. Yes, she’d have had sex before, but it wasn’t with someone she loved. It was hard to love someone when they only loved your looks. 

“Well,” Kiyomi brought her back to reality with the smooth concentration of her voice, “You could go to the library and stake out some fresh meat. I think Yagami-Senpai is there today.”

Him. Oh, she hated him. 

“No, I don’t care if he’s your tutor, no,” Amane quickly interjected, pressing her plump lips together. Him? Why did her friend always assume the blonde’s hatred for him was something more when all it was, was just that. Hatred. Some girls pretended to dislike him to cover up for the fact they did like him, whereas Misa would proudly announce everything she hated about him. She hated people who weren’t cute, and he wasn’t cute. 

She laughed, “Aw come on Misa-chan! It’s not like he’s gonna bite,” her voice came out teasing, causing her friend to bite back a flustered feeling building in the back of her throat. Her cheeks began to blush out of frustration. 

“I don’t even think he likes women,” Misa scoffed, pretending to sound unbothered, “He has that thing with the foreign exchange student, Lawliet-san.” Light and Eru had some kind of “beef” with each other academically, although they’d always find time to play tennis together. It was strange, how they could go from yelling in debate to getting ice cream moments later. She never bothered to listen when they’d fight, instead opting to put in her headphones and wait until they stopped blabbing. 

“But Lawliet-san is seeing Misora-senpai,” Kiyomi spoke, delving into more gossip than she should, “Or maybe it’s his brother, Ryuzaki-senpai. They’re basically identical.” 

“No, Ryuzaki-senpai is seeing her,” she outstretched her hand to check her nails, which she knew were perfect, “Lawliet-san is a shut-in, he only ever talks to Yagami-san,” she clarified, hearing a genuine “oh” from the other line. 

“Darn, I was hoping for a scandal,” at that, Misa laughed, “But you should go to the library. I heard they updated their philosophy section~” She spoke in a sing-song voice, trying to entice the blonde to go out and inevitably run into you know who. 

“Why are you so gung-ho on me and that rat getting together? I haven’t even formally said hello to him yet!” She rolled her eyes, looking down at the floor. Some clothes were littered on the floor, as she got dressed. That’s how it always went for Amane. She wasn’t necessarily messy as she was just … no she was messy, even she could admit it. She loved cute things and she especially loved to collect cute things even more. 

“No time like the present,” she could hear the smile in Kiyomi’s voice as she said her goodbyes, “Remember, library.” 

“Bye, Kiyo-chan,” Misa spoke softly, hanging up the phone. No matter what, even if they disagreed on her love life, she’d always go to Kiyomi. She was the best friend anyone could ask for, even if she was heading on a different life path. She was only going to college because her parents wanted her to, not because she had a drive. Her friend had dreams of going into music and making it big as a producer. The girl never understood the kind of passion she had, but she admired it. If only she was as passionate about modeling as her friend was about producing music.

The blonde looked around her room, and then to her mirror. Her outfit was presentable enough that she could go out without being stopped or better yet looked at funny. Just a simple T-shirt from a band she enjoyed. It was black with a grey kind of tie-dye effect, the white logo spread across the chest. Then some simple black jean shorts, with the end a bit tattered and ripped. All of it was more casual than she’d typically wear, but it was cute enough. With some light concealer on her acne and under her eyes, blush on the apples of her cheeks, and mascara, she was ready to go. 

Misa couldn’t believe she was being talked into going to the library, especially when it was confirmed you know who was there. In some strange way, she hoped she’d see him, just so she could turn the other way and scoff. He didn’t deserve her attention! So why did she spend so much time hating him when truthfully they had never even spoken? She had to admit, that did kind of set her up to appear to have a crush on him.

The walk to the library was quick and easy, especially with the music she chose. It was something dark, that reflected her taste in clothing, although it contrasted her personality. The tune blasted in her black over-the-ear headphones, letting the girl escape just for a moment from the reality in which she lived. It let her escape from the fact that truly she’s never had a true romantic connection, and even if she did it was always one-sided. When Misa loved, she loved so much harder. And the people who loved her loved her face. Loved her body, so much more. It was nothing, it barely bothered her. That’s at least what she told herself, every time she looked in the mirror.

Misa opened the door to the library and peered around. No one she hated in sight, a good start. She was riddled with some kind of butterflies just at the thought of him, especially seeing him in his natural environment. It was annoying, she’d always see him with a book in his arms as he walked around campus. What a pretentious douchebag! All he ever did when he wasn’t talking over people in his classes was brag about the amount of books he was reading. No one cared he was reading 30,000 words a day, no one. Especially not her. Every time she heard him in class a little part of her died. 

She approached the section her brain had been most excited about. Of course, it was probably bait, but she wasn’t going to give up an opportunity to see if there were new philosophy books in store for her to peruse. Amane found herself almost tunnel-visioned when she slid up and down the aisles, searching for something new. The smell of books was something euphoric, even though she didn’t own many books herself. While she enjoyed fiction, non-fiction was always more easy to read. The blonde drew closer to one big book in particular, that was begrudgingly two inches taller than her arm could extend. Misa frowned, pouting a glossy lip as she tried to step on her tippy-toes. But nothing. She was overextending herself for a book that she wasn’t even sure if she would like.

“Need help?” A voice whispered into her ear. A voice all too familiar. It couldn’t be. No!! Misa slowly turned her head in a flustered horror, cheeks reddening as she came face to face with her mortal enemy. HIM!? The man she had hated for months, who, to be fair, never turned his head 90 degrees to notice she was sitting by his right. He never saw her glares or the way she’d roll her eyes when he’d start talking. Never saw any of it. 

Light’s face was more detailed up close, as anyone would. But it was different. This kind of thing, freckles and lines on his face, bits of stubble, all made him look … human. It was strange. She could almost reach out and touch it, just to see if it was real. Up close, his eyes were deep pools of caramel she noticed shined in the fluorescent light. He looked like that but dressed like shit? He was throwing away any potential of being attractive at that point. 

“Yagami-san,” Misa breathed out, staring at him with wide eyes. He didn’t expect her to know him at all, she assumed, from the way he took a step back. 

The man pressed his lips together, before cracking a planned and devious smile, “In the flesh.” Both of his hands gestured back to himself, “Do I know you?” Of course, he didn’t. 

She went to respond, but her eyes trailed back to that book. If she had just been able to reach she’d be out of this awkward situation. The girl looked back at him, nodding her head slowly, “Seminar. I sit near you.” Loudmouth. That’s what she wanted to say. She wanted to roll her eyes and complain about how annoying he was, but all that came out were timid words and even more timid body language. Misa had to remind herself, she was in control of social situations. Even with guys she hated. So she straightened her posture, putting on a mask of confidence and comfort, lifting her hand and pointing her index finger to the side, “You talk a lot, of course, I know you!” 

She had to be confident. 

Light blinked a few times, caught back a bit by her sudden shift in demeanor. He had expected shy and timid, he was probably hoping for it. He liked winning, it was in his blood. Only rarely did the girl see him obviously throw a round in tennis, knowing he would bounce back for a spectacular victory. All he ever did was calculated and precise. Not once was it spontaneous. He never had a spontaneous bone in his body! He had expected this social situation differently by her stance alone, so the fact she turned on this sense of confidence had to be jarring. Good. She never wanted anything she ever did to be easy for him. 

“Well, I do like to debate, I find it men-” The brunette began, to be cut off with a blunt, “It’s annoying.” His smile twitched and she replied with a smug smile of her own. Oh, this felt good. It felt amazing to rub in the fact she did not like him. TO HIS FACE!

“Excuse me?” Light raised his eyebrows at her response. 

“Yeah! Sorry, was I not clear?” Misa tilted her head to the right innocently. To that, the man scowled visibly. “I don’t understand why you butt in all the time. It leaves no one else wanting to talk because you’ll debate them on moral high ground stuff.” 

“The trolley problem is a very good, intellectual topic everyone should discuss.” Light spoke, gritting his teeth through a strained smile. Had no one ever challenged him before? Eru was good, but he knew his friend's limits. And that too. They were friends. There was a friendly competition there, but there was nothing friendly about Misa’s words.

“The topic was online reading verses books! You totally derailed it with intellectual bullshit,” she looked away, biting back a smug smile. He paused for a moment, studying her features with a razor-sharp focus she knew anywhere. He was smart, it was obvious from how he held himself. Sloppy handwriting and notes led to well-thought-out and complex thoughts. Light was smart and he knew it, and that pissed her off. Everyone treated him as if he was a genius when their IQs could be similar. But she wouldn’t be treated like that, would she? Was Misa … jealous? Was she secretly jealous over the fact that everyone treated him with respect for his intellect when no one acknowledged hers?

“Then why don’t we discuss this intellectual bullshit, if it is that?” He turned his head to the side, catching her gaze with an intense fire. He wasn’t backing down. 

 Misa didn’t have to think much, already coming up with her decision when Light brought it up that class period for some fucking reason, “A human life is a human life, sparing one to save ten would be worth it in my opinion.” She pressed her index finger into her pink bottom lip, looking away to point out another thought, “In that way, I believe we agree. But,” she looked at him, “You only brought it up to show your smarts, not that you actually care about the iPhones vs books debate. You just want to look smart.” 

“I am smart,” he corrected, closing his eyes and letting out a scoff, “And I like to show it off. That isn’t a crime, is it? You think you’re superior because you pick and choose your battles, instead of clearing the battlefield with one steady blow.” Light opened his eyes, catching her in a decisive truth that struck her in the chest, “I’m right. I know I am.”

She furrowed her eyes, going to retaliate with another valid yet rude point, when he took a step forward, “Truth is, Amane-san, I knew who you were from the moment I saw you.” Another step. “I only offered my help because you looked pitiful trying to grab that book by your lonesome.” Another step. “I see you roll your eyes and make faces. So maybe I play it up just to … Piss. You. Off.” He took three more steps, hovering over the shorter blonde with a sense of superiority. 

Misa stared up at him as he cornered her behind those stupid philosophy books. He wasn’t close by any means, giving her enough room to leave if she wanted to. But the both of them knew she wasn’t going to. She was standing her ground and she was intending to win this battle. Even if it meant being in this embarrassing position. Her cheeks were burning and god, she wanted so badly to strangle him. 

“And you didn’t want to confront me? Your whole plan was to annoy everyone for the rest of the year to make me annoyed? That’s not a smart plan, Yagami-san,” she scoffed, shaking her head in mock disappointment, “I think you’re overcompensating.” 

“For what? I have nothing to overcompensate for when I’m perfectly content,” he pressed his lips together innocently, “But you do. You want to stand out so someone can see you for who you are, but the truth is no one will. They only see your cheesy modeling career and expect something out of you. It’s pathetic, really.” 

With that, Light stepped away and put one hand in his pocket. He looked at her with a softer expression, something he’d wear when walking to class. “This was mentally stimulating,” a small, and confusing to Misa, smile pulled at the corner of his mouth, “Thank you..”

He … Googled her? 

Misa found herself blinking furiously after that, not to hide tears, but to try to comprehend what had just happened, and what she was feeling afterward. Why wasn’t she angry, but interested? That had been the most interesting conversation she had, had in months. At every turn, he said something she didn’t expect, and vice versa. It was different than Eru and him since they would always come to the same conclusion at the end. It was different because they weren’t friends. But why did she want to do that again? It was something she had to unpack. 

Light was smart and cocky about it, something she always hated. In talking to him he didn’t shy away from the truth, instead throwing it in her face. It was something refreshing to hear someone tell her the truth without trying to spare her feelings. Kiyomi was her dearest friend, but she was her friend. Friends weren’t always truthful. He didn’t care. Maybe that’s why she wanted to hear more from him, pick his brain. Figure out what it was that made him tick. Figure out why he was so damn smug. 

As the man turned away and began to walk, she lurched forward and grabbed his arm. It was stupid, it was arguably the most stupid thing she was about to do. But she was craving this kind of conversation. The kind that showed her soul. He never once denied her intellect but poked at her career and her insecurity. Sure, it was a dick move and she would thoroughly make him pay for it. Yet, he never said she wasn’t smart. He never once called her stupid.

“Yagami-san,” she spoke, as he turned his head to look at her with confusion riddled in his expression, “I want to do this again.”

Misa got his number. And she instantly regretted it from the prick smile adorned on his face.

[fcxyviixen]

void

summary: mammon finds a young girl in the human world after being summoned once again. after hiding her for a little while, lucifer finds her and a fight starts. mammon leaves with the girl, however during that time a dark voice starts to pull at him. a deep feeling like tar by drawing strength on his wrath. he was gone for 14 years, the curse growing stronger.

pairing: n/a (mammon and brother centric)

rating: 14+

chapter wc: 1568

warnings: mentions of death, suggestion of manipulation

witches and curses

Lucifer left Mammon’s room, his mind still swirling Mammon’s question around. He tried to speak with him more, but whatever the toll the curse put on him, along with the mana chain, it wore the second brother out.

Lucifer tried to identify the curse while it was active, but the girl refused to let the elder demon near Mammon. He wanted to move her, but knew it would only make things worse because Mammon would react horribly.

The girl tended to Mammon as Lucifer stepped back, seeing the human’s and his brother’s relationship first hand once more. The girl thought of his brother as her father, and Mammon thought of her as his daughter.

Despite the circumstances, Lucifer was proud of his younger brother. He had taken the responsibility of a child he rescued and raised her to be a fine woman, of what Lucifer could see anyway.

Diavolo was waiting outside Mammon’s room. “The curse has a strong hold on him. Especially since it’s able to stand off against a mana chain. Which shows this curse has either been dormant for years before the incident, or this curse has been placed multiple times on Mammon.” Barbatos spoke.

“This curse is so strong it even affects Mammon’s demon form. Which makes it much more powerful.” Barbatos explained. “But, the curse is almost untraceable and unreadable. Especially without cooperation from the host.”.

“So is the only way to figure this out is to find out the witch who placed this curse on him?” Diavolo asked. “If it was only that easy. Mammon won’t speak and the girl knows nothing.” Lucifer said.

“The curse won’t allow Mammon to speak.” Barbatos corrected. “If we can ward off the curse long enough for Mammon to speak, maybe he’ll tell us.”. Barbatos suggested.

“Do you think he’ll actually talk?” Lucifer asked. “Probably not willingly, but with a certain charm he might.” Barbatos said, suggesting they use Asmodeus’ charm to get Mammon to talk. Lucifer disliked what the butler was suggesting.

“I’d like to exhaust all options before dragging the rest of my brother’s further into this mess.” Lucifer said. Diavolo nodded, “We’re unaware how the curse works, if we try to use a mind power against a mind curse it could affect Asmodeus in some way.”.

“However, maybe Asmodeus can lead us to a few witches, possibly ones Mammon has interacted with, or ones that have a grudge against him.” Diavolo said. Lucifer agreed to this idea, much to Barbatos saying it would be a bit risky with how witches are close to each other.

After talking with Asmodeus, he gave the name of each witch that Mammon has ever interacted with, especially the witch he spoke with the most, the witch that was originally supposed to take in Riko before the incident happened.

Diavolo entrusted the integration to Lucifer and Satan. Which was almost protested by the wrathful blond who blamed Lucifer for this entire incident in the first place, but quieted down when he heard it was for Mammon, to help break the curse.

It didn’t take long for the two brothers to arrive at Mammon’s witch friend’s house, Kiyomi. Kiyomi noticed the two almost instantly and welcomed them in. “Did you ever find Mammon?” She asked, she had assisted the brothers in finding the second born.

“Yes, we wanted to ask you some things.” Lucifer said.

“About the curse?” Kiyomi asked. Lucifer nodded in confirmation. “The curse was there just as he found the girl.” Kiyomi said. “Meaning the girl may have been cursed, or carrying the curse and it got transferred to Mammon.” Kiyomi explained.

“Beyond that, my knowledge is limited.” She sighed. “What about another witch, a witch powerful enough to cast the spell?” Satan asked, furrowing his brows.

“Maddi would be someone able to cast the spell. Or the girl, Riko. There are powerful witches, but those are the two who have the most power who are near Mammon to cast the spell.” Kiyomi crossed her arms.

“We’ve already cleared Riko, then Maddi is the only other witch.” Satan said, glancing at Lucifer.

“Cleared Riko? There is no clearing a witch of Riko’s caliber of something like this. Even if the girl seems sweet and caring of Mammon, there’s a good chance her good nature could be something more sickening. After all, the girl’s origins are unknown. Which makes her even more dangerous.” Kiyomi said, her tone more serious than before.

Lucifer nodded, Satan growled. “You said when she was a kid the curse got there! Why would a kid of maybe 6 years old be able to do something like that?” Satan said, his temper spiking.

“Why not?” Kiyomi shot back. “Maybe there was something to gain? Especially someone of Mammon’s caliber. One of the Seven Rulers of the Underworld. The 4th strongest in all of the Devildom? The Avatar of Greed himself? There’s much to gain from obtaining him on one’s side.”.

Satan glared at Kiyomi, and the witch glared back at him. Green eyes piercing each other. “We’ll talk to Maddi, then turn back to Riko.” Lucifer said he was with Kiyomi, Riko was unknown to all of them. Maybe even to Mammon as well.

Satan almost lost control of his temper, but bit back. He stormed out of the witch’s home. “Be cautious around Riko. It’s the reason why I wanted Mammon to bring me the kid as soon as I got back, but I guess plans changed. Word of advice, Lucifer, which I’m sure you already know.” Kiyomi sighed.

“An unknown witch is the most dangerous witch of all.” She warned. Lucifer only nodded, understanding what Kiyomi was saying to him. Riko is the unknown witch, therefore, she’s dangerous.

Lucifer walked out, to see Satan petting a cat, which seemed to calm him down. “Let’s go Satan.” Lucifer said, walking up to him.

“You really think that witch girl hurt Mammon?” Satan asked.

“We’ll see, but I think we both know that Mammon wouldn’t keep someone like that around. Child or not.” Lucifer sighed, he knew, but he hoped the curse didn’t cloud Mammon’s judgment.

“So, it’s a good chance Maddi did it? After all, Maddi is a cunning witch.” Satan hummed. Lucifer nodded, opening another portal that led to Maddi’s territory.

Satan didn’t want to leave the cat, but it ran away when Lucifer opened the portal. Making Satan frown. The blond stood and left with Lucifer through the portal, getting chills just entering Maddi’s territory.

“Well, well. Lucifer and Satan, it must be my birthday or some special occasion.” Maddi chuckled, seeing the two demons. “Enough with the theatrics.” Satan scoffed.

“Yes, yes. You came about that scummy brother of yours.” Maddi sighed, it wasn’t surprising she knew, witches could see into the future for a short period of time, and Maddi of all people loved to keep up on rumors and news about the brothers.

“However, for you. I have nothing to share.” Maddi hummed, a smile playing on her red lips. “I know, you’re here to accuse me of cursing Mammon, but for once. I had nothing to do with it.” she said.

“How can we trust that?” Lucifer asked. Maddi frowned, “The boy already paid me back, I have no use for him anymore. I can’t get away with it if he doesn’t owe me anything.” She scoffed.

“Plus, I have much better things to do than try and hold a curse on Mammon for what, 13-14 years?” Maddi sighed. “Curses for that long get boring for me.”.

“What do you know about the witch Riko?” Satan asked, scowling right back at the witch.

“Riko..?” Maddi repeated, sounding confused. Maddi knew every witch, but never one by the name of Riko. “Is she a new witch? Who’s her mentor?” Maddi asked.

Satan and Lucifer exchanged looks. “Sorry, I can’t help you with this Riko person. But, if you give me something in exchange I could help you with your curse problem.” Maddi’s cheshire cat smile returned once more onto her lips.

Lucifer and Satan both frowned now, glaring at the witch, but Lucifer gave in a bit, but his guard was still up against Maddi. “What do you want?” He asked.

Maddi smiled, “So we have a deal?” she asked. “What do you want?” Lucifer repeated. Maddi clicked her tongue.

“Well, I guess I’ll be nice since you’re lowering your awful pride to ask me what I want in exchange for help with the curse.” She faked pouting a bit.

“Well, what I want.. Hm..” Maddi hummed, acting like she was thinking and stalling time for the brothers. “Spit it out already!” Satan snapped at the witch.

“You two were no fun, no wonder that Demon Prince sent you two to interrogate all of us witches. But, you only came to two so far, so I hope if I tell you what I want in exchange you won’t bother the rest.” Maddi scowled. 

“But, since you want to be that way I’ll tell you what I want.” She said, “If you, in 24 hours, can bring me the cursed novel of “The Great Sorcerer of Death”, then I’ll be more than welcome to help you with your problem, but if you can’t bring me the book in 24 hours..” Maddi gave a devilish grin.

“I’ll be sure to leave your lovely second-born to suffer an agonizing death.”.

tag list: @yuumaofc , @simpinginthecorner

[theotherackerman]

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: Any recognizable elements belong to Attack on Titan, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, A Song of Ice and Fire

NOTES: Please check trigger warnings. Okay? Thanks. There will be more trigger warnings but this was an awful hard chapter to write. There was little joy in it as it one of my more darker chapters. I debated multiple times, rewrote it so many times that I lost count. In the end, I did what was best for the story. Hopefully you agree. Things will continue to be dark and we will lose more characters as time goes on. However, there will be some lighter times mixed in there. Please mind the trigger warnings. It was seven pages in google docs.

TRIGGER WARNING: Child death, suicide, murder, war, death on page

CHAPTER NINE: CASTLES CRUMBLING

This was not how Yui saw this happening. 

They had to do something. They had to stop the ice from reaching here. They had to get Fuyuki out of here. Keiran could convince Meadow to carry the boy in his claws or at least Yui hoped Keiran could. She did not fully understand the connection between dragon and rider. She didn’t think she ever would.

Just as she thought this day would come much later. 

It  was here. 

Ice was getting too dangerously close to the Ten Kingdoms.

This way, they would push what was coming for them back. It would kill a lot of people if they did any other way. Yui would kill no one who need not to die tonight. 

Sending the servants through the secret tunnels that were under the palace was the easiest. Yui had woken them all from their beds. She had shoved her son into one of the servant’s arms. 

So here, Frieda and Yui stood in the tunnels. 

Frieda didn’t even look like she was there. Her eyes were so glassed over. 

“You should go,” Yui told her as she patted her on the face. 

“Where? There’s nothing to be done. I’ll take care of myself,” Frieda took a deep breath. She cut her hand with a knife, allowing her blood to drip into the vial. “Is that enough?”

Kiyomi nodded. It would have to be.

“She’ll forgive you,” Frieda gave a broken smile. “I’m sorry, Yui. I’m sorry I’m not strong enough to continue. If the ice touches here ....if the Tyburs get ahold of me…there’s no reason for me to continue on.” 

Yui simply nodded. 

“I will have honor in my death. Honor for once,” Frieda walked back into the palace.

Yui nodded before setting off on her own mission. 

She shouldn’t have been surprised to see her sister waiting for her when she exited the tunnels. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Kiyomi asked as she held Fuyuki's arm in her hands.

“Let go of my son,” Yui hissed. 

“He may be your son but he’s my heir. You have no right to send him away. Are you planning to usurp me, Yui?” 

“You need to let go of my son,” Yui pulled her dagger from one of the pockets of her dress. 

“You would become a kinslayer?” 

Yui scoffed. “I’ll become one before the night is over whether or not you let him go.” 

“What does that mean?” 

“It means exactly what you think it means. You’re not getting out of here alive,” Yui replied as she prowled forward. “Now let go of my son.” 

“Do you know what type of energy you will bring into this world if you kill me? Do you have any idea what that will do?” 

Yui didn’t reply. She simply moved a step closer to her sister. 

“That’s what you want, isn’t it? You want that magic. What have you done, Yui?” Kiyomi’s eyes went wide. 

Pulling the vial from her dress, Yui dumped the blood onto the dagger. 

“My….you’ve done it, haven’t you? You’re going to unleash his powers to set the Tyburs back. If you kill me here, your son won’t survive.” 

A dragon roar echoed. 

The signal. 

“I’m sorry,” Yui said as she looked at her son before she plunged the dagger into her sister’s heart. “He was never the one. Mikasa is,” Yui whispered into her sister’s ear. Kiyomi’s eyes went wide. 

Then all hell broke loose.

Ice and fire tore through the palace, ricochetting throughout. The palace was scorched and frozen at the same time, destroying all that was in its path. The magic continued out into the courtyards before going up into the air.

Yui felt her life force drain from her body. She knew her husband was feeling the same.

It had been nineteen years since they had used blood magic to bind.

Tonight, they set it free. 

—-------------

Fire.

Mikasa felt like she was on fire while also feeling like her blood had turned to ice. 

Her skin was too tight.

She had changed the nightgown at least five times. 

It didn’t help. 

She was still too hot. 

Still felt like something was waiting to burst out of her skin. 

It had been the middle of the night. Sasha and Annie had been asleep beside her but awoken once she had thrown the sheets off.

She couldn’t breathe. 

They called her name as she stumbled down the stairs. 

She clawed at her skin, scratching it. Trying to find some relief for this burning, this tightness. It was too much. 

The summer air should have been cooler, should have offered some sort of relief. It didn’t. 

Why did her skin feel so tight? 

What was lurking under her skin? 

Tighter and tighter her skin felt.

She couldn’t stand this.

She clawed at her neck again, drawing blood.

Desperate to breathe.

Desperate to be rid of this feeling.

Death.

She wanted death. 

Then Mikasa erupted.

Ice and flame shot from her body. 

She burned. 

The flames burnt away her clothes. 

Ice covered the surrounding ground. 

Mikasa screamed. 

Kayda came to her side, not affected by the flames. 

“Perzys zaldrīzi sēnagon kostos daor,” a voice Mikasa did not recognize spoke to her. 

Fire cannot kill a dragon.

The flames ceased.

Mikasa fell to the ground, everything went dark.

————-

Eren and Armin arrived in one of the courtyards. Jean and Marco were there waiting for them. 

“What is happening?” Eren asked.

“I don’t know. I just know a lot of armor is missing along with weapons. Something is happening at the front gates we have to get you———“ Marco’s words were cut off as an arrow went directly through his left eye.

He fell to the ground, deceased. 

Jean screamed as he fell to his knees, trying to get his friend up. “NO! MARCO! GET UP!” 

But it did no good. 

Marco was gone.

“We need to get Eren somewhere safe. Has anyone sent word to the Ackermans?” Armin asked as he pulled on Jean. “There’s nothing you can do for him! Get up! That’s an order!”

Jean struggled to his feet. “I…I don’t…”

“Jean! You are assigned to help guard me! Now where can we go?” Eren shook Jean as he asked.

“Your—-“

“Don’t say it out loud, just take me there. Hurry up!” Eren pushed Jean in front of him. 

Jean couldn’t help but glance back at Marco’s body as he led Eren and Armin away.

—-----------

Mikasa didn’t know where she was. 

She didn’t know how she got there.

It was somewhere strange.

Dragons were screaming. 

Mikasa covered her ears as the earth shattering screams continued.

She took a deep breath and tried to remember what she last remembered.

Fire. 

Ice.

That was the last memory Mikasa had. 

Now she was here.

Wherever here was. 

The screaming had ceased, the ground had stopped shaking.

All Mikasa saw was a man holding a sword. A man who looked like Eren. 

He plunged the sword into Mikasa’s heart.

As he pulled the sword free, the blade was on fire. 

Once again, Mikasa fell to the ground. 

“Lightbringer,” Mikasa muttered as she looked at the man with the blazing sword.

“I see your father’s family taught you well,” a female voice spoke. 

Mikasa rose from the ground, turning towards the voice. 

Her mother. 

Yui Azumabito looked exactly as Mikasa remembered her. 

Tall, long black hair that cascaded down her back, brown unyielding eyes. Regal, strong, and beautiful as ever. 

The only difference was there was a faint glow to her mother, something that hovered around her. 

“Mother?” Mikasa’s voice cracked.

Yui rolled up her sleeve. The tattoo that Mikasa shared with her mother, her aunt, and every member of the Azumabito family was there. 

“You have questions. I don’t have time to answer. You need to remember certain things. That is how Lightbringer was made during the first Long Night. It will not come into being the same way for the second time. You are not the sacrifice. You are the song of ice and fire,” Yui’s hand rested on her daughter’s shoulders.

“I…that does not make sense. Mother, what is going on?” 

“The prince has raw magic. He can work around the stone deceiver. But you need to wake up. You can’t stay here. Wake up, Mikasa. Remember you are not the sacrifice. You are the song. Teach him valyrian, especially dohaerās . He’ll need it.”

Yui’s form flickered for a moment. Mikasa wrapped her hands around her mother’s wrists. 

“What does that mean?”

“If you remember nothing else,” her mother said as her form disappeared. “You are the song, not the sacrifice.”

The dragons screaming returned. 

The earth quaked.

Then Mikasa watched as her mother plunged a dagger into her aunt’s heart. 

—-----------------

A gasp came out of Mikasa’s mouth before she began to scream.

Annie and Sasha jolted up from their places in the chairs on either side of her bed. 

Mikasa was propelled forward as she sat up. 

Levi rushed into the room while Kadya was at the window, scratching her claws on the glass. 

Mikasa opened her eyes as she breathed heavily, the screaming ceased. 

Kayda calmed at the window.

“Mikasa?” Levi asked as he approached her bed slowly. 

Mikasa looked around the room, taking it all in. 

She took several more deep breaths. Her throat felt raw, scratchy. 

“I’m sorry,” she muttered. “Could I have some water?” 

Sasha scrambled over to the pitcher of water next to the bed and filled a glass. She gently handed it to Mikasa.

“Thank you,” she said as she took a drink. 

“How are you feeling?” Annie asked as she sat down on the bed.

“Tired,” Mikasa muttered as she handed the cup back to Sasha. 

“You've been asleep for a fortnight, Mikasa,” Levi informed her. “We’ve been at your bedside, feeding you honey and water.” 

“What? No. I…I couldn’t have been,” Mikasa looked down at her hands. 

“You’ve lost some weight. We were getting worried that you’d never wake,” Sasha spoke softly. “Your body…it was cold. Then you were sweating. You tossed and turned like you were fighting something in your sleep.” 

“A lot has happened while you have been asleep,” Annie said. 

“Besides my body catching on fire and then raining ice?” Mikasa muttered as she looked away. 

“You remember that?” Levi questioned. 

Mikasa nodded, “I do. I remember my skin feeling tight. I remember going outside. I remember all of it. Even whoever said perzys zaldrīzi sēnagon kostos daor.”

Sasha, Annie, and Levi looked at one another. 

“Mikasa, no one said that. It was just us three there. I made the guards and knights fall back,” Levi informed her. “Why would we say fire cannot kill a dragon?” 

“I heard it. Right before I hit the ground I heard someone say perzys zaldrīzi sēnagon kostos daor.” 

“Another thing to research now,” Annie sighed. 

“What else do you remember?” Levi asked.

“Dragons screaming. The ground shaking. My mother,” Mikasa sighed.

“Mikasa, your mother….”Sasha trailed off.

“What? What about my mother?” 

Levi took a step closer to Mikasa. “There was an attack in the Ten Kingdoms. Your parents….your brother, they didn’t survive.” 

The air left Mikasa’s lungs, tears fell.  “Meadow?”

“Here. Arrived a few days after you….fell asleep. There’s more…but you need rest.”

“Is anyone else hurt?”

“No. Everyone is fine. There’s just….we’re at war. Again. There was an attack on King’s Landing. Kenny and Kuchel went there immediately. I’ve remained here to take care of the North.”

“Eren…is he…”

“Eren is alive and well. All of the Jaeger family is. We’ve lost several guards and knights. The small folk are outraged. The Minor Houses are trying to control it but it’s not going well. Seaflames and Blaze are reminding them that dragons make kings, not men. You don’t need to worry.”

Mikasa nodded, unconvinced. 

“Meadow may be willing to take another rider. That’s why Kenny thinks Meadow has returned,” Levi changed the subject. 

Mikasa nodded again. It would be her child should she and Eren have any.

“You should know…we have not told anyone about what happened that night. Let’s keep it that way until we know what’s going on,” Levi commanded.

“I’ll get you some real food. Niccolo came here with the Arlerts. I’m sure he’ll make something delicious just for you,” Sasha said as she patted Mikasa on the shoulder before leaving the room. 

Annie stayed sitting on the bed next to her. “Don’t leave us like that again,” she muttered as she moved up the bed. Her head resting on Mikasa’s shoulder.

“I won’t,” Mikasa replied. 

“Don’t make promises you cannot keep,” Annie replied as she held Mikasa’s hand. 

“It hasn’t…I’m numb to it right now,” Mikasa muttered. 

“I know. When you’re ready, I’ll be here. Sasha will be too.”

Mikasa didn’t speak. She just took a deep breath. 

—-------------------

Fritz rebels were swarming the streets, trying to make it towards the keep.

Pieck wouldn’t allow it.  Even with just leather armor, she, Marcel, and Porco fought.

Thrusting her sword up through the rebel’s throat, blood sprayed her as she cut through soft tissue. 

The gurgling noise got to her as the killed them. 

But now was not the time to think of that.

One wrong move and she would be dead.

Dragons roared from up above along with streams of fire.

“FALL BACK!” Hange screamed at the top of their lungs.

Pieck fought her way through, Porco and Marcel behind her. 

Then she heard the scream and turned.

She watched as Marcel’s arm was severed.

“KEEP FUCKING GOING!” Marcel screamed as he continued to fight. 

“I’m not leaving him!” Porco called.

“GET HIM OUT OF HERE, PIECK. TAKE CARE OF MY BROTHER!” Marcel screamed.

Porco and Pieck watched as a sword went through Marcel’s chest.

“NO!” Porco called. 

Pieck pulled on him, dragging him back through the gate into the courtyard. 

Porco shoved Pieck off of him.

“Porco…”her words trailed off.

“I COULD HAVE SAVED HIM!” He said as he shoved her away from him. 

Pieck stumbled backwards. 

“Dracarys!” was heard overhead as a rain of fire fell upon those still on the streets. 

—----------

Finally feeling up walking, Mikasa went to see Meadow. 

Meadow was only slightly smaller than Blaze, seeing as the other dragon was older. 

As Mikasa approached, the dragon raised his head from his resting spot in the garden. 

He knew her.

The sound the dragon made reminded Mikasa of a whine. 

She stumbled towards the dragon, realizing that it was true. 

Her father's dragon would not be here if any of her family was still alive. Meadow would have protected her mother or brother even if her father had fallen. 

Finally reaching him, Mikasa held her hand out. The dragon butted his head into it. 

Collapsing to the ground, Mikasa fell into tears. 

Another whine came from Meadow. Gently, the large green dragon nudged her body closer. She couldn't wrap her arms completely around his neck due to the massive size, but she threw her arms around him. 

Guilt. 

The amount of guilt she now carried. 

She should have got to know her family better.

She should have asked for more time with them.

She should have made more time with them.

Instead, she clung to Meadow.

Kayda approached, resting her head on Mikasa’s back. 

—---------------------

“We’ve lost a great deal of armor,” Hange reported. “Half my soldiers are out there without armor. We lost Marcel today due to that.” 

“Let them having the fucking south. Retreat to the North. Take those who are loyal to us and stop playing this fucking game,” Kenny spoke as he sat on the edge of Grisha’s desk. 

“It is not the worst idea,” Zeke muttered under his breath. 

“Or take that fucking throne to the North. If that’s what matters the most,” Kenny offered.

“Do you think the Tyburs or Kiyomi are funding these rebels?” Grisha asked as he leaned back in his chair. 

“Kiyomi was destroyed when the palace was. She is not doing anything,” Kuchel spoke up.

“Which leaves the Tyburs,” Grisha answered. 

“What happened in the Ten Kingdoms?” Hange asked. 

“We do not know. What information I could piece from what I saw….some sort of magic explosion. There was not much left of the royal family. All the servants had been removed from the palace. Fuyuki was as well but he ran back into the palace. There was fire, ice. Once the servants returned, Kiyomi, Fuyuki, Kieran, Yui, and Frieda were all deceased. There wasn’t much left of the bodies of Kiyomi, Fuyuki, Kieran, or Yui.” 

“Black magic. Kieran had to have been doing black magic,” Carla replied.

“For what? My brother knew better than that. We’ve been through this already,” Kenny sighed. 

“I’m not worried about the Ten Kingdoms. I’m worried about who is giving the rebels funding and weapons!” Grisha shouted as he pounded his fist on his desk.

—---------------------

There was a stack of letters that Eren had written to Mikasa on his desk since he had found out that the princess had been struck ill. Then he found out about her parents and brother, all deceased. So he had written her another letter of condolences. 

Yet he couldn’t bring himself to send them.

News had arrived that Mikasa was awake. 

He could send them. 

He could give her something to look forward to.

But did she even want to hear from him? 

There was crying coming from Zeke’s room next door. 

Eren had heard that Marcel had not survived. 

Someone had stolen a fair amount of armor from the armorer before the attack a fortnight ago. 

“CORN!” Midnight yelled. 

Fenrir whined. 

“Neither of that is helpful,” Eren muttered as collapsed backwards on his bed. 

Fenrir licked his face before laying down next to Eren. 

“Should I send her the letters?” 

“YES!” Midnight yelled. 

“Should I be taking advice from a bird?” 

“YES!” The bird screeched in response. 

“Are you going to deliver them?” 

“NO!” 

Eren sighed. He would have to go get a raven then. 

—-------------------------------

There was going to be a scar on his back, Jean realized as he looked in the mirror. It was just a scratch. The Maester had already treated him. 

Sobbing was coming from the room next to him. 

He shouldn’t have been surprised. 

He had heard that Marcel hadn’t survived today’s attack. When he had been guarding Zeke’s room just a bit ago, he had heard her crying then. 

The battle had been won today, thanks to the dragons. But it didn’t mean the war was over. 

Not being able to stand the crying anymore, Jean went over to Pieck’s room. He didn’t bother to knock. He simply slipped into her room. 

Pieck was curled into a ball in the middle of her bed, her face facing the wall. 

Jean sat down on the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry.” 

“Why do you only come in here when I’m crying?” her voice cracked. 

“I…it’s the only time I know you won’t tell me to fuck off or go fuck myself,” he muttered.

Pieck snorted a laugh. “How’s your back?” 

“Fine. Nothing but a scratch,” Jean replied simply as he continued to move his hand in circles on her back.

“I’m sorry too,” Pieck muttered.

“For what?”

“Marco. I didn’t….come find you. I’m sorry.” 

Jean’s hand stilled. He hadn’t talked about Marco. Though the thought, the sight of his body always lingered in the back of his mind. He didn’t think he would unsee his friend’s dead body there. 

Pieck rolled over so she was facing Jean. 

He looked down at her bloodshot eyes as she slowly sat up. He gently place his hand in his lap as Pieck rose from the bed. He heard the door shut and lock before she returned to her bed. She sat down beside him. 

“Stay?” She asked him. “I just…we don’t have to do anything. I just don’t…Porco blames me. I’m burdening Zeke with my tears, he’d never say that. Hange is going out of their mind…I just…”

“So I’m your last choice then?” 

Pieck frowned as she turned so her body was facing him. Tentatively, she reached up and placed her hands on either side of his face. Slowly, she leaned in. 

Her lips were almost brushing his. 

They just stared at one another.

Who would be the first to give in?

Who would be the one to close the distance? 

Who would be the one to finally admit they wanted this? 

In the end, they both moved at the same time. Their lips crashing against one another. It was years of pent up energy, of listening to the other deliver pleasure to someone else when in reality, they wanted it to be the other person. 

Pieck started moving backwards, pulling Jean on top of her on the bed. 

They both needed this.

A release.

A distraction. 

——————-

Sleep was something Mikasa wasn’t sure would ever come to her again.

It was late but it evaded her.

She felt completely depleted of energy. 

Did that matter? 

Not in the slightest.

Sleep would not come. 

Maybe it was because she had slept for so long.

None of that was restful.

Dreams about erupting volcanoes, Lightbringer’s beginnings, dragons screaming. It had all haunted her.

There was one thing she hadn’t told Levi that she had seen. 

Her parents and brother’s death. 

She had seen her mother become a kin slayer. She had seen her stab Kiyomi. The ice and fire had erupted there just as it had out of Mikasa’s body. 

The apology Yui had given had not been to her sister but to her son. Because magic was powerful and destroyed everything in its path. 

It was a last effort.

Yui had whispered into his sister’s ear as she died, words Mikasa had not been lucky enough to hear. 

Now that would haunt her.

“You look like shit,” Levi said as he looked at Mikasa, standing in the doorway.

“Thank you,” she muttered as she looked down at her hands. 

“You’re losing weight. You need to eat more.”

Mikasa looked up and glared at him. “Are you not going to ask me how I am?” 

Levi scoffed as he came into her room. “I know how you are. You feel guilty because you feel nothing for your family dying. Because you never knew them, not really.”

“Did you?” 

Levi shook his head. “Not really. So how did you do that?” 

“Do what?”

“Conjure magic like that. I’ve never seen anything like that. I had Vulcan scorch the earth so there was no trace of it.” 

“I don’t know. I..I’m not sure I could do it again if I tried,” Mikasa confessed. 

“Whatever that was…..it was powerful.” 

Mikasa looked back down at her hands. 

That show of power had come from her mother killing her aunt. Kinslayer. Her mother was a kinslayer. 

That was worse than being a bastard. 

It was the worst thing a person could be. 

Mikasa felt the tears welling up in her eyes again. 

“There’s something you’re not telling me,” Levi noted. 

Mikasa choked on a laugh. “I’m sure there’s many things you don’t tell me. I’m tired of it, Levi. I’m tired of the secrets, the lies. That’s all this has become. People are dying. We’re back at war. We have an enemy across the sea. Who knows what will happen to the Ten Kingdoms now?” 

“Kiyomi’s bastard will get crowned. He’s a direct bloodline. The only person who cared that he was a bastard was Kiyomi. Kenny already paid him a visit. Trade agreements and military agreements remain the same. No one knows what happened in that palace. It could have been the Tyburs for all we know.” 

Mikasa shook her head. “It wasn’t the Tyburs.” 

Slowly, Mikasa looked up, her eyes meeting Levi’s. 

“Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. Whatever happened over there isn’t our problem. Our problem is we’re short on armor, we have a rebellion going on in the capitol. That is our problem. I’ve already sent them as much armor House Braus had,” Levi sighed as he sat down in one of the chairs. 

“Sasha should be in the forge then. I’m sorry for taking her…” 

“Stop. It wasn’t you. Besides, we can’t reforge that much armor in such a short amount of time. House Braus has already been hard at work but it is still not enough. We don’t have enough blacksmiths, one isn’t going to change that.” 

“Should you be in the capitol then?” 

Levi shrugged. “I don’t know. The last time we were at war….I don’t remember much of it. I was five when it started. Mother flew off on Seaflames along with Kenny and your father.” 

“Four dragons would be better than two,” Mikasa muttered. 

“I don’t think you can mount a dragon without falling off. Give it time. Gain your strength back.” 

Mikasa looked at Levi, really looked at him. There were dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. His hair was messier than usual, he needed to shave. Mikasa never saw the toll that being the head of the house, head of the North, took on him until this moment. 

“You should rest,” Mikasa told him.

“So should you, hāedar.”

Little sister. 

It had been a long time since Levi had called her that. Mikasa had first thought he was using it for cousin, Levi had corrected her when she was younger.

Mikasa had never been just a cousin in his eyes. 

She was his little sister.

A fact that she had not thought about until this moment. 

“Goodnight, lēkia,” Mikasa said as pulled her blankets closer and slid into bed.

Levi blew the candles out, then closed the door behind him as he exited. 

[oc-menagerie-archived]

ooc: All Muses on the Blog (so far) and bits about them!

Series Based:

Fate Series:

Emilia Clarimond (A Fate Master OC who is clever, out going, and sometimes snarky. Her magic is based on the stars, creating light barriers with a constellation pattern and shooting energy.)

One Piece:

Xia Malificia (A flirtatious, trouble making pirate who ate the fox zoan fruit. Her favorite thing to do is charm unsuspecting pirates or marines and robbing them blind.)

Custard Gretel (Custard is one of Big Mama's many many children who grew up around pirates. These pirates were true ruffians, pillaging wherever they went for treasure and anything else they wanted. Though they and Big Mama treated Custard well, their habits grew onto her, making her become quite a terrible child. She followed their example but in her own way, tricking others by feigning innocence as others were easily fooled by an adorable child.)

Final Fantasy 14:

Josephina Adrahgan (A Miqo’te from a family of nobles. After her family tried to arrange a marriage between her and another noble family, she decided to run away with her fat cat named Chubchub and ended up joining a troupe of Dancers and decided to travel with them)

Shay Pierina (A Miqo’te who was found as a child outside a small village that is  part of the Ul’dah kingdom. Adopted by kind Hyurs, she lived in poverty  but didn’t let it bother her and worked to protect her family. After discovering the Echo, she happened upon a member of the Scions and decided to join and travel away from home. becoming a Warrior of Light.)

Orabella Kalon (A Summoner from the First, Orabella is a scholar seeking to learn about the magic of her world. After wandering into the pixie land, she ends up captured but free some time later when Titania is defeated. Now she lives there studying the pixies.)

Bleach:

Hiromi Tori (A Soul Reaper in the 13th squad who is serious nature for the most part. Calm and collected outside of battle, she isn’t much for small talk and tends to get straight to the point. Her mind is usually focused on the mission and protecting everyone. She can get annoyed at distractions and is often training when not working.)

Selene Fenagari: (WIP Selene is…a dork. Easily distracted and acts rather dog-like, loving getting petted, chasing balls or animals, or even shifting and barking at cats. When on duty, she does her absolute best, serving the Gotei 13 in stopping villains or just protecting the people while out on patrol. Despite her silly antics, the people adore her and shower her with gifts and headpats.)

Pokemon:

Hex Maniac Kayleen: (Kayleen grew up around the occult, her parents super into it and trying to summon the paranormal as well as learn magic. Kayleen was terrified of it but slowly learned to embrace it when she met a friendly Gastly. From there she befriended other ghost and dark Pokemon, the scaredy-cat girl not enjoying it from time to time.

For a long time she was super shy and had social anxiety, but decided to be brave and try to face it by becoming a Pokemon trainer. Now alongside her ghost and dark type Pokemon cheering her on, she desires to learn and make friends and meet Pokemon she has never seen before. Has a Soul Eater verse under Alt. Verses!)

Naruto:

Midori Mihata (A clumsy, scared ninja girl who one would possibly say is the worst ninja ever. Wants to make her clan proud and tries hard to be the best she can be. Also gets rather flustered and shy around boys. Has a FF14 verse!)

Kiyomi Tenshi (Loud, rambunctious, and rather hyper and reckless, Kiyomi is also one that some would possibly say is a terrible ninja. She fights more like a martial artist, punching and kicking and running straight into bad guys.)

Naoko Shizuko (The only one who acts like a true ninja in the trio of Kunoichi, Naoko is soft spoken, almost monotone voice and always with an unreadable expression. Despite this, she is incredibly smart and well trained in her ninja techniques which involve shadow tricks. She is the one to get the other two out of danger most of the time.)

Fire Emblem Three Houses:

Diana Fotieni (Diana comes from Faerghus and is striving to become a knight of the kingdom like her mother before her. A student at the academy under the Blue Lions house, she is studious and trains hard, mostly to show the head of the house Dimitri her worth as a possible knight as he is heir to the throne. Has a Kingdom Hearts verse and a Final Fantasy XV verse as well!)

Genshin Impact:

Kyana Aeira (A Pyro Vision user from Mondstadt who dreams of becoming a Knight of Favonius one day. She works hard taking on random tasks from the people to prove herself capable. She is determined and optimistic and tends to listen more to her emotions than think with logic. Also has a One Piece verse but also many aus and can fit anywhere with heroes!)

Yueliang Song (An Electro Claymore user who is an adventurer working for the adventurer’s guild but is also a dancer on the side, performing for festivals held usually in Morax’s honor. Confident in her skills as an adventurer and her dancing, she works hard day and night.)

Iyumi Akuma  (Iyumi is a Fatui Mage hailing from Snezhnaya who is on the prowl for someone cute she can call hers. To most she acts vicious and snobby, ready to electrocute them should they get on her nerves.

But should she find the someone she wants, she becomes more adoring and flirty, chasing after them until she can have them. Which can turn into an aggressive chase should the other not want her. Also has a Pokemon verse, demon/vampire verse, dark goddess verse and many more!)

Amatus Koheikaze (A Oni girl from the Red Oni tribe of Inazuma, Amatus works hard as a samurai of her clan, fighting with a katana as well as using her Anemo vision. Though she acts rather serious, she holds a softer side that cares deeply for her tribe, desiring to protect them no matter what. Her mother is a human while her father is an Oni.)

My Hero Academia:

Tia “Usagi” Fayte (Bubbly kind of girly girl whose quirk is magnetism. She can make anything she touches become magnetic, even things that aren’t normally something you can stick magnets to like trees. She uses this alongside rollerblading to fight and calls herself Usagi for the jump tricks she can pull off while blading around. A student at UA. Also has a The World Ends with You verse!)

Kalliphae Myressei (A moth woman with the ability to heal others using a powder that emits from her. She is a princess of a far off kingdom. Acts with a noble air and always tries to follow her heart. She is a nurse of UA.)

Nier Automata:

10B (A Battle Unit android who is more emotional than the androids of YorHa usually are. She is playful and a tad flirtatious, calling people darling just for the fun of it. She is also very protective of humans or anyone she deeply cares for to the point where she will kill whoever harmed them)

Yugioh:

Miyuki Tenshi (A sweet, innocent duelist who uses a deck with angelic creatures revolving around the Sanctuary in the Sky card. She has a duel spirit, Happy Lover, and has yet to meet anyone else with one or that can see her. Has a Goddess verse alongside Iyumi, a Fairy verse and an Angel verse!)

Monster Hunter:

Sonafuwa (A Paolumu who gained the ability to turn human. Sonafuwa is shy and tends to stay in the trees and away from hunters so she won’t get hunted. When she meets someone friendly, she becomes more calm and is happy to make a new friend)

Sakura (A Pink Rathian that gained the ability to turn human. Territorial at first but can become friendly if she sees the other means no harm. Prissy and doesn’t mind Hunters so long as she isn’t their target.)

Twisted Wonderland:

Colette Eirina (Twisted from Giselle from Enchanted! Colette is the princess of a small kingdom. It’s surrounded by a river, forest and mountains in the back, the kingdom known for its mining of gems from those mountains.

Colette usually stays in her castle but got accepted into RSA as a student. She tends to cause a lot of trouble at home with her ditzy behavior. In fact her air headed ways gets her kidnapped and held for ransom a lot which has really hurt the kingdom financially.)

Fandomless:

Zalira Deona: (A succubus who doesn’t really do succubus things. Her mom and dad are a powerful incubus and succubus pair who wanted her to follow in their footsteps. But all Zalira wanted was to laze around and eat human snacks and indulge in their culture (like manga!). Before they could send her to a demon academy, she ran away from home and ended up among humans.)

The Augustina Sisters: Iris, Lillianne and Camillia, the three princesses of a kingdom called Lapis. They are gifted in water and ice elemental magic. Lily is the oldest and is soft and mature, her older sister personality showing to even those who are not her sisters. Iris is very flirtatious and playful and quite carefree. Camillia the youngest is shy, sometimes prissy, but can warm up to others.

Cheza Fènghuáng (Princess of the city of Nán Sòng, Cheza is rather anti-social and a major bookworm, usually seen cooped up in her private library. Her kingdom is a matriarchy, led by her mischievous mother. Cheza has the ability to conjure fire and turn into a phoenix)

Seraphaura (Seraphaura is from a clan of lamias who hunt humans for fun and for food while also eating other things. But Seraphaura is completely different from them. She has seen an innocent human devoured and wishes to protect them and learn about them. Because of this, her clan laughed at her and was bullied and ridiculed for it. But despite that, she still wishes to learn about humans and their culture.)

Vivianne Noira (Growing up alone in the world has hardened Vivi. She can be untrusting towards strangers though some have shown her some kindness to help her out. She can come off as brash, even possibly rude. But she doesn’t mean to be. Vivi feels she must be tough in order to survive. However if she sees someone in need, she may go out of her way to help them depending on what they need help with.)

Angeline Tenebris (A vampire from a family of vampires sworn to keep their race a secret. They are respected nobles of a town, well-known for their business and wealth. Though most of her family tries to keep their status clean, Angeline is a bit rebellious and curious about the world and frequently sneaks out to learn more about it.)

Fayeth Neri (A dragon girl who is rather air-headed and sometimes slow to speak, making it seem like nothing is going on in her head. And maybe nothing is. She is very laid back and cheerful, always having a lazy smile on her face.)

Aiux Umbrangeli (An assassin who has been trained since she was a child. She wields the ability to create objects out of shadows as well as hide in them. Emotionless and unfeeling towards her target but awkward around others)

Chloe Thaleia (Mischievous thief from a family of thieves looking for her older brother who left home when she was a child. Will steal from you playfully then give it back once she’s caught. Has a magical greatsword she stole that can use the four elements but she has no idea how to use it.)

Aiolos Thaleia (Older brother of Chloe. After witnessing his uncle (who had taught them all they know about being a thief) break the family code by murdering someone, he decided to go on a different path and leave the family. He strives to be a knight or a guard, something he sees as more honorable.)

Ai Malificia (A sweet, innocent girl who was sheltered due to her overprotective parents. She grew up around flowers and a flower shop and developed magic pertaining to plants. Has a Fire Emblem Three Houses verse and a Goddess verse!)

Azathira (Sci Fi OC! Azathira is a well trained assassin alien. Her species thrives in being the best at fighting and killing and she is no different. She makes her living taking on bounties and delights in taking them down. Then uses the money to partake in a feast wherever she goes.

On the side, she sometimes steals things as well, mostly from the person she killed. She travels around taking jobs and simply exploring the universe all on her own. Though a small part of her almost wishes she could have some company for once.)

Melfina (Sci Fi OC! Melfina when she was young was in a bad accident that cost her an arm. She was able to get a prosthetic cybernetic replacement and decided she wanted to learn how to take care and maintain it. From there, she grew to like fixing such mechanisms and became a mechanic who specializes in cybernetic parts or androids.)

Ourania Thanos (A dragon that can turn into a human. Cocky, egotistical, and loves to  show off to others. Loves to fight people just to fight strong opponents  and also loves to eat lots of meat and drinks lots of ale.)

Nikki Irving (An oddball Alchemist of a girl who stumbled upon a cursed Eldritch Being who had been shrunk and turned into a tiny octopus. She decided to keep it as a pet, named it Tickles, and has no idea it is slowly influencing her mind. Has a Pokemon verse!)

Aku Yazoi (A wannabe punk boy who is hot tempered and tries to act cool but is a sucker for cute girls. Is kind of a dweeb. Loves to race on his motorcycle. Has a Yugioh 5Ds verse!)

Sylvao Ter’on (A clever demon in charge of a mercenary group including a couple of odd twins he found as children. He can be ruthless to those who oppose or disobey him but otherwise treats whoever follows him with kindness and helps them with anything they need. Also has a vampire verse!)

Opal Ter’on (Also simply known as “The Witch” is the twin sister of Klaus “The Werewolf” and serves a man named Sylvao. Calm and almost emotionless, Opal seems to care not for the company of others and is devout only to Sylvao (and prefers hanging with him).

She also picks on her brother sometimes when he is being a nuisance. Opal is a talented mage who can use all sorts of magic as well as make all sorts of potions. Between that and her witch-like style, she earned the witch nickname others have given her.)

Klaus Ter'on (A wolf boy who serves under a clever demon named Sylvao alongside his twin sister, a witch girl named Opal. Klaus can be rabid and wild when in a fight but set him next to an attractive lady and he turns into a perverted dog. Though if treated with kindness (and ear scratches), he can be quick to tame and will follow you anywhere (though would never go against Sylvao’s orders.)

[falcon94ssy]

When Isayama didn’t write the backstory of Kiyomi plus the Azumabito family so you redirect your energy to watch some dark kdrama thriller series instead

[six-owls-in-a-trenchcoat]

So...

I finished watching Death Note and may I just say- dang.

It was creepy and VERY dark at times, and there were a few things that bothered me, like Mikami saying "delete" EVERY FREAKING TIME HE KILLED SOMEONE and that one drama plot with Light, Misa, and Kiyomi that literally didn't need to happen IMO, but overall I enjoyed it.

(And ik I said I didn't like the newer theme/intro but it  kinda grew on me, still liked the first one better first.)

Anyway, are there any other animes you guys like that you think I should watch? Anything is fair game because this was literally my first one.  I know I want to watch Attack on Titan and also HunterXHunter because that's one my friend highly recommended but I'm definitely up for recs, as well as any other shows you guys think I should watch.

(I must say that, while not the traditional happy ending- well, I suppose it's happy for all the good people bc Kira is gone- that ending wrapped up very nicely though.)

[kiranatrix]

INDULGENCE—

a MikaLight fanfic by @kiranatrix and @my-one-true-l for @mikalightweek [Day 4- Devotion]

Summary: When Mikami realizes he’s being followed by an FBI agent, he informs Kiyomi right away. Light meets Mikami alone in the confessional of a decrepit church to hear the details for himself and requests a test of the man’s loyalty.

Rating: T for mild gore and innuendo

Teaser under the cut or read the whole fic here!

The young woman sat alone, quietly avoiding the eyes of the other passengers, but it wasn’t enough to stave off the unwanted attention from the man who had set his sights on her. There was no escaping the unwanted advances in the confines of the train. It would take nothing more than a few swiftly written strokes to bring the perpetrator to his rightful death, but Teru Mikami couldn’t do that under the circumstances. Instead, the Death Note remained in the safety of his briefcase as he exited the train and vanished into the crowd, a casual glance over his shoulder confirmed what he had suspected for days…

He was being followed. He was good with faces, and when the same one recurred in the most unlikely of places, this time sitting across him on the train, he decided it was time to pay attention to the name hovering just above the man’s head.

Stephen Loud. That would be easy enough to remember until he was home and could find the answers he already knew. Coincidences happen, but the more likely scenario was he was suspected to have connections to Kira and if that was the case…Kami was in danger.

As he approached his apartment, a nonchalant scan of his surrounding put him at ease. Mr. Loud was nowhere in the immediate vicinity, though Teru was not about to dismiss that which could be out of his sight.

He wasted no time using his good name and contacts to discover that he was being pursued by none other than an FBI agent. The blood drained from his face as it all sunk in. He had little concern for his own fate. It was Kami he worried for. There was no way of knowing how long he had been being tailed nor could he be certain of the extent he had been investigated.

Keeping this to himself would not do. He had to warn Kira, even if it meant falling out of his good graces.

Takada. I need to talk to her.

Looking up her number was unnecessary. He had memorized his only lifeline to Kira the day he was chosen. With trembling fingers, he dialed and waited impatiently for her to answer.

Kiyomi Takada was in the back of her limousine, heading to the television studio, when her phone rang in her purse. It’s HIS ringtone. She quickly leaned forward and pressed the button to bring up the dark-tinted glass (and soundproof) partition between her and the driver, then immediately answered the call. “Kiyomi here.” There was a hint of annoyance in her voice-- she’d specifically told Mikami not to call her during the day. It was difficult enough to secure complete privacy at night. However, she was in luck in this instance-- her driver was loyal to Kira. Still, she whispered, “This better be an emergency.”

“I wouldn’t call otherwise.” Teru had a million thoughts swarming his mind and only a split second to sift through them. “I’m being followed.”

Kiyomi’s breath caught, and she nearly broke her ladylike facade and swore. She shifted the cell phone to perch between her cheek and her shoulder as she rummaged in her purse for pen and paper. “Followed by who and for how long? I need their name and where you’ve been seen.” She clicked the pen and poised it above the paper. “I’ll have to tell him right away.”

Teru drew a deep breath before he spoke. “An FBI agent by the name of Stephen Loud. I noticed him a few days ago, mostly around my gym and a few times outside of court, but today he sat across from me on the train ride home, so I can only assume he knows where I live as well.”

“FBI!” Kiyomi’s pen trembled ink onto the paper until she pressed it down firmly, trying to ground herself. This was news of the worst kind-- the FBI was working with the SPK here in Japan, and if they had sussed out that Mikami was working with Kira, Light would be very unhappy with that exposure. Mikami’s value had been in his anonymity. And Mikami has Kira’s power! “This is...unexpected. Did you happen to get a picture of him? Or find one you can send to me? I can pass that information on and we’ll take care of it.” She took a deep breath and carefully wrote down the details that Mikami had relayed.

Teru could feel Kiyomi’s displeasure on every word she spoke, certain it would only worsen with what he was about to say. “No, I didn’t, nor was there a photograph of him accompanying his file. Careful measures have been taken to conceal his face. It would seem I’m the only one who knows what he looks like.”

“I see.” Kiyomi frowned and wrote ‘no picture’ on the notepad, underlining it angrily. “I suppose that’s what we should expect from the FBI, but it makes things difficult.” She glanced out the window, seeing that she was almost at the TV station. “I’ll speak to him and call you back. Stay by the phone, alright?” She didn’t wait for an answer before hanging up and immediately calling Light on his secure line. Shit shit shit… He picked up on the sixth ring, which meant he’d probably had to duck out of something with his team.

“Yes?” Light was on his guard-- it was very unusual that Kiyomi would call him rather than the reverse. He didn’t have long either, just the duration of a normal bathroom break. “You know how I feel about personal calls at work, love.”

“I know, but I just spoke with the caterer, dear.” Kiyomi knew better than to ever use any of their real names. Even if the phone lines were ‘secure,’ Light didn’t trust it when he was with the Task Force. “He’s run into a snag on our order.”

Light stayed quiet for a moment but understood her meaning perfectly fine. Mikami was in some kind of trouble, and it was bad enough for Kiyomi to call him right away instead of waiting for one of their usual meetings. “Oh? Surely it’s nothing that can’t be resolved. Send me the invoice tonight.” Send me their name and face.

Kiyomi sighed and said, “Seems like the invoice is missing some items. Only the caterer knows it.” She drummed her long red nails on the armrest nervously. “Secret recipe.”

Hmm. Light knew that meant that either the name or a picture of the person’s face was missing, and since Mikami had shinigami eyes, it was likely the face. “Remind me, dear, was this a rush order?” Is this an emergency?

“Yes. I’d really hate to call off this party.”

So, something that can’t be ignored. “I understand. Perhaps I should meet with the caterer myself and work out the details? I’ll text you the place. 11 o’clock?”

Kiyomi knew that wasn’t really a question, it was an order. Light wanted to meet Mikami and hear about this for himself. “Of course. I’ll set it up for 11.” A dial tone hung in the air as soon as she agreed. She stared down at her phone and waited for the text.

Send the caterer to Saint Joseph’s. He’ll need to confess the recipe.

Kiyomi deleted the text right away, then called Mikami back.

Teru paced his living room, eyes fixed on the phone he clutched in his hand. He wasn’t one to drink, but tonight it was harder to fight the lure of his liquor cabinet, sparse in contents as it may be. Kira had caused him more restless nights than he would ever admit, but this was an entirely new kind of torment. He had failed his god, inadvertent as it may have been. Intention didn’t matter and had no place in his shame.

Each second that passed equaled two until the phone rang, answering it with a simple rushed response. “Yes?”

“He wants to meet with you. Alone.” Kiyomi hoped Light knew what he was doing, but she certainly wasn’t going to question Kira’s decision. “There’s an old church in the warehouse district, down by the docks. Saint Joseph’s. It’s open all night and the priest is half-blind, drunk most nights. No one will see you.” She knew the place well and had met Light there a few times herself. “Go into the confessional and wait for him. 11 o’clock.” She paused for a moment and added softly, “Make absolutely sure you’re not followed. He’s trusting your discretion.”

He wants to meet with you alone.

The words sent a shiver down Teru’s spine. He swallowed hard at the thought. Meeting Kami. Never had he dared to dream of being fortunate enough to have such an honor, and though the circumstances weren’t ideal, Teru couldn’t deny that he was thrilled at the notion. Even if this meeting could mean the end of his life, everything up to now would have been worth it to be in Kami’s presence. “I can give you my assurances. I will not be followed.”

Disappointing Kami again was out of the question.

“Good luck.” Kiyomi hung up the phone and texted Light, ‘caterer booked.’ She’d be nervous for the rest of the day but there was also relief-- it was out of her hands. If Light needed something, he’d ask. I just hope I’m still as useful after he meets Mikami. Walking into the television studio to again act as Kira’s spokesperson, she knew she was, for now.

Read the rest on AO3 here.

[marmarparadoxa]

It's because of recent tweets I saw but I know some are blaming the SC (esp the 104th) for not seeing Eren better during the 3 years they had and also for pushing many responsibilities onto his shoulder. I get why they see this as Eren's friends making a blunder but I can't help but disagree partly. (1)

On one side, their excitement and distraction came in the form of the outside world - something that seemed neigh impossible at the beginning of the series and once had been the 'end goal'. We know that's not it now. It seems logical that people like Armin and Hange will be distracted per say towards the new techs and innovations the outside world is offering. How the fruitful encounters they have w Marleyans making them hopeful (2) I understand where they're coming from, especially considering their disposition that tends to be optimistic and intelligent. Others like Jean, Connie, Sasha, and Mikasa can also be distracted by the new things too. It's something so human and highlights how even the close-knit group can make blunders. (3) I don't agree with people blaming SC for not noticing and their slow decision with Eren and the Yeagerists because that means they still care. They value their friendship with him and want to not mess him up more. Even from my perspective, there's a level of respect SC and military have for Eren for not just being the AT and FT but as a person/personnel. (4) It's so easy to 'coddle' Eren because as a reader, we are relatively relegated to a higher see/position to judge. But take it from the charas' views, it's just like real life to a point. They are faced with this time limit and the world going down on them while at the same time, they try to not cross too many moral lines. Especially for Hange who is responsible for many lives under her and Armin's 'kind' disposition. (5) What miffs me is that the people who side with Eren in this case doesn't tend into account that Eren almost never tries to reach out. While it's justified when we put his 'plan' into account, that just sounds selfish to be frank. Yes, he asks Mikasa about 'what he is to her' and he did try Armin's way once, but those are such minimal effort. Sometimes, they themselves need to reach out first and seek help more (6) That may sound cruel, but that's how it works unfortunately. I would be more lenient to Eren if he did more effort with sharing and trusting his friends but he doesn't - so of course, the SC is surprised and shocked and hurt at his actions. They don't know and it's unfair. Eren does this all because of what he saw and ironically is likely doing a self-fulfilling prophecy. He gives up hope and that's his downfall. (end)

Hi! :) Apologies for this late reply. You’ve already covered a lot, so I’ll try to add my two cents on what you’ve already pointed out.

In short, blaming the SC, especially the 104th, or Hange, for not seeing through Eren and not understanding what was going on with him doesn’t make sense to me. Because Eren didn’t allow them to do so, he didn’t allow them to see. During those three years between the battle of Shiganshina and their leaving for their trip to Marley, he kept on working with them, he never disrespected Hange, and almost always he acted and talked in accordance with what were their shared plans for the future. When Kiyomi proposed Zeke’s plan, of course they were all horrified, none of them wanted to proceed with it, and didn’t know what to do, but then, it was Eren who standed up and spoke against it. In front of everyone, Mikasa, Hange, Historia, and the rest of the assembly, he said he would never agree with Zeke’s plan and sacrifice Historia, that relying on the Rumbling would be too risky, and it was he who proposed to use the time they were left with to think about other options, that they should seek other ways. Not long after, he would say to the same persons which would end up risking their life in order to stop him, that they were more important to him than anyone else, and that he wanted them to live long lives. I brought up all this, so to clarify how Eren could be perceived by his friends, what was the picture that they could make out of his words and actions. On the other hand though, there were also some signs that something was off with him. When Armin and Mikasa were talking about the building of the port and them getting along with the captured Marleyans, Eren couldn't be as hopeful as them, and his attitude was sharp and emotionally detached. Then, unlike all others, he wasn’t there to taste Niccolo’s cooking, and we didn’t see him interact with any Marleyans - he was the only one that was missing when they were talking with Onyankopon, and in all those little, shared moments of peace and hope. So I think Eren, at that point, was already starting to isolate himself from the rest of them, shutting himself up, and maybe, as you also said, with all those new things to understand, with all the work and the building and the planning Hange, Armin, and the others too had to do, they weren’t able to notice this change, they didn’t pay much attention to it. But again, what could they infer from that? With respect to his words, to his resolute opposition to the use of the Rumbling and Zeke’s plan and Historia’s sacrifice, to his outward determination to find another way, those were subtle cues, that could reasonably pass unnoticed, and blaming the 104th for not acting upon them is rather pointless.

So this is where his friends’ remarks in the last episode come from: Jean: “Eren suddenly started getting along with Zeke’s plan”, Connie: “Did he look like Eren to you? I don’t think so.” and Armin and Mikasa’s disbelief and painful confusion. Eren methodically killing children and civilians, Eren getting along with Zeke’s plan was nothing like the Eren they used to know, even in those last years.

And Eren never shared with his friends, or with Hange, and not even with Armin or Mikasa, what he saw in those future memories. He kept everything inside, he trusted no one with that knowledge, ruling out the possibility that anyone could help him understand what was the nature of those memories (was it all bound to happen? Could it be avoided?), and try to figure out a solution, so as to prevent that catastrophe. Maybe, initially, he still believed that they could have avoided that, but more and more, he felt like they were running out of time, and that future he saw increasingly assumed a character of concreteness and unavoidability.  I was also talking with @oldsummerdream the other day about Eren, and Sushi reminded me of this Isayama’s interview, where it says that, as his prior beliefs were gradually getting destroyed, Eren more and more would act upon a principle of self-preservation (”How about just conserving myself?”). So perhaps, also indulging in those seething feelings of disappointment, anger, and the imperative to preserve himself , that future became a necessity in Eren’s mind, something that Eren eventually stopped fighting against, and adopted as his own will. 

And it was him who eventually decided to act alone, not consulting anybody else. The SC, his friends, never put that responsibility on him, they never required from him to save Paradis alone. Eren could have been the wielder of that power of the Founding Titan, a power which could decide the fate of them all, but, under their commander���s guidance, they were all working together in order to find a solution, a way to peace. As Hange said, they were ready to think stuff through and feel frustrated along with him, so Eren wouldn’t have been left alone. He just decided to do so, building an impenetrable wall around him, and once he settled himself on that irreversible path, he then proceeded to push away the people which cared about him more than anyone else - Armin and Mikasa.

Maybe, when that night in Marley he asked Mikasa what he was to her, he was still wavering, maybe, there was still the tiniest possibility left inside him to not succumb to that darkness; maybe, if Mikasa would have chosen another answer, things would have been different. The other possibility though, is that Eren, at that point, already knew what he was going to do, and that’s why he was already apologizing to Ramzi, and crying - because he had already given up all hope. So perhaps, he just wanted to know, before leaving them, before entering that road, he wanted to ask that question to Mikasa, because he knew that it would have been his last time with her, his last chance to know (and months later, he’d be still wondering about that, and asking for his brother’s opinion). But I’m not sure about it, and at this point, we’ll never know.

[yodawgiherd]

You Were Never Truly Gone

>>>Read on AO3<<<<

Rating: T

!!!! This is a post-139 story so please don't read if you didn't get to the chapter yet!!!!

Alright! As you guys know I am a certified™ cope machine and there was no way that I could NOT do something after the finale. Those who follow me on tumblr/twitter know that I was not exactly happy with how things went. Therefore, I have written this.

Might continue if you guys like it :)))

Today, It was three years. Three years since she lost him, three years since she was forced to kill the love of her life to save the world. Three years since her heart shattered to a thousand pieces. Three years since….

Mikasa felt the tears on her face, slowly sliding down as she caressed the cold headstone of Eren’s grave. Here, under the tree where they often rested was the place of his final sleep. The end of the journey.

And it still hurt.

The same despair that tore her apart when Sasha died, only amplified now that it was him who would never come back to her. It was necessary, they all knew that Eren planned to sacrifice himself since the start. Her blade was the one that saved everyone, but it did nothing to ease the pain. Sometimes, in the darkness of the night, Mikasa found herself envious. Envious of all the people who were blessed with a happy reunion. Envious of Armin and Annie who were newly engaged, envious of Falco and Gabi and their budding happiness. Envious of the families that got to embrace their loved ones freely while she could never do it again.

And that was not all.

Even Historia managed to find happiness with her child. Yes, it was forced unto her by the circumstances, but her husband truly loved her, and the queen adored their offspring. When Mikasa visited and got to hold the child or play with him, she often felt needles pricking at her heart. Why was she robbed of having the possibility? Why could she never have a child of her own?

Technically she could, of course, she was still a young woman, but Eren left a hole in her heart that no other human being was capable of filling. The tattoo on her wrist, the one she was supposed to pass down to her children? Well, it would appear that it would stay with her and her alone. When she and Armin got drunk one night and he told her everything about what transpired in the paths when she heard him say just how much Eren loved her back Mikasa was hurt like never before. Back then, she envied again, but differently.

She envied all the dead people because they could not feel pain anymore.

Then again, not everyone got their happiness back. Mikasa spent a lot of time with Levi over many teas as they talked and talked and reminisced. The captain lost everyone too, Erwin, Hange, his old squad, and none of them came back. He was just as hurt as she was. And when she broke down one day, openly sobbing in front of him, it was one of the few times that she saw Levi cry because he shared her pain.

It would not be fair to say that Mikasa Ackerman was stuck in the past. Usually, she was fine, her thoughts were not occupied solely by the past and by what she lost, but this place, this grave always picked her apart.

She traveled the world, alone or with Armin and Annie, seeing all the wonders that were once walled off. She visited Hizuru too but didn’t stay, much to Kiyomi’s dismay. Maybe one day Mikasa would be able to leave everything behind and take up her mantle as shogun’s descendant, but that was still far off. The wounds were too fresh.

When in Paradis Mikasa lived in a small cabin, just as the one in her and Eren’s dream, although it felt painfully empty without him sometimes. The small garden and the few animals kept her busy, but there were nights where she tossed and turned and remembered how it felt to hold him.

“Eren… I wish to see you again.”, she murmured, the hopeless whisper falling from her lips, overcome with those suppressed feelings here at Eren’s grave on the anniversary of the day he died. The day he left her forever.

Others would be here soon, they always gathered here on this day, remembered Eren as their friend and comrade, the man who sacrificed himself for them. But to her, he meant so, so much more – the future she could never have, the man that she loved more than life itself, the love that she was forced to sacrifice on the altar of the greater good.

In her darkest moments, Mikasa wondered if it was worth it. Home, family, those were the things she so desperately wanted, needed, and fought for, and yet they were taken from her. She cut them off herself with the blade and was now forced to suffer the unjust consequences.

Alone.

Her brooding was interrupted by something tugging at the end of her scarf. It was a bird, she realized, one that quickly flapped its wings and flew away when the fabric wouldn’t leave her neck. Looking after it, as it soared up high, Mikasa’s sadness broke with a melancholic smile. Is this the freedom that Eren wanted? The one he died for? Is he still there, watching her from the heavens above? Would she meet him in another life, perhaps?

And then, someone cleared his throat behind her.

“So, you’re still wearing that old thing?”

Mikasa’s eyes widened. No, this wasn’t possible. This wasn’t happening. That voice….

As quickly as she could Mikasa turned her head, the ponytail flapping in the wind. And there he was, looking just like the day she lost him, Eren Yeager with a half-smile on his face.

“Hello Mi-“, was all he managed to say before she tackled him, the two of them tumbling on the grass.

Ignoring the grunt the fall forced from Eren’s lips, Mikasa pressed her ear against his chest, just like all these years before. And again she was greeted by the steady beating sound, her eyes filling with tears.

“I’m dreaming.”, she sobbed, realizing that this must be her imagination, “You are not real.”

But he didn’t disappear. He didn’t dissolve into a fog and Mikasa didn’t wake up hugging her pillow instead. No, he was here, beneath her, solid and very much alive. The hand that gently slid over her head, caressing the now-long midnight hair was warm.

“You grew out your hair.”, Eren noticed, the sound rumbling from the chest under her ear, “Looks good on you.”

And that was about the height of absurdity that Mikasa was willing to endure. Pulling back quickly, she fixed him with a stare.

“No. Eren, you don’t get to appear and talk about my damn hair. You don’t get to d-die for three years and then come back without a word.”, her hand was squeezing his shirt, she realized, squeezing it so much that her knuckles bled white, “You can’t do this to me.”

“I suppose that you deserve an explanation.”, he surrendered, mirroring her and sitting up.

His eyes slid over to the tiny headstone, to his own grave, noticing the flowers there. Mikasa also didn’t let him go, her hand was still wound tightly in his shirt. She was still scared that this was her mind playing tricks on her, that this was not real and he would dissimilate at a moment’s notice. Overcome with the urge to touch her, as he yearned for so long, Eren gently took hold of that pale hand, intertwining their fingers.

“I thought I would die.”, he began, “Exactly as I told Armin, I did not lie. When you cut me, the darkness was supposed to come in, to close my eyes forever. But it didn’t.”

He took a shuddering breath.

“I was stuck in the paths, but they weren’t paths anymore. With Ymir gone and the curse unraveled, they became a vortex of memories and thoughts, sucking me in and I could feel my consciousness slipping away. Back then, I almost let go.”

Eren couldn’t meet Mikasa’s eyes, staring at his grave instead, the tips of his ears turning red for some reason.

“I-I couldn’t let myself leave you like this M-Mikasa, I Uhm... I…”

“You love me.”

She said it herself, making Eren’s head whip up to look at her, the blush now spreading to his cheeks.

“Armin told me everything.”, she explained, “He told me that you wanted to be with me in the end.”

“Ugh, and I made him promise that he wouldn’t tell you.”

Mikasa squeezed his hand harder.

“He was drunk, don’t blame him.”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

Eren sighed, once again looking at the headstone and making a mental note to ask Armin about the broken promise later.

“Well, as I was saying, the paths were coming to an end, the vortex was slowly but surely losing power and the parts of it were dying. So I did the only thing I could think of – I started stitching myself back together.”

“What do you mean?”

“I walked through the memories, every single one, picked those that belonged to me, and held them.” He looked down, staring at his fingers, “I didn’t even have hands back then, no body, but somehow I could do it, I preserved my memories by will alone, I pulled and pulled and they went, they stayed with me.”, his face changed into a somewhat haunted expression, “It was terrible, painful, and the hardest thing that I have ever done, but I kept moving forward, I kept going until all of me was together again. The rest of the memories died, disappeared into nothing, and for a moment I was scared that I would end up like that, stuck in a dark abyss with nothing but my thoughts.”

Eren’s thumb caressed Mikasa’s hand where their fingers were tangled together, reminding her that she was listening with bated breath. Letting it out, she breathed and he went on.

“I knew that if I let go of the ones I was holding that I would be free, that I would finally cease to exist, but I couldn’t.”, even with the blush, he met Mikasa’s eyes when he continued, “I had those memories I shared with you, the ones of you and I couldn’t let them go.”

Mikasa was the one blushing now, matching the redness of Eren’s cheeks.

“I don’t even know what happened,”, Eren confessed, “But when I realized that I would never let go I was pulled into something. A body, made by Ymir no doubt, her parting gift for me.”

He looked back towards the grave.

“I didn’t regenerate or anything, the head is still under the tree, I was made anew by the goddess you freed.”

Mikasa choked on a sob, not even realizing that she started crying again. Gently, so gently Eren reached out, wiping the tear away from her eyes with his thumb, smiling.

“I woke up on that field, naked and with no idea how I got there, which was quite a problem.”

Even crying Mikasa laughed at that, the mental image too funny to ignore.

“Obviously I had no idea how much time had passed while I was putting myself back together from scraps, I had no map or anything to guide me.”, he tapped his chest, “But I had this feeling, this magnetic pull towards somewhere, and I knew that it was guiding me to you. Back to my home.”

She couldn’t take it anymore. Lunging forward Mikasa wrapped him in a firm hug, sobbing freely into his chest. And Eren held her and caressed her and did all the things she dreamt about for years, making her melt into him. This was way too good to be true.

“So I began walking,”, Eren picked up, intent on finishing his story, “reaching a town I stole some clothes and continued. Sniffing around I realized that it was almost three years since I “died”, and now I had nothing. I stole a lot, because I had no money, and almost got caught a few times but I kept moving here, to you.”

Mikasa held him closer when he said those words, breathing in the scent of those stolen clothes and finally realizing that this was real. This was happening.

“Finally I reached the ocean after a few weeks, and there I managed to sneak on a cargo ship that took me here.”

Very, very gently he pushed her so that she pulled back, and they were looking at each other. Mikasa noticed the slight tremble of Eren’s lips, indicating that there was something he had to say so she kept quiet, waiting for him to string the words together.

“Mikasa,”, he said, “I’m no longer the man I once was. Eren Yeager died at that battle, he died and disappeared and will never be seen again. This body, not even a hair is left behind by him. I’m not Eren Yeager anymore, in fact, I’m not anyone. I don’t have anything to offer you – my powers are gone, my name is gone, my personality is dead. I am no one, but there is one thing that is still nestled deep in my heart because I believe that the feeling would traverse space and time for you.”

Slowly he cupped her cheek, giving her all the time in the world to pull away. Yet she didn’t.

“Mikasa Ackerman, I love you with everything that I am and everything that I once was.”

Now her lips were trembling, and they were staring at each other like a pair of blushing idiots. Then again, weren’t they just that?

“Could I…”, it took all of Eren’s courage to ask the next question because he was still a coward, but all the memories and suffering he endured were for this, for this moment, and the girl in front of him. He had to push it out, he needed this ever since that moment in the fields with the smiling titan, the memory which Eren saw hundreds, if not thousands, times when he was stuck in the paths.

“Can I kiss you?”

Mikasa didn’t answer. Instead, she pushed forward until their lips met and Eren’s mind went blank. Objectively, the kiss sucked. It was their second and the first that happened while they were both fully alive. She was way too insistent and he was way too stunned by her reply to kiss her back.

It didn’t matter.

It was still the sweetest thing that ever happened to them, and when Mikasa pulled back Eren regretted the loss of her warmth immediately.

“I know that you are a new person, but can I still call you Eren?”, she whispered, her breath tickling his skin.

“You can call me whatever you want.”, was his immediate answer.

“Ok then…”, a tiny smile curved those lips that he dreamt of kissing so many times up, “Nice to meet you, Eren.”

“Nice to meet you too, Mikasa.”

This time it was him who closed the distance, hellbent on getting better at the whole kissing thing. She kissed him back and Eren held Mikasa in his arms and the world around didn’t matter anymore. Just her and him, finally getting the love that they fought for all their lives.

High above, the bird flapped its wings and disappeared into the distance.

[talktothesun]

how often do i write fics? not often at all. but here’s a cute little piece that i wrote after finishing kuroko no basuke.

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aida riko didn’t know why she was in akita when her father asked her to meet him there. “go to a coffee shop! i’ll be done in an hour!”

now, her father was thirty minutes late, and riko was ready to leave the shop when a young girl, just about her age, tripped next to her table and dropped all her textbooks.

riko immediately went to help the girl who was on her knees.

“i’m so sorry for disturbing you!” the girl apologized as she got up from the ground and nodded.

riko shook her hands. “it’s fine! here,” she said, as she sat down at her table, “have a seat. you look like you should rest your arms. you have a lot.”

the girl smiled and took the empty seat in front of riko. she put her books on the side of the table. “thank you. i’m sado kiyomi.”

“aida riko.” riko glanced at the books and gasped. “you’re in advanced calculus? are you a second year?”

kiyomi shook her head. “i’m a first year!”

within twenty minutes, riko and kiyomi traded tricks of how to study for exams, as exams were looming on many students throughout the country. riko learned that kiyomi was in many advanced classes for her age. she apparently excelled in all her first-year classes, so they allowed her to take some second-year classes to prevent her from burning out too early.

“i was supposed to meet someone here, but i think he got sidetracked again,” kiyomi said, hiding a smile behind her coffee cup.

“a classmate?” riko asked.

kiyomi shook her head, putting her cup down. “my sweetheart! mukkun usually walks with me after my clubs, but today my meetings got cancelled. so, i wanted to wait for him to finish his obligations.”

riko clapped her hands in excitement. she didn’t know much about the girl, but she seemed so kind. riko couldn’t help but be happy that she’s happy. “how did you meet?”

kiyomi grinned widely. “i was grabbing a snack right before class, but the vending machine got stuck! i was waiting for a couple minutes, trying to press several buttons, but it wasn’t working, and i had to get to class. i was just about to give up when mukkun came up behind me and shook to machine. i never met him before, but he was kind enough to a stranger to help. but instead of one snack, two fell!” kiyomi paused her story as her smile became smaller, but fonder. “i handed him the extra snack as a thank you. after that, i started to notice him.”

the other girl squealed lightly as kiyomi laughed at her reaction. “that is so sweet! did he approach you?”

“funnily enough, i had a project to shadow a teacher for a couple weeks, and i chose our school’s pe teacher. she was so kind to me and allowed me to shadow her for my project. she coaches mukkun’s team, so i got to see him a lot more outside of school. he would walk me home after his practice and after my club meetings.”

riko sighed. “that’s so sweet. how do you find such a kind guy?”

kiyomi shrugged. “he found me.” she leaned across the table and touched riko’s hand. “i’m sure your sweetheart, junpei, will say something soon!”

the other girl groaned, thinking about the dense captain. “maybe if he looked up from the hoop, then he would notice me!”

kiyomi laughed loudly, making riko smile.

then, as if the sun had set, their table dimmed and a dark shadow loomed over them. riko looked up and gasped.

no.

of course, she should’ve known. she was in akita, in the town where yosen high school was located. yosen high school, which resided one of the generation of miracles. a miracle, who was looming over their table.

but before riko could say anything, something that she wasn’t expecting happened.

“mukkun!” kiyomi exclaimed, jumping from her seat and into the arms of the center.

murasakibara atsushi was one of the tallest people riko ever knew, standing at an impressive height of 6′10. her stats noted that he’s physically ready for a match, and her eyes looked at his body, which adorned in yosen’s tracksuit.

this was the player that intimidated all her players to the point of taking the first quarter with no points from seirin. this was the player that was deemed incapable of entering the zone, only to enter the blessed place where players could only dream.

this was also the player who bent his knees to catch the 5′2 girl in his arms, picking her up and lightly shaking her as she laughed above his shoulder with her arms around his neck. the center has a small smile on his face before he set her down and turned to riko.

their height difference was almost laughable, kiyomi didn’t even reach his shoulders, and she had to tilt her head an uncomfortable way to see his face. but riko couldn’t tell if she cared, because kiyomi sported the brightest smile in the snowy terrain.

“omi-chin, why are you talking to seirin’s coach?” murasakibara asked the girl attached to his side.

kiyomi looked at riko and back at murasakibara then back to riko. “seirin?” she glanced at riko’s bag, which held seirin’s emblem on the front and grinned. “oh, that makes sense! mukkun talked about you before and your great strategies!”

riko heard what kiyomi said, but she didn’t respond. instead, she was staring at kiyomi’s winter outfit, adorned in pants and books with a plains sweater and a long winter coat that had yosen’s emblem on the side. she facepalmed and shook her head. “i can’t believe i didn’t notice! of course you go to yosen!”

murasakibara stood quietly behind kiyomi during their interaction, but he finally sighed. “can we go now? i wanna go to the sweets shop. the old guy promised to give me a discount today.”

kiyomi nodded and grabbed her books from the side of the table. murasakibara grabbed the large stack with his one arm and held out his free hand. but before kiyomi could grab it, she went over to riko’s side and hugged the coach.

“riko-chan, please give me your number! i would love to be friends with you,” kiyomi asked as she separated from the embrace. riko could have said no, but when she looked at the girl’s eyes, she faltered.

instead of saying anything, riko simply handed her phone to the girl and kiyomi gave riko her cell phone.

“thank you, riko-chan!” kiyomi bid the coach farewell before grabbing murasakibara’s hand. “i’ll see if coach araki will allow a practice match! i wanna see tokyo, huh, mukkun?”

murasakibara only hummed in agreement but let out an “oof!” when kiyomi sliced his stomach.

“will you show me tokyo, mukkun?” kiyomi raised her eyebrow at the tall enter. when he finally nodded, kiyomi grinned at riko. “then i’ll ask coach! i’ll see you soon, riko-chan!”

at those words, murasakibara happily tugged kiyomi’s hand as they walked out the shop. their conversation lingered in the air.

“i’m sorry for leaving you on your own, omi-chin.”

“mukkun, it’s okay!” kiyomi hugged murasakibara’s arm in response, and the boy took his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, keeping their hands interlocked. “do you know what snacks you’ll get?”

“you choose, omi-chin. but get me some for tomorrow too.”

“okay! oh, here you go! i found this in my bag and was saving it for you.”

“let’s share. oh, let’s get muro-chin some gummies. he was complaining during practice today.”

riko smiled at the retreating couple, thinking that the boy found someone who complimented him so well. she hoped she got to see kiyomi soon.

[snkpolls]

SnK Episode 68 Poll Results (for Manga Readers)

The poll closed with 146 responses. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Please note that these are the results for the Manga Readers’ poll. If you wish to see the results for the Anime Only Watchers’ poll, click here.

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RATE THE EPISODE 140 Responses

The anime continues its positive streak with just over 90% of respondents rating the episode a 4 or 5. MAPPA appears to be blowing this season out of the water for most of us!

Noice

Good!

I liked it

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING MOMENTS WAS YOUR FAVORITE? 144 Responses

We got a pretty mixed pie chart this week. To be expected, given how many moments were in this episode. At a tie with the largest pieces of the pie were Hange’s eccentric attempt to greet the Marleyans and Eren’s gunshot figuratively hitting Sasha. Behind that two more options tied in each with 10.4% of the vote - EMA’s conversation at the shooting range and Sasha appreciating Nicolo’s cooking. This is followed closely by Eren’s mirror scene with 9.7% of the vote. Onyankopon explaining why he looks different when Sasha asks him about it took a solid 9% of the vote.

WHAT WAS THE MOST EMOTIONAL PART OF THE VISIT TO SASHA’S GRAVE? 144 Responses

This was almost too close to call, but Mikasa sitting alone managed to edge out just slightly over Connie’s “I’ve lost half of me” moment at Sasha’s grave. Trailing behind the two were Nicolo’s grief and the agreement between Papa Braus agreeing to a free meal from Nicolo.

AFTER SEVERAL TENSE AND ACTION PACKED EPISODES, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE TRANSITION TO SOMETHING MORE CALM? 138 Responses

The larger chunk of respondents are feeling relieved to get a break from the action for a few episodes. 21.7% prefer the action but don’t mind a break here and there, while 21% state that they enjoy the exposition more than the action anyway, so they are content. A small handful don’t care either way. 

We needed this for another build-up to more action

I like the action but it’s important to move the story along 

These just feel mandatory fillers to me.

I miss the warriors

I feel fine with it. I thought that was going to be some happy-go-me episode, but gladly it still had a serious tones.

This episode felt like a very welcome respite after the absolute shitshow that was spoilers week and....whatever the fuck chapter 137 was. 

Nice breather of sorts, I always like seeing characters from action-heavy series in their downtime.

WOULD YOU RATHER GET A SURPRISE GREETING FROM EREN & HANGE, OR ARMIN & LEVI? 141 Responses

The vast majority of respondents would prefer the slightly less lethal greeting given by Hange and Eren at the beginning of the episode. We’re not sure if the other 29.1% are masochists or just really love Levi and/or Armin that much more. Or perhaps they’re intrigued by the pig piss from the filthy island devils.

ON A SCALE OF 1-5, HOW HAPPY ARE YOU TO BE BACK ON PARADIS? 139 Responses

Overall, fans are happy to be back in familiar territory and put into the perspective of the Survey Corps again. Let’s get ready to rumble!

MAPPA HAS SPRINKLED IN ANIME-ONLY ADDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE EPISODE. AS A WHOLE, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THEM? 139 Responses

Though subtle, MAPPA did include some anime filler (such as Eren’s, erm, mouth breathing). 51.1% enjoyed the noticeable additions, while 37.4% are completely confused by the question and didn’t realize there were any. A handful generally don’t prefer additions but enjoyed what little ones we had this episode. A small sliver didn’t care for them.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE SCENES FROM CHAPTER 107 THAT WERE PEPPERED IN BETWEEN THE MOMENTS FROM CHAPTER 106? 139 Responses

MAPPA is shuffling things around to pick up the pacing of this arc, and 48.2% of respondents are feeling very positively about it. 38.8% also feel that both the order of events in the original manga and the anime work out just fine regardless. A couple of smaller groups either felt that things were a bit off from the manga, or didn’t really care either way. 

I think it's great because it allows an episode to start and end on the same chapter if mappa ever wanted it, allowing the right twists or cliffhangers to be in the right episodes, all WITHOUT having to slow down, which I wholly appreciate.

I'm fine with the changes. Mappa is doing good job.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE CHANGE OF GABI BITING HER NAIL AND ANGRILY SAYING EREN’S NAME IN HER JAIL CELL? 142 Responses

Nearly half of voters feel that both MAPPA’s take and Isayama’s original take work just fine for Gabi’s character. 28.9% prefer the anime’s take on Gabi’s reaction to all that happened, while 14.8% feel that her more defeated posture in the manga makes more sense for her character. 

I'm a mix of both? Her defeated posture implies that she's not happy with the way things worked out with them in jail and Zeke betraying them. On the other hand, her angry face is realistic to the scene too because it implies she really blames Eren for their current predicament.

She looks like some female version of young, angry Tarzan. This time Mappa should have kept the original postures, because the defeated Gabi feels to be more realistic, than the crazy anime one. 

I think they both work but the anime's take might be the anime team beating us over the head that she's just like Eren when he was young.

Makes it clear to the anime-onlies that she really is psychotic

Gabi sucks

HOW WELL DO YOU THINK MAPPA NAILED THE TRANSITION OF EREN SHOOTING THE GUN, TO SASHA TAKING THE HIT? 141 Responses

The response to MAPPA’s take on Eren’s shot inadvertently hitting Sasha was overwhelmingly positive, with only a few people saying that they could have done better with it. 

Eren shot linked to Sasha's death was awesome. Mappa is nailing it!

THE PART WHERE JEAN, SASHA AND CONNIE ARE TRYING TO GUESS WHAT A PORT IS WAS CUT OUT, WITH ARMIN’S NARRATION INSTEAD CUTTING INTO THE SCENE. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT? 140 Responses

Exactly 50% felt that while having that JSC characterization would have been very much welcome, they’re okay with that small detail missing from the manga (granted, it was at least acknowledged by one panel being animated). 25.7% have a more nonchalant response, stating that if it helps with the pacing, they’re fine with small cuts like this. 10.7% are just let down by JSC’s lack of characterization in the anime overall and didn’t appreciate even more being taken from their characterization in this episode. 

I was more so interested in our Paradis Peeps talking about newly discovered technology but I’m happy with what we got.

Not dissappointed since I understand you can't show everything but I love them so sad

Why was it animated then?! I’m so confused

Normally I don't like it when they cut corners like this, but I wasn't fond of that scene in the first place so it's okay.

If by "anime" you mean the entirety of it including the past 3 seasons, then option 3. I'm always going to be salty about how much they took out or changed for these three during the uprising arc. So far mappa has done okay with them, I guess. 

Would have been a funny JSC moment, but it was really absolutely pointless. In manga format it works as just background words on a panel. Animating it takes seconds of an episode that could be used elsewhere. So I'm fine with it being cut out.

SOME HAVE COMPLAINED THAT THE ENDING SCENE OF EREN REPEATING HIS MANTRA INTO THE MIRROR LACKED THE IMPACT IT HAD IN THE MANGA. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? 138 Responses

43.5% were receptive of the anime only shots, but favor the way the scene was portrayed in the manga more. 34.1% felt that both versions were done well, with only 9.4% feeling that the impact was largely the same (if not better). Based on the write-ins, the main complaint seems to be the lighting/color scheme of the scene not quite meeting expectations, or that MAPPA made Eren’s back look weird. 

theyll make up for it when eren screeches at hange next ep

Impact was there, art just felt a bit wonky and toned down the scene overall. 9/11

This goes into my criticism of the color palette and shading style mappa uses, which is far more subdued. The contrast is lowered and the scene is very dark, and there is little rim lighting, so while the actual lineart has far more detail, the detail in the lighting is reduced. Damn I really am writing a wall text aren't I? I prefer Wit Studio's art style a lot but Mappa has honestly been doing great so I couldn't care less, manbun Eren is hot.

I prefer the manga version. I think the anime version have weirds shadows in eren's back. Plus the mirror don't have the same energy, less impactful

Cool scene in the anime, an unforgettable blow to the brains in the manga

Idk

Most of the time seeing things for the first time is what's really impactful. Feel this way towards Armin's transformation in the boat as well. It was definitely less impactful than when you first read it in the manga.

I understand the fandom because this moment was very popular when the chapter was out. I think that in the anime Eren lacks the anger he had in the manga. His voice was too calm while repeating his mantra. .

WHY DOES HIS BACK LOOK LIKE THAT

I didn't care for it in the anime, it was really underwhelming. 

I think most people are annoyed about the lighting than the impact. It’s a bit too dim and the lamp hides Eren’s new hair.

Didn't like the anime version at all

The animation wasn't good and they totally fucked his hair, face, and body up. Although the added shots were definitely welcome.

Eren could've been sexier/animated better, I hope they do better next ep 😭

WE WILL ASK YOU AGAIN. HOW WILL THE ANIME DEAL WITH MIKASA’S HIZURU TATTOO/SYMBOL? 135 Responses

With Mikasa meeting Kiyomi presumably being inevitable in episode 69, we wondered if any opinions had changed on this. 34.1% feel hopeful that the tattoo will be retconned into the anime and that we will see this scene faithful to the manga. 28.9% think that Mikasa will happen to have some kind of embroidery on hand already. 25.9% don’t want to make a call either way, and a small handful think Mikasa’s going to just pull out an embroidery kit and go with it, lol.

The embroidery will be on the inside of her bandage.

Japanese are very taboo about tattoos because of the Yazuka... it will 100% be the embroidery.

I don't know but I hope it gets retconned. Never liked the embroidery thing.

It won't be included

Let’s just... ignore it..

I really really hope MAPPA retcons Mikasa's tattoo next episode. This will be the one retcon I will absolutely celebrate. Plus, it's not really a retcon if they're just amending Wit's changes.

WE WILL ASK YOU AGAIN, AGAIN. WITH THE PACING CURRENTLY UTILIZED BY MAPPA, WHERE WILL EPISODE 16 END? 137 Responses

Uncertainty continues to loom over exactly how far MAPPA will get into this (first half of the?) season. Nearly 40% don’t want to make predictions one way or another, while 23.4% feel that it won’t make it quite to chapter 122. The rest believe it will make it to chapter 122, with 17.5% feeling there will only be minor cuts, if any, and the remaining 13.1% feeling that there will be major cuts to make the feat to chapter 122. 

116 (?) when the allied force attack paradis

122 with the amount of cuts being somewhere in between. They can cut a lot of the Gabi and Falco plotline and still have the story remain intact.

See, I'm not sure buy I'm also worried and curious about it all. It brings up the question of will the story continue in a possible second half of the season? With the manga ending very soon now, it makes sense to have the story wrap up in its anime medium as well. Fees like there's some kind of uncertainty surrounding this, it's unnerving tbh. 

119 with Eren's head being blown off.

gabi no scoping eren, ending creds is eren entering paths and we see ymir standing behind him, s4p2 starts w the ymir backstory

121

No idea and I don't think about it. I just enjoy the show. 

Your guess is as good as mine, I'm still fearing major cuts.

119

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT NICOLO’S PORTRAYAL? 138 Responses

With Nicolo now formally introduced in the anime, we were curious how you felt about his portrayal. Overall the reaction was positive, with 48.6% agreeing that he’s a “cutie pie chef”, and another 45.7% feeling that his design and seiyuu are absolutely great! A small handful were less happy with the voice, but happy with the design, and a sliver went in the opposite direction, preferring voice over animation.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE ADDED DETAIL OF THE FLOWER BOQUETS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM ON SASHA’S GRAVE? 140 Responses

Respondents vastly appreciated the flower symbolism from MAPPA with 82.9% of the pie. 12.9% aren’t really sure what symbolism there even was, and a small amount either don’t care or felt the effort could have been spent on something other than flowers for Sasha.

WHICH SCENE FROM THE PREVIEW ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO? 143 Responses

This pie chart wound up being almost eerily even. 42.7% are most looking forward to the 104th discussing Eren (hopeful for the train flashback?). 39.9% instead are looking more forward to Hange and Eren’s tense conversation at his jail cell. The remaining three preview moments were pretty evenly split as well.

DO YOU THINK WE’LL GET BLUSHING!104TH NEXT EPISODE? 130 Responses

71.5% feel that there is a chance we will get the train flashback of the 104th in this episode, but don’t want to say for absolutely certain. 18.5% feel that it is a guarantee based on what we saw in the preview. 10% feel it is instead guaranteed that we will NOT get the scene in 69.

WE WILL LIKELY SEE PREGNANT HISTORIA NEXT EPISODE. THOUGHTS? 140 Responses

The plotline that continues to be a frustrating mystery in the manga - Historia’s pregnancy. 34.3% aren’t particularly looking forward to seeing her in the rocking chair and aren’t very stoked about having to relive this plotline all over again. 33.6% mainly just care about seeing how the anime only fans react to the scene. 17.9% just miss Historia altogether and will take any scraps they can get. And a small handful, at 9.3%, are actually looking forward to seeing anime!Historia with a baby bump. 

Don't really care about historia

It's in MAPPA's hands now. I just hope they can add a little more of her screentime somehow.

I hope so. I want to see the design of her adult self. 

I honestly wouldn't mind if Historia's entire arc, which consists of equal parts pregnancy, irrelevance and uselessness, is just completely cut in the anime lol

not interest

I'm not interested 

I've hated this fucking plot line with all my being and what it's done to Historia since the leaks for this chapter were revealed years ago. So I'm not looking forward to anime-only people jumping in with their hot takes too. 🤮🤮

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON THE EPISODE?

mikasa was shown in sasha's grave in the morning/afternoon and then she was shown again at dusk. SHE SPENT THE WHOLE DAY THERE. and annie... what a queen. and hisu's few scenes? so pretty.

Really glad the pacing was well done

nicosasha ship just flew in and took the spotlight

fantastic!! maybe it's just because this isn't my first time going through this arc anymore, but i feel like the anime feels chronologically less confusing than the manga—I remember being very confused my first time reading these chapters.

The lack of score by Hiroyuki Sawamo is negatively impacting my relationship with the anime. The depth of the emotion that could have been evoked was not present. I also did not get the sense that Nicolo and Sasha were in love, which was a major disappoinment. There were other aspects that weren't so bad, though; specifically, Levi's portrayal and Onyankopon's philosophy.

It felt a bit all over the place, but just seeing things from the manga being animated, I ain’t even mad.

I think that the scene between Sasha and Nicolo was made better in the anime. Isayama has problems with writing romantic moments, so in the manga the whole moment looked like it was taken from some light romance. Mappa made this scene more serene. I liked it. 

I think MAPPA is doing so great tbh! I just need them to hurry up and explain if there will be a part two to this final season or what?! I need to know if we get more anime or they'll diverge into movies or.... just tell us! Lol! 

How DAREEEE they not give Levi his black steed!!!! .....Although knowing what happens ummm yeah maybe his pony gets to live another day this way lol

Here comes the train wreck, choo choo!

I'm really sad I didn't get to hear Sasha call Jean a perv. I was really looking forward to that. LOL I love them. When EMA were at the shooting range, it looked too much like Mikasa wasn't wearing any pants. 

VERY solid. Not the biggest fan of the War for Paradis arc but I'm here for the ride.

WHERE DO YOU PRIMARILY DISCUSS THE SERIES? 128 Responses

Thanks again to everyone who participated!

[fcxyviixen]

void

summary: mammon finds a young girl in the human world after being summoned once again. after hiding her for a little while, lucifer finds her and a fight starts. mammon leaves with the girl, however during that time a dark voice starts to pull at him. a deep feeling like tar by drawing strength on his wrath. he was gone for 14 years, the curse growing stronger.

pairing: n/a (mammon and brother centric)

rating: 14+

chapter wc: 1612

warnings: violence, mentions of blood, attempted kidnapping prologue

Mammon was once again summoned to the human world, once again, for debt. He had just left the area, waiting for Lucifer to bring him back as he just texted him, but he didn’t get a response or even read. Mammon just sighed knowing it’ll be a while. While walking around he heard a scream, a child’s scream.

He turned the corner and saw 4 grown men standing over a kicking and screaming little girl, looking about 6 or 7. Mammon looked and his parental instincts kicked in, he quickly threw one of the men away from the girl. The other men looked panicked for a moment before one was stupid enough to try and stab him from behind.

The blade barely connected, but left a small scratch. Mammon quickly disarmed him, just like he was taught years ago. The other two men were smart enough to leave the girl and run. The little girl hit the ground with a small thud. She was frozen for a second before clinging to Mammon’s leg.

She was shaking and crying, gentle sobs leaving her as he heard a ‘thank you.’. Mammon picked her up. The little girl allowed him to and she threw herself into his chest. Mammon was a bit confused at first, but melted when the child half-way hugged him. He could feel the power of a witch inside the child, it was strong. Much stronger than he had ever seen.

Mammon knew sooner or later he would be summoned back to the Devildom, but what about the little girl? He couldn’t just leave her after seeing what just happened. He knew what had been happening recently, witches were being hunted and used for their blood, it was something gruesome.

Mammon didn’t want to leave this child to suffer what she almost had. The demon sighed lightly, placing a hand on her head. He wanted to try and text Lucifer again, but he didn’t think it was a good idea. He ended up contacting one of his witch friends that he knew was looking for a student.

“Mammon, what a surprise!” The witch’s voice appeared after the second ring. “Look, Kiyomi. I was wondering, I found a little girl who was close to being kidnapped. She has a bit of power to her. Are ya willing to take her in?” Mammon asked.

“A little girl? She must be strong if you say she is. But, unfortunately I’m out of town and will be for the next week. So, do you think you can keep her for the week until I get back?” She asked.

Mammon only gave a small grumble. “Yeah, call me as soon as you get back got it?” he said. “No problem.” She said, hanging up quickly. Mammon looked down at the little girl, who’s sniffles turned into little snores as she fell asleep against him. “This is gonna be a long week huh?” He asked quietly.

So started Mammon’s long week with the little girl. He found another witch to send him back to the Devildom. He hid the little girl in his room, somehow sneaking her in without Lucifer or his other brother’s noticing.

She slept on his bed, he wasn’t gonna make the little girl sleep on the couch or the floor. He found out her name was Riko, she was an orphan, and she didn’t have any home to go to. Mammon told her that a friend would take her in, but she had to stay with him for a little while. Surprisingly, she was calm about it and made sure to stay quiet.

No one noticed anything out of the blue, soon enough the week was coming to a close. He was out by himself when he got called by Kiyomi. He went back towards the HOL, only to hear a bit of yelling from inside, then a loud scream.

Riko’s scream. Mammon’s heart sank to his stomach as he slammed the entrance doors open. The sight brought an unknown rage boiling up.

Lucifer had Riko by the arm, so harshly that Mammon thought he was going to break it. When he slammed the doors opened, Lucifer’s eyes quickly shot towards him. The demon form making it clear he was furious. “Mammon! You mind explaining why a human child was in your room?!” Lucifer’s loud voice boomed.

That made the poor child cry even more, trying to break from his grip. The other brothers were there, trying to calm the eldest down. “Lucifer-!” Mammon tried to speak, but it was cut short, like always. “What were you thinking!? Do you know how badly this could ruin Diavolo’s reputation!?” 

Mammon got pissed hearing that. Lucifer was more worried about Diavolo that he was willing to hurt a child over him. The dark feeling within Mammon felt earlier and it started to feel stronger. He quickly moved towards Lucifer, his swift foot causing him to move faster than him to quickly disarm him of the little girl.

His demon form came to life as he held the little girl in his arms, protecting her like he did before. Lucifer was in shock for a second by Mammon kicking his arm hard. Mammon placed the little girl down, he saw this was going to be a fight. Lucifer wouldn’t let Mammon off about this easily.

“Run back to my room, quickly.” He whispered to her. Riko nodded and quickly dashed. “Beel, get the girl.” Lucifer ordered the 6th born. Beelzebub was hesitant because of the dark glare Mammon was giving him. Mammon stood up completely, he was only a few inches shorter of Lucifer, but he still had an intimidating height.

Lucifer’s glare darkened, and the dark feeling, like wrath, was bubbling in Mammon. He clenched his hands together, his claws digging into the tan skin. “Mammon, stand down. I’ll only warn you once.” Lucifer threatened. The feeling tugged at something, forcing a dark smile onto Mammon’s lips.

“No.” Mammon said, his voice filled with anger. Lucifer looked taken aback by this response, it wasn’t like Mammon to defy the eldest. Mammon used this opportunity to lunge at him, quickly slamming him into the wall behind him. Causing the dry wall to crack and break from the impact.

The other brothers stood back, none of them tried to get in the middle. It would end badly if they got in the middle of a wrath driven Lucifer and Mammon. Lucifer pushed himself off the wall, his expression darkening.

Soon, the elder brothers were at each other's throats. Tearing skin off wherever they can. Lucifer, despite being the eldest, was struggling to hold his own. He had a dark black eye and his top was torn to shreds as blood started coating the destroyed floor beneath him along with himself.

Mammon was still standing, barely shaken. His adrenaline was running high. He was wounded, deep bruises lining his arms and shoulders. Deep claw marks in his torso. His body was blood soaked, which was difficult to tell if it was his own, or Lucifer’s. 

“Mammon, what is the meaning of this? Are you really willing to turn your back on your brothers over a mere child?” Lucifer asked, taking deep breaths as he steadied himself, he didn’t put much pressure on his left foot, most likely a broken ankle. Mammon’s brows furrowed in anger, something screaming inside him. That kid is yours, he was trying to hurt her. He turned first.

Mammon growled when he brought up Riko. “Don’t you bring her into this. She’s innocent. I was just trying to protect her.”. Mammon took another step towards his brother, it seemed his wrath had calmed, but his eyes showed it was about to bubble over again.

Beelzubub quickly forced himself in between. “Mammon, stop!” Beelzebub pleaded. “Haven’t you both done enough?” he asked. Mammon glared at him, making the demon shake ever so slightly. None of the brothers saw Mammon glare at them with so much hatred.

Mammon looked like he was about to grab Beelzebub and toss him to the side. The dark voice screaming at him to do so. He was about to listen until he heard a small voice from the broken stairs. “Mams…?” He turned to see Riko.

The little girl standing dangerously close to the broken stairs. He had told her to stay in his room. Did she hear the chaos and come out? Mammon quickly turned from his brothers to go to her. “What are you doing out?” Mammon asked.

“Why are you fighting?” Riko asked. Mammon paused, he didn’t know how to answer her question. “Is it because of me?” She asked. Mammon quickly knelt down. “No!” He said quickly, gently hovering over her. Not wanting to touch her with the blood on his hands.

Mammon looked back towards his brothers. All of them were staring at him. Lucifer looked at him angrily, he stood up completely, he pushed past Beelzebub to go towards the end of the broken stairs. Mammon glared, the dark voice coming back, Leave, take the kid and go. He will just hurt her again. And you. He never cared about either of you.

Mammon listened to the voice, he picked the girl up. Frowning when some blood got on her clothes. “Lucifer, don’t take ‘nother step towards us.” Mammon said. “We’re leavin’. This time for sure, I ain’t comin’ back.”. Mammon moved quickly past the elder demon towards the door.

“Ya come after me, and it won’t end very well for ya. None of ya.” Mammon threatened. Kicking open the doors, breaking one of the hinges. Next thing any of them knew, he was gone.

[flailingkittylover]

Homecoming

[Archive of Our Own]

Gen fic

Summary:  One way or another, no matter how much he does not deserve to step into this place and stand before this person, Armin brings Bertholdt home. 

Characters: Armin Arlert, Bertholdt Hoover, Bertholdt Hoover’s father 

Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Mentions of death

A/N: I don’t see enough Armin + Bert content :( Makes me very sad. 

The tips of Armin’s fingers glide along the sewn border of his fedora. His fingertips have careened his hat so quickly and frequently, he’s memorized the stitching of his hat from the back all the way to the front. This hospital smells of over-starched bed sheets, bitter medicine, and a foul odor which inches too close to the smell of defecation. His neck is a wood-stiff mess. His muscles are so coiled tight in his suit, he stands as straight as an ironing board. 

 Coming here was a bad idea.

 He should not have come here. He knows what could happen if he slips up on one word. 

 Armin’s determination is backpedaling. He should have listened to Mikasa and just returned to their hideout right after their reconnaissance with Kiyomi and Levi was completed. But that itch under his skin, that centipede-like crawl which skittered under his neck bugged him enough until he relented, finally accepting he needed to do this. His anvil-weighted conscience will grow in heaviness if he doesn’t. 

 “Excuse me, sir?” Armin hardly manages to twist his neck to the side. A nurse, her face broadcasting an elegant amount of makeup and sincere cheerfulness smiles at him. He should feel some warmth from such a pleasant greeting, but he doesn’t, “Mr. Hoover can see you now. He’s awake.”

 Armin’s Adam's apple suddenly feels like the size of an actual apple in his throat. He ducks his head as he dons his cap, trying to hide his eyes, “T-Thank you, miss.”

 The woman walks away and he walks in. He staggers a bit upon entry. 

 The room is pitch-dark. The blinds to the window are closed as is the door to the restroom. All Armin can see is the silhouettes of furniture and a bed amidst the darkness. 

“Whoever is there, the light switch is near the door somewhere,” speaks a gravely, calm voice, “I don’t need it, but I would suggest it for you.”

 Armin squints, darts his eyes around the black-fuzz of the room and feels the wall for the light switch. He glides the switch up and takes off his cap, stands before the door while the elderly man adjusts to face him. The young Corpsman knew this fact—it’s why he chose to see this man today—though to see this affliction first hand leaves Armin speechless. 

 Mr. Hoover is completely blind, his eyes cloud-grey and sunken just like his cheekbones. But that’s not what scares Armin- what frightens him is how this man is a wrinkled, salt and pepper-haired clone of his son.

 “Can’t say I was expecting visitors today,” Mr. Hoover chuckles weakly then coughs afterwards, “Is that you, Karina?”

 Armin isn’t quite sure who that is, “No. A-Actually, you don’t know me, sir. I asked the Warrior Unit where you might be. I was a part of the recruits at one time, you see. They had my record on file. But...well. Obviously, I didn’t make the cut.”

  “Oh…I see,” The man leans back on his large pillow. He stares at the end of the room, motionless; maybe he’s mentally registering Armin’s words. A small, feeble chuckle quakes the man’s chest, “You didn’t make the cut, but you sought me out. Very interesting indeed...you knew my son then? You knew my Berty-boy?”

 Armin blinks. He’s never had a nickname put upon him by his own parents; hearing Bertholdt’s father’s nickname for his son is oddly endearing. Even though Mr. Hoover can’t see him, Armin tries to straighten his spine, steeling himself.

 “Yes, sir. I did.” 

 A smile so full of intrigue and child-like wonder pulls up the man’s lips, “I see...well come over then, come over. You sound too far away for my liking. Take a seat.”

 Hesitantly, Armin accepts the man’s invitation. There are no chairs - possibly because this hospital is overcrowded from the recently won war and every chair is needed for a doctor or supporting an IV drip. The bed sinks at its side when Armin sits down next to Mr. Hoover.

 A string of coughs leaves Mr. Hoover and quickly afterward, asks with excitement, “Tell me then, how did you come to know him? Berty was always so quiet and reserved. Though I can understand why. This place...I wish I could have given him more. As I’m sure you’ve experienced, the ghettos don’t provide much safety. It’s easy to become constantly tentative and scared when you grow up with guards watching your every move.”

 There’s this palpitation in Armin’s chest, makes him wonder if it’s Bertholdt himself trying to knock against his pecs, to break out his ribcage and say hello to his father, that he’s here and okay. Armin has seen minor bits of Bertholdt’s childhood but never instances when the dangers within the Liberio ghettos aimed their sights at him.

 “He wasn’t always tentative, sir. I came here because...” The moistness in Armin’s throat evaporates into a desert. He licks his quivering lips, trying to form words. They don’t come. 

 A rumble like thunder quakes in the back of the older man’s throat, “No doubt you had some sympathy for the rumors going around—how the Colossal has likely been lost to the Island Devils. You aren’t the first to come pay your respects.”

 Armin’s chest might as well be shattering, “T-That’s not! I-” That was one of the purposes why he’s here but there was something else, another fact his addled brain can’t fetch right now. 

 Rather than scorn him, thin and bony shoulders rise and fall from delicate laughter, “You must have been friends with Bertholdt. You sound like you get as tongue-tied as him. It’s refreshing to hear. Cadets and rejects always have this rigidness to their speech, not that I am complaining. You young ones need to be fierce and forceful, especially against this kind of world. But you...you’re like my boy—I can tell. Your presence doesn’t feel commanding and coarse like the others. I almost feel warm around you.”

 Armin is at a loss on how to respond. He picks at his fingernails, nervous and scrambling for another subject to talk about.

 “A pitchfork,” words sounding far off in the distance resound in his head, “When you’re looking down the line of sight, you want to see a pitchfork shape between the sight of the gun and the tip of the muzzle. Doing that will help with your aim. A-At least, that’s what I try to imagine when I shoot, anyway…”

 “Actually, s-sir. What I came here to tell you was…” The ball in Armin’s throat hops up and down from his swallowing. He struggles to form words, “I came to tell you that your son...your son helped me a lot back then. And when I found out you were bedridden, I wanted to share with you some things I remembered about him - what Bertholdt and I went through together in the Co-” Armin quickly stops himself, “In the Warrior Program.”

 “Is that so?” The older man is so frail yet he scoots up on his bed as excitedly as a child to a present. The sudden glint in dying, cloudy eyes is so clear, Armin retracts a bit from shock, “And here I thought Reiner and Pieck told me all there is to know. What else did Berty do?” 

 Armin sucks in a breath, battles to keep his voice level. His laugh escapes with a shudder, “There was uh...there was this time where we all had to shoot targets. I was struggling to not just fire but aim too. The rifle...it was too big for me, you see. And when I finally got it to fit in the dip of my shoulder, the recoil would knock me back. I hardly got two shots in before I gave up. Bertholdt saw me. Whether or not he felt sorry for me, I don’t know...but he showed me how to plant my feet better, how to focus between the sight at the end of the barrel to get a better shot. He spent two hours instructing me on it...and I still performed horribly. But Bertholdt kept trying. He didn’t leave my side until my entire box of bullets was gone. He was the best marksman in the class and he made it look easy, but he still spent time teaching those who weren’t so talented...like me.” 

 “Dead-eye Bert,” Mr. Hoover chuckles, “That was what I’d call him to my buddies. I would bet money that my boy could have shaved the nutsack off a gnat if given a rifle and one bullet.”

 No matter how strained and clogged he sounds, Armin can’t refrain from laughing. Watching Bertholdt shoot was a sight to be seen. There was so much untapped in him - even Armin could see that - yet in that split second of firing pin clicking, Bertholdt became an unstoppable ace. The taller boy’s smile would tremble but it was heartfelt; he’d approach cautiously, but emanated an aura which was campfire-warm. Armin can’t remember a time when he was ever afraid of Bertholdt...except in that time they confronted each other in Shiganshina. 

 “Bertholdt was definitely quiet, but he was always helpful,” Armin continues, “He’d help others study. He was shy about it—but he helped. I probably wouldn’t even hold a gun properly to this day without him. He stood out and he didn’t even know it…”

 A high-note of uncertainty rings out from Mr. Hoover, “It’s odd, boy. From the detail of how you’re talking, it’s as if all this happened recently and not over ten years ago. Were you not a child then?” 

 Armin can’t answer. What even was he at that age? Was he still a kid during their three years of training? Could he even be considered that after everything they went through? Or has he been a child masquerading around as a soldier? Is he still a child even at this moment? 

 He wishes he knew. He wishes Bertholdt or Mikasa or Eren would give him an answer, if someone could give him an answer on why any of this had to happen to all of them. 

 The ends of Armin’s eyes smolder, his tears hot as they run down his cheeks. His lower lip wobbles as he stammers out, “I was a child and it was so long ago...but that’s how much of an impact Bertholdt left on me…”

 “...now now now,” Tan, wrinkled hands lift up, blindly reaching wherever—he’s looking for him. Against his better judgement, Armin extends out his hand, allowing Bertholdt’s father to grab hold; caramel skin wrinkled by advanced age and disease is trying to comfort him, “Don’t you feel bad for him or for me. My boy...my son could be timid, but he was brave—always brave. No matter what happened to him, I’m proud. He fought with great honor and strength for Marley even before he went to Paradis. I know he did the same when he faced those Devils on Paradis. I can feel it.”

 And he did. To this day, Armin’s skin tingles from the hellfire which ran along his limbs, of his innards melting like acid was poured inside him, degrading into liquid bits of any future chance he had of living. Bertholdt was level-headed and terrifying—brave, as his father put it. In a way which could be considered sick and ghastly, he envies Bertholdt in that way—to go through such a transformation in such a short period of time.  

 Armin hiccups at what he sees between the man’s hands. The skin of the hand Mr. Hoover holds cracks and blackens. Armin’s fingers fuse together, melted flesh molding and hardening until it’s a black meat-block which can never be revived. Armin’s heart - or Bertholdt’s knocking inside him - slams against his ribs.

  Bertholdt should be the one doing this—to be telling his father how he performed against enemies he’s trained for years to fight. Instead, these smaller, more delicate hands hold this old man’s; they are far from the large albeit kind grip Bertholdt once had. The self-mutilated surface of Armin’s soul peels back another layer. 

 “To hear that he kept being himself…” his father continues, his voice light, almost like he’s stuck in a dream, “That he helped others even while in such a training regiment...I’m happy. Beyond happy, in fact. That Warrior Program changes every child put through it. So many voices lost all innocence and sense of calm. They almost always got into fights or had problems later in life...” Mr. Hoover lightly clenches Armin’s hand, “I’m a dead man anyway, so I don’t have any fear when I tell you this—I’m glad you weren’t accepted into the program, son. You were fortunate. I hope you know that. My biggest fear for Berty...would be that he would change - change so much...he wouldn’t be my son anymore.”

 Armin’s sight is glued on this aged version of Bertholdt; even the old man’s smile is the spitting image of his son’s as is the peace even in sightless, grey eyes. He pats Armin’s jacketed forearm, “Know that.” 

 The old man’s grip falls away from Armin. He lays back on his bed, his sunken eyes darting back and forth as he stares into the ceiling. “My boy, so much time has passed, I almost can’t see your face anymore. I wonder if I’m allowed to see you soon. It’s been too long…”

 The tick-tick-tick of the clock fills the stillness in the room. There are no more words except Armin’s heavy breathing. With wide eyes and one lone tear dripping off the tip of his nose, Armin stares. Mr. Hoover has been quiet for too long. He turns over the man’s hand, shoves two fingers into the bone and tendon under his wrist.

 There’s no pulse. 

 Armin leaps up, backs away. He gasps as if he’s first emerged from opening his eyes beneath salt water — his vision is blurry, his eyes burn horribly, and there is never a second when water isn’t dripping down his cheeks. With erratic breathing, Armin turns to leave and call a nurse, but he can’t yet. He forces a leg forward, forces the next to follow until Armin returns to the recently deceased. He has no business being so close to this man, especially not the right. But it’s not for himself who Armin does this for.

 Armin takes Mr. Hoover’s hand and holds it between both of his. With every passing second, the young Scout’s grip to this man increases in strength. 

 Regardless of whether or not Bertholdt is here, if he can feel this or not, he hopes Bertholdt knows Armin tried, tried to give him some second back to the place he dreamed of returning to—the experience Armin robbed him of: to come back home. 

 “I’m sorry…” Armin chokes out, tears dripping off his chin. His shoulders hunch as he bows his head, hoping to be heard from people who can’t hear him, “I’m so sorry…”

[satelitesdejupiter]

Interlude

Summary: There are things that can only be said when turning off the lights.   Eremika Week day 01 – Jealousy.

 He knew she would come.

Even if she hadn't been looking for him in sleepless nights for a long time, he knew she would come to him that night.

He shifted restlessly as if waiting for the sound of her footsteps when he looked at the shadow that crept toward the bedside lamp. He shuffled aside, giving her space to sit quietly.

As children it was common for her to go to his bed after nightmares. The custom was practically abolished upon entering the survey corps, but there were days too difficult to bear, and not infrequently he drifted away for her to lie in his bed. And so he did again. Eren looked at her, staring at her straight profile and saw Mikasa close her eyes, gave a tired sigh and rested her head against the headboard.

"Will you go?"

She nodded placidly.

"If necessary."

"You don't have to do this."

“You, Armin, Historia… Everyone is willing to make sacrifices. I cannot act thinking only of my own desires. No longer…"

“Can't you allow them to use you, that…”

"Nothing's decided yet," she interrupted. "Hange sees my going as a diplomatic gesture and opportunity to get to know the outside world with our own vision, but Zackly hasn't manifested," she mused and Eren stopped. Mikasa was not a soldier who could easily be dismissed, even temporarily.

"It wouldn't be bad at all either."

That information overwhelmed him. He was not prepared for such a betrayal.

"Do you want to go?"

Mikasa nipped her lip as if pondering, but nodded hesitantly.

"I can't believe."

"It could be interesting…"

"Of course, you can't wait to be treated like a princess or something with your parties, jewels and that nonsense. Or was it Kiyomi's promises to get boyfriends with stupid titles?"

"Eren, what are you talking about?"

 "The damn purpose of this trip. But apparently you're happy with that, aren't you? " Eren snorted with derision and Mikasa sighed in frustration.

"It has nothing to do with it. Just…" She sat leaning, looking serious. "There's a dish with fish that only mommy made. Cylindrical cut with rice… I had never seen anywhere else. But Hiruzu's embassy does not seem to eat anything else. Same about the raiment. I remember the clothes she sewed, some had the same cut on the collar that the women there wear. How many more things I don't know? I would like to know the country of my ancestors. ”

"You talk like Kiyomi cares about what you want."

She lay down staring at the ceiling.

"I have no illusions about this, nor am I willing to submit to the interests of others, if that's what you want to know. However, there is no harm in not abhorring the idea."

"But…"

She silenced his objection, lifting her head to her level as she propped her back on the pillow.

"I don't want to think about that anymore," she closed her eyes and he watched the circles around them, "Tomorrow we can, but not today, please."

It shouldn't be easy for her.

Mikasa hated change. She was methodical and a lover of routines. When they lived in Shiganshina and her mother asked to arrange the dispensation, she used to always order everything in the same place. The salt after the sugar next to the flour, which in turn was followed by the jar of cookies and nuts. She didn't even seem to rationalize these operations, not bothering if he or Carla moved, yet eventually she would put them back in the same sacred order even if unconscious. It was natural to her.

She shifted lazily, putting one of her arms over him and he slid his hands over the dark strands away from her forehead.

"You're so beautiful." He heard Kiyomi's voice haunt his thoughts and his mind returned to the events of that afternoon.

…

"You should come with us to Hiruzu, to know our customs, our country." Kiyomi proposed casually, setting the cup on the table.

"I don't think this is the right time," Mikasa replied, sipping the tea she had invited to have in the apartment reserved for the ambassador.

 "I don't say that for nothing.” She smiled kindly. "It would be interesting for Paradis to expand their zone of influence, I know many families who would be happy to meet you. Besides," She took Mikasa's hand, leaning into her."You're so pretty. Maybe you can't find a fiancé?"  And She laughed as if telling an unreasonable joke.

 Mikasa folded the hands in her lap.

"It's not something that I think."

"I'm afraid not," she agreed, "but it would be interesting if you thought. Nothing more solid than alliances formed under marriage, don't you think? I talked to your commander and have some great Hiruzu clans in mind. Everything would be done by your choice if you agreed to come with me, of course."

Eren clenched his fists, and before Mikasa thought of rehearsing an answer, he knocked on the ajar door no matter if he interrupted an important meeting.

"Mikasa, the horses are ready. Hurry up," he announced without ceremony, giving Kiyomi a rude look.

Mikasa looked grateful, rising hastily

"I have to go"

"I see," Kiyomi stood up, gesturing something that he learned to be courteous with her hands, "But please, think about my proposal. I would be genuinely happy if you visit our country for a few months. "

 …

 It was not the first time he had heard speculation about Mikasa's future.

 Those bastards.

 Kiyomi looked at her like she was an opulent acquisition, while Zackly seemed to ponder which fate would be most advantageous. They wanted to use her in their political game. Take away her right to act for her own life, direct her decisions, and ultimately use her as she was a breeder of soldiers. Eren was seeing something like this happen to a dear person, but he could never bear to see it happen to her.

He traced the delicate face tracing the outline of her lips.

Yes, she was really beautiful. Yet once again that beauty threatened to be a curse.

He didn't like to imagine where she would be if she hadn't arrived on time. Probably having a miserable life running into rich men's hands like a toy. It would not be so different if Kiyomi carried out her plan, uniting her with some clan noblewoman against her will, or if she stayed on the island to give birth to Ackermans soldiers.

She snuggled closer to him and his muscles tensed. Her breath skidded under his neck and the warmth of her hand held tight to his chest made him lose his mind, dragging his thoughts to shameful places.

"Mikasa, it's late," he called her with a pat on the shoulder. She looked at him confused and he quickly sat with his back to her.

"I'm sorry… I was sleepy," she said blandly, rubbing her eye, then glared at him softly. "Don't you find that nostalgic? It always happened in Shiganshina."

Eren shook his head, "We're not kids anymore."

She backed away.

"That's not it ..." he came up noticing that she had misunderstood.

She waited, but he didn't know how to correct himself.

Then he found frustrated that she had no idea at all. Maybe it was the habit of seeing him as a child or a younger brother. Someone she could sleep with without incurring vexatious situations.

Fortunately, no one else would see innocently that long-abandoned habit, and that's what he remembered when he said, "Hange will be here early tomorrow."

"And?" She leaned back against the pillows.

Eren bend toward her ignoring the inconvenience of his condition in order to find a humor line on her face.

Her lips parted in expectation caught his eye, and he looked away at the tattoo on his rib hand and involuntarily glued his fingers over the circles, skirting them.

"She could interpret it strangely."

Mikasa seemed to consider "There is nothing to interpret, and even if it had it would be no violation."

It was true that dating members of the corporation was not illegal, especially during their layoffs, and it was also true that there was nothing between them, but the way she dismissed the idea bothered him.

He leaned a little closer to her.

"Mikasa, what do you think people would think if they saw us now?"

Her breath hitched, and she instinctively tugged at the hand he caressed, but he didn't back away keeping his hand on her rib, massaging it with gentle strokes.

 She tried to keep her face placid, but throbbing in her chest betrayed her. All there was were stubborn green eyes, and those dark hair that she didn't remember how it almost stopped at the shoulder.

"They would assume things that do not exist," she replied, as if to defy him.

"But they would not be wrong to do it."

"Of course, you would never see me like that, nor ..."

"Contrary to what you seem to think, Mikasa. I am a man. And with eyes." He smoothed the curve of her waist tightly,"Not a child or a priest."

It was her turn to lean.

“Maybe I know that. And maybe I don't care what Hange will think tomorrow. ”

Before he drew any reaction, she closed the distance between his lips.

They had a taste of night. Cold and soft as the twilight breeze, but there was a moment when all the lights seemed to turn on. Eren moved his lips down her neck and he stopped inhaling her scent, his hand held firmly over her torso, "Don't go."

He didn't want to see her leave.

Not with Kiyomi, not to stop in some idiot's arms.

The thought of her choosing anyone, someone who would have everything he always wanted, at times seemed the worst case scenario.

"I can not promise".

"I know, I know," he repeated, kissing the curve of her shoulders and going to her lips as if to ensure the merit of being the only one who could.

Mikasa tugged a strand of her hair back, wondering how to say that even if Hiruzu was an ocean od distace she would still come back.

She rose over him making him lie down.

And so he fell silent about any complaint to Hiruzu that night.

[fivefootab1tch]

allllllrighty~ here’s my tHING~<3 i recognize that i talk pretty fast (and i was also trying to be hushhush so i probably didn’t come out as clear as i wanted to) so i’m including a script under the cut~

Tagged by @momtaku, @laffitine, & @dirtylevi ~ ♡ //thank y'all smmmmm// Tagging @shuuhuu @madcapraccoon @matcha-castella @starry-raven​ & everyone else on here who needs an excuse to do it and wants to. i’ll share the love and peer pressure asdkjfnak

'Aight, so here's my stab at Mamataku's SnK Voice Meme 4.0! I wrote a script to try and keep myself on track, but... the fuck if I ever know how to play right, so here we go~

State your name and username. 『sal, fivefootab-i-tch』 Is there a story behind your user name that you’d like to share? 『it's from an o.g. fandom video called "More Sassy Levi (Ezekieru Outtakes)". this was way before i was more or less tumblr savvy and i've gone through variations of it before settling on this one to mimic Ezekieru's pronunciation of BITCH. i'd wanna have a completely hyphenless version of this url to make my presence easier for the tumblr system to SWALLOW, kkkk but it's taken. the version of it with a 1 instead of the i isn't though... so maybe i'll switch to that one, i dunno. what's a brand?』 Where are you from? 『i'm from the states, southern california, bordertown asscrack of the U.S. you might get that lazy, high as balls, surfer feel from my voice since i've been here all my life』 How long have you been a fan of the series? 『i'm about two years late from the anime release, and i only know this because i immediately started writing fanfiction after binging the series in summer 2015. so... coming on 4 years? damn.』 What is your favorite and least favorite Arc? 『my favorite arc is the uprising arc, a pretty popular opinion, for a lot of reasons: the sudden turn of events, levi's collarbones, levi as a kid, KENNY, the characters all having their own unique identity crisis as their morals are suddenly taking turns, historia reclaiming her identity... (which was something that hits a little too close to home for comfort, but what's a good series that doesn't rip your personal feelings to shreds?)』 『i'm not a big fan of the marley side of things, another pretty popular opinion. for me, suddenly switching to a new cast of characters and setting after so much was accomplished in the uprising arc and return to shiganshina felt like betrayal. i mean... they get to the basement, which was the whole ass goal of the entire series up to that point, then we suddenly screech to a halt to tell someone elses' story. i can understand it... theoretically? i guess? bbut the whole time i was still like "wait a minute, what happened with the main cast?" bits and pieces of it have grown on me since, but i still have a ways to go to invest myself. politically, i just realized... marley really grinds my gears. why did i have to realize this? i'm shook. i can't believe this. i'll process it later.』 Do you have a favorite moment in the story thus far? 『eren screaming "the world outside the walls is my birthright" for... reasons. historia reclaiming her identity for... reasons... i've found myself hyperinvested in this series for immensely personal reasons i hope to eventually see through in my own life. i wanna be free, too. i also liked the moment in the uprising arc when levi thanked armin for saving jean. it was rough, but something he needed to hear. also any moment levi praises people. it's really cute.』 If you could resurrect one dead character who would it be and why? 『kuchel, because not only does levi deserve his mother but i would've loved to see more of her and how she raised levi into the compassionate kind of guy he is now. that side of him survived the tough love kenny put him through, so she must've breathed hella life into her kid and that's something i'd love to have seen more of』 Who is your favorite character and why? 『levi, for a lot of obvious as well as not so obvious reasons.』 『obvious reasons: he's pretty fucking cute. his sass and one liners are hilarious. his sense of humor's a clusterfuck of bad shit jokes and dark takes the people around him don't understand half the time and that's pretty funny in itself. he's o.p. as hell but the way the story makes it not matter when it comes down to it (because the universe is just THAT fucked up) is really something. he's in a league of his own but the depth of his characterization and development shows that's only a small part of who he is. the story demands so much more of him and the ways he rises (and sometimes falls) to the occasion makes me really like him. he's showcased as Humanity's Strongest but he's still human and flawed as fuck.』 『not so obvious reasons: he says fuck gender roles. he's short and makes the trans guy side of me feel pretty good. that particular character trait isn't just a gag for me. he started from the bottom now he's here. he always sides with the powerless, the helpless. he (to his own personal moral code) uses the strength he has for good as opposed to using it to keep people below him, something he could very well do if he uncritically internalized everything kenny spoonfed him, and wanted to. he doesn't sit on a moral high horse. he's open minded and accepting of letting people decide things for themselves. he's humble. if he doesn't understand something, he'll look to other people and he does all that while remaining confident and assertive in his own abilities. he doesn't hold himself above doing the dirty work if he feels he's best suited to do it. he genuinely cares about people and does his best to talk them through their issues when they need it, even if he's clumsy while doing it. it's really inspirational and personally validating .』 Any OTPs? 『erejean hits me a certain way. they're everything "boys will be boys" is SUPPOSED to mean, and i still can't get over jean calling eren cool. they're just so funny and i love their dynamic. hange and petra hits too for a reason i don't really understand yet. i don't get super invested in pairings, but i do like seeing character dynamics being explored in different lights and stuff. **** i bonded with my partner over roleplaying an au ereri thread, so that pairing's pretty special too. i didn't ship it at first, but being open to it has led me to getting to know this amazing person, so... yeah.』 You are able to transport to the SnK Universe for a day. How do you spend it? 『helping out. i don't know what i'd be able to contribute, but i'd want to be doing something to make the lives of the main cast easier. they have it really hard, and so many times i wanted to be able to do something for them. so i write my original characters into fanfiction. on the other hand, if it's a world where i'm independent and free to live whatever life i wanna live, i'd wanna go absolutely apeshit first. see everything there is to see and live all the life there is to live. ****perform a strip tease at a scout party and have the officers stick bills into my boobs.**** THEN commit myself to some sort of social or military work for the scouting legion. ****be their comfort... if yaknoe what i mean. it's good honest work~♡****』 Eren Jaeger did nothing wrong or Eren Jaeger did everything wrong? 『eren jaeger is what eren jaeger does. i can't vouch for whether or not he's right or wrong because there's no way i can really put myself in the situation he's in. mass genocide is very wrong, without a doubt, but something tells me there's something else going on and his real intentions are more complicated. a pivotal point in the series for him was his tribunal, where levi played the role of the arrogant wank to save his life and beat his ass before the whole military court. i think there's something similar going on here. he could be playing a role too, but it still stands that i have no idea. i'm not so invested in condemning or glorifying him, because the things i enjoy about his character aren't really going to be influenced.』 What is your favorite song in the series? Feel free to sing an extract 『i love them all. hiroyuki sawano makes such amazing soundtracks and all the vocals are powerful and chilling as fuckall hell. some favorites i do have are red swan, Vogel im Käfig, Bauklötze, call your name, it's answer song call of silence, youseeBIGGIRL, the spanish version of so ist es immer. so uh... even though i'm not very good at it, i do really love singing, so... i'm gonna try and sing some for y'all. i know a lot more english, japanese, and spanish than i do german so... i'm sorry!』 ****『Like the scarlet night veiling the dark You can hide your fear Can lie, my dear Kono mama yume wo mite Chi darake no tsubasa Hirogete』**** 『Las sillas ya juntas están Charlamos toda la noche  Este lugar no esta nada mal  Y creo que nos llevamos bien ****Solo estamos nosotros  Siempre es nuestra luz  Cantando y bebiendo, puedes estar tu Bajo el cielo azul  Siempre estamos asi  Y largas son las noches aqui』 『Ist das der Zerstörer oder der Schöpfer?』**** 『one of these days, when i feel more bearable to listen to, i'll... try and do some full ass covers, if y'all would be down for that ♡』 Bonus: What would Erwin do? 『about... what? everything going down now? i dunno. all i can offer is a dream daddy reference. he's chilling in Margaritaville somewhere... 』 Say the following: Wall Maria, Jean Kirschstein, Reiner Braun, Ymir, Theo Magath, Onyankopon, Kiyomi Azumabito, Hajime Isayama, Shiganshina Trio, Shingeki no Kyojin, Shinzou wo Sasageyo