#di pillo

[channeledhistory]

Roberto ‘Loli’ Linguanotto died yesterday after a long illness.

Roberto was a pastry chef at the renowned restaurant Le Beccherie in Treviso, Italy, when it’s said he invented the dessert.

There are a few stories as to how exactly it happened, but one suggests he accidentally dropped mascarpone in a bowl of sugar and eggs.

Later, he and co-inventor Alba di Pillo-Campeol – wife of Le Beccherie owner Ado Campeol – added ladyfingers soaked in espresso.

[...]

‘It was served on a round tray with ladyfingers soaked in coffee, and two layers of cream and mascarpone.

‘A few years later, in 1983, the tiramisu recipe was published in a Treviso gastronomic magazine for the first time.

‘Le Beccherie then took it to Venice and later spread it around the world.

‘From the 1990s onwards, the dessert became famous everywhere.”

[...]

[bookmark-extraordinaire]

Figa quant’è difficile scrivere in greco madò

[artist-ellen]

Fooduary Day 18: Tiramisu

Tiramisu is a coffee-flavored Italian dessert. Its origin is disputed between the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions. Which means the official inventor and time of invention is hotly contested. Allegedly it was invented in 1969 by Alba di Pillo and was an official menu item in 1972, which makes it the youngest dessert so far! Sound off in the comments if tiramisu is your favourite dessert!

I am the artist! Do not post without permission & credit! Thank you! Come visit me over on: instagram, tiktok or check out my coloring book available now \ („• ֊ •„) /

https://linktr.ee/ellen.artistic

[syoish-aot]

"I Found You" - Part 1

I can't stop thinking about this really obscure reader/eren idea so hear me out:

post canon (sort of???)

reader/eren

reverse isekai & memory loss

not smut (sorry)

word count: 690

*********

The last thing Eren remembers is the chaste press of Mikasa's lips against his as the world fades away into nothing.

The first thing Eren feels is the ticklish brush of your lips against his as the world comes back into view.

He died. He knows he died because that was the whole damn point of almost destroying the world. Almost killing everyone so his friends have someone to stop and they can be seen as heroes instead of devils.

It was his plan all along. The only plan that made sense. And he'd succeeded, he knew he had succeeded so-...

So why is he still alive?

Eren doesn't want to open his eyes, so he doesn't.

Instead, he lays there against the bed- a bed so much softer than one he'd ever had the pleasure of laying against, especially after years and years of fighting.

Eren can't remember the last time he didn't wake up sore- probably not since he was a little kid, ignorant to the truth of the world.

But right now he's not sore. Right now he's in a soft bed and the lips that had been against his had long since faded into a shuffling at the other side of the room.

Was it Mikasa? Would he open his eyes and be in that cabin he had created, just for the two of them?

If he didn't open his eyes then he could pretend that's what it was. If he didn't open his eyes he could be anywhere.

But then-

"Eren." You laugh softly, from the other side of the room.

It's not a voice he recognizes.

You look over at your boyfriend, who's still laying shirtless in bed even though it's well past eleven. It might be a Saturday, but the two of you had plans and you'd agreed the night before that you would not give them up to spend the whole day lazing around your apartment wrapped up in each other (as wonderful as that sounds right now, especially with how dreamy he looks with his face relaxed in blissful peace and his hair splayed out across the pillo- No no no no no- NO DISTRACTIONS!)

You see his eyelids twitch, meaning he’s awake but he’s purposefully trying to pretend to be asleep.

That jerk.

You figure he can have another few minutes though so you turn back to the mirror in front of you and put in your earrings. Then, you stand back and flatten out your cocktail dress. 

It’s a simple dress, but one of your favourites. Form fitting and long sleeved with soft dark blue fabric that cuts off mid thigh. It makes you feel mature, which is something you should probably already feel in your mid twenties but-... but honestly you normally feel more like a teenager playing pretend. 

Speaking of playing pretend: 

“Eren, seriously.” You laugh again as you cross the room. “We have to leave in forty five minutes and you need to take a shower.” You say as you crawl back into bed and straddle him, your thighs against his hips. You lean forwards, placing your hands against the pillow on either side of his head and lean down so your lips can ghost over the shell of his ear. “When we get back home we can do that thing you like~ and if you get up now I’ll even let you-”

Suddenly you’re flipped.

Eren has you pinned against the mattress with your hand painfully pressed against your back. 

“E-Eren!” You exclaim as your shoulder strains, wrist no doubt bruising against his tight grip. 

He’s done this to you before- playfully, with less strain against your arm and when you’re in the mood to get a little freaky but right now this- this isn’t that. This is something else.

And that’s confirmed when he finally speaks, adding a slight pressure to your arm which has you hissing in pain:

“Who the hell are you?” He demands in a tone that you don’t recognize. 

It’s your boyfriend behind you, you know it’s your boyfriend behind you.

But at the same time, it’s a total stranger.

(edit: I continued this...

PART 2 -> )

[timbrhead]

metanoia. | pt 04 - i‘m not entirely here, half of me has disappeared

𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨:

>> welcome, my name is 𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚, and ill be your scriptwriter (^‿^✿). my story will be kind of an choose-your-own-adventure story with a poll at the end of every part, where you can vote how the story continues.

This will be honkai star rail x fireader story with these elements: reincarnation, slow burn, i gave reader a proper personality (sry, not much customisation there), does not follow the original storyline

previous part <<< >>> next part

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 (this is important);

>>> none!

you were anticipating something, but this was not at all what you were expecting.

when you first saw the general, looming over you with his towering height, you thought he wasn't real. he didn't seem like someone that could exist.

his appearance fit that of a general and more. it exuded authority and wisdom from the many years he had lived, and his whole appearance demanded attention. the metal accessoires on his armour clanked with each step as he approached you, and his amber eyes widened slightly as he saw you, before a gentle smile stretched across his face.

„mei lian..."

he almost breathed out, before stepping back, urging you to sit on the seat before his desk. another servant brought a teapot to his desk, handing it to him. He grabbed a cup. „when i heard the news that you were back, i could almost not believe it. how long has it been, two months? with everything going on, i thought i had lost my dear attendant."

he said, pouring you a cup of tea. you accepted it with a bow of gratitude, smiling slightly. after that, a silence set over you two, making you lightly squirm in your seat. you didn't know what to say to the high-profile man, without making him suspicious that you weren’t the mei lian that served him two months ago. you take a sip, feeling his eyes bore into yours.

after a long, sullen silence, a soft laughter echoed through the quiet room, and he began to peel his eyes off, focussing on the documents before him.

„i'm glad to have you back, mei lian. it wouldn't be the same around here without you."

he smiled, casting one last glance at you.

„and look at you, already so eager to work for me again. missed me, huh?", he teased, before gently urging you away to fetch him some papers.

...he certainly left you dumbfounded, that was for sure.

but at least the work has proven itself not to be too hard. you mainly did some household chores for him, reporting him of the latest events on the xianzhou luofu, and sometimes even walking through the city to get errands.

occasionally, you could feel his eyes on you though. It felt unnerving, but each time you hesitantly asked if something was wrong, he would just chuckle, telling you that it was nothing. he said that he just missed you.

but you had a hunch that he was onto you, making your mind wander back to last night; where you entered mei lian's house for the first time.

———

you admit, setting a foot into a home that did not belong to you and having to pretend it was, was pretty hard.

the flat was small, cramped even, with several things scattered throughout the messy hallway. it almost felt eerie as you walked through the once lively home. you felt like an intruder as you walked further into the flat, searching for a sign of mei lian‘s family, and from the looks of it, it seemed like they all left in a hurry before they all disappeared. or died. you winced as you thought of this very possible outcome.

the apartment had two bedrooms, a kitchenette and a small bathroom, all very compact in a small space they shared. you first stepped into the first bedroom, examining it. it was split in the middle, with one half being rather plain, work documents scattered across the surface of the desk and a closet filled with clothes and shoes, accompanied by a small mirror on the wall.

the other half was a bit more decorated, with posters and drawings pinned on the wall, stuffed toys neatly set up beside the pillows. the desk was filled with calligraphy equipment and what seems to be unfinished schoolwork. You stepped a bit closer to the desk, having seen a picture frame cramped between cups filled with pens, and various notebooks stacked on top of eachother.

It was a picture of mei lian and what seemed to be her little sister. they both had a big smile on their faces, and by the looks of it, it was her sisters first day of school. she has a big schoolbag on her bag, and they were posing in front of the building. you took the picture out of the frame just in case, to identify the little sister. you cleaned up a bit, mainly sorting through mei lian’s work documents before moving on to the next bedroom.

this room belonged to a pair of twins it seemed, judging from the pictures hanging from the wall over the bed. they were both rowdy boys, with the one holding a starskiff and the other holding a spear in one photo. you pocketed this photo as well. you gaze through the room, toys scattered everywhere, and their desks filled with stationary and little trinkets.

mei lian seemed to spoil them a lot. there was no sign of their parents though, you guessed that they weren’t around, judging from the fact that not one of their colleagues said anything about her parents upon her reappearanc. you didn’t have anything better to do, so you cleaned up the mess a bit, gathering everything that might seem important on the low table in the living room. after that, you checked the fridge, your nose scrunching up at the sight of rotten food inside. It seemed like the family‘s leave wasn’t planned at all.

you eventually settled down on the couch, feeling exhausted after all what has happened. you wonder if mei lian would feel at home here. ‚probably not‘, you thought, ‚her family isn’t with her, after all‘.

you sigh at that, stepping into her room, trying to make yourself comfortable on the bed. luocha was right. it was hard, living a life pretending to be another person. you kinda wished that he was here with you now. you missed his soothing voice, and the way he calmed you down. his warmth. he was like a rock you could lean on, someone you could turn to in a time of need.

you have said your goodbye to him at a dock, with him slipping you his phone number in case of emergencies. you contemplated multiple times during your cleaning wether or not to call him, tell him that maybe you have made the wrong decision. but something always stopped you in the last moment. …no. you needed to find mei lian‘s siblings, first and foremost. you could worry about yourself later.

———

maybe you should have put more thought into this though, your mind reprimanded you as you looked into the searing golden pools of jing yuan‘s eyes.

you thought that everything went smoothly. you tended to his garden, brought him the meals the chef prepared for him, and from the looks of it, he seemed satisfied by your service. this was how most of your day had gone. but when you were just about to leave, you turn to him, wanting to ask about your siblings. you wince slightly as you were reminded of mei lian‘s words.

But before you could say anything, you were suddenly interrupted by the general.

„you…“

his voice rumbled through the now empty building, the other servants being long gone, leaving only you two here. you noticed that his voice has changed, it was deeper, more sharp. it boomed through the hall, and— you flinch back as he was suddenly behind you, cornering you against a wall.

„you are not really mei lian, correct?“

he smiled, his hands behind his back. you freeze. what was—? „i know my personal attendant. i worked with her for almost a decade, you tend to recognise eachothers character after such a long time.“ he chuckled, his eyes boring into you. you suddenly felt small, caught between a lion‘s paw. he was scary, with the way he could immediately look through you.

„so, who are you, if i may ask? i would suggest that you answer honestly, whoever you are. i won‘t be so nice again if you attempt to fool me a second time.“

his voice hardened, and you could see the lights flickering in the giant hall. you gulp—a threat from the general himself. if you didn’t play your cards correctly, you might die a third time.

you take a deep breath before answering, a poor attempt to calm down.

back on a semi-regular upload schedule! i will give my best to be as consistent as I can with these parts now.. so please don’t forget to vote on what the reader should do next!

taglist; @shadowypeachsweets

- xoxo, laina

[kaelucfantasy]

TROCITO 13

El dia habia llegado y aunque todo en la mansión permanecía tranquilo, habia una zona en la casa que no lo estaba. Los ruidos de cosas cayendo por el cuarto de baño me hicieron abrir la puerta.

—Diluc…

—Ayúdame Remus… no consigo domar este pelo…

Diluc estaba con los ojos apunto de romper a llorar, el cepillo se le habia enrollado en su desordenado cabello y se notaba que estaba terriblemente nervioso.

—Deberias de mantener la calma… solo es un té con galletas… -dije mientras le cepillaba el cabello con calma

—¡¿Pero y si no le gusta como estoy? -dijo nervioso

—Diluc… te ha visto vestido mas informal y apostaría que ya lo tenias conquistado…

—¡No lo digas asi! -dijo avergonzado

—Diluc… has vivido junto a él desde niños, asi que te ha visto hasta con la cara llena de mocos y de cualquier modo…

—¡Remus!

Diluc protesto mirándome con su rostro rojo como un tomate.

—Te pongas como te pongas mi querido amigo, aunque no lo recuerdes, pero es lo más lógico…

—Entonces… -dijo agachando su mirada

—¿Entonces que? Diluc… eres no solo fuerte, habilidoso e inteligente; si no que tienes una hermosa belleza, pero no por tu cabello o tus ojos… eres hermoso en todo tu ser..

Diluc me miro con emoción ante mis palabras, poniendo su mano sobre la mia que estaba sobre su hombro y yo le sonrei con cariño; cuando escuchamos como sonaba el timbre de la puerta. Yo con rapidez termine de recoger su cabello en una hermosa cola alta de caballo y se la decore con flores.

—¡Remus!

—… asi estas arrebatadora mente hermoso… vamos a enamorarlo, ya veras -dije con una sonrisa

Me aparte para que se levantara y ambos fuimos abajo a la entrada, yo estaba detras de Diluc mientras bajábamos la escalera y senti mucha lastima por no poder mirar a dos lados a la vez, porque el rostro que puso Kaeya cuando vio descender Diluc era todo lo que estaba bien en el amor.

Su pecho se hincho mientras suspiraba dibujándose una sonrisa calida y brillante en sus labios que hacia latir el corazón a cualquiera. La cara de que estaba prendado de él.

Asi que me imaginaba a Diluc con su carita de fresa con una emoción arrebatadora inundando su corazón.

—Hola -dijo Kaeya al verlo

Irónicamente, el usuario con la visión del hielo, lo habia roto.

—Hola… -dijo Diluc con una sonrisa bobalicona

—Hola Kaeya -salude de forma alegre —Adeline, corazón ¿esta todo listo?

—Por supuesto, podeis pasar al comedor cuando queráis -dijo Adeline con una sonrisa

—Pues no esperemos mas, que quiero tomar el té calentito

Baje para abajo y los guié hacia la sala como si hiciera falta, pero asi les deje el momento para que Kaeya fuera un caballero haciéndole una reverencia y Diluc aceptándola para pasar el primero, así ahorrándome que me vieran la sonrisa de ver que pillos eran.

Deje que se sentaran juntitos y les serví una taza de té a cada uno con una sonrisa.

—Siento tener que estar presente… pero por lo menos vemos podido hacer que volváis a veros

—¿No estarás con tus pensamientos? -dijo Diluc inflando sus mofletes

—Hahahah, para nada; pero entiendo que esta fiesta os gustaría tener vuestro momento a solas -dije sentándome despues de servirme el té

—No te preocupes Remus. Te la guardaremos cuando quieras estar a “solas” -dijo Kaeya con una sonrisa en los labios

—Ahhhh… que lindo. Creo que antes Celestia nos baila al son del arpa de Barbatos -di un sorbo de mi té

—¡Remus, no digas blasfemias! -protesto Diluc

—Con lo que me gusta verte saltar… -dije riendo

—¿Ya volviste a entrenar? -pregunto Kaeya

—Si, Diluc ademas se ha adecuado a un nivel lógico para ir recuperando el tono

—Diluc es el mejor con la espada sin duda -corroboro Kaeya

—Oye… -carraspeo Diluc -De todas formas deberia de ir a la herrería a que le repasaran el filo de la espada que esta usando…

—Oh, una visita a Wagner…

No se de que forma lo dije, que ambos me miraron directamente hacia mi.

—¿Que? -pregunte sorprendido

—No, no, no… -dijo Diluc mientras Kaeya negaba con la cabeza

—¿Que no, que? -me sentia muy confuso

—Wagner no te conviene… -dijo Diluc muy orgulloso

—¿Perdon? -pregunte riendo —¿en serio?

—Le conozco… no es digno para ti…

—¡Pfffff! ¿De verdad creéis que iba a tener oportunidad con Wagner? ¡Teneis mas fe que Venti al vino! -dije a carcajadas

—¡No seas asi! ¡Claro que tendrías oportunidad!… pero yo te quiero bien enlazado con alguien adecuado

—… olvidaros de esa tontería… -dije con tono apagado mientras tomamos un sorbo de té

—…no estas destinado a un humano

En ese momento, los tres dimos un brinco de la mesa alejándonos un poco. De los demas lo dudo, pero yo me cague vivo.

—…Ah…. ¿Acaba de hablar la tetera?… -pregunte con el corazón en un puño

Aquella tetera roja y dorada que tan bonita me parecia, de ella habia salido una voz que me sorprendió.

END TROCITO 13

[atomosistemdinamics]

Oye que sepas una cosa majo, por que no le haces esas preguntas a tus hermanas o a tu madre o a las feminas de tu familia ? Di te pillo yo, bacilando a mis hermanas te tragas en microfono. Es que ya esta bien de ser superior en que en la fuerza? o qué, ellas son mas jovenes que tú o que te parece si yo voy y te hago lo mismo a tu edad y experiencia, dejalas y lo que tienes que hacer es no meterte en los asuntos de las mujeres, no eres una mujer y mucho menos una mujer joven, es mas que otra cosa cuestión de personalidad de las personas y luego si es mijer u hombre o femininas y masculinos, no se que haces tu queriendo mandar en el mundo de las miujeres.dejalas en oaz o te denuncio a la policia, que llevas un montón de videos claramente y generalizando contra ellas y luego seguro eres incapaz de contestarle a tus jefes si no tienen razon y el sistema está montado por hombres y es asi te guste o no y las mujeres son mujeres y tienen el derecho reconicido como mujer y como los demas, si quieres reivindicar algo para los hombres pues te juntas con los hombres y no la pagues contra las mujeres . Y haber si te enteras, los pesos o cantidades, por ejemplo, estan diseñados a la capacidad minima de una persona media o como es en realidad el físico femenino y el hombre que quiera coger más peso por tener mas fuerza, lo haran voluntariamente, no por orden de ningun jefe, o como gimnasia para no pagar gimnasio, son las leyes así y no oara duscriminar precisanente a personas con niveles de fuerza fisica media o baja. Leyes de la salud y seguridad laboral. En general e Internacional Y otra cosa ignorante, no hay que decirte por ejemplo que tu no te quedas enbarazado como tu madre por ejemplo y los problemas en su vida laboral wue tuvo? Y tienen, y que tu no tendras por ejemplo, nunca. déjalas en paz o te denunció por abusar de otras oersonas con menos conocimientos y de llevar ya preparado el discurso y las preguntas para confundirlas, tu nada tienes que decir de lo que ellas organicen, ellas no estan encontrá de los himbres, reivindican sus cosas de mujeres y tu deberias reivindicar cosas de hombres y si nada tienes que reivindicar pues a que viene molestar si a ti no te compete nada de lo femenino ? Se meten ellas en tus reuniones de hombres si las hubiere o mientras no las afecte a ellas? No verdad,? pues entonces que te pasa? No te han dejado echar un polvo en casa tu mujer? Si la tienes o con quien lo echas con otro hombre ? Sera con (parece) una mujer o lo que elijas tu o puedas o te dejen, mientras sea en tu intimidad y no porno en la calle... Es que no se comprende esa saña contra las mujeres y jovenes que como tu y eso parece no tiene tidavia mucha idea de lo que es o son los derechos o la justicia para las personas, o vete a preguntarle a los expertos no a personas jovenes mas que tu y como tu que tampoco tienes mucha idea o menos que yo y yo tampoco tengo mucha, o no doy quien para educar masculinamente a nadie y mucho menos a una mujer y encima mas joven o que apenas hace unos años han salido de las universidades o colegios, que parece mentira que seas un hombre o eso te lo crees a no ser con esa precisamente tuya agresividad como entrevistador y que oor cierto no lo harías asi en una charla en cualquier lugar tranquilo de tu entorno y con los tuyos o tuyas.

Ya es el octavo video que veo y claramente metiéndose contra las mujeres o generalizando y poniendo a su gusto las idas propias a lo femenino y que nada tiene que ver con la personalidad que él no tiene o la paciencia debida hacia personas (mujeres) más jóvenes y que sobre el derecho o los deberes y la justicia, prácticamente acaban de dejar sus estudios universitarios como mucho.

¡¡ QUE MIERDA DE PENSAMIENTO O MANIPULACION ES ÉSTA !!

[mashirabar]

𝑺𝑼𝑬𝑵𝑨 𝑬𝑵 𝑬𝑳 𝑩𝑨𝑹 𝑴𝑨𝑺𝑯𝑰𝑹𝑨.

A través de las bocinas resuena reconocida melodía y te obliga a prestar atención: CHULO PT. 2 de BAD GYAL, TOKISCHA y YOUNG MIKO. En el jukebox, el mensaje es claro. Se trata de una dedicatoria de ANÓNIMO para LEE AREN ( @leearen ).

Yah (mmm) Bad Gyal Mmm (yeah, yeah), ah

La cadena le brilló en lo oscuro (ah) Huele a Baccarat, fumándose un puro (sí) Tiene cara que en la cama te da duro Yo sé, papi, que tú eres muy chulo (ya sé) Cómo me mira, el deseo se le ve (ajá) Él me pasa lo que fuma, lo caté ('tá rico) Yo me puse el short, las Jordan en los pie' (¿cómo?) Pa' moverlo como e' (ay)

Chulo (mmm, ah) (chulo) Tiene cara que en la cama te da duro (se te ve) (duro) Yo sé, papi, que tú ere' muy chulo (ay) Duro (duro) Tiene cara que en la cama te da duro (se aloca) Chulo (rompe, ah) (chulo) La cadena le brilló en lo oscuro (ah)

'Tá laquiao', perfumao', arrebatao' Dice que quiere tenerme a su lao' Y yo con gana' de verlo vaciao' Pa' dejarlo asfixiao' y decirle "chao, chao" Un chulo como tú, así es como me gusta Una mala como yo, eso es lo que tú busca' Te pongo rápido y me da mala conducta Tu actitud de delincuente que me pone puta Tiene el piquete caro que a mí me da nota (fresh) Cuando me ve bailando lejo', se sofoca (ah) (por el culo) Me está pidiendo que se la ponga en la boca (ah) Te embarro la cara 'e leche, papi, yo soy loca (mío, mío, mío) Te brilla la cadena y a mí me brillan los grillz Ya me di cuenta que tú estás puesto pa' mí Me lleva pa' lo oscuro, "Qué lo que" me va decir (ah, uhm, ah) (dile, Toki) Que me quiere hacer venir (duro)

La cadena le brilló en lo oscuro Huele a Baccarat, fumándose un puro Tiene cara que en la cama te da duro Yo sé, papi, que tú eres muy chulo Cómo me mira, el deseo se le ve Él me pasa lo que fuma, lo caté (qué rico) Yo me puse el short, las Jordan en los pie' (mmm, mmm, mmm) Pa' moverlo como e'

Chulo (Chulo) Cara 'e buena y en la cama doy duro (bien duro) (duro) Mami, si tú quieres me dices chulo Duro (me dices chulo) (chulo) Cara 'e buena y en la cama doy duro (ay) (duro) Si me dejas, rapidito te enchulo (brr)

Chulo, duro, pégame ese culo (echa pa'cá) Ay, Dios mío, mami, yo te juro Que si te pillo yo te llevo a lo oscuro (tiki tiki) Sexo crudo, pásame del puro Y dale, pégate, muévete, ma', ¿tú no querías fuete? Pégame ese culo que tú no tienes grillete Dale hasta abajo, si te cae', yo te subo Perdóname, Dios, si un pecado se comete Chiquitita con nalgas grandota' Se ve fina, pero se le nota Que lo que bebe es whisky a la roca La nena chinga, pero no se enamora

Mmm, la nota del blunt le subió Mmm, me pone cachonda, me pone mal

Chulo (es muy chulo) (chulo) Tiene cara que en la cama te da duro (bien duro) (duro) Yo sé, papi, que tú ere' muy chulo (ay) Duro (duro) Tiene cara que en la cama te da duro (se aloca) Chulo (chulo) La cadena le brilló en lo oscuro

Mmm, ey, it's baby Miko Ah, Tokischa, Tokischa Bad Gyal (Bad Gyal), Toki, Toki, yeah, yeah (Bad Gyal) Bad Gyal, Gyal, mmm Con la Toki, la Young Miko y la Bad Gyal, Gyal (brr, ey) Con la Toki, la Young Miko y la Bad Gyal, Gyal Otra vez Con la Toki, la Young Miko y la Bad Gyal, Gyal, Gyal (mmm) Con la Toki, la Young Miko y la Bad Gyal, Gyal

[cappuccino-bear]

What about Eve? How is she like? Also is Cain her son? Also also, is Lilith Adam’s first wife in this AU? I think you mentioned something about her being in the garden with Eve (?)

let me preface this by saying EVE MY ABSOLUTE BLORBO, I WISH I DIDN'T SUCK ASS AT PLAYING YOU CUZ I LOVE YOU QUEEN (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

You'll get me to talk for a long, long while. You've wanted this Pillo, now suffer ( •̀ ω •́ )✧

Ok, now for her story:

Lilith was the very first woman ever created, meant to be with Adam in Eden's Garden forever. Lilith was not loving the idea, being independent and curious, while Adam was more down to Earth. Noticing this, God made Eve to give Adam someone he could marry, and this did not make Lilith mad. What did make her mad is that God and every Angel in Eden stopped caring about her, wouldn't even talk to her, and basically chastized her for not following her role. She basically said "fuck it" and left.

Adam told Eve it was because she was jealous, and Eve (not having spent too much time with Lilith) bought it. She was head over heels for Adam, like God intended, but even then she was not always satisfied: when asking questions, a lot of Angels talked to her about how it was not her place to ask. When asking them Adam, he'd say he didn't care about it. "Why must these animals and plants die, but not us? Why must we eat, if we never suffer consequences from not doing so? Why are we the only humans in this place?" were some of her more constant questions.

Then one day, a snake tries to convince her to eat the forbidden fruit. Eve is skeptical on this, but she's told something that convinces her: she'd get the same knowledge God had denied her. Plus, If God put this here, wouldn't it want them to eat it, like a test? Adam strolls up a couple minutes later, sees her eat the fruit, and does not even think twice before biting into it, too. Not because he wanted to be with her, but because he truly thought since she did it, he could do it too.

Cut to them being thrown out. Adam screams at her, it was her fault after all, what were they gonna do now? They'll die one day, was their life in the Garden so bad? Was she so bored out of her mind dying was worth it???

And Eve is just thinking... I just wanted answers. I trusted that snake was one of God's creatures, and now I'm being punished for it. Why is God like this, did it hate me? It did warn me, but it should have known about it, right? It was all knowing after all! (Spoiler: God is not all knowing. At all. But it claims to be, otherwise it would not be God, yknow?)

Their relationship is strained. Adam prays all the time, only devotes his life to God, not to Eve or the other humans they end up meeting. He ignores his sons most of the time, just reminding them to sacrifice the best cattle and scolding them if they do not. He likes Abel because he does so willingly, and chastizes Cain for not doing so that often. He thinks getting attached to things is useless, because God will take them away eventually, so you just gotta pray and devote to him and him only. He was an absent father and lover, basically. Eve, on the other hand, is still able to find love for things on Earth: she loves her sons, her new friends, her community, the little newborn calves and chicks they raise... just, quietly, to not anger Adam. But she still despises God. She prays, but makes it clear often and loudly that she doesn't like it. This is later reflected on Cain, who prefers her over his father (for obvious reasons). So when Abel is killed, she grieves hard, while Adam is just scolding and beating Cain. Cain is killed a couple years after, and she goes numb. A few days later she goes to bed and never gets up again, she dies of heartbreak.

And she wakes up not in Heaven, but in Limbo, the first circle of Hell, alone and covered with darkness and mist because of her distrust in God. She's asked for help by Satan later on, but she eventually rejects him and gains the WOB curse for not marrying him, basically casting her as this horrible beast and temptress and Mother of Harlots, despite never being one.

Also she is mildly FUCKING OUTRAGED that Adam is in Heaven, having been forgiven by God because he asked for it while Eve rejected to do so. She does not think she's in the right, but she wants to give God a piece of her mind face to face before admitting defeat and asking for forgiveness.

OKAY that was long I could not help myself ╮(╯▽╰)╭

Anyway, Eve is first and foremost protective: even if from a distance, she keeps an eye out for everyone, stubbornly refusing to not aid others, almost like she thinks it's owed of her. That being said, she's also not the most open: she cares deeply about others, she feels everything hard, but she's not... the best at handling emotions that are not anger at this point. She comes off as cold, aloof, aggressive, because she cannot bring herself to open up in an healthy way, her emotions either get buried down deeper or she shouts them out in the worst ways. Even then, her caring nature shines through, maybe by helping Cain bandage his stump, or cleaning Lilith's blood from her cheeks, or quietly hugging Maggie when she panics.

She's trying to fix her relationship with Cain.... emphasis on trying, because it's so darn hard from her, so they always end up fighting. She wants to tell him that she's sorry she failed as a mother, that even if he did something horrible she forgives him, while he cannot handle asking her if she ever even loved him in the first place, for fear she'll say no.

Also she's the disaster lesbian of the two, and like 70% of Lilith's impulse control.

[brigadeleadxr]

@videoangel​​​ asked:

  ❛ eugene had been leaving the school, stepping past the front gate as he slides his messenger bag onto his shoulder, when suddenly, something catches his eye. haruhi suzumiya, the girl he'd been sent to watch over, walking but not particularly looking where she's going. she strides out into the street, just as someone on a motorbike turns the corner--his breath hitches, sharp. he reaches out and grasps her wrist, halting her in place, just in time for the bike-owner to race by them both without even a second thought for safety. there's a pause, as the two watch the motorbike grow smaller and smaller, further in the distance, before eugene jumps back, letting go of the other's arm. immediately, he's lifted his hands in faux surrender." so-sorry! i just--um, i saw the bike coming, obviously, and didn't want you to get hurt! ❜ 

 OH DAMN....I ALMOST DIED !   |  UNPROMPTED

SHE HAS BEEN IN AN SOUR MOOD all afternoon. She knows it. Every student in a general 100m radius knows it. The negative energy is practically emanating from her so strongly that one might feel the air is suddenly heavier if they stand too close. Nothing puts her down lower her fights with Kyon. He is just SO THICK sometimes ! But she doesn’t like to show that when he’s around. She wouldn’t dare give him the satisfaction! At this point she would just like to go home as soon as possible, and maybe yell into a pillo —

                     ❝ WH — ❞  

She’s jerked back suddenly, breath escaping her as a firm hand pulls her wrist. There is no time to even think, and the wind of the motorcycle grazes past the tip of her nose. She watches it pass in a state of shock before turning to the boy. Maybe her expression is hostile from her residual upset, but he jumps away from her, lifting his hands, and she grabs them. “NO, I — I think I owe you one! ” She says breathlessly; her heartbeat is still pounding in her ears. Amber eyes flit across his body. “ You’re new. ” Her curiosity piques, and shines through in the way she looks at him, “ Who’re you ?? When d’you transfer in?? ❞

[rockhyrax]

Spectacle Radio ep.101 :: 05.26.23 :: Curiosity being the appetite of fools

Vangelis - Do you hear the dogs barking? Burning - Navajeros Antonio w Miguel Botafogo - Lejos de Aqui (Colegas) Adriano Celentano - 24000 baci (Humanes Töten) Frankie Chan - The Dragon Lives Again Teo Usuelli 05. Il prato macchiato di rosso (Seq.5) Fashion Show - Straight (Tropical Malady) A Season in Hell Frankie Chan - Burning Ambition End Titles Vangelis - Do you hear the dogs barking? … Brian Eno - Glitterbug14 Tina Turner - The Acid Queen (Tommy) The Crystals - He’s a Rebel (Scorpio Rising) The Chiffons - Sweet Talking Man (Humanes Töten) Jeanne Thomas Fox - Oh What a Night for Love (Lords of Flatbush) Secret Rites Lucifer Rising Aim High in Creation … Anti-clock Egg c-pillo - No Te Olvidaré (El Pico) Baraflokkurinn - Moving Up to a Motion (Rokk Í Reykjavík) GrOb - Лес (I Don’t Believe in Anarchy) The Galloping Coroners (The Dog’s Night Song) Metal Urbain - Snuff Movie (Luna & Ms. Y) Fur - Big Red Crab (The Well) Love 666 - Reality (Love God) Lush - Undertow (Totally Fucked Up) Metamatics - Minimatics (John and Jane)

[madammuffins]

HE RETURNS - PT 21

Fandom: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Rating: Teen and Up

Warnings: Canon typical violence, Bad Future Timeline, Main Character Death, Angst, No Happy Endings, Kraang Invasion

Links: AO3, Wattpad, Playlist

FIRST | PREVIOUS | NEXT

One case of blankets.

Five.

Two cases of blankets.

Ten.

Your gaze moved to the next, peeked inside. Cocked your head, frowned.

"Hey, Todd?"

The capybara mutant turned to you with a wide grin, "Oh." He chucked, "yes friend?"

You couldn't help but return his smile. "It actually looks like we're short by twelve blankets." You showed him your clipboard. "Do you know-"

He tsked. "Is that all?" Ever cheerful. "Junior built a blanket fort last night. I brought the kids drinks!" His grin faded a little. "Not my famous lemonade, of course." He sighed heavily. "No lemons."

"Ah." You nodded. "That would explain it." You wrote a note beside the numbers, moving to the next item.

"Shame about Leo." Todd spoke up, back at his station counting medical supplies. "He's been gone, hee. What? Two months now?"

You frowned, losing track of the pillow cases. Shit.

"I think we're managing okay." You responded absently, starting over.

One bag of pillow cases.

Seven.

Two bags of pillo-

"I just mean," Todd continued, vials clinking in the background. "Losing the key to the portal that let the kraang here," you stiffened.

What?

"And basically starting this whole catastrophic event!" The mutant laughed in incredulity. "And then basically being the reason their dad died right off the bat." Todd's cheerful tone dropped. "And then-"

You stared at the inventory sheet, knuckles turning white around the clipboard. You knew what had happened after the invading aliens had flooded the skies. You didn't need Todd to give you the bullet points.

You had lost everyone. Everything.

And it had been the General's fault.

"-just saying, that's a heavy burden for a sixteen year old to carry."

"Huh?" You frowned, snapping back to reality as you turned to Todd. "Sixteen?"

"Well yeah, silly." Todd's tone back to jovial. "Didn't you know?" He waved a hand. "They were just kids when it happened."

"Oh." You frowned, turning back to the shelves of supplies.

You had been too. Just a kid. You bit your cheek.

Two bags of pillow cases.

Fourteen.

You scribbled on the paper. You couldn't imagine that kind of pressure on your shoulders. Being responsible for saving the world. Being responsible for ending the world.

You swallowed.

One crate of shoes.

Five pairs.

You glanced up, and the alarm started blaring. For a moment you and Todd froze in the supply closet, red lights flashing as General Donatello's pre-recorded robotic voice came on overhead.

Do not panic. Gather at meeting point A or G. We have had an attempt to breach the barrier.

You watched Todd's face morph from his usual friendly expression to one of a battle hardened survivor. You followed him out to the hallway. Up a flight of stairs. Three others joined you on the landing, following as you rushed up the steps.

No talking.

No panic.

Just a sort of scared acceptance.

You pushed the door open, held it for the group. Flanked them into the main foyer.

Meeting Point A. Closest to the supply room.

You weren't surprised to see your commanding officers there.

General Donatello and Lieutenant Michelangelo stood at the forefront. Their stances looked casual, but you could feel the tension thrumming.

Commander O'Neil stood beside Commander Jones, arms wrapped around her, Junior clutching onto his mom between the two of them.

Do not panic. Gather at meeting point A or G. We have had an attempt to breach the barrier.

You caught the General press some keys on his prosthetic, the alarms quieted. A screen popped up.

Silence fell over the room.

"Hey guys!"

General Leonardo. All wearied smile, a cape draped over his body, a large bundle under his arm. His left eye swollen shut.

"I uh." He stumbled, staring into the camera just outside the doors. "Tried to portal in, but couldn't?"

Stillness filled the room. Shock.

All eyes glued to your missing leader. Missing uncle. Missing friend. Missing brother.

"I'm going to kill him."

You were shocked to see the Lieutenant glowing, his long, loose hair floating.

General Donatello put a hand on his brother's shoulder. Shook his head. Michelangelo sank, shoulders trembling.

"You gunna let me in, or-?"

After a moment of hesitation, Donatello hit a button. The doors opened.

Like something from a movie the dust bellowed, causing the sunlight to halo your returning leader. His silhouette was incredible as he stepped forward. Like a victorious returning soldier.

Till the details started coming in.

He was thin. Too thin. His skin dried out and cracked. Bruises, scars, new cuts. Blood and dirt covered him nearly compleroiling. A deep gash over his swollen shut eye, obviously self stitched and bordering infection.

"Miss me?" He teased into the awkward atmosphere.

No one moved.

"Oh." He wobbled after a moment, "I got you a present." Tossing the large thing under his arm, watching - along with everyone else - as it landed at his brother's feet.

Michelangelo frowned, glare lowering to the object as he sunk to his knees before it. Fingers working at the wiring holding the wrapping on.

"The fuck?" Donatello's frown deepened as he looked back up to his brother. "The fuck?"

"Yeah." Leonardo's smile turned brittle. "How come I couldn't portal in?"

"Why?" Donatello scoffed. "Gee, I don't know. You vanished. We didn't know if you were dead or if the kraang got you." Hands splayed. "So maybe I spent valuable resources that could have been used elsewhere building a dampening barrier that nullifies mystic power." His voice rose as he took a step forward, anger pulsating. "You vanished for-"

Cut off by the blur of Junior racing past everyone, broken free of his mother's restraining grips. You watched, as a collective, as Junior collided with the returning General. Sobbing.

"Sensei!"

But sensei wasn't up for the contact. He staggered back. His cape billowing over his shoulder to expose his previously covered arm. You heard the gasps from around you. Felt your stomach roll.

His arm was missing at about mid-bicep. Wiring from kraang mecha's used as a sloppy tourniquet. The attempt to treat the stump previously failed. Sloppy stitching busted, blood leeching into the wrapping that was obviously used as sort of sanitation barrier.

Leonardo fell to the ground, doing his best one handed to keep Junior stable, falling to his shell.

"Shit." Donatello hissed, marching to his brothers side. "What-" He frowned, shook the question off. "Battle Shell, increase stability by twenty percent."

"Oh." Leonardo's voice was weak, "an upgrade."

"Many." Donatello replied tersely, his arms hooked under Leonardo's knees, wrapped around his shoulders. Effortlessly the General lifted his wounded brother. Junior tottering after, close on his uncle's heels.

Thirty witnesses watched the General carry his brother immediately to med bay. Thirty witnesses turned their gaze to Michelangelo's shocked gasp. To O'Neil and Jones hovering behind the lieutenant.

To the shell sitting amidst wrapping and wire.

"R-" Michelangelo's fingers brushed over the empty carapace gently. Horror and sorrow echoing in his words. "Raph?"

[syoish-aot]

I FOUND YOU [completed Ao3 version]

words: 15k rating: T (language and implied sexual content)

eren/reader

reincarnation

post canon

modern setting

past eremika (but no love triangle)

plot twist

((reposting the edited & completed version of this fic so I also have it on tumblr! It's also available on Ao3! The rough draft version of this fic is still up, but this version is a lot better.))

The last thing Eren remembered was the chaste press of Mikasa's lips against his as the world faded into nothing.

The first thing Eren felt was the ticklish brush of your lips against his as the world came back into view.

He had died. Just like he was supposed to. So then…

…why was he still alive?

OR - After being killed to stop the rumbling, Eren wakes up in the modern world disoriented and confused. Confused about where he was. Confused about how he was alive. And, most importantly, confused about you- his (supposed) girlfriend of six years that he has no memory of whatsoever.

CHAPTER 1: In a Quaint Apartment

A Quaint Apartment

The last thing Eren remembered was the chaste press of Mikasa's lips against his as the world faded into nothing.

The first thing Eren felt was the ticklish brush of your lips against his as the world came back into view.

He had died. 

He knew he had died because that had been the whole point of everything. Of almost destroying the world. Of almost killing everyone. Of his plan that painted a group of Eldian Devils as heroes so Paradis could finally have a chance at peace. 

He. Had. Died.

Just like he was supposed to. So then…

     …why was he still alive?

Eren didn't want to open his eyes, not yet anyway, so he didn't.

Instead, he lay there against the bed- a bed so much softer than any he'd ever had the pleasure of laying in after years and years of fighting.

He couldn't remember the last time he hadn’t woken up sore. Realistically, it probably hadn’t been since he was a little kid, still ignorant to the truth of the world.

But right now he wasn't sore. Right now he was in a soft bed and the lips that had been against his had long since pulled away as the person they belonged to began rummaging around on the other side of the room.

Was it Mikasa? Would he open his eyes and be in that cabin he had created, just for the two of them?

If he didn't open his eyes then he could pretend that's what it was. If he didn't open his eyes he could be anywhere…

But then-

"Eren." A soft voice laughed from the other side of the room.

It wasn't a voice he recognized.

You looked over at your boyfriend who was still lying shirtless in bed even though it was well past eleven. It might have been a Saturday, but the two of you had plans and you'd agreed the night before that you wouldn't give them up to spend the whole day lazing around your apartment wrapped up in each other (as wonderful as that sounded right now, especially with how dreamy he looked with his face relaxed in blissful peace and his hair splayed out across the pillo- No no no no no- NO DISTRACTIONS!)

You watched his eyelids twitch, which normally meant he was pretending to be asleep so he didn’t have to get up.

That jerk.

You turned back to the mirror in front of you and continued to put in your earrings before standing back to flatten out your cocktail dress. 

It was a simple dress, but still one of your favourites. Form-fitting and long-sleeved with soft dark blue fabric that cut off mid-thigh. It always made you feel mature- which was something you figured you should already feel in your mid-twenties but-... but honestly you normally feel more like a teenager playing pretend than a real adult.

Speaking of playing pretend: 

“Eren, seriously,” you laughed again as you crossed the room. “We have to leave in forty-five minutes and you need to take a shower.” You told him as you crawled back into bed to straddle him. You leaned forward, placing your hands against the pillow on either side of his head. Your lips ghosted over the shell of his ear. “When we get back home we can do that thing you like~ and if you get up now I’ll even let you-”

Suddenly you were flipped.

Eren pinned you against the mattress with your hand painfully pressed against your back. 

“E-Eren!” You exclaimed as your shoulder strained, wrist no doubt bruising against his tight grip. 

He’d done this to you before- playfully, with less strain against your arm and when you were in the mood to get a little freaky but right now this- this wasn't that. This was something else.

And that was confirmed when he finally spoke, adding a slight pressure to your arm which left you hissing in pain:

His tone was harsh, dark, vastly different from his usual lighthearted teasing. “Who the hell are you?”

It was your boyfriend behind you, you knew it was your boyfriend.

But at the same time, it was a total stranger.

Eren stared down at you, heart hammering against his chest in a mix of anxiety and confusion.

How the hell did you know who he was, but he has no memory of you? Or this bed? Or this room? Or anything besides Mikasa’s blade against his throat and the tears lining her eyes. 

You were trembling below him, clearly terrified, indicating that you’re equally clearly not a threat. 

He wasn't sure what was going on, but he didn't want to do anything rash and complicate things further. 

So he let you go.

“Sorry,” he mumbled as he pulled away and sat on the edge of the bed.

Immediately you sat up and turned towards him. “Are you okay?” You asked with eyes wide and clear concern splashed across your face.

For some reason, it caused Eren’s stomach to twist uncomfortably. He said nothing.

“Did you have another nightmare?” You asked softly.

The way you said it indicated that this may be a common occurrence. So Eren lied: “Yes,” he answered. “Sorry. Guess it freaked me out a bit.”

You gave him a comforting smile and, again, it caused his stomach to twist.

“Don’t worry about it,” you said softly. “You’re awake now, right? So everything’s okay.” You leaned forward to kiss his cheek before pulling yourself out of bed. “Armin said we needed to be at the banquet hall at one.”

“Armin?” Eren quickly asked.

You couldn't help but laugh at the way Eren looked at you. His eyes were wide, eyebrows raised, lips parted just slightly as he sucked in a breath. “Yeah, Armin, ” you confirmed, “and everyone else.”

“Who else?”

You sighed. “Eren, you really need to get better at remembering the plans we make.”

“Who’s going to be there?” Eren repeated, ignoring your comment.

You laughed as you stood so you could cross the room to finish putting on your makeup in front of the large mirror next to your dresser.

“Besides you, me, and Armin, Niccolo obviously . I’m still surprised he managed to plan the whole thing.” You joked as you started on your eyeliner. “Reiner, Bertholdt, Annie, and Marco for sure because they’re reliable when it comes to keeping plans. Historia texted me yesterday and said Ymir didn’t want to come because apparently she and Reiner still aren’t over that fight they had last week. Oh my god speaking of that fight, did you know that they put it on pause to go get beers together at Maria’s? Literally just went ‘I hate you but we have to watch this game together so we’ll be friends for a night and then go back to our bullshit’. Honestly, I commend them for being able to do that,” you laughed. “Anyway, if Historia is set on coming, Ymir will still show up and we can see that drama unfold in real time. Sasha will be there for the food, Pieck will be there for the booze, Porco will be there for the Pieck being there for the booze which means obviously Jean’s going to be there because of that weird love triangle thing they still have going on. Oh speaking of Jean: you better behave. Connie, duh! And Mikasa’s flight gets in at-”

“Mikasa’s going to be there?” There was something to the way he said it. With a strange… hope in his tone. It left you confused.

“Yes?” you answered. Or maybe you were asking, you honestly weren't too sure. “Didn’t she call you to talk about it literally last night?” He was still staring at you but you shrugged and turned back to the mirror. “Now get your perfectly sculpted ass out of bed so you can get ready or we’ll be late.”

Without saying another word, Eren stood up and left the bedroom.

If you hadn’t known any better, you would have thought he hesitated at the door to glance around the apartment as if he wasn’t sure where he was going.

But you and Eren had been living there together for over a year.

So it wouldn’t make sense for him to be confused.

It wouldn’t make sense at all…

Eren fumbled his way through getting ready. He tried his best not to talk to you because talking to you was… confusing.

Anytime you were too close to him or your eyes met in a specific way, his stomach would erupt into butterflies as his heart felt like it began beating ten times faster.

It was a purely physical reaction to your closeness and it was- it was… odd. 

To say the least.

It felt like his head and his body had different ideas of who you were. 

In his head: you were a stranger. Someone whose name he could barely remember (and had almost forgotten several times). You were confusing, potentially dangerous, but obviously some sort of key to figuring out what was going on; which became especially apparent as you rattled off the names of almost everyone he knew.

In his body: you were everything. You were someone that left him with an intense desire to touch. To feel. To be around. His body pulled him towards you at every opportunity it got, sometimes even to the point that he had to physically stop himself from reaching out to take your hand, grabbing you by the wrist- kissing you. And every time it happened he could recall what it would feel like to follow through with those motions. Somehow he knew the warmth of your lips on his, your body flush against his, your fingers curling into his palm- fitting so perfectly, like your hand was meant to be there. Instinct. His reaction to your presence was pure instinct.

And he had no idea what to make of it.

But when you’d told him that the two of you were meant to be somewhere and rattled off names of people he knew (and not in the way that he “knew” you, these were people he actually knew), he hoped that talking to them would clear things up.

So, he spent the morning playing the part. Doing what you told him to. Following you around the strange apartment that the two of you, apparently, called home.

He didn’t want to alert suspicion, not yet.

Especially when you said Mikasa’s name and his stomach sank.

“There.” You said with a smile as you finished knotting Eren's tie and pulled it perfectly tight against his neck. Your hands moved to his shoulders, flattening out his dress shirt. 

              Who were you?

    Who were you?

                     Who were you?

It was all Eren could think as you smiled at him and his whole body felt like it was on fire.

Who were you?

A Restaurant Downtown

“Eren’s acting weird today.” You told Jean with a short sigh as you stared down at your drink, swirling the vodka concoction that Connie had shoved into your hand the second you entered Niccolo’s restaurant.

Today was the soft opening and Niccolo had invited all of his friends to give the menu a try before the grand opening in just five short days.

Which, to your friends, meant an excuse to eat good food and get day drunk.

None of them would have missed out on that.

The bar was right in the middle of downtown, split into two levels with a more fancy dining area and a patio upstairs, and the casual bar on the lower level. Niccolo had been working for years to open it, and everyone was beyond excited that his dream had finally come true.

You wished you were more in the mood to celebrate and you figured you would have been if it weren’t for well…

“He’s always weird.” Jean dismissed with an entertained short at his own joke before he took another sip of his beer and leaned against the bar.

“I’m being serious.” You said.

“So am I.” Jean shrugged.

When you didn’t reply to the obvious ribbing from your friend (something that would normally get the two of you caught up in at least five minutes of back-and-forth banter), he looked over at you. When you still didn’t say anything, he cleared his throat. “What uh-- What happened?” He asked.

You sighed. “I think he had another nightmare that really fucked him up he-” you hesitated as you chewed nervously at your bottom lip before continuing on, “he completely forgot about the soft open and the whole drive here he was just staring out the window, being all quiet and mysterious. He’s been raving about today for months and now it’s like he completely forgot it was even happening. It’s just-... it’s reminding me of third year, I guess.”

“What do you mean?”

You began fiddling with the sleeve of your dress. “Remember that morning he had just disappeared?”

It was back when most of your friend group was still in university. Back then, Eren and Armin were sharing a dorm and one night Eren vanished. All day, no one knew where he was. He’d left his phone, keys, and wallet at home and hadn’t told anyone where he was going. He’d missed class, practice, and the plans the two of you had made to meet up for lunch.

You were ready to put in a missing persons report when that evening he just-… came back.

Around 7 pm.

Waltzing into his dorm acting completely normally. 

He said he needed some time away from everyone to think about something, but as he said it he had this look in his eyes. A look that you… couldn’t make sense of.

The same look he’d had only a few hours ago; after he released you from where he’d pinned you to your bed.

“Yeah...” Jean agreed as his fingers drummed against the side of his glass.

You looked up from your glass, eyes immediately falling to your boyfriend on the other side of the restaurant. The moment you’d arrived he’d run off to find Armin and they’d remained wrapped up in conversation ever since.

“All morning he was so stiff and awkward. He said it was just a bad dream messing with his head but he-... he didn’t know who I was, Jean.” You took in a breath, “but he knew who Armin was. And you. Sasha, Connie, Reiner, Annie, Mikasa, Marco, Ymir- literally everyone but me and I-”

That’s when Jean began choking on his drink.

“Jean!” You exclaimed as you grabbed his beer and placed it on the bar behind you before patting his back.

“It’s-” he managed before another cough, “it’s nothing!” he coughed again. “B-Bye--” Jean stuttered as he pushed away from the bar, still trying to clear his throat through a breathy gasp of: “Armin-”

You were left alone at the bar with only Jean’s beer for company as you watched him shove through your group of friends.

Somehow, it left you even more confused than ever.

Your eyes scanned the restaurant.

And Eren was nowhere to be found.

Armin looked different than he had before.

Sure, he still had the same blonde hair and wide blue eyes; but the way he was looking at Eren reminded him of the little boy in Shiganshina, wishfully rattling off facts about the outside world.

There was life to him, Eren realized in an instant.

There was life.

“Eren,” Armin laughed. “You’re spacey today.”

“Sorry…” Eren mumbled, unable to look away from his best friend as he recalled the last time he’d seen him: when they’d sat together in a pool of blood and Armin held him tightly, crying about how they were both irredeemable monsters.

“What’s that look for?” Armin asked him with another laugh.

“You’re… You’re here,” was all Eren managed to say. 

“Oh no.” Armin sighed. “Did you already get to the champagne? It’s barely even two in the afternoo-”

“Where’s Mikasa?” Eren suddenly asked. He hadn’t seen her yet.

He had seen plenty of other people he knew, which made him do a double take as he entered the restaurant and everyone greeted him like nothing was wrong.

Like hadn’t killed 80% of humanity and led to the deaths of plenty of the people in the large restaurant.

Like he was meant to just be here at some--... some party or something.

((Honestly Eren wasn’t sure what the event was; but that wasn’t important, what was important was finding Mikasa.))

“Eren are you feeling alright?” Armin asked, pulling Eren out of his thoughts.

“Where are we, Armin?” He asked bluntly.

“Um… fourth and center street?”

“No. I mean-...” Eren looked away from the restaurant and back at his best friend. “We said we’d-... you and I-- we promised. We promised we’d meet in hell. Is that where we are? Are we... Armin, are we in hell?”

Armin’s eyes widened as the playful brightness in them completely vanished. “Eren you-”

“Armin!” Suddenly Jean was at his side, he grabbed Armin by the shoulders and shook him. “It’s Eren he’s-- he’s--”

Armin finished Jean’s sentence for him as both of their eyes fell to their friend:

“Eren’s awake.”

CHAPTER 2: In a Bathroom Stall

A Bathroom with Impeccable Ambiance

“The fuck do you mean ‘awake’?” Eren demanded as Jean and Armin shoved him into the bathroom.

“Eren it’s-- um…” Armin stuttered in a hushed tone so they wouldn’t be overheard. He began to fiddle with his hands before he turned to Jean. “Y-You should-”

“Already did it.” Jean interrupted as he looked up from his phone before sliding it into his back pocket.

Eren scowled. “Did wha-” 

Suddenly the door burst open. “I JUST GOT JEAN’S TEXT IS EREN REALLY--” Connie cut himself off as he stood in the doorway- eyes wide, face flushed, staring right at Eren. “...holy shit…” he mumbled.

Eren continued to scowl, still extremely confused.

“Move! Move! Move!!” Sasha pushed past him, causing Connie to stumble fully into the bathroom. “I knew it would happen soon! I fucking knew it!! I have a sense for these sorts of things you know! It was the same thing when Jean woke up. I had been craving baked potatoes for weeks and then-”

“Sasha, calm down.” Armin cut her off. “We don’t want to overwhelm him, alright?”

“Overwhelm me with what!?” Eren exclaimed. “Seriously what the hell is-”

“What’s the last thing you remember, Eren?” Armin asked as he placed his hands on Eren’s shoulders and forced his friend to look at him.

Eren’s stomach sank as the memories flooded his vision. Smoke. The stomping of footsteps. Screaming from the people below him. A blade drawn with lightning-quick speed.

Falling.

And then nothing.

“I--...” Eren pushed Armin’s hands away as he took a step back.

The walls suddenly felt so close.

His lungs suddenly felt so tight. 

Eren's gaze fell to the floor, unable to meet the eyes of the people he had betrayed, especially when they were all looking at him with such awe and-- and hope.

“My plan worked,” Eren mumbled in a hushed tone that carried the weight of what he was confessing to. “I remember-- I remember everything.” His throat constricted. “Everything I did. Everything I forced all of you to do because of it-- all those people I killed and-”

“Eren.”

Armin pulled him into a hug, holding him as tightly as he had the last time they’d seen each other. It felt like that. Just like that. But also-

               …also nothing like that at all.

“It’s alright now,” Armin told him. “None of that matters anymore.”

Eren scoffed. “How can it not matter?”

“Because none of that happened here,” Armin told him. “We don’t-...” he sighed and pulled away to meet Eren's eyes again. “We don’t really get it either, but for some reason after living our lives there, we all woke up here.”

“But…” Eren practically whispered. “...but where is here?”

Armin smiled. “Here is where everyone’s okay. Where we’re all together and we don’t have to worry about war or titans or death or anything like that. Here we can just-...” Amin’s smile widened, He looked so relieved as he finished his words: “... here is where everyone can live, Eren.”

“Everyone?” Eren asked.

“Yeah,” Armin replied. “Everyone.”

Eren’s eyes moved from Armin to Jean. To Sasha. To Connie. To the door.

Outside of the room, there were more people. More people he knew from his other life that had somehow ended up here (wherever “here” was). Everyone in the restaurant was someone he’d crossed at some point before; someone who, if what Armin was saying was correct, had memories of that life but understood it was different from where they were now.

Every single one of them.

Every single one except--

Eren scowled as he recalled watching you get ready that morning. Smiling and joking around as you filled him in on random gossip about people he knew as you talked about them like you knew them too. Which you did , apparently. For some reason, you knew them too.

Eren lips tightened together in a frustrated line before he took a quick breath and asked the question that had been plaguing him: “Then who’s-”

Suddenly the bathroom door burst open.

“There you guys are!” You exclaimed. “Not to ruin your secret bathroom meeting or anything, but Niccolo wants to make a toast.”

Your friends all looked like deer in headlights so you couldn’t help laughing in response. “What?” you asked.

Armin took a quick breath.

Sasha coughed.

Connie started picking something out from under his fingernails.

Jean fiddled with his tie.

Eren avoided your eyes, feeling unsettled by the idea of eye contact. The way everyone else was acting indicated that you didn’t know anything about this. About them. About how, apparently, all of them had wound up here like some sort of second chance at life. 

They couldn’t raise suspicion.

So Connie bravely broke the silence: “It’s um-- It’s Jean,” he stuttered. “He’s--... he’s constipated.”

Yeah.

Yeah, that wasn’t suspicious at all.

A Restaurant Downtown

“So… um, I guess that’s all I have to say,” Nicolo concluded his toast with an awkward laugh. “Thank you all for your support, even when that support-” he turned to Sasha, who was tucked under his arm and smiling up at her fiance as he addressed the room, “-sometimes means eating all of my imported truffles.”

“I told you that was an accident!” Sasha defended, playfully smacking him on the chest.

Niccolo laughed and kissed her forehead before everyone raised their glasses to cheers.

You grinned as you lowered your glass before taking a sip of your champagne. Which caused your nose to scrunch at the bitter taste. Wine had never been your thing.

You turned to Eren, who was standing next to you staring into his own glass. 

“Don’t tell me you’re already considering cutting yourself off,” you teased, “especially after last night when you were raving about how you were going to drink Jean under the table again.”

“Yeah..” Eren mumbled. “I um… yeah.”

Your smile slowly fell as you watched him. He looked so trapped in thought. Thoughts he would normally share with you, but for some reason he was holding himself back. You’d spent all morning trying to get into his head only to have him push you out.

Eren was right next to you.

But… he’d never felt so far away. 

“I don’t know what happened,” Eren told you when you were nineteen and he disappeared for an entire night.

“What do you mean?” You asked.

He shrugged as he poured himself a glass of water as he leaned against the kitchen counter. “I wanted to go for a walk, so I did and then- I dunno. Must have hit my head or something because I woke up back in bed.”

“Eren, you’re acting really casually about this. Maybe we should call your dad…”

You watched Eren’s body tense, just like it always did at the mention of Grisha Jaeger. 

He stared into his glass of water, getting lost in his own reflection. For a moment you didn’t recognize him. For a moment he was a stranger.

You didn’t know what else to say, so you said nothing.

Thankfully, after that, he bounced back. After that he was Eren.

Just Eren.

Until right now, six years later, when he wasn’t “Just Eren” at all.

When he was someone else. The same “someone else” that had gotten lost in the woods all those years ago.

On instinct, your hand crept from your side towards his. Eren jumped as your fingers brushed ever so gently against the back of his hand as if your touch was something intimidating as opposed to comforting.

You began to pull away, worried that you’d make things worse if you continued to push; but just as your fingers parted from his, his hand instantly reached out to take yours.

“Don’t.” He told you immediately, still staring into his untouched glass of champagne as a soft blush slowly rose against his cheeks. “I-...”

Eren’s heart hammered against his chest as you slowly returned his hold, curling your fingers around his.

He still didn’t know who you were but he knew this. He knew your hand in his and the way it made his whole body feel like it was on fire.

It was that feeling again. That feeling that his instincts knew who you were, but his memories had no idea.

And it was tearing him apart. Like two sides of him that refused to see eye to eye because they physically lacked the ability to do s-

“It’s alright, Eren.” Your gentle voice cut through his thoughts with a second, comforting squeeze of his hand. “I’m not going anywhere.”

For some reason, to Eren, those words made everything seem okay.

A Busy Street

Mikasa pulled herself into the taxi with a short sigh. Her flight hadn’t been long, but flying had always made her uncomfortable. The tight seats, the change in altitude, the sinking feeling in her stomach at takeoff and landing- she’d always hated all of it. It was worth it though.

It was worth it to be home.

A subtle smile tugged at her lips at the thought of seeing her friends again. She stared out the window and watched the city pass by in a blur, wrapped up in memories of growing up in the city.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, momentarily distracting her.

Mikasa pulled her phone from her pocket and immediately clicked on the group chat notification.

She expected it to be Sasha asking how much longer she was going to take to get there. Instead, her eyes widened when she read two simple words:

CHAPTER 3: On a Rooftop at Sunset

When Eren Jaeger was fifteen he didn’t know much about love.

What he did know was a fierce desire to protect. To save. To help, not just his friends, but all of humanity regain the freedom taken from them by the titans.

And he also knew that Mikasa’s hair was very soft.

That her eyes were pretty.

That her skin looked warm.

That her lips, often hidden under the red scarf he had wrapped around her when they were children, distracted him from conversation more times than he could count.

But there was never time.  

The more they learned about the world- and the more Eren learned about himself in turn- the more that their lack of time became obvious to him.

He told himself it was for the better that he was never honest about his feelings. That he never properly answered her question:

“What am I to you, Eren?” She asked him the night they stood on the hill just outside of Liberio. 

What am I?

She was everything to him, is what he wanted to say; but- 

“you’re family,” is what he said instead.

Because he knew, Eren knew, that in that life they would never have enough time to be together.

So, when he woke up in a new life, his first thought was that maybe-... maybe this was his chance. 

But, when he opened his eyes, it wasn’t Mikasa he saw…

…when he opened his eyes, he found you instead.

A Restaurant Downtown

“Eren?” You asked, your hand still gently holding his, right after Niccolo concluded his toast. 

He heard your words, but he was too wrapped up in his own head to do anything with them. It was hard to believe that he’d only been conscious for a few hours and he’d already learned so much. Part of him still felt like he was trapped in some sort of weird life-flashing-before-his-eyes haze during his last moments of life. But.. how could that be the case if this wasn’t his life at all? 

So… he had to believe Armin, right? 

Believe him that this was real. That he was here. That this world wasn’t some strange fantasy and it actually was the second chance Armin had described. Somehow. 

Eren wanted to believe it, he really did; but there were still so many things that didn’t make sense. The biggest one being:

“Do you really… not know?” Eren asked, barely above a whisper as your fingers brushed against his.

“Not know what?” You asked with an awkward laugh.

A laugh that made his stomach flutter as two parts of him were suddenly at war, just like they had been all day.

He felt like he was being split in half. Not in a physical sense, but a mental one; as those two parts fought to tell him what to do.

One of them he recognized. Agreed with. Understood.

          You don’t owe her an explanation.

Was what that half said.

          Just leave.

But then there was the other half. The half that wanted to reach out to you and hold you. Kiss you. Hug you. The part that made his hand twitch at its side, like his body was being completely taken over by someone else.

          Talk to her.

That half said.

          She deserves to know.

Eren took a hesitant breath. “You don’t know that… that everyone except you is-”

“HEY GUYS WHAT’S UP!?!” Connie exclaimed, appearing out of thin air as he shoved between the two of you and wrapped his arms around your shoulders. Eren’s hand pulled away from yours. For some inexplicable reason he immediately missed the feeling of your palm against his.

“Um… nothing?” You awkwardly answered back.

“Cool, cool, cool right yeah- cool… Just wanted to make sure you guys were getting along,” he said as he eyed Eren, “not saying anything weird,” Eren scowled, “just being a normal boyfriend and girlfriend that have been dating for six years.”

Eren watched as you pushed Connie’s arm off your shoulder with a frustrated sigh. “Connie, are you drunk?”

“No no! I just… just didn’t want you guys to be alone for too long in case one of you says something strange and… and potentially life-altering that they shouldn’t be saying.”

Eren’s eyes narrowed.

Connie raised his eyebrows and looked from Eren to you, to Eren, to you, and back to Eren.

Very subtle, dumbass.

They were broken out of their staring contest when you interjected with: “Is this about Jean being constipated?” 

Connie took in a quick breath as his eyes went wide again. Eren could practically feel him debating how to answer. Eventually, he settled for a hesitant: “...yes…”

You sighed again. “In that case, I’d rather you keep your secrets.”

“Good,” Connie replied. “That’s what we should be doing, right Eren?”

“Why?” Eren asked.

“Because some people don’t need to know about Jean’s bowel movements.”

“But why not?” Eren asked for the second time. “Seems like it’d make things a lot easier if everyone knew.”

“Because, Eren. It sounds pretty crazy.”

“It is crazy.”

“Exactly,” Connie finished his sentence through gritted teeth: “so shut the hell up.”

“Wow, brownies!” You said, suddenly appearing between them (Eren hadn’t even noticed you leave). You shoved something into both of their mouths. “Can you guys stop being weird?”

Eren’s first instinct was to push you away, but the half of him that was adamant about not hurting you stopped him before he could.

And honestly? He was glad it had because:

  “...holy shit this is good…” He mumbled around whatever the hell you’d forced into his mouth.

It was sweet but salty. Gooey but crunchy. Warm but… cold?

What the fuck.

It was even better than that ice cream from Liberio.

“Jesus, Eren…”  He heard you mumble with another short laugh as you reached up and flicked a piece of brownie off the corner of his lips.

Your touch immediately caused his back to stiffen as he stopped chewing.

Those two parts of him were fighting again:

          Push her away. She’s dangerous.

And-

          Take her hand. Kiss her palm. Run your lips up her arm until Connie complains about too much PDA through fake vomit noises and tells you to get a room.

He felt like he’d seen that before. Done that before but--... he hadn’t. Eren knew he hadn’t.

He didn’t know how long he’d stood there, completely frozen; but apparently, it was long enough for even Connie to feel the awkward tension: 

“So Ymir and Reiner are at each other’s throats again!” He quickly said. “You should’a seen ‘em earlier! Historia had to shove them apart to keep them from getting into a fistfight! And the crazy thing is that if you ask either of them what they’re fighting about, no one can give you an answer. It’s like they’re so petty that they forgot why they were being petty in the first place!”

“That’s… That’s too bad.” You said softly as your arms wrapped around your chest, completely avoiding Eren’s eyes.

          Hug her. Make her feel better.

Why? Why did he want to do that?

          You don’t owe her anything. You don’t even know her.

Yeah. That made more sense. Right?

Connie cleared his throat. “Well… You know how they are right? I’m sure that soon enough they’ll be-”

“Hey guys,” Jean interrupted as he awkwardly walked towards the three of you. “Um-...” Eren’s heart immediately leapt into his throat, “Mikasa’s here.”

He stepped to the side and there she was, just like Jean had said.

This time, there was no mental war. 

Both sides of Eren were equally stunned.

“So Ymir and Reiner are at each other’s throats again!” Connie exclaimed, clearly trying to lighten whatever awkward tension surrounding you and Eren.

You appreciated him for trying, you really did, but you weren’t sure Connie was the one that would be able to fix this.

Honestly, you weren’t sure that anyone was.

Something had changed between you and Eren. Something you were completely unaware of, despite spending all afternoon trying to figure out.

It hurt.

The way he looked at you, the way he pulled away from your touch, the way he spoke to you in broken fragments of conversation- almost like he was forcing himself to reply.

What had you done wrong?

You had no idea.

“That’s… That’s too bad.” You replied as Connie finished his story.

But then:

“Mikasa’s here,” Jean said.

Your eyes widened as she offered a timid wave and a soft smile, looking nothing short of absolutely beautiful in the red dress that you’d helped her pick out on a video call a few days ago.

Ever since she had moved away six months ago, it felt like a piece of your friend group was missing. Like a piece of you was missing, honestly. But now she was back. 

Maybe things would be okay.

In an instant you jumped towards her, your best friend, wrapping your arms around her and holding her as tightly as you could. As if the harder you held her, the sooner everything would be fixed.

Mikasa didn’t hesitate before returning your hug, holding you so tightly against her that it confirmed she’d missed you just as much as you had missed her.

She was wearing the perfume you got her for Christmas.

You could already feel the mending of your nearly broken heart.

Eren was completely frozen. Unable to move. Barely able to even breathe .

He stared at Mikasa as you wrapped your arms around her, burying your face against her neck. Mikasa’s hand rested tenderly against the back of your head, holding you like you were something dangerously close to breaking.

Suddenly, his mind was a warzone:

          There she is!

Part of him yelled.

          There’s the woman you love!!

Mikasa’s eyes meet Eren’s from over your shoulder, causing him to somehow become even more petrified than before.

“Hey Eren,” she said as her hand ran up and down your back.

          Yeah, there she is.

The second part of him said. The part he didn’t recognize. The part that was directing his attention away from Mikasa and at you instead.

          Because she’s been there all day.

“Eren,” Mikasa said, breaking him out of his mental tug-of-war. “We should talk.”

A Rooftop Patio

Red flowers spilled from the hanging baskets attached to the wrought iron fence that wrapped around the patio.

Mikasa smiled as she leaned against the railing, running her fingers across their delicate petals.

From the other side of the patio, as if he was scared to get too close to her and destroy the beautiful image in front of him, Eren’s eyes followed her movements.

His breath came out in shallow exhales, watching the way the setting sun illuminated her features. 

She was so beautiful. She’d always been beautiful. No one could deny that.

Her hair (her long hair, he noted) framed her face and fell past her shoulders, tickling the straps of the red dress that wrapped perfectly around her figure. He hadn’t seen her in a dress since they were kids and it was never something so fancy. Somehow, it still suited her.

Or maybe it was this new life that suited her instead.

Eren could vividly recall the dozens of times that he’d watched Mikasa perform such a simple task as the mundane action always found a way to light a fire in the pit of his stomach. Cleaning her swords, adjusting her ODM straps, tinkering with her gas chamber- he’d watch her do it, admiring the way her fingers delicately held whatever tool or object she was using. But now, with her fingers wrapped softly around a beautiful flower, he felt-

He felt… 

Honestly, Eren wasn’t sure what he felt.

And not knowing that was nothing short of terrifying.

“So…” Mikasa started, cutting off his thoughts, “welcome to your new life.”

Eren shoved his hands into his pockets, unsure what else to do with them, as he looked away from her and swallowed a lump in his throat. “...yeah.” He replied.

Mikasa laughed to herself and looked up at the sky, admiring the way the sunset placed a silver glow around the fluffy clouds above. “You’re confused.”

“That’s putting it lightly.” Eren scoffed before he finally crossed the patio and joined her against the railing.

“We don’t really get it either, it just started to happen,” Mikasa told him. “It’s random, but everyone’s memories get triggered by something. For Armin, it was seeing the ocean for the first time. Jean’s came back at a farmer’s market. Connie remembered everything the day he met Sasha. And Sasha well-...” Mikasa laughed, “there’s a reason we still call her “potato girl” even now.”

“What about you?” Eren asked.

“I-...” Mikasa looked down at her lap as her smile fell. She smoothed out her dress. “...I was different.”

Their eyes met and a lump formed in Eren’s throat. He felt guilty. Guilty for being around when all of this had been happening, but somehow remaining completely oblivious to all of it. The only thing Eren had ever wanted to do was protect the people he loved, so the fact that they’d been going through so much without him noticing made him feel like he’d let them down.

Like he’d let Mikasa down, just like he had in his last life.

“How were you different?” Eren eventually asked once he found the courage to do so.

Mikasa smiled again as she looked down at the street below. “In this life, we grew up together just like we had before. You, me, and Armin, just the three of us. You and Armin had no idea about our past lives but I-” Mikasa took a shaky breath. “Everyone else was born with no memories until they were triggered. Until they… “woke up” as we started to call it; but I- I remembered everything.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “Maybe it’s another one of those Ackerman powers but-… but from the moment I could have a memory, I remembered. I remembered Shiganshina and the hill we would run up as kids. I remembered the fall of the walls. The titans. Our attack on Liberio. The Rumbling. Everything. I remembered every single piece of it and I- I remembered you…”

Eren’s breath caught. “What do you…” He cleared his throat, “what do you remember about me?” He couldn't look away from her, not for a second.

This was everything he had ever wanted. Everything he denied himself from having in his first life.

“What am I to you, Eren?”

“Family.”

That’s what he’d told her on the streets of Liberio because they didn’t have enough time to be anything else.

But this was time. Right here, right now. This second chance at everything, where they could finally be together.

“Mikasa, I lo-”

“I remembered killing you,” Mikasa cut him off. Eren immediately slammed his mouth shut. “And I also remembered everything that happened after. The years I spent by your grave missing you, wishing you were next to me so we could sit on that hill and watch Shiganshina together.”

Eren looked at the flowers.

The pretty red flowers that spilled over the railing, reaching out to the streets below.

          A dark stain on polyester.

The image came to him out of nowhere. A random, meaningless thought that he shook his head to dismiss so he could bring his focus back to what was important:

“Do you remember the cabin?” He asked.

“I do.”

“So then-” Eren stuttered, “then you and I- we can- now that I’m here and I’m awake and we’re in this life we-”

“We can’t, Eren.” Mikasa said.

Eren was taken aback. Mikasa had felt the same way as he did in their last lifetime, he knew she had! So what was different now?

“Why not?” He asked.

“Because it doesn’t work now, Eren.” She said with a casual shrug.

“I-” Eren’s mouth opened and closed a few times. “What do you mean? We finally have the time, Mikasa. We can be together and you don’t even want to try!? Why not? I-... I love you. I’ve always loved you so-”

“I loved you too.” Mikasa cut him off again.

“But…” Eren was in complete disbelief. “But not anymore?”

“No.” Mikasa answered simply. “Not anymore.”

          New shirt.

              Black marker.

Eren scowled as, for the second time, his mind was invaded with random thoughts that meant nothing to him. He focused again on what was important:

“Why not!? What changed between then and now?”

Mikasa took a deep breath. “I lived a whole lifetime without you, Eren. And I spent most of it learning to live without you by my side. So when I woke up in this life, this new life. I just-... I couldn’t go back.”

             Coffee.

       Itchy cloth.

                    A stale, leftover pastry.

Eren pushed the unhelpful thoughts away as his hands clenched into frustrated fists. He needed to focus on Mikasa! “And- And you didn’t even try!?”

Mikasa laughed. “No, I did. Once.”

“Only once!?”

“Yeah. When we were younger we were together for a bit. Nothing serious, and mostly it was just awkward. I felt like I was trying to play a part instead of doing what I actually wanted. And then a few months later you-…” she trailed off.

Eren’s eyes scanned her face, waiting with bated breath for her to continue. When she didn't, he prompted her with: “I… what?”

Mikasa smiled as she looked back at him. “A few months later,” she said, “you fell in love with someone else.”

    Spaghetti.

        Wine.

   A scratchy, cozy couch.

Eren’s eyes slammed shut as another rush of-- of whatever it was flashed through his mind. His fingers dug into his temples, circling against them as his head pounded.

He fell in love with someone else? Someone who wasn’t Mikasa? What was the point of this new life if he was with someone else? Mikasa was the reason he had fought so hard before. She was everything to him but-

        Lips between his shoulder blades.

                 A joke.

           A laugh.

                        A sharp pain in his chest.

Fuck his head was pounding. From the thoughts? The realizations? The heartbreak? Eren had no idea why, he just knew the throbbing of his skull was starting to become too much and he-

“Your memories of this life will come back to you eventually,” Mikasa told him.

Nothing.

Then there was absolutely nothing.

The flashing of images stopped. The throbbing ended. And Eren slowly lowered his hands, eyes fluttering open as Mikasa came back into view.

She smiled, “and when your memories do come back,” she continued, “you’ll get what I mean when I say that you and I wouldn’t work.”

Eren scowled. “What if I don’t? What if I get my memories back from this weird life and I still want to be with you?”

Mikasa sighed at Eren’s typical impulsive response. “If that happens then… then I’ll probably have to kill you again.”

“WHAT!?”

She laughed at his bright red cheeks and the look of pure horror splashed across his face.

Mikasa reached up to teasingly tug his bangs.

Eren shoved her hand away with the roll of his eyes.

He had looked so serious earlier, resembling the man who had tried to end the world. But now, as he pouted after being teased, all Mikasa could see was a little boy being told by Carla to finish his chores.

“You shouldn’t joke about that…” Eren mumbled.

“It’s not a joke,” Mikasa said. “If you hurt her I really will kill you."

Eren’s blush grew darker. He didn’t need to ask Mikasa to elaborate on who she was talking about. It was obvious to both of them. “I-I don’t even know who she is!” He exclaimed.

“You’ll figure it out.” Mikasa shrugged. “Like I said, you’ll get your memories back eventually and everything will make sense again. Just give it some time.”

      Marker.

          Coffee.

             Spaghetti and wine.

Eren’s eyes widened as the thoughts returned. As the... memories returned?

No.

That’s not what they were. It couldn’t be.

Those weren’t memories, they were just--... weird images in his head. Something he dreamed of, probably, something that didn’t mean anythin-

“Wait!” Eren called, only then realizing that Mikasa was halfway across the patio and heading back inside.

He wanted to ask her to stay. He felt like he was supposed to ask her to stay, that’s what part of him was saying, anyway; because their conversation hadn’t resolved anything! He still had so many questions for her, so many thoughts to share and feelings to bring up! But Mikasa was just going to leave him like this!? Leave him to-- to do what!?

“Just let the memories come back to you, Eren,” Mikasa told him.

"And what the hell am I supposed to do while I wait for that to happen!?”

Mikasa smiled as she turned around to look at him one more time.

“Follow your instincts,” she said, “no matter which lifetime you’re in, you’ve always been pretty good at doing that.”

And then she left him on the patio alone with his thoughts.

Alone with his fragmented memories.

Alone with a strange sense of deja vu as he looked down at the red flowers, at the street, and at the setting sun.

A messy heart on the lid of a paper coffee cup.

A hand that fit so naturally in his.

The words “I love you” mumbled before falling asleep…

CHAPTER 4: In a Coffee Shop Meetcute

A (mildly pretentious) Coffee Shop 6 Years Ago

“I think I get why these men are on here.” You told your coworker as you leaned against the counter together, two sets of eyes glued to your phone. You swiped left.

Left again.

Left again.

Paused.

One more left.

Then you sighed.

“Why’s that?” Your coworker asked.

“So here’s my theory.” Tired of the mindless Tinder scrolling, you slid your phone into your back pocket and grabbed a marker from the lip of the register so you could doodle on an empty cup as you explained. “Men on dating apps are there because they give off such ick in real life that they can’t meet women in person without setting off alarm bells, so apps are their only option.”

Your coworker shrugged. “Okay, so why are the women on there?”

“I dunno,” you replied with a snort, already laughing at your own joke: “why does anyone go to a zoo?”

“That’s kinda judgmental.” A customer chimed in from behind you.

“Jesus christ-” you jumped, unaware that anyone had entered the cafe at all. The sharpie in your hand slipped from your hold and went flying toward him sending a black line down the front of his shirt.

“O-- Oh my god!” Your hands immediately covered your mouth as your eyes widened in pure horror. “I’m so, so, so sorry! Um- uh-” You glanced around for a microfiber cloth (which normally made your skin crawl to touch, but you couldn’t think about that right now). You quickly ran the microfiber (ew) cloth under the sink. “Here!” You reached across the counter to press it to the front of his shirt. “Maybe it’ll um-” It did nothing. “Uh…” You tried again. “O-Okay just…” That’s when you finally looked up at him.

You must have come across as pretty pathetic with the way you were reaching over the counter to uselessly dab his shirt in an attempt to get permanent marker out of polyester (spoiler alert: that doesn’t work and it never will).

So you were pathetic.

And he was gorgeous. 

The universe must have had it out for you. Seriously had it out for you because- … holy shit. 

The first thing you noticed were his eyes. A stunning composition that reminded you of the night sky on a full moon- swirling blues and greens beautifully illuminated with flecks of golden stars. 

And then his messy-on-purpose brown hair, half tied up in a bun with a few strands falling against his forehead.

His flawless skin.

His sharp cheekbones.

His adorable nose.

Woah.

It was a real “knees weak, arms spaghetti” moment for you ((made even more embarrassing by the fact that the first thing you thought was “knees weak, arms spaghetti” but that’s where your mind went and you were happy to keep that secret with you until the day you died)).

“I don’t think that’s working.” He told you. 

“Yeah um-” You cleared your throat and dropped the cloth to the counter, quickly standing back up as your cheeks burned. “I really am sorry I could um- I could buy you a new one?”

“Eh,” he shrugged, “it’s old anyway.”

But it didn’t look old.

Still, you were too embarrassed to question him.

“Free coffee?” You offered instead.

He smiled again and you refused to think about knees and spaghetti for the second time.

“Alright,” he replied with an awkward laugh and a smile that made your head feel fuzzy. “Free coffee sounds good.”

Dammit.

Knees and spaghetti it was.

He was back the next day.

   And the day after that.

      And the day after that.

You began to wonder if he was new in the area and just happened to be the type of guy who liked a consistent schedule, if anything the theory made you respect him; but sometimes you hopefully wished he visited so frequently because of… something else.

Because of some one else.

“If you ruin my shirt again, will this one be free too?” He joked on the fourth visit as you handed him a semi-sweet iced coffee.

“Yeah,” you teased back, “but you have to sneak up on me or it’s not authentic.”

You learned new things about him every time he came in.

First, it was his name: Eren.

Eren.

And god, after figuring that out you spent a stupid amount of time pausing on those ‘roll for the first letter of your soul mate’s name’ tiktoks. At least you had the decency to not post them (except for that one time you accidentally did).

You found out he was also attending university. That he was an English major but school was making him lose motivation to write.

That his favourite colour was red.

That he’d never lived anywhere but the city.

That his friends were more important to him than anything, and he’d known them for most of his life. 

And then, a month after you meet, you found out something else...

“So,” you said, five minutes before closing as you wiped down the counter and Eren finished off an (almost expired) donut you’d given him for free instead of throwing out. He was beginning to develop a habit of showing up right before you closed. You still weren’t sure if it was because he had a night class or if he just liked the day-old pastries. ((Or maybe there was a mysterious third reason))

“So…?” He asked, when you didn’t finish the thought (you’d gotten distracted by the way he was licking icing off his fingers).

You cleared your throat and looked down at the counter. “Why was I being judgmental?”

“Oh,” Eren said, “because not everyone that’s in a frat is just there for the parties. My friend Reiner says he-”

“No not about that,” although maybe your opinions on frat boys were based on a stereotype and that was deserving of its own conversation entirely, “I mean about the dating app thing.”

“What dating app thing?” He asked, eyebrows momentarily tightening together with a confused scowl. It was an expression he wore a lot and it always made you laugh.

“The first thing you said to me!” You exclaimed through your laughter. “I was talking about dating apps and you said I was being judgmental. Honestly, I feel like it was the worst first impression ever.”

“Nah, the bad impression part was when you were feeling me up like three seconds later.”

“I-” Your cheeks burn bright red at his joke. “I was not feeling you up!”

Eren threw his head back and laughed.

You tossed your microfiber (ew) towel at him. It landed in the middle of his face before falling to the floor with a dramatic ‘flop’.

Eren snickered as he leaned down to pick it up. “I said you were being judgmental because you were.”

“Please elaborate.”

“Well,” he stood, cloth now in hand, “there are some genuine people on dating apps just looking for connections.”

You rolled your eyes. “Yeah, but it’s all- it’s so fake. How many times can I repeat the same: ‘Hi, how are you?’ ‘I’m good, how are you?’ ‘Good. What do you do for work?’ ‘I work at this shitty cafe and there’s a regular that’s constantly patronizing me to try to get free food. What about you?’.” You sighed. “If people actually want to get to know each other, they should-”

Your rant came to an immediate pause as Eren stopped in front of you.

He was so close. Close enough that you could immediately notice the flecks of gold in his eyes. 

The last time you were this close to him, you’d been frantically rubbing sharpie out of his shirt but now-

Now you were just standing there…

Just close.

So close that you completely forgot how to breathe.

“Some people,” Eren continued, “have to meet that way.” He spoke so much softer than normal, but maybe it was just because you were close enough that softness was all he needed to be heard.

“...huh?”

Eren’s cheeks were dusted pink.

You could hear your heartbeat in your ears.

He continued: “Some people have trouble getting dates any other way.”

“Why’s-” you cleared your throat as it tightened, “why’s that?”

Eren took a breath as his eyes flicked between both of yours.

He was close.

He was so close.

And then he looked away.

“Because some people are… pretty shit at asking out the people they like.”

You jumped as the cloth he’d picked up met your hand.

And this time it wasn’t even because of the gross sensation of microfiber.

Four days later Eren showed up at your work, again, right before closing.

“No free donuts today, sorry.” You immediately told him.

“It’s fine.” He replied as he awkwardly shifted his weight from one foot to the other as if he wasn’t sure which way was normal to stand anymore, while completely avoiding your eyes.

He looked nervous. 

“Um… Eren?”

“Yep?”

You snickered. “Are you oka-”

“Do you wanna go out with me?” He quickly blurted out, finally looking up at you with determination in his eyes and bright red embarrassment across his cheeks.

Your breath caught. “...w-what?”

“With me. Now.” Eren elaborated before some of his confidence crumbled. “Or- Or in like five minutes when your shift is done. Unless you have to stay late tonight because the place is a mess! Not that it looks bad in here or anything! I’m just saying I can wait around! Or we can go another day I just-”

“Are you asking me on a date?” You asked, not wanting to misinterpret his question. 

“I-...” Eren let out a short exhale that shifted into a pathetic laugh at the end. “Yeah. I’m trying to, anyway.” He smiled through his embarrassment. “Don’t laugh you’ll-... you’ll hurt my ego.”

So you didn’t laugh.

Instead, you said yes.

You had a casual first date, just dinner at a local pub.

Your second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth dates (although you started losing count at some point) passed just as casually.

It was comfortable. Relaxing. Sure, there was a bit of awkward tension at first, but eventually the two of you slipped into a natural rhythm.

Your first kiss was on a park bench on campus.

You brought him day-old donuts any chance you got.

You met his best friends, who quickly became your best friends too.

“I love you” was said after a year of dating.

You graduated after another.

By the third year, you moved in together.

By the fourth, you couldn’t imagine life without him.

And by the sixth year of dating, you had a feeling it was for life.

“Think he’ll propose?” Mikasa’s staticky voice came through the speaker of your phone. You pressed it harder against your ear out of the fear that Eren might somehow develop super hearing and listen in on your conversation.

“I- I dunno, maybe...” You answered, nervously nibbling your bottom lip as you watched your boyfriend from over the back of the couch. He was in the kitchen making dinner. Shirtless, because he was an idiot that didn't care about getting hot chicken oil on his chest.

‘Sluts can’t get third-degree burns, babe.’ He always told you.

‘Then commit to the bit and lose the pants too.’ You always joked back.

He never did though. Apparently, he was okay with hot oil on his tiddies, but his dick and balls were a different story.

“Would you say yes?” Mikasa’s question interrupted your thoughts. 

“Yeah,” you said with a sigh, “but only because he’d cry if I said no.” You joked.

Mikasa laughed. “Maybe he’ll do it tomorrow.”

“Pfft, that’d be tacky. Tomorrow is Niccolo’s big day, not ours.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s right.” You heard Mikasa yawn through the phone.

“You sound exhausted,” you told her, “don’t you have to get up super early to catch your flight?”

“Yeah, but my hotel is lonely.”

You laughed. “Wanna talk to Eren before bed?”

“Sure. He’ll get mad if I don’t.”

You pulled the phone away from your ear. “Eren!” You held it out to him. “Mikasa wants to say goodnight.”

“Can you come stir?” He asked.

You pushed off the couch and stepped up to him in the kitchen, trading him your phone for the spatula. 

He kissed your cheek as he walked past you into the living room.

“Okay, so did you see the new episode?” He asked as he flopped down on the couch. “NO FUCKING WAY YOU DID NOT CALL IT!!”

You rolled your eyes as the two of them started their passionate back and forth about the latest episode of whatever show they were both watching.

That night, after a plate of spaghetti, a shared bottle of wine, and a decent amount of time doing 18+ activities that started in the living room but ended in the bedroom; you found yourself with your arms around Eren’s waist and your face buried between his bare shoulders.

He liked to be the little spoon, even though he’d deny it to your friends.

You didn’t mind though. It meant you could pinch his nipples if he said something sassy before falling asleep.

You smiled against this back.

He smelled like Eren. There wasn’t anything distinct about it that you could put a name to, it was just Eren and you loved it.

Your smile widened as you thought about how perfect your life was. Your career was going well, you had an apartment with an amazing view, and you were dating the love of your life. 

You hoped nothing would ever change.

“I love you.” You whispered before placing a kiss on Eren’s shoulder.

“...that’s so fucking gay…” He mumbled back.

Eren yelped when you pinched his nipple but the squeal of pain quickly shifted into a laugh as he grabbed your hand in his (mostly to keep his nipples safe from continued attacks) and pulled it up to his lips.

He kissed the back of your hand firmly.

Then softly.

Then firmly again.

“Love you too,” Eren told you.

The lights didn’t need to be on for you to know that he was smiling. 

You just knew he was, because you were smiling too. 

“Eren, seriously,” you laughed the next morning as you crawled over him to get him out of bed. “We have to leave in forty-five minutes and you need to take a shower.” 

.

.

.

“Who the hell are you?”

CHAPTER 5: On a Moonlit City Street

note: This chapter uses the song "Until I Found You" by Stephen Sanchez. [spotify / youtube] I highly recommend listening to it during the scene it plays. Everything is timed to the music and it’s indicated when the song is supposed to start.

A Restaurant Downtown

You thought that with Mikasa here, Eren would start to act normally again.

Apparently, you thought wrong.

In fact, it was almost like he was avoiding you more now. 

You could barely catch sight of him in the crowded restaurant as the hours passed and the party went on. On the rare occasions that you did see him, he was always tucked away in a corner talking to Armin. Or Mikasa. Or Jean or Sasha or Connie.

The fact that it was them wasn’t weird, they were his best friends, but what was weird was how you weren’t included. What was weird was how their conversations always came to a stop when you approached. What was weird was the sudden tension that washed over Eren as his back straightened, he took in a quick breath, and his eyes immediately went to anywhere but you. 

Eyes that you used to compare to swirling stars in the night sky. Not now though. Now there weren’t any flecks of gold, no twisted green and blue that lit up at the sight of you, now they just looked- empty.

Weird.

It was weird.

And every time you were reminded of that weirdness you had to will yourself not to cry.

You were desperately trying to piece together what had happened. What you had done wrong. But you genuinely had no idea! Last night had been date night. You’d gone out to see a movie that Eren had been dying to see and then you came home. You and Eren made dinner together before you fell into bed and passed out next to each other, thinking about how your life was perfect.

But then you’d woken up that morning and things had been far from perfect. 

Things had been the exact opposite of perfect, actually.

Things had been-

“You look like shit,” Hitch said as she reached for a drink on the bar next to you.

“Lovely to see you too, Hitch.”

Hitch was more of a friend-in-law than anything. A member of Eren’s extended social circle that you were sucked into when the two of you started dating. The only times you'd actually been “close” to her had been during drunken meet-ups in bar bathrooms when you'd both sobbed about how pretty the other was while vowing to be best friends for life.

Normal girl stuff.

“Trouble in paradise~?” She teased, resulting in a roll of your eyes as you took another sip of your drink.

“No.” You immediately lied, not wanting to become a new topic of Hitch’s gossip.

Hitch laughed. “Alright, then I’ll assume the way you keep glaring at your boyfriend is some new kinda foreplay.”

Your cheeks burned. “Hitch that’s- you’re so gross…”

She shrugged. “I’m just sayin’ it like it is.” 

Her eyes followed yours and she looked over at Eren. He was on the other side of the restaurant with Armin, speaking in hushed tones with a serious expression on his face. 

“I’m worried he’s about to break up with me.” The words tumbled out of your mouth before you could stop them.

In a shocking turn of events, Hitch didn’t tease you about it. “Really?” She asked sincerely.

“...yeah…”

“What makes you say that?”

“He’s just-” you sighed, “he was so weird this morning and he’s been avoiding me all day. When he looks at me it’s completely different from the way he normally looks at me. It’s like he’s- like he’s mad or something. I don’t get it.”

Hitch shrugged. “Did you guys get into a fight?”

“No.”

“Then he’s probably just being all guy-ish about something. I bet you hurt his ego somehow and now he’s in his head about it. Men are like that, you know,” she clicked her tongue, “stupidly emotional over the tiniest things.”

The world really must have been fucked if Hitch Dreyse was starting to make sense.

“At the risk of regretting this,” you started as you tore your eyes away from Eren, “what should I do?”

Hitch snickered and grinned that stupid Cheshire cat grin you’d always hated. “If it were me,” which you’re glad it’s not, given Hitch’s awful track record, “I’d give him a nice little reminder of what he’d be missing if he left~”

“Uh okay… how?”

Hitch shrugged. “I dunno. Quickie in the bathroom?”

“Hitch it’s the opening night of Niccolo’s restaurant!!” You exclaimed, cheeks burning an even deeper shade of red.

She threw her head back with a loud laugh. “Then what a perfect night to christen the handicap stall!”

“I can’t believe you…” You mumbled.

Then again… maybe she wasn’t completely wrong. 

Not about screwing your boyfriend in the bathroom of your friend’s newly opened restaurant!!! But about giving Eren a reminder. It didn’t seem like an awful idea, anyway.

You stared down at your drink.

And then you chugged the rest of it.

“So we’re just born again or something and it’s- it’s like no one even cares about before?” Eren asked, scowling at the table as Armin sat across from him. Mikasa had told him how everyone’s memories got triggered at some point, but she’d left it at that after they’d gotten distracted talking about-...

His eyes naturally moved across the restaurant until they fell to you.

His stomach flipped.

Dammit.

He looked away.

Armin chuckled. “I know it’s confusing right now, but you’ll get used to it.”

“Doubt that,” Eren mumbled as he returned to the subject at hand. He took a nervous breath. “I-... I killed too many people to get off that easy.”

Armin was silent for a moment. “Yes we-... we did.”

Eren looked up at Armin, who was staring into his glass as he ran his thumb up and down the condensation, completely lost in thought.

“The thing about this life though,” Armin started before Eren could say anything else, “is that everyone has an understanding that it’s… it’s different. None of the stuff that happened before happened here. Yes, you still need to make amends but- but everyone gets it. Everyone understands that our last lives were complicated, so instead of focusing on that we try to enjoy the chance we’ve been given to live again.” 

Eren watched Armin for a moment longer before he looked around the restaurant, eyes scanning the people he knew hundreds of years ago who were alive again under completely different circumstances. 

Marco was playing darts with Reiner, Annie, and Bertholdt. He hit a bullseye and all four of them cheered. 

Sasha was sneaking a french fry off Gabi’s plate. Gabi smacked her hand but Sasha flashed her a peace sign as she shoved the french fry into her mouth. 

Samuel’s arm was around Connie’s shoulder. He ruffled his short hair as Daz laughed next to them.

And then his eyes fell to you.

You, chatting with Hitch Dreyse of all people, at the bar.

Eren watched as your cheeks turned pink after something she said and he couldn’t help but admit to himself that you looked cute. His heart started pounding, just like it had been doing all day when he stared at you for too long. He didn’t get it. He really didn’t get it. Who were you and how did you fit in with everyone here? You were the only person in the entire restaurant that he didn’t know, and yet the way you spent the evening talking to everyone made it seem like you’d known them all just as long as he had.

Maybe even longer.

“You’re probably wondering who she is,” Armin said.

Eren jumped and looked away from you as if ashamed that he’d been caught.

And he was, sort of.

He was ashamed that he didn’t remember someone who apparently mattered so much.

“I wasn’t wondering…” Eren mumbled.

Instead of prodding, Armin got to the point. “Not everyone is like us,” he said.

“You mean from back then or- or whatever is going on?”

“Yeah,” Armin replied, “exactly.”

“Why’s that?”

“No one knows,” Armin answered. “We all have our guesses obviously, but it’ll be impossible to prove anything.”

“What do you think?” If anyone had it figured out (or at least mostly figured out) it would have been Armin.

Armin paused before answering. “I think… I think that this life gets given to people who deserve a second chance. People who didn’t get to live happily the first time around, so they’re given an opportunity to try again. Meanwhile, some people are here for the first time and maybe others have lived three lifetimes. Or four. Or five, six, seven- maybe it goes on infinitely until you get to live a life that’s fair, or good or-- or whatever you want to call it.”

“What’s your proof of that?”

“No proof,” Armin smiled, “just a feeling.”

“Hm.”

“What?”

“Nothing,” Eren mumbled. “You’re just… You’re different now.”

Armin threw his head back and laughed. “Hopefully not too different.”

“Nah. It’s a good thing. You were too much of a know-it-all before.” The corners of Eren’s lips tugged into a small smile as he said it. It felt good to smile. He hadn’t been able to do much of that towards the end of his last lifetime.

Armin scoffed before he chuckled. “Rude Eren, rude.”

Eren’s smile grew wider as their eyes met and there was a rush of something through him. Something that suddenly made him feel light and airy. Carefree. Hopeful in a way he hadn’t felt since he was just a stupid little kid in Shiganshina.

Alive.

That’s what it was.

For the first time in years, Eren felt alive.

“Hey, Eren.”

His smile immediately washed from his face at the sound of your voice.

Coffee.

Marker.

Spaghetti and wine.

Eren rapidly blinked as he reached up to rub his throbbing temples. “...fuck-..”

Your hands held his in an instant, pulling them away from his head as Eren’s eyes fluttered open to meet yours. It reminded him of the first thing he’d seen after waking up that morning.

Eren quickly looked over at Armin in a wordless plea for his best friend to save him.

Instead, Armin smiled. “I’ll give you guys some alone time.” He said.

Eren’s eyes widened. “But Armin I-”

“What?” He asked with a short laugh. “Don’t tell me you don’t want to spend time with your girlfriend?”

Eren’s mouth slammed shut. He felt like it’d be weird if he denied it because obviously the version of him that knew you would have been jumping at the opportunity. 

“Don’t stress about it, Eren,” Armin told him as he stood, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder as he passed by him. “Just take it slow and you’ll figure it out.” 

“R-Right…” Eren mumbled as he watched Armin walk away.

There was a moment of hesitation.

A moment when the two sides of Eren slipped into a war of what he should do:

   Leave with Armin.

   Stay with her.

Ever so slowly Eren looked back at you.

Your hands still held his as you stared at him. Eyes wide and lips slightly parted as you took in one shaky breath after another. It looked like you were studying him. Watching. Waiting for some sort of clue that’ll give you a big grand “ah-hah!” moment. 

It made Eren’s heart jump into his throat as his stomach sank.

His fingers twitched with the desire to reach out and tuck a piece of hair behind your ear. To hold your face in his hands and let his thumb trail across your cheek. He knew what it felt like to do it, and now he knew it was because he’d done it before.

He couldn’t remember it, but he’d done it before.

“Follow your instincts,” Mikasa had told him, “no matter which lifetime, you’ve always been pretty good at doing that.”

Eren swallowed the lump in his throat. 

For the first time all day, he let the other side of him win. He gave into the desire to be next to you, to touch you, to simply exist in the same space as you- he let it take over.

His instincts.

That’s what it was. It was his instincts.

Eren’s fingers delicately ghosted your cheek, which suddenly became warm under his touch. Just like he’d been imagining doing: he tucked a piece of hair behind your ear, allowing his fingers to linger there for a moment so he could admire your soft skin and the way brushing against it sent a rush of warm affection right to his heart.

Your laugh as you walked through the park on campus.

Selfies taken at graduation.

Drunkenly stumbling down the street after a late night out.

This time it wasn’t single thoughts with no context of where they were from. This time the thoughts- the memories, were more vivid. More real. And it was you, clearly you, front and center in all of them.

“I’m-” Eren started without even knowing what he was about to say. It was his instincts again. The part of him that he was letting take control. The part of him that didn’t see you as a stranger. 

   The part of him that loved you.

He cleared his throat and started again: “I’m sorry I’ve been- um… distant.”

“Yeah...” you agreed, “you… you have been.”

“I just-” his eyes darted across your face. “My head’s all- I-”

“Eren.” You cut him off, causing his gaze to settle against yours.

((The night sky. The stars. The swirling green and blue.))

You smiled as you reached up to cup his hand, the hand that was still against your cheek, in yours. “I love you.” You reminded him.

The words came tumbling out of Eren’s mouth before he had a chance to catch them: “I love you too.”

“Let's clear up some space, guys!” Niccolo called as everyone began to push the tables aside to make room for a dance floor.

You and Eren snapped out of whatever moment you’d been having and jumped apart.

Before the music even started Sasha excitedly danced around and pulled Niccolo along with her in anticipation. 

Yesterday, you would have done the same thing as Sasha and tugged your boyfriend to the dance floor without the option of saying ‘no’. But today- today things were different and you still didn’t know why.

You were worried that if you asked him to dance he’d-…

The music started and you glanced at Eren only to realize he was already looking at you.

Suddenly you become self-conscious. The awkwardness was reminiscent of your first meeting. Of the time you’d uselessly tried to get Sharpie out of his new shirt.

There was a moment of hesitation, a moment where you thought he was going to turn away and avoid you like he’d been doing all day.

But then…

    Georgia~

Eren held out his hand.

    Wrap me up in all your- I want ya…

You hesitantly took it.

    In my arms-     Oh, let me…

He pulled you closer.

                  …hold ya

His other hand pressed to your lower back.

           Oh, I used to say~

And then you were slowly moving, just the two of you, sucked into your own little world as you become completely oblivious to everyone around you.

He avoided your eyes but still found a way to steal little glances here and there. He seemed-

Embarrassed. 

Just like he was the day you dabbed a microfiber cloth against the front of his shirt.

   I was lost within the darkness, but then I found her       I found you

“Welcome back, stranger.” You smile at Eren as he enters the coffee shop for the second time.

     Georgia, pulled me in I asked to- love her

“Are you asking me on a date?”

“Don’t laugh, you’ll hurt my ego.”

   Once again    You fell, I-      caught ya

You both jump as your hands accidentally brush together as you walk next to each other.

Your embarrassed and flustered expressions mirror each other.

Then the two of you burst out laughing.

“I would never fall in love agai until I found her”

You kiss for the first time on a park bench.

I said, “I would never fall unless it’s you I fall into”

“I love you.” 

“That’s… so cringe.”

     I was lost within the darkness, but then I found her

You excitedly throw yourself into his arms as he places the last moving box in your new apartment.

     I found you.

The memories came back to Eren in vivid flashes as you moved around the dance floor. It should have been overwhelming- having two lives suddenly meshing together in his head- but it wasn’t.

Instead, it was-

“Eren?” You asked, “Everything okay?”

He slides a red velvet box into his bedside table.

You burst into the room and almost ruin the surprise.

“Yeah,” Eren answered softly, “I’m-...” 

“I would never fall in love again until I found her”

“I’m great.” He smiled.

I said, “I would never fall unless it’s you I fall into”

His hand came up to cup your cheek, gently stroking his thumb across your skin.

     I was lost within the darkness, but then I found her      I found you

Eren pressed lips against yours, kissing you for the first time all day as the memories of his lives- both of his lives, settled in their entirety in his mind.

He might not have known you in his last lifetime, but he found you in this one.

And in that moment, to Eren, that was all that mattered.

He pulled away from your lips, smiling as his thumb brushed across your cheek. He was overcome with the desire to tell you everything. To explain it all to you, even though his friends said it was better not to. Sure, he might sound crazy, but he had a feeling that you’d believe him. That you’d understand. That you’d hear him out and be just as equally amazed as he was when you realize the opportunity he had been given, everyone had been given, to be handed this second life.

So he’d tell you one day.

They all would.

Eren settled on that promise to himself. The promise that one day he’d be honest. The promise that one day you’d understand why he’d woken up so confused. For now though, he just wanted to enjoy the second life he’d been given.

And the fact that, somehow, you were a part of it.

A City Street

“It looks great, Niccolo,” Eren told his friend with a wide grin as he firmly shook his hand. “I bet you’ll have the most popular restaurant on the whole block.”

“Yeah well, my only competition is a bakery that’s closed every day but Sundays,” Niccolo told him.

“See? You’re already killing it!”

Niccolo laughed and shook his head. “Glad you could make it, Eren.” He said, patting Eren’s shoulder as he passed him a knowing glance. “And… we’re glad to have you back.”

You weren’t entirely sure what Niccolo meant by it, but you figured that today was weird enough that you weren’t going to question it.

“Nicoooooooooo…” Sasha drunkenly sang as she leaned against the door of the restaurant. “There’s no more wineeeee…”

“Oh god.” Niccolo sighed.

You snickered as he turned around and caught his shit-faced fiance before she ended up face-first against the pavement.

“Ready to go?” Eren asked, wrapping his arm around your shoulders before he pressed his lips to the top of your head.

“Yep!”

You and Eren were one of the last few to leave. Everyone else had gotten way too drunk to stay any longer, but Eren hadn’t wanted to go home. He was having too much fun dancing, laughing, and bouncing around the room like a complete social butterfly.

“You had a lot of energy tonight.” You joked as the two of you walked down the street together. 

Eren laughed. “I was excited.”

“Yeah, I could tell. I think you talked to everyone there, even Annie.”

He scoffed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That you normally try to avoid her because of that time she threw you over her shoulder and kicked your ass.”

“No, no, no you’re remembering that wrong.”

“I am not!”

“Totally are. I kicked her ass, remember?”

“Okay,” you snickered again, “just keep telling yourself that.” 

It didn’t take long for you to reach the train station. Eren’s arm wrapped back around your shoulder as you took a seat on one of the benches. The sign above the station indicated that your train would be another five minutes, but you didn’t care how long it took.

With a sigh, you leaned against Eren’s chest. He rubbed your arm in return.

“Cold?” He asked.

“Nah.” You answered. 

He pulled off his jacket and placed it around your shoulders anyway.

“Now you’re gonna be cold, dumbass.” You mumbled, tightening his jacket around you nonetheless.

“Pfft, I’m too sexy to get cold.”

“So you’re saying I’m not sexy?”

“Eh,” Eren shrugged, “you’re alright.”

You playfully slapped his chest as he laughed. He grabbed your hand before you could pull it away. “Hey,” Eren started, tone shifting to something much more serious as his fingers curled around yours.

“What?”

“I’m sorry.” He kissed the tips of your fingers. “For… For being weird today.”

“...It’s okay,” you mumbled.

“No, it’s not. I was being distant for no reason and it was probably really shitty for you.”

You curled your fingers around his and squeezed his hand as you looked down into your lap. “It-… yeah it kinda sucked.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Eren reassured you.

“Then… what happened?”

Eren opened his mouth to say something, but just as quickly he closed it again. “It’s-... It’s not something easy to talk about.”

He thought about the promise he made to himself on the dance floor, the promise to tell you one day. To tell you the entire story, not leaving out a single detail, starting the moment he woke up from a weird dream in Shiganshina and ending when Mikasa’s blade met his neck.

He needed time though.

Time to think about how to say it. To tell it. To put it in a way that he can convey how wrong he was in his last life and how much better he wanted to be in this one.

Time.

One of the two major things he was missing in his first life.

Time and-…

“It’s okay, Eren.” Your words cut through his thoughts. “Just tell me when you’re ready, alright?”

The way you looked at him, with so much trust in your eyes, made Eren’s stomach flip and his heart pound.

So he promised it to himself again. He promised that he’ll tell you, one day, after a little bit of time.

Eren cupped your cheek in his palm and pulled you in for a kiss.

You sighed as your boyfriend kissed you. Your eyes slid closed and the comforting familiarity of his kiss made everything in the world seem right.

Made everything seem perfect, once again.

And, just like always, you didn’t want to change a single thi-

Crisp hospital sheets.

The afternoon light against a bandaged face.

Green pills in a paper cup.

You froze.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I snuck you an extra apple, don’t tell anyone or they’ll accuse me of picking favourites~”

“Hey,” warm fingers brushed against your forehead.

“Why would I skip out on the festival, it sounds like fun!”

“What’s going on?”

   Fire.

   Rubble.

   Screaming.

He called your name.

   A grip.

   A squeeze.

   A pop.

“Can you hear me?”

   The deafening sound of complete silence,

followed by the terrifying sight of pitch black.   

Your eyes fluttered open. 

You didn’t recognize where you were. You didn’t recognize the sounds, or the smells, or the loud voice that came from nowhere saying: “next train arriving, please stand behind the yellow line” .

But you did recognize something.

Someone.

And the sight of him, freshly shaved, hair cut and styled, free of bandages with no crutches to make up for a missing leg- it made your heart flutter, just like it always did.

You smiled, because what other reaction could you possibly have when you were looking directly at the man you were forbidden to love, but loved so deeply despite it. 

You said the only thing you could, given the miracle before you: “Are we there, Mr. Kruger?” You asked him. “Are we… somewhere nice?”

Suddenly Eren knew exactly who you were.

Suddenly, he remembered why he’d forgotten in the first place.

“She’s distracting you, Eren,” Zeke said as he placed a baseball on the bench between them.

“No she’s not,” came Eren’s monotone reply.

But now Eren could never forget again. Not the longing. Not the guilt. Not the feeling of bones breaking, the smell of fresh blood, or the bursting of flesh between his titan’s fingers.

“Then kill her,” Zeke said casually, as if the words meant nothing.

Eren would never forget again.

He would never forget how it felt when he, the attack titan, crushed you in his hands and discarded your lifeless body against the war-torn streets of Liberio…

[THE END]

[bookmark-extraordinaire]

Dentro di te ci sono due PiLLo.

Una vorrebbe utilizzare la data del 12 ottobre per postare la canzone Cerveza y Latifondo.

L'altra è consapevole che sarebbe una battuta di pessimo gusto, nessuno la capirebbe e che c'è un rischio non indifferente di offendere la maggior parte dell'internet.

Entrambe pensano che sarebbe comunque divertentissimo

[unwinthehart]

leggo il tuo reblog e ora mi chiedo se come nota su ao3 scrivo che non è una ship ma che gli altri possono interpretare come vogliono va bene o è male? cioè io non imposto la relazione tra 2 character come ship ma se qualcuno li shippa è libero di farlo, il ship e let ship si può applicare anche a questo penso

C'è confusione. Tu puoi scrivere una fic su due character e non usare la tag dedicata alla ship, ma semplicemente postarla e inserire tra le tag i nomi dei personaggi. Oppure puoi usare la tag della ship (Panco Pillo/Pinco Pallo) e usare pure la tag "gen ship" per esempio, per indicare che TU autore non la stai scrivendo come romantica. Se li shippo o meno dipende da me lettore e cosa vado cercandomi su ao3.

[allthenewzworld]

Roberto 'Loli' Linguanotto, the Italian pastry chef believed to have invented tiramisu, has died at 81 after a long illness.

Linguanotto was working at the renowned restaurant Le Beccherie in Treviso, Italy, when he created the dessert. One story suggests he accidentally dropped mascarpone into a bowl of sugar and eggs, later adding ladyfingers soaked in espresso with co-inventor Alba di Pillo-Campeol, the wife of Le Beccherie's owner.

RIP🙏🕊️