#eren yeager has agency

[harley-rose25]

I just saw a comment on an insta post that said that Eren was forced to do the rumbling and he wouldn't kill anyone if he had the choice. Like, gurl, I'm a big fan of being delulu but be for real. Also can we not take agency away from a character just cause we don't like what they did so now we have to justify it.

and by we I mean you. As far as I'm concerned the only problem with the rumbling is that he stopped. oh and also that he also killed all the animals and trees. Like wtf did the trees do to you, Eren? I'm not even sure how anyone survived for long afterwards since he fucked the ecosystem so bad. But the humans, yea fuck the humans; those things are gross.

'' Waaah! Eren Killed billions of people!! You support genocide!!!!'' yea well, they were all garbage people, belong in the trash people.

[scarletskiesinthepaths]

Attack on Titan and Eren Yeager: Free Will, Determinism, and Compatibilism—A Question of Choice and Moral Responsibility

Compatibilism can be simply defined as the assertion that free will can be compatible with determinism—that is, they are not mutually exclusive and both can be true at once. It is a way to reconcile the problem of moral responsibility within typical deterministic arguments. Arthur Schopenhauer, a German philosopher, once said: "Man can do what he wills but he cannot will what he wills." Essentially, in a classical compatibilist argument, a person is free to act according to a particular motive, but the nature of that motive is determined. Attack on Titan represents the concept of choice under the framework of compatibilism.

Applying this framework to Eren—Eren could not help the way he was born; however, he was capable of exacting agency in his choices. He was born as someone with a monstrous will (as Levi described him as), someone desiring freedom at all costs; however, he was capable of weighing alternative choices and acting against that desire. He was also capable of understanding the moral rightness and consequences of both his desires and his choices, and he was also the ultimate source of his actions. Thus, Eren holds moral responsibility for those actions.

Levi Commenting on Eren's Nature During the "Female Titan" Arc:

Eren Telling Reiner He Thinks They Were Born as Who They Are:

Eren Telling Zeke He is Who He is Because He Was Born into the World:

In causal determinism, "everything that occurs is the inevitable result of the laws of nature and the state of the world in the distant past" (X). Essentially, every one of our actions in the present has a cause rooted in the past, detached from our own actions. It implies that we cannot do anything other than what we ultimately end up doing and that we are not the causal source of our own actions, since all our actions are rooted in factors beyond our control. As such, if none of us have the freedom to do otherwise, it begs the question: are any of us responsible for our actions, even those of great evil?

However, classical compatibilists hold that the truth of causal determinism does not preclude one from having the freedom to do otherwise. Compabilists believe that causal determinism has no impact on our moral responsibility. In classical compatibilism, free will is typically defined as the ability to select among alternative courses of action. The choices themselves and the context of the situation may be determined, but choice can still be carried out within that context. Classical compatibilism, in this sense, can be visualized via a common "fork in the road" image:

Our presence at that fork in the road was determined and guaranteed, but we have the ability to choose which path to go on. Given the possibility of alternative choices, more than one future is possible if classical compatibilism holds true.

The common Classical Incompatibilist argument of determinism is as follows (X):

If someone acts of her own free will, then she could have done otherwise. (A – C)

If determinism is true, no one can do otherwise than one actually does. (D – E)

Therefore, if determinism is true, no one acts of her own free will (F).

As such, according to the argument, if determinism is true, no one has access to alternatives. Given that, only one future is possible in this argument of determinism. Attack on Titan seemingly supports this incompatibilist argument of determinism on the surface due to the fact that Eren only ever sees one future.

Eren Saying the Future Does Not Change:

Eren did indeed have access to multiple alternatives, however. Eren only ever sees one future in Attack on Titan because his alternative choices are rooted in the past and in his manipulation of it:

Eren purposely diverts Dina's titan from Bertolt to eat his own mother instead. The alternative choice would have been to let Bertolt be eaten.

Eren purposely convinces and forces Grisha to kill the Reiss family and take the Founder, even after Grisha had lost his nerve in doing so. The alternative choice would have been to let the Reiss family live.

If no alternative choices were available, Eren would not have had the capability of manipulating the past in the first place.

But, for the sake of argument, let us say that Eren did not have alternative choices. If he did not have alternative choices available, would that then be an argument that he had no free will? Another common compatibilist definition of free will is the ability of an agent to act according to their wishes, free of impediments. Take this explanation:

"On this view, freedom involves two components, a positive and a negative one. The positive component (doing what one wills, desires, or inclines to do) consists in nothing more than what is involved in the power of agency. The negative component (finding “no stop”) consists in acting unencumbered or unimpeded. Typically, the classical compatibilists’ benchmark of impeded or encumbered action is compelled action. Compelled action arises when one is forced by some external source to act contrary to one’s will."

Eren never acted contrary to his will in Attack on Titan. He wanted to do the Rumbling, and he did it.

Eren Saying He Wanted to do the Rumbling:

No one was able to convince or compel him to do otherwise. In Paths, he is originally shackled, but his will overrides the shackles placed upon him:

Later, when the Alliance is traveling to stop Eren, they attempt to converse with him in Paths to convince him to go against his own wishes, but Eren persists; he "keeps moving forward" against all obstacles to his desires. He refuses to negotiate with the Alliance, telling them that he refuses to engage in a discussion and that the only way to stop him will be by ending his life:

In response to these compatibilistic arguments, the Incompatibilist Consequence Argument posits that, in order for one to have freedom, one must be the ultimate source of their choices. The classic argument for this is as follows (X):

No one has power over the facts of the past and the laws of nature.

No one has power over the fact that the facts of the past and the laws of nature entail every fact of the future (i.e., determinism is true).

Therefore, no one has power over the facts of the future.

Consider defining "ultimate source" by the following explanation (X):

"An agent is an ultimate source of her action only if, at the very least, something necessary for her action originates within the agent herself. It cannot be located in places and times prior to the agent’s freely willing her action. If an agent is not the ultimate source of her actions, then her actions do not originate in her, and if her actions are the outcomes of conditions guaranteeing them, how can she be said to control them? The conditions sufficient for their occurrence were already in place long before she even existed!"

Attack on Titan specifically rejects this view of determinism, as Eren has the power to alter events in his own past to influence the future. He is the ultimate source of his own actions.

See @p-ssypink's response in this post:

Once Eren got to Paths in the final arc of Attack on Titan, he willfully manipulated the information his past self had access to in order to guarantee a certain outcome. He was the determinator of his own future.

Furthermore, consider these words from Hajime Isayama, the mangaka for Attack on Titan:

Excerpts from Hajime Isayama's Blog in 2016, discussing Minoru Furuya's manga, Himeanole (X, X):

Excerpt 1: "The serial-killer Morita's desire in life is nothing but to strangle people to death. Why is he a psychopathic killer? The manga portrays it as simply his nature. In other words, that's just the way he was born.

It's completely different from the usual concept of, "he's actually a kind boy, but was bullied to the point of killing and that made him realize how much he enjoyed it". It's true that he was bullied and that was a contributing factor. But even before he was bullied, he clearly said there was something 'not normal' about him."

Excerpt 2: "At first, he considered dying, because he felt he needed to erase the scum from the face of the earth. But before he died, there was one thing he wanted to do no matter what. It wasn't basketball or soccer or travelling to space. It was to receive sexual pleasure from strangling people to death. As many times as he could.

By coincidence, I am not a murderer. I think anyone who tries to understand others, even if you're not a murderer yourself, can still empathize to a degree.

'It's not like I chose to be born this way.'

It's about our nature from the moment we're born."

Excerpt from Isayama Hajime’s Bessatsu Shonen August 2017 Interview, discussing Attack on Titan's ending and Himeanole's influence on it (X):

Ultimately, I don't think the series passes judgment on what is "right" or "wrong." For example, when I read Furuya Minoru's "Himeanole," I knew society would consider the serial killer in the story unforgivable under social norms. But when I took into account his life and background I still wondered, "If this was his nature, then who is to blame...?" I even thought, "Is it merely coincidence that I wasn't born as a murderer?" We justify what we absolutely cannot accomplish as "a flaw due to lack of effort," and there is bitterness within that. On the other hand, for a perpetrator, having the mindset of "It's not because I lack effort that I became like this" is a form of solace. We cannot deny that under such circumstances, the victims' feelings are very important. But considering the root of the issue, rather than evaluating "what is right"...to be influenced by various other works and their philosophies, and to truthfully illustrate my exact feelings during those moments - I think that's what Shingeki no Kyojin's ending will resemble.

The above excerpts (and Eren's own words, as displayed earlier in this post) demonstrate that Eren could not control what he desired; he was born a monster. As such, free will is not entirely supported by the narrative of Attack on Titan. However, as has been demonstrated, neither is determinism. Compatibilism hence remains the best framework for interpreting Eren's character and his moral responsibility in Attack on Titan.

Eren was not a good person—he knew he was a bad person and that his actions in carrying out the Rumbling were wrong.

Eren Demonstrating His Knowledge That the Rumbling Would Be the "Greatest Act of Violence in History":

Eren Displaying His Guilt by Apologizing to Ramzi Because He Knew His Future Actions Were Wrong:

Although Eren could not control what he desired, he was responsible for the consequences that were generated, as he always had the capability of choosing otherwise and he was the ultimate source of all his actions. As such, his actions cannot be justified in any way to alleviate him of responsibility.

Note: This post was inspired by @cosmicjoke's last response in this chain and was created to elaborate on the points brought up in that response:

[kinojoy]

BSD Prediction: (SPOILER ALERT !!!)

-Fyodor is a small rat controlling a human robot.

-Shinsoukoku true love kiss break the vampire cursed.

-Aya just hanging onto the table, only moving 1 inch of Bram's sword.

-Tecchou and Kenji appear to help Aya removing the sword.

-or Aya awakened her power.

- Poe's book definitely has some kind of Chekhov's gun type of plot twist.

-Maybe it's like in the Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Event season 5 twist where the object is important but not how we think it is. Maybe it's not to attack Fukuchi but to save Fukuzawa or something.

-Or worst, Fukuchi used Poe book to attack/kill one if not all the member.

-Fitzgerald appears to help/stop the missiles

-Or Verlaine ?

-Or maybe someone who hasn't appeared in a long time like Lucy, Yosano, Natsume or Kyouka ?

-New Moby Dick ??? Because last time we saw Melville there's mini whale appears.

-If we gonna predict bad ending maybe this is like in Avenger Infinity war where the villain won but then the agency manage to counter attack.

-Maybe a time skip like in Attack on Titan and they reveal Atsushi in more mature ages where he decided to take revenge.

-I mean Timeskip routes is really common in manga story such as (spoiler) Attack on Titan, Talentless Nana, Boruto, etc.

-Maybe if we really wanna go darker route Dazai's and Fukuzawa's death make Atsushi goes 'I need to be stronger. I will take the leader role.' And decided to go Eren Yeager

-Dazai plan is indeed to fail, but he saved Sigma,Chuuya and the whole world.

-Nikolai reveal something like 'HAHA ! There is no antidote, bitch !!!'

-Both Fyodor and Dazai died. (Rip)

[amrwantonblog]

(pt2) if Isayama wanted the body double joke to be a reference to "Mikasa'll marry Jean cause he looks like Eren" that's just plain awful. Jk always felt one-sided for me and the fact that we don't get any actual moments about them never sold it to me. Like I can see it working but people seem to justify it just by saying "WELL Jean and mikasa have the same dream. It was obvious. EM would have never worked" I feel like they are just using every excuse to invalidate EM, and justify their ship.

Now like as follow up I will say this. Yes, Mikasa and Jean do have similar desires in life that are compatible. They both want a simple life with family. And to be frank, I do not think Jean is incapable of making Mikasa happy.

With that said, Mikasa's desire for a family is almost always compounded with Eren in mind. It occurred in lost girls, their time with the Yeagers and even when Kiyomi and co visited it's blatantly stated thanks to Historia's questioning that she only showed Eren her tattoo cause that's who she wants to have a family with, something Eren can not provide due to his lifespan among other things.

Not to take away from Jean, he did have his dream in 127 which was foreshadowing this. But the optimal term is his dream. Mikasa as a person has no agency in this whatsoever. She's just a housewife playing with a baby. The dream is very much self-centred on what Jean thinks he deserves and that itself is not a bad thing given the hell Jean just went through he's allowed to escape.

Eren and Mikasa's dream in 138 is also self-centred too but it involves both of them. Mikasa getting her to wish to be by Eren's side and Eren being able to be a loving partner and pamper her the way he wants to. Both of them have agency here. This isn't to invalidate Jean's feelings whatsoever, but this just partially showcases that Mikasa and Eren's relationship is a lot more complex and deep than Jean's one-sided feelings. They've just known each other longer and have been through a lot together that shaped how they lived their lives.

SNK at the end of the day, is EMA's story and since EM are mains their relationship takes priority over all the others. JK is nice to showcase that Mikasa was able to achieve her goal of family at the end, but this just isn't vital to the story of the tragic short lived but beautiful relationship Mikasa and Eren had.

That's why JK doesn't have any moments aside from them standing next to each other or Jean inquiring about Mikasa/Eren. It's just not all that important to the end result. It's a forced ship for the purpose of Mikasa living a long life like Eren wanted. Not a bad ship either by any means, but clearly not one the plot or Yams tried hard to really get you invested in either.

So overall in that regard, it's only logical that EM despite not being endgame is still the ship of the series. It's been a key point of both characters for 11 years and even got an emotional dramatic farewell 138/139 plus Mikasa's last moments being in his scarf despite being married.

1 panel of JK at the end showcasing Mikasa's future just flat out doesn't invalidate EM's bittersweet relationship of over a decade. Just not how it works. There's a reason EM is the pair getting so much spinoff content. SNK's story started with those 2 and the end heavily revolved around them as well.

[yodawgiherd]

Thunderspear

>>>Read on AO3<<<

I totally forgot to crosspost the new chapter of my story yesterday, blame the leaks and the memes that those created :D

The hospital was busy, as it always was, yet Eren had trouble focusing. Here he was, back as functioning member of society after having a hedonistic break over the weekend. Sure, he lost the endurance contest to Mikasa but with her being an Ackerman and a professional athlete he would lie in saying that he didn’t see it coming. Then again, who cares who won, when the free time was spent doing what they were doing. Mikasa made even eating fun, and Eren smirked when he remembered licking ice-cream from her defined abs yesterday evening. When she complained about the cold, he apologized like the perfect gentleman before dumping the next scoop right on her left nipple.

No, get these thoughts out, no more thinking about the pretty contrast they made, when his tanned skin rubbed against her porcelain one, or the stark difference between the blackness of the ropes and the whiteness of her body. It wasn’t easy for Mikasa either, half a city away, because keeping your mind away from the memories was nigh impossible. Eren was so good with the rope, he managed to create beautiful patterns while making it look so easy, effortlessly integrating other toys into it too. Among other things, it was the spreader bar between her legs, rope around her torso, and Mikasa remembered being unable to move an inch which put her straight to cloud nine. She tried returning the favor, but her ropework was clumsy at best and while she managed to restrain Eren, it was nothing compared to what he could do. He created art with her body and was damn proud of it too. Wanting to see herself from his perspective, Mikasa asked him to snap a few pictures of how she looked in those intricate designs, and she still had them saved on her phone. Scrolling through them while having a lunch break was far from the correct workplace etiquette, but Mikasa couldn’t help herself.

In the hospital, Eren was guilty of the same sin, sitting in the break room while his fingers gently stroked the screen of his phone. While Mikasa was swooning over his bondage skills, Eren told her that a great deal of the act was her doing too. It was Mikasa’s toned body that allowed him to create these beauties, bend her in all those angles knowing that she could take it. She was the perfect model, the peak specimen, with strong arms and legs, incredible thighs and all the lean muscles that bulged under her flawless porcelain skin, not even mentioning the ass that was to die for. She was so strong, yet so delicate, her trusting Eren enough to let him tie her up was a privilege he treasured. What an amazing experience that was, any time it happened.

God damn it, now he was sporting a boner in the break room. Eren mentally slapped himself with a clear message to his libido - back to work. He had a lot on his plate today, not only the usual but in the afternoon he was expected at Hizuru for a meeting with Kiyomi. Only a tad bit intimidated by the old lady, Eren was very glad that Mikasa promised to meet him in the lobby and show him the way because just seeing her filled him with strength. Other people had lucky charms, he had his wonderful girlfriend.

His shift went fine, with only Ymir and Onya doing some mocking comments when they noticed the bruises on Eren’s neck left behind by Mikasa’s affections, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle. Before long, he was on his way to the agency. Once there, it was the matter of finding a parking spot and going inside, and Eren entered the same world that Mikasa got into.

The lobby was big, much bigger than Eren expected. Luckily, he wasn’t forced to do such a humiliating thing as asking for directions because a familiar figure pushed herself from the receptionist’s desk, where she was leaning, to make a line straight for him. Mikasa looked a bit strange today, her clothes were done in a futuristic cut and the jacket even had small led lights in it. It did fit together with the red stripe in her hair, so whoever made the decision for her to dye it was good at his job.

“I take it that you are working on the cyberpunk thing today?”, he asked when she came closer.

“What gave it away?”, her lips, painted purple for some reason, curled upwards.

“A simple hunch, nothing more.”

She didn’t answer that. Instead, her hands, purple nails too, he noticed, sneaked up into Eren’s collar and pulled down. Yanked down to her height, he was assaulted by a kiss that was most definitely more than the usual “Hello” one. Not one to question his fortune, Eren surrendered to her, letting her tangle her deft fingers into his hair while he anchored himself on her hips. The futuristic jeans she was wearing had little cutouts there, allowing him to stroke her porcelain skin directly, so maybe cyberpunk wasn’t such a bad fashion trend after all. When they finally broke apart, Mikasa was still wearing the satisfied smirk on her lips.

“Any reason for this?”, he asked, getting a firm shake of her head in return.

Eren didn’t need to know about the dreamy look that entered the receptionist’s eyes when he walked in. He didn’t need to know about the “Damn” the woman muttered under her breath while devouring him with her gaze. He didn’t need to know any of these things.

“Nope.”, she thumbed the corner of his mouth, purposely smearing the lipstick stain she left behind even more, “I’m just happy to see you.”

With that, she grabbed Eren’s hand and pulled him behind herself, passing very close to the reception. Petty, but who cares. Together, they made their way up to Kiyomi’s office, with Mikasa effortlessly navigating through the many corridors of the building. Eren was quite sure that he would have gotten lost even after getting the directions, so he was very glad that his fiancé had decided to save him.

Kiyomi was sitting behind a large desk in a throne-like chair, evocating the feeling of a director at the center of her power. What Eren noticed was that there were several pictures of his fiancé over her office, in various clothes, even a framed photo on Kiyomi’s desk. Apparently, he was not the only one bewitched by the beautiful martial artist. Seeing the two of them enter, Kiyomi narrowed her eyes at Mikasa.

“I didn’t realize that you are Mr. Yeager’s mother, Mikasa. Or is there other reason why he needs you at our meeting?”

Taking the hint, the raven let go of Eren’s hand.

“I’ll take my leave, but please be nice to him.”

“When am I not nice?”

Mikasa chuckled at that, pressing one last kiss to Eren’s cheek before disappearing through the door. When he sat down, the first thing Kiyomi did was hand him a wipe, gesturing at his face.

“Your girlfriend left a mark.”

Blood rising to his cheeks, Eren quickly cleaned himself to the best of his ability, getting the purple away from his skin. When he was deemed clean enough, Kiyomi nodded in satisfaction, letting Eren take the word. Free to speak, he decided to straight on tell her what he thought about this whole thing.

“I just want to tell you that I’m not thinking about a career change, this is a one-time thing for me.”

“I understand that.”

“Good, so when do we start shooting?”

“Today? Oh no Yeager, today we talk.”

“What about?”

“You see…”, Kiyomi’s eyes were trained at him, piercing through the mind, “I believe that you should get the most fitting setting for your photoshoot that I can provide, considering it is, as you said, a one-time thing. I want to talk to you and know exactly what is best for you individually, what will help my photographer get the most out of you.”

“The way you say it, makes me think that there is a much more to this job than meets the eye.”

“Most definitely. Anyone can snap a few pictures but what I aim at is to know your soul.”

No, that was not creepy at all.

“Okay…”

Seeing that he was taken aback by her intensity, Kiyomi went on.

“Look at Mikasa and tell me who in their right mind would ever want someone like her to be a model.”

“Are you saying that she’s not pretty enough?”

Kiyomi shook her head.

“We both know that her body was never a problem and her face is flawless - Mikasa is physically perfect. Her mind, that is a different story altogether. She is too rigid to work with, too closed up.”, the old woman tapped the side of her head, “Still, I knew that there was a diamond hidden inside, and I commissioned my best digger to get it out. It took time and effort, I won’t deny that, but the results are oh so worth it.”

Sitting back, the tycoon continued.

“Mikasa is a beautiful soul, and while she has trouble expressing herself when she does the emotions are incredibly powerful. She isn’t my best girl just because of how she looks, but also because of how she can feel herself into the scene, only a few other models can do it so perfectly. I attended several of her photoshoots, and I agree with Dot when he says that Mikasa could be a grade-A actress if she put her mind to it.”

“I don’t think she would be into that.”

“I agree, that is too much exposure for her liking. But this job, this is just the right amount. Mikasa has fire in her, and she can be incredibly creative when she wants to, but she hides it. It’s the same thing as her beauty, she doesn’t flaunt it at all. I don’t think I remember a single occasion when Mikasa came to work wearing something else than comfortable clothes. Also, it doesn’t help that she keeps dressing in that long-dead style.”, Kiyomi pursed her lips, saying the next word as if it would be an insult, “Goth.”

“What’s wrong with being comfortable?”

“Some of us keep up with the fashion trends, it’s more or less expected in this business.”, she sighed, “I won’t lie, it changes so fast that it’s almost a suffering.”

While not so sure about the suffering, Eren was inclined to agree on that first part. Despite her being the ice queen and all, Mikasa could be very playful, if their private adventures were any indicator. Looking back, one could label them as dumb and childish, but he couldn’t care less. He had fun, Mikasa had fun, and damn what anyone else would think about it. They weren’t invited in the first place.

“Here,”, Kiyomi was just saying, “Look at these.”

She placed two photos in front of him, both of Mikasa. In one, she was wearing her workout gear, sports bra and shorts, with her fists raised. In the second, she was in that cyberpunk getup Eren just saw her in.

“This is the first photo we have of Mikasa,”, Kiyomi tapped the workout picture, “And the other is the last one so far. Can you see the difference?”

To an untrained eye, it wouldn’t be that obvious, but Eren was very familiar with Mikasa’s face. In the first one, she was still doubtful about this whole thing, her expression was tight and reserved, even though the clothes she was modeling were something she was wearing practically every day. In the last one, the raven was much more relaxed, leaning on a bike and looking into the camera with a cocky expression, one eyebrow raised.

“I can see that she is really into it now, that you’ve managed to dig out that diamond.”, he told Kiyomi, “But I still don’t know why you are showing me this.”

“So you can see for yourself that I’m not talking out of my ass. I really do want to capture you in your best light Eren, and I am very good at finding it. Trust me with this, I can make this whole thing work. If someone as reserved as your girlfriend could find working for me fun and fulfilling, why couldn’t you?”

The spark that was in Kiyomi’s eyes when she spoke about Mikasa made Eren wonder just how much the old woman loved her leading girl.

“You really like working with her.”

“And who wouldn’t? She is so inspiring! Martial arts were always dominated by men and for an understandable reason. The male body has much higher muscle mass than us women, they are built that much better for fighting.”, Kiyomi ran her hand down the framed picture of Mikasa, almost lovingly, “Yet there she is. Standing in the ring, head held high and fists raised, knocking anyone who tries her on their ass – man, woman it doesn’t matter to her. A female, yet destroying anyone and anything in her way, stronger and faster than a normal human being.”

Mikasa wasn’t lying when she said that Kiyomi can get excited rather easily. Her eyes were full of emotion when she spoke, voice filled with awe.

“She had to work that much harder to get where she is, to overcome the genetic difference, and she did it so perfectly. She is a goddess, Eren, a warrior like no other, and I hope you know that.”, suddenly, her eyes bore into his, “You are treating her with the respect she deserves, aren’t you?”

The chill that ran down Eren’s spine reminded him of the one he got any time Mikasa used her murderous glare at him. God damn it, were these two women related?

“O-Of course.”, he blurted, “She deserves only the best.”

“That’s correct.”

And just as it appeared, the look was gone and Kiyomi was once again an energetic old lady.

“It is very good to see that you understand just how incredible Mikasa is.”

“I know. Sometimes I wake up and wonder why an angel like her would ever grace me with her presence.”

“Would you say that she has a positive effect on your life?”

“I would say that she is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Good, good. Looks like the boy was exactly as taken with Mikasa as Kiyomi wanted him to be, if there was one thing she despised it was ugly break-ups. Those always generated way too much of unwanted press, because journalists loved jumping at vulnerable young people and profiting from their misery.

“Ah, but don’t sell yourself that short.”

Eren’s brows furrowed.

“What do you mean?”

“You, my dear boy, are also fascinating.“

“Why is that? Last I checked I’m not knocking guys thrice my size down on their asses.”

“No, you don’t, but you have other qualities.”, Kiyomi leaned backwards in her throne-chair, “When I was signing Mikasa up, I had those closest to her checked out, so I know quite a bit about you.”

Eren couldn’t help but wonder at that.

“Checked out? Why?”

“I’m very careful about who I sign up to lead my collections. Any sort of past mistakes that could be dug up could end up hurting my brand. And nobody hurts my brand if I can help it.”

“Understandable.”

Kiyomi rewarded his open mind with a smile.

“Anyway, as I was saying, I know quite a bit about you.”, she pointed at him, the gold ring on her long finger glistening, “You were born into wealth, Eren, with the assets your father left behind you and Carla could have been sipping drinks at the beach while drowning in supermodels.”

“Technically, I have one at home now.”, Eren chimed in, but Kiyomi ignored that jab in favor of her narrative.

“But did either of you do that? No. Your mother started a charity and is working tirelessly for a better world while you chose one of the most stressful professions there is. Why?”

“I like helping people.”

“Because…?”

“The thought of someone being limited by an illness or an injury does not sit well with me. I want to free people from the burden, to help them live to their fullest. If that is not enough, then my father was also an inspiration, I wanted to follow in his footsteps.”

“That’s a noble goal.”

“I don’t see it like that.”

“Doesn’t make it any less noble.”

Eren shrugged, but Kiyomi didn’t mind. She already had all the info she needed.

“Eren, would you mind if we turned your photoshoot into a couple one?”

“What do you mean?”

“I think that it would go better if we let you and Mikasa work together, show some chemistry.”, Kiyomi leaned forward, “From what I’ve heard, I imagine that she is a very big part of your life.”

“She most certainly is.”

“Then would that be a problem?”

“A problem? No, of course not.”, Eren ran a hand through his hair, chuckling nervously, “Honestly, I’m relieved that she will be there with me.”

“Very good, then it's settled.”, standing up, Kiyomi offered her hand “Yelena will get in touch with you about the exact date.”

And after Eren shook it and left the office, she picked up her phone dialing a familiar number.

“Dot? I have the perfect setup for this thing. What? No. Shush and picture this - We are going to create a little apocalypse for them.”

  A few days passed. The last preliminary match was done yesterday, and in all honesty it was fairly easy. Mikasa breezed through it and put her opponent on his back in just a few rounds, taking the first spot in the qualifier and solidifying her position in the Vegas finals. She didn’t get hit at all really, too fast for the poor guy, which meant that right the next morning she was back at the gym, working on herself. The door to the office opened and Levi emerged, crossing the distance to where she was. They nodded at each other in a form of greeting.

“Any tips about yesterday?”

“Not really, you breezed through the match exactly as I expected. The thing I came to talk to you about is that technique I asked you to develop, have you been working on it?”

“I did think about it, but I somehow can’t come up with anything I need.”, she sat up on the bench, eyes meeting Levi’s, “Any ideas?”

“That’s the thing, we reached the point where you have surpassed me when it comes to fighting.”

“What, you want to stop being my trainer?”

Levi barked out a laugh.

“Of course not, I’ll keep drilling you for a long, long time. But when it comes to this, I feel like it is something that you have to develop mostly on your own with only some tips from me.”

“Fine.”, Mikasa shrugged, “So, want to throw those my way?”

“First of all, I think that whatever you do, it has to be a kick, not a punch. For obvious reasons.”

It was easy to see what Levi meant. Kicks are inherently stronger than punches, and with the beasts Mikasa was about to face, she would need to deliver the most damaging hits she could do.

“Next,” Levi went on, “It should be aimed to surprise, to stagger and to crack the armor these guys have. Like Reiner, you’ve watched his matches right?”

“Yea, when he turtles, it’s like he’s not feeling the opponent’s hits at all.”

“That’s his thing, he calls it the “Armor”.”

“How does it work?”

“It’s quite simple. He’s a big guy, and with the muscles Reiner developed, he can shrug off anything that gets thrown at him in the ring. As long as he protects his vitals, which he does in that stance, he’s practically invincible. Too heavy to throw, too stable to trip. And don’t forget that he trains with Annie, so he won’t underestimate you. At all.”

“And the more you hit him, the more frustrated you get and open yourself up to counters.”, Mikasa added.

“Exactly. So you need something that will shatter his armor, get through that defense and allow you to do damage.”

A kick, one strong enough to get through Reiner’s armor. Mikasa felt like she could do it, but one doubt kept nibbling at the back of her mind.

“Won’t a kick open me up?”, she asked, “It’s a lot slower than a punch.”

“Not if you do it fast enough. Your speed is your best weapon, there is no way in hell you can match fighters like Reiner or Fahkumram in strength. You are already fast, but you need to be even faster and convert that into the kick – speed is force, after all.”

“All right, I’ll start working on it then. Oh, and shouldn’t a new technique have a name?”

Levi’s eyes that rolled up and the unamused look on his face gave her the answer even before he spoke.

“I feel like you are playing way too many videogames with Eren.”

But Mikasa wouldn’t be deterred so easily.

“How about Armor Cracker? Or…”, she tried a practice kick, the air whooshing around her leg, “Wind breaker?”

“That sounds like a fart.”

“You are not exactly helping.”, she frowned at her brother, “Come on, you must have some ideas.”

“A-really-fast-kick?”

“Levi, you have the imagination of a politician.”

Mikasa kicked the air again, thinking.

“Galeforce! Or Stridebreaker! Or…”

“Thunder Spear!”

Turning to where the voice came from, Mikasa saw Hange standing there with a huge smile plastered to her face.

“I LOVE creating new names, you have to let me have this one.”, she said, a polar opposite to Levi’s attitude, “It fits too, wouldn’t you say?”

Technically, Mikasa could see her legs as spears. And the power of the kick would have to be explosive to crack Reiner’s amor, and thunder was an explosive force. In short, it was a good name, fitting.

“All right, Thunder Spear it is then.”

Hange’s smile got even wider, but it was Levi who spoke.

“Fine, whatever. Now don’t forget to develop this Thunder Spear of yours, or Reiner will have a field day once you two meet in Vegas.”

The finals were creeping ever closer, and the monsters Mikasa had to fight would be all there, the ones she would have to defeat to reach the top. To do so, she would have to hone this Thunder Spear of hers to the highest possible quality.

  Armin felt nervous when opening his email lately, the feeling caused by the several ongoing dialogues he had with various publishers. His book was finished, and now it was the time to see if anyone would print it. Eyes rowing over the lines of text, his blues widened when he read the title of his newest e-mail. Re-reading it, just to be sure, Armin felt a wave of excitement wash over him.

“You okay?”

The two words almost made him jump before he realized that Jean was there, looking at him over the rim of his notebook. They were spending a lot of time together lately, and while Armin had a suspicion that the entity of Eren and Mikasa asked Jean to keep an eye on him, he honestly didn’t mind. They haven’t talked much in college, since Armin was busy being the glue that kept his two best friends together and Jean was out doing his own thing. He learned a lot in a few days, about the career Jean made in marketing and the business he had set up, designed in a way that it was more-or-less autonomous at this point. As long as he had access to the internet, Jean could manage it from anywhere on the planet. Which meant that the move he had recently, one that was supposed to be a short-term before the whole thing with Hitch happened, didn’t affect him in the slightest.

Instead of answering the question, Armin turned his laptop towards Jean, letting him read the mail for himself.

“Finally! I knew this is going to happen! Who is that again…”, taking the name of the publisher, Jean ran it through the search engine, jumping a few websites to get an overall picture.

“Looks trustworthy, but their marketing is kinda ass. I’ll get int touch with them and see if they would like any help in that area.”

“You would do that?”

Jean smirked.

“Count on me Armin, I’ll make this thing into a bestseller.”

The moment they shared was interrupted when Armin’s eyes moved down to see the clock in the corner of his screen.

“Oh damn, I have to run, I have lunch with Mikasa.”

“Don’t let me keep you.”, Jean laughed, fingers dancing over the keyboard, “And say hello for me.”

One frantic car ride later, Armin was sitting at the restaurant and telling the exciting news to Mikasa.

“I had an e-mail from a publisher. Believe it or not, people actually want to print my book!”

“Why wouldn’t I believe it? I knew you had it in you Armin.”, she clapped him on the shoulder, enthusiastic, “That’s amazing news!”

“Thanks, I still have to wrap my head around it myself, that it’s happening. I wish I could take it as easy as Jean, the moment I told him he was already planning a marketing campaign for the book.”

“You should let him help, he’s a god when it comes to promotion, both Levi’s gym and the Third Wheel benefited from his work. In fact, I think that I have a gift for you too.”

“Really? It’s not even my birthday.”

“The billboard Kiyomi gave me, I want you to have it.”

“I couldn’t….”

Mikasa didn’t let him finish.

“I won’t take no for an answer Ar. I don’t need my face plastered all over it, it’s kind of strange driving past it on my way to the gym.”

“Can I even use it?”

“Why couldn’t you, it’s mine. I’ll talk to Kiyomi and have her set me up with the people who can change it properly.”

“I-… I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Then don’t. If your story will have success that’s more than enough for me.”

They talked about various things, catching up and whatnot. One question kept dancing in the back of the raven’s mind, the one that wasn’t satisfied, not even when Jean reported that Armin is doing great. Swallowing the food, Mikasa manned up and went for it.

“Have you thought about Annie?”

Slowly, Armin put down his fork and folded his hands, expression tightening.

“I did. But I still have no idea what to tell her once I see her again.”

The spark in Armin’s eyes, the want in his voice, it made Mikasa realize that she wasn’t completely honest with him about everything that transpired. He was one of her best friends, and he deserved to know the truth, despite how ugly it was. So, taking a deep breath, Mikasa pushed it out.

“There’s something you don’t know Ar… That night... I found Annie after saving you.”

“You did what?”

“ I was so angry, so pissed at her, I just had to see her. I found her in a park, we fought and I…”, Mikasa’s eyes dropped back to her hands, unable to meet Armin’s gaze.

“I almost beat her to death.”

“W-What?”

“I couldn’t stop myself. You almost… You nearly… We almost lost you Ar. I almost lost you. The pain in me was too fresh, too deep, I had to get it out.”, Mikasa’s voice was full of guilt and suffering when she continued, “You don’t even know how much I value you, how much Eren values you. You are incredibly important to us both.”, she clenched her fists under the table, “I know that this isn’t the high school, but I will do anything in my power to protect you, I’ll beat any bullies who dare hurt you.”

Despite all this, Armin could feel that Mikasa had more.

“There is still something you are not telling me.”, he said in a soft voice, making her nod.

“She came to the gym, a few weeks after the incident, said that she wanted to talk to you.”, Mikasa couldn’t meet Armin’s eyes, she stared at her hands instead, “I told her to fuck off. You were so vulnerable back then… I-I couldn’t let her hurt you again.”

“Hey, Mikasa? Look at me please.”

She did, fearful of what she will see in those ocean eyes. Armin had every right to hate her for what she had done, she overstepped her boundaries and in her overprotective manner sent Annie away. Yet what she saw wasn’t blame, and it felt like a giant weight off her shoulders.

“I wasn’t ready to see her back then, so I think that you acted right.”, he put his hand on the table in an offering that Mikasa took, covering his hand with her own.

“Thank you.”, Armin said, meaning every word, “Thank you for protecting me, and more importantly thank you for being honest.”

“I’m sorry..”

“Don’t apologize. What’s done is done, and now we can only move forward.”

Even embarrassed as she was, Mikasa had to smile at that.

“Move forward? Did you get that phrase from Eren?”

“He says that a lot doesn’t he. That and the thing with setting people free from their injuries, sometimes I feel like I’m talking to a….”

“Serial killer.”, Mikasa finished for him, “Eren does emit that feeling when he is like that.”

Thumbing the engagement ring on her finger, Armin had an idea.

“Tell me, if Eren was a serial killer, would you still date him?”

“Most likely, if he was as hot as he is now.”

Armin blinked up, looking at Mikasa’s face that was completely serious as she continued.

“After all, killing is probably not even that hard.”, she clicked her tongue, “I’d imagine it’s like slicing meat, and that is my specialty.”

She kept the straight face for another ten seconds, and each felt like an hour to Armin. Mikasa talking about murders was somehow terrifying, the look she had chilled him to the bone, and knowing that she is the strongest person he knew didn’t help. Just as he was about to start being seriously afraid, the expression broke and Mikasa laughed, hiding her mouth behind a hand.

“You should see your face!”, she squeezed out, “It’s so pale!”

Armin grumbled, pulling his hand back and overall acting hurt for about two seconds before Mikasa snapped a quick picture of him and damn, he really was pale.

“Keep the killing out of our conversation and we can have a nice lunch, what do you say?”

She smiled, picking up the fork again.

“Okay, but only because it’s you, Mr. Big-shot writer.”

He groaned, she laughed again but obeyed and kept the murderous references to the minimum. It was a nice day, yet she had no idea what the night had in store for her.

  Mikasa woke up in cold sweat, her hand automatically reaching over to the other side of the bed only to find it empty. The rush of fear that jumped up in her heart threatened to overwhelm her completely, to make her scream out in panic before Mikasa’s brain started working. Eren was at work, pulling a night shift. He would come back in the morning. There was nothing to be scared about. Breathing, in and out, she pulled her legs to her chest and hugged them, forming a small ball. Here, hidden inside herself, she could shield her thoughts from the outside world and replay the nightmare in her head.

The dream was terrible. She remembered Sasha being dead, she remembered her grave and herself sitting next to it, quietly sobbing into her scarf. She remembered being on a boat, going somewhere, and she remembered flying, talking with Jean about got knows what. There was an underlying feeling to the whole dream, a terrible dread and sadness, washing it all in shades of black.

Blindly, she reached out, taking her phone and staring at it. Who could she call to make herself feel good again? Eren was at work, and while he would most likely take her call he couldn’t just sit in the hospital talking to his crazy girlfriend after she had another nightmare. Knowing how he was, Eren would probably take off and come home to her, and Mikasa didn’t want that. She hated feeling like a burden. Without thinking, her fingers scrolled until she tapped a familiar name, putting the phone up to her ear.

“Hello?”, said the sleepy voice on the other end, “Miks? Is something wrong?”

“Sasha.”, she said, intertwining her fingers with her toes, “I just couldn’t sleep and realized we haven’t talked in some time. So, want to grab a lunch tomorrow?”

The girl on the other side laughed, and just the sound of it, knowing that she is safe and very much alive filled Mikasa with warmth.

“Sure, I’ll never say no to free food.”

Hours later, they were sitting at the restaurant Mikasa picked. But while Sasha was content with eating, as she usually was, the raven kept checking up on her friend, the remnants of the nightmare still fresh in her mind. It reached the point where she just had to ask, no matter how dumb it did sound.

“Are you feeling okay? Is everything fine?”

Sasha looked up from her food, eyes narrowing.

“Is this about the dreams again?”

Mikasa pressed her lips into a thin line before nodding, knowing that she was acting unreasonably. Of course, Sasha knew about her night terrors, they were roommates for a long time and friends even longer. Embarrassed by her overprotectiveness, Mikasa looked away and was just about to apologize when Sasha reached out, taking a hold of her hand.

“Listen Miks, everything is great for me. I’m good, my pub is doing well, and sometimes I could swear that I feel something in my legs.”

“You do?”

“Yes, although it’s nothing to celebrate yet, my doctor said that it might be just a way how my brain rewards itself for all the physical therapy I’ve been doing.”

She squeezed Mikasa’s hand.

“But the most important thing is that I am very fine, no matter what your dreams told you.”

“I think I needed to hear that. Thank you.”

“Listen, why don’t I cheer you up even more.”, meeting Mikasa’s confused eyes, Sasha went on, “I’ll call the other girls, have a night out, what do you say?”

Well, why the hell not? It has been some time since she was out, and it was always nice to talk to Krista and Ymir, despite the latter’s double-edged comments. You know what, scratch that – it was always nice to talk to Krista. Period. Her preliminary matches were done too, meaning that the self-imposed alcohol ban was over.

“Sure, let’s do that.”, Mikasa agreed, much to Sasha’s glee.

They got quite a band together, with both Ymir and Krista coming. Even Hitch found a hole in her packed schedule, squeezing this event in. The only one who couldn’t make it was Hange, who apologized and said that she is way too swamped at work to be out drinking right now. With few hours to kill, Sasha and Mikasa hit the town. Between the senseless shopping and raiding all kinds of places, Mikasa found herself laughing a lot, the thoughts of Annie and tournament gone from her head. And when they were taking a break, eating ice cream on a bench, she realized that it was way too long since they had done this. Because knowing that Sasha is alive and well, hearing her laugh, that soothed Mikasa’s soul. When the day was ending and the shadows grew tall, it was time to head to the bar and meet up with the others. Which also meant getting bombarded by Ymir’s “tactics” about how Mikasa should fight.

“Can’t you just, I don’t know, blast them with concentrated energy?”

Ymir made the motion with her hands, imitating the sounds too. Mikasa sighed, putting her glass back on the table.

“This is not dragon ball Ymir.”

“Still, I feel like you are making it overly complicated. You want to kick them, just kick them!”

“I need to figure out the best angle, and have  my body put enough strength behind it on its own because I don’t think that my mind can keep up, and….”

“Blah blah. As I said,”, Ymir poked Krista who seemed to be listening to Mikasa’s ranting, “way too complicated. Now Eren, that guy had a lot of interesting things to say.”

Mikasa very quickly connected the dots and realized what Ymir was talking about, her cheeks reddening. Ymir wouldn’t talk about that here, would she?

“What things?”, a new voice asked.

The trio jumped up, none of them noticing that Sasha had sneakily wheeled herself close. She was looking at them now, her eyes wide and innocent, sipping on her drink with a straw.

“What interesting thing are you guys talking about?”, she repeated.

Mikasa stared at Krista, Krista stared at Mikasa, Sasha stared at them all and Ymir was the only one who wasn’t bothered by it at all. She took a casual sip of her drink, a smirk on her face.

“We asked Mikasa if she wanted to have a threesome with us.”

There was stunned silence after. Krista was the one who woke up first, punching her girlfriend in the shoulder, a movement she had done so many times that it was practically mastered at this point.

“Ymir.”, she hissed, “What the hell?!”

Mikasa’s eyes ticked between the three faces in front of her, unsure how to respond to such a statement, and it was Sasha who reacted first. She looked the raven up and down before giving a respectful nod.

“Okay, I can see why you would want that.”

“What?”

“I know right.”, Ymir nodded, wise all of a sudden, “And it’s not like you can’t choose, if you are more into guys, I’m sure that Hitch and Jean would take you.”

“Hitch would do what?”, asked the woman in question, appearing from the bar and carrying her drink.

“Have a threesome with Mikasa.”, Sasha explained.

The therapist met the raven’s bewildered eyes before sliding her gaze over her face and down.

“Sure, I’d go for it.”

“Hitch!”, now it was Mikasa who was hissing, her cheeks red, “You too?”

“Of course, have you ever looked in the mirror?”, the light-haired woman gave her a sly wink, “I’d most definitely go for you.”

“Same here.”, Sasha chimed in.

“Us too.”, Ymir added, while Krista was hiding her face in her hands, wishing to be gone.

Mikasa was suddenly very conscious of all the eyes on her, no idea how to react. Since when did all her friends become so horny for her?

“Listen, I-I a-appreciate the offers, but I’m not looking for anything right now. Eren is enough, more than enough.”

“Hey, no one is pressuring you.”, Sasha said, raising her glass, “But if you ever grow bored of the good doctor, know that there’s plenty of us you can call.”

The night continued in a relaxed manner, now that the unnecessary proposals were off the table. Catching up felt good, knowing that her friends were still there and living their best life. Ymir and Krista were the dynamic duo, Hitch was the one with clever comebacks, and Sasha was the life of the party. For once, Mikasa let go and simply had fun. Because it was fun sending drunken selfies to Eren, Connie and Jean, to let them know how much they are missing. The only thing that bothered her was the way Sasha kept checking her phone as if she was waiting for something. When asked, she just brushed it aside, which prompted Mikasa’s protective instincts to act.

“You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

Sasha smiled at her, pocketing the phone she was checking. Again.

“Of course, we are best friends, aren’t we?”

“Definitely.”

“Well, best friend, if you feel so inclined, how about you grab me another drink?”

Mikasa giggled but took her glass anyway, walking towards the bar. And when Sasha leaned back, a smile playing on her lips, her phone decided that it was finally the time to beep. Checking, she could see that there was a text from Niccolo, just two words, but it made her heartbeat rise. Because those two words, that was exactly that Sasha was waiting for.

“It’s time.”

  Every pause must come to an end, and the action will resume. The next morning found Mikasa back at the gym, trying and failing with the new technique. The bag swayed with her kick, leather creaking, but it wasn’t it. The angle was wrong. The power was not enough. It wasn’t finished, far from it. Mikasa groaned in frustration, trying again, but nothing changed. She lacked the spark, the something that would allow her to pump out the power required for the Thunderspear. Her body was capable of producing the kick, she knew she could do it, but it was not happening. Maybe she was feeling lazy, maybe the recent victories gave Mikasa too much of an ego. As it was now, she would never break through Reiner. In her mind’s eye, she saw him standing right there, a smug smile on his lips as he effortlessly shrugged off her attacks. Closing her eyes, Mikasa massaged her temples to stave off the headache that was slowly creeping up. She was frustrated, pissed off, angry at herself.

“Need any help?”

She turned, startled, only to meet the eyes of a tall individual.

“Jean? What are you doing here?”

“Hitch said that you will most likely be training again, and I thought that I could go for a workout as well. It was some time since I flexed my muscles.”, he pointed at the abused bag,  “And I can see that you are struggling with something.”

“I’m trying to create a new kick that will break through strong guards. But I can’t get it to work, I feel like I don’t have the motivation or something…”

“Here.”, Jean climbed up, jumping into the ring, “How about you try it on me instead?”

Well, it was better than kicking the bag for no reason. It was probably even better than if Eren would be here to help, because while Levi insisted that he has a very “kickable” face, Mikasa strongly disagreed. Her emotional attachment could block her from going all out. Of course, Jean was her friend, but there is a difference between the love of your life and a good friend. Jean was taller than Reiner and way skinnier, but at least he was a human and it was easier to imagine the German tank standing there.

“Let’s just do some sparring, get pumped up.”, Mikasa suggested.

They did so, trading punches back and forth, while the raven tried her best to come up with the right move for her Thunderspear. Jean did his best, with the basic Krav Maga he knew, but it was not enough to even get her winded. Understandably so, she was the prodigy here. A prodigy who can’t even kick hard enough. Gritting her teeth, Mikasa stared at Jean, imagining the blond head of Reiner. The muscles, the sure and steady legwork, the cold expression, the short yet incredibly well-balanced body, the hooked nose and startlingly blue eyes and… wait. That was not Reiner she was imagining. That was Annie. The familiar cold filled her, the one she felt only once, back in the rain when she almost killed her. On that terrible night when she almost lost Armin. The rage was back, not burning but freezing, filling her with ice.

But the last nudge that happened didn’t come from her memories of Annie, that came from Jean’s face. Watching it, Mikasa’s mind was flooded with those strange dreams, the flashbacks from another lifetime, her headache back in full force. She could smell the burning bodies, she could hear destruction. Jean was next to her, dressed in a black uniform, his mouth moving and forming words she had trouble understanding. Only two were crystal clear – “Kill” and “Eren”.

Kill Eren? No, she wouldn’t do that, no matter what kind of different life that was. She would never hurt the man she loved, her fiancé. If that wouldn’t be enough, her heart throbbed with pain when the thoughts of Sasha resurfaced, claiming that something terrible happened to her, worse than the shooting accident she was in. As if her former roommate and one of her best friends died, and that left a hole in Mikasa’s heart. The feeling was still strong, despite the lunch they had together and the night out. Whatever these memories were, wherever they came from, those combined with her rivalry with Annie and clicked together, sneaking through her brain and unlocking the hidden capabilities of her body.

Was it stupid? Maybe, but it didn’t matter. Mikasa knew that neither of these terrible tragedies happened. She knew that Sasha was alive and well, she knew that there was nothing in this world that was forcing her to kill Eren. This remnant of her past life, or a random thing that her mind made up, it was enough to push her over the edge. Just like that, Mikasa knew exactly what she had to do. And as the headache subsided, leaving only the bitter taste of the memories behind, her body overcame its limitations. Mikasa would do anything to prevent such a terrible fate befalling her friends, to protect them she was willing to go above and beyond. Roused by the nightmares, loaded by the unfair and terrible hardships her dream-self had to endure, the Thunderspear was ready to fire.

Jean must have noticed the change in her behavior too, because he stopped attacking, pulled back and went on the defensive. It was not enough. Mikasa aimed the Thunderspear in the middle of his torso, kicking right into Jean’s block which immediately cracked under the pressure. He was sent flying back, falling onto the ropes and sliding down like a ragdoll, boneless.

The drawback was immediately obvious. The kick was done with her whole body, all muscles working together to create such a strong blow. Once fired, Mikasa was hit by a wave of slight nausea as she swayed on her feet, almost doubling over. This wasn’t an attack that could be used freely - if she went for it and missed, Mikasa was open to any sort of counterattack. It took her a sweet moment to recompose herself, get her body back under control and realize that this wasn’t Annie she was fighting but her friend.

“Jean, are you okay?”, she quickly crossed the distance and fell to her knees, looking over his form.

“I... I think so?”, he grimaced, trying to sit up and failing at that, “Honestly, I sort of can’t feel half of myself. Holy shit your legs are strong.”

Scared that she hurt him for real, Mikasa did a quick checkup but her hands didn’t find any fractures. Jean sat up again, this time successfully, giving her a small nod to indicate that nothing permanent was inflicted. Relieved, Mikasa helped him stand, stabilizing his swaying with a hand around Jean’s shoulders.

 “I think I finally managed to find the right angle.”, she said, getting a weak grin in answer.

“Glad I could help, but please don’t kick me like that again.”

“I won’t. And thank you, I don’t think I could have done it without you.”

“Hey, that’s what friends are for.”

  “My dad should be around here somewhere.”, Annie was saying, looking left and right.

“It’s nice to have a ride off the airport.”, Reiner pointed out, “Saves on the taxi.”

The prospect of seeing her father again did leave a sour taste on Annie’s mind. She was not exactly sure that she was ready to forgive the man, despite her talk from earlier. The expression didn’t go unnoticed by Reiner, as he poked her shoulder with a grin.

“What’s wrong Annie? Thinking about that Mikasa girl again?”

“Oh my god, are you Mikasa’s fans as well? I heard you talking about her.”

Annie turned to meet the eyes of a young girl with shoulder-length light hair and an expression that was the definition of excited. There was a bag over the girl's shoulder and wheeled travel luggage behind her, indicating that she too had just arrived on the plane. What caught Annie’s attention was a magazine the girl was holding, because right there on the front page there she was. Her nemesis, if you will, Mikasa Ackerman in all her glory, dressed in her fighting gear and with her fists raised, steel-grey eyes staring right into Annie’s. The girl noticed where the blonde was looking, raising the magazine.

“This is one of the earlier issues, I’ve been re-reading them recently.”, she giggled, nervously, “I just love Mikasa so much, I can’t get enough. I watched every fight, every interview, read every word I could find. She’s just so great, isn’t she?”

As if remembering her manners, she finally introduced herself.

“I’m Louise, by the way.”

Annie wasn’t sure how to react when meeting the adoring fan of someone she was here to beat, but luckily Reiner stepped in, leaning over to the girl.

“The only interest we have in Mikasa is how to beat her.”, he gestured towards their little trio, “We are all fighters, here to take the tourney, so Ackerman is just another step on the road for us.”

Louise’s expression turned from an excited smile into a frown and she clutched the magazine close to her chest.

“There is no way any of you are beating Mikasa. She’s going to win because she is the best, you guys don’t stand a chance.”

Reiner grinned, spreading his hands.

“Guess we will see about that.”

Louise huffed, raising her head high and grabbing the luggage behind her. Turning, she walked away at a brisk pace, not sparing the blasphemers any more of her attention.

“Looks like the Ackerman girl is quite popular.”, Bert said, “More than I expected to be honest.”

“It’s not just fighting, she’s a model too.”, Annie remembered, “Appeals to the masses.”

“A model huh?”, Reiner put a hand on her shoulder, “Well, maybe she’ll have to consider a career change once you rearrange her face, isn’t that right Annie?”

But there wasn’t any burning hatred for Mikasa in Annie’s heart. She used the girl to motivate herself, yet she felt deep respect towards her. The raven was the only person as dedicated as Annie herself, the only one that understood the deep need to prove herself in this sport. Reiner and Bert, they were good friends, but they didn’t understand it, they never could. Yet she had to keep her appearances up, so despite herself, Annie grinned at the joke.

“Right.”

In the edge of her vision, a familiar figure appeared, and Annie shifted so she could see it better. Her father was there, waiting, leaning on a cane. He didn’t see them yet, giving Annie the time to study his anxious expression as his eyes scanned the airport, looking for his daughter. Was she ready to face him again? Did she want to? Then again, did she have a choice here?

“Oh look, it's your dad.”, Bert said, taking the choice away from her completely.

“Let’s go.”, Reiner decided for the group, casually throwing his heavy bag over a shoulder and walking towards the old man.

With Berthold following close behind, Annie gave up on her drama queen routine and forced her body to move too, trailing behind her mates.

[miitzwrites]

Hello, can I request a drabble featuring Levi and Eren with prompt 13? Hope you have a good day. 💞

thank you, anon! sorry for taking so long, but i couldn’t decide if you wanted angst, if you liked mpreg, or what. but anyway, i hope you enjoy it!

[more prompts to send in] [if you want to donate me a ko-fi, go there; or if you want to commission me a drabble, one shot or a fic, send me a msg!!]

---- 

“I lost our baby.”

The defeated and solemn voice of Levi, made Eren look up, causing him to drop his phone and look at his husband with a mix of confusion, surprise, and terror. “What did you just say?” Eren, asked, patting the free seat by his side so Levi could sit down and explain himself better.

“I lost out baby, I blew up our chance to finally adopt her when she started crying and I freeze. One of the nurses had to come and help me out because she wouldn’t calm down,” Levi explained, expecting Eren’s scowl at any moment. “I’m a fucking mess. The agency surely won’t accept our request to adopt her now.”

After seven years of dating and three years married, the couple decided it was time to have a baby. Both had a solid job, Eren being the owner of a restaurant, inherited from his mother, and Levi, who was a successful lawyer, so they believed they could give a little one a good life, both emotionally and financially speaking.

However, the process wasn’t easy; there were some concerns about their age gap, with Levi almost 40 years old, and Eren reaching barely 25. They had to deal also with their backgrounds, an absent parent on Eren’s side, and a non-conventional father figure in Levi’s case, and let’s not forget both dead mothers. But, when they found little Amelia, two years old and already an orphan, after losing her parents in an accident, they immediately got attached to her.

Eren sighed, after years knowing Levi, he was aware of how badly his anxiety could spike out of control and in the worst moments. He took Levi’s hand, and rubbed small circles with his thumb over Levi’s palm, trying to comfort him. “You have no prior experience with kids, of course, you’re going to freak out if Amy starts crying and she seems fine. She loves you, Levi, don’t worry over such silly things.”

“Yeah, little brat loves everyone who gives her sweets.”

“She loves your sweets, Levi. You went overboard and learned to make them from scratch. See? You’re doing great already,” Eren said cheerfully, trying to encourage his upset husband.

“Well, I wouldn’t let our baby eat that commercial shit. You know what it does to their teeth,” he mumbled and Eren couldn’t help but smile at the mention of their baby. Levi may not realize it, but he was a great dad already, worrying about her well-being and even going to the stretch of getting the information of the other two couples interested in the baby, just to make sure that they were good candidates, in the case that the agency decided that he and Eren weren’t fitted for the role. 

“Your sister was right,” Levi said out of the blue, “maybe this was a mistake. Maybe our marriage was a mistake. Maybe you should marry someone else, someone who doesn’t freak out over small shit. Find you a pretty lady that can give you a family, so you don’t have to deal with my old ass.”

Eren stared at Levi, unsure of what he wanted to do to his husband. He could either laugh and pretend that Levi’s insecurities were a thing from the past -which clearly, they weren’t-, or smack him some sense into his thick head. Instead, he let go of his hand and kneeled between his legs, taking Levi’s pouty face between his hands. “Levi, I love you, okay? I loved you before and I’m damn sure I’ll still be loving you when we both are old and cranky, because you’re my only one,” Eren reassured his husband in the most honest way, “and I do want to have a baby, yeah, but you’re my family, never forget that.”

“And if they decide we’re not good for Amy?”

“As long as she’s happy and loved, we will manage, Levi,” Levi didn’t appear convinced at all, but he didn’t refuse the small kiss Eren placed on his lips, nor the way his hands gently caressed his neck.

“Ahem,” a loud voice interrupted them, and they pulled apart, blushing lightly. “I’d like a word with you two, please,” Nancy, the social service worker, said, smiling at the couple. With a loud sigh, Eren and Levi stood up.

“I’ll be waiting in the car,” whispered Levi, ignoring the pleading look that Eren gave. But neither of them moved when a high-pitched cry reached their ears. Little footsteps could be heard, crossing the threshold to the reception area. In seconds, Levi found himself looking at the small baby girl that was holding onto his leg, muttering ‘dada’ and sniffing loudly.

Levi froze, feeling like the air left his body, and he turned his gaze to Eren’s, who was looking at them with so much love and adoration, that he didn’t care about how idiotic in love he looked at that moment. Levi swallowed hard and composed himself quickly, crouching down. Big blue and greyish eyes, watery and red after so much crying, looked at him, making him feel like his heart could burst at any moment.

“Tsk, messy brat,” Levi said, using a handkerchief to blow Amy’s runny nose and wiping away the tears from her blotchy face, “little ladies like yourself shouldn’t cry. C’mon, give me a big smile, kitten,” Amy showed him a toothy grin, and extended her small hand to his face, patting Levi’s cheeks and mumbled ‘dada, too’. 

It was an odd sight, to see Levi smiling genuinely and so openly in front of others, something that he only did with Eren, but he found it easy to express more emotions than normal, in front of his kitten. 

And while Levi took the baby in his arms, rocking her back and forth as Amy held onto his shirt tightly, Nancy told Eren: “It seems like Amelia is attached to the both of you. She’s a shy kid. It was a surprise when we saw her playing with you or letting your husband brush her hair without making any fuss.”

“She’s an adorable baby girl, Ms. Nancy. Make sure to tell the couple who will adopt her, how lucky they are for having such a sweet angel in their lives.” “Actually, Mr. Yeager-Ackerman, it has been decided, if you so desire, to put Amelia under your custody for six months. And after that period ends, if everything seems to be fine, then you will be able to finish the process in court. What do you say?”

To say that Eren was elated, was an understatement. He already knew the answer, and the twinkle and the tears that pooled on Levi’s eyes only confirmed it. “We would like to take Amy home as soon as you allow it.”

[tiffersthenerdyficrecs]

Tiffersthenerdy’s Top Fanfiction Recommendations

These are my most recommended fics. They are sorted by ship and some of them you may have seen recommended already but there are a few I have yet to post into their own category. If you have any fic recs that you would like to see on my blog, let me know!!!

***VICTUURI***

"Be My Sex Coach, Victor!" by lucycamui

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: M/M Fandom: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime) Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Katsuki Yuuri & Victor Nikiforov Characters: Katsuki Yuuri, Victor Nikiforov, Phichit Chulanont, Christophe Giacometti Additional Tags: Romance, Humor, Comedy, alternative universe, Fluff, Social Media, Explicit Sexual Content, pornstar!Victor, Mutual Pining, Masturbation, Porn Watching, Multiple Sex Positions, Oral Sex, Anal Fingering, 69 (Sex Position), Intercrural Sex, Skater!Yuuri, Phone Sex, Webcam/Video Chat Sex, Rimming Summary:Yuuri Katsuki has always been his own worst critic, and a series of unfortunate short-lived relationships has him convinced that he flubs things more in the bedroom than out on the ice. So, of course it would turn out that the ridiculously charming Russian he's matched with online is a pornstar. But perhaps, a 'professional opinion' is exactly what Yuuri needs..

Videogames and cops Or How to seduce the cop of your life by Tomoyo1990

Rating: Not Rated Archive Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: Gen, M/M Fandom: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime) Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Katsuki Yuuri & Victor Nikiforov, Phichit Chulanont & Katsuki Yuuri, Jean-Jacques Leroy/Isabella Yang Characters: Phichit Chulanont, Katsuki Yuuri, Victor Nikiforov, Isabella Yang, Original Characters, Yuri Plisetsky, Mila Babicheva, Yakov Feltsman, Georgi Popovich Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Detective Victor Nikiforov, game developer yuuri katsuki, best friend and partner phichit chulanont, someone is threatening, they get help, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, A little angst, a lot of teasing, Comedy, Romance, happy ending planned, Some mistery, some tension, Threats, Death Threats, Tension, Sexual Tension, Pining, Drama & Romance, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor Summary: Yuuri is a game developer who's been steadily threatened. Viktor is the best detective in the department and he is bored. Together, they will have to prevent Yuuri´s hater from actually carrying out his threats. If they like each other along the way, that's just a bonus.

Four Weddings & A Divorce Lawyer by lucycamui

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: M/M Fandom: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime) Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Jean-Jacques Leroy/Isabella Yang, Christophe Giacometti/Christophe Giacometti's Boyfriend Characters: Katsuki Yuuri, Victor Nikiforov, Christophe Giacometti, Phichit Chulanont, Jean-Jacques Leroy, Isabella Yang, Ji Guang-Hong, Mila Babicheva, Yuri Plisetsky, Celestino Cialdini, Leo de la Iglesia, Sara Crispino Additional Tags: Romance, Humor, Comedy, alternative universe, Fluff, slight angst, a classic romantic comedy with a twist, not a four weddings au, but all titles will be romcom parodies Summary: Living in the big city, Victor is a successful divorce lawyer and Yuuri runs a custom wedding cake shop. Their worlds and world views collide when they meet at an engagement party, but any time a cynic and a dreamer fall in love a few cakes are bound to get smashed along the way.

***OTAYURI***

Home by Phayte

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Category: M/M Fandom: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime) Relationship: Otabek Altin/Yuri Plisetsky Characters: Otabek Altin, Yuri Plisetsky Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Rich Otabek Altin, Aged-Up Yuri Plisetsky, Homeless Yuri Plisetsky, Boys Kissing, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Sexy Time, Angst, Happy Ending Summary: “So um… how did I…?” “I brought you up here. You were slumped next to a dumpster. I couldn’t leave you there knowing a blizzard is coming through.” “A blizzard.” He never really got to watch any news unless he got a few dollars that would buy him a cup of coffee and hours in a diner where they would leave on the television. “Where are we?” he muttered around the food in his mouth. “How about introductions first. I am Otabek, what is your name?” He paused. He was not so sure how to answer the question, as simple as it seemed. No one had asked him his name in years. His brow furrowed as he dug through his memories, chewing thoughtfully on a carrot. He would tell it to himself every night along with other important information so he would not forget, but it was sometimes hard to remember things like that after a while. “Yuri.” Or --- Yuri is homeless... passing out next to a dumpster... the billionaire Otabek Altin saves him from a blizzard coming in... Or does Yuri save Otabek?

Namaste With Me by Kenda1L

Rating: Mature Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: M/M Fandom: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime) Relationships: Otabek Altin/Yuri Plisetsky, Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov Characters: Yuri Plisetsky, Otabek Altin, Katsuki Yuuri, Victor Nikiforov, Original Female Character(s), Original Child Character(s) Additional Tags: otayuri big bang 2018, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Yoga, wow that's an actual tag that's cool, Yoga, Yoga Teacher Yuri, Pole Dancing, Pole Dancing Instructor Yuuri, Aerial Arts, Yuri is very flexible, Otabek is...not, Otabek Still Skates, Aged-Up Character(s), Aged-Up Yuri Plisetsky, Aged-Up Otabek Altin, Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Yoga Mommies are scary, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Overuse of Tropes, Unadulterated Self Indulgent Garbage and Not Ashamed, Social Media, Twister - Freeform, don't ask just read, Sexual Situations, Disaster Gay Otabek, Disaster Gay Yuri Plisetsky, I'm Sorry, Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, these tags are a mess Summary: Otabek might hate ballet, but his coach is convinced that he needs to increase his flexibility somehow if he plans to win the Grand Prix this season. When she signs him up for yoga at a studio with a reputation of working with athletes, he reluctantly agrees to give it a try. There, he meets his new instructor Yuri Plisetsky, a former competitive skater Otabek had low-key obsessed over until he disappeared from the skating world on the eve of his Seniors debut. Suddenly, yoga isn’t looking half bad. *** Yuri bursts through the front door, vaults the reception desk, and hides behind the safety of Katsuki’s legs. Katsuki tilts his head and looks down at him, perplexed. “Uh, hi?" “Shh!” Yuri hisses. “Don’t look at me, I’m not here!” Katsuki opens his mouth but Yuri cuts him off. “Otabek Altin, the Otabek Altin, is outside!" Katsuki frowns. “I know,” he says. “His coach called last week and asked if I could work with him.” Yuri stares at him, betrayed. “And you didn’t tell me?” he growls, gesturing emphatically. He squeezes his forgotten coffee too hard and the lid pops off, slopping coffee all over him. Katsuki skips backward a step and shakes a few stray drops off his foot.

“Really, Yura?”

***ERERI***

The Bartender by JaegerBombs

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Category: M/M Fandom: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager, Marco Bott & Jean Kirstein, Armin Arlert & Jean Kirstein Characters: Eren Yeager, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Armin Arlert, Jean Kirstein, Marco Bott, Mikasa Ackerman, Petra Ral, Hange Zoë, Erwin Smith, Connie Springer, Sasha Blouse, Ymir (Shingeki no Kyojin), Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss, Pretty Much Everyone at Some Point Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Alternate Universe - College/University, idk just young adult kind of stuff, Character Death, Past Drug Use, Past Relationship(s), Past Abuse, mild violence Summary: Eren is a 21 year old student who just finished his junior year of college. He finds himself in need of a new job once his summer break begins and is taken under the wing of a popular flair bartender, Levi. He finds himself enjoying his new job more than he probably should, but his time with Levi leaves him contemplating the choices ,he's been making and even has him questioning how well he knows himself.

Say 'Ah' by tainted_ashes

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Category: M/M Fandom: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan Relationship: Levi/Eren Yeager Characters: Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Eren Yeager, Erwin Smith, Grisha Yeager, Hange Zoë, Mike Zacharias, Petra Ral, Oluo Bozado, Eld Jinn, Gunther Schultz, Armin Arlert, Mikasa Ackerman Additional Tags: doctor!eren, Violence, Eren Is a Little Shit, Underground Doctors, Levi Is Terrible With Feelings, One Look and He's Done For, Assassins & Hitmen, Special Operation Scouts, Humor, There's Violence Though, Guns, Government Agencies, Secret agent!Levi, Levi's Got it Bad, Eren Knows What he's Doing, Bad Flirting, Bad Puns, Eventual Smut, Kidnapping, Stuff happens, because feelings, POV First Person, POV Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Levi Wants That Yeager Booty, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Not really slow burn, Eren's Pretty Clumsy Summary: "I'm going to have to take your pants off," Eren comments idly as he examines my ankle, his head tilting in delicate concentration. "You should at least buy me a drink first, no?" I ask, my lips etching with a small smirk as his face turns all sorts of reds and pinks. Even with my unfocused eyes, there was no mistaking that blush. Shit, did I say that out loud?

***NISHIHINA***

Mochas & Whipped Cream by fayfi13

Rating: General Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: M/M Fandom: Haikyuu!! Relationship: Hinata Shouyou/Nishinoya Yuu Characters: Hinata Shouyou, Nishinoya Yuu Additional Tags: Fluff, coffee shop AU Summary: hinata is a blushy mess and noya works at a coffee shop and it's basically just fluff anyway yeah

Nesting Dolls by Tiffersthenerdy

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Underage Category: M/M Fandom: Haikyuu!! Relationship: Hinata Shouyou/Nishinoya Yuu Characters: Hinata Shouyou, Nishinoya Yuu, Hinata Natsu, Hinata Shouyou's Mother, Nishinoya Yuu's Mother, Nishinoya Yuu's Father Additional Tags: Nishinoya's Family is Mentioned, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Verse, Omega Hinata Shouyou, Omega Nishinoya Yuu, Nesting, Cuddling & Snuggling, Naked Cuddling, Anal Fingering, Rimming, Anal Sex, Anal, Kissing, Scenting, Switching, Fluff, Smut, Fluff and Smut, A/B/O Summary: Hinata and Nishinoya spend a heat week together to help each other through.

Vaguely Psychic by ideallyqualia

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: M/M Fandom: Haikyuu!! Relationship: Hinata Shouyou/Nishinoya Yuu Characters: Hinata Shouyou, Nishinoya Yuu, Karasuno Volleyball Club Additional Tags: Fluff, Pre-Relationship, Getting Together, Canon Universe Summary: Nishinoya thinks maybe he has a superpower, kind of. It's a bit weird, though, it won't leave him alone, and Tanaka can't help but make fun of him for it.

***DEKUBOWL***

DJ Deku by Tiffersthenerdy

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M, Multi Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationships: Midoriya Izuku & Everyone, Midoriya Izuku/Todoroki Shouto, Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku, Kirishima Eijirou/Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijirou, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijirou/Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Inko/Yagi Toshinori | All Might Characters: Midoriya Izuku, Iida Tenya, Uraraka Ochako, Bakugou Katsuki, Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Kirishima Eijirou, Utsushimi Camie, Todoroki Shouto, Kayama Nemuri | Midnight, Midoriya Inko, Eri (My Hero Academia), Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Toogata Mirio, Amajiki Tamaki, Yoarashi Inasa, Class 1-A (My Hero Academia), Todoroki Fuyumi, Gran Torino (My Hero Academia) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - No Quirks (My Hero Academia), Alternate Universe - College/University, DJ Deku, Everyone Loves Midoriya Izuku, Magic The Gathering - Freeform, First Dates, Dekubowl, Heartbreak, BAMF Midoriya Izuku, mild violence, Light Angst, Masturbation, Porn Watching, Kissing, Boys Kissing, Todoroki Shouto is a dick, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, First Kiss, Nerdiness, Slow Build, Midoriya Izuku is Bad at Feelings, Oblivious Midoriya Izuku, Kirishima Eijirou is a Sweetheart, Bakugou Katsuki is Bad at Feelings, Partying, Underage Drinking, Eventual Happy Ending, Smut, First Time Blow Jobs, Blow Jobs, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Mutual Masturbation, Object Insertion, Character Growth, dadmight, Threesome - M/M/M Summary: Work hard, play hard. Plus Ultra. Midoriya Izuku is a barista and Honors Student during the week and a tattoo apprentice and DJ on the weekends. He has a lot to learn about himself and college is the perfect time to do it. He'll go on dates, have heartbreaks, learn about life, flourish in a social circle of nerds, get in a fight, and remix his music and his style.

***TODODEKU***

Everyone Except You by CakeyDill

Rating: Mature Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: F/M, M/M Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationships: Midoriya Izuku/Todoroki Shouto, Todoroki Shouto/Yaoyorozu Momo Characters: Midoriya Izuku, Todoroki Shouto, Uraraka Ochako, Yaoyorozu Momo, Bakugou Katsuki, Kirishima Eijirou, Ashido Mina, Asui Tsuyu, Class 1-A (My Hero Academia), Class 1-B (My Hero Academia), League of Villains (My Hero Academia), Awase Yousetsu Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, College Student Midoriya Izuku, Age Difference, Fireman Todoroki Shoto, Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Quirks (My Hero Academia), Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, platonic bakudeku, Platonic Relationships, Messy situations, Like our boys are always getting into trouble, Don't worry, they're safe in my hands, Not Beta Read, mostly - Freeform, I mean some chaps are but mostly it's just me, Not Canon Compliant, Midoriya Izuku Swears, BAMF Midoriya Izuku Summary: AU where Izuku is a college pre-med student and Todoroki is a fireman and EMT. After meeting during Izuku's attempts to save the life of his professor after a cardiac arrest, these two can't seem to stop meeting each other. Izuku needs help coping with his role in the events and Todoroki is all too happy to be of assistance. Can these two men find something special? Are they destined to remain friends, regardless of how much the author throws them together?

Not All Guardian Angels Have Feathers by CrzA

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: F/M, M/M Relationships: Midoriya Izuku & Todoroki Shouto, Midoriya Izuku/Todoroki Shouto, Midoriya Inko/Yagi Toshinori | All Might Characters: Midoriya Izuku, Todoroki Shouto, Midoriya Inko, Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Todoroki Enji | Endeavor, Toga Himiko, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Bakugou Katsuki, Kirishima Eijirou, Uraraka Ochako Additional Tags: Pre-Relationship, Alternate Universe - Demons, Demons, Demonic Possession, Exorcisms, Demon Summoning, Demon/Human Relationships, Growing Up, Friendship, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Slow Build, Feelings Realization, Feelings, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Fluff, Angst, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Todoroki Enji | Endeavor's Bad Parenting, Demon Rankings, Demon Hierarchy, Blood, Serious Injuries, Death, Character Death, Demon Deals, Contracts, Master/Servant, Master & Servant, Runes, Demon Powers, Magic, Getting to Know Each Other, Panic Attacks, Anxiety, Implied kiribaku, Other Additional Tags to Be Added Summary: A powerful demon shackled by his rank, his will held hostage by his father's rule. A young child raised by exorcists, curiosity and smarts unmatched by anyone his age. Certainly, it can only be a match made in Hell, one that will either destroy them or bind them together by more than just fate.

***MIRIDEKU***

Game Changer by airie (miriouu)

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Underage Category: M/M Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationships: Midoriya Izuku/Toogata Mirio, Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku Characters: Midoriya Izuku, Toogata Mirio, Ashido Mina, Bakugou Katsuki Additional Tags: Teenage Dorks, Deku's a Bit Oblivious, Fluff, Humor, Manipulative Mirio, Praise Kink, Coming Untouched, Mildly Dubious Consent, Coming In Pants, Virgin!Deku, Natural Slutzuku, Crying During Sex, Porn Watching, Dom/sub Undertones, Dry Humping, make that dom/sub OVERTONES, Spanking, ass worship, The BKDK is one sided..... kind of, Kacchan and Deku have a Complicated relationship, Pining, It only get's messier, Punishment, Oral Sex, Finger Sucking Summary: Izuku goes to Mirio for boy advice and gets a lot more than he bargained for. In between navigating a new and confusing mentor-ship with Mirio, he's left trying to figure out how to deal with the sudden attention Katsuki seems bent on giving him. But then again, it's not like Mirio's giving him much time to think at all.

***KIRIDEKU***

Paper Airplanes by PeppermintLeo

Rating: General Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: M/M Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationship: Kirishima Eijirou/Midoriya Izuku Characters: Kirishima Eijirou, Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Inko Additional Tags: Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Childhood Friends, Childhood, Growing Up, Romance, Slow Burn, Alternate Universe - No Quirks (My Hero Academia), Depression, Panic Attacks, Anxiety, Sick Midoriya Izuku, Alternate Universe, Touch-Starved Summary: Izuku is severely sick, has been all his life. He’d been under house arrest for most of his life, his mother too worried and nervous to let him leave least he gets super sick. One day, young Izuku watches a commercial and gets an idea. He writes a note, folds it into a paper airplane, and throws it out his bedroom window and over the six foot fence into the neighbor’s yard. He never expects a reply from a young boy his age named ‘Eijiro Kirishima’; and has no idea he’s just connected with the best person in his life.

The Youtuber and The Hero by Sarcastic_Metaphor

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Category: M/M Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationships: Kirishima Eijirou/Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Izuku & Shinsou Hitoshi, Bakugou Katsuki & Kirishima Eijirou Characters: Midoriya Izuku, Kirishima Eijirou, Shinsou Hitoshi, Bakugou Katsuki, Iida Tenya, Uraraka Ochako, Original Female Character(s), spoiler alert the oc is a doggy, Todoroki Shouto, Toogata Mirio, Yaoyorozu Momo, Jirou Kyouka Additional Tags: Youtuber AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Izuku is a famous Youtuber, With lots of insecurities, Pro Hero Kirishima Eijirou, Pro Hero Bakugou Katuski, Hero Shinsou Hitoshi, everyone's a hero but deku, Quirkless Midoriya Izuku, Anxious Midoriya Izuku, this started as a Jenna Marbles AU, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, there aren't enough fics for kirideku so i guess I gotta start writing some myself, Slow Burn, Suicidal Thoughts, self-indulgent TO THE MAX Summary: Midoriya "Deku" Izuku is a popular youtuber struggling with a variety of issues. He's got a platform and theme he feels like is slipping from his control, a lot of personal regret accumulated over his life, and for someone who's supposed to run a hero analysis channel, he has a history with them that he'd rather forget. Meanwhile, Kirishima Eijirou is a famous pro hero who can only hope that someone as incredible as Midoriya Izuku will give him a chance.

***ERASERMIGHT***

Please by LevySutcliffe

Rating: Mature Archive Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Category: M/M Fandoms: EraserMight - Fandom, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationship: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Yagi Toshinori | All Might Characters: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Kayama Nemuri | Midnight, Sakamata Kuugo | Gang Orca, Uraraka Ochako, Sensei | All For One, Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki, Tsukauchi Naomasa, Shuuzenji Chiyo | Recovery Girl, Shigaraki Tomura | Shimura Tenko, Gran Torino (My Hero Academia), Todoroki Enji | Endeavor Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, barista aizawa, Mob Boss Yagi, Cute, Flirting, Rescue Missions, Handcuffs, Kissingeventual erasermighthospital staysAngstKinky ToshiTicklish Aizawa, Spanking, Light Bondage, Rimming, Anal Fingering, handjobs Summary: Everything went wrong. Absolutely anything that could go wrong, did. Now Shouta Aizawa had to deal with the fact that all of the people he ever cared about, were dead. But when a handsome stranger offers assistance and a second chance, Shouta has to choose just how far, his revenge game goes and what he is willing to sacrifice to achieve it.

***ERASERMIC***

i wish you liked boys by shiieri

Rating: General Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: M/M Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationships: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead & Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic Characters: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Snipe (My Hero Academia), Kayama Nemuri | Midnight, Ishiyama Ken | Cementoss Additional Tags: Fluff, Inspired by Music, Song Lyrics, Young Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, High School, Aizawa plays guitar Summary: With the final chord, he stood defeated. His feelings would be left on this stage. The last words hung in the air with a finality that scared Shouta. Giving up on Yamada felt impossible, but he knew he had no chance.

***BakuDeku***

Not Another Glass Slipper by Crandberrycrush and paigetaylor

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Category: M/M Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationship: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku Characters: Bakugou Katsuki, Midoriya Izuku, Uraraka Ochako, Bakugou Mitsuki, Kirishima Eijirou, Yagi Toshinori | All Might Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Sugar Daddy, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Cinderella Elements, Top Midoriya Izuku, Bottom Bakugou Katsuki, Age Difference, Height Differences, Family Drama, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Sexual Content, Addiction, Family Member Death, Romance, this is not a slow burn Summary: Katsuki’s life was no fucking fairy tale. He wasn’t some damsel in distress, and he did not need some fucking knight in shining armor to save him. So what the hell was Prince Charming doing showing up at midnight and begging for his help?

Album Title in Progress by bkdkink

Rating: Explicit Relationships: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku, BakuDeku - Relationship, DekuBaku - Relationship Characters: Bakugou Katsuki, Midoriya Izuku, Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Kayama Nemuri | Midnight, Kirishima Eijirou, Sero Hanta, Kaminari Denki, Ashido Mina, Todoroki Shouto, Yoarashi Inasa, Jirou Kyouka, Shinsou Hitoshi Additional Tags: Aged-Up Character(s), Bakugou was in a boy band, quirkless au, Memes, Slow Burn, Music Business AU, Romantic Comedy, dadmight, Comedy, First Time, Soft Bakugou Katsuki, they're dumbasses karen, Sheltered Bakugou Katsuki?, he doesn't know what the Sex™ is, I mean he does but like-, Self Conscious Midoriya Izuku, Eventual Smut, SMUT IS HERE, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Hand Jobs, the music is more like a kink if that makes sense, Love at First Sight, well....hear?, Midoriya Izuku is a Little Shit, Midoriya Izuku is a Dork &-, -Bakugou Katuski also as well too, Some pining, Some angst, Sexual Tension, Mostly Bakugou Katsuki POV, Some Midoriya POV, bakusquad was a boy band, as kids Summary: "I mean, technically, sure. Anyone able to sing can sing. But am I good at it?" Deku left the pen alone so he could gesture as though he was weighing two different invisible objects. "...Yeah, I'm okay." Now that got a chuckle out of Katsuki. "I wouldn't call that just 'okay'." -- OR; Izuku's singing makes Katsuki realize sex is Real™ and uses those feelings to make a bomb-ass(lol get it? cuz his quirk is...) album while also helping a self-doubting Izuku realize how fire his mixtape is.

oak tree by crunchrapsupreme

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: M/M Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationship: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku Characters: Bakugou Katsuki, Midoriya Izuku, Ashido Mina, Kirishima Eijirou, Kaminari Denki Additional Tags: Bottom Bakugou Katsuki, Top Midoriya Izuku, Smut, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Choking, Rough Sex, Dirty Talk, Alcohol, Alternate Universe - College/University, college party, midoriya has big hands and bakugou has a tiny waist, Light Dom/sub, Light Bondage, Recreational Drug Use, Riding Summary: Bakugou's words die in his throat as he glances into the archway of the living room to see a small crowd of people surrounding a guy with unruly green hair. His back is towards him, so Bakugou can’t see his face, but Bakugou's eyes widen as he sees the dude actually lift a girl up in the air over his head, then back down, and then up again - and it’s then Bakugou realizes the dude is legit bench pressing a fucking person. "Yeah, I'm gonna ride that," Bakugou says.

Bluebird by EtherealBeing

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Category: M/M Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationship: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku Characters: Bakugou Katsuki, Midoriya Izuku Additional Tags: Wrong number, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Humor, (Me thinking I'm way funnier than I actually am), Fluff and Smut, Mild angst maybe, Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot, Poetry Nerd!Izuku, now with an epilogue, Finally Summary: Dialing a wrong number was no unusual occurrence. Everyone did it once in a while, and Katsuki was well aware of that fact. However, possessing this knowledge made it no less aggravating for him to discover — a full two minutes into his rant about his day — that he’d been venting his frustrations to a complete stranger. As if that wasn't enough, said stranger was also inexplicably determined to hear his story to its end.

Quiet Rapture by lalazee

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: M/M, F/M Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationship: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku Additional Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha Bakugou Katsuki, Omega Midoriya Izuku, Slow Burn, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mating Bond, Love at First Sight, Quirkless Midoriya Izuku, Pining Bakugou Katsuki, BAMF Midoriya Izuku, Wooing, Canon-Typical Violence, Blood and Injury, Murder Mystery, Angst with a Happy Ending, Minor Character Death, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, Dark Past, No mpreg, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Past Relationship(s), Unhealthy Relationships, Recovery, Underage Drug Use, Panic Attacks, PTSD Summary: That ABO fic where cocky Alpha Bakugou falls in mate-love at first scent, while Midoriya is just a poor bookstore-owning Omega who got his nose punched in is a kid and can't smell a damn thing. Also known as: That time an Alpha had to use his actual personality to woo his mate instead of relying on his scent.

Caught Up by Mikacrispy

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/M, M/M Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationships: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku, Ashido Mina/Kirishima Eijirou, Jirou Kyouka/Kaminari Denki Characters: Bakugou Katsuki, Midoriya Izuku, Class 1-A (My Hero Academia) Additional Tags: Age Difference, Aged-Up Character(s), Canon-Typical Violence, not slow burn, Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot, Sassy Midoriya Izuku, BAMF Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki Can't Catch a Break, Smut, Bakusquad (My Hero Academia), Pro Hero Midoriya Izuku, Pro Hero Bakugou Katsuki, Characters Are Pro Heroes (My Hero Academia) Summary: Midoriya Izuku returns home after living three years away from the country to become the best hero he can... But it is not just his fighting style that improved, the young man now is handsome, assertive and very straightforward. Bakugou Katsuki was not ready for it. (This work is sequel to my other fic Get On My Level, but it can be read on its own.)

Iridescent by dekubunny

Rating: Mature Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Category: M/M Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationship: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku Characters: Bakugou Katsuki, Midoriya Izuku, Class 1-A (My Hero Academia) Additional Tags: bakudeku, KatsuDeku, Canon verse, Feelings Realization, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, Eventual Smut, Angst, Wingman Kirishima Eijirou, Wingman Kaminari Denki, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Humor, Fluff, childhood characters brought back, mild main-plot development/additions, Happy Ending, new villains introduced, Language, Side Ships, some temporary one-sided kirideku, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, NSFW, Masturbation, Aged-Up Character(s), Supportive Class 1-A (My Hero Academia), Manga Spoilers, Wet Dream, Character Death In Dream Summary: After Katsuki learned Izuku’s secret about One For All, he said that things would be different from now on. The two of them learn how to stand on equal grounds and be proper rivals, and that gradually leads them to evolve into something more – or, rather, they start to realize what was there all along. Because what’s left after all the bitterness and misunderstandings are gone? Affection. By the time they reach their third year, they can’t go a day without seeing each other. Eventually, they start pining over one another. Katsuki secretly works through his insecurities in order to accept his feelings for his childhood friend, but it goes haywire once he realizes that he doesn’t know how to apologize for the wrongs he has done. (Setting: 3rd year, canon verse, ages 18+)

Izuku's Home for Wayward Pets by glamour_weeb

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Category: M/M Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationship: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku Characters: Bakugou Katsuki, Midoriya Izuku, Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Iida Tenya, Uraraka Ochako, Shinsou Hitoshi, Kirishima Eijirou, Ashido Mina, Todoroki Shouto, Yoarashi Inasa Additional Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Alpha Bakugou Katsuki, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot, Knotting, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, animal/human hybrids, Angst with a Happy Ending, Past Abuse, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Breeding Kink, Praise Kink, Hurt/Comfort, Possessive Behavior, Mutual Pining Summary: Izuku works at the Bureau of Companion Protection as a rehabilitator for abused and abandoned Companions, animal-human hybrids. He’s seen his fair share of cruelty cases and even fostered a few Companions, but he’s never had a Companion of his own, until now. After rescuing Katsuki from a life in an illegal, underground Companion fighting ring, Izuku must take in the wolfdog that no one else can handle. Eventually, Katsuki comes to love his new home, as well as his new Master.

[grelleswife]

Top five anime’s?

It’s quite challenging to restrict myself to just five, but I shall do my best!1. Death NoteThis was my “starter series,” without which I might never have ventured into the wonderful realm of anime and manga. I am fascinated by detective stories, moral ambiguity, and Faustian pacts, so it is little wonder that I took an instant liking to Death Note. Even after multiple viewings, the psychological cat-and-mouse games between L and Light still rivet me. The brilliant, inscrutable, unconventionally attractive, probably autistic and oddly endearing sleuth L currently ranks as one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. Although Death Note has its fair share of plot holes, messy writing (particularly in the second half), and unabashedly sexist portrayals of women, its depiction of complex ethical dilemmas and the battle between two formidable intellects make it worth a watch or five. I recommend the English dub; Alessandro Juliani’s L is pitch-perfect.

2. Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan)It may be a mainstream anime, but this is one of those rare shows that doesn’t merely live up to the hype but rather exceeds it. In brief, the anime depicts a bleak, violent world in which the remnants of humanity must live ensconced within the protection of massive walls in order to avoid being devoured by giants known as titans that mysteriously appeared several generations ago. When the outermost wall is breached, protagonist Eren Yeager can only watch in horror as his mother is eaten alive by one of these monsters, a tragedy that fills the fiery young boy’s heart with a thirst for vengeance against all titans. However, what could have proven to be a stale shonen story became a work of immense depth and power in the hands of mangaka Hajime Isayama, and these attributes translated beautifully to the anime. In addition to gorgeous animation and an electrifying soundtrack, this show also stands out for its character development. Almost all characters of narrative import are vibrantly human, with painful backstories and plausible, nuanced growth as the series progresses. Attack on Titan’s graphic depictions of violence and pathos-laden storyline are not for the faint of heart, but it is a must-see for any anime fan. Again, I prefer the English dub, mainly because of Levi’s and Hange’s voice actors.3. Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)Specifically, the first half of season 1, Book of Circus, Book of Murder, and Book of Atlantic.I refuse to dignify the non-canon dumpster fire that was season 2.Don’t let the lascivious fujoshis scare you away; despite its unsavory reputation, the portions of the anime that adhere to Yana Toboso’s gorgeous manga are excellent. Though a mere child, Earl Ciel Phantomhive bears a heavy burden as the Queen’s Watchdog, responsible for keeping Victorian England’s sinister underworld in check. Luckily, he has the aid of his ever-faithful butler, Sebastian Michaelis…who just so happens to be a demon with whom the young nobleman has contracted in order to find and exact vengeance upon the unknown perpetrators who murdered the boy’s family and sold him to a diabolical cult. The series is called Black Butler with good reason– there are many dark and disturbing elements to the story, from the bloodcurdling child abuse depicted in Book of Circus to gory fight scenes with zombies in Book of Atlantic. However, the compelling characters, fire OPs and endings, and (in the more recent adaptations) beautiful animation keep me coming back for more. The complex nature of Sebastian’s relationship with Ciel, which simultaneously encompasses and transcends the dynamics between parent and child, servant and master, and predator and prey, is a glorious trainwreck from which you can’t tear your eyes away. Yet again, I have a preference for the English dub here– J Michael Tatum’s Sebastian is the stuff of legend, Brina Palenica’s Ciel is spot-on, and Daniel Frederick’s Grell Sutcliff restores my soul (to my ear, his voice acting beautifully suits a transgender woman who has not yet been able to fully transition). That being said, I’ve also taken a shine to the Japanese sub; Daisuke Ono’s voice has a gentle yet subtly sinister quality that suits this devil wrapped in silk quite well.4. Watamote (No Matter How I Look At It, It’s You Guys Fault I’m Not Popular!)This slice of life anime chronicles the hilarious yet heartbreaking misadventures of Tomoko Kuroki, an otaku who desperately attempts to curry favor with her high school peers in spite of debilitating depression and anxiety. Watamote is one of those shows that makes you hurt while you laugh as you watch Tomoko, time and time again, prove to be her own worst enemy as her blunders cause all her schemes to backfire. To an uncomfortable extent, I saw quite a bit of my high school self in her. If you struggled with loneliness, social isolation, and/or mental illness as a teen, I would highly recommend this show. It doesn’t exactly have a happy ending, but it’s strangely addictive. Plus, Tomoko’s Japanese voice actor is precious, and the OP is epic.5. Bungou Stray DogsMix a wide array of supernatural gifts, a plethora of literary references, and a vast cast of aesthetically pleasing characters, and what do you get? BSD! Chock-full of meaningful messages on overcoming past traumas, fighting against the inertia of despair, cultivating a sense of self-worth, and redemption, this anime does full service to Asagiri’s ongoing manga. From the zany suicide enthusiast Dazai Osamu to the weretiger/cinnamon roll Atsushi Nakajima, you’re bound to fall in love with at least one of the members of the Armed Detective Agency as they use their magical powers to fight against forces of crime and corruption that threaten their city. Excellent soundtrack, lovely animation, and characterization that progressively deepens, especially during the second season. I’ve only seen this subbed and thoroughly enjoyed it!Thanks so much for the ask!

[lilocharms]

Aot office au in need of a name

Ok I suck at naming fics and I need a name for this gift to my friend and sometimes beta Suzu aka LittleNikko. I’ve been so caught up with WTUD and then IJABOHP, that I honestly forgot about this til now...I kinda feel shitty about it. Sooo in order to name this fic I will give you lovelies a preview!

“Mr. Ackerman will be with you in just a moment. Please have a seat in the waiting room while you wait.” The brunette secretary gestures to a set of seats to the right of him.

Jean nods his head in acknowledgement, turns around, walks to a seat while unbuttoning his blazer and takes a seat. The two-toned brunette goes over the reasons he could have possibly been called to his supervisors office. He’s only been with the company for two months, and while he had been working his ass off, he couldn’t for the life of him think of a reason he would catch his boss’s attention enough to be called in.

Stuck in his own head he barely heard when the secretary calls his attention once more. He straightens his blazer and buttons it once again as he walks past the secretary with a nod. Opening the door he finds his boss, Levi Ackerman, behind his desk studying his desktop screen with intense concentration. Not sure the other man heard him enter the office, he clears his throat and opens his mouth.

Before he could say a single word, Levi holds up a finger as he finishes reading a report. He types something quickly as a note and then looks up at the taller man who was standing on the other side of his desk nervously. “Please have a seat, Kirstein.”

Nodding his head he takes the offered seat. “I’m guessing from your nervous appearance that you think you did something wrong? That you’re going to get canned?” Jean is surprised by the crass way his boss is addressing him, but he nods in disbelief. “Well you’re not. So rest easy.”

Letting out a breath he wasn’t aware he was holding, Jean then asks the question that’s been plaguing him for the last half hour. “So what am I here for then, sir?”

“Good question. I am assembling a team for a new project. The project is advertising for a new travel agency. We need a few new faces on this one, rather than veterans. We want to give you newbies a chance to prove yourselves and spread your wings so to say here at Survey Inc. So, what do you think about my offer?” He steeples his fingers in front of his mouth as he stares a hole into Jean’s very soul.

Jean’s eyes widen in pure shock at his bosses words. No way when he woke up this morning did he think that he would be given such a huge opportunity. His mouth opening and closing making him look like a fish out of water. Finally he finds his words and sputters it out. “Y-yes, w-wow. Yes, sir. You won’t be disappointed, sir.” Standing up from his seat, he crosses and shakes Levi’s hand vigorously.

Getting the hand shake under control, Levi stands as well. “I better not be. I’m going out on a limb for you Kirstein because I can see the potential that you possess. Don’t make me regret my choice.” 

“Yes, sir!”

“Lower your voice!” The shorter man hissed at Jean, fixing him with a glare. “Take to my secretary outside. He’ll be on this project as well as an assistant to you all. Yeager is a very useful asset to your team, use him well.” He says forcing his hand from the shake the two-toned haired brunette had initiated.

“Y-yes…t-thank you again for this opportunity once again, sir.” Jean stutters out as he backs himself out of the office, only barely managing to open the door before slipping out and closing it behind himself again. Slumping against the door, he huffs out a sigh of relief as he presses his head against the solid wood beneath him with his eyes closed.

“I take that as you accepted the job?” There was a soft giggle behind those words as Jean opened his eyes in surprise. He completely forgot the secretary was still sitting at his desk.

Scratching the back of his head, fingers scrubbing the shorter bristles of his undercut in embarrassment. “Y-yeah,” He swallows around the lump in his throat as he finally got a good look at the man before him without his anxiety clouding his vision.

The brunette sitting at his desk was swiveled around so he could consider him better. Tan skin and the most beautiful forest green eyes he has ever seen meet his. There is a moment of pure awe as he stares into those eyes. A lop-sided grin graces those full lips as he stands and closes the small distance between them. The navy-blue dress suit straightening itself as he walked, and what a sinful walk it was.

“My name is Eren, Eren Yeager.”

Jean didn’t realize the hand outstretched to him for a greeting shake until he felt a small poke to his stomach. Looking down he sees the hand and clasps it. “Kirstein, Jean Kirstein. Pleased to meet you Eren.”

The slightly shorter male scans him over up and down with an appraising gaze. Jean wasn’t sure…but he could have sworn that he saw a bit of pink trace along his lips for a split second. “The pleasure is all mine, I’m sure.” Eren squeezes his hand firmly before letting go, leaving something in his hand.

[ao3feed-bakusquad]

The Final Stand

The Final Stand by Applegirl2020

AOT meets MHA

In a final, future-set battle with All for One, Izuku Midoriya is thrown into his biggest adventure yet—time. Or is it reality? He's not sure. At least he's not alone—Eijiro Kirishima is thrown through the same dimension-altering quirk along with one very irritated Shota Aizawa.

What they don't realize, however, is that they weren't just sent somewhere (sometime?), rather, they were swapped with three people from wherever/whenever. Those three people would be Levi Ackerman, Eren Yeager, and Reiner Braun.

Thousands of Kilometers away from Izuku's raging battle with All for One are two pro heroes enjoying a peaceful (and well deserved) vacation together.

Katsuki had his half 'n half husband, a week away from his agency, and a tropical island paradise—nothing could ruin his mood, he wouldn't let it!

…Except maybe a couple of titans duking it out on the beach 50 feet away.

Words: 1200, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: M/M, F/M

Characters: Kirishima Eijirou, Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki, Todoroki Shouto, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Eren Yeager, Armin Arlert, Reiner Braun, Levi Ackerman, Mikasa Ackerman, Erwin Smith, Class 1-A, Original Characters, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss, Attack Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin), Armored Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin), Sensei | All For One, Kaminari Denki, Uraraka Ochako, Takami Keigo | Hawks

Relationships: Kirishima Eijirou/Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki/Todoroki Shouto, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Shinsou Hitoshi/Uraraka Ochako

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Pro Heroes, Characters Are Pro Heroes, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan Manga Spoilers, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Canon-Typical Violence, Future Fic, Established Relationship, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead is So Done, Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot, Midoriya Izuku Has One for All Quirk, Domestic Fluff, Cute Midoriya Izuku, Supportive Bakusquad, Supportive Class 1-A, Tired Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Gay Midoriya Izuku, Gay Bakugou Katsuki, Gay Todoroki Shouto, Pro Hero Class 1-A, Love, Protective Bakugou Katsuki, Pro Hero Bakugou Katsuki, Soft Bakugou Katsuki, Levi Ackerman is So Done

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/39051693

[jgfiles]

Create your Joker Game Nendoroid

I guess this is a bit of an odd post because I’m going to talk not of an official gadget but of a gadget you can create yourself.

Anyway people here might have heard me complaining about how there are no Joker Game Nendoroids.

For who has no idea what a Nendoroid is I’ll tell you Nendoroids (ねんどろいど Nendoroid) are a brand of plastic figures created by the Japanese Good Smile Company in 2006. They typically depict characters from anime, manga or video games in chibi form (large head and smaller body), with faces and other body parts exchangeable, so they can have a range of different expressions and poses. The original Nendoroids are 10 cm figures, but there are also Nendoroids smaller in size.

Now, as I was saying, there are no Joker Game Nendoroids but, since the Nendoroids are made as such that they have body parts exchangeable (as you can see in the instructions below in a typical Nendoroid you can replace everything, arms, legs, faces, hair, sometimes hands and so on),

this means that by placing together body parts that would fit to our D Agency boys we can build our custom made Joker Game Nendoroids just the same.

So, as I’ve been working to make my own JG Nendos, I’ll share with you what I’ve discovered in case you also want your own JG Nendo.

Now, since the boys all wear suits the first thing to get are suits with whom we can dress them.

This is the easiest part as Good Smile Company has made a series called ‘Nendoroid More: Dress up’ that’s basically made only of clothes for Nendoroids, or, to be more specific, of body parts of Nendoroids dressed in specific clothes (no heads included) and the fifth part is a ‘Suits’ set.

The suit set is composed by 5 suits (2 for females 3 for males) plus an extra unknown suit that you can easily discover to be a standard male suit that carries a bouquet of flowers if you search a bit among the blogs that resell that set.

Some sellers will break the set down in 6 parts and sell them separately but the most usually sell them all together so if you buy it you have to get also the 2 female suits. Well, if you’re into JG characters cross-dressing or gender-bending who knows, they might be useful. If not you can try reselling them.

As for the male suits, there’s one who’s just shirt and tie, another that’s shirt, waistcoat and tie and the remaining two instead wear a jacket.

(Remember: heads aren’t included!)

Suits are already coloured so they might need a repaint job to fit to your Joker Game character.

If you can’t find the ‘Suits’ set other sets with suits are the ‘Wedding’ one and the ‘Wedding - Elegant Ver.’ one.

The ‘Wedding’ one is maybe the most easy to find but only has two male suits whose jacket is open so you can see the waistcoat below and 4 bride dresses. (Remember: heads aren’t included!)

The male suits are EXACTLY the same, except for the colours, so, unless you’re trying to make Yuuki, you’ll have to repaint them.

The ‘Wedding - Elegant Ver.’ is maybe a little better if you’re trying to reproduce the whole Joker Game cast as it increases the number of the male suits offered, 4 instead than 2, the same as the dresses it’s offering. (Remember: heads aren’t included!)

The colours change but the male suits are EXACTLY the same as the previous suits for the ‘Wedding’ one. -_-

So if your goal is to have only 1 Joker Game Nendo you really don’t need all those suits and you can save your money and buy one of the previous, smaller sets. Anyway those too will require a repaint job.

It’s important to point out that of you’re trying to make an Hatano or Fukumoto Nendo you should remember that they don’t wear waistcoat so both ‘Wedding’ sets don’t fit to them.

The ‘Suits’ one instead can be used for both Hatano and Fukumoto because, when the jacket is closed you don’t see if the character is wearing also a waistcoat or, as an alternative, you can draw suspenders on the one who only has the shirt and the tie.

So, once you’ve chosen which set you prefer and bought it you will find only the head is missing before you’ve your Joker Game Nendo.

Now let’s talk about the face as that’s the ‘easiest’ part.

By a while now you can create your own Nendo face thanks to this online web Nendoroid Facemaker. You select the options that decide how your Nendo face has to be made and they will custom made it for you.

(Warning: translations of the buttons in the photos are made by me)

Each time you can create two faces and order them (or create just one face and have the other been sent to you completely blank for you to paint over which is a little less expensive) and their cost is ¥ 1,480. For who’s in the Euro zone like me, at the moment this translates as something a bit over 11 euro (as of now to be exact it’s 11,56 euro but it can vary according to the money exchanges).

Want more than 2 Nendo faces? You’ll have to do a new order.

Want only 1 Nendo face? Sorry, they don’t have this option.

The web is completely in Japanese but it’s intuitive enough that even someone like me could manage it. Personally I found the hardest part was to translate my name in katakana when I was registering (sorry, they require it).

Now another problem would be that they DO NOT SEND Nendo faces outside Japan so you might think that if you don’t know someone in Japan you’ve no options.

DeJapan though, volunteers to receive them for you and resend them to you if you live outside Japan. They also provide a guide on how to use Facemaker and, although my Nendo Face hadn’t arrived yet, so far they’ve been very kind and helpful.

So custom make your Joker Game character Nendo face and have it send to you so that you can attach it to the suit you chose.

And now the really, really harsh part.

The hair.

So far there aren’t companies that custom made them for you yet. There are no ‘Hair’ set either. Of course you can try and make them with alternate material or you can simply ‘steal’ them from another Nendo who coincidentally has the right set of hair.

In short you buy a Nendo who has the hair you want and place his/her hair (girls might have fitting hair as well) on your suit and Joker Game face to complete your Joker Game Nendo.

Now… for all the complaining about Joker Game characters looking the same, it’s actually not so easy to find hair fitting for them all because, truth to be told, they don’t look the same.

To complicate matter further Nendo models are more often females ones (therefore with long hair) and the males one still tend to have hair longer than our boys.

If you search patiently through the looooooooong Nendo list and you content yourself with something that’s not EXTREMELY accurate, you can still find hair that would fit for some Joker Game characters. So far I’ve found hair for most of the cast. Maybe there’s more and it just escaped me (sometimes Nendo wears hats or masks and the hat right for you are an extra piece in the box so you might not notice their presence immediately).

If you want my recommendations about hair (Beware: Not all the Nendo I’ll suggest have been released yet so you might need time before you’ll be allowed to buy them):

Sakuma: Nendoroid Touken Ranbu -Online- Doudanuki Masakuni [RELEASED] [More info] (also used by the whole Japanese fandom and yes, it makes a very cute Sakuma’s hair)

Miyoshi: Nendoroid Co-de Touken Ranbu -Hanamaru- Kashu Kiyomitsu Uchiban Co-de [RELEASED] [More info] (also used by almost all the Japanese fandom and yes, it makes a very cute Miyoshi’s hair)

or

Miyoshi: Nendoroid Kashu Kiyomitsu [, CURRENTLY BEING REPRINTED so that the new release will be on may] [More info] (yeah it’s a different version of the one shown previously, so same hair but more expensive because it’s technically a prettier Nendoroid)

Amari: Nendoroid En Yufuin [RELEASED] [More info] (however you’ll need to remove the bags at the centre of his forehead)

or

Amari: Nendoroid Keigo Atobe [RELEASED] [More info] (you’ll need to repaint his hair)

Fukumoto: Nendoroid Daichi Sawamura [RELEASED] [More info]

Hatano: Nendoroid Hozuki [RELEASED] [More info]

or

Hatano: Nendoroid Eren Yeager [RELEASED] [More info] (He’s expensive)

or also

Hatano: Nendoroid Kyo Kusanagi CLASSIC Ver. [RELEASED] [More info]

or, if you’re really desperate:

Hatano: Nendoroid Ui Hirasawa [RELEASED] [More info]

Jitsui: Nendoroid Lev Haiba [NOT RELEASED YET It will be released in January 2018] [More info] (will need a repaint job)

or

Jitsui: Nendoroid Erwin Smith [NOT RELEASED YET It will be released in January 2018] [More info] (he’ll also need a repaint job and he’s expensive)

There’s also who suggested Anna’s hair (yes, the girl from Frozen) but I don’t really recommend her.

Kaminaga: Nendoroid Masaki Amamiya [NOT RELEASED YET It will be released in July 2018] [More info] (Actually Kaminaga’s hair is shorter... but this is the best I could find, if you manage to find something better, please let me know.)

Odagiri: Nendoroid Superman Justice Edition [RELEASED] [More info]

(they’re not perfect and I personally would have preferred for Odagiri: Nendoroid Spider-Man Homecoming Edition‘s hair but the bangs are turned in the wrong direction! ;_; and yes, you would need to repaint them too)

Yuuki: Nendoroid Iron Man Mark 43 Hero’s Edition + Ultron Sentries Set [RELEASED] [More info] (it needs a repaint job)

or

Yuuki: Nendoroid Iron Man Mark 42 Hero’s Edition + Hall of Armour Set [RELEASED] [More info]

Gamo: Nendoroid Chris Redfield [RELEASED] [More info] (Far, far, far from perfect but that’s the best I could find)

You might have noticed I’ve skipped Tazaki. That’s because so far there’s no hair that fit Tazaki yet.

The best I could find is

Tazaki: Nendoroid Wakatoshi Ushijima [RELEASED] [More info]

Which would be perfect if it wasn’t for the fact Tazaki’s bangs are turned in the opposite way... ;_;

Now... if you feel like getting really invested in Nendo remembers that many Nendo come with cute accessories or body parts you can swap with your Nendo.

For example do you want an Apron for Fukumoto?

Have Nendoroid Suzu [NOT RELEASED YET It will be released in April 2018] [More info] and swap if from her.

Wanna send your Nendo to have a bath?

Nendoroid En Yufuin [RELEASED] [More info] (yes, the one I proposed for Amari) has a bath body included.

Do you want horns for your Yuuki demon king version? Nendoroid Demon King [RELEASED] [More info] has them ready to place on a Nendo head (though I think it’s less expensive if you make them with some clay...)

Do you want accessories? Nendoroid Kaga [RELEASED] [More info] comes with a cute Kotatsu.

And if you want your Nendo to play Kyudo (Japanese archery) you can use the upper part of her body:

Do you want a coat to reproduce that awesome calendar image with Yuuki, Sakuma and Miyoshi?

Have Nendoroid Victor Nikiforov: Coach Ver. [NOT RELEASED YET It will be released in June 2018] [More info]

What to have your Nendos hold hands?

Nendoroid Hinata Kuraue [NOT RELEASED YET It will be released in July 2018] [More info] comes with special holding hand part!

Feel like having your Nendo using a Bokken?

Try Nendoroid Heiji Hattori! [NOT RELEASED YET It will be released in March 2018] [More info]

Need him to smoke?

Nendoroid Shūichi Akai [NOT RELEASED YET It will be released in March 2018] [More info] is the one for you!

Or maybe it’s the lighter you want! Nendoroid Roy Mustang [NOT RELEASED YET It will be released in April 2018] [More info] (The lighter is available only for the one bought straight from Good Smile company) is the one for you.

Fencing sword?

Have Nendoroid Sasara! [RELEASED] [More info]

And, for a look similar to the one in which they’re serving at the Animega Cafe (version 3) we’ve also Nendoroid Kagamine Len Harvest Moon Ver [RELEASED] [More info]

And there’s plenty more that might help you to create your fantasy Joker Game Au world (from the 5th drama cd) or school world (from the 3rd and 4th drama cd) or Army version (Sakuma is a soldier after all and the same technically applies to the boys as well... ^_^; though I might end up doing a separate post for the military uniforms if someone is interested...) or whatever.

Or maybe you just want to rebuild Joker Game classroom?

Try: Nendoroid More CUBE 01 Classroom Set [RELEASED] [More info]

or the less cute but functional Nendoroid Playset #01 School Life Set A & B [RELEASED] [More info] & [More info]

There’s really a lot to choose but sadly it doesn’t come for free so while it’s fun to look around well consider it as an investment for your birthday present or next Christmas.

(BTW I got myself Sakuma and Miyoshi... though I’m still waiting for two pieces that aren’t here yet... LOL, I fear I’ll get my present late...)

Now maybe you want something that will look a little less like a chibi and that will move a little more than a Nendo. For this you can make a Nendoroid Hybrid with an Obitsu body or a Cu-Poche body.

I’ll let this video explain you the difference between the two options:Obitsu 11 vs. Cu-poche Male Swimsuit body.

I hope all this was of some use to those of you who’d like, like me, to have a Joker Game Nendo and were disappointed there’s none.

Last but not least, BEWARE when buying a Nendo outside Japan as there are a lot of bootleg and those present often problems (body parts that are missing or don’t fit in addition to poor paint job). Also, some sell bootlegs Nendo at the price of the original so you might end up not even saving money.

And now, to help you in your repaint job, here are the tables with the characters’ colours taken straight from the art posted on the official web and turned into codes thank to a program.

Here it’s the one for the skin colour, hair and eyes.

Things worth pointing out. The Japanese fandom often makes Sakuma’s eyes grey but they’re actually blue. Miyoshi’s are a reddish brown. Facemaker doesn’t have this option and red is just too red so I recommend using brown. Who has grey eyes are Kaminaga and Odagiri. Amari, Hatano, Jitsui and Gamo (and Yuuki of course) have them brown. Believe it or not Fukumoto has green eyes and Tazaki purple. Kazato’s a pale blue which is a tad greyish.

And now the one for the colours of the various suits the boys used.

Okay, and with this we’ve finished.

Also, if, after this, you feel like making a Joker Game Nendo please let me know! I would love to see it and know I was of some use!

[seiyuuqueen-blog]

Kaji, Yuki 裕貴 梶

Japanese Voice Actor, Singer, Actor, Radio Host

He was part of the four-unit singing group G.Addict which was part of the Goulart Knights project, and has acted as one of the main protagonists in the movie Kami Voice: The Voice Makes a Miracle with some other seiyuu. 

He won the Best Rookie Actor Award in the 3rd Seiyuu Awards in 2009 and marked the first voice actor in Japan to win the Best Voice Actor Award two years consecutively in the 7th Seiyuu Awards and 8th Seiyuu Awards in 2013 and 2014.

He has also been hosting the web radio show Yūki Kaji's Monologue (梶裕貴のひとりごと Kaji Yūki no Hitorigoto) since March 2014.

BIRTHDAY: 3 September 1985

BIRTHPLACE: Tokyo, Japan

HEIGHT: 175 cm (5'6 ft)

BLOOD TYPE: O

STATUS: Single

NICKNAME: Kajikaji / Kajiyan / Yuu-tan / Kazzui / Kaji-kyun

AGENCY:  Singing: Lantis

                 Seiyuu : VIMS (Note:  He moved from Artsvision to VIMS on October                                 1, 2013, and his official site has been shut down since May                                 21, 2015. )

NOTABLE ROLES:

Kozume Kenma in "Haikyuu!!"

Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan

Shu Ouma in Guilty Crown

Alibaba in Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic

Issei Hyodo in High School DxD

Meliodas in The Seven Deadly Sins

Yukine in Noragami

Speed-O'Sound Sonic in One-Punch Man

Kanato Sakamaki, in Diabolik Lovers.

TRIVIA:

Has a younger sister. Pets: hamster named Shiru

WEBSITE: 

LANTIS: http://www.lantis.jp/artist/kajiyuki/

VIMS: http://www.vims.co.jp/talent_profile.php

TWITTER: @YUKI_KAJI (hiatus) @KAJI_staff (main) @kaji1134 (A&G+ Radio Show)

[sweetsoursugarcube]

Trip and Fall in Love

Read on |AO3| or |FF.NET|   ~ 4.3K

For: @raitoackerman 

Prompt: AU in which Eren is a shy and clumsy model, and annoys his photographer Levi who doesn't want to admit that Eren is actually freaking cute when he trips over cables. They’re hitting a bar after a shoot one day, and a drunk Eren confesses that he thinks Levi’s really hot and that's why he’s always bumping into stuff during shoots - well that, and the fact that he's pretty blind, but thinks his glasses don't make him cute at all.

Many thanks to my beta reader, she made this so much better

Like the wind through a dense forest, rumors swept through the country’s leading media group for fashion magazines. No matter about whom or what was the talk of the week, everyone were bound to know it. Tough luck if all the spotlights were aimed at you.

Levi, too, got his generous slice of attention.

“Did you see how Ackerman acted last week at the beach shoot? He’d rather have photographed the seagulls than the models,” the hairstylist said during their most recent break before popping her fourth gum of the hour in her mouth.

Levi had ignored her. If they did not talk about him, it would be someone else.

To be fair, he did enjoy photographing nature. But not even the highest mountains or the most colorful butterflies could rival the satisfaction of capturing the spirit of a restless model. Levi had immortalized eyes the color of tropical waterfalls one should be able to create only with the power of Photoshop. Seagulls did not compare with a man whose tongue is poking out from between his lips, head tilting back, his brown locks caressing his cheekbones, and sand sticking to his skin. If he were to choose between a pretty model and nature-

“Oomph! Fuck- shit. Sorry! Sorry.”

Maybe he would choose nature anyway.

Levi grumbled and straightened up to peer over his Canon. Before him, the model - in his navy Ken Wroy boxer-briefs and nothing else - scrambled to get back up on his feet. The last man for the day: Eren Yeager. 24 years old. Fairly new to the company. He had been working at a smaller agency a few years, before Erwin scouted him out and offered him a contract. Levi had taken his photos for two months.

An assistant Levi did not recognize lay on the floor by Eren’s feet, her complexion mottled. She extended her hand to pull herself up with the chair that someone had toppled over, but just as she was about to stand, it was tugged from her grasp and set straight. Falling again, a choked yelp left her as she hit her head against the floor.

Eren  squeaked before he could stop himself. “Oh shit, fuck, shit. I’m so, so sorry, here, let me help you. . .”

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose. Talented and handsome as Eren was, all the published pictures had been a success, yet he could not go through even one shoot without causing a ruckus. If it was not for his looks and his attentive personality, Levi would not have put up with this kind of shit. He could learn, he wanted to learn, but. . .

“Why the hell can’t he just not fuck up all the goddamn time?”

Hange, who had once again draped themselves across the chair that was supposed to be his, screeched before stage-whispering: “Oh come on, he’s just nervous. You’re taking his first nudes. Poor cutie.”

“Nudes? Tch.”

The chair and the assistant had been towed out of sight by the time Levi crouched down with his camera. He barked orders to both the crew and the model as the scenery through the lens changed. Half the photos would be taken from a distance and the rest up close. Eren would be both standing up and sitting on the floor, pulling off the new ideas that had haunted Levi ever since Erwin had assigned him the underwear ads.

Eren’s cheeks donned a pleasant flush, despite the make-up. His fingers trembled when he pulled a hand through his hair. From off camera, the hairstylist yelled at him to not tangle her creation. The scent of her strawberry bubblegum spread across the set when she barged into the frame before Levi could command her to stay away. And when she turned to him for support, all Levi had to offer was “he’s got more sex appeal now”. She opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it and stomped away.

“You call it sex appeal? He looks like he hasn’t gotten his first kiss yet,” Hange said as they scrolled down one of their social media feeds.

Before them, Eren shuffled his feet to find his pose again. Levi kept his voice down. “You saw the beach photos, he can be confident too. As Erwin said, his versatility is his,” Levi galanced at Hange, “charm.”

“If you say so.” Hange drummed their fingers against their chin. “Which reminds me, the results of last month’s rankings will be published today. Think Eren will make the list?”

“Of course he will. Who the fuck has been taking his pics?” Levi snorted before raising his voice. “Okay, stay still.”

He glanced up at the set. Everything was in order.

“Ready?”

Clickclickclickclickclickclickclick-

Contrary to the majority of Levi’s models, Eren had the liberty to choose his own poses once in a while too. Eren understood his visions and what worked and what did not, correcting himself even at the slightest twitch of Levi’s eyebrow.

Shoots like these were why Levi had pursued a career as a photographer. That, and the fact that Erwin knew how to push his buttons and how to make Levi work for him.

Clickclickclickclickclickclick.

The sound effects of the camera resonated loud in his ears, drowning out the white noise. He raised his finger off the shutter only to give the crew new orders.

“Spray and pray, huh. Don’t you put a little too much faith in him?” Hange asked, their attention still on their phone.

“There’ll be some presentable pics among the crap.” Straightening his back, Levi shook away the creeping numbness of his body. The leg days at the gym did pay off during work, considering he more often than not crouched in an awkward position for the sake of art. They did not prevent the pins and needles from prickling him though. He directed his next words to Eren. “Not half-bad.”

“Thank-”

“Sit your ass down on the floor and make sure the logo is visible. Pull your knees up and lean back on your left arm.”

Eren hurried to obey, landing on his bottom with a thud and a grimace. He fumbled with his feet to show as much as possible of the scarce clothing he wore. Every once in a while, he cast Levi a side glance, and either adjusted his position or moved on to the next limb depending on how he interpreted Levi’s expression.

His shoulders were tense, chocolate strands caressing his temples, his vivacity enticing. Nothing like the vibe he had given off before. Levi sat down on his heels again, this time settling on his knees to pardon his muscles the strain of a continuous squat. Eren’s eyes strayed down from the lens and quickly up again, averting his gaze and sucking in his lower lip.

Levi hummed and snapped a photo per automatic.

“This will do.” In the background, a gum bubble was popped, followed by a groan. “You need to relax. Shift your arms, and- don’t twist like that, I want to see your face.”

Eren’s lips puckered in a bemused pout. The camera hid the upturn of Levi’s lips from everyone but Hange, who squinted at each of them one at the time.

“You like him,” Hange said in a hushed high-pitch. “Don’t you?”

Levi grunted. “As I said, he’s not bad.”

Hange did not acknowledge his words in any way, but contrary to his expectations he was not eased by their silence. Levi almost missed their usual babbling - keyword being almost.

A dull pounding at the back of his head distracted him from enjoying the sparkle in Eren’s eye and the contrast between his skin and the background. The stark whiteness of it egged on his headache.

And Eren’s gaze never strayed, following his nose into the empty air. Just as Levi wanted. Right?

“Try sitting on your knees and leaning to your right. Yeah, just like that.”

Eren’s body was taut, showcasing the perfect balance between lean and muscular. His jawline sharp, carriage casual, and his hairstyle decidedly flawless no matter how aggressively the hairstylist chewed her gum. Levi fiddled with the zoom settings. He could hear the kettle calling him from at home as he pressed the shutter down and took the last series of photos. Eren moved little; only tilted his head to the side and bent his arms to boost his unperturbed aura. It was meaningless though, considering the way his gaze blazed with an intense fire. Levi had lowered the camera by the time Hange heehawed like a victorious donkey.

“Oh my God! Eren, you’ve ranked fifth on the popularity poll for male models.” They gestured to their phone, which they held high in the air. “And Levi is still number one for the photogs, for what, the sixth year straight? What an honor this is, we’ll have to celebrate-”

Gritting his teeth, Levi stretched his legs. In his peripheral vision he caught Eren staring at them, his lips parted, but Levi did not wait to see the rest of his reaction. It had been a long day at work with only a few minutes breaks between models, and a night out would only add to the stress. He deserved a relaxing evening, and tomorrow he would hit the gym before all the drunkards would even wake up from their self-induced alcohol poisoning comas, let alone mess with his workout routine.

Besides, being caught ogling at Eren would not bode well, so why tempt himself?

With a lazy wave, he went on his way towards his office. “See you Monday.”

“No-no, wait up. We need to celebrate! It’s tradition. And this is Eren’s first time in the top ten. He deserves it. Eren, you’ll come too, right? First round’s on me.”

“Yeah, uh, sure. I’ll come if it’s okay for. . . everyone else.”

Levi halted and twisted to regard the two of them, both of whom idled at the edge of the set.

“Of course it is.” Hange cackled and slapped Eren on the shoulder. He stumbled forward, and right into the cables that kept the setting well-lit and the shoots running smoothly. Just as he regained his balance, he took another step, hitting against the equipment. He would have crashed to the floor if Hange had not caught him by the waist before impact.

“Woah, you. I know Levi’s got some unrivaled charm right there, but it’s not worth falling for.” They held Eren up and patted his cheek. His make-up did nothing to conceal the redness of his neck and ears.

“I’m sorry,” he wheezed. “I didn’t notice the cables.”

“If you say so.” They laughed and sent him an overdramatized wink, which was received by spluttering. Hange adjusted their glasses so they could peer at Levi over the rim. “So how about the tradition, huh? You’ll come too, right?”

“It’s just an excuse for you to get shitfaced again.”

“Of course it is. Why else would it be tradition?”

Levi propped the camera against his hip. Hange gesticulated and muttered something about their healthy drinking habits, while Eren’s gaze wandered from one of them to the other. The thought of him squeezed between a smashed Hange and tipsy Erwin at their usual bar conquered the melancholic echo of Levi’s whistling kettle and weary body. He could take a painkiller for that.

“Fine.”

Hange froze. “You’ll come?”

With another hand wave, he spun on his heel. “Sure. I’ll put away this shit, and we’ll meet at the usual spot. But you’re paying.”

“I said only the first round!”

Hange pouted, but Levi took no notice.

Because Eren sported a dumb, utterly fucking ridiculous beam, Levi had to tighten his grip on the camera to restrain himself from taking a picture of it. It would have been a great addition. Not to his portfolio, but his phone contact photos.

  The first Friday of each month: “Winners’ bar night” - also known as “Levi appreciation day” - which Levi avoided celebrating at all cost.

Except he was there, at the end of the counter with Eren by his side and a wine glass sitting before him, with the last two mouthfuls swirling at the bottom of the bowl.

“So, uh,” Eren said rolling his beer mug between his palms. “Do you come here often?”

Levi snorted. “If you’re going to flirt, do better.”

Eren raised his arms and stumbled over his words. “No, I didn’t mean- I just, Hange mentioned something about how you never come when they ask you to.”

From the booth behind them, Hange’s shouting boomed. Their words drowned in the general hubbub of cheering and dance music, but it was still unmistakably their voice.

Half of the day’s photoshoot crew had flocked around a pool table close to where Hange’s extensive collection of shot glasses adorned a neighboring table, at which they themselves swayed. The hairstylist cheered among others, while emptying her beer bottle at an alarming pace. Their eyes met and she threw him a sloppy smile. Levi hoped she had remembered to spit out her bubblegum beforehand.

“Crowds are too rowdy and loud,” Levi said, turning back to his wine glass. His first and only for the night, since drinking never brought him the joyous high everyone else thirsted for. Besides, his head pounded as it was.

“Oh.”

Eren downed the rest of his beer and asked the bartender for another. He fumbled in his jeans pocket for a ten dollar bill, which he pushed into the waiting hand.

“How many have you had?”

Eren shook his head when he put the mug back down and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Maybe you should lay off.”

“I need the courage.”

Upon seeing Levi’s frown, he motioned towards the bar. “I’m the new guy. It’s awkward. I wouldn’t be able to name half of these people.” His gesture ended between them. They stared at each other for a moment before Eren let his elbows hit the counter. “And you’re intimidating.”

Eren let his head loll between his arms. Brown strands pointed in every direction, hiding his eyes. His shoulders hunched, and ankles crossed against the footrest of the stool. The lightning in the bar cast the perfect amount of shadows around him to give him a nostalgic sort of gloom. Like this, Eren had the means to win the sympathies of the whole world if he so desired. A blurred background to bring out the sharp angles of his slouched form was all Levi would need to complete the portrait. It would not make it to a fashion magazine, but that was hardly the goal either.

“That’s why you’re so clumsy on set?”

“Um, yeah, that and. . .” He blushed as he sneaked a peek at Levi from over his arm. “I need my glasses to see.”

“Glasses?”

“I look hideous though.”

“Try me.”

Eren sighed and reached to dig through his jacket pockets. He pulled out a well-kept case and thrummed his fingers against it. One peek at Levi convinced him to pop it open and slip his glasses in place before spinning on the stool. Blinking a few times, his eyes were more focused, but had lost their glow.

Levi’s palms itched. If hideous was teen slang for adorable, then sure, Eren in glasses was as hideous as one could get.

“Told you, I’m not cute at all.”

The object of Levi’s wonder slid down the curve of Eren’s nose. His hands rose to take them off.

“Wrong.” Levi pushed them back up where they belonged with the tip of his forefinger. “Keep them on.”

“But-”

“You’re fucking blind without them, aren’t you? Keep them on.”

The black frames brought out by the tinge of pink on his cheeks even better. It was useful information – for future shoots. Maybe he could convince Erwin to let Eren do a few with them on.

“I lied before.”

Levi made an amused noise. “About what?”

“I need courage for something else too.”

“Oh?” His gaze never left Eren’s face. Eren could not hold eye contact for more than a few seconds at a time. “Spit it out.”

Eren took a swing of his beer. Two or three more gulps and the dry bottom would greet him again. He mumbled something under his breath, before emptying it.

“I can’t hear you.”

“You’re really hot,” Eren cried. Lowering his voice with an self-conscious cough, he continued. “When we first met, I thought you’d be my partner for the first shoot. I was so embarrassed when you brought your camera.” Eren pulled at his hair with both of his hands. “But shit, you’re so distracting.”

Yeah, of course Levi had noticed that sometimes Eren’s eyes lost their way, down from the lens to trace Levi’s arms and the curve of his waist. But that was something all the models did.

Levi had had only one glass of wine tonight, which was way too little for this conversation.

A few remarks came to his mind, but he kept his mouth shut while Eren grimaced at his own confession. Shame swept across the creased features, and Eren jumped off his stool, pulling his belongings to his chest.

“I should go.”

He did not stay for a response, but merged into the crowds with a slight stagger. Perhaps it was for the best that he left now. Certainly Levi would gain nothing by chasing a drunk Eren through the night crowd.

“What the hell.”

Levi tugged on his coat, and left a few bills on the counter, though Eren had paid more than enough for them both throughout the night. Hange would get home on their own unharmed, they always did.

He elbowed his way to the door, the beat of the playing music bidding him goodbye.

The sky was clouded and the air moist. Smoke coiled around his arms and legs, and he did not bother side-stepping the pools of vomit and piss and liquor on the ground.

Further down the road, Eren reached out to open the door of a taxi. Hell was he a brisk drunk.

All other noises melted away and blurred in his mind except that of his soles grating against asphalt and sand sprinkling off his path at the force of his steps, until he skidded to a halt to grip Eren’s arm. His heartbeat had accelerated, but it had nothing to do with his impromptu sprint down the street.

“Oi, don’t spew shit like that and run.”

Eren jolted. He would have backed into the gap between the pavement and the car if Levi had not pulled him closer.

“Sorry.”

Never had he seen anyone else’s irises shift in so many shades of blue and green, and weave into one color in such a seamless manner. All words evaded him, but Eren did not notice.

“So. . . do you want my phone number?”

Levi forced himself to remain stoic. “I already have it.”

Eren blinked at him behind the glasses, and he had to clear his throat.

“We work together, remember?”

“Oh right. Right, of course.”

The driver rolled down the passenger seat window just enough to bark at them. “Are you going to get in or what?”

Eren flashed Levi a smile, and gave him a quick, careless kiss on the cheek, before climbing in with movements much too stealthy for someone as drunk as him.

“Call me.”

The car window reflected the lights from the closed shops behind him, but Levi could bet his favorite camera that on the other side, Eren grinned at him.

  Levi lounged at locker 1-04, the one all the other regulars at the gym avoided to the extent he practically owned it by now. A burly man in his twenties shambled in, yawning and throwing his backpack on the bench that ran along the row of lockers.

“Aw man, you’re off already? And I thought I was early,” he said in a rough voice.

“Yeah.” The towel had drawn most of the water off Levi’s hair, so he threw it over his bare shoulder.

The man studied him, but he paid the scrutiny no heed. He had been through this a dozen times before, and the new guys always took their sweet time to learn Levi’s social preference, which was minimum contact with everyone. Most of the other regulars were younger than him anyway, and they did not have much in common, not enough that Levi cared to make further acquaintance. It was not the age itself that was the problem, but their testosterone levels were too damn high and their patience too thin for Levi’s taste.

He fished up his phone from his duffle bag. The screen lit up, with two messages from Eren in response to the one Levi had sent him before hitting the gym.

[06:43] Eren - Jesus, what place is open this early?

[06:43] Eren - The headache isnt that bad. And im sorry for yesterday

The new guy had taken the hint and left the locker room. Levi typed a short text, and rummaged his bag for a clean shirt and slacks.

Eren replied when Levi had walked halfway home. The sun shone bright, painting the uphill road in a golden light that made him want to crouch down and take a shot of the deserted alleyway. Maybe the rumors were right; maybe he should pursue a career as a nature photographer.

[06:58] Eren - I didnt mean it as an insult. I wish i was as dedicated to training as you

[07:59] Eren – Does this mean im forgiven?

Levi’s lips curled upwards.

[07:01] Yeah. I’m going to grab some breakfast. Care to join?

The reply sent, Levi pushed his hands into his jacket pockets. Around him, the sunlight claimed more and more ground, pushing the shadows back into the cracks and crevices where they belonged.

Today would be good day.

  Eren stood at the edge of the set with his glasses pushed high up on the bridge of his nose, looking around in apparent search for someone. He played with the buttons of the jacket he held like a shield, but his eyes lit up when they found Levi’s.

“Hey,” he said. His gaze roamed Levi’s body as he was approached. “Uh, you look great.”

Levi made a sound at the back of his throat. “Likewise.” He had to tip his head back to get a better look of the nervous smile on Eren’s lips. “You ready?”

“Well yeah. . .”

Eren’s words trailed off at the end when a louder voice came within hearing range, accompanied by the clicking of stilettos and an artificial scent of strawberry bubblegum. “I told you about the beach shoot, didn’t I? Ackerman couldn’t tear his eyes from that poor boy. Who would’ve known he swung that way, anyways.”

Eren swallowed. He bore an apologetic smile when he slid off his glasses and stuffed them in the case he had hidden underneath the jacket. When handed them, Levi stuck them into his back pocket.

“Mind the cables. Don’t trip.”

Eren scrunched up his nose. “I won’t.”

On set, a single chair had been placed in the middle. Before Eren could dash off, Levi caught his hand. For a split-second their gazes connected, and Levi was once again baffled by the most curious mix of blue and green, before he rose to his toes and pressed his lips to Eren’s slightly parted ones. He combed his fingers through Eren’s locks that were rougher than normal, thanks to the various hair products that they had no doubt been slather in.

���I meant what I said.”

“What?”

“That you look great. Let’s get the photos and eat afterwards.”

Eren beamed at him before stealing a quick last kiss, sauntering off to prepare the setting by hanging his jacket over the back of the chair, and smoothing out the collar of his button-up. Levi’s heart fluttered stupidly while he corrected the settings of the new Sony to accommodate the colder lightning for Eren’s pictures.

On the side, Hange had slumped in his assigned chair, which had not been used all day until they had arrived to get their daily pestering done.

“So,” they drawled, “all the singles are howling their voices’ hoarse. The most handsome ones are always taken or gay, or sometimes both, they say.”

“Tch. Who here’s crying over that?”

“You won’t hear any names from me,” Hange said, smacking their lips. They straightened up and gave Levi a knowing look over the rim of their glasses. “Are you dealing out free kisses now? Can I have one?”

Levi scowled and raised the camera to eyelevel. He would have to crouch to get the best angle. “No.”

With a sigh, they collapsed back into the seat. “It was worth a try.”

Levi scoffed and raised his voice. “Ready?”

Eren nodded and flashed his widest grin, but his shoulders were squared still. They would not be able to leave until Levi had snapped at least a dozen decent photos, but Eren would relax in due time, as long as he ignored the crew that had gathered around them just to stare.

By his side, Hange scrolled through the feed of their probably newest social media account. Their mumbling brought a smirk to Levi’s lips, but he hid it well behind his camera.

“And all you said was ‘he’s not bad’, huh.”

[ao3feed-eremin]

The Risks And Rewards

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2BzHqvp

by theroughjourney

Eren Yeager has recently graduated from his class at the international justice organization's (known as the Survey Corps) training academy - and after almost a year of preparation, he's raring to go for an assignment. Working for the Survey Corps, he and his best childhood friend Armin Arlert are assigned to a case that involves a well known human trafficking organization, the Titans. Led by a group of mysterious figures renowned for their ruthless methods, Armin is sent ahead a few weeks before Eren as to not arouse suspicion. However, the worst happens, and Armin is compromised. Surprisingly, the agency learns he hasn't been killed...

..yet.

In a race to save his best friend (and love interest), Eren adopts a new identity and is thrust into the world of heinous crime bosses, drug kingpins, pimps, and more. As he gets closer to saving Armin, however, he realizes that Armin isn't the only person he needs to save from this hell.

Words: 6007, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death

Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M

Characters: Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman, Marco Bott, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss, Ymir (Shingeki no Kyojin), Armin Arlert, Jean Kirstein, Connie Springer, Sasha Blouse, Erwin Smith, Mike Zacharias, Hange Zoë, Annie Leonhart, Bertolt Hoover, Moblit Berner, Reiner Braun, Kenny Ackerman, Kuchel Ackerman, Furlan Church, Isabel Magnolia

Relationships: Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir, Reiner Braun/Bertolt Hoover, Armin Arlert/Eren Yeager, Marco Bott/Jean Kirstein, Erwin Smith/Mike Zacharias, Sasha Blouse/Connie Springer

Additional Tags: Eren Yeager is a Little Shit, Levi is literally Satan, Torture, Slavery, gay shit, Historia is a badass, Armin is being Tortured, Jean and Marco are not having fun, Annie is also being Tortured, Mikasa Ackerman & Levi Are Related, Mikasa Needs to be Protected, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2BzHqvp

[ao3feed-erumike]

The Risks And Rewards

by theroughjourney

Eren Yeager has recently graduated from his class at the international justice organization's (known as the Survey Corps) training academy - and after almost a year of preparation, he's raring to go for an assignment. Working for the FBI, he and his best childhood friend Armin Arlert are assigned to a case that involves a well known human trafficking organization, the Titans. Led by a group of mysterious figures renowned for their ruthless methods, Armin is sent ahead a few weeks before Eren as to not arouse suspicion. However, the worst happens, and Armin is compromised. Surprisingly, the agency learns he hasn't been killed...

..yet.

In a race to save his best friend (and love interest), Eren adopts a new identity and is thrust into the world of heinous crime bosses, drug kingpins, pimps, and more. As he gets closer to saving Armin, however, he realizes that Armin isn't the only person he needs to save from this hell.

Words: , Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death

Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M

Characters: Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman, Marco Bott, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss, Ymir (Shingeki no Kyojin), Armin Arlert, Jean Kirstein, Connie Springer, Sasha Blouse, Erwin Smith, Mike Zacharias, Hange Zoë, Annie Leonhart, Bertolt Hoover, Moblit Berner, Reiner Braun, Kenny Ackerman, Kuchel Ackerman, Furlan Church, Isabel Magnolia

Relationships: Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir, Reiner Braun/Bertolt Hoover, Armin Arlert/Eren Yeager, Marco Bott/Jean Kirstein, Erwin Smith/Mike Zacharias, Sasha Blouse/Connie Springer

Additional Tags: Eren Yeager is a Little Shit, Levi is literally Satan, Torture, Slavery, gay shit, Historia is a badass, Armin is being Tortured, Jean and Marco are not having fun, Annie is also being Tortured, Mikasa Ackerman & Levi Are Related, Mikasa Needs to be Protected, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting

Read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/2BzHqvp