#i think we need more sasha content

[witchinatree]

i know the whole "do you think jon ever used his powers to Know what his parents looked like" thing is far more devastating than this but what if he tried using his powers to remember original sasha? jon and sasha always seemed closer than the rest, he picked her (and tim) to work with him and tolerated a lot more nonsense from her than anyone else (using his password to access his computer [161], debating his pronunciation of calliope [25], etc)

and ofc jon and martin became significantly closer as the podcast went on, but in the beginning he was cruel to martin when he gave a statement but accepting of sasha? idk i think their friendship was a lot deeper than we realized (ESPECIALLY since his first murder in season 5 was because NotThem provoked him about sasha) and i think jon wouldve used his powers to Know the original sasha, not sure if it wouldve worked though

so so sorry to distract from the post but can yall read the tags for me because i suffered immensely for this post

[theragethatisdesire]

scary dog privilege - best friend!eren x reader one-shot, 18+!!

hellooooo i have had this in my wips for like two entire months and i am giddy and ready to share it. this hopefully will just be a one-shot, but you guys know i love to create a universe for each of my erens so god only knows where we'll end up with this one. best friend eren appears to be my angstiest, broodiest one yet, and i love him lol. wanted to make some use of classic fanfic tropes, so here we get best friend eren and fake dating!! woohoo!!

beware: this is absolute, pure filth once you get into it lol

pairing: eren jaeger x afab reader

wc: 9.1k

DISCLAIMER: this post contains MATURE CONTENT that is intended only for those over 18. if you are a minor, please do not read below the cut.

CWs: smut, consensual hook-up, rough sex, biting, dirty talk, oral sex (fem!receiving), alcohol use, cussing, squirting, penetrative vaginal sex, swearing, use of names (baby, pretty baby, my girl), crying, multiple orgasms, eren being a menace per usual, jean's an asshole (i'm so sorry you guys know i love him but it had to happen)

have fun ;)

-

This is a terrible idea, and it had been from the start. You know it and so does he, but you had insisted. Now that you’ve made your bed, you have to lay in it, you suppose. You press your forehead to the cold, tinted window of Eren’s ridiculous muscle car, ignoring the vibrations from the rock music he’s blaring and the consistent fluttering in your stomach, and think back to your conversation earlier that week.

“Come on, Eren. It’s just one night!”

“And what about after? When you run into Sasha at the coffee place or Armin after work? Did we just suddenly ‘break up’?” Eren scoffs, pushing past you to grab a Red Bull out of the fridge. You collapse into one of the barstools in his kitchen, having prepared yourself to accept defeat from the moment you posed the question.

“I just can’t face him alone,” you sigh, “it’s only been four months and Sasha told me he’s hooked up with not one, not two, but three girls already. I haven’t even had a drunken makeout at the bar.”

“So? Just because Jean’s been whoring around doesn’t mean you have anything to prove.” Eren's tone is thoroughly unimpressed as he pops the tab to his energy drink.

“You’re my best friend. I just need one tiny favor.”

“Who would even believe us? It’s not like it’s a huge party- we know everyone going.”

You cock an eyebrow. “How many times have Annie and Mikasa tried to con us into a double date? Connie’s been teasing us for years, not to mention the waiter at lunch the other day–”

“Fine!”

“Fine?”

“Fine. I’ll be your date for one night. But all of the explaining is up to you. And,” Eren takes a sip, leveling a glare at you over the top of the can, “I’m going on the record as saying that this is a bad idea.”

He may be reckless, arrogant, and a bit of a brat, but if Eren Jaeger is one thing consistently, he was right. You chance a glance at your “date”. He’s in his typical uniform: black hoodie, black jeans, the little silver chain he never takes off, key swinging over his chest as he turns the car. He looks good, appealing even. If Jean dares to show up with a girl, she won’t consider you to have downgraded, that’s for sure.

You consider your own outfit, an anxious fist tightening in your stomach at the thought of seeing Jean for the first time as an ex. He would have hated it. Your nothing-to-the-imagination outfit is all thanks to Sasha.

You had clued Sasha in on the plan; you hoped having one more agent in on your secret would help sell the act. Sasha had gone all out, lending you an incredibly low-cut black top and some black leather pants that would have caused at least a twenty-minute argument with Jean. Had he not dumped you, you remind yourself bitterly. Sasha had insisted you borrow her all-black outfit to match Eren’s typical attire “just to be cute”. In hindsight, her enthusiasm about this whole situation should have been a red flag, but you’ve already gotten everything lined up, and it’s too late for regret.

It’s far too late for hindsight, too; you’re already ten minutes into receiving the official girlfriend treatment from Eren. He had worn you down on picking you up, opening the car door, the works. Hell, you wouldn’t be surprised if he pulled out a bouquet of roses at this point. You can hear his obnoxious tone now: Even if you’re my fake girlfriend, you’re getting the full package. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Eren parallel parks smoothly on Armin’s quiet street, unusually busy with the buzz of a house party and lined with your friends’ cars. It’s Connie’s birthday, but Armin always hosts. It’s an unspoken rule at this point; you aren’t sure why he keeps volunteering, especially after Sasha had projectile vomited all over his bathroom at the last get-together, but again, dig your own grave and lie in it. You and Armin are in the same boat there.

When the car switches off, Eren takes a moment to consider you, wrapping and unwrapping his long fingers around the steering wheel, a nervous tic he’s had since high school. “You ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” you sigh, reaching for the door handle. Before you can wrap your hand around it, Eren leans over and pinches you harshly on the thigh. “Ow!”

“I open the door, remember?” Eren says, visibly annoyed.

You roll your eyes at him.“Isn’t this a bit much?”

“You think I’m going to be caught dead letting my ‘girlfriend’ open her own door? I have a reputation to uphold.”

You decide to bite back a snippy comment about the many girls who cried over Eren in college and cross your arms over your chest, pouting instead. “Fine.”

If Eren can be dramatic, so can you.

As naturally as if he had done it a hundred times, Eren slings his arm over your shoulders on the walk up towards the door; the weight of it, both physically and mentally, is heavier than you’re willing to acknowledge. When you catch sight of Bertholdt, Reiner, and Annie peering through the window, a flutter of nerves erupts your stomach; you reach a hand up to play with Eren’s fingers, absentmindedly spinning one of his rings and trying to sell the look as best you can. “We better pull this off.”

“It’ll be fine, just follow my lead.” Eren pulls you closer, kissing your hairline. Goosebumps rise all over your body; not at the action itself, but how disturbingly easy the affection seems to come to him. As Eren knocks on Armin’s bright red door, you pack that thought away and shove it to the back of your mind to collect dust.

“Hi…guys?” Armin’s friendly smile upon opening the door falters in confusion as he takes you in, absorbing the sight of you two intertwined on his doorstep. Armin’s wide, blue eyes flick between the two of you, and you can see the gears churning in his head, trying to make sense of how awfully close you and Eren are. Pitting your fake relationship against Armin’s intellect is the perfect first test; a nervous sweat breaks out under your skimpy outfit.

“Sup, ‘min?” Eren smiles back, the very picture of nonchalance, extending his free hand to shake Armin’s shoulder.

“Come on in.” Armin, ever polite, turns to allow for plenty of room for Eren to pull you inside. He doesn’t outright ask why Eren’s holding you, but his eyes betray his suspicions. It seems like your plan, as terrible as it is, is working. One down, a dozen or so to go.

Never dropping his arm from around your shoulders, Eren steers you into the living room where one of Connie’s favorite bands is already blasting from the speakers. Annie and Mikasa are curled up together in Armin’s recliner, hands interlocked as usual; Sasha and Connie are positioned at Armin’s bar cart, violently shaking two cocktail shakers apiece; Reiner, Bertholdt, Marco, and Jean are on the couch, arguing over something sports-related. With a sinking stomach, you notice that there’s only one unoccupied seat left in the room.

“My two favorite lovebirds!” Sasha cries, abandoning her cocktail shakers and rushing over to give you a hug. Upon Sasha’s impact, Eren drops his arm and grabs your hand that’s closest to him as a substitute, never taking his hands off of you. His actions are pointed, purposeful; every pair of eyes in the room looks between the two of you in surprise. You can practically feel a hazel-tinted laser beam burning a hole into your forehead. “You guys are so late; honeymoon phase gotcha already?”

“Laying it on a little thick, Sash,” you whisper into Sasha’s ear, cheeks burning. To your chagrin, Eren only curls his mouth in response.

“What?” Connie frowns, still shaking his drinks. “How long has that been a thing?”

You pause, your heart nearly stopping. You should have made up a story, you realize, something to explain–

“Just a few weeks.” The still-strange weight of Eren’s arm around your shoulder returns, and his jade eyes rest on you, adoration beaming through his always-cool gaze. Against your will, butterflies start dancing in your stomach; apparently Eren’s quite the actor.

“Yeah,” you jump in, grateful for Eren’s lead, “we just wanted to feel it out before we told everyone, that’s all.”

“Sasha knew.” Mikasa raises a suspicious eyebrow. Annie smirks at the two of you, a knowing look on her face.

“It’s about time.” Marco appears from the kitchen with a huge bowl of tortilla chips in one hand and salsa in the other. “Good for you guys.”

You can’t help yourself, finally meeting Jean’s eyes. He’s openly scowling at you, which is to be expected; where Eren is a criminally smooth liar, Jean wears his heart on his sleeve. You recognize that face all too well: anger to mask heartbreak, the same face he wore when you used to fight. For the first time, it occurs to you how cruel this plan might be, how Jean might react to you moving on with a mutual friend. Guilt washes over you, cold and heavy.

“Thanks for giving me a heads-up before you moved in on my fucking girlfriend, Jaeger,” Jean snips, taking a long swallow of his beer.

The guilt drops away from you as quickly as your jaw; you’ve forgotten what a prick Jean can be. Eren has been slowly guiding you over to the singular remaining seat throughout the conversation, and after Jean’s comment, he tugs you down firmly onto his lap. He rubs a large palm over your thigh, a blatant gesture of ownership.

“Not your girlfriend anymore, Kirschstein.” You can hear the distinct note of pride ringing through his voice, hear the nasty look leveled at Jean without turning to face him. It’s been fifteen minutes of fake dating, car ride included, and you can already feel the friendship line blurring. Your head spins.

“Anyway,” Armin, ever the gracious host, interrupts, breaking the awkward tension that has settled over the room, “what bar does everyone want to head out to later? Connie gets the first pick, being the birthday boy.”

The conversation in the room picks back up into a familial bickering over the evening’s next destination. All of your friends have become accustomed to the occasional awkward moment over the years now that some of you have begun to couple up; Mikasa and Annie especially are notorious for bickering like an old married couple, no matter who’s around.

“I need a drink,” you murmur to Eren, moving to stand.

“Do you mind getting me one, babe? Don’t want to lose our seat.” Eren pecks you on the cheek, smiling up at you as if everything about your situation right now is normal, natural for him. Jean’s eyes follow you every step of the way, and your face burns.

Over the years you’ve been friends with him, it’s never been lost on you that Eren’s attractive, not after the dozens of women he ran through in his college years. Peeking over your shoulder now, however, feels like you’re seeing him for the first time, seeing him the way the world sees him. Heavy-set dark brows frame his bright eyes beautifully, his jaw’s grown sharp and severe, and his lips are soft and pouty, stretching into a wicked smirk with sharp canines. He had grown into a heartbreaker, and he’s your best friend and now fake boyfriend– you swat away your private admiration as soon as it comes, taking a deep breath to center yourself and rifling through the bar cart in a daze.

“Want me to make you one?” Sasha waves a bright red concoction under your nose. “Connie and I made them- it has three different types of liquor in it, and you can’t taste any of it!”

One sip of the tiny cocktail straw has your nose wrinkling in disgust. You’ve worked behind a bar since the day you turned twenty-one, and the drink Sasha’s offering you tastes like an overly-syruped nightmare. “Um…no, that’s okay Sash. I’ll probably just stick to beer.”

Connie sticks his tongue out at you. “Boring!”

Predictably, Sasha pouts. “Okay, but we’re definitely making you take a shot. We can chill it in the kitchen, want to help me get some ice?”

Holding up a bottle of tequila, she cocks her head toward the kitchen and wobbles her eyebrows madly. You almost laugh; anyone who can’t pick up on a hint from Sasha is walking around with earplugs and their eyes closed.

“Fine. Let me just grab Eren a beer, and I’ll meet you in there.”

“Ugh, couples,” Connie rolls his eyes, wandering over to fiddle with the dusty karaoke machine that Armin claims broke years ago. You’ve always been dubious as to the truth of that, but knowing your friends, you can’t blame him.

Opening the cooler, you smile to yourself; Armin remembered your favorite IPA from the brewery down the road and stocked the cooler accordingly, nestling a few Hazy Daze’s between Reiner and Bertholdt’s domestics. You pick your way through the haphazard seating arrangements back over to Eren, holding a cold Budweiser bottle towards him. He pauses in his conversation with Reiner, grabbing your hand that holds the beer and removing it from your hand, bringing your knuckles to his lips, brushing them over in a light kiss. He looks you up and down lecherously as he does it, a dangerous curve to his lips.

You return a weak half-smile, doing your best to not appear outwardly shaken by Eren’s behavior and keep the what the fuck? thoughts from showing plainly on your face. Eren waves you off to the kitchen with a light pat on your bottom, innocent as ever.

“How’s it going?” Sasha asks, safe now in the privacy of the kitchen. Her face is already full-flush with excitement and that awful cocktail she was sipping.

“I mean, it seems like everyone’s buying it. Jean looks pissed, though.”

“What were you expecting? He’s always thought Eren had a thing for you.”

“Everyone thinks Eren has a thing for me,” you roll your eyes, “at least it’s working in my favor now.”

Sasha fixes you with a glare, wobbling slightly. “If you don’t think Eren actually has a thing for you, you must be blind. Deaf, too.”

“Sasha–”

“I mean, even if you hadn’t told me, I would have fallen for it. Is it not, like, weird for you guys? That it’s just natural for you two to–” Sasha burps, interrupting herself, and giggles. “Just makes ya think.”

“Sasha!” Connie calls from the living room. “Let’s do Eye of the Tiger first!”

“Woo!” Sasha shouts, abandoning you and running into the room to take part in the newly-revived karaoke festivities.

You stand alone in the kitchen, shell-shocked by Sasha’s observations. The truly irritating thing is that she’s entirely right. Not only do Eren’s little kisses here and there, the constant touching, even the pet names come naturally, it almost feels…nice. It’s as easy for you to receive his affection as it is for him to give it. You peek around the corner, grimacing at Sasha and Connie’s amplified wailing, just wanting to look at him. Really look at him.

Kicked back, beer in hand and jacket thrown over the back of his chair, Eren oozes charisma. Even doing nothing but holding a conversation with Mikasa, the room gravitates around him. Jean’s angry glare never leaves him; Armin has switched to drinking Budweiser, even though you know he hates it; Annie’s nodding along with whatever Eren’s saying; even Sasha and Connie are angling their performance around him, alternating between singing together and holding their microphones towards him, trying to elicit a reaction. He has this undeniable magnetic force, one that you aren’t exempt from.

You’d met him nearly a decade ago, in high school, and initially couldn’t stand him. His hair-trigger temper had hardly cooled with age, and his ego had gotten unthinkably larger, but you grew to find both of them charming– to a degree. One thing led to another, and before you knew it, Eren was the one cleaning you up and getting you drunk after every bad breakup, introducing you to all of your favorite sports teams and lending you jerseys for the games; hell, he even read that smutty fairy fantasy series you’d been obsessed with in college. Had the man you attempted Star Wars marathons with until you both fell asleep really looked like that the entire time?

He catches your stare, beckoning you over with one long, crooked finger. As his girlfriend for the night, you have to obey, even though you would much rather roll your eyes at the cliche.

“Missed you,” he mumbles as you sit back on his lap, breath hot against the shell of your ear.

“You too,” you respond accordingly, wrapping your arm lovingly around his shoulder. Eren’s eyes flit down to your cleavage, but knowing him, it’s impossible to discern if it’s part of the act, or Eren being himself.

His hands rest comfortably over the casing of your pants, one on your thigh and one on the small of your back, one thumb rubbing circles into your soft flesh. Reveling in the drag of his rings over your clothed body, you couldn’t help but wonder how they’d feel on your bare skin, on your throat, on your–

Surprising yourself at the dirty direction of your thoughts, you swallow your beer too quickly, coughing. Eren, who had coincidentally been taking a sip at the same time, laughs at you mid-sip, choking beside you and spraying beer out of his nose.

The entire room bursts into laughter; Eren regains his composure and joins in good-naturedly. You giggle along, relief coursing over your body. Sure, Eren might look a little extra handsome tonight and be a bit touchy because you asked him to, but he’s still Eren.

“They’re practically in sync already.” Hitch, Marco’s girlfriend who had apparently joined the party while Sasha and you were in the kitchen, rests her face on her hand dreamily.

“It’s a little freaky,” Annie observes with narrowed eyes, but the slight curve of her lip betrays her. Not only were they believing your little farce, but they were happy for you. That’s enough to make you flush a little, realizing how naturally everyone’s just accepted your fake relationship. Everyone but one person, at least.

Jean suddenly stands, ripping a beer from the cooler and storming into the kitchen. The laughter dies as quickly as it had come, everyone exchanging nervous looks.

“I’ll go talk to him,” Eren offers, nudging you off of his lap. You blanch.

“Eren, I don’t know if you should-”

“It’s fine,” Eren drops a soft peck on your forehead, walking away before you can stop him. You meet Mikasa’s eyes, wide and concerned. To everyone else, Eren’s walking calmly, not a hint of aggression in his gait. But you know him, know him well enough to catch the anger simmering in his eyes, quiet, but there.

Jean and Eren have always been friends, albeit reluctant ones at first, but too similar where it counted not to get along. That had abruptly come to a halt when you had fallen for Jean. At first Eren had been confused, but over time that confusion had melted into constant irritation. Jean and you were wrong for one another, you know that in hindsight, but at the time, you had chalked all the fighting up to a passionate relationship. The constant tears had driven Eren nearly to a breaking point; multiple times you had begged him not to bring his frustration to physical blows. And now, your fake-boyfriend slash best friend and ex-boyfriend with the two worst tempers out of everyone you know are “talking”. You bite down hard on the inside of your cheek to keep the worry in your chest.

“Are you alright?” The question comes from Armin, who’s placed a steadying hand on your shoulder. “I’m sorry that Jean isn’t taking the news well.”

“There’s no news,” Mikasa says low enough for none of the others to hear over the music, now standing directly behind Armin.

A neat little cross appears between Armin’s eyebrows. “They’re-”

“Faking,” she interrupts Armin, “they aren’t dating.”

Armin stammers, trying to correct her and apologize to you for her at the same time, but you just sigh. “How’d you know?”

“One of you would have told me,” she shrugs, “or at least I’d like to think you would.”

“It’s just…I couldn’t bear to show up alone, not with Jean here and apparently sleeping around since the breakup.” You cross your arms over your chest, grabbing your own shoulders tightly. It’s your fault, you know it is, but you had only wanted to feel a little less pathetic, a little less heartbroken. Drama had been an unfortunate and unexpected side effect.

“Why would Eren agree to that? It seems silly,” Armin muses, noticing your glare and immediately turning bright red, “I- I don’t mean you’re silly, just, you shouldn’t-”

“You know.” Mikasa bumps him. The slightest hint of a smile plays on her face, a knowing look directed at you. You frown, trying to look confused through the pink rising to your face.

A loud crash from the kitchen catches all of your attention, saving you from an uncomfortable line of conversation but making your heart beat that much faster. Dashing to the kitchen door, the entire house party hot on your heels, your thundering heart sinks.

Eren has Jean pinned up against Armin’s cabinets, forearm tight against the other man’s neck. Jean’s still seething at Eren, raw ego washing against the cool anger blazing in Eren’s eyes.

“Need to learn how to watch your fucking mouth, Kirschstein–”

“Eren!” Your voice is surprisingly firm, given the nauseating mixture of embarrassment, confusion, and panic swirling in your stomach. “Let him go!”

“Do you want to tell her what you said, or should I?” Eren hisses, nudging into Jean further. Jean’s eyes dart to you, back to Eren, and for a fleeting moment, you have hope that maybe this all can be resolved peacefully. And then Jean makes a fatal mistake.

He spits directly in Eren’s face.

Just as Eren swings, Reiner collides with the two, just barely catching Eren by his forearm before he can make contact with Jean’s cheek. Bertholdt, as always, is Reiner’s shadow, grabbing Eren by the shoulders and wrenching him away from Jean. It takes Connie, Reiner, Marco, and Bertholdt to restrain both of them, Armin standing in the middle and shouting how ridiculous the fight is above the curses.

“It’s my fucking birthday, Jean, come on bro!” Connie growls, pinning Jean to the cabinets with his back.

“Jaeger- back off!” Reiner manages to pull him back a few inches, hardly able to contain Eren, who’s struggling furiously, in his massive arms. Jean finally relents, slouching into the multiple arms holding him back. After several seconds, Eren does the same, never taking his eyes off of Jean. Into the shocked silence, Armin bravely speaks first.

“Maybe we should leave,” he suggests awkwardly, “take the party elsewhere.”

You pity him, poor Armin and his hosting inclination. Eren finally turns to face you. The wrath laid bare in his eyes sends a chill over your body.

“We are,” he spits, sparing Jean one last threatening glance before storming over, grabbing you harshly by the wrist, and practically dragging you towards the door.

“Eren, wait–” you try to reason with him and dig your heels in, but it’s fruitless. Eren’s strong, stronger than you, and you don’t stand a chance stopping him now that his mind’s made up.

He doesn’t drop the act at the car, ripping your car door open, waiting impatiently for you to step into your seat, and slamming the door behind you. As soon as he turns the ignition, the same angry rock music you had listened to on the way over blasts from the speakers; Eren makes no move to turn it down and neither do you. After so many years together, his temper rarely scares you anymore; it’s more of a nuisance than anything when it flares. You stare out of the window, seething with anger, arms crossed and foot tapping.

Five minutes into the drive, you realize Eren isn’t taking you to your house, but to his. What he’s thinking, you can’t be sure, but you go ahead and start making your plans to give him an earful and call your Uber the moment you get there. You just can’t wrap your mind around why he would attack Jean and embarrass you like that– Eren may have been a hothead, but rarely did he let his temper escalate to that degree, especially against a friend.

Eren whips his car into the driveway, parking with such force you nearly knock your head against the headrest. You reach for your door handle, ready to throw it open, but Eren’s faster. He hits the child lock button and slams his own door behind him, storming around the car.

“The fucking child lock button?” You leap out of your seat once he’s opened your door, glaring up at him with your fists curled by your sides. “Is that what I am, Eren, a child?”

“Come inside.” Eren’s voice is low, dangerous. You’re too angry to indulge his temper.

“No,” you snap, “I’m going home.”

No sooner have you pulled your phone out to call an Uber than Eren snatches it from you, sliding it into his pocket. He repeats himself, more forceful this time. “Come inside.”

You stand rooted to the spot for a beat, so angry you aren’t sure what you want to do more: run home, punch him, or kick his precious car headlight in. Eren simply glares down his strong nose at you, face unreadable as ever, rage still glittering in his eyes.

“Come inside, please,” Eren repeats himself again through gritted teeth. You decide you’ll indulge him and go inside, hear him out, and then punch him. At least it’ll catch him off guard, and you’ll have a better chance of getting your shot in. Without another word, you stomp up the walkway to his house, into the house, and into the kitchen, shoving your shoes off. Stupid fucking kitchens, you think to yourself, kicking your bare foot against the base of his kitchen island. Immature, but the little burst of violence feels good.

Whether Eren’s house smells like him or Eren smells like his house you’ve never been able to decide. The distinct scent of him envelops you: a boyish, sharp smell, laced with a hint of the weed he kept in the living room. Ordinarily it’s a comforting smell, but tonight, it nearly makes you sick with irritation. Fighting with Eren is something you do rarely, but you know the both of you well enough to buckle down. Arguing with Eren means you have a long, nasty, and emotionally gutting night ahead of you. You’re more than ready, fists shaking by your side.

“What the hell was that, Eren?”

He doesn’t answer, swinging the fridge open and grabbing a beer. He twists the top, tossing it aside carelessly and taking a healthy swig, bun bouncing on the back of his head, making no move to acknowledge your presence.

“Answer me!” Your voice rattles the cabinets. “Yeah, was the fake dating a stupid idea? Sure, fine, it was stupid, but starting a fucking fight with Jean on poor Connie’s birthday–”

“You didn’t hear what he said,” Eren says simply, still chugging his beer and avoiding your gaze.

“What could he have said to make you do that? What was so awful that you had to–”

“It was about you.” Eren finally brings his eyes to yours, staring you down through the little hairs that have escaped his bun with such intensity that it nearly knocks you clean on your ass.

Your heart stutters. “You– what did he say?”

“Told me if I wanted to taste your ‘slutty pussy’ so bad, I could just smell his breath. S’why he spit in my face.” Eren’s fingers wrap and unwrap around the beer bottle anxiously.

Your mouth drops agape, tears immediately springing to your eyes. No, you set your resolve, praying your body cooperates. “He…he said that?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you’d been fucking him?” Eren spares you another scalding look. Your temper flares at his anger, one fire against another.

“Excuse me?”

“Don’t play dumb,” Eren snaps, “this whole thing was your idea. What am I to you, just some toy you can dangle in front of your pussyboy ex boyfriend? How long have you been fucking him?”

“I haven’t been fucking him,” you hiss, “he lied because he was jealous. And you’re not some toy, you’re– you’re my best friend. I needed you.”

Eren freezes, eyeing you across the kitchen. His expression has changed, infinitesimally so, a pinch of the fury fading from his face but none of the heat. It strikes you that in the years you’ve known him, he’s never looked at you like this before, not once. “Say it again.”

“You’re my–”

“The other thing.”

“I needed you.”

“Again.”

“I needed– fuck, Eren, what is this? Some kind of game?”

He stalks toward you, silhouetted by the light behind him and looking sinful, closing you in. He’s forceful and shameless as he backs you into the counter, as quintessentially Eren as he can be. “Say it one more time.”

“I…needed you,” you indulge him, brain slowing down to pick up each little detail. His cologne– when did he start wearing cologne?– musky and thick in the air, one of his tattoos peeking above the collar of his shirt, the tangible sensation of emerald eyes dragging along every inch of you.

“I like the way you say that,” his tongue darts out, wetting his lips. You stare blatantly. His mouth is red, pouty, and full, bottom lip a little chapped from where he was chewing it in the car. “That you need me.”

Words are lost on you; even if you could gather something to say, it would probably get stuck in your throat the moment it materialized. His presence is choking you. He brings one of those massive hands up, cupping your jaw, running a thumb over your lip. His posture, looming over you, is demanding, almost hungry.

“Do you still?”

“Still?”

“Need me.”

You blink, eyes still watery. “How?”

“You’re a smart girl,” Eren murmurs, hot breath laced with beer fanning over your face, “you know. You’ve always known.”

You do know. When he ghosted a hand over your thighs at the bar, when you fell asleep on his chest watching a movie, the way he had kissed your head, nearly fought Jean, protected you at every twist and turn. You had kept it relegated to the recesses of your brain, slid a hand between your legs and allowed it to simmer to the surface, maybe for a moment, before pushing it back down. You had always known. He has you on the edge of a cliff, and with a thin gasp, you understand him now: he wants you to jump. And so do you.

“I still need you. Now.”

Something critical snaps in both of you. The countertop digs into your lower back, a beautiful, aching pain blooming up your spine to meet the sting of his teeth sinking into your bottom lip. He’s kissing you; this magnetic, maddening man is kissing you, hard. It’s all tongue and teeth, fingers wrapping in hair, hands exploring familiar places in a new way. Greedy, demanding sounds slip through his teeth as he paws at your clothes, squeezes your curves through the silken shirt Sasha had lent you.

“This shirt is ridiculous,” Eren pants into your mouth, “wish I wasn’t about to rip it off of you.”

A little whimper leaves your mouth at that, and your knees buckle. Eren catches you, grabbing you by your torso and lifting you up onto the kitchen counter; you use the extra height to wrap your legs around his hips. A groan from deep in Eren’s chest rumbles against your lips as he rolls his clothed cock insistently against you. The low, simmering heat in your stomach catches fire; he’s big, even through both of your pants, rubbing himself into where you need him most. A hand creeps up your neck, grabbing a fistful of hair and forcing you to look up at him. It hits you how large he is; six feet and some change of taut, corded muscle, bad intentions, temptation.

His voice is quiet and controlled, so close to your face that his nose moves against yours as he speaks. “I’m going to take you to my room. If that’s not okay with you, I need you to say it right now.”

You nod urgently, relishing the burn in your scalp where he holds your hair tight. “I want it- want you.”

Eren slides you off of the kitchen counter and holds you firmly around his waist, making a beeline for his room. You mouth at his neck, enjoying the little grunts he makes against your ear. You drop unceremoniously onto the bed, left to watch as he tears off his shirt.

Oh, and do you watch. It’s difficult to comprehend that your best friend is the man standing above you. You’ve seen him shirtless countless times, but not like this: chest heaving, covered in a thin sheen of sweat, muscles flexing as he reaches for your shirt, ripping it from you and tossing it away. Your eyes draw towards the defined v leading down beneath his jeans, and you wonder how it might taste under your tongue.

Your bra comes next, Eren moving down to take your lips in his again as he deals with the clasp. He pushes you onto your back, kissing down your neck, sneaking harsh bites in between the gentle presses of his lips.

“Careful, Eren– you’ll leave marks,” you gasp, pulling at his hair.

“Good,” Eren replies against your neck, emphasizing his point with another deep bite to your neck, “you wanted everyone to think I was your little boyfriend, didn’t you? Let them see.” 

Your panties grow damp and hot against your core at that; you have no other response than to choke out a stunted moan.

“Fuck, you have no idea,” he growls, traveling down, teeth scraping the top of your breast, “what you do to me. How long I’ve wanted you.”

Your mind falters, caught in the crosswires of Eren’s confession and the way you’re clutching his head to your breasts, fingers desperately threaded in his dark hair and pulling him as close as you could get him. His mouth is so hot it burns, even against your feverish skin. 

“Remember…” Eren muses, mouthing his way down your stomach, “remember college? When you’d wear those slutty little dresses out?”

“I remember,” you breathe, impatient and urging him towards your lower half.

“Used to come home from the bar and jerk myself off, thinking about this sweet little cunt,” Eren tears your pants down your legs, panties following, “could practically see it in those short ass dresses. I’d cum thinking about how you’d sound when I stuck my tongue in it.”

A lewd whine rips out of your throat before you can stop it. Eren’s pressing your thighs open now, and his words and the quick little swipes he’s making across your clit are making you dizzy.

“Fuck…” Eren trails off, eyes wide, “got such a pretty pussy. Just look at you.”

“Eren, please,” you’ve never been the begging type, but the bright green eyes peering up at you from where your legs are propped open by broad, strong shoulders take your sense away.

“I’ve got you,” he shushes you, grinning as he leans into your center. A thick stripe of a lick up the center elicits a groan from you both. “So fucking sweet. Knew you would be.”

Eren hooks his arms around your legs, dragging you down the bed to be flush with his face. Eren’s no amateur when it comes to women, you know that, but you had never dared to let yourself imagine what that might translate to in practice.

He licks little figure-eights around your clit, not quite hitting it; he’s teasing you, the antagonist that he is. You tremble under him, little gasps and whimpers puffing out of your lips. Eren smiles contentedly against your pussy, nose flush with your clit, nudging against it rhythmically as he licks through your folds, circling your entrance. You bring your hands down your body, grabbing a fistful of dark hair and pulling him closer to you; you don’t even know what you want, the singular word more ringing in your head like a church bell.

Eren chuckles. “You need something?”

“Stop fucking with me,” you breathe, inwardly cringing at the desperation in your voice, laid bare for him to see. You brace yourself, looking down to meet his eyes, and instantly regret it. The anger has faded entirely from his face, replaced by an unyielding hunger. A wet, wicked smile plays at his mouth; you can physically feel your cunt dripping just at the sight of him.

“You want me to stop fucking with you?”

“Please, Eren, I need you–”

“That’s all you had to say.”

And then, like he does with everything else in his life, Eren licks into you like his life depends on it, like he’s trying to drown himself in you. His tongue pushes in and out of your hole, swirling around your clit, and you can distantly hear the most obscene sounds you’ve ever heard slipping from your mouth. He’s so good, better than you’ve had in years; you throw your head back against the bedspread, hardly able to focus on breathing.

Just when you think it can’t get any more intense, Eren slides one long finger inside of you, curling it against a spongy spot in your walls that makes you see stars. He chuckles at the loud, long moan that you let out.

“My girl likes being full, doesn’t she?” He pumps his finger slowly, testing your limits. Your walls clutch down on him, begging.

“M-more,” you stutter, barely able to form a coherent word through your panting.

“What was that?” You can hear the shit-eating grin on his face.

“I need– fuck– I need more.”

“Magic word?”

“Please, Eren, fuck!”

“Good, good girl,” he coos, pushing another finger into you, “so sweet and needy for me, yeah?”

Your eyes fly open at the stretch, the fullness of his fingers moving inside you. His other hand comes up to push on your lower stomach; your head snaps up, and you frown at him, panicked.

“W-what are you– oh,” you hate yourself for it, but you can’t even speak as he applies pressure onto your abdomen. You feel strange; it’s just right and too much all at once. The familiar bubble of an impending orgasm swells in the pit of your stomach, but it’s more intense, wetter than you’ve ever felt it. 

“Close?”

“Mhm,” you force out through gritted teeth. Eren moves his elbow slightly, just enough to bear down on your hip bone where you’re pushing your hips up towards him unwittingly. “But it- it feels weird…I, I can’t–”

“Sh,” he murmurs, mouth back against your clit, “you can do it, just for me, I know you can. It’s going to feel so good, you’ll see.”

Your eyes roll back in your head as you teeter on the precipice, blood roaring in your ears. You want to, you need to–

“Cum all over my fucking face baby, give it to me.”

The band in you snaps, your eyes rolling back into your head. You can feel your cunt spasming around his fingers, pushing something out. Liquid sprays from you, all over Eren’s face, soaking the sheets beneath you. You can’t even hear the lewd sounds coming out of your mouth, too surprised at the gushing orgasm. It finally winds down, and once you gather the energy, you shove insistently at his hand still pumping in and out of your sensitive pussy.

“You have the messiest little cunt,” Eren chuckles at you, wiping his face and kissing his way back up to your gasping mouth, “knew you were a squirter.”

He lands a few gentle taps against your sore pussy, and you flinch. 

“I–I’ve never…” you take a shaky breath in between every word, “never done that before.”

Pride illuminates his face. “Really? I knew you could do it– just for me, right?”

You nod, sitting up on trembling elbows. “Your cock, I– I want it in my mouth. Please let me.”

You reach down to fumble with the button of his jeans, but Eren grabs your wrist, pulling your hand up to kiss it gently. “Next time. I’d never forgive myself if I busted before I got to fuck you.”

Too overwhelmed to answer, you simply nod again, sitting back as he shimmies his pants off. Once you catch sight of it, your mouth waters. He’s big, bigger than you thought, wide enough to where your fingers wouldn’t touch if you grabbed it, and long enough to make you gag. The thought goes straight between your legs, cunt still throbbing and clutching around nothing, and a rush of anticipation washes over you.

Eren flips you over onto your stomach, shoving a couple of pillows underneath your hips to prop your ass up. “Christ,” he exhales, landing a sharp smack to your ass.

“Please, Eren- oh!” You jump; Eren’s circling your asshole, using the mess you’ve already made as lube to pop the tip of his thumb in. “Eren…”

“You’d let me fuck you there, one day, I bet,” he mutters, more to himself than to you, you think. Your body tenses in response, the memory of your first glance at his cock fresh in your mind. Eren swears under his breath. “Maybe next time, then.”

You hear him spit, hear the slick sounds of him lathering himself up. You have a brief moment to think to yourself, with the last glimmering shreds of consciousness in your orgasm-dazed mind, that this is Eren. This is your best friend, pinning you to the bed by the back of your neck, rubbing your lower back, admiring you, fucking you. And then the head of his cock is pressing into you, and that last little bit of hesitation gives way.

“Oh, baby,” Eren bends over you to growl in your ear, “never gonna forgive you for keeping this perfect pussy from me all these years.”

“Eren, it’s so– oh my god,” you trail off, eyes rolling back into your head as a few more inches of him sink into you. The way your body stretches for him, the way he fills you, is unbelievable, sweetened by just the slightest burning sensation.

“Fuck,” he hisses, pressing his forehead into the back of your neck, “you feel so fucking good. Best I’ve ever had.”

You whine at that, pushing your hips back into his and forcing him to bottom out. Eren swears against your skin, nearly collapsing on top of you. Your cunt pulses around him, desperately trying to hold him. You can hardly fathom the weight of him inside you; you’re just so full, the word runs through your mind on a loop.

And when he rolls his hips into yours– you nearly start praying. He drags against your walls so nicely, you nearly cum again then and there. He works up a torturously slow rhythm, grinding his hips into yours. You bite down hard on your bottom lip, trying your hardest to suppress the obscene groan about to leave your mouth. You taste blood.

“Never giving this pussy up,” Eren grunts above you, “never letting you give this to anybody else again. It’s mine, isn’t it?”

You nod into the pillow beneath your head, tears pricking at your eyes. He’s picking up the pace now, and the exquisite push-and-pull rhythm of Eren moving inside of you coupled with the fact that it’s Eren moving inside of you is destroying any semblance of intelligent conversation you can muster.

“Say it’s mine,” his face is beside yours now. A hand grabs your hair, turning your face towards him. You know how dazed you must look, mouth open in a permanent gasp, eyes watery and full of hearts. “God, you look fucking incredible. Say it.”

“My…my pussy is,” you swallow hard around the delicious knot of shame in your throat, “yours. It’s yours.”

“That’s my girl,” Eren sits back up, thrusting even faster, “my pussy, my girl. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes,” you pant, canting your hips back against his, feeling your next orgasm approach embarrassingly fast. Eren understands, already knows your body as well as he knows you, and moves the angle of his hips just so to hit that spot he had found so quickly with his fingers earlier. You keen, drooling into the pillow, letting him fuck you stupid.

Eren shoves you over the edge for the second time that night. It’s toe curling, almost violent in nature, the way you cum around him, listening to him hiss as you tighten around him, vice-like. He fucks you through your orgasm for just long enough to see you through it, and flips you onto your back the moment you begin to twitch and shove at his hips, desperate for a break.

You slowly blink your eyes open in surprise, letting the tears roll down your cheeks, expecting to see Eren lining himself up, ready to fuck you senseless once more. Instead, he’s studying you, wiping a tear from your face, licking it off of his finger. There’s a moment happening here, an important one, one you don’t have the mental capacity to absorb right now.

“I want to see you now,” Eren says quietly, “need to see your pretty face when I cum, m’kay?”

You nod dumbly, not knowing how to respond to him in the thick air hanging between you. Before Eren can get any more words out of his open mouth, a loud ring startles you both.

Your phone is buzzing on the floor where it fell from Eren’s pocket; the name on the screen nearly stops your heart. Jean.

You stare into Eren’s eyes, a long, silent beat passes between you both. Your hazy mind is scrambling, grasping at anything you can say to take his mind off of the awkward interruption, but to your surprise, Eren cracks a grin. It’s a wicked grin, prettier than the devil himself and twice as evil.

“Your other boyfriend calling? Checking up on you?”

“He’s not my-”

“Better not be. Not after what I did to you tonight,” Eren’s voice drips with ego. Something in his eyes is territorial, carnal.

You find your words, but they come out quiet. “He’s not. Never again.”

Eren’s grin grows darker. He’s nudging your knees apart with his own, reaching down and pulling one of your legs to wrap around his waist. He’s pushing himself in now, the ringing of your phone fading into the background as the all-encompassing stretch of Eren inside you takes over your thoughts.

“Such a good girl,” he coos, thumbing at your bottom lip, “such a good mouth. Always telling me what I want to hear.”

You nod again, urgently this time, pulling your other leg up to hook them around his waist, hold him inside you, make sure he never leaves again. You’re addicted already; addicted to the pressure in your abdomen, addicted to the way his tip kisses your cervix, addicted to the taste of his sweat as you lick a strip of it from his face, cheekbone to temple.

“I…” you aren’t sure how to articulate how good it is, how good he is. A defeated laugh of your own making interrupts you. “You feel so fucking good. I feel so fucking good right now.”

“God, just look at you, all fucked out for me. You love it, don’t you?” Eren kisses your forehead, face to face with you after propping his elbows on either side of your face. “Love how I fuck you like a whore, don’t you? Tell me, baby.”

“I love it,” your voice is quivering, and you’re vaguely aware of tears streaming down your face. You’re overstimulated, you at least know that, but he just feels so good that asking him to stop seems more painful than letting him keep hammering into you.

“My pretty baby, you’re so fucking perfect,” Eren rambles, “so pretty when you cry for me.”

You can’t break away from his gaze, not through the tears or the rapid-fire speed of him fucking into you. Your legs are shaking so badly you can barely hold them up; Eren’s letting a flurry of little grunts and groans fly out, grabbing onto your cheek with one hand.

“Gonna cum soon,” he huffs, hips still pistoning into you hard enough to hurt, “gonna cum in your pussy, really make it mine, okay?”

“Okay,” you whimper, clamping down on him at the mere thought of it.

“Fuck, you like that don’t you?” He seethes against your forehead, thrusts beginning to falter. “You want to be mine? Want this pretty cunt stuffed full of my cum?”

You can feel him getting closer now, sloppy thrusts punching into your cervix, the ache of bruises forming on your inner thighs as he uses you, chasing his orgasm. You force your eyes open, meeting bright, hypnotizing green. Your voice is going to break, you know it, you hate it, you love him for it. “I– I want to be yours. P-please cum in me Eren, I need it.”

He slams into you one last time, holding his hips as tightly to yours as he can manage, cumming deep inside you with a breathless curse. You arch your back, relishing the feel of his cum in you, warm and filling. Even in your fucked-out mind, you know it’s a lot; you can feel the drip of it, seeping out around his cock and down onto the sheets. The leaden collapse of his body into yours, the gradual softening of him inside you, grounds you, pulling you down from the clouds and back into the bed.

It’s Eren on top of you, sweaty skin clinging to yours, his cum that you begged him for leaking out of your abused pussy. Your eyes shoot open. He’s incredibly heavy, your breath still coming out in short puffs as you try to catch it. He slides out of you; one last pitiful whimper leaving your lips as you find yourself empty.

“Holy shit,” Eren breathes out into the tension, a humorless and exhausted laugh punctuating his statement. As he rolls off of you, you’re overcome with the urge to smack him.

“That’s one way of putting it.” You scrounge around in the bed, trying to find the edge of the sheets to cover yourself with. Eren lays beside you, arm tossed over his eyes, as if the entire axis of your friendship hadn’t just flipped on its head. After a beat, you speak your mind, testing the waters. “I should probably call Jean back.”

That catches his attention. Eren sits up, scowling at you. “Why?”

“Maybe he wants to apologize.”

Eren snorts, rolling off of the bed and pulling you up with him, bridal-style; you aren’t sure where he’s taking you, but all the fight’s been fucked out of you, and you melt into his arms, eyes falling closed. “Who fucking cares?”

“I might,” you answer quietly, adjusting to the heat radiating off of his body. When your eyes open, you realize he’s carrying you to the bathroom to clean you up. Your heart thuds sadly in your chest, overcome with so many emotions you couldn’t begin to name them if you tried. You almost want to cry again, for a different reason now.

Eren sits you on the toilet, not responding to your small confession. He drops to his knees before you, reaches a long arm behind him over to the fixtures on his obscenely large bathtub, pushing the plug in and turning the water on. You draw your knees up to your chest, suddenly feeling incredibly exposed. Satisfied with the water temperature, Eren turns back to you, one hand placed firmly on each of your kneecaps.

“You don’t need him,” he says, solemn as you’ve ever seen him, “and from what I saw tonight, you don’t even want him. You know that now, right?”

There’s something about the way he says it, a hidden thread of pleading woven into his words. Your exhausted brain holds onto that, but your heart refuses to believe in it, broken and beating wildly in your chest.

“I just–”

“I meant it, you know,” Eren avoids your direct gaze, eyes flitting over every feature on your face, “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. Meant every word of it.”

You pause, wondering absentmindedly if he can hear the pounding of your pulse. “Really?”

“We don’t need to get into it now,” he shrugs, “but you know that. You know I’d do anything for you. You know I’d treat you well. ‘M not a bad guy.”

Your chest aches. “I know, but Eren–”

“So that wasn’t the best sex you’ve ever had in your life?” He fixes you with a singular, raised eyebrow, so serious that you giggle in his face.

“You might have me there.”

“Better than horseface?”

“Watch it.”

The light returns to his eyes; it loosens a hard little piece in your chest, flooding you with warmth. It hits you just how much you love that little sparkle amongst the green, just how much you would give to see it as often as you can. “We won’t talk about it, for now at least. I’ll get us cleaned up, and we can go watch–”

“Mamma Mia,” you blurt, hopeful.

“No fucking shot. But we can watch something else of your choosing, if you let me eat you out again.”

“Eren!” You smack his shoulder, scandalized. Both of you laugh; your fake outrage is twice as funny considering the state of you right now, smeared makeup and bruises on your neck.

He grins crookedly back at you. “That’s not a no.”

[theladyofrosewater]

I have finally gotten Laurance's character sheet to a point where I'm actually okay with the result. I'll probably make some edits later. Character notes and lore undercut also content warning for general shadow knight stuff

Feel free to suggest the next character to get a character sheet!

I was aiming for a swimmers or acrobatic type of build for him so I tried to give him wider shoulders. I'm going to be basing all of the guard characters after some kind of sports athlete so feel free to give suggestions for future guards like Katelyn or Dante

In my rewrite Laurance was nearly torn in half (yikes) in the Nether and Sasha had to stitch him back together. He didn't fully die but his heart stopped for almost a minute before Sasha restarted it. Hence he got turned into a Shadow Knight although a lot more human than most

Laurance is missing part of his leg in my rewrite as well as being partially blind in one eye and this is from Ungrth's rescue mission, which sidenote I'm very tempted to mix wyverns and phoenixes together in my rewrite so that Laurance still loses his friend but is comforted by the fact that he'll be back someday.

His leg prosthetic is actually part of his shadow knight form and as a result he can get quite tired if he's on his feet all day. Dante and Garroth commissioned Kenmur to create a decent prosthetic for Laurance but the group disappears before Kenmur can finish it. Laurance uses a wooden crutch when he gets too tired or has a day off. It's quite well made and carved with a wyvern script spell for steady balance. It used to be Jon's but Hayden gifted it to him when he left Meteli for good. (Also sidenote I'm making Jon and Hayden married in my rewrite just because I think it would be good storytelling)

Laurance has always been clumsy but surprisingly enough his balance only suffered a little when adjusting to his new leg, and he's pretty good at adjusting to the vison loss. He will however sometimes be an idiot while exploring and that's why half the time he ends up in caves or old witches hideouts when he's exploring

Laurance's natural hair color was that nice brown we all know and maybe love and in my rewrite he still dyes it to match Cadenza however becoming a shadow knight kinda mess with his hair and now when it reaches a certain point it kinda sorta just turns orange and while Laurance may be a flirt he doesn't actually care that much about his apparence, as long as he's in good shape health wise he doesn't care, so his hair is left long.

Laurance's shadow knight armor is actually quite different from a lot of other shadow knights as he's technically still living. Shadow knights that are fueled by intense anger like Zenix or were turned when they were still living have a lava like substance glowing in the cracks of their armor. Shadow knights like Sasha, Vylad or Gene on the other hand have "dead" armor that is just rock and maybe a few gemstones. Becoming a full shadow knight takes either your memories or a part of your soul and unless Shad gives an individual that piece back or they are too filled with rage their armor is dead.

His normal guard armor is a mix of nether metals and draconic steel, Aphelia got it from Zoey and gifted it to Laurance when he was sworn in as a knight of Phoenix Drop. It has an extremely high melting point so Laurance can hid his leg if he wants too or he needs to for missions but often times in Phoenix Drop he doesn't bother unless it's cold or raining or Phoenix Drop is on high alert. The leg produces some heat enough to singe fabrics but isn't a fire hazard unless Laurance wants it to be

Laurance used to have a lot of keepsakes and jewelry but they were lost in the Nether. but you can see on the casual outfit that Cadenza has been sending him new rings :)

His hair does glow in Shadow Knight form and yes he has been used as a nightlight/ light source before but on the bright side he got the codename firefly so it's not a total loss. also his teeth are stronger but not sharper as only some shadow knights get fangs and it's seemingly random

I imagine him to be almost 23 and around 6'2 but only because he has a habit of only walking on the tips of his toes as Cadenza made him take the same dance tutor their dads hired for her. In reality he's like 6 ft on a good day.

[anthroposeen]

[tma spoilers: sasha's arc, discussion of women in tma and general spoilers for s1-5]

i wanted to do a breakdown of how the tma fandom interprets the main cast of 'protagonist' women specifically pertaining to sasha's role in tma canon and how shes viewed in the fan sphere :)

i think its interesting how sasha is almost universally liked by tma fans when she was a very short-lived character with just about no screen time. its obviously tied to the fact that sasha was considered an ally by jon and the other original staff and they take measures to avenge her in some regard- this is perpetuated as shes painted as an obvious protagonist (one of the few who arent necessarily morally grey) with no real content to prove she had bad qualities. other women in tma have a considerable amount of content (im specifically referring to those working in the archives or having a large role in jon's life: georgie, melanie, basira, and daisy) which lets the audience see them in a more multi-faceted light. we see their rights and wrongs through jons eyes, and since they have more canon content, obviously they're more complex characters and they serve more nuanced narrative purposes. at the end of the day, sasha's use as a character was to drive the plot with a significant death and inspire a revenge or depression in the other characters, and she served this role perfectly. jon avenges her twice in s5 alone (smiting the not!them and then cursing her name at jonah) so we know she was very important pre-s1, but as the audience we just dont get to see that depth to her.

theres also the internalized misogyny that fandoms often have; sasha was the main and only female role in s1 (not counting gertrude since shes dead) and her relationships largely revolved around men. all of her coworkers were men, and we know they admired her. we know she was friends with them all individually and also glued them together in group settings. she had a "will they wont they" relationship (his words of course) with tim, and she was the character that introduced us to michael. the other more fleshed out women of tma had relationships largely revolving around other women. melanie and georgie were partners, melanie had moments were she was friends with basira, and basira and daisy came into the series as a package deal. when these characters are given the choice between choosing to help jon or choosing to help the woman closest to them, they dont choose jon. obviously this can rub the audience the wrong way, but it also showcases a loyalty to the idealized fanon interpretation of a woman over the canon multi-dimensional women we dont need to extrapolate on.

i get that its easier to like a female character when she's a protagonist who supported the male lead; and bonus points if shes such a vague character that anyone can paste their interpretations onto and it cant be "disproven". of course its sexier to leave things up to the imagination, but it just irks me to see people fawn over a (please forgive me) one dimensional character when more complex women exist in canon. people have the tendency to beg for flawed women in fiction then dislike them or ignore them when they get the representation they asked for. if you're willing to defend jon but not melanie, basira, daisy, or georgie, maybe ask yourself why.

disclaimer: i dont think anyone is a misogynist for liking sasha or preferring her over the other women in tma! i like both canon and fanon interpretations of her character and i wish we got to see more of her, but i do think theres something to be said about how the fandom treats her vs the other women in the cast. and i know im not at all the first to say it! i was just thinking about this as a general observation of fan content that ive seen and i dont mean to hate on anyone, their fan content, or sasha as a character!

[lucysarah-c]

~ Holy Ground ch. 3: Girl at home ~

Summary:

"Alright, get comfortable because this is going to be a long, crappy tale. Join me as we travel down memory lane, back when Erwin wasn't yet a commander, when Mike and Nanaba couldn't keep their hands off each other, when Hange was… well, Hange. And Levi? Well, Levi was a twenty-four-year-old man who didn't give a damn about the rules. Are you ready?"

Warnings: This story contains age gaps, time period misogyny and mentions of homophobia, strong and offensive language, underage sex, alcohol, smoking, implied/referenced of drug use. This is a very slow burn so everyhthing takes a while to happen. Explicit sex content. Virginity, loss of virginity, cheating, mentions of cheating, pregnancy but no by the main character, consensual sex, consensual underage sex, underage kissing.

Pairing: Levi x Reader x Erwin. Levi x Reader are end game. (this is not eruri). This story takes place after ACWNR but BEFORE season 1

-> Masterlist to all the chapters! <-

I observe the expressions on the faces of each of the kids here with me. Sasha and Connie appear quite bored, Jean and Armin seem skeptical, and Eren is in a heated argument with Mikasa about the cold weather and the need for him to wear a sweater or something.   "Am I boring you guys? Is this not what you had in mind?" I wonder, trying to understand why my story isn't having the impact I expected.   I receive mixed responses. Jean and Armin seem more engaged, but the rest... Well, they seem to be lost in their own world.   "Did the captain treat you like that?" Armin asks, visibly dismayed.   "What? You don't believe me? You can always go and ask Levi about the truth of the matter," I say, attempting a smirk to appear cool, but then I realize what I've just said. "Actually, no. Please don't go and ask Levi about it."   "Why not? Are you lying?" Sasha asks with a mischievous smile.   "No, I'm actually telling the truth, but the problem is that Levi hates sharing his personal life. So, for the sake of all of us, we should keep this as a secret," I explain, hoping to persuade them, and thankfully, it seems to work. If he found out I've been talking about him to his squad, it would pretty much seal the deal on our breakup.   "If it's true that you two used to hate each other so much, how did you start dating?" Jean asks, resting his face on his hand.   "Jean, a relationship isn't just a matter of saying 'hello, how are you? Do you want to get laid?' There's a process," I explain while rolling my eyes.   It's amazing how at that age, we think that love is some magical thing that happens suddenly and lasts forever. But in reality, it's much more complicated and terrifying. It's a painful process that can end well, or poorly, or sometimes it takes a long time to reach a resolution. I can't help but wish that my case isn't the last one as I touch my bandages.   'Is this what you wanted?' I reflect, suddenly feeling exhausted. I could do better than this, I know it. Running away like a frightened child. I shouldn't be here on this watch post. I should be talking to him, reminiscing while he holds me in his strong arms after a night of passion. Not here, not with them, not like this, no--   "Speaking of getting laid," Connie interrupts my train of thought. "When do we get to the spicy part?"   Suddenly, everyone is excited again. They all look at me with curious glances and a slight blush on their young cheeks. They can't seriously expect me to chat about my sex life with their Captain, right?   "Don't tell me you think I'm going to spill the beans about what happens in my bedroom?" I speak my mind, trying to confirm my suspicions. However, their silence and blushing faces confirm their disappointment. Except for Mikasa, who somehow reminds me of Levi.   "Let's make a deal. When we get to that part, we'll see what I'll share with you. The problem is, we're not there yet, and we'll never get there if you keep interrupting me," I say, and they nod, waiting for me to continue.   I take a sip from one of the bottles on the table. I wish I could hide my disgusted expression as they laugh at my reaction. Damn teenagers and their cheap alcohol.   Where was I? Ah, yes, the first morning of training with my not-boyfriend back then…

For those who may not know or haven't noticed yet, I'm originally from Sheena's Wall. I spent my entire life there before joining the military. Not just any district, mind you, but right in the heart of the capital city. It's truly an extraordinary place to call home. Now, the story of how a privileged girl like myself ended up in the Scouts is a tale for another time. My distinctive capital accent always seemed to give me away, and I'm willing to bet that Levi knew where I was from even before I uttered a word that night. It wasn't exactly a secret.

Perhaps it was my wardrobe, the variety of shirts and dresses I wore on our days off, or my hair clips and perfume that gave away my origins. This little fact about me may have made my initial coexistence with Levi quite challenging. While he was struggling to survive on unclean water, I was comfortably sleeping in a king-size bed surrounded by teddy bears and feather-filled cushions, with my maid preparing breakfast for me.

As usual, I woke up in my small, uncomfortable cadet bed, with my hair scattered all over the pillow. Mornings have never been my strong suit, to say the least. I stretched and prepared for the day ahead. During my morning routine in our shared room, I noticed two things. Firstly, Nanaba was not there, meaning she must have spent the night in Mike's room.

‘Lucky her, having a superior boyfriend. They get those beautiful rooms all to themselves, ’ I thought as I brushed my hair.

Secondly, I realized I needed to hurry because my training was about to start. Breakfast was served between 6 and 7 am for recruits, and somehow, I always managed to arrive ten minutes earlier and grab a cup of tea. I did a crown braid to keep half of it out of the way, washed my face, applied some moisturizer, and chose a shirt to wear for the day.

Once I was ready, I headed to the mess hall. Some might argue that I put too much effort into my appearance, but I could easily justify it. You see, one thing I learned during my time living in the capital city is that how people perceive you determines how they treat you.

With a smile on my face, I greeted and waved to everyone I passed along the way. This may have been another aspect of my personality that Levi couldn't tolerate back then. I entered the gates and scanned the room, searching for that particular short, black-haired man. To my disappointment, he wasn't there.

Glancing at my watch, I thought to myself, ‘ It's 6:45. Maybe he's not a morning person.’ I shrugged, thinking I might find him later to tackle our chores as a duo. I grabbed a tray of food and joined Petra and a few other girls, including Nifa.

“I adore the shirt that you are wearing today!” Nifa complimented me, a sweet girl who shared my interest in fashion.

“It would look lovely on you. The deep navy blue would make your gorgeous honey eyes shine even more” I added, smiling at her. Nifa and I used to go downtown together from time to time.

Usually, there wasn't much effort put into our outfits on duty days. I typically stuck to basic-colored shirts like white, shades of gray, and black. Occasionally, I'd opt for a black and white or navy blue and white horizontal striped long-sleeve shirt to add a touch of drama. However, that day, I had chosen a simple white shirt with a deep navy blue hem and buttons. I had always liked how blue complemented the color of the Wings of Freedom. Even the lace of the small braid of my hair was in the same shade, matching always. 

The majority of the others usually wear the first thing they find in the morning, regardless of its cleanliness or condition. In contrast, I take pride in my appearance, treating the corridors as my personal runway as I carry the tea for my squad leader.

"Hey Petra, since you seem to know so much about Mr. Grumpy, have you seen him?" I asked, not that I wanted to share breakfast with him, but I needed to make sure someone had spotted him at least.

My paranoia grew as Petra shook her head in response. "I hope he didn't oversleep on the first day," I mused. Little did I know that words like "oversleep" or even "sleep" were missing from Levi's vocabulary. I tried to enjoy the remainder of my breakfast, keeping my attention fixed on the door. But mealtime came to an end, and that little troublemaker was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey Gerald, have you seen Levi?" I inquired of one of my male comrades, thinking that a fellow cadet might have better insight.

"Who?" was his simple reply.

"Levi, the short guy from the underground?" The future Captain was nowhere near as popular as he is now, primarily because he hardly spoke to anyone.

"I have no freaking idea where that bastard is," the brunette answered, then added, "But maybe you should ask Will. I think they share rooms in the barracks."

I thanked him for the information, left my tray behind, and embarked on my search for my missing partner.

"Didn't Erwin tell him that we have morning chores to attend to? Where the hell is he?" I muttered while scanning the surroundings. I checked every nook and cranny, searching every corner and corridor for Levi or William. I even peered through the windows, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. Just as I was about to turn the corner, I spotted Will. He was mopping the corridors with another recruit, and I greeted them both with a smile.

"Hey Will, good morning," I greeted the tall black-haired boy. "Mind if I ask if you've seen Levi?"

"O-oh, hey! Good morning," Will saluted me back, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. He was such a sweet boy. "MH, I usually don't see him in the mornings. He's already gone by the time I wake up."

"What a pity," I sighed loudly, disappointment evident on my rosy lips.

"Maybe you should check the shower room in the male barracks. That guy definitely takes too many showers," the helpful cadet suggested without a second thought.

I thanked him and continued my investigation. It was already half past eight when I finished checking the common areas, and Levi was nowhere to be found. I didn't particularly want to venture into the male barracks, not only because it was prohibited for women but also because it was incredibly uncomfortable. But did I have any other choice?

"Y/N! There you are, the little lady of the Scouts," I recognized that distinctive voice anywhere. Hange was calling out to me from behind.

"Squad leader Hange, good morning!" I turned around, stood at attention, and saluted. Hange may be a bit peculiar, or rather, eccentric, as they prefer to be called, but they were still a squad leader.

"Oh, drop the formalities, sugar cube. We're good friends, no need to be so strict," the brunette said with a broad smile, as they always did. Extrovertly placing an arm around my shoulder as they pushed me closer to speak. "Anyways, shouldn't you be with Levi?"

‘Speak of the devil,’ I thought. Of course, I should have been with him if  he could be found anywhere. However, Hange was the only one who managed to have conversations with Levi, or at least tried to. Perhaps they had some tips for dealing with Mr. Grumpy.

"Well, I should be, sir. But I can't find him. Have you seen him yet?" I inquired, trying to sound as unbothered as possible.

"So weird, I saw Levi picking up his orders this morning. He must be somewhere," Hange raised their hand to stroke their chin while contemplating. "But if I were you, I wouldn't keep him waiting. He doesn't appreciate being made to wait."

‘He doesn't appreciate anything, if you ask me,’ recalling Nanaba's words. If he had already received his orders, then he must have known that we were supposed to do this together. I bid farewell to Hange and continued on my way.

If the female barracks were typically untidy, I couldn't even begin to describe the state of the male ones. With resignation, I knocked on the door of the shower room, and a partially dressed guy opened it. He had a towel wrapped around his waist and his bare chest exposed. I tried to avert my gaze as my cheeks grew warm. The male recruit leaned against the doorframe and examined me intently.

"Well?" he asked gruffly.

"O-oh, y-yes," my stammered response betrayed my embarrassment. "I'm looking for Levi." He turned around and called out loudly.

"Hey Levi, there's a good-looking girl asking for you here!"

I didn't know what was more humiliating—the fact that I was referred to as "a good-looking girl" or the insinuation that there was something going on between Levi and me. I could hear the laughter from the men inside the room.

No one replied, just silence. I didn't dare to peek inside to see the recruits' expressions, but I could sense that they, too, were awaiting a response.

"Well, it seems like that shorty isn't here. But if you're looking for a good time, I'm at your service, m'lady," he attempted to sound sophisticated, making a reference to my status. I rolled my eyes at his failed attempt.

"No, thank you," I retorted, slamming the door in his face and walking away.

‘Not in the mess hall, not in the common areas, not in the showers. Where the hell is he? It's already 9 am! We've wasted almost the entire morning.’ My mind raced with thoughts. Letting out a frustrated sigh, I approached one of the cadets walking by and asked for the location of Levi's room.

"Last room on the right," he had mentioned. I repeated it in my mind to avoid forgetting. If only I had known how many times I would sneak into that room for activities far from training.

Once again, I knocked and waited for someone to answer, but this time it was different. Another recruit answered the door, and as soon as I caught a glimpse inside the shared bedroom, I saw him sitting on his bed, engrossed in a book. I didn't wait for an invitation; I walked straight toward him.

"Excuse me? Can you explain what you're doing here?" I questioned, my tone laced with anger. I was far from being in a good mood.

However, my attempt to sound imposing failed miserably as Levi raised his gaze from his book to meet me. Nervously, I swallowed, feeling as if Levi's deep, piercing gray eyes were cutting through my soul.

"What the 'ell are you doin' 'ere?" Levi's deep voice echoed through the room, causing everyone to turn and see what was happening.

‘Think quickly, don't let him get to you,’ I reminded myself, preparing for the confrontation.

"I wouldn't be here if you had been in the mess hall like everyone else, starting their chores," I retorted, refusing to back down from the conversation.

"Huh? What did ya just blurt out?" Levi closed his book and rose from his bed. He walked towards me, clearly attempting to intimidate. The problem was that even a few inches taller, he appeared incredibly powerful.

"That's nonsense! You heard me! You should have been there!" I insisted.

“Lis'n up, ya posh little brat. I was bang on time; it's you, ya lazy scumbag, who never showed up.” Levi shot back.

"I was there before seven o'clock. On the other hand, you were missing," I argued.

“I ain't your damn servant. I stuck around 'til quarter past six. Next fuckin’ time, get your ass there earlier,” Levi retorted.

"Who cares what time I arrived at the mess hall! You should have waited for me. We wasted so much time!" I exclaimed.

"You're a right pain in the ass, innit?I done my bit, now piss off from my fuckin’ room. This is the last time you show your face 'ere,"

"This is supposed to be teamwork, Levi. You can't just go out and do 'your part.' Besides, what exactly is 'your part'?" I challenged.

“I ain't gonna sort out your crap life for ya. Go and take a look’s at what I've already fuckin' done 'cause I did wake up on time. Maybe if you didn't waste so much time tryna flaunt, you wouldn't 'ave missed me.” Levi hit back.

His words stung, but there was no way I would let him dictate how I should spend my time. "Well, at least I can show off. You can go out and buy the most expensive shitty clothes and still look like a filthy rat from a trash heap," I retorted.

My remark seemed to genuinely offend him, as he grabbed the collar of my shirt and lifted me up. I closed my eyes, expecting him to strike me.

"What the hell is going on here? Women aren't allowed, and I thought I made that perfectly clear! Levi, put that damn girl down, and Y/N, leave immediately before I report this to your superior," a commanding voice interrupted Levi's actions.

The other cadets who had been watching quickly stood up and saluted the superior. Once I was back on the ground, I hastily made my way out, not wanting to draw any further attention to myself.

Needless to say, I completed the rest of the work alone that morning. I didn't dare to approach Levi again, mainly because I wanted to keep my head attached to my body. The truth was, Levi had indeed done a significant portion of the work, but the question remained: When did he do it? I hadn't spotted a single strand of his dark hair on campus that morning. As I fed the horses, Will's words echoed in my mind, raising yet another question: "When the hell does that demon wake up if he manages to finish all the chores?"

After completing my duties, I headed to the mess hall for lunch. My mind was preoccupied with how to make this team function smoothly. "I was a bit harsh with him. I let him get under my skin," I reproached myself, reflecting on the events of the morning. "There's no use crying over spilled milk. We still have the afternoon training to make things right. If anyone can make this work, it's me. Don't let him affect you." This pep talk boosted my confidence and allowed me to approach the rest of the day with more optimism.

However, maintaining my positive outlook became nearly impossible when I entered the mess hall and felt everyone's eyes on me. As usual, I picked up my tray and joined my friends.

"Why is everyone staring at me?" I asked once I sat down and tasted the first spoonful of the flavorless soup they served.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here. They say there's a fine line between love and hate, but I never expected you to cross that line on the very first morning you were paired with that jerk," Nanaba teased, clearly enjoying herself. Meanwhile, Petra seemed quite upset with me.

I struggled to express my surprise, my bewildered face revealing my emotions. The spoonful of food I had scooped up fell back into the dish as I tried to gather my thoughts.

"Excuse me?" I managed to utter.

"Come on, don't act so surprised! You know better than anyone that rumors spread like wildfire here," the tall blonde girl explained matter-of-factly. She noticed that I was still lost in the conversation and added, "Everyone is talking about how you went to meet him in his room and how your faces were just inches apart before a superior interrupted."

I closed my eyes, trying to process this nonsense. Resting my head on my left hand, my hair obscured my face. It always amazed me how information could be distorted in just a matter of hours.

"That's not even close to what happened. He was nowhere to be found, so I went looking for him, and it turned into an argument in his room," I summarized the events.

"How could you do that to Petra? You knew how much she likes him," Nanaba remarked, clearly mocking me as she took a sip of her water.

But the real issue was that Petra actually appeared upset. She was sitting right in front of me, on the other side of the table. I reached out my right hand and placed it on her arm. "Petra, I would never do something like stealing someone's boyfriend or crush. So, you don't have to worry about me. In fact, when I get the chance, I'll find out what he thinks of you."

That seemed to ease her mind. I remember her smile, her innocent golden eyes filled with admiration for me. I know there's no excuse for what I did, but at that moment, my words were sincere. I never intended to come between them; it just happened. If only I had known then what I know now.

Link to my masterlist and my other works if you feel like checking them out. Tags!: @nube55 @justkon @notgoodforlife @nmlkys @humanitys-strongest-bamf @quillinhand @thoreeo @darkstarlight82 @aomi04 @levisbrat25 @fxnnyackerman @secretmoneybearvoid @feelingsandemotionsnotexplored @l3visthighs @hannieslovebot @flxrartsstuff @feelingsandemotionsnotexplored @starrylevi @rithty @mariaace @ackrmntea @emilyyyy-08 @levisfavoriteteashop @katestrophes @katharinasdiaryy @ackermanswifee @levistealeaf @an-ever-angry-bi @youre-ackermine @searriously @blackdxggr @storiesofsung @abiatackerman @braunsbabe @moonchild-angel @galactict3a @lemonsupernova @hyuckwon-my-husbands @heyitsd1yaa @sydneyyuu @love-for-faeries-go-burrrr @mandaax @sugacor3 @r0ckst4rjk @vegetasgirl2799 @catiwinky @pinksaiyans @sparklykeylime Wanna join my tag list? Here!

[words-etched-in-her-skin]

Sooo 👀 I came across some fanart today that featured Alcina slicing open the front of a servants uniform and, well.. this is what came to mind 👀 (and yes, ahem, Reader is Sasha in this 😂) Anywayss... A little Halloween treat for you all 🎃✨

***

You felt your breath leave your body the moment your back hit the wall, Alcina's large frame boxing you in.

"Did you really think you could dress like that all evening and there not be any consequences when we got home? Hm?"

You swallowed as her sharp claws traced up your neck, stopping only slightly to lift your chin a little higher. Though, you couldn't help but smirk.

"What? Not to your liking, my lady?"

At this you got a subtle click of her tongue, her eyes raking over you. Her warm breath across your ear as she moved in a little closer.

"Mh.. I think you know the answer to that. Pet. Though, I don't think Miranda appreciated your choice."

Even with the tips of her claws close enough to rip through your skin at any second, you chuckled. And yes, the Lady had told you to dress for the occasion - albeit a Halloween masquerade ball - but you had had other things in mind, with every piece of your attire chosen specifically for the evening ahead.

The metal collar she gifted you.. her favorite corset.. a teal silk scarf you wore only once for a painting - even the dress pants you wore - everything on your body was purchased by her... at one point or another. You had even made sure to wear your hair exactly how she liked it. And when her moment of surprise finally passed and a single eyebrow raised, the Countess simply asked you.

"And just what are we supposed to be, pet?"

You smirked, of course, giving her a single word.

"Yours."

And now she had you exactly where she wanted you, pressed against a wall and completely at her mercy.

"Y-yes, well.. I didn't wear it for her, my lady."

A tender kiss to your neck.

"Indulgent little thing."

You could almost feel every inch of you being set ablaze - every part of you yearning for her. For her touch, for her control. With a single claw toying at the lacing of your corset - her hand coming down in a dominant fury, slashing down the front of it with such force the corset almost completely fell from your body. A flush of satin against the heated skin of your torso as Alcina leaned back in, her large fingers caressing over your flesh as they made their way down. Stopping just short of the hem of your pants.

"Is this what you want, my sweet? Is this what you desire?"

You whimpered and her body pressed even firmer into you.

"Answer me, pet."

"Y-yes. Please."

She hummed in such content that it rolled across your body and landed in your core. Your lips slightly parting when the pressure of her finger found your clit, circling over it.

"Mmph.. th-thank you, mistress."

She growled from above you, practically slamming your back against the wall as she lifted you and ripped your pants from your body. The width of her finger forced into you with a stretch - causing you to cry out. Her lips crashing into yours - in heated want - in untamed need. Your desire quickly coating her fingers with each desperate thrust, with each sweep of her tongue over your own.

And you knew you wouldn't last long, not with the tempo she kept nor the velocity with which she fucked you. Your body nothing more than a toy to be used. Than a panting mess against her large frame as she pushed you closer and closer to the edge. Your head now swimming, body heated. A charge of pleasure so strong that when it surged across your body every part of you jerked - shuddered - your inner thighs completely drenched in your arousal.

The Lady's finger only slowed for but a moment, allowing you just long enough to catch your breath before you were completely nude and thrown onto her bed. With A look of desire in her eyes that only told you she had no plans of being done with you anytime soon.

✨

[aussie-bookworm]

Going Through The Motions: Bonus Bits

Hi all! I'll keep this quick but we recently hit 4k hits on Going Through The Motions! I can't believe it! Thank you all for reading my silly little fic.

As thanks, I went through my cut content document and polished up these missing scenes from Chapter Four: Help. I originally wrote full scenes of Scout asking each merc for help but decided it was going to make an already long chapter too long and it was a bit repetitive so I cut it down to the basics.

These scenes take place between Scout asking Engie for help and asking Spy for help. Thank you to the lovely @gingerale13 for proofreading! Enjoy!

Demo finished his list of names on the blackboard and put a cross next to Engie’s name.

“Alright, next up is…”

***

“Heavy?” Scout asked, knocking on the man’s door. “Can we come in? I need your help.”

“Da. Just cleaning Sasha. Door is unlocked. Do not touch gun.”

Scout hesitantly opened the door to see Heavy sitting on the floor of his room, surrounded by gun parts, focused on cleaning the barrel. 

Scout shot a nervous look at Demo who nodded. 

Honestly, Scout doubted Heavy would be able to help him, but he had to make his way through the list.

“What is problem?” Heavy asked, not looking up from his task.

Scout slowly sat down, cross-legged across from him, making an effort not to touch Sasha.

How would he even explain this? Scout knew that with Heavy, you had to be blunt.

“I need your help. I’m stuck living in a loop of the same day.”

Heavy merely raised an eyebrow and continued cleaning.

“So you come to me for joke?”

Scout blinked, leaning away from Heavy.

“What? No! Nonono! Heavy it ain’t a joke! I'm actually in a time loop! Tell him Demo!”

Demo sat down next to Scout with a sigh.

“It’s all true, Heavy. Swear on my mum’s life.”

Heavy hummed to himself, as he gently placed the barrel down and started cleaning the rotor. 

“And you come to me because you have no other options.”

It was not a question, but a statement of fact.

“How did you…?”

“Little Scout would not willingly come to me for help with magic problem unless no options are available. So you come to Heavy.”

Scout bit his lip with a frown as he looked away.

Heavy was smarter than Scout gave him credit for. The team always saw him as a big gun-obsessed Russian. Maybe there was more to him than Scout originally thought.

“Yeah, but–”

“Heavy,” Demo interrupted, holding a hand out in front of Scout to shut him up. “Have you noticed anything off with Scout during the last couple of days or weeks? Or just… anything noteworthy that could change things?”

Heavy was silent as he slowly started reassembling his gun.

“Cannot think of anything. Little Scout is little Scout as always,” he eventually commented. “I have suggestions but do not think little Scout would listen.”

“Suggestions?” Scout’s ears perked up. “What do you have for me, big guy?”

Heavy sighed as he continued to skillfully put Sasha back together.

“Understand that team is looking out for little Scout and is not babying him. Understanding others’s motives is good thing for strong team, da?”

Scout sighed.

“Yeah, I know,” he responded dejectedly. “Been through enough loops of you telling me that to get it through my thick skull.”

Heavy was unperturbed.

“Team is only as strong as weakest link. When one succeeds, all succeed.”

That made sense, Scout guessed. No ‘i’ in team and all that. 

But Scout already knew this from his baseball days! How was this supposed to help?!

“Anythin’ else?”

Heavy was silent again as he finished up his assembly. Sasha stood proud in front of Scout, ready for action.

As Scout stared at the gun, Heavy finally turned his gaze over to Scout and assessed him.

“Teamwork requires communication. Speak to Sniper.”

“What?!” 

“You have been avoiding Sniper. I have seen it. Speak to Sniper.”

Scout spluttered, trying to come up with a response.

“He’s right lad,” Demo spoke up. “Even I have noticed you’re avoiding him and I’m drunk half the time!”

Was that why Engie had suggested it yesterday? Had he also noticed and decided not to be as blunt as Heavy?

No! He couldn’t risk it! He barely got through that awkward conversation when he tried to give Sniper a compliment! Why would he decide to do that again?!

“I… I’ll do it, tomorrow,” Scout lied.

Heavy nodded.

“Very good. Is there anything else Heavy can do to help?”

“Don’t think so. Thanks, big guy.”

Heavy smiled and nodded. He stood up and picked up Sasha. Scout took that as his cue to leave. 

Quietly, Scout stood up and Demo went to follow. He opened the door as Demo slipped through.

Scout threw a look over his shoulder to see Heavy starting to clean his supplies, before shutting the door behind him.

Scout turned to see Demo looking at him. Silently, they both turned and started to walk down the hallway.

“So, tomorrow you’ll talk to Sniper, right?” Demo asked, breaking the silence.

Scout quickly wiped the scowl off his face before Demo could notice.

“Yep!” Scout lied.

***

“So we’ve talked to Engie and Heavy? We’re making good time,” Demo commented.

“I guess,” Scout responded. “So who’s next?”

***

“Hey Medic, got a minute?”

Medic’s head snapped up from the corpse he was experimenting on and looked at Scout as he and Demo pushed the doors to the infirmary open.

“Herr Scout, you know where the plasters are. You do not need my help to put one on.”

“No, it’s not that.”

Medic sighed. 

“What is it then? Herr Demo might need my help and you are wasting my valuable time.”

Demo shook his head.

“No doc, I’m fine,” he responded. “Scout needs your help, though.”

“Verdammt. What is it?”

Demo gave Scout an encouraging nod as Medic continued to operate on the corpse. Scout let out a nervous breath.

Of course, he was nervous about this! He knew what Medic did last time Scout told him about the loop!

“I need you to promise me you won’t try to give me meds this time, okay?”

“…This time?”

“Just promise, okay?”

Medic shot Scout a confused look but slowly nodded.

“Ja, okay, I promise.”

Scout sighed. 

Good enough, he guessed.

“I’m in a time loop,” Scout blurted out. “If you can help me that’d be great. Have you noticed anything off with me in the last couple of days?” 

Medic blinked, processing the stream of speech that was directed at him. 

His scalpel slipped out of his hand and into the corpse’s rib cage as he turned his head to look at Demo who had a serious expression on his face. Medic turned back to Scout.

“O…kay?” Medic eventually answered, picking up the scalpel. “Am I to understand you have been experiencing the same day on repeat?”

Scout nodded.

“Yeah. Demo suggested I talk to everyone and see if they can help.”

“Really, we just want to see if there’s something Scout can change that I haven’t already noticed,” Demo helpfully added.

Medic looked up at Demo through his eyelashes.

“And what have you noticed, Herr Demo?”

Demo said nothing, staring at the doctor. Medic frowned and tilted his head. 

As the two seemingly had a silent conversation among themselves, only nodding and pulling faces, Scout bit his lip.

“Uh… I can go if you want,” Scout spoke up.

“No need, Herr Scout,” Medic replied with a bloody wave. “I was just making sure Herr Demo and I are on the same page.”

“Okay then. Can you help me? You’re smart – surely you can think of something!”

Medic put a hand to his chin in thought.

“Unfortunately, I can’t think of anything major that could break this loop you speak of,” he mused as he placed the scalpel he was using down and reached towards Scout. “Unless you let me look at your brain and the observable effects under the loop–”

“Nuh-uh! No way!” Scout interrupted, slapping one of Medic’s hands away. “Besides, you wouldn’t even fuckin’ remember it!”

“Ja, but how often do I get to observe the synapses of a brain undergoing extreme stress and magic? Oh! I wonder if brain activity would remain the same as the previous loop! Or would it change as you are experiencing a different flow of time?”

“You’re scarin’ the lad, doc,” Demo piped up.

Medic laughed as Scout staggered backwards.

“Just imagine…” Medic said to himself.

Scout frowned slightly. He wasn’t going to get much more out of Medic which was somehow both a blessing and a curse.

“I… I’m gonna go. If you can think of anything that can get me out, let me know before midnight.”

That conversation seemed pretty quick and painless. Scout wondered if the conversations with the rest of the team would be the same.

As Scout turned to leave, Medic perked up. 

“Ah, Herr Scout?” Medic spoke up.

Goddamn it.

Scout silently begged for this conversation not to go where he thought it was going to go.

“Yeah?”

“Have you spoken to Herr Sniper about this?”

Fuck.

What was everyone's obsession with him speaking with Sniper?! Scout avoiding Sniper wasn’t that bad, was it? 

“Oh um… he’s later down on our list. I-I’ll talk to him then.”

Medic nodded approvingly

“Good, good. I recommend you speak to him earlier. He might have seen something similar to this during his career.”

Scout frowned.

“Why don’t I speak to Spy then? He’s way older and has probably seen more shit.”

“The man is… Scheiße, what’s the word in English?”

“A prick?” Scout suggested.

“Secretive,” Demo offered.

“Ja! Secretive! He does not like to share details of his past. Although…”

Demo cleared his throat.

“One problem at a time, doc,” Demo interrupted. 

“But it might–”

“Doc, not our place to say, remember?”

Scout blinked.

“Are youse hiding something from me?”

Demo and Medic made an obvious effort to look away from Scout, who was starting to feel very left out.

“Okay… You don’t gotta tell me anything. Just figured it might help break this loop quicker,” Scout muttered.

Demo sighed.

“Sorry lad. If we told you, he’d probably kill us.”

What?

“Even if you won’t remember tomorrow?”

“Herr Scout, drop it,” Medic snapped.

Scout recoiled and stared at the two men.

“Alright, alright! I’ll go! I’ll leave you two to your secrets, assholes.”

With a scoff, Scout sulked off to his room. 

Quietly Demo shook his head at Medic.

“Plan B,” he whispered.

“Ah, I see. Good luck getting him to speak to Herr Sniper. He’s stubborn as a mule.”

Demo groaned.

“It’s gotta happen sooner or later. Either way, are we still good for drinks tomorrow?”

“Ja. Heavy found a new bar that’s opened in town that we haven’t been banned from yet!”

***

“This would be more effective if I could remember these previous conversations,” Demo muttered, drawing crosses next to Engie, Heavy and Medic’s names.

“Yeah, well, they’re not very helpful,” Scout said, trying to decipher the names on the blackboard. “Are you sure about this one?”

“Well, who do you go to for a fantastical scenario? That’s right, you go to…”

***

“Pyro! Hey buddy, are you free right now?”

“Mmph! Mm-Mmph! Mm!”

Scout and Demo walked inside and sat down at Pyro’s tea party table.

Now, this conversation should be nice and quick, right?

“Pyro, I need some help from you.”

“Mph mm?”

“Yeah. You see, Merasmus cursed me to live the same day over and over again.”

“Mm-mmph!”

“I know, buddy. He said that I can only break it when I make a huge change to myself, but I don’t know what else to change. Have you noticed anything I need to change?”

Pyro was silent before they jumped up from their seat and ran over to their bed where Balloonicorn was resting. 

They thrust Balloonicorn into Scout’s arms for a hug, bouncing slightly. 

Honestly, Scout couldn’t say no to Pyro. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around the plush toy and squeezed. Demo snorted from next to him.

“Does Balloonicorn know how to break the curse?” Scout hesitantly asked from his hug. 

Pyro shook their head.

“Mph mmphmm mph mph mmph mmphmm!”

“He wanted me to feel better?”

Pyro nodded.

“But you and Balloonicorn don’t know what else I could change?”

Pyro deflated slightly and shook their head. 

“Mmph.”

“No, it’s okay. We haven’t had much luck with the others either.”

Pyro looked away and started tapping their foot.

“Mmph mph mmph mmphmph?”

Not this again.

“What’d they say, lad?” Demo asked.

Was this coordinated?! How much did the team talk about Scout and Sniper behind their backs?

“They asked if I had spoken to Sniper yet. We’re doin’ that tomorrow.”

Pyro cheered and clapped their hands before going in to give Scout a bone-crushing hug. Scout gave a small smile and pat Pyro on the back. 

As he turned to walk back into the hallway, Scout’s smile slipped off his face and was replaced with a scowl.

He was running out of time and excuses.

***

“Okay, so we’ve talked to Engie, Heavy, Medic and Pyro. Now we’re onto the S’s. Are you ready to speak to…”

“Actually Demo? I fucked up. We spoke to Sniper yesterday. I just forgot to tell you,” Scout lied.

He didn’t want to risk anything. 

The way things currently were with Sniper was fine, Scout told himself.

He didn’t want to scare Sniper away thanks to some dumb feelings he had.

“…Why did you…?”

“I just forgot,” Scout responded. “All these talks with everyone are kinda blending into one. Sniper didn’t know shit and it was so similar to our convo with Heavy that I kinda just… forgot one. Sorry.”

Demo was silent, drumming his fingers on the table.

“Sniper didn’t say anything helpful?”

“Nah. It sucks but he didn’t know anything to help.”

One little white lie couldn’t hurt, right? 

Demo sighed and turned back to the blackboard, drawing a cross next to Sniper’s name. He muttered something under his breath Scout didn’t catch.

“Alright then. Today we’ll be speaking to…”

***

“Soldier?” Scout called, knocking on the door

“Atten…tion!”

Demo leaned into Scout space.

“…Do we salute or…?” Demo asked.

Scout shrugged as he knocked again.

“Solly, can we come in? I need your help.”

“Affirmative, Private Second-Class! You may enter!”

Scout pushed the door open to reveal Soldier doing push-ups in the centre of the room. 

Scout blinked at the sight in front of him. Did the guy ever rest?!

“At ease, Soldiers!” Soldier ordered, getting to his feet. “You requested aid?!”

Scout shot a hesitant look at Demo before turning back to Soldier.

“Uh… yeah, I did, Solly. I need your help. I’m stuck in a time loop and can’t get out. Is there anything you think I need to change about myself that could break the loop?”

Solider hummed as he put a finger to his chin and tapped his foot.

“Have you spoken to Merasmus about this?”

“Affirmativ- I mean, yeah, but he wasn’t able to crack it! He suggested I find something I needed to change, but I can’t find anything else! I’ve won so many matches, I’ve been to your boot camp so many times, I don’t fuckin’ know what else to do!”

Soldier frowned.

“Then, I have got nothing to offer.”

Scout deflated. He was starting to get sick and tired of this song and dance.

“Alright, thanks, Solly.”

As they turned to leave, Scout could see out of the corner of his eye, Soldier perk up.

“Private second class!” 

Oh no. If this was about–

“Have you informed the Sniper?”

Scout blinked, saying nothing, and just glaring at the corner of the room.

“P-private second class?” Soldier asked, sounding hesitant for the first time since Scout had met him.

Scout ignored him, robotically turning and leaving without saying a word, leaving both Soldier and Demo dumbfounded.

“What is wrong with Private second-class?” Soldier turned to Demo.

Demo sighed.

“Janey, he’s been doing this for fifty-nine days. All things considered, I’m surprised he hasn’t plumb given up.”

“Hm… His determination is admirable! When he fixes this, I think I will give him a rank-up! And a medal!”

“You do that, Janey.”

[agalychnisspranneusroseus]

I don't like complaining about S3 too much, it's kind of a bummer to focus on what I don't like when there's so much I love, but one thing that I can't help but feel disappointed by is how we never got to see the new Marcy.

We got to see the new Sasha all through S3, who is completely different from S1 and S2 Sasha, and she's such a wonderful and loveable person, you can't help but adore her. Peak girlfriend material. It makes her oddly homoerotic friendship with Anne so sweet! And Anne herself, as the literal star of the show, had her development front and center from day 1. All of S1 was about her growth, and while she still had some work to do in S2, by then she had already changed a lot. Much like Sasha, she goes from being a selfish little shit to becoming a noble, honorable young woman, driven by love and responsability, with the emotional intelligence necessary to face any challenges coming her way.

Marcy... doesn't get that chance. The content of her arc is fine - she realizes she was selfish and self-centered, she understands how that's wrong and she decides to be a better person. But when Sasha (and I'm comparing her to Sasha because Anne, as THE protagonist, is not a fair comparison) had like... all of season 2 to change and develop, and half of S3 to truly shine as her new, improved self, Marcy... well, she did get some development in S2, true - the First Temple and New Wartwood are important moments that come to mind, but...

Okay, so, we knew everything about Sasha's situation from the start. She's lying to the other characters but not to the audience, so everything she goes through in Toadcatches, Barrel's Warhammer, the Dinner, Battle of the Bands and True Colors is very visible to us. We see her going up and down and we always understand what's up with her. We get a very clear view into her mind. We know Sasha. Marcy, on the other hand, has been lying to the audience up until True Colors, so everything we knew about her prior to that has to be recontextualized given the new information, and what we inevitably conclude is that nothing she learned was enough to make her question her plan. She understood the concepts, but she didn't apply it to her particular situation. That's not a bad thing! She's just halfway through her arc - accepting the Truth without letting go of the Lie. But when so much of her arc is hidden from the audience and further recontextualized through more flashbacks near the finale, what we get is a very mysterious Marcy who tells us "everything you thought you knew is more complicated that it seemed", and given that this is the season finale, that set-up inevitably promises a deeper exploration of the REAL Marcy in S3. No more scheeming and lying and manipulating, just Marcy in real time, with no need for flashbacks to recontextualize things again.

But S3 gives us very few chances to see Marcy in Real Time. We see her in Olivia and Yunan, All In and The Hardest Thing. Three episodes. I'm not gonna complain about that because I think we all feel the same way. There's no need. But I will insist that a good solution would have been to have at least two or three episodes about Marcy inside the Core. The King and the Core should have been about Marcy uncovering that ancient information in Aldrich's memory without him noticing, for example. This would have been an improvement in several ways:

More Marcy screentime and development

More exploration on the nature of the Core

We have a present day character knowing all about the Box's lore, and it's not just Andrias randomly thinking about in with a vintage filter on.

Marcy having more agency inside the Core in general would have allowed her to fight back in some way, which would be necessary for another change I'd like to suggest below.

Other episodes could be about her "bonding" with Aldrich and slowly realizing he's delulu, her learning about some old Olm lore, and unlocking a secret that will help them later with like, Anne's powers or the Moon or something, and just... her thinking and realizing she fucked up. If the Core knows her memories, it could recreate a more prolongued scenario with Anne and Sasha, maybe a sleepover? In general, I think Marcy would need someone in there to bounce off of, whether it is a bad guy like Aldrich or lifeless projections of Anne and Sasha, or even someone in there that's actually on her side, sick of living forever in this fantasy, maybe.

She needs time to define her new, changed self after learning her lesson, just like Sasha got to do. Because we barely see who Marcy has become after the events of Amphibia. We got like... TWO scenes to tell us ANYTHING about it.

"No! Only a coward would hide away in this place! Well, I reject this sick fantasy, and I reject you!"

"Even if your friends win, your parents will still tear the three of you apart."

"I started this whole mess because I wanted to escape that reality, but I won't run away from it anymore!"

And later near the end:

"I came to this world thinking only of myself. It was wrong of me, and I wish I'd gotten to know you both better"

These are like... the only indicator of the person Marcy became in Amphibia. They're not worthless - she learned to be more aware of the people around her, and to be stronger in the face of change. Her final scene with Aldrich is her most confrontational scene in the show, and certainly her most angry one. Before, she'd only been like... mildly annoyed one time because Anne was being too overprotective, and she glared at Andrias for like two seconds during O&Y but didn't actually say anything. Marcy is not an angry person, and she does seem to be scared of conflict, so to slap Aldrich's hand away, call him a coward, and proudly raise her fist and declare she's done running makes her look much stronger, and I appreciate that. And she does pretty much declare she refuses to be a coward. But this isn't nearly enough. If I want to write fanfic about Marcy post-Amphibia, I shouldn't have to sit down to analyze these two moments to extrapolate what her characterization would have been like. It should be like with Sasha. We know exactly who the new Sasha is, but we never get to see the new Marcy shine. I think that's why her arc feels so rushed in comparison to Sasha, whose beginning of her arc arguably took up one 11 minutes episode, and the rest happened mostly off-screen: the new Sasha was radiant in S3B, even if we didn't see much of the transition.

I know that, due to structural reasons, Marcy wasn't going to have much screentime so they had to rush her arc quite a bit, and while my suggestion to give her more time inside the Core stands, I think that's not enough either. I think she needs time to interact with Anne and Sasha, and also King Andrias, her Amphibia friend. It's hard to think of a solution to this problem given the way the finale is structured, but my first idea is to make it longer: The Beginning of the End stays the same, All In stays the same except for the way Marcy is released: instead of just, cutting a cable, Sasha needs to reach her with the Power of Friendship. Think something like the Running Up That Hill scene from Stranger Things, or the Toothless Found scene from HTTYD2

Because we can't miss a chance to develop Sasha and Marcy's relationship here. AND since they both share the roles of the Betrayer, the Liar, the Manipulator, of Anne's toxic friend in the path of redemption, it's poetic that Sasha, who has held Marcy under her thumb for years, is the one to help her break free, not through brute force like in canon, but by actually putting into practice what she's learned. Kinda like how, in AtLA S3, Zuko is playing the role of group therapist to the rest of the Gaang. Sasha figured things out first, now she wants to help Marcy find redemption too. Make it a callback to Anne's little speech from TBOTE

"It's not easy. Forgiveness is hard, and it can take time. But believe me: it's worth it. I mean, just look at what you and I have now."

Because redemption isn't easy. It's hard, and it can take time. But you still need to show up, even when you think they don't want you, even when you think you ruined everything. Getting up to so the right thing is always worth it.

Of course, if we want Sasha to save Marcy, a little bit of previous development wouldn't hurt. What if we add a little episode in S3A about the girls all thinking about each other? Anne finding a copy of War of the Warlocks that Marcy forgot in her house, Sasha being reminded of Marcy while helping Maddie with curses for the resistance, and Marcy just... thinking about them, in general, while in the Core. A simple 11 minutes segment, 3 minutes and a half of screentime for each of them. You don't need much, just a moment for them to explore their conflicting feelings for each other.

But then... then, we still need to see Marcy - the new Marcy - interact with her friends, so let's add one or two more episodes to the finale, between All In and The Hardest Thing. Maybe we can shift the Olms storyline here? Would that mess with the pacing too much? Tbh the writers did put themselves in a predicament with Marcy, so it's hard to find a perfect solution. I guess we can keep the tension if the moon is falling veeeeeery slowly, giving our girls just enough time for one more quick adventure together while not making it feel like they're taking their sweet time. So we have one or two extra episodes, and what do we do here?

We challenge Marcy. Just like how Sasha was challenged in Commander Anne, Marcy has to prove she's changed too. Tempt her with her past self-centeredness, her possessive instincts, the easy way in which she lies to herself, her impulse to plan around Anne and Sasha and not with them, hiding important information. Her fear of change. She knows what she needs to do, and she's ready to sit with the uncomfortable feeling of change instead of rejecting it immediately. Maybe she has to let Joe Sparrow go, for example, to be with other sparrows or something, idk. Whatever it is, it needs to be an opportunity to show her newfound emotional maturity. Show how, just like Anne and Sasha before her, she became a more noble person, one who, from now on, is honest, selfless and brave. One who embraces change, and who may even seek it out, because she understands this is how you grow.

Anyway. Yeah, that. I guess I'm just disappointed we never got to see the person Marcy became, but at least it's not hard to extrapolate it from what little the show gave us. We're not 100% in the dark. Though it's not nearly enough. If they ever give us more Amphibia, it would be awesome to see more of this new Marcy, but until then, we have a beautiful community here of galaxy brained people to put the pieces together 🥰

[kekeplsloveme]

Attention

Pairing: fem!reader x Eren

Summary: Eren can't keep his hands off of his roommate's girlfriend.

Warnings: NSFW, MINORS DNI, modern!AU, cheating, slight gaslighting from Eren, sexual content, no penetration.

A/N: I don't support cheating or any of the things I wrote about here and please please be careful and make good choices. We read and write these things for fun, doesn't mean we ever think about doing it. Part 2?

''Do you really have to go now?'' your voice was weak, a tactic used on purpose along with a quivering bottom lip. Your boyfriend looked down at you from next to the door, his jacket in hand.

''You know I do,'' Armin answered you, watching as you folded your arms overs your chest in a weak attempt at a protest. ''Baby, come on," he pleaded with you, making his way back to the same couch you were making out no longer than two minutes ago. ''I won't be long.''

You didn't change your attitude, still upset that his decision to go to the lab was more important than spending time with you after he was too busy to come over all week. ''You're always at that lab,'' you said in the same weak voice, but this time it wasn't as a tactic to get him to stay, rather as a sign of defeat.

''You know it's important for my grade,'' he tried to wrap his arms around you again, but was met with the same rejection as the first time. Armin stood up straight with a sign, walking back towards the door again. ''I'll be back as soon as I can, alright?''

You ignored him again, your eyes fixated on the TV in front of you, despite it not even being on. You knew Armin was a busy man before you started dating him. Your friend Sasha was good friends with him and you hung out with them a couple of times before starting to date, but in the last couple of weeks it was so much worse.

He always came up with weak excuses: it's important for his grade, he just needs this one last night to finish his assignment, he needs to meet up with his friends for that one last task for their group project. Always something. You knew it was dumb, but a part of you thought he was avoiding you on purpose, which was a thought you couldn't wrap your head around. He asked you out, he asked you to be his girlfriend, he even got you flowers and little gifts every time you went out on a date, so the idea that he was avoiding you was just another anxiety induced thought. Something to upset you even more, something that wasn't real - but your feelings were.

You sighed, reaching out for your phone from the wooden coffee table in front of the couch. To think you even decided to sleep over at his house in hopes of having some... Fun with your boyfriend. You knew of one way to make him feel bad for abandoning you, which was to abandon him as well. You needed him out of your hair tonight, which meant a long bubble bath and a wine night with your roommate was going to be more fun than waiting for hours in here.

Before you could walk towards his bedroom to pick up the few things you brought with you, you heard a knock at the door. You contemplated once to open it, thinking it's not your problem tonight, but when the knocking persisted, you walked towards the door. ''Eren?" You asked in a whisper to yourself and opened the door. ''I thought you had a key,'' you said to him, stepping out of the way to let him enter the apartment.

''I did, until Sasha wanted them to throw a surprise party for Armin's birthday.'' Eren answered you as he walked inside, watching you close and lock the door. ''You're here alone?''

''About to leave, actually,'' you informed him, arms crossed over your chest. He looked amused, a smile crossing his face, which you rolled your eyes at. ''What's funny?'' you snapped at him, which made him even more amused by the situation.

''Funny you say that,'' he started, placing his hand on your shoulder. ''I ran into your boyfriend walking up here and warned me you might wanna leave,'' he guided you back to the couch. You didn't fight back, you knew just how persistent Eren could be and he wasn't going to give up until you did what he wanted. ''He asked me to be very nice to you and convince you to stay.''

You rolled your eyes again. Of course he would get his annoying roommate to convince you to stay. You sat down on the couch, same spot you always sat in. You waited as Eren told you remain seated and not sneak out before he could come back.

You felt dumb. First you were abandoned by your boyfriend and now you had to spend you evening with his roommate. They were so different from each other, Armin was very apologetic and timid, while Eren couldn't be asked to care if he hurt your feelings with his jokes or that he was late to everything. You didn't take Eren as the type to sleep around, but you did happen to talk to some girls that did sleep with him and the things you heard... Did make you feel flustered the enxt time you saw him. This was another thing that differed him from Armin.

From your understanding, Eren wasn't shy to do anything, while Armin needed a lot of courage and reassurance to try something different. It could get frustrating at time, especially in the odd days where you needed him to take control and make you feel good without you having to remind you that he wasn't hurting you. It wasn't the worst trait to have, you liked how careful and gentle he was with you, but telling him you're not a fragile flower could get very annoying.

''Good, you didn't leave,'' Eren came back from the kitchen with two glasses of red wine and the bottle those came from. ''Thought you might need something to calm down.'' He handed you the glass, which you gladly accepted.

''Red wine messes me up the most,'' you replied to him, a certain joy that now your attention was in another place other that Armin.

''Yeah, I know, '' he replied, taking a seat next to you on the couch. ''Red wine just get you a different kind of drunk,'' he pointed out, taking a sip from his glass.

You nodded your head and took a sip as well, the alcohol making you scrunch your nose. It burned your throat, but that's how you knew it was good. Or so you thought. Truth was, you didn't know much about alcohol, but the rule of thumb was that if it burned, it was good.

The couch wasn't very big, it was quite on the smaller side, which made it easy for the two of you to be close. You were sat with your legs folded underneath you, a fluffy blanket covering your bare thigs. You were only wearing one of Armin's t-shirts and a pair of sleeping shorts, which translated to slutty shorts that didn't leave much to the imagination and clothes that could be taken off easily.

''I'm sorry he didn't wanna spend the night with you,'' Eren said after a couple of minutes of silence as you both enjoyed the wine he poured you. He poured himself another glass and did the same for you, even though your glass wasn't empty. ''For the record,'' he continued as he placed the bottle back on the coffee table and handed you the glass, ''I wouldn't have left.''

You took the glass from him, but couldn't break the eye contact he started. You couldn't tell what was making you blush more, the wine or him. You broke the eye contact when you heard your phone buzz with a notification. ''Shut up,'' you said in a whisper towards your phone, turning the screen around and faking it on the table. The text you got was from Armin, but you really didn't care what he had to say right now.

You looked back at Eren, now leaning back on the couch. You took a moment to appreciate him, not something you did often. He was wearing a black turtle neck that went up half of his neck, the same colour as his hair. You could tell it was tied up nicely a few hours ago and fell apart in the meantime, but you'd be a liar if you didn't admit to yourself that this messy look suited him, it was attractive.

''Don't even wanna answer his texts?'' Eren asked you, swirling the wine in his glass.

You shook your head, placing the now half empty glass on the coffee table. ''He always does this,'' you said, folding your arms over your chest. ''Always leaves me on my own.''

''You just want some company, don't you?'' Eren turned his head lazily to look at you. You nodded your head slowly. It stung to admit, but he was right. ''Were you expecting something out of tonight?''

You looked at him like he was crazy. Did he really not know the answer or did he just want you to say it? Either way, it felt humiliating to say it out loud. ''I guess...'' you answered him, too embarrassed to say more.

''You guess what?'' It was obvious he was playing dumb, you could tell by the way he was looking at you. He was amused by your embarrassment, but you were tipsy enough to ignore it. You were deprived of this company he was talking about, enough to have these conversations with your boyfriend's roommate.

''I guess I was expecting something,'' you replied, a frustrated wave washing over you. ''I mean can you blame me? I barely see him and when I do, he chooses the lab over me!''

''Yeah, you're upset. He just can't satisfy you,'' Eren pushed his luck, watching you expression as he waited for you to answer. You were about to agree with him before you caught yourself. Eren smiled at that, he was starting to strike some chords. ''I mean, it's okay to admit,'' he placed his glass on the table and turned his body towards yours. ''I'm not here to judge.'' It was hard to detect his condensing tone, which meant that you were right where he wanted you to be.

''No,'' you replied to him, which sounded just as forced as it was as a thought. Eren laughed at that. ''No, really,'' you insisted, not knowing if you were trying to convince him or you.

''It's okay, princess,'' he said, sliding his hand under the blanket you were under. ''I know what girls like you need,'' he slid his hand over your knee.

You looked over where his hand was under the blanket, then up at him. It was an unspoken conversation, him asking if he could and you letting him. ''What do girls like me need?'' You definitely were exactly where he needed you to be. Willing to listen to him, willing for him to touch you, willing to let him gaslight you into what he wanted you to be.

''You need someone to give you attention,'' he said, with each words moving his hand higher up your thigh. ''Is Armin not doing it enough?''

You looked at the dent underneath the blanket as his hand was rubbing the inside of your thigh. ''You know,'' you whispered at him.

''I want to hear it come out of that pretty mouth of yours. Say you want my attention, princess.''

You froze, the realisation that this was wrong sinking in. Your knees went weak with this overwhelming feeling of both regret at the thigs you were talking about to your boyfriends roommate and at the idea that you had to stop Eren, which was the last thing you wanted right now.

''This isn't cheating,'' he reassured you, not stoping his hand at all. ''I'm not gonna fuck you, if that's what you're worried about.'' You took in a deep breath, letting him talk as you listened. ''Armin asked me to convince you to stay,'' he took the blanket off of you and threw it on the ground. ''This is just me convincing you.'' Eren moved his hand to your waist, pulling you closer to him. ''We don't need to fuck to get you to relax,'' he cupped your cheek with his palm. ''We can make pass time together, have some fun. Doesn't mean you're cheating.'' He brushed your cheek with his thumb gently, moving it towards your lips, parting them. ''I can help you release some stress,'' he pushed his thumb past your lips and you welcomed it in. You wrapped your lips around it and sucked on it, moving your tongue around it. ''Yeah, see?'' he whispered to you. ''See you can be a good girl?'' You nodded your head. ''Is this cheating princess?'' You shook your head. ''See? Nothing wrong with it,'' he pulled you on his lap by your waist, placing you on top of his thigh.

''Eren, I don't know,'' you said to him, still scared of being so close and intimate to him.

''I'm not gonna touch you, princess, not unless you want me to,'' he said as his hands were rubbing your hips down to your thighs and back up. ''I am just a friend taking care of his friend,'' he reassured you. ''If we don't fuck, it can't be cheating.'' You could tell he was getting excited by what you were doing by the way he was getting more desperate. ''If it makes you feel better, we don't even have to kiss,'' he continued to convince you, gripping at your waist.

''It's not wrong?'' you almost whispered to him and Eren shook his head. You took in a deep breath. ''Okay.''

''Okay what?'' He asked you, his fingers gripping your waits, waiting for you to say the same words he's been waiting for. ''You want me to make you feel good?''

You nodded your head in approval. ''I want you to make me feel good, Eren.''

''That's my girl,'' he leaned back on the couch, slowly moving your hips back and forth of his thigh. ''Just like that, princess,'' he instructed you, helping you set a pace. ''See how good it feels? You're just riding my thigh, nothing wrong with that.''

You place your hands on his shoulder, the friction of the movement and his dirty words making you feel so much better than you thought. All the regret or fear you felt to this point just flew out the window and was replaced by cloudy thoughts, the only coherent thing in your head right now was Eren. His face, his hands, his voice. ''Eren,'' you sighed his name, stopping yourself from making any noises.

''Keep saying my name,'' he was gripping your waist hard, almost to the point where it hurt, but his desperation and self control to not go to far was just turning you on even more. ''Let me hear all of you,'' he threw his head back before he would pull you in and kiss you.

You kept following his pace on his thigh, getting more and more desperate as the minutes went by. Seeing his head back like that, his neck on display for you. You couldn't help yourself. You leaned back and placed your lips on his neck.

''No self control, huh?'' he moved one of his hands in your hair. Not to guide or pull you back, more like to hand on to it, gripping it in his fingers. It hurt you, but the pain turned into pleasure before you knew it.

You ran your fingers through his hair as well, kissing and licking his neck. The restraints were hot, you've never been this turned on before in your life. The fact that there were a limited amount of things you could do, a limited amount of things you could touch, it made this encounter between the two of you just so much more attractive. ''Eren, please,'' you whined into his ear, holing on to his shoulders like it was going to save your life.

''You're gonna kill me, princess,'' he grabbed your hips and placed you on top of his hard cock and took his hands off of you. ''Make yourself cum, baby,'' he instructed you, spreading his arms over the couch.

''Yes, sir,'' you pulled down the part of the shirt that was covering his neck, licking the spot close to his collarbone before you sucked on it.

''Fuck,'' he moaned into your ear, the feeling of you rubbing yourself on top of him and you marking him as yours for the night sent shivers down your spine. He sounded so lost in the moment, just like you were. You couldn't lie and say Armin never made you cum, but you already knew that Eren was going to make you cum so much harder without doing anything.

You moved your fingers inside your shorts, stopping yourself from grinding on him. ''I need to cum, Eren,'' you whined, you were frustrated and he knew it; he knew you needed to cum and he was the only one that could do it for you.

''Go ahead, baby,'' he wrapped his arm around your back, holding you in place. ''Rub your clit until you cum for me, yeah?'' You nodded your head, prompting him to keep talking to you. ''You're so fucking dirty, baby, getting off on your boyfriend's roommate, literally.'' He was looking into your eyes, you were afraid to look away, afraid that if you did, everything would stop. ''He can't make you feel as good as me,'' he continued, his eyes staring at your lips for a moment before looking back. ''If only he knew what a little slut he's dating.'' You threw your head back, frustration washing over you.

''I can't,'' you said to noone, almost crying from the overwhelming pleasure, but unable to get you over the edge. ''Please, Ere,'' you whines, tears forming in your eyes. ''Please, I need you,'' you bit your lips, embarrassment taking over you, but the need to get over the edge was stronger.

''I got you, princess,'' Eren didn't waste another send and pushed your hand out of your shorts. ''God, you're so wet and needy for me,'' he almost moaned when he touched you and saw just how soaked you were for him.

''Just for you, Eren,'' you repeated, which pleased him a lot. You rested your head on his shoulder, feeling so intimate and close to him. It was comforting, it felt like you were so small next to him and he was keeping you so close to his body, like he was trying to protect you. You've never felt someone touch you with so much passion before, need you so bad like he was. The thought of Armin completely left your mind and the only thing you wanted to know right now was how good Eren felt inside you. How badly you wanted him to fuck you and own you right now.

His fingers were over your clit in seconds, rubbing it in a circular motion with two fingers. ''Such a good girl,'' he was panting and holding you pressed against his chest. You felt how he pushed two of his fingers inside of you, but you were too far gone to stop him, not that you wanted to anyway. ''You're so tight baby, wanna have you wrapped around me so bad,'' he said to you in a breath. You felt his fingers curl inside of you, sending butterflies to your stomach.

''Eren, I'm so close, please,'' you were desperately pleading with his, scared that he will leave you in this spot if you didn't please him.

''Later, when Armin is gonna fuck you, '' he said to you, setting a fast pace as he was fingering you, his thumb rubbing your clit when he got the chance, ''you'll be thinking of me.'' You placed your hand on his dick, rubbing it through his trousers and felt how his muscles tightened. ''You're mine, got it?'' You nodded your head, unable to form any words, overwhelmed by the pleasure Eren was putting you through.

''Eren,'' you moaned his name loudly, your hand still rubbing his dick. You were so close, so so so close and he was so hungry for you, so desperate and so needy for you.

''Do it, baby,'' he instructed you, his fingers hitting all the spots you couldn't. ''Cum all over my fingers.''

That's all you needed to hear before Eren pushed you over that edge you struggled so much with. You felt your mind go blank and your knees go weak. Your thighs were shaking, pleasure washing all over your body in wave after wave, sending your mind into a state of euphoria. A pleasure no one was ever able to make you feel. It was addicting, something you'll crave for as long as you're alive. You'll crave him for as long as you're alive.

Once your body calmed down from the pleasure you were in, you looked up at him. The way he was looking at you now was different. He had a look of hunger, like you were the pray and he was the predator. He needed you as much as you needed him. ''Feeling better, angel?'' Eren asked you, brushing the strands of hair that fell on your face. He was gentle, a loving gesture that sent different kind of butterflies to your stomach.

''Thank you,'' you said to him with a smile. He kissed your forehead and held you close into a hug.

***

You woke up to the sound of Armin's alarm. It was an annoying cheery, foresty alarm that always made you more angry than glad to hear it. You hated it and will never get used to it. When you turned around, the bed was empty. It wasn't uncommon for Armin to be awake before you, he was more of a morning person that you'll ever be.

Before you left the room, you got dressed in the same clothes you wore the night before. As you opened the door, you could hear Armin's voice in the kitchen. There was a moment of hesitation before you walked in, knowing it was either going to be extremely awkward or a struggle to not jump on Eren.

''Good morning baby,'' Armin came to your side and gave you a hug. Eren was sat at the table, his eyes snapping on you the moment you walked through the door.

''Good morning,'' you answered him, but you and Eren were making eye contact. You didn't answer to Armin, you had no desire to talk to him.

You took a seat at the table on the chair next to Eren. Last night when Armin came home, you let him fuck you, but you were loud. Really loud. You let him believe he was just so good last night, but the truth was that you wanted Eren to hear you. He looked to be pretty pleased when you walked in, so you knew that what you did didn't upset him.

''You know, I heard you last night,'' Eren said as he was looking at his breakfast. Armin looked at him as if he was talking to him, but you knew that was directed to you.

''That must have been so awkward,'' Armin answered. You could see how embarrassed he was from Eren's remark. Eren was amused by Armin's shyness, he always enjoyed embarrassing his friend.

''Was it that good?'' Eren looked at you as you were laughing silently.

''Stop, it's not a big deal, okay?'' Armin answered him.

You didn't know what you were gonna do about this situation, but there was no going back now.

[thesmokingguns]

Glazed donuts w/ Izzy Stradlins

MINORS DNI 18+ Contains sexual content

Izzy walked into the cafe, his arm wrapping around the brunette's waist, pulling her back away from the counter she was wiping down and banding her back to his chest with his arm slung over her waist.

“Hello Aya darling.” His kiss landed on her tenor before securing both arms in a hug around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder as she rolled her eyes at the affectionate man. 

“Working, Iz.” She tried to spin away from him but he made a tsk sound, guiding them back towards the kitchen when Sasha was taking out her latest batch of cupcakes. 

As soon as she saw the enter she rolled her eyes in annoyance. 

“You’re lucky this batch needs to cool. Don’t fuck on the counters I bake on, please? I don’t need any help making the glaze for my desserts” The door swung shut behind her and Izzy turned his girl so he could look at her. 

The way he smirked, like a cat that just got the cream made Aya shake her head. 

“You heard her. No sex in the kitchen.” Izzy’s dramatic sigh at Aya’s words had the corners of her lips turning up, his hand in hers as he pulled her through another door to the back alleyway.

“Guess I’m just going to have to fuck you out here then.” Her front was pressed against the brick wall as he let his big hands slide up her thighs, dragging the retro uniform the girls had picked out for their bakery with them. 

They had opened the bakery three months ago in Izzy’s hometown. After he had parted with Guns N Roses he needed a bit of a break to recoup from the loss of a band and having to change his dreams at a point in his life he though he was supposed to be living them. 

Luckily his girl had agreed to go and her loyal best friend had made the trek back to Lafayette where they opened up their coffee shop bakery. Aya made the coffee and ran the books while in the back Sasha cooked up all sorts of treats to serve.

They were already making more money than they expected, the location popular on weekends and early mornings for people in town. They created an atmosphere that thrived and Izzy loved seeing his girl happy and finding her home in a place he loved.

He wanted her always to be at home with him.

His mouth was on her neck, long kisses and sucks as she whimpered, pressing her ass  back and towards where the guitarist was.

“We could go home. It’s just down the street.” she muttered as his lips finally met hers. His hand sliding into the lace of his panties. His middle finger tapped at her clit, circling it as her juices leaked along her seam.

“You say this like I can wait.” He nipped at her lips, “I’m starved for you, Aya darling.” As if to prove his point to his give he dropped to his knees, his face buried between her legs. 

Izzy’s tongue licked over the lace of her panties, pressing the thin material into her wet heat as he tasted her cream through the barrier. With A growl, needing more, Izzy hooked a finger, dragging the fabric to the side as his nose bumped her slit, his tongue circling her opening as he groaned, wishing it was his cock.

Aya groaned, her back arching, thighs parting to give her man more room to feast on her. She loved him most when he was on his knees worshiping her.

Two thick fingers pressed inside of her, her lips parting as she moaned his name. Her knees already shaking as he twisted his fingers, the knuckles drenched with her as he rubbed in a come hither motion, pulled them in and out and prepared her to take him.

“I could touch you all day and I still don't think it would be enough.” He muttered, laying a kiss on the back of her thigh as he started standing. 

His lips kissed the roundness of her ass, a possessive impulse had his teeth sinking into it, watching the way his teeth marked her.

Mine. His thumb ran over the indents as he soothe it, fingers still working in and out of her body. 

“You ready to take me, darling? Do you want to feel me inside of you now?” His hand slid to his jeans, working his belt off and zipper open. 

His eyes on her body was he stroked himself and slid his fingers from her using her cum as lube. 

“Just fuck me.” She moaned as his tip slid up and down her seam, spreading her juices around as he made a mess of her. “Fuck, Iz, Please. I need your cock.” He growled, satisfied with her answer now as he pressed forward inside of her 

His cock bottomed out as he thrust deep, his balls slapping her clit as Aya let out a sound, her scream and moan sounding like a chant to Izzy.

“Fuck, that’s my girl. Your pussy is suffocating me. Fuck, I love when you squeeze me like that.” His praise as he fucked her, telling her how good she was taking him had Aya’s eyes rolling back, her body shifting so Izzy was hodling her wight as he drolled inside of her. “Give it to me. I want your orgasm, Aya darling. Gonna make my pussy cum so hard you won’t be able to walk back inside. I’m going to stuff you with my cum and have you work the rest of your shift filled with me. Do you want that? Do you want all my cum?” He growled in her ear as the wet slaps of them fucking filled the alley. 

“Yes, I want it. Want you to fill me.” Izzy’s hand slid over her clit, two fingers rubbing her as she bucked forward. The explosion of her orgasm had him having to hold her, fucking her as he chased his pleasure with her. 

One last thrust and his balls tightened, the surge as he filled her, pumping as the mix of their cum slid out, leaking over both of them and staining them with mixed pleasure. 

“You took me so well, aya darling. So fucking well, sweetheart.” He tucked himself back in his pants moving to slide her panties back up. His tongue lapping up their cum as it leaked down her thighs, kissing her lace covered pussy when she was all covered up.

Aya’s legs shook as he slid the uniform back down, slapping her ass and getting a glare from her. 

“I still have to be here for an hour.” She warned as they moved back inside. Izzy shrugged, sitting on one of the counter stools. 

“For you, I’ll wait forever.”

[justatiredghost]

There hadn’t been much time for words during their flight to Scotland. They would be needed later, of course, but right now, there was truth Martin and Jon held in their hearts, one thing that their concerns and anxieties could not topple that had been cemented in them in that moment in the Lonely; they were together, now, and nothing was going to get in the way of that again. 

AO3

-

It had all happened so quickly; the attack on the Institute, the thing that wasn’t Sasha, their escape from the Lonely, all before fleeing to Scotland. It hurt, it felt like they were abandoning everyone, but Basira had been right. They had all been after Jon. They needed to get out of there before the police arrived, otherwise more people were just going to get hurt. 

They needed to get as far away from Elias and whatever else he had planned for them as quickly as possible. 

They hadn’t had time to properly talk about everything that had happened in their rush to get to Daisy’s safe house. There was one thing, though, that they both knew to be true, one thing that their concerns and anxieties couldn’t challenge, as cemented as it was in them. From the moment Jon took Martin’s hand in the Lonely, they both knew that nothing could pull them apart again. 

Carrying their bags into the safe house felt so surreal. Jon had spent so long missing Martin, and now suddenly he was facing down a future that had them living together. Even just their trip up, it had been such a relief to have him close by, to get to hear his voice as he pointing out any fauna they passed, to get to just talk to him about nothing at all, to feel the warmth of their linked hands. 

Jon felt content in a way he hadn’t in such a long time. Sure, they weren’t completely safe here, but they finally had some semblance of a break from the chaos and trauma that their lives had become, and it was surprisingly easy to indulge in how it felt to lean against Martin as they dropped tiredly onto the couch. He was warm and solid and soft and Jon didn't think he’d ever been more comfortable and content. 

It was dark outside and they were both so exhausted, but they continued to sit there for a long moment. Jon didn’t know what was running through Martin’s mind, but his own was grappling with a dilemma. Of the many conversations they needed to have about their new situation was about the single bed in Daisy’s bedroom and the distinct lack of a guest room. 

It wasn’t exactly a problem in Jon’s mind. He liked the idea of sharing a bed with Martin. But maybe that was a conversation they should have when they weren’t practically dead on their feet. So, Jon formed a plan to wait for Martin to turn in first. If he went into the bedroom where they’d left their bags, Jon could claim the couch without getting into an argument about who would sleep where and no boundaries would be risked. He just wanted Martin to be able to rest well after everything he’d been through, and the couch looked much too small for him. 

Jon could feel himself nodding off and tried to focus, rubbing at his tired eyes before glancing over at Martin. He was staring into his empty mug with a faraway look in his eyes. Thankfully, there was nothing of the vacant, lost expression he’d worn in the Lonely. Still, it was clear they both needed to rest and he supposed he’d stalled long enough. 

“Why don’t you get some sleep? It’s getting late,” Jon said as he reached out to take hold of Martin’s hand where it rested on his knee to squeeze it gently. 

“Go on ahead, I’m not all that tired,” Martin replied, blinking a few times to clear his vision as he came back to himself. 

“We both know that’s a lie,” Jon chuckled, absently bringing their linked hands up to his lips. 

“Fine,” Martin sighed, carefully setting his mug aside and focusing on their linked hands, idly fiddling with Jon’s thumb. It was clearly something to keep his attention so he didn’t have to meet Jon’s gaze, and he didn’t need the Eye to tell him that. “What can I say? Not exactly looking forward to the nightmares. Or waking up alone.”

“So don’t,” Jon said, before he’d really registered his own words, and he felt his face burning as he realized. So much for waiting until they were both properly coherent. But he couldn’t leave it like this, not when his heart ached at Martin’s words. “I mean, I can't help with the dreams, but I don’t particularly want to wake up alone, either. It just makes sense.”

As if Jon was all about reason and logic. As much as he wished to appear as such in the beginning, that facade had long since fallen apart even before the paranoia had nearly consumed him. Martin studied him for a long moment, a moment in which Jon definitely didn’t forget to breathe, before a ghost of a smile touched his lips and he nodded. 

“Okay.”

“Yes,” Jon said eloquently. “Good.”

All he wanted was to stay close, to reassure Martin as much as himself that he was safe, that he was wanted here, but things felt like they were rapidly spiraling out of his control. With Martin, there was so much that just felt natural, that he found himself doing without thinking, like taking his hand, brushing his hair out of his face, leaning into him when they were just standing close to each other. And while it was definitely reciprocated, there had never been much in the way of touch exchanged between them before. Right when they were finally getting along, there had been Jon’s coma followed by Martin’s isolation. 

That meant that they hadn’t talked about anything like this, and suddenly he was worried that Martin might want something out of this that he couldn’t give. But no, probably not right now at the very least, they were both too exhausted, too fragile. He pushed those concerns away for the time being. Making sure Martin was okay was all that mattered right now. 

Still holding his hand, Jon led the way to the bedroom. He tried not to think of anything at all as he stripped to his boxers and undershirt and climbed into bed, Martin following suit. The moment they were both under the covers, he reached out and took his hand again, suddenly feeling much more hesitant and self conscious with his eyes on him this close. 

“Is this okay?” Jon asked, weaving their fingers together. 

“Yeah,” Martin said, and Jon’s heart twisted when he realized there were tears in his eyes. 

Jon reached up to touch his cheek, tangle his fingers through his hair. Martin closed his eyes tightly, buried his face in the pillow to compose himself, before looking back at him. The smile he wore wasn’t exactly happy. It was tired and worn out and relieved, like he was finally setting aside a heavy burden he’d been carrying for so long. Jon thought there might have been tears in his own eyes, but tried to ignore it as he scooted closer, their foreheads touching, Martin reaching out to hold him. 

“I’m sorry,” Jon said, feeling at a loss in the overflow of emotions. “I’ve never been very good at this. You deserve better.”

“Jon, look,” Martin said with a sigh, glancing away as he reached up to take Jon’s hand away from his face, giving it a brief squeeze. “It’s fine, you know. If you don’t feel the same, you don’t have to—“ 

“No,” Jon said, much louder and forcefully than he’d intended. Martin just looked at him in confused amusement. “That’s what I’m trying to say. I— I love you.”

That was it. He loved Martin. He wasn’t even sure when it happened. He had no right to do this to him, not after everything he’d put him through. It was his fault Martin had even ended up in the Lonely in the first place. He should, by rights, hate him. But he didn’t. There might not be much left of Jon, but he wanted to offer it all if he could. If Martin wanted it, meager and pathetic as Jon was. He just cared so much for the man before him and he had no idea how to express the depths of it properly. 

“Oh,” was all Martin said. He looked surprised, Jon couldn’t read his expression beyond that, and he stubbornly blocked out the Eye, refusing to Know what he was feeling. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know. 

“I-if you don’t anymore, I mean— it’s fine,” he hastened to add into the silence between them. Martin had said ‘loved.’ Past tense. It would only make sense if he’d long since moved on. Shit, had he ruined everything again by bringing this up? “Just the fact that you ever did care about me, it means a lot. This doesn’t— you don’t have to—“ 

“I love you too,” Martin interrupted him, smiling like the sun. 

“Oh.” Now it was Jon’s turn to be lost for words. 

“I guess I just never hoped—“ Martin left the words in the air, sentence unfinished. 

“Why do you think I jumped into the Lonely after you?” Jon chuckled, but there was something self-deprecating in it that he couldn’t disguise. 

“I mean, you went to the Buried after Daisy. Do you have something you want to tell me about her too?” Martin teased. 

“What? Oh, god, no,” he shuddered. “That was completely different.”

“Was it really?

“Yes! That was— I don’t know, I guess I just— we’d lost so much, I just wanted to be able to save one person. And, I figured, if I died in the attempt, at least there’d be one less monster in the world.”

“Jon,” Martin began, eyes softening. 

“I know, I know,” he waved his hand impatiently and glanced away. He didn’t exactly want to talk about his own self-hatred right now. “But with the Lonely, when I realized Peter Lucas had taken you— I was terrified. I couldn’t— I can’t— lose you.”

“Can’t?”

“Yeah. I meant what I said. I want you here. With me. But—but I would understand if you don’t— I mean, I’m not exactly boyfriend material. Even before all— this,” he gestured around lamely, at the world, at himself, everything, “I wasn’t— I didn’t— Georgie was fine with it, don’t get me wrong, but by the end all we did was fight, so it hardly mattered.”

“Yes, Jon, I know you can be a prick,” Martin said with a fond smile. 

“Yes, all right, but not what I meant. I’ve never had much luck with romance, mostly because, when I was in a relationship, I never felt the need to, ah, I never wanted to—“ he waved his hands, hoping desperately Martin could put it together so he could stop the awkward conversation, the oversharing. He felt much too exposed. 

“You’re gonna have to be more specific than that, Jon, spit it out.”

“Sex, Martin. I’m talking about sex.”

“Yes, I had a feeling, I just wanted to hear you say it,” Martin grinned. 

“Bastard,” Job muttered fondly and was rewarded with a giggle Martin failed to suppress. It was a really lovely sound. “Fine, yes. Most people aren’t interested in a relationship without it, is my point.”

“It’s okay,” Martin said, shuffling closer. “I am. I mean, I’m sure there’s more we should talk about, but it’s really fine. I want this”

Somehow, Jon had thought that would be a bigger deal. As much as he wanted to throw caution aside. He felt something unpleasant twisting in his stomach, sure he must have tricked Martin into this, like he was deceiving him, somehow. 

“Why?” Was all he could think to say. “I’m terrible at this. It’s not like I’ve had much practice. I want to be there for you, but I don’t know how. I don’t have anything to offer. I can’t read people, I can’t properly express my own feelings, and I mostly end up lashing out when people inevitably get frustrated with me. And I don’t even know what kind of physical comfort I am capable of giving without—“

“Jon, Jon, stop, it’s okay,” Martin interrupted him with a quiet laugh, raising a hand to his cheek, and finally Jon fell silent. “It’s okay. It’s really okay. I’ve known you this long and I haven’t gotten sick of you yet.”

“Lord knows why,” Jon sighed. 

“Why are you even trying to talk me out of this?”

Because—“ Jon said, voice raised in frustration, but he took a deep breath and continued at a more normal volume. “Because you shouldn’t want this. I don’t know what I am anymore. I don’t know how much of me is left.”

“Jon, we’ve all changed,” he said sympathetically. “You’re still you.”

“Maybe that’s the problem. I’ve never felt quite right, like I never really fit anywhere, never got on with other people, always too much or not enough. I guess it’s rather fitting I’m becoming a monster. I never really had much humanity to lose.”

“That’s not true,” Martin said with so much force and passion it genuinely startled Jon. “I hate to break it to you, but your experiences are far from unique. I think that’s just growing up. Or are you implying that everyone who struggles with those things are monsters in some way?”

“No, okay, I see your point,” Jon conceded. 

He knew he was right, but he wanted to argue, his guilt and self loathing making it feel like, even if it was normal for everyone else, it had to be different for him. He had to be uniquely terrible in some way, otherwise why else did he leave so much death in his wake from such a young age? But even if there hadn’t been anything wrong with him before, he’d still ended up here, making monstrous decisions. 

 “It’s just— I was seeking out people and forcing them to give me their statements. As much as I wanted to believe it wasn’t my fault, the fact that I’m choosing not to do it anymore kind of proves that it is all me.”

“Don’t you see?” Martin said, eyes shining. “I respect you so much for that decision. I can see your humanity in everything you do, everything you say. It hurts that you don’t see it too.” 

“I really don’t understand,” Jon shook his head and looked away. “How are you so sure? Everyone else can see me changing.”

“No, they’re just scared. We all are. If they just stopped and paid attention, they’d see it too. I don’t know what this means about the other avatars, but honestly, the fact that you’re worried about ending up like them is just more evidence that you’re not.”

“I’m worried all I can do is let you down,” he said desperately, but the fight was gone in him. He wanted to believe it, he wanted Martin to be right so badly. And he wanted this. 

“Yeah,” Martin said with a wry smile. “You’re not the only one feeling like that either.”

“Ah,” was all Jon could think to say to that. 

“I don’t know what this will look like, but,” here, Martin cupped Jon’s cheek again, running his thumb across his lips. “I’d like to try. If you’ll let me.”

“Yes,” Jon breathed, leaning into the touch. “I want to try.”

He was just so drained, his exhaustion bone-deep. His guilt was still there, and so was the fear. But if Martin wanted this too, maybe it would be okay. Even if Martin eventually realized he was much too good for him, for now, Jon could pour out everything he had left, anything to make Martin smile, to lighten his burdens even a little. 

“Can I kiss you?” Martin asked, his thumb still trailing across his lips, and Jon didn’t know how they’d ended up so close.

“Please.” 

It was soft and tender and perfect, but all too brief. He felt a tear sliding down his cheek, but Martin wiped it away, and they tangled themselves close, just holding each other. Jon didn’t know where things would go from here, he didn’t even know if the fear would ever go away. But they were together again and, for now, maybe that could be enough. 

[caw4brandon]

TMA: Horror By Sound

A long while ago, I discussed about the interesting values of Audio content. Heck, I even talked about it in a [Video Here] Audio content, despite being considered as old media is emerging from the corners of the internet in the modern era.

With how things are moving at such a fast pace. A quick and secondary type of medium is bound to rise in popularity. Let's discuss;

- Statement Begins -

< The Magnus Archives > is an audio podcast/drama following an archivist at the Magnus Institute, London. The recordings follow Jonathan Sims who recently took over the position of Head Archivist after his predecessor, Gertrude Robinson mysteriously passed away.

What started out as a typical job of filing documents and old cases spiraled into an unusual turn where Jon and his Archival Assistants; Martin, Tim and Sasha are haunted by a grotesque monster as written in the statements.

As of now, the show has a total of 5 seasons and as the seasons progress. The monsters become more aggressive and frightening against the character's lives and their psyche.

- What's Your Greatest Fear? -

The series has the characters deal with entities that feed on the fears of the victims. From the typical fear of the dark to specific fears such as, spiders, filth, heights, closed spaces, and eventually, death itself. Each fear manifested itself onto the victims in various ways that feels personal.

At the end of the statements, Jon or the others will provide their thoughts on the case and report their findings in reality. Often dead end trials where either the victims have long died or went missing.

The series as a whole, has an ecosystem of connections to the manifestations. From the cursed books of Jurgen Leitner to a cast of active creatures hunting for prey to feed upon and tear into madness.

Aside from the main cast, there are also reoccurring characters that joined the show as well. There's former Paranormal Investigator; Melanie, former officers; Daisy and Basira and a few others.

The show takes a slow burn approach, learning the truth as Jon improves. Having the unknown beings creep deeper into his life inch by inch till he is no longer himself.

We get to see him get exhausted, frustrated at his lack and the comical failure of his preparation against the monsters knocking at his door with the conspiracy that he is but a pawn at the bigger game of these Abominations.

The show also shows a number of audio manipulation, adding to the creep factor. Such is when the creature; The Stranger appears by distorting sound and echoes when they speak.

- Statement Ends -

In a disturbing way. The show seems to suggest that we, the listeners are the very monsters that is affecting the characters. Our constant need for more brings the characters descend further and there is nothing we can do about it but listen.

I've talked in the past about how [ASMR is Sound for the Soul] with the ability to simulate soothing tingles and tell a story with one sided conversations. What TMA does is to do the secondary.

Telling a story by second hand accounts. The way how some of the statements feels can get under your skin. The use of words and the annunciation of the statements feels like something is pulling the statements closer to the audience. Simulating a different kind of tingle.

It sometimes feels like we are prying into closed conversations. Listening to the deepest and darkest parts of humanity without the characters noticing.

As of now, I caught up till Season 3 but it seems like Jon will be getting involved more and more to the beings at the threshold.

What I think TMA does really well is not making horror out of typical fears. It relies on those fears and amplifies its ability to make one cripplingly terrified at things we have yet to understand. Reaching out of the tape recorder and into our world in an unpleasant way. Yet, you can't help but click to the next episode.

Recording Ends

[genshingorlsrevengeance]

(AoT/Genshin Impact) Hange, Mikasa, Sasha, Eula, Lumine, and Hu Tao with an S/O who's cold

No one requested this, it is FREEZING. I can't even make a joke about wanting to be warmed by them it's SO COLD.

Hange hears the sound of the bed constantly shifting as they're busy looking over their research papers.

Looking up from the desk, they noticed S/O was shivering.

(Hange) "Geez, you alright there?"

(S/O) "It's freezing in here...!"

(Hange) "Well, duh! It's snowing outside, that's how weather works."

S/O glared at Hange, who only gave a smile in return.

(Hange) "What's with that look?"

(S/O) sigh "Nothing..."

Hange went back to their papers as S/O tried to bundle up.

Only for them to slam their hands on the desk, startling S/O as Hange's eyes widened with an idea.

(Hange) "I'LL BE BACK!"

(S/O) "Oh god..."

Hange ran out the room before S/O had time to ask what their terrible idea was.

S/O sat upright and watched the door, only hearing distant footsteps quickly run and fade away.

Only for those same footsteps to come running back in, Hange almost kicking their own door down.

(Hange) "Fear not, dearest! I have the cure to your coldness!"

Hange held second blanket in their hands, which they immediately tossed onto S/O.

(S/O) "Where did you get this?"

(Hange) "I asked to borrow a blanket, and they said sure."

(S/O) "But...that was only a couple seconds, who did you-"

(Eren's Voice) "H-Hange?! Why did you-!"

(Hange) "It's fine, grab another from Levi!"

(Levi's Voice) "Try it, and I'm tossing you out that window."

(Hange) "...Okay, nevermind!"

S/O sighed again, getting up from their bed reluctantly as they took the sheet with them.

(S/O) "We're not taking Eren's blanket."

(Hange) "Okay, okay."

Hange grabbed Eren's blanket and opened the door.

(Hange) "CATCH!"

Hange winded up their arm and tossed it with all their might down the hall, S/O only hearing Eren grunt.

(Eren's Voice) "Thank you, S/O!"

(S/O) "Sorry about that."

(Levi's Voice) "Get Four-Eyes to bed before I kick both your asses."

(Hange) "Yeah yeah, whatever short-stack!"

Hange closed the door and turned to a less than amused S/O.

(Hange) "Don't worry, I have a Plan B!"

(S/O) "Plan B-GYAH!?"

Hange suddenly swept S/O off their feet before putting them onto bed.

Hange kicked off their boots and switched into more comfortable clothes, S/O politely turning away as they did so.

Hange plopped down next to them and held them close as if they were a plushie.

(Hange) "This is Plan B. What do you think?"

(S/O) "...Did you just go through all that just to have an excuse to cuddle?''

(Hange) "Oh, perish the thought! Your beloved Hange has so much work to do researching, but I can't neglect my poor freezing-"

(S/O) "Hah, okay I get it."

S/O relaxed into Hange as they took a deep breath.

(S/O) "I love you, Hange."

Hange just hummed in content, turning off the lights before finally settling down for the night.

Mikasa sees S/O's breath as they're walking together back home.

(S/O) "M-Man, it's cold out tonight..."

(Mikasa) "Do you need my jacket?"

(S/O) "No, I'm good. Your scarf keeping you warm?"

Mikasa nodded in reply, not saying much else.

As they continued walking, her eye glanced over to them and saw S/O slightly shiver.

Averting her gaze as a slight blush overtook the color of her cheeks, she wrapped one arm around S/O and got even closer to them.

(Mikasa) "I'll make you something warm to drink when we get back."

(S/O) "Thanks, Mikasa."

Making eye contact with S/O and seeing their smile made her heart skip a beat.

She quickly looked away, but couldn't fight back the smile forming on her own lips.

Upon arriving back to their home, Mikasa made the two of them warm tea before changing into something warmer and going to bed.

The two laid in comfortable silence as Mikasa inched closer and closer to them.

(S/O) "...You don't have to be shy, Mikasa."

(Mikasa) "I...I know, but-"

S/O wrapped their arms around her, letting her head rest on their chest.

She went stiff for a moment before easing up and accepting their affection.

(Mikasa) "...Are, you warmer now?"

(S/O) "Much warmer."

Nothing else needing to be said, the two of them drifted off peacefully.

S/O groggily woke up from their sleep upon realizing how cold they were.

S/O trembled from the lack of warmth and reached for the blanket on the-

...Where's the blanket?

S/O rolled over to Sasha who was comfortably snoring away, hogging the entire blanket.

S/O sighed.

This was not the first, nor the last time Sasha would steal their blanket.

(S/O) "You're going to make me freeze to death, Sasha..."

Though they said it aloud, they didn't expect her to actually respond, considering.

They tried to tug the blanket away from her, only for Sasha to tighten her grip on it, making it not budge an inch.

S/O shook their head. They'd have a better chance fist-fighting a titan than getting Sasha to relinquish her hold on their blanket.

(S/O) "Ugh, how am I gonna-"

(Sasha) "BOO!"

S/O yelped in surprise as they leapt back, Sasha laughing in response.

(Sasha) "Did I getcha?"

(S/O) "What the hell, how long were you awake?!"

(Sasha) yawn "A little bit ago. I was about to fall asleep again before I heard you talk."

(S/O) "So your death grip on that blanket was-"

(Sasha) "Hang on, just a sec!"

Sasha wrapped the blanket around S/O before snuggling up to S/O as she made sure the blankets wrapped both of them up tightly.

(Sasha) "Perfect."

(S/O) "It feels nice but...what about your snoring?"

(Sasha) "You either freeze to death, or suck it up."

(S/O) "Psh."

Both of them chuckled lightly before quickly falling back asleep and being much warmer this time around.

...In the morning however, Sasha did have most of the blanket on her side still.

Eula saw how much S/O was struggling against the cold in her house, using both their arms in a futile attempt to warm themselves.

(Eula) "Is it too cold for you here, S/O?"

(S/O) "Archons, Eula! How do you sleep here?!"

(Eula) "Are you questioning my home choice?"

(S/O) "More questioning the temperature choice! I know you go to Dragonspine a lot so it doesn't affect you, but this is ridiculous!"

(Eula) "It does not bother me, however-"

Eula brought S/O upstairs and she went into her closet, bringing out a jacket for them.

Before they could protest or suggest something else, Eula gently wrapped it around S/O and sat them down on her bed.

(Eula) "There. But do know, this transgression of coming to my home unprepared will go not go unpunished."

(S/O) "Whew, much better...And what would that be?"

(Eula) "You have to spend the night here."

(S/O) "Hah, your cruelty sure knows no bounds, Eula."

With a smile, Eula gives them a peck on the cheek.

(Eula) "I will make us dinner. Take care not to freeze in the meantime."

She took a second to admire S/O in her coat. It looked...cute.

Keeping those thoughts to herself, she went downstairs, knowing S/O would be comfortable.

(Eula) "...Is it really that cold in here?"

Lumine brought S/O into her teapot to avoid the blistering cold.

Entering the house, she had them sit down near the stove as she began flipping through a recipe book.

(Lumine) "Tea, Dango, Pizza, Chicken, Burger...Where is it?!"

Lumine kept flipping through dozens of pages as S/O looked at the size of the book.

(S/O) "How much food do you know how to cook?"

(Lumine) "Honestly, it's pretty small. I've only got recipes from Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, and Sumeru. I'd like to know more, but I haven't exactly travelled through all of Tevyat yet."

(S/O) "I'm not sure that book can get any bigger."

(Lumine) "Nonsense, I can-OH! Found ya! Ever had Goulash before? I can make a mean bowl!"

Lumine began telling S/O of where she even finds these recipes, most of which she buys but sometimes can find it out in the wild.

Her favorite story to tell that weirds S/O out to no end is when she opens a treasure chest and all sorts of loot literally flies out.

Some of which includes raw meat, for whatever reason.

When she was finished, she brought them a nice hot bowl of Goulash which instantly warmed them up.

(S/O) "Wow, you weren't kidding, this is great!"

(Lumine) "Now, let's get to bed as well. That only lasts for 900 seconds and you'll be cold again."

(S/O) "That's...oddly specific."

(Lumine) "Personal experience, trust me. It runs out at the worst times."

Getting into bed, Lumine and S/O bundled up with several blankets before continuing to make small talk before falling asleep.

Hu Tao didn't get cold easily thanks to her Vision, and was quick to help S/O as they felt the cold breeze that night.

Hu Tao extended her arms outwards for S/O to leap into.

(Hu Tao) "I got you, S/O!"

(S/O) "No thanks."

(Hu Tao) "Whaa? Why not?"

S/O crossed their arms and raised an eyebrow, obviously not falling for whatever antic she had in mind.

(S/O) "The last time I was cold, you put an ice cube down my back."

(Hu Tao) "Oh come on, that was a while ago!"

(S/O) "That was last week-"

(Hu Tao) "Bah, semantics! You can trust your girlfriend this time!"

(S/O) "I trust you when it comes to these things as far as I can throw you!"

(Hu Tao) "...That's pretty far, actually."

S/O's shoulders slumped, accepting their fate.

(S/O) "Fine."

Hu Tao giggled as S/O embraced her, Hu Tao's arms wrapping around their waist as she warmed them up.

(Hu Tao) "See? Don't you feel better?"

(S/O) "Yeah, yeah. I do."

Hu Tao and S/O stood still hugging and just enjoying the affection they were giving one another.

(Hu Tao) "You gonna let go?"

(S/O) "Are you?"

(Hu Tao) "Nope!~"

(S/O) "Hah, thought so..."

What startled S/O the most about this, was that Hu Tao didn't actually prank them this time.

[peepism]

Number | Levi Ackerman

modern AU! Levi sees you standing in line with your friends waiting to order some food, he strikes up a conversation in hopes to getting your number. Some swearing, obviously. (Levi is also around the same age, not much of an age gap)

wc: 1,369

The streets of Maria were full of loud bustling this particular evening, with children screaming in joy while continuously going up and down play structures at the local park, people selling their products at the market, and various activities being held.

Everyone was outside, including the college students whom usually would've stayed in their dorms studying for their year end exams.

"I SAY WE GO GET SOME ICE CREAM!" Sasha randomly chimed in, bringing your focus to your large group of friends, that was one way to break your train of thought.

"I agree, the sun is out and everyone is enjoying their time. Surely it won't hurt to get some sweets in our stomachs." Historia- better known as Krista added, her sweet smile making anyone want to agree.

You trailed behind them, keeping your mouth shut just out of habit, occasionally pulling out your phone to check if you had gotten any messages from anyone. It wasn't that you weren't interested in being out spending time with them, not at all, it was just your anxiety from being out in the open and also thinking about how much studying you'll need to cram. Especially your psychology, that class had no breaks what so ever and the content was heavy. "Y/n, you alright?" A small voice beside your whispered, causing a small jump from you. "I'm fine Mikasa."

"Y/n/n.. be honest. Usually you're being loud and obnoxious right now with everyone else. What's going on?" She pestered more, her grey eyes practically piercing into your soul.

– I suppose I'm just a bit stressed, is all.

– About what? You know you can talk to me, it's not like I'll tell the others.

– It's just the studying I need to do, sure, I shouldn't be thinking about it and should be out here enjoying my time with everyone but I just can't. You all know how much I've been struggling lately in Psychology.

– I know, but hey... will those hot guys take your mind off it for even a little while?

Your e/c looked to where she had nudged, a small mischievous smile trying it's best to not appear on your lips, knowing full well she would have proved her point if you allowed her to see it. This caused stifled laughter from the both of you, making everyone else turn around in curiosity, demanding and begging for you both to reveal the secret but to no avail.

"Seriously, what is it Mikasa?" An angry Eren continued, bugging the poor girl. It was incredibly obvious they both fancied one another. You just couldn't stand the bickering, which lead you to pushing past them up to the front so you could order your ice cream.

Unbeknownst to you, Levi Ackerman had walked up having spotted his sister and Eren. Questioning them on what they were up to and vice versa, until his eyes had landed on you.

His slender fingers grabbed Mikasa's arm, wanting her to pay close attention to what he had to say. It was a weird habit of his he had, he also wasn't the most gentle with his grip either. "Who's that?" His eyes squinted, his head giving a curt nod in your direction.

– That's Y/n L/n. A friend of mine, clearly.

– No shit, fuckface. Clearly she's a friend of yours. Is she single?

– Why do you want to know? She's too young for you, besides. Why would I want you dating a good friend of mine. It's weird.

– "I'm not even that fucking old?" Levi scowled, his forehead creasing at the small digs his younger sibling kept giving him.

"Whatever Levi, do what you want. However it doesn't mean I'll be happy with you." She finally warned, giving the short man a little shove towards you who had begun ordering their ice cream.

Now that his mood had been ruined, he grumpily made his way towards, brushing himself off from every inch.

As you began to laugh from something Connie had said, his heart began to skip. Cheezie of him to think, but your laugh truly was the most adorable thing he had ever heard in his life. It up lifted his mood faster than light.

With one last final mental pep talk, he excused himself from cutting in front of the large friend group, making quick conversation with a few and butting into yours in particular.

"I'm so glad most guys don't ask for numbers. I don't think I'd know how to react. It's a bit awkward now a days to ask for a number. The sucky part about it is, if he doesn't ask for your number then you automatically know he doesn't want anything serious, and I'm just not that type of person. Ya know?" You had been talking, answering a silly question that Ymir had asked once she saw the amount of guys that had been taking quick glances at you.

When Ymir noticed Levi standing behind you, a shit eating smirk adorned her face, arms folding over her chest and her finger giving a quick point.

"What?" Your face furrowed in confusion, whipping around to come face to face with the attractive man. The blood that rushed to your face out of embarrassment was unmatched. "Oh fuck, hello!"

– "Hello." He chuckled quickly adding on to have a conversation with you. "I'm Levi, Mikasa's brother. I figured I'd do my rounds introducing myself to everyone. Not that I planned on it. I just saw her with you guys and thought I'd come say hello. Everyone was around when I spoke to her except you two. Didn't want to leave you guys out."

– "Mhm. Is that so?"

An amused look shone in your eyes, a small giggle wanting to force its way out of your throat. He was a bit awkward with it, yet it was cute in it's on way.

– Indeed. Might I catch your name?

– Y/n L/n. Everyone calls me Y/n/n though.

– Noted. So tell me about yourself?

– Well, I'm a (Your major) student. I plan on becoming a (profession).

– Interesting, I'm studying to become a lawyer. So far I have two years of studying left. I wish you luck in yours.

– Must be hard, but yes, you as well! It was nice meeting you!

– It was nice meeting you as well Y/n.

You were practically melting inside, your attention completely on him as he had slowly began to walk away. Yumir was the one who pointed out your ice cream had been dripping down your hand to your arm from not having eaten any yet from being in la la land with Levi.

This caused you to frantically grab napkins and clean yourself up, your friends giggling at you. When you were suddenly being helped by another pair of hands, a pair you recognized but didn't at the same time until your gaze shifted up. Nose inches away from Levi's.

"By the way. I forgot to ask. Can I get your number?" His steel eyes glimmered, knowing full well you weren't going to say no.

"Depends. How old are you?" You shot back now being all cleaned up with his help, heart absolutely feeling as though it was going to jump out of your chest.

"I'm twenty-three. You?"

"Nineteen. Too young?"

"Pushing it."

A row of giggles spewed out, not being able to be held down any longer. You had to admit, he was pretty smooth with it, it probably ran in the Ackerman genes. Gingerly you passed him your phone and he added his number in your contacts, fingers brushing up against yours as he handed it back. "Your ice cream, it's melting again.." He droned out, shaking his head to grab some more napkins and help you out. Not leaving until he tucked a strand of h/c behind your ear.

– We thought you said you were glad guys don't ask for numbers, Y/n/n. Everyone in unison laughed

– Oh shut the fuck up, this is an exception.

– An exception who just so happens to be my older brother. Mikasa finally teased.

It was a nice day. Amazing even. A day you'd never regret skipping studying for.

[ghostboneswrites2]

Doe Eyes || CH3 - Wait

See CH1 for warnings! || Chapter list || Masterlist

Photo reference for how I imagine Brandy (your bestie):

        The Governor had decided to start training every able bodied person over the age of thirteen for combat. Andrea had fought for a ceasefire, for some kind of 'live and let live' agreement, but the Governor was hellbent on retaliation and revenge. You didn't get it. A few of the Woodbury dwellers had fallen, but there was a sort of rage behind his good eye that told you that this was much deeper than that. Otherwise, the dude was just a psycho. Either way he had gone from leading everyone in a safe community to leading his community to war. A needless war, it seemed.

        Then Andrea left. The Governor seemed oddly content with it, given their previous 'arrangement'. It led you to believe he probably sent someone after her, too. The same way he sent you and Merle after Michonne. Merle, who, had also left with his brother, who you'd later learned was actually his brother. At least he got what he was searching for with all that violence, you guessed. 

        Then Sasha, Tyreese, and a guy named Alan and his son showed up. They negotiated for safety and shelter, offering their hand in the battle in exchange for such. You had managed to keep quiet, following along with whatever whacky plans the Governor spelled out. You were tasked with assisting in training people on basic gun management. You hated it, it made you sick to show teenagers and regular people how to kill. They were told it was to defend themselves but you knew better than that. Brandy was there too. She learned how to shoot before, but only BB guns. She had decent aim, but she was no killer. None of these people were. 

        When you were on guard one night, Andrea rolled up in a car. You guys let her in, but you didn't see her again after that. You wondered if she was turned out on her own, but you knew better. By then the Governor had strayed further and further from the man who had welcomed you there and showed his true self. There was no telling what he was capable of.

        "I still think we should go." You told Brandy, sitting at her table that night for dinner. It wasn't much, supplies had been scarce since all the efforts were focused on war instead of supply runs. 

        "I can't leave these people, (y/n)." She sighed. "They need me. We're a community."

        "I won't leave you. But I don't think it's safe to stay. I think he's leading us all to our deaths." You shook your head.

        "Whatever it is, we can get through it. As a community. You heard Andrea. One day the history books will talk about Woodbury. Even if part of our story includes mutiny."

        "Mutiny." You scoffed. "What, we overthrow him?"

        "If we need to." She nodded.

        "Please." You waved her off. "These people are too loyal. He's like their prophet or something."

        "No, these people are afraid, and they look tot he man who provides for him." She corrected. "They don't have anyone else to look to. We give them someone better, someone stronger, someone more convincing, they'll follow that person instead." 

        "Oh, you mean like you? Like me? Like Mr. Farris?" You rolled your eyes. "That's a bigger job than we're up for, Brandy. Our best bet is to go. Maybe others will follow. They were ready to leave when the barrier was breached, before Andrea gave her inaugural speech."

        "Yeah, maybe. But how would we keep them all safe out there?" She asked, rubbing her temples.

        "Not like we're doing much of that in here." You mumbled.

        "Look, the Governor's system works. How was he supposed to know there's be a group of rogue prisoners out there?" She argued.

        "You still don't get it, Brandy. They weren't just rogue prisoners. They were here to get their people that Merle kidnapped and beat! And the Governor let him! He stripped that girl's shirt off and did whatever with her!" You snapped. She just stared back at you, stunned. You let go of a breath and ran your hands over your face. "Look," you began, more calmly. "I'm telling you. I've seen some shit. All on his orders. He's not a good man. It's an act."

----

       "What would your daughter think? About what you are?"

        "She'd be afraid of me. If I'd been like this from the start, she'd be alive today."

        The conversation played in your mind. Milton and the Governor. You watched him beat his little scientist, then watched as he tried to force him to kill Andrea. You were sick to your stomach. This wasn't right, not any of it. How could you have let your loyalty to Brandy keep you here, working as one of his henchmen? Milton refused. In retaliation, the Governor stabbed him and left him to turn, and then he'd tear Andrea apart.         

        "In this world, you kill or you die."

        That was hours ago, and like the obedient little soldier you were, you left them there too. Andrea was on her own. You were just glad it wasn't Brandy. Now, you were preparing for war, a real war. You were loading trucks, counting ammo, fueling gas tanks, whatever needed to be done. Anything to numb your mind and keep the images of what was happening to Andrea at bay. You should have helped her, but you didn't. It wasn't like you to put someone's life before your own. You were a fighter, not a martyr. Although, the way things were headed, being martyred was probably in your near future. 

        "Let's roll!" He shouted as everyone piled into vehicles and readied themselves for a fight. 

        "Governor." You spoke up. "I'd like to stay and look after the children we're leaving here. With every able bodied adult out there fighting, they're a defenseless buffet." 

        He looked at you, an unsettling sort of calmness in his eye. 

        "Us too." Tyreese spoke up for himself and Sasha.

        "And the elderly, I've always cared for them." Brandy added. He looked around between the four of you, before he nodded. He handed a weapon to Tyreese. You already had one. 

        "Thank you." He finally said, before they all fired the engines and left.

        You exchanged glances with the other three, before you all spread out. Sasha and Tyreese took watch over the gates. You patrolled the street. Brandy cared for the children and the elderly inside the strongest building with the most supplies. All that was left to o was wait.

        By nightfall the troops still hadn't made it back, but some others did. Karen and the ones who the Governor had gone to attack. Karen said they saved her, after the Governor gunned down everyone that went with him. 

        "We were coming to finish this. Until we saw what the Governor did." A man told Tyreese.

        "He killed them?" Tyreese gasped.

        "No." Brandy shook her head. "That's insane." 

        "He did." The man confirmed. Karen nodded. Brandy wept. Those were her friends, her people. The very reason she didn't run with you when she had the chance.

        You all went to find Andrea. She was alive, but not for long. Milton had turned. She was a badass, so she too him down, but not without her own loss. She was bitten. Your stomach turned over and over as you watched them say their goodbyes. 

        "I can do it myself." She said. 

        "No." Michonne cried.

        "Oh, I have to. While I still can. Please. I know how the safety works." She argued. That last part was some kind of inside joke, you could tell. 

        "I'm not going anywhere." Michonne protested.

        Andrea shook her head. "I tried." She said.

        "Yeah," The leader agreed. "You did.... You did."

        With that, all of you except for Michonne filed out of the room where she was held. You waited, until that dreadful sound rang out. Andrea ended it. Just like she said she would. Like she said she had to, while she still could.

        By dawn you had loaded the surviving members of Woodbury unto a bus and their leader, who you'd come to know as Rick, led you all to safety at the prison and welcomed you with pen arms. You protested at first, but it was what Brandy wanted, and you'd go, because she was your only friend.

[yourlocalspace-cadet]

Unpopular(?) Mystreet Opinions! Why? Because this has been in my drafts for MONTHS and I need to clean out my drafts (there are like 19 or something-)

- Laurance and the Shadow Knights (Sasha, Zenix, and Gene) deserved an exclusive episode together

- Garrance should’ve been canon

- Jess should’ve used Nana Ashida instead of Kawaii~Chan for said pink mefiwa

- Laurance and Garroth should’ve moved on from Aphmau by the middle or end of season 1

- Laurance and Cadenza deserved more screen time (please, I want the sweet older sister and the angry little brother dynamic-)

- we should’ve got more insight into some of the characters backstories (ex. Katelyn, Laurance, Cadenza, Lucinda, Nana, etc.)

- THEY SHOULD’VE KILLED EIN SOONER (OR redeemed him, he had such potential)

- Laurance shouldn’t have been abandoned as a character

- Ivy should’ve been told off in PDH for stalking Garroth

- Aaron and Aphmau shouldn’t have met in high school, they should’ve met as adults

- the series is poorly written

- Aphmau is a Mary Sue, especially early on

- Laurance and Aphmau should’ve had a more sibling relationship than a romantic one

- we should have gotten some context about Laurance and Gene’s past, instead of just implied mistreatment

- Aphmau is a boring character

- Jess and Jason were bad writers

- there should’ve been more racial diversity (Aphmau is canonically Mexican, Nana is Asian (implied to be Japanese i think?), and Teony is black but everyone else is implied to be white)

- the Shadow Knight’s should’ve kept their “demonage” (if you will) from MCD

- NOT EVERY MALE CHARACTER HAD TO BE INFATUATED WITH APHMAU (PLEASE! I am TIRED)

- Aphmau and Katelyn should’ve been step-sisters (they’re already a great duo and Katelyn’s dad is... involved with Aphmau’s mom)

AND THATS IT! 20 unpopular(?) opinions and months in writing later (I fuckin’ forgot this in my drafts-) you finally have some juicy content. Feel free to steal this idea or to fiddle with my ideas as your own (I know I’m probably not the first one to come up with some of these.)