#now you think i stole your teacup LOL

[riddle-me-ri]

Please I need more Secret six Hatter smut please!! Like...what the reader takes his hat during their fun time. Placing it on their head as they praise him more.... Listen he's so small and cute i need more lol!

A/N: asdfggh more s6 hatter? Hatter?? Of course I'm absolutely delighted to oblige. I sorta changed the prompt a wee bit so that it'd be more in character and sorta drive a plot I had mulling in my head, so I hope you don't mind but Reader does get his hat in the end I promise lol also…I literally re-wrote this story like…three times and it still feels kinda meh to me, BUT I wanted to get it finished cause I was super excited for the prompt, so I hope you guys enjoy it!

Trigger Warning: explicit sexual content (gn intercourse), clothes kink? Jervis is turned on by you wearing his hat..so yes? , heavy touching, and making out.

Word Count: 2.7 k (...sorry)

Secret Six Mad Hatter x Reader - If The Hat Fits

The Six had an off day, sort of. A recon mission went south and now the team has to lay low for awhile at the hideout. 

Originally, the idea would make you cringe about staying weeks with this selfish, and reckless crowd…

Until you felt a hand pat your lower back. A familiar warm gloved hand. 

You looked down to see none other than Jervis carefully holding a teacup full of tea on its designated saucer. A wide cheeky grin worn proudly on his face.

"It appears we will be staying in for a bit." He smiled as you graciously took the cup like you always did. "However, I won't mind if it means being with you, I'll admit." 

You smiled back sweetly after you took a sip. It was just the way you liked it. As always. 

"I couldn't agree more, your company will definitely make it easier." 

Jervis rocked on his heels excitedly, giddy like a schoolboy. You wondered if he ever felt this excited during his actual schoolboy days. Judging by what you know, it was unlikely. 

"Oohh, my dear, I would be most gratuitous if you could visit my room! I must show you my new hats you see! But only you and me, just the two of us!" 

Of course, you couldn't say no…

~

You have managed slowly but surely to find yourself a welcomed guest to Jervis' never ending tea parties. There was always a seat for you and a fresh warm cup of team waiting for you. You engaged with him willingly, and with enthusiasm, unlike the others that just dealt with him out of necessity.

As you sat on the edge of Jervis' rickety twin mattress, you had another cup of tea, but this time accompanied by a small pastry. Again your favorite. Cheesy as it was, the fact he remembered such things made your heart flutter. 

Your smile widened and brightened with every new little piece of headgear he unveiled. Every now and then, he prompted you to try it on. His eyes seemed to twinkle and his smile turned into a giddy grin whenever you wore one of his hats. 

However, there was one piece that you were particularly interested in and it's the one he always wore. You always heard mutterings from him about how precious his hat was, how it was his true friend, his only friend.

Never in your life did you think you'd be envious of an accessory but here you are. It made sense, you knew the cause. All the more reason to tread lightly if you ever wish to bring it up.

"Thank you so much for inviting me, Jervis. I'm always excited to know what you're up to." You leaned in and gave him a small peck on his cheek. 

Small kisses were all you two have exchanged at this point. He'd sometimes kiss the back of your hand and as a sign of gratitude you'd kiss his cheek for something. The way his cheeks dusted pink and his Cheshire cat-like grin stretches from ear to ear, you've never seen a more adorable face.

Much like the one he has now as he chuckles softly. He takes a seat beside you and sips comfortably on his own tea as you two enjoy the comfortable silence.

Until a thought comes into your mind as you stole glances at his signature top hat.

"Hey, Jervis…may I ask you something? I've been kind of curious about it for a while…" 

"Hmm?" Immediately he perked up his head and his bright eyes twinkled as he listened earnestly. 

"Umm, you would…consider us friends right?" 

Jervis titled his head a little. "Why…yes…that would appear to be the case, yes." He nodded as he became satisfied with his own answer. 

You nodded, at least that was confirmed. "And what does…umm..what does your hat think? I know how much it means to you.."

Jervis' eyes widened, blinking, speechless. 

No one ever asked him about his hat, his friend, unless it's to explain why it's his friend. But to actually inquire how it feels? To, to recognize its importance to him?

Oh, but it's so fitting, he expects no less from you. You always understood. So kind, grateful, and charming in your special way. Of course you would be the first to ask, you were the first to actually treat him as more than just a teammate you had to learn to share a space with. 

"I-I'm sorry…I, maybe I shouldn't have asked."

Jervis was so lost in his thoughts he completely forgot your question at hand. He's quick to shake his head, set down his cup and rest his hands above yours on your lap. 

"Oh, no, no, not at all, at all. I was just…no one has ever asked that…let alone think to ask it! Oh, but you did! You did!" 

His hands squeezed yours in excitement. "As for your inquiry…" Jervis reached up and pinched the folded sides of his hat, almost as if to wake it up to give him a response. You barely noticed his rather large buck teeth slightly pinching in his lower lip. 

Jervis chortled slightly to himself before looking back up at you. “It-It…likes you,” he chuckled inwardly some more. “Yes, almost adoringly so, but that’s to be expected you know. You’ve always been so kind to me.” 

You don’t want to admit the weight that immediately lifted from your mind and chest. You were glad the ha-his friend recognized you and your efforts to getting closer to the team’s secret weapon wasn’t in vain.

You smiled gleeful at him. “I’m glad to hear that, relieved even…I’ll always be kind to you, Jervis.” 

Jervis gasped softly, he already knew this to be true, your actions spoke loudly and fondly in his memories. 

You were ecstatic with how things were going. Riding the wave of progress and positive confirmations, you decided to try your luck at your next thought. 

“Could, I perhaps, if…you and your hat are comfortable with it, of course. Umm, could I touch it…and try it on? I’ve always wondered…” 

Jervis grinned, kicking his feet that dangled off the bedside. “Curiouser and curiouser, you are, I see.” 

He reached up once more to touch his top hat. He rubbed the tip of his fingers along the edges of it, tapped along the tall sides. Once again, asking, coaxing it to make sure it was comfortable. Jervis gave you a smile as he promptly plucked the hat off his head and handed it to you gently, like an antique teapot. 

You were honestly shocked. 

Just as carefully as he handed it to you, you let it lay on the palm of your hands. No surprise that it smelled like Jervis, teabags and lingering flavored smoke of some kind. It was heavier than you thought, but perhaps it had to be sturdy from Jervis’ every day use. 

You gently caressed the sides with your fingers, enjoying this privilege you weren’t sure you were ever going to get. 

Finally, the moment of truth. You lifted up the headwear and placed it promptly on your head. Your scalp was instantly warm and you felt a little taller even while sitting. 

You supposed this must be what it’s like when partners wear each others clothes, it’s like a new level of intimacy and trust with that special someone. Your heart swelled that you were able to get this far with Jervis. 

“Well,” you chuckled. “How do I look?” You turned to face him. “Jervis?”

The man was absolutely speechless. His eyes were widened like saucers, he was breathing heavier than before, with his lower jaw hung open. Like he’d seen an apparition or some ethereal being. 

“Jervis?” You snapped your fingers. Motionless. 

He was looking at you, scarcely blinking, only when it was necessary. 

“Jervis? A-Are you okay?” You placed your hands on his shoulders and gave him a soft shake. 

The motion seemed to rattle his brain back to life, as he shook his head and finally gulped some air. He instantly grabbed your hands from off his shoulders and held them to his heart. You could practically feel it about to beat through his suit. 

“Oh, oh my, oh my, oh dear, oh dear…oh my dear, you-you look radiant! Marvelous! Stunning, even!” 

You could no longer tell if his heart was beating faster or if it was just him vibrating from every part of his body. He was practically enthralled with you, he began scooting closer to your side. Your face flushed as you two were arm to arm and your faces were centimeters apart. 

Well, everything else has been going way better than planned. 

You managed to free your hands from his clasp and framed his face. Jervis seemed to catch on because before you knew it your lips met his chapped ones. The kiss was only broken due to Jervis’ delightful chuckles causing your lips to tickle and for you to giggle. 

As you caught your breath, you thanked him for the opportunity and was about to return the hat to him, but he stopped you. 

“Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you…kiss me once more?" 

Of course, you couldn't say no.

You passionately kissed him once more, determined to not get the excited giggles again. After a few minutes, you were able to gently slide your tongue into his mouth. You experimentally dragged your tongue along the bottom of his buck teeth, before diving in further to meet his own tongue. 

What was once a fit of the giggles were now stifled whimpers. Which shouldn’t have excited you as much as they did. You brought your hands down from his face and to his chest, you methodically began playing with the buttons on his green dress shirt. 

You pulled away slowly, you asked Jervis in a whisper, “is this all right, Jervis?”

Jervis nodded, enthusiastically. “Yes, yes, my dear! Please…please don’t stop…”

You wouldn’t dream of doing that. 

You got the rest of his buttons unbuttoned and almost instinctively Jervis shucked off his shirt and bowtie and quickly made work of his pants. You often admired how comfortable he was in his own skin to just bare it all without a second thought. 

As you began removing your clothes, there was a weight shift on your head. During the passionate moment you've almost completely forgotten his hat. 

You set it down on the bed gently so you can quickly discard your own clothes. When you look over your shoulder, you already see Jervis lying on the bed, with his head nestled in a pillow, waiting expectantly for you to join him. 

You pick up the hat that’s by your side, unsure what Jervis would want you to do with it. You decided to promptly put it back on, comfortably, like after just this past few minutes it’s a part of you like it’s a part of Jervis. 

As you slowly, seducingly crawled on top of Jervis, careful to keep the hat steady on your scalp. You noticed that familiar twinkle in his eyes, but it was brighter and bigger than usual. His smile was so wide it took up half of his face. His adorably scrunkly face that you loved. 

You snuggled your body closer to his, making yourself comfortable on top of his smaller physique without resting your whole weight. You leaned your lips into his and he returned the kiss fullheartedly. You also began lovingly caressing any and all skin on his body. Delicately, waking up gooseflesh all along his body. 

It didn’t take long for you to feel something pressed up hard against your groin. Jervis moaned instantly into your lips as you begin slowly pumping his cock. 

“P-P-Please…d-don’t tease me…I need you, please..” 

Of course, you couldn’t say no. 

After giving him a sweet confirmation kiss, you leaned over to the dresser that had some drawers open and some broken off it’s track. You took the chance on the high probablity that he had lube, which he had sure enough. 

You lifted off of him and rest your weight on your shins. You applied some to your fingers and lubricated your entrance and generously coated Jervis’ member. 

You balanced yourself just above his cock, your hand holding it making sure it makes it’s way into you. Slowly, you lowered yourself onto him. The intrusion was tight but you steadily got him all the way in. 

All the while ensuring the hat doesn’t fall off your head. You kept a hand on the hat, holding it steady as you let yourselves adjust to the new position. 

You let your hands rest of Jervis’ chest as you began lifting yourself off of him, leaving the head inside of you, before slowly falling back down onto him. As you fastened the pace, you tried to not think of how ridiculous you probably look with one hand on Jervis’ chest and another grasping the brim of his hat to keep it on. I guess that’s where the position got its name from. 

The growing delicious friction and the downright feral noises Jervis was producing had you panting and moaning his name. You gasped whenever he humped deeper into you every time you pushed yourself back down on him.

Your legs started tingling from the strain and growing tension of your nerves as your climax was growing closer and closer. Your entrance practically choked Jervis’ cock, causing him to toss his head back and his eyes to roll back. 

You leaned back while you continued to pump faster than before on top of him. You were panting, racing to to that point of ecstasy. You could Jervis was close as well. His cock twitched inside you and his groans turned into almost growls. 

Between your sweet gestures from earlier, topped off with you wearing his most precious possession and friend…it made sense that Jervis reached his peak first. The pressure of him cumming inside of you along with a final strong twitch, you were quick to ride the waves of your own climax. 

You body shuddered, limbs shaking with pleasing electricity as your nerves finally became unbound. Reluctantly, you propped yourself off of Jervis which caused you both to gasp from the loss connection. 

Before you rolled over to the opposite side of the bed that Jervis didn’t occupy, you gently placed his hat down on the nightstand beside him. 

You plopped down, breathing deeply, doing what you can to catch your breath and let your brain catch up to what just happened. 

Meanwhile, Jervis was in absolute bliss.

For the first time, he can say that not only did he enjoy the rush of the high but also equally appreciate the sweet serenity of the afterglow. 

From the amount of genuine affection you showed him with your kisses, words, and touches…All the while looking absolutely divine with his hat. Not once did he have to hypnotize you or anything, you meant every word and action…

You were like unlike any drug he’s ever had and more exciting than any high he’s even ridden. And he knows cause he has tried most of them. 

It makes Jervis chuckle to think about, but he has no doubt you’ve somehow hypnotized him. You have him wrapped around your finger. For the first time in his life, he didn’t just find a friend, but he found a romantic partner, something he doubted he’d truly find moreso than a friend. 

“My, my how the time has flown by,” Jervis sighed as he looked outside the window. Indeed it had already grown dark and the waxing moon was covered by some stray clouds. 

You giggled, before leaning the side of your face against his. “Time always flies when I’m with you, Jervis.” You kissed his red face that was slowly returning to it’s original color. 

Jervis chuckled gleefully. He truly thinks in that moment he could become addicted to your kisses if he wasn’t already. 

He looks into your eyes, his eyelids heavy as he started getting sleepy. “W-Will you…won’t you…” he yawned and you had to suppress a snicker. “Please…stay the night?”

Of course, you couldn’t say no.

[jonghyunar]

henry, what are we going to do with you...

[heckyeahponyscans]

Thoughts on MYM #6: Traditional Unicorn Sleepover

Wow, almost through all the available episodes!  Just two more to go!

Plot Summary:  Izzy invites Misty to a traditional unicorn sleepover, but is disappointed when Misty doesn’t know any of the old Bridlewood traditions.  Meanwhile Misty is trying to fulfill her secret mission from Opaline to steal Sunny’s lantern.

Thoughts on the episode:  Very good episode!  Misty’s dilemma reminds me of when I was a First Grader and was assigned a Fourth Grade partner on a trip to the park.  (For those with a different schooling system, First Graders are about six and Fourth Graders are about 10.) The Fourth Grader asked me if was the kid who “had an imaginary friend”, and even though I wasn’t, I was so intimidated that I said yes.  Unfortunately all the Fourth Grade girls thought this was cute, so they peppered me with questions about my non-existent imaginary friend, so I had to make even more stuff up, and overall it was very stressful, lol.

Anyway, the idea of Misty being culturally unmoored from her unicorn heritage is interesting.  Were her parents even from Bridlewood?  Because it seems like Equestria was completely cut off from the outside world.  Maybe they were explorers and were stuck outside when the Invisi-bubble went up.

Zipp being INSTANTLY suspicious of Misty and needling her / testing her throughout the night was great, I love Zipp.

Izzy is obviously homesick for Bridlewood and was hoping Misty would be that point of connection, someone she could reminisce with.  I think the comparison would be someone who emigrated from one country to another, and their new home doesn’t celebrate any of the holidays they grew up with.  And yeah, you can still do those holiday activities yourself but . . . the point of a festival or holiday is that it’s a communal celebration.

Izzy just bottled up her feelings, assuming her friends wouldn’t be interested in her Bridlewood nostalgia, and it was a nice resolution for her to find out that wasn’t the case, that they would listen and help her recreate her favorite childhood activities.

The story of “how Equestria came to be” is interesting because, first of all, obviously there was a lot of history before that point, but to these ponies Twilight Sparkle might as well have lived at the beginning of time, which is funny to think about. Misty’s version of the story, obviously fed to her by Opaline, is that Opaline rightfully had all the magic until other ponies “stole” it.  Also her story describes Opaline as “not a pony at all”, like alicorns are a different species.

We also learn that Twilight Sparkle is the one who created the Unity Crystals, which inadvertently led to the pony-kinds splitting up.  Personally I would have had a pony princess in-between Twilight and the big split, because as it is, uhhh, it kind of seems like the whole situation is Twilight Sparkle’s fault, and I don’t like when a new series undoes a previous series’ happy ending.  (Same thing happened with Transformers Prime / TF Robots in Disguise 2015.)  But, I did think “you’re a princess now!” was a strange ending for Twilight Sparkle and to me confirms, yeah, maybe a pony shouldn’t be put on the fast-track to royalty just because she’s an alicorn.  (IMO Twilight Sparkle would have been happiest as a historian or college professor.  A REAL college professor, not “I’m teaching ponies about ~friendship~”.)

- 

Random Thoughts: 

- Sparky doesn’t like Misty, his danger sense (or dragon sense) is tingling

- Unlike Tell Your Tale, where unicorns are common around town, I think Misty is the first unicorn (aside from Izzy and baby pony Peach Fizz) in Mare-time Bay.  Which explains why Izzy was so excited to meet her.

- I wonder how Misty is getting back and forth to Opaline’s castle.  Maybe they have something similar to a Ground Bridge in Transformers, a portal that can teleport them back and forth.

- Hitch giving Sparky “upsies” with his kicks was sooo cute, making him a dragon dad was a great choice

- The tea lights are literal teacups with lights in them!

- I feel like I always talk about how cute Misty is, but AM I WRONG?  The way she screamed out “BRIGHTHOUSE!” when she was asked her last name was precious.  She ends up going with “Misty Brightdawn”, which I assume will become her “real” name when she gets a toy.  (Hasbro . . . she’d better get a toy or I will mutiny.)

- Izzy explaining the rules of her boardgame and then slapping it across the room because the party was behind schedule was great

- We once again get a reference to Buttons, who was Izzy’s great-great-aunt and who started the tradition of hoof-reading.

- A lot of Bridlewood unicorn traditions center around divination: hoof-reading, tea-leaf reading, etc.  Maybe this was a way to still have “magic” after their actual magic disappeared.

- Misty sniffs the popcorn before tasting it, like an actual horse, and it’s extremely cute

- “Trotting Hill” is a pony version of Notting Hill starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.  Specifically this is a reference to the “I’m just a girl standing in front of a boy, asking him to love me” scene.

- So I might be reading this wrong but it seemed like Misty couldn’t see the lantern, like it’s still magically shielded from her.  Although maybe Misty is just unobservant.

- Opaline critiquing Misty’s maniacal laughter (”it’s a marathon, not a sprint”) is just . . . Please redeem this villain so she can hang around town being snide.

- One of the things Izzy misses about Bridlewood is “the Wishiehoofs” and “lighting the Glowpaz stones on each day of the Wishehoof holidays” and I hope we get more info on whatever that is. Maybe in the holiday special?

- That moment where Zipp tries to tell Pipp about her suspicions but Pipp 100% doesn’t care and just walks off while Zipp is mid-sentence. God I love Pipp.

[velvett-tearss]

Black Tea & Blushes — L. Ackerman

summary: The two of you never got along, but there were times that even fire and ice made a perfect pair.

warnings: cursing, no spoilers for anything past early s1, Levi’s a little shit at first (surprise, surprise), mentions of blood (they’re fighting titans :-) lol) gn!reader (no pronouns mentioned)

genre: semi-canonverse, fluff, enemies to lovers (?)

word count: 3.3k

a/n: this was very self-indulgent lmao, sorry if it’s a bit messy 😭, <Hange, Connie & Sasha3 make an appearance bc I love them and you should too, hope you enjoy it <3

"Couldn't you have gotten a cadet to do this?"

You raised a sharp brow at the man, trying to keep yourself from flipping his desk over. "Would you have yelled at them like you just yelled at me?"

The man's grey eyes didn’t meet yours, but there was a scowl on his face. Despite his steely eyes, he didn't say anything back. Instead, he pursed his lips and turned back to continue his paperwork.

You huffed in an attempt to ground yourself after being yelled at for the past two minutes. You took a sip from your own cup of the tea you had prepared for him, letting yourself savor the taste.

     "I don't understand." you said, tasting the earthy, black tea. "You said it was too cold last time, so I made sure it was extra warm. What's wrong with it? Is it too sour for you? I only added a few drops of lemon this time."

Levi remained silent, but you stood your ground, tapping your boot against the pavemented floor as you waited at his desk for an answer. You wouldn't let him win, not this time. Day after day, it seemed like he only grew ruder and ruder.

Your dislike for Levi Ackerman started the day you met him. He was still just a soldier when you joined the Survey Corp, and it wasn't long after that he become Captain.

He was mean, and he never seemed to care about anything, but God forbid you make a reckless move out in the field. It was as if all hell broke loose if you used a bit too much gas when slicing the nape of a Titan's neck.

     "Not everyone is Humanity's Strongest." you had spat at him when he scolded you on the way back to the walls. That only earned you a glare, seeing as Hange managed to secure your safety. If it weren't for them, you were certain you would've gotten stuck with stable duty for a month's end.

     You were glad he was nice to them, at least.

     At some point, you got promoted to Captain as well. One would think that since you shared the same rank, he would grow warmer to you, but that was another one of your mistakes.

     Everything about him rubbed you the wrong way, from his disagreeable manners to his awful way of speaking to soldiers. And, it was your disdain for him that got you stuck in this mess.

"A cadet could've done this." Levi stated again; you felt like you were being patronized. He raised a brow at you, holding the teacup in his hand. "A cadet could’ve made better tea than you.”

"Obviously not, Captain." you threw back sourly, snatching the cup from his hand. "A cadet could not have done this because if I hadn't interfered two weeks ago, who knows what you would've done to the poor man. And, all he did was make your tea wrong!”

Levi blinked at you, appearing bored with your conversation. "If you hadn't interfered, that soldier would be back with those good for nothing Military Police Officers doing what they're best at."

     You gritted your teeth. "And, what are they good for, Captain Ackerman?”

     His brow twitched slightly. “Absolutely nothing."

You let out a bitter laugh, placing the white ceramic teacups back on the tray you had brought in. "Now that you say it out loud, that reminds me a lot of someone I know."

     "What an awful way to talk about yourself.” Levi threw back with ease.

     The urge to roll your eyes at him was weighing on you, but you were stronger than the immaturity he seemed to bring out in you. "Captain, you must be growing old if you've already forgotten we're the same rank."

     Your decision of keeping yourself calm in his presence payed to be of use when you noticed the slight pause in his pen strokes at your words.

     But, you were well aware of how trustworthy Levi was in the sense that you knew he could always come back with something even worse than what he's told you before.

      "If you were of any use, you would know what's wrong with your tea. I'm sure even King Fritz could tell good tea from awful tea, and he's the most useless of them all." Levi told you, pen moving over the papers in front of him swiftly.

     "He could probably also tell a grown man from a spoiled brat," you told him, taking the tray with you as you left his office. "But, you make even that task seem impossible."

     You had to stop the triumphant grin from growing on your face when you heard his faint scoff from the other side of the wooden door.

Even if you managed to snag the last word of that argument, it didn’t feel as good as it usually did. The only reason you involved yourself in Levi Ackerman’s nightly tea was because 1) you didn’t like the way he spoke to the poor soldier who got stuck with job of handling it, and 2) Erwin asked that you try and be a bit nicer to your fellow captain.

You only did it to keep your job, really, and you would never let your Commander think less of you, even if he did favor Levi. Even Hange had tried to coax you into not letting The Ackerman’s sharp tongue get to you, but that didn’t seem to work.

Levi and you would never be friends, if that’s what Erwin meant when he pulled you aside at supper a few nights before. It was a lie to say you didn’t admire the man’s impressive skills, because you did.

But, admiration and respect were two separate things.

The two of you were jagged edges of broken glass that didn’t fit together, and that was perfectly fine. You didn’t mind being Levi being a sharp piece of glass, just as long as he kept his corners to himself and far from you.

Erwin, as observant as usual, caught on to the solution to your problem, and he even made sure you and Levi would rarely ever cross paths when the Scouts were out on an expedition. The two of you worked on opposite sides of the formation.

The only time you would ever work together would be if there were no other options, but both of you were reliable in your own senses: him with his... whatever he called it, and you with your wits.

You didn't mind being farthest from him, and if it were up to you, you'd go even farther.

     “Hey, you got new glasses.” you stated, noticing the new pair of brown frames that Hange wore the morning as the Scouts waited for the signal to begin the expedition.

“Oh, don’t remind me.” they said with a frown, holding the glasses in their hands. “Last night, Moblit and I were doing some research, and someone must’ve stolen my glasses because I couldn’t find them this morning.”

“Stole? Isn’t that a big accusation?”

They let out a hearty laugh. “It is! That’s why I’m saying it!” Hange replied, golden eyes widened at you in exasperation. “I’ve been stuck with these, and they’re too big for my face. All they do is fall off.”

“So maybe don’t wear them?” you wondered as you caught a glimpse of the dark head of hair you knew too well. “What’ll you do if you lose them out in the field? Better safe than sorry.”

“I wish, but I’m as blind as a bat without them.” Hange reasoned with a sigh before quickly composing themselves. “But, now that you mention it, I never did mind a challenge.”

The smirk growing on their face was one you didn’t quite like. Before you could talk some sense into them (if that were even possible) the signal went off to begin the mission.

They gave a wide smile and a thumbs up as a good luck token. "Don’t do anything crazy!” you called out when the two of you parted ways, taking your squad with you. “I mean it, Hange!”

Hange waved you off, charging in faster in their horse. It was up to poor Moblit to chase right after them.

Your squad remained close together for the majority of the mission. There wasn't much to do on your end of things, which was a relief. At some point, you decided to stop for a quick break before pushing forward.

If you were able to see five mintues into the future, you would never have let your squad talk you into taking a lunch break. Just as you were relaxing a bit, there was an Abnormal coming from the thick trees.

Your sense of smell wasn't as skilled as Miche, and if it weren't for one of the younger cadets on your squad who had a keen sense of hearing, you all would've been Titan food.

It didn't take long for you to spring into action, your squad following suit. You made sure to use the plans Erwin had issued out on previous Scout meetings.

When the Abnormal finally made it to where you and your squad stopped, the beastly creature managed to catch one of your soldiers in midair. As the young boy was raised in the air, his stomach couldn't contain his recent lunch.

Gravity works in wonders, you thought when his earlier lunch fell onto you with a splat! You couldn't blame the poor boy; it was better upstairs than downstairs. As terrible a feeling it was to have chunky vomit all over you, you knew it would be as even worse feeling if the boy died under your care.

Your squad got to him before any damage was permanent, at least physically. When the killing blow was done, you tended to your soldier. He muttered out apologies for having thrown up on you, but you were merely in the line of fire.

"It's okay, Connie." you reassured him after pulling off your green cape that had been soiled in aid to shield you. “I’d rather it be your lunch on me than your organs.”

You ordered that he ride with your other cadet, Sasha. He let out a pained laugh at your words, leaning against her on her horse. She scolded him for “wasting so much food,” to which lead to their silly banter, which you didn’t mind as long as they were safe.

     As unfortunate as it was, that incident wasn't the last of it. There wasn't much time between Connie getting his ribs crushed by a Titan and the numerous amount of red flares that were being shot into the air.  The amount of red powder in the sky was enough to cast a shadow of worry over you.

     By the time your squad made it to where the red flares had been signaled, it was a mess. Abnormal and Pure Titans were ambushing the rest of whatever was left of the Survey Corp. Your squad wasted no time in following your orders as you made a beeline for the trees where a group of Abnormals were huddled together.

     When you finally got a good look at the scene in the forest, your sight was met with Titan smoke and blood of fallen comrades. It was a disaster, as it always was. But you knew, where there was smoke, there was definitely fire.

And, that fire was Humanity’s Strongest Soldier.

He looked ablaze, nothing but a flash in the distance. Slicing Titan limbs as if they were merely flowers in his way, Levi Ackerman was kicking ass. It was in moments like this — where he looked like the answer to all the prayers of the people inside the walls — that you wondered if you truly hated him all along.

“Section Commander!” Moblit cried, chasing after Hange as they swung on the highest tree of the forest. It seemed as though they forgot all about how loose their glasses were as they did a number of twirls in the air. His voice was enough to snap you out of your trance and assist your fellow comrades.

You managed to fight off three Pure Titans and two Abnormals for what seemed like forever. It might’ve been even worse if not for Connie Springer’s lunch all over you that acted as Titan Repellant.

Perhaps you would tell Hange of your new discovery, but every time you managed to get close to them while fighting off the Titans, all they did was badger you with questions upon questions.

“Are you sure you haven’t you seen them?!” Hange cried for the fifth time, eyes squinted at you from their branch opposite you. Moblit was fighting off a creepy Abnormal with ugly teeth a few feet from you.

“No, I haven’t! And, didn’t I tell you your glasses would fall if you took them with you?!” you shouted back from your place on the tree before taking a breath to try to slice the neck of your second Pure Titan. “Go back to the wagon, Hange, before you get yourself killed!”

They huffed and puffed, but they let Moblit guide them to the wagon to wait until the rest of the Scouts could find a moment to retreat back to the walls.

After finally slicing the nape of your final Titan, you looked over to where you had last seen Levi. Only, he was nowhere to be found. A panic set in when you couldn’t find any sight of him.

“Captain?” you called out from your place on a tree branch where you were catching your breath. You squinted your eyes to get a farther look, but it didn’t help that much. “Captain Ackerman, are you there? Do you—”

But, that’s when you felt a jostle of wind hit your back. You turned quickly to see the dark-haired man swinging through the trees, holding an unconscious Oluo.

You followed him, figuring if you took his squad member off his hands that Levi would have a better chance of taking down more Titans. Maybe even with a man who weighed far more than himself in his hands, Levi could still have a better chance than you.

“Captain, I’ve got him. I’ll take—”

But, Levi wouldn’t budge. It was like he wasn’t listening to you, and you didn’t know if it was by choice or coincidence. You huffed and rushed quicker to help him in carrying Oluo.

Maybe it was just your luck, or maybe it was just his, but right before you managed to reach him, a Titan’s jaw came from below him, wide and ready for lunchtime.

There was nothing for him to do, not with his hands full. Surely he knew that from the way his grey eyes finally broke through from that awful void he’d placed you in, the one where all you ever got from him was scoldings and insults and cold stares that often made you wonder if he actually did hate you.

And, for the first time, you saw panic flash through his grey eyes, his life flash before his eyes.

“Levi!” you cried, using the rest of your ODM gear’s gas to catch up to him. You knew if he were to survive such an event, he would scold you for wasting your gas on an old lump like him.

But, for once, Levi had something to say about you that didn’t regard your incompetence to make decent tea or your recklessness that spurred you to use all your gas just to save him and the bullheaded, baboon by the name of Oluo.

It was your astonishing speed.

You got to the two men right before the great wide jaws of the Titan could snap closed and swallow the three of you for its meal, which Levi had to admit (but probably never would) was quite impressive.

“Shit!” you hissed out when the three of you landed on another tree branch. As quick as you got to the branch was as quick as Miche was to come and ensure your safety, slicing the Titan’s nape with ease.

Oluo was still unconscious and a little bloodied up and battered, but he was safe.

“What the hell were you thinking?!” Levi yelled, voice slightly hoarse from everything that had just happened. His hair was a mess, and you held back a laugh at the sight of him. “Why— why would you? I mean, what— and, why do you smell like—”

“A thank you is perfectly fine, Ackerman.” you coughed out, catching your breath from the overexertion you just forced yourself through. Carrying two grown men was tough, especially when it was between life or death. “As for the smell, one of my soldiers threw up on me.”

Levi blinked at you, his expression consisting of disgust and confusion. “What?”

“My soldier. He threw up on me earlier.”

“I heard you the first time.” he told you, blinking quickly as if it were going to grant him some clarity. You didn’t know if his confusion was from your act of saving him and his squad member or from not knowing what to say to you after.

He looked funny, with his hair that of a bird’s nest and his cheeks flushed pink.

“Did you hit your head on the way down?”

“W-what?”

“Your head? Did you hit it?”

“No, I-I’m fine.” he scrambled upright, finding purchase on the unconscious Oluo’s shin. Your eyes flickered to where his hand was placed, and he snatched it right off immediately, burning a deeper shade of pink.

“Oh.” you muttered, holding back a chuckle. There was no way Levi was without a concussion, not with the way he was acting all of a sudden: stuttering and turning pink on you. It was a wonder you caught up to him before he collapsed.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Captain?” you asked again, fixing your uniform before getting to your feet. You wobbled a bit; Levi raised a brow at you. “You look sick. Why don’t you sit in the injury wagon for a bit on the way back? Just in case.”

He waved you off, standing on his two feet as well. You didn’t want to cause a fight, not right after what had just happened and not outside the walls, so you decided to say nothing about his seeming concussion.

The two of you lifted Oluo off the ground, blood seeping from the side of the man’s mouth. “Is it his ribs? Was it an Abnormal? They were awful today.” you questioned, looking to Levi for answers.

“He bit his tongue, again, before ramming into a tree.” Levi told you, averting his gaze from you as he shifted the man against his shoulder for a better grip. “He said something f-fell from the sky.”

You nodded, letting yourself chuckle. “What could it’ve been? Bird shit?”

Levi shrugged at your words.

He was far too quiet for your liking. Maybe he did have a concussion. It wouldn’t be good if he rode back like that. Perhaps if you spoke to Erwin or Hange about it, one of them could convince Levi to get checked out once you got back to the walls.

The two of you managed to get back to the rest of the Scouts safely. You helped Levi placing Oluo in the wagon with the wounded and the fallen while everyone else was getting accounted for.

All the while, Hange was trying to persuade Erwin into letting them form a search party for their glasses that had fallen while they were swinging on the trees.

Though you were straining to listen to their conversation, you were more than certain that Erwin would never allow such a thing, but you had to admire Hange’s efforts, as fruitless as they were.

“Thank you.”

You snapped your head to Levi.

He refused to meet your gaze again, busying himself with readjusting his soldier’s cape. If not for the obvious step into uncharted territory between the two of you, you would’ve commented on the rosy blush he adorned.

Suddenly, you were overcome with a laughter, waving him off with your hand quickly. “I was just joking about that, Captain. Sorry, I don’t mean to laugh, but I’m just surprised you actually—”

He scoffed, the expression on his face shifting to one of impatience. “Don’t be a brat. Just take the compliment.” Levi huffed out, visibly annoyed with your chatter.

A look of shock overtook your face. “Oh, so you’re complimenting me? Why didn’t you just say so, then?”

“Oi, that’s not what I meant—”

“No, it’s fine. I heard you, loud and clear.” you interrupted, smiling widely at him. “You’re oh-so very welcome, Captain Ackerman, and if you ever need me to save your ass again, you know where to find me.”

Levi opted to say nothing back, merely shaking his head at you when you gave a lazy salute and started back to the other side of the formation where your horse and squad awaited you.

“Besides,” you shrugged, turning back for a moment to catch him looking at you. “Who else would teach me how to make tea?”

note: I don’t think I specified it, but Oluo was knocked unconscious bc some object (Hange’s glasses) fell from the sky lmao 🐸

[unloved-cadillac]

Howdy! I have some cute fluff in mind. Levi has to attend a stupid ball with Erwin to gain support for the corps. The problem is... he can’t dance. The night before, fem reader innocently walks in his office to give some paperwork and finds him practicing horribly. Like he looks like he’s having a seizure or something lol! She cracks up and he pouts. She takes his hands and guides him. At the ball, Levi is graceful and charming. He’s sure to offer a dance to reader too, which she gladly takes.

C/n: how sweet! Thanks for requesting and I hope that you enjoy🤍

——————————————————————————

Two Left Feet. (Levi x Reader)

Apart from the fear of his teacup handle breaking again, Levi Ackerman had one other fear:

Dancing.

He could not dance. There was no need to know how to! He was a Captain in one of the most hardcore regiments and badass man who had better things to do so why dance?

“Because this ball is the key to us having a long supply of goods for the Survey Corps, Levi. You cannot deny coming. You’re partly one of the reasons why many want to attend.” Erwin smiles smugly and Levi groans. “I wish I killed you when I was in the Underground.”

“I know. But you didn’t. So know you have to go to a ball tomorrow.” Erwin remains smiling and Levi gets up and leaves his annoying superior. But, much to his dismay, Levi knew Erwin was right. The Survey Corps needed new stuff and equipment and tea. Dancing couldn’t be that hard right?

Wrong.

Levi stood in the middle of his office and looked at the floor. “Fucking ridiculous.” He mutters and puts both arms out as if to hold shoulders and begins to move. He tripped twice and fell on his couch once. He groans but begins to try again.

“Got some paperwork for yo-“ Y/n softly says and stops when she sees Levi tripping all over the place. “Uhh, sir? Are you…okay?” Y/n asks and Levi turns and trips again. “Jesus Christ.” Y/n bites her inner cheek to stop from laughing but fails miserably and giggles loudly. “Shut up, brat.” Levi says after he gets up.

“Levi. What on earth are you doing? Having a seizure?!” Y/n says in between laughs and Levi furrows his eyebrows and pouts. “For your information, I was…dancing.” He trails off in the end and Y/n stops laughing and stares at him. “Dancing?! That was dancing?!” Y/n asks with a smile and he scoffs. “Tch. If you’re going to make fun of me, leave.”

“No no. Im done I promise. You’re attending the ball tomorrow, aren’t you?” Y/n asks as she closes the door behind her and places papers on his desk. “Yes. You are as well?” She nods. “So if youre attended first a ball, I think you need a couple of lessons of dancing before, don’t you think?” Y/n smiles and he eyes her. “What are you implying, Y/n?”

“Let me help you. I know how to dance. I can teach you!” Y/n happily says and steps towards him. Levi hesitated for a bit but then allowed her to. “What do I do?” He asks softly and Y/n looks at his hands.

“Ok, so. You take one hand,” she takes his right, “and place it here,” she rests it on her hip and he gasps. “What?” She asks and he shakes his head. “N-Nothing. Carry on.” Smiling, Y/n continues her lesson. “Then you hold her other hand,” she takes his and cups it with hers and lifts it up so both their postures were proper.

“Good! Now for the hard part. Your feet should follow hers. Like this,” Y/n steps to left and Levi immediately follows. Then she steps back and he follows but accidentally steps on her toes. “Shit. Are you okay? I’m sorry.” Levi says and Y/n chuckles. “It’s ok. It’s your first time. Again.” She steps and he follows, step and follow. Levi tramped her a few more times but after a couple of rounds, he got it without looking down.

“Always look at her. Don’t overthink it. Just follow and feel it.” Y/n says and Levi stares at her. When the stop in the middle of the room, Y/n hesitantly pulls away and steps back. “You’ll do fine tomorrow, Levi. I hope I was of help to you.”

“Yes. Yes, you were. Thank you, Y/n.” Levi says and if Y/n’s smile couldn’t get any bigger, it would’ve. “You’re most welcome. Goodnight Captain.” Bidding farewell, Y/n leaves his office and faces to her room where she leaned against the door and held her chest to feel her racing heart.

~~~~

The ball was alright. Bit boring, but at least some people weren’t too much of a bother to speak with. While he spoke to some royals with Erwin, the band starting playing.

A hoard of girls came racing to Levi, begging him to dance with them. He took one girl and said to the others that he will dance with them after and moved to the dance floor with a young girl. She was blonde, pretty. Her breasts were spilling out of the corset she used and her hair was curled. Pretty, but no Y/n.

He flowed gracefully with the girls and even though he looked at them, he saw Y/n while he danced. It was around the fourth girl did he realize that he didn’t see her yet. With a quick twirl of the girl, he looked around until his eyes landed on a h/c woman in a beautiful, sleek gown. When the song ended, he bowed to the girl and escorted her out of the dance floor and then made his way to Y/n.

She saw him walk towards her and she met him halfway. “I see you moving like a professional on the floor, Levi. Well done. You didn’t step on their dresses or their toes!” Y/n jokes and Levi chuckles. “I had a great teacher.” He looks at her to see her blush. “Oh stop it.” She bashfully says and continues to speak with him.

The band came back from their break and began to play again. Levi held his hand out to Y/n and she looked at it. “Can I have the honor of dancing with you, Y/n?” Levi asks and Y/n smiles. She takes his hand in hers and nods. “I would love to.”

The pair made their way to the dance floor and begs to sway to the music, their eyes never leaving each other���s. Levi’s hand held her waist gently yet firmly and Y/n held his shoulder. They moved in sync with each other, eyes of every royal on them as they watched the lovely pair glide through the floor.

They easily stole the attention of everyone.

Levi, deciding to be brave, pushed her away and then twirled her into him and dipped her as soon as the music ended. A round of applause was sounded, with the occasional wolf-whistles of a happy scientist.

Y/n and Levi stayed in that position for a few more seconds before getting up and holding each other. “Where’d you learn that?” Y/n asks in a hushed tone, her eyes watching his pink lips part.

“Improv.” He whispers back and lays a gentle kiss on her red stained lips. When he pulled back, he smirked and Y/n chuckled.

“For a man with two left feet, you really are such a charmer, Levi Ackerman.”

——————————————————————————

“BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD! POP POP POP POP POP!”

🖤🤍Thanks for reading🤍🖤

-Caddy.

[nemesis-is-my-middle-name]

I'm extremely happy that the two ghost-type Pokemon he has are also object Pokemon.

He needs the others: also he does not need to be bound by the six Pokemon rule.

Ghost types that are also objects:

Drifblim, cofagrigus, palossand, dhelmise (it the plant but shhh) cursola, spirtomb, and technically Rotom that funky dude. ( he already has a Litwick)

Ones that could be Loosely considered object Pokemon:

Genger( sentient shadow), marshadow (punch being in the shadows) polteageist (it's inside the teacup) trevenant (tree), gourgeist(pumpkin), Golurk . And if you stretch really far should shedinja ( literally sheded skin)

Possible ghost-type object Pokemon storys.

Cofagrigus: a great place to sleep on the go! keep trying to kill him. but will never work. (Maybe he thinks that Ingo already Mummy because his wearing rags) Ingo feeds in money. (Or straight-up wants to be ingo's coffin)

*Don't think about Ingo meeting it while he was a yamask (mask = coat) or worst alive (total lost of self once it becomes cofagrigus = immortality parallels?).

Dhelmise: man needs an ugly Pokemon and look what he found under the ocean. Probably won't live long because it's a plant (ghost comes first tho)unless. idea. the anchor is also possessed by a sea captain. Two in one. (In memory of Garbodor and Klinklang)

Mimikyu: (I'm counting it) just it to be itself and loved. doesn't want hide but sun hurts it. (this is probably before they decided to make up a costume inspired by Pikachu, ingo accidentally inspires this Behavior ) and ingo attempt to help her out. By making costumes. (Tailor is going to make sure is good one. Whenever it's not trying to kill the coat. it's making costumes for the mimikyu) (ingo snuggle forever could be your reality ~)

Spiritomb: guess where some of platinum clan went. Lol

Ghost Pokemon that would be interesting for him to have due to symbolic reasons:

Shedinja: remaining shell, entirely immobile Pokemon that does not breathe. The discard skin separate from the body gaining life. (Two Pokemon but one doesn't survive because immortality, and said surviving Pokemon is apathetic)

Golurk: made in ancient times and was ordered to protect people and Pokemon. But it fears that its seal in his chest will get removed which will cause it to rage indiscriminately. also somehow can fly around in the sky in Mach speeds??? Could be found left abandoned with no energy? maybe Ingo actually made one himself by total accident? (I mean they already existed in legends of Arceus but it would be cool)

this is the Council. it's a bunch of old ghost types who have Been Around and maybe ingo's figured out how to talk to them, i think that was proposed at some point... so these are his fellow immortals who've had a few centuries to Figure Out how to run a place and now they're like advisors.

why are you being so MEAN to DHELMISE i love the idea of it being possessed by the spirit of a sea captain though. he taps it for nautical wisdom and a fellow transit appreciator

AWW TAILOR ADOPTING MIMIKYU new afterlife goal after deciding to call off the war with ingo's coat: look after this soft lil shadow baby.

actually maybe ingo stole volo's spiritomb? since that one would be another immortal and volo definitely doesn't deserve it. why volo canonically has a spiritomb in the first place, though, i have no idea. that, OR it's vessa's spiritomb. it has a lot of knowledge on account of being like fifty ghosts in one, it's just getting the knowledge sorted out of that big mess that's the issue

[indecisive-hermit]

I found this long list of questions and I’ve been itching to write something with Piltover’s Finest, yet I needed some practice to figure out how the characters would work out with different situations. Only hours left for the arc III and I want to share this, since it turned out to be a weird ask-fic type of a thing.  No specific backstory as to why Caitlyn and Vi are answering these questions. I guess I imagined them recording their responses on video or just sound, like a podcast. Originally I just wanted to write their responses, but then they started talking and now it’s a thing. Some questions are a bit strange and I certainly don’t feel confident that I know the lore enough, but it’s just a funny thing I came up with. So. Here.  - hints and referencing to some adult themes but it’s really mild - 

1. Coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans? V: Soda cans, I can crush a full one on my forehead C: I own a collection of teacups I got from my grandparents but I never use them. And I’m not cleaning up after the mess you’re going to make with the soda can just to prove that you can. V: Haha, I can. Get it? C: Yes… You mop. Get that one?

2. Chocolate bars or lollipops? V: Neither, we never got any of these when growing up. But now that I think about it, cupcake here can do a nasty lick on my lol-- C: SHUT UP. Next, please...

3. Bubblegum or cotton candy? C: I think we covered enough with the last one, please, next… V: Hey! I wanted to answer this one too. C: No, you don’t. 

4. How did your elementary school teachers describe you? V: Oh, this is easy. A Walking Disaster. C: I always got good grades and only ever had trouble with one teacher. But that was only because I proved his theory wrong and-- V: If I didn’t get to answer the tasty questions, you don’t get to answer this one. NEXT!

5. Do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups? V: Wait, we already covered this one. Cans… CANS. C: Yeah, I give up… Cans it is. 

6. Pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear? V: I don’t even know what most of these mean, tomboy sounds nice, though. Maybe that. I stole this jacket from a dude. C: Does formal include my uniform? It makes me feel really empowered. V: ...and hot.

7. Earbuds or headphones? V: Headphones are easier, I’d keep losing those tiny things everywhere. C: Earbuds, I can wear them discreetly. V: Why would you need to wear that discreetly? C: Well, I sometimes listen to audiobooks when you and the guys are discussing whatever it is that you’re discussing. V: Women. Mostly. Or sports. C: You just proved my point.

8. Movies or tv shows? V: Neither, again. I mostly work out if I have time off. Or we just have s-- C: Yeah, no. We don’t own a tv. V: We, now is it? C: Shut. Up. 

9. Favorite smell in the summer? V: Dirt. C: What? Seriously, dirt? V: Yeah, it has this warm earthy smell that reminds me of my childhood and running around, well, in dirt. C: Oh my god. Ahem, well my grandparents had a large garden full of roses and dahlias when I was a child. I used to spend my summers reading a lot of books in their garden. So, roses, if I have to pick one.

10. Game you were best at in p.e.? V: Boxing. C: I was pretty average with sports. They didn’t exactly have sharp-shooting or hunting as part of the curriculum, so my talents never got to shine through. V: I smell a brag. That wasn’t even the question and you managed to slide that in there… Just like that. C: Yes.

11. What do you have for breakfast on an average day? V: Whatever is available. I’m not particularly picky when it comes to food. C: That is true. She will eat the roast beef from last night for breakfast, and that is on top of the scrambled eggs, toast-- V: They get it, and what can I say… I need a lot of energy for the day. C: I eat a normal breakfast. V: That’s it? Normal breakfast. That’s your answer? C: Yes.

12. Name of your favorite playlist? V: Anything high-beat. Something that really gets the adrenaline running. C: The opposite, I listen to music to calm myself down. 

13. Lanyard or key ring? V: Who writes these questions? C: She needs everything attached to her with a leash or else she’ll lose them. So the first option for her, the regular key ring for me. V: Hey! ...it’s true, though.

14. Favorite non-chocolate candy? C: Not another candy one… V: LOLLIPOP! C: Oh, just shut it already, they’re not interested...

15. Favorite book you read as a school assignment? V: I didn’t read any and Cait wouldn’t know where to start and we’d be here all night, let’s move on. C: True.

16. Most comfortable position to sit in? V: Cupcake on top-- C: That’s not what they’re asking, you’re impossible. Yes, okay, I like to sit on Vi’s lap. Happy?! V: Oh… Oh. Yes I am. Next.

17. Most frequently worn pair of shoes? V: Wha-- C: Most people own more than one pair. I mostly wear my work boots, but that’s just because we’re working all the time...

18. Ideal weather? V: Doesn’t matter, they’re all perfect but equally suck. C: I actually agree. Each one comes with its own perks and disadvantages.

19. Sleeping position? C: No, we’re not getting into this. V: C’mon, it’s a good question. C: No. I think they got the gist with the lollipop. V: Don’t forget your favorite sitting position. C: Right, that too. V: Let’s just go with ‘close’. 

20. Preferred place to write (i.e., in a notebook, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)? V: Bold of anyone to assume I write down anything. C: She really doesn’t. I fill her reports for her too. V: That’s just because you won’t let me. C: “Boom. Did it.” Doesn’t really cover all the details and circumstances of a mission, does it? 

21.Obsession from childhood? V: Hitting things. C: I used to escape my life to books. So, reading.��

22. Role model? V: Vander C: I guess I used to look up to Jayce growing up, but I’m not sure I like the person he’s turned into now. But he did show me anyone can be anything they want, so, it’s not all bad?

23. Strange habits? V: Cait talks in her sleep. C: Can we please not go there again. Take this seriously, please. I prefer everything in threes. V: But you said no to thr-- C: SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP! Okay, almost everything. V: I don’t know if I have any strange habits. C: You pick your nose when you think nobody is looking. You lick your plate clean, sometimes mine too. You only take cold showers. You-- V: Okay, I have bad manners and want to feel fresh when I freshen up. C: No, I just think those little things are adorable in their own way. V: Getting soft on me, cupcake? C: You also don’t listen to any direction, advice or-- V: Okay, getting a bit away from the subject here, let’s continue. 

24. Favorite crystal? V: What? C: What?

25. First song you remember hearing? V: Mom singing me lullabies. C: My mother never sang for me. I think I vaguely remember going to the opera when I was 3. Does that count?

26. Favorite activity to do in warm weather? V: A good honest fist fight to get a nice sweat. Or s-- C: Still no. V: But it’s my favorite sweaty activity. C: I’m going with moving around. Walking, anything but staying still. 

27. Favorite activity to do in cold weather? V: Fist fight. And the other thing too. C: We’ve never done it-- Actually, never mind. I like going for a run in the cold. 

28. Five songs to describe you? V: I don’t know five songs by name. C: Yeah, we’re not doing this one. 

29. Best way to bond with you? V: Food. Or fist fights. Or the thing Cait doesn’t let me say out loud. C: You would do that with anyone? V: Oh, right. No. So, just food or fist fights. Or both. C: Discussion about any literature or guns. Or in Vi’s case, it’s the thing we don’t say out loud. V: Don’t you think this makes us sound a bit violent? We’re really not, you know. 

30. Places that you find sacred? C: Home. V: Yeah, home.

31. What outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names? V: This. C: My uniform.

32. Top five favorite vines? C: What? V: I showed you a funny one the other day, you know, the one the dudes sent me. C: Oh, yeah. Definitely a ‘no’. 

33. Most used phrase in your phone? V: ‘cupcake’ C: I barely use it. I guess “What were you thinking?” would be a common phrase I ask Vi a lot. 

34. Advertisements you have stuck in your head? V: I can’t remember a single one. My head is very empty. C: Yeah, you got that one right… V: Hey, that’s mean. C: Okay, sorry. Your head is focused on what matters. I appreciate that about you. V: Yeah, I’m very focused. What was the question?

35. Average time you fall asleep? V: I’m usually just so exhausted I think it’s the time it takes for my head to hit the pillow. C: After I calm myself down, usually from 30 minutes to 1 hour. V: Really? That long? C: Well, you wouldn’t know because you’re always the one who falls asleep first. 

36. What is the first meme you remember ever seeing? C: The one Vi showed me and it was the first and the last. No more of these, please. V: I think in our own way, we were making a lot of memes as kids, all the time. So, I don’t remember the first one. 

37. Suitcase or duffel bag? V: I only take what I need, which I can fit in my pockets. Neither. C: And that means I usually get to carry around what is actually needed. Duffel bag. 

38. Lemonade or tea? V: Soda. From a can. C: Tea. Or if we don’t play by the rules, I prefer coffee. 

39. Lemon cake or lemon meringue pie? V: Both. C: Cake. Meringue is too sweet.

40. Weirdest thing to ever happen at your school? V: I had a teacher who liked me. C: I had a teacher who didn’t. 

41. Last person you texted? V: Cupcake. C: Vi

42. Jacket pockets or pants pockets? V: I like pockets, so I’d say both, again. C: Jacket, I barely keep anything in my pants. The pockets, pockets in my pants, Vi. Don’t start...

43. Hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket? V: I wear a hoodie under a jacket? What is that called? C: No fashion sense. Just kidding.. Come on, don’t look so hurt. I think you’re cute. But I don’t know, I have a cardigan at home I wear if it’s chilly. So, cardigan.

44. Favorite scent for soap? C: It’s dirt again, isn’t it? V: No! I was going to say whatever you use that makes your skin smell so nice. C: Aww, okay let’s go with that. It’s shea butter, by the way. V: Yeah, I don’t have a clue what that is. 

45. Which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero? V: Well, we’re absolute legends, so, superheroes? C: Growing up I used to read-- V: Oh my god, just pick one. C: Fine. Science fiction. 

46. Most comfortable outfit to sleep in? C: Please, don’t say-- V: NAKED! C: Yeah...

47. Favorite type of cheese? V: All of them. Except the ones that taste like feet. C: Oh, a food you don’t like. V: It tastes like feet, and you like it? C: It’s an acquired taste-- V: FEET. C: I don’t really eat cheese that much, I’m a bit sensitive to dairy. 

48. If you were a fruit, what kind would you be? V: Oh, oh! You would be a cupcake. C: It’s not a fruit. And you’d be a durian. V: I don’t know what that is. C: You remember the strange smell by the market you asked me about? V: Ieww-- wait. You think I stink? C: That was not the point, the fruit is actually really delicious. V: So, I taste good? C: Ahem.. can we move along?

49. What saying or quote do you live by? V: Never ask for permission. Apologize later. C: That one is painfully true. Mine is “Time waits for no one.” V: You just broke my brain. What does that even mean? C: Just a reminder to live in the moment and not dwell in the past. Or at least that’s how I see it now, it meant something different to me once. V: Oh, okay. That’s not half bad. C: I know. That’s why it’s my guideline. 

50. What made you laugh the hardest you ever have? V: Caitlyn. On many occasions. C: Really? I would be very taken if I didn’t know better that you’re usually laughing at me not with me. V: Yeah, I’m serious. I’ve never laughed like this before I met you, I mean it. C: This is the question you’re taking seriously? V: Laughter is a serious matter. C: You’re a strange person, you know that? V: I am and you love me because of it, so let’s move on. 

51. Current stresses? V: I don’t really stress too much, that would mean I wasn’t focused on whatever I’m doing, right? C: I guess. I’m always stressing about our missions. You never take my direction the way I want you to. 

52. Favorite font? V: What? C: Font. Like, words. In a book. It’s the style the words are written in. And my favorite is Garamond. V: I don’t know what that is but it does sound like something you’d be into. C: It really does, doesn’t it?

53. What is the current state of your hands? V:... C: It’s okay. You can tell. V: My right hand is currently drawing little hearts on cupcake’s arm and my leftie is squeezing her leftie. C: Oh, that’s what you were doing? Hearts? V: What did you think I was doing? C: Yeah, let’s just… move on. 

54. What did you learn from your first job? V: You deserve to be paid, one way or another. C: You worked before I got you a job here? You? V: I did some simple deliveries around Zaun, I just didn’t know my salary was only from the tips I was supposed to ask from the customers. I discovered very fast that just taking what I deserved was a lot easier. C: So, stealing? V: I did honest work, for like… a day. Then got tired of all that bullshit and robbed the asshole. C: I rest my case. My parents didn’t want me to work, I did spend a lot of time in the library - I can hear you roll eyes at me, don’t. - and ended up organizing the books for free. V: So, you learned nothing? C: I learned some people are incredibly selfish and lazy. And put a lot of books back where they don’t belong. You can’t expect the librarian to watch everyone who comes and goes. V: Haha, she had you do it for her. For free. Let me guess, you had a list of “enemies of the library” and kept track of whoever didn’t put their books back where they belong. C: No. I just reported them directly to the librarian lady. V: A snitch then, nice. What did she do to these criminals then? C: I’m not discussing this with you. You’re just making fun of me. V: She didn’t care, did she? C: Let’s just move on to the next one. 

55. Favorite fairy tale? V: Not really mine, but Powder made me tell stories of this little boy who always got into trouble. I made up all the stories and don’t remember any of them. But later she revealed to me that she always saw the little boy as me. Most of the stories were about troubles I did get into, so it wasn’t too far from the truth. I just made it sound a lot cooler than it was. C: That’s really sweet of you, now I just feel bad to share my favorites. V: As in many favorites? C: Yes, I had plenty of favorite fairy tales. V: You can pick one, just one. C: Hmm, well I would go with the Beauty and the Beast then. 

56. Favorite tradition? C: Christmas, everything about Christmas. V: I never really cared much for traditions, but I agree. Christmas with Cait is my favorite. 

57. The three biggest struggles you’ve overcome? C: I think I speak for both of us, we’d rather not go down this road tonight.

58. Four talents you’re proud of having? V: Wow, a lot of questions. Okay. Four. I got two right here, my faithful right and left. I am also proud of my skills of “navigating treacherous terrain”, that was the roof-jumping thing you wrote on my file, right? And the fourth one is a secret talent Cait wouldn’t appreciate if I share with you. C: I would not. But I do like that one, a lot. I think I would choose my intellect as the first, my patience as the second, third one… maybe my determination. Oh, and I’m a really good shooter. That should actually be the first, since you rarely give me enough time to think about strategies on the field. 

59. If you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be? V: You’re joking, right? C: Is that your catchphrase or are you referring to this question? V: What do you think? C: I’d want something catchy and crazy, like “Do you feel lucky, punk?” V: HAHAHA, who talks like that? Nobody says “punk”. C: Yes, they do. V: Trust me, I’ve been called many things and “punk” wasn’t one of them. C: Well, if you’re so cool, what would yours be? V: Any kind of game character? C: I assume so, yes. V: “How you doing, cupcake?” C: Wha-- is that your catchphrase? What kind of game are you… Okay, next question. 

60. If you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be? V: Romance. C: What? No. Now you’re just making fun of this. 

61. Favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.? V: Yeah, I really don’t. So… C: I’d say “Time waits for no one.” again. I read it in a book. 

62. Seven characters you relate to? V: SEVEN?! I can’t even think of one. C: Belle, I related to Belle when I was young. Multiply that seven times, and there you go. We’re not getting any sleep tonight if this keeps going on like this. 

63. Five songs that would play in your club? V: SKIIIIP-- C: Yeah, skip it.

64. Favorite website from your childhood? V: I really didn’t. C: The library’s compendium. I’ve spent more time searching through that than any website in existence. 

65. Any permanent scars? V: Hoo, boy, that is a long list. C: The one above your lip is really sexy, though. V: So, you can say things like that but I can’t? C: Okay, what is your favorite? Of my scars. V: You know which one. Is this a trick question? C: Just answer it. V: Okay, the one you got close to your ear when you fell off the bed and bonked your head against the table. You know, that night. C: Yes, I do remember.  

66. Favorite flower(s)? V: Didn’t we already go through this? Roses and petunias or whatever. C: Not petunias, but yeah we did. Next. 

67. Good luck charms? V: Oh, easy. Cait. C: Because I always save your sorry ass? 

68. Worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried? V: The cheese made of feet. Again. C: Those slugs you made me eat. V: Hey, you said it was fine! C: Back then I was still trying to impress you. No way I was going to admit to you that happened to be the single most disgusting thing I’ve ever held in my mouth. 

69. A fun fact that you don’t know how you learned? V: You can’t lick your own elbow. C: Animals can hold grudges. V: Does this have something to do with your insane fear of birds? C: Yes. They hate me. V: Just because you’ve hunted their family and friends for sport, doesn’t mean they all recognize you. C: Have you seen the way they look at me? They know.

70. Left or right handed? V: Both. C: That is a useful talent too, you know. V: Well, you would know...

71. Least favorite pattern? V: Pattern, like drapes and carpets and all that? C: I guess that’s what they mean, horizontal stripes. Never looks good on anyone. V: Oh, so anything on clothes too. Dots.

72. Worst subject? V: Subject? I guess this refers to school, if so, all of them. C: Sports, at least the ones in school. V: Still not letting that go, huh?

73. Favorite weird flavor combo? V: Probably anything I eat, ask anyone. C: True, she can eat the leftover tomato soup with strawberry cake on the side. 

74. At what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen? V: I live with the pain I deserve. C: Yes, you do. Deserve it I mean. You know how many bruises I could have easily saved you with some simple strategies? V: Where’s the fun in that?

75. When did you lose your first tooth? C: Let me guess, you had a fight and lost all of them prematurely? V: Pretty much, yeah. 

76. What's your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)? C: Why do you even ask, she’s just going to say all of them. I like plain potatoes that still taste like actual potatoes. V: Sweet you know me so well, cupcake.

77. Best plant to grow on a windowsill? V: Cows will fly before the day comes that I grow plants on my windowsill. C: I don’t have time for plants. 

78. Coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store? V: I feel coffee makes me a bit twitchy, so sushi. C: Coffee, I don’t care where it came from. 

79. Which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo? C: I prefer my photo in my work file. I look so young, though. No wonder no one took me seriously. V: I like the photo we have of us. You know, where you have that funny face and I’m teasing you about something again, can’t remember what it was. C: That’s not what they asked. V: There’s no photos of me before that one. Except the one in the file but I just look like a common criminal in that one. C: Yeah, you really do. It’s so cute.

80. Earth tones or jewel tones? V: Dirt! C: Yeah, that’s not what they’re asking, Vi.

81. Fireflies or lightning bugs? V&C: fireflies...

82. PC or console? V: Huh? C: Yeah, no idea. Next.

83. Writing or drawing? V: Drawing C: Yeah, a drawing of severed heads in a pool of blood also doesn’t make an acceptable report to turn in to your superiors. Writing, obviously. 

84. Podcasts or talk radio? V: Neither. Booooring. C: Audio books, is that more like podcasts then?

84. Barbie or polly pocket? V: What the-- C: No idea, next.

85. Fairy tales or mythology? V: Is mythology about dragons and stuff? C: It can be, but so can fairy tales. V: Yeah but those times when people actually believed all that stuff, that’s mythology, right? C: Yes. So we agree on mythology then? V: I choose dragons. The real-er ones. 

86. Cookies or cupcakes? V: YOU NEED TO ASK?! C: Yeah… obviously cupcakes. 

87. Your greatest fear? V: Losing my cupcake. C: Really? That’s so sweet. Okay, I pick losing you too then. V: Now you just stole my answer. C: Fine. It’s the birds then. V: No, pick me! C: I thought I already did... 

88. Your greatest wish? V: Greatest as in? C: Greatest in regards to what? Size? Achievability? Desirability? V: I think meeting you already used up all my wishes. C: Look who’s being so romantic tonight, what are you up to? V: Fulfilling your wishes tonight… C: MMMKAY, moving on...

89. Who would you put before everyone else? V: Cait C: Vi V: Okay, that was easy. 

90. Luckiest mistake? V: Cait. C: I’m a mistake? V: Okay, whatever mistakes I made that led up to you freeing me from that cell. Next. C: I didn’t answer yet… V: Do you even make mistakes? C: Of course not. I guess my lucky mistake was to let you out. V: How was that a mistake? C: Oh, you have no idea how much I regretted my decisions after you ran off by that bathysphere.

91. Boxes or bags? V: Okay, seriously, the questions. Bags? C: Boxes. A lot of organized boxes. This totally makes sense. 

92. Lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights? V: Fire. Just honest scorching, flaming, fire. C: Strangely enough, I agree. There’s nothing more magnificent than a real fire. 

93. Nicknames? V: Hmm-mm. I know yours. C: Yeah, cupcake. Or Cait. Yours would be Vi, since that’s short for Violet. V: No kidding. Do I look like a Violet to you?

94. Favorite season? V: Hmm… Summer. C: Why summer? V: Fireflies. C: Oh, right. Yeah, summer.

95. Favorite app on your phone? V: I just use my phone to poke at Cait. C: I just use the calendar. So that one? 

96. Desktop background? V: If I had nudes of my cupcake, I would have them around everywhere. C: And if I send you an inquiry “Do you need assistance?” replying with “send nudes” isn’t a correct way to answer. Not going to happen. But my background is whatever is the default. 

97. How many phone numbers do you have memorized? V: That’s why I have the phone so I don’t have to keep details like that stored in my head. C: All of the important ones, so... a few. V: Library one of them? C: Shut up. And yes, but that’s just because I memorized it when I was younger.  

98. Favorite historical era? V: Whatever is going on now. Why would I care what happened 100 or 1000 years ago? C: For me, nothing matters more than the present but I did enjoy reading about-- V: Oh, come on. Wait-- was this the last one? C: Yes. Why isn’t it an exact 100 questions? Why leave it at 98? V: I can see how much this bothers you… Want me to think of two more, just so you can sleep tonight? C: I can sleep just fine. V: You sure? C: Yes… okay, no. Why is it 98 and not 100? We did not give up answering these, they shouldn’t have given up after 98! V: So, two more. Let me think… Okay, favorite-- C: Wait! I need to write that down as a question. V: Of course you do… 99. (Vi made me write this) Favorite sex position? C: Okay, I’m just going to say; anything with you. V: Oh, I thought it was the-- C: NO. Do you realize we can’t publish this anywhere if you blabber all details about our love life? V: I’m pretty sure that ship sailed a long time ago. As if you’d let anyone publish this anywhere. C: Yeah we need to re-do this tomorrow. Okay, fine, the one where you.. You know. Why do I have to say it out loud? V: Where you sat on my face and fell off the bed because we didn’t think you’d need support when you-- C: YES. No more details. Please. And it’s your turn. V: My favorite? The same. C: But you’ve never done that with me. V: I meant it’s my favorite when you do it. The question didn’t say anything about who’s giving or receiving. 

100. What was your most recent dream about? V: C’mon. That’s not even remotely interesting. C: Just answer the question. It’s the last one. V: I remember one recently where I had like 100 cats and forgot to feed them. C: Why did you dream about cats? V: I don’t know. I guess I saw some strays and thought about where they get their food? Who knows. What do you dream about? C: I dreamt about you and me, in a hot bath-- doing… things. But then I lost you. V: You lost me in that tiny tub? How’s that even possible? C: Not the tub, the bath house. At first we were there alone, but then all of these people showed up from nowhere and I couldn’t find you anymore. V: Warm water makes me sleepy. I prefer cold. C: I know. So, are you sleepy now or still up to holding your promise of fulfilling my wishes tonight? V: Definitely up. Anything for my cupcake.❤

[lividbrunette]

my favorite moments from Misha’s panel

- Misha said he’d want to go to space or the International Space Station (so Supernatural reboot from space with Cas, and only Cas, Misha just plays every character)

- someone asked about his surgery and he was like look, I can stand up!

- he said he would join the Rolling Stones and do all the sex and drugs but not get hungover or get STIs. he said “I really don’t want that” (ok sure misha)

- he said that if John and Cas met that they would obviously “engage in a rousing game of thumb wrestling”

- “you can’t stop me from asking your creepy questions”

- “everyone stop typing in the chat”, if your name is popping up on the screen you’re not listening

- he said it was weird, he didn’t want to look at himself, and that we weren’t there to watch him stare at trees and talk to his computer (but we are?)

- he wants to be Keanu Reeves (he said it so .. slowly?)

- “get your vaccinates by the way”

- when someone asked “what are they gonna do, fire you?”

- just ~casually~ revealing the alternate ending where they were going to bring back fan favorite characters and KANSAS WAS SUPPOSED TO PLAY like they were actually booked to play and it was supposed to be in the roadhouse and it would be like Dean’s heaven but COVID

- when someone asked what would happen if Cas were God and he said uh watch the show, he was an asshole

- he said that Cas would have a cat so they could have that “clever play on words of Catstiel” (he was so proud of himself for that one)

- he said that endearing thing of a middle aged man in a trench coat petting a cat then pulling out an angle blade and stabbing someone (what a legend)

- Maybe a hairless cat

- Or he’d have a pet rat (then he went into this story of how he saw some bird catch and shake a rat until it’s neck broke and how cool that was, but not why Cas would have a rat lol)

- when he called Grumpy Cat “Angry Cat”

- “Now I wish you hadn’t asked that, I’m just going to go cry into my teacup” (mood bestie)

- he talked about his upcoming projects which are helping Maison with her lego project, finishing his book of poetry, and developing some new films ??? (intrigue?)

- his New Year’s Resolution for March is to join tiktok (look out Kim)

- when Maison was going on a walk and he said “don’t get run over by a car” and “that’s an enormous water bottle Maison, make sure you drink it all”

- when someone asked what random things he has in his house and he said he can’t answer that b/c he started thinking about inappropriate things (misha, get your mind out of the gutter or else share with the class)

- a five minute answer to basically say that “if Biden asked if I would come clean the toilets at the White House, I probably would, yeah”

- Someone asked something like what would he do if Biden asked him to come work for him and he went into a story about someone he’s talked to a few times online and how they had been asked by the Biden Administration to be an ambassador

- “I worked for ... I was an intern in the office of presidential personnel for Bill Clinton” (oh we know Misha, we know)

- He stole from the White House (bc of course, pure chaos, video below somewhere jk it’s too long but the full panel is def up somewhere, probably yt)

- He told Maison and West that the Christmas elves live in their walls year round and he came home one day in the summer to West with a hammer demolishing a wall trying to find the elves

- “lazy, useless elves”

- he and his brother tried to carve symbols into their legs when they were little, he still has a faint scar, it was supposed to be a peace symbol

- talked about his TSA shorts and he went through a TSA checkpoint once and someone working said “I’ve seen your TSA shorts” and Misha though “oh shit ... I’m in huge trouble” but he just thought they were hilarious lol

- “God you’re so pushy, be patient”

- “shittiest day of shooting”

- “Who is my favorite villain and the answer is of course Donald Trump” (more in a video, his face while talking about it, so true bestie)

- when someone wrote “link to your onlyfans” lmaoooo

- and when someone asked about LAMP

(I didn’t know that you can only add one video so i’ll add the rest that I want to add as reblogs so can’t do that 🙃 so i’ll just post them with >> #misha panel vids , yeah? cool)

[bellatrixobsessed1]

Speak No Evil (Part 31)

90% sure I’m almost done with version one. Like soon we’ll be on the TyZula path lol.

“You should really try to come to the Water Tribe one day.” TyLee suggests after finishing a final story about a glacier exploration. “Once you get used to the cold it’s actually really nice. I can’t even describe how beautiful it is. It’s just so different from anything in the Fire Nation.”

“TyLee is fantastic at glacier exploration.” Tuya declares. “A natural really. She’s very clever and creative.”

Azula knows this very well, she probably hadn’t said it enough when she had TyLee. She didn’t do a lot of things that she should have while doing many things that she shouldn’t have. And so she lost that clever and creative woman. Her stomach sinks. Sinks for missing what she had with TyLee when she has something wonderful with Seicho. She doesn’t think that she compliments Seicho enough…

“What have you been doing lately?” TyLee asks. It is such an innocent question but it twists like a knife.

Surviving. She has only been surviving and even that is still a rather new development. She has been doing nothing productive or important at all. Nothing exciting nor fun. Just fighting for motivation and for reasons to keep fighting. “Nothing really.” She used to always be doing something. Always accomplishing something…

“You’re trying to tell me that you haven’t done anything in the last several months?” TyLee quirks a skeptical brow.

“Nothing remarkable or noteworthy.”

“We went for a hike deep into the Ember Island jungle!” Seicho declares.

Azula cringes.

“That sounds fun.”

Azula shakes her head. “I guess that it could have been…”

“But?” Tuya implores.

“Nevermind.” Azula mumbles.

“What happened on that camping trip?” TyLee frowns.

“Nothing, don’t worry about it.”

“It was bad, wasn’t it?” TyLee persists.

Azula picks up her teacup and drinks the tea down. TyLee and Tuya both are still staring quite expectantly at her and she sifts in her hair. “It’s not really that important.” She insists again. She taps her fingers upon the cup.

“I can handle the truth.” TyLee insists. But Azula isn’t so sure of this. Isn’t sure that she wants her to try to do so.

“She told me that we were going to look for the spirit who stole her voice so that she could get it back.” Seicho answers finally.

TyLee furrows her brows. “But you lost your voice to a spirit from the mainland.”

“Yup.” Seicho grumbles. “It was never about her voice.”

“Then what was it about?”

“Nothing.” Azula grumbles, “just leave it alone.” But she knows Seicho better than that and she has half the mind to walk away to avoid the looks she knows that she is going to get.  To avoid having to explain herself.

“She tried to jump into a volcano.”

“You tried what?”

“I figured that it wouldn’t really bother anyone. It’s not a big deal…” She thinks that her cheeks are flushed and that it is well past time to render herself silent for the night, to feign that her throat is too sore for anymore conversation.

“Except it was a big deal to me.” Seicho folds her arms. “I cared...I care about you a lot.” She kisses the top of her head.

“Azula!”

“It’s not your fault TyLee. I was just so...tired.” She is still very tired sometimes. Tired of fighting and struggling. Tired of trying to hone in on the rarer moments of joy within the onslaught of horrid happenings. Tired of trying to feel even partially as confident as she used to be. She just wants it to come naturally again.

And there it is, the look she was dreading. The teary eyes and the hands posed to cover her mouth. Azula’s stomach sinks. It has only taken her two days and a few hours to make the girl cry again. Just like old times.

“Are you going to be okay?” Tuya asks for her.

Sometimes she isn’t sure. “I’ll be alive, I suppose.” But that certainly isn’t the same as okay.

“She will be.” Seicho smiles, wrapping her arms around Azula’s waist. “She’ll find something that she loves doing and she’ll be okay. She said that she doesn’t actually want to hurt herself.”

And perhaps that is true, perhaps she doesn’t want to die. But, spirits, she would give anything to disappear right about now. She forces a smile. “I’m alright TyLee. I’m...fixing things. I think.” She is trying. Truly trying. She hopes that that counts for something.

“I don’t want to lose you, Azula.” TyLee says. “I want to be able to take you and Mai and Zuko…” Seicho clears her throat. “And Seicho to the Water Tribe with me. I think that it would be fun to get to know each other again. I want to know the real you.”

“The real me?”

“The you that you’re still trying to find.” She smiles. “Trust me you’ll feel amazing when you finally do. It’s so, I don’t know, liberating. It’s like breathing in all of your favorite scents.”

“That sounds nice.” Azula replies. It sounds like a dream. A very lofty and daunting one. But she supposes that if she can take over Ba Sing Se and make ascend halfway up a volcano with almost no energy at all, she can accomplish something like this. And maybe when she finds that person, she can do something worthwhile again. Something that will help her value herself again.

In the meantime, Seicho makes her feel as though she has value. The woman holds her so tightly, as though she is some precious treasure. She likes feeling like a precious treasure. “Can we talk about something else now. Before my voice fails.” It is already beginning to strain and crack.

Seicho pours her another glass of slippery elm tea.

“Sure, just pick a topic!” TyLee answers.

“Crab story.” Seicho whispers in her ear.

.oOo.

By the end of the night Azula falls into silence again. It isn’t that she doesn���t want to speak anymore-- for once it is quite the opposite really. But her voice has reached its limit for the night and no amount of slippery elm tea seems to change that. For a change, she has laughed her voice raw. For a change, her heart isn’t heavy. For a change it is wholly unburdened.

Tuya is a nice woman--not exactly her type, but a lovely woman all the same. A woman that fits TyLee so well that it puts small pangs of envy and sadness into her heart. She wonders if she fits Seicho as well as Tuya fits TyLee.

She wonders if she ever made TyLee as happy as Tuya makes her. Wonders if she can ever make Seicho that happy. So happy that it puts a very particular gimmer in her eyes. So happy that when she grins it is so wide that her eyes nearly close. She can’t let her mind wander like this, not when she has finally dug her way out. Seicho offers her another glass of tea but Azula shakes her head. Even so, she has to ask, “do I make you happy?” She forces.

“Of course you do, Azula. This is the happiest I’ve been since Chara died.” And she grins. She looks at her exactly how TyLee looks at Tuya. “You make me happy, Azula.”

She can’t manage another word no matter how much effort she puts in. Seicho chuckles and remarks that it might just be time to get the parchment out for the night. And that is fine, she doesn’t think that she would be able to put what she feels into words. The relief, the joy, the sensation of knowing that someone truly does love her unconditionally. That she isn’t forcing it.

For once there is no fear. Her own belly flutters but there is no fear. Only affection.

This time she initiates it.

[alj4890]

None But You

(Thomas Hunt x oc*Amanda) in a regency era romance as requested by @pixieferry

A/N: I believe we are nearing the end. I'm both excited and saddened by such. There will be at least one more chapter if not two for our story to conclude. It will live on, I know, in requests (which I have already received, LOL, so thank you for that). Shall we begin the end?

Masterlist

@graceful-popcorn​   @krsnlove​   @alleksa16​   @hopelessromantic1352​    @pixieferry   @emceesynonymroll​   @buzz-bee-buzz​   @hopefulmoonobject​    @rainbowsinthestorm​   @lxaah11​   @my-heart-beats-for-ya​ @everythingmarvelsherlockspn​ @friedherringclodthing​   @aworldoffandoms​   @ab1901​   @i-bloody-love-drake-walker​​  

Summary: Lord Hunt hosts a party a few days before the wedding for his neighbors and tenants. All come to meet the lady he is to marry. During such a gathering, Lord Ryan comes to a decision concerning Lady Millie. And of course, the wedding day has come...but will all go according to plan?

Chapter 14

Thomas, dressed for riding, paused on his way out when he heard the sound of ladies laughing and talking. He moved silently toward the drawing room and peeked inside.

Something about seeing Amanda hosting tea for some of the ladies that lived near Kirkwood Manor made him feel, well, happy.

She had easily settled into the role of mistress of his home.

He couldn't wait for the four remaining days until their wedding to hurry by.

He stepped inside and bowed to those that called out a greeting. His lips curved when he asked if they would excuse his lady.

"I need to speak with her about tomorrow night's gathering."

The group watched, fascinated at the affectionate expression on his face when he took Amanda's hand.

Once the couple left, whispered questions were asked of Lady Millicent, her mother, and of Lady Lucinda.

"I knew they were well matched." Lucy replied, a secretive smile forming. "When he appeared at Almacks, willingly mind you, I knew that he had fallen in love with my niece."

Gasps of delight were expressed while others urged the London ladies to share more observations.

****************

"Is something wrong?" Amanda asked once Thomas shut the door to his study.

"No." He swiftly pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

Her startled laugh turned into a soft moan from the heat of his kiss.

He smiled softly at the bemused state his kiss had caused. "That was all I wished to discuss."

Amanda looped her arms around his neck. "As much as I enjoy our discussions," she teased, "I am most curious as to what brought this on."

He gave a brief shrug. "I saw you sitting there and needed to kiss you."

"I see." She pressed another kiss to his lips. "Feel free to pull me away whenever you wish."

He chuckled and followed her out into the hallway. "I'll be back soon, my lady." He took his hat and gloves from a patiently waiting Berger. "Lord Gabriel was wishing to see the new construction we did on one of the mills."

"Enjoy your ride, my lord." Her smile was warm when he bowed and lifted her hand to his lips.

Thomas kissed the inside of her wrist before letting it go.

****************

An hour later, many of the ladies left with invitations to visit their homes along with expressing how much they looked forward to furthering their acquaintance with Lord Hunt's chosen bride.

One particular lady remained behind to await her brother. Ms. Harriet Blake, younger sister to Mr. Richard Blake, Kirkwood's vicar, had found kindred spirits with Lady Millie and Lady Amanda.

"Have you ever been to London, Ms. Blake?" Millie asked once Lady Lucy and Lady Henrietta departed to finish the wedding plans.

"I haven't. And please, call me Harriet." She insisted with a bright smile. "Some of the families in Richard's parish refuse to do so, fearing it is somehow disrespectful to the Church." Her nose wrinkled. "No matter how much I insist I have little to do with his sermons."

Amanda laughed into her teacup. "Oh dear. Surely they don't."

"They do." Harriet slumped back in her seat. "Which puts me in the dreadful position of having to keep my teasing nature hidden whenever they are about." Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "My family was always one to have a laugh. My brothers and I played pranks and joked throughout our years growing up. A couple of the ladies that visited you today are the very ones that insist that a vicar and his family be more somber than either Richard or I are used to."

"Clearly they have yet to read the verses where the Lord says to have a cheerful heart." Millie said dryly.

"Indeed." Harriet muttered. "It didn't matter that Richard preached that very subject the following Sunday." She sighed. "Unfortunately, I am unable to stop laughing whenever something humorous happens. And my dear, angelic brother makes it so much worse with his whispered comments." She shook her head, grinning. "There will definitely be no courtship offers from the gentlemen of the more serious minded families."

"Your eldest brother, Sir James?" Millie inquired. "He recently married, did he not?"

"He did to a lady I can find no fault with." Harriet explained. "Theodora has a wicked wit that is the perfect foil for James." She chuckled while stirring her tea. "My dear brother thought himself clever until he encountered her."

"It is amazing to see those we love find their perfect match." Amanda cut her eyes to Millie. "Even if they aren't too happy at the discovery."

"Oh do hush." Millie grumbled.

Amanda ignored her and explained the unusual relationship Millie had with Lord Ryan.

"I'm awaiting the announcement of their engagement." She told her, refusing to acknowledge the glares Millie sent her way.

Harriet smiled at the news. "My congratulations will be given as soon you decide to share it."

***************

Two nights later...

"Seems everyone is taken with your chosen lady." Ryan teased.

Thomas observed as his intended was asked to dance by the blacksmith's nine year old son. His lips curved when Amanda dropped into a curtsy worthy of the king himself.

Her smile was tender as she took his hands and allowed him to spin her around.

His neighbors and tenants had fallen for the lady he had been introducing the past week or so.

Just like he knew they would.

Amanda had entered their homes, eased their nervousness, and listened to their stories and concerns. He had seen from the beginning that her quiet gentleness was precisely what his people needed from their lady of the manor.

And to think, I had almost allowed myself a chance to lose her.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard her laughing plea for a chance to rest when some of the other children ran up to her.

"Better go and save her." Ryan whispered. "I think young Brandon will try and steal her away from her if you aren't careful."

Thomas chuckled. The little boy did have a look of pure adoration on his face as he looked up at Amanda.

He made his way past the party guests and eased his way through the children.

"Pardon me." He gently patted Brandon's shoulder. "I need to have a word with Lady Amanda."

The young lad bowed before them and took off to join in on a game with the other children.

"Thank you." Amanda slipped her arm through his, squeezing it affectionately. "I wasn't quite certain how to say I wasn't up for a game of Blind Man's Bluff after Brandon's dancing."

"Summers suggested I hurry and do so before he stole you away." Thomas teased.

She laughed and shook her head. "Have no fear. I think his love for me died a swift death when I expressed my dislike of toads." She looked up at him. "No proposal is imminent, not with little Jane saying she loved them."

"Good. I wasn't quite prepared to challenge him for you." Thomas smiled when she laughed once more.

He led her over to the table that was nearly buckling from the number of pies and cakes the guests had brought.

The weather had turned out clear and perfect for the outdoor party. The surrounding gentry had been surprised when the viscount had invited them and the commoners to a party. Kirkwood Manor had not seen a gathering like this in years, much less combining all who lived nearby.

Word had spread quickly that he was hosting it for a chance for everyone to meet the future mistress. There had not been one refusal to his invitation. Everyone was curious to see the nearly reclusive viscount and the lady he had met in London.

None had been disappointed. The couple made sure to spend time with everyone, thanking them for coming.

When asked about the wedding, the couple explained that they wanted a small service. This party was in lieu of an extravagant ceremony with plans to host a yearly celebration.

Words of encouragement, marital advice, and congratulations were given from those young and old.

Thomas could not imagine a more perfect way to introduce her to the people that she would be over or for them to see how perfect she was.

"Lady Amanda!" One of the matrons called out. "Have you tried the jam tarts? It is an old family recipe that..."

The couple listened as the woman prattled on about her tarts being hailed as the best in the land while each taking a bite.

"These truly are the best I've ever tasted." Amanda answered when pressed for her opinion by the matron.

Thomas took advantage of the woman bragging to her neighbors and excused them.

Amanda laughed softly when he murmured that he now remembered why he had attempted to not host parties.

"I think you have a talent for it." She squeezed his arm. "Everyone I have talked to seems not only fond of you but also has been impressed with this gathering."

"I think they are more fond of the curiosity I cause than of myself." He told her. His lips eased into a smile. "Though I do think that now that they have met you, I am now considered wise for choosing you."

Amanda rested her head against his shoulder. She opened her mouth to say something sweet only to be interrupted by Sir Peter's poetic recital getting louder the closer he came.

"And the angel with hair the color of spun gold, the very one my heart once foretold, is now once again before me." He grasped Millie's hand as she tried to escape. "Thus allowing me to speak on bended knee."

Amanda's lips trembled as she tried to suppress her laughter. "Thomas, did you invite Sir Peter for a particular reason?"

He slipped his arm around her waist. "Why ever would you suspect my motives?" He watched as Ryan scowled at the man trying to woo Millie. "I certainly would never use it as a chance to gain a bit of revenge on our closest friends and their interference in our courtship."

His lady covered her mouth to muffle her laughter when Millie tried to keep the man standing.

"Sir Peter, you mustn't kneel! Please," she looked around at the attention he was drawing, "lower your voice."

"Lady Millie, it has been agony being so cruelly parted from you all these weeks. Our time together in London was not nearly long enough to keep my heart from dying bit by bit from not seeing you." Sir Peter pressed her hand over his heart. "Feel how it has sprung back to life with being near you once more."

"I am flattered." Millie mumbled. "But I--"

"Get ahold of yourself." Lord Ryan snapped, pulling Millie away. "You are causing a scene, sir."

"A man cannot be blamed when reunited with the very reason he breathes." Sir Peter uttered.

"Good lord, man. Do you hear yourself?" Ryan grumbled. "No one feels such."

Millie stiffened. "I beg your pardon!"

"Not now." He warned.

"Oh! You--" Millie's voice rose in irritation.

"Millie," he growled. "You will tell Sir Peter what is in your heart. That will halt his musings."

Her blue eyes narrowed. "And why would my heart cause him to stop?" She stuck her nose up in the air. "No one has yet to claim it."

"Oh dear." Amanda whispered. "What are we to do with them?"

Thomas shrugged while enjoying his oldest friend's struggle with succumbing to a life with the prickly miss beside him.

"I have a claim on your heart!" Ryan snapped. "By your own admission--"

"Merely a slip of the tongue." Millie responded, escaping his grip. "Tis hard to continue to feel anything for a man who does not return my affection."

She smiled warmly at Sir Peter. "Do go on, sir. I have always admired your unique ability to form verses."

Ryan fumed as the two walked off together.

"Thomas, we must fix this." Amanda urged.

Her intended softly groaned before approaching the marquis. "Summers? I think you know what you must do."

"Do not say it." Ryan pleaded. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I refuse to spend the rest of my life with a woman who takes offense to every little thing."

"My lord," Amanda began gently, "Lady Millie is one of the most loyal, sweetest--

"Not you too." He pinched the bridge of his nose. With a deep sigh he turned toward the happy couple. "I am well aware of Millie's attributes." His eyes narrowed at seeing Sir Peter take Millie into his arms for a waltz. "Dash it all! Why the devil is she the one that my heart has chosen?!"

He stormed away from his friends and approached Lord Gabriel.

Millie's father broke into a delighted smile with Ryan's question.

***************

"Sir Chris," Lady Lucy nodded toward a young woman he had met earlier. "What do you think of Ms. Blake?"

"She seems amiable, Lady Bridgerton." He carefully responded.

"I agree." Lucy studied the clergyman's sister. "Mr. Blake's older brother has the barony near Bedford."

Chris wondered why Lady Lucy was explaining all this."

"Ms. Blake came to keep house for Mr. Blake once their brother married." She continued.

"That seems to be the way people do things." He muttered.

"She appears to be a cheerful, bright young lady." Lucy nodded toward the one they were talking about.

Chris followed her gaze. Ms. Blake was standing with her brother, laughing at a story the doctor and his wife were sharing.

"I suspect that it won't be too long before Mr. Blake settles down." She gently tapped her chin as if in great thought. "A gentleman with both fortune and family will be snapped up before he knows what hit him. Poor Ms. Blake. It is hard for a lady to surrender the ingrained need to be head of a household."

"I wouldn't know anything about that." Chris narrowed his eyes playfully. "Lady Bridgerton, are you up to you old tricks?"

"Me?" Lucy placed her hand to her heart. "Why sir, whatever do you mean?" Her eyes twinkled. "I would never want to see a nice young man matched with a lady of equal sweetness."

He chuckled. "Lady Lucy, what would you have me do?"

"Ask her to dance." She gently patted his arm. "Then see what happens."

Chris shook his head. "You're lucky I am so fond of you, my lady."

"I know, my dear." Lucy urged him away. "Thank you for indulging me."

**************

"What do you think of Lady Amanda?" Richard Blake whispered to his sister, once they were alone.

"I like her very well indeed." Harriet responded. "I am most surprised at how changed Lord Hunt is after meeting her."

"Seeing him so happy is a surprise." Richard responded. "After meeting her, I look forward to knowing her better."

Harriet rolled her eyes with a laugh. "Yes, I saw her eyes light up with interest when you brought up your weekly discussions of literature with Lord Hunt." She nudged her brother. "I think your invitations to visit Kirkwood will continue if not increase once they are wed."

"Excuse me, Ms. Blake."

Harriet turned with a smile. "Sir Winters? Right?"

Chris nodded, flashing her a smile. "I was wondering, with your permission Mr. Blake, if I might have the next dance."

Richard eyed him for a moment then his sister's delighted smile. Feeling the brotherly need to tease her, he slowly nodded. "I have no objections if Harry does not."

Harriet's smile disappeared at the nickname her darling brothers declared described her perfectly. Her light brown curly hair was known to have a mind of its own, especially when she first awoke in the mornings.

They still liked to howl with laughter over her plight to tame it.

"Forgive me," Sir Chris looked about. "Who is Harry? I don't think I have been introduced to him."

"Have you not?" Richard continued, his smile growing. "I could have sworn you were--"

"Ignore him, sir." Harriet interrupted. "He is an evil man intent on tormenting me."

Chris's confusions gave way to worry. "This Harry is causing you trouble?"

Richard burst into laughter. "Forgive me, sir. Harry is what I sometimes call Ms. Blake."

"My name is Harriet." Ms. Blake added in case the young man was unaware. Her own teasing smile appeared. "My brothers are not known for their intelligence when it comes to appropriate monikers."

Chris couldn't help but smile as the siblings handled the good natured ribbing with more humor.

As the first notes of another waltz were heard, he bowed before her. "Ms. Blake? May I have this dance?"

She took his hand and allowed him to lead her to the area cleared for the dancers.

Once in his arms, she smiled warmly at him. "I have heard you had a hand in helping Lord Hunt's courtship."

He nodded. "I along with Lady Millicent, Lord Summers, and Lord Rodriguez." His lips eased into a smile. "They were a little too stubborn in their refusing to admit to falling in love with one another. We were there to help give them the necessary push toward matrimony."

Harriet laughed softly. "You should be commended. You did a marvelous job of matching them." She turned her head toward the couple who seemed to only have eyes for each other while they danced. "I must confess with the years I have known Lord Hunt, I have never seen him like this."

"Neither have I." Chris responded. His smile grew, dimples deepening. "Now once Lord Summers and Lady Millie are settled, I will only have to worry about Lord Rodriguez."

Harriet's eyebrow lifted. "Sir, have you developed a love for matchmaking?"

"I believe I have Ms. Blake." He winked at her, causing a delightful blush to form on her cheeks. "There is something so satisfying in being proven right." He leaned closer to whisper. "And to see your friends struggle with the inevitable trip down the aisle."

She laughed out loud, drawing a few curious stares. "Sir Winters, I don't know if I hope you also decide to help myself and Richard find a proper match or pray you never feel the desire to."

His eyes settled on the velvety chocolate color of her eyes before dropping down to the pert, thin nose, and then her lips curved in good humor. "I might know someone who might be your perfect match." His eyes lifted to hers. "Of course, before I can reveal who the gentlemen is, I would need to spend more time with you to gain a proper look at your character."

She shook her head as another chuckle slipped out. "I would suspect nothing less from a professional matchmaker."

**************

"Rodriguez!" Ryan called out. "Have you seen Lady Millie or Sir Peter anywhere?"

"Sir Peter is talking to Lady Henrietta and I saw Lady Millie over by the desserts." Matthew pointed out. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Only the ending of a man's life." Ryan responded.

He marched over to the lady in question. "We need to talk."

Millie turned around with a chocolate éclair. "We do?" She took a bite and ignored his presence. "I do not see what we could possibly have to talk about."

Ryan grit his teeth. "Would you accompany me on a walk, my lady?"

"I've already had a walk," Millie informed him in a friendly tone of voice, "with Sir Peter."

"Yes, I know." Ryan bit out. "Now I need to discuss something personal with you and wish for a secluded place to do so."

"Tempting, my lord, but I believe I will rest here and enjoy these delectable offerings." She finished her éclair and began to search for something else to eat. "Thank you for the off--" she let out a yelp when he gripped her arm and half dragged her away.

"Lord Summers!" Millie huffed. "Let go of me this instan--" she nodded her head and smiled at the vicar. "Good evening Mr. Blake."

"Same to you, my lady." He responded, smiling at the pair as they passed.

"Let go!" Millie hissed once they were out of earshot.

"I can't." Ryan responded in an even tone. "I tried, Millie. Lord knows I've tried to let you go."

Her brow furrowed at that odd speech. Her lips parted to question him, but she remained silent as she followed him further from the party.

Ryan paused in the garden near a bench. "Please sit."

Millie did so without a word of argument.

He kept hold of her hand as he stood before her. "I spoke with your father earlier."

Millie tilted her head to the side. "About?"

"I asked for his permission to ask for your hand in matrimony." Ryan knelt before her. "He said I have it along with his blessing. All I need now is you."

Millie's lips parted. "But you don't like me!"

"I do too!" He snapped. "Yes, you can drive a man to the very brink of insanity, but I would rather be driven crazy by the woman I love than one who I feel nothing for."

Millie's gasp slipped past her lips. "You love me?"

"Would I continuously put myself in your path if I had not already lost my heart to you?" He asked.

"Ryan!" She jumped into his arms and kissed him.

He pulled away for a moment. "This had better be a yes I love you too and want to marry you kiss, or so help me Millie I will--"

"It is!" She said, pulling him in for another kiss.

Just as he responded, she pushed him away. "What kind of morally ambiguous lady do you think I am to kiss a man I'm not intending to marry?!"

He crushed her to him as his mouth captured her lips. Lord Ryan found himself immensely pleased by how pleasant it was to silence her grumblings with such an action.

*****************

A few hours later, Thomas held his glass up. "A toast: to all of you who came this evening to help celebrate my good fortune in meeting the lady who has my heart." He lifted Amanda's hand to his lips. "To our family and friends for helping us plan this and our wedding." He smiled down at them. "And to the day after tomorrow when my new life begins."

Everyone cheered and drank one last toast to the couple before departing for the evening. Once there were only a few remaining, Ryan and Millie shared their own impending nuptials. 

Lady Henrietta dabbed at her eyes as she spoke excitedly to Lucy about the need to start planning the moment Thomas and Amanda finished their vows. 

While the group talked, Harriet leaned over to whisper to Chris. "It appears you have succeeded once more, sir."

"Indeed I have, Ms. Blake." His smile turned tender. "Indeed, I have."

****************

Night before the wedding...

Thomas hesitated at the connecting door between his room and Amanda’s. Knowing the superstitions of not allowing the groom to see his bride before the wedding, had him wondering if he should not join her this evening.

As if sensing his indecision, the door opened and Amanda smiled softly at him.

“I wondered if you were going to join me tonight.” She reached for his hand and tugged him into her room.

“I thought perhaps we should spend tonight apart.” He explained, watching her settle in her bed. “What with tradition and all.”

She laughed softly. “I think given our unusual courtship that we might be encouraging bad luck to visit us if we remained apart.” Her eyes met his. “Besides, I’m not certain that I can fall asleep without having you near.”

His gaze softened at her words, knowing he would not rest either if they were apart. Without another word of argument, he climbed into bed beside her.

The moment she was within his arms, he could feel his body relax once more. He brushed a tender kiss to her lips, smiling when she snuggled closer. 

“Are you nervous?” she asked.

“About what?” Thomas leaned back some so he could see her face.

“About marrying me tomorrow?” Amanda gently caressed his cheek. “Most men seem to be a bit uneasy when faced with the loss of their freedom.”

“As I have told you numerous times, I cannot wait to have you as my wife.” His lips firmed into a frown. “The only way I would remotely feel uneasy facing my wedding is if it were any lady other than you.”

She propped herself up on her elbow and kissed him. “I am very happy to be marrying you tomorrow.”  Her eyes held his. “I had no idea that I could have this much joy in my heart.”

Thomas urged her close for another kiss. He whispered his love for her then urged her to sleep. 

Amanda settled within his arms, smiling at what awaited them in the morning.

****************

Thomas and Amanda's wedding day...

Time, like all things, seems to want to crawl by when there is something you are anxious about and yet seems to fly by in the moments one wishes to hold onto for eternity. For the couple awaiting their wedding day, it seemed to be a bit of both.

It seemed that no time had passed from the party to rushing about to get dressed for the chapel. Servants dashed about to finish their chores so that they could witness their viscount marry the lady they had come to respect and care for.

Lady Lucy was unable to do too much other than blubber into her handkerchief when she saw her niece in her wedding gown. She was appalled at her own behavior but seemed unable to stop.

"Aunt Lucy?" Amanda reached out for her.

"No dear!" Lucy jerked away. "Tears will ruin the satin." She accepted Henrietta's spare handkerchief. "You look perfect, my darling."

Amanda turned back around to critically study her reflection. The gown her aunt had designed for her seemed to showcase all her assets in the best possible way. The rich satin hung perfectly with glistening crystals throughout the skirt. The white material had hints of blue in it to keep her from appearing sallow.

Her lace veil draped over her carefully pinned curls and had a band of red roses holding it in place.

Millie sniffed back her own tears as she gently hugged her. "You look gorgeous."

Amanda returned her hug. "Thank you." She included her aunt and Lady Henrietta. "Thank you all for helping me."

Henrietta clucked her tongue and bustled about to keep her tears at bay. "I would have been upset if you hadn't needed me." She pressed a kiss to Amanda's cheek and fluffed her veil. "We will see you at the church." She gave a tearful smile as she tried to tease her friend. "I'll attempt to stop Lucy from sobbing."

"Oh!" Lucy swatted Hen's arm. "I would remind you of the mess you were when Michael and Cora wed." She gave a quick kiss to Amanda's cheek. "Don't let her dress get caught in the carriage door." She ordered Millie.

The two matrons left in a stream of tears, more teasing, and excitement.

Amanda's lady's maid, Peggy, came inside and dabbed at her own eyes. She went about the room, putting things away.

"Are you nervous?" Millie asked.

"In a way." Amanda admitted. "Not over Thomas, mind you. More nervous that something is bound to go wrong.” She let out a slightly tense laugh. “I’m more worried about tripping down the aisle and having that be what I remember whenever I think back over my wedding day.”

Millie laughed while squeezing her friend’s hands. “I believe Lord Thomas would not allow you to fall. If anything, your clumsiness would only add another sweet moment for your special day.”

Amanda hugged her once more. “What would I do without you?”

“Most likely still ignoring Lord Thomas’s argument that he loved you.” Millie grumbled.

Peggy smiled softly as the two young ladies continued to tease each other. 

“I will be downstairs keeping a watch for the carriage, m'lady."

******************

Evil intent begins...

Outside Kirkwood Manor, Charles and John watched Lord Rawlings' carriage leave with the remaining wedding guests.

"Now." Charles whispered.

The two men, under Duke Viktor’s employment, crept into the servants' entrance and made their way up the back stairs.

The halls were deserted, save for the one maid they saw leaving a wing of the manor.

With a tilt of his head, John led the way, checking each bedroom they came to.

****************

Outside, near Kirkwood Manor...

"Every bride has to have flowers." Little Jane explained.

"That's why I picked these." Young Brandon held up a mixture of wildflowers and flowering weeds, some with the roots dangling.

"It's so pretty!" She clapped her hands together. "Lady Amanda will love it."

"We better hurry before she gets to the church." He told her, taking off at a run. "My mum said that brides always go last."

Jane sprinted after him, ordering him to be careful of the petals.

****************

Amanda checked the time again. "I do wish the carriage was already here." She paced about her quarters.

The door opened and she spun around with a smile. It dimmed to confusion at the two strange men that stood there.

She backed up toward the desk, blindly reaching for her letter opener when they came in and locked the door.

Millie came back into the main room after attending to her needs and froze. "Who--"

"We will have to take her to." One said. "She'll alert the entire town if we don't."

Amanda paled. "Don't hurt her."

Millie narrowed her eyes and jerked on the cord for the servants.

The one with an evil leer slowly shook his head. "You shouldn't have done that my lady." He backed her into the wall and struck her with his fist, knocking Millie out.

Amanda cried out in alarm, she swung around to jerk open a drawer for the letter opener, when a gag was tied over her mouth.

"Please, m'lady." The second man pleaded. "I don't want to hurt you." He gripped her hands and tied them behind her back.

Her eyes sparkled with tears as he tightened her bonds. She looked over her shoulder as Millie was swept over her abductor's shoulder.

"Hurry John." He ordered. "We are running out of time." He left the room.

John turned Amanda back around to face him. His hard expression softened when he looked into her fearful face. "I'll make sure the duke will do right by you."

Her brow furrowed as she tried to speak around her gag.

John threw a black cloak over her head and picked her up over his shoulder. He spoke calmly as she struggled against him.

"M'lady, it is no use. I will only hurt you more by tying your legs together if you don't stop. I don't want to have to do that to you."

She stilled.

"What--Who are--MR. BERGER!" Peggy screamed out when she saw John holding a tied up bundle. "MR. BERGER!"

John knocked Peggy down as he sped down the hall. He ducked out to the servants stairs and nearly jumped down them.

Amanda let out cries of pain each time her ribs hit his shoulder. She tried to brace herself as best she could.

The cloak slipped off of her when they burst outside. She blinked against the bright sunlight and saw two faces looking up at her in shock.

She tried to speak around her gag for them to hide, cursing the fact her hands were tied behind her back.

John didn't see them as he continued to run toward the plain carriage. He could hear the shouts of servants behind him.

"Take her!" He all but tossed Amanda at Charles so he could scramble up and take the reins.

Charles dumped her into the carriage before resuming his seat with John.

With a few flicks of a whip, the carriage lurched forward, dumping Amanda into the floor.

As she struggled to sit up and get her veil out of her face, she heard a laugh that caused a chill to run down her spine.

Hands grasped her arms and set her in the seat. They then brushed her hair out of her eyes and tossed her veil out the window. Amanda looked next to her at a still unconscious Millie, now bound and gagged.

"I am glad you decided to join me, Lady Amanda." Viktor chuckled at his own humor. "I'm sure Lord Hunt will understand within the next hour that I was right. You did decide on marrying a better man."

[xiaomomowrites]

Anything You Can Do [Oneshot]

100 prompts: Rivalry Attack on Titan | Eremika

Summary: Much to the Eren's dismay, it turns out Armin is a better kisser than himself. "Wait, how do you even know this?" Mikasa sighed, "it happened when we were kids. I had always wondered what it would have felt like to kiss you. But like hell I was going to tell you that."

With the horrible looming threat no longer hanging above their heads, Eren has the time and energy to get hung up about the fact that Armin was Mikasa's first kiss.

Find this story on AO3 and Fanfiction! {ampalayeah | levi-nii-san}

A/N: Hooooo boy was this one a treat. Set post-canon, since both the manga and the anime have been driving me crazy and I just want my babies to be happy. I wanted to expand on Eren’s inner conflict when I edited this one because I just love getting into this head, and also I wanted more drama lol. More tea, if I may. Because, not gonna lie, Arumika has been so tempting lately. I also totally projected my own deepest desires (lolol) onto their cute, domestic life in this. I hope you have as much fun reading this as I did writing it hehe.

-

At first, Eren doesn’t quite know what to do with this piece of information. He doesn’t even think she meant to confess this on accident. It lingered in the air for a bit before he tried his best to swallow it.

Much to the young man’s dismay, it turns out Armin is a better kisser than himself.

Or so, that’s what Mikasa admitted. The silence in the air was biting, and awkwardness followed. Then came his response.

“Wait, how the fuck do you know this?”

Mikasa looked at him, her face flushed red. She hasn’t felt this flustered in front of him in a while. “Eren, please,” she starts slowly, “it was such a long time ago.”

“I don’t see your point.”

“Please let it go.”

“I think I have the right to know!” he seems so intense and invested in this topic, she finds it kind of cute. At twenty-four years old, this is the most riled up she’s seen him in a while.

It has been about a year since the end of the war. After a reasonable number of months spent grieving over their losses, the remaining soldiers were given freedom to choose whatever they wanted to do with their lives. And so, they lived a domestic life in the end. It wasn’t something Eren gave much thought to, given the things he was so preoccupied with for most of his life. She was happy, finally getting to settle down with the love of her life after all this time. And he was finally at peace, after calming down and learning to appreciate life around him.  It was nice, and it felt right, at last.

They were tired, but finally at peace.

And now that there was no horrible looming threat hanging above their heads, Eren had time and energy to get hung up about the fact that his best friend totally stole his girlfriend’s first kiss, once upon a time.

Mikasa hesitated, then she eyed him warily, “as if you’ve told me everything.”

His eyebrows shot upward in surprise. What could possibly be there to know? Instead, he nods in understanding and asks, “What do you wanna know?”

Mikasa didn’t expect it, and she hesitates for a moment, but she'd be a fool not to take the invitation. “Well, okay, when we were cadets in training, in the 104th squad, you and Annie-“

“Platonic,” he interrupts her easily. “I wanted to learn from her, she was cool, I admired her. But nothing happened,” He makes sure to catch her gaze before finishing, “I didn’t like her like that. Next.”

“Er, okay…" she fought the giddy feeling at his eagerness to please her. Something about knowing what he really thought about Annie, even if it's years later, felt relieving. "What about Historia, when we were part of squad Levi?”

“Historia? Who gets mad at Historia?” he was genuinely confused. “She never does anything wrong, how can you feel threatened by-"

Mikasa raises an eyebrow, now less convinced, and he follows her into their kitchen. “Okay, okay, nothing happened either, Mikasa," the sound of her name and the sincerity in his voice made her soft for a minute. "That whole situation was so fucked up anyway. We kinda bonded over it, I guess."

“I see," she says smoothly, grabbing a cup and pouring tea into it. She picks it up from the top, a habit she picked up from Levi. Eren watches, amused, as he felt a pang of guilt in his chest.

"Mikasa…" he starts, his expression gentle. "I had no idea these things bothered you…"

She chuckled bitterly, bringing the cup to her mouth. It felt really nice finally being open with him when it came to these things. "Well you were so nice to these girls, and so fascinated with them. It just...sucked since you were such an ass to me for a while. And I mean, I was young, so it may have made me feel a little insecure."

'I'm sorry'. It seemed to be stuck at the tip of his tongue. He wanted to reach out to her, to gently stroke her hair and tell her none of that shit mattered now that they were together. That she's the only one now that he's so fascinated with. She looked so stoic, unfazed, but he saw right through her facade. And yet, he couldn't say it.

"So uh, anyone else?" He asks instead, immediately regretting the missed chance.

"You tell me," she says, her hard gaze boring right through him.

“Nope, nothing else,” he tells her confidently, and waits until she finishes taking a sip. “Now it’s your turn.”

She lets the warm liquid go down her throat before giving him a pouty face, “I really don’t want to talk about this.”

“Why not?” He’s riled up again; it’s cute, it's harmless. She tells herself she’s not just doing this to get a rise out of him. She also has half a mind to just drop it and stop entertaining him altogether. After all, if you ignore the problem, it might go away.

“Because then you get all worked up, and it stops being a civil conversation. Especially since…you know, your history with Armin.”

“What, because we fought back in Marley?”

She nodded, hesitantly, reluctant to open up that old wound.

“We’re fine, Mikasa. We’re still friends,” he assured her, genuinely. “That’s why he’s coming to visit, right?”

“Hmm,” she hummed in response, taking another sip.

It was true; in fact, that’s how this whole mess got brought up in the first place. They started off discussing Armin’s plans to come visit them for the week, then they started reminiscing over childhood memories, which had eventually led to Mikasa revealing that Arming had been her first kiss when they were kids.

The nail on the coffin was when Eren just had to ask if he was any good, and when Mikasa initially said yes as a joke, it was game over.

She was being stubborn, he mused, perhaps he just needed to gently coax the answer out of her (never mind the fact that he just wanted to get close to her).

“Please tell me,” he takes a step towards her tentatively, waiting for her to completely invite him into her bubble. She sets the cup of tea down on the counter and turns to face him, enticed by this display of gentleness. Eren pushes a strand of hair behind her ear and lightly tilts her head up to catch her gaze. When her wide eyes told him he had successfully charmed her, he continued, “it’s important to me.”

“Okay, okay,” she gives in almost immediately, blushing, and he smirks. “It happened when we were kids. We were…nine, I think. I had always wondered what it would have felt like to kiss you.” A smile tugs at his lips as the discussion takes a good turn. He wants to laugh, and kiss her. But she’s still talking, so he waits. “You were so cute and so nice to me, and we were kids. So naturally, I was curious.”

Mikasa played with the hem of his shirt, since he was standing so close and she needed something to do with her hands. A small amount of embarrassment was creeping up her cheeks. Then she adds, “but like hell I was going to tell you that.”

Eren lets out a chuckle that he was holding back, “Why not? You were a pretty girl, I wasn’t blind to that. I don’t think I would have objected.”

Her eyes narrowed playfully as she jabbed a finger to his chest. “Bullshit. You know how you were as a kid, always pushing me away when I got too close.”

“Ah, yeah okay, fair enough,” his hand shoots up to the back of his neck sheepishly. He did have quite the fascination with Mikasa for a good chunk of their younger days. He was just far too focused on other things to really give it much attention, and he’d be damned if she ever found out. But he couldn’t deny the fact that he had also considered a few times what it would have felt like to kiss her. It ended up being one of those experiences they just missed out on (well, he missed out on).

And now she was telling him that he could have, and probably should have just went for it.

“So wait…so, you asked Armin instead?”

“Yes, hun.”

“Why?” he watched her roll her eyes. “You wanted to kiss me, how is that the same thing?”

“Eren-“

“And he just agreed?” Eren scowled at the utter, petty betrayal by his best friend many moons ago, despite it being so trivial and innocent.

“I didn’t ask him to do it.”

“Okay, so he took ‘I wonder what it feels like to kiss Eren’ to mean ‘kiss me, Armin’.”

“See, you’re getting mad.”

“I’m not mad.”

She tried not to laugh; this was ridiculous. “Yeah, I guess so then. Maybe he just assumed I wanted to know what it felt like to kiss anyone, in general. Your nostrils are flaring again.”

Eren rubbed at his nose. This time she does laugh, it’s cute. Her grown-ass, war-veteran boyfriend was being ridiculous. “Okay, so what made him better?”

This time Mikasa recoiled a little, “I was joking.”

“Were you though?”

She thought for a moment, and her hesitation makes him uneasy. “You know I love you, right?” she redirects his incoming attack, picking up her teacup once again.

“More or less,” he jokes, wiping some of the liquid from the corner of her mouth with his thumb. She licks her lips and thanks him.

“Why are you being so insecure?”

He’s caught off guard for a minute, but when he gathers himself, he allows her to dig into these ugly feelings that were causing the issue to be blown up in the first place. A smile tugs at his lips; she always knew him so well. He takes her free hand and plays with it.

“I guess…I just feel…guilty,” he starts off slowly, tracing the scars and calluses on her fingers. “I wasted a lot of time pushing you away, and I know that Armin has always been there for you and with you when I wasn’t. It’s just adding insult to injury knowing he kissed you first. And apparently you liked it.”

“We were kids.” She reminds him again. His face falls at the fact that that was her response, and she gives his hand a reassuring squeeze. “Alright, I don’t know, I guess he was just so much gentler. Like he was trying to show affection, instead of trying to win a fight against me with his mouth.”

Eren raises an eyebrow, his proximity teaming up with his next response to catch Mikasa off guard, “I thought you like it rough. At least that’s what it seemed like last night.”

He watched her tough expression falter and a mischievous smirk played at his lips. He had her right where he wanted her when she ducked her head ever so slightly to hide the cute blush forming on her cheeks. He sees it as an opening to possibly redeem himself and change her mind; so he leans in to try to kiss her (to prove her wrong, damn it – to show her that he was better and there was no competition at all), but she stops him just in time, suppressing a laugh at his frustration.

“Eren,” she reprimands, and he obeys. “Not all of your problems can be solved with more aggression.”

When he realizes what just happened, he pouts, “Mikasa…”

“We’ll talk later, okay?” she downs the rest of the room-temperature tea and drops it off at the sink as she walks past her devastated lover. “I have to finish cleaning for when Armin gets here.”

All he could do was raise an eyebrow, confused, as she kisses him on the cheek and takes her leave.

-

The first day Armin spends with them was more or less pleasant. Mikasa seemed to be genuinely enjoying his company as they sat down to catch up on life. But there was something heavy residing within Eren, weighing down his shoulders and his smile.

He did miss Armin, and his presence was something nice. It would be such a waste to let this go to shit just because Eren was feeling a little petty and hurt.

"Hey, uh...can we talk?" Eren stands at the doorway of their guest room later that night.

"Oh, hey," Armin looks up from the book he was reading, "what's on your mind?"

Eren steps into the threshold of the room awkwardly and Armin immediately understands something is wrong. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Okay, shoot." He puts the book down to give his undivided attention.

He takes a deep breath before starting slowly, "back then…when you kissed Mikasa…" At this, Armin's eyes went wide, looking like a deer caught in headlights. "Yeah, she told me. What was that about?"

"Uh…" he seemed at a loss for words as his best friend just stared at him, his expression unreadable.

Eren sensed the emotion clouding Armin's thoughts. "I just want to know. I'm not upset or anything."

He didn't buy it, but nevertheless relented, knowing there was no way out of this. And even if escape was possible, there was no point. He deserved to know. "Alright, um...it was just a really bad time, Eren. Things were going to shit left and right. She lost Sasha- one of her best friends; it really messed her up. Levi was dying, and you were...being a real piece of shit."

Eren's expression changed drastically, a mix of confusion, surprise, and hurt fighting on his face. He kept quiet, not knowing what to say.

"Our time in Marley was truly a low point; she was vulnerable, and I guess I was too. It just...happened."

"What…" Eren seemed to find his voice, but his thoughts were still everywhere. Suddenly, images of his two best friends played in his mind: Mikasa, vulnerable, hurting, broken from his mistakes. Armin, confused, angry, touching her, holding her. He must have been gentle and careful too, that's just how Armin is. Why was she with him again? Suddenly his heart was in his stomach, dissolving in the acid of his regrets. He shakes it off and returns to reality. "What are you talking about?"

"Is...is that not what you asked?"

"I meant when we were kids." He sits down on the bed beside him, his legs unable to support him properly at this point. It hurt.

Armin pauses, remembering the correct memory, and he felt foolish, "...ah, fuck."

"What the fuck, Armin?" Eren seemed to have regained consciousness.

"Hey man, relax," He throws his hands up in the air in surrender, reading the hurt on the Titan shifter's face, careful not to poke the bear any more. "Like I said, we were just...in a really weird place, okay? It meant nothing, to me at least. I guess."

"You guess."

"Dude, what do you want me to say? Will it be easier if you tell me what you want to hear?"

The two seemed to have reached an impasse, as Armin didn't want to get any more aggressive and Eren realizes this wasn't the right way to deal with this. The eye contact was intense enough to halt the world into a standstill. The latter takes a deep breath to calm down. A moment passes.

"I'm sorry," he reels back. "It's a stupid thing to fight about. It's not...worth losing your friendship, again."

Armin's face softens, "I'm sorry too, Eren. If I knew it would hurt you later on I wouldn't have done it."

"It's...okay." he says, not sure how else to respond. Then he asks, a little hesitant at first since he knew what he was walking into, "is that all that happened between you two?"

"Yeah," it was an honest answer. Yes, they were close, but it never amounted to anything else with Mikasa's heart elsewhere and the circumstances they were in. "But, if I may, why does it bother you so much?"

Eren laughs sourly. "You've always been better for her," he explained simply.

"Come on, man, that's not true."

"I just don't know if I can ever make up for everything I've done," he completely disregards the comfort that Armin tried to give. "You, on the other hand, have a clean slate with her."

It was quiet for a few minutes, as they both gathered their thoughts. The silence wasn't painful, however, something about sitting in a comfortable silence with Armin in the midst of his issues was reassuring.

"That sounds like something you need to address, with yourself." He watched the expression soften on his best friend and took as an invitation to continue. "She loves you, Eren. She always has. You can't undo your mistakes in the past; all you can do is move forward, and you're doing just fine. Besides, the best apology is changed behavior."

Eren seemed to be digesting his words, resulting in a warm smile. "I hate that you're always right."

"Yeah, I still got it." The air seemed much lighter. "Be gentle with her. She deserves to be treated right."

"I know." He stands up and rests hand on Armin's shoulder affectionately. "Thank you."

-

It seemed pointless to get angry about it, so Eren resolves to just show her. After all, actions speak louder than words. He walks back to their shared bedroom, just thinking about what Armin had said to him just moments ago. He finds her on the way to the room as well, a full laundry basket in hand.

“Hey,” he stops her. She looks tired- it’s late at night- but her eyes brightened at the sight of him.

“Hi,” she smiles, walking into the room with him. He lets her set the clothes down, and then takes one of her hands in his to pull her closer. His other hand reaches up to cup her cheek, brushing some loose strands of her long hair that had fallen out of the ponytail, out of her face.

Mikasa felt her heart stutter at his actions. Even a gesture this simple was enough to send her up to cloud nine. He loves her, she knows, but being Eren (touch-starved, socially awkward Eren) meant he showed it in his own ways. She never objected to his methods - most of the time this meant nights filled with so much passion and intensity that she’d wake up the next morning wondering if all that was just a dream. That, and little favors he would do for her that just defined domesticity between them and their lives now.

He never really noticed that their relationship was this intense, hot fire that burned brightly all the time. He realizes that ever since they got together, they’ve just been going at it to make up for lost time. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to dim it a little to make a small, comforting fire to keep warm and cozy. At some point it wasn't even about proving his point about Armin anymore, and one-upping his best friend. He needed her to know how he felt about her, more than anything. He wanted to show her that he was just as capable of being gentle and sweet, for her.

There was no need for any other words; he was determined to show her that he was serious about earlier. So when he was absolutely certain that she had completely succumbed to his charm, Eren tilted his head and leaned in just enough to catch her lips.

Just like that, everything else around them had disappeared to Mikasa. The clean laundry that sat by their feet and the fact that Armin was just in the next room was forgotten. It was only her and Eren, the young man she had loved practically all her life.

She leans into him eagerly, attempting to close the distance between them, but he pulls back just enough to keep her from deepening their kiss. In response, a small sound of displeasure escaped her throat, earning a cheeky smile against her mouth.  

He kissed her slowly, but so full of confidence and love, that Mikasa almost felt light-headed. She felt every little movement of his against her, sending goosebumps up her arms. It was ridiculous how much he affected her, not that she was complaining.

The hand that cradled her face found its way into her hair, and when she took this as a go signal to get closer, he shifted his other hand to her waist to control the distance once again. She let out a small gasp in response, leaving him an opening to deepen the kiss, at his own pace.

Eren tilted his head slightly, smirking at how he knew how much control he had over the situation. He couldn't help but feel so smug that the mighty Mikasa Ackerman was pretty much wrapped around his finger at this point. When his name escaped her mouth in a quiet, desperate manner that almost drove him over the edge, he decided it was a good time to ask.

"Better?" He pulls back, looking straight into her eyes. His gaze was so intense, it was almost intimidating. He held her so gently though, it didn't match the way he looked at her so fervently. Mikasa is caught off guard, and couldn't find the words. Instead, she nods, helplessly. "Hmmm, not good enough, Mikasa," he teases.

She tries to frown, "what do want me to say?" Her voice is soft and breathy, clearly hungry for more, and it sent a heat down through his stomach. He had to keep his cool though, this was his turf.

"Tell me I'm better than Armin."

Oh, there was no doubt about it, Mikasa knew. As sweet and comforting as Armin was to her both times, it just didn't send sparks and warmth through her whole body the way Eren did. But there was no way she was going to give him the satisfaction that he so much needed. Especially when he was just being so petty.

"Eren, don't be ridiculous."

"Yeah, I knew you'd say that," he says lowly, and she almost yelped as he dives in again.

He gives her a little more control this time, allowing her to wrap her arms around his neck to pull him closer. He felt just how much she needed him, and it was getting more and more difficult to hold back just to prove his stupid point.

It didn't matter, he just had to outlast her and have more self control. He opens his mouth a little to graze his tongue against her closed mouth gently, and she accepts the invitation. She was making his legs feel like jelly and his insides were all warm and fuzzy. He wondered how he ever let all his teenage years go by without kissing her before, and he realizes he really couldn't blame Armin for wanting this.

"Say it," he prompted, and it almost sounded like he was begging. Eren's voice was low and husky, and it was clear he was losing his cool. She smiles wickedly against him in response. He pushes forward a little bit, and she gasps sharply as she trips over the laundry basket, pulling them both onto the bed. Mikasa giggles, her soft laugh was music to his ears.

He doesn't waste another moment though, diving in to trail kisses from her mouth and down to her neck, now that she was pretty much cornered beneath him. One of his hands was tangled in her hair and the other one had snuck into her shirt, working its way up. Mikasa moaned softly at his touch, sending chills down his body and calling him back up to her lips.

He looks down at her, and she just looks so delicate. For a second he forgets how this all even started. Instead, he says the first thing that comes to mind, without thinking.

"I love you," he blurts out, caught up in the moment, "and I'm sorry."

"For?"

"Everything," he leans his forehead against hers affectionately, careful not to crush her with his weight. The way he's holding her explains exactly how he feels about her and makes her heart flutter.

"I love you too," she tells him, her eyes sparkling, and all of a sudden all his previous insecurities seemed so stupid. She pulls him down again and he doesn't object. His newfound realizations fueled the heat between them this time, and the next thing they knew, their hands were everywhere.

She moves to undo his belt and suddenly Eren remembers what initiated all of this in the first place: she still hadn't said what he wanted. He pulled back abruptly and she looks up at his eyes clouded with lust.

"Eren," she tries to scold him for denying her right before they got to anything interesting, but she just looked like an angry bunny to him.

Eren laughs a little, surprised at her reaction and is actually taken aback a little; she actually cracked before him! He reels back, teasing her with a shit-eating grin as he watches, amused, at how utterly flustered she looks: cheeks red, panting heavily. Mikasa’s hair was sprawled on the bed, her shirt was halfway off, and her chest rose and fell as she tried to find words.

If this kid wasn’t so stubborn, he would have given in long ago. But this was Eren Jaeger, and he really wasn't going to give in until he got what he wanted.

"Fine," she growls when she realized it. He doesn't need to ask again. "You're better than Armin."

"Thank you," he breathed, finally at peace, and moved in to finish what he started.

They didn't notice their third musketeer come in, a blanket draped over his shoulders as he stops at the doorframe to tell them to be quiet (the damn walls were so thin, he sighed, it interrupted his late night reading).

"Hey guys," he greets casually, not even caring that he clearly (deliberately) interrupted something.

Mikasa looks surprised, her head snapping over to him. She's at a loss for words, flustered as her lover's hands were so far up her shirt and she was centimeters away from unbuttoning his pants. Armin fights the urge to laugh as his best friends looked like deer caught in headlights, and briefly wonders if this was his doing. Eren drops his face onto her shoulder, unable to face his best friend, ears heating up.

Armin raises an eyebrow, tongue in cheek, "better than me at what?"

[thegempage]

was thinking about my childhood for a bit and decided to pull together some memories and try to write smth. nothing too sad, just reminiscent!

i can’t guarantee the accuracy of them, bcus my memory is bad and bipolar stole most of my childhood memories, but that just means it’s extra ok to rb lol

hope you enjoy!

You are six, and you are very small. The hallway you walk down is very big, bigger than any other building you’ve ever been in, and it is quiet. You’re rather thankful -- this building houses more kids than you’ve ever seen, and they are all so loud, and you just wish they’d go back to existing at a reasonable level. You bump into a girl, and she has long blonde hair that’s pretty in a way you won’t be able to articulate for a long time, and the words you exchange promise you a rare and wonderful treasure for the next few years: friendship.

You are nine, and you feel different from the other kids around you. This place is smaller, much more suited to you, but you look more like the kids excitedly discussing middle school than the kids you sit next to in class. The doctors tell you it’s okay, though, so you’re not worried, and you just brag about being the tallest kid in class. Unbeknownst to you, your parading around with the hardcover books of monster and heroes and big smiles and loud presence catches the eye of someone in another classroom, someone who will be in your life when you learn to articulate the ways in which girls are pretty.

You are ten, and you have met your very best friend. It was an accident -- you’ve never really been good at making friends on purpose, they pop in and out of your life and sometime in a few years you’ll wish you figured out why -- but she smiles a lot and laughs at your jokes and she makes you laugh and you smile a lot when she’s around, and with her help you manage to make more friends, and you still feel different from the other kids but that’s fine because none of them seem to notice.

You don’t know how old you are, but that tracks with everything, recently. Sometimes days become a haze and you feel like you were acting differently than you are now, but the haze gives up nothing to confirm or deny your suspicions. You’d ask other people, but they all seem so caught up in their own dramas, and you don’t want to bother them. It’s probably nothing, anyway. You are angry, and then you are not, and you are searching for something and you are losing something and it’s probably nothing, anyway.

You are fifteen and you at staring out a window at a parking lot and your sleeves are too long for the weather but you’ve pushed them up to your elbows so it’s fine. There’s lots of celebration behind you but you’re not really feeling up to it, and no one’s really inviting you, so you just listen and watch the cars pass on the street. Somehow you are talking to your teacher, and she gives you a teacup. You’re oddly touched by the gesture and you keep the tea cup in your china cabinet for years to come.

You are seventeen and you are in a room across the hall from where you watched the cars go by and there is a shout. You all jump up, desperate to stall this class, anything to stop this class, and outside you watch a car burn. Later, on your way to your car, you stop and take a photo, to share with your friends who no longer go to highschool. It makes the drone of the year a little lighter, for a while.

[xiaomomowrites]

Bloodline

Attack on Titan | platonic!rivamika

Summary:  It would be different now Mikasa pondered, she’d finally have someone watching her back as diligently as she does.  Perhaps she could use the company, the familiarity. There was something about the idea of getting to know her long lost cousin that excited her, given that there was so much to her clan that she was not aware of. My take on the Ackerman reveal.

Find it on fanfiction.net ladies and gents {mikasa-heichou}

A/N: y’all,,, I’m here again lol. I wrote this way back last year and after season 3 came out and after seeing episode 53 I got stupid sad. So now I’m here, coping again. It’s pretty raw and unedited but I really just wanted to get something out there. I hope you enjoyed this. Leave me some love~

“So,” Hanji stood in front of two of humanity’s strongest- and unamused- excitedly, “remember when I stole you two for some lab testing?”

“The ones you didn’t have my consent for? Yeah, I remember.” Levi interrupted. Mikasa had to stifle a chuckle because there was no way she was giving him that satisfaction.

“Yes,” Hanji adjusted her glinting glasses higher on her nose, “I was looking through them last night, and oh! I came across such fascinating things. The truth lies in your genetic sequence! In truth, there’s less than 10% genetic differentiation between you two, which would explain so much about how similar you are. In fact, you likely share the same genetic sequence that codes for the ‘super strength’ gene, or the ‘Ackerman Gene’, as I would call it, and obviously they’re both being expressed at that exact locus-”

“Get to the point, shitty glasses. You called me here so it better be important or I’m leaving.” Levi scoffed, crossing his arms uninterestedly. Mikasa unknowingly mimicked his actions, saying nothing and eyeing the biologist in front of her.

Hanji inhaled, the glint in her eyes intensifying as she set her hands down on the desk. “Congratulations, you two. Levi and Mikasa Ackerman. Who knew the two strongest soldiers would be related!”

--

They decided to keep the reveal on the down low. The last thing they needed were more rumors and gossip spreading like a wildfire among the survey corps. But the fact that they were related didn’t change their oddly destructive dynamic. Mikasa still made sure to make fun of him whenever she could and Levi still took time out of his busy schedule to make her life a living hell.

“Braus and Springer, you’re in charge of dinner tonight. Lenz and Jaeger, handle the toilets. Braus already did enough damage when she couldn’t control her stomach after dinner last night, and I don’t want to be anywhere near it until it’s sparkling.”

“Hey-”

“Kirschtein, clean the stables and tend the horses. Arlet, you’re with him. Ackerman, you’re sweeping the floors. If I see a single speck of dust when I come back, you’re shoveling horse shit for a week.”

“I swept the floors last week.” her eyes narrowed.

“Excellent deduction. Now get to it.” Levi turned to leave, but her voice cut him short.

“There’s no point in sweeping while Sasha’s cooking, the dirt will just replace itself. I’ll wait until she finishes dinner-”

“No, you’re sweeping now.”

“No, I think I’ll wait so the dirt isn’t endless.”

“Ackerman I swear to god if you don’t grab that broom and start cleaning I will shove it down your throat until you’re shitting it out-”

“If you can even reach it, you damn midget-”

“Guys, stop!” Eren cried out, slamming his hand down on the (dusty) dinner table. Eren grimaced, geez, when was the last time this place was cleaned?

“What’s wrong with you guys? You’ve been fighting like this the whole way here,” Christa mediated, “Squad Levi won’t be Squad Levi until we all get along!”

It’d be easier to get along with her if she wasn’t such a bitch, Levi bit his tongue. Damn, maybe it runs in the family. He took a dramatic deep breath before turning to leave again, only stopping to look over his shoulder and look at his cousin. She was already glaring daggers at him.

“Spotless.”

--

“You know, if you wanna make it anymore obvious that there’s some shady shit then just keep up that shitty behavior.” Levi had said to her one night when Mikasa was reporting back information from a solo mission. Mikasa stopped at the threshold of the door to look back at him.

“It’d be easier if you didn’t use our relations to boss me around even more. That’s like, some fucked up version of nepotism.” she crossed her arms in annoyance.

“Hey, watch your fucking language.” Levi scolded, “And I’m your captain, bossing you around is my job.”

“Tch.” Mikasa scowled and moved to pick up the empty teacup on his desk and bring it to the kitchen. “I’m feeling the love, big brother.”

Levi’s face softened. He watched her figure begin to take its leave before deciding to stop her. He supposes it’s a shitty thing to belittle the one person he is required to devote himself to.

“You know,” he began, causing her to look up curiously, “as much as I hate you, I’m… glad Hanji told us. We’re family. We look out for each other now.”

“You were supposed to do that in the first place.” Mikasa’s voice was softer, though, lacking the usual biting tone to it.

“You’re missing the point, idiot-”

Mikasa laughed. Just a small chuckle, but her soft voice letting out an almost angelic sound made him stop. She shifted her weight onto one hip, her eyes suddenly fascinated with the elaborate flowers painted onto the porcelain.

“I know. I’m glad, too.” an itching silence fell over the two and Mikasa fumbled with the China in her hands. It would be different now Mikasa pondered, she’d finally have someone watching her back as diligently as she does. Someone fully capable, too; someone who understands what it feels like being tied to a person. Perhaps she could use the company, the familiarity. There was something about the idea of getting to know her long lost cousin that excited her, given that there was so much to her clan that she was not aware of.

“What are you still doing here?” his voice cut through the air, though there was a certain tone of caring in his voice. “Get out, brat.”

She smirked. Ah shit, here they go again. “Of course, onii-chan.”