#skedaddle pillar

[rottedbrainz]

⭐️🍃Cousin Skedaddle🍃⭐️

I've only never drawn Welcome Home fan art until I saw him! He's so cute! And the bangs and the wavy hair!!!

I JUST LOVE MYSELF A HIPPIE PUPPET!!

[jacenotjason]

Hii!! I know you aren't that into welcome home anymore, but I can't help but wonder if the Eddie and the single pea incident happened in the opposite au?

I'm still into Welcome Home, i find myself thinking about it in the same intensity it used to be, but only for a few minutes.

and... maybe :)

I talk about it a lot more over in discord! Even though I'm not super active about it here, it's easier for me to share my fleeting thoughts in the discord then on Tumblr, so there's more food in there.

For example, I've been sort of losing my mind over an Opposite version of Howdy's family. Here's a sneak peak!!

[catnix328]

oohh they are so cute ❤️💕

:)❤️💕👍

[krasytoonz]

HOWDY'S HOLIDAY HULLABALOO!

[teachyouhowtodothesponge]

Doodles of Wally giving his art to some of the Pillars! :) He is a wonderful little artist!

[punny-buddy-barnaby]

Heyyyyy buddddddddyyyyyyy- what do ya think of howdy’s family?

Well uh...give me a second to pull out the list- I currently only have a quarter of a wiggle but I can tell you what I got-

So uh, we'll start with...Hiya!

Hiya is a very sweet woman, I think she's the kindest bug I've met! I mean, other than howdy but he can be a bit pushy with his sales- plus she makes the best food I've ever tasted! And she ain't ever broke the spaghetti! Still mad at someone for doing that- not supposed to break it-

Biya is nice too but I don't know him as well, I heard he's a clumsy fellow- kind of reminds me a mailman I know!

Aunt Toodaloo is nice and all but I do t like her all too much- she keeps asking howdy when he'll sell his shop and it just irks me, really just irks me. Other than that she's a sweet Lady!

Uncle Adieu is uh....I have no clue what that man is saying!!- plus there was....the incident- no one will believe me but I swear to you he said, in perfect English, said "no one will believe you" when everyone went outside!!!-

Cousin Skedaddle is really nice! Me and him get along! We smoke cigarettes together sometimes! Other than that we uh...we don't got much in common

Oh and Seeya is just a sweetheart, really takes after her mother in that sense, she's wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! She helped me get out of a hole I accidentally dug myself into-

Beeya is great to, really great guy to just mellow out with, he is so calm all of the time! Though I wish him and Seeya wouldn't drop their kids off everywhere, but it's fine, I lover those two trouble makers! Speaking of which!

Howdo and Youdo are the funniest trouble makers I know!! I got them to prank Frank once and it was a holler!! We was on our backs laughing, it was so fun!

And than there's Gam Gam Sally Tations, I don't think she likes me very much- she hits me with the news paper Everytime I come around, I think she hates me infact- she calls me "dumb dog"-

Now, don't tell Howdy- but I did save the best for last!

Honestly Latter is my favorite out of the entire family! Sure his poems are sad and feel dreadful, but they're nicely done I think! Everyone else calls me tone deaf cause of it but I know when I like something! And I quite like Latter, he's really nice!

[sg-the-mag-by]

My brain just lit up like a Homewarming tree with Sally perched on top! Everybody, hopefully, remembers the hidden caterpillar on the Welcome Home Site(I don't remember the exact page but it was a blue caterpillar on a leaf with three eyes, or at least two real eyes) and that takes you to the video of Howdy telling Barnaby and Wally about how some of his siblings were having trouble with their cousin Henry and that he needed to go to their Aunt Molly so she could set him right, for whatever he was doing that was causing distress in the Pillar family. Now, in the Homewarming update we got some more of Howdy's family members, though their names weren't what we were expecting. One of those names was for Howdy's Cousin Skedaddle, who clearly is a surfer dude beatnik type. So I'm sure you all get where I'm going but I'll add a little more to this theory stew I'm brewing. When you go the transcripts for Howdy's Holiday Hullabaloo and you read where Gam Gam Sally Tations enters, right by her name(and I HOPE it is still there) is the name Holly. Now I STRESS it is a name because it is capitalized. AS SOON as I saw this and really as soon as I heard everyone's names be greetings of some sort or statements(like Latter's name) I knew something was up. So if Holly is actually Gam Gam's real first name then who's to say all the other family members we meant don't have different names too? Like the only named cousin showing up, who seems to have a different way of thinking things that Howdy and his Siblings don't really understand, who was sent TO AN AUNT of theirs, yeah. Skedaddle's REAL name is Henry and possibly Aunt Toodaloo is Actually Wooly Aunt Molly. And how that I think about it, Skedaddle LOOKS like he'd be a Henry but would probably go by other names too to fit his lifestyle. Now I want to STRESS this is a theory based on what minimal information we have from hidden bug videos(that may or may not show what is actually happening in Home when the cameras are off and showing the truth as well) that have been fully wiped from the website and how all these names were for a song made by Playfellow and Marlo so of course they'd want to make something goofy like this since Howdy's name is both a shorthand for Howard and a greeting, aka Howdyadoo as his mom and aunt call him. Also shout out to @carnivalcarrion for their Welcome Home Winter-Spring Update stream where they pointed out "Toodaloo" possibly being Wooly Aunt Molly before we heard these names, you may have hit the right note there IF this theory has any merit. If not, well I had fun thinking about it and I hope everyone who reads this long theory enjoyed it too and got your own brains turning at what was going on in the Neighbors world and what was going on in the real world.

[silverynight]

Gonna go a bit more into the Big Cat AU scenes where mama Tanjiro growls at nearly anyone including is own mates bc his newborns and young cubs are in his nest (rl canids and felids, most of the mama dogs do this too and it’s kinda funny even if the papas are curious and genuinely gentle):

Tanjiro is watching over his children playing and newborns sleeping peacefully near him.

He tenses up a lil as he sniffs the air, he gently gets up without disturbing his sleeping cubs.

He’s at the entrance of his nest and peeks out, seeing his mates peeking inside. He gives a soft warning growl despite said mates wanting to see their children.

“Tanjiro honey, can we see our cubs?”

He hisses and narrows his eyes a bit, “No, some of them are already asleep. I don’t want to hear their cries of being waken up.”

As the sires skedaddle out of respect and a lil bit of fear, Aoi and the Butterfly girls sigh and facepalm.

“See? He wasn’t even ready to let you all in the nest!”

“But we want to see the cubs!”

“Right! The last time we saw some of them were them being recently born until Tanjiro growled at nearly everyone to get out!”

“Even so, it’s best to wait until the cubs are able to handle new smells from their sires or else they will throw a fit over stinky scents.”

Tanjirou overwhelmed by his own maternal, protective instincts that he doesn't let his own mates in his nest at first.

The cubs haven't even opened their eyes yet and are vulnerable so Tanjirou is not going to let anyone near them for a while.

"He looks really hot when he growls at us, doesn't he?"

Aoi leaves with the butterfly girls because she can't stand when the Pillars are being ridiculous simps, even in a situation like that one.

After a couple of days, however, Tanjirou carries his cubs in his arms and brings them to their sires so they can finally meet them.

[surely-galena]

Artem, sliding in from behind a pillar: YOU SUPPORT KANON (skedaddles away before anyone can object)

[breezybeej]

I guess I'm overdue for some analysis huh. I have to take a break from being blinded by my rage at the men of season 6.

Obviously the musical episode is a Big Episode. Of course it carries themes through the rest of the season.

Something that is interesting is Sweet saying "I come from your imagination, here at your invocation" or whatever. He goes on to describe himself, basically, as the concept of self-destructive behavior. He represents the way the Scoobies are responding to their crises:

Giles worrying about support takes the simpler but harrowing option to skedaddle

Willow worrying about her relationship and turning to the easy magic options to patch it up

Buffy struggling to find purpose and meaningful relationships again turning to the convenient stalker vampire BF

And Xander?? Struggling with fears of the future with Anya? If he follows the pattern of the others, he will sabotage his own engagement?

To reframe it, the main issue is that Buffy is struggling so her three pillars are struggling in tandem. So she has until the wedding to get her shit together because i swear to god Xander is acting like he's about to cross a line I won't be able to forgive.

Something that happens in Once More with Feeling is that Buffy offers HERSELF to Sweet if she can't kill him. And she DOES fail to kill him so she DOES give herself over to the self-destructive act of bouncing on her boy. Willow DOES give in to magic and Giles DOES give in to his idea of logical fatherly decisions.

Xander is beholden to this marriage contract, to be Sweet's queen, and it gets called off.

Same vein: Buffy offers herself to save Dawn. When she turns invisible, she comes to the determination that she must live because being gone is scaring Dawn. Willow literally crashes a car with Dawn in and decides to cold turkey after that.

People clean up when they think they are endangering Dawn (who is buffy/is innocence). Giles sings about endangering Dawn with his decision to step back. Maybe he will get a Dawn moment that encourages him to return. Maybe Xander will get his chance to talk to Dawn and realize he is being a fucking useless sack of shit. But all these have happened AFTER the characters have already fucked up so idk man. I dont know how much Sad and Insecure Anya i can handle

[mcyt-builds-contest]

Something is happening, that's for sure, but what is connecting all those universes, and why now?

ToAsgaard’s was in the upper balcony, looking at the night sky above his castle, before punching a cobble button etched into the wall, suddenly spreading a rumble across the castle, followed by four pillars of lights erupting from each cardinal direction, beacons. The light slowly turning from white to a deep purple before meeting above the main tower, the energy produced liberated a small shockwave, and with a slight grin, ToAsgaard unsheathed a small book covered in golden markings, and opened it to one of the last pages.

The Earth rumbled again under the sheer power of the spell ToAsgaard was casting, the stars above seemed to fade before a gigantic circle of runes started to appear, mad of pure purple light, more runes slowly being written into a smaller circle, and when those finished appearing, the whole castle was engulfed in light.

ToAsgaard had to hold his ground, clutching both his hands on the cobblestone wall that was making his balcony’s fence, but the next rumble was more powerful than it should have, and made him tip over, letting ToAsgaard fall off his balcony, but he never hit the ground.

As the light dissipated, the runes and rings had disappeared and was instead replaced by a small purple crack in the sky, spreading.

Another shockwaves pulsated from the rift as it opened even further before ToAsgaard realized he was floating above the ground. No, he was getting pulled away from it, the rift seemed to attract everything toward itself, the roofs started to crumble as the rubble was pulled upward, and ToAsgaard could feel himself speeding up, before everything went black…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So, how did you even get here Tango? I didn’t see you here, and I’ve been around for almost a year now!”

“I was going to ask you the same Bdubs, everyone was searching for you when we came back through the rift!” Tango seem to look in nothingness for an instant, before letting out an almost inaudible sigh, “After every hermit got on that big spaceship to go to the next planet, I was still working on the dungeons, trying to make the forge finaly work, but they left without me…”

“Really?” Bdubs was taken aback by what he just heard, “That doesn’t seem like something the hermits would do!”

“I know right! A lot of us still had massive projects to finish and no one knew it was going to happen this soon, it was like everyone fled in a hurry, and forgot to look in the noodle-redstone mess I made in the backdoor of my citadel!”

“So what did you do afterward? You tried to go in the rift?”

“I couldn’t Bdubs! The rift had closed right after the empire folks got back to their world, so I just waited, hoping they were coming back to get me. But what they fled from happened before they could get back, if they even tried.”

“What do you mean the thing they fled from?”

“The planet we were on started to move, massive earthquake at all time! I hoped I could have skedaddled with them, but gigantic cracks were made across Scarland and Mumbo’s area! And when I flew by to investigate, my elytra suddenly broke and I fell in one of them, the bottom a blinding purple light, and then I woke up in an obsidian box with my stuff, so I looked around and found complex redstone, started to try and comprehend what they were for, and then that jerk came and you know what happened!” Tango was making weird hand gestures out of frustration, his soulfire hair burning slightly brighter, “and where were yo–”

The discussion was interrupted when a small rift, similar to the one Bdubs and Tango new too well, appeared in the cell, spiting out some stone bricks and a brown-haired guy in a jacket and a broken headset, covered in glowing purples runes that disappeared with the rift almost instantly.

A promise is a promise, so here you guys go (might not be lore accurate i'm not a dsmp fan)

How to stop a dreamer by @mcyt-builds-contest

Dream is faced with a power he had never seen before: shreeping

"It had been weeks since Dream started putting this plan, months even, it had to be perfect, everything was calculated, everyone had been studied, corrupted, manipulated. there were no variable left, not a single amount of "unknown" was allowed in this equation. Dream had done it, it was the perfect plan." Punz was monologuing while trying to sneak out of what remained of L'manberg without getting noticed, a compass in hand, tonight would this symphony be finaly finnished.

Dream didn't really have a base, but he was hiding a room in the castle he once gave to Eret, and the empty walls of the structure made it feel like a prison, none of the torches had been lit in a long time, except a faint light, dissapearing behind a corner. "For Goodness sake why does he keep doing it!?" Dream's voice echoed through the hallway, startling Punz for an instant, he had never heard him this upset before.

"Dream? Is something wrong?"

"Oh. Sorry Punz, I didn't see that you were there." answered Dream, his mask dangling in one of his hands, "It's just that my foolproof plan, wasn't foolproof enough!", his voice started to derail a little has Dream tried to keep his composure, his grip thightening on his mask, almost cracking it

"But we took everything into account!" Punz added, his voice tinted in disbelief as he sat down, "We didn't make a single error!"

Dreamed sighed, exasperated by this new obstacle, "Turns out, Ranboo can only enderwalk during nighttime,"

"And?"

"And that guy, what's his name again, Bdubs? seem to just be able to sleep it away!" Dream threw his mask down on the table, filled with maps, papers and books, before taking out a folder filled with hastly scribbled pages, covered in all kinds of markings, "Since he 'appeared' here two week ago, he skipped throught every single night."

"You have a solution right? you always find a solution!" Punz said before taking a closer look at one of the pages, on it was drawn a pair of sunglasses,a weird rift-looking location and some sort of weird structure, labeled "temple to the sun god (ME!), gifted by Sausaage :p", Punz took the rest of the green folder arbored with the meticulous drawing of a clock, before asking "Where did you find this?"

"I took them from a diary i found in that Bdubs guy's house!"

"And you have a plan then?"

"Of course i do" Dream slighlty smirked, before putting his mask back on, "Remenber that prison i made Sam build and i'm supposed to go in? I think we may have to change the convict :)"

[catnix328]

✨Skedaddle✨

oh 👍

[twofrontteethstillcrooked]

24 Oct. Suptober: Movie Character Mischief

Halloweens came and went; prank revenge was forever.

au somewhere in the s11-12 era (no possessions or Amara): deancas

Note: There is a fake film mentioned in here that spoils a basic plot point of the real movie, Last Christmas (which I have not seen because life is so short). So heads up on that. :)

Waking up in a bed devoid of linens -- no sheets, pillowcases, blankets or mattress cover -- was the last straw. At this point, Dean declared total war.

Yes, he'd hidden Sam's toothbrush behind the toilet. And Sam had hidden Dean's favorite robe, the soft gray one, in a box that required a recitation of fives lines of Latin plus a splash of fresh sheep urine before it could be unlocked.

Yes, Dean had accidentally-in-scare-quotes dropped gum into Sam's hair, requiring an impromptu trim. And Sam had replaced the movie night DVD Dean thought was cued up; instead of the cold open pipe organ chords of the cult classic Cathedral of 10,000 Cadavers, the bunker TV started spewing Last Thanksgiving, the single stupidest film ever made about a woman causing turkey-related botulism at a family gathering while falling in love with her organ donor ghost.

(Did Dean watch it -- cough, again, cough -- anyway, because Cas vaguely indicated he wouldn't mind seeing it? Yes. It was very gratifying that Cas wound up hating it.)

And yes, yes, all right, Dean had texted a select few friends and well-wishers a recent photograph he'd taken of Sam snoring, three pieces of crispy bacon resting peacefully on his slack-jawed face. Sam had mailed every cassette tape Dean owned to Jody -- who was a dirty conspirator Dean would be dealing with separately one day, once he figured out how to do that in manner that wouldn't end up with her just straight up killing him -- and the one tape Sam did leave in Baby was Lawrence Welk and Myron Floren Present Polka Favorites, which was way more lit than it had any right to be.

How had Sam removed all of Dean's soft, clean, 600-thread or better bedclothes when Dean was sleeping on said bed? Who cares. The relevant fact was, Sam needed to be punished. The nuclear option was the only choice left. Dean spent the whole day driving from nearby little town to nearby little town, and the new purchases strewn out along his bare mattress proved the depth of his commitment.

He glanced at the clock on his bedroom wall. He, Sam, Eileen, and Cas were due at a hunters' Halloween costume party in three hours in Hastings. 

Plenty of time, then, for Dean to transform himself with pigtail wig, floppy shoes, oversized striped jumpsuit, four strategically placed wads of cotton balls, white gloves, pingpong nose, ten colors of grease paint, and one pair of yellow plastic fangs smeared with red lipstick into the most grotesque homage to Honky the Clown (of Honky the Clown Slays Again! infamy) the world had ever beheld.

Was Dean looking forward to chasing his baby brother through the bunker and wielding Honky's signature weapon, a pickaxe stained with the blood of orphans (or in this case, ketchup)? Yes, yes he was. 

Halloweens came and went; prank revenge was forever.

"Dean?" his treacherous lil snake of a bro called from the library. "Can you come out here for a sec?"

"I don't know what you did with my shit," Dean was saying, as he rounded the corner into the library. "I don't care what either, um. Wha. What?" He skidded to a halt in every way, using his one working brain cell to put a question mark on the end of the last syllable he was able to utter.

"Hey, so, Eileen needs to be picked in Riverton," Sam said, "so we'll need to skedaddle out of here maybe half an hour earlier than planned." Leaning against a pillar, he was dressed like a priest and his demeanor was Bored plus a dash of pure unmitigated evil.

Somewhere amidst Dean's fraying sanity, he took the opportunity to be petty about the lack of creativity that had gone into the priest costume. They already owned those freakin' cassocks, for pity's sake.

What Sam was wearing wasn't important. 

Dean tried to rally his strength. He looked at the other person in the room, who was just standing there in front of a bookshelf. 

Dean kept looking even as his mind unraveled further. "Cas," he finally said.

"Hello, Dean." Cas tipped his cowboy hat in his direction.

Sam coughed. 

Cas startled slightly and said, "Oh. I meant to say, Howdy, partner."

"Uh hmm," Dean said in as strangled a voice as possible.

Here was the thing. 

Dean could under extremely rare and specific circumstances -- say, during dreams or violent kidnappings (his own) -- admit, somewhere in the vicinity of out loud, that his old friend Cas was not difficult to, you know, perceive. Great arms, not that Dean had ever noticed because why would he. Cas was usually wearing at least as many layers as Dean himself was. Columbo and Constantine could have a fight to the death over Cas's wardrobe. 

Cas himself? Cas was just some guy. Shy! Nerdy. 

...Devastatingly handsome, Dean had once told someone in public. All right. Sure. Was Dean lying? No. Had Dean otherwise been the soul-- Nay, the master of discretion with regards to discussions of the physical attributes, pleasing or otherwise, of his best friend whomst he loved as, as, family, and certainly not in any other way?

Also no.

(Also no. Oh no.)

A dangerous smile was playing at the corner of Sam's mouth.

Cas shifted his weight, maybe 'cause he wasn't used to wearing cowboy boots. Nice ones, plain and sturdy, like a person'd wear to rope calves or bale hay. The blue of his long-sleeved shirt matched his eyes, made 'em seem more like a clear sky from 'neath the brim of a fine Stetson, and there were white patches on the shirt shoulders embroidered with little cacti. The shirt was unbuttoned at the throat, and around the collar Cas had chosen to wear a bolo silver medallion embossed with a bull head. 

Cowboy chic, Dean's brain dialed in for a moment to comment. 

Then there were the jeans. He'd seen Cas wear jeans before? Yes? This pair fit like Cas'd been sewn into them. Belt had a nice heavy buckle, and this...oh, this was where Dean started to stutter, silently, like a man having a stroke, because the belt -- obviously -- encircled Cas's waist. Cas had a waist. Hips. Hips. That one hip cocked just the smallest amount, to account for the way he stood.  

Eat your heart out, Urban Cowboy.

The smile Sam smiled matched his steady, lethal eyes.

KO, Dean thought. I have been murdered by my own brother. How dare.

Also, I have been standing here ogling my best friend for seven years.

"Dean?" Cas ventured, sounding, indeed, just the slightest bit shy. But his expression was open, bright, like, like…

Like he liked the way Dean was drinkin' him in like Cas was a cold canteen of water a man'd drink with the sun beating down on him and the trail hot 'n' dusty.

"Y'know, I think I might skip the party," Dean said, looking at Sam. He schooled his expression into one he hoped was not too humiliating, for all he was begging for a truce. "Feeling a little tired. Ran around all day, you know how it goes."

"Of course," Sam said, a portrait of generosity. "No problem. The gang'll miss you."

"Oh. If you're not going to the party, Dean -- Sam, do you mind if I stay home? I have no real investment in Halloween." Cas looked genuinely apologetic. "I appreciate the costume advice, though."

"Yeah, Halloween's not my favorite either." Sam narrowed his eyes at Dean. 

Dean narrowed his back. Then let it go.

Sam backed down. A kinder, much more genuine smile lit up his face. "Eileen likes the holiday for dressing up. We'll say hi to everyone for you." He patted Dean on the shoulder as he wafted by in ministerial serenity. "Have a nice quiet evening on the lonesome prairie, y'all."

"Well," Dean said to Cas when Sam was out of range. "Guess I'll fix some dinner later. Maybe tacos."

"I'll help you," Cas said, because he was generous like that even though he never ate more than one or two bites.

He was generous about a lot of things. Dean tried to breathe through a wave of longing for him, well aware the feeling was neither new nor temporary.  

"Do you happen to know why someone left a big stack of linens on my bed?" Cas asked. "I think I recognize your comforter in there."

Dean sighed. "It was a strategic maneuver." 

"Oh."

"Sam's."

"Okay."

"I lost," Dean said.

"So I gathered," Cas said. He smiled after saying it, then looked thoughtful again. "What was your costume going to be?"

"Homicidal clown."

"Was that going to require a change of clothes?"

"Hey," Dean said, scandalized and elated.

"Hmm." Cas shifted his eyes to Dean mischievously, and Dean was reminded of the sheer immensity of Cas, cowboy-sized currently or not.

They looked at each other for a while longer.

Eventually, willing his voice not to break like he was twelve, Dean said, "Gonna go deal with my linens and stuff."

Cas nodded. "I can help with that too." 

They went down the hall side by side.

Dinner never was managed, but thankfully, the prairie, subsequently to be known as Dean's bedroom, proved to be anything but lonesome.

[teachyouhowtodothesponge]

Silly outfits! ✨✨

[bokutoslittlebird]

Haikyuu Characters as Husbands/Dads [Meian, Osamu]

Semi will be released at a later date (because I lost his and don’t know where it went 😥)

Meian - 2 sons

> I'd love for this man to be my husband, no lie. He's supportive and so attractive, like there is no downside. Plus, he's funny, but can be strict when he needs to be so kids actually like him.

> Husband Meian is one of the best because while he has his own responsibilities, he always makes time to spend with you. He takes care of you (so you don't have to work) and he's a great support system. Also, you visiting him at practice? You're like the team mom because everyone loves you.

> This man, oh my gosh. His dick is big, I know it is. He's one of the few who has to prep you heavily before he gets on with the main course, but it is so delicious when he does. Sex can sometimes be spontaneous, but he usually saves some energy to get back home and please you before bath time and then bed. On his days off, morning sex is common and sometimes he just gets so horny. It's like everything you do is so unbelievably hot.

> Now, children. Children, for him, is not something he necessarily needs in his life. If you don't want kids because you don't like them or you can't, that's fine. He won't push the issue. If you want kids and can't have them, he'll look into adoption places. You want him to get you pregnant? Congratulations, you unlocked the Breeding Kink badge. Collect it once you can walk again! But for real, with the consent to finish inside you, he is in heaven.

> The pregnancy process is a normal one, surprisingly. Once more your pillar, he is there when you feel sick or are in pain. He also promises to share in the responsibilities once the child is born, since he hears you getting up constantly because of the baby. He doesn't go to every doctor visit, but he does try to go to the ones that matter. Also, MSBY loves when you come around because they can fawn over you.

> Bokuto probably fawns over you the most, but Hinata's right there with him. Sometimes, Meian has to tell them to skedaddle because they forgot they're volleyball players and not daycare workers. Atsumu also fawns over you, but he doesn't do it as much. Sakusa.. he doesn't like babies that much. They're kind of gross, in his opinion, but he seems to understand the fuss once he feels the baby moving (after he's gotten used to it).

> The due date arrives and Meian is completely calm. He is aware that it would happen today and is prepared. He seems calm, but is actually panicking. He worries about any complications, but he tries to stay positive for you. When you're squeezing his hand and cursing him for putting a baby in you, he is actually sorry. He feels so guilty, but he kisses your hand and your forehead, telling you how proud he is and how much he loves you. Once the screams of a small child fill the room, you're both crying from happiness.

> You deal with the child most of the time, but you do take your kid to practices and matches. Once the kid can be taken to practices, it's over for organized practices. Everyone's cooing and looking at the baby, telling you how proud you must be and how they're so cute. Of course, Inunaki jokes that the only reason it's cute is because you're the mother, because Meian has no good features. Anyways, everyone does extra work that day.

> Meian can't be there as much as he wants to be, so he often makes up for it by holding his promise of helping out at night. He may be exhausted from the day, but he knows you'd be even more exhausted after dealing with his spawn after the day is over. It also helps the kid get used to him, seeing dad takes care of him as much as mom, you know?

> Meian is also not against a second child, as long as you're okay with it. You might get pregnant again on accident, but he can't say he's upset about the positive pregnancy test. He'll be there with you through thick and thin, no matter what.

Osamu - Twins, 1 boy and 1 girl

> This man is a godsend. I love him, you love him, it all works out. He is also one of the best husbands to have because of his fantastic cooking ability. 

> The wedding was almost as chaotic as Tendo’s, not gonna lie. With his brother there, it was chaos. Suna recorded the whole thing, so get togethers involve the wedding tape being displayed. Watching Atsumu shove an entire cake slice into Osamu’s face is funny, sure, but watching Osamu practically hurl the entire cake at Atsumu is even funnier. Aran picking up Kita before he gets trampled by cake-covered twins is so sweet, it’s the sweeter than the cake (Osamu had a spare in case).

> Now this man, this man will never let you starve. Oh, you're kind of hungry? Food. He's making you Onigiri. Oh, you want something new for dinner? He's whipping out three different cookbooks and his laptop to look up new recipes. Oh, need a midnight snack? He prepared something before bed, so you'd have a midnight snack. The best husband to marry.. if you love food.

> If you are not as crazy about food as him, that's okay, but he will bring food into the bedroom. Maybe once a week if you're okay with it, but if not then once a month. He loves licking things off your body, so food play. I also feel like he loves to feed you, so feederism, but he just enjoys seeing you in the sea of pleasure and enjoying his food. It fills him with so much love.

> Speaking of love, the children. He's gonna have twins if he pops a baby into you. If there is a bun in the oven, some baby batter in the baby factory, you're gonna be seeing double. However, children are not a necessity. He doesn't find joy in raising children like some people, but he isn't heavily against it, either. If you cannot have children or simply don't want to get pregnant, but want them, he will also be okay with that. Looking through options and settling on a decision together brings you guys closer, after all.

> If you choose to get pregnant, he is one of the best to be with you. While there's Kuroo, with big bucks, Osamu can make anything to sate cravings. He's willing to take time off from the shop and focus on you, and he's good at dealing with mood swings. He's lived this long after being around Atsumu, Suna, and Kita. He can handle mood swings. He is also always with you when you go to the doctor, with questions of what he can and cannot feed you. It's his love language, after all!

> The babies, aww. You guys get a set of twins, a boy and girl, who look a lot like Osamu and Atsumu from their baby pictures. Atsumu is there and he jokes that maybe they're his kids, but one look from Kita has him apologizing almost immediately. Yes, Inarizaki alumni have gathered in the hospital to look upon the children. Well, not the hospital, they visit Osamu and you at home, where you're well rested and recovering.

> Osamu is The Man. He is waking up in the middle of the night, either with or without you. If you wake up, he'll heat up some baby formula/milk for the children and also make some food for the two of you. Since it's double the trouble, he makes sure to not leave you to take care of them by yourself. If you don't wanna get up or don't wake up, he doesn't mind. This just means he can spend more time with the kids, since he's busy during the day.

> Atsumu babysits! He babysits with Kita and Aran, but he babysits! He loves being an uncle and loves to play with the twins. He also brings/buys them little toys to chew and drool over because he enjoys them enjoying things. Aran also helps Kita make food/milk for the babies, acting like an actual married couple as they feed the small spawns. Atsumu naps around this time, eventually joined by napping babies.

> When the kids get older, they'll never feel unloved. Between you and Osamu, they have two very loving parents. But then you add in Uncle 'Tsumu, Uncle Aran, Uncle Kita, Uncle Sakusa, Uncle Bokuto, Uncle Akaashi- the list never ends. Everyone that knows you guys is an uncle. Inarizaki alumnis are uncles. MSBY Black Jackals are uncles. Akaashi is always visiting Onigiri Miya and loves to interact with the kids, to the point you've asked if he plans on ever having children because he's so good with them. (He's good at taking care of kids because he's used to taking care of Bokuto).

> I have a feeling one of the kids is going to go into the culinary business. Maybe own a bakery when they're older, showing an interest for baking at such as young age. One of them is of course going to be loving volleyball, with all the volleyball "family" members around them, it's bound to happen. Both of them probably get into volleyball, becoming the new Infamous Miya Twins Duo.

[lune-hime]

Garden of Tulips (Levi/Reader) Tea Time #7 - The Gala

~Click me for more chapters~

“What did it look like?”

“Hmm?” Levi looked up from his place next to your sleeping form. “The titan that tried to snack on my darling granddaughter.” “Ugly as fuck.” “Aren’t they all?”

Levi recounts memories of the reader and their shared life together while she recovers from a serious injury.

!!WARNINGS!! - Violence, gore, smut, wholesome content ;)

So these little Tea Times were written as little filler-memory chapters to place in between the main story line.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Of Silk and Shenanigans

The events prior to waiting in line for the photo booth at the annual palace gala.

↞↠↞↠↞↠

Erwin had the look.

The plastered smile.

Finely pursed lips that just barely contained the infuriation of a man swept up in the inescapable throws of a conversation he did not wish to endure alone.

A look that radiated discomfort over the potent luxury of the ballroom.

A look that told you and your companion to get him out now.  

You exhaled as you disconnected your eyes from his, focus now sweeping over his conversation partners. Commander Zachary spoke in between generous sips of his beverage. Erwin was stiffly and silently perched to his right, solely avoiding placing his pupils anywhere near his superior’s left side. For there resided Niles and Marie. Their arms were intertwined with a delicate professionalism.

You silently sympathized with Erwin as your next intake of breath caused your constricting bodice to embrace your lungs a bit too roughly. Your arms were draped in soft ripples of lavender silk that fell from your exposed shoulders and cinched at your elbows. The bodice that breathed for you held your breasts in a firm cradle that rested upon the empire cut of your dress. The skirt flowed in rivers of elegance until the hem barely kissed the gold embossed flooring. Your ensemble was indeed beautiful, but insufferably so.

“If you keep looking at him, it's going to encourage him to invite us over there you know.” Your date’s comment was as dry as your wine glass. You bit the inner corner of your lip in conviction but eventually nodded in agreement. The only stress you could tolerate tonight was the tightness of your dress.

Levi leaned against one of the many behemoths of a pillar that guarded the edges of the chamber. His demeanor was as collected as ever; unequivocally unbothered. Yet his jittered fingers discretely fiddled with the cloudlike material of your gown.

His tailcoat glided across his back in two sharpened slated swallowtails and hugged his chest with gilded trim and ivory buttons. Ivory buttons that paired almost identically to his jodhpurs and neatly placed cravat. Those jodhpurs that were tucked into boots that hugged his calves and were polished like obsidian.

“I feel kind of bad, though. Look who he’s with.” Your response was laced with minor guilt. Erwin now looked as if he was teetering closer to the edge of a gully with every beautiful laugh Niles garnered from his wife.

“He can handle it, he’s a big boy.” Levi said with a shrug. “Not our paleolithic love triangle, not our problem.”

“And why is Oma so damn hard to find.” You grumbled. You had not been successful in locating your grandmother after the military ceremony.

“She’s smart if she’s not here.” Levi sighed.

You noted from your idle observation the absence of a certain garrison leader. Pixis must have had the same idea as you and Levi; skedaddle out of the conversation and lurk among the bustle of the citadel to avoid that train wreck of love triangles. You were certain that if you could track down him, you could instantly find Oma…

“Ah, perhaps you could pose such a question to my second in command.” Erwin’s voice chimed like a crisp bell within the close vicinity of your ears. It made you bristle as his troupe approached.

Well.

Erwin hadn’t called out to you specifically.

“Good luck, darling! I’m going to find Oma.” You chirped in urgency. You gave his shoulder two quick pats and dodged his outreached hand just in time for it to catch the air instead of your elbow. Floating onto the dancefloor, you avoided looking back at all costs in fear of the frigid betray you would witness. He would complain heavily about it later, but you were thankful that you didn’t have to deal with that awkward reunion.

Your heels clopped against the impeccably cleaned steps to the second level until you reached a descending waiter with a gleaming tray of champagne ripe for the picking. You swiped your who knows what glass of amber sedation, sighing as it buzzed not only your throat but your mind as well.

Your lips were pressed in preparation for your next sip when you spotted a welcome bald head. He donned a suit in similar fashion to Levi’s, although his tailcoat was a rich royal blue. You nudged his ankle with your heel and he turned around with a hmm?  

“Ah Y/N. Lovely to see you not hiding under a layer of mud. It’s been-what-20 years overdue?” Pixis’ smile creased the corners of his eyes and made them sparkle like the wine he held to his chest as if it was his dance partner.

“You act as if I was raised by wild dogs.” You scoffed, but hugged him with the embrace of an old family friend.

“Well not far from it.” He winked. You chuckled at his playfulness.

“Speaking of, have you seen Oma?” You asked, voice wandering off with your gaze as you scanned the languid nature of the second floor.

“Not since the ceremony. She seems like she’s stowed herself away from-” He gestured uninterestedly with his hand to the domed pocket of Shangri La surrounding them. “All of this unnecessary socializing. Walk with me and we shall look for her.”

You nodded once and took Pixis’ extended arm when he offered it to you.

“What have you been up to?” You asked as you began weaving through lounging loyalists; their only worldly concerns born of apricots and pearls. For many of them, you guessed, if you took the time to skin the peel, the nectarous fruit that resided underneath would be spoiled rotten.

“Contemplating whether I wanted to waste my time between the lovesick lovebirds or drink myself into oblivion. The second option is much more preferable.” Pixis exhaled, his eyes blandly bopping from noble to noble.

“I hope your evening has been enjoyable. I know we all harp on these sorts of events, but I’ll admit it's the people that are poisoned more than the lifestyle.” The commander mused, bowing his head in acknowledgement of one of his subordinates.

“It has. It’s lovely to see everyone out of uniform to take a night off for themselves. Reminds me a lot of childhood.” Your answer was dressed with sweet honey. Pixis was absolutely right; you could get used to palace gardens, catered meals, and the golden railing that was cool to the touch under your grazing palm. But the sugar coated nostalgia wasn’t quite sweet enough to drown out the sourness of the partygoers that ruffled their feathers like mockingbirds in utter ignorance and disconcert for the world outside their little paradise.

“Yes, well, at least this time you don’t have to worry about planting flowers.” Pixis hummed and promptly downed what was left of his drink. He shoved it into the closest waiter’s chest with the deftness of a seasoned warrior. The two of you rounded the corner of the overhang with your backs to a vast hallway, one of many networks to the rest of the palace. Without warning the raspy voice of the one you had been searching for chirped in your ear.

“Who are you and what have you done with my little girl?” Oma roughly hugged you from behind, offering an undignified grunt out of you as you broke away from Pixis. She left her arm around your waist as she came to reside next to you.

“Oma, were you hiding in that hallway?” You accused, but your broad grin betrayed any hint of annoyance. Your eyes flicked from the small woman to the arches of the dimly lit tunnel.

“Of course I was. Do you really think I would rather be putting up with these pansies than sitting by myself in an empty guest room?” She chided as if she was offended that you had thought her to be anywhere else but where she had been.

“But none of that matters. You look absolutely stunning , Y/N.” She beamed as she took your hands in hers. Her cloudy blue eyes were as soft as a summer’s sky as she regarded you. You blushed at her sudden and public fawning.

“I should be saying that about you Oma. You look beautiful.” You complimented, exuding the same warmth she had bestowed upon you. You hadn’t seen Oma in formal attire since your last gala over six years ago.

Her gown was threaded of a deep sapphire and encircled by a sheer shawl of the same hue. Her silver locks that were usually confined to a long braid were intricately woven into a plaited bun just above the base of her scalp. Her hands were adorned with elbow length gloves, their soft ripples the same as fresh cream. To one who didn’t know her fiery personality, the calming ocean of her dress gave off the impression of peak poised femininity.

“I know.” Oma said, then turned her attention to your escort.

“Well hello Dot. I was disappointed earlier that we didn’t have a chance to speak before the military ceremony. But now I’m happy I waited.” She purred, the alluring flames within her eyes singeing the blue right out of her being. Pixis’ moustache ruffled under her intensity.

“I can say the same for you, Elena.” The commander returned, feeding her fire with one of his own. They basked in the overheating sauna their gazes cultivated and drank in one another in the absence of alcohol in their palms.

“You know, now that I think about it, that guest room was pretty lonely. Would be such a shame to have all that space to myself.” Oma’s tone sizzled with seductive undertones that made you get burned by the immensity of your abrupt transformation into a third wheel. The uncoordinated colors of their outfits even matched for Ymir’s sake.

“Would you two like some alone time?” You chuckled, smiling as you watched the passion ignite. It was sweet seeing how much Pixis brought out her youthful vigor and vice versa.

“Nonsense! There’s plenty of time for that later, right Dot?” Oma proclaimed, seamlessly transitioning back to her peppy self. Pixis cleared his throat and nodded.

“Indeed. I wouldn’t miss it for anything.” Pixis’ smile transformed the fire to a lovely warm hearth. “I hope you continue to enjoy your evening, Y/N.”

Oma followed her lover with her eyes until he faded into the cushions of ball gowns.

“When are you two getting married?” You poked in exasperation and Oma squeezed your side.

“Hmph, at this rate maybe before you.” She countered with a mischievous half grin. You rolled your eyes, hoping the flush on your cheeks would roll off as well.

“Oh, don’t act so bashful. I know you came here with your suitor too. Where is the mythical Levi Ackerman?” Oma snickered as she stepped over to lean on the railing of the balcony.

“It's not like you’ve never seen him before since you attend these events every year.” You side eyed her with a halfhearted grumble. You followed suit, immediately pinpointing him in the same place you had left him.

“Yes but he’s never been your Levi.” The nonchalance that Oma shrugged away flew into your chest as fluttered wings. You decided not to comment on it and directed Oma’s focus to the familiar blob of hair and furrowed eyebrows visible among the crowd.

“Oh well this won’t do. He’s too short to spy on from up here.” Oma huffed. Your giggle softened her features into a pleasant grin as you rested your head against her shoulder. Her shawl may have been fine silk, but it was nowhere near as soft as her favorite homemade woolen one.

She gave your hair loving strokes as you people watched. Her touch temporarily dulled the persistent hum that underlined your day to day existence. One that craved pieces of home.

“By the way the creases on his forehead are deepening faster than mine...he looks absolutely enthralled.” Her sarcasm wasn’t even in question.

“He complained that he’s forced to come here every year against his will. But I think something deep down in his little cynical heart he likes the break from routine.” You sighed contently.

“He and I both. I’m sure he didn’t have to drag you here, though. You’ve always loved these types of frou-frou things.”

↞♞♘↠

“Huh...YOU’RE RIGHT! I am able to attend now!” Your screech annihilated the morning quiet and stung Levi’s newly awakened ears. You shot up straight, the news filling your body with a specific excitement you hadn’t felt since childhood. Levi grumbled and reconnected his body with yours. He snuck his arms around your waist and buried his face into the space between your hip and the sheets.

“Not so loud, idiot. It’s too early to scream.” His voice rasped with the reluctance of consciousness. His sleepy chiding went right over your head as the childhood nostalgia of expensive gowns, exquisite architecture, and the charming palace gardens washed over you.

Walls, the last time you had been to a formal gathering had to have been when you were a teenager.

“Of course you are. You’re a squad leader now. It’s mandatory so you wouldn’t even have a choice anyway…” Levi’s irritation was muffled into the bare skin of your thigh as he slipped the hem of your nightgown up your leg to press his face into your body heat. “In the past I’ve always been forced to bear the brunt of Hange’s drunken stupor alone while Erwin and Mike attend to the social matters.”

“Well not anymore, count me in! As much as I degrade the elites-” You began, eyes alight with the shimmer of elation.

“You are one.” Levi’s wry chuckle sent vibrations along your skin. He began to press lazy kisses to the goosebumps that formed in their wake. His face was obscured by his bed-head, a muss of lustrous raven feathers that tangled against his forehead, but you could sense the shit-eating grin emanating from his lips.

“Fuck off.”

“Gladly.” He hummed, tightening his grip around your waist and pressing himself flush against your leg. His hands palmed your inner thigh when he finally gazed up at you; chin resting flush against your hip and eyes glowing aquamarine in the dewy sun rays.

You jerked suddenly to jab his side and he grunted when you poked him roughly in the ribs, just above his most ticklish spot. Feigning annoyance but unphased, he returned to his previous position.

“I was going to say that they know how to have a grand ol’ time.” You said, fingers taming his hair strand by strand.

“If you like pleasantries and pretending to have a pole permanently lodged up your anus.” He sighed, relishing in the warmth of your exposed limb and the scratches at his scalp.

“I already have that with you around.” You smirked, managing to slip a hand onto his side and wiggling your fingers. He squeezed out an airy laugh as your fingers worked their magic. As soon as he reached to push you away, you used his momentary preoccupation of sensitivity to jump from bed into and towards the bathroom with a wide brimmed grin.

You never made it through the doorway.

↞↠↞↠↞↠

“We go in wearing our formal, decorated uniforms, and then when the ceremony’s done we do the outfit change-” He began casually but was interrupted by your wide eyed glare from where you rested on his office couch. Levi’s blank facials paled in comparison to your brightly lit enthusiasm.

“I haven’t bought a gown in years , Levi!” You buzzed, images of beautiful dresses already swirling through your mind chaotically.

“Is there a dress code? I don’t remember from when I was younger…” You trailed off, legs bouncing against the armrest like they were itching to go outfit hunting already.

“No. Just don’t show up naked.” He said, focus falling back to his desk work.

“Let’s go to town tomorrow.” You stated. When Levi’s eyes flicked back up to you, his chest clenched. You were now sitting up, perched so adorably on the cushion with a sweet, closed mouth smile and doey eyes glazed over in anticipation. You looked like a ticking time bomb.

Fuck, it would be hard to say no now.

“ Let’s?” He emphasized.

“Yes, tomorrow’s our day off. Do you have an outfit planned for the second half?”

“Same as last year.”

“Great, then more time to help me find mine.”

“What if I don’t finish my work from today?” He tested, knowing that his weak excuse for a quiet day in wouldn’t be able to match the sparks you were giving off.

“You don’t do your extra work until midnight most days.” You countered.

“Because you always occupy my evenings.”

“I’m wounded, humanity’s strongest. Truly wounded. I’ve never heard a protest from you before for what we get up to in our free time. Especially when it's oftentimes you who comes into my office to see me .” You crooned dramatically, clutching your heart to your chest and flopping back onto the couch.

“I didn’t say it was a bad thing.” Levi’s mutter creeped up his budding half smile.

“It’s settled then. We’ll just continue to perfect our late night work schedule then and ride to town in the afternoon tomorrow!” You beamed.

And he didn’t regret going, despite his meager protests. He didn’t regret your intertwined pinkies as you tracked along cobblestone streets and wove between bakeries and shops. Nor the coffee he (was forced to) drink at the ironclad café that lined the main road; watching as the sunbeams bounced off your features as he unintentionally sent the sienna liquid up your nose when he made you snort.

And especially not when you pulled back the curtain of the dressing room at the tailors. Levi knew you would be beautiful, because you were always beautiful. Despite this, he didn’t know why he tried to fool himself into believing a simple gown wouldn’t affect him more than usual.

Giddy . He felt the giddy flitting of thousands of minute delicate wings flood both chambers of his heart when he saw your form adorned in the dainty fabric. But even more so when he saw how you gazed at yourself in adoration, spinning on your heels and watching the lilac silk fan outward like a gentle whirlpool.  

He suddenly and intimately now understood why people dressed up for one another. The excitement of pure enchantment showed, apparently, as you giggled upon facing him.

“Still dreading going to the capital?” You puckered your lips in an air kiss and swayed in your dress.

Levi didn’t respond for a moment, but the blissful filter over his features answered for you.

“The formalities? Yes. You, though? I could never.” His genuine words coated you in a syrupy joy that brought you away from the mirror and into his arms. Levi let his hands travel along your hips. The posh material was almost as lovely as your skin.

And now he found himself no longer dreading socializing with the shit stains of the inner city if it meant one splendid evening with his beloved.

↞♞♘↠

A cloister of monks ascended into your peripheral vision and your body involuntary tensed. You hadn’t realized your breath had been ruminating within your lungs until the men dissolved into shadow like rats scurrying into the vacant cavernous hallway. Oma felt your shift in demeanor and placed an arm around your waist. She waited for you to release the air from its respiratory prison before speaking.

“Just because the Church of the Walls is here doesn’t mean she’s here, sweetheart.” She cooed, her palm delicately running circles of comfort onto your back. You nodded at her reassurance.

“I know-I just...I’m not ready to see her.” Your voice was weak, as if the sight of those monks had sapped all the joy from it. “I don’t think I’ll ever be.”

“That’s a horrible thing to say about my own mother, isn’t it?” You scoffed with an arid chuckle.

Oma let go of you, only to come even closer to you than she was before. Her hands came up to rest on your cheeks and she pinched them abruptly. You let out a small ow but she didn’t budge.

“Tonight is not the time for misplaced guilt that we’ve already discussed many many times, girlie. Tonight is your first gala in Ymir knows how long. The only family drama that’s going to occur here at this party will be from me embarrassing you .” Oma’s smile mimicked a coyote, pointed with mischief and purpose. She removed one hand from your face and thoughtfully tapped her chin.

“Now...should I explicitly dance on Dot or intimately acquaint myself with the handsome survey corps squad leaders? Hmm?” Oma mused, a satisfied smile appearing when you began to giggle.

“With that ultimatum, this is the only time I would rather see you jump Pixis.” Your laugh was a welcome blessing to Oma’s ears.

“Speaking of dance partners, it looks as if the next song is starting.” Oma said hurriedly. “Quickly, go grab your little man!”

She gave you a brisk nudge towards the nearest staircase. You stuck your tongue out at her before gently balling your dress skirt into your fists and tapping down the marble.

“Boo.” You hissed in bubbly lithe as you rounded Levi’s shoulder. As expected (and despite having an aerial view of his location) he was challenging to find due to both his lack of incline and his non-dubious attire. Also to your dismay, your scare garnered no startled reaction.

“You ditched me.” He stated coldly, silver orbs narrowing into a silent whine. When you reached your hands out, his remained planted behind his back. “There was enough sexually charged energy between them to repel me so far out of this room that I’d land back at HQ instantly.”

You stifled a snort at his discomfort.

“I’d be lying if I said I was sorry…” You replied. Your cheesy smile rolled Levi’s eyes right out of their sockets as he finally returned your affectionate gesture. Your palms pressed together were as warm as the alcohol that sloshed in your stomach. You knew by the eagerness of his grip that he wasn’t even a touch upset, just relieved he could finally recess from the conversation.

“Did you find your grandmother?” He asked as he lightly stroked his thumbs along your knuckles.

“Mhm. She’s over there if you want to say hello.” You said, gesturing to the far side of the room where the bar lay. Oma stood at the far end of the counter, her hands occupied with straightening Pixis’ cravat as their mouths upturned in unheard laughter.

Levi didn’t search out new social interaction. It wasn’t something he craved especially at occasions such as these where the only thing he had in common with people was that they were both...people. If it came to him he would handle it accordingly. However, this was someone extremely important to you. Someone extremely important to Petra. So, he felt the need to take initiative. Just as his internal monologue switched to the pep-talk channel, a tugging on his hands brought his attention back to you and the now clearing dancefloor.

“But not until after this dance.” You said, your smile and eyes competing for who could luminate more. Levi felt the overwhelming urge to meld into your radiance.

“May I have this dance, Captain Ackerman?” Your smile widened, your question more of a formality as you were leading him step by step into the middle of the floor.

“Yes.” His answer was easy, simple. For there’s nothing that made him feel more alive than when you held each other.

Firm hands on hip and shoulder. Tender palms raised upward. Steps and twirls as intricate as the bow strings and piano keys that supplied your melody. The room spun out of focus as the two of you waltzed into your own universe.

“Your expertise in dancing never ceases to amaze me.” Your voice fell just above a whisper for the sheer perfection of the moment left you unable to express anything but awe.

“I have quite a few of these under my belt.” His response was just as caught up in the exquisite sweeping motions. “And I’ve had some private tutoring.”

Levi didn’t hide that he was good, per say. That was in part to you, the girl who had grown up taking etiquette and dance lessons, who would spin your bodies around your office in the waning daylight. And also in part to picking up on certain styles from attending this annually. He knew he was quite popular in the group dances (for more than just that reason) but with others it was a reflexive chore. Noble daughters, snotty kids, and intrusive mothers could never come close to how finally dancing with you invigorated him. With you, it was like breathing.

Too quickly it was time for you to travel outward, and you were reluctantly handed off to your next partner. The transition was carried out by spindles of skirts, precise slides, and gracefully entering another’s embrace.

Lazy arms encircled your waist. The heaviness of your partner caused you to support the taller form than vice versa.

“Well, well, well. Come here often, hotcakes?” Hange slurred when the two of you made eye contact. Your former squad leader donned a checked tailcoat and matching trousers the color of fallen leaves. You were too entrapped by the pungent aroma of bourbon that dangled from her parted lips to escape her sloppy kiss to your cheek. You recoiled backwards with your nose scrunched away from the smell.

“Mmph, Hange your breath.” You complained with a grimace. “What have you been drinking?”

“Anything and everything. But shh. Shush now. We can’t talk about a lowly commoner such as myself, your highness.” Her garbled words were as drawled out as her movement as she swung the two of you in a wild turn. The momentum from her flinging almost made you crash into the closest pair of dancers. They threw the two of you pretentious glares as they curtsied away.

“Your highness?” You giggled, still reeling from her aggressive spin. Dancing with her felt like you were two children on a merry-go-round.

“With how lovely you look tonight I am convinced you are of royal blood!” She proclaimed, animatedly throwing her head back to bark with laughter.

“Oh yeah? And what could you offer a princess such as myself?” You smirked. You might as well milk it to see if she would offer you money, food, an all expenses paid trip into town...

“Y/N you know better than to accept invitations from drunks.” A voice steeped in rich mahogany and a much more stable hand at the small of your back rotated you into your next cycle.

You were face to chest with a velvet overcoat. The onyx of the material contrasted starkly with Erwin’s honey tresses and amplified his irises that bombarded you like a royal navy upon azure seas. He was someone you were convinced was bred for nobility, whether he was born into it or not. You couldn’t help but think to a time not long ago where his frigid elegance intimidated you.

“But you know how skilled I am at manipulating her.” Your musing brought a deep chuckle from your commanding officer.

“How are you doing?” You asked, your question falling from blushed cheeks when Erwin carefully twirled you outwards then back into him in accordance with the choreography. He was the epitome of princely grace and you almost gasped like the passing young ladies did upon laying their eyes on him. If he had decided to open his heart to anyone other than work and his past affinities, his chest would be flocked with doves from all perches of the walls.

“I’m fine.” His reply was curt. Once the utterance left his lips you could only focus on the distance residing within his features despite the softness of his suit against your chest.

After Erwin, partners came and went like freshly dislodged petals riding on a spring breeze. A mutton-chopped heir to a printing company with words as greasy as wet ink. Hange again. A forward young officer from the military police who offered to give you a private tour of their HQ. Hange yet again. (How she kept finding you out of hundreds of people you didn't know). A kind-hearted ginger haired boy, now squad leader in the garrison, you had briefly known as a cadet who promised to point out the best pie within wall Maria next time you were near his station.

Then to another familiar face. Mike appeared in front of you in a suit identical to Levi’s. You wondered if they had bought them together years ago out of necessity.

“Hi Mike. Enjoying yourself?” You grinned up at him. He returned your greeting with a soft smile.

“Mhm.” His reply was simple and relaxed. You were beginning to relish in your astonishment for Mike’s impeccable dancing when a cacophony of shrieks and startled grunts erupted to your right.

The floor parted like the Red Sea around the disturbance. What was revealed caused your face to contort in mortification. Levi stood in the ready position, hands connected professionally with none other than Oma. However their pose was anything but relaxed; both their eyes were wide and limbs stiff as they tried to comprehend the current predicament. A rancid mass of upturned vodka and mutton coated Levi’s chest and began staining the spotless white of his cravat a putrid green.

Levi's previous dance partner, the poor young girl, swayed in the hands of two strangers as she drunkenly dry heaved in the aftermath of her vomiting. You looked on from Mike’s arms in pitied horror as your lover’s brow twitched in an aggressive combat against gagging. Oma recovered quickly from her shock and was uttering something unintelligible to Levi.

“Disgusting.” Mike coughed, nose scrunching up in disdain.

↞↠↞↠↞↠

The wind held a vitality potent enough to slowly absorb the palpable heat that radiated off of Levi. Walls of trimmed hedges sheltered him from the nauseating experience and left him solely with you and one of the empty courtyards of the palace gardens. You knew these gardens, you reckoned, as well as the employed horticulturalists from the countless times throughout your childhood spent arranging flowers and foliage displays for galas such as these. Thus, you knew they would be the ideal spot to catch a break and get some fresh air.

The darkened sky of a newborn night brought to life the stone carved lanterns that lined the paved square. Water bubbled from the fountain at the center of the pavement in tiers of cascading droplets that rushed beneath the paws of a limestone lion.

He wasn’t scalding like he had been when you helped him disrobe and clean himself off. With his outer layer of accoutrements soiled, his torso was now adorned with the dress shirt he had worn under his military uniform. Your toes barely grazed the thin stones of the walkway from your seat on the edge of the large fountain across from him. He sat with his elbows to his knees, quietly steaming with the remnants of his boiling irritation. In his fading agitation he found the rippling water behind your relaxed fingertips to be insatiably interesting.

“You know, no one is going to be phased by what happened on your end. How could you have known she was going to be sick on you? Unless one look at you made her want to empty her stomach.” Your soft voice cut the wind with a hint of jubilee.

Levi remained silent, but the tension in his face released at your attempt to cheer him up.

“I’m not concerned about what any of them think. I’m just-” He began with a vulnerability that was reserved primarily for you. He exhaled and sat up straight, regarding the scarlet tulips across the way as they bent with the breeze.

“I’m just frustrated that that was my shitty introduction to your grandmother.”

His confession flowed into you so languidly and gently that it felt like you had fallen back into the fountain. His words left you feeling like you were blanketed in liquid love rather than palace water. It meant so much to you that he was concerned about his first impressions to your family.

“Trust me when I say Oma does not care how you two meet as long as no one is an asshole. I’m sure she will love using this to her advantage and hold it against you for the rest of her life. All with love intended of course." You returned warmly, hoping to provide some comfort to his concern.

Levi regarded you with the semblance of a kicked puppy, still unconvinced despite his usual wholehearted trust in you.

You pursed your lips and came to kneel in front of him, uncaring if the skirt of your dress was kissed by dirt. Your hands first touched his, then ran delicately up his arms, and stopped to frame his face.

“She’s loved you even before she’d met you, Vivi.” You cooed, satisfied when a faint strawberry dusting manifested on his cheeks. “And one awkward-albeit laughable-incident isn’t going to change that.”

His response came in the form of his lips pressed against yours. He sighed into you and your tongues danced just as you had before until you heard a muffled giggling. When you broke away Levi let out a breathy groan at the loss of contact. He followed your gaze to the disturbance.

The sweet nothings and soft chortles grew in volume until Oma and Pixis appeared from the other side of the wall of greenery.

“Dot don’t tease me like that…” Oma giggled as they passed the courtyard’s entrance. Pixis had his hand around her waist, neck craned to whisper into her ear as they took their evening stroll. Your heart fluttered for her rekindled romance.

“Frau Vogel, Commander Pixis. What a scandal it is to see the two of you canoodling out here in the dark greenery!” You called with dramatic flare. You rose from your seat with your hands exaggeratedly placed on your hips. Levi got up as well, coughing awkwardly when the two stopped in their tracks.

Oma peered at you through the veil of night and huffed at your antics.

“You have your little rendezvous, I have mine. Anything I get up to tonight they can’t fire me-I’m retired.” She proclaimed with her chin held high.

“You’ll learn in time that just because you're older doesn’t mean the flames of passion aren’t still vigorously ignited.” Pixis retorted with a smirk. Levi ate any snide remark he could have made at Pixis for he was in the presence of your grandmother once again.

When the older couple came to stand at your resting place, Oma broke away from Pixis’ arm and stood in front of Levi. It was comical for you and Pixis, the two taller of the foursome, to see the tiny woman stand so assertively next to one of the corps's most vertically challenged members.

“Elena Vogel. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you Levi.” She stated, hand held outwards. Levi blinked, suddenly feeling like if she took his hand he would crumble into the gravel under their shoes. Fuck, he’s killed more titans than he could ever count and yet here he was, standing in front of an elderly woman and stumbling over his own mannerisms. If you fucked up in front of a titan you could just kill it. He definitely couldn’t apply this logic here.

When he finally took her hand, and she shook it, the warmth from her palm traveled to her face in the form of a smile weathered by crevasses of experiences but no less bright than the lanterns lighting their space.

“It’s nice to finally meet you too.” He said with what he hoped was a welcoming aura. Oma regarded him knowingly and exhaled the crisp air.

“Did you see that man earlier who got absolutely doused in tonight’s fucking awful first course? No shame but I’m sure he’ll never be able to live it down.” Oma regaled with a wink.

“Well, next time let’s chat longer, I can’t keep my date waiting.” Oma snickered and pointed at the bald man.

Her forward language did something to Levi that was rare for him; it left him involuntarily speechless. He gaped as you and Oma shared a parting hug.

“I’ll see you tomorrow morning before we depart.” She said to you, kissing your forehead before regrouping with Pixis.

“Don’t be too crazy, tonight. I don’t want to deal with anyone waking up crabby with hangovers and I’m sure Erwin feels the same.” Pixis let out a wispy chuckle as the two of them faded back towards the palace.

Then, the two of you were left within the intricate brushwork of the gardens. In the silence, the faraway orchestral music filtered through the leaves and just barely reached your ears. You reckoned it was loud enough for a dance, though. You didn’t need proper music anyway as long as you had Levi.

“We didn’t get to dance as long as I would have liked to earlier.” You mused, slipping your heels off, hopping onto the brim of the fountain and tiptoeing around it. “You’re too popular.”

Levi huffed a low rumble of a laugh and waited for you to wander your way around the art piece. When you reappeared, he was standing at the edge of the stone. His eyes were your gray haven in the dim light.

“Dance with me now then.” He invited. You bit the inside of your mouth to keep from smiling as you flared your skirt and passed him by. Levi watched your backside in confusion as you disappeared behind the inanimate feline once again.

“No.” The lifeless face of the lion spoke with your stubborn tone. Your eyes were aflame with impish brilliance when they locked with his.

“The essence of chivalry is to ask your partner. Not demand they dance with you.” You said matter of factly. Your fingertips grazed his jawline as you trotted past. Your sensual touch left Levi enchanted with the bounce of your curls and slender curve of your shoulders.

Upon returning from your third trip around the sculpted beast, the moonlight tenderly cradling his striking beauty first caressed your gaze before the pale celestial beams opened up his hand to you.

“May I have this dance, my love?” He dressed his request to your liking. You beamed down at him, melting into his embrace when his arms lifted you to the ground by your waist.

“Of course.”

The orchestra was background notes to the harmonizing of the shaking leaves and the brewing fountain. You weren’t sure if your chest was welded to his or his to yours as you floated around the courtyard. You were two helicopter seeds intertwined on their descent from the canopy, swirling ever so delicately on the wings of one another.

When the crescendo hit, you were soaring backwards into a dip where your eyes became acquainted with the springtime constellations. As quickly as you had met them you parted and you ascended into Levi’s open mouthed smile.

You didn’t keep track of how many times the songs changed when your lavish movements grew subtle and more intimate. Your head was nestled into his shoulder when you looked up at the night sky once again.

“I wonder if there are people looking up at these same stars over the vast sea.” You said wistfully. Levi’s arms tightened around your waist as if the constellations might steal you away from him.  

Your wonder was emphasized but not understood by your lover. Why would he wonder who lived on the other end of a train track of stardust when he was already holding his whole world in his arms? He knew he would be perfectly content twirling with his corporeal universe here. Let the milky way swirl the planets, you would always be his earthly galaxy.

"Now let's get back in there, we need to get in line for the photo booth!"