#threads ft. zeke

[ccmpletemess]

closed starter for @prcttyvxnom ( miles & zeke )

"Honey, I'm home!" Miles called out into the apartment he shared with both Zeke and Lucien, not that he was entirely sure which one of them was home right now. He'd just got back, having done the rounds of visiting his family before finally arriving back at his apartment, dropping his bags on the floor. "Zee? Lu? You guys abandoned me or some shit?" He called out, before grinning as he made his way into the kitchen and saw Zeke. "Missed me?"

[wardencommanderrodimiss]

More Indigo League social media shenanigans from my Pokeverse, geared towards an audience of mostly myself. Ft. Lance, Piper (Leaf/Green), Red, and Zeke (Blue). In a world where Pokemon are classified in the Pokedex as "puppy", "cat", etc. Pokemon, but we never see an actual cat or dog, we must assume that these classifications are vibes-based.

Years later someone quotes this thread with an image of Gouging Fire/Walking Wake/Raging Bolt and says "what did they know."

[andrd-har-13]

Q was enjoying his book on the history of the Mediterranean when he felt someone’s eyes on him. 

Ezekiel Hunt. Corpse man. Lesser!October Roulette.

He didn’t need to look up.

“Can I help you with something, gumby?” instead he merely flipped to the next page of his literature, “Or are you just going to stare at me all evening?”

@stressball​

[thecartersiblings]

Monty had been up on the stage speaking with Simon when he saw them. Completely distracted now he placed an apologetic hand on Simon’s shoulder.

“Excuse me… I’ll be right back.”

His brow was furrowed, weaving through the crowd in enough time to see his sister brush a hand over Zeke’s bicep before slipping away again. They really were quite hidden between the trees, shaded from the sun but they hadn’t taken into account the extra height of the stage. Not that anyone would be looking or care other than Monty who was on the stage at random. But why or how he was able to spot them didn’t matter; what mattered was Zeke’s hands had been places they shouldn’t have and Monty was about to get to the bottom of it. Like a scene out of a horror film when Zeke turned Monty would be there.

“Hey, Zeke.”

@stressball

[moonlightxandxroses]

October wasn’t in but Chuck had a case to work on and he needed a file. He figured the man wouldn’t mind if he took a quick look; he wasn’t sneaking around and he was allowed to be down here. He was a literal P.I. who has worked with the police in the past.

And still Chuck felt like a little thief in the night.

Almost walking directly into somebody as they both turned a corner didn’t help.

“Fuck.” If life were a cartoon, Chuck would have sprung up to attach himself to the ceiling like a startled cat, “Shit. Oh...” He clutched his chest, “I didn’t know anyone else worked down here and honestly this place already stresses me out so if it’s all the same to you, bud,” he snapped his fingers into two finger guns, “I’m going to head out.” forget about the file, he’d get it tomorrow morning.

@stressball​

[1095fm]

closed starter for @jupitcr​ | zeke. 

the orange hues casted against evergreen trees are growing dimmer, and the panic is settling in on nancy’s features. it was dusk. she’s only ever experienced bad things in the woods after dark. picking up her pace, she wraps the wool jacket tighter around herself, arms hugging her own waist, sneakers pounding the semi-paved path laid out for her by countless other trail blazers. one wrong turn, and she felt stuck - a sense of being that had always been her biggest fear. the brunette just had to keep moving. ‘ hello ? ’ she called out, hands falling to her side with a deep frown as she poked her head around the wooded area, continuing further down the trail. ‘ anyone ? can you just... i don’t know, point me in the direction of the parking lot ? ’

[iwaslut]

— in the palm of your hand 

aka hcs of cradling their faces

note: i might make some more of these for other characters, but i hope u like these!! i just want em, especially reiner to be happy <3333

ft. annie leonhart, bertholdt hoover, pieck finger, porco galliard, reiner braun

warning: light season four spoilers??

— annie leonhart.

impassive.

arches an eyebrow, wondering what the fuck you’re doing.

although her facial expression betrays nothing, annie secretly likes it.

nobody’s ever touched annie so gently before and nobody’s ever looked at her with pure unadulterated love.

it’s too overwhelming so she firmly grabs your wrist, making sure her hold is loose enough so as to not hurt you, and removes your hand from her face.

“don’t do that again,” she says, but you just give her a noncommittal hum in response.

because you both know annie liked it.

so maybe in private she’ll let you cradle her face once more.

— bertholdt hoover.

blushy baby!

oh god please don’t attempt this in public, especially with reiner around.

can’t handle the combination of reiner’s teasing and your touch at the same time.

reiner doesn’t hold back and slips in a few lewd jokes at bertholdt’s expense, which worsens his flush.

bertholdt doesn’t believe he deserves the way you touch and look at him.

he’s not a good person, he knows this, but the way you look at him with your hands so tenderly holding his face makes him wish he was.

— pieck finger.

she leans into your touch and presses a peck against your palm.

pieck places her hand over your own, and threads your fingers together. 

you can see the exhaustion in her eyes from those long months spent in her titan form, but she still gives you a content smile.

she’s tired and is looking forward to the chance to rest, but she’s happy to be back home with you.

and she knows that in your presence, she can truly relax for the first time in months.

— porco galliard.

porco gives me tsundere vibes so when you cradle his face, he’s already huffing.

tries to swat your hand away because people are around and are reiner and zeke suppressing laughter right now?

he’s all grumpy because you’re not letting go, but when he looks you in the eyes, he softens.

because you just look so happy to see porco that he relents and allows you to hold his face in your hands.

he’s still mumbling how he’s going to beat the shit out of reiner later, but it’s not very intimidating since his cheeks are tinged with red.

— reiner braun.

the first thing that reiner notes is how your hand feels against his face.

his hands are calloused and worn and so are yours.

but the way you touch him is so soft in a way that reiner is incapable of.

his hands are soiled and dirtied. 

reiner knows he is not a good man and he is selfish, especially when it comes to you.

so with tired eyes, reiner leans into your touch. he tries to muster all the gentleness in his body and wraps his hand around your wrist to keep it there as if he’s afraid you’re going to recoil and remove your hand.

but you don’t.

and with an understanding look, you grant reiner a reprieve from the rest of the world.

[vennilavee]

hands

pairing: levi x reader (atla au!) summary: the aftermath of the Explosion. ft zeke warnings: blood, bodily injury, some cursing a/n: based on this prompt request. here is another episode of me avoiding writing in the canonverse. enjoy. dont read this if u havent read the manga/know what happens!! dont yell at me for potential spoilers 

Levi doesn’t come back to you that night. He doesn’t come back until two nights later. In the meantime, all you have to keep you company is the warmth of your own flames and your worry for him. At first, you had given him space. Then, you were worried. Now, annoyance was starting to tint your worry.

You never claimed to be perfect. But you had been there, had seen Zeke almost recklessly throw his shards of metal at Levi. Levi hadn’t moved fast enough-

Because of you. Because of you. Because of you. You had been trapped under rubble, and despite the bright flames burning through your limbs, you had been unable to push yourself out-

Relief washes over you when you see Levi’s familiar steel eyes through the cracks between the rocks.

“Levi,” You murmur, “I can’t breathe- Where’s Zeke?”

Levi doesn’t answer, instead focused on bending the rock out of the way for you. That’s his first mistake- letting his guard down for half a second. Levi had encased Zeke in quicksand, only buying himself a few extra seconds to get you out.

“Levi, I’m fine! Go, he’s gonna-”

Levi hears it before he sees it, the rumble of the earth only to reveal Zeke looking worse for wear but with an angry glint in his eye. “Levi,” You beg, “Leave me, Levi- Don’t let him-”

He meets your eyes sharply, staring at you for a second before taking off. You were in the lion’s den, in enemy territory. Your heart pounds as you try to do something, anything, to push your way out. Fire licks your irises as flames coating your arms and your hands as you try to weaken the rocks. 

Desperation claws at you when you hear Zeke’s shrieks of anger. Wind whistles as metal flies off of the ceiling, but it’s all background noise. You know what Zeke is capable of. The man scares you, and you’re not too prideful to admit it.

Somehow you make your way out of the cave that Zeke had locked you in. Your chest is heaving and you take a breath of fresh air. Only to see Zeke direct shards of metal towards Levi’s face, cutting him slightly. Levi rolls his eyes as fresh blood drips down his face, only to redirect the metal back at Zeke full speed.

But Zeke has something up his sleeve. You see Levi hesitate for a millisecond, thrown off by the smirk on Zeke’s face. 

Something is about to happen, and you hear it before you see it. You hear explosions in the distance. You connect eyes with Levi and before you can scream for him to harden himself with the earth around him, an explosion goes off right below both of you. Zeke is nowhere to be found, and before you can redirect the fire from the explosion away from you and Levi…

Everything stills for a moment when a second explosion goes off. From right under Levi. 

You had stitched him up, squashing your rising panic. His fingers were missing, and you hope the stitches wouldn’t scar terribly. You don’t allow your heart to ache for him or for fear to settle in your veins, almost replacing your fire. Not yet. Bruises and low grade burns litter his torso. His blood cakes your hands, even under your nails. Your hands shake as you clean his wounds, day and night. He sleeps through the pain. You hope he doesn’t feel it.

You cry at night, curled up in your chair. The local medic comes eventually, to make sure his wounds and dressings are appropriately changed. She gives you medicine and a sympathetic look.

Levi wakes up a few days after that. The medic tries to explain to him what happened, but his eyes are wide when he looks at his hands. And his face in the mirror. A few hours went by, mostly in silence. Levi is on edge, and you can tell. He can’t seem to understand that the man in the mirror is him. How do you look at him like that- with fervent love burning through you?

Levi looks at you once, takes the bandages off of his face and leaves. He just walks out of your small safehouse without a word. You say nothing.

You keep the fireplace lit, just in case he comes back.

Levi has always loved your hands. They were rough, like his, but he’s always been fascinated with your firebending. And the first time you had shown him how to produce lightning, he had kissed you right there at the top of the mountain under the rain. Everything about you lights him up from within. But most of all, he trusts your hands.

He doesn’t feel very worthy of them anymore. He’s running on autopilot, when he walked out of the safehouse and into the forest. You didn’t come after him, and he appreciates that.

But it’s been at least two days now. His face burns and itches. He wants your hands. But how does he face you?

He drags his feet through the forest floor, a little disoriented. Everything feels muted. Everything feels like it’s on fire. The sound of the explosions rings clear in his ears.

Levi walks back home. To you.

By the time he comes back to you, it’s nightfall. You’ve been making an extra bowl of dinner for him, just in case he comes back. And today, he does.

“Levi,” You breathe, running up to him to catch him in your arms, “Let me help you, Levi.”

He looks at you with both eyes, ignoring the searing pain of his right side. If this is the last time he sees you with both eyes, he doesn’t mind. He stamps the memory of your face to his soul.

Levi sits at the edge of the bed, hesitant to touch you. Do you still want him to?

He lets you clean and bandage him up. You even have an eyepatch for him. His hands are limp, chin pointed downwards. He doesn’t meet your gaze, but you’re not surprised. You stay quiet as well, not wanting to push him. Only wanting him to be safe.

It goes like that for a few days- he’s silent when you change his dressings and clean his wounds. Your touch feels like something stolen. He wants to hold your hands, feel your inner warmth seep into him.

But he doesn’t allow it. Not yet.

“Levi,” You murmur, setting a bowl of stew in front of him, “I love you. You remember that, right?”

He hums noncommittally. 

“Nothing’s gonna change that,” You continue, “I’m gonna put a bolt of lightning in Zeke Yeager’s fuckin’ heart. Nothing’s gonna change that either.”

Levi snorts at that. It’s the most you’ve gotten from him. You give him a bright smile and his lips quirk upwards, too.

He eats his stew quietly.

“Can I touch you?” You murmur, as you’re changing his wounds. He sits at the edge of your bed, shirtless. And a little drawn into himself.

“You already are,” Levi remarks. It makes you smile.

“I meant like this,” You murmur, fingers padding over his chest. Silent heat presses into his skin and he feels his muscles relaxing slightly. You haven’t touched him like this in a while. He wonders if you even want to anymore.

You had only wanted to give him the space that he wanted. But you wonder if he’s avoiding your touch out of some form of self-sacrifice. 

He’s always been so dramatic. 

You cup his cheek, your lips only a breath away from his. “I’m going to kiss you now,” You murmur, “Because I love you. No matter what.”

Levi expects your lips on his, but instead you surprise him. Your lips gently press next to his stitches, the bruises on his chest, and upper arms, and finally, his hand. A kiss for each finger. Your lips linger where his fingers should be.

“‘M always gonna hold your hand,” You murmur, “Even when you don’t want to hold mine. Because I love you.”

Levi threads his fingers through yours and you squeeze gently, warm embers of heat curling through his veins. He gives you a small smile, the first one you’ve seen in days.

“Okay,” Levi says softly, meeting your eyes. This time, he squeezes your hands with the little strength he has and feels your warmth finally seep into his skin through the palm of your hands.

He’s always loved your hands. He’s always trusted your hands.

tags: @simpingmaize​ @captainchrisstan​

[hoggleswart]

TWO  YEARS  OF  NOXTMS   (  DAY  TWO  )

ft.    dudley  dursley  ,  liana  burke  ,  julius  crabbe  ,  luca  moltisant  ,  eulalia  karkaroff   &   theodore  budak .

(  @ddudleys  )   —   from the very first day i joined nox, from the very first second tbh, i have been obsessed with your dudley  &  that obsession only continues to grow. the development ?? the original ideas behind him ?? the fact you’ve taken a character people so rarely play and moulded him into someone with so much substance is an utter delight. his character truly brings me so much joy to read. i love that he’s become involved in the magical community. i love how he talks and thinks. his little gestures. i just love dudley dursley. i would lose my mind if someone so much as plucked a hair from his head. just post my unfollow now, i’ll convert this into a vicky’s dudley dursley fanpage instead. 

(  @valiantiisms  )   —   i am !!! forever !!! thinking about the burkes since you brought in liana. and i mean that in a good way. the best way. ezekiel is one of my newest muses. i created him solely for nox and i was so very nervous about that, which makes me even more thankful to have liana around. i love how much thought you’ve clearly put into their character. the way you’ve considered their childhood, their relationships, their views on certain life events. you’ve really gone above and beyond to develop their story, and it shows every time we write or talk. the way liana is soft, but also someone i know i absolutely do not want to anger or upset is something i am completely obsessed with. very looks like a cinnamon roll, but could actually murder you if necessary vibes. sending my adoption papers through for liana to sign any day now, thanx.

(  @dolors  )   —   i feel like i need to start this by first making two declarations. 1. i live and breathe the crabbe family. i am so very attached to them all and it would’ve been easy to dedicate an entire post to them & only them. 2. it was …. damn near … impossible to pick just one of your characters because cherry? cherry !!!!!! you are a true genius when it comes to writing. every single one of your muses own a piece of my heart. the thought you put into them and their background is always outstanding, breath-taking, other words i can’t think of right now. so many times i’ve forgotten anton karkaroff isn’t a canon character because now i know him, i couldn’t imagine the universe without him and the exact same thing is happening with julius. reading his interactions is a bit like reading my favourite shakespeare play. there’s tragedy, there’s bittersweet humour, there’s heartbreak. there’s everything. i’ve had so much fun getting to know him since you brought him into our crazy, little world and i can’t wait to delve even deeper. 10/10 would support him pushing any of my characters through a champagne fountain, even arthur.

(  @woesbegone  )   —   time to repeat my earlier declaration ^^^ i live and breath the crabbe family !!! rachel, i genuinely don’t know ? how to put into words how much i adore this character of yours. it was hard enough picking just one because i could’ve easily gushed about antigone, ginny, mary, everyone, but luca in particular? i am on my knees ready to propose. you had me the second you said ‘fiona gallagher parallels’ and you have been delivering ever since. in my house, i support girls who brawl. i hope she kicks zeke’s ass one day over her shitty apartment. fully support it. a great bonding experience for them both. i love how fierce luca is. i love how ready to take on any challenge she is. the day luca attended the malfoy manor ball as a server is the day i bought her engagement ring. but above all, i love how much luca cares about her siblings. those raw, do-anything-for-them family vibes is something i find? so relatable and so fun to read. i’m also constantly *eyes emoji* at her threads with marcus and percy. i find the dynamics / connections so neat and can’t wait to see where they go. all in all, i’m obsessed. i will be starting a luca’s anonymous support group imminently as i imagine i am not the only one suffering from this obsession.

(  @hvllcwedground  )   —   mozzie, where do i even start !!!! with this one ??? eulalia vivienne karkaroff could squash me like a damn bug and i’d simply thank her for the attention. i was very torn between gushing over her or blaise because they both hold themselves with such presence that they consistently live rent-free in my mind, but in the end, it had to be eulalia. there is something so captivating about every eulalia thread i read. the way you write her mannerisms blows me away. there’s always so much elegance and poise. the way you just know if looks could kill, her body count would be higher than her husband’s. she literally oozes power and i think that’s her right. everybody thinks zeke works for anton, but truthfully, sometimes? i think lil bit he works for eulalia more. that’s the real boss. i’m off to make eulalia for minister posters.

(  @tiimetvrners  )    —    this was originally going to be helene because we love one hot, boss-ass bitch who’s also a good mom ! then kasper tried to takeover. my fave lil troublemaker, definitely drew the paternal short straw with zeke as his dad, but ultimately, i had to go for theodore. it’s where my heart automatically led me because i simply ? love theo !!! so much. his one liners make me smile stupid whenever i read his threads. the way he holds himself with this air of .. ‘i literally couldn’t care less’ abt some things is such a slytherin alumnus vibe. he’s blunt and and funny, and i genuinely just think about him a lot. A LOT. he’s swell. 

[aerialcedrick]

PINTEREST | MUSINGS | INTRO | TASKS

[ DA’VINCHI, HE/HIM, CIS MAN ]  —  [ CEDRICK CHANDLER ]  is a grandchild of  [ HERMES & EROS ]  with the power of  [ ENHANCED SPEED & WING MANIFESTATION ] .  they were born in  [ 1998 ]  and have been in nemean lion since  [ 2016 ] .  with the change, they [ ARE TRAINING IN ]  the  [ HERO ]  role which makes sense since they’re usually  [ LIFTING WEIGHTS OR TEACHING YOUNGER NEMEAN LION KIDS SPORTS ] .  if you’d like to meet them try the  [ SUN ]  building .  

GENERAL

Full Name: Cedrick Chandler  Nickname(s): Ricki  Age: 23  Date of Birth: December 13, 1998  Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

FAMILY

Parents: Jenelle Chandler (mother) & Leroy Chandler Sr. (father, non-biological), Hermes (grandparent) Eros (grandparent) Sibling(s): Leroy “Roy/Junior” Chandler Jr. 16, Zeke “Zee” Chandler 9 (younger brothers, non-demigods)  Pet(s): Female Doberman Pinscher named Kahlúa    Family’s Financial Status: Middle Class

BIOGRAPHY

Ricki’s parents had him young. Jenelle, a child of Hermes, had chosen to live a life separate from her godly relatives. She had the power of omnilingualism and was studying foreign policy in undergrad, keeping the secrets of her skills to herself. College is the time for experimenting, and a threesome with a child of Eros left Jenelle and Leroy with a baby they didn’t know what to do with. Jenelle took a leave of absence from school to carry but never returned and Leroy finished his degree. The couple tried to look at Ricki’s conception as an act of love, something they both took part in, and decided against a paternity test in favor of raising him as their own. 

Ricki was 6 by the time Junior was born and wasn’t showing any signs of being a demigod. His speed felt like a gift and they put him in sports young, having played little league, soccer, and eventually running track in high school. Jenelle had a feeling he’d inherited his speed from her lineage, but never put that pressure on Ricki. Ricki was always a popular, likable guy and is incredibly close to his father. He loves kids and would do anything for his little brothers. He was a gifted athlete and though the Chandlers knew his skills were likely genetic, from Hermes, they chose to keep their kids out of the know.

Junior year of high school was when his wings were discovered. An uncontrollable itching in his back made him claw and scrape at his skin, unaware what the issue was. A few x-rays showed wings growing under his skin. That’s when his parents looked at each other and realized the truth: Ricki was not Leroy’s son. 

It took Ricki a long time to process this but he tried not to be distant, instead spending more time at the gym and hanging out with friends as a distraction. He started cutting class and lingering at the mall with the wrong crowd, even started stealing and getting into trouble. The day his parents told him they were sending him to NL he almost caused a riot. He’d worked hard, and having to admit that work wasn’t his own felt stolen. If it was up to him, he’d ignore the stretch in his back as long as he could.

When he got to NL he finally began embracing his powers out of a need to make an impression and show off. He liked being fast and knew with the right training from the right people he could be faster, better. Something about becoming a hero made him feel strong and important and special and he liked that. He got closer to Hermes, but still struggled to get close to Eros, and didn’t make any immediate efforts to work with his wings.

The growing pains got so bad that half way into coming to Nemean Lion Ricki started taking pain killers to help with the pain, but they made him distant and spacey. He didn’t take them long enough to form any strong reliance, and is going into this year trying to embrace his wings and learn to control them. He hopes to ask to shadow Levi, finally ready to take charge of his power. He wants to be proud, to learn how to soar. Also, he kinda can’t graduate from the hero track until he does.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Face Claim: Da’Vinchi  Height: 6 ft 3 in  Style/Aesthetic: Athletic, track jackets, varsity jacket, jeans, basketball shorts, cleans up nice and always has his chain on. Has his ears pieced and one either has a silver hoop, little diamond, or hanging cross. Always has a fresh fade and always clean shaven.  Extras: Ricki is a HUGE sneaker head, the type to stand in line early when a special pair drops, and has a section in his room where some never worn sneakers are on display. He buys really expensive running shoes and has a few custom pairs he wears on special occasions. He’s serious about his kicks. Also he gets manicures with a clear coat so his nails are always on point/clean and he’s best friends with his manicure lady.

PERSONALITY

Positive Traits: charming, outgoing, approachable, compassionate, understanding, hardworking, optimistic, fair-minded, honest, spontaneous Negative Traits: inconsistent, reckless, overly confident, occasional bursts of anger, forgetful    Hobbies: Collecting sneakers, playing sports, he’s a bit of a show off, going to the gym, hanging out/needs to be around people  Habits: forgetful/will sometimes agree to double plans, has a hard time not moving and has a LOT of energy so if he’s still too long you’ll catch him bouncing his leg or pacing. Has issues with focusing for too long and has a short attention span. Over exerts himself.

EXTRA

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius  Temperament: Sanguine. Sanguines tend to be more extroverted and enjoy being part of a crowd; they find that being social, outgoing, and charismatic is easy to accomplish. Individuals with this personality have a hard time doing nothing and engage in more risk seeking behavior.  Moral Alignment: Neutral Good

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

Hometown friends/family friends 

Best friends/Good friends met at NL. Ricki is really social and definitely rolls with a few crews

A ride-or-die. I imagine Ricki has a lot of friends and is friends with almost everyone because he’ll go up and talk to anyone but he needs at least one day 1. I imagine Ricki has a close main crew that has a group chat and acts up together and would love to get a few chars together (4 or 5) to make that friend group dynamic a thing. Bonus: giant text threads hehe

Someone he’s super protective over, he would pull up in a second.

Additionally, someone who is super protective of him.

Others on the hero track he can train with.

A few enemies. I imagine some people think he’s annoying or a bit of a show off, he’s that kid that’s good at most things. Past friends who are current frenemies! Some friendly or unfriendly competition. Ricki doesn’t always feel the need to prove himself but unfortunately he never backs down from a challenge because he’s not a little bitch so he WILL agree to stupid dangerous shit.

People that were close to him when he was taking a lot of painkillers and would recognize a similar shift in his behavior.

Romances. Past flings or partners, someone who has a crush on him, someone he has a crush on, give me all of it! An almost-something-now-nothing. A friend who wants to use him to make someone else jealous but he’s in on it. Your char is his friend and he doesn’t like their partner/he’s your partners friend but your char doesn’t like him! Past lovers to friends, past lovers to enemies (bad breakup, now it’s all attitude). FWB. ALL OF IT. Ricki isn’t necessarily a player but he’s not that committal. He’s the type that comes off as boyfriend material but then forgets to text back and skips dates to train and then wanna act confused when you’re mad. Then he go and buy you ice cream and flash you his smile and you let him inside anyway.

Roommates/apartment mates in the sun building! 

Anything and everything!! Ricki is super versatile.

[flailingkittylover]

How Aruani happened

I posted this on reddit but I’d like to put this here as there are understandable issues/criticism of Aruani and it’s execution within SNK. Let me be the first to say I welcome discussion :) There will also be a delay in responses if there are any as this upcoming week is busy for me but I will do my best to answer those who are curious.

What I will not tolerate is clear and outright hate. It will be ignored. So if you try, please don’t. You will not be answered. 

Hereeee we go!

[xx]

I’d like to expand on these really well done threads here and here but with interviews/canon scenes/movies which inspired Yams to help explain why Annie spared Armin, Armin resisted turning her in, and how the ship even came to be. I’ll tackle some points on what AA are on a colleague level then on crush-level, as well.

For those who are impatient like me, there is a TL;DR at the end ahahah.

1. Why didn’t Armin say anything?

At the colleague level, he struggled to believe a comrade he respected was a traitor.

At the crush/interest level, Armin had respect and possibly feelings for Annie and it clouded his judgement.

However, what pushes me to the second explanation is there was an Armin Smartpass interview where he admitted he would not tell anyone if he loved/liked someone.

Armin is a strategist and a forward thinker. He has seen how the Garrison works and how corrupt and quick to attack authority figures and other people are—his bullies during childhood, for example, and the Garrison officials who beat up 9 year old Eren after the first attack. 

Armin will keep his secrets close as evidenced here/in the story.Is it any wonder then why he not only said nothing but his “bond” with Annie was very “read between the lines” in FT arc?

2. Why did Annie look “uncomfortable” around Armin though? And there aren’t many interactions with them?

The first question stems from some remarks I saw after chapter 131. They did hang out quite a bit too but that's better explained in the threads in the first paragraph.

At the colleague level—Annie is horrifically sheltered and emotions seem difficult for her to handle especially when in a scenario she is not used to-like most people. She also actively avoided everyone. It’s no wonder then she’s awkward around Armin when he compliments her for being nice when their gear is getting inspected. Annie is comfortable with fighting and killing per her upbringing as a Warrior, not pleasantries or compliments.

At the crush/interest level—like the above point states, Annie doesn’t understand/is not used to basic interaction. Seeing how 132 suggests the crush is mutual - wouldn’t any teenager be awkward and uncomfortable around a first-time crush? Especially when talking to them? The only time comfort in approaching an interest sets in is when one is experienced at dating or have had a couple relationships. Or maybe they are just confident. So Annie not being “comfortable” in the boat scene or gear scene makes sense as being vulnerable and experiencing a situation you are not used to IS uncomfortable, especially for a sheltered person like her.

Moreover, sometimes attraction doesn’t need many interactions, just situations to observe as I will address in a moment. Execution of all of the above, however, is another argument.

3. Why is Annie drawn to Armin?

Using Eren as an example, Yams said Eren is egotistical/self-centered, and makes decisions with self-preservation in mind.

So basically...Eren is exactly like Annie; egotistical because of her pride in fighting and selfish to get back home.

Armin, however, is the opposite and is far softer than Eren, something Annie has hardly seen from strong male figures in her life—Magath, her father, Eren, Zeke. That does not mean Armin is a push-over though—Armin has proven he has strong will and a tendency to go against the current( again, the bullies who beat him up and Armin not backing down). Annie has been shown to respect people who go against the current and seeing a boy who has those traits and is softer than the harsher ones she grew up with may have been appealing to Annie.

4. How would Annie know about Armin’s care for his friends/strong resolve though? They hardly spoke!

One is the Trost Canonfire scene when the Garrison threatened to kill EMA.

Another is Armin’s plan to kill the titans in the basement storing gas for their gear.

All of these moments were observational proof to Annie (what she does all day as a spy) and everyone else of Armin’s capabilities/strong resolve. Another would be Armin's idea to lead Eren's titan to the supply base.

Those scenes are absolutely not an explicit one-on-one interaction but to say Annie barely knows anything about Armin is false. Even Armin put her on the spot for knowing not killing him would cause him to inevitably catch her. Annie has seen through the battle in Trost what Armin is capable of. She also saw through his mental breakdown when Armin said Eren's squad was dead just how devastated he would be if he lost his close friends.

5. Why is Armin drawn to Annie?

The proof to Armin of Annie’s good nature/skill is not so much calling her “nice” but what happened in the background: Annie achieved all of what Armin wanted to do—she was in the top ten and stood “shoulder-to-shoulder” physically to EM like Armin desperately wanted (physically or figuratively) and was strong like EM.

She also showed Eren her moves out of her own free will and this saved Eren down the line. Annie is TINY and “weaker” than Armin but she was a force to be reckoned with and battled Mikasa too, another thing he couldn’t do.

In training, Eren saw that Mikasa was better than him and he was bitter about it but Armin—in my heavily biased opinion—possibly admired Annie for doing everything he wanted to do to match up to his friends and with her bored attitude, Annie likely made it look easy.

6. Why does all that crap above matter?

Armin and Annie’s attraction reminds me of The Comedian and Silk Spectre’s relationship from The Watchmen—an inspiration to SNK origin per Isayama—although not so traumatic and vile in its beginnings like the aforementioned characters. But The Comedian’s and Spectre’s bond emphasizes that human attraction can be strange and powerful—inexplicable even—as they have every reason to hate each other—just like Armin and Annie— but they don’t and Dr. Manhattan explains the benefit of said contradiction to Silk Spectre’s daughter wonderfully:

“Millions upon millions of cells fight to create life until finally, your mother loves a man who she has every reason to hate and out of that contradiction, against unfathomable odds, it’s you—only you that emerged. To distill so specific a form in all that chaos, it’s like turning air into gold...a miracle.” —Dr. Manhattan, The Watchman

The above quote relates back to Isayama’s theme in SNK—”this world is cruel but beautiful”. Out of what should be a sick bond, two people loved each other still and their child who grew into an inspirational person that is loved by many came out of it.

What's the above quote’s relationship to SNK? Annie led herself into Armin’s trap and had to crystallize for four years thus losing time to see her father. Armin lost his home, his friends were traumatized, and because of RBA’s attack, he lost his last surviving relative. AA have done irreparable harm to each other and by pure logic, hate should exist between them but as evidenced by 131 and possibly 132(this is TBD until official comes out), this doesn’t appear to be true. Like in a relationship, the positives of the other/circumstances of a moment can overpower the negative actions/behaviors performed by the partner.

From Vegeta to Bulma in DBZ, to The Breakfast Club’s John Bender and Claire Standish (Yams used the movie's cover for a issue cover), and The Comedian and Silk Spectre in Watchmen, the toxicity caused to each other before or during attraction is nothing new but is often something to be further expanded upon and sometimes results in the most interesting and passionate relationships. Although I admit, I’m not sure we will get too much of that with Armin and Annie given the manga’s current speed.

TL;DR:

Given Isayama’s movies inspirations and their themes paired with SNK completed arcs, it’s not surprising he took two Eldians from different worlds—Paradis and Marley—had them train together and see their hidden qualities but made it so neither could communicate well because Armin would not admit feelings due to fear of it being used against him and Annie being an undercover spy + being too sheltered to fully understand how she feels—Yam’s own cruel yet beautiful world. 

These two have every reason to hate the other and Annie was propagandized to hate the island devils, but she doesn't and Armin doesn't hate her either. Given this situation they were handed, it is why Armin and Annie never interacted too much - because Annie kept away from talking to everyone for personal preservation to complete her mission and Armin is overly cautious.

Moreover, Annie was gone for 7 years, and as such, we got her cold, emotion-repressed undercover self as the poster image when Yams always emphasizes what's "underneath". Wouldn't it be OOC for Annie to go out of her way to talk to/address feeling anything when she has been 100% dedicated to the mission? She has always been an observer and is so frighteningly perceptive, she saw how Eren's determination/aggression could lead to downfall. Is it then out of the ordinary she would perceive how Armin is the opposite and embodies something more peaceful?

The same could be said for Armin who doubted the walls staying up even as a child. With Eren and Mikasa at his center, why would he voice a crush let alone trust anyone other than those close to him when there is so much danger around them? It would be OOC for him, as once more, Armin is overly cautious.

So to answer those asking: how could these two feel anything pre-time skip? It is through watching each other, as both Annie and Armin have been doing all their lives (Armin noticing Bert's feelings, the Colossal's weakness and Annie understanding how Eren's determination could be warped and telling Eren during training how the best and brightest live farthest away from the titans.)

More of my dumb opinion:

Is all this a reach? Probably. My ship goggles could be on farrr too tight and I do wish there were more interactions. But given how both needed to keep their mouths shut during the FT arc, it makes sense why aruani bond was so concealed.

It's also dynamics like Aruani where there is deception and hurt but acknowledgement and respect of each other’s hidden kindness (Annie) and strength (Armin) which make them so interesting. It’s not surprising how at this stage-at the end of the world- when everyone had to do horrible things, the mindset of “why bother bringing up the past?” seems to be present now when all it will do is bring pain as evidenced by Marco’s death reveal to Jean. (The reveal was very necessary but oof, hurts)

[erenspaths]

This chapter was pretty cool but not enough eren centric per me...

But again, Isayama being a genius, offered us some new perspectives and theories that could almost proved, I’m gonna explain my point here..

After a talk with my co-writer, and friend, Yama @shingeki-no-eren, we conclude that something weird appears now to be concrete: Eren is somehow pretty dead. At least, only his will survived thanks to the paths and the fact he is the attack titan that I remind you, is the only titan that can’t be controlled, manipulated by others: the attack titan has its own will, its own goal to archive.

So yeah, his transformation in founding titan in Shiganshina needed his physical body to be but it seems that since his transformation, Eren looks asleep, almost like dead. His eyes are closed, his posture seems to be that of an unconscious person, his head and arms held together by wires? seemed to support the theory in which Eren’s mind and body are manipulated by someone else or entity.

Honestly I don’t know. I’m torn between several theories that all make sense to me.

First of all, one theory that I surely excluded is that Ymir Fritz manipulating Eren because after reading the manga as a whole again, Eren by freeing Ymir and when he asked for her powers to carry out his project, reiterates that he doesn’t need her to help him to bear his burden, he doesn’t her to follow him because she’s finally free, to wander in the paths without giving any account to the holders of the titans’ powers. He also stated that she could follow him if only it was her own will.

So Ymir’s apparitions in the paths next to Eren or during chap 131, is her own will. Eren is free to act whatever he wants to act, actually.

But then again, Eren is clearly tied by some kind of wires.. maybe they are only there to support the monstrous weight that Eren’s arms and head must weigh in suspension... 🤷🏼‍♀️ nevertheless, his current posture is still reminiscent of that of an articulated puppet. I just can’t help myself to think that Yams made that in purpose to be ambiguous.

So Eren may could be manipulated by the attack titan.. I saw that theory many times, and honestly I really thought about it, and pieces by pieces it makes sense and in way it makes no sense... are you still with the thread of my mind? 🥴

Let me explain.. as I said previously, the attack titan is the only titan to have its own will, its not controlled by any other external wills, but according to Eren and his determination to kill all of his enemies, the fact that he is the attack titan shifter only increases his personal will. I don’t think that this titan can manipulate Eren as an independent entity, it would mean that this particular titan is able to think and act independently of its shifter, but that doesn’t make any sense at all. Rather, the attack titan should be seen as a turbo engine and Eren’s will is its fuel. Yet Eren can still act and work without the AT while the AT cannot act and work without being possessed by a shifter.

Beside that, we know that Eren can have access to future moments and this thanks to the power of the AT. It’s precisely this titan that allows him to see the future, yet we never have access to Eren’s predictions though, only memories or flashbacks that can be triggered at any moments when the situation is suitable and necessary elements gathered. For example, before the raid on Liberio, his will is strengthened when he remembers his mother Carla being eaten by his father’s first wife Dina transformed into a primal titan.

Because let me remember you that before that raid, Eren seemed to have lost some of his will to destroy his enemies after spending some time in Marley and after sharing an evening with his comrades, drinking and eating with some muslim people. He is a little in doubt... “should I act as I planned?” - “Humanity doesn’t seem so rotten, it’s like inside the wall after all, there are some good people and some bad ones.”

Then the next day, he vanished. Spending months pretending to be an eldian soldier in the Marleyan army, trying to refocus his main goal by infitraiting the enemy camp, in order to get as much infos as possible.. then meeting on his way back to Liberio, the little Falco Grice, a kind of sunshine boy, who helped him without asking questions.. again, Falco made Eren questioning himself but then again, Falco wasn’t enough this time to change Eren’s mind.

He made his plan become real during his raid on Liberio and took back the warharmer titan and finally came back to paradis with Mikasa and the others.

But finally what made Eren increasing his will during his talk with Reiner? It’s Willy Tybur’s discourse that made him gone fury. He got it. Whatever he can do, even if he forgives to those who hurted him, even if he tries to change his mind, the others won’t do the same. The other part of the humanity hates Paradis, hates Eldian people, hates Eren. They should die.

There are three solution offered to Eren at this point:

1. He follows Zeke’s plan, and helps Zeke to euthanize Paradis’ inhabitants, and forces Historia having a bunch of brats during her 13 years of existence because she would finally be the FT shifter so her children could become the new shifters of the 9 titans and the story continues...

Well...Zeke’s plan could work if you accept to commit a genocide on your own people. But who knows if someone from outside the walls won’t be committing the same thing Grisha Jaeger did to steal the FT from Frieda Reiss? All you need is one silly eldian and subject of Ymir, who survived Zeke’s plan of euthanasia and some old serum or some spinal fluid and here we go..

2. He follows his own will to destroy his opressors/enemies in order to take back his freedom for him and his people, but he needs to commit a global genocide for that. But they would be finally free.

3. He does nothing and let the rest of humanity oppressing them and bring back the FT and the AT to the royal bloodline family, so Zeke or Historia.

He picked up option 2, because his will is strong. He is so determinated and that’s what chap 133 showed us.

“No matter whatever you want to say, you can’t change my mind, I won’t stop the rumbling, I can’t gamble Paradis’ future”.

“If you really want to stop me, you’re free to do, come and fight me but don’t fail and kill me, otherwise you will lose.”

Eren is offering a chance to his old comrades to fight him, he is not begging them to kill him, he is offering them a chance to change things and reach their own purpose: save humanity. But he warned them that if they don’t want to change their mind, he is not going to change his.. they will finally be forced to fight, unfortunately.

To come back to my theories, Eren is dead only his will remains.

It could be a possibility if you take Eren in the paths moments. He is always in his child form, when his determination to obtain his freedom started. At the age, his obsession for freedom started but especially when he got his titan powers from Grisha, more specially when he became the FT shifter even if the FT powers weren’t released yet for Eren. As Ymir who is also always portrayed as a child when we all know she died as a young grown woman, at the end of her adolescence, again she seems to look the same little girl when she obtained the titans powers.

To my part, Eren and Ymir look like ghosts, a kind of illusions, or a sort of holograms. They look weird and totally dismissed of a real physical body as a real person.

But finally, is that possible? Are we sure that into the bones of Eren’s FT titan form there is Eren’s physical body? If Eren’s really dead already, is he going to reborn into another person, form or is he going to remplace Ymir in the paths?

Eren remains to be the only solution of all this story. He is the key. He is the solution.

All he has to do, is taking back the 9 titans powers and trying to summon the demon of the earth to bring back the powers that were given to Ymir, 2000 years ago, then vanishing... is that possible you think?

Feel free to interact, I would love to read your theory or your opinion about that fucked post. ☺️

[zekcs]

┗ ✘｡   VOICEMAIL  01.    —    ft. TAMSIN !

( @tcmsins )  

✘｡—      the automatic woman’s voice that appears following a voicemail transforms itself into a monotonous hum, NUMBING out into the distance, as ezekiel steadily lowers his cell phone away from his ear in disturbing SHOCK. frozen solid with misplaced reflection and lost words, he is suddenly unable to retain or hear anything around him, too utterly absorbed with the revelations that tamsin had just left in his voicemail box. ‘ PARENTS ’ — the torrid word nips at the defensive threads of his cognition, ezekiel haphazardly reassessing her message in his mind, his hand violently clenching his phone. ‘ KID, FAMILY ’ — they all come with a jolt, smacking the charcoal-dressed man again and again with such a force that the broken pieces already intoxicating his insides plead for a stop, for an explanation, for SOMETHING. a dense fog of disorientation and hurt asphyxiates the atmosphere cradling him, betrayal turning into sorrow, and sorrow turning into OUTRAGE. and before he even realizes it, he’s dialling the injurious brunette’s number back, an unstoppable, emotional fury of exposed F E R V O U R possesses him, thirsting for a confrontation. however, a few beeps later, no luck. ezekiel finds himself being greeted by the tone of her answering machine, her voice in the recording a beautiful evil against his eardrum. 

                                               —

       once prompted, he unlatches the gate of frustration building up within him. “ parents, huh ? ” zeke cracks sharply into the nothingness of the phone, firmly holding his breath in vexation before exhaling. “ a fuckin’ KID, tamsin ? a motherfucking BABY and you didn’t even tell me ? ” his temper comes across as fearsome and BURNING through the phone line, as he expressively shakes his head in distaste and fidgets with the ebony strands on his head. “ i know i was never a fucking SAINT when we were together, but who do you think i am ? seriously ? some fucking monster ? ” ezekiel howls with an offended expression, his words becoming even more sour with every second, brows curled downward in anger. “ what, my ‘ SUFFOCATING HATRED ’ wouldn’t have been able handle it ? or no, maybe my dick that apparently can’t keep itself in my pants, right ? i’m the end all and be all of a fucking ASSHOLE, i get it. ” his aggravation becomes laced with mockery in his last statement, shaken legs dramatically pushing themselves up from his couch, unable to contain his frustration by sitting down any longer. all the BETRAYED sentiments fly out of ezekiel in the form of linguistic stings and evocative body motions. “ but THIS ? what the fuck, tamsin ? don’t act like your some helpless victim here. we’ve both done some bullshit. we’re both in the wrong for our fucked up relationship. ” the feelings of betrayal and despair stir up a FOUL cocktail in ezekiel’s chest, one that forms fire in his eyes and disheartens his strength, causing him to pace around the room. “ i - i can’t even — ” zeke hesitates before being periodically cut off by a BEEP, signalling the end of the voicemail. 

      returning to the sofa, he takes deep breaths in an attempt to subside his ill temper, visions of PAST moments with tamsin blinking behind squeezed eyelids. everything from the arguments to the pleasures — carmine, wine-stained kisses and late-night laughs in the haziness of his car BLUSH his heart, while flamboyant lies and TOXIC disputes place choking hands around his neck. fervidly, the phone is lashed from his palm to the other side of the cushions, his two hands pulling back to stroke his face in exasperation. however, a vivid A N G U I S H begins to blanket his irritability as he finally starts to calm down and reevaluate himself. with a slight change of heart, ezekiel grabs the phone and calls back. voicemail answering his ring once again, he speaks, a lower tone to his words, “ alright, i’m sorry, okay ? i’m sorry i fuck up and DESTROY everything in my life. i have no excuses, but you think i want that ? ” he pauses, creasing his lips into a firm line,  “ obviously fucking not, but that’s just how my life is. not all of us can just blurt out how we fucking feel every minute and have everything work out. ” the news of tamsin’s lost pregnancy has ezekiel feeling vulnerable, a tension knocking in his throat, fighting to be released. “ so what do you want from me exactly, tamsin ? you want me to say that i got scared ? okay, fine, i got scared. i’ll admit that. you and i were a good thing, and that freaked me the fuck out. ” a buried sigh can be heard over the speaker as zeke’s fingers rub at the tired lines on his forehead. “ fuck those commitment issues though. who i am, how i learnt to be, i can’t help it. but don’t think it doesn’t fuck me up that i cheated on you and hurt you, because it DOES, ” ezekiel exposes dryly, repressed emotions getting the best of him, “ i hate that suffocation, but i deal with it. i fucking deal with it. ” 

      at this point, the gloomy-eyed man’s cold, secluded feelings lie torn apart, naked edges revealed, and exhaustion from getting angry WASTING away his bones. his choleric emotions toward the situation still persist, but something inside of him persuades him to suddenly go easy on his ex-girlfriend. they are both VICTIMS of being mangled by melancholic misfortunes, so who was he to push that any further ? he was just so TIRED, tired of it all.  “ so yeah, i fucking get it. i failed you. i realize that, okay ? i’m just a big, fucking failure, right ? ” he hushes drearily, the scale of his voice becoming increasingly quieter, foggy orbs lowering to the floor, “ fuck, tami . . . i just mi— ” his tattered speech trails off, ezekiel taking a moment to sigh before expressing his last statement with a huff. “ anyway, you should have told me. that kid was a part of ME too. i could have fucking helped, that’s ALL i’m saying. ” 

BEEP.

[thecartersiblings]

Olive had certain Carter Family duties she and Monty bad to check off their list — talking to people, smiling when appropriate, making sure everyone was happy and content. God, Olive could not have cared less about anyone ‘‘‘important’’’ at the lake except for Zeke.

So she snuck away and sought him out every chance she got. And every time she seemed to get closer and looser and less concerned with who was watching. (Still cognizant, of course, but maybe she was allowed to enjoy herself too.)

The sac left her hand and went right through the opposing corn hole; it forced a laugh of delight from her. “YEAH BABY!”

“I win… again!” Olive flipped her hair over her shoulders, “Undefeated..” gloating as she pranced around in her coverup, lowering her sunglasses over her eyes like the celebrity that she was, “Masterful technique.” She leaned against him, “And the crowd goes wild!” continuing like a little annoying newscaster, “What an upset. Mr. Hunter, how are you fairing after such a brutal defeat???”

@stressball

[moonlightxandxroses]

Monty liked Zeke. The man had more than proven his commitment to his baby sister and Monty could tell how much he loved her (even if they both refused to add the word into their vocabulary). He and Zeke had made a habit of hanging out at the lake house on the weekends -- sometimes with Grayson and Olive, sometimes with out -- in attempt to savor the last fleeting days of summer.

Grayson and Olive got along well. Which was opportune as it allowed Monty some time alone with Zeke. “-- Listen, all I’m sayin’ is...” he glanced over his shoulder to make sure they weren’t being listened to, flipping a burger on the grill before turning his attention back to his sister’s boyfriend, “I think it’d be a really good idea to get her into some kinda hobby. She refuses to do anything with me, I get it, I’m lame, but... You know how she is, she likes to stay occupied.” A bored Olive meant for a destructive Olive. But a overworked Olive was no good either. It wasn’t like Buttons was demanding; it was that Olive felt like she had to be the best and poured herself 110% into everything she did no matter how menial. Monty sighed. It was a bit of the pot calling the kettle black but he would ignore that for now. He sighed.

“...I just worry about her. I don’t know, you’ve been boxing with Goldstein, yeah? She’d probably like that. Or... something competitive maybe?”

@stressball​

[thecartersiblings]

cont. from this thread...

Olive was at the police station that morning because her brother asked her to be. Monty wasn’t the best when it came to logistical tasks and he would be speaking to the children or reading to the children or something to further his bleeding heart in the following week and they needed to walk the venue. He always asked his sister to come with him to these things. She was the business bitch, he absolutely wasn’t and official walk throughs gave him stage fright before the event even occurred.

They were walking out when they heard the banging.

Monty paused by the door to the coroner's.

“Ollie...”

Another bang.

“Do you hear that?”

Olive kept walking, eyes glued to her emails, “I’m ignoring it. -- For god’s sake.” He was already walking inside leaving her to call after him: “This is why you’d die first in a horror movie, idiot.”

It was dark in the office but Monty could tell it was a mess. It all sent a sharp shiver down his spine. He didn’t... really... like being around dead bodies and October Roulette kind of scared him. “Mr. Roulette..?” Another bang almost had Monty turning back around but what if someone needed help. Ghosts weren’t real. Zombies weren’t real. Serial killers were real but at least they were at the police station if that were the case... oh god.

Meanwhile Olive was annoyed but would wait for her brother filing her nails when she heard him cry out in terror. She kicked the door in immediately, “MONTY?” She had a taser in one hand and on both sets of knuckles wore diamond encrusted knuckle dusters. She’d even had the forethought to pull her earrings off. But one sight of the pummeled Zeke who Monty had released from the closet and was helping to stand forced two confused blinks from her. Monty sat Zeke down in his office chair, “I’m going to call the ambulance ok, Mr. Hunt?”

Olive lowered her weapon, “The fuck happened to you?”

@stressball​