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#nicolo x reader
sommerflue-22 · 11 months
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Little Things They Do... (Pt. 2)
Little things they do to show you they love you
Read the other parts: Part 1 // Part 3
Featuring: Hange Zoe, Erwin Smith, Levi Ackerman, Onyankopon, Yelena, Nicolo
Warning: Modern setting, gn!Hange
Word Count: 650
Author Note
Hi, this is another version of "Little Things They Do"! I've linked the first part above for you to read. Here is the song I listened to while writing this. These actions can be perceived platonically or romantically, whatever suits you. Let me know if you want me to write for other characters as well!
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Hange
Not everyone can appreciate Hange the way they are, so enthusiastic in certain subjects to the point where they can explain stuff that can't be found in Wikipedia. Having you around them, someone who appreciates them and supports them in whatever they do, is something that Hange never takes for granted. Whenever you both are having a conversation, Hange likes to drop a few 'fun facts' or trivial knowledges they've attained in their free time. They make it sound amusing as well, like that one line from a Philomena Cunk episode "The Egyptians believed that the most important thing you could do in your life was die."
Erwin
Erwin most likely pays close attention to small details such as how your necktie is crooked, or a tiny splatter of ketchup in your cheek after you ate your food. He will fix it for you every time. Expect him to stop you from rushing somewhere when you're already late, just for him to fix your hair a little bit. Also the constant reminder for you to tie your shoes because somehow they're always undone. He's just afraid that you'll trip over your own feet. It's not like you're that clumsy and untidy, he just cares about you a lot.
Levi
Levi is the cleanest and tidiest person you've ever met in your entire life, but he just lets you do things that usually irks him out. Whenever you come over to his place, he'll let you leave your dirty plate or cup in the sink. He'll wash it for you. He let you touch his TV remote even though your fingers are greasy from your snack. He'll wipe it later. He let you work/do your assignments in his living room, your papers and miscellaneous stuff scattered around the place. He'll help you pick them up later. It's his way to repay your kindness because amongst his closest circle, you deal with his sad and gloomy side the most.
Onyankopon
Onyankopon will happily help you take aesthetic pictures for your social media, anytime, anywhere, even if it's really crowded. He'll go crouching down, tilting his body, all out to get the best pictures. He knows how to change the setting, the ISO and all, of both digital cameras and smartphones. He will tell you where to stand and which way to face, working with the light to complement your figure. He takes it seriously. It's rare to find someone who is willing to take pictures for you, let alone one who is really good at it.
Yelena
Most of the time Yelena is calm and composed, which is why she kind of insisted in speaking on your behalf. No matter if you both are in a restaurant, in a bar, or at the dentist, she will speak for you. She just noticed a long time ago how you often have a hard time explaining things, something that is really easy for her to do. At first she said it's because you take too long when ordering food, or your voice was shaking as you talk to strangers it bothers her. However, as the time goes by, you realize it's her way to take care of you. You don't have to worry when you're out with Yelena, she will handle everything.
Nicolo
You and Nicolo eat together, like, almost in every chance you both get. Be it a fancy dinner, or snacking together while watching a movie at home, you both love to share your food. For some reason, whenever you have to open a packaging, Nicolo will grab it and open it for you. Once he teared the packaging open, he'll give it back to you. Nicolo is also a big "do you wanna try my food" guy. He will cut half of his steak and move it to your plate. He will break a KitKat in two and share a half of it with you.
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I've never written anything about Onyankopon, Yelena, and Nicolo but apparently it was fun. I think I have a crush on Yelena now idk. I hope you like it as well! Lemme know what you think :3
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ameagrice · 1 year
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War Rages On
Newly-captured POW, Nicolo, is determined to be as rude as they come to everyone he comes across on Paradis. You’re determined to win him over, knowing you’re not the real enemy. As war rages on, you watch Nicolo come to his senses, as you face bombings and betrayals together.
(based on the song ‘war rages on’ by alex clare)
Your rifle ends up positioned at the back of a blond-haired Marleyan man, who is convinced you are the enemy. [DUE 20/11/2022]
The mission to meet the oncoming Marleyan ships goes end-up when you are met with gunfire and fatalities. Eren Jaeger turns the tide of the situation’s outcome. You are left with less duties than you began with, meaning kitchen duties with a stubborn Marleyan.
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romancingromanoff · 8 months
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Secrets & Sketches
Andromache the Scythian x f!reader
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I decided to create a series of loosely related one shots for Andromache (my beloved). Here’s part 1 and part 2
Summary: You were always staring at her, not knowing she was staring back.
TW: None?
Word count: +5,100
Author's Note: Hi y'all. Here's some slightly domestic fluff before the action happens and the stakes skyrocket through the roof.
Despite never having lived with four strangers before, it turned out that your new situation offered you far more privacy than you had ever experienced while living with your mother.
The woman had a compulsive need to control every aspect of your life, from what you wore to what you ate. You were barely even safe in the bathroom. The years had taught you to lie with your words and carefully crafted smiles. Knowing what she wanted to hear from you and how you could appease her temper was like mastering a second language. Your skills in the craft became more and more refined throughout the years and your confidence ultimately grew. But you underestimated your mother and made the greatest mistake of them all.
“I know you’re lying to me! What are you trying to hide from me, you ungrateful whore?”
A picture frame nearly collided with your head, chipping the door frame instead of scratching your face. The glass shattered on the floor and your body jumped twice, once at the sound and another time when your eyes settled on the damage and found that your favorite childhood photo with your grandmother was destroyed. 
“Whatever you did, I will find out! You cannot lie to me, I am your mother!”
It was one afternoon you had wanted all to yourself to go see the movie Roman Holiday after school. The charismatic Audrey Hepburn, riding on a Vespa with the largest smile you had ever seen, caused strange feelings to stir in your stomach when you had first watched the trailer. She was a princess masquerading as a commoner in order to freely experience the wonders of the Eternal City. Oh, how you envied her character. Your mother, however, could only focus on how short her hair was. The shortest your hair had ever been was when you were a fresh newborn. Once it grew past your upper back, you were never allowed to cut it, despite all the other girls you knew being able to short styles. 
“How disappointing.” She scoffed when a clip of her getting her haircut played. “Such a beautiful young woman and she wants to make herself look like a man? I really don’t understand your generation, you’re all confused.”
When you arrived home late that evening, she refused to believe the lie you had produced about giving some tutoring lessons after school. It was only two days later that she found the proof she wanted. While snooping through your journal she came across the movie ticket you had pasted next to your latest entry. She burned the entire thing as only one portion of your punishment.
How your mother could predict your actions, anticipate your every move, and see through every single one of your lies you did not know. It was like she knew you and how your mind functioned but could never truly understand how suffocated you felt by the twisted ways she expressed her “love” for you. She was your mother, the closest kin you had left after your grandmother’s passing and the woman that had known you for your entire existence. The fact that she birthed you was one she’d never let you forget, yet you knew she would spend your entire life trying to mold you into something you weren’t if she could. If she could never accept you then how could anybody else?
Then you met Andy, who always seemed to be in tune with whatever you were thinking. Hell, she could practically guess your thoughts word for word without even really trying, yet not once did it ever feel like she was violating your mind as your mother had. You were almost completely certain that she was fully aware of the times when you were drawing her. It was impossible not to see the art in her movements. She’d be doing something mundane yet slightly active such as washing the dishes and you’d pull your sketchbook out. The moment you put pencil to paper she would slow down ever-so-slightly. A plate that needed maybe two wipes suddenly took four or more to clean. She must have known what she was doing to you, softly smirking as she folded laundry 
But did she know what it was doing to you? How intensely you felt about her and as more than just an art subject, more than someone you merely admired. Pages full of sketches, varying in detail and design, became dedicated to capturing the alluring domestic side of the ancient warrior. Every angle, every shadow was carefully reconstructed (to the best of your ability anyway) as if to preserve each moment and time so that your eyes may never forget what she looked like chopping onions on a rainy Tuesday evening. A brief moment that might be incredibly insignificant for a being that has walked the earth for thousands of years, but one that was still so precious to you. The time you spent together, even the moments everyone else might consider to be dull, were filled with color all because of her.
Why she allowed you to draw her so frequently was something you couldn’t quite figure out. This rather untraditional dance the two of you engaged in was never spoken about in words. There was no doubt that Andy would have said something much earlier had she been uncomfortable being drawn by you. A part of you enjoyed entertaining the idea that, perhaps in some small way, Andy might actually return your feelings. But at the same time, you didn’t want to be wrong and come off as an artistic creep trying to invade her privacy.
The good thing was you never had to worry about any of the others looking through your sketchbook. The one time Joe had asked if he could take a peek it hadn’t even crossed your mind that you could have said ‘no’ to him. But the smallest bit of hesitance that he had seen in your eyes as you prepared to hand over your most personal and sacred treasure immediately stopped him.
“Y/N, you don’t actually have to show me anything if you don’t want to. I was merely curious but no part of me would be offended if you want to keep your art to yourself. I will always respect your privacy first.”
His words were almost foreign to you, like ones you had only ever read on pages and later discovered were pronounced completely differently when you finally heard them spoken out loud. Still, you knew Joe meant everything he said. Though all of your new companions were certainly capable of it, none of them had ever once tried to deceive you or keep you hidden from the truth. Previously living with a pathological liar had taught you all the signs you needed to know and not once had you found a single one since joining the old guard.
It was a bit startling how safe you already felt with these few strangers you had only met a few short weeks ago. You could talk to all of them about (almost) anything, although you did worry that your endless amount of questions might annoy any one of the unnaturally older beings. Sometimes you nearly cringed at the thought of how ignorant and stupid you must have appeared in their eyes. It mostly motivated you to contribute where you could. Cooking and cleaning were not tasks you necessarily enjoyed, but it felt nice to make some type of contribution to the team. Still, you longed to prove yourself as something more, to help save lives and make Andy, Booker, Joe, and Nico proud. And maybe, just maybe, if you became worthy enough of someone like your rescuer, she might look at you differently.
┊ ┊┊ 
It was nearing morning hours and your endless thoughts hadn’t allowed you to sleep yet. There was a buzzing in your body, making it impossible to fully relax, even though you knew you had a busy day of training ahead of you and you needed the rest. You tried to conjure up the comforting sound of Andy’s steady heartbeat as you imagined her lying next to you, only to grow even more anxious when you began feeling guilty for indulging in such thoughts. 
Did she even like women the way you did? You certainly had your suspicions and noticed the way her heart seemed to break anytime there was a mention of Quynh. The necklace that never left her neck also appeared to hold a great amount of pain and significance to her. But even if you were right, Andy had never brought up any details regarding her love life and you were determined to respect that undiscussed boundary. The tossing and turning was just an unfortunate side effect that eventually had you cave in and get up to grab a drink from the kitchen. 
“Can’t sleep?” The voice of the very person you had been thinking of came from behind you as soon as you had turned on a small lamp. You let out a nervous laugh and kept a steady hand on your chest when you caught her smiling directly at you. It made you take some extra time while getting your glass of water so that your heartbeat had a chance to settle.
Andy sat at the bar sipping on a mug of coffee. Even with the light being so dim, you didn’t need it to tell her beverage was completely black. 
“I still don’t know how you’re able to drink that. Every time I try it it’s like trying to swallow hot liquid dirt.”
“Really?” The Scythian chuckled and you prayed the darkness would hide your melted expression. “That’s surprising considering how you drown yours in milk and sugar.”
“Hey, we can’t all be as tough as you.” 
“No one said you had to be. No one said you weren’t already.” You supposed you were tough in the context of being able to override death itself, but besides that, it wasn’t a character trait you ever considered yourself to have. Even the immortality thing was basically a fluke. 
The dark haired woman gestured for you to sit down and you awkwardly lowered yourself into the chair across from her. Your glass of water looked silly standing next to her more refined drink. “Yeah, that’s me. I got tough hands covered in paper cuts and callouses from drawing.”
“Art is tough for a lot of people. It’s tough for me. I could never quite get the emotional vulnerability part down and I feel like all the best art pulls from that. I would say you could probably teach me a thing or two about drawing but you have something more inborn than that. It can’t be taught.”
“But you’ve never seen my work?” Had she? You didn’t think she’d go through your things without your permission but there was definiteness in her tone that told you her words were true. 
“No,” she shrugged. Nothing in her seemed to waver. “I don’t need to. There’s this look you get in your eyes when you’re completely focused on drawing that seems to transport you to this different world. I always wonder where you go but don’t want to tear you away when you’re clearly inspired.”
You had been staring at her for so long believing that she was merely tolerating your strange behavior. You assumed she simply felt unbothered. The idea that she might have been secretly staring back never once crossed your mind. 
“You… You watch me?” A beat passed and your brain short circuited, unsure of what kind of answer you even hoped to hear. If she did then was it with the same unspoken desire you held in your heart that you could be worthy of her one day? No, it had to be something far from that. Your awkward, uncoordinated behavior could only be considered entertaining at best if Andy didn’t find you pitiable. You imagined it was like watching your neighbor’s beagle after they arrived home from a medical procedure at the vet. The poor thing was so loopy yet unaware that he couldn’t walk in a straight line. Every few steps he took he’d also crumble to the floor before eagerly trying to get back up and making another attempt with the same results. That’s what she must see whenever she saw you trip over your own feet. Or how silly you looked the other day when Booker tried to show you how to hold a pistol and you shook so hard that it fumbled out of your hands.
Even with all the time in the world, it was a struggle to see yourself ever truly earning your place among the rest of the guard one day. You not only lacked combat experience but had been thoroughly sheltered from the world by your mother. She hadn’t allowed you to participate in any sports, not even the more feminine ones like dance or golf. The result was barely being able to do a push-up and having the wind knocked out of your lungs after only a brief jog. 
The others had started you off with some basic self defense techniques, which caused you to wake up with sore muscles you hadn’t even known existed. Everyone was extremely patient with you, stressing the importance of slowly building up your strength and reminding you that there was no rush to suddenly reach their skill level when they’d been fighting for longer than some of the strongest empires had lasted. But then you’d watch them training together or listen to one of them recount several of the missions they completed while you were stuck waiting in the safe house. They were out there saving lives, as well as literally sacrificing their own, while you could only hope to one day do the same. 
In the back of your head you could hear your mother berating you for having such ridiculous dreams. If she could see you struggling to learn a pull up she would certainly laugh at your miserable attempts. But Andy didn’t look at you like you were “perfectly pathetic” as your mother often described. No, she seemed to stare at you softly, which made you feel like you were the only person she was thinking about. 
“I find you interesting. More specifically, it’s been a pleasure to watch you grow into yourself these past few weeks. You look much more relaxed.”
You were fairly relaxed, aside from the fact that your heart was currently threatening to jump out of your chest. Or if physicists could somehow harness its energy then it could power the entire world. She had just admitted to finding you interesting and you were supposed to answer back in words. You took a painfully slow drink.
“Well, it has been nice being able to make my own decisions and not have someone constantly looking over my shoulder.” You think back to an instance where you were recently baking a lemon glaze cake for the team and some icing stuck to your fingers. Immediately, you went to wash your hands as your mother would have insisted upon when it occurred to you that she no longer had control over you. Licking your fingers after that had never felt so satisfying. “Even the little choices I’m able to make now are kind of exciting. Is that strange to say?”
“Not at all.” Andy shook her head. “It’s a beautiful thing, seeing how far you’ve come in such a short amount of time. Not to mention how glad I am that you feel safe enough around us to be yourself.”
A pang of guilt ran through you. What must she think of you if you were keeping cryptic drawings of her a secret? “I really do, which is why I don’t want you to believe I’m trying to hide things from you! Not forever, at least. I trust you, and perhaps it’s more than I’ve ever trusted anyone else. But with my drawings… I suppose it’s rather complicated and I’ve never willingly shown them to anyone before. They’re nothing inappropriate, though! I would never do anything like that.”
Before you could completely melt into a puddle of despair, Andy reached for your forearm, anchoring the two of you together while helping to calm you down. Her hand was warmed from holding her hot mug.
“Hey, it’s alright, I trust you too. You don’t need to explain yourself to me. I’m flattered about the drawings and it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I can wait until you’re ready to show them to me when you feel comfortable doing so.”
It was completely vexatious how patient Andy could be with you, or how she always seemed to know the right thing to say to make you feel better. She possessed the ability to soothe the fears you understood intimately along with the others which you had tried to suppress and nearly forgotten about. You simply weren’t used to being treated in such a way. 
“How are you so patient with me all the time?” Your question came off more irritated than you intended, making you cringe inwardly. You weren’t even sure what you were really asking about.
In the few moments it took Andy to start processing the question, your thoughts finally began to come together and spill out all at once.
“I’m deeply appreciative of how understanding you’ve been, don’t get me wrong, but when I imagine myself in your position, it must be frustrating. You do so much for me, all four of you do, but you especially. I’m always needing your help with countless things even though I have nothing of use to offer in return. You’re all incredibly worldly people, capable of doing more than I ever have even before your first deaths. I’ve been kept sheltered my entire life and probably wouldn’t last a day on my own. Having me join the team probably feels a lot more like babysitting than anything else, yet you never complain about it.”
Even though you knew it wasn’t in her nature, sometimes you wished she would allow herself to be angry with you. Or if she even expressed the slightest bit of irritation then that might make you feel better somehow. You waited for Andy to tell you that you sounded ridiculous, or to make another comment about your tendency to overthink things. Nothing like that ever came.
In one swift, breathtaking movement, her hand carefully tilted your chin up towards her face so that you were caught in her stare. The skin of her thumb was rough and her green-blue eyes bore into your own, tender yet determined as they searched for something deep in your soul. Though her touch was completely innocent, it was also intensely intimate from your perspective at least. You wanted to bear your entire being to her, consciously preparing your mind and body to take in whatever words she was about to say.
“Y/N, listen to me. There is nothing you owe me. Relationships aren’t transactional and I enjoy being able to help you. You also didn’t choose this life and I can’t hold what you don’t know against you. I won’t lie and say patience comes to me easily. Truthfully, when you get to my age everything is frustrating. I’ve seen… far too much in my life aside from any type of explanation for it all and it has made me bitter. But you don’t deserve any of that and I don’t want to be that type of person anymore. I don’t ever want to turn my back on people I care about again.”
Her eyes glossed over with the hue of a haunting memory, something from her past clearly bothering her. She let go of you in the crest of the emotion and you nearly whimpered when you lost her touch, but found the rare opportunity to offer Andy the comfort she needed. 
“I may not know much in the grand scheme of things, but I know you’re not bitter. Truly bitter people try to tear down everyone around them because there’s nothing misery loves more than company. You’re nothing like my mother, she wanted to control me and keep me trapped in a life where I could never have my own happiness. You set me free. Anyway, it would be hard to live as long as you have, see the things that you’ve seen, and not become discouraged with all of the wickedness that has happened throughout history. What matters is that you’ve continued to fight for others that wouldn’t normally stand a chance on their own. If you were actually as bitter as you think, you could turn your back on everyone without a single care in the world. I see how much you care for others, Andy. Bitter people only care about themselves and I don’t see how you can believe you’re one of them.”
The fact that you were so young was partially why Andy felt the need to hold herself back and take things slow with you. Although your life would never be normal, she wanted to give you the chance to choose your own path and chase whatever dreams you fancied. Right now, it was crucial to prepare you for the world and to teach you how to keep your shared secret safe. But she knew you’d want to adventure out on your own at some point, and that you’d probably want to experiment with other partners closer to your age. Andy was aware of the baggage she carried, as well as the fact that the nature of your relationship meant she held a type of influence over you. She would never allow herself to take advantage of you like that.
But one thing she couldn’t let you do was downplay yourself, not when your words touched her in ways she hadn’t felt in thousands of years.
“Do you really believe you’re of no use at all and have nothing to offer? Y/N, I’ve traveled to every corner of the world and met the wisest individuals that still led directionless and unfulfilled lives. They thought of themselves too highly, pushed others away, and in the end their knowledge meant nothing when they were unable to make meaningful connections. You have all the time you need to perfect your knowledge and learn every skill that exists or will develop in the future.” 
Your head tilted in perplexity. 
“What? You think we had phones or electricity back when I was growing up? I didn’t learn how to drive a car until late last century. It was really like the blind leading the blind in those early days.”
Imagining a Victorian era Andy accidentally crashing a motorized carriage or angrily shaking her fist at experimental drivers from atop of her horse was certainly entertaining. You wondered if the two of you would ever share a similar experience together.
Temporarily distracted by your smile, Andy nearly forgot the importance of the message she was trying to convey to you. 
“Y/N, you’re right that you’ve never really been given the chance to grow before all of this. None of that was your fault. The wonderful thing now is that you’re on your way to becoming smarter, like anybody else can when given the right tools. What you already have, your emotional strength and intelligence, is far more rare and valuable in my eyes. You teach me to look at things from a different perspective even when I’ve felt stuck in my ways for hundreds of years. Don’t overlook how much of an impact you can make or how much we all appreciate you.”
“Andy… I… Thank you.” You try not to cry, though you know she wouldn’t judge you if you did. Viewing your emotions as a strength is something that you never considered before. They were always a weakness back when you experienced nothing but misery, and now everything couldn’t be more different. Your new life was full of evenings spent getting tipsy and laughing at the stories your friends told you of places and times that sounded unreal. It was wanting the taste of more, the promise of the adventures that lay before you and the people you would get to share them with. It was a life you could hardly believe was real and you got to spend every single day with a woman that made your heart race with a single smile. Even if she never felt the same way about you, there was no chance that you’d trade your time with Andy for anything or anyone else. “Thank you for everything. I’m glad I get to experience all of this with you.”
She almost let her resolve crumble upon hearing your words. The grip around her drink tightened, heating up her flesh to a tender sting but she persevered through it. She knew that if she touched you again then it would all be over. There would be no way she could let go.
“As exciting as everything can be, I can’t help but feel nervous for what’s to come. I worry that no matter how hard I train I won’t be prepared. No matter how much I learn, there is bound to be something I overlook.”
How right you were.
“One thing I can tell you is that there are some things you’re never ready for, even if you spend centuries preparing. People, history, and almost everything I’ve encountered follow some type of pattern maybe 99% of the time. But all it takes is that 1% chance of randomness to make life unpredictable. Even the most meticulous of plans can end up going sideways. At the end of the day, I always ask myself why I’m here or why certain things happen and I’ve never been very close to an answer. There are questions I’ve carried with me for even longer than I can remember.”
It would have been quite terrifying to hear those words from anyone else besides Andy. If she still struggled to figure things out then you were practically cursed to be clueless for the rest of your existence. Although strangely enough, it was actually comforting to hear that she shared a similar sense of existential questioning. Both of you were human even if your lifespans or biology no longer were. 
“Okay, but you must have a guess for when we’ll see flying cars at least. Or do you believe people will really be able to walk on Mars one day?”
A smooth attempt to cover up her broadening smile by lifting her coffee up to her mouth might have gone unnoticed if you hadn’t been so enamored by each one of Andy’s actions. She had a harder time hiding her eyes, which playfully rolled at your question. 
“Sure, I suppose it’s possible. Hey, maybe you’ll be the first one and you can tell us all about it.”
“While the prospect of accomplishing something you’ve never done is intriguing, I wouldn’t want to do it without you.”
The words left your mouth, leaving only your pair of eyes holding hers throughout a deep silence. It wasn’t often that Andy looked like she was at a loss for words but this was definitely one of those times.
Quickly, you tried to cover up your confession with a stupid excuse. “I mean if there really are man-eating martians up there they’ll want to eat you first. You have way more muscle.”
“Right,” Andy laughed in agreement. “I guess that’s all I’m good for besides being a model for your artwork. Are you fast enough to draw me up there in time before I get turned into alien food?”
“Maybe.” You blushed and tried to go for Andy’s move to cover your face with your cup, only to realize that it was practically useless when it was made of glass. 
“I, uh, really wanted to get some sleep tonight before waking up for early training but I guess I’m not doing a very good job at that.”
“Sleep in, you deserve the break. You’ve been pushing yourself really hard and should get to sleep in for once. There’s no need to overexert yourself.”
“Wait, aren’t you leaving for your mission around sunrise?” Andy was planning to look for some intel in the city and you knew she might be gone for up to a few days. “Wake me up before you go so I can say goodbye.”
For a moment, all the Scythian can do is try to memorize the look on your face, wishing that she could permanently sketch the vision on paper like you could. You gazed up at her with such innocence and devotion in your eyes, as if she was simply running to get milk from the grocery store the next morning. The team had actually glossed over the more important details about Andy’s assignment and what it would entail. It wasn’t that you were unaware of Andy’s brutal past and countless killings, but you still had yet to witness such violence. She couldn’t help but worry that witnessing that side of her would not only change how you saw her, but also influence your own self perception when the time came to take another life yourself. It was painful to imagine the countless amount of years you might spend plagued by inner turmoil, hating the person you would become even if it was inevitable. She’d die in a million more excruciating ways if it would shield you from such a curse.
“Andy, are you alright?” Your voice of concern brought her back to the present. There was a slight look of worry between your furrowed eyebrows that she wished to smooth out herself, but she practiced self restraint. 
“Sorry, I guess I’m a little tired too. If you want me to wake you before I leave then I will.”
With a satisfied smile on your face, you nodded and rose from your seat. The urge to ask Andy if she might join you tugged at your heart. You always slept more soundly when it was in her arms. Your nightmares were much more infrequent by now and it had been some time since you had been able to fall asleep while breathing in her scent, snuggling deep into her chest. The temptation to voice your request was almost impossible to resist, save for the fear of jeopardizing your friendship and making her uncomfortable by revealing your feelings. 
Eventually, you found yourself back in bed alone and replaying your conversation. One specific realization you couldn’t get over was that Andy had undoubtedly expressed some type of interest in the art you made of her. Sure, it’s possible that it might have been in a completely platonic sense, but you held onto the fantasy of it meaning something more and decided you’d keep it to yourself, for now.
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wrrrenff · 1 month
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Under The Stars
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Attack on Titan
Armin Arlert x Reader
Synopsis: Armin invites you on a picnic under the stars
Warnings: suicide mention (brief), mentions of war
This is one of my first times writing angst so it might be kinda weird and clunky idk. Lmk if you like it!!
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The war against Marley had been taking its toll on everyone. Tensions were high and you all would do pretty much anything for a break. Armin was the person closest to you. The person you told everything to, the person you bore it all to, the person you trusted the most. He was your best friend. It was the same for him. He has noticed you getting quieter and more reserved lately. He couldn't blame you. The things you all had to endure, it was enough to make you want to end it all sometimes. He knew there were times bad enough you'd actually considered it. He feared now might be one of those times. So, since there was actually some downtime between planning strategies and fighting, Armin arranged a date of sorts. He invited you to have dinner with him at the beach. If it had been anyone else to ask, you would say no. But you could never say no to Armin.
You arrive at the beach and help Armin set up the picnic blanket so it wouldn't blow away. After you both took a seat, he started removing the contents of a basket he had brought along. He had asked Nicolo to prepare some sandwiches and sides. Little did Armin know, he had a wingman in the chef. Under the expected foods, there were two beautiful desserts, a fancy bottle of wine, and two glasses. He'd have to thank Nicolo later.
"Let's dig in!" You both let out borderline lustful moans at how good the food was. You had gotten so used to the soldier slop you were forced to eat that even a rock would taste 10 times better right now. As you made your way through some lighthearted conversation, your dinner, and about three quarters through the wine, the sun had completely set. The sky was clear tonight. You were able to see every star. You lost yourself looking at each and every light. "They're beautiful, aren't they?" The blond pulled you out of your thoughts. "They really are. It's crazy to think about how much is out there." He chuckled and you took a sip of your wine. Armin started moving the picnic supplies off the blanket. You stared at him confused. "Lay down with me." He laid down and patted the spot next to him. You flopped down, your sides pressing into him, feeling his warmth.
"I read a book a while ago talking about the stars and how some of them are parts of these things called constellations and some stars are actually other planets." He pointed up towards the sky. "Do you see those stars bunched up together over there?" You followed in the direction his finger pointed and nodded. "That is a constellation called Orion's Belt. It's made up of the stars Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka. It's actually a small part of the even bigger constellation Orion!" He pointed to outline the rest of the constellation. You were amazed! You asked him to show you more. He pointed out the Big and Little Dipper, and Cassiopeia. As he went on you got lost in his eyes. His interest in learning more about the world and his desire to expand his knowledge was one of your favorite things about him.
He finished up his explanation and it fell quiet. With courage from the wine, you spoke up. "With how vast it all is out there, it really makes a lot of the things we do feel so small. So…  insignificant." Armin turned to give you full attention. His gaze was piercing but you carried on. "I mean, considering all there is out there to explore, is a war even worth it? What if we're just missing out on some many incredible opportunities because we're so focused on stupid things. I'm sick of it! There's so much more I want to do with my life!" Armin took your hand in his. You turned to look at him. "What would you want right now if we weren't fighting?" He asked a simple question, but for you it was loaded. But out of all the things that you had so desperately longed for during all these years, everything else you could've had if this wasn't the state of your lives, only one thing stood above the rest.Closing your eyes and taking a deep breath, you reopen your eyes and lock in on him. "I'd want a future with you. I've always wanted that but this damn war... It's too risky to get involved." You looked back up at the sky. A single tear rolled down your face. Suddenly, you felt a finger wiping it away. You wanted to look at him but just couldn't bring yourself to. He took this silence to respond. "I would want the same. I'd want us to have a house near the water for use to grow old in. Maybe even a family." You finally turned to look at him again. You both knew you had feelings for each other. Hell, everyone in the regiment knew. But neither of you ever admitted it until now, afraid of getting too attached before one of you got taken out on the battlefield. Right now though, neither of you cared. You were in a bubble where the war wasn't happening, titans didn't exist, and no one could hurt you. You both turned your bodies to face each other, and Armin pulled you into him and he spoke again. "Maybe... in another life, we can be that old happy couple." You nodded against his chest. Silently, tears rolled down both of your faces, knowing that neither of you could ever truly have the life you wanted, and only in extremely rare moments like this, would you ever be able to embrace your feelings for each other. You spent the rest of the night curled into each other's hold, talking more about the future you longed for, savoring this moment for as long as you could before you had to return to the cruel reality that faced you outside of the beach.
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acupofqueercoffee · 1 year
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“With her earth brown hair, her arms hard and lean”
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Andromache the Scythian x Witch Reader
more or less a sequel to "with her sweetened breath and her tongue so mean" as per @nightly-polaris 's request
tagging as requested : @charlizetheroncansteponme
6th of January was my birthday, so consider this a present from me to you, although it ain’t my proudest work since i’m in a bit of a slump :'))
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The images of Andy that had kept you company in the dead of night for the best part of your life made into a fine montage of the Scythian’s life. A born and bred warrior though she was, throughout the centuries, she had been a wearer of many hats, an assassin, a friend, a foe, an outlaw, a salvation, a traveller, even a god to some, but above all, she was a Baklava aficionado.
It was a relatively slow day in the safe house. Andy and Nile were away to get rations which was originally the task for you and Nile. The Scythian had volunteered to go in your stead since you were still low on stamina courtesy of yesterday’s strains, some of which were still in the process of healing. It was decidedly one of the repercussions of being a witch. Whether you were in possession of immortality with fast recovery rate or not, overexertion and energy depletion could, more often than not, expose your body to lasting injuries.
With nothing urgent on your plate, you had deemed it an ideal day to put your plan into motion. The last piece of Andy’s indulgence had run out about a couple of weeks ago, and since then, you had been toying with the idea of rectifying it. Although the chasm between the two of you had compelled you to think better of it, now that the rocky affair had been remedied, you no longer had any qualms about realising your resolution.
“If unfortunate, this might land you in another feud with Andy. I doubt she’ll tolerate if you butcher her treasured treat, even if unintentionally.”
“Don’t underestimate her love for Baklava. It’s positively peerless. I’d strongly advise you to tread lightly.”
The two lovebirds’ playful warnings that were designed to discourage you boiled down to futility as they left you undeterred. Even though there was a good chunk of truth buried beneath their words, you knew that they were not so much a genuine caution as a quip about your baking skills that were nothing short of non-existent.
The coming to be of your very first Baklava was achieved through trial and error. You were not as dexterous with kitchen equipments as Andy was with her vast array of weapons, meaning that your baked goods were not the most beautiful. Baked to near perfection and drenched in ample syrup, even though they did not taste too good to be considered divine, thankfully, they were good enough to be deemed delectable.
Unfortunately, your confidence that had remained steadfast throughout the day started to wane considerably as the time of Andy’s arrival approached. The nearer it got, the more restless you became. From “what if it does not suit her taste” to “will she find it insulting like Joe had warned” , doubtful thoughts were bombarding your mind.
By the time the Scythian made her return with Nile, the decision had been reached. No way in your right mind could you present your sloppy attempt at a Baklava to the very connoisseur of Baklava. You did bake her treasured treat to the best of your abilities, however when your only experience in baking ended with you very nearly burning down your previous home, managing something as simple as turning the dough into recognisable, solid blocks was a considerable feat in itself.
When night fell, you pulled Nile aside instead, asking her to temporarily play the role of a taste tester to tweak the recipe if necessary in your future endeavours. You handed her a block of the sweet treat, before you took one of your own into your hand. As Nile nibbled on her snack, you took a bite out of yours, and expectantly, awaited her feedback.
The crumbs that were sticking to the corner of the marine’s mouth compelled your fingers to fly towards them, gathering the fine dusts with the pad of your thumb. It was done out of reflex, the same way you would usually wipe mucus off Leo’s eyes.
“No offence, but it’s-”
An unforeseen interruption put a halt to Nile’s speech as it did to your action. Following the snug lock of fingers around your wrist, you felt a gentle crawl of calloused digits on your jaw before in a heartbeat, your head was angled slightly for your lips to be enveloped in heart-melting warmth. After the soul-stirring experience from last night, it was impossible not to remember the familiar velveteen feel of the Scythian’s lips.
Wide-eyed and mouth ajar, you were positively kiss stunned as you stood stock still, hypnotised by the tantalising tip of a tongue that poked through pink lips to trace the upper arch of the tender flesh.
“Mmm” She moaned, the mesmerising green of her eyes disappearing behind her eyelids. “The scent of rose was a little too overpowering,-” She had brought your wrist that was ensnared in her fingers to her mouth where her teeth sank into the baklava that was held betwixt your thumb and forefinger. As she did so, her line of sight shifted from your hand to your face, causing the collision of your gazes. The golden specks in her eyes, like fine grains of sand swirling in sea green waves, shimmered and shone. “-but not too shabby for your first attempt.”
In the twinkling of an eye, you found yourself trapped between the Scythian’s body and the kitchen counter. Caged in her wonderfully toned arms, your heartbeat was a frenzied staccato inside your chest. Meanwhile, the hard muscles of her arms rippled beneath your palms as her face gravitated to yours. You watched one corner of her coral-coloured lips tilting skyward into a mischievous smirk.
“Excuse me? Uhm…what the hell is going on?”
“I uh- wow I’m completely ignored- alright then I’m just gonna disappear real quick. Evidently, you have more pressing matters to attend to than getting my feedback.”
Whatever Nile had uttered was not so much an intelligible remark as a background noise.
Nothing reached your ears except Andy’s voice, smooth and spicy as honey mulled wine. “You made my favourite snack and decided to keep it from me?” The warmth of her breath softly teasing the shell of your ear, coupled with her sultrily low cadence of a hum, brought about an eruption of goosebumps. “How bold of you.”
“I merely wanted to perfect my baking skills before I have you taste it.”
“Oh? Even when I liked them alright as they were?”
“Are you quite certain?”
The question created an arch in an earth brown eyebrow, some strands of the same hue deliciously curtaining her eye as a shadow of amusement dawned on her lips.
“Who do you think know more about Baklava, hm? You or me, or the rest of the team?”
“You, of course.”
“Precisely.”
“It’s just that I-” The feeling of hands fitting flawlessly into the curve of your hips punched a breath out of your lungs, if only for a moment, rendering you speechless. “-I know it’s your only indulgence. So, I wish you would truly enjoy them instead of acting otherwise for my sake.”
“You’re giving me too much credit. Sugarcoating isn’t my forte.”
One of her hands had abandoned its place on your waist in favour of plucking your chin between a thumb and a forefinger. Her touch was nothing but delicate as she coaxed you into seeking her eyes.
“Your Baklava has something very unique in it which I’ve never been, and certainly will never be able to find anywhere else in the entire world.” Gentle fingers had travelled along your jaw, taking your cheek into a palm where she cradled you with great tenderness. The bone-meltingly soft touch of battle-hardened fingers had your tummy butterflies dancing jovially.
“Do you know what that is?”
Your response was a subtle shake of your head, given while nuzzling the warmth of her hand like a cat basking in the sun.
“Love.” Calloused pad of a thumb softly caressed the apple of your cheek. “The love you had put into making them is what makes them all the sweeter, all the more meaningful. I’m certainly not faking anything. It truly was scrumptious.”
“So, thank you for the sweet surprise. I love it.”
You detected no lies in her eyes for there was none to begin with. Instead, you drowned in a sea of startling green, bright, beautiful, and brimming with things that you were not yet privy to.
And then,
“I love you.”
The declaration did not come as an absolute shock, nonetheless it still instilled in you a trickle of surprise and instigated a whirlwind of wings as the little hummingbird went berserk behind its bony cage. Although you had been made aware that she harboured strong feelings for you following her apology, you were not expecting her to voice it aloud. Later down the road, perhaps. In a subtle way, definitely. But certainly not as quickly and candidly as she had just done.
So, as you eagerly threw yourself into her chest, heart doing giddy somersaults, and face finding home in the little dip of her throat, all too happily, the Scythian kept you cocooned in her arms, both kind and unyielding.
At the same time, the pair of you were oblivious to the curious eyes of your teammates. Having unintentionally borne witness to the sickeningly sweet display of affection initiated by none other than their positively lethal boss, Joe was in disbelief of both his ears and eyes.
“Nicky, I think my ears are malfunctioning.”
“It’s not your ears, Joe. I heard it too.”
“Nicky?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you seeing this as well?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s not my eyes playing tricks on me, is it?”
“I don’t think it is, my love.”
“Andy finally getting a partner after thousands of years? Hell must have frozen over!”
“It’s about damn time though, wouldn’t you agree?”
“No disagreements there.”
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niccolothecook · 3 months
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“He's inside of me too. And you, Kaya. And everyone. There's a devil inside of us all... and that's why the world turned out this way.”
-Nicolo-
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isabellehemlock · 1 year
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Hi everyone,
In honor of my TOG fic “Their souls were knit together (and he loved him as himself)” reaching 10k (thank you readers!!) I wanted to compile my (80+) resource links I used during the plotting stage and throughout the fic - divided by category as best as I could manage.
In case you’d like additional resources, please check out @actualmermaid historical resource upload here, and/or the The Old Guard Character Resource Hub.  Here’s a list of books as well:
Genoa & the Genoese 958-1528 ( x )
The Crusade Indulgence: Spiritual Rewards and the Theology of the Crusades, c. 1095-1216 ( x ) - a post with excerpts linked below
Housing the Stranger in the Mediterranean World: Lodging, Trade, and Travel in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages ( x ) 
The rest under the cut in case you’d like to avoid potential spoilers (nothing descriptive) 
For Genoa
San Siro ( x )
San Lorenzo ( x ) & St. John the Baptist ( x )
The Mahdia Campaign of 1087 ( x )
Nicolò as a Genovese crossbowman ( x ) ( x )
For Mahdia
Yusuf’s potential backstory with Mahdia ( x ) ( x ) and the Zirid dynasty ( x ) 
And his family’s intergenerational trauma in relation to the Battle of Haydaran in 1052 ( x )
For the Crusades
Some other ways a non noble Nicolò might have found himself in the Crusades ( x ) ( x ) ( x )
General timeline of the first crusade ( x ) 
The Siege of Antioch ( x ) ( x ) ( x ) ( x ) ( x ) 
The Siege of Jerusalem ( x ) ( x ) ( x ) ( x ) 
Visual maps of the city of Jerusalem and surrounding area ( x ) and general climate ( x )
For Constantinople
Daily life in the city ( x ) ( x ) ( x )
Procession of the Theotokos icon ( x ) 
Maps of the city from that time ( x ) ( x ) 
Their apartment and general housing ( x ) 
Little Hagia Sophia ( x )
Church of Sts Sergius and Bacchus ( x ) - and why that would have been meaningful to Nicolò ( x ) as the setting for their Adelphopoiesis ( x ) & here are the Byzantine instructions for it ( x ) 
For Islamic spiritual practices
Barzakh ( x ) & Jinn ( x ) (both referred to in a blink and you’d miss it sort of way)
Qur’an scroll ( x ) - technically a 19th century copy, but was using it as a visual reference
Islamic calendar for that year ( x ) & the significance of Yusuf’s first death of rajab ( x ) 
The verse Yusuf reflects on when he internally refers to Nicolò as his dearest ( x ) 
The verse Nicolò inscribed on Yusuf’s wedding present ( x ) 
For Catholic spiritual practices
Lay Orders (what used to be called Third Order) for Nicolò to be an oblate ( x )
Eleusa icon (a gift he received from Brother Gabriel) ( x ) - here’s a 12th century version ( x )
The cross necklace gift Nicolò received before leaving Genoa ( x ) 
Excerpts from the book linked above about how indulgences played a part in the Crusades ( x )
Lenten practices in the middle ages ( x ) 
Some Bible verses Nicolò reflects on during his love confession ( x ) ( x ) 
For some interfaith dialogue moments
The Canticle of Zechariah in the Liturgy of Hours ( x ) & Verse 95 for corresponding references to the dawn ( x )
Why Zechariah is important in both faiths ( x ) 
Encouragement for open dialogue and friendliness ( x ) the rights of Non-Muslims as laid out in the Constitution of Medina ( x ) and protection via the Testament of Muhammed ( x ) though there are some doubts to the authenticity 
Lent & Ramadan similarities ( x ) ( x ) 
Interfaith marriage rights between Christians and Muslims from Muhammed ( x ) 
For some other historical context 
Context for same sex attraction in the middle ages ( x ) ( x ) ( x ) ( x ) ( x ) ( x )
Some LGTB+ historical figures and Saints Nicolò might have been aware of ( x ) ( x )
Brother Gabriel from chapter two was based on Marina the Monk ( x ) 
Wiki about illiterate popes ( x )
11th-12th century trade maps ( x ) 
Tunisian Arabic ( x ) 
The Great Schism of 1054 ( x ) 
The Seljuk Empire ( x ) 
The Byzantine-Venetian treaty of 1082 ( x )
A poem by Abu Nawas that Yusuf reflects on before the love confession ( x ) 
For the Biblical references and significance to Nicolò of Gortyn/Crete ( x ) and some visual references ( x )
Why Chandax as a honeymoon site would have been comfortable for them both ( x ) & ruled by the Byzantine Empire at the time of their visit ( x ) 
The book Yusuf gave to Nicolò as a wedding present ( x ) & some context ( x )
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Text
Disneyland
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Hi its me 😊 thank you. Its of barella surprising reader with a trip to disney land Nicolo Barella Word Count: 307 "I want to take you somewhere, get your passport and pack a bag. I have a surprise trip for you" Nicolo announced as he entered the room. "Huh? but I have work tomorrow?" you asked him as you turned your laptop off.
"Nope, I booked it off for you. Your work was very good with it all and well yeah" Nicolo smirked. "Oh I am impressed with you, not sure how you managed to do that but well done baby. Okay we are really going somewhere? I like you being sneaky Nic" you laughed as you ran up the stairs and Nicolo followed up behind you. - "Surprise" Nicolo muttered as it was too early for him and the airport was too loud for him. "Where we- whattttt disneyland?" you gasped in excitment as you had wanted to comeback to Disneyland for so long. "Yep, hope you like it and I am judging by your face that you are very happy it" you nodded. "yes I am super happy, thank you" you grinned as you boarded the plane. - "Oh Nico, this place is just so magical" you walked through and saw the castle as you gasped. "This is beautiful, I love it" you smiled as you took a picture in front of it with Nicolo. "Thank you for taking me here, this is just so magical" you grabbed his hand as you had just been in the shop as you bought some cute ears. "Oh baby, you look so cute" he smiled as you walked to go on one of the rides. "I just love this" you mumbled as you went on the ride as it went a lot faster than you anticipated. "I loved that ride, but I am starving can we go and get food?" you asked him as you headed to the closest food place.
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eddysocs · 9 months
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hey can i request a oneshots of Renee Carre x Claudia Nicolo? i saw ur shameless kink preferences so can i request fluff/light smut of praise kink!claudia bc the idea of her having one is so hot to me haha. thanks!
Praise You Like I Should
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Summary: Claudia gets uncomfortable when Renee praises her, because she thinks it’s all an act, but it’s not.
Word Count: 258
Warnings: Kink Discovery, Praise Kink
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With Claudia half undressed, Renee paused to drink her in then moved to kiss her neck. "Fuck, you’ve got an amazing body," she breathed out as she kissed her way up to Claudia's earlobe.
Claudia began to push her away, just gently enough that she felt her resistance. "You don’t…you don’t need to say that kind of thing."
Renee pulled back, regarding Claudia quizzically as she tried to discern what she’d done to make her suddenly act so weird. "What? Compliment you? Dirty talk? What am I doing wrong here, Claudia?"
Claudia didn’t answer right away. She actually wasn’t sure how to explain it. "I’m not— I mean, we’re not—"
"Do you not like it when I compliment you," Renee asked, having an idea of what Claudia was trying to get at.
Claudia sighed. "Look, I don’t need that. I know what this is. I pay you for sex. Amazing sex, sure, but I never asked for empty praises."
Renee couldn’t believe what she was hearing. "Empty? They’re anything but empty. I don’t put in extra effort for free. I’m simply enjoying the view. It’s not every day I get to fuck a total smoke show."
Claudia searched Renee's eyes, almost not daring to hope that she was being genuine. "So you’re not faking it?"
"With you? No. You’re hot, and if I didn’t need to maintain a certain lifestyle, I’d definitely be letting you hit this for free."
Claudia grinned, somewhat reassured. "I suppose I might be able to get used to it then," she said.
Drabble requests are open!
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Forever Tag: @arrthurpendragon, @baubeautyandthegeek, @foxesandmagic, @carmens-garden, @fawera, @themaradaniels, @that-demigirl, @iloveocs, @bossyladies, @b1rvt4, @getawaycardotmp3
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victoria-daydreams · 2 years
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Till Kingdom Come
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Chapter Sixteen: Interlude to a Cunning Cottage
AN: Long time no see! Writer’s block is a bitch, and honestly I still have it but somehow I was able to churn out this chapter. So, hopefully you enjoy.
Word Count: 2.6k
Trigger Warnings: none
Taglist: @leahnicole1219, @nerds4life246
Chapter Seventeen: A New Era Emerges
Third POV
Booker hadn't always been a drinking man, of course, he did appreciate the occasional glass of brandy or bottle of beer back in his day. However, after his first death in Russia and the subsequent discovery of the curse he called immortality, Booker soon found himself heavily drinking away his grief. Nursing a tumbler of whiskey, Booker furrowed his brows and stared at the half empty glass which he had been doing for the last hour or so.
"You trying to drown a broken heart?" the bartender asked, cleaning a shot glass while staring at Booker. "I can always tell when someone's trying to drink away a broken heart. Seen them one too many times," she commented, chuckling a little.
"Do not take this the wrong way, as I understand if you would," Booker responded quietly, never looking up. "But I'd prefer not to speak with anyone at this moment," he said, his finger lightly tapping the side of the cup.
"Hmm, suit yourself,” she answered, shrugging her shoulders. “All I know is, you're not going to find whatever answers you’re looking for at the bottom of that glass," the bartender pointed, turning away to continue her cleaning of the bar.
Just as Booker brought the glass of whiskey to his lips, a raven-haired woman wearing a bright, red coat gracefully slid onto the stool next to him. It was silent as he swirled dark colored liquid around before slowly sipping his drink. He closed eyes briefly, savoring the burn of the drink.
"She left me," Booker stated gruffly, reopening his eyes.
"Of course she did," Quynh said, causing him to look at her. "You didn't actually think she would join you, did you?" she asked, signaling for the bartender.
"The slightest bit of hope," he answered, swirling his whiskey again. "But hope nonetheless," he murmured, as Quynh told the bartender her order.
"Well, in the end, both of you got what you wanted," she said, returning her gaze to the Frenchman.
Booker placed his tumbler down on the bar countertop, the glass lightly clinking against the wood.
"Meaning?"
Quynh quickly flashed the bartender a smile as they came with her order, a glass of red wine.
"You got to see Sabine after all this time, presumably sleep with her as well," she remarked, with a knowing expression. "And she got information she needed," she deduced.
He chuckled, "She pulled the information right out of me like I was one of her marks, and I never caught on," Booker remarked, shaking his head and picking up his drink again. "Clever woman," he commented, smiling into his cup.
“She’s probably landing in London right as we speak,” Quynh reasoned, raising her own glass.
“Most likely,” Booker agreed, his eyes meeting hers again. “But I know Sabine, she’s going to visit her old haunts in England before rejoining the team. She’s...sentimental like that,” he explained.
"Sabine’s very fond of England then?”
He slightly chuckled, “It wasn’t always like that,” Booker answered. “England had to grow on her due to some unsavory experiences during the Victorian era,”
“Hmm,” Quynh hummed, dabbing the corners of her mouth with a napkin. “Tell me more, I want to know all about Sabine Lavelle,”
~~~x~~~
Third POV
Nile softly let her finger run along Copley’s board that displayed timeline of events that the team was apart of, paying specific attention to anything that Sabine was involved. Some she had read about from Sabine’s journals or heard from Joe, Nicky, or Andy; but some events were still a mystery to Nile. Not all of Sabine’s journals were all in one place unfortunately. Nile began to walk along the board, still amazed by Sabine and everything she had endured and subsequently accomplished. The old photographs and paintings that Copley managed to find captured many moments now frozen time, waiting to be told.
"Nile!"
The arrival of the Italian caught her off guard, as she was still deep in thought.
“Josef said that Sabine is most likely in France right now,” Nile began, turning around to face him. “But what if she’s not? What if she went home, to America?” she asked.
Nicky laughed incredulously, “Oh no, I very much doubt that,” he answered, shaking his head.
“Why?”
“Because Sabine hates it there, quite frankly,” Nicky answered. “She rather live in Europe or Canada than step foot back in the States,” he explained. “That’s not to say, that either of those places don’t have their own terrible histories that they’re guilty of,” he said, walking closer to the board.
“So, she never visits America? At all?” Nile asked, slightly shocked. “I mean, I get why she wouldn’t, but she’s never curious to see if the country has changed?”
“Sabine visits occasionally, but she only goes to places that have meaning to her. Those are mainly her family’s graves and The Martin Plantation,” Nicky replied, briefly glancing at Nile before staring at the board himself.
Nile focused her attention on finding any photos from the turn of the century, Sabine’s last journal she could find was the 1889 journal she had just finished. Hopefully, she could find more journals from the twentieth century stashed away in their current safe house. That’s when her eyes landed on a vibrant painting filled with figures in a park.
In the most basic of descriptions it was a depiction of an Edwardian era park, the grass was manicured and a flower-strewn meadow on the edge of a dark forest in autumn. Women were dressed in lovely, in long-sleeves blouses and tulip skirts, while men wore bowler hats and waist coats. Her eyes were drawn to five particular figures that were either sitting or standing along the grass. Two women, one Black and one white, both sat on a picnic blanket and held umbrellas. While three familiar men stared down at them, each of them smiling at the seated women.
“Nicky, it seems someone found you all interesting subjects for their painting,” Nile commented, with a smile.
“Huh,” he chuckled. “So it seems,” he agreed.
“When was this?”
“Hmm,” Nicky hummed. “Maybe early 1900s based on the clothes, I think we’re in England,” he continued.
Nile folded her arms against her chest, moving further down Copley’s timeline. With each photo she passed, she began to notice a pattern. The team wasn’t pictured together as frequently as before.
“Did something happened between you all?” Nile asked, glancing at him. “I’m noticing that there’s less and less photos of you all together in the early years of the twentieth century,” she remarked, pointing towards a random picture on the board.
“No, nothing happened,” Nicky answered. “Sabine was gaining her independence from us. She felt that she was ready to venture out on her own and we felt that too,” he explained.
“Would Booker travel with her?”
“Often, they were inseparable,” he said fondly.
The sound of shuffling behind them caused Nile to look over shoulder. It was just Copley, carrying a small cardboard box, he sent them a small smile.
“Still trying to piece together Sabine’s life?” he asked knowingly, and she nodded.
“Hard not to,” Nile responded. “She’s quite the interesting character,” she continued, laughing a little.
“Well, allow me to intrigue you further,” he said, his lips curving.
Copley placed the box down onto a table and carefully shifted through its contents. One by one, Nile watched as different items emerged from the box. Old newspaper articles that were laminated, books, folded maps, and finally a small picture frame.
“Ah, here it is,” Copley said, flipping the frame face up. “Look like someone?” he asked, handing the picture to her.
Nile’s brow raised as she took the picture from him and glanced down at the old frame. Immediately, she was transfixed by the old, sepia-toned photograph in front of her. It depicted a beautiful, Black couple picnicking on the grass in front of the Eiffel Tower. Unmistakably, it was Sabine, but who the man was remained a mystery.
“It’s like I said, Paris is her favorite place to visit,” Nicky commented, looking over her shoulder.
Nile glanced at Copley, “I found it at a flea market of all places,” he said, answering her silent question.
“Were they lovers?” she asked, looking at Nicky.
“I don’t know,” he answered, with a small shrug. “If he was, she certainly kept quiet about it,” he added, as Nile handed Copley the picture back.
She plopped down on a nearby couch, “So...Booker didn’t mind her seeing other men while they were together?” Nile questioned, a frown forming on her face.
“Well,” Nicky began, scratching at his chin. “That’s why Joe said, ‘they were in a relationship of sorts’,” he reminded, sitting down next to her. “It was clear they had deep love for each other, but they did see other people when they weren’t traveling together,” Nicky explained.
“It was an open relationship, essentially,” Copley chimed in.
“One could say that,” Nicky responded, nodding in agreement. “They never put a label on their relationship,” he went on.
“Do you know why?” Copley asked, now curious himself.
Nicky shook his head, “Your guess is as good as mine,” he said, throwing his hands up slightly. “Although, I do have a theory. Of course, it can’t be proven but it’s the only one that makes sense to me,” he finished.
“What’s your theory?” Nile questioned, leaning forward.
“You must remember, Booker and Sabine both lost their spouses in traumatic ways,” he reminded, glancing between the two of them. “For Book, he outlived his wife and she resented him for it. Sabine, watched her husband be taken away to be auctioned off to a different plantation,” he continued. “I think they’re scared to commit to each other. Both of them are afraid of getting hurt again,”
“Huh,” Copley hummed, processing the information. “That does make sense,” he agreed, nodding. “But now I’m curious, so they never discussed their lovers to each other while they were together?”
“They made it a point to try and not to, however there past lovers did come up at times,” Nicky answered. “Usually it wasn’t all that bad....until the incident in the 1950s,” he informed.  “That was an ugly fight to witness,” he muttered, shaking his head.
“Sabine—,” Nile began, stopping herself to breathe before she got too excited. “She wouldn’t happened to have any more journals lying about, would she?” she asked.
“How would you feel about an impromptu road trip?” Nicky asked back.
“I feel I would like that very much,”
~~~x~~~
Sabine’s POV
Although Renford Manor had been carefully preserved and restored to its original glory, Sabine could still see the tiny cracks that ran up the old, plaster walls near the ceiling of the countryside English manor in which she stood. The mint julep green painted walls were splitting like hairline cracks of a broken mirror. To the untrained eye these defects were unnoticeable, their attention would be drawn to the beautiful Florentine mirror on the far wall, a gold leaf baroque frame. Not to mention, the romantic and impressionist paintings that hung all along the walls.
"We are now about to enter the ballroom," the tour guide announced cheerfully, before pushing the large, richly carved double doors open with a grand flourish. 
And for a moment, Sabine could feel herself being transported back into the past. The faint clicking of her heels as she walked across the white Italian marble floors into ballroom’s wooden surface. The thick fabric of the dress she wore, cut to the style of the early twentieth century, in the shape of a bell.
“Was my dress blue or purple that night?” she thought.
Sabine could envision it now, the orchestra playing on one side of the room as men and women waltz underneath the huge and truly magnificent crystal chandelier lights that hung high above. Among one of the dancers was a young, light skinned woman with curly black hair styled in an updo and dressed in a green gown with flowers embroidered on it. The man she was dancing was young, with brown hair and was wearing a standard evening tuxedo for a man of his class. The two of them were very much deeply in love in with each other.
The creaking of floorboards snapped Sabine from her reverie, the foundation needed to settle from the weight of the sixty odd tourist group. Soft thumping of people’s shoes on the floor echoed in the room. Everyone filed in behind the woman, who moved to stand in the middle of the spacious room.
"This," she began, her tone bordering theatrical. "Is the pride and glory of Renford Manor," she said, spreading her arms out like a game show assistant.
As the tour guide spoke, Sabine took in her surroundings of the room, the walls were covered in maroon paint with artwork and family portraits decorating the space. Her eyes lifted to the ceiling and was greeted with the sight of the magnificent mural of angels depicting a variety of stories. It’s just as Sabine remembered, a surge of memories washed over her of that night. The party, the food, the dancing.
“We’re going to have so much fun tonight, Clara!”
Sabine lowered her eyes back to the woman, still droning on about the history of the room. She turned her gaze to a painting in the corner of room with mild curiosity, giving the figures a cursory glance. Quietly, she backed away from the group and moved over to the painting to get a closer look. The same two figures who she had envisioned gracefully waltzing earlier, now stared back down at her, captured forever in oil paint.
Lord Arthur Anderson & Lady Josephine Anderson, 1906.
Josephine was so terribly nervous that night, Arthur had proposed to her, but she wasn’t sure if she should accept, they had came from two very different worlds.  
"Man, to live a hundred years ago," a girl said, standing next to Sabine. “Those dresses they wore were simply stunning,” she remarked wistfully.
Sabine turned to the voice, her eyes meeting a teen girl in a school uniform, holding a tour provided phone for self guided tours.
“I suppose so, if you ignore the racism,”
The girl removed half of her headphones from ear, “Josephine, she was an illegitimate child from her father’s mistress and biracial,” she said, looking at the down the phone screen. “I couldn’t imagine living a tougher life than that back in those days,” she continued, briefly glancing up from the phone to look at the painting. “She got her father’s fortune in the end, so I guess that makes up for something,” she finished, shrugging her shoulders.
“Money doesn’t solve everything unfortunately, not when you’re half black during that era,“
The girl nodded in agreement as she stared at the two figures.
“Still, she got to meet a lot of interesting people because of her money. I read that Josephine met an African American woman, a small heiress, at the train station once and they became fast friends. They were described as being thick as thieves,” she informed.
A small wistful grin appeared on her lips, “Oh? What was the woman’s name?” Sabine asked curio sly, raising a brow.
“Clara Matthews,” the girl answered. “Apparently, she stayed here until the wedding before being forced to leave due to a family emergency. It’s quite sad, her and Josephine were never able to establish contact with each other again,” she sighed.
“I wonder what she like, this Clara,” Sabine mused.
“According staff and friends of the Lord and Lady, they described her as eccentric which I think is bullshit,” she stated, causing Sabine to snort. “Her eccentricities was believing in a woman’s right to vote, equal pay, civil rights, etc.” she listed. “They say Clara’s ‘eccentricities’ had rubbed off onto the lady of the house, she began to do charity work for those causes,” she informed.
“Sounds like my kinda gal, a progressive thinker ahead of her time,” Sabine stated, staring warmly at her old friend.
“Exactly!” the girl exclaimed quietly. “It’s sad that we’re not taught about people like Lady Josephine or even Clara who will be forgotten to the sands of time,” she complained. “It’s not fair,” she added, shaking her head.
Sabine turned to the young girl, “Sometimes, history has a funny way of staring at you right in the face, and you are none the wiser,”
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folklorebae · 11 months
Text
𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐀𝐔 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐬
Spin-off of my rockstar's girlfriend
Cast(s): Rockstar!Eren & Model!Reader
Cw: swearing, reader using she/her pronouns, slight hange x reader, food
A/n: haven't posted anything for months! hope you guys love this one<33
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Liked by sashablouse and 4,715,937 others
yourinstagram life recently...
View all 15,725 comments
angelicyn WE MISSED YOUUUU
ynfan23 glad you post this when im still awake
yndaily OMG YOUR PUPPY ISNT A PUPPY ANYMORE. ITS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE SAW HER ON YOUR/EREN'S STORY😭
↳yourinstagram i know! but she's getting smarter and cuter. i love her so much, she's my girl:)
erenfan19 i dont see eren... soo the rumors are true?? :((
↳ynfan24 girl, she's her own person and this is her insta. besides, that man is childish lmao. imagine unfollowing THE Y/N L/N just because she doesn't attend his concert in europe...
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14,937 likes
justjared After getting unfollowed by her long-time boyfriend last week, Y/N L/N was spotted walking out of Oscar-winning costume designer Hange Zoe's apartment building this morning. New couple alert?
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ereyn.daily i'm happy if y/n's happy🥲
goddessyn cmon, we all know they've been friends for ages. stop spreading stupid rumor like this
erenfan20 not gonna believe anything till one of them confirm it in front of my face
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26,638 likes
paradis.memes Thoughts?
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paradisfan7 Im not believing this shit
erenfan21 she doesnt wanna marry him, im crying😭
↳paradisfan8 she once said she's jo march kinnie😭
↳ynfan25 How do you know she doesn’t wanna marry him? Maybe he doesn't wanna marry her? We don’t know what happened behind the curtain unless Y/N and Eren themselves actually comment on it .
erenfan22 guys, if you read the article that @people posted, at the end they said “Reps for Jaeger and L/N have not commented on the breakup.”
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paradisofficial Paradis World Tour. Antwerp. May, 2023.
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paradisfan9 YOU GUYS WERE SO AWESOME😭❤️
paradisfan10 PLS PLS COME BACK TO ANTWERP ASAP. ALSO THE SURPRISE SONG?!? BED OF ROSES?!?
paradisfan11 so sad cant see you guys perform last night🥲💔
paradisfan12 if you guys dont cover “bed of roses” on your Asia Tour, you're racist.
↳paradisofficial We've agreed that every region will have different song to cover. Thank you for your support😊
↳paradisfan12 OMG I WAS JOKING LMAO (i mean, not really)
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sashablouse unseen🤓
tagged: @yourinstagram @nicolo
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nicolo 🤍
Liked by sashablouse
conniespringer dude, what were you doing in the first pic
↳sashablouse cause you're just a man 🙄
yourinstagram dont wanna be a third wheel anymore...
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11,726 likes
paradisupdatee New Setlist For Europe Tour! I've upgraded the playlist, link in bio.
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paradis.devil see you at accor arena tmrw!!
↳paradisupdatee See you, bby<3
paradisfan13 the fact they didnt cover any song in northern europe countries😀
paradisfan14 I literally flew from brussels to london last month to see them perform AND THEY DIDNT SING BED OF ROSES?!? I WAS ROBBED!!
↳paradisfan15 sameeee i attended some of their shows in us last year and they didn't cover any song 😭
paradisfan16 is this eren's way to confirm the breakup rumors?😭
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yourinstagram the rumors are terrible and cruel...
View all 29,317 comments
ynln.jpg dont tell me you're in paris...
taylorswift but honey, most of them are true🤭
Liked by yourinstagram
↳yourinstagram patiently waiting for 1989 (Taylor's Version)😊🙏
↳ynfan25 soo the rumors are true?🥲
↳ereyn.daily i'm in spain without s
ereyn.exposing Whatever ereyn does is only for promo. It's a fact that eren is not going to follow y/n or ever going to post her picture on his Instagram again.
↳yourinstagram seems like you guys have been talking about this and tag me in a few posts everyday. but now please, i beg you to stop. it's just negative, i really have no hard feelings towards you. i just know what a beautiful world there is to go out and live in instead of trying to dissect a relationship between two people that you don't even know. i don't need his follow, my name is permanently tattooed to his arm. This is my final comment on this, but i want you to know that it's not meant to offend you. just hoping you can find something else in life to be inspired by xx
↳erenfan23 OMG OMG OMG YESS YOU TELL THEM QUEEN
↳ynfan26 FINALLY PEOPLE COULD SHUT THEIR MOUTH NOW. THESE "EXPOSING" ACCOUNTS ARE ANNOYING AF
↳erenfan24 I think you should've messaged them, instead of calling them out publicly like this. no offense, still love you tho
↳yourinstagram i see why you think that ought to have been a direct message, and i agree. i just didn't considered it. it's all really frustrating, and i'm only human... you guys understand how hurtful assumptions like this can be, especially when they are made about someone i care about a lot. if you guys care about him too, you'll eventually realize that we are on the same team. i apologize if it came off as impolite or rude. i was simply attempting to start a conversation so people would realize that their statements were painful rather than just an "anonymous confession." this cruel internet culture has no benefit for society as a whole. 
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19,862 likes
ereynpost “You guys are crazy, you know that? No... I don’t think my girlfriend and I need another dog for now. What about you, Jean?” — Eren laughs as he answers a fan's sign.
USHSSUDSHDUAJSYSHS GUYSSS THE RUMORS ARENT TRUEEEE THEY'RE STILL TOGETHER OMFG!!!!
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its.ereyn Girl, I almost deactivate this account
↳ereynpost PLS, SAME😀
ynfan27 OMG MY EREYN HEARTTT
erenfan25 PARENTS OMG😭😭😭
ynfan28 I can die in peace now, thanks
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erenjaeger My love, my lady, the most precious human on this earth. I'm really grateful because we have an incredibly meaningful, loving, and fun relationship. As you guys know, this world is cruel and I'd do anything to make her the happiest, but I've failed to do it. I personally love it when people make assumptions or speculations about me, because I know they all wrong. But when people start to say something hurtful to my woman, I can't tolerate it.
Six years of relationship and we have never ever broken up, not even once, if that's what you all really want to know. She's my present and future, she's the one who teaches me how forever feels. The love I have for her only gets stronger and bigger, it's crazy to think about it. Thank you for all the love and support, we really appreciate it.
View all 53,027 comments
erenfan26 I TOLD YOU ALL THEY'RE ENDGAME
ynfan29 how to find myself a man like you😭
erenfan27 oh he is, he really is in love🥹❤️
yndaily the fact that i'll never experience this type of love hurts a lot. but i couldnt be more happier for you two💓
jeankirschtein ngl, at first i did believe you two broke up
↳erenjaeger bro, fuck off
↳erenfan28 LMAO JEANNNN, IM CRYINGG😭😭😭
ereyn.daily As iconic as David Bowie and Iman❤️
↳yourinstagram thank you, but I don't deserve this compliment. also, your comment will boost eren's ego, he'll think he's as good as him
↳erenjaeger why would you say that:(
(+bonus on what really happened lol)
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Text
Prefer it like this {Levi}
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A/n: I don't know why but post war Levi is my favourite Levi to write along with post war Connie, so drop the requests please
Pairing: Levi x f!reader
Warnings: spoilers for the manga and anime ending, mentions of ptsd, mentions of injuries such as partial blindness and missing fingers, mentions of Levi being disabled, mentions of nightmares,
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Mikasa and Jean's wedding had been the first proper thing the old squad actually felt happy about. Yes, years had passed since the war ended but the wounds were still there and to some people still felt fresh. One of those people being Levi.
When the wedding invitation reached your front door, you were both sleeping. It was one of the very few and extremely rare occasions that the night had passed without you and Levi waking up covered in sweat, breathing heavily and seeking warmth in the embrace of the one who hadn't had the nightmare. Usually you would be the one providing comfort because Levi's nightmares were far more frequent than yours.
Levi was the one who woke up first by the loud banging on the door. He knew immediately that it wasn't Gabi or Falco because they had a key. He pushed the covers off him slowly in order not to wake you up and sat on the bed. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to look at what he had become in a way.
He hated that wheelchair. He hated waking up and having to reach out for it. It was always standing by his side of the bed and there were mornings like this one, where there had been no nightmares the night before, that he hated it even more.
After bringing it as close to the bed as humanly possible he grabbed the handles and sat on it.
He hadn't meant to look at Armin like that but Levi had never been good at hiding his frustration. The blonde haired man didn't explain anything, just delivered the wedding invitation with a wide smile on his face and left.
"Everything okay?" He turned around as soon as he heard your voice and there you were, leaning against the wall of the hallway that led to the living room in his shirt. Levi had no idea how many times he had told you not to wear his old clothes to bed but you never listened, not that he minded.
He handed you the letter and left to make tea in the kitchen.
When you told him that Jean and Mikasa were actually getting married, Levi was not surprised. Sure, he was happy for them but he never said anything other than that.
He offered to help with the preparations though. It surprised you how willing he was to let Gabi and Falco run his tea shop all alone especially since you had been offered a position in Historia's council and there was therefore no one to watch over them.
But thankfully everything went well and two months later, the ceremony was held though everyone was most looking forward to the dinner after. Annie hadn't shut up about the garden Historia had given them permission to use in the palace grounds for that sole purprose and of course Nicolo had prepared the foor. It made sense that everyone would be excited.
"Do you want to go back inside?" You asked. It was now past midnight, everyone still celebrating inside the big greenhouse where the tables had been set.
When the entire thing became too much for him, Levi disappeared and of course you followed him. So there you were, laying down on the grass. Levi's back was against the marble of the fountain a good few metres away from the greenhouse. His wheelchair was almost tossed to the side but you didn't want to touch on that matter. His legs were straight on the grass, your head on his lap.
"Do you?" He asked back, reaching to loosen his tie slightly.
"Not really. I prefer it here."
You hadn't talked about why he had left the reception so suddenly but you were sure that Levi would tell you. But the minutes passed by without a word leaving his mouth. When you shifted slightly so you could actually look at him, his eyes were closed though you knew he wasn't sleeping. The night was too beautiful for him to sleep without cherishing the soft sound of the water in the fountain, the owls, the music and the laughter.
"It's the first celebration we attend together of that sorts." He finally said his injured hand, resting on your shoulder, three fingers instead of five. You nodded, lifting your hand so you could fix his hair a litle. "I wanted to dance with you. We've never danced together."
He wasn't looking at you. That explained a lot. He had left out of frustration. That really did explain a lot. The tossed wheelchair, why you found him on the ground, leaning on the fountain, the sad look in his eye.
You slowly sat up next to him, resting your head on his shoulder. "You should have known by now that I don't like to dance."
"Liar."
"I am not." You giggled.
Another pause followed, your legs almost entwined. You took his hands in yours and placed them on your lap.
"If you really want to enjoy the night then we should probably go back inside." You said softly, terribly aware that the way your lips were close to his ear would end up in shaking legs the following morning.
Or maybe not.
Levi leaned his head against yours and you felt it. His entire body finally relaxed. "I prefer it that way, brat."
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leviismybby · 1 year
Text
Don't struggle
Pairing: Postwar!Levi Ackerman x reader
Concept: Helping Levi cut his hair bc baby struggled after losing his fingers. Also, Levi being totally smitten with you.:((
No warnings, it's pure fluff.
A/N: This is the first time I have written something for postwar Levi and I loved it.
Taglist: @yakaaamoz @youre-ackermine @levisbrat25 @the-milk-anon @laraackerman @notgoodforlife @ackermendick @levisgreyeyes
All his life Levi was used to relying on himself, he never was the type to ask for help. So when he lost his fingers about two years ago, he never thought that the most simple tasks would be the most difficult. Cutting his hair has become hard but apparently, ODM gear is just fine to work with.
But things have changed for him and others, he finally opened that tea shop he has wanted so much, Jean and Mikasa have gotten married, Connie learned how to ride a car, Nicolo opened his own restaurant. Things have gotten better after such hardships that he and the rest had to go through.
He has met you, you were a regular in his shop always ordering chamomile tea with chocolate cookies on the side. Levi got so used to your smile that on the days you weren't there, he started to wonder if anything had happened to you and if you were alright.
One day you walked into his shop with a box in your hands telling him all about how awful your boss was and that you quit your job. Levi offered you a job as a waitress even if you had no background in such things, you learned quickly.
So here you are now watching him from the hallway of the shop as he struggles with the scissors in front of the mirror. The shop hasn't opened yet so you had a little bit of time.
"Levi, would you like me to help?" You ask softly, approaching him with a smile. "No, I-" He tried to continue not to distract you from your work but the scissors had other plans.
"Let me help you, please? You're gonna poke your other eye out otherwise." Puffing, Levi leans back in his chair looking at himself in the mirror.
He has gotten used to these scars, these scars that are a reminder that he can't run from his past. His eyes soften as he sees you in the mirror picking up scissors from the ground and lightly blowing them to clean off any dust.
You have never judged him. Not once. Not even the first time you met did you make a face or a comment about his appearance.
Levi can watch you work for days, his customers often praise you to him. That smile never leaves your face, it's always present even when you aren't in your best mood.
Especially on those sunny days when the terrace is open, your hair flows in the wind beautifully and Levi is always enchanted by your looks.
Raven locks fall on the floor as you carefully cut his hair, you know how he prefers it, always with an undercut. The silence between you is comfortable, it always is.
You hate seeing him struggle like this, he was a bit hard around the edges but once you got to know him he turned out to be the best man you have ever met, kind and thoughtful. No one else has cut his hair for him except his mother, she would've loved you, Levi thinks.
Running your fingers through his hair, you look to see if you had missed a spot. "There, all done! I hope I did a good job, it won't be as perfect as yours but I tried my best."
"It's perfect thank you." Levi looks up at you you're perfect he thinks, you blush looking away. "Uhh I should clean the floor, the shop will open soon."
"Of course." Levi gets up from his wheelchair and you quickly push him down by his shoulder to sit down. "Levi don't. I'll do it." Sometimes he could walk almost normally without any struggle but he had days where he couldn't even hold his knee in place from the pain.
He hisses shortly at the pain in his knee but nods at your words. Truly he is grateful that he has you by his side and maybe in the future he can have you by his side forever.
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romancingromanoff · 1 year
Text
Night Terrors
Andromache the Scythian x f!reader
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I decided to create a series of loosely related one shots for Andromache (my beloved). Here’s part 1 
Summary: A revisit to your past and you learn about an old member
TW: Mentions of child abuse, torture, choking, drowning
Word count: 2,437
After a long day of training you were completely spent. Already feeling the soreness start to settle in while you ate dinner with the team, you went straight to bed after that. It hadn’t taken very long for you to drift off into the realm of dreams.
Nicky and Joe were the first to notice you thrashing in your sleep. The two were trying to inconspicuously sneak back inside the safe house late at night when they heard some concerning noises coming from the corner where your mattress was.
You took a deep gasp of air as you were pulled up to a sitting position, a firm hand supporting your upper back. Could it be her? It was too dark to register anything besides the lingering sense of danger that wafted around you.
“Stop! Don’t touch me!” Desperately trying to get away from your assailant, you threw yourself out of bed and painfully landed on your left shoulder.
“Y/N, it’s us, Nicky and Joe. You’re safe, kid. It was just a bad dream.”
Once you were able to recognize the two pairs of eyes nervously staring at you the panic began to subside. You were awake and it was only a nightmare.
“Let me help you up.” Joe reached out for your hand but both of yours immediately grabbed at your own throat. It still felt like she was suffocating you. Nicky turned the lights on causing you to shield your eyes from their brightness.
“Is everything okay?” Your head shot up right as Andy burst in on the scene, the right side of her head had a few hairs sticking up and her eyes looked slightly groggy. They seemed to widen when she caught sight of you on the floor. “Y/N! What happened?”
“I-I…”
“Is everyone alright?” Booker nearly tripped into the room but caught himself and leaned on the back of the couch. “If it’s another spider I really don’t want to deal with it. I had to kill the last one.”
“Y/N was having a nightmare,” Joe explained and the Frenchman’s expression seemed to change.
“What did you see, kid?”
The clashing realities began to slowly fade with every breath you took. Still, the muffled voice of the strange woman rang in your ear. Andy whispered something soft and comforting in your other one. It was a language you didn’t recognize.
Andy, oh sweet Andy. Your ruthless leader. Only a few hours ago she shared a story about the time she took out a dozen assassins with just a leather belt and some duct tape. Now here she was rubbing small circles against your back and holding your hand to stop you from hurting yourself any further. You glanced at each of your other team members and noticed how silent it had become, yet none of them pushed you to talk. All they offered you was unwavering patience and understanding. Wiping the tears from your face, you eventually spoke as your grasp on reality strengthened.
“My mother. She choked me for so long once when I was seventeen that I nearly died. It felt so real though.”
There’s a shift from each of your teammates at your confession, each one slightly different with how they react. Joe shakes his head in disgust and his lips form a thin flat line. Booker’s face breaks and he gazes at you with pity. Nicky sighs deeply, you think he might try to reach out to you at that moment but he holds himself back. By now they know how easily triggered you are by touch even if you trust them.
Andy was the one to rest her hand on your shoulder. Only she was allowed right now. You could tell it was hers before she even made full contact. When you faced her, it reminded you of the first time you had met and she had promised to protect you. She looked more determined now than ever.
She squeezed your shoulder ever so gently and you knew you were safe.
“I could’ve sworn I was back there reliving that exact moment and then… it switched.”
In your dream, you began to lose consciousness as your mother continued to grip at your life force and dark patches blurred your vision. But instead of the light returning as oxygen once again filled your lungs like it had in the moment, the darkness became all encompassing. You weren’t simply imagining it was there, you could feel that nothing but pitch black blanket stretched on for miles in every direction. And though you’d never swam in the sea, you knew exactly where you were.
“I saw a woman trapped in a giant metal coffin at the bottom of the ocean. She kept drowning and coming back, drowning and coming back all alone in the darkness. It was like I could feel her anger, her rage.”
The other immortals exchanged knowing glances which made you worried. A thick silence hung in the air, allowing the nerves to creep back up your spine.
“Did I… Did I say something wrong?”
“No, of course not,” Joe assured you while Book and Nicky quickly joined in. “We’re glad you told us, Y/N.”
But Andy suddenly seemed a million miles away.
They tell you all about Quynh and the events that transpired during the witch trials, the decades they spent searching for anyone who might know where she was, only for all of their efforts to end with the same results. The mere thought of having to endure such never-ending suffering with no hope of escaping the cycle makes purgatory itself seem merciful and brief.
“It’s why we fear capture,” Nicky says. “It’s also why Andy blames herself after all of these years.”
“Why do you blame yourself?”
“I lost a soldier,” Andy’s voice pools with guilt and it stings you to see her torment herself in such a way. “My job is to protect everyone on the team and I couldn’t do that.” There’s a bitterness in her expression you tell yourself not to take personally. With everything she’s been through and all the stories she’s told, this one is laced with the most regret.
This time it’s you who reaches out and grabs her hand. “I would never presume to understand exactly how you feel but we’re immortal, Andy. That doesn’t mean we’re all-powerful or perfect. You tried harder than anyone else could have ever done.”
You don’t know if your words make any real difference but you are glad to have spoken your truth. While Andy and the three guys exchanged some short comments, you began to struggle to keep your eyes open as the realm of sleep tried to drag you back under. The Scythian cooed something in your ear, bringing you closer to her, and you quickly gave in.
                                                  -----------------------
Things had finally settled down as you slept soundly in Andy’s arms, a warm smile graced her face as she thoughtlessly stroked your hair. None of the guys had ever expected to see her as domestic as she looked while watching over you.
“Was I the only one that was hesitant about her at first?” Booker asked, although it was more likely he was simply thinking out loud. “I mean about her being one of us despite not being a fighter in a traditional sense?”
“I was worried too,” Joe admitted as he intertwined his fingers with Nicky’s. “I feel terrible about it now since it’s clear how much we need her in the group.”
Andy, only half paying attention to the conversation up until that point, curiously weighed the words Joe subtly tried to direct at her.
“Just don’t make her wait too long to tell her how you feel,” Joe smiled, bringing up the back of Nicky’s hand to his mouth so he could kiss it. His eyes knowingly sparkled at Andy the entire time. “I have no doubt she’s the type that’s quite perceptive until it comes to someone else having feelings for her.”
“I believe Andy should simply follow her heart. As should Y/N,” Booker chimes in. “They’ll come together at the right time if it’s meant to be.”
“That’s a rather romantic way of looking at it!” Nicky was thoroughly impressed.
Booker simply shrugged. “I may not get as much practice as you and Joe but I’d like to think I’m not as rusty as this one over here.”
All three of them turned to look at Andy as their leader tried to remain still and unbothered. She did have to admit that it was difficult for her to get angry when you were resting against her.
“Are you actually calling me old, Book?” There was an edge of warning in her voice without any actual concrete threat. She was more than aware of how long it had been since she’d had feelings for someone and it was somewhat intimidating to face. Nothing had been confessed and yet she was already terrified of losing you.
“Of course I don’t mean it like that, capitaine. But I agree with Joe. Sweet and subtle will most likely fly straight over her head.”
“Not really all that straight.” Nicky murmured under his breath before chuckling at his own joke.
“Still, you should do whatever you feel is right,” Booker continued but shot the Italian a quick glance. “Don’t do something because you think Joe, or Nicky, or even I might do it in your position. She already likes you so all you have to do is be yourself.”
It was more than just a little cliche. She hated how oftentimes the best advice usually was.
“If I say I won’t wait more than a hundred years then could we please end this discussion? She’s finally sleeping, no thanks to your conversation, and I’d like for her to get as much rest as possible.”
None of them looked fully satisfied with her answer but they could all at least agree that it was best to let you sleep.
“Whatever you say, boss.”
“Good night.”
“Sweet dreams.”
The lights were turned off and Andy carefully tried to settle down with you. She planned to stay awake, to make sure that you were properly guarded and could sleep peacefully. But the steady sounds of your breathing and beating of your heart eventually lulled her to sleep as well.
                                                 -----------------------
“Good morning.” You gradually opened your eyes to the sight of Andy sitting up next to you in bed. The smell of eggs wafted in the air from the next room over. “We let you sleep in for a little bit but didn’t want you to get a cold breakfast. The food should be ready soon. I trust you got some better sleep?”  
You nodded, sitting up and feeling a bit awkward that Andy was still in your bed. Had she been there the rest of the night? “Yeah, I had a nice dream actually. I was on a white sand beach that was surrounded by cliffs with all sorts of tropical flowers growing around them. Have you ever been to a place like that?” You purposefully left out the details regarding Andy kissing you as the sun set. That was one thing she didn’t need to know about.
“Yes,” she nodded as a pleasant memory appeared to pass through her mind. Still, there was also a speck of sadness that shone in her eyes. “There are some that perfectly match that description in Greece, Thailand, Brazil. I’ve visited my fair share and the views never disappoint. Add some good company and it makes the trip all the better.”
You wondered who she was thinking about; what memories they might have shared together.
“I’ve actually never seen the ocean,” you confessed. “My mother is terrified of the water because a boy she went to school with in her childhood drowned in a lake one summer. She forbade me from ever going near it, even though I’ve wanted to learn how to swim since I first learned about mermaids.”
“You would still want to go? After your nightmare and seeing what happened to Quynh you’re not feeling hesitant at all about the ocean?”
“No, I don’t think so,” you admitted and pondered at the question. “That was terrifying, don’t get me wrong, but there’s a good and bad side to everything, right? Besides, I don’t want fear to control me anymore. Not like how I was with my mother.”
Andy studied you with such intensity, giving you the perfect opportunity to get lost in her eyes once more. You knew that you could stare at her forever. But what could she possibly be thinking about while gazing at you so intently? You honestly had no clue and when you were so ordinary. The only thing you were certain of was that she looked at you like you meant something. And to mean something to her was the best feeling in the world.
She looked like she wanted to say something but ultimately decided against it.
Instead, she cleared her throat, bringing the both of you back to the moment. “Alright, it’s decided then. I’ll teach you how to swim then. It should really be a part of your training anyway and after you’ve got it down I’ll take you to the beach from your dream.”
She sounded completely serious yet it took you by surprise. “Do you mean that?”
“Of course. I promise it will have everything you imagine aside from mermaids.”
“Aw, I mean I understand but it’s still somewhat disappointing. I was really looking forward to being serenaded by a siren that may or may not try to kill me.”
The Scythian chuckled. “I can already tell you that you don’t want to hear me try to sing.”
You raised an eyebrow at that. “Actually, that only makes me more curious. After having 6,000 years to practice you cannot possibly be that bad!”
“I’m afraid I sound so bad that it makes all the dogs bark.”
“One day, I’ll get you to sing,” you shoot Andy a look showing that you’re nothing but serious. “You can’t say ‘no’ to me forever. You’ll cave in eventually, I promise.”
“Breakfast is ready!” You could hear Booker exclaim from the kitchen.
As you turned to leave and grab some food, you didn’t notice the soft pair of green eyes following you or how Andy couldn’t seem to move after hearing what you said. There had been nothing but truth to your words and she knew if you asked her to sing or throw herself off a mountain she would do either if it could make you happy.
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"get me a damned matcha" | Chapter 21: February II
{{ Chapter 20: January II | Chapter 22: March II }} Chapter Directory
they're so stupid, even after they've gotten together 🙄
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✧ pairing ➼ levi ackerman x fem!reader, college x coffee shop x roommates!au ✧ summary ➼ After you find yourself plagued with misfortune due to struggles in your personal and family life, you find yourself needing to move last minute. As a junior in undergrad with little money and little social support, you considered yourself lucky when you found a sublease that was close to campus and was relatively cheap. Unfortunately, it seemed that your roommate did not seem to be so excited regarding your presence. ✧ content/warnings ➼ fluff, fem!reader, both reader and levi being anxious over silly things ✧ word count ➼ ~5.1k
“Happy Valentine’s Day?”
You blinked at and raised your eyebrow at your vice president and his drastic change of behavior compared to the year before.
“What happened to you barging in here and shouting at the top of your lungs?”
“I have matured!” Oluo announced, with an authentic look of pride on his face.
“Sure you have,” you responded dismissively, maintaining your skeptical expression. You remembered Oluo essentially kicking down the door to the classroom last year, having decided that the entire building needed to know that it was Valentine’s Day. A part of you knew that your memory of it was only sour because your general mood around the holiday was horrible last year. Anything would have pissed you off.
You turned away from Oluo, who was desperately trying to save face after your comment, and looked up towards the new officers that you had picked out a few weeks ago. You didn’t have particularly high expectations for the first session that they would be running on their own. It wasn’t because you didn’t believe in Armin or Jean’s capabilities, but it would have been unfair for you to expect them to prepare something extravagant given the fact that they had literally just been promoted. You likely would have been fine with whatever activity they decided to settle on for today, but they made it blatantly obvious that it was a mistake on your end to underestimate them. 
They had picked up your trick of getting pastries from Nicolo, who had extended the discount to the newer officers. Given the fact that he was now fully in a relationship with Sasha, you were fairly certain that the discount would last for a while, which would be a solid source of support. The room was littered with red, pink, and white décor, primarily through the tablecloth on the pastry tables and little gift bags that Sasha and Connie had prepared together.
The most impressive part for you was that they were able to make the room and club activities seem thematic without putting that much of an emphasis on the romance insinuation that Valentine’s Day usually involved. You were fairly certain that if it was like this last year, your mood might have been saved no matter how bad your relationship situation was at the time. You knew that your relationship drama is likely why you wanted to stay as far away as possible from anything Valentine’s Day-related last year. 
However, things were different this year. Not only did you have all avenues of contact with your borderline abusive ex-boyfriend cut off, you also couldn’t live up to the standard of “being miserably single” like you could last year, even if that was just a humorous effort for you to defuse the tension that resulted from Levi insulting you after refusing to admit to himself that he had gotten jealous. 
Plus, being single last year meant that you really couldn’t care any less about planning anything official for Valentine’s Day. You didn’t have an obligation to anyone, other than the social pressure you had constantly felt about needing to participate in every social event you were invited to. Although that social pressure had somewhat subsided, the fact that you were now in a relationship meant that you now had an obligation to someone on this day—whether that was actually true or not was lost on you in the moment. The thoughts of whether you should have planned to do something with Levi or not were already creeping in.
“Any plans?” Petra asked as she leaned against the wall next to you.
“Hmm?” you mumbled, although it was more than audible with how surprised you were by Petra’s sudden question, as if she was reading the exact thoughts that were rushing through your mind.
“For Valentine’s Day!” she clarified, even when it clearly wasn’t needed.
You frowned and looked towards the ground, trying to think of what you had to do in the past. Unfortunately for you, the only experience you had was with Zack and he didn’t exactly set realistic or fair expectations. It had to be special or it wasn’t enough. It couldn’t be too over the top or else you’d seem desperate. It was a delicate balance that you were forced to navigate every year and even thinking about it now was giving you some residual anxiety regarding it.
“I’m going on a nice dinner and a late night drive,” Petra suggested.
“Wasn’t aware you were dating,” you grumbled.
“It’s a hit or miss,” Petra said with a shrug, “but I figured I should put in effort for Valentine’s Day.”
You frowned at her commentary. You knew that she wasn’t trying to imply anything or be passive aggressive, but it still made you feel like you were being negligent about the whole thing.
She glanced over at you with a genuinely curious look.
“So? Any plans?”
You did not, in fact, have any plans. However, now that the topic has been brought up, you couldn’t help but ruminate over whether you should have planned something for Levi. Despite having known him for around a year and a half at this point, you were currently drawing a blank when trying to come up with ideas as to what he would like. Even if you did figure out what he would have liked as a Valentine’s Day date—given the fact that you were thinking about it on the day of—everything would likely be booked out. It was too late to get dinner at a nice place and any daytime attractions would be closed by the time you got home. 
It was irrational, but you couldn’t help but imagine Levi’s disappointed look if he was expecting something and you didn’t provide. Part of you knew that he wouldn’t expect that of you and he likely wouldn’t even care for the supposed holiday, but you couldn’t shut your anxiety up. You didn't want to disappoint him, and this was for no other reason than the fact that you deeply cared about him. 
You immediately turned to Oluo, trying your best to conceal your panic.
“You can clean up, right? Or get one of the new officers to do it?” 
Your vice president looked over at you, not expecting the sudden question.
“Yeah? Great! Thanks!” you exclaimed before giving him a chance to respond or even orient himself as to what you were asking, before immediately grabbing your bag and walking out of the classroom at a hurried pace.
~~~~~
Even after you were well on your way home, your pace never slowed down. You weren’t able to even really process the walk home and found yourself on autopilot mode the entire time. You were entirely trapped in your head, internally freaking out because you did not know what to do.
When you were with Zack, planning something for Valentine’s Day was a must. You were always diligent about planning something out over a month ahead of time so that you could reserve the most ideal locations without having to worry about a rush. In return, Zack would pay or plan some small activity afterwards. It was the only part of your relationship that was anywhere even close to reciprocal. Although he contributed, it was still you that did most of the work.
You threw that lifestyle out the window after you broke up. You remembered stressing and putting your entire life on hold to make sure that you were planning out the perfect day. You weren’t interested in doing that again anytime soon. 
Given how volatile your relationship was with Zack, you really didn’t plan on dating again anytime soon, but Levi snuck up on you in a way that you never would have predicted. Although you’d never trade your relationship with him for anything else, dating again this soon meant you were completely unprepared for the concept of Valentine’s Day.
What do I do?! 
Your thoughts were chaotically running rampant through your mind for your entire walk home. You couldn’t think about anything else, but you couldn’t form a plan to move forward either. No ideas were coming to mind. You didn’t even know how to propose an idea to Levi at the last minute. The only thing you could imagine of him was that unamused and disappointed look on his face that you convinced yourself would show as soon as he realized that you didn’t have anything planned.
Panicked, you pulled out your phone to check the time. It was a few hours before Levi would get off his shift at the cafe and come home. It wasn’t really enough time to get anything solid planned, but it might be just enough time for you to put something small together to at least show that you put in the effort.
By the time that you got home, you still hadn’t really thought of anything that you could put together for him. There wasn’t a single suitable idea that came to your mind. You ran a play-by-play of your life with him through your head, but everything that came up was either too simple or too complicated, too effortful or not effortful enough—it was clear that nothing you could generate in your mind would be satisfactory. 
Not even bothering to turn on the lights, you immediately went into your room and shut the door behind you, pulling out your computer and pulling up the search engine. Your eyes were intensely gazing at your computer screen as your hands hovered over your keyboard without moving. You had begun typing some term related to ‘Valentine’s Day events for college students’ but immediately froze up because you already knew that most search results would involve something that would have required more time than you currently had to put something together. You were paralyzed without a single idea over what to do.
You knew it was silly to be this fixated on planning something for Valentine’s Day for your boyfriend that probably didn’t even care, but the only thing running through your mind was how Zack had reacted in the past whenever you failed to put something together. He’d get angry, act disappointed, and generally made you feel like shit over it. You knew that Levi wouldn’t do that, but you couldn’t shake off that paranoid part of you that kept on asking you what you would do if he did.
“Get your shit together,” you whispered to yourself, shaking your head in an attempt to get yourself out of your head.
You took a deep breath and forced yourself to type into the search engine. You had little hope that anything productive would show up, but you figured that even the smallest thing would be better than Levi coming home to nothing.
~~~~~
Valentine’s Day was as annoying as ever for Levi. The café had the obnoxious decorations, the undergrads cared for nothing other than the hot chocolates that carried an obnoxiously cheesy name for the sake of the holiday, and Levi was forced to witness more than a disturbing amount of people entering and exiting relationships left and right. Since it was technically a busier holiday, he got paid extra, but other than that, he really couldn’t care any less for the holiday, if it could even be considered one.
His only saving grace was that he was slightly less annoyed about the couples this year compared to previous years. This was only because of his newfound relationship with you, although neither of you really had that “honeymoon phase” since you had already known each other well before entering a relationship. Thus, he could sort of understand the sentiment about couples prioritizing this day for each other, but he still found it obnoxious that most couples decided to do so for public eyes to see.
“Hey Levi, got any plans?”
“Ah?”
Levi looked over and saw Nicolo approaching him, having finished restocking the pastries at his station.
“For Valentine’s Day! We’re closing at 7 today,” Nicolo reminded him. 
It was still around 4, so the café was still open for a few more hours and it was clear that he was itching to leave.
“I’m probably going to cook Sasha a nice dinner or something.”
“Didn’t you do that last year?” Levi asked with a bored expression, not particularly interested in the details of his coworker’s love life. 
“Yep!” Nicolo said with a nod, clearly not sharing the same concern with Levi over the repeated activity, although cooking a nice dinner could hardly count as a boring, repetitive way to spend the holiday. “You planning anything with _____?” 
Levi’s facial expression didn’t change, but he was suddenly at a loss for words. It wasn’t that he was particularly uncomfortable with talking about his personal life, but it just wasn’t something that he usually did. 
“Not that,” he said after remaining silent for a few seconds. “_____’s an absolute pain in the ass to cook with.”
“Well, there’s gotta be something, right?”
Levi knew that Nicolo was coming from a good place, but he just didn’t function in the same way. The concept of planning some extravagant event wasn’t something that he usually did, but that was when he was on his own. If a fancy and special plan was something that you were expecting, then he was woefully unprepared, and knew how much of a pain in the ass it would be if he went home and found you disappointed and upset. His bored expression quickly turned into that of a frown.
“What does she like?”
Levi at least knew the answer to that.
“She loves her damn Matchas,” he said with a scoff.
“That doesn’t count. You already make her a Matcha every day,” Nicolo responded dismissively. “C’mon, what’s out of the ordinary that she’d love?”
It was easier for Levi to come up with things that you’d hate than it was to point out even one thing that you’d love other than showing up with your favorite comfort drink. You weren’t that into gift-giving and had stated that the tradition of it on birthdays and around Christmas caused you active distress. You mentioned that public displays of affection generally embarrassed you. Levi knew that the two of you had a habit of going on scenic and romantic walks outside, but you already did that quite frequently, so it would be too ordinary to be considered ‘special’. 
He found himself getting increasingly annoyed, not thinking that something as silly as this would’ve popped up on his radar. He had emotionally prepared himself for an annoying day at work due to the heightened presence of undergrads, but didn’t consider the fact that he was in a relationship, and that today was the day meant to celebrate relationships. It just wasn’t something that came together in his head until now. It added stress that he hadn’t anticipated.
Still, a part of him felt like he should do something, or at least put in the effort to do something. He cared enough about you that he wanted you to be happy, or at least not upset—his opinion of you being a pain in the ass when upset had not changed. He didn’t want to come home and see you be disappointed.
Levi tutted to himself in irritation. He knew the remaining few hours of his shift were going to be nothing but annoying because he was now fixated on what to bring you home or if there was something extra he should have done to celebrate. The fact that he was even stressed about this bothered him. It hadn’t even crossed his mind when he woke up in the morning, but now, it was the only thing that he could think about.
~~~~~
This is stupid.
Levi repeated that thought to himself in his head as he glanced at the flowers sitting in the passenger’s seat of his car. He didn’t even know if you would like these, but he felt obligated to get you something. He had swiped one of the Matcha cupcakes from the café, but Nicolo’s earlier comment about Matcha's not counting—even if he was talking about the drink and not this flavored pastry—was stuck in his head. He had just started the drive home, barely making it a block down the road, before his intrusive thoughts got the better of him and he turned around to the nearest convenience store to pick up the bundle of flowers.
He had spent more time than he was willing to admit trying to decide what flowers to get you. What did you like? What didn’t you like? Was there some symbolic meaning that depended on which flower he chose for you? Would you even care?
The convenience store was about to close and he noticed that he was grabbing the attention of some of the other customers due to how long he had been standing there, so he eventually grabbed a bouquet of a random assortment of flowers that were so colorful that it hurt his brain to process it. The thought of the differently colored petals being littered throughout the house for the next few weeks irked him, although he wasn’t sure if it was truly due to the prospect of a messy apartment, or if it was simply because he was feeling anxious and overstimulated as a result.
He felt out of place. Not only did the act of him getting flowers for you throw him off, he was weirded out by the fact that he was anxious over whether you would like this or if you would make fun of him for it. On top of that, Levi knew about your history with relationships and how over the top you were forced to be for them, and it ended up giving him subtle feelings of insecurity of whether he’d be able to live up to those standards, which weirded him out further. He was grossly overthinking the whole situation, which was already unheard of for Levi Ackerman. 
Once he finally got home, he ended up sitting in the parking lot with his car in park, staring at the entrance to the apartment complex. He knew he was wasting gas by just sitting in the parking lot, not wanting to turn his car off yet given how cold it was outside. He had been sitting there in an attempt to calm his nerves for the past 10 minutes or so. 
He really was questioning why he was so anxious about it. It was you. While he couldn’t say that he didn’t give a shit anymore, he had never gotten worried about your perception of him. Throughout the many fights that the two of you had throughout your first year living together and especially throughout that summer, he had never once cared about if you were judging him or thinking less of him. It just didn’t cross his mind, and even if it did, it certainly wouldn’t bother him to the extent that it was bothering him now.
He couldn’t stop ruminating over how you would react to his last minute gift. You could either mock him for getting you an overly simple and basic gift, or you could get weirded out that he even got you a gift in the first place. He could see both occurring and they were equally uncomfortable to think about.
“Get your shit together, dammit,” he whispered to himself, finally gritting his teeth to force himself to switch off the engine and beginning to make his way into the building.
The walk seemed much more effortful than usual. It was similar to the phenomenon where the more you walked towards a certain destination, the further away it seemed to get. Part of him even wished that you weren’t home just so he can procrastinate on actually dealing with your response on the off-chance that it was a negative one. However, given the fact that it was already past 7pm, you were likely home already. 
Once he finally got to the front door, he found himself standing there, hesitant to go inside. How would he even give it to you? He wasn’t the type to give gifts and he couldn’t imagine anything other than awkwardly handing you the flowers and hoping that you didn’t notice how anxious he actually was. 
After a few minutes, Levi sighed to himself and unlocked the door, stepping inside. 
He froze once he immediately saw you pacing around the living room. 
You didn’t react that much more elegantly, letting out a startled yelp once you heard the front door open and saw Levi step inside. You looked like a mess. It was clear that you didn’t bother to change once you got home. Your jacket was still on and Levi could see that you haphazardly kicked your shoes off at the front door without bothering to put them up onto the shoe rack, which was unlike you, although that was a habit you had picked up once you realized how much it bothered Levi to have shoes lying around the floor. The lights weren’t on and you looked overly tense.
“...did you just yelp?” Levi asked, raising an eyebrow.
“N-No!” you immediately denied. “You just caught me off-guard!”
“I see,” Levi mumbled, clearly not believing you, as he stepped inside and began to take off his shoes, placing them upside down onto the shoe rack, switching on the lights afterwards.
As you watched him, you began to awkwardly shuffle, trying to shake off some of the anxiety that you had been feeling for the entire day.
“Uhm,” you finally spoke up, getting his attention. “So, I was dumb and forgot it was Valentine’s Day until roughly a few hours ago.”
You spoke slowly, gauging his reaction to see if he was getting upset or disappointed.
“So I couldn’t get us anything thing special,” you continued, “and I’ve been panicking trying to set something up, but everything’s closed or booked and I wasn’t sure-”
You cut off your rambling as you noticed something off about Levi.
“Wait, what do you have in your hand?” you asked as you noticed him holding something. He was slightly holding them out of view, but you vaguely saw the obnoxiously colorful petals of the flowers he had picked up for you. 
Levi awkwardly looked away, glad that the lights near the door were dim as the tips of his ears began turning pink as soon as you noticed what he was holding in his hand.
Your gaze on him quickly turned unbearable and he grit his teeth, shoving both the bouquet and the cake in your direction. 
You blinked at him with a surprised expression that was quickly replaced with a blush as you realized that he had gone out of the way to get you a gift for Valentine’s Day. It was simple, but actually really sweet, and you found a bashful smile quickly growing on your face.
“...Levi…” you said quietly, trying to hide your smile.
“Listen,” Levi started speaking with a subtle, defensive tone, immediately assuming that you were going to mock him for it, “Nicolo was giving me shit for not planning anything.” 
He was avoiding eye contact and was awkwardly scratching at the back of his head. You rarely saw him this flustered, if ever. It was refreshing and oddly endearing. 
“Sorry if it’s basic,” he grumbled. 
He barely got to finish his sentence before you went in and wrapped your arms around his neck, making him quietly grunt from the force of your hug. You immediately planted your lips on his, pulling him in a tight hug, setting the gift down on the table behind you.
It took Levi a few seconds to react, having been caught off-guard by your sudden act of affection, with his hands eventually falling on your hips as he returned your kiss, now flustered for an entirely different reason. 
“I love it,” you whispered after finally pulling away, “even if it’s basic. Why are you apologizing?” 
You were too close to notice the backs of his ears gradually growing more red, especially now that he realized that any anxiety he was having throughout the day was silly and uncalled for.
“...Just don’t usually do this sort of thing.” 
You tapped your finger against the back of his neck, his comment reminding you of your own dilemma that was occurring just a few minutes ago.
“I was panicking a bit because I couldn’t think of what to do for you for Valentine’s Day…I’m sorry to say I don’t really have anything,” you said meekly, giving him a genuinely worried look. “Are you mad?”
Levi blinked at you in confusion, scrunching his eyebrows together.
“Why the fuck would I be mad?”
You felt your cheeks heat up as he questioned you.
“Oh,” you began, finding yourself stumbling over your own words, “I…I-I don’t know…I just wasn’t sure if you’d be expecting something, and I wasn’t really able to prepare anything, so I thought you’d be upset or disappointed or-”
“You’re so stupid,” Levi muttered before pulling you back in and gently pressing his lips against yours again.
You smiled into the kiss, feeling a sense of relief. You were embarrassed now that you knew you were overthinking it, but still incredibly relieved that it wasn’t anything to actually be worried about.
“I can make it up to you?” 
Levi sighed, giving you an exasperated look.
“If you must,” he mumbled before quickly giving you another kiss. “With what?”
“Hmm,” you thought as you slightly pursed your lips in an attempt to come up with something that the two of you would actually enjoy. “Maybe we can split that cake and finish that show we started the other week?”
The corner of Levi’s lips tugged up into a slight smile.
“Thank fuck, I thought you were going to recommend going out or something.”
You looked away, his response further reminding you of the fact that you had wasted the first half of the afternoon freaking out over nothing. The bashful look on your face was more than noticeable at this point.
Levi grabbed your chin and made you look at him again.
“Sounds good,” he whispered, planting another quick kiss on your lips. “Let me change into home clothes?”
You nodded, slightly backing away so that he could get to his room to change. You watched him as he disappeared into his room. Once he shut his door, you glanced over to the flowers that he had gotten you, reaching for the pastry bag behind it. You were able to see that it was a small cupcake, but didn’t know what it was other than that. Upon peeking inside, you saw that it was a Matcha cupcake and a small smile appeared on your face, with you finding it incredibly endearing that he went out of his way to get you something Matcha-related that wasn’t the drink, purely because he knew about your small obsession with Matcha's and likely wanted to get you something different.
Grabbing the bag, you flipped the light on in the kitchen and grabbed a small plate out of the cabinet, carefully maneuvering the small cake onto the tempered glass. You grabbed two small forks and a napkin and took the cake over to the coffee table in your living room. You set down the plate and laid out the napkin in front of it to catch any crumbs so that it didn’t land on the table itself.
You turned on the TV and scrolled down through your list of saved shows until you landed on the drama you had recently started watching with Levi. The two of you had started it a few weeks ago, and Levi claimed that he was only watching it for your sake, but got oddly into it, constantly providing commentary on the plotline that clearly disproved his supposed lack of interest in it. 
After a few minutes, Levi walked back out of his bedroom, having changed into a t-shirt and sweatpants. You scooted over to the side and he sat down next to you, his arm propped up on the top of the couch as he leaned back.
“What episode were we on?”
You placed a finger on your bottom lip as you tried to remember what had happened in the most recent episode that you had watched.
“The one where he was trying to propose, but couldn’t get ahold of her, I think.”
“Tch,” Levi immediately tutted, discontent with the flow of the story. “Everything that comes up is bullshit. They’re just trying to drag the plot along.”
“Thought you weren’t interested.”
“I’m not,” Levi quickly responded with a frown.
The defensive tone in his response was not missed by you, and you immediately raised an eyebrow at him, clearly indicating that you didn’t believe him.
“I’m not,” Levi repeated with a scowl. “You wanna watch this fucking show or not?”
You shot him a skeptical look that non-verbally communicated ‘if you say so’ before turning to press play to start the episode. You heard him grumble something under his breath about how you have to make even cozy nights in difficult and you slightly shoved at him in retaliation.
You reached over to the other side of the couch to grab the throwover blanket, wrapping it around yourself as you scooted right up against him, resting your head on his shoulder, as his arm wrapped around you. 
Although you were quite embarrassed about overreacting, you were very grateful that he didn’t give a shit about Valentine’s Day, and found it quite endearing that he was just as stressed about meeting expectations for the holiday.
Every time that you felt that urge to prove yourself in your relationship with him, like you had to do for so many others before him—both platonic and romantic—you were reminded quickly after that he didn’t care about those small, superficial details. Your relationship with Levi was different, and it was different for the better. It was the only reason why he was able to make you feel how you felt around him. You were satisfied and happy, and didn’t feel like you had to keep up a ruse to satisfy a status quo.
You, as you currently are, with all the little nuances that made your life what it was, and all your little quirks that he had grown to love about you, were enough.
#: @levisbrat25 @gothgril69 @sckerman @berrijam @notgoodforlife @meowjaa @averysmolbear @roseofdarknessblog @bejewelledd @hhighkey @ayame236 @sad-darksoul @velouria17 @kamyru @l1zk4 @layenacreates @lamees004 @whoami-72 @highgoon69 @chaotic-on-main @levishotgf @nube55 @chosos-mascara @heichoucleanfreak @svftackerman @v4mp-wife @moonchild-angel @astri-ackerman @auriuswolve @noctemys @you-always-made-me-blush @raginginferno267 @sillygooseklaudia @jennamelinda12
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your-averagewriter · 2 years
Text
Request rules.
I don't write smut but I will write steamy make-out scenes and all that.
I will write fem!character x fem!reader, male!character x fem!reader, male!reader x male!reader. All of it including gender neutral reader.
I also only really write x reader fics.
My Masterlist - What I've already written, I update when I post.
REQUESTS ARE CLOSED DUE TO HAVING LOTS OF REQUESTS!
- Thanks for the requests though! :)
Keep an eye on this as I add more characters as I watch more shows/movies!
People/characters I will write for:
DYSTOPIAN and ACTION:
- Hunger Games - Peeta Mellark, Katniss Everdeen, Haymitch Abernathy, Finnick Odair, Johanna Mason, Annie Cresta, Lucy Gray Baird, Sejanus Plinth.
- Maze Runner - Thomas, Newt, Gally, Minho.
- Kingsman - Harry Hart (Galahad), Gary "Eggsy" Unwin (Galahad), Hamish Mycroft (Merlin), Jack Daniels (Whiskey).
- Luther - John Luther, Alice Morgan, Justin Ripley.
- Call of Duty - John Price, Simon "Ghost" Riley, John "Soap" MacTavish, König, Alejandro Vargas, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, Kim "Horangi" Hong-jin, Valeria Garza, Keegan Russ.
- The Boys - Homelander, Starlight, Soldier Boy, Black Noir, Billy Butcher, Hughie Campbell, The Deep, Queen Maeve, A-Train, Translucent.
- Gen V - Marie Moreau, Emma Meyer, Jordan Li, Andre Anderson, Cate Dunlap, Luke Riordan and Sam Riordan.
HORROR:
- Scream - Billy Loomis, Stu Macher, Dwight "Dewey" Riley, Randy Meeks, Richie Kirsch, Sam Carpenter, Tara Carpenter, Chad Meeks-Martin, Mindy Meeks-Martin, Ethan Landry.
- The Lost Boys - Michael Emerson, David, Star, Marko, Dwayne.
- What We Do in the Shadows - Nandor the Relentless, Laszlo Cravensworth, Nadja, Guillermo de la Cruz.
- A Quiet Place (1&2) - Lee Abbott, Evelyn Abbott, Emmett.
- The Boy - Brahms.
- Zombieland - Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita.
- Fight Club - Tyler Durden, The Narrator.
- Alien - Ripley, Dwayne Hicks, Hudson.
- Saw - Adam Faulkner-Stanheight, Amanda Young, Peter Strahm, Mark Hoffman.
- The Crow - Eric Draven.
- Midnight Mass - Sheriff Hassan, Father Paul, Riley Flynn.
MARVEL:
- MCU - Tom Holland!Peter Parker, Andrew Garfield!Peter Parker, Bruce Banner, Steve Rodgers, Tony Stark, T'Challa, Stephen Strange, Logan, Scott Lang, Wanda Maximoff, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanoff, Yelena Belova, Matt Murdock, Valkyrie, Carol Danvers, Peter Quill, Bucky Barnes, Phil Coulson, Gamora, Thor Odinson, Loki Laufeyson, James Rhodes, Pietro Maximoff, Druig, Sam Wilson, Shuri.
- Spiderverse - Hobie Brown, Miles Morales (both variations), Gwen Stacy, Miguel O'Hara, Pavitr Prabhakar, Peter B Parker, Spider Noir.
- X-Men and others (Deadpool etc) - Young!Charles Xavier, Young!Erik Lehnsherr, Nightcrawler, Jean Grey, Scott Summers, Nathan Summers, Wade Wilson.
DC:
- The Dark Knight Trilogy - Christian Bale!Bruce Wayne, Jonathon Crane.
- The Batman - Robert Pattinson!Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle.
- Justice League - Diana Prince (Wonderwoman), Arthur Curry (Aquaman), Clark Kent (Superman).
- Gotham - David Mazouz!Bruce Wayne, Jerome Valeska, Jerimiah Valeska, Alfred Pennyworth, Jim Gordon, Selina Kyle, Ed Nygma, Barbara Kean, Oswald Cobblepot, Victor Zsasz, Harvey Bullock, Jonathon Crane, Jervis Tetch, Victor Fries.
The Suicide Squad - Jared Leto!Joker, Harley Quinn, Rick Flag, Chris Smith (Peacemaker), Robert DuBois (Bloodsport), Chato Santana (El Diablo).
ANIME:
- Attack on Titan - Eren Yeager, Levi Ackerman, Mikasa Ackerman, Armin Arlert, Jean Kirstein, Reiner Braun, Annie Leonhart, Sasha Braus, Erwin Smith, Miche Zacharius, Hitch Dreyse, Kenny Ackerman, Marco Bodt, Pieck Finger, Porco Galliard, Colt Grice, Bertholdt Hoover, Nicolo, Ymir, Zeke Yeager, Floch Forster.
- Demon Slayer - Giyu Tomioka, Mitsuri Kanroji, Obanai Iguro, Muichiro Tokito, Shinobu Kocho, Kyojuro Rengoku, Tengen Uzui, Kanao Tsuyuri, Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, Inosuke Hashibira, Gyutaro, Daki, Enmu, Hinatsuru, Makio, Suma.
- Castlevania - Alucard, Sypha Belnades, Trevor Belmont, Carmilla, Lenore.
- Tokyo Ghoul - Ken Kaneki, Juuzou Suzuya, Touka Kirishima, Kuki Urie, Ayato Kirishima, Itori, Uta, Hideyoshi Nagachika.
- My Hero Academia - Shota Aizawa, Hizashi Yamada, Tenya Ida, Ochaco Uraraka, Denki Kaminari, Eijiro Kirishima, Kyoka Jiro, Hanta Sero, Shoto Todoroki, Katsuki Bakugo, Itsuka Kendo, Tamaki Amajiki, Hitoshi Shinso, Keigo Takami, Mirko, Dabi, Himiko Toga, Jin Bubaigawara.
- Obey me - Lucifer, Mammon, Levi, Satan, Asmodeus, Beelzebub, Belphegor, Diavolo, Barbatos, Simeon, Solomon.
- Haikyuu! - Daichi Sawamura, Kōshi Sugawara, Asahi Azumane, Tobio Kageyama, Tadashi Yamaguchi, Kiyoko Shimizu, Keishin Ukai, Tetsurō Kuroo, Kenma Kozume, Tōru Oikawa, Hajime Iwaizumi, Kōtarō Bokuto, Keiji Akaashi, Wakatoshi Ushijima, Satori Tendō, Yūji Terushima, Kiyoomi Sakusa, Atsumu Miya, Osamu Miya.
- Avatar the Last Airbender - Zuko, Katara, Sokka, Aang, Azula, Ty Lee.
- Avatar: Legend of Korra - Korra, Asami, Mako, Tenzin, Iroh.
MUSIC:
- Waterparks - Awsten Knight, Geoff Wigington, Otto Wood.
- My Chemical Romance - Gerard Way, Mikey Way, Ray Toro, Frank Iero, (all the killjoys).
- Pierce The Veil - Vic Fuentes, Tony Perry, Jaime Preciado.
- All Time Low - Alex Gaskarth, Rian Dawson, Zack Merrick.
- Ice Nine Kills - Spencer Charnas, Ricky Armellino, Patrick Galante, Joe Occhiuti, Dan Sugarman.
- Palaye Royale - Remington Leith, Emerson Barrett.
- Others - Oli Sykes, Ronnie Radke, Andy Hurley, Brandon Flowers, Chris Motionless, Kellin Quinn,, John O'Callaghan, Josh Franceschi, Lzzy Hale, Hayley Williams, William Beckett, Noah Sebastian, Will Ramos, Will Ghould, Dave Grohl, Vessel (Sleep Token).
- Metal Lords - Hunter, Kevin, Emily.
SCI-FI:
- The Sandman - Dream, Corinthian.
- Prey - Naru, Taabe.
- Stranger Things - Steve Harrington, Nancy Wheeler, Jonathon Byers, Max Mayfield, Robin Buckley, 001, Dimitri, Eddie Munson.
- Star Wars - Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo, Rey, Kylo Ren, Boba Fett, Poe Dameron, Din Djarin, Cal Kestis.
OTHERS:
- Barbie - Barbie, Ken.
- Monster High - Frankie Stein, Clawdeen Wolf, Cleo de Nile, Deuce Gorgon, Draculaura, Lagoona Blue, Abbey Bominable, Clawd Wolf, Gillington Webber, Heath Burns, Holt Hyde, Jackson Jekyll, Neighthan Rot, Operetta, Robecca Steam, Rochelle Goyle, Venus McFlytrap, Kieran Valentine, Porter Geiss.
- Wonka - Willy Wonka, Fickelgruber.
- Saltburn - Oliver Quick, Felix Catton, Farleigh Start, Venetia Catton.
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I know that's quite a long list and if you want me to write for a character not on there then just ask :)
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