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MVP NPCs of Perpetual (snk fanfic)!

Leslie Koth, Magath’s assistant & Jim Haywood, footsoldier (ironically). Yes, I love them. 🤍

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I think my next chapter is my favorite so far. I had a lot of fun writing it. Maybe because it’s got ties to many aspects of the story. If my story is a road map, chapter 17 is the conjuncture at which all the different roads intersect.

… also, I’m so in love with an accidental tie-in to canon I came up with while writing it! I know I’m probably the only who’ll care all that much, it’s merely a detail. But I’m so excited, because there’s this thing that happened several chapter ago, and only as I wrote chapter 18, did I realize where it would end up. Dying to see this seed reveal itself towards the later end of the story…!! It gives extra context to why Colt’s got tears in his eyes at this moment from S4/ch.92:

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The transition violence to fluff from ch. 13 to ch. 14 is going to give y’all whiplash. 😭

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🪁 Perpetual🪁 Chapter 12 is up - bye gotta run 🏃 💨

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Wrote so much Colt-angst yesterday that I dreamt I was him, struggling not to fall off a cliff. Accurate.

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“The Event”

Porco is sure there's something between himself and Colt. The way they end up sitting on top of each other during sparring... or the way they'll look at each other when they're alone? They're flirting. Definitely flirting... Right? Tonight's a special night. The military is hosting a party at base, and to Porco, this is the perfect occasion to make a move. ... But perhaps Colt wouldn't say the same thing. (I mean, there's 22 chapters left, who are we kidding here.)

Chapters: 6/28  Words: 5800+ Pairing: Porco Galliard x Colt Grice, Porukoru, Porcolt Rating (chapter): Teen and up audiences Rating (series): Explicit Tags: Childhood Friends, childhood fluff, fluff, Friends to Lovers, stormy relationship, violence, homophobia, internalized homophobia, underage drinking

Illustration by: @peachymess-art​​

General series synopsis under the cut:

Series title: Perpetual Words (so far): 24 400+

Series summary:

Colt and Porco grow up together and find comfort in each other's company when their friends leave for war. When they catch feelings for each other, they get caught in a perpetual whirlwind of feelings, denial, anger, and makeup-kisses. Colt has to face off against the duties that bind him, while Porco fights as much for Marely as he fights to understand his place in his friend (maybe boyfriend?)'s life.

A chronicle of Porco and Colt's love story through the years - every other chapter told from Porco and Colt's POV. Written to fit seamlessly between their canon interactions in them manga (and to give delicious, shippy context to those moments).

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🪁 Next chapter of Perpetual has been kicking my ass for days but I’m finally sensing the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s going to be a bit longer than the previous two but it had to be this way. I hope people will like it. It’s definitely the most… intense? so far. It’s been fun to write. 🪁

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“Camouflage”

It's time for Colt to take on more responsibility at base. Thankfully, Porco gets assigned to help him out. Un-thankfully, this isn't the only new thing he's taking on: there's also this fresh, confusing simmering of something between him and Porco that Colt doesn't know how to deal with. So he opts not to. Thankfully, he has his trusty kites to turn to. They always make for a great emotional escape.

Chapters: 5/28 Words: 2900+ Pairing: Porco Galliard x Colt Grice, Porukoru, Porcolt Rating (chapter): General audience Rating (series): Explicit Characters: Colt Grice, Porco Gallaird, Falco Grice, Zeke Yeager Tags: Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, stormy relationship, violence, fluff, childhood fluff.

Illustration by: @peachymess-art​ General series synopsis under the cut: 

Series title: Perpetual  Words (so far): 18 500+

Series summary:

Colt and Porco grow up together and find comfort in each other's company when their friends leave for war. When they catch feelings for each other, they get caught in a perpetual whirlwind of feelings, denial, anger, and makeup-kisses. Colt has to face off against the duties that bind him, while Porco fights as much for Marely as he fights to understand his place in his friend (maybe boyfriend?)'s life.

A chronicle of Porco and Colt's love story through the years - every other chapter told from Porco and Colt's POV. Written to fit seamlessly between their canon interactions in them manga (and to give delicious, shippy context to those moments).

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“Across the lake”

The titan shifters are being sent off on mission with a grand procession. Porco hides out by the lake because he doesn't want to partake. Today, he is a nobody. To everyone except Colt.

Chapters: 4/28 Words: 2200+ Rating (chapter): General audience Rating (series): Explicit  Relationship: Porco Gallaird x Colt Grice (porukoru) Chapter tags: Canon-verse, Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, stormy relationship, violence, fluff, childhood fluff.

General series summary under the cut: 

Colt and Porco grow up together and find comfort in each other's company when their friends leave for war. When they catch feelings for each other, they get caught in a perpetual whirlwind of feelings, denial, anger, and makeup-kisses. Colt has to face off against the duties that bind him, while Porco fights as much for Marely as he fights to understand his place in his friend (maybe boyfriend?)'s life.

A chronicle of Porco and Colt's love story through the years - every other chapter told from Porco and Colt's POV. Written to fit seamlessly between their canon interactions in them manga (and to give delicious, shippy context to those moments).

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It’s back, baby! 

Twenty-two (Colt’s POV)
The time has come for six honorary cadets to be picked… and Colt isn’t one of them. The stomach ache of failure is rivaled only by the dread of realizing what becoming an honorary member actually means: a thirteen year deadline. Literally.
As Zeke so eloquently puts it: “if you were assigned a shifter today, you’d have to die at twenty-two.”


Does it make Colt a traitor to Marley that he’s happy Porco was also passed up?

Chapter: 3/28
 Words: 3 867 
Rating: Explicit (eventually)
 Relationships: colt grice/porco galliard, porukoru
 Additional Tags: Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, violence, stormy relationship, Violence, BDSM (eventually), denial, War, snk, Fluff, Childhood fluff, Makeup Kisses, locker room scene

General series summary under the cut: 

Colt and Porco grow up together and find comfort in each other’s company when their friends leave for war. When they catch feelings for each other, they get caught in a perpetual whirlwind of feelings, denial, anger, and makeup-kisses. Colt has to face off against the duties that bind him, while Porco fights as much for Marely as he fights to understand his place in his friend (maybe boyfriend?)’s life. A chronicle of Porco and Colt’s love story through the years - every other chapter told from Porco and Colt’s POV.

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hey!!!! i just discovered your porukoru fic, perpetual, and AHHHH ITS SO AMAZING!! NO PRESSURE BUT ARE YOU GKING TO UPDATE?? you had mentioned that you had a plan for it and i’m excited to hear where it’s going. but ofc i understand sometimes the inspiration just isn’t there akskdj so again NO PRESSURE. ILY <3

THANK YOU SO MUCH! 💗 Perpetual is a passion project for me, and I’m definitely going to update! I have the whole story more or less ready to go.

The reason I got delayed so much, was that I began pursuing my dream as an original author and got some traction/interest. So once I sit down to write, I always end up prioritizing my own stuff. BUT! With practice, some speed improvement has arrived, and I feel as though I’m on the cusp of being able to work on Perpetual-chapters on the side without it taking away important time.

Actually, my first order of business is revising chapter two, before working on chapter three. But that won’t take too long (crossing my fingers, at least). I hope to have chapter three up by... hmm let’s say by the first week of June. I hope you’ll grant me some patience to stick around for the coming installments 💕 Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me you like it and want to see more!

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Christmas confession

(A stand-alone last chapter to my revivied eremin series: An amorous advent)

"I think I’m gonna head to bed." Mikasa yawned and stretched with Armin’s head in her lap. The television was snowing, claiming «no source detected», and casting a pale light over the trio. Armin sat up and blinked hard. Eren was snoring on the sofa behind them. "I think I fell asleep. What time is it?" The candles had all died and the fireplace was just a heap og orange cinders now. The popcorn smelled stale. "Two. I think we all slept through that last one. Who’s idea was it to watch Gremlins anyway?" Armin chuckled. "That was me. Sorry." He staggered from the floor and covered his mouth to yawn. The room went momentarily dark as the TV turned off. Then his eyes adjusted, and Armin could see the filtered glow of the moon outside the window. Were those clouds? Perhaps Eren would get his white christas after all. "I assume you two are done with movies for tonight as well," Mikasa whispered and left the remote on the table. "Good night, Armin." There was a quirious smile on her lips as she slipped into the hall and disappeared upstairs, leaving him to wake up Eren by himself. "…Night." He remained standing for a bit, looking after her, listened to the silence that settled. Even Eren’s snoring had subsided. Armin’s stomach tingled. The house creaked against a wind that was garnering strength outside and he took a slow, deep breath. "Eren?" The cushions squeaked as he sat down by the footend. Eren’s Santa hat had slipped off him and his hair was now once again a bird’s nest - all previous effort to tame it for the occasion, undone by sleep. He rested a hand on Eren’s leg. "You should wake up…" His voice was too soft, and Eren didn’t respond. His chest ached to tell him. Did Eren even know how cute he was? How wild he could make Armin’s heart just by looking at him or taking his hand? And that most exciting dream he’d just had, oh, how he wished Eren would bring it to life. The heat was still playing on his lips. "I think," he whispered. "It’s going to snow… Do you wanna go outside and have a look?" The boy on the sofa finally stirred. His hand came up in front of his face and he gave a drowsy groan. "Armin…?" "I’m here." "God… What times is it?" He sat up rubbing his eyes. His cheek had pink streaks in it after resting on his hand - a mark of deep slumber. "I dreamt we were on a magic carpet ride. You had antlers." Armin giggled. He reached past Eren’s lap to grab his hat. "It’s two. And that sounds like quite the ride. You certain it wasn’t a slead, though?" "He he. Maybe," Eren murmured, blinking sleep out of his eyes. "Um, I mean ho ho." Gently, Armin put the fuzzy red cap back on Eren’s head and dropped his hand to his friend’s shoulder. Eren’s warmth radiated through his shirt like a furnace and Armin loved that about him. Always so warm and comfy. "Was it just me and you?" "No, Connie was there too. But he- uh… Was the genie? Never mind that. Was all weird anyways. Did you say it was snowing?"

The wind tugged and whistled in his hair as Armin stepped out on the porch and into the night. Eren had helped to wrap him securely in a green woolen blanket to protect him against the cold, and now they were standing shoulder to shoulder - quite comfortably in the dark - smiling. The banister lights had been switched off so they could see the stars better. But on the horizon… "Those are definitely clouds," Eren agreed. The mist of his breath whirled away in the wind. "And coming this way, fast," Armin added. He smiled a little wider, sighed and leaned closer, using Eren’s shoulder for a pillow. The twisting of his stomach was distracting, but he felt sure about this. About what he was going to do. What he was going to say…

Just exactly when he’d fallen asleep in Mikasa’s lap, he was unsure of. But the events of his dream were still vivid in his mind, as if they had happened only minutes ago - for real. They’d been older. Maybe twenty. They’d gotten stuck in an elevator somehow, and Eren was hyperventilating, talking about how his girlfriend couldn’t save him if he didn’t get to charge his phone soon. Hearing him talk about a girlfriend like that had stung, but Armin had quickly compertmentalized it and grabbed his best friend by the shoulders to get his attention. "Eren", he’d said. "Eren, it’s ok. Shhh. Calm down." He’d pulled him to his chest, rested a hand against his hair and just let him calm down there. A voice had been announcing flight departures over the speakers. "We’re together in this, alright? No matter what, you’ve got me." And it hadn’t meant to be a romantic statement, but as soon as he’d said it, Eren had known. Armin had known that he’d known. And then he’d just said it, heart wringing with emotion. "Eren, the reason I’m not getting a girlfriend is because all I need is you. Even if all we’ll be is friends, all I need is you beside me. Like this. I love you." Eren had pulled back at that. They’d looked each other deep in the eyes, and he’d replied: "I made the gilrfriend thing up. I was just too scared to tell you I was gay. All I need is you, too." And then they’d kissed. Kissed and kissed. And Armin had felt like he was strong enough to bust them out of that elevator by the power og his happiness alone. Yet, as firework-y as that dream had been, it had simultaneously solidified one thing for Armin: he could not to wait until his twenties to reliev himself of his secret feelings. Now that he knew what it had the potensial to feel like, he couldn’t in good conscience waste any more time. He would make the move soon, as scary as it may be. Please, don’t let this be a mistake.

The wind continued whispering softly around them as they watched the clouds approaching soundlessly. Armin was gathering courage. He knew it had to be now. Just as Eren tilted his head, bumping gingerly against Armin’s, Armin snaked an arm out from between the blanket folds and took his friend’s hand in his. "Eren…?" "Yeah?" The handsome boy stared straight ahead and up at the clouds, but he didn’t shake loose from Armin’s careful grip. Armin took that as a good sign. He swallowed against a lump in his throat and he said: "You’re really special to me…" Eren’s hand jerked, then stilled again. Armin’s heart did a violent summersault. "I’m sorry," he rushed. "No." Eren stared stiffly upwards. "Say it." His palm was becoming clammy. Armin’s cheeks were beginning to burn. "Say… what?" Now Eren turned. They came apart and Armin looked up at him with wide eyes. "Armin, you’re special to me too… So… I’d really like to hear what you were gonna say." "…" "… Please?" Even in the dark, Armin could see the genuine care in Eren’s eyes. His own face was hot, but the scare was cooling off. So he nodded and kept looking into his crush’s eyes. "Y-yeah… I-… Sorry. What I wanted to say, Eren… Ever since, well, a while ago now… Whenever we’re together, I feel really. Happy." He broke eye contact to laugh nervously down at his own feet. This was not at all as transparent as he wished to be. Why had it been so much easier in his dream? He licked his lips and lifted his chin. "I’m gonna do a trust fall. So please… catch me." Something in Eren’s eyes twinkled. "Eren… I like you. I have feelings for you. A-and if you don’t feel the same way, that’s fine. I just ho-" "-I like you too!" Armin shut up mid-sentence in startlement. Had he just- "I like you too, Armin! God, I-" Eren was pushing the blanket flaps aside eagerly, fumbling around for Armin’s second hand. He caught it, and bit his lip like he was trying to restrain the wide, wide smile that was spreading accross his face. It was as though a fire cracker had gone off and changed his sombre mood for that of a hyper tapdancer’s. He hopped from one foot to the other, chuckling, breath steaming as his speach quickened. "I didn’t know what to think. I tried to hint, but I couldn’t tell if you felt the same. I was so afraid you’d hate me or laugh at me." "Never. No way." Armin watched him dance, his sillhuette hopping back and forth in a frame of silver starlight. There was no way not to laugh at him now, though - simply becasue of how adorable he was. And how relieved and overjoyed Armin himself was. It manefested as a tickling sort of weightlessness. "I wasn’t sure either. You’re so- You’re so kind anyways, you know? So I couldn’t tell if it meant something more or not." They looked at each others’ hot pink faces, and then - somehow, though whomever initiated it Armin couldn’t tell - they came together, lips first. They bumped and tilted and chuckled until they found a good position, and then they let the touch linger for a just a few moments before pulling back. It had been their first. Nothing like the dream, but authentic and sweet in its awkwardness. Practice would hopefully make perfect. And it was mistle toe season after all. Armin opened the blanket burrito and included Eren in the wrap. He hid his face against the taller boy’s shirt and just took in the moment - as well as the scent of that heavy handed cologne. "Hey, Armin…?" "Yeah?" "It’s snowing."

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Eremin week: werewolf vs vampire

“I don’t know, Ar... Mine look longer to me.”

“No way. Are you measuring properly?”

Eren grit his teeth in the mirror again before looking back at Armin. The blond was peeling his lips back to show his pearly whites, and the whole thing would seem quite comical - if they weren’t both so secretly competitive.

“Yep. I’m pretty sure”.

Armin sighed and let his arms fall. “‘Sure’ and ‘pretty sure’ aren’t the same thing. I still think my fangs are longer. This would be so much easier if I had a reflection.”

“Hey,” Eren said, taking on the role of a humble winner as he pulled Armin close with an arm squeeze. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Us werewolves are just naturally better than you vampires.”

“Ha. Ha. Over my undead body.“

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Eremin week: singer x fan

Armin’s fidgety hands only stilled once Mikasa took a hold of them.

“Relax.”

“Sorry. It’s just the cold,” he told her and chuckled stiffly. The outside queue to the concert arena was bothered by a chilly breeze, but both of them knew that wasn’t why Armin was shaking.

“Sure. And I’m the front singer of Shifter Lines.”

“If you were, I’d be pissing my pants right now.”

They looked at each other and laughed. Mikasa stroked his shoulder and gave him a quick hug.

“I’m sure he’ll be cool,” she said. “They’ll like you.”

Armin hoped she was right. He had daydreamed of this opportunity for years. It was crazy to think the day had actually arrived.

“I can’t believe I won us backstage passes. I never win anything!”

The butterfly activity in his stomach was intensifying as their turn to present tickets drew closer. In a matter of minutes, they’d get to see the band. THE band. And its lead singer.

The guard raised his eyebrows as he inspected their tickets. His eyes fixed on Armin’s deluxe edition Eren-shirt from 2013.

The backstage area was a lot more cluttered than Armin had envisioned. It looked like several productions were sharing space: racks of feathery costumes, random props and wooden set pieces were everywhere. The staff of today’s concert seemed to hang out mostly by the small kitchen area, where the feathers receded to walls covered in band posters and signed records hanging in important frames. The guest sofas were torn and leathery and placed in front of the minibar. And in them - Armin saw them the moment they were admitted from the opposite end of the hallway - the band members.

None of them looked their way as the door creaked open, yet Armin’s heart was going wild in his throat all the same, and he stopped in his tracks.

“Armin?” Mikasa put her hands on his shoulders and pushed. “Be cool,” she whispered, nudging him to follow their escort. “You’ve read their interviews. Eren’s as people shy as you.”

“I don’t know what to s-“

“Hi!”

Both of them went rigid as the buzz cut drummer called for them from the sofa. All four of the stars were looking their way now. Armin’s eyes searched - and his legs went limp like boiled pasta as he met the eyes of the singer. The guy was hiding his expression behind long, dark hair. Though, his eyes peered clearly through the strands, and although he couldn’t see the green from where he stood, Armin knew them well from all the posters he owned: Eren’s eyes were green and gorgeous - and apparently of a Medusa-esque nature in person.

The eye contact felt ages long, and intense almost to a suffocating degree, but eventually the singer broke it to reach for a can of coke.

“Are you the VIPs?” the drummer continued. “Come sit with us!”

Mikasa managed to shove Armin forward - until he got his legs back in order and he proceeded as if on stilts, over to the second sofa. My god, they were sitting down opposite his four mortal gods!

“I won the tickets,” he said, lamely.

“Congrats!” The guitarist with the long face was talking now. He came off like a douchebag in most of the interviews, but Armin was convinced he was a good guy underneath. “You bigs fans?”

Armin felt his cheeks burning when he saw Eren looking at his shirt.

“Uh-huh. Yeah... big. Big fans.” He crosses his arms and looked at Mikasa. The heat was getting to his brain.

“He’s your biggest fan, actually.” Mikasa was taking a bullet for him now, and he was thankful. “He has all your albums and merch. He even wrote you all fan letters once. Your music got him through some bad years.”

“We’re honored,” Jean said.

“You got a favorite song?” the girl, Sasha, asked.

Armin nodded and fought for his words. “Yeah. Or. Well, it’s hard to- to choose...” Jesus, he was so nervous. He looked at Eren again, but the guy wasn’t talking, only staring silently behind his coke and curtain of hair. Armin worried he was boring him already. He bet he was. But this was his chance. “... I really like ‘unconditional’. It... it really resonated with me.” He was looking at Eren and Eren alone. He wanted his words to meet this guy, to mean something. “I know you must hear this all the time... but y-yeah. I lost my mom too, and your song helped me... a lot...” He wiped his hands on his knees and felt a lump grow in his throat. “I just wanted to say... well. Thank you. For that.”

“Man, sorry to hear it,” Connie said with an honest frown. He picked a can from the minibar and threw it. “Here.”

“Do you want us to sign something?” Jean asked awkwardly. But before he could get a reply, Eren said: “did you get an answer?”

He was looking at Armin.

“... I’m sorry?” Armin’s stomach was in a knot in under a millisecond. They were locking eyes again, and his mouth was dry with nerves. Don’t say the wrong thing, don’t say the wrong thing.

“... your letters. Did we write you back?”

“Oh!” Armin knew he was hot red now, the heat was unmistakable. His hands were back on his knees and he was praying his shirt wasn’t dark with pit stains. “... No... But- but I understand! You must get fan mail every day! You can’t possibly to get all of them.”

“It’s not an excuse.” Eren’s voice was dark and serious. “You pour your heart out and I don’t even answer. I’m sorry I didn’t.”

“Really... it’s ok.”

“It’s not.”

The other band members tried to lighten the serious mood, but eccentric Eren Yeager seemed inconsolably angry with himself until it was time to get ready for the stage. The conversations eventually found a natural flow, but Eren wouldn’t - or couldn’t - entertain the more casual. He seemed to be weighted by what he’d been told. And just before showtime, he pulled Armin into a dressing room for a word in private. Armin was ready to pass out, but mustered the strength to follow - with his heart in his throat and his guts it a knot.

The room smelled of indoor cigarettes and spilled booze, and for once, Eren didn’t fit in with the bad boy scenery; his hair was behind his ears and his frown read softly of sincerity and compassion.

“Armin, I feel really bad,” he told Armin, leaning with his back both hands against a makeup station.

Armin shook his head and hugged himself. “I didn’t come here to hold anything against you,” he said. “I love your music because you say what’s important through it. I got all the answer I needed in your songs...”

Eren sighed and shook his head down. He shoved a hand inside his pocket and pulled out a note Armin had seen him scribble just previously.

“Write me a new one.”

“What?”

Eren gently took Armin’s hand and held it out with its palm upturned. He put the note there and looked intently at Armin. A phone number.

“Write me a new letter. And I promise, I’ll write you back this time.”

Eren would keep his word, turns out. More than once. The texts soon became a regular occurrence, then FaceTime was a thing. And two years later, the album ‘Ocean eyes’ dropped. The tabloids would have it that the famously sullen singer, finally looked like a man in love.

Mikasa said the same about Armin.

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“Mint”

Why does everyone always have to gang up on Porco? Why do they have to call him mean and make him feel all alone all the time? And why does Colt have to have strategy classes with Zeke six times a week when the rest of them have sparring?! Why can't Colt just be there to prove everyone wrong when they turn on him?! He has friends!

That's right: even if Colt is a little weird, he's Porco's best friend! Unlike everyone else, Colt doesn't mind Porco's temper. He trusts him, and that makes Porco feel very important.

... And that's why he's is going to get him that Marleyan ice cream he wants!

Chapters: 2/28 (can be read as standalone) Words: 6100+ Rating (chapter): General audience Rating (series): Explicit  Relationships: PorcoxColt (porukoru), ReinerxBertolt (Reibert) Characters: Porco Galliard, Colt Grice, Pieck, Marcel Galliard, Reiner Braun, Bertolt Hoover, Annie Leonhart. Tags: Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, stormy relationship, violence, fluff, childhood fluff.

Illustration by @nenekantoku​ 

Note: this can be read as a standalone, but is part of an ongoing series. Tag relevancy will change with story progression. General series info under the cut. 

Series summary:

Colt and Porco grow up together and find comfort in each other's company when their friends leave for war. When they catch feelings for each other, they get caught in a perpetual whirlwind of feelings, denial, anger, and makeup-kisses. Colt has to face off against the duties that bind him, while Porco fights as much for Marely as he fights to understand his place in his friend (maybe boyfriend?)'s life.

A chronicle of Porco and Colt's love story through the years - every other chapter told from Porco and Colt's POV. Written to fit seamlessly between their canon interactions in them manga (and to give delicious, shippy context to those moments).

Series title: Perpetual Words (so far): 9600+ Rating (series): Explicit Relationships: PorcoxColt (porukoru), ReinerxBertolt (Reibert), BertoltxAnnie (beruani), FalcoxGabi (falbi) Characters: Porco Galliard, Colt Grice, Pieck, Marcel Galliard, Reiner Braun, Bertolt Hoover, Annie Leonhart, Theo Magath, Falco Grice, Gabi Braun, Mr. & Mrs. Galliard, Mr. & Mrs. Grice. Series tags: Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Fights, stormy relationship, Violence, BDSM (yes they go rough), Denial, War, Fluff, Childhood fluff, Makeup Kisses, locker room scene, coming of age, misunderstandings, canon-verse.

[messyfruit]

A Porco x Colt fic! 

Chapters: 1/28 Fandom: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan Rating: Explicit (the beginning chapters will be childhood fluff and buddying feelings; explicit comes later, after time skips). Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: porukoru, reibert, beruani Characters: Porco Galliard, Colt Grice, etc. Additional Tags: Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Fights, stormy relationship, Violence, BDSM, (yes they go rough), Denial, War, snk, Fluff, Childhood fluff, Makeup Kisses, locker room scene

Summary:

Colt and Porco grow up together and find comfort in each other's company when their friends leave for war. When they catch feelings for each other, they get caught in a perpetual whirlwind of feelings, denial, anger, and makeup-kisses. Colt has to face off against the duties that bind him, while Porco fights as much for Marely as he fights to understand his place in his friend (maybe boyfriend?)'s life.

A chronicle of Porco and Colt's love story through the years - every other chapter told from Porco and Colt's POV. Written to fit seamlessly between their canon interactions in them manga (and to give delicious, shippy context to those moments).

Chapter one:  Colt is finally old enough to join in the Marleyan warrior program. Will the other cadets be nice to him? What if he asks a stupid question? Oh, he hopes he'll make a friend so he finally has someone to fly kites with in the afternoons... Oh, by the way: it's his birthday today!

[messyfruit]

For @snkpositivityweek day 5: Love your content creator day, I wanted to pay tribute to my favorite eremin (multi-multishipper) queen, @bev-nap, by writing a ficlet to go with this amazing art of hers. Please check her out, you won’t regret it!

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“Armin, wait up!”

Through his sobs, he heard Eren’s boot heels fly across the dirt field behind him. At first, Armin had been sure nobody had seen the violent way he’d reacted to Keith’s drilling shouts, but he regrettably realized that he was wrong - and it made his tears run only hotter as he ran.

“D-don’t-... I’m fine!” His weak yell could convince no one. Least of all the boy on his heels; his very best friend; the friend that knew him in and out, more thoroughly than he knew himself. The friend he was growing so afraid to lose as graduation crept closer now - so much so that all he could dream anymore, was flashes of torn limbs and broken promises.

Suppose that was why he started crying in the first place: the drill sergeant’s mean barks had long since lost its effect on Armin; he already knew he was weak, useless, titan food-to-be... but after Eren took a particularly clumsy dive down the hill on this cold morning run, Keith’s words had been excessively unforgiving, and as his descriptions flowered about how a titan jaw would close around Eren’s chest and crush the life out of him, Armin saw it vividly before his inner eye. Just like in his dreams - just the way he knew it would happen; he was convinced now; this was a foolish plan; a foolish plan to reach a foolish dream that would cost him the most precious thing he had: his best friend. The thought of its inevitability forced its way into his chest and coiled around his lungs like a snake. The fear was suffocating him. And there was no way out now; graduation was nigh. He’d lose Eren. He’d lose his dream - of living out there with Eren.

The bitter love that filled his throat with tar as he pictured the life he’d never have with Eren, and the icy fear of knowing he’d fight for it and lose, mixed within him, and the turbulence made him bend over and gasp. He rounded the back of the barracks and stood there, coughing up mental ash. Eren was still right on his heels, but in what world could Armin outrun him anyway?

Leaning against the wall and panting between sobs, Armin closed his eyes and waited. Aside from the humiliation of being this weak hearted, getting to perhaps hug it out, would probably help. He knew that; he just... felt ashamed. As well as afraid.

“Ar-..!” Eren skidded as soon as he rounded the corner and found his friend there. He wiped his glistening forehead with his dirtied jacket sleeve, and turned to lean hard against the wall next to him. “Armin,” he wheezed. “What’s wrong?”

But Armin didn’t have to tell him; Eren knew, and supplied: “don’t listen to what Keith says. He’s paid to be mean. And I’m not gonna go down so easily, I promise. I’ll kick every single titan butt, just you wait!”

Endeared, Armin had to give up a weepy, weak laugh. Though, he wasn’t ready to meet the other’s eyes yet, and kept his gaze set on his own boots.

“You don’t know that,” he sighed, abandoning the laugh in favor of a resigned lament. He wanted Eren to be right so bad, but the truth was that this world was cruel - and he was afraid.

“Hey...” Eren pushed off the wall to place himself directly in front of Armin, arms crossed and legs wide with overconfidence. “Look at me, Armin...”

Armin did as he was told: he lifted his head and his eyes met Eren’s. They were standing only a foot apart; just close enough to make Armin’s heart leap with that new, yet familiar mix of anticipation and confusion that had started to become a constant around Eren.

«I just don’t want him to be right. He knows what he’s talking about.” Armin’s voice was lowered, but carried better from regained breath. “I don’t want to lose you.”

The earnestness of his confession seemed to take Eren aback somewhat, as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other - contemplating, looking his blond friend up and down, arms winding closer together over his chest. Eventually, he spoke: “You won’t. I know how to kill them now. I’m small and fast. You know how you can try and swat mosquitoes but they always end up biting you anyway? Yeah, like that. I’ll take them out. And I’ll survive. We’ll survive.” He gave a huff and looked to the side - around the corner? Then he stepped closer, and his arms dropped to his sides just as Armin’s heart soared up, up into his throat where he had to swallow to keep it down.

Eren’s shallow breath tickled Armin’s bangs now, and Armin grabbed onto his shoulders just to steady himself they way he couldn’t emotionally. “Eren,” he whispered. “...Eren.” His cheeks were hot, his tears scorching his cheeks.

“Armin... don’t cry.” Eren’s whispering voice was tender now; like his expression, one of deep caring, one of love.

His lips were coming closer, his eyelids looked heavy.

And then Armin closed his eyes in a moment of faith, and as he sought the heat of the kiss he dared to hope for, he felt them come together, and he felt Eren’s lips on his. And explosion of calm washed over him, and sweet intention guided them as they moved their mouths slowly to fit one another. Clumsy and unpracticed for sure, but was this kiss not yet the most freeing and reassuring burst of love Armin had ever felt? Never had he verbally expressed the tension that had grown between him and his friend as of late, yet somehow, this clash of lips and bumping of tongues, put everything into place and put everything right. The snake in his chest uncoiled, and the tar and ash was replaced with butterflies and hope. Maybe they were destined to see the day of freedom after all? It felt like it might be right. This kiss told him there was more to come; it felt like an answer to a question he couldn’t place.

He felt Eren’s hand cup the back of his head, and then glide around to settle at his cheek. Could anyone be more tender? They came apart then, Eren pulling back to reveal a modest blush - though not on par with that of Armin’s redness - and Armin let their eyes meet in an intense exchange of unspoken words. Then the brunette exhaled the breath he’d been holding in, and gave an unusual smile; a smile that enthused and made something intense and exciting settle in Armin’s lower abdomen.

“Better?” His voice was deep and low. It matched his eyes in the way it made Armin’s heart skip a beat.

“Y-yeah,” Armin whispered back, hands still lingering in their clutch of Eren’s jacket.

Although his fear was not gone for good, the excitement over what promises lay in Eren’s lingering glance, helped him forget for now; for now, he was positive good things were in store for the two of them. And then, one day, their dream...