safire-lupe

[safire-lupe]

Levi hates the beach because he thinks everyone will stare on Petra...

For Rivetra Summer Day 1: Beach (but not really xd)

[safire-lupe]

But for now, in this moment, he smells the faint traces of salt in her hair, the scent of the ocean air from this island's shores. A reminiscence of the first time he dove headfirst into the uncharted depths that was her.

And how, in another lifetime, in a world where the tides may have turned the wrong way, he might have never known how the weight of her entire being anchored him to the earth.

-excerp from "Telomeres"

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️

Happy Rivetra Week! Here's my contribution for this Summer 2025.

This is also the main fanfic-fanart/poster for my Rivetra series. Do check it out if you haven't yet:

i - Telomeres [oneshot. mature. 7952 words]

ii - The Night Does Not Belong To God [oneshot. R18+. 7717 words]

iii - Mine (a prequel) [oneshot. R18+. 17627 words]

iv - Fall For Me [ongoing multichapter. R18+]

Top comment in my fics will always be "new rivetra! In 2025! Omg!" 😅 because, of course. Rivetra will live on! Forever.

[safire-lupe]

So I just found out that this might be an example of a hatebot that's been circulating the AO3 community. They would comment as a guest but use other author's usernames. Scary.

It's good to know that this was fake, and I'm thankful for the people from the fandom for bringing it up. But still doesn't prevent me from worrying about others, especially the younger writers or just those who has no one to turn to. Definitely, 12-13 year old loner me back in the early days would have totally shut down after getting a comment like this. I probably would have never engage in creative writing again.

Regardless if this was a bot or a real human, I still stand by with what I said. No one deserves words like this. No one deserves to have their creative spark extinguished.

Here is how NOT to comment/review someone's work:

Bruh. I may have been a sporadic fanfic author for almost 2 decades now, but I never once claimed to be a great writer. English isn't my first language. So I've always known of my issues when it comes to tenses (and thank god now for Grammarly for helping me through it all. That tool has been a tremendous help for me to learn how to write again.)

I am well aware of my own weaknesses in writing, because in reality, my job has forced me to be more of a technical writer than a creative one. And for years, I shoved that young creative version of me (both in art and writing) in the dark reaches of mind because of the demands of my academics and eventual line of work...until that darkness started climbing up the surface and began to swallow me.

I returned to the hobby of my youth to find myself, well aware that I have missed so much in helping to improve it. So constructive criticism is always welcome in this scene. I am constantly learning, and always open to ways that would help me become better. As everyone should.

This is not how you help someone become better. This is how you tear someone down. This is how you force them to shove their creativity back into that hollow void.

Now, for me, the years have already help me built a tough enough consistency so as not to be affected by the words of a mere figure hiding behind a screen. But there are others out there who are not like me. People who are just starting out in this game. People still finding and getting to know the creative part of themselves. No one deserves these words.

For many people, fanfiction writing has been one medium to let their imagination run free instead of being suppressed inside a bottle in their head. It goes beyond words, language, and grammar. It can be as childish and mediocre as it can be, or as flowy and all-over-the-place as one can make it.

It matters not to the reader. Art was never truly for others. If people enjoy what they have made, then those are just bonuses in this life.

It matters more to the writer. The creator. It matters more for their mind, for their joy. For them.

Let the haters hate on.

But let your mind continue to thrive.

(in addition, this person might also just be a generic hater of the Rivetra fandom. Just goes to show how there are people who spend most their time shitting on things they don't like instead of doing something productive. And for that, I feel sorry for the bloke.)

[safire-lupe]

Here is how NOT to comment/review someone's work:

Bruh. I may have been a sporadic fanfic author for almost 2 decades now, but I never once claimed to be a great writer. English isn't my first language. So I've always known of my issues when it comes to tenses (and thank god now for Grammarly for helping me through it all. That tool has been a tremendous help for me to learn how to write again.)

I am well aware of my own weaknesses in writing, because in reality, my job has forced me to be more of a technical writer than a creative one. And for years, I shoved that young creative version of me (both in art and writing) in the dark reaches of mind because of the demands of my academics and eventual line of work...until that darkness started climbing up the surface and began to swallow me.

I returned to the hobby of my youth to find myself, well aware that I have missed so much in helping to improve it. So constructive criticism is always welcome in this scene. I am constantly learning, and always open to ways that would help me become better. As everyone should.

This is not how you help someone become better. This is how you tear someone down. This is how you force them to shove their creativity back into that hollow void.

Now, for me, the years have already help me built a tough enough consistency so as not to be affected by the words of a mere figure hiding behind a screen. But there are others out there who are not like me. People who are just starting out in this game. People still finding and getting to know the creative part of themselves. No one deserves these words.

For many people, fanfiction writing has been one medium to let their imagination run free instead of being suppressed inside a bottle in their head. It goes beyond words, language, and grammar. It can be as childish and mediocre as it can be, or as flowy and all-over-the-place as one can make it.

It matters not to the reader. Art was never truly for others. If people enjoy what they have made, then those are just bonuses in this life.

It matters more to the writer. The creator. It matters more for their mind, for their joy. For them.

Let the haters hate on.

But let your mind continue to thrive.

(in addition, this person might also just be a generic hater of the Rivetra fandom. Just goes to show how there are people who spend most their time shitting on things they don't like instead of doing something productive. And for that, I feel sorry for the bloke.)

[safire-lupe]

Fall For Me

Rivetra (Levi Ackerman x Petra Ral). AU - canon divergence. +18. Multi-chaptered.

The finale to the Telomeres series, a world where Petra lives.

Chapter i. (through a fractured existence)

"…Where are you going?"

Petra hesitated.

"Just a walk. Couldn't sleep."

Mikasa's gaze at her didn't waver. She had a knowing look on her face but didn't ask anything further. The girl was a rather light sleeper and silently observant... Almost like the man who bears the same family name as hers. Petra was for sure Mikasa had woken up to her frequently sneaking off from their room in the middle of the night, or maybe had seen her slip off to the other corridor long after supper ended. But she never questioned her for it, and for that, she was eternally grateful.

She stood and quietly padded to the door. Before she slipped out, she looked at her over her shoulder.

"You should try to get some sleep, Mikasa," she said gently. "We have another long day of training tomorrow."

And they needed to keep training hard, physically and mentally, for what was to come. In the next forty-eight hours, the whole regiment will embark on a journey across the sea again, with a campaign that Petra hasn't fully come to terms with yet, especially with the dark gravity of it.

Mikasa didn't respond. She only closed her eyes again, drawing the scarf a little closer to her face.

Petra stepped out of the room, silently closing the door behind her.

The stone hallway was dim, lit only by the orange cast of a few lamps fixed on the walls. Years of habit had allowed her to walk through uneven wooden flooring in near silence.

When she reached his door, she paused.

There was no light under the threshold. That alone made her hesitate.

Normally, she could tell, just from the faint glow coming from the thin gap beneath his door, if he was still awake. Most nights, he was. His relationship with sleep wasn't exactly the best. His nights are usually spent finishing reports, sharpening blades, oiling his gear, or reading old dispatch notes over lukewarm tea, often with her next to him.

But tonight, the gap under his door was dark.

Her hands hovered over the doorknob. He must be asleep, then. That in itself was rare. That in itself meant he was very tired. Which meant maybe she shouldn't disturb him.

She closed her eyes briefly and swallowed the lump on the back of her throat. She slipped the key into its slot, turned it with the knob, and pushed the door open, just slightly.

The light from the hallway slipped into the darkness like a whisper, outlining the silhouette on the bed.

Levi was lying on his side, half-curled under his crisp white covers. Awake.

His steel-blue eyes met hers instantly. A bit startled, but alert, as if he had only just closed them minutes ago.

"Pet?" he muttered, voice rough and hushed. "Didn't expect you."

She stepped inside, but the door behind her remained slightly a jar, just in case she needed to leave. Only the faint lamplight from the hallway behind helped her see the tired look on his face.

"Sorry if I disturbed you," she said quietly. "I didn't think you'd be asleep."

"I was trying to," he replied. "You didn't disturb anything except my failure at that."

She offered a faint smile. "I... woke up. Couldn't go back to sleep."

She heard him hum softly, almost contemplative. She lingered near the doorway, suddenly unsure. She followed up with a softer voice in the hush of his room.

"Is it all right if I… stay?"

Levi looked at her for a beat. Looked long enough to make her chest tighten.

Then he shifted slightly, scooting a little backward to make room on his modest bed, and lifted the edge of his covers in silent invitation.

"You should know by now," he said, "it's fine with me."

Petra exhaled softly, then shut the door behind her. The bolt automatically locked it.

>>> Read the full chapter in AO3 here.

a/n: Title is from Sleep Token song (Listen to "Fall For Me", preferably the Orchestral version by Jamie Turton).

[safire-lupe]

She tasted like the tea she always steeped for him during late nights when they'd go through paperwork together, mixed with the faint bite of the scotch she had tasted earlier. The bitterness of the strong drink had tempered to something resembling a half-citrus, half-earthy aftertaste. Almost sweet. Smooth.

- excerpt from Mine (Part 3 of the Telomeres series of Rivetra one-shots about a world where Petra lives).

[safire-lupe]

And he took her all in. Every fiber of her being. Every breath, every freckle, every scar. Down to the very telomeres in her cells– the fragile ends of life's thread that marked how long she has left in this world.

- excerpt from Telomeres (a Rivetra one-shot series about a world where Petra lives)

[safire-lupe]

Completed story is now up in AO3! Mine - SafireLupe - Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan [Archive of Our Own]

Mine

Rivetra (Levi Ackerman x Petra Ral). AU. +18. One-shot. A prequel to Telomeres and The Night Does Not Belong to God (Part of the Telomeres series, a world where Petra Ral lives.)

"She'll recover."

"Physically," Levi muttered but didn't elaborate further.

Erwin finally sat the papers down on the desk to turn to him, giving his full attention. And Levi only continued when he noticed the commander's waiting, curious gaze.

"She's not speaking. Barely eats. Sleeps in fits," he was quiet for a beat. "All she does is stare… at the wall."

A brief silence passed between them. Erwin remained still, letting him continue to speak.

"She's not doing well. It's like she's punishing herself," Levi said, looking down at the shadows on the floor. "And she's the one person in this squad who I thought should've been fine by now."

Erwin leaned back in his chair with a thoughtful gaze. "Miss Ral always was the center of your squad, even though you're the captain," he let his fingers steeple in front of him, his blue eyes narrowed at him reflectively. "But out of everyone in your squad, I had thought if anyone made it, it'd be her."

Levi's eyes narrowed slightly at that. "You thought that?"

He leaned forward, tone turning deliberate.

"Petra Ral is one of the most efficient soldiers we have left," he began.

"Sharp instincts. Level-headed. Precise. And most importantly," He paused to look up at him, calculatingly. "Her coordination with you is unmatched."

Levi scowled. "She was trained for that, Erwin."

"And you've trained many others as well. Yet, only she can truly match up to you," he replied, straightforwardly. "You and Petra always work cleanly. Coordinated. The two of you moved like you've been training together for a decade."

He continued, "It makes sense. You're both close in build. Same weight class. Similar agility. Speed almost matches. You trust each other completely. When you two are on a Titan together, it's near seamless how, when one of you moves, the other compensates quickly, even without verbal cues."

Levi shifted his stance, clearly uncomfortable with the scrutiny. But the taller man continued, much to his chagrin.

"Not to mention, ever since she came into your squad, you haven't had any major mishap or injury that would debilitate your ability to fight."

Levi raised a brow at that, looking skeptical. "What're you talking about? I get injured all the time."

He saw Erwin roll his eyes at that, "I didn't mean a few scrapes and scratches, Levi. You used to pull muscle strains or torque your shoulder after tough expeditions, always doing too much than you can handle. Granted, you seem to heal up faster than an average person would. But I couldn't help but notice that, since you started partnering up with Ral, reports on your injuries began thinning out."

He looked at Levi, studying him, "And look at you now. First time in a long time I see you walk with a limp. And it happened right after she was incapacitated."

"Purely coincidental," Levi countered flatly, "And I twisted my foot because of that reckless brat that follows Eren around like a sad mut. Petra getting herself injured had nothing to do with it."

"All I am saying is that Petra always had a unique effect on you," Erwin leaned forward slightly, looking more thoughtful than reproachful.

"There are very few who can match you in rhythm, Levi. And she's one of them."

Levi didn't respond to that. At least, not verbally. He shifted stiffly against the wall, bearing a little of his weight over the bad foot until the dull throb reminded him of what was still healing, and what wasn't.

Erwin once again leaned back onto his chair and released a soft but audible exhale.

Then he added, almost dryly, "Hange said something similar the other day."

Levi's gaze narrowed warily.

"Oh? And what'd Shitty Glasses say?"

"That the two of you fight so well together, it's unsettling," Erwin allowed a faint smile to tug on his lips, "It's like you were made for each other."

Levi scoffed loudly. "Tch. Typical Hange bullshit."

Erwin's tone took on a teasing lilt as he continued. "They said–and I quote– 'they fight like they're in some kind of weird, hyper-lethal choreography'," He let the words hang for a moment before adding, more sincerely, "they're not wrong though."

"She's like your equal on vertical maneuvering. You're exceptional in your own right, Levi. Petra is too,” he continued as he turned to Levi, gaze steady. “But together, she makes you better."

Levi stayed silent for a while, processing his words. Then, slowly, his eyes drifted to the large window behind Erwin. The afternoon sun had begun its descent against the high curve of Wall Rose, casting tall shadows into the room.

"Well… my 'better' is rotting herself in a hospital bed dwelling on things she couldn't control," his voice was hard and contained. His words are heavy in his throat. "She didn't survive just to fade away."

He pushed himself off the wall and turned toward the door.

"I'm going to see her."

"Good," Erwin nodded once, his tone steady. But there was a glint of something unreadable behind his calculating blue eyes. "She'll need you, Levi."

"Yeah. Maybe." He muttered softly, pausing at the threshold for a moment, trying to digest everything that was said in this room, before twisting the knob without looking back.

(She needs you.)

(No.)

(You need her.)

The door had closed behind him with a click, but he remembered how that sound still echoed in the halls, following him down the path to the infirmary.

That had been approximately a year and four months ago.

Now, another silence filled the room. Different from when he had been in the late commander's office that day. But just as heavy.

>>> Read the full story at AO3 here

a/n: Title is from Sleep Token song (Listen to "Mine").

[safire-lupe]

Mine

Rivetra (Levi Ackerman x Petra Ral). AU. +18. One-shot. A prequel to Telomeres and The Night Does Not Belong to God (Part of the Telomeres series, a world where Petra Ral lives.)

"She'll recover."

"Physically," Levi muttered but didn't elaborate further.

Erwin finally sat the papers down on the desk to turn to him, giving his full attention. And Levi only continued when he noticed the commander's waiting, curious gaze.

"She's not speaking. Barely eats. Sleeps in fits," he was quiet for a beat. "All she does is stare… at the wall."

A brief silence passed between them. Erwin remained still, letting him continue to speak.

"She's not doing well. It's like she's punishing herself," Levi said, looking down at the shadows on the floor. "And she's the one person in this squad who I thought should've been fine by now."

Erwin leaned back in his chair with a thoughtful gaze. "Miss Ral always was the center of your squad, even though you're the captain," he let his fingers steeple in front of him, his blue eyes narrowed at him reflectively. "But out of everyone in your squad, I had thought if anyone made it, it'd be her."

Levi's eyes narrowed slightly at that. "You thought that?"

He leaned forward, tone turning deliberate.

"Petra Ral is one of the most efficient soldiers we have left," he began.

"Sharp instincts. Level-headed. Precise. And most importantly," He paused to look up at him, calculatingly. "Her coordination with you is unmatched."

Levi scowled. "She was trained for that, Erwin."

"And you've trained many others as well. Yet, only she can truly match up to you," he replied, straightforwardly. "You and Petra always work cleanly. Coordinated. The two of you moved like you've been training together for a decade."

He continued, "It makes sense. You're both close in build. Same weight class. Similar agility. Speed almost matches. You trust each other completely. When you two are on a Titan together, it's near seamless how, when one of you moves, the other compensates quickly, even without verbal cues."

Levi shifted his stance, clearly uncomfortable with the scrutiny. But the taller man continued, much to his chagrin.

"Not to mention, ever since she came into your squad, you haven't had any major mishap or injury that would debilitate your ability to fight."

Levi raised a brow at that, looking skeptical. "What're you talking about? I get injured all the time."

He saw Erwin roll his eyes at that, "I didn't mean a few scrapes and scratches, Levi. You used to pull muscle strains or torque your shoulder after tough expeditions, always doing too much than you can handle. Granted, you seem to heal up faster than an average person would. But I couldn't help but notice that, since you started partnering up with Ral, reports on your injuries began thinning out."

He looked at Levi, studying him, "And look at you now. First time in a long time I see you walk with a limp. And it happened right after she was incapacitated."

"Purely coincidental," Levi countered flatly, "And I twisted my foot because of that reckless brat that follows Eren around like a sad mut. Petra getting herself injured had nothing to do with it."

"All I am saying is that Petra always had a unique effect on you," Erwin leaned forward slightly, looking more thoughtful than reproachful.

"There are very few who can match you in rhythm, Levi. And she's one of them."

Levi didn't respond to that. At least, not verbally. He shifted stiffly against the wall, bearing a little of his weight over the bad foot until the dull throb reminded him of what was still healing, and what wasn't.

Erwin once again leaned back onto his chair and released a soft but audible exhale.

Then he added, almost dryly, "Hange said something similar the other day."

Levi's gaze narrowed warily.

"Oh? And what'd Shitty Glasses say?"

"That the two of you fight so well together, it's unsettling," Erwin allowed a faint smile to tug on his lips, "It's like you were made for each other."

Levi scoffed loudly. "Tch. Typical Hange bullshit."

Erwin's tone took on a teasing lilt as he continued. "They said–and I quote– 'they fight like they're in some kind of weird, hyper-lethal choreography'," He let the words hang for a moment before adding, more sincerely, "they're not wrong though."

"She's like your equal on vertical maneuvering. You're exceptional in your own right, Levi. Petra is too,” he continued as he turned to Levi, gaze steady. “But together, she makes you better."

Levi stayed silent for a while, processing his words. Then, slowly, his eyes drifted to the large window behind Erwin. The afternoon sun had begun its descent against the high curve of Wall Rose, casting tall shadows into the room.

"Well… my 'better' is rotting herself in a hospital bed dwelling on things she couldn't control," his voice was hard and contained. His words are heavy in his throat. "She didn't survive just to fade away."

He pushed himself off the wall and turned toward the door.

"I'm going to see her."

"Good," Erwin nodded once, his tone steady. But there was a glint of something unreadable behind his calculating blue eyes. "She'll need you, Levi."

"Yeah. Maybe." He muttered softly, pausing at the threshold for a moment, trying to digest everything that was said in this room, before twisting the knob without looking back.

(She needs you.)

(No.)

(You need her.)

The door had closed behind him with a click, but he remembered how that sound still echoed in the halls, following him down the path to the infirmary.

That had been approximately a year and four months ago.

Now, another silence filled the room. Different from when he had been in the late commander's office that day. But just as heavy.

>>> Read the full story at AO3 here

a/n: Title is from Sleep Token song (Listen to "Mine").

[safire-lupe]

A family picnic

[safire-lupe]

Completed story is now up in AO3!

The Night Does Not Belong to God - SafireLupe - Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan [Archive of Our Own]

The Night Does Not Belong to God

Rivetra (Levi Ackerman x Petra Ral). AU. +18. One-shot. Companion piece to Telomeres.

"Oi."

Eren turns back to him slowly. His expression is blank, eyes distant. The boy has changed. No longer the wide-eyed recruit Levi once barked orders at.

"You looked at her like you’d seen a ghost," Levi said in a quiet but pointed tone.

"No," Eren said nonchalantly, glancing at the water. "Just didn’t expect to see her… like this."

Levi frowned but quirked a brow at him. "Like what?"

Eren raised his head, green eyes meeting his stormy blue-greys.

"Alive."

Silence.

The waves pull back over the sand. Levi’s stare hardens. Brows drawing together.

"You trying to be cryptic, or are you just naturally annoying now?"

Eren is undeterred. He continued to stare, almost distracted, at the retreating waves against the sand. "It’s just…" he began softly, "...strange, that’s all."

"Strange how?"

"Some people... feel like they’re meant to disappear," he said, almost like a soft ramble to himself. "But she doesn’t."

Levi’s jaw ticks. He steps forward, boots cutting through the shallow water. Eren’s grown taller since their return from Shiganshina, and Levi hates that he has to look up at him now. The brat used to cower every time he did so much as glance his way. Now, there’s nothing.

Just silence.

Levi stops before him. His head lowered slightly, but his glare remained fixed on the Titan shifter.

"You've got five seconds to start making some fucking sense." He spoke in a low, tense tone.

Eren looks at him and holds his stare. At first, his expression is unreadable, but Levi catches it. A brief flicker in his veridian eyes. Not just light reflecting off the waves. No. This glow comes from somewhere deeper. Somewhere else.

(And it unsettles him.)

With a quiet click of his tongue, Levi tears his gaze away, turning toward Petra’s retreating figure, her ginger hair longer and catching the wind. She dragged her boots through the sand as she headed toward the row of tents the Scouts had set up along the rocky cliffside. At the distance ahead, Hange had drawn the canvas flap that opens one of the larger tents and, noticing Petra approaching, they waved almost excitedly at her, and she lightly waves back.

Levi does not turn to Eren when he speaks in a low and grave tone.

"You don't speak a word about what you saw between us. You understand? Not. A word."

Eren doesn’t look at him. "Yes, Captain."

Levi walks off, following the sandy path Petra took, brushing his shoulder against Eren’s with just enough force to make a point. The boy doesn’t flinch. He leaves him there, standing motionless at the edge of the sea, staring out at the horizon with that same empty expression.

Levi keeps walking until the sound of waves fades behind him. The sun climbs higher, the heat prickling the back of his neck.

But in his chest, something akin to a chill begins to settle.

>>> Read the full story at AO3 here

a/n: Title is from Sleep Token song (Listen to "The Night Does Not Belong to God").

[safire-lupe]

The Night Does Not Belong to God

Rivetra (Levi Ackerman x Petra Ral). AU. +18. One-shot. Companion piece to Telomeres.

"Oi."

Eren turns back to him slowly. His expression is blank, eyes distant. The boy has changed. No longer the wide-eyed recruit Levi once barked orders at.

"You looked at her like you’d seen a ghost," Levi said in a quiet but pointed tone.

"No," Eren said nonchalantly, glancing at the water. "Just didn’t expect to see her… like this."

Levi frowned but quirked a brow at him. "Like what?"

Eren raised his head, green eyes meeting his stormy blue-greys.

"Alive."

Silence.

The waves pull back over the sand. Levi’s stare hardens. Brows drawing together.

"You trying to be cryptic, or are you just naturally annoying now?"

Eren is undeterred. He continued to stare, almost distracted, at the retreating waves against the sand. "It’s just…" he began softly, "...strange, that’s all."

"Strange how?"

"Some people... feel like they’re meant to disappear," he said, almost like a soft ramble to himself. "But she doesn’t."

Levi’s jaw ticks. He steps forward, boots cutting through the shallow water. Eren’s grown taller since their return from Shiganshina, and Levi hates that he has to look up at him now. The brat used to cower every time he did so much as glance his way. Now, there’s nothing.

Just silence.

Levi stops before him. His head lowered slightly, but his glare remained fixed on the Titan shifter.

"You've got five seconds to start making some fucking sense." He spoke in a low, tense tone.

Eren looks at him and holds his stare. At first, his expression is unreadable, but Levi catches it. A brief flicker in his veridian eyes. Not just light reflecting off the waves. No. This glow comes from somewhere deeper. Somewhere else.

(And it unsettles him.)

With a quiet click of his tongue, Levi tears his gaze away, turning toward Petra’s retreating figure, her ginger hair longer and catching the wind. She dragged her boots through the sand as she headed toward the row of tents the Scouts had set up along the rocky cliffside. At the distance ahead, Hange had drawn the canvas flap that opens one of the larger tents and, noticing Petra approaching, they waved almost excitedly at her, and she lightly waves back.

Levi does not turn to Eren when he speaks in a low and grave tone.

"You don't speak a word about what you saw between us. You understand? Not. A word."

Eren doesn’t look at him. "Yes, Captain."

Levi walks off, following the sandy path Petra took, brushing his shoulder against Eren’s with just enough force to make a point. The boy doesn’t flinch. He leaves him there, standing motionless at the edge of the sea, staring out at the horizon with that same empty expression.

Levi keeps walking until the sound of waves fades behind him. The sun climbs higher, the heat prickling the back of his neck.

But in his chest, something akin to a chill begins to settle.

>>> Read the full story at AO3 here

a/n: Title is from Sleep Token song (Listen to "The Night Does Not Belong to God").

[safire-lupe]

Ah. That creative itch to write another rivetra fic is still there. 😉

[safire-lupe]

Telomeres

Rivetra (Levi Ackerman x Petra Ral). One-shot. AU. Mature themes (but SFW) Summary: Petra survives the 57th expedition and lives long enough to see Paradis darken. The night before his mission to guard the Beast Titan, Levi faces her to wrestle with her unwavering loyalty, her survivor's guilt, and his gnawing fear of losing her again.

“Take her off the list.”

Hange looked up from the mound of paperwork at the figure in front of them. Their brows rose in surprise at the man standing just a few feet from the desk. With how hectic the past days have been, they had assumed the captain had already left the office after their meeting, but Levi was still there… and staring at a single page from the file they had just handed to him moments ago.

The crease between his eyebrows, always there thanks to his perpetually sullen expression, seemed to have deepened further. Hange noticed the subtle tightening of his fingers over the binder of the file.

They tilted their head. “Who?”

Levi made a few brisk steps forward until he stood before the large desk. He dropped the file on his hand onto the desk, turning it so the print faced Hange, and set his index finger down to point at a particular line on a long list of names.

“Take her off.” He repeated, more firmly this time.

The commander leaned forward slightly, their working eye narrowing on the name directly under his finger. A slight grimace flickered across their face and their brow raised even higher.

“Why?” Hange asked, not hiding the curiosity over his unusual and abrupt request, “I would’ve thought you’d prefer her to be there.”

He was still staring at the file like it had offended him. “Well, I don’t.” Levi muttered, withdrawing his hand and curling it into a loose fist at his side. He then turned his head away, now preferring to look out at the dark sky peeking from the curtains in the office. Hange saw the shift in his expression as it softened in contemplation.

“It’s better that she stays here…” he began after a pause, “…with the brats. I’m their captain. She’s my second-in-command. We can’t both be assigned away from our squad. Someone needs to stay and keep those idiots in line, and obviously we can’t let her be the one to deal with that furball alone.”

Hange observed him quietly. His reason made sense, but something in the way he said it gave them pause. It was as if he was addressing this explanation to himself. It was very unlike him, someone who always seemed so sure of things.

After everything that had happened since they retrieved Eren back from Marley… especially with the tragic loss of one of their squad members and the brewing radicalization occurring within the Corps… Levi’s insistence on keeping the squad together didn’t feel strategic. It felt almost personal. They both knew that the remaining younger members of Squad Levi had grown well enough to be capable of handling things on their own.

But maybe that wasn’t the point.

“And have you talked to her about this?” Hange asked, leaning back in their chair. Their tone was casual but the question carried weight. Levi remained silently brooding.

“I mean, I haven’t sent out word to anyone on the list yet. But once she finds out…” They trailed off, then added more, in a softer but almost tentative tone. No longer speaking as a commander, but as a friend gently nudging at something unspoken. “Well, you and I both know how stubborn she could be with these things. Especially when it involves you.”

“I’ll deal with it,” he said flatly, already turning toward the door. His hand settled firmly on the handle, but he paused once. When he spoke again, his voice was low and firm, but it was edged with something softer… almost like he was pleading.

“Just take her off the list, Hange.”

Then he left, the door closing behind him.

Hange let out a quiet breath.

When they handed him the file earlier, it had been a routine request: Review the list. See if there are any adjustments he wanted to make, like maybe request additional soldiers to assist in the task. They honestly had half-expected he might request to cut down the list to lessen the number of comrades involved in this mission.

As commander, it would have made more sense to assign Humanity’s Strongest Soldier and his direct subordinate – someone he personally trained for years, and who had the highest recorded Titan kill count after him and Mikasa – to the delicate task of watching over the unpredictable Zeke Yeager.

They hadn’t expected this.

Maybe it was because this mission will be held in the same place as that day.

Or maybe it was their fault for not recognizing the weight of Levi's connection with this one person. A bond that had only deepened since the day she nearly died.

(The day he nearly lost her.)

Hange’s gaze drifted back down to the file on the desk as the sound of Levi’s footsteps echoed faintly outside the office door, fading into silence as he walked further down the hall.

Petra Ral’s name sat untouched on the page, marked only by the imprint of Levi’s finger on the paper.

>>> Read the full story at AO3 here. Preview to companion piece here (completed)

a/n: Title is from Sleep Token song (Listen to "Telomeres").

[safire-lupe]

The full story is already up in AO3 and FFnet with the title "Telomeres". 😻

*Untitled Rivetra Oneshot (AKA. an AU where she survives the 57th expedition.) A work in progress...

“Take her off the list.”

Hange looked up from the mound of paperwork at the figure in front of them. Their brows rose in surprise at the man standing just a few feet from the desk. With how hectic the past days have been, they had assumed the captain had already left the office after their meeting, but Levi was still there… and staring at a single page from the file they had just handed to him moments ago.

The crease between his eyebrows, always there thanks to his perpetually sullen expression, seemed to have deepened further. Hange noticed the subtle tightening of his fingers over the binder of the file.

They tilted their head. “Who?”

Levi made a few brisk steps forward until he stood before the large desk. He dropped the file on his hand onto the desk, turning it so the print faced Hange, and set his index finger down to point at a particular line on a long list of names.

“Take her off.” He repeated, more firmly this time.

The commander leaned forward slightly, their working eye narrowing on the name directly under his finger. A slight grimace flickered across their face and their brow raised even higher.

“Why?” Hange asked, not hiding the curiosity over his unusual and abrupt request, “I would’ve thought you’d prefer her to be there.”

He was still staring at the file like it had offended him. “Well, I don’t.” Levi muttered, withdrawing his hand and curling it into a loose fist at his side. He then turned his head away, now preferring to look out at the dark sky peeking from the curtains in the office. Hange saw the shift in his expression as it softened in contemplation.

“It’s better that she stays here…” he began after a pause, “…with the brats. I’m their captain. She’s my second-in-command. We can’t both be assigned away from our squad. Someone needs to stay and keep those idiots in line, and obviously we can’t let her be the one to deal with that furball alone.”

Hange observed him quietly. His reason made sense, but something in the way he said it gave them pause. It was as if he was addressing this explanation to himself. It was very unlike him, someone who always seemed so sure of things.

After everything that had happened since they retrieved Eren back from Marley… especially with the tragic loss of one of their squad members and the brewing radicalization occurring within the Corps… Levi’s insistence on keeping the squad together didn’t feel strategic. It felt almost personal. They both knew that the remaining younger members of Squad Levi had grown well enough to be capable of handling things on their own.

But maybe that wasn’t the point.

“And have you talked to her about this?” Hange asked, leaning back in their chair. Their tone was casual but the question carried weight. Levi remained silently brooding.

“I mean, I haven’t sent out word to anyone on the list yet. But once she finds out…” They trailed off, then added more, in a softer but almost tentative tone. No longer speaking as a commander, but as a friend gently nudging at something unspoken. “Well, you and I both know how stubborn she could be with these things. Especially when it involves you.”

“I’ll deal with it,” he said flatly, already turning toward the door. His hand settled firmly on the handle, but he paused once. When he spoke again, his voice was low and firm, but it was edged with something softer… almost like he was pleading.

“Just take her off the list, Hange.”

Then he left, the door closing behind him.

Hange let out a quiet breath. As commander, it would have made more sense to assign Humanity’s Strongest Soldier and his direct subordinate – someone he personally trained for years, and who had the highest recorded Titan kill count after him and Mikasa – to the delicate task of watching over the unpredictable Zeke Yeager.

When they handed him the file earlier, it had been a routine request: Review the list. See if there are any adjustments he wanted to make, like maybe request additional soldiers to assist in the task. They honestly had half-expected he might request to cut down the list to lessen the number of comrades involved in this mission.

They hadn’t expected this.

Maybe it was because this mission will be held in the same place as that day.

Or maybe it was their fault for not recognizing the weight of Levi's connection with this one person. A bond that had only deepened since the day she nearly died.

(…the day he nearly lost her.)

Hange’s gaze drifted back down to the file on the desk as the sound of Levi’s footsteps echoed faintly outside the office door, fading into silence as he walked further down the hall.

Petra Ral’s name sat untouched on the page, marked only by the imprint of Levi’s finger on the paper.

to be continued.

...stay tuned ya'll.

[safire-lupe]

Thank you! The full story is already up in AO3 and FFnet with the title "Telomeres". Do check it out!

*Untitled Rivetra Oneshot (AKA. an AU where she survives the 57th expedition.) A work in progress...

“Take her off the list.”

Hange looked up from the mound of paperwork at the figure in front of them. Their brows rose in surprise at the man standing just a few feet from the desk. With how hectic the past days have been, they had assumed the captain had already left the office after their meeting, but Levi was still there… and staring at a single page from the file they had just handed to him moments ago.

The crease between his eyebrows, always there thanks to his perpetually sullen expression, seemed to have deepened further. Hange noticed the subtle tightening of his fingers over the binder of the file.

They tilted their head. “Who?”

Levi made a few brisk steps forward until he stood before the large desk. He dropped the file on his hand onto the desk, turning it so the print faced Hange, and set his index finger down to point at a particular line on a long list of names.

“Take her off.” He repeated, more firmly this time.

The commander leaned forward slightly, their working eye narrowing on the name directly under his finger. A slight grimace flickered across their face and their brow raised even higher.

“Why?” Hange asked, not hiding the curiosity over his unusual and abrupt request, “I would’ve thought you’d prefer her to be there.”

He was still staring at the file like it had offended him. “Well, I don’t.” Levi muttered, withdrawing his hand and curling it into a loose fist at his side. He then turned his head away, now preferring to look out at the dark sky peeking from the curtains in the office. Hange saw the shift in his expression as it softened in contemplation.

“It’s better that she stays here…” he began after a pause, “…with the brats. I’m their captain. She’s my second-in-command. We can’t both be assigned away from our squad. Someone needs to stay and keep those idiots in line, and obviously we can’t let her be the one to deal with that furball alone.”

Hange observed him quietly. His reason made sense, but something in the way he said it gave them pause. It was as if he was addressing this explanation to himself. It was very unlike him, someone who always seemed so sure of things.

After everything that had happened since they retrieved Eren back from Marley… especially with the tragic loss of one of their squad members and the brewing radicalization occurring within the Corps… Levi’s insistence on keeping the squad together didn’t feel strategic. It felt almost personal. They both knew that the remaining younger members of Squad Levi had grown well enough to be capable of handling things on their own.

But maybe that wasn’t the point.

“And have you talked to her about this?” Hange asked, leaning back in their chair. Their tone was casual but the question carried weight. Levi remained silently brooding.

“I mean, I haven’t sent out word to anyone on the list yet. But once she finds out…” They trailed off, then added more, in a softer but almost tentative tone. No longer speaking as a commander, but as a friend gently nudging at something unspoken. “Well, you and I both know how stubborn she could be with these things. Especially when it involves you.”

“I’ll deal with it,” he said flatly, already turning toward the door. His hand settled firmly on the handle, but he paused once. When he spoke again, his voice was low and firm, but it was edged with something softer… almost like he was pleading.

“Just take her off the list, Hange.”

Then he left, the door closing behind him.

Hange let out a quiet breath. As commander, it would have made more sense to assign Humanity’s Strongest Soldier and his direct subordinate – someone he personally trained for years, and who had the highest recorded Titan kill count after him and Mikasa – to the delicate task of watching over the unpredictable Zeke Yeager.

When they handed him the file earlier, it had been a routine request: Review the list. See if there are any adjustments he wanted to make, like maybe request additional soldiers to assist in the task. They honestly had half-expected he might request to cut down the list to lessen the number of comrades involved in this mission.

They hadn’t expected this.

Maybe it was because this mission will be held in the same place as that day.

Or maybe it was their fault for not recognizing the weight of Levi's connection with this one person. A bond that had only deepened since the day she nearly died.

(…the day he nearly lost her.)

Hange’s gaze drifted back down to the file on the desk as the sound of Levi’s footsteps echoed faintly outside the office door, fading into silence as he walked further down the hall.

Petra Ral’s name sat untouched on the page, marked only by the imprint of Levi’s finger on the paper.

to be continued.

...stay tuned ya'll.

[safire-lupe]

Finished one-shot is up in both AO3 and FFnet, titled "Telomeres" by Safire Lupe.

*Untitled Rivetra Oneshot (AKA. an AU where she survives the 57th expedition.) A work in progress...

“Take her off the list.”

Hange looked up from the mound of paperwork at the figure in front of them. Their brows rose in surprise at the man standing just a few feet from the desk. With how hectic the past days have been, they had assumed the captain had already left the office after their meeting, but Levi was still there… and staring at a single page from the file they had just handed to him moments ago.

The crease between his eyebrows, always there thanks to his perpetually sullen expression, seemed to have deepened further. Hange noticed the subtle tightening of his fingers over the binder of the file.

They tilted their head. “Who?”

Levi made a few brisk steps forward until he stood before the large desk. He dropped the file on his hand onto the desk, turning it so the print faced Hange, and set his index finger down to point at a particular line on a long list of names.

“Take her off.” He repeated, more firmly this time.

The commander leaned forward slightly, their working eye narrowing on the name directly under his finger. A slight grimace flickered across their face and their brow raised even higher.

“Why?” Hange asked, not hiding the curiosity over his unusual and abrupt request, “I would’ve thought you’d prefer her to be there.”

He was still staring at the file like it had offended him. “Well, I don’t.” Levi muttered, withdrawing his hand and curling it into a loose fist at his side. He then turned his head away, now preferring to look out at the dark sky peeking from the curtains in the office. Hange saw the shift in his expression as it softened in contemplation.

“It’s better that she stays here…” he began after a pause, “…with the brats. I’m their captain. She’s my second-in-command. We can’t both be assigned away from our squad. Someone needs to stay and keep those idiots in line, and obviously we can’t let her be the one to deal with that furball alone.”

Hange observed him quietly. His reason made sense, but something in the way he said it gave them pause. It was as if he was addressing this explanation to himself. It was very unlike him, someone who always seemed so sure of things.

After everything that had happened since they retrieved Eren back from Marley… especially with the tragic loss of one of their squad members and the brewing radicalization occurring within the Corps… Levi’s insistence on keeping the squad together didn’t feel strategic. It felt almost personal. They both knew that the remaining younger members of Squad Levi had grown well enough to be capable of handling things on their own.

But maybe that wasn’t the point.

“And have you talked to her about this?” Hange asked, leaning back in their chair. Their tone was casual but the question carried weight. Levi remained silently brooding.

“I mean, I haven’t sent out word to anyone on the list yet. But once she finds out…” They trailed off, then added more, in a softer but almost tentative tone. No longer speaking as a commander, but as a friend gently nudging at something unspoken. “Well, you and I both know how stubborn she could be with these things. Especially when it involves you.”

“I’ll deal with it,” he said flatly, already turning toward the door. His hand settled firmly on the handle, but he paused once. When he spoke again, his voice was low and firm, but it was edged with something softer… almost like he was pleading.

“Just take her off the list, Hange.”

Then he left, the door closing behind him.

Hange let out a quiet breath. As commander, it would have made more sense to assign Humanity’s Strongest Soldier and his direct subordinate – someone he personally trained for years, and who had the highest recorded Titan kill count after him and Mikasa – to the delicate task of watching over the unpredictable Zeke Yeager.

When they handed him the file earlier, it had been a routine request: Review the list. See if there are any adjustments he wanted to make, like maybe request additional soldiers to assist in the task. They honestly had half-expected he might request to cut down the list to lessen the number of comrades involved in this mission.

They hadn’t expected this.

Maybe it was because this mission will be held in the same place as that day.

Or maybe it was their fault for not recognizing the weight of Levi's connection with this one person. A bond that had only deepened since the day she nearly died.

(…the day he nearly lost her.)

Hange’s gaze drifted back down to the file on the desk as the sound of Levi’s footsteps echoed faintly outside the office door, fading into silence as he walked further down the hall.

Petra Ral’s name sat untouched on the page, marked only by the imprint of Levi’s finger on the paper.

to be continued.

...stay tuned ya'll.