#but Hunter makes it very hard when he looks at her with big brown labrador eyes. looks at her like shes the entire world

[lollytea]

Huntlow situationship gives me such intense brain termites you don't get it

[id-rather-be-an-outsider]

AOT Preference: Dogs

a/n: first time doing a preference in awhile, but I want to specifically say DO NOT EVER get an animal you are not completely prepared to care for. animals are animals and will act as animals do. if they act out that’s not on them, that’s on you. animals need to be in forever homes, and it’s your responsibility to create a suitable environment for them and to not put them in situations where they could potentially be harmed or harm others. know your animal, know their comfort zone, know their needs. don’t take an animal on unless you’re ready to parent a child that never grows up for 15+ years. be responsible pet parents!

edit: just realized I used she/her for Hange so I fixed it. apologies to all my nb folks!

masterlist

Annie Leonhart

Our girl Annie would have a Siberian Husky. Strong, agile, hyperactive and able to trek long distances, they’d be perfectly suited for one another. You would be invited to tag along, of course, but you would have to keep up, lest you fall victim to the whines of an overly dramatic husky who desperately wants you to get a move on.

Armin Arlert

English Springer Spaniel, for sure. He’d fall in love with their soft coat, and their size would make them the perfect lapdog for reading, and taking long walks outside... to do more reading. Definitely a bonus that they fit comfortably between you two in bed at night, and a bonus that their little tail looked oh so very precious when it wagged!

Bertholdt Hoover

A gentle giant himself, Bertie would end up getting a Great Dane. Unlike Reiner, he’s a lot better at managing his thoughts and feelings about their study abroad trip to Paradis gone wrong. All he needs is his gigantic lapdog and you, his adoring partner. Sometimes he’d pass out on the dog in the middle of a cuddle session, and the patient thing would stare at you with pleading eyes, waiting until Bertholdt finally woke up to escape from being stuck in his arms for another hour.

Colt Grice

Colt would get a pair of Dalmatians, one for each of you. He loves their spots, their sleek build, and their energetic, yet quiet temperaments. Picket fence and all, Colt would want the happy home life!

Connie Springer

Connie would insist on having two dogs, so they don’t get lonely when you’re away from the house. He would bring home a pair of puppies with floppy ears that were adorable - an American Foxhound and an American English Coonhound. To Connie, their howls at all hours of the day, only ceasing when he falls asleep, is absolutely glorious, but to his neighbors, it’s a sign they need to invest in earplugs. Sasha would regularly steal the pair away from you so she had a full squad to go hunting with, which you wouldn’t mind since they liked the trips and got their energy out that way.

Eren Yeager

Much like how Eren picks his friends, so too, would he pick his pets. Not caring much for pedigrees, nor where a dog came from, Eren would get a shelter mix pup, probably one that’s older and been sitting there for longer. He’d sense a kinship between them - two beings looking for peace, and they’d find it in one another. The dog being absolutely adorable in every way would only be a bonus.

Erwin Smith

Commander Erwin would have a wolf-dog hybrid. He’d find the creature out in the woods, abandoned by their mother, and see the strength in their limbs despite their fear, and their resolve to survive. He would take them on as his own and together, they’d be the perfect pair of leaders, alphas in their own rights. When you became the alpha female of the household, the little beastie took to you right away, hoping that maybe you would be the one to finally grant their wish of feeding them off your plate. Of course, you never did it, because that would be irresponsible! At least, you’d parrot what Erwin said until he was gone for the day. Then, if a few bites every week fell on the floor by some magic mistake, well, who else was gonna clean it up?

Hange Zoë

Hange would have a fox! They’d be so interested by their behavior, they’d end up testing them and doing fun (and very humane) experiments on them, like exposing them to different foods, toys and puzzles, to see how they’d react. Foxes aren’t a regular pet, and they’d be fully aware of that and even over prepared to care for them, doing research years ahead of time until they felt completely ready to take one on. Needless to say, you’d be fascinated by them, but would insist Hange keep a separate, pee-proof space for the little creature they rescued so long ago. As cute as they were, you preferred your house not be ruined by their inability to potty train.

Historia Reiss

Historia would intend to get a small dog. What she would end up with, however, would not be a small dog. She would fall in love with the warm, kindly brown eyes of a giant and adopt a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog right then and there, no hesitation. In the end, it would all work out. You couldn’t always be beside her in bed, but she was always guaranteed to have an enormous lapdog by her side at all times - her protector in the throne room, her helper on the farm, and her body pillow at night. Who needs a weighted blanket when you have a hundred-pound puppy sleeping on you?

Jean Kirstein

Jean would have a German Shepherd. He adopted them when he first wanted to join the Military Police, but after he changed his mind, he still cared enough to train his dog as militantly as he was trained. It actually helped him soften up a bit (which ended up catching your attention in the end), and who wouldn’t? With those big brown eyes and floppy ears, it’s hard to resist the urge to sweet talk... and maybe, just maybe slip one or two scraps of meat under the table. No one will notice, right? Other than you, of course, who notices everything, because Jean has never been good at hiding things from you.

Levi Ackerman

We all know Levi is a clean freak and would never want a small dog that does nothing other than bark. He’d have a Standard Poodle, probably an apricot color. They’re smart, good hunters, and most importantly, non-shedding! They also are very sweet, not unlike our Captain (even if he’s good at hiding it). The one thing he wouldn’t expect, however, would be to find a trouble maker in his home. Stolen shoes, stolen ties, stolen cravats, even - somehow they would all wind up somewhere his sweet dog seemed to frequent, but they were clever enough not to be caught, so what could he do?

Marcel Galliard

A chocolate lab! They’re sweet and adventurous, as well as protective, and are absolute cuties. Marcel would love having a fluffy companion, and would take his Labrador on long hikes every weekend.

Marco Bott

Marco loves to look forward to the future, and he’d love to experiment with a newer breed of dog. The Catahoula caught his eye with their well-muscled body, and your excitement over their coat pattern sealed the deal. When you both realized just how much energy they had, you ended up joining Annie and Marcel on their hikes and volunteering your pup for hunting trips with Sasha, so they weren’t up all night long playing.

Mikasa Ackerman

Mikasa is the only person out of this bunch that wouldn’t get a dog - she’d have two cats, at least one being a brown tabby. Mikasa’s so dedicated to her work that she wouldn’t see herself as a person with enough time for dogs, but she wouldn’t mind caring for two soft kitties who curled up on either side of you two every night, even if they somehow always managed to have their butts in your faces when you woke up. Cats have a way of doing that.

Pieck Finger

Pieck would own a Weimaraner. Curious, cute, and a standout, they both fit the mold of “dogs and owners who look alike” with their deep, inquisitive eyes and playful, loving natures.

Porco Galliard

Like Porco, Pitbulls can appear tough and menacing on the outside. Also like Porco, pitbulls are just big babies who want to be loved on. He’d likely already have one before you two fell for each other, and his pit would see the loving nature in you and start coming to you for snuggles - which might have made Porco feel left out, if he wasn’t always in the middle of it.

Reiner Braun

Pomeranian. This man has seen some shit, and what better form of comfort than you and a tiny puffball with googly eyes? Fortunately, his Pomeranian would be unusually mellow, understanding he relied on their calm to maintain his own headspace after everything that’s happened.

Sasha Braus

Sasha would get an Irish Setter and an English Setter. She would take her dogs on hunting trips to help her track down animals, and when they got home she’d sit up for a cuddle with her two favorite pups and her favorite partner, you. Cocoa after a long day of hard work is fantastic.

Ymir

Everybody knows that Ymir wouldn’t intend to have a dog. She wouldn’t want anything or anyone to depend on her, but one day, when a band of strays would come around her apartment and try to attack her, another random dog would come from out of nowhere, fight them, and chase the rest of the pack off. Upon seeing the heroic dog injured, Ymir would feel indebted and take them in. Just until they healed, of course - then, it would be off to the local shelter for them. But then, you would drop by for a visit and the dog would love all over you. And then, Ymir would keep waking up finding the dog had managed to crawl into her bed and sleep next to her every night. And then, one thing after another, Ymir’s heart would soften just enough to let the scroungy stray who saved her life have a spot, right next to the spot reserved for you, and your family of two would grow to be a family of three. And then, you would find a puppy on the side of the road and take them home to Ymir after you moved in with her, and your family of three would grow to be a family of four. And then, when the puppy grew up, Ymir would find her laying in a closet with a litter of semi-scroungy-looking pups, and your family of four would become a family of five, six, seven, eight... and so on.

Zeke Yeager

Zeke has wavy golden locks, and so do golden retrievers. They’re also both incredibly cute, sweet, and popular. Need I say more? Fine, if I have to convince you. They also both have very kissable, kind, and meddlesome faces. Don’t tell me you don’t see it there!

[sorenkingsley]

This Doesn't Have A Title I'm Sorry

Plot: After Easy (and by extension, all others) find out what Ringo did, Ringo’s life isn’t exactly… comfortable. He’s lucky Paco is allowing him to stay, but they’re mad and let him know. After a while, he just doesn’t know why he should stay. So he doesn’t. [ WARNINGS: rape, self-harm, mentions of alcohol and suicide ]

– he goes because staying seems worthless. they hate him, so why shouldn’t he do them a favor and disappear?

– he leaves in the middle of the night, takes only necessities and things he just can’t bear to leave behind.

– he doesn’t know where to go, thinks about catching the earliest flight to Mailand, but the airports are closed due to bad weather that night, will probably stay that way for a while. so, he walks, doesn’t know where, catches a bus that’s somehow still driving, doesn’t get out until it’s at the last station.

– then, he gets drunk.

– he ends up in a hotel room somewhere in Düsseldorf, which isn’t as far away as he’d like, but he’ll take it, he decides. the next day, he continues on his way – it feels kind of good, to go wherever he wants to go, do whatever he wants to do (at least, that’s what he tells himself in hopes that the ache of loneliness in his chest will fade).

– (it doesn’t.)

– England, he decides, is where he’ll stay. it’s far away from everything, a new country, and he’s never been there before. he catches the first flight, which ends up in London.

– that’s cool, he thinks. it’s big, full of people – perfect to stay hidden, because in a city like that, nobody cares who you are. plus, there’s a lot of places he’s always wanted to visit.

– Kira calls him, after two weeks. “Tobias called,” she says. “they think you’re dead or something.” good, he thinks. “they’re mad,” she continues. “and I get it - what the hell were you thinking?” he hates that she knows; he wanted to keep her unaffected by his bullshit, to allow her to concentrate on nothing but her personal problems. “tell them there’s no reason to worry. I’m fine. they’re not going to have to deal with me anymore.”

– he hangs up, and ignores his twin’s next calls and texts. he smashes his phone and buys a new one, which feels freeing, for a moment. then, he’s just empty.

– he gets a job in a bar, because he needs money to afford the small apartment he bought. it’s not much, but he gets by.

– people, after a few weeks, love him. the bar, called Little Toad is cozy and not too big, great for chatting people up, but one night, Ringo sees a guy touching a woman, which she obviously didn’t agree to. he’s never been a good lip reader, but he’s sure she tells him to fuck off. he doesn’t listen. luckily, the woman’s friends help her (she herself is the one who breaks the guy’s nose, though), and Ringo throws the guy out of the bar with a harsh “and don’t you dare come back here”. he likes to make sure his costumers are safe.

– then, two months later, when all he’s done is get himself drunk to fill the emptiness and make him forget, as well as work, he gets off the night shift and walks home. on the way, he finds a dog, its leash wrapped around a tree. it’s freezing cold outside, in the middle of the night, not a soul in sight; Ringo can’t just let the dog sit there, can he?

– the dog’s tail is wagging as he approaches it; clearly, it’s very relieved that somebody’s there, which somehow makes Ringo’s heart hurt. how long had the poor thing been out here?

– he takes it home.

– turns out, it is a she. she’s obviously a mutt, and while he doesn’t know a lot about dogs, he thinks it could be a Labrador mix. she’s tall, has black fur with exception of her chest, belly, paws and maw, which are white. her brown eyes show intelligence and gentleness – she is super gentle, he comes to realize, loves cuddling and refuses to sleep anywhere but the bed, beside him. he’s so lonely he doesn’t object.

– he names her Rey.

– the next day, he takes her to the vet, just to make sure she’s healthy (he wouldn’t abandon her if she was, though). she’s healthy, the vet tells him, castrated too – and young, maybe a little over a year old. the vet gives him advice on how to handle dogs when he asks, gives him top quality dog food for a strongly reduced price, and microchips her so she can’t get lost.

– next, he drives to an animal shop, where he buys her more than he planned to: a red Hunter harness (he doesn’t like collars that much), a red and white bandana, as well as a red leash (later, he’ll get a tracking leash & and two K9 Harnesses as well; one black, one neon yellow). he gets a life jacket (also in red), a black snack dummy, a safety harness for the car, a twin feeding bowl. and a LOT of toys, as well as hygiene care stuff.

– he buys a lot of dog books. with the help of these, he trains Rey – with hand signs, mostly, but also in German.

– thanks to her, he doesn’t spend all day inside. he goes out, goes on runs, takes her to the park, spends hours training her and playing with her, goes swimming. he’s been sinking into depression, but somehow, she makes it better.

– he makes new friends, too, mostly at the dog park. it feels good.

– once Ringo has taught her the basics, he trains her nose: mantrailing.

– she gets very, very good at it.

– Rey is a very patient, very calm, well-behaved and gentle dog, but like every canine, needs activity. Ringo provides it. the two get along amazingly.

– she’s his best friend.

– (still, he misses his old crew. but they don’t miss him, he thinks sadly.)

– on Christmas, he texts Kira. he hasn’t since that one time she called, so he sends a picture of him and Rey in front of their Christmas tree, both of them wearing Santa hats. ‘Merry Christmas from Rey and me’, he captions it.

– Kira is excited to find out he has a dog. the two get in touch again, and Ringo can’t stop smiling.

– Ringo takes his companion to the bar with him, most of the time, lets her choose whether she wants to be beside him or in one of the back rooms, where it’s a lot quieter. it’s a great way for him to stay motivated, and afterwards, they take a walk through the now quiet streets of London.

– a few times, though, Rey doesn’t accompany him. one time, she’s home, he’s off from night shift, walking home at three in the morning, when he feels himself being yanked into a dirty alleyway. “remember me?” a male voice all but purrs into his ear, and Ringo is cocky at first, until the guy turns him around and yanks down his pants.

– that’s when he panics, struggles, but the guy just laughs, says, “you should’ve let me had fun with that girl, but you just had to throw me out, didn’t you. well, too bad.” then, Ringo cries out in pain, and tears roll down his face the entire time. “I wouldn’t tell anyone, if I were you. wouldn’t want to get that pretty dog of yours hurt, after all,” the man says once he’s finished.

– Ringo comes home feeling broken, cracked, more than before, with blood and semen staining the insides of his pants. he’s greeted by his ever-happy dog, but at the sight of her, so happy to see him, he cries, doesn’t stop for a while, buries his face in her fur.

– the guy could do it again, Ringo realizes, anytime. and that scares him so much, he can’t function anymore. his walks are much shorter now, even if the chance of the guy doing it during daytime, that the guy even knows where he lives, are small. on his next bar shift, though, his fears become reality, and the guy hurts him again. on the next shift, he’s terrified, distracted, has a panic attack in the back room where Rey is. Jenny, a co-worker, finds him and, seeing as he doesn’t have a car, drives him home. Ringo quits his job the next day.

– without the job, money gets hard to come by, and he feels unsafe, fears for his and Rey’s safety. so, with his last money, he buys a ticket to Mailand. before he leaves, he anonymously calls the police and tells them about Douglas Keat.

– it feels good. freeing. he’s at Kira’s the next day, and Rey is a ray of sunshine as always; she’s running around without a leash, and because of that, she’s wearing her bandana, which probably feels better for her in the hot sun that the harness. it looks better, too. Ringo feels so much better here, where the guy can’t get to him, but he can feel the aftermath of what’s been done to him; the broken little pieces stay that way, no matter how much he tries to glue them together. where a few weeks prior there were bruises on his legs from where he’d run into something while playing with his dog, there’s now scars.

– Kira, of course, is surprised, but also very happy to see him, is extra excited about the dog. she spontaneously takes a few days off to show them around, and it’s more fun than Ringo has had with another human being in a while. they eat overpriced ice cream, pizza, find a park with a stream where one can rent a boat, and they row around for a while with Rey swimming beside them until she has enough and signals she wants back in the boat, at which point Ringo lifts her into it. the two siblings shield themselves from the water drops that get hurtled at them, laughing.

– and that’s only the first day. Kira shows them around the city, and they take a shit ton of selfies and pictures in general (Ringo, especially, takes pics of Rey, who is quite the model). Kira also teaches him Italian.

– of course, his twin is not blind. one day, she asks him what’s wrong, and he doesn’t tell her at first, but she keeps pressing and eventually, he bursts out with it. he cries while his sister holds him, and it’s then that he realizes just how much he’s missed human contact like this.

– “you should go back,” she tells him a while later. Ringo stares. “what?” “Cologne, dumbass. you should go back.” “oh, yeah?” Ringo scoffs. “it’s been, what? almost a year? don’t pretend they miss me.” “I don’t know about that, brother. but what I do know is that you miss them, and they’re your family just as much as I am. and you can’t run forever. so, do yourself a favor and go back.”

– she just wants him to get a therapist, he thinks.

– either way, he goes back. it’s been eleven months, and he’s scared shitless, but he and his dog get into the plane after having said goodbye to a tearful Kira, and then they’re on their way to Cologne.

– honestly, he’s restless the entire time. they hate him, especially Easy, with whom he’s somehow still in fucking love with, but he didn’t want to burden his sister anymore, as much as she claimed she loved having them there. he doesn’t want to go back to London either, and the money for further travels is missing.

– the taxi driver takes him to his destination, and his heart is in his throat, beating so fast he’s afraid others can hear. he stands in front of that door, palms sweaty, and he can’t bring himself to do anything, just stares until, after a while, he turns around as he runs a shaking hand through his hair.

– his gaze wanders to the kiosk, and he freezes when his eyes meet Easy’s.

– Ringo can’t move at first, but it’s Easy who moves and runs toward him. both are quiet for a while, unsure of what to say, until Easy envelopes his “enemy” into a hug.

– it’s unexpected, and Ringo can’t help the flinch. Easy leans back immediately, concerned, looks at him with those adorable brown eyes of his. “hi,” Ringo whispers, trying to smile, but he’s once read that a smile cannot be faked; people usually notice that’s it’s not real, when they’re paying attention. Easy appears to be. his look of concern grows, his eyes soft, and he says, “hi.”

– “we were worried,” the kiosk owner admits, unprompted. “when you told Kira we wouldn’t have to deal with you ever again, we thought you were going to…” the ‘kill yourself’ goes unsaid, but Ringo still avoids his gaze, because he’s thought about it more often than he’d like to admit. “sorry,” he says. ‘I didn’t think you would’ve even cared’ is what he thinks. “I had to get away, I guess,” he explains, but feels pathetic when he says it. Easy just nods, accepting his answer. “and what made you come back?” “I’m pretty sure Kira was getting tired of us constantly running around her apartment,” Ringo says with an amused grin, which falls when he adds: “and… I want to apologize. for everything I did. I know it was wrong – more than that, it was… disgusting. I’m just – I want to make things right.” Easy nods again, but Ringo just can’t stop rambling. “and I mean, you’re not just going to just forgive me, and I don’t expect you to, but I need –” he breaks off, starts again. “I missed you guys. okay? I… I just want to… live my life again.” he wants to do that away from London, which just the thought of makes him want to throw up. he feels home here, and he doesn’t want to go away again.

– Easy, as expected, didn’t forgive him. sure, the physical proof that Ringo didn’t jump off the nearest bridge may have caused him to react happier than planned, but he’s still hurt. nonetheless, they walk to Paco’s, Elli’s and KayC’s apartment together, and Ringo doesn’t feel as scared as he thought he would. Easy is the one whose feeling’s he hurt, and he’s going to grovel at the kiosk owners feet if he has to, but the others? he didn’t do anything quite like that to them, and Easy is the only one who’ll decide whether he wants to forgive Ringo or not.

– still, they’re important, so he feels his heart hammer in his chest anyway, glances at his loyal four-legged companion as he gathers his courage.

– he walks in, and he apologizes, and yes they’re still mad but let him live with them anyway. it’s a relief.

– he tries his best to appear trustworthy, nice, good, because honestly, these past few months have changed him and he does not want to end up alone ever, ever again. he does chores for his roommates, helps Paco out in the Turnhalle again, isn’t sure how to apologize to Easy so he just helps him out wherever he can, until, one day, he buys him a bouquet of flowers (he can’t remember the names of the flowers later, but the florist told him they were a sign of apology), and takes him out to dinner, which is incredibly cliché and, he comes to realize later, sappy and too romantic.

– but it’s heartfelt, and Easy smiles when Ringo tells him he really is sorry, he messed up, but he promises to never hurt him like that again, not in his lifetime, and he’ll do whatever it takes to convince Easy of that. he looks genuine, his eyes glassy with tears, but the older man doesn’t know why they’re there. doesn’t ask, either. “okay,” Easy says. it’s a start.

– Rey comes to be loved throughout the whole apartment complex, famous especially with the children. she does a lot of tricks after all, and they have their fun. the dog loves everybody, so she worms her way into the hearts of the people, which is just a plus for Ringo, because people are friendlier towards him, too.

– he feels better, but somehow, he still can’t stop watching the blood trickle out of the wounds he makes. he feels incredibly bad, but also, he needs it. that means he’s in control, and for a while, the thoughts about what happened disappear.

– after a month, he’s more or less back to being an accepted member of Schilleraller 10, but he’s not getting enough sleep due to nightmares and it’s weighing on him. it doesn’t help when he’s taking a walk with Rey one day and, out of the corner of his eye, sees movement in an alley. later, he’ll be pretty sure his eyes just played a trick on him, but in that moment, he could swear it’s Douglas Kean. he runs the way home and locks himself into the bathroom.

– it leaves him shaken and of course, the others notice, but Ringo brushes them off.

– he doesn’t see not-Kean again, but he’s still unnerved every time he walks by that alley.

– he keeps trying to help Easy with everything, which includes the kiosk, so he stands in there and does his best not to tell little children to just decide what the fuck they want already. also, sometimes drunk men stop by, and he can’t help the way his hands begin to shake when they raise their voice at him.

– he tries to hide it; he really does. and he’s fine, most of the time, until someone says something, or does something, and his brain just goes into remembrance mode. the others know something’s wrong, but he just acts normal and tells them he’s “not getting enough sleep.” it’s not even a lie, he’s just not telling them the whole truth.

– Ringo gets worse.

– he’s irritable, snaps at the others, doesn’t come out of his room anymore. Elli or Easy take Rey on her walks, he just does not have the energy. he’s mean, and when he’s alone he’s so fucking scared they’ll throw him out, but he can’t stop, because he doesn’t want them to see, to know.

– on day, he realizes he has to get help. he starts by reading articles and blog entries about survivors, written by survivors, and he knows, deep down, that harming himself is fucking unhealthy. he wants to stop.

– a part of him is too scared, too ashamed to approach somebody and tell them what happened, but he has to be his own hero and save himself, because he can’t count on other people to do that for him. the only one he trusts is himself – and not even completely.

– he tries to stop.

– he can’t, at first, feels that familiar itch that makes him want to slice himself open, but he takes a rubber band instead, snaps that against his wrist until the skin is swollen and bruised, little red dots beneath it. and while it’s not the same, it helps.

– he comes out of his room again.

– “rape is never the victim’s fault”, all articles say. survivors say it too, but describe how hard it was to come to terms with, and Ringo knows, logically, it wasn’t his fault, but he still feels shame bubble up whenever he thinks about it. he was too weak, wasn’t he? what if he'd–

– ‘don’t think about the what-ifs,’ he keeps telling himself.

– it takes a while until he does indeed seek help, because he realizes that dealing with it himself is – hard. it takes an immense amount of strength just to take care of himself, and Rey, and he could probably do it alone, but at what cost? he reckons the broken pieces would be even more shattered, glued together in a way that would make him even more bitter and mistrusting.

– that night, he knocks at Easy’s door. he was the only choice, really – he and Elli, but she’d probably tell Paco, and he doesn’t want that. so, he’ll tell the man he’s in love with, this gentle and compassionate human being he doesn’t deserve.

– Tobias is home, so Ringo lingers outside, asks Easy if they could speak in private. on the roof. of course, Easy follows him without question.

– they sit down on that bed/couch thing, the kiosk owner next to his maybe-friend, their knees and shoulders almost touching. Ringo sits there for a minute, quiet, but then looks up at Easy. “I need help,” he admits quietly.

– “what happened?” Ringo tells him. haltingly, with pauses, but he does. they know about London, his bar job, how he found Rey, that he took her with him sometimes, so he’s just filling in the blanks. “I’d just come off from my shift at the bar,” he whispers. “it was three in the morning, dark as hell, and–” that’s where he stops, inhales a deep breath. you can get through this, he tells himself, but can’t meet Easy’s gaze as he continues. “Rey wasn’t there. I- I’d left her home because she was sick at the time, and- suddenly I was- this guy-” how does he say it? the shame is there again, and he feels like he’s choking, dying. “hey, it’s okay. calm down, breathe. I’m here. you’re okay.” Easy’s presence is calming. grounding. “look at me.” Ringo does. it seems like the world mutes around them; the faint noise of cars racing down the street ceases to exist, and he feels, for a moment, that nothing else exists. just the two of them, on that rooftop. “I was raped,” he whispers.

– after that, the world around him returns, and everything is too much. he can’t see Easy through his tear-filled eyes, but he can hear the soft “Ringo…”, barely a whisper. the first tears fall.

– Easy hugs him, and Ringo feels a lightness in his chest he hasn’t experienced for months. when his tears stop, he stays in his very comfortable position (face pressed into his friend’s chest), and he’s tired. but he talks. “it happened twice,” he says, stuttering slightly. “I couldn’t work anymore because I was too scared, so I quit, but just knowing that he lived somewhere nearby… it was too much. he said he’d hurt Rey if I told anyone, so I bought tickets for Mailand and called the police before we left. I checked, and a lot of people came forth and told the cops that the guy hurt them… he’s in jail, now.” Easy’s hands are rubbing circles on his back; he relaxes further into the embrace, feeling stupidly safe. “does Kira know?” Ringo nods against the warm chest. “I can’t seem to hide anything from her.” a chuckle from above. “she told me to come back,” Ringo tells him. “she, uh, was sure that it would help me a lot if I did.” “and? did it?” Ringo ponders that question for a moment, then decides: “yes. it did.”

– he doesn’t know how long they stay like that, but he likes it. “why did you come to me, out of all people?” “because I…” I love you. “I trust you.”

– sometime later, Easy tenses. “did he use a condom?” “no, but… I went to a doctor and got tested. I don’t have HIV.” “thank god,” Easy says with a relieved exhale.

– Ringo doesn’t tell him about the self-harm. doesn’t tell him that he’s thought about killing himself almost every day when he was in really bad shape, or that he’s basically a walking epitome of self-loathing and loneliness. there’s no reason, because he’s getting better. he doesn’t want to go to therapy, but promises Easy that “just you being here for me is enough”.

– the two spend more time with each other. somewhere along the way, they begin to flirt with one another, which is often pointed out by Tobias. they ignore him.

– one day, he meets up with Easy at the park. “did you bring it?” Easy holds up an unwashed t-shirt. “I did. why do I need it?” Ringo just grins, taking the garment from the kiosk owner. “because you’re going to hide.” “…I’m going to do what?” “hide,” Ringo repeats. “Rey needs her training, and she’s going to have to find you.” “wait, did you train her to… find people?” “yep! it’s called mantrailing. she’ll find you no matter where you are.” “okay,” Easy says, grins as well. “how far can I go?” “how far you want! but it’s more fun when it’s somewhere a lot of people are.” “alright, then.”

– Easy hides in the city, near one of the many shops. it takes Rey fifteen minutes to find him.

– “and you taught her that?” “yep! cool, huh?” “very.” they’re silent for a few moments, then Ringo asks: “look, uh, do you maybe wanna go get dinner tonight? at Casanova.” it’s not overly expensive, but it’s very, very cozy and the food is amazing. he’s been meaning to take Easy for a while now. but Easy is quiet at first, so Ringo rambles on, “and I bought Star Wars The Force Awakens and Rogue One. maybe we can watch it afterwards…?” at that, Easy grins, coming to stand right in front of Ringo, their chests almost touching. “are you asking me on a date?” “I may be,” the younger man replies, smirking.

– dinner is great. they joke around, steal each other’s food, talk about this and that, and it’s simply amazing.

– Ringo pays the cheque, despite Easy’s objections. “I was the one who asked you on a date, didn’t I? I’m paying.”

– on the way home, Easy slips his hand into Ringo’s, who tenses at first, but then relaxes.

– once home, Ringo gets his dog and the DVDs from his apartment, then walks back to where Easy resides. “hey,” he greets, pushes past the older man who bends down to greet the dog.

– they lie down on Easy’s bed, with Rey at their feet, and watch The Force Awakens. Rogue One is way too depressing, they agree.

– Ringo keeps commenting on everything that happens, which drives Easy insane, and he elbows the younger man in the ribs more than once. “what?” he’ll say, with a fake innocent expression on his face, then a comment like: “I’m just wondering what happened to Poe. where was he? how did he get back to the Resistance? wasn’t he hurt?” or “why is Finn the only one who doesn’t understand BB-8?” and an occasional: “oh my god. Kylo Ren has SUCH a baby face. I can’t take him seriously.”

– one time, Ringo says something that makes Easy laugh, and he faces the younger man with a smile. “you’re such a dork,” he says, playfully throwing a pillow in Ringo’s face.

– somehow, a pillow fight ensues.

– by the end of it, they’re both disheveled, and Ringo somehow ends up inches away from a giggling Easy’s face, who quiets when the two look into each other’s eyes. “I’m going to kiss you now,” Ringo breathes, and then his lips are on Easy’s, who fists his hands into the younger man’s t-shirt and kisses back.

– they end up having sex. it’s slow and sensual; Ringo is afraid that, somehow, he could hurt Easy if it was too rough, and before they start, he asks if Easy is really sure he’s okay with this, and there’s something vulnerable in his eyes as he does so. it’s his first time since Keat, but halfway through, he stops remembering the feeling of the bastard’s hands on him, the tongue on his skin. all he feels is Easy.

– afterwards, they clean themselves up, and though Ringo tries to hide the scars, Easy sees them. “Ringo…” he swallows. “I haven’t hurt myself for a while now.” and then, “I’ve been clean for a month.” Easy gently cups his cheek, looks into his eyes with such sorrow… and because there’s not a lot to hide now, anyway, Ringo tells Easy: “I’ve been struggling with… these problems for a while now. when I first ran away, I got drunk every day. I got so lonely that, if I hadn’t found Rey, I’m sure I would’ve… you know.” “killed yourself?” “yes,” he answers. “it’s what the road I was on was headed, and if I hadn’t had her when Keat…” he trails off. “I was in bad shape with her, and without her… I couldn’t have done it. Kira helped, too, but it was… I couldn’t just get over it, you know? it’s just not something you forget, and somehow, harming myself helped. I knew it was unhealthy, but I couldn’t stop, not completely. when I didn’t cut, I scratched my skin open, used a rubber band… until I told you about it, and you were so supportive and always there for me and… I realized that maybe, the entire thing wasn’t my fault, and you told me the same thing, so it got easier to stop.”

– Easy looks close to tears and hugs Ringo tightly. “I want you to know I’ll always be here for you. no matter what. and I’m so, so proud of you.”

– “thank you,” Ringo says softly.

– they fall asleep cuddling.

– the next morning, Rey wakes them at eight, and they look up groggily at her. “I’ll be back in an hour,” Ringo says, leaning over to press a kiss to Easy’s lips. Easy murmurs something that sounds a little displeased, so Ringo adds, “I’ll get us something from the bakery, okay?” he hesitates, but then: “I love you.” “I love you too,” Easy says with a soft smile.

– when Ringo wakes up from a nightmare that makes him throw up for the third time in one week after a drunk dude tried to feel him up (he can feel it, all over again, his skin is crawling and he just wants it to stop) and thinks about harming himself again, he decides to get help.

– Easy is there to support him.

– two years later, Ringo and Easy get married. they invite only their friends and close family, and of course, Rey comes too, and because anything else would be unfair, Stinker attends as well. sure, they fight, have their ups and downs, but all in all? they couldn’t be happier.