#it's also really interesting that sun talks about nap time

[glambots]

So, in the "Vanny" ending of HW2, it's presumed that Vanny/Vanessa is able to overpower Glitchtrap and defeat him using the power of the AR system and MXES. What's interesting to me is that in that ending, when you hand over the Glitchtrap plush, it's specifically to Moon, who then brings it to Vanny before she crushes it.

You cannot tell me these two don't have Some sort of connection. (Obviously the Sun-Vanessa // Moon-Vanny comparison is obvious. People assuming one of them is evil while they're really being controlled and manipulated by outside forces--The Mimic.)

It could be suggested that Moon, like Vanny, was using his own position as "the bad one" to trick the Mimic into trusting it had full control over him. Which I would find to be a Very interesting idea.

Or maybe I'm just too damn invested in these jesters, who knows.

[sherlockig]

Hello my little grieving friends (aka my CREW!)

I just want to talk about how much our flag means death has given me. I have not had internet friends since i were a teenager. They all kind of disapeared over time in the same way as high school classmates went away. I have been on this blog on tumblr since 2010 and i have never experienced what ofmd has given me. Not even in my very derranged ca 5 year long sherlock-era did i get to befriend and know this many amazing people who live in my phone. Some of you have come and gone and that is life, but some of you are still here and I hope I get to keep you here for a very long time. Max can not stop us and I want to be here with you until tumblr is put down like the beloved rabid pet it is.

I think we are all taking the news very hard and I think it's important to remember what it is all about really. It's about love and family and above all else the crew so i just want to show some love for my beloved mutuals. And i hope maybe some of you will be inspired to do the same because its what we need in these dark times. We need to be a lighthouse guiding each other to shore.

First of all @gentlebeard - Ella💕 my beloved honey 🍯 I can not explain properly or even believe how lucky I am that I found you and that I get a little good morning from you every day. We have been talking every single day since the first message over a year ago and I don't remember or want to remember how i survived before that. I will treasure the time i spent drinking pina coladas on your balcony in the sun forever and i hope i will get some more time on that balcony this summer. I have found a pirate bar in Sweden so we can continue our expensive pirate drinks theme that we started in Berlin. There is no one else i want to spend 6-8 hours talking to over the phone.💕My partner in crime, lasagna partner and floor person or whatever nicknames we have come up with during this time. You are not just the perfect friend to have, you are also funny, sweet, smart and a expert at making fanvideos that make me cry my heart out and laugh my lungs up - sometimes at the same time 💕💕

@blakbonnet - Meow my darling💕 you were the first one i really started to talk to in the fandom and i am so glad i did. You brighten my days and i love talking to you you brilliant humanbeing (i often find myself thinking i have listened to much to cabin pressure because i struggle to use any other word than brilliant to explain things.. the Arthur runs deep in me) also thank you for being my personal skincare guide in life!! Your fics, your art, your edits, your gifs, your meta the whole you make my dash a better place and we are all happy to have you! There is nothing you are not good at and i am both a bit jealus and impressed by you. Its Meows fandom we all just live in it 💕💕

@youshouldseemeinadeerstalker - Nes my dear💕 We may not be talking very often but I know I always have you there. I loved our vacation together and we had so much to talk about that we didn't even realize that the same song kept playing in my car so long that it messed up my spotify wrapped. It was amazing taking naps with you outside ruins of castles and in botanical gardens and living together in the worlds smallest hotel room. I hope we can get lost together in more cities than Hamburg and Copenhagen. (preferably without rain and sickness and maybe with a map) 💕💕

@darkinerry - Marlena 💕 its a pleasure getting weather and work updates from you and i am always interested in knowing what you have been up to and what you have to say. It brightens my day, please never stop!! Your videos and gifsets can make any day better and you are always kind and funny which are two things i appreciate hugely in my friends!! 💕💕 + You have the coolest haircut out of all my mutuals 😌

@aha-my-villainous-thoughts - Ash my wife💕 my love💕Nothing can make me scream, blush and giggle as much as your fanart. You have this style of everything you make from fanart to dolls to interior design that is so special and breathtaking. One day we will drink so many lattes in a cosy cafe and then sniff lush products for the rest of the day. 💕 You are always there for me - as a online shoulder to cry on or to motivate me with the smuttiest wips ever. I am happy to be mutual married to you 💕💕

@bizarrelittlemew - Ida 💕- my thirsting for rhys brother in arms. I can not imagine tumblr without your gifs or your posts. I love screaming with you over a picture of rhys darbys bicep. I am so happy i got to meet you this summer and i really hope it will happen again. We are not that far from each other, just some miles and a stupid bridge; we can make it. You are always a sweetheart and an incredible friend who write the hottest fanfiction ever💕💕

@dickfuckk - josh 💕 (who I also thought for a long time was called tyler) I dont know where the fandom would be without your bts blog! its a international treasure and a service to humanity. i don't know how you do it. 💕You always have everything i have ever been looking for and as a bonus you are witty and funny like no one else. I am so happy i got to meet you and spend a whole day in your company! 💕

@izzy-b-hands - Holden my absolute darling!💕 I am so glad I got the chance to get to know you! You are smart, funny and kind and my izzy mutual tm. You are always there for me with kind words and I am still forever shipping izzy and the third badminton brother which I think is the best headcanon I have ever helped coming up with. 💕

@funforahermit - Kristina 💕 Your love for Rhys and your gifs are a staple on tumblr and my dash. I know where to go when i need someone to understand how hot Steve is (even if we have agreed that he is yours and Murray is mine which i still think is a fine deal). I very often make or see a picture of Rhys and my first thought is "I NEED TO SHOW KRISTINA THIS" so you live rentfree in my brain 💕

@rainbowcrowley - Addi 💕If i ever start playing wow again you bet i am gonna be talking your ear off about my little frost mages progress but in the meantime i am happy to have you on my dash and even if we don't talk that much are you a beloved part of my dash and brighten it daily.💕💕

@fandomsmeantheworldtome - Maria💕 You were one of the very first people i found in this fandom and your gifs might have helped my rhys obession taking form. You might be into many things I have never heard of but its a pleasure seeing your excitement over everything. You are always a ray of sunshine and i love that so much💕💕

@tabbystardust - Tabby dear💕 You are the kindest person I know who I always get the strongest need to hug and hold close. Your fanart is beyond this world and i adore it like nothing else. Its always both hot and soft in the best way ever💕 I am always excited to get kitty updates and to hear about your ramen receipts. I hope we can still meet at the con next year! I am game if you are!! 💕💕

@hummingbee-o0o - Humming 💕 (i dont know your name sorry) I am always excited to hear your thoughts and metas about everything ofmd related as well as your beautiful art. 💕 it was a pleasure to scream about season 2 after every watched episode!💕

@xoxoemynn - Emy 💕💕 i am so happy to be mutual with you! 💕You always bring joy to the people who get to be around you and fill my dash with the same. We might not talk often but i know you got my back! That is the kind of person you are!💕

@saltpepperbeard - Jodi💕 No one write tags on tumblr dot com like you. There is nothing that can cheer me up more than see that one of my posts has gotten a whole ass novel written in the tags and then i instinctively know that its you who have left your wonderful mark. You are always excited and such a lovely human to be mutual with. 💕 And on top of that you make incredible gifs that make my heart stop!!! 💕💕

@autumnbois - Kai 💕💕 I hope you are doing okay. We might not talk much right now but you were there for me when i needed it most and you are a good friend to have living in my phone.💕💕 I will think of you whenever i see something related to scream and your love for piccrew always make me smile💕

@edsbacktattoo - Jams, jams jams! 💕 We are never online at the same time because of the damn time differences *shakes fist* but you are a staple in this fandom. Your art is incredible and you are the sweetest cookie in the jar. You are funny and always spread good energy to everyone around you and I love that with my whole heart💕💕

@kiwistede - Sam 💕 Your love for stede and rhys is unmet and i love you for that. You are always a good source for some rhys darby insanity and we all know that is what i treausure most here in life! 💕💕

@stedesearring - Kaitlin💕 You are the sweetest and kindest soul out here always spreading joy and love like the sun of my dash. 💕 I always love seeing you and i am happy to have the pleasure to have you as a friend in my phone! 💕💕

@stedebonnets - Ara 💕 Where would we be without your gifs?? without your joy?? without your blog?? without you?? No one knows! I am so happy to call you a mutual and friend and you always bring a smile to my face. Always!!💕💕

@appleteeth - Liz 💕 No one is quite as normal about rhys darby as you and it a pleasure to watch! Speaking of pleasure.. your fic the slightest touch is an all time favorite of mine and i would be embarrassed to tell you how many times i have read it... you are one of my mutuals that i am baffled that they want to follow me. Its a privilege! 💕

@as-a-creww - Caroline dear 💕 You are a beloved mutual and your blog are a permanent part of my dash and i want to keep it like that! you are the friendliest of the friendliest and what is more important than that?? 💕💕

@nandorisms - Ed dear💕 Your shameless reblogs makes the world go around. You are always sweet and a much needed wwdits addition to my life. I count you as a dear friend living in my heart!💕

@londonlock - Londie! 💕💕 The only sherlock mutual i have left and i am very happy to have kept you! 💕 I might have left those days behind me but you know as well as i that sherlock lives in my soul and seeing some sherlock and john love on a daily basis keep me grounded and on top of that are you such a romantic and beautiful human being! 💕💕

@follovver - Tanya 💕 My fellow Swedish ofmd fan! I am very happy to have found you! its nice to be able do discuss it in my mother tongue and i hope we one day can do it live! its to bad we never met when we went to the same uni (or maybe we did but didn't know) Du är fantastisk!! 💕

@wastingyourgum - Al💕(which i always read in my head as artificial intelligence and giggle because it make me feel like you are a robot) My fellow rhys friend. You bring me doses of darby when its most needed and your blog is always on fleek 💕💕

@xray-vex - Xray 💕 100 % one of my funniest mutuals!💕💕 You make hilarious posts that no one else could even dream of coming up with! Always top tier blog content and what more can a girl ask for??💕

@jellybeanium124 - Nina💕 I can not imagine my blog without you! Your posts are always a delight and you are so nice and sweet and funny and incredible (even when you make math mistakes kisses kisses) You bring a honest joy into the fandom that we could not live without! 💕💕

@thunderwingdoomslayer - Nellie 💕 My official rhys darby gif provider who I come to as if i needed a new hit of an illegal substance. I salute you and thank you for your service!💕💕

@forestofsprites - Green my dear 💕You might have gone from ofmd to be the supernatural provider of my dash but that does not stop you from being the kindest forest spirit i know. Your presence is calming in a way i can not explain and i am glad to have you and your love for meg here.💕💕

@cheersmequeers - Kate💕💕 A big puzzle piece to bring my dash together. Always filling it with my favorite gay pirates and i love having you here. Always friendly and full of love.💕💕

@sugashook - Sugaaa💕💕 You know i am in love with your art! Your art is always on top and it bring me back to life every time. I keep the dress i bought from you on the outside of my closet so every morning its the first thing i see and it sets the day right!💕💕 I wear your art on my tshirt to the gym as often as i can hoping to lure in a ofmd fan between the weights but that has not happened yet sadly!! Never stop making your art!! The world would be at loss if that happened 💕💕

@lacefuneral - Jay 💕(should be called YAY because that is what i say when i see a new selfie or fashion post from you) You are a fantastic friend and i love your love for stede and you are always kind and patient in a way that makes me comfortable to ask you questions about something i might not be familiar with. You are forever my moth mutual in my mind 💕💕

@meanmisscharles - Charles 💕 In my head i call you charles but i don't think that is your name but i hope its okay with you! Always friendly and sweet but ready to fight the bullshit the other spread! and such a source for good music recommendations!! 💕💕

@forpiratereasons - Darcy 💕literary no one does it like Darcy! Aways bringing the best ofmd posts to my dash and ensuring i don't miss anything! You are incredible! 💕💕

@blackbeardskneebrace - Miles my dear 💕 You make incredible art both the cute and amazing ofmd art but also the gorgeous historical art you post. Its a pleasure to see you talk about history but also about our beloved gay pirates. Your snoopy ofmd art will live in my heart forever and i think it might be healing me a bit. Maybe even watering my crops and clearing my skin! And those valentine ofmd arts from last year. I am 100 % gonna bring them back this February like beloved decorations you store in the attic. 💕💕💕

@awkward-fallen-angel - Heather 💕 You are one of the sweetest people i have had the pleasure to come across. You bring a big excitement and attention to the things you like and it moves along to everyone near. I mean i have watched long critical role videos just because you spoke so warmly about them and i wanted to know what it meant. I love having you here. 💕💕

@mxmollusca - Mx 💕 (dont know your name so i am just calling you that) I mean you are an incredible writer. I have only managed to read ifwts once because i cried so much that i am scared to open it again because i might just never stop crying. You are creative and funny and absolutely totally normal about rhys darby which in my book is a very good thing to be. And besides that you are a very friendly and nice mutual who is always a pleasure to interact with. 💕💕

@poisonintopositivity - Lilias💕 We have not talked much but we have been mutuals for a very long time and i hope you know that i appreciate you greatly as a mutual and you always but the best posts on my dash!💕💕

@glam-hutchence - Birb 💕💕my dear bird lover! You are a sweet potatoe and i love reading about your love for music and the concerts you go to.💕 Its so nice to take a little part of your life. You are always there for me and i always get happy when i talk to you. You are like a little happy pill! 💕💕

@turtles-on-turts - Turts 💕 Whenever i see a turtle i think about you. Its your brand! You make amazing art! and the ones on canvas always blow me away. 💕💕 Its incredible. You are also so very pretty and i have that picture of you in your depression robe with all the pigeons imprinted in my mind because it such a cute one. You are always very friendly and i love reading your personal posts as well. 💕💕

@vonlipwig - Franky 💕 You bring me lots of normality about rhys darby but these days also a huge bunch of normality about david tennant which i appreciate a lot. You are very nice and i stand by my assesment that you have a very cool aura!💕💕

@haeva - Mar my beloved💕 You bring me my wifes emily and valkyrie and a bunch of amazing posts about everything i can imagine. You are loving and sweet and good at maths which i am always very impressed by. I love being your mutual and doing ask games with you is a pleasure!💕💕

@mykonossalome - Myko💕 When i see moomin i think of you because i know how much you love it. We dont talk as much as i would like but the interactions we have had has meant a lot to me and i love seeing you posting about the things you love! 💕💕

@cottoncandiescupcakes - Cupcake 💕 I love that you are always so excited over our boy the swede and its a pleasure to compare language with you. We can continue fighting if the swede belong to the dutch or the swedes but that is a pleasure!💕💕

@mister-brightside - Andrea my dear💕. Your art is always perfect and whenever i see a picture of izzy giving the middle finger i think about you! Its your brand and its your picture now and no one can change that. You are sweet and caring and a lovely mutual to have. thank you!💕💕

@merryfinches - Kylie 💕 What can i say more than that i ADORE your fanart. The colours the style the softness of it all is exactly what we all need in these times. Every single time it shows up on my dash it makes my heart grows softer and my love grow stronger! I love it so so much. 💕

@ofmd-ann - Ann 💕 You glorious glorious gifmaker! Your gifs are always beautiful and these last days you have saved me with your wrecked edits. As a supplier of rhys darby gifs i love you forever. You are a hero love. 💕💕

@usersukuna - Bia 💕You are a gif magician. Your gifs are perfect and you are also very kind and sweet and i am so glad i can call you a mutual! You light up tumblr like no one else and i am always happy to see you on my dash.💕💕

If you are not in this list it does not mean that i dont love you or have forgotten about you it means that tumblr has put a limit to how many people you can tag which sucks. But if i follow you then it means i love and appreciate you. 💕💕💕 And you know what? We will make it through this hard and trying times of greedy streaming services putting an end to our gay pirates show. I love you all and you know what??

We will make it through as A CREW!

[luci-is-a-bitch-x3x]

Obey me! Brothers with Demon behaviors (part 3??) :

You can find other parts here: part one, part two, part three (u are here), Part four

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Welcome! to another part of this adventure! The characters may not be how you imagine! I apologize for any poor jokes, bad spelling, and terrible grammar. Without further ado, please enjoy the content. ♡

Caution: May contain dark themes or imply towards dark themes. May contain nsfw or it may imply towards nsfw themes.

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☆☆Weather Behaviors☆☆

How does hot weather affect the brothers?

Even though demons can handle weather better than humans, we're talking about a group of man demon babies. The brothers and heat do not mix well. It puts all of them in a sour mood, more fighting takes place during hot seasons, the damage HoL takes during these seasons is insane. Its an all out brawl between the brothers when its hot, the only one safe is Mc, and that's if they don't get caught in the crossfire. Mc's job of keeping the brothers in check is so much harder when its hot in the Devildom, the brothers fighting isn't just confined to HoL like it sometimes is during cold weather. Instead the brothers will fight anywhere, HoL, R.A.D, a random street corner, it doesn't matter if the heat makes them angry enough a fight is breaking out no matter the place. During hot weather the brothers may avoid each other as much as possible, even the clingest of the brothers are not touching anyone other than Mc. Bonding between the brothers during hot seasons is rare but its not impossible. If they go to the beach or get ice cream together, they may bond a little. If they can cool down enough it it will be pretty chill, they'll all actually act like they like each other until they inevitably get hot again.

The brothers may do certain things to cool down that humans can't do. For example they may extend their wings if they have them so that the wind can blow against their wings, it helps cool them down as their wings are a sensitive part of their demon forms. If the brothers have tails depending on the tail they may try and block the sun or heat with their tail, trying to create a small amount of shade for themselves. Other ways they may cool down with their tails is by licking them, the saliva wets the fur and then the wettness gets cool under a breeze. Both of these ways do not work for Levi's tail, Levi's tail is similar to a snakes or a reptiles tail in general. This means that Levi would likely put his tail in places with shade, whether that means under a tree or whether he makes the burrow himself it does matter, as long as his tail is under shade he'll be cooler than he previously was. Other methods of cooling that Mc may find that all brothers do are things like: panting, humans pant occasionally but animals pant often, some animals can't sweat so panting is the next best method. The brothers can sweat, but i feel like some brothers just prefer the panting method when it comes to cooling down. Animals like dogs sweat through glands in their feet, the brothers may have specific places that sweat more than others. Some of the brothers may sweat more than others and some may rarely sweat at all, it really just depends on their demon forms and what animals their demon forms take after. Dogs some times sweat through their noses, which is why you'll occasionally find a pup with a wet nose. Now it might seem weird for a demon to have a wet nose but I can see it happening. Every demon is made to appear different in some way, so not all demons will sweat through their nose, however some will, its an interesting experience.

Places in the Devildom that have water are packed during hot seasons, demons flock to water just like animals. Even demons that you wouldnt think would swim can be found swimming if it gets to hot out. Demons may also do something similar to hibernating, they'd most likely call it "heat naps". If you're sleeping you're not making yourself hot by exercising, so some demons sleep more during hot seasons. These heat naps usually take place under a homemade burrow, just a bunch of pillows and blankets on top of them to try and keep themselves cool. All demons shed more during hot seasons, Mc almost thought the brothers were going balled the first time they experienced it. Demons hair grows and thickens during cold seasons, and when hot seasons come their hair just starts falling out. You know how cats shed? Imagine that but 100x worse, at least some cats have short hair, imagine getting one of these hairs in your mouth. During hot seasons Mc is constantly covered in the brothers hair, give the rollers that clean hair to Mc for christmas to save them some money during hot seasons.

₊ ⊹Affection Behaviors⊹ ₊

How do they behave when being affectionate:

The brothers or just demons in general have plenty ways of showing affection that may seem "animalistic" to Mc, purely because humans dont tend to show affect these ways, it may even sometimes remind Mc of how a pet would act. Some of the acts of affection are commonly done by all the brothers, while other acts are only done by one or two brothers. The brothers have different ways they like to show affection such as; Mammon, Levi, Satan, and Belphie may show or ask for affection by nuzzling their head against Mc. I can see the others doing this at some point, but these are the ones that do it the most. Asmo or Beel may randomly lick Mc to show their affection. The others may do this but its more of teasing manner when they do it. Lucifer shows his vulnerability to Mc, now that may not seem like affection but for this prideful demon it means he trusts and cares for Mc dearly. The other brothers do show valnerability to Mc, but its just different for Lucifer.

Some of the brothers behave almost like a pet dog sometimes. If Mc goes out they may come home to find one brother or multiple brothers waiting at the door for them. I don't see Satan and Lucifer doing this to often, but they will also occasionally be waiting at the door for Mc. Mc gets followed around by the brothers often, just like a dog follows its owner around. The brother doesn't even have to be talking or intereacting with Mc, but if Mc leaves the room then they'll leave the room too. Now again Satan and Lucifer won't be as bad about it as some of the brothers may be Mammon Belphie but the two will still do it sometimes. Imagine Mc gets up and leaves the room and every single brother follows behind them like a dog on a leash. Some of the brothers may even jump in excitement when they see Mc after a long time. Personally I could only see a couple doing this like Mammon, Asmo and maybe Levi. The others may shake in excitement, i can see Levi, Belphie, and Mammon doing this. The rest of the brothers would show their excitment differently so their excitment might not be that obvious. Imagine Mc comes back to HoL after being gone for awhile just to find one of the brothers waiting for them jumping or shaking in excitement before they tackle Mc to the ground. Mammon, Beel, and sometimes Levi like to have their belly rubbed, they'll roll over like a dog and everything. Beel and Mammon like to play, like either play fighting or playing catch. Mammon, Levi, Belphie, and Beel if he doesn't think he'll crush Mc will all sit on Mc's lap no matter how short or tall Mc is. Beel, Mammon, Levi and sometimes Belphie will lay their head on Mc's knee or hand in attempts to get Mc's attention.

Some of the brothers behave more like a pet cat, for example Belphie, Satan, and Lucifer all do the slow eye blink. If Asmo, Lucifer, Satan, or Belphie exposes their belly to Mc then their showing their trust and affection. Unlike the other brothers these 4 don't really like having their belly rubbed but Mc may occasionally get away with rubbing their belly. These 4 mostly just do it to show Mc that they trust them and are comfortable being vanurable around them. All the brothers make a purring sound but Lucifer, Satan, and Levi purr the most. Mammon, Satan, and Belphie will head butt Mc affectionately. Literally anywhere, on Mc's arm, Mc's forehead where ever it doesnt matter, just as long as they get Mc's attention. I can see all the brothers giving love bites but Belphie, Satan, Mammon, and Lucifer give them the most. Now I know some people probably don't think Lucifer would bite Mc randomly, but I can see him giving them when its just him and Mc alone. Satan, Belphie, Levi, and Asmo will rub noses with Mc. The other brothers have occasionally rubbed noses with Mc but those 4 do it the most. All the brothers will nuzzle their face against Mc, it doesn't matter where they will anywhere. Belphie, Satan, Asmo and sometimes Lucifer will "paw" at Mc when they want Mc's attention. Some wont say anything they'll just keep rapidly touching Mc's hand or arm until Mc pays attention to them. You know how cats will bring you something they killed? Well I can see this happening it's probably Beel, Mammon, or Belphie that does it. Now the other brothers may bring Mc a token, but they never brought Mc anything dead. The other three just didn't understand that humans don't do that. The brothers that bring regular tokens the most are: Mammon, Satan, Lucifer, and Asmo. Mammon learned his lesson like a smart boy and hasn't brought Mc anything dead since the first time.

The brothers are really bad about stealing things that smell like Mc so they can lay on them. All the brothers have done it at least once but the ones that are the worst about it are: Mammon, Belphie, and Levi. If Mc goes away to long they'll come back to everything that smelled like them being missing. Mc will have to go door to door to collect their belongings back, and some brothers may even fight Mc over keeping the items. All of the brothers are territorial over Mc in an affectionate way of "thats my human don't mess with them". If the brothers let Mc groom them then it means they trust them, this really matters for brothers like: Asmo and Lucifer. Those two really have to trust Mc to let Mc alter or mess with their apperance, even if Mc is just trying to help and clean them up.

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Thats all for now babes! I don't know how this got to where it is but I hope you enjoyed!! ♡ This is not proofread. Feel free to comment or reblog any thoughts or any add ons you have! Betcha didn't see another one of these coming! I did a little research for this one, so hopefully its good! Anyways I have more content coming soon so Stay Tuned! Stay Safe! & Stay Cool Shawty!

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⟡˙⋆Masterlist⋆˙⟡

[bunnypeew]

Under star-lit skies - Moon/Sun x reader part 1

Okay so I started writing this cuz my obsession for Sun and Moon came back since I keep getting posts and fanart of them so here is the first part of the fanfic you can read it on Ao3 linked in my bio :3c

it was one of those days, one where you and your class had to go to a stupid location outside of town. You weren’t eager about it since you preferred being closed in the confinement of your dorm room, but an outing was necessary even for you. You got up from your bed unwillingly and started getting dressed, some sweatpants a t-shirt and a hoodie on top, was pretty easygoing and comfortable for a day out.

you weren’t sure where you were going until it came into focus, the Freddy Fazbear Pizzaplex for some reason you weren’t going to question it since your school did choose some random places all the time, not caring if it’s educational or not, but you guessed it was because of the way the pizzaplex was built, could be really interesting or maybe how the animatronics worked. You all went into the pizzaplex being greeted by some basic-looking bots holding maps

“Take a map, take a map,,

you take one and look the other way a little creeped out, you hope those poor things weren’t sentient like the bigger ones otherwise this would’ve been fucked up. The tour starts then, going around the entire pizzaplex from Gator golf to Roxy raceway, it was pleasant meeting the big animatronics in charge of entertainment. Roxy, in charge of Roxy Raceway, was a wolf animatronic with long grey hair and a puff of green in the front, while Gator Golf was attended by Monty, an alligator-like animatronic with icon star-shaped sunglasses, he was pretty cool. Then you arrived at the star of the gang Freddy Fazbear himself, he was a nice bear animatronic with a little top hat on his head and an iconic earring on his left ear. He waved at everyone with a happy smile on his face, you waved back catching his attention, noticing you he winked at you also doing finger guns, you smiled and blushed a little bit at that (blushing over an animatronic? Are you okay??)

You then arrived at your last stop, the Superstar Daycare. It was a place full of kids, also full of toys and arts&crafts stuff (of course like the name said it was a daycare) but something caught your eye, the animatronic that was attending the children, it was a jester-like robot with a sun for a head that could spin around when it wanted to

“Hello everyone! I am Sun! the daycare attendant I hope you guys had a lovely tour so far!,,

he says lively his rays on his head spinning around happily, Sun huh? (ironic isn’t it) You were fascinated by him, he was really, pretty? I guess you could call him pretty.

When you got back to your dorm you picked up your laptop right away and started doing research on Fazbear Entertainment, finding a lot of weird stuff about some lawsuits and shit like that, you didn’t care you went on to look if the pizzaplex out of town was looking for a job, you really needed one and that was a big place so maybe they did need some human personal, you were also hoping you’d get to work near or in the daycare, you wanted to know more about Sun. Thinking about that you looked up the Superstar Daycare for some more information and found yet another lawsuit about the daycare this time, you read through it.

“my son was traumatised by your stupid daycare attendant and can’t sleep with the lights off anymore, whatever that thing did to him. You should decommission it right away it is not safe for children,,

you scrunch up your nose at that, because there is no way this person was talking about Sun seemed like a nice guy! So you did more research finding out the animatronic they were talking about was not Sun, but an animatronic called Moon, he was the nap time attendant and apparently, they were two separate animatronics, which intrigued you even more.

Doing even more research you find out they were actually looking to hire someone, it didn't say in which position but you weren't one to complain about stuff like that so you wrote an email and sent it, you weren't expecting a reply right away so you decided to go to bed.

It was dark, and something was bothering you but you couldn't put your finger on it, you found yourself in a jungle gym of some sort crumbled up like a pretzel, you started moving in front of you or what you thought was in front of you, while moving you could hear some sort of music, like a soft melody getting closer and closer until it stopped, you stopped as well, looking around now trying to understand where you were.

clang.

clang.

clang.

BOOM.

You wake up in your bed full of sweat and your heart beating super fast, you get your phone from your nightstand only to see it is 2 am, you definitely can't sleep after this weird ass nightmare you just add so you decide to start scrolling through social media. Before you get the chance to do that tho you get a notification from your emails, saying that Fazbear Entertainment sent a reply to your email, accepting your application!

You get up to do a little victory dance happy for it to begin.

tomorrow is another day.

this is how they will look in the fanfic since they are separate animatronics here the one in the middle is my persona ignore them I insert myself in every fandom I go in lol!!

[tragedybunny]

To Make You Feel My Love - Chapter 3 of 3

༺Summary༻

Astarion and Serafina continue to pursue their relationship as the confrontation with Cazador looms, and then during the fallout afterward. A couple of chapters that explore their deepening bond and their struggle to build "something real".

༺Pairing༻ Astarion x Serafina (Female Tav/OC)

༺Warnings༻ Angst, Hurt / Comfort, Fluff / Smut.

༺Word Count༻ 2557

༺A/N༻ Thanks to @icybluepenguin - supporter of ear shenanigans and partner in crime (beta). Also this chapter surprised me and became smutty

Read on AO3

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

“Astarion,” Serafina called, glancing around the group's room at the Elfsong, and sighed. 

With Cazador dead, Astarion was revelling in his second chance at life, or unlife as it were. Sera was happy for his happiness, and for the fact that it included her, but he was more distractible and impulsive as well. It made it hard to keep him in one place, especially when he didn't have any particular task.  

Today Sera and Karlach had gone to see Dammon to trade off what they had looted from Bhaal temple. The thought of the place filled her nostrils with the fetid scent of rotted gore, but the loot traded for coin all the same. Now they were back and her darling vampire was nowhere to be found in the Elfsong. 

Karlach was occupied dumping the coin they’d made and items Dammon hadn't been interested in back into the large chest they had found early in their journey. Karlach hadn't needed the help carrying things; Sera had gone with her because despite her hopes, it felt like her friend's days were dwindling, and she wanted as much time as she could with her. Karlach, the unexpected kindness in the wilderness, soft heart in a devil's visage. Shadowheart's tales of dark cloisters and cold maternal figures had given her and the cleric immediate understanding that grew their bond, sisterhood in the shadows; Wyll was her hope; Lae'zel her strength; Gale her perseverance,  but it was the fierce tiefling that had given her a sense of warmth and even a bit of excitement about their journey. Astarion, well… Astarion had started as a necessary evil, someone who would act with ruthless efficiency if they should need it. Now…

“Fangs is probably up on the roof cat-napping on the sun,” Karlach interrupted her thoughts. She smiled as she stood back up from the trunk. “Right where he was yesterday. I think he’s making a habit of it, spoiling himself a bit,” she teased.

The words caused Sera to recall the sight of Astarion, kneeling on the floor of the Cazador’s dungeon, covered in blood, sobbing away the pain of centuries. “I suppose we can let him spoil himself a little.” She followed her words with a hesitant smile, not wanting Karlach to think she was angry at her. 

A hand came to rest on her shoulder and she looked up into those fiery eyes. “He absolutely deserves it,” she said, with all solemnity. Astarion would protest it, but Karlach was one of his first, fast friends among the group, and she’d been fighting for him almost as hard as Sera and Astarion himself. “Now go find him before he starts complaining you kept him waiting.”

As she climbed the ladder up to the rooftop of the Elfong, Sera was greeted by the unexpected sound of voices. Voices that were in fact familiar to her. Pausing before she emerged, she listened for a moment, making sure she wasn’t interrupting something personal. 

“Stop prevaricating, Wyll, and tell me which you like best!” Astarion was clearly agitated. 

“They all have their merits, my friend, but is this really the thing we should be worrying about at this moment?” Wyll spoke in a tone like one trying to reason with an ill-tempered cat; very fitting, she would admit.

“Of course it is! This may well determine my whole life after we take on this brain.”

Normally, she wouldn't consider intruding further, but when the man she loved was talking about the rest of his life, it felt like the conversation was relevant to her. Sera poked her head out of the hatch and glanced around. 

Wyll and Astarion were staring down at a table, facing away from her, the rays of the setting sun illuminating them and making Astarion almost seem to glow with an ethereal light. The two seemed to be studying something. Silently, she took the last step up onto the roof. 

“They’re all fine ideas, but wouldn’t a nice dinner here suffice, and make the least amount of distraction?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be a romantic, Wyll? Does the least amount of effort sound romantic to you? And in case you’ve forgotten, I don’t eat, so that will be a long, awkward evening,” Astarion snarled, and Sera thought maybe it was time to intervene in… whatever it was that was going on.

“Why is this so important now? It really can't wait?” Wyll continued with a patience that was nearly godlike.

“Of course not! I need to show I'm capable of this relationship, before these worms are out of our heads.” Astarion’s posture drooped, and Sera started toward him without thinking about it. “If I wait until after, she might rethink things; decide she wants something normal without the looming possibility of ceramorphosis.”

He really didn't understand yet. 

Thanks to his distraction, Sera managed to creep up behind him. “Love, if I wanted something normal, I would never have gone off into the woods with a vampire in the middle of the night.” 

Astarion stiffened and Wyll glanced behind his shoulder, giving a little snort laugh at her words. Astarion’s elbow met his ribs sharply and he glowered at their friend. 

“You know, I think it’s time for me to head downstairs,” Wyll said, cheerily, giving Sera a wave as walked away. “Wouldn’t want to keep Karlach waiting.”

“By all means,” Astarion turned to address Wyll’s back. “And thanks for all the help.” His voice was laced with faux sweetness. 

Wyll laughed again before vanishing below. 

When he was out of sight, Sera turned her attention to her uneasy lover, eyes glancing down at that paper strewn over the table. Phrases caught her eye, “bathhouse,” “stargazing,” that would be what the romance talk had been about. 

Astarion gazed down at her with a sheepish expression. Once he might have gotten defensive, but he’d come a long way. There was the slightest bit of pink coloring his cheeks, proof of his recent well-fed status. 

“Astarion…” she started.

“Sera, I-”

“Sit.” She gestured to the chair waiting behind him. 

He huffed but complied and Sera followed after, clambering into his lap, skirt riding up to her thighs, legs around his waist, hips settling against his, intimate. She was confident now he’d tell her if he didn’t want the closeness, the physicality. Instead, his arms came around her waist, tugging her closer, and his head rested on her chest. 

“What’s all this about?” One hand stroked through his hair, the other made small circles on his back. 

His first answer was a sigh and she kissed the top of his head. 

“We can stay like this all night until you talk.”

“Mmm, that is a terrible threat. How will I ever cope with such torture.” He nuzzled harder against her chest. 

Then he fell into that uncanny stillness he was capable of, no longer attempting to feign the qualities of the living; he was still as death. Sera didn't speak for a few minutes, allowing him whatever comfort he was seeking. 

Finally, he made a soft, contented noise.

“What are you doing?” she asked, hands having stilled to simply hold him close. 

“Listening to your heart. It's soothing.” That was new. Or maybe he'd never been comfortable enough to admit it before. 

“Really.”

“The steady rhythm, beating out the declaration that you're alive, and impossibly this close to me, over and over. Gods, that was saccharin.” He added a shaky laugh after his words. 

“It was, you must really be vexed.” She kissed the top of his head, face pressing into silken curls. 

“It's just, Wyll has done all these wonderfully romantic things for Karlach, and, provided we all survive, he'll be an ideal partner. He knows how to have a real relationship. And I -” 

“And you're ridiculous.” Sera heard him grumble in response to her words. “After everything, I'm hardly going to change my mind because we haven't had a conventionally romantic outing. Picnics in the park and candle-lit evenings wouldn't make you something you're not.”

“And I suppose you're happy to just keep rolling in the dirt and living in the dark?” 

“Are you there?”

“You're infuriating.” 

“No, I'm truthful. Now, kiss me you idiot.” 

To emphasize her point, Sera reached down, and tucking a hand under his chin, tilted his face to look up at her. Soft crimson eyes gazed up at her, making her heart flutter. She doubted that they would ever stop doing that to her. 

Astarion eagerly met her halfway, lips fervently seeking hers; the cooling blood in his veins leaving them just slightly warmer than a fresh corpse. His lips parted and Sera's tongue darted between them to tease his. Fingers dug into her sides and Astarion moaned into their kiss. 

Growing hardness pressed against her sex through the thin barrier of her small clothes, and instinctively she rolled her hips over it, tongue still ravaging Astarion’s mouth. They were supposed to be talking out whatever was bothering him, but maybe demonstrating was better. 

Breaking the kiss, she gripped the back of the chair to grind herself roughly against him, drawing out a needy whimper. 

“Sera…” he breathed out in a strangled gasp.

“Shh, let me take care of you.” She guided his hands to her shoulders where they were out of the way, her eyes kept on his to make sure he was comfortable with her taking charge.

Pushing her skirt further up, she reached for the laces to his breeches, deftly tugging them open to free his straining cock, already wet with precum. Fingers wrapped around it, stroking him with his own wetness. “You like that?” 

His eyes had fluttered shut, and he tilted his head back, exposing the elegant lines of his neck. Beautiful beyond words. “Gods, yes, darling, don't stop.” 

His hands remained obediently where she left them, fingers squeezing her shoulder ever so slightly. 

Between her legs, her own arousal was an empty ache but she would fill it soon. “You'll tell me if you don't want something, right?” She stopped her ministrations to give him space to answer. 

In typical Astarion fashion, he huffed, opening his eyes to stare at her indignantly. “Of course I will-” 

“Good boy,” she cut him off, and leaned forward to kiss that tempting neck of his before teasing the flesh between her teeth to suck and nibble at it. 

“Fuck.” His hips bucked up into her stilled hand. 

She loved it when he ran out of elegant words. 

Finding her way back to his lips, she reached between her legs, pulling her smalls to the side, to let the length of him rub along her naked clit, feeling her growing wetness. “See what you do to me, Astarion.”

When he tried to answer, she kissed him again, continuing to move her hips and create the most delicious friction. Moving from his lips, she traced a line of kisses along his jaw to his ear, a sinful idea in her mind. The tip of her tongue darted out to lap at his earlobe and Astarion gasped. Encouraged, she licked along the length of it, ever-so-gently, and Astarion outright whined, rolling his hips under her, obviously trying to thrust inside her waiting heat. 

One hand came up to tangle in his curls, stilling him, but not stopping any of the noises spilling out of him. He seemed to enjoy the rough touch, leaning into it. “Ask me nicely,” she whispered in his ear, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Taking charge was an unexpected turn for her, but not an unpleasant one. 

“Please,” he begged and she tugged his hair again. “Please fuck me.” 

“That’s better,” Sera purred and reached between them to guide him into her slick entrance. 

He sank into her with a moan, and to his credit, his hands still firmly grasped her shoulders. 

“You feel so good inside me,” she praised and felt his cock twitch in response. 

With slow, deliberate movements, she rolled her hips, not giving him much of what he wanted. She returned her attention to his ear, tongue lavishing along the length of it, while bringing her fingers up to stroke along the other one. 

It seemed like Astarion was going to say something but all that came out was a noise that sounded like, “mmgggn.” 

Gently, gauging his reaction, she closed her teeth around the edge of it. He yelped her name, every muscle quivering as though he were fighting the urge to thrust up into her. 

For a moment, she released the flesh she had been teasing and whispered, “You like that, love,” before taking it back between her teeth.

The high pitched whine that answered set her ablaze; thoughts of control spiraling away until there was only instinct and the vampire writhing beneath her. Her hips snapped, fucking herself on him just to hear more of those lovely sounds. She continued to suck and nibble his ear, working her way to the very tip, her other hand drawing circles around the other ear. 

“I… I’m going…” Astarion words were forced out between breathy gasps and whimpers. “Hells.” 

She looked at him, truly looked at him, lost in bliss, so different from their first night together. Had she been so blind, that she couldn't see the facade? She had known something was wrong, but how deeply wrong had eluded her. But here was his real beauty, shining like a star, the beauty of being safe, loved, cherished. It didn’t matter that she didn’t finish, only that he knew his worth to her. 

“Such a good boy, trying to wait. Come for me, love.” 

Astarion lost himself, crying out as she pressed herself tight against him, taking all of him. His head slumped against her shoulder and Sera idly played with his curls. 

“Gods below, what was that?” Astarion’s voice creaked a little, the aftereffect of his particularly vocal performance. 

“I thought showing was better than telling. And it worked, I bet you don’t even remember what you were moping about.” 

“Well, I was worried you would want a more normal relationship but given we’ve been up here fucking in this chair for the whole city to see, I think you might be a little more of a freak than I gave you credit for. I will miss the delusion of having seduced a very proper little noble lady.” He giggled against her neck before kissing it softly, and her heart overflowed with contentment.  

“Says the weirdo who let me believe he was a very suave vampire.” She planted a kiss on his temple. “Shall we go in and get cleaned up? We have a long day…” Her words trailed off as the icy tendrils of fear gripped her heart for a moment and she fought them back. They had started their moves against Gortash but nothing would be gained from breaking now, not when they’d come so far. 

“We do have a long day tomorrow, and our fearless leader needs her rest.” Astarion sat up to look in her eyes, his own brimming with concern and sincerity. “But no matter what happens, I’ll be at your side, my love.” 

Sera knew it was true. She and Astarion were bound to one another - whatever tomorrow would bring, the rest of her life would be spent with him.

@micropoe10  @writingmysanity @mxxny-lupin @azu21

Tag List:

 @tallymonster  @dependsonthedream @sunfire-ancunin 

@bambamwolf87 @fayeriess @lumienyx @lisrelly

@elora-the-slutty-songstress @bhaalbaaby @spacebarbarianweird

@satanicspinosaurus @darlingxdragon @astarionsbeloved

@vixstarria @claryvoyantfray @misscrissfemmefatale @bg3obsessedsideblog @captainaceofspades

@wickedwitchofthewilds @asterordinary @talented-bitch @waking-electric @snowfolly

[xaharadesert]

MC’s Familiar Having a Crush on LI’s Familiar - Headcanon

Arcana Characters (Main 6 + Familiars)

A/N: another poll winner! The request for this one specifically asked for the reactions of the LIs and their familiars, so it doesn’t really fall into “x MC” territory :) also, I’m leaving the species of MC’s familiar purposefully vague, but with the assumption that it’s not the same species as LI’s! Please let me know if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes!

TW: swearing in Lucio’s section

❤️Julian❤️

As a man of science, he has many questions

Are relationships between different species common in the magical world? Does a “crush” indicate that familiars have a similar level of sentience to humans? Is this an innate trait, or something that manifests as a result of magic?

The temptation to launch a scientific investigation is strong in this situation, but he restrains himself

It feels immoral to toy around with love, even if he doesn’t really understand it

However, that means that he’ll be supporting this crush from both the standpoint of a friend and a scientist

🌑Malak🌑

He had never really thought about romance before

Most of his time was spent bothering people and collecting shiny things, and he was content with that life

So finding out that another creature had a crush on him was an odd experience, to say the least

Not to mention that it was someone he already knew, and shared a strong connection with

He thinks he might give it a try. He won’t be sharing his collection of shiny things, though

🧡Portia🧡

Immediately thinks it’s the cutest thing to ever happen

100% supportive, no matter the species difference

Gives your familiar the shovel talk (Pepi is her baby, after all)

Makes all the classic parent jokes about keeping the door open

After making that joke, she sits in silence and contemplates the reality of the relationship, and now also has many questions

Will not be asking them though; might ask Julian about it later

🐈Pepi🐈

Embarrassed by her mother, which is difficult to achieve, given that she is a cat and feels no shame

When she finds out about the crush, she just kind of shrugs it off

It makes sense, after all; she is a cat, and cats are perfect

If the crush seems serious, then she’s willing to reciprocate

Probably would not be the best partner— she prefers to spend her time napping in the sun, so if your familiar is high energy then it might not work out

💛Lucio💛

What the fuck

Like, genuinely, what the fuck

I mean, he’s not really one to judge, given his own weird tastes

But, like, really? How the fuck does that happen?

Thinks his dog(s) can do better than your familiar, and makes this well-known

🐾Mercedes OR Melchior🐾

Makes perfect sense to him— he would fall in love with himself too

Not really interested in reciprocating though: he is a very busy boy

Many squirrels to chase and bones to chew

May pursue a more dedicated friendship, though

And if he’s feeling generous, then he may share one of his toys with your familiar

💚Muriel💚

A bit hesitant at first

He’s a very reserved kind of man, and he really only has Inanna by his side all the time

So he doesn’t know how he feels about losing her to any degree

But if it makes her happy, then he’ll support it

After all, it’s your familiar, and he trusts you

🐺Inanna🐺

Really did not expect that

Immediately rejects the crush, partly out of panic, because she really doesn’t want anything to change

But over time, she realizes she might like something more with your familiar

Eventually, the crush is returned

Mostly, she truly feels comfortable with it when she realizes she will always have Muriel’s support

💙Asra💙

Makes perfect sense to him; he’s loved you for years, so it’s only natural that Faust would form a bond with your familiar as well

He thinks it’s really cute, and encourages them to spend time together

Sometimes jokes with Faust about her “snake charm”

As a bonus, your familiars spending time together means that the two of you can spend more time together as well

Most definitely plans double dates (platonic or romantic)

🐍Faust🐍

Faust had a crush on your familiar before they had a crush on her

So she’s delighted to see it’s returned!

Very enthusiastic about having a partner

If your familiar is larger, then she’s hitching a ride whenever they hang out

Very cuddly for a snake, especially if your familiar gives off body heat

💜Nadia💜

Keeps her thoughts to herself while she tries to understand how exactly your familiar can have a crush on hers

She doesn’t want to judge what she doesn’t understand, so she asks you a few questions about it

Once she gets the gist of it, she’s very supportive, and finds it rather cute

Keeps an eye on Chandra though, since she knows her familiar likes her personal space, and helps to enforce boundaries

Overall thinks it’s harmless fun

🦉Chandra🦉

Eh

She’s not into romance, and let’s your familiar down as easily as she can

Still wants to be friends, but needs her own space

She’s a very solitary creature, and she has no desire to change

Will still occasionally be more affectionate to your familiar when she sees that they’re feeling down

[dehydration-stati0n]

Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji Friendship HCs

Rules Word Count: 0.8k Spoilers: None

Luffy

Great friend but also not💀

Bro will show up uninvited to drag you into something possibly illegal

He’ll take your food too, your not safe

He will always be clinging to you in some way. Like he'll have his arms stretched around you or he'll carry you on his back.

He loves giving you gifts, but he's really bad at it

like he'll give you a box of leaves he thought were cool, or a really long worm he found in Usopp's garden

Sometimes he'll wander into your room and sleep in the room with you.

You'll wake up with him hanging off the end of your bed or snoring on the floor.

If you ever seem stressed or upset, he'll put his strawhat on your head. It's kinda his way of trying to comfort you without being pushy about what's bothering you

You'll pretend to be Zoro and he'll pretend to be Sanji and the two of you will jokingly fight with each other

He'll trade you his goldfish for your Capri Sun

Most things you do are gonna be a competition with him

The two of you tried to start your own band once but Nami said you were being too obnoxious

There's no chance he washes his hands so, for the sake of everyone else, please make sure he's somewhat hygenic

Your hype man

He'll find you before breaking into the fridge. You're the iconic duo Sanji despises

Very spontaneous friendship, it's very common for the two of you to be playing tag or hide n' seek at the worst possible moments on the worst possible islands

Zoro

He'll try to trip you when you walk by

You're one of the few people he wouldn't mind taking a nap with

Would ask if you wanted to work out with him and secretly be really happy if you agreed

He'd share his alcohol with you

You two would do drinking games with each other every other day

The crews gotta somehow separate the two of you and send you to bed cause you're both laughing wa too loud and none of them can get any sleep

I imagine his love language would be acts of service, so he might offer to help you with whatever chore you were assigned that week or just anything in general

He'd push you to be your best self physically and mentally

He would never admit it, but he loves spending time with you

Let's hope you're good with directions, cause the two of you are going to end up lost a lot. The crew eventually just appoints you to keep him from wandering.

You'll have to get a leash for him or something.

He's a very loyal friend and would never dare betray your trust in any way

Throw your trust and abandonment issues out the window cause you aren't getting rid of him anytime soon

He hates physical affection, it just makes him feel kinda uncomfortable

Although if you really needed it, he'd give you a very stiff hug and an awkward pat on the back

One time you were fishing together and you fished up a beer. Zoro now looks forward to fishing.

Sanji

Your confidence will skyrocket after hanging out with him

He'll give you the kindest and most genuine compliments you've ever received, regardless of your gender

Out of these three, he's probably the best to go to for advice

He’ll do whatever you wanna do. He loves talking to you and just spending time with you overall

You know that meme where it’s like “they asked for NO pickles”? That’s him. He’ll be defending you for absolutely everything

He’ll try to give you fashion tips, but it’s 50/50 whether it’s good or bad

Would probably cry if you gave him a gift

I feel like he’d really like watching movies with you. He just strikes me as a movie kinda guy.

He’s physically affectionate but also kinda not (?)

It’s almost as if he holds back on it cause he doesn’t wanna overwhelm you

When you’re out on the town he’ll be your self-appointed bodyguard

He’s gonna love cooking with/for you.

He’d be so excited if you wanted to learn to cook or were just a little interested in it.

Very concerned about your well-being and will constantly make sure you're doing good. He’s ready to solve all your problems even if it's completely out of his control

There’s gonna be a lot of times when the two of you are just hanging out in the kitchen as he gives you random samples of food he wants your opinion on before continuing whatever conversation you were having earlier

Your biggest supporter

You and he would team up to attack Luffy after he steals food from the kitchen

Would probably go to you for advice on how to approach Zoro women, even tho he considers him an expert

Overall, a very positive friendship :)

[takalzuoom]

Hello! I hope you're having a nice day! I wanted to request savanaclaw with a bear beastman s/o? They have a huge appetite, is cuddly, and is almost as lazy as Leona.

Gasp? I’m doing requests again?? ik ik this is really really late, (and this was one of my more recent ones lol)

but there’s no time like the present!

𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐬/𝐨!

𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐚

black bear

Oh god, they’re everywhere, from swamps to desserts, even to fucking jungles. You don't realize how prominent bears are until you research em.  They also come in other colors?? Which is so weird to hear)

As much as I like to say Leona curls up into your bigger stature when you sleep, he doesn't, sorry babes 🤕

But oh my god, bears are adorable, like ah

Also, bears are (obviously) taller than lions… so except for an obvious height difference 🫦

And unfortunately… it's by a lot… Leona is 185cm / 6'0 so you’d be 200cm and 6’3 😺

I don’t make the laws, I only enforce them 😋

People don’t think you're a beast man, yeah I know, crazy right? Mainly because of your short ears and tails (Like how I found out Ruggie had a tail from one of his cards)

And since a lot of people think you won the genetic lottery, they just assume that the rising atmosphere is because you’re so tall and braully 

But Leona knew, oh god he knew the moment you entered Savanahclaw

Anyways, yall are like night and day. I mean, yeah, you're a bit sluggish, and a little slow, more of a gentle giant than a force of nature compared to Leona. Especially with his cold and calculating personality.

Yesh

But it surprisingly goes together??

No, you won't be able to pry Leona out of bed, but he can convince you to join him 😼🤭 (The most he’s ever done is offer you the spot with the most sun, and who are you willing to ignore an offer from the Leona Kingscholar)

Y/n: Leona get up, we gotta go to Trein’s class

Leona: And deal with his not-so-pop quiz, I don't think so. It'd be better for your health to take a nap, with me, in the sun. What’dya say 

Y/n :

If Leona ever loses you- what am I talking about, you're the tallest beast man/student in the school, which he likes- loves to rub in Malleus’ face 

Leona: Bet those horns are trying to concentrate on something 

Malleus: Interesting, cause I believe that ego of yours is compensating for something as well

Ladies ladies, please!

Even though you're more easygoing compared to Leona, you are still a bear beast man

Yes, you are a big cuddle bug and love hanging out with your friends/boyfriend… But my guy, you’re a fucking behemoth. So, unfortunately, you're gonna have some issues, like when people scurry away in fear whenever you're present 

Or dodge your ‘bear hugs’ matrix style because of your natural strength  

But that’s okay! Cause you’ve made it a game out of your friends to play ‘hide and go squeeze!’. They go about their daily life in constant fear of being ‘found’ by you… And boy oh boy do you get excited when you spot one. 

Floyd loves you

Though, there are some.... altercations.. about your reasonings on why you like squeezing the soul out of your friends 

Running full force with a beaming grin on your face with arms wide open, your long legs practically disappearing under you with how fast you were. Your friend's screams of horror echo through the historic buildings of NRC.

Obviously, Leona hears the shrills of your friends. 

He smirks ‘better them than me’

There will be some barriers to take care of. Like Leona’s pride, and his ‘no PDA rule’ …

Bitch 🙄

As previously stated, I would love to write about you encasing Leona in your big beefy arms as you lounge on his bed with the sun warming you both…

I mean you could try, just expect him to get VIOLENT

Or at least do it begrudgingly. 

And thus sparks your mission of getting him used to you

Now having a policy of not 1, not 2, not even3 or 4, but 5! Hugs per day!

And if you don't meet that quota with your friends… well.. 😈 

“Hug me and you’ll regret it” 

You're bound to at least get one hug from him!

Right?

:(

While you are more energetic than Leona; constantly chasing your friends around campus like Michael Meyers, you sometimes spend hours on end just lounging. 

Cause you, unfortunately, have a social battery that requires you to spend hours, and sometimes days alone. When your battery dies, it dies, and you won't budge. 

Becoming lazier than your boyfriend, you’ll just barge into his room, honey pot plushie in arm, and join him in bed. When he tries to wake you up... he can’t, cause you’re out cold

Of course, this had prompted some talks with Leona,  unfortunately for him (fortunately for you) you were in your mood and decided that you didn't care

Tbh, you're like an extremely toned-down Floyd

My guy, he loves you so much, he just doesn’t know how to show it 🥺

I’m lying, he buys you premium food and will dangle it over your head. 

If you aren’t terrorizing your friends or napping, you're munching 😼

Oh, you want that new black pasta with wagyu meatballs? Make Ruggie leave him alone

Ooooh, you want a bag of Doritos? Then deal with Ruggie

OOoooo you want this half-eaten lollipop he found on the field? Skip class and nap 

*double takes*

You are a human vacuum with an enabler

For my obey me fans, think of Beel

If Crewel takes away your emergency snacks, you're just pulling out more, if Trein confiscates those, you're simply pulling a bag of chips from your blazer???

Doesn’t help that your unique magic is honey pot. Allowing you to pull out what you want from any pocket/item you can place things in 

Ruggie: Man I’m starved… 👀

*Y/n pulling out a box of donuts from the trash*: Well I hope you have an appetite 

Y/n : *opens box*

Y/n: For nothing 🫵😼

you end up giving him another box cause you felt bad

You’re in the culinary club, sorry 🫤

Like yeah, you love having fun and physical activities and all… but free food 🤨

Delicious free food

But even if the food isn't all that great, food is food so you can't complain. And since you're the combined size of Riddle and Lilia, you need a lot

And you’re always bringing your food to Savanaclaw where you always feast with Ruggie. Sometimes when you're proud of your latest work, you’ll bring it to Leona to taste test

“Mid” This is the most delicious shit he's ever had-

Fine. If he can’t appreciate it then you’ll just bring it to Ruggie-

Leona: *Pulls out a slice of cake* Then you’ll miss out on dessert

Leona knowing that he got you to stay with him without actually having to put any effort / be vulnerable: 😼

You: 😦

I think that your tone shifts around Leona like with your friends you’re more outgoing. With Leona you’re calmer, not forcing yourself out there to not appear as the big bad bear you're implied to be. 

But just you. 

The good thing about Leona is that he doesn't care who you are (except if you're in Diasomnia) or what status you have in society. Cause if he likes you, he likes you

I think yall are cute, and many people don't see how you guys are even associated, let alone dating. 

𝐑𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐞

Also a black bear!

I know I didn’t go too into detail about your appearance in Leona’s, but let's be real, he'll use it to scare Ruggie / Malleus away

But Ruggie on the other hand….😺

Boy oh boy does he have fun scaring the shit out of people with it (Whilst you -pretend to- remain oblivious to it all)

For example, someone cut Ruggie in line for food, already seeing their grubby hands reach for Leona's lunch.

Ruggie has two options.

 He can of course use his UM 

      2. confront them 

what you didn't know is that there’s a secret third option!

 Work smarter, not harder! Is his motto for a reason. So he doesn't see the harm in having you (temporarily) go in front of him. tap them on the shoulder leering down at them. 

Cleanup on aisle 3🤭

Yeah you're also tall asf

Though something I want to get out of the way is that  male hyenas are more submissive to female hyenas… however

You're a bear, and as far as I'm aware, you're not female 

But you're taller than him, so I think you guys have a pretty equal relationship.

As long as you're happy, he can't complain. And as long as he's happy, you are too. 

The favoritism is awful. 

Like… lawd 🪑🧍🏻

If you cause trouble in the dorm all Ruggie's gonna do is groan, complaining how you're making his job harder than it needs to be

That's it. 

But if it’s someone else, he gets so annoyed, like passive-aggressive towards them for days on end

Like tripping, ignoring, glaring- basically the whole 9 yards. 

And if someone blames you or points out favoritism? 

:)

Leona gets involved cause they’re just causing so much trouble now! Constantly spilling things, causing fights, and bringing down the dorm's average 

Sigh, if only they kept their trap shut, oh well!

The more I think about your and Ruggie’s relationship, the more I think about bees

Ruggie will do anything for you cause you're just so sexy

But, it’s an equal exchange. If he does something for you, you gotta do smthn for him

-Like crush him with your thighs-

Be careful, cause he would do anything you wanted (within his power) only to ask for smthn outlandish, (I’m thinking sexy time stuff)

Okay okay, he’ll ask you to take care of some heavy lifting around to dorm, how you react is up to you cause he’s your sweet whittle bf..

now let's see those muscles -

Fuck you, Ruggie likes em thick

Where he’s from food is scarce, so even now he likes someone with a little meat on their bones. 

Something about the way your tummy peaks through your shirt as your snoozing away just makes him want to bite you

You're taller than him. There's more of you to love!

Ik I’ve been making him thirst the whole time, but that's his doing, not mine. 

He values your quality time together, which isn't very often. 

When all is peaceful within the dorm and Leona isn’t man-babying it up, he's immediately running towards you for an impromptu hang out

Okay, there's something called Ruggie bucks. Hang with me here

The way it started was when he started charging you ‘Ruggie bucks’ for each food run 

Ofc you never heard of that, so you had to pay actual money for them 

He doesn't like to exploit you like that, but you know he loves you for you and not your money and valuables.. right?

Even so, the transactions begun

For every food/errand run, homework completion, and excuse on why you weren't in class, you had to cough it up

Luckily he gave you 50, but now you had to start spending wisely cause you were running low…

“Eh? You don't got enough Ruggie bucks? Hmm, that is a problem…” He thoughtfully said hand scratching his chin as he looked out into the distance 

Before you could even speak, a grin stretched across his face “Well, it seems like I’ve saved enough, and you're now technically indebted to me…so” he drawled out

“So?”

“You have to do something for me”

Oh brother

You groaned, Ruggie’s laugh echoing as your brain wrecked itself for ideas on what Ruggie was planning

“15 Ruggie bucks for 2 hours of cuddle time”

… What?

Ladies n gents, that's how you request affection from your partner without outwardly saying your touch starved, thank you, n' good night!

But honestly, this is a win for you

This is canon, suck my dick

𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤

A polar bear!

Okay- every mc is taller than their boyfriend 🤭

Jack is 192? (6’3?) Sucks cause you’re 205 cm (6’6) 😎

And like how 5’7 seems different on a guy and a girl, but you're still taller

Oh my god. Like Leona yall are night and day. you exude friendliness and Jack exudes emo wolf man. 

I believe that you two met before NRC, not like with Vil but you two were neighbors. 

He and his younger brother (more to come later) were out playing in the snow when he tripped!!

Jack, worried like how a big brother should be quickly went over to help (and to destroy the ice block that harmed his brother >:( 

As Jack was about to reach him, the ice block starts rising, snow trickling off and disappearing into the holes it created in the already snow-laid ground. Jack could no longer see his brother as there was an ice wall in the way. 

Alarm bells rang erractily in Jack’s head as his ears tensed up. He tried running faster, but his legs were too short to run efficiently in the snow 

“Y-“

“Aww you woke me from my nap,” the ice block said

Legs tripping from shock, Jack landed face-first into the snow, his ears twitching from the sudden coldness. 

As he lay there only one thing was running through his mind… ‘did that ice just talk?’

Though they were in a snow pocket, he was able to pick up the sounds of muffled voices.

Yep, it did

Ladies and gentlemen that's how I met your husband

But from then on you wouldn't leave him alone. Constantly there to play with him and his sibling(s) 

At first, it was begrudgingly, or more like he was watching out for his siblings not sure if you were a danger or not. By the looks of your tall, slightly pudgy exterior and white ears, you're a polar bear. He thinks, cause you certainly are lazy 

And that never stopped. Even at NRC

I like to think that you guys aren’t dating yet, but had a mutual pining for each other ever since you were little. 

Wolves mate for life, so when he revealed his crush to his mom at the fine age of 13, she made a huge emphasis to make sure you're the one

So that's what he's been doing, making sure. 

For 3 years… 

Yeah...

Remember how I said Jack was a lone wolf? Well, it’s usually him alone or you trailing behind. The first years joining later on as you two were dragged into the group 

They were fine with Jack, as there were some people around his height in their respective dorms… but you? You were in another ballpark. 3 inches does not seem a lot, but when you're tall every inch counts *cue Epel clenching his fist*

Oh yeah, Epel keeps on staring at you for whatever reason… and Jack does not approve of it and immediately asks if you've noticed it

“Huh? Oh, yeah I have, but I don't mind since he’s kinda cute” you hummed, stretching your arms as you muttered something about an afternoon nap. But Jack didn’t like how easily you said ‘ Epel was cute’.

Jealously jealously

Leaving to ask Epel, you couldn't help the small chuckle leave your lips.

“Oh y/n? Yeah, I really admire them for their strength and for how tall they are…”

Mhmmm

Now Jack may be a little naïve, but he wasn't stupid so he knows nothing's going on between you two and knows Epel wouldn’t try anything (if he wasn't stupid)

Mission success!

Jack tried to keep you happy, cause wolves are and were ahead of the times. Valuing their partners equally no matter who they are

And as long as you're happy, he’s happy. 

You couldn't do anything wrong in his eyes. Come in with mud dripping all over the floor, scratches littering your skin as another, smaller member of savannah claw comes in looking like he just got mauled by a bear

He’ll lightly scowl you while he’s just so passive-aggressive… no. While he's just so aggressive towards the other guy, even if it’s an upper-class man. 

You don’t even have to shed some crocodile tears to get out of trouble. Though when Ruggie comes along, or Leona...

They don’t care, just stop causing trouble. 

If you thought that did anything to improve your relationship with the wolf... you were wrong

Still dancing around each other in a love tango, everyone could tell Jack was getting more and more exhausted, from trying to convince you to join some kind of sports team, to stop napping all the time - and spend time with him :( - or to not miss class

And with you being the oaf you are, just turned around and shooed him away

At least once I see Jack trying to drag you out of bed. Ik ik ooc of him but he was tired of being ignored, plus you had classes to do and as your best friend it was his duty to make sure you were taking advantage of the education you were given (and to make sure he kept his promise to your mom to score mom points!)

So he did the only thing he could, brute force

Let’s say it sounded… quite misleading… and Ruggie wouldn't look him in the eye for a while

But back on track, he would try to get you to join a sports team as you have such ‘raw potential (as Vargas puts it) that it would be a disservice to both you and the school if you didn't. 

Plus he was getting kind of sad seeing Vargas so… depressed

Jack swore he saw his muscles deflate 

But eventually, you did join a club!

The cooking club!…

Okay yeah no you're forced into a sports club cause Vargas was going to deduct points from you

He has you join volleyball! (Sorry guys but I really like volleyball, sue me)

And Jack is a man of honor, so he doesn’t attend any of your games, but at that point, he gets tired of all the whispers around you about your uniform. With the constant bugging from Ace, decided to see what that was all about

He wouldn't lie and say you weren't on the heavier side, after all, you are a polar bear. You can get into all the different things about biology.

But mama mia you were thick and ripped. Sure you a little pudge but that only meant you were well fed and he's glad to see his friends so healthy! 🤭

Just image Jack twitching/ scowling every time he calls you a friend

But he ends up going to your game and enjoys it! you play middle blocker and you're just stopping these skinny white boys with ease. It’s hilarious. Had a proud smirk every time you would block a spike, or hell, even spike the ball so hard he swore it made an indent 

He was wondering if you even broke a sweat

But by the end you run over and gladly encase him in a hug 🤭 His face may be scowling, but his tail is wagging - which he hopes you don't see- 

You both leave together, going to Sam's shop for a cute little snack. Though Jack followed you rather than stood next to you to make sure no creeps would peep

Respectful king

Some part of me thinks Jack likes things the way they are, not wanting to ruin your relationship

But he can't stop the way he stares at the back of your head silently when you're talking so animated about volleyball (you didn't even want to take part of) 

He wouldn't admit it to himself, but he would gladly listen to you babble about your hobbies, interests, and thoughts any day of the week. 

Though, he could hear your chatters turn to mush as you spun around, your signature aloof grin on your face as you stared at him

“You should join the team!”

Now that stopped him in his tracks. And like Christmas morning everything erupted to sound again

“…Huh?”

“The volleyball team! You’d be amazing at it! You’re tall, fast, smart, and importantly: strong” you agreed with yourself. 

“Plus” 

 Like a snake, you slithered, arms around his shoulders as you pressed against his back

“We could spend more time together”

He stiffened, ears and tail at alert as he knew you could feel his rapid heart pound against his rib cage. 

“Can’t” was all he could muster out, breaking from your evil clutches

“ ‘M already a part of the track and field club”

He turned to face your pouting face

“And besides” he smirked “I’d rather watch you”

I know this was more of a best friend kind of thing rather than relationship headcanons, but suck my dick 🫵😶

i feel like this whole post was just ooc stuff 

[ghostofskywalker]

Congrats on the followers!!!!! I love your work! No pressure to write anything. I'd love to make a request to participate in your celebration but I honestly can't think of one right now.

Surprise me! Only if you feel up to it and have time. <3 thanks for all the sweet and amazing content you put out!!!

Congrats again <3

you are so lovely, thank you so much!! here is a little bit of echo fluff for you :)

words: 1,427

summary: It's clear that you and echo have feelings for each other, but it takes the meddling of the bad batch's sniper for you to actually do something about it.

clone troopers masterlist || join my 3k celebration!!

Daydreams and Jealousy

Three suns gleamed high in the sky as the Bad Batch took a much needed vacation day from the rest of the galaxy. There was a priceless treasure for one of Cid’s clients hidden away in the hull of the Marauder, but the whole operation had taken less than a rotation when they had been given four, so it seemed that a pit stop was in order. 

Crosshair took in the sights of the unfamiliar planet as he stepped off the ramp. Previously he had been content to stay in his bunk all day while the others did whatever they wanted, but the stale smell of the ship had become too much (one would think they would clean more with Omega on board, but it never turned out that way). 

Wrecker was currently playing with a small group of  loth-cats, laughing loudly as the animals ran circles around him. Tech was watching the scene unfold with great interest, occasionally tossing out facts about the life cycles and mating practices of the felines, even though Wrecker wasn’t really listening.

You and Omega were curled up together under a tree, snoozing quietly. Omega’s head had fallen onto your chest and your arms were around her, both of you breathing steadily as you napped. There was a datapad sitting on the ground next to where your hand had come to rest, so Crosshair guessed that you had been reading to the young girl before the two of you had fallen asleep. The hard bark of the tree didn’t look too comfortable in his opinion, but for the last few weeks it felt like everyone had been running non stop, so he understood the tendency to fall asleep anywhere. 

He walked over to Hunter and sat down next to him. It hadn’t been that long since he had left with his brothers instead of returning to the Empire, and while he didn’t feel as though they resented him for the choices he made while under the influence of the inhibitor chip, his relationship with Hunter was the slowest to repair. However, just the other day, Hunter had teased Crosshair over something silly, and the sniper hoped that it meant things were truly looking up. “You finally left the cave to get some fresh air, huh?” 

“Yeah, I figured I’d come join the fun out here.” 

“That’s good, or I would have sent Omega in there to come get you.” 

Crosshair smiled. “I don’t think she would have done that.” 

“I don’t know, even though Tech says I’m her favorite, I think she likes all of us equally,” Hunter said. “Even you.” 

“I’m surprised you’re not a little jealous right now,” Crosshair said. 

His brother looked confused. “What do you mean?” 

“Well, you’re not the one cuddling with her, are you?” Crosshair responded, nodding over to where you and Omega were still fast asleep. “She may have a new favorite after today.” 

Hunter playfully rolled his eyes before responding. “If you’re looking for jealousy, maybe you should talk to Echo. I think he’s feeling a little envious of Omega right now.”

Both men turned their gaze over to Echo, who was sitting out of earshot of their conversation. He was attempting to read something on his datapad, but his gaze kept flickering over to where you were asleep against the tree. Crosshair turned to Hunter. “He really is lovesick, huh?” 

“Yeah,” Hunter said. “And it’s a little embarrassing because she’s also in love with him, he’s just too blind to see it.” 

Crosshair just nodded, his mind mulling over the details and wondering how easy it would be to get you and Echo to confess to each other. He needed some entertainment on this damn ship anyway. 

***

A few weeks later, you found yourself tossing and turning in your bunk. Why was it so kriffing cold in here all of a sudden? You knew hyperspace travel wasn’t exactly like vacationing on Scarif, but the ship was supposed to be equipped with a heating system to combat that. 

You sighed as you realized it was probably the heating system that went offline or malfunctioned, and you would be stuck like this until the next morning, when Tech could take a look at everything. Jealous of everyone else (for being able to stay asleep through all this), you tossed and turned a little more, and you were so lost in thought that you almost didn’t hear your name being softly called. 

Immediately terrified that you had accidentally woken someone up, you looked out to see Echo sitting up in his bunk, a single blanket wrapped around him. “Did I wake you?” you asked softly.

He shook his head. “No, I just saw that you were awake and wanted to know if you knew what was wrong.”

“My guess is that it’s something with the heating system,” you asked. “But that means we’ll be stuck freezing until Tech can take a look at it.” 

“I thought we had some extra blankets lying around here,” Echo said as he got off his bunk and looked around. With the way the rest of the batch was asleep and he couldn’t turn on the light, it didn’t look like a very fruitful search. “Wait! I found one!” 

A smile spread across your face when Echo brought the prize into view, but soon you were faced with a new predicament. “Which one of us gets the blanket?” you asked. 

“I’ll see if I can find another one,” Echo said, but after a few more minutes of rifling through the various storage areas of the ship, he came up with nothing. 

“You found the blanket, you keep it,” you said, not wanting him to feel like he had to give up the blanket for you. “I’ll be fine for the night.”  

“No, I couldn't do that,” he said. “You should take the blanket.” 

“No, that’s not fair.” 

“I couldn’t let you freeze to death.” 

Taking a deep breath, you offered up another solution. “What if we shared it?” When he stared at you like a startled tooka, you elaborated. “We can share my bunk for the night. Between the one blanket we each have and the extra you found, it should be enough to keep us warm.”

“Are you sure you’re okay with that?” Echo asked. “My prosthetics can’t exactly be the most comfortable things to sleep next to.” 

“Echo, it’s fine,” you said. “Cuddling up to you will always be better than freezing all night.” You almost wished you could take those words back as you said them, not because you didn’t think they were true, but because you weren’t sure if he had planned on snuggling up together and you didn’t want to scare him off. 

But thankfully, your statement was well received by him, and he nodded. Once the blankets were stacked up on your bunk, Echo slipped into bed beside you, and you couldn’t help but smile. He still ran warmer than you did, and the feeling of that warmth, plus the blankets you had on top of you far outweighed any chill you received from touching his prosthetics. 

Instinctively, you found yourself curling up against him, leaning your head against his shoulder. “Is this okay?” you asked quietly. “I don’t want-”

“Mesh’la,” Echo cut you off. “It’s more than okay.” 

You just nodded, already feeling your eyes grow heavier. The feeling of falling asleep next to him was one that you had only ever dreamed of, and now you were getting to experience it (if only because the heating was broken). “What does that mean?” you asked sleepily. 

“Mesh’la?” Echo asked, and you nodded. “It means beautiful.”

“You think I’m beautiful?” 

“Of course,” he responded. “And I’ve been trying to pull together the courage to make a move on you, I guess it was the heating system that finally got me to do something.” 

“I think you’re amazing,” you said. “And I’d really like this sleeping arrangement to continue even after the heating is fixed.” 

Echo laughed as he leaned down to place a kiss on your head. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I want to stay like this too.”

The two of you fell asleep not long after, curled in each other’s arms. 

And the next morning, when Crosshair returned from the cockpit and went to catch some sleep, he just smiled when he saw you and Echo all cuddled up together. Hunter now owed him some credits, and hopefully Tech doesn’t realize that it was him that was tampering with the ship’s heating system.

- the end - 

i no longer have a taglist! if you're interested in being notified when i post, you can follow my library blog @ghostofskywalker-library and turn on notifications!

[educating-bimbos]

The Pinned Post 2

new pinned post because tumblr hid my old one from my view so I can't see, edit it, or reblog it to add an addendum. I only have a few things to add, so I am just going to copy and paste it.

Who is Educating Bimbos?

My name is Nicolette. I am a technical artist, musician, and an outdoorsy type of gal. I enjoy the finer things in life, and I fancy myself a traditional woman and a bimbo. I don't really enjoy mindlessly obsessing over labels, but if it helps people gauge where my brain is at, I am pro-patriarchy, in favor of traditional gender roles and dynamics, an ex-feminist, and before all else a believer in one's ability to exercise personal freedoms. My beliefs, mannerisms, and presentation attract the ire of feminists, born-again-religious types, and any number of anti-fun douchebags. At the end of the day, just remember that behind this silly blog is a silly person.

What is Educating Bimbos?

It is a blog and small community of bimbos looking to learn more about and express a traditional lifestyle. It is also about people who may not be familiar with or comfortable around things like BDSM get a nice and soft introduction to it without being exposed immediately to the idea of how people can enjoy things in a pseudo-sexual context. At the end of the day, it is a blog and community where I and other like-minded people can express silly ideas without the fear of being lambasted by people seeking to harm others.

Where is Educating Bimbos?

Educating Bimbos can be found in one of these two places.

Why is Educating Bimbos?

Well for a while I was annoyed by the lack of communities that focused on a kind of "hyper-feminine" aesthetic while also promoting more traditional ideas. There was also the issue of communities that have tried this before of devolving into bigoted and abusive communities that would do everything under the sun to create an insular and ToS breaking community. I spoke with a friend of mine who runs a similar community a while ago and she inspired me to give this a shot. Now - close to 3 years later - I have a steadily growing community that pulls from all corners of ideology, cultural, ethnic, and interest level and the discord has been almost completely drama-free in its whole existence.

When is Educating Bimbos?

I am alive and doing silly stuff all day, every day. Except when it is nap time in which case I will be in the realm of dreams.

What's an ex-lesbian and why do you call yourself that?

For a number of very personal reasons, I have decided to call myself an ex-lesbian. I did this of my own volition, and I was not pressured into doing so. For a long time, I had thought of myself as a lesbian, mostly because of socialization and how all the girls around me were so might as well follow suit. I experienced a number of harmful and traumatic events when I considered myself a lesbian and it effected how I view myself. After a while and talking to some friends who I trust dearly, I came to the realization that I am not a lesbian and that it really isn't a thing I identify with the same way others do. I am still trying to come to grips with that given I only relatively recently had that realization. I also feel that people use that term in bad faith to harm people and to push bad narratives and ideas so I thought "hey might as well try and take back what should be an innocuous phrase."

In short, I think an ex-lesbian is just a way of identifying one's sexuality similar to asexuality or demisexuality. It is not that I am one sexuality or another, it's that my sexuality is defined by my experience and coming of age.

I have had a number of people confront me about this, talk to me about it in sincere curiosity, and even attack me. I welcome anyone who is curious or has a genuine contention to come to me in DMs, I am not a mean person, and I will love to talk honestly and respectfully. I find that disagreement is not grounds to discredit or avoid befriending people, I hope you can do the same.

Further questions for Educating Bimbos?

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[kazuichii]

OK so I noticed something bout Sun and Moon in Ruin, I haven't seen people really talk about.

In the game you have this Vanny mask that you use to go through objects and such to pass by faster. The Vanny mask is a mystery itself, but that's not really important right now. What is important about the relation between the Vanny mask and Sun and Moon is that Sun might actually be trapped in the Vanny system.

There are some examples of this.

When Sun first speaks to you, you are in the mask. When you get closer to them, when the generators are not on, it shows Moon but if you do have the mask on, you see Sun and it is safer to get to him. You don't get jumpscared. Sun also only sings his song, if you have the mask on. He also says something interesting in the song that made me think about this in the first place. "the googly eyes just stare" when you have the Vanny mask on, you see a lot of eyes across the Pizzaplex, Cassie even makes a comment on it, that it's gross. You could argue that Sun made mentions about googly eyes before, but then why would he make a comment about the eyes starring at him? He also stops singing if you take the mask off. Gregory doesn't stop talking if you take the mask on and off.

Another thing is their room. When the mask isn't on, it's a mess, when it is on however it's neat and tidy and the room has more images of things the kids drew. Th overall vibe of the room is friendlier and organized.

So was Sun in the Vanny system while he was in permanent "nap time"?

[karmicpunishment]

atsushi (like me as a kid tbh) would just absolutely devour books. he fully taught himself to read beyond being taught the alphabet and since then he would be reading books like normal people breathe.

whenever he wasn’t locked in the basement, doing chores or otherwise facing the Horrors™️, he could be found hiding between the shelves in the library.

still, his options of books were pretty limited to whatever the orphanage had stocked or whatever would be donated throughout the years.

so when he joined the agency and had both a house and a stable income, he had the realization that he could read anything now. he could buy books and keep them. he could go to the library and rent whatever he wanted. he could read anything and everything and he was going to do it.

from romance to mystery, graphic novels to textbooks, he wanted to try it. used book stores are his new favorite thing (next to chazuke and napping in the sun with a friend)

/

the agency are semi-aware of this hobby of his, he can be commonly found with a book wherever he is.

they didn’t expect the odd knowledge that would come from it though.

atsushis just soaking up all his book knowledge like a sponge and surprising the others.

/

he bonds with yosano with an interest in medical care, and a lot of the science behind it. she recommends some of her favorite textbooks, journals and papers on the topics and give him some lessons in first aid.

he’s so eager to learn it all and yosano can admit it was nice to have an occasional assistant in her office.

/

ranpo often leaves poes books and manuscripts around the office after he’s read them for others to read and the first time atsushi finds them he’s immediately enamored with them. they certainly didn’t carry murder mysteries at the orphanage and he finds both really interesting and good practice for his continued job as a detective.

the next time poe visits the office he’s almost bowled over by atsushi, eager to talk to him about his stories. they have a great conversation (once poe gets through his flustered stammering) and meet up semi-regularly for more conversations like it.

/

kenji is overjoyed to talk to him about farming books and the techniques discussed and to help him get started with a windowsill garden for his dorm.

/

he just quotes poetry at akutagawa and he definitely doesn’t get flustered by it. (the first time be does he nearly skewers him on the spot out of surprise)

/

idk just atsushi being genuinely smart (like he is) and enjoying the freedom of being outside of the orphanage to take his life in his hands to enjoy what he likes.

also atsushi taking the time to get involved in his friends interests to show some of his appreciation for them (as well as to help find his own interests he was never able to find before)

[hanafubukki]

Empath: Savanaclaw Ver.

Summary: As an Empath, MC tried her best to comfort her boys.

Characters: Savanaclaw boys & Female Reader

Notes: Wrote this one when I was feeling stressed awhile ago and also when I was thinking about emotions and how some of these NRC boys just...keep them in and well, you’ll see. (Also, Hello! I’m Back! Well, I never left but its one of those, many ideas in head, some get written some do not, some finished and some not.. so yeah lol though I’ve been writing theories and drabbles more so...it’s not like I haven't been writing...I’m rambling again whoops).

Empath Series: Heartslabyul, Scarabia 

·      It would be so difficult for an empath YN to deal with these boys.

·      She would not only have to deal with the chaos these boys brought to her life every day, but also the overblots.

·      She would notice those who are having trouble the most and try to help them out, but let’s be honest, getting these boys to talk about their feelings is like pulling teeth, unless you’re Sebek.

·      YN would be so tired, especially when having to feel all these emotions.

·      But think about it,

·      Once these boys do open up and get closer to YN.

·      They would be so grateful and treasure her.

·      Especially if they realize that she’s been trying to help them from the beginning.

Leona Kingscholar

·      For YN, Leona brought mixed feelings.

·      His constant fatigue and seeking naps had her wanting to sleep next to him.

·      Just lying next to him in the warm sun under the shade of the trees.

·      Just like a cat.

·      YN wouldn’t say that out loud, though.

·      There were times, though, that YN felt it.

·      The slowness, the heaviness, and the lack of interest in anything.

·      YN knew what that meant; Leona’s own darkness must have been especially hard on those days.

·      YN would have to force herself out of bed, as if she was moving against sludge.

·      On those days, YN would try her best to make him feel better.

·      She would help Ruggie make his favorites or make sure no one disturbed his sleep.

·      Sometimes, she would get the whole dorm to annoy him: play extra games of Magift, pull him out of his garden for other activities, and compliment his pride a little.

·      His irritation would show, but gradually, the darkness would ebb away.

·      He would smirk as if he was the king, and he was, wasn’t he?

·      King of His Pack.

·      YN would shake her head and comment back as he made comments at her, but she was happy to see him shine.

Ruggie Bucchi:

·      Ruggie Bucchi always made YN…hungry.

·      Hungry for food was a given, but it also made her hunger for everything else too.

·      To do her best.

·      To be determined.

·      To prosper.

·      It gave her a ticklish feeling almost.

·      Sometimes, YN wanted to force Ruggie to stop and make him sit.

·      To take a break.

·      But she knew better, so she chose to use the energy he gave in other ways.

·      She used it on her schoolwork, to wrangle the first years, and to find Ruggie to feed him snacks.

·      The hints of anxiety from him, of not doing enough, or perpetual fatigue would be drained away once he sat down and was offered a meal.

·      After all, you had to care of yourself first before you did others.

Jack Howl

·      Jack Howl was the beastman to go to when YN needed determination.

·      His constant sense of stability and routine brought YN a sense of order when everything else at NRC was chaotic.

·      It was also kind of…fascinating to feel the motions of a tsundere.

·      There were other signs, but knowing the subtle change in emotions with him at times made her aware of how deeply he felt despite not showing it.

·      Jack Howl is someone YN could depend on.

·      He might have not initially wanted to join their medley group of miscreants, but he fit in like a jigsaw puzzle.

·      YN could even go as far as to say he probably thought of them as a pact

Savanaclaw was a dorm YN did not have a great start with, but in time, it was a dorm filled with friends.

I really missed writing for this series honestly. Hope everyone enjoyed it. 💕

Tag List: @justeclem44​ @coraldelusiondaze​n @h0n3ysgh0st​ @thatdazaikin​ 

[idyllic-affections]

yayyy, so how do you think nilou would take care of a little sibling reader? im the eldest of two so i kinda wanna know what’s like to be youngest- plus i love nilou smm, platonically ofc.

she gets a lot of flack and hate and for what? a ship? 😭 shes literally the sweetest character to ever exist in this fandom </3

nilou as a big sister.

summary. what would nilou be like as a big sister?

trigger & content warnings. none applicable.

tropes, pairings, fic length, & other notes. fluff. nilou & younger sibling!reader. 0.4k words. they/them pronouns for reader.

author's thoughts. FR i dont understand nilou hate?!?!?!? shes so earnestly sweet. i can't understand why people would hate her when she's done nothing wrong!!! as the youngest of two i will do my best to provide you the Younger Sibling Experience 💪

nilou is a very kind and easygoing older sister. she's the kind of person that encourages them to work hard, but is also equally encouraging when it comes to them needing a break.

i feel like she would always validate her sibling's emotions. oh? they're upset but really aren't sure why? well, that's okay. even she feels like that sometimes. maybe that just means it's time to rest.

she would love to take a lil nap with her sibling underneath the sun.

she's 100% the therapist sister.

she'll always find the time to listen to her sibling vent their frustrations. she may offer solutions if that's what they want, or if they just need someone to listen, she'll nod along as they talk, wordlessly letting them know that she is payint attention.

she also has all the patience needed to teach her baby sibling methods to manage their emotions.

speaking of emotions, nilou always encourages her sibling to express them! she never wants them to suppress or bottle up their feelings. it isn't healthy. she doesn't want that for them.

she's the shoulder to cry on.

if they ever just need to cry it out, she'll be there, tenderly guiding their head to lay on her shoulder or in her lap.

i feel like nilou and her sibling would make super cute friendship bracelets for one another!

i think she would want to travel teyvat with her sibling one day. she wants to see the world and she also wants her sibling to have those enriching experiences, those experiences which expose them to other cultures and ways of life.

i also like to think that she would love doing her sibling's hair! she would find it to be both very relaxing and a nice way to bond with them. <3

^ she's so careful and gentle when she does it, too. she never tugs too hard or does anything to make their scalp sore, and if it ends up being sore regardless? she'll gingerly massage the tension out.

definitely would be the kind of sister to sneak her sibling extra sweets even if a parental figure said no LMAO

she would be overjoyed if her sibling shared her interest in dancing!

like, she would take them under her wing and teach them everything she knows about dance. she would be so excited.

imagine nilou's sibling trying to mimic her dances when they think she isn't watching but she really is from behind a corner ahdjhekehgjg....

it would warm her heart tbh. she would be so overwhelmed with joy and love for her sibling that she might cry.

nilou is generally a very good sister.

she's kind, empathetic, and always has her sibling's best interests in mind.

her sibling definitely couldn't ask for better.

please consider reblogging, it helps me out quite a lot!

[bluebird722]

Attack on Titan: Beyond the Tree on That Hill

Summary: All it takes is love to rebuild and grow in the aftermath of devastation.

Rating: T

Main Pairings: Jeankasa, AruAni

Author’s note: I know the finale aired a few months ago, but this idea has been stewing in the back of my head since then. However, I experienced a personal loss before the new year, so I figured that now was the best time to share this with readers who either loved or hated the finale, but may have wanted more on what happened to the characters. 

Also, I don’t primarily ship the main pairing of this series of drabbles, but reading fanfiction and studying fanart has made it grow on me. I’ve even linked certain paragraphs to inspiring fanart. Either way, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed thinking of it. 

Special acknowledgement to:  @azulmarina3, @poroverso, @itslieutenanthawkeye, @smallblip, and @k-lionheart-art and @marshmallow-rainbow139!

***Attack on Titan: Beyond the Tree on That Hill***

It was bittersweet, how everyone had come to the final burial site. No matter how they felt about Eren before the rumbling, while they were still new to the cadets, the atmosphere felt peaceful the way that he would have wanted it. The day that the ambassadors had returned, they woke up and made the pilgrimage to the giant tree where he liked to rest as a child. 

Each one had brought flowers to lay down, and they stood in silence for about two hours. So much had changed since the Rumbling, for better and worse. International relations, so far, seemed to be growing, but the Yeagerists were still trying to gain more power and influence within the island. The economy was regrowing stronger than before, but so many people were still struggling to make ends meet. 

When the group agreed to return to their hotel, Mikasa joined them but spent the afternoon on the balcony to enjoy the sunshine while the others napped. She didn’t want to think at that time about the past or the future; she really wanted to enjoy the present and how many lives were still rebuilding. Below her, many children were still laughing and talking as they ran errands for their parents, and couples, old and young, walked together, holding hands. It was a sight she cherished and envied. 

Then she sensed a physical presence behind her, who walked onto the balcony. Though his clothes under his suit were unorderly, Jean looked more refreshed than when he stepped off the steamboat. He offered her a glass bottle of water and asked if he could sit beside her. She more or less allowed him to. 

The calm moment between them ended in two hours, after he put his hand on her bare wrist under her sleeve. She pretended not to feel surprise and confusion at this touch but looked down anyway. Jean lifted the corner of his mouth. “You know that you don’t have to share your feelings,” he said, “but you don’t have to hide them anymore.”

“I know,” she said so quietly that he barely heard her. When the sun began to set and the wind picked up, he took off his jacket, which he put around her shoulders so she didn’t have to retreat back inside. The interior was so warm that she almost began to sweat. Then he brought her downstairs for dinner and helped her order food for the others when they woke. 

***

Although Mikasa considered it “courtship”, it certainly was unlike how she imagined a test for lifelong companionship. In that time, he formally introduced her to his mother, who embraced her despite her soft features hiding nearly a lifetime of stoicism and trauma. She listened to every story–funny and embarrassing–that his mother remembered from his youth. He never pushed her to laugh, but he did like to say things to make her smile. They compared their own methods of chores, such as laundry, and elected to follow whichever seemed the best, even if it was more time consuming. Over time, he rediscovered his interest in sketching and spent free time charcoaling the wilderness or the neighborhood. She liked to watch over his shoulder and happily posed for him one sunny afternoon.

They had stayed outside longer so he could capture in charcoal as much of the sunset as he could. Mikasa shared with him the embroidery from her childhood that she thought about picking back up, whether or not she had children. He knew that talking about her youth before her parents’ murder was still painful for her, and she shared the full story of how Eren saved her. 

His thumbs wiping her cheeks were so tender that she slowly stopped weeping. She hated the sad look in his eyes. “Remember,” he said, “you should miss him. Don’t ever feel like you have to pretend that you do not.” He took a deep breath. “I know that I’m not him,” he added, “but I would give you anything in the world so you know that you are loved and deserve–”

“Loved?” she repeated back.

Jean went still. “Yes,” he said after a long pause. “I…I love you. I’ve felt that since we were in training…”

Slowly, Mikasa leaned closer and kissed him. Jean’s chest had an exploding sensation. He could not believe that he was actually kissing her, nor that it was much superior to how he fantasized. She delicately put her hand on his shoulder, and he cupped her cheek in one hand so they wouldn’t break apart as the sun disappeared for the time being.  

Six months into their romantic relationship, they rented an apartment together but did not progress to anything more than kisses and strong hugs. Regardless of fatigue or cold, Jean was always glad to heat up tea for her late at night or sit outside on the balcony with her when she missed Eren too much. It was strange, for him, to see her allow herself to become more vulnerable, like the warrior that she was slowly showing the “human” side of her. He did not speak unless prompted; he memorized every dream that she recollected to him and every memory of Eren that she almost forgot. Somehow, Jean knew that this was part of her healing and over time trusted her with his own memories, what he missed from his boyhood and even incidents in the cadets that he did not want to remember but could not forget. 

It wasn’t him, she knew, but they became closer than she had been with the boy who liked to pick fights with the one who saved her life, and the man who sided with her as she took down her idea of a life partner.

When they eventually married, only Jean wore his military uniform; Mikasa decided, after all, that she did want to wear a white gown. White, after all, was the color of purity and renewal, people said. She wanted to be a symbol of positive change and remind everyone that good was growing like a flower. Historia and Pieck styled her hair to resemble the former’s and clipped her bangs to her crown. Annie handmade her bouquet with wildflowers, and Historia’s daughter carried the back of her gown on her way to the small chapel.

Yes, I wish it would have been Eren, she thought to herself. I would have wanted nothing more than to meet him inside and pledge the rest of my life to him. She looked down at the flowers she clutched and felt pressure grow in her ears. But it’s not him. 

Then the doors opened, and she reluctantly looked up. No, the man waiting for her inside did not have dark hair or wide eyes, nor was he the one who saved her from slavery and gave her the scarf that she secretly wore around her waist under the gown. She took a deep breath and made her way forward. 

Suddenly, she felt an invisible presence at her left, like Eren had appeared out of nowhere and was guiding her to the woman-obsessed soldier ahead. Then Mikasa smiled and let her eyes water. She clutched her bouquet and timidly smiled at Jean, who looked so different from the brash boy she met at the cadets. When she reached his side, she saw how hard he had been weeping.

They held hands as the minister pronounced their lives together, to love and support each other in the best and worst of times, regardless of life’s challenges. Jean kissed the back of her hand and wiped a tear from her cheek when they were done, and the guests followed them outside to present themselves as newlyweds to their fellow Eldians. Mikasa tried not to think of Eren but instead that someone else loved her enough to want to spend the rest of his life with her. 

After a private lunch with lots of soft music at Nicolo’s restaurant, Jean carried her to a wagon and did not mind that she held his hand with her head on his shoulder without saying anything. Even though she smiled every time he kissed her temple, Mikasa struggled to embrace how her entire life was changing. 

Then the wagon stopped, and Jean hopped out first. As Mikasa started to step out, he picked her up in his arms and carried her around. In front of the wagon was a log cabin with a firepit up front, a dusty pathway, and a river just down the hill. Jean smiled at the dumbfounded look on his bride’s face. “You never specifically said how you wanted your ideal house to look,” he explained, “but I know that you prefer nature and peace, so…this is the ideal retreat.”

He carried her inside and did not set her on her feet. Everything reminded her of her childhood homes, from the kitchen to the water pump, and even the two bedrooms that resembled her home with her parents and then with Eren and his parents. She pushed her fingers to her mouth and shook her head. “Thank you, Jean. I…I will enjoy it here.”

They cooked, ate dinner, and washed the dishes together smiling, but when it was time to go to bed, Mikasa paused at the doorway into their bedroom. It occurred to her then why they had a second bedroom in the house, which Armin and their surviving comrades had built in secret, with Jean’s supervision. 

Jean put his hands on her waist. “What is the matter?” he asked. 

Mikasa bit her tongue, unsure. “I…” She put her hands over his. “I don’t want to do that…tonight.” She held her breath. “Someday, but…not now.”

Jean himself was tired but had secretly hoped to make the marriage, according to ancient tradition, “official” that night. He was slightly disappointed, but he knew that trying to convince her would offend even a strong woman like Mikasa. Instead, he kissed the back of her head and walked around her into the room. “We will not then,” he said. “I promise that I will wait until you are comfortable.”

Smiling, Mikasa kissed him good night and let him wrap her in the blanket and his arms. 

***

The two months succeeding the wedding were some of the happiest and most relaxed of their lives. Their comrades frequently visited and brought up good and bad memories of their training days, as stupid and clueless young soldiers, until dark. If Jean was enjoying a glass of scotch with a book he was reading, Mikasa liked to sit beside him, rest her head on his shoulder, and read along. On days where she observed over his shoulder his artistic talent, he lay on his back so her face hovered over his; he liked to look into her eyes and feel her fondle his facial hair. When his mother came to see their new apartment, she took Mikasa’s hands and said, with tears in her eyes, “Thank you so much for making my child happy. I have never seen him this…content before, even when he was a little boy.”

Still, unlike his wife, Jean began having traumatizing recollections and crying in his sleep. It started one night a week until it grew to three, sometimes four. Mikasa woke to his muffled cries and had to shake him out of his slumber, or Jean battled alone while his wife slept and soaked through his sleepwear. Embraces and walks outside did not always help, but sometimes she had to make him remember and let it go. Jean told her everything except one dream where Eren haunted him for “stealing” her from a lifetime of longing and yearning. Otherwise, it was recollections of discovering Marco’s body, of watching Armin being abused while posing as Historia, and even of Hange’s death in flames. Sometimes weeping in the arms of his wife consoled the hotheaded young soldier within him, particularly because the young woman whom he admired was the one to comfort him.

Within their first two months of marriage, their union was soft and harsh. She smiled when he embraced her in bed but often wept for unknown reasons in the bathroom. Each time, her husband closed his eyes and tried to imagine how his and Eren’s lives would have been different if Jean had been less antagonistic. Jean wouldn’t regret marrying her, but did he unknowingly rush her into marriage before she fully recovered? Even before he asked her to marry him, he vowed that he would love and care for her more than he ever did for anyone else in his life. 

Jean was silent at dinner that night and went to bed early. She joined him later and knew that he was feigning sleep. He’s a good man, she remembered telling herself when she finally agreed to marry him. It is obvious that he thinks that he is failing as a husband, but he’s not. 

“Jean,” she said softly. 

Immediately, he held himself up on his elbow. “Yes?”

Mikasa hesitated, and then took a deep breath. “I…I’m ready.”

For a while, Jean was still. Then he brushed part of Mikasa’s hair from her face and leaned down to kiss her. She kissed him back but then put her hands on his shoulders. “Wait… Could you please sit up?”

Jean pushed himself back and bent his knees, unsure if she would change her mind. Her silhouette hesitated, but then she crawled over and, after shuffling, he sat on the bed cross-legged, and she sat on his lap, her legs around his waist. After gentle kissing and a deep breath, she pulled him back with her onto the bed. His facial hair scratched her chin, and he whispered sweet things to her between kisses.

***

At last, Jean was done chopping wood. He was in the best shape of his life, but his arms and upper back were burning from overwork, and he was thirsty for cold water. Even though winter was months away, he wanted to have as much wood ready for when the cold did arrive and the family retreated to the cabin. Jean wiped his forehead and entered the log cabin. 

Mikasa was at the table, peeling potatoes and slicing vegetables much slower than normal. She seemed lost in thought, so Jean decided not to disturb her. As he took off his shoes and rolled his head, she did look up and smile at him. After he splashed cold water from the pump onto his face and swallowed a mouthful of water, he kissed her cheek and sat beside her. “We are good with wood for now,” he said. “And plenty for when it is too cold to go outside.”

Mikasa nodded along and continued prepping the night’s meal. Jean grabbed a knife and chopped the potatoes that she had peeled to mix with the brown skins. Cutting food relaxed him and took his mind off the bad dreams that were not as reoccurring anymore but still made him reluctant to fall asleep. Now, more than ever, he truly worried about them going away.

Just then, Mikasa stopped and stared at the table. Jean assumed that she was thinking about Eren again, but then she made a face of discomfort. He set down the knife and gently put his hand on her arm. “Mikasa? Are you…all right?”

Mikasa left her mouth open for a moment. “Y–Yes,” she hesitated. “It’s nothing.”

Jean didn’t believe her, but he continued to cut potatoes anyway. Then, about ten minutes later, she made the same face and hissed. Just as Jean lifted his head, Mikasa smacked her hand onto the table and grit her teeth. Her husband set down the knife and stood up. “Mikasa? What is giving you pain?”

Mikasa hissed through her teeth and then slowly lifted her head. Her eyes were wide with anticipation and dread. “Jean…I may be in labor.”

At that moment, Jean knelt down and moved his wife’s legs in his direction, and put his hands under her arms. They counted to three together, and she shakily stood up on swollen feet and ankles. Her lap and chair were wet with fluids that she somehow did not feel. Jean swung her arm over his shoulders and helped her into their bedroom, where she heaved on her slow way into the bed. “Bring the doctor,” she gulped. “The–The baby is moving fast…”

“No,” said Jean. “I am afraid to leave you all by yourself.”

Mikasa gripped the edge of the mattress. “Jean…you don’t know anything about babies or how they’re born…”

“No,” he agreed, “but what if I leave and you fall off the bed? You could hurt yourself and the baby…”

Then another contraction hit, and she hung her head. Jean helped her to her feet again and helped her walk around the room throughout her labor. After about two hours, her breathing became more hitched, and she could no longer hold up herself. 

Jean lowered her back onto the bed and pushed their pillows under her back. Then he swung her feet onto the bed and pushed up her skirt. “Get the doctor,” his wife whined. 

“No, I’m not leaving you alone,” said Jean. “What if the doctor is not there? I couldn’t leave you alone in all that time–”

“Jean…” She threw back her head and clenched her eyes closed. It hurt Jean to see this strong woman fall vulnerable to the pains of childbirth, but he knew that she would recover. She wasn’t going to let this pain bother her for the rest of her life. He took a deep breath and ignored the sweat all over his back. 

Although Mikasa complained that he should have left for professional services, Jean refused and coached her throughout the afternoon. She gripped her thighs so tightly that she left bruises everywhere, and her eyes stung from the sweat on her forehead. Then she gave one final push and opened her eyes when Jean began laughing and crying at the same time. In his hands he clutched a naked newborn, coated in fluids and wailing. Mikasa burst into tears because for some reason, she felt happy–tremendously happy, like she never thought she could feel. Jean skipped out of the room on shaky legs and came back clutching a knife to cut the umbilical cord and a blanket with which he swaddled his firstborn. 

“It’s a boy,” he sobbed with a wide smile. He curled up to Mikasa and kissed her cheek, and then studied his son’s messy face. “Thank you so much.”

“No,” said Mikasa. “Thank you…for reminding me that hearts can heal, and life goes on…and can be better than you believed.”

Jean stared at her in silence, and then smiled as they leaned forward for another kiss. 

***

Jean sipped from his glass of scotch and looked out of the corner of his eye to the corner of the balcony. Mikasa sat in the corner against the wall post and beamed at the chunky baby who was one week away from his first birthday. They had just laid down flowers at Eren’s grave and showed their son to where they planned to make yearly visits. The baby’s nostrils flared every time he breathed, and he alternated between opening and closing his mouth in his sleep. 

Eren, Jean thought to himself what he would have liked to directly tell his son, whose hair was black like his mother’s, it had been busy months preparing for your arrival. Your mother and I knew that you would change our lives, but we didn’t know how much. Now…I cannot imagine how my life could have been better. It’s like you are my reason for living. All of this that I went through up to now…was to have you born. 

Jean smiled. And I had no idea how much I could love until now.

Jean studied the way she observed baby Eren’s ear and the way Eren outstretched his arms over his head. Did I ever imagine that I would name my son after someone to whom I was quite antagonistic? Jean thought to himself. Absolutely not.

Then he observed deeper how happy the once solemn and bitter woman was. Of course, she would mourn for her best friend every day, but she was also reclaiming her life before her parents were murdered. She was starting to let go of her traumas to give love to the little boy she helped create, and whom she loved. Jean felt a little satisfied that he had a role to play in her joy, and that over time he stopped having nightmares. Was he the most content that he had ever felt and that he wouldn’t trade anything now for what he had hoped for? Absolutely. 

***

Eren did not grow up spoiled; his parents taught him chores as soon as he became a better walker, and he had to obey other adults as well, whether it was to stop raising his voice, help his grandmother clear the table, or not say certain words around Connie and Armin. He was not allowed to wear his shoes indoors nor have too much warm water in the bath. 

Nevertheless, Eren always received the best tomato in the market, was allowed to pick out the clothes and shoes that he liked when he wore out what he had, never went cold in his bedroom, and had enough time between chores and bedtime to play and read his favorite stories. By the time he was three, he craved adventure and enjoyed trips to the log cabin, and was more excited about learning to ride a horse than other changes in the house…

***

“Jean.” “Jean.”

Jean groggily woke up because of the poking on his back. Was it little Eren again? Did he sneak out of his room and slide between his parents to wake them up because he could? Maybe it would be best to sleep through it. 

“Jean.” Another poke. “It’s baby time.”

Immediately, Jean woke up and turned around. Mikasa was still lying down, but her eyes were wide with anticipation. Even in the dark, he saw a growing puddle on her side of the bed. Panic seized him, and he pulled himself out of bed. “Oh my gosh, Mikasa,” he panted, “are you in pain, does it hurt, is it different than–”

“No, I am good,” she whispered. “Just grab the doctor for me, and then tell your mother to take Eren outside to play when he wakes up.”

Jean hastily nodded and kissed her forehead. “But what about you?”

“I can pull myself up,” she whispered right before she made a face of pain. “Just…hurry…”

Jean kissed her again and ran out of the room to grab his coat and pull on his shoes. It was happening again, and he wanted it to be better but just as precious as with Eren. This time, his mother slept on the couch to better assist with housekeeping and to keep her grandson distracted from the confusing yet undoubtedly frightening reality of childbirth.

He ran out of the building, mentally asking Eren, if he could hear his fallen comrade, to please be there again for the laboring woman and to keep mother and child safe.

***

The two horses galloped as fast as they could, as if running from a great wildfire. They darted along the pathway, creating clouds of dust on either side, and rushed to the tall building. Paradis was still slow to catch up with modern technology, but it would have been nice to operate an automobile. A life–two lives–could be in danger, and the horses knew of the urgency. 

By the time they reached the apartment building, Connie and Armin had dismounted from their horses and tied them to the post. They ran up the stairs, and Connie pounded on the door. Within two seconds, Jean–his eyes bloodshot and his face tear-streaked–opened the door. “It’s a girl,” he cheered. 

“A girl,” Armin and Connie whispered at the same time. They quickly removed their boots, hung their jackets, and followed him into the cabin. Jean knocked on his bedroom door and waited for the soft “come in”. Inside, Mikasa was propped against bundles of blankets with Eren at her side, his head against her arm and staring at the wrapping of blankets that she cradled. Little Eren lifted his head and smiled when he saw the visitors. Armin immediately knelt down and embraced Mikasa, who looked exhausted but was overjoyed at another healthy birth. 

“I have a little sister,” Eren said in disbelief. “She hasn’t opened her eyes yet, but she has Dada’s hair.”

“She sure does,” Jean said with a smile. He reached forward, and Mikasa handed him their daughter. “Would you like to hold her?” he asked the guests. 

“Absolutely,” said Armin. 

“Of course,” said Connie. 

Jean smiled at the baby’s pouting lips and then approached Connie. “We named her Sasha.”

The excitement on Connie’s face automatically faded into sorrow as soon as he took the newborn into his arms and looked into Sasha’s face. She clearly resembled her parents, but in that moment, he missed his old friend–someone he considered his twin–so fiercely that it wasn’t fair that Sasha didn’t live to get married if she wanted to. She didn’t get the chance to decide if she was going to have children or to see their home at peace. Of course they wouldn’t have named their baby after her if she had survived, but it was wrong that Sasha had to die for her legacy to live on. 

Connie started crying and couldn’t stop himself. Tears fell from his eyes as quickly as Armin’s and Mikasa’s over Sasha’s dead body, and fell onto baby Sasha’s forehead.

“Connie,” said Jean, Armin, and Mikasa at once, but Connie couldn’t hear them. He seemed to lose his hearing as he mourned his friend again. He kept crying onto Sasha’s cheeks until the whining newborn finally opened her eyes, and then Connie’s eyes cleared. Her eyes were the same shape and color as her mother’s. Sasha squinted at the strange man studying her, and then she lifted the corners of her mouth and trapped her tongue between her gums. 

Connie sniffed and blinked back more tears. “Hi, Sasha,” he whispered. “I am very glad to meet you.” 

Armin walked behind Connie and peered at her over Connie’s shoulder. “Happy birthday, little one,” he whispered. He reached forward and tickled her covered stomach. “You’re going to grow up into an amazing woman–just like your namesake.”

“Let’s just hope that she doesn’t eat everything in sight like a wild animal,” Jean, whose eyes started watering again, chuckled. 

“Or steal food from other people,” Mikasa added with a smile. A confused Eren cocked his head with a “huh?”. The men, however, chuckled and marveled over Sasha until she started to whine. While her mother fed her, Jean led his son and their guests into the other room to help prepare a vegetable omelet–based on how his mother cooked for him–to bring to his wife, who would still be sore for a few days. Jean’s mother returned from the market with more fresh meat, and Armin and Connie stayed until twilight.

***

Mikasa held Eren’s hand up to the headstone and let him put down the handful of flowers. She smiled at where her greatest friend rested in peace. “Hello, Eren,” she said softly. “I thought I would visit on your birthday. We’re going to eat how you liked your deer, and then Armin will come visit and talk about how you stood up for him from bullies.”

Little Eren nodded as he waited for his mother to finish and stared at the etching in stone. He wondered what to say. Then he introduced himself and told the headstone the games he liked to play, his favorite stories before bed, his favorite stores to visit, and how good he was at riding horses. Even though he didn’t see himself becoming a soldier, he wanted to grow up to be strong and smart like his parents and Eren. (Jean, on the other hand, stayed behind to clean up Sasha, who had just vomited over his arm, was sweating through her tiny dress, and needed changing. When he was done, he carried her up the hill and, once again, expressed remorse that they did not get along when they first met.)

“Dada,” said Eren as the family held hands on the walk home, “why did you and Mama’s friend fight all the time? You always tell me that it’s not nice to make people sad.”

Jean and Mikasa, who carried Sasha in her free hand, stopped walking then and pondered how to respond. Then Jean said, “Mikasa, why don’t you go ahead and take the baby home? We’ll catch up soon.”

“All right,” said his wife. She readjusted the baby on her hip and entertained her with the scarf that Sasha liked to play with. Then Jean picked up his son and sighed.

“Well, Eren,” he started as Eren put his hands around Jean’s neck, “you might not understand until you’re big like I am now, but sometimes you will wish that you didn’t do or say some things earlier in your life.”

Eren looked confused.

“So when I first met Eren, your mama’s friend, he…he had gone through some bad things when he was young, like things that I hope you never have to go through. And I didn’t know that. I just thought that the things he wanted to do and the way he acted were silly. We had different reasons for why we wanted to join the army.

“Also…” Jean chuckled. “He and your mama were very close, and I thought that she was so beautiful like she is now. I was jealous that they were very close and that she cared about him so much. I wanted her to like me.”

Eren nodded, though Jean knew that he didn’t entirely understand. He kissed Eren’s head and hugged him tightly. The boy was silent on the way home, where Mikasa was washing vegetables in the kitchen after she sat down Sasha for her afternoon nap. “Go help your mother with dinner,” Jean instructed. “I’ll grab more meat from the market.”

Eren spent the afternoon kneading dough into one large piece and then smaller strips. While the bread baked, he peeled the carrots and turnips with a dull knife for his mother to cut them into small pieces. She had him wipe the flour from the counter so she could begin cooking. Eren alternated between observing her to learn and checking on his sleeping sister.

“Mama,” he said on the counter, “Dada said that he really liked you when you first met, but you really liked Eren, and it upset Dada.”

“Yes, that is true,” said Mikasa without looking up. 

Eren tilted his head to his left. “Did you love Eren? Like, did you want to marry him? Is that why we see him every year?”

Mikasa paused and wondered how to reply. Eren worried that he asked mean questions, so he took her wooden spoon and moved around the sizzling produce. When Mikasa kissed his head, he stopped and let her take back the spoon. 

“Yes,” she admitted. “I…I did love him, very much. I loved him in many ways. He was like a brother to me, even though he was my best friend and we lived together. And…I also loved him, like I wanted to be alone with him and…and not talk to anyone else.” Mikasa deeply inhaled so she wouldn’t cry. “I didn’t think then that I could get married, but if–if I did, and I could marry anyone…I would have wanted it to be him.” She rubbed her nose and wiped her clean hand on her skirt.

“I will always love Eren,” Mikasa admitted, “but I also love your father. He showed me that you can still love after a loss, but that’s not why I love him–it’s much different than that, that you may understand when you grow up. And I love you and your sister more than anything else in the world.”

“Do you wish Sasha and I–do you wish your Eren was our dada?” asked Eren.

Suddenly, Mikasa looked sad. “No,” she said after a long pause. “If I was with Eren, you and Sasha would not be you. You would have been different if your father was not Dada.” She stroked Eren’s cheek. “You and Sasha are amazing as you are now, and I–”

“What’s amazing about Sasha?” interrupted Eren. “She’s a baby. She can’t do anything.”

“Don’t interrupt, Eren,” said Mikasa. “She will not be a baby forever. She will grow up and do amazing things, as will you.” They took turns mixing the vegetables and checking on the bread until Sasha began whimpering. Mikasa trusted Eren not to let the carrots and turnips burn and quickly changed and fed the baby, who fell back asleep.

Jean returned with a hunk of wild boar, which he cooked to the point where Eren’s stomach growled. Sasha woke from her nap and eagerly flapped her arms in delight. Before she could cry at the table that she wasn’t tasting from where the delicious smell came, Eren laughed and distracted her by feeding her mashed carrots. Watching Eren spoon feed the baby was always a highlight of Mikasa’s and Jean’s day, followed by his trying to change her alone without getting kicked and entertaining her with wooden toys from their grandmother. 

***

After years, Annie finally “got it” and married Armin. She kept her hair down but wore a “flower crown” that Historia’s daughter suggested, rather than a veil. She wore a white jacket over a long dress with a short train that Sasha held up on Annie and her father’s stroll to Armin. Mikasa thought that he had not looked as happy in such a long time. He never looked away from his bride’s face. Their kiss was slow and then deeper, and soon Annie began crying as hard as Armin.

Armin and Annie did not want a public ceremony, so they insisted on a private dinner party, which Nicolo happily catered at his restaurant. Reiner told only the best stories of Annie in her girlhood that made the entire party laugh, and Pieck and Connie recalled adventures as ambassadors of peace. Jean even let Eren sip from his glass of wine, which he disliked. 

After Armin and Annie cut the cake and fed each other bites, they cut slices for everyone else. Then Annie took apart her bouquet and showered the party with pedals before Armin carried her to the nearby hotel for their first night together.

On his and his family’s way to spend the night in Jean’s childhood home, Jean thought, for the space of a second, that he saw Hitch, still devoted to the idea of war, somewhere, and she made eye contact with him as well. It was probably someone else with the same hair color and similar wardrobe. Nevertheless, he held Eren’s and Sasha’s hands a little tighter.

Some of the tension went away when they reached where he grew up, and his mother already opened the door before the family reached the front door. The couple let their children run over to their grandmother, who loved them and whom they loved. Like every visit, she had cooked up a juicy omelet like her son had devoured as a little boy for everyone to taste, bought for Sasha a pretty dress, and sewed together a unique cardigan for Eren. 

She had kissed all over Mikasa’s cheeks, having adored her like a daughter, and called her son “Jean Boy” to make the grandchildren giggle. At dinner, she listened to Eren and Sasha talk over each other about the wedding until they started yawning. Then their parents put them to bed in Jean’s old room, where she had framed a professional drawing of her son as a chubby toddler, and caught up with the grandmother until late in the night. Jean went to bed reflecting on the suspicious face that he caught eyeing his family but confident that he and his wife would educate the children on self-defense and how to keep themselves safe.

The next morning, the children woke up to the smell of delicious omelets that kept them full until dinnertime. They spent the remainder of the day playing on the floor, reading child-friendly books from around the world that Armin collected for them, and watching people under the balcony.

Mikasa watched in silence until Jean wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. She leaned back against his chest, ready to delight in the overwhelming joy that he gave her that filled their lives and would continue to grow…

“Could I…talk to you in private?” he whispered. 

Mikasa knew it was bad because Jean rarely hesitated. With one hand over his, she said, “Eren, Sasha, why don’t you see if your grandmother needs help? She’ll appreciate two little helpers.”

Eren and Sasha immediately took to cleaning up after themselves and walked over to their grandmother. Jean led Mikasa into his old room and quietly told her about what he saw when they were leaving the wedding reception. Mikasa’s eyebrows rose, and then her eyes narrowed. How were they to talk about this to the children, especially since Eren was about to start school and perhaps with children whose parents believed in the Yeagerists? Jean’s greater concern, however, was the children’s well-being. Of course, almost everybody knew that Eren and Sasha existed, but what if a Yeagerist tried to use them against their parents? 

Mikasa put her hand over his. “We will talk about it tomorrow night, when they are asleep,” she promised him. Then they stood up and helped their children set the table for dinner. 

“Hey Dada, did Gramma ever make cow for you when you were little?” asked Eren, who was biting on a strip of steak thicker than he could chew. “You should have seen how she does it! She says that you flip it over and keep it at a low heat but a longer time, and it helps if you don’t want it red in the middle.”

Jean was half-listening, his mind still worried for his children’s safety, but he nodded with what his son just learned. “Some people like their meat red,” he agreed, “but some people will get sick if they eat it.”

“How?” asked Eren. 

“We will tell you after we eat,” Mikasa took over. “What else did you learn with Gramma?”

Eren and Sasha babbled that the same lesson–low heat, long time–applied to vegetables as well, as Gramma showed the difference using green cabbage that were steaming on the table. Jean met his mother’s eye, but she focused more on her daughter-in-law’s plate, full of portions slightly larger than usual and even odd combinations…

“Sasha, will you eat your potatoes?” Mikasa complained. “You don’t know where we will find food for your next meal! And trust me. Going hungry does not feel good!”

Groaning, Sasha slowly shoved a spoonful of potato chunks into her mouth, glaring at her mother the entire time. Jean had to hold his breath so he wouldn’t laugh at the irony—of all the foods that little Sasha ever ate in her life, potatoes were the one food she hated.

***

It was strange that the Rumbling had ended years ago. So much had happened since then, but few things pleased Historia more than to see how everyone had seemed to grow closer. They had all gathered at her orphanage as both a reunion and a private place to talk about international relations without the fear of eavesdropping. 

Everyone had scattered between the picnic table, helping Historia bring out the food and treats, and within the fence, watching Eren and Sasha play with the orphans and observing how Armin never seemed to take his hand off his wife of five month’s back. They only stopped to eat, and the other ambassadors complimented how polite Eren and Sasha were to offer to collect the plates and utensils to take inside. Nothing made Jean feel prouder that he and Mikasa were parenting very well.

Once Eren and Sasha had resumed playing with the orphans, Historia resumed their important topic of discussion: the rising threat of the Yeagerists. The army wasn’t just growing stronger; it had also garnered new weapons that could kill thousands of people at once. 

“But does this mean that they’re ready to initiate war at this point, even against the same countries that provided these weapons?”

“No, Historia said, very specifically, that the Yeagerists are not planning an attack yet,” Annie reminded Pieck. “But…it’s getting to the point where she’s thinking about sending someone in to infiltrate the Yeagerists and see what they have access to.” She cast her eyes wistfully to the bench on which she sat. “And if they gain too much power…how will the rest of the world’s population look at us if part of us are trying to…you know, execute permanent annihilation of civilizations, and another part are trying to promote peace?”

Pieck turned her head to ask Mikasa something, but then forgot when she saw a look of discomfort on Mikasa’s face. “Mikasa?” she said. “What is it?”

Mikasa grit her teeth and took a deep breath. “I–I’m fine,” she heaved. “Just…could you find my husband for me, please?”

“Wha–” Then realization dawned on Pieck’s face. “Oh my, that’s–you’re in labor.”

Mikasa shushed her. “No, please don’t. I don’t want my children to hear and get worried. I just…” She closed her eyes. She didn’t want her children to see or hear her prepare to give birth. Otherwise, Eren would be reluctant to marry and condemn his wife to the pain of childbirth, and Sasha would be terrified to risk her life and go through labor. 

Pieck quickly left the picnic table and ran over to Jean, who was standing with Reiner and Historia, mindlessly talking. She whispered into Jean’s ear, and he faced her with shock. He hurried to his wife and knelt beside her. “Are you all right?” he hissed. “I didn’t think the baby would come so early–”

“N-Neither did I,” she grunted.

Jean caught Pieck whispering to the other adults. Historia ran over and helped Mikasa to her swollen feet. Her water had already broken, and her cheeks were flushed. “Annie and the men will keep an eye on the children,” Historia reassured the couple. “I talked to Pieck–she’s going to bring the midwives over to your house.”

Mikasa braved a look over her shoulder and fortunately, her children were still playing. “Historia…” she exhaled.

As Jean helped her into the wagon, Historia glanced back and forth between the remaining party and the couple. “How long did it take you to have your babies in the past?” she asked. 

“Four hours with Sasha, Eren was about five,” said Mikasa. Historia nodded and said that, if they were all right with it, the siblings could spend the night at Historia’s and go home after breakfast the next day. The couple reluctantly agreed.

The wagon arrived at the apartment just before the midwives arrived. By then the couple were in the bedroom, and Jean was trying to hold Mikasa steady as she drank from a glass of water. The midwives confirmed that she was ready to give birth. 

Holding her breath, Mikasa took off her scarf but clutched it in one hand so that Eren would still be with her once more in one of the most important moments of her life. 

***

The rooster woke up everyone in Historia’s daughter’s room. Even though the adults had woken up earlier during their time in the cadets, it was still an unwelcome disturbance in their states of peace. Armin yawned as he sat up and scratched the side of his head. Eren stirred in the sleeping bag beside him and then opened his eyes. Across from them, Connie was slow to wake; Sasha, curled up in his lap, rubbed her face and stretched her arms over her head. 

Eren immediately sat up. “Mama,” he whispered. He kicked himself out of the sleeping bag and stomped his way to his sister. “Sasha–” He grabbed her wrists and pulled her off Connie’s lap, ignoring her whines. “Sasha, is Mama–”

“Eren,” hissed Armin. “Don’t do that.” He pushed himself up and walked out of the room, coming back with Historia. She made the children eat with the orphans first and then allowed Connie and Armin to take them back home. The children hesitated out of fear for their mother’s well-being until Armin took Eren’s hand and Connie put Sasha on his hip. 

Jean’s mother opened the door. She must have arrived right after the midwives left. “Good morning, children,” she said with the love that she had for her darling grandchildren. “Your parents are awake. Come meet your new baby brother.”

Eren sighed in relief. Even Sasha was excited and grateful. They followed the older woman to the parents’ room. She softly knocked on the door and said in a softer voice, “Jean? Mikasa? The children are awake.”

“Come in,” said Jean.

Jean’s mother opened the door, where Eren and Sasha saw their parents curled in bed. Both were smiling down at the tiny hand reaching from the bundle that Mikasa and Jean shared, and they smiled even more when they looked up at their older children. Eren let go of Armin’s hand and made a beeline for his father, who picked him up and sat him on his lap. Connie set Sasha on the foot of the bed, and she crawled between her mother and father. Mikasa kissed her children’s heads and showed them the baby’s face. He had Jean’s eye shape but Mikasa’s eye color. Eren saw their father in the baby’s nose and lips. 

Cautiously, Sasha put her hand on her baby brother’s chest. Eren gently kissed the baby’s ear. Jean beamed at his children displaying affection to the newest addition to their family; Mikasa looked relieved that they were embracing their new roles as big brother and big sister. 

***

Most of the orphans had grown up at this point but still stayed close to the orphanage to assist with childcare and maintenance in between deciding how to spend their adulthoods. With Historia’s permission, they let some of the children ride horses around the lawn. The younger ones gathered around Eren, who enthusiastically taught them a game that seemed to be a combination of tag and hide and seek. 

“He’s everything like his namesake, just without the temper and the hothead,” Annie said at Jean’s side, startling him. On his hip he balanced young Sasha, who had just recovered from an ear infection but still complained that her head hurt and that her nose was runny. Annie smiled at the little girl who looked up curiously, as though she had never seen the former Warrior before. 

“Does this make you want little ones of your own?” Jean innocently asked. “Or…do you prefer observing them rather than making them a full-time job?”

Annie looked up at his eyes and then back down to Sasha sticking her finger in her red ear. “Maybe one day,” she said, “but only if Armin wants to–and I know how not to raise them, like my father did.” Her eyes flickered in sadness, but she chuckled when she focused on the running children.

Jean felt a tug on his pant leg. Little Marco stared up at him. His eyes were wide with a question that he could not ask. Jean touched his head, which sprouted black cowlicks that reminded him so much of his late friend. “Yes, little guy?”

“Dada, can I go…” Marco mumbled, still learning his words.

“Of course,” said Jean. “Eren! Will you come here and let your brother play?”

Eren whined but told the orphans to hold up, and he ran over to the hill. “All right, I got him,” said Eren. He picked up his brother, who wrapped his arms around Eren’s neck and dangled his tiny legs. “Come on, Marco. You’re getting heavy!”

Jean chuckled and watched Eren carry Marco halfway through the field before eventually giving up and setting him on his feet. Marco toddled in Eren’s shadow on his way to the older children. Some of them made faces that they had to slow down for a toddler, but the others cheered on Marco and his unsteady steps.

Jean sat down beside Annie, with Armin joining in and pulling his wife to sit between his legs. She leaned her head against his shoulder and laced her fingers between his. Jean discreetly watched the couple and patted Sasha’s back as she made noises in the back of her throat. Mikasa joined him later and watched Eren pretend to run slower than he really was so Marco could have a winning chance. 

She remembered Carla insisting that her own son was not going to join the army and become a soldier. It was the first time, perhaps, that she had seen the kind woman so angry that she yelled at her child for something other than misbehavior. Even though Mikasa tried to parent her children from what she remembered of her own mother and Carla, she wondered how she would react if one of them expressed a desire for a career in the military. Now more than ever, with the Yeagerists growing more influential, it was both more and less dangerous compared to when the Titans were their main enemy. 

Mikasa snapped out of her musings when Jean called over Marco and saw that he needed changing. As Jean carried Marco to a more private place, Mikasa cradled Sasha in her arms and thought more about surrendering Sasha or one or both of her brothers into the army. Remembering that her children were named in honor of fallen comrades made Mikasa reluctant to imagine them in uniform. Sasha traced with her finger the brand on the back of her mother’s hand, and Mikasa knew that, even though the children would not carry on her maiden name, they could still choose if they wanted to brand themselves as a reminder of the family legacy.

***

Eren was eight when the nightmares began.

That day, Mikasa and Jean took their children to the graveyard to have little Sasha put flowers on her namesake’s grave on her birthday and stayed longer than intended when her namesake’s parents arrived. They marveled over how big the children were and told them that Kaya was engaged but still active with the other orphans at the farm. 

That night, Marco helped his mother bake bread and Jean read to his older children until dinnertime. Then Mikasa ran Sasha a bath and told her funny stories about her namesake and all the trouble she got herself into but all the fun that they had together, even though they had different personalities. Jean lured Marco to sleep as Mikasa had Eren and Sasha read out loud until the children’s eyes drooped. Then their parents tucked them into bed.

Eren dreamt that he and his brother and sister were running on a sunny day, but they didn’t know where. He just wanted to challenge them over who was the fastest, knowing that he would win because Sasha’s skirts slowed her down, and Marco’s legs were still short. The three of them laughed and ran up a hill until they saw a giant tree in its entirety.

Immediately, Eren stopped running, and so did Sasha and Marco. It looked exactly like the tree that their mother and father took them to visit every year, where his mother had buried his namesake, but it could not have been that tree; he would have realized that they were on the hill that they had to climb up to see the burial tree. Even though part of him wanted to turn around and go home, the other half was curious as to why this tree was unlike the one that he visited yearly. 

Eren held Sasha’s and Marco’s hands on their way further up the hill to investigate the difference between this tree and the special one. Neither of them spoke. They craned their necks for any suspicious branches or tree roots. The hairs on the back of Marco’s neck stood up; Sasha had an uncomfortable feeling in her stomach. 

Then, on the other side of the tree, was a hollow much bigger than even their own house. It was completely black. Nothing seemed to move inside. Still, Eren was interested. 

“I don’t want to go in,” said Marco, who seemed to suspect his brother’s curiosity. 

“Me neither,” added Sasha. 

Eren tugged on their hands. “Come on, don’t be scared,” he said. “Nothing will hurt you. I don’t think anything even lives there.”

“You don’t know that,” said Sasha, “because you can’t see it to be sure–”

“Well, then, how will we know if it is something’s habitat if we don’t see for ourselves?” Eren impatiently interrupted. “Come on!”

He pulled them to the tree and into the hollow. It was so dark that he could not see his own hand. The ground at his feet was soft. Curiosity grew, and he wanted to see what was inside, if anything. 

Eren didn’t realize that he had let go of his siblings’ hands until he slipped and fell down a long downward tunnel. As he felt bruises form on his face and legs, the screams of Sasha and Marco grew fainter and fainter until he splashed into a cold pond. 

Eren held his breath on time, but his body was in such pain that he couldn’t move his arms. The stinging would not go away. Carefully, he opened his eyes, which didn’t hurt under the cold water, but he couldn’t see anything. Eren willed himself to move his body despite the pain and slowly moved his arms over his head. 

Suddenly, he felt a gentle trickling alongside his spine that offered a mild comfort. Eren tried to push himself up, but the grip down his backbone only strengthened and quickly sent uncomfortable sensations throughout his body. His eyes throbbed, and everything turned white, and his limbs tugged, and his jaw ached, and he didn’t know if he was dying or becoming some strange creature, but he knew that he did not like like and wanted to get out–

Eren’s eyes flapped open. It was dark! Panicking, he sat up ready to scream, but then he saw a window and soft moonlight peering into the room. Terror seized him. Was it a dream or did it really happen? Eren shivered and looked down, but it was just his sleepwear wet with sweat. If he had fallen into water, he most certainly would be wearing dry clothes, whether he dressed himself or his parents did. 

Eren steadied his breathing and worried that he woke his brother and sister. Luckily, both were still deeply asleep: Marco had his thumb in his mouth, and Sasha was unaware that her doll had fallen to the floor.

Quietly, Eren left his bed, put the doll back into Sasha’s hand, walked to the kitchen, poured himself water, and shakily retreated to his room. Closing the door made him feel both safe and scared at the same time.

The following night, he was still walking through the tree, but this time he had dragged his brother and sister with him. Marco whimpered to himself, and Sasha clung to Eren’s arm as he walked them into oblivion, into the path of a pale blue glow, one that attracted him and gave him the sense of power, strength, a lineage of immortality…

“Eren! Eren!”

Then Eren’s eyes opened. It was his father, who looked terrified. He was still in his room. To his left, his mother consoled a hysterical Marco. Sasha clutched Mikasa’s skirt and also looked at Eren with fear. 

Eren sat up when Jean let go of his wrists and looked around. “What happened?”

“You were having a bad dream,” said Jean. “Your brother woke us up, and you were crying and moving around in your bed like you were running for your life.” He pushed Eren’s wet hair from his forehead. “You’re safe, son. I know that you probably don’t want to talk about it–”

“No, no!” sobbed Eren. He shook his head so fiercely that his bangs slapped against his wet face. “I don’t want to remember it! Dada, I’m scared!” He wiped his wet eyes. “It wasn’t a human, but I’m scared that–” He wept again. 

Jean picked up Eren and carried him into his parents’ room, gently shushing him and rubbing his back. Mikasa then tucked in the other children, reassured them that Eren would be all right, and kissed them good night again. She came back to her room and helped Eren change into clean clothes and mop his sweaty face and back. When Eren had calmed down, he tightly hugged under his mother’s ribs. “Mama, I was scared. I had a dream that I put Sasha and Marco in danger, that I saw this scary tree like the one we go to every year, and–and I got big and mean and killed so many people–”

Eren silently wept again. His concerned mother and father sensed the full details of his nightmare but gently reassured him that he was smarter than to have done something like that, and of course that he knew that killing was wrong. 

Still, Eren didn’t look convinced. He had told them how scared he was of the Yeagerists in town and that they were trying to recruit some of the older schoolchildren into dropping out of school to join their cause. Even though Eren knew that what they wanted and believed in was wrong, it caused fights in school and pitted children against each other; he lost some good friends and worried that the Yeagerists would try to convince him to be like his namesake and undo everything that his father worked hard to promote. Many times, Mikasa and Jean contemplated taking their children out of school and sending them abroad for their education, but in the end did not want Sasha and her brothers to be too far away from home.

“I don’t want to be a bad person,” said Eren, “but I don’t want to be a bad person who doesn’t know it. I want to be like you, Mama, Dada, but I don’t want to make things worse than they already are!”

“I know, son,” said Jean, “and we are both so proud of you and your sister and brother for how good you are. You three are good children, and we know that you’re scared.”

Eren silently nodded.

“Dada and I will talk about it,” said Mikasa. “We want to discuss some good ways that you can deal with it if you feel pressure to join and not have to get hurt.” She kissed his cheek. “Try and get some sleep, Eren. We can talk about this with Sasha and Marco tomorrow before we go on the trip.”

Eren tried to feel better but was still uneasy. He didn’t want there to be an attack at school that the Yeagerists pretended was not their doing just so they could get little boys and girls to join them. Even though that never happened, he heard Dada talk about some countries where that did happen– “inner terrorism”, Dada said it was. He didn’t believe in their cause but knew that he couldn’t fight them alone, and that hurting other people to stop it would make it worse.

***

The horses galloped across the grass, at a distance that seemed unfathomable to the cadets years ago. They ran past sights that they had never before seen. For the human inhabitants of the island, such a sight would have seemed imaginative but impossible. It was so large compared to the nature once confined within the walls. 

Eventually, the humans on the horses halted them. In front was the sand and the ocean that stretched on for miles. It was even more beautiful than they had remembered the first time that they laid eyes on the blue saltwater. 

Armin was the first to dismount and waited for Eren to let go of his father’s waist, then helped him down. Connie jumped onto the ground and pulled Sasha off his horse’s back, and Mikasa told Marco that he could open his eyes, having clung to his mother’s front the entire ride. When Marco saw the ocean, his jaw dropped. “Mama…” He pointed to the ocean as if she had never seen it before. “Look!”

Mikasa smiled and carefully took him off the horse so that he didn’t have to look away. “Yes, Marco,” she whispered. “This is what the ocean looks like, not just when your father boarded that ship.”

By this point, Eren and Sasha had stripped down to their underwear and ran to the ocean until they were up to their waists. They splashed at the surface and flicked water at each other. Meanwhile, as Connie and Armin kept watch over the children, Mikasa and Jean took off Marco’s shoes, held his hands, and walked him along the wet sand. Marco squealed when the cold wave washed over his feet, but then he giggled and waved his arms. “Again, again!”

Sasha cartwheeled in the smaller waves, and Eren scooped up handfuls of sand, which he threw at his sister. Sasha protested and flung a fistful of wet sand at his chest.

“Sasha! Eren!” cried their parents. “If you continue to do that, you won’t be allowed to pay in the ocean anymore!”

“Sorry!” they apologized simultaneously. 

Armin waved them over and showed them how to find seashells and small conches in the wet sand. The siblings spent the afternoon trying to carry as many in their arms and looking for bigger sizes. Armin only pulled them away from large jellyfish, and Connie chased the children into the ocean, and then let them chase him back to the beach, laughing the entire time.

When lunch was ready, Mikasa carried Marko to the blanket, and Eren and Sasha rushed to the dry sand. Armin gave them towels to dry off, which they wrapped around their bodies like capes, and Connie helped them fill their plates with warm meat and vegetables to put on top of their bread. Sasha and her brothers ate quickly, eager to go back to the water. Marco admired the conches that his brother and sister found. 

Only after lunch was over did Jean let Eren and Sasha grab his hands and pull him back to the ocean, where he fell to his knees and let his children climb up his back. Eren and Sasha giggled and held on while he spun in circles. Marco held out his arms and whined, but Mikasa set him on her lap and watched her other children try to climb higher onto Jean’s shoulders. Jean pretended to drop Eren, and then mimicked throwing Sasha farther away.

Armin joined her after cleaning up and wanted to cry. Even though the ocean had always brought him joy, it always occurred to him the series of events that led to massive loss of life and then the death of his best friend. Of course he adored the little Kirsteins, but did his best friend, who loved him like a brother, really need to initiate a war with worldwide civilizations for little Sasha and her brothers to exist? Even if Eren knew that Mikasa and even Jean were the happiest that they had ever been, would he still have gathered followers to promote his beliefs even after his death just so their children could grow up safe? The Yeagerists were still gathering power in the island, and Armin worried that the world was more dangerous to little Marco and his older siblings than the threat of Titans. 

Marco crawled out of his mother’s lap and tried to run his hands over Connie’s growing buzzcut, but he didn’t want to pull himself off his knees. Connie, chuckling, lowered his head for Marco’s curiosity. Armin watched Marco move his fingers and babble incoherently, wondering if his work as a peace ambassador was enough for him to ensure that the next generation of Arlets would understand the sacrifices that his fallen comrades had made and still not worry for their lives. 

***

Mikasa knelt down to the tree roots and smiled at the headstone. “Hello, Eren,” she said softly. 

Behind her, Eren and Sasha impatiently held the flowers to put on the headstone and tried to leave their mother in peace with the first person she truly loved. To Eren’s left, Armin held his son’s—named after his paternal grandfather—hand, and Annie put her hand over where she felt her second child, hopefully a little girl, kick without mercy. (Jean, on the other hand, was at the cabin, helping Marco fight a fever.)

Mikasa shared that her children were fast runners and wanted to go back to see the beach. They shared all the chores and were very good readers. All three of them took singing lessons at school, and Eren and Marco took to heart Jean’s advice that women like men who could cook. (Of course, that was not the reason why Mikasa married Jean.) Eren stood up for classmates from bullies without getting into physical fights, Sasha was an excellent archer who could hit a target even while riding a horse but still hated potatoes (and was sometimes caught sneaking hers to an unsuspecting brother), and Marco had beautiful handwriting and started losing his first teeth.

Then little Eren put down the flowers and excitedly said that the year before, he and Sasha asked Dada to take them with him on his journey to other countries. After careful discussions with Historia and the other ambassadors, they agreed on the condition that Jean would be responsible for where to put the children during confidential meetings. Mama stayed behind with Marco and little Arlet, and Eren and Sasha ran around the steamboat to explore the inner workings, ate fresh seafood every day, and giggled when Pieck pointed out the mirror where Jean studied his appearance to look more attractive. Even their cabins and the water for bathing were warm. 

Upon arrival to Marley, the ambassadors bought an ice cream for the little Kirsteins to share, caught up with Yelena, and left Eren and Sasha with Levi, who had since opened a tea shop but treated the children to lollipops. Even though the Warrior Unit heard the story before, they laughed when Connie, Armin, and Jean recounted to Jean’s children their first trip to Marley and their unfortunate first interaction with alcohol. Eren and Sasha howled until their stomachs hurt. 

It had rained that night, so Reiner wanted to cancel his plans to show everyone all of the trees that Gabi and Falco had planted but gave in when everyone insisted, nonetheless. Jean made sure that Eren and Sasha wore their “chore’s clothes” as they inevitably played in the mud.

The best part, according to Eren, was that as soon as Reiner introduced the children who were coated in wet dirt to Gabi and Falco, Sasha greeted them by throwing a fistful of mud at Gabi’s face. Jean was too horrified to confront her. Reiner, however, laughed hysterically, to Connie’s and Armin’s confusion. “At last, Sasha has her revenge.” (And no, Gabi was not mad but laughed at the little girl. She even lent Sasha a clean nightgown while her and Eren’s clothes were in the wash.)

They went to so many countries and explored so many things that Eren and Sasha were exhausted on the trip home and slept for two whole days in the cabin. When they did wake up, they went back to chasing each other around the steamboat and learning how it worked, and tired themselves sharing with their mother what they had learned.

By this point, Eren’s throat was dry, so Mikasa patted his back to make him feel less guilty that he ran out of stories already. He listened to Sasha talk about her friends, and Armin encouraged his son to say hi to a headstone. 

When they arrived at the cabin for lunch, Jean had just pulled Marco from a hot bath and quickly put him to nap so he could help his wife. Eren and Sasha grabbed apples from the kitchen bowl and took little Arlet outside to feed the horses; Annie watched from the kitchen as Eren held up her son in his arms and instructed him to give the apple to the horse. At first, the little boy looked terrified as the horse sniffed his fingers but then giggled as the horse bit into the apple from his hand and munched.

The children came back inside for a lovely lunch and to watch Annie, with insane cravings, consume almost every pie on display. The adults pretended not to notice, let alone watch, but Annie was fully aware and did her best to chew slowly and savor the taste before swallowing. 

***

And just like that, everything changed. 

Jean and Mikasa were napping after a post-lunch round of sex when they heard the explosion. Jean quickly dressed and stepped onto the balcony to scan the city. The look he gave his wife terrorized her. 

“It’s the school,” he whispered. 

The couple fought their way through the panicked crowds, but the crowd only seemed bigger as worried parents tried to get closer, but the “police” held them back while the headmistress refused to let any children go home until every child was out of the rubble. 

Mikasa craned her neck to watch the smoke reach for the sky, and visions of dead children’s bodies came back. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists. This could not be happening again, it could not, and she knew that the Yeagerists had to have been responsible just to create horror. Jean was right–inner terrorism was the worst kind.

Teachers led schoolchildren out of the front door and had them stand in a line for a proper headcount. Parents shouted for their children, who cried and pleaded to go home, but it all made Mikasa feel worse. 

“Eren!” cried Jean. “Marco! Sasha!”

Mikasa joined him in crying out for Sasha and her brothers, but it was twenty minutes before they saw Eren’s face in the line pouring out of the front door. He was crying but grabbing his friend Bryce’s shoulders while another boy clutched his.

“Thank goodness,” Jean muttered. “Sasha! Marco!” 

Thankfully, Sasha’s class stepped out after five minutes, and they identified their daughter in the crowd. Sasha tried to run over, but her friend Ashly pulled on her arm, so she spent the time holding hands with Ashly and their friend Megan. She was visibly crying but clearly trying to console her friends. Mikasa sighed in relief to erase a terrifying vision of Sasha’s body, prone and still like her late namesake’s. 

Jean put his hands on her arms and tried to comfort her for what seemed like hours.

“Kirstein!” roared a teacher. It caught Jean’s and Mikasa’s attention just in time for Marco, his little face covered in soot, to hurry out of the building with his best friend’s arm around his shoulders. They cried out for him, but he likely could not hear them. Austin was bleeding so profusely that Marco had taken off his own jacket to push against the head wound. 

Fortunately, a teacher swooped in. “Here, Marco,” he said. “I got him, thank you.” Marco cried as he watched Austin being carried away from him until their teacher called for Marco to join the line. 

In that moment, Jean’s panic faded and turned into utmost pride for his youngest child.

***

Jean washed his face of his tears and stared at his reflection. Not even the relief that his children were safe was enough to calm him down or make him stop crying. He tried not to think of how hard the children were crying or how terrified they were so that their parents had to carry them home. It took hours for them to calm down, take baths, and cuddle with their parents until they fell asleep on the couch.

Mikasa was sitting on the chair beside the couch and silently weeping as she clutched a mug of tea. She shook her head. “They will never forget this,” she whispered. She set down her mug and pulled her husband into a fierce hug. He let her cry on his shoulder and studied how the children twitched in their sleep, Marco silently crying, Sasha gripping the skirt of her nightgown, and Eren pushing his face into the seat of the couch. As soon as Jean’s mother returned to keep an eye on the children, the couple snuck out and rode to meet with the Queen, who was just as devastated. 

“I know it was the Yeagerists,” she said and went into detail about a mole who infiltrated the Yeagerists and confirmed the weaponry used to explode the school, kill twenty-four children, and hospitalize over fifty. Mikasa’s heart pounded in hatred, and Jean hung his head against his wife’s shoulder. The mole, however, did not know that the school would be a target; from what the Queen gathered, the attacks were to be random.

Within two hours, they sketched out a plan: Because the anniversary of the Battle of Heaven and Earth was approaching, she would assign Mikasa, Connie, Jean, Armin, Reiner, and Pieck to parade through the streets in celebration and commemoration of the lives lost; their job was to keep an eye out for anyone who may not be celebrating and make a report to Historia. Annie, on hiatus after the birth of baby Arlet number three, would sneak the little Kirsteins and Arlets to the Blouse farm for hiding until it was safe to go home. If the Blouse family approved, they would take in the children two days before the parade was announced. 

Naturally, the late Sasha’s family was happy to take in Annie and the children, but Reiner and Pieck, having moved back to Marley, were hesitant and worried that it would just lead to more casualties. With convincing from Armin, whose own firstborn was due to start school the following year, they agreed to come as soon as possible.

Mikasa, Jean, and Armin had to console their frightened children about the distance and the undisclosed amount of time that they wouldn’t see their parents. With wigs and new clothes, Annie and the children departed by wagon to Dauper. Mikasa and the men watched with pained hearts as the wagon faded into a small dot, and reluctantly turned away from their dearest loves. 

***

The couple pretended not to feel awkward that they were parading around town to commemorate their victory at an inappropriate anniversary. It would have been better to have erected a memorial of all the late soldiers who died during and before the Battle.

Instead, they scanned the crowds to find hostile looks and suspicious people, yet they also saw grateful townspeople eager to stare at the heroes of so many years ago. Their uniforms were recently cleaned, and they received new versions of their since-retired gear, from the blades to the Thunder Spears. In the far distance, Armin saw three children–two little boys and a little girl–climb onto the roof of a house to watch. He secretly smiled to himself in nostalgia and confidence. 

It’s nice to know that some people still believe in us and are grateful for all that we had done years ago, he decided to tell his friends after the parade. However, he thought back to that one fateful day, when he and Eren and Mikasa snuck a peek at the parade of the Survey Corps, only to find a defeated team that suffered more than it gained. He hoped that somehow, this act sent a positive message to the next generation whom he had to protect from the threat of destruction and massive death. 

Jean made himself smile as he admired strangers and was showered in rose petals. Years ago, he would have done anything to do this and get girls’ attention, even if it wasn’t to find a lifelong mate. Now he had a real job to ensure the continued safety of his pride and joy, all three of whom, according to Annie’s recent letter, were recovering as long as they helped with the farm and practiced riding horses. Jean scanned the crowd for anyone who perhaps indicated signs of affiliation to the Military Police. It seemed like such a long time ago that he had wanted to be one of them and live a life of luxury. 

Ka-BOOM!

The explosion was louder than at the school, and not just because of the close distance. Jean knew from the smoke that it was of greater ammunition. Then he heard another explosion, and more people screamed and huddled to the ground or pushed past each other.

“Everybody get inside!” Mikasa roared, and she and her surviving soldiers galloped to the scene of devastation. She did not want it to be another school–no more children deserved to struggle with the trauma that her children were fighting–and she certainly did not want it to be a crowded building like a hospital. Luckily, the road ahead of her was cleared with not even a wheel to slow down her horse. “Seek shelter! Do not hover around!”

Then they erupted out of nowhere. 

The capes were long gone, but the tails of their coats fluttered behind them like the former uniform. Mikasa’s heart pounded in anger. They did not deserve to wear the wings of freedom anymore. They took that symbol as their own and dishonored it so that it lost its true, original meaning. 

The Yeagerists swooped down to assault the former soldiers who still rode like a windstorm and pulled out their gear. Jean clutched his handlebars and glared at the monsters who dared to threaten the lives and well-being of the three people he loved above anything else. Adrenaline rushed through his bloodstream, and the hatred that he once felt for the Titans was now reserved for those who sought destruction, not peace.

“Jean…!”

Jean barely turned his head to his wife’s direction as everything went black and the screams of Reiner, Armin, Pieck, and Connie faded…

The surprising, blinding light snapped Jean from unconsciousness, and he trembled as his vision cleared. When he finally came to his senses, he realized that he was in a basement with lanterns. About ten people in the now dishonorable uniform were glaring at him. He tried to move but realized that he was hanging by his wrists from the ceiling.

“Nice to meet you, Kirstein,” said a young man who reminded him of Samuel. “We’ve heard a lot about you and are so delighted to put a name to the face.”

Jean scoffed. “Nice to meet the people who threatened my children’s lives by blowing up their school and harming innocent children.”

The man’s laugh was like cold water. “Ah, seems like your personality hasn’t changed since your hotheaded days with the cape.” He pushed back his hair. “I guess there are some things that don’t go away when you become a father.”

“Not everything has to change when your life isn’t about you anymore,” Jean spat. “But yeah, if you’re going to torture me to demand where my children are, I wouldn’t even bother to tell you their first words.”

Some of the other occupants snickered at the jab. “We’ll get to that later. Honestly, we’re more curious about something else.”

“Listen to me, you dirty devils,” Jean growled. “I know what you’re trying to do, but trust me. You’re only going to make things worse. The cause is dead, and you’re following a destructive path that will kill everything and everyone you care about.” He tried not to think about Mikasa in the past, only the Mikasa who was now his wife.

One young man grabbed his ankle and pulled off his boot, and Jean’s heart pounded in his ears. “You really believe you can take down the Yeagerists, after all we’re doing in the name of your late friend?” he sneered. "If that's so, then why even bother naming your first son after your old friend? Didn't you try to talk your wife out of it?"

“You’re only causing more pain, more hardship to children who will not understand that you cannot always solve a problem by becoming part of the problem,” Jean hissed. “You’re only spreading the disease when you think you are curing it.” He tugged on his constraints. "And we named our son Eren...because for all the harm that the first Eren I knew caused, my Eren...my little ray of light...will bring back together what my friend had torn apart."

The young man gave him a twisted look. “A disease, you think Eren’s cause was, to free us from discrimination?” He pulled out of his pocket a hammer and slammed it so hard against Jean’s instep that he heard the cracks before he felt the bones break.

***

Mikasa glared at the young woman whom she had followed and cornered in an alley. “Hitch,” she spat. “I should have known that you were a leader in this.”

Annie’s former roommate snickered. “A leader?” she stupidly repeated. “Just because I’m fighting for a cause that I believe in doesn’t mean that I always take the reins. Whose idea was it to have this stupid parade, anyway–yours?”

“Like hell,” Mikasa huffed. “I did not want to celebrate history this way unless we erected a monument for all of those who lost their lives to preserve Paradis Island without harm to others.”

Hitch’s mouth twitched. “That sounds so unlike you, Mikasa,” she chuckled, and Mikasa couldn’t tell if she was being serious or sarcastic. “It looks like you’ve had a complete change of heart ever since you became a mother. Didn’t you ever tell your children how Mommy was a tag-a-long for almost her entire life?”

Mikasa arched her feet and gripped her handlebars so that her knuckles were white. “Well, if I can recall, I got to where I was from natural talent, not through perhaps dishonorable means.”

Suddenly, Hitch’s eyes flickered, and she reached into her pocket and pulled out a gun. 

Mikasa was quicker in deflecting the bullets with her blades until Hitch ran out. Growling, she tossed it aside and raised her fists, in a position that she clearly learned from Annie. “Fine, then,” said Mikasa, who took off her own gear. “Let’s do it evenly. Give me everything you got.”

Hitch huffed, and the women ran forward.

***

Jean clenched his fists over the chains holding his arms over his head and tried not to show any sign of pain on his face. Both of his feet were broken, and he had a sensation like blood was pouring from his legs. Nevertheless, he glared at the damn Yeagerists who gave him looks of death that he delightfully returned. It’s not just that you wanted to kill innocent children, innocent lives, he wanted to scream at them. I know that you wanted to create an attack just so you can drive more people to your case, even if they left years ago!

“Are you ready to speak now?” sneered a soldier. “We have so many questions to ask, and we have all the time we need to beat them out of you.”

Jean nastily grinned. “I’d like to see you try.”

The soldier grabbed Jean’s leg by the knee. “All right, then–”

Within seconds, the pain of a dislocated knee soared up Jean’s thigh.

***

Just then, Hitch raised her leg and kicked Mikasa in the chin, sending her tumbling back. 

The nasty chuckle that Hitch gave only angered Mikasa even more. “Motherhood clearly made you lose ground,” she taunted as she wiped her bloody nose. “It looks like you forgot what made you graduate at the top of your class.”

Not quite, Mikasa thought to herself. She pushed herself to her feet and ran forward, but Hitch was faster–a kick toward the face, but Mikasa defected it, grabbed Hitch’s knee, and spun her around so that Hitch instantly fell to the ground facedown. 

Same person, the black-haired woman thought to herself, different enemy closer to home. Then she grabbed Hitch by her elbows, forced her up onto her knees, and stepped on her ankles. “Where is my husband?” she spat. “If you thought your defeat was embarrassing, imagine what I can do to ten more people–it helped me take down more Titans than you would believe.”

Hitch snorted, so Mikasa pushed up her arm until Hitch cried out from the pain of a dislocated shoulder. “I’ll keep asking you until you give me a truthful answer,” she warned. “Trust me–I could do this as long as I need to.” She then shoved her knee into Hitch’s lower back. “But if you lure me into a trap, I have no problem finding you after I escape, and making you wish that I had killed you.”

Hitch groaned and hung her head. For extra security, Mikasa dislocated the other woman’s knees and paraded her throughout the empty streets. Seeing curious and relieved faces made the mother of three satisfied that not everybody agreed with the Yeagerists, yet also displeased that they refused to fight back and relied on semi-retired soldiers to take down the threat of terrorism.

You disappoint me, she bitterly thought.

***

I will not give in, Jean mentally shouted. He grit his teeth and ignored the pain in his knee. 

He thought of Mikasa, how she slowly became more than an infatuation and then his life partner. She was hesitant to return his feelings, not out of guilt for Eren but to ensure that Jean’s feelings were genuine and not out of lust. He asked every time he wanted to do something new, from holding her hand to kissing her cheek. One time, before they moved in together, she was crying so hard that he cradled her in his arms until they fell asleep together. When she woke up, she thanked him for not leaving her then, nor for taking advantage of her. He reassured her that any man who would harm a woman like that was a monster, and that she herself deserved comfort. 

“Answer me!” yelled a young woman who swiftly dislocated his right elbow. Jean groaned, but at least his arm was not broken or being dismembered. 

He concentrated on the first time they made love, how sweet and passionate they made it, how they were slow to undress each other. He listened to her every need and for discomfort because she deserved to enjoy it and feel safe at the same time. He had tears in his eyes because he could not believe that this was happening. He intertwined his fingers with hers, and pulled over her head and squeezed her hand, and barely winced when she sank her fingernails into his back. It was sweat and happy tears and desperate kisses on both ends. She had finished before he did, but he knew that a one-night stand or with someone for whom he did not feel as he did Mikasa would not have brought him to that intensity. Afterwards, he kissed her forehead and wrapped their blanket–and his arms–tightly around her as they whispered to each other to sleep.

His other elbow throbbed, but he pretended not to feel pain, for he recalled that one special memory, when he and his wife studied each other and made love in the cold river outside their log cabin. It wasn’t their first time in the river, but it was the most special because two days later, her birthday present to him was a tiny box with white baby shoes inside. Jean had never cried harder from joy at that point in his life until she had the baby.

He thought of the births of his children and the delight and fear each time that he became a father. Being the first to hold his children in his arms gave him an elation that no poem or song could sum up. Even the mild moments of frustration were nothing compared to the joy of watching them grow up into better human beings than he had ever been, and he was determined to maintain their sense of safety throughout their lives. 

He thought of his children’s namesakes, and why he and his wife agreed to name them after beloved friends. Whenever Eren made friends with boys and girls who didn’t fit in, Sasha poked her head through hanging laundry just to puff her cheeks when she knew that her father was unhappy, or Marco tried to fix his own problems on his own before asking for help, Jean wondered if his fallen friends were proud of the legacy that Jean was giving him in their honor. All he wanted was for them to grow up healthy and strong, and give him and his wife similar–if not greater–grandchildren. 

Pound, POUND!

“Who the hell is that?” someone demanded.

Through blurry eyes, Jean turned his head to the knocking. Just then, the door opened, and a body flung onto the floor. 

“Hitch!” cried the Yeagerists. Jean noticed that his former ally was hog-tied and gagged with a white cloth, and his eyes widened.

“Who did this to you?”

“Was it one of those so-called Warriors?”

They removed the gag from her mouth, and Hitch was crying from either pain or humiliation. “It…It was…”

The door flung open. “Come and get me,” said the voice that he loved to hear every day, the voice that thanked him for being a wonderful father and husband, the voice that whispered every time they made love…

Still, Jean struggled to focus, but he knew from the constant grunts and her angry yells that his warrior wife was winning. He heard the snap of broken bones and bodies slammed against the wall in a dizzying circle. It ended with deep pants. 

“Thanks for the tip, Hitch,” he heard her say right before a crunch, a cry, and a body slump. Then the footsteps drew closer. “Jean! Oh, thank goodness, you’re still alive.”

Jean grinned, but his body ached for him to willingly talk. She grabbed his face and kissed him. “Stay with me, all right?”

She searched the unconscious bodies for the key and freed him from his chains. He partially collapsed onto her and groaned. “Th–They dislocated…” He tried to lift his aching head. “All the joints…they hurt…”

“I know,” she said, “but I’ll help you out of here.”

With one arm over her shoulder, she escorted him up the stairs and into the sunlight. She set him onto the ground and knelt down to stroke his face until Armin and the others arrived. Reiner picked up Jean and carried him all the way to the hospital, where Jean passed out in the cool building.

***

Jean was slow to wake up but knew that he could not stay asleep anymore. He dimly opened his eyes and failed to suppress a yawn. His wife was curled up in the sheets, her bare back against his bare chest and her long hair tumbling over the pillow. He had his arm around her waist and his bare leg draped over hers. A hot flash erupted in his chest. How did he get so lucky that his dreams became manifestations that turned out to be better than he imagined? 

He didn’t know if she was feigning sleep, so he decided not to surprise her with an omelet or treat himself to scotch. He just wanted to live in this moment for as long as he could. They were talking seriously about expanding their family, and he knew that once a child entered their lives, they would have limited time alone, even to conceive again. The one thing he knew, though, was that, regardless of how many children she bore and how her body would change, he would still find her attractive and want to squeeze her against his naked body in his sleep, just like in the present. 

“Jean?” It was her sweet voice. “Are you awake?”

“No,” he responded. “Why? Are you hungry?”

“I’m not.” She adjusted her arm over the blanket. “I’ve been awake since the sun rose. I just didn’t want to get out of bed.”

Jean pulled her closer to his chest and moved his arm to align under hers. “Me neither.” He shoved his face between her shoulder and neck, and breathed in her natural scent. “I never thought how much I could appreciate mornings like this, where we have nothing to wake up to.”

Mikasa huffed. “Agreed.” She hesitated. “We had too many sacrifices and unnecessary deaths to bring us here, but…our–our roles that we had in bringing us this peace…I wouldn’t give up anything.”

No matter how much Jean would miss Marco and Sasha, and mourn that even Levi’s past squad never had this chance to wake up with an intimate partner, he felt that neither would have wanted him to be deprived of that privilege. If even one cadet could find lifelong happiness and live a desired life outside the army, then that was for what his fallen comrades had fought.

Secretly, Jean wondered if Eren, his family, and even Jean’s late in-laws would have thanked him for making Mikasa happy, the way that Jean’s mother had thanked her. Even if his mother had hated her and did not think that her son could feel safe and comfortable enough to be vulnerable, Jean would still want to marry, have a family with, and grow old with the orphan girl. How Jean yearned to tell his younger self that he and the young woman whose long black hair he adored would make each other happier than he ever imagined. 

***

There were dim sounds, like speech–different people talking, with old and younger pitches. Nothing was clear yet, but they were familiar sounds. Some sounded worried, others uncertain. His body felt like it was levitating like in a street magic show. Blood rushed down his face, and his skin started to hurt. What was this? Was this a new Path that he somehow joined?

Wait–there was light, light ahead…and some dark shape at the end of it…

Jean slowly opened his eyes. Mikasa smiled in relief. “Thank goodness,” she whispered. She held up a white cloth and dabbed at his warm face. Jean signed as the memories came back of the torture and pain, but she was safe. She was alive. It wasn’t a dream, he knew. 

Suddenly, their three children’s faces popped into his sight. “Dada!” they cheered. 

“Children, shush,” said Mikasa. “You promised that you would keep your voice down when he woke up.”

Sasha climbed as much as she could onto the bed and kissed Jean’s cheek. “We were worried, Dada,” she said. “Then Uncle Armin and Uncle Connie came to the farm after two days–we were very good–and they didn’t say what happened.”

Eren pulled Sasha off the bed by her waist and ignored her complaints. “They just said that you were hurt,” he said, “so Aunt Annie made sure we all got to come here.”

Mikasa picked up Marco, whom she bounced on her lap. “The doctor readjusted your joints, but you will still be sore for up to a week, he thinks,” she said.

Jean sighed. The soreness he could deal with, but the broken bones were his main problem. Did the doctor offer to lend them a wheelchair so that he didn’t have to hurt his feet anymore with crutches or have to stay in bed while he healed? He looked around and saw that they were in his bedroom, having taken him home right from the hospital. How long was he unconscious?

Then the door opened, and Connie led the Arlets into the room. Baby Arlet sucked her thumb in Annie’s arms, but her older brothers flung their arms over the foot of the bed. “Uncle Jean, guess what he did?” whispered Leonhart, who waved a piece of paper. 

“We made you a card,” hissed his older brother, who bounced on his feet. “We hope you get well soon and can go outside with us for picnics in the park.”

“Thank you, boys,” said Jean. 

Eventually, Mikasa sent her children into the kitchen to surprise Dada with a special dinner, and then asked Connie and the Arlets to please supervise so no fights would break out over something silly. Her friends ushered the Arlet boys out of the room, leaving her alone with her husband. She helped him sit up, removed the loose tunic as gently as she could, and pulled from behind him a bowl full of water and a blue cloth. 

Jean smirked. “Is this really why you asked the children to surprise us with dinner–to get a good look?”

Mikasa rolled her eyes. “I can see it every night, when the children go to bed, and I would never tire of it.” She wiped down his arms and collarbone, cleaned the cloth, and focused on his midsection. He watched his wife’s delicate arm move over his skin in small circles. She shifted behind him only to wipe his bare back and the back of his neck. He heard her set aside the bowl and felt her soft lips on his shoulder blade. Her kiss on the back of his neck was harder, as were the pecks going down his backbone. 

“You know that you can cry if you need to,” he reminded her. He knew her long enough that he knew when she had the urge. 

“Not until the children go to bed,” she whispered. After she kissed both halves of his wide, muscular chest, she moved on to each tied joint and then his lips. She carefully separated her legs over his lap, careful not to touch his aching hips, and held his face in both hands so that he wouldn’t stop kissing her. 

Jean wished that his elbows and shoulders were not dislocated because he desperately wanted to pull his wife closer to him in his arms and tug on her long hair. The kissing did not last as long as he would have wanted; she broke away after hearing two knocks on the door, followed by, “Dada! Can we come on? We have dinner ready!”

Eren, Sasha, and Marco together cooked for Dada an omelet with potato chunks rather than rice, diced zucchini with sauce that Dada liked, and a chicken thigh. It smelled quite appetizing. The three took turns feeding Dada, who was grateful that the Yeagerists didn’t dislocate his jaw, and made sure that he ate every bite, “including the gross potatoes,” Sasha added with her nose wrinkled. Mikasa did not send them back to wash the dishes until forty minutes after Dada finished eating, but Marco said that Connie and the Arlets were already at the sink so he, Sasha, and Eren could spend more time with their father. The next four hours flew by, and everyone wished Jean a good night and easy sleep.

Eren, Sasha, and Marco fell asleep around their father, but Mikasa was too tired and lazy to pick them up and move them into a different bed. She curled up to her husband’s chest and lured herself asleep to the sound of his beating heart.

It seemed so long ago that she dreamt of Eren and herself isolating themselves in a cabin to live out the remainder of his life. Looking back, she realized that she wasn’t that selfish; she just wanted to spend as much time with the one family member she had left and let him know how much she cared.

At this point, she instead dreamt that she had a terminal illness and had even less than four years of life left. Unlike what she would have wanted for her friend, she would have preferred to stay in the apartment. She would have had multiple gatherings with her fellow cadet graduates, tasted everything on the menu at Nicolo’s restaurant and listened to what he knew about food from different countries and cultures, researched her heritage with her children, made love to her husband like she could not believe, and opted to see more of the world. Then she would peacefully pass away with no one but her husband and three children at her side to remind her that she fought for and lived a great life.

When she woke up the next morning and looked at the family that she helped build, she assumed that her mother and father would have been proud of where she ended up and the life she created after losing everything at that point. 

The family spent the day flipping through Jean’s filled sketchbooks as far back as when he was newly married. The children were fascinated to see how much detail their father put into artwork that resembled photographs before more Eldians took to photography. Of course, their apartment had photographs of their growing family, but Sasha and her brothers already could not imagine a life without that technology, let alone to capture intimate moments of her parents admiring newborn Eren or Sasha herself kissing baby Marco’s cheek. Only after the three (reluctantly) went to sleep in a different room did the couple flip through some of the more private sketches, such as Mikasa nursing their babies and her various body parts two days before she gave birth to Eren, her hands over where the doctor said that the fetus’s feet and head were at that point.

Then she flipped back pages to a personal favorite, which turned out to be the morning after Sasha was conceived. Jean sketched his wife, under the blanket, holding up a camera to take a picture of her husband at the foot of their bed and sketching her as he saw her. She even clipped the photograph of Jean to the page as a reminder of the “simpler time” when they were experimenting with unfamiliar technologies that would definitely shape the following generations. Neither bothered to dress; they covered themselves with their shared blanket.

“An innocent time, it seemed like,” he thought out loud. 

“No,” she said with a smile. “It was just one step further into our lives together, as we were rebuilding.” She leaned her head against his arm and admired how he drew her fingers clutching the camera. “It’s something that you and I can look back on with fondness.”

When Jean turned his head to meet her eyes, she propped herself up on her elbow. “Do you remember how you used to say, ‘I’m not him’, ‘It’s not who I am’?” She took a deep breath and continued: “I…I am glad you are not. I was always happy that you are a different person.”

Jean blinked, stunned. Mikasa reached forward and stroked his cheek. “The love I felt for him was different. And…I always will love and miss him, but I realized…” She took a deep breath and swallowed. “The love I have for you, I could never have with him.”

“I understand what you’re saying,” he said. “Mika, understand this–I never wanted to be him anyway, because I knew that he had flaws that were not healthy for any of us in the Corps. You know what he planned to do, and you allowed yourself to admit that you disagreed with it. That is a brave thing.” He motioned for her to move her head to his face, and he kissed her cheek. “I probably would have stopped feeling anything for you but anger if you did not bother to fight back. I know that you’ll carry this feeling for the rest of your life, but think of it like this: If you never did make that decision to kill him and stop the massacre of thousands of more people, you would have spent the rest of your life and even your dying moments regretting it.”

That stopped her crying, and Jean was tired but wanted to continue. “You saved thousands of other lives, my love, just by you admitting that you couldn’t allow your love to continue like that. And…” As he smiled, tears filled his eyes. “Our children–our three babies–they would not exist.”

Mikasa wiped her face and nodded in agreement. “True,” she said, “and I hope that Sasha and the boys will learn that story one day, and learn something from it.”

“They will,” Jean promised. “I know they will. That’s why we visit the grave every year–so they learn something every time, about doing what’s right, and how to grow up: Move on, but don’t forget.”

“I know,” his wife smiled. “I love you.”

Jean echoed her and deeply kissed her. Then she lied on her side, cuddled up to him as best as she could, and repeated that mantra in her mind so she could one day tell the three people for whom her life was centered: Move on, but don’t forget. Move on, but don’t forget.

***

So many things happened, wonderful and terrible. Life truly went on, and more than fifty years had passed since she made that fateful decision to end her best friend’s life. Had he lived, he would indeed have been amazed with how unrecognizable their home was.

The couple led the way to the tree, followed by Sasha, Marco, and, on behalf of her absent husband, Eren’s wife, all of whom brought their children with them while Sasha’s and Marco’s spouses waited by the cars. 

Jean still supported her after she stepped off her wheelchair and towards her friend’s final resting place. True to his word, he loved her the older and grayer she became; true to her word, she felt just as attracted to him as when they pledged their lives together.

Mikasa still felt the same every time she saw the headstone. It was always nice to stand here and pay her respects to her childhood friend. At that point in her life, he had been her entire world; now, her entire world was right behind her but also preparing for her departure within the next few years or the next decade. This time, it was bittersweet to think that one day, she would join him, reunite with her own parents, and the fallen comrades. She just knew that everyone in her family would still come to the burial grounds, and she wouldn’t change that as long as they were still able to live long lives as she had.

[withmyhonesty]

Ritsu Sakuma - SHUFFLE x Whispering Evil TELEPHONE - Mini Talks

Translations under the cut (best viewed on desktop)

Sleepy Season

Mnya, mnya... there's no way I can remember the dawn of spring sleep... Eh, hmm? Anzu, you're here now. Nacchan was supposed to be here with me before I fell asleep.

Option 1: You looked like you were sleeping comfortably. Option 2: I see.

Option 1: You looked like you were sleeping comfortably. That's right, I was sleeping so soundly I didn't even notice Nacchan had left. After all, Spring is the season when sleep is most comfortable unlike Summer. Hm~ I'm still sleepy, but now that Anzu is here now, I should wake up properly.

Option 2: I see. Mm. We stopped by the office together, and then Nacchan invited me to the Hanging Gardens. I think she called out to me because I looked sleepy, but... If she had to leave to do something else, she could've just told me ahead of time.

x

...Hm? Speak of the devil, Nacchan's sent me a message. "I'm sorry I left without calling, I wonder if you're awake now?" Hmm, how should I respond? Should I just message back "It's okay, I'm awake now~"?

Option 1: It's like she can see right through you. Option 2: I think that's fine.

Option 1: It's like she can see right through you. Ahaha, you're right. It's great timing that she reached out to me just as I woke up, isn't it? Being in Knights means we spend a lot of time together, so she probably knows how long my naps are. I wonder. I haven't thought about it much, but maybe I'll ask next time.

Option 2: I think that's fine. Yeah? If Anzu says it's okay, then I'm sure it's okay to send it. You ask if usual exchanges are like that? Yeah. It's a little blunt, but I guess that's how we are. We can meet up and talk about whatever's necessary in person, right?

x

Ah, a handkerchief? Aa, sorry. Nacchan responded, she said she put a handkerchief over my eyes whilst I slept so I wouldn't be dazzled by the sun when I woke up. But I can't find it anywhere..? Maybe it was blown away by the wind?

Option 1: Maybe... Option 2: I can't feel any wind...

Option 1: Maybe... Woah. Anzu, why did you come so close all of a sudden? Even that surprised me. If you wanted me to move, you should've just said so. Yoi~sho. ... The handkerchief. Ahaha, I see. It must've fell off my face whilst I was asleep and got crushed under my body.

Option 2: I can't feel any wind... Right. If it fluttered in the breeze, it might have ended up in the bushes or somewhere nearby. Ah, there it is. I just didn't look properly, I don't think it got dirty. I'll wash it and return it to Nacchan, since it's the handkerchief that served as an eye mask and let me sleep soundly.

x

A Secret Place

Just now, I was having tea with Secchan and Suu-chan at Cinnamon. In the flow of the conversation, I accidentally mentioned "Trickstudio". It was my fault for letting it slip, but Secchan was so keen on the conversation I got a little flustered.

Option 1: That's a little... Option 2: Was he interested?

Option 1: That's a little... Yeah. I guess he thought he could meet Yuu-kun if he went to that place, which is where Trickstar hold most of their activities. Even though he's been treated coldly many times, Secchan's willpower is truly amazing. Since I couldn't say anything, he tried to locate it himself... I wonder how that went?

Option 2: Was he interested? I guess he's not interested in the place itself, but the possibility that Yuu-kun might be there. ... Hm? So, in the end did I tell Secchan the location? I was worried Maa-kun would get angry if I told him, so I somehow avoided saying so. Isn't that great?♪

x

Knights also has a hangout area, but I don't think it's as impressive as Trickstudio. I'd also like a nice room where I can have a cup of tea elegantly and do some creative work...♪ However, it would be a hassle to arrange it all myself, so maybe I should get my brother to do it for me?

Option 1: Do you really want that? Option 2: Would you like me to arrange it?

Option 1: Do you really want that? Hehe. I hope it happens, but I'm not serious about it at the moment. To be honest, it seems like it would be more trouble than its worth... It would be a pain to manage. If someone decided to make one in their free time, maybe I'd enjoy going out to play and have fun in it.

Option 2: Would you like me to arrange it? No no. This is an important time for you, Anzu, so just think about and focus on yourself. I mean, it's only half a joke. I don't expect everything to go my way all of the time... But, well, if I want it one day, I'll be sure to ask Anzu for advice.

x

Speaking of Trickstudio, I'm going to meet up with Maa-kun soon ♪ It won't be for work. Maa-kun wanted to see a movie based on a manga he likes, so I promised I'd go. I'm not particularly interested in movies, but I'm looking forward to spending time with Maa-kun...♪

Option 1: Have fun. Option 2: That manga might be...

Option 1: Have fun. Thank you. Since we graduated, I feel like I've had even less time to hang out with Maa-kun... When we see each other again, I want to feel fully replenished in Maa-kun ingredients. But next time, I'd like to invite you too. I think I'll be able to have a better time if both Maa-kun and Anzu are there... ♪

Option 2: That manga might be... Do you know about it too, Anzu? Mm, it's based on a popular shounen manga. Maa-kun also emphasized that a lot of effort was put into the lore accuracy and action scenes. ... I think I'll give it a chance and watch it seriously. If it's interesting, I'll let Anzu know about it.