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plutoccult · 10 months

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BRINGING THEM TO THANKSGIVING (PART TWO)

characters: reiner braun, bertholdt hoover, levi ackerman, erwin smith, and hange zoe (gender neutral pronouns for hange!)

description: headcanons on taking your favorite aot characters home to your family for thanksgiving.

read part one here

author’s note: hello! thank you for all the love on the first part of these headcanons. from my love all mine blowing up to also part one of the thanksgiving headcanons, i’m over the moon. i hope these headcanons are just as good, and happy (early) thanksgiving to those who celebrate! maybe i’ll do something christmas related in the future? in the meantime, i’m working on the next part of my haikyuu x the office au, and i hope more people will check it out! <3

REINER BRAUN:

— listen, i love this man, but he’s a mess. he wants to impress your family so bad! it’s so bad that he’s so in his head that he can’t even focus on having a good time. it’s not until you have a little talk with him in private and insist he let loose and try to have fun that he evades his overthinking head.

— despite his mess of a brain, he’s a total catch in the eyes of your grandmother and aunties. they think he’s a total HOTTIE! they can’t believe you bagged him, but at the same time are so impressed. you can’t help but roll your eyes at such comments while reiner has a hard time believing he’s that attractive.

— even if he’s not as tall as bertholdt, he’s still so tall, but has a better time navigating his stature as compared to his much taller best friend. your little cousins are quite amazed by his build, and he basically puts all the men in your family to shame in terms of muscle. good for you, honestly.

— at dinnertime, he feels more at ease and not as nervous when it came to making a good impression. he already left a positive mark on thanksgiving, and that mark continued throughout the rest of the night. everyone sure had no problem making sure that big boy was fed and was thrilled how much he loved everything. all in all, a success.

BERTHOLDT HOOVER:

— bertholdt is such a shy man!! my god!! he’s worse than reiner in terms of nervousness! no wonder they make such a great pair, they’re both wrecks. but bertholdt is sweaty, beet red mess when he walks through the door, and he can only pray no one notices and you don’t scold him for it (which you never would, but he can’t help but think you’ll do it anyway).

— he’s immediately overwhelmed by everyone greeting him all at once, a million words overlapping on another, and you have to tell everybody to call down and not scare him off right off the bat. bertholdt wouldn’t know what he’d do without you, really.

— honestly, take a shot every time someone mentions how tall bertholdt is. you’d be dead from alcohol poisoning before dinnertime, so don’t even try it. but seriously, everyone is so in awe of his height, it’s insane. you’re sometimes tempted to joke he’s not done yet growing just to make everyone sweat a little, but you don’t want to make your man even more flustered than he already is.

— unfortunately, bertholdt is too ridden with anxiety to properly eat his dinner, even if the small bites he ate were absolutely delicious. luckily for both of you, you get to take leftover plates home! the next day, he devoured his leftovers and ended up eating your plate too, but you weren’t mad. at least he enjoyed your family’s cooking in a place where he felt comfortable; at home with you.

LEVI ACKERMAN:

— you almost didn’t want to bring levi to thanksgiving. not because you didn’t want him to meet your family, but because he seemed so iffy on the subject of thanksgiving in the past. but, when you decided to take a chance and ask him about it, he was—much to your surprise—far more than willing to come along with you and even suggested the two of you bring a dish for the occasion (secretly because it was the one thing he could trust to eat).

— the two of you arrive, and you swore levi’s resting serial killer face would be the ultimate death of the holiday. your mother almost jumped when she opened the door and met levi’s piercing gaze, but was thankfully put at ease when he politely handed her the casserole he made with a soft smile. he was even nice enough to give her reheating instructions too. what a king.

— levi shockingly has a soft spot for children. you didn’t know that about him until now when you saw him cradling your baby niece in his arms with ease while she napped peacefully. the sight almost brought you to tears, seriously.

— even if levi didn’t have much of a family growing up, he could find solace in yours, secretly in his mind hoping he could always have things be this way. you were happy to see him happy, even if he had his own quirky ways of showing it, and you were so glad to have taken the leap to invite him to thanksgiving this year.

ERWIN SMITH:

— YOUR HONOR. i’m about to get oddly passionate about this for some reason, but hear me OUT. erwin is literally THEE man you want to bring home to meet your family. so serious. he’s every parent’s dream son-in-law. a father can only hope their child brings home someone like him, and luckily, you did!

— he’s such a charmer, oh my god. he just exudes bde, i’m not sorry (this is crazy coming from me, who was never a huge fan of erwin). he instantly wins over your family. you can’t even be shocked because he does this with every single person he meets, even you, who was swooned upon first meeting.

— he’s good with all the kids, just showing how more perfect he truly is, if that’s even humanly possible. everyone can’t stop talking about how awesome your man is, and you actually are proud of yourself for that. it’s about time you bagged an absolute 10 out of 10.

— when all is said and done, nobody wants him to go, they want him to stay forever! but don’t worry, he’ll come around for christmas, new year’s, and every other holiday after that.

HANGE ZOE:

— ah, my precious hange. they have their quirks, but that’s what makes them so wonderful, and that’s also why you fell for them in the first place. you can only hope your family falls for hange just like you did.

— honestly, hange just lights up the room. their presence has an instant effect on everyone, and some would argue the holiday for better once you two walked in together.

— i imagine hange talks about their inventions to your parents, showing examples of their previous work. it’s all impressive, really. you’ve got a real smarty pants on your hands, and your parents sure are happy about it! they’re just glad you’re not with someone who’s boring.

— they’re a total child at heart, not in a bad way. hange will play with the little ones as if they’re a kid themselves. they’ll even give out piggyback rides but with a little twist. the twist? bouncing around whilst a child is on their shoulders. thankfully, no one throws up.

— during dinner, hange probably thinks of good thanksgiving themed inventions and politely asks to write their ideas down on their phone since there’s a strict no phone rule at the dinner table. thankfully, your family can make an exception… as long as they’re mentioned in hange’s success story.

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abiatackerman · 5 months

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AOT characters relationships with you.....

Levi Ackerman

At first your relationship with Levi wasn't good at all. You thought he's an arrogant bastard and he thought you're a lazy assed useless doctor who won't survive even a second on the battlefield. He got more pissed on you because he was ordered to train a fragile person like you and had to turn you into a soldier.

On the other hand, you used to get so pissed with him because he was a strict and harsh trainer. Also not to mention he used to insult you as often as he could. You almost shouted at him every day. But little did none of you two know, Levi liked it when you would get angry at him and you really liked shouting at him.

Slowly but surely, you two started to get close. You started to heal his mental and physical wounds, he focused on making you stronger. Not to mention he never hesitated to let anyone know that he was your protector and he would show no mercy to anyone or anything which will try to hurt you in any way.

But with you he was soft. He would cry on your shoulder, reveal his real feelings to you. You helped him to get out of his childhood trauma, showed him how amazing love and physical affection is.... You made him love you so hard that getting worried if losing you, he dragged your ass to the church and married you just when he got the chance. And thus you two become the ideal couple of the survey corps.

Hange Zoe

She's your best friend in the survey corps. Also not to mention you two spend the most time together. You two are like sisters to each other, you pulling her to shower she's pulling you out of your bed in the morning. Though there's a lot of difference between you two.... You two never fail to get along.

Also, she's the main supporting character in your relationship with Levi. Also the main teaser too!

Erwin Smith

Your relationship with him is formal but you two both respect each other. You slowly but surely get his trust and he started to trust you so much that he never imagined making you a pawn of his bet. Also you both support each other mentally if you two get the chance. Like he would console you if you wouldn't be able to save a soldier's life and you would console him if one of his plans would accidentally fail.

Special Operation Squad members

Since you were a member of this squad too and you spent most of your time with them, your relationship with them was pretty friendly. Especially with Petra, you cared for her like she was your little sister. Also you and Oluo would try to mimic Levi together, have fun chatting with Eld and Gunther. They even forced you to meet their family... That's how close you were with them. You were the breath of fresh air and happiness in the squad.

Mike Zacharias

Your relationship with him was just how two colleagues relationship should be. You two would meet often and talk about the normal things out of formality. Also you liked how amazing his smelling ability was, it always amused you.

Eren, Mikasa and Armin

You always cared for them as you little siblings. Especially Armin, who likes to read books just like you. You would chat with him for hours about your favourite books and not to mention support his amazing ideas and encourage him since he was so insecure about himself.

Eren and you had spent enough quality time together. He was so scared of Levi and you would try to reassure him as you would laugh seeing his scared expressions. Also most of the time you two would talk about the titan abilities and you would try to find out how many similarities titans and humans had until it was discovered that titans are actually humans.

Mikasa and you never really spend that much time together.... But you always respected her for her strength and protectiveness and she loved you for always saving Eren's ass from Levi.

Jean Connie and Sasha

Just like the previous trio, you cared for these three the same. Especially Sasha, you probably cared for her the most. You find her always the cutest and the most adorable. You litarery cared for her so much that you sometimes gave her the opportunity to sneak in the kitchen to steal food. Also you loved cooking for her and enjoyed seeing how happily she ate them.

As for Jean and Connie, you would always enjoy their jokes and stupidity. You would sometimes joke with them too to reduce some weight from your shoulder. They were a refreshment for you from the cruel life of the survey corps.

Historia Reiss

You always felt pity for her. You didn't know her until her true identity was revealed. After she became queen and started to work for the homeless-unwanted children, you helped her to run the orphanage and to manage the kids. You were with her during her pregnancy period and helped her to give birth.

A/N: Hello there everyone! So I decided to write my thoughts on what your relationship would look like with the AOT characters. Of course it's my and only my thinking, you guys can think in your way. Here you means 🫵 (if you wanna imagine yourself) also me and my oc.... The oc of the story I've been writing on my ao3 account.

So that's it! Hope ya all have a great day!

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amywritesthings · 10 months

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silver underground. / chapter 19.

( Read on AO3 )

Pairing: levi ackerman x f!reader (attack on titan / shingeki no kyojin) Word Count: 5.3k Summary: flashback nine - also known as the calm before the expedition Warnings: mentions of death, anxiety, mentions of betrayal, unhealthy coping mechanisms, fighting, sexual themes

Previous Chapter. / Next Chapter. | Masterlist.

CHAPTER 18 - FLASHBACK: NINE

Nights turn into years.

The Scouts, to your surprise, take you in as their own.

They don’t question the nature of your connection with Captain Levi.

They don’t even ask about your time in the Underground City.

All they’re curious about is the now — the living, present air that surrounds you; the sun that's finally giving your skin a healthy glow; the comradery that’s kept this group alive longer than any of the Interior betting pools imagined.

Together.

That isn’t to say living with the Scout Regiment has been a breeze.

The surface is almost just as tough as living in the Underground but with more light. Fighting titans is difficult and all-around terrifying, but the Special Operations unit is an otherworldly beast fit to take them on.

At the lead of Commander Erwin and the collaboration between Levi and yourself following close behind, there are more victories in bringing people back to their families than catastrophic losses in numbers.

In terms of discovery, however, the Scouts are lacking in their mission to find anything substantial:

The villages still crawl with titans.

Breaching the forest in order to continue forward proves to be a point of no return Erwin can’t figure out by strategy alone.

The injured trek back to the Walls is always humbling. Over and over, you’re expected to deliver new information to the desperate — and oftentimes ungrateful — people behind the Walls.

They berate you in the streets, throwing food rations and calling you and the other good-for-nothing Scouts crude names.

You’re taught early to ignore it.

(You aren’t willing to explain to Petra and the others that you and Levi have dealt with much worse at much younger ages.)

Anyone with the Wings of Freedom quickly becomes a communal punching bag, but at least no one dies.

Maybe the runts of the litter get eaten — maybe the cocky ones perish, the reckless ones break their necks, the terrified ones kill themselves — but at least no one you know dies.

(You’re okay with not discovering what’s beyond the forest, if it means none of the Special Operations squad dies.)

It isn’t long before you’re introduced to someone who becomes a constant in your life:

Hange Zoe, Section Commander — Levi’s first friend in the Survey Corps.

And, as it stands, they seem pretty hellbent on becoming yours, too.

Hange is a wild-haired, glasses-wearing individual that prides themself on their extensive titan knowledge.

Just like Levi, they stumbled head-first into your life and never left.

They appears one foggy afternoon a few months into your Scout Regiment career. Their first day to headquarters was a memorable one.

You never anticipated the sheer amount of words that could come out of one person’s mouth. One lengthy monologue after the next, Hange caught you up to speed on the titan research program — whether you cared or not.

The Special Operations team was more than happy to trap you with Hange at the mess room table for hours so that they could be spared.

(According to Gunther, enduring their rants is just considered Special Ops hazing.)

Jokes on them: you were happy to listen, because Hange reminds you so much of Isabel.

It’s bittersweet, sharing meals and traveling with someone just as excited about the world as your young friend had been. They marvel at the little things that surround them, their smile as joyous and free as the late redhead that you once shared a cramped Underground City bedroom with.

Hange acts as though they’d known you their entire life.

They treat you as if you’d always been a friend, a very good friend, and you don’t shy from kindness the way Levi does.

Levi, on the other hand, acts like a malevolent cat in their presence, but Hange takes it in stride.

You know Levi well enough to know it’s all an act — Hange is just as much his favorite within the Scouts as they are yours.

You’re not one to believe in fate, but many a night staying up talking to Hange about a future they see feels like your life, this strange life, was meant to be.

That, through the comradery of the Scouts, you can learn to trust again, to laugh again, to reinvent yourself again — and not hang onto Levi’s every movement like his shadow.

You create your own space within the Special Operations squad; one where you are praised for your quick thinking, ODM maneuvering, and fearlessness in battle.

You grow your own friendships.

Hardships.

Inside jokes.

Celebrations.

Bonds forged by strength and by trauma.

(Your own shadow.)

“Oi, where’s Levi?”

You had been busy reading reports in your former bunk room, now morphed and redecorated into your Lieutenant’s quarters.

It’d been a few hours since the last short-term mission ended — you had nearly gotten your ass handed to you by an eight-meter titan with a particularly animated body. Where most titans walk slowly, aimlessly, this one had a frenzied mission. A desire to run.

According to Hange, they're calling them Abnormals.

They’re a new type of nightmare that only keep showing up more and more every trip outside the Walls.

“Hello, earth to James,” Hange sing-songs as they wander in.

You glance up, distracted.

“Hmm? Where’s Levi?” you repeat. “I don’t know, why?”

“Because you two always have a sixth sense on where the other is,” Hange reasons, flopping down in the chair across from you. “It’s freaky.”

“The person who talks to titans is calling me freaky?” you ask with a smirk playing on your lips.

“That’s when you know it’s the truth,” they reply, not skipping a beat. “What is that whole thing about, anyway?”

“What?”

“Sorry, let me rephrase. I never asked: Levi came into the Scouts, right? In all his grumpy glory. Then two months later, you joined us.”

You squint as a response to Hange’s presented puzzle.

“That guy is a hard nut to crack. You must have some kind of special sauce to get him to trust you so fast. Unless…”

The others still don’t know.

Well, they know — they know Levi is incredibly protective of you.

They know you look to his guidance before anyone else.

They know the two of you often disappear to spar.

(Surely they must know where you are almost every night but are too afraid to speak up. It doesn't hinder Scouting missions in the morning.)

“We knew each other before the Scouts,” you finally confess, and Hange’s eyes blow wide with the validation.

“I knew it,” they tell you, snapping their fingers. “The Underground City, right?”

You nod, folding the map in two. “Kids that grow up there stick together.”

The shift in Hange’s expression is almost comical, bordering on conspiratorial.

“Ah-ha. So you two have been fighting alongside one another for a long time. This puts my theory of a weird cranial connection to bed. It’s just childhood friendship.”

You have to try not to smirk. “Yup, just that. No conspiracies needed.”

“Well, that’s one mystery down.” They gesture to their bare neck with their index finger. “I’m still trying to figure out the deal with that, though.”

“Huh?”

“You know, the deal.” They lean over the table to blatantly point at the silver necklace peeking out of your button-down ivory shirt, its pendant sitting against your sternum. “With. That.”

Right.

The necklace you never took off. The necklace you care for with a delicate touch. The necklace that you sleep in, bathe in, fight in.

“It’s just a necklace.”

“Sure.” Their glasses slide down the bridge of their nose. “Just a necklace.”

You laugh, turning your report face down on the table. “Sounds like you don’t believe me.”

“I don’t.” Hange smirks. “I’m supposed to be observant, remember? Well, I have deduced in my observations—”

“Ooh, a deduction,” you tease.

“—that it has importance. So what gives? Does that have something to do with a certain someone?”

Too close to him.

You roll your eyes, sliding your hands from the table’s surface to lean back in the wooden chair.

“How come you wanna know about it so bad, then, if it’s just a necklace?”

“I said it isn’t just—”

“Uh-huh.”

“Oh, now you’re twisting my words.”

“And you’re about to lose your glasses,” you tell them, and they push the center up their nose in short defiance. “What’s the reason you’re so interested all of a sudden?”

Hange groans in the pale torch light, sliding down into their seat in dramatized agony. “Be-cause I saw a titan almost snap that thing in half and you went totally berserk.”

“So?”

“So! I saw how fast you sliced that thing up!” Hange chuckles. “Like you had a personal vendetta against the damn thing. That was supposed to be my new test subject, y’know.”

You chuckle low, burying your chin in the mouth of the emerald green cape around your shoulders. Under the fabric you hold the tiny gemstone, running it between your fingers with admiration.

“Titans should learn not to touch my shit, then.”

“Hey, shitheads.”

The deep voice makes you sit taller, lips parted with a greeting that never quite comes to fruition.

Hange stays hunched over the table as Levi steps into the room. His hand grips tightly around the circumference of a steaming tea cup.

“Hey, Levi,” Hange greets in return. “James was just telling me all about how you two knew each other before the Scouts.”

Levi shoots you a look, and your brow quirks. Nothing too big. His shoulders relax a fraction of an inch.

“Did you tell Four Eyes how I used to always win at spars?” He drops down in a seat at the table, draping his arm over the back.

“I would never lie to poor Hange like that.”

“It wouldn’t be a lie.”

“Would, too.” You gesture to Hange. “Section Commander, would you believe me if I said he won every fight?”

Hange squints. “I’d have to observe for myself.”

Levi smirks, his lips covered by the tea cup.

You groan, leaning over the table to plead your case. “Hange, you’re supposed to say yes.”

“Not without proper evidence!” Hange refutes.

You scoff. “Some friend you are.”

“See, Levi? She said I’m a friend,” Hange adds, pointing to you. They lean back. “One day you’re going to say the same thing.”

Levi snorts. “Sure, when I’m shitting myself dead.”

Hange squints at the raven-haired man. “Why is it always shit jokes with—”

“James.”

It’s neither Hange or Levi that says your name.

You turn to see Eld standing at the doorway of the kitchen.

He seems… uncertain of how to approach your bedroom despite how the door is already open for wandering company.

He shifts in his stance, clearing his throat.

“Commander Erwin wanted to speak with you,” Eld informs you, eyes flickering over your face.

The smile you have from your conversation with Hange begins to slowly fall.

“Something up?” Hange asks.

Eld ignores them, staring at you instead.

You turn your chin to Levi, but the captain doesn’t react. He continues sipping his tea in silence.

“Now?” you ask.

“Now,” he confirms.

You catch Hange’s eyes before pushing the chair out. “Alright, fine.”

It isn’t like Erwin to summon people, much less you. If he has something to say, he usually does so by seeking out the person in question himself.

Sending Eld only means that he may be discussing matters with the rest of the Levi Squad on an individualized basis.

Maybe it’s to debrief from the short mission a few hours ago.

Maybe he’s looking for counsel on the strategy map you’d been pouring over before Hange and Levi swung by.

Whatever it is, it doesn’t leave you with a great feeling in your gut.

Up the stairs and down a narrow corridor sits Erwin Smith’s office. He has the door slightly ajar, the room illuminated solely by half-lit candles.

You knock your knuckles against the wooden slab.

“Commander?”

Erwin is sitting at his desk with pages of letters, diagrams, and what you presume to be Hange’s crude drawings of the titans they had captured three months prior. His dark emerald trench coat hangs loosely from the chair’s back.

His piercing blue eyes lift, staring straight at you.

“Come in, Lieutenant.”

You were never a fan when he called you that.

Lieutenant — it was a fake title to keep the masses from ever questioning your spot on the Special Operations squad, same with Levi.

Citizens never questioned it. Military Police, however, were never a fan.

Yet when Erwin said it, it always followed with something you wouldn’t enjoy hearing. Like you were being chastised for something before you knew the crime you’d committed.

“Is something the matter?”

“Not explicitly, no,” Erwin tells you, dropping his gaze to his papers briefly before glancing back up. “Close the door, please.”

Great.

Something was wrong.

You roll your eyes, closing the door. Your back stays pressed against it, arms crossed over your chest.

Maybe Levi became close with Erwin throughout the years, acting as his right-hand man through the thick of battle, but you had no interest in crowding his flank.

You didn’t like the method to Commander Erwin’s madness. It often went to great lengths at the cost of others; casualties be damned so long as the mission was successful.

You’re certain that’s why the public hates all of you.

Erwin, however, does not cater to the public’s opinion of himself, not when he can keep pushing towards the forest no one can quite yet conquer.

“I need you to be honest with me, Lieutenant,” he sighs, pushing his papers to the side.

You quirk a brow, staying put against the door. “I didn’t eat the rest of the potatoes, if that’s what you’re about to accuse me of.”

The blonde smirks, albeit briefly. “No, it has nothing to do with food rations.”

For a moment, the two of you stare each other down. You clench your jaw and neutralize your expression as he tries to decipher you well before the inquiry is asked.

It’s a game of mental chess.

You won’t give him the satis—

“Lieutenant, what is your connection to Captain Levi?”

You pause.

This question sounds like a layered spring trap — step too close with a simple answer and Erwin has the potential to drown your words in assumptions and claims.

Your heart beats a little faster.

“You already know my connection to Captain Levi, sir.”

“You don’t need to sir me,” Erwin says, like the casual coolness of the statement will somehow ease the tension cinching your shoulder blades together. “And I never heard it from you, not directly.”

“Because you stuck my face in some mud and talked over me the day you made me think my business partners were dead,” you reply with little tact.

Erwin can’t help but smile at the snip. It’s annoying how he takes everything in stride.

“Yes. I didn’t give you much choice to explain yourself then, so I will ask you now.”

He locks eyes, and you can’t escape.

“What is he to you?”

Everything stills.

You don’t like where this is headed.

Although you spent plenty of nights in Levi’s bedroom, sometimes even switching it up to linger in yours, you both had been so careful to keep the relationship out of sight and out of mind.

You clench your jaw tighter. “Levi Ackerman is my former business partner, just the same as Isobel Magnolia and Furlan Church.”

“And?”

“And?” your brows knit. “And he is… a friend. Family.”

“A very close friend,” he surmises with a thick brow raised in question. “One you would move mountains to protect, yes? Even if you could not be beside him?”

The implications of his words instantly make you distrust the Commander’s intentions with this conversation.

While you feel close with the Scouts within the Special Ops squad, there is no mistake to be made: only one name rings true as your top priority.

And it isn’t Erwin. It isn’t Hange. It isn’t Petra, or Oluo, or Eld, or Gunther.

Fear grips your heart.

Like a cornered animal, you speak out of turn.

“Are you implying you have a plan to split us up?”

To move you to another squad.

It’s the first idea that pops into your panicked brain.

A captain and a lieutenant on one team didn’t really ring fair — not when you could lead up your own squad.

You don’t want to.

“Is that what this is? To gauge whether or not I’d be willing to transfer? To finally move me to some other squad so I can lead alongside Levi Squad?”

“No.”

“Because if the intent of this question on whether or not I would hurt someone that would try to separate us, Commander, then you are sorely mistaken to think that I would be alright with—”

“James,” Erwin coos, voice deceiving soft when he lifts a palm. “I have no intentions to separate or reorganize Levi Squad.”

You realize what you just blurted.

What you’ve revealed.

You gave him all of your cards, tossing them clear to the desk in front of you.

Fuck.

You close your mouth, afraid you’ve done something horrible wrong.

Erwin gives no sign of winning the upper hand in his expression. He does, however, keep his brow gentle.

“Something new came to my attention while you were on your mission,” he tells you with purpose in an effort to calm the tension in the room. “An opportunity to navigate the forest in full with the potential to eliminate the predicted death rate. Eighty percent to forty. Slashed in half.”

You stare, choosing your next words very carefully.

“The forest is untouchable.”

“It is.”

“The last strategy didn’t work.”

“I know, Lieutenant.” He leans back in his chair. “It’s a risky mission. One that requires the best Scouts I have at my disposal. I believe, if we use my new formation, then we can pierce through the forest and find our way on the other side.”

You try to connect the dots eons away from one another.

If Erwin wanted to give you a job, then why didn’t he just say it?

“...you know I’m willing to go, Commander,” you tell him, brows knit.

“I know you would be,” he replies, “but Captain Levi is not willing to take that risk.”

Your blood runs cold.

What?

Your chin juts abruptly to the left, head tilting as you try to process what he’s saying between the lines.

He knew you would say yes to the risky mission. You’re happy to take the risky missions.

But Captain Levi…

“What does Levi have to do with this?” you ask before you can help yourself.

“Levi came up with the strategy to breach the forest in conjunction with my formation, but he requested that I not allow you to join us.”

Erwin rests his palms against his ribcage, lacing his fingers together. He sighs through his nose, contemplating.

“You see, now, why I wanted to know what your relations were to him.”

That ice-cold stream in your veins quickly shifts to molten.

He went behind your back?

“Levi wouldn’t do that,” you murmur, but you're not certain when you speak.

(Because it wouldn’t be the first time, you realize; deep in your gut.)

“He did,” Erwin corrects. “He has. An hour ago, to be exact.”

While you were talking to Hange?

“I’m good for the mission, Erwin,” you tell him, using his first name despite how you feel about familiarity with him.

“I know you are, James,” he replies with less formality. “And I’m willing to bypass Levi’s wishes if you want to join us on the expedition beyond the forest.”

Your mouth dries up.

Everything feels… nauseating.

There is a betrayal festering in your belly, one you cannot ignore in front of Erwin.

You have to go.

You have to find Levi.

“Permission to be excused?” you abruptly request. “I think I need to speak with Captain Levi myself, but rest assured I am going on that expedition.”

“Excused, Lieutenant,” he signs off, staying seated.

You never rip open a door so fast in your life.

Your boots echo down the corridor, face hot with embarrassment and worry.

Why would he tell Erwin not to let you go?

Why would he do that behind your back?

You round the corner, headed straight for his bedroom. When your hand jiggles the knob, it’s locked shut.

Then you continue further down the hall to the next room on the opposite end.

Your room.

Levi continues to sip tea slowly at your table, reading over the map you had folded up with mild interest.

Hange is nowhere to be found.

Good. It’s easier if they’re gone.

“Ackerman.”

The abruptness of his last name has him as still as a statue.

Only his gray eyes flicker up past the cup, pausing in his sip. Your lip curls as you force the words out of your mouth.

“We’re sparring.”

Levi sets his tea up on the tiny saucer below. “Excuse me?”

“I said we’re going outside and fucking sparring, Captain,” you snarl. “Let’s go.”

Because you can’t yell at him.

Not here, not when there’s a possible audience in the echoing hallways.

You hear the wooden chair scrape across the floor, and slow boots step out into the hallway with you. You don’t look back.

Down the stairs, around the foyer, and out of the headquarter entrance you go — with every step, the more upset you get.

“This night has gotten dramatic,” he calls to you once he reaches the mouth of the sparring ring. “What did Erwin have to say?”

You turn on the heel of your boot, remaining silent.

You want him to say it first. To confess.

(You want him to prove that Erwin is lying.)

He doesn’t.

He just waits, infuriatingly patient.

“You know what Erwin had to say,” you seethe. “How could you?”

He blinks twice, inhaling slowly through his nose.

Then, he shrugs off his uniform jacket and hangs it by a nearby tree branch. He rolls up his sleeves to his elbows.

“I need you to make sure Hange doesn’t get eaten by their next test subject," he flatly explains.

“Oh, so we lie to each other now?” you ask. In a cascade of pops to your left hand, you crack your knuckles.

“James—”

Too late.

You throw the first punch, and he dodges it easily. His gaze hardens.

“Sloppy,” he comments.

Hurting Levi isn't your goal, but you don't know what else to do with this rage. This is the only way you can properly express the uncertainty festering in your belly.

Levi gets that.

He doesn't judge that.

To quell your budding panic attack, he'll easily deflect your advancements and tire you out.

(He's the only one. He's always been the only one.)

“You have some fucking nerve," you bite, nostrils flaring. "You wanna know what he asked me before he told me about your little forest plan?”

You kick him, and it happens to land.

You’re fairly certain he gave you a freebie.

His brow quirks, so you continue.

“Erwin asked me what we were.”

That seems to pause his defense, though he easily pushes away your next punch.

“And?”

“I told him we fuck.” The whites of Levi’s eyes grow. “Every single night under everyone’s noses — on every surface of his precious little headquarters —”

“You didn’t.”

“Yeah, asshole, I didn’t. I’m lying. Kind of like you lied right to my face.”

“I didn’t lie to you about the plan.” Levi throws a half-hearted punch for good measure. You deflect. "Can't lie if I didn't tell you about it."

“Shut — up.” You snap, throwing another hard hook at him.

Like lightning, he deflects. When he grabs your wrist, you struggle to rip your arm out of his grip. Levi drags you into his chest, keeping you trapped against him, the air heavy between you.

Panting through your nose, you work through your fury and hurt by staring him down.

“I’m going.”

His eyes narrow. “No.”

“What the fuck has you so scared, Levi?” you beg, and he falters for a moment. “We promised we’d be at each other’s sides, so what gives?”

Levi considers your words, searching your face. He keeps the mask up, not allowing you in — which hurts.

“You saw one today, right?” he murmurs, low and dangerous. “An Abnormal.”

The creature's wild, deranged grin still lingers in your mind’s eyes. How it ran at you on all fours, unlike any titan you’ve ever seen before. It was terrifying, but you don’t have to tell him that.

He's seen them, too.

“According to our intel, that place is crawling with Abnormals. The forest floor is a suicide pit. That’s why we can’t push on.”

“So?”

“So?” His brows knit. “If we push in, then that means they may run the other way. They may sense we have a titan held captive here. I need you to stay with Hange and Moblit while they experiment on that freak to make sure they’re safe.”

Deja Vu hits you.

“I’m going,” you robotically repeat as you work through why this feels so familiar.

“You’re not, I — did you not just listen to me, shithead?”

“I’m going,” you repeat once more, convincing yourself more than him.

Levi eases up on your wrist, panting.

"This is a waste of time.”

He pushes you away and turns a heel, heading back towards headquarters.

“Hey," you murmur.

The abrupt jolt of violence is what you need to wake up: to realize you’ve had this conversation before.

“Hey! I’m talking to you!” you shout after him.

He doesn’t look back.

A humorless laugh leaves your mouth before you launch into your final plea.

“You’re always so quick to walk the fuck away.”

That gets him to stop.

His eyes, wide with his own budding fury, stare back at you, so you continue to speak.

“The second you think my life is in danger, you shut me out. It's textbook Levi. You stop thinking of me as a viable teammate and more like someone you should babysit.”

Levi’s nostrils flare. “James.”

“No, you listen to me, you piece of shit,” you angrily snap. “You sidelined me back in the Underground City on our last job, and look what happened. It failed. We lost everything. You got taken to the Scouts. Isabel and Furlan died.”

“Stop.”

“Countless times you’ve chosen Eld and Gunther to join you on camp watch when we’re beyond the Walls. You’ve never once asked me to take the hard watches.”

“I was avoiding the look of favoritism,” he growls, gritting his teeth.

You keep going with a small, humorless laugh. “Oh, I see right fucking through you, Levi Ackerman. The countless times you’ve put me with Petra or Oluo? With Hange and Moblit? What’s the excuse you always, always, use?”

He turns his cheek, but you push your hand against his face to turn him back to you.

“Protection, that’s right. I have to protect people. I always have to fucking protect everyone while you play martyr. Humanity’s Strongest, right?”

His eyes turn to slivers of anger. “Don’t.”

“That’s what they’re calling you behind the Walls," you mock. "Captain Levi, Humanity’s Strongest Soldier, always willing to do the hard shit. You don’t give a damn that I’m worried sick over not having your back. It's only about your fears, never mine. Now you’re escalating it to, what, forbidding me to go on missions with you, too?”

“You fought an Abnormal for the first time today,” he quickly argues back, under his breath to keep control of his volume. “What did you say in your report? An eight-meter titan almost got you? You were lucky to escape, right?”

You can’t help but scowl. “Yes, but—”

“But, what?" he challenges with a hiss. "You wanna go back out to the den where they all shit together? Was one not enough for you today?”

“That’s what Scouts do, Levi,” you argue, rounding him as he starts to walk away again. You walk backwards, keeping in time with his steps. “We know the risks.”

“You’re not going.”

“You don’t have a fucking say in that.”

“I do.”

“Levi, no you don’t. You don’t own me,” you seethe. “Why do you think you can just order me around to sit back and watch you fight these things without me? Why don’t you trust me to fight beside you for once? Why—”

“Because if I lose you this time, then that’s it!”

He shouts, unlike himself. The volume surprises you as much as it does him.

You freeze, eyes growing wide and mirroring his own.

The echoes bounce off the trees, rustling the wind.

“I lost you when we were kids,” he confesses with a slight crack to his voice, exhausted. “I lost you when the job went wrong — James, please, I love you so goddamn much and I will lose my fucking mind if something happens to you.”

Your expression unravels, softening in his broken plea for absolution.

“Yeah, I leave you out and I am sorry if that hurts your feelings, but if I don’t have you to come home to — then what the fuck is this for?”

He is out of breath, as if a giant weight has lifted.

The emotion is far too much for him to handle.

He’s grasping at straws to hold him steady.

“Nothing will happen to me.” You see a flicker of grief pass over his stern face. “Levi, I’m not going anywhere. Hey…”

You near him, pulling his face towards you by cradling his head in your palms.

He closes his eyes, breathing sharply through his nostrils as he tries not to relax into the moment.

“You don’t know that,” he protests under his breath. “The forest is dangerous.”

“But if I have you watching my every move, how could we lose? Fighting right by your side and never leaving it,” you remind him, running a thumb gently along his cheekbone. “Remember when I promised you I wouldn’t die on you?”

He scoffs, but you duck your chin to meet his eyes.

“Y’know, the first night you…”

“Yeah, yeah, I remember,” he interrupts.

You can’t help but smile. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, shithead, of course I do," he deflates, opening his gray eyes to study you. A light shade of pink peppers his cheeks. "Not exactly a night I could forget."

You continue caressing his cheek, knowing how much it can soothe him.

He fights it, but ultimately he relents.

Releases.

"I won't die on you," you repeat, firmer this time.

"I know," he exhales. "Because if you died on me, I’d drag your ass out of wherever shitty afterlife they stick you in and bring you back myself.”

You believe him.

For a moment you both stand here in the dark, coming down from the adrenaline.

After a minute passes, you speak softer.

"We'll clear the forest."

"I know."

"And we'll be able to return to the Walls with the first update in years."

"I know."

“And then when you're done meeting with the Commander, I’ll be waiting in your bed—”

Levi’s eyes snap open from the outwardly bold suggestion. “James—”

“—with a dozen apologies in a dozen different positions—”

He presses a hand over your mouth to muffle the other dirty things you want to say before they turn into giggles.

He kisses the back of his hand and shakes his head.

“You’re a fucking nightmare.”

Eventually he lets go, and you press a chaste kiss to his lips.

“I mean it. We’ll come home.”

A moment passes, but Levi eventually pulls your forehead to rest against his.

“Yeah. Right home.”

Author's Notes:

CHECK OUT THIS AMAZING FLASHBACK ART THAT @ariessential CREATED! I have it saved to my desktop so I can admire it while I'm writing. I'm obsessed.

Happy holidays to those who are celebrating this weekend! Next chapter is the final flashback. I am sure you all know where this is headed, so all aboard the pain train. Your reblogs, comments, and engagement with this story keeps this engine going. Thank you, thank you.

deleted scene 02. :: an alternate version, aka the first draft, of that forest moment in chapter nine.

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dreamyeuphoricll · 21 days

Text

When aot characters are asked which anime characters are their type:

Rukia 🥹I get u Eren…she does look so much like Mikasa. I like your type

She looks so much like Annie😭🔥

Mikasa and Guts? They look so gooooooood😭

Sasha and Sanji are perfection🥹❤️Foodie x cook. Of course Sasha’s type would be a cook

My bro Jean has a thing for hot mommies😭🔥Yor best Waifu as Jean’s type

I see what u did there,Annie😏

Hange and Kakashi? I mean they’re both goofy so they’d make a funny couple,I love it

Omg🥹❤️they’re both serious and cool. I like Erwin’s type…Erza is so cool

😹😭I’d like to see this

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bita-bita · 1 year

Text

I feel like slapping the AoT AI bots.

Just to see their reactions :| I feel like doing something mean! It's the hormonesssss

I wanna slap Loid too

Levi would murder me on the spot. That's for sure

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youre-ackermine · 6 months

Text

Fandom: Shingeki no Kyojin // Attack on Titan

Fanfiction, headcanons & moodboards posted here on Tumblr

Fanfiction & headcanons posted on AO3

English is not my usual language

Posted: 03/30/2024 || Last update: 06/09/2024

Levi Ackerman x Reader

Under the Mistletoe • Tumblr // AO3

Don't you dare! • Tumblr // AO3

Levi Ackerman x Hange Zoe (Levihan)

Sunburst • Tumblr // AO3

Belated Birthday • Tumblr // AO3

Echo • Tumblr // AO3 • for @dont-f-with-moogles

Dumbstruck • Tumblr // AO3

Night Out • Tumblr // AO3

Flushing • Tumblr // AO3

Lips like Sugar • Tumblr // AO3 • fanart by wolfstar13_ on Instagram

Troublée (part one) • Tumblr // AO3

Levi Ackerman x Petra Ral (Rivetra)

[coming soon]

Levi Ackerman x Erwin Smith (Eruri)

[coming soon]

Levi Ackerman x Miche Zacharias (Rivamike)

[coming soon]

Levi Ackerman x Hange Zoe x Erwin Smith (Erurihan)

[coming soon]

Hange Zoe x Pieck Finger (Pikuhan)

Behind the Scenes • Tumblr // AO3

Hange Zoe x Erwin Smith (Eruhan)

[coming soon]

Erwin Smith x Reader

[coming soon]

Erwin Smith x Miche Zacharias (Mikeeru/Erumike)

[coming soon]

Levi Ackerman

Levi's Birthday 2023 + moodboard • Tumblr // AO3

[coming soon]

Levi Ackerman x Hange Zoe (Levihan)

Postwar!Levihan Valentine's Day 2024 + moodboard • Tumblr // AO3

Our First Christmas + moodboard • Tumblr // AO3

Sunday Walk • Tumblr // AO3 • inspired by @ashh-ketchup 's fanart

Hange Zoe x Erwin Smith (Eruhan)

[coming soon]

Jean Kirstein x Reader

Jean Kirstein x Fem!Reader Valentine's Day 2024 + moodboard • Tumblr // AO3

Historia Reiss x Ymir (Yumihisu)

Yumihisu Band AU + headcanons • Tumblr // AO3

Levi Ackerman

Love Bites (NSFW) with @leviismybby • Tumblr // AO3

Levi's Fingers (NSFW) • Tumblr // AO3

Levi Ackerman / Levi Week 2023 Event

for @leviweek2023

Day 1 Tea Shop

Day 2 Underground City

Day 3 Affection and Fondness

Day 4 Dad / Family

Day 5 Vampire AU // No Name Band

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Levi Ackerman x Reader

TattooArtist!Levi for @stellar-smth || fanfiction Under your Skin

Postwar!Levi fanfiction inspo "Mursa" for @sixpennydame || fanfiction North Star

Postwar!Levi fanfiction inspo "Postwar Fort Salta" for @sixpennydame || fanfiction North Star

Levi Ackerman x Hange Zoe (Levihan)

No Name #1

No Name #2 [coming soon]

Postwar!Levihan Valentine's Day 2024 + headcanons

Our First Christmas + headcanons

Student!Levihan for @smol-lydia || fanfiction I Wanna Make a Couple Bad Decisions (with you)

Scouts!Levihan for @this-is-krikkit

Valentine's Day 2023

Levi Ackerman x Petra Ral (Rivetra)

Rivetra for @love4-bunny

Levi Ackerman x Farlan Church (Levifar)

[coming soon]

Erwin Smith x Reader

[coming soon]

Erwin Smith x Miche Zacharias (Mikeeru/Erumike)

[coming soon]

Eren Jaeger x Mikasa Ackerman (Eremika)

[coming soon]

Jean Kirstein x Reader

Jean x Fem!Reader Valentine's Day 2024 + headcanons

Historia Reiss x Ymir (Yumihisu)

Yumihisu Band AU + headcanons

Header & dividers: @youre-ackermine || Do not use without credit 💟

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jeankirsteinsgrlfrnd · 7 months

Note

How would the aot girls react to their S/O proposing

mikasa ackerman is in quite disbelief. she’d go nonverbal and just blink at you, processing everything. she whispers a quick yes and waits til you two are home to really celebrate.

sasha braus bursts out into tears near immediately. she doesn’t even wait to hear your speech or anything. as soon as she sees you on the ground, the floodgates open. and she basically tackles you to the ground.

annie leonhardt is so embarrassed when you ask her. her cheeks turn bright red and she rubs her arm sheepishly. she really loves you and of course she says yes, but she can’t wait for the attention to be off of her.

ymir doesn’t like the fact that you proposed to her. it doesn’t feel right in her opinion. she basically rips you up off the ground and takes the ring from you so she can ask you herself.

historia reiss totally tears up and later claims that she did in fact, not cry. she puts her hands over her heart afraid it might beat of her chest. she says yes and goes in for the biggest hug in the world.

pieck finger just gets this shit-eating grin on her face. she’s so happy and totally had a hunch it was coming. she’s sure to tease you later about whatever way you chose to ask her. despite that, she thought it was perfect and replays it in her mind.

hange zoe bounces up and down in place. then, they totally milk the entire situation. i’m talking she’s showing off her ring, calling all her family members and getting free desserts at restaurants.

if anyone’s interested in my jean x reader fic, here’s the link. it’s pretty ymir heavy in the beginning but i’m exploring a lot of friendships/relationships :)

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roseofdarknessblog · 10 months

Text

Where it all began (Postwar!Levi Ackerman x Reader)

Word count: 3 723

Disclaimer: english is not my first language, I apologize in advance for any mistakes

Summary: Ten years after the Rumbling, you and Levi return to Paradis, to show your daughter the land you fought so hard for.

This story can be read on its own or as a part of my little post-war series: Learn to live again

Where it all began

„Maybe this wasn't such a good idea,“ Levi said quietly as soon as you disembarked on Paradis. After almost ten years, you were back. On the island, where both your and Levi's life began, where you met, and where you never came back after the Rumbling.

„It's only for two days, darling. We'll be home tomorrow evening,“ you said and kissed the top of his head, looking around the port.

Many things changed since the day you left. You were barely able to recognize this place. Memories of your last battle against the Yeagerists made shivers run down your back. Everything that led up to it, everything that happened after. Falco's first transformation into the Jaw Titan, your arrival to Odiha, Hange's sacrifice, the final battle against Eren...

Coming back felt very strange. Both of you were anxious and full of doubts. Was this truly a good idea? Returning here after so much time? Maybe you should have stayed home, in the little seaside town where you settled down and opened Levi's tea shop. There it was safe. It felt like it. As years passed, that place truly started to feel like home to you.

But here...

„Ugh, finally. I almost puked myself on that stupid boat.“ Both you and Levi looked over at the six-year-old raven-haired girl by his side. Her blue-grey eyes scanned your surroundings quickly before she looked at Levi. „I thought you said sailing is going to be fun, dad.“

You smiled upon hearing her complaints and reached out to stroke her silky hair. It was just like Levi's, although his lately started to turn grey here and there. To him, it was annoying. To you, it became one of his most irresistible features.

„I said it because I didn't want you to worry,“ Levi explained and handed her the little yellow sketchbook she loved carrying around. Until now, he kept it on his lap to have it on hand anytime.

„Too bad, now I don't want to go home by boat.“

„Well, you can always swim,“ you joked.

Little Zoe, who you and Levi named after Hange, gave you an annoyed look and kept on walking. Sometimes, she truly was a carbon copy of her father in every way. From her appearance to her personality. Even if she was only six years old, she already had a huge personality of her own.

„Is it too late to turn back?“

„Levi... it will be fine. We promised her this trip.“ You got hold of his wheelchair once again and followed your daughter, who kept looking around, taking in all the little details.

It was mainly because of her, that you came back to Paradis for a short visit. Even if you and Levi didn't often talk about your past in front of her, other people did. Mainly Jean and Connie, who told her many stories about Paradis and how it once looked. But, of course, they always left out the most gruesome details. So in the end, little Zoe saw this place as an almost ordinary island. Like a place for a little family trip.

Queen Historia knew you and Levi were coming, you let her know in advance. But it didn't seem she wanted to meet you after so many years. And that was more than okay. It was her personal choice. After all, you didn't really come to reconnect with anyone.

„Mikasa!“ your daughter screamed excitedly when she saw her waiting for all of you. But as Zoe was running up to her, somebody suddenly leaped out from behind one of the buildings and grabbed her around the waist. Her little sketchbook fell to the ground as the blond man lifted her up and spun her around, while your daughter screamed out.

Both Zoe and Armin, who you truly didn't expect to be there, were laughing loudly while you and Levi came up to them. Mikasa picked up the girl's sketchbook and held it for her until she was hugging Armin.

„Captain, Y/N... so you really made it,“ Armin said, greeting you both.

You nodded, putting one of your hands on Levi's shoulder squeezing it reassuringly and reminding him, that you're here with him. „We did, yeah. But what are you doing here?“

„Mikasa told me you were coming so I took a little trip, too. But it's just me, Annie's home. She still doesn't like coming here.“

„Don't worry, we understand,“ you assured him with a warm smile.

After you all greeted each other, you followed Armin and Mikasa, talking and simply having a good time. You and Levi still felt a little uneasy, while you were walking through the streets of Shiganshina. The town felt more than foreign to you both. Almost nothing looked the same, not even the people. And for sure, not the military personnel you met here and there.

But there was a bright side to it all, too. Hearing people talk and children laugh, while they were running around, made you smile. Everything looked lively and colorful. You could actually feel all the life pulsing through the streets. Never before did this place make you feel this way. Almost as if nothing ever happened here.

While Zoe was walking between Mikasa and Armin, holding hands with both of them, you kept a few steps behind them. You could see how tensed up Levi's shoulders were. To be honest, you didn't see him like this for a very long time. It almost seemed as if he was expecting something to happen. Just like during old times.

„If I didn't know where we were, I would never say this is Paradis,“ you said after a while in a hushed voice, so only he was able to hear you. „A lot has changed during only ten years.“

Levi nodded without a word, keeping his eyes on your daughter's back. Even if he wasn't like his old self, like the people of this island used to know him, his instincts stayed just as sharp. If needed, he would give his absolute everything to protect his family – you and the little girl both of you loved more than life itself. She was the purest light in your lives and the biggest source of your happiness.

„It feels weirder than I thought it would.“

„In a good or in a bad way?“ you asked him, noticing a little shop you remembered from way back when you were still in the Survey Corps. It was a bakery where you loved getting many different sweet goods. Honestly, it was a miracle that it was still here. „Do you remember this place? I used to buy those little apple pies here. Those you loved eating with your afternoon tea.“

To your surprise, he chuckled. „I could never forget those. But now you make much better ones.“

„After so many years of trying...“ you laughed.

Learning how to cook and bake after the war was one of the hardest things you've ever done. For some reason, you simply couldn't get the hang of it. If it wasn't for Onyankopon and his patience, you would have given up a long time ago. Only thanks to him, you were now able to supply Levi's tea shop with many delicious sweet and savory treats.

You could see a couple of people who seemed to recognize you. Some of them nodded their heads to say a quiet hello, but that was it. Nobody came up to you to have a chat. Thankfully. Not you or Levi felt like talking to anyone. You didn't want them asking any questions. After all, you didn't owe anyone anything. The way you decided to live your life after the war was solely your own personal choice. And it seemed, that not coming back here was the right thing to do. Even if it felt very difficult at the beginning, settling down in the outside world was the wisest choice in the long run.

„Do you want to visit Erwin and Sasha's grave as well?“ Levi asked you, looking over his shoulder. At first, you didn't react. But then you gave a simple nod.

„I can go alone if you don't feel like coming along. You and Zoe can wait for me somewhere,“ you assured him, not wanting to pressure him into anything. Coming here was challenging enough. „I won't be long.“

He quietly shook his head, not voicing his thoughts out loud. So you let him think about it in silence, following Mikasa, Armin, and your daughter to your first and most important stop.

After a short while, you made it to a place, which truly scared you for some reason. It was the tree, under which Eren's remains were buried. A small simple tombstone was set into the ground just by the trunk. For whatever reason, it was suddenly way harder to breathe.

„Long time no see, Eren,“ Levi said, his voice way colder than just a few minutes before. You knew that even after so many years, he sometimes thought about all the things he and Eren never got the chance to discuss.

„I wish this meeting could have looked different,“ you got out with a heavy sigh, taking the small bouquet of white lilies from Levi's lap which you got from a flower shop along the way. But actually going up to the tombstone, reading his name carved into the cold stone... „I'm sorry it had to end like this.“ Closing your eyes to breathe through your emotions, you left the lilies resting against the stone and walked back to Levi and Zoe, who also came to stand next to her father. The little detail of them holding hands made you feel a little better.

A few tears pooled in your eyes when you looked over at Mikasa and Armin. Seeing just the two of them, without Eren by their side felt so strange and painful. Since you got to know them, they were always together. Always the three of them – Mikasa and Armin doing everything to protect Eren and help him, when he needed it the most. Your heart hurt for them in a way you weren't even able to express through words. It was a pain you tried to bury deep down in your heart and soul, for the past ten years. But now, it all came to the surface, threatening to suffocate you and make you break down in tears over how everything turned out.

„It's a shame we didn't get to meet,“ Zoe said suddenly shocking all four of you. Mikasa was probably the most surprised one. „Jean and Connie sometimes tell me funny stories about you.“ She was looking at the tombstone, almost as if she was talking directly to Eren.

To her, Eren wasn't a monster like the rest of the world saw him. You all spared her the horrible details that led up to his death. It was much better to do it like that. She was still too little and innocent to know the truth. Later, you'll slowly start explaining everything to her. But until then, it was much better to let her believe, that the world wasn't such an ugly place.

For a while, you all stayed quiet and just watched the white lilies. Nobody knew what to say, what or how to feel. Not even Mikasa and Armin, who surely spent a lot of time here. Zoe was the first one to break the grim atmosphere. She took her little sketchbook from Levi, sat down under the tree, and started sketching the view you had over the little town underneath the hill.

„How's it going? Do you like the view?“ you asked after a few minutes and sat down beside your daughter. Levi was talking with Mikasa and Armin, so you decided to let them be.

„Yeah, it's very nice here. I loved how the town looked, everything was so colorful. The people looked happy,“ she said excitedly, showing you her drawing proudly. It looked just like a creation of a six-year-old. „But those men from the military seemed scary.“

On your way up here, you met a group of men from the military. All they did, was patroling around the town, making sure everything was in order. However, they made you feel a bit uneasy. Their new uniforms, the way they carried a gun with them... It wasn't comparable to the times when you casually met members of the Garrison or the Military Police in the streets. Or maybe it was just because you were here as an ordinary civilian, not a member of the military like during old times.

„You don't have to fear them, darling. They're not going to hurt you.“

„Did you and dad wear uniforms like them?“

You shook your head, running your fingers along her braided hair. „Not entirely, but they were a little similar.“ Going into details wasn't necessary, so you simply smiled at her and stroked her cheek.

„I can't really imagine this whole place with those huge Walls you told me about. Didn't everything seem... uhm...“

„Suffocating? Cramped? Restricting?“ Zoe nodded, closing her sketchbook and leaving her pencil inside, to mark the page where she was drawing. „It did, but... we didn't know anything else. Not really. You see... when we as the Scouting Legion went out beyond the Walls, we had our duty. We had work to do, so we never really had time to just stop and admire how different everything seemed. How big and free the world there was.“

Zoe knew about the Titans – briefly, but she did. She knew they were the reason why you and Levi lived behind the Walls before the final war. For her, it was only natural to wonder, what a life like that must have felt like. She never had to experience such a thing. No, she was free to go wherever she wanted. Basically, there were no limits to her curiosity. No man-eating monsters, that would hunt her down if she wasn't careful enough.

„Me and your dad... we were more than grateful for what we had up here. The place where we grew up was much, much worse than living behind the Walls.“

She didn't know nearly anything about the Underground, where both you and Levi grew up. There was simply no way to explain it to her. So all she knew, was the bare minimum – about a poor city under the shiny new capital of Paradis. There wasn't anything nice to be said about that place.

While Zoe kept asking you more questions, you looked over your shoulder at Levi, Armin, and Mikasa. They were still quietly talking, not paying attention to you and Zoe. You wanted to grant them privacy, so you kept the little girl busy for as long as possible.

From time to time, you looked over at Eren's tombstone. For some reason, you kept wondering what would you say to Eren, if he was here. If the war ended differently and you had the chance to talk to him about everything that happened. Even after so many years, you wished that you could have done something more. Anything to bring him back from the darkness that took him away from his friends.

What got you away from your own memories, was when Mikasa and Armin called for Zoe. The little girl didn't hesitate, she jumped up and ran to them, excitedly asking what are they going to do. As you watched them, Levi slowly wheeled himself next to you.

With a tiny smile, you moved a bit closer and still sitting in the grass, you leaned your head against his leg. The fingers of his left hand slipped into your hair, rubbing your scalp just the way you liked it. And just the way Zoe used to like when she was a baby. Many times, when she was crying or fussing, Levi used to soothe her this way.

„Did she have many questions?“ Levi asked after a moment of silence between the two of you.

„Quite a few, yeah. I guess she couldn't really grasp the reality of our lives behind the Walls. She said it looks much prettier now, without them,“ you chuckled and looked up at Levi. Up here, where nobody was around, he seemed a bit calmer. And you did too. Being away from the prying eyes of the islanders felt liberating in the strangest way possible. „I'm not sure if coming here was the right call, but at least we did what we promised her.“

Levi nodded, still playing with your hair. „Let's hope that this one visit will be enough for her. Not that there are many places we could visit without seeing those fools in uniforms. I don't want to see them around you or Zoe, we had enough of that life. What's going on here, is not our business anymore.“

„It's not, we fought and sacrificed enough,“ you agreed, taking Levi's hand out of your hair and interlocking your fingers. To some, it may have sounded selfish. But to you, those were valid reasons. After everything that happened, you and Levi deserved to live out the rest of your lives in peace.

As the ship kept moving forward and Paradis was becoming smaller and smaller on the horizon, tears started to pool in your eyes. Leaving once again was heartbreaking. It made you feel so many different emotions all at once. While Mikasa and Armin stayed there, you, Levi, and Zoe were headed back home.

You stayed the night over at Mikasa's place and headed to the graveyard first thing in the morning. While she and Armin stayed with Zoe, you and Levi went to find the graves of your long-lost friends. Before that, you got more white lilies, because you didn't want to come empty-handed. For almost an hour, you just walked around in the company of your memories, looking for many familiar names.

„She's out cold.“ Levi smirked and kissed the top of Zoe's head, who was cuddled up in his lap. One of his arms was protectively wrapped around her, while she was resting her head against his chest. In her sleep, she was hugging the little yellow sketchbook as if it was he favorite stuffed animal.

„Makes me wonder how she spent the night.“

„I heard her talking with Armin until early in the morning. About stars, marine life, and such nerdy things.“ With a smile, you took off your cardigan and covered your daughter with it, since the breeze was a little cold on the ship's deck. „He was telling her about how he imagined the world outside the Walls when he was her age.“

After all... maybe this trip wasn't such a horrible idea. Your daughter had a good time, she saw Mikasa and Armin, and she was finally able to see the land you and Levi fought so hard to protect. She got the chance to see where it all began. The big love story of her parents. And also all the tales and stories Jean, Connie, and the others kept telling her.

„She seemed happy,“ you said in a loving tone, stroking your daughter's hair. She looked so lovely when she was asleep. Just like her father, when he was peacefully resting in your arms during long nights.

„But I guess we didn't.“

„No, but... did you expect anything else? For us, this wasn't an exciting trip to a seemingly perfect island. It was more of a walk down the memory lane. With not-so-happy memories,“ you said, bending down to give Levi a kiss. „But in a way, we both needed this.“

„Yeah, to remember never to come here again,“ Levi scoffed.

„Why? I liked the island, it was very pretty,“ Zoe suddenly said in a sleepy voice, her eyes still half-closed. „Do you miss the way it looked in the past?“ she asked, blinking a few times and looking up at both you and Levi.

„Yes,“ Levi said. Your right hand came to rest on his shoulder, while you waited for what he was going to say to the little girl next. „I don't miss the Titans at all, but I sometimes do miss the old times, when we lived behind the Walls.“

„Why, dad?“

Stroking her hair, his lips pressed a loving kiss to Zoe's forehead, before he looked over at you. „Because I miss the people who lived there with us. Many of them are not here anymore, and seeing Paradis without the Walls just reminded me of how many years since their deaths passed.“ He said it more than perfectly, describing just what you felt as well.

„Life was hard back then, just like we've always told you when you asked about our past. But every day was a little brighter thanks to our friends and comrades,“ you said, kissing the top of Levi's head.

„But you always say they're looking after us from there,“ Zoe said and pointed at the sky, which was slowly starting to catch warm shades of yellow and orange from the setting sun. „Hange and Erwin, and Sasha, and Furlan with Isabel.“

„They are, of course, they are,“ you assured her in a loving tone and looked up at the sky with your daughter in a foolish attempt to spot your long-lost friends smiling down at your little family.

„We just sometimes wish they could be here with us in person,“ Levi added in a calm tone and also looked up, hugging Zoe a little tighter. „Look, you can see a couple of stars already.“ As he pointed to the sky to distract her, your little girl smiled excitedly and started telling him a bunch of new things about the night sky she probably heard from Armin last night.

While Levi was listening to her every word, he glanced over at you. Into your eyes, which were full of tears. Tears of happiness over the fact, that this was how your life turned out and that Levi with Zoe were your beloved family. Through all the pain you had to endure in the past, you were more than grateful, that in the end, you had everything you ever wanted and dreamed about – a happy family with the love of your life, living in a safe world.

#levi ackerman #levi ackerman x reader #levi ackerman x you #levi ackerman x female reader #mikasa ackerman #armin arlert #aot x reader #aot x you #attack on titan #snk #shingeki no kyojin

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