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Chapter LX (“AWWW”)
A/N: So...I’m back, for now! Hello again everybody, I am so sorry for dropping this story out of the blue last year. A combination of work, writer’s block, and some family/personal issues made it kinda tough to sit down and focus on this story. I apologize if this chapter is a little choppy, I used it as an inspiration to crawl back out of my writer’s block, and writing it was a little therapeutic for me. It’s a slow chapter and a bit on the shorter side, but I think it’s a bit of a breather before we get into the last stretch of this story. Speaking of, I probably won’t update again until I have a majority of the remaining chapters written. It shouldn’t be too hard, I already have them planned and outlined, and now all I have to do is write them out. 
As always, thank you so very much for sticking with me throughout this long and drawn-out process. I really appreciate each and every one of you, it’s because of your constant support that I’ve gotten this far in this story to begin with. So thank you and I hope you enjoy the chapter! 
Fandom: Attack on Titan  Pairing: Levi x Mia (OC)  Words: 5.8k 
Warnings: suggestive dialogue, mentions of pregnancy and raising children, mostly fluff all around but Mia is hopeful for having children one day 
Taglist: @omg-lexiloveyou, @tootiredforyourshit3963, @super-peace-fangirl, @mr-robot-x, @unusversuscanicula, @cyborgnate, @saltypancakes 
|LX|
The summer sun was warm against my skin. A soft glow shining through the curtains, bleeding through the sheets around us. I stretched my arm along Levi’s bare chest, eliciting the smallest of hums from his throat. I couldn’t help but smile as he tightened his arms around me, as I buried my face against the crook of his neck.
Morning already? It feels as though I barely got enough sleep…
Still, it was early enough for us to laze around a bit. Neither of us had anywhere to be until later this afternoon, anyway. Maybe we could afford to sleep in, just this once.
Every part of my body felt sore; the muscles in my thighs were still burning from exhaustion, my throat was a little scratchy from screaming his name last night. By the way you were screaming Wolf, I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole castle heard you. My face grew warm at the thought, and that’s when Levi shifted himself to smirk at me.
“What is it?” His voice was still raspy from sleep, sending a pleasant shiver down my spine.
“Nothing. Just admiring my handsome captain, like I do every morning.”
He didn’t roll his eyes or scoff like I expected him to, just like he’d done every other time I’d called him the h-word. Instead he slid his fingers across my forehead, brushing a few strands of hair from my face, before thumbing the little white scar across my cheek. I hummed as he cradled my face in his hands, lips fluttering over the top of my head.
Of course, his one rule in bed: No kissing before brushing our teeth.
But the bed was so warm, and his arms were so comfortable, that the mere thought of getting out and leaving him was enough to make me grimace. So I snuggled in as close as I could, pressing my face to the planes of his chest and kissing the skin below.
“Someone’s clingy today.”
“You’re one to talk,” I retorted, but my voice was muffled by his chest. “You can’t stand it when I get out of bed before you.”
“Oh, is that why you won’t let me leave?”
As if to test his little theory, he began to inch closer to the edge of the bed, sliding his leg from out of the covers and towards the floor. But I was quick to snatch him back, hooking my leg around his own and keeping him pinned to the bed below.
“Tch, come on, you little shit.” But there was no malice in his tone as he carded his fingers through my messy hair. “I have to piss. And clean up. You should do the same, too.”
“But you’re so warm…”
He groaned again, flopping back down against the pillows. I crawled up the length of his body and held myself over his chest, with my elbow propped up against the side of his head.
“Just a few more minutes, captain.” His jaw tightened as I slid my finger across his collarbone, down his chest and over his abdomen. “You’re too warm and comfortable to let go of just yet.”
“…A few more minutes. But that’s it.”
Of course. I pressed a kiss to his cheek before settling into my usual place, with my head tucked beneath his chin and my palm pressed against his heart.
Already I could start to feel myself dozing off again. It was all so surreal to me—the gentle hum of his breaths, the warmth of his sun-kissed skin against mine, and the soft tug of his fingers in my hair, lazily twisting the strands at my nape. Suddenly I didn’t feel like a soldier of the Survey Corps; soldiers never felt peaceful like this for too long.
Every morning could be like this, after this war is over.
That little voice in the back of my head was already hard at work, whispering forbidden dreams and promises in my ear. I could only press my face against his chest, as the thoughts began to run rampant within my mind.
Imagine waking up next to him like this for the rest of your life, but in a different house. Maybe one somewhere deep in the forests beyond the Walls, away from the rest of the world. Maybe we’ll live in a cottage by a lake or a river, one we’ve built together with our own hands. Maybe we’ll have a barn as well, to keep a few horses close by. And maybe when I wake up one of these mornings, I’ll find Levi’s fingers splayed across my stomach, protecting the child growing inside of me. Our child.
The thought of children made my throat close up. Fuck. I forgot I’d mentioned them to him last night…
Neither of us were ready for that conversation, maybe not for a good few years. We were still soldiers, sworn to protect the remnants of humanity from the Titans, even at the cost of our lives. We couldn’t set aside our duties for a couple of children for ten years at least, or maybe even more. And I refused to give them off to a wet nurse or another couple to raise in our stead. If Levi and I were ever going to have children of our own, we would raise them ourselves, not let another person take over. I couldn’t even bear the thought of handing my child, either a boy like Levi or a girl like myself, over to a stranger I didn’t even know.
It was best to just wait until the Titans were eradicated altogether. Then we could settle in that silly little cottage in the forest. Then we could discuss the topic of children freely. But for now, it was a possibility neither of us dared to speak out loud.
“What is it?”
I brushed my fingers along his collarbone once more. “What’s what?”
“You know what I mean.” Levi groaned as he shifted himself against the pillows; I nearly laughed when I realized the spare pillow was still propped up against what remained of the poor headboard. “What’s bothering you? And don’t say it’s nothing…because I’ll know you’re lying.”
He held me firm against his body, with my chin propped up on his chest and his palms against my shoulders. I sighed, wondering if it was worth it to come clean to him now and bring up my thoughts about our future children—if we even end up having any to begin with.
But I couldn’t get the words out. They were lodged in the back of my throat, keeping me from breathing, from telling him just how I really felt about all of this. They were right there on the tip of my tongue, and yet I couldn’t say them out loud no matter how hard I tried.
I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want us to retire from the Scouts when this war is over. I want us to get married, to move to a little house far away from everyone else. I want us to have children, as many as we can possibly have. A son, a daughter, whatever you want—it doesn’t matter to me. And maybe we’ll have that tea shop you told me about once, maybe in one of the outer districts close to home. I want us to stay by each other’s sides until the day we take our last breaths, with graying hair and wrinkled skin and our many grandchildren playing at our knees.
But…how could I tell him all of this without scaring him away? If there was one thing I knew about Levi, it was that he liked to take things slowly, to allow himself to adapt and adjust. I couldn’t just dump all of that on him without any warning whatsoever.
Still, I had to say something to him. So I cleared my throat and touched his cheek, tracing down to his jawline as softly as I could.
“…I just wish every day could be like this.”
Soft, quiet, gentle—absolute bliss.
His only answer was a light squeeze against my shoulders—and I had no time to think before he pulled me in close, slotting his lips against my own. Morning breath be damned, I still loved the taste of his mouth.
“I thought you didn’t like kissing first thing in the morning.”
I snickered as he rolled his eyes, before pushing me off his chest and rolling onto his stomach on the bed. His arms curled around the pillows, the sun’s rays spilling across his back. The scratches I’d left last night were still there, pink and tender, stretching along the length of his shoulders. I leaned down to press a few kisses along each one, smirking as I felt him shiver beneath my mouth.
When I was done, I lowered myself across his back and curled a few strands of black hair behind his ear. It was strange, seeing him with messy morning hair, but I loved it all the same.
“Can we sleep in, just for a little bit?” He groaned into the pillow as I pressed my lips to the shell of his ear. “I promise, I’ll make it up to you tonight…”
“With what?” He shifted his head to the side, giving me a half-hearted smirk against the fabric of the pillow. “More scratches on my back with those claws of yours?”
“Well, I could, if you want me to… But I’ll clean them up again, as many times as you want.” Just for good measure, I pressed another line of kisses down the most prominent scratch on his left shoulder—a long red line that burned brighter than all the others.
Neither of us spoke for a while after that, and for a moment I wondered if he was actually going to give into my plea of sleeping in. But then he was pushing himself off the mattress, palms digging into the pillows below. I flopped down on my back at his side, staring up at him as he stretched out his arms and rolled his shoulders back and forth.
“Let me piss first, at least. And I suggest you do the same.”
It was hard not to smile as I watched him disappear into the bathroom, leaving the door open just a little bit. I yawned and curled my arm behind my head, staring up at the ceiling above. With the effects of sleep still lingering, and the warmth of Levi’s touch still against my skin, I closed my eyes and let my mind begin to wander.
Once this war was over, we’d be able to have all the lazy mornings we wanted. Just the two of us, in our little house in the heart of the forest. There was a Forest of Giant Trees just outside Shiganshina’s outer gates, and once we took back Wall Maria maybe we could settle there—that is, unless they didn’t turn it into a tourist attraction like they did with the ones within the Walls.
I thought of the river cutting through the southern half of the Walls, through the center of Shiganshina before leading further into the territory beyond Wall Maria. As far as I knew, none of the Scouts knew where it came to an end. It carried on further and further south, even past the old castle ruins I’d explored on my first expedition beyond the Walls. I remembered staring at it with my mouth agape, watching the water flow south as far as the eye could see, before disappearing into the red horizon. Ever since then, I’d wondered what was at the end of it, and whether or not there were even more rivers in the world beyond our three safe Walls.
Once we win this war, we’ll be able to find out for ourselves. We’ll settle down somewhere, away from everyone else within the Walls; once we start exploring the Walls will surely feel a bit cramped. It’ll just be me and Levi, and our two horses of course, and someday down the line—
Before I knew it, I was pressing my palm to my stomach, splaying my fingers across the scarred skin. And I couldn’t help but frown when all I felt was stillness. Nothing was in there—not yet, at least.
Hold on—what the fuck am I thinking? I groaned into my palms and turned over to lay on my stomach, nails digging into the top of my scalp.
You and Levi aren’t ready for children yet. Hell, you don’t even know if he wants children to begin with! You guys barely talked about it last night, you know. So stop jumping into sad little fantasies of the future.
As much as I hated to say it…the little voice in the back of my mind was right. The thought was nice, something to keep close whenever the future looked bright, but we both knew the truth. Neither of us had time to spare for a child right now. And there was too much at stake right now to start thinking about our retirement from the Scouts, or whether or not we would live together once the Titans were gone. And that alone made my hands begin to tremble.
Sure, we practically lived in each other’s offices at this point, but we were still under the same roof—with roughly a hundred other soldiers living in close proximity with us. Would Levi even be okay with walking away from the base someday to live alone with me? Or did he have other plans to live somewhere else—plans that didn’t include me?
Levi cleared his throat as he finally stepped out of the bathroom, ruffling his messy hair with his fingers. I was quick to slip in after him, catching a whiff of mint from his breath as he leaned in to kiss my forehead. Clean freak already brushed his teeth, huh?
“Make it quick if you want to go back to sleep.” I gasped as he gave my ass a light smack, before making his way towards the messy bed. “I won’t wait forever.”
I rolled my eyes and stuck out my tongue at him. “Just for that, I’m going to take all the time I want in here!”
“Go ahead, but don’t be surprised when you come back to a cold bed, brat.”
I closed the door with a huff, and even through the running water in the bathroom, I could hear him snickering on the other side.
My mind was still racing as I took care of my business, washing up my face and brushing my teeth with the minty toothpaste he kept on the side of the sink. A million questions flooded my mind about the future: what would happen to us, where we would live, the state of the entire Survey Corps, and everything in between. Of course, there was also the possibility we could never end up living together afterwards, even if we wanted to; for all we knew, one of us could end up dying before then.
I shivered and spat out the toothpaste with a grunt. Stop that. Thinking about it will only get you worked up. Focus on what you have right now in front of you, okay?
And right now, I had a handsome captain waiting for me in bed—all alone, and all mine.
He was still there when I opened the door to the bathroom—of course, I knew he would never leave me—and I wasted no time climbing back into bed and throwing the sheets over our bodies. I dug my fingers into his shoulders, pulling him in as close as possible as his arms found their way around my hips.
“So clingy,” he mumbled against my hair.
“…Just sleepy.”
It wasn’t exactly a lie—I was pretty sleepy, and already I could feel my eyelids drooping as I curled into his chest beneath the covers. I made sure to keep my body almost completely still (no kicking my legs or shifting from side to side), so he wouldn’t suspect anything was wrong with me. We were both too tired to even entertain any ideas of what the future could hold for us. I couldn’t spring this up on him now.
So I kept quiet and snuggled deeper into his chest, the warmth of the sun’s rays and his arms around me lulling me back to sleep.
|~|
When I finally left his room a little over an hour later, the first thing I did was head to the mess hall to check up on my kids. Thankfully they were no longer sleeping on the floor and across the tables, like they had been the night before. Now they were crowded around their usual tables, mumbling to each other over their identical bowls of gruel.
“Never again,” I heard Gretel mutter under her breath, “no more late nights. My head can’t take it…”
I snorted as I gathered my own bowl of gruel from the main counter. If that’s how she’s acting just by staying up late, I’d hate to see what she’s like when she’s hungover. Not that I would ever encourage my cadets to drink (at least, not when they were in my presence, of course).
Which reminded me… I’d have to go check on Mike and Moblit later today. Those two could become insufferable with alcohol in their systems, and while Moblit was usually reserved and had a high tolerance (normally), it was Mike who was the more rambunctious of the two. A bad influence on Moblit, if you ask me.
And sure enough, the two of them were sitting at our usual table, with Nanaba directly across from them. She was rolling her eyes as Mike held his head in his hands, and Moblit leaned too far over the table and smacked his forehead into the book he was currently reading.
“And if you look directly ahead,” she said, smiling as I made my way over to sit next to her, “you’ll see a pair of full-grown men struggling to hold their liquor the morning after. So much for all their big talk, huh?”
“I can handle it just fine, thank you,” Mike groaned into his palms. At least he seems too out of it to tease me about using Levi’s shampoo, like last time. “Those last couple shots killed me, though…”
“Wait…you had even more last night?” My eyes darted back and forth between Mike and Nanaba in between bites of my breakfast. “When was this?”
“After we split up, these two geniuses decided it would be a good idea to break into the whiskey in the cellar and see who could last the longest. And honestly…I’m giving this one to Moblit. Sorry, Mike.”
But neither of them seemed to be interested in the verdict. Moblit was whimpering into the pages of his book, as Mike mumbled a slew of curses under his breath. Poor boys. They would be like this for the rest of the day; I’d seen them both knock back shot after shot together after a particularly successful (and rare) expedition, and they were usually out of it for the next couple days or so. Moblit was always the first to recover, given how much he was already used to drinking during the week. (Working with Hanji every hour of every day could put quite the strain on both your mind and body.) Mike was the one who had to be babied through it all, which gave Nanaba plenty of room for teasing as she took care of him—and despite the occasional complaint, there was no denying both she and Mike loved the extra attention they got from one another.
“On a lighter note,” she continued, turning halfway in her seat to face me, “any plans for later today? Since this one’s going to be out of commission for a while, I’m looking for a new sparring partner.” Mike rolled his eyes at her, only to wince and grip his head once more. “I would ask Lynne or Gelgar, but they’re focusing on their ODM training today. So, you up for it?”
I glanced over at Reggie and Evan, yawning into their hands; at Emily and Murphy, who were dozing off on either side of Eld; and finally at Gretel, and despite putting on a brave face, she was quickly nodding off in her seat above her breakfast.
Looks like Mike isn’t the only one out of commission today. “Sounds like a plan! When do you want to meet up?”
|~|
Once I was finished with a small load of laundry and some extra paperwork lying on my desk, I headed out to meet Nanaba behind the girls’ barracks. By now the sun was at its peak in the sky, beating down hard on the two of us. She met me with a smile, her boots scuffing in the dirt as she rolled her sleeves up to her elbows.
Training with Nanaba was always a mixed bag; I never knew what she would focus on this time around. Sometimes she was stronger, sometimes she was faster. She never did the same thing twice, like myself or Mike did. While I focused on speed and evading attacks, and Mike insisted on pure, unbridled strength in his blows and kicks, Nanaba was always changing it up. It was impressive, how flexible she could be in the field—a good way to keep her opponents guessing, too.
But she was careful about the way she carried herself through our warmups, as well. Never hinting at saving her arm strength for her punches, or slowing down during our laps around the base to conserve her energy. She was someone who put her all into her workouts, and that’s what made her such an exciting partner to train with.
With three laps around the base under our belt, the two of us chose a shady spot at the edge of the meadow to train. The horses were grazing beyond the fences, tails swishing in the breeze, huge noses bumping into each other’s. I could see Ivy and Misty frolicking in the distance, kicking out their legs as though they were foals once more.
I was so enamored with the sight I almost didn’t see Nanaba’s fist aiming for my cheek. I let out a breath as I dodged her attacks, batting her wrists away and slinking to the side when she went for my head.
She’s fighting dirty today. Well, if that’s how she wants to play, then so be it!
Fists pressing into palms, a swift sweep of the leg—in no time the two of us were panting hard, foreheads slick with sweat beneath the cool shade of the trees nearby. She caught my wrist in her hand with a smirk, before tugging me close and bringing her knee up to my stomach. I grit my teeth against the pain, trying my best to break free from her grip, but she only snickered and wrapped her fingers around the collar of my shirt…and suddenly my back was pressed against the dirt, with Nanaba’s knee hovering over my chest.
“…No fair!”
“All’s fair in hand-to-hand combat, my dear.” She shifted herself off of my chest, before plopping down in the dirt beside me. I sat up with a groan, immediately reaching for the pair of canteens resting beside us in the shade. “You’re not as speedy as you usually are—still tuckered out from last night?”
“Fuck off.” I could only hope my blush added to my already-burning face from our workout.
“No, I’m serious.” Her smile was softer as she took a swig of her water, brushing her blond hair away from her forehead. “What’s on your mind?”
And suddenly it was coming back to me, so fast I could barely react: lying side by side with Levi in his bed, drawing lazy circles on his chest, dreaming about a future for the two of us beyond the Walls.
“…Nothing, I’m fine.”
But she was persistent; those bright blue eyes were cutting into my skin, poking, prodding for me to elaborate. Damn it, even without saying anything, she’s still so intimidating.
I wasn’t as close to Nanaba as I was with Hanji, but I still considered her one of my dearest friends. But how often had I actually sat down and talked with her like this? How many conversations did we have without the occasional joke thrown in, or with our fists flying during a training session? Nanaba was never the one I went to when it came to talking about my insecurities, or my dreams and fears of the world around me. It had always been Hanji, and later on Levi. But never Nanaba.
Still, there was a weight on my chest that I couldn’t get rid of, a nagging voice in the back of my head that demanded I talk to someone—and as much as I wanted to, I knew I couldn’t go to either Levi or Hanji this time.
“Come on,” she was leaning against the tree now, her legs crossed at the ankles, “spill already.”
I took another drink from my canteen, fingers trembling against my knees.
“…Do you have any plans…once this is over?”
“Once what is over?”
“You know…this?”
It wasn’t until I gestured to the base around us, to the soldiers training among the trees and the horses grazing in the fields that she seemed to understand. The soles of her boots dug into the dirt, her pointer finger tapping rapidly against the crook of her elbow. I clung to the canteen at my chest, waiting for her to speak.
“Honestly, I haven’t really thought about it.” She shook her head with a smile, which did little to quell the feeling in my chest. “Maybe I’ll tag along with Mike, if he goes back to his parents’ home up north. I don’t think they’d mind all that much.”
Of course they wouldn’t. Mike’s mother simply loved the company whenever we made the trip to Wall Sina, but there was always that sneaking suspicion that she loved Nanaba just a hair more than the rest of us.
Still, there was a forlorn look in her eye, a soft breath passing through her lips as she leaned further back against the tree. Almost as though she didn’t believe her own words.
“That sounds nice,” I whispered, but her eyes drooped to the ground, where she was scuffing up the dust with the heel of her boot. “…Doesn’t it?”
“I guess you could say that.” Her smile was back, but that look in her eye remained. “Now it’s your turn. What do you plan to do after this?”
Every word I could think of was on the tip of my tongue all at once; every silly dream I’d harbored since I was a child, right up until this morning as I curled up into Levi’s side, nestled comfortably in his bed. My cheeks were burning, my voice no more than a hushed mumble. But Nanaba leaned forward eagerly, urging me to speak up. And I knew better than to hide from those soft blue eyes.
You brought this on yourself, Wolf. So own up to it.
“…I want to marry. Maybe have a kid or two…”
I glanced up at her, waiting for a smug smile or a snarky comment about Levi (I know Hanji would absolutely go for it, but Nanaba had a bit more class than her). Instead she was gazing down at me, drumming her fingers against the crook of her elbow, and nodding along to the sound of my voice.
“That sounds nice, too.”
That sad look in her eye was back again, stronger than ever. And suddenly I was starting to feel a twinge in my chest, a gaping hole stretching itself wider and wider as our conversation began to truly sink in.
The question was hanging between us in the air, too heavy to say out loud. Too terrifying to confront head-on.
Do you really think you’ll live long enough to see the end of this war?
It was a question every soldier had to face at one point or another. From every cadet learning how to wield a pair of swords for the first time, to every veteran silently counting down the days with a smile on his face. There was always that lingering fear in their minds, that little voice that held too much weight to be ignored. That constant reminder of the reality of this world, and how cruel and unjust it could be.
We all had our dreams and goals and fears. Hopes for the future, regrets of the past, promises made to one another when all seemed lost. Little things to tell ourselves to get through the day, even if they consisted of unobtainable dreams we would never be able to reach in our lifetimes.
For Nanaba, it was going back home with Mike. For myself, it was settling down with Levi and having a child.
Sweet dreams to cling onto when all seemed lost, that little flicker of light at the end of the tunnel to help us keep pressing on. But all of that meant nothing when staring down the maw of a Titan, its beady eyes filled with rage.
How many of our comrades had held similar dreams? Dreams of returning to their homes and starting a new life for themselves? And how many of those dreams had died alongside them, at the jaws of the Titans beyond the Walls?
A bitter pill to swallow, but necessary nonetheless. It would be a miracle if we all came out of this war alive. We couldn’t afford to waste time wondering about what the future held for us. The best we could do was make the most out of what we could with our lives now.
I leaned against the tree with a sigh, my shoulder touching Nanaba’s beneath the shade. Across the meadows I could see Murphy and Evan, letting their horses out for a quick run. And close behind was Emily, with Ivy galloping after Misty and Gus as fast as her legs could carry her.
And suddenly it clicked—that was the future we were all fighting for. Not just for the good of humanity, for the safety of the people within the Walls, but for the chance to give those kids a better life.
Reggie, Gretel, Evan, Murphy, Emily—even Eld and Gunther, and Petra, Oluo, and Nifa. And every single one of our fresh-faced recruits, and even the cadets still in training at the southern tip of Wall Rose. Even the littler ones who played in the outer districts, who went to school in the heart of Wall Sina, who still got in trouble with their parents for playing too roughly with their siblings.
Those kids were the ones who mattered the most. The ones that were here and now, living and breathing—the most precious people within these Walls.
Maybe I couldn’t reach my dream of having children of my own in this life. But I could damn well do my best to make sure those kids woke up in the morning, without fear of what was lurking beyond our little haven.
|~|
The weight in my chest had eased up as the day carried on. By the time I retired to my office for the night it was no more than a little lump in my throat—easy to choke down when Levi came to visit me, a stack of paperwork under one arm, and a tray of tea in the other.
Neither of us spoke as we settled into our usual routine: the two of us seated across from each other at my desk, the only sound between us being the scratch of our pens against the parchment.
In a way I was relieved; at least neither of us seemed eager to mention my slip-up last night. It was for the best, anyway. The sooner I stopped thinking about it, the sooner it would leave my mind altogether.
But as I filed my papers away for the night, that strange feeling came back like a raging inferno. I grimaced at the culprit: the box set of books Moblit had gotten me for my birthday last night, resting on the edge of the file cabinet.
Where Mom Lives.
My mother’s favorite books to read as she waited for Dad to come home, curled up against the arm of the couch with her elbow propped up on a stack of pillows. She would always shake her head whenever the three of us would climb into her lap and ask her to read aloud to us. “You’re too young,” she would say, but she would still open the blanket and allow us to come cuddle with her. “You won’t appreciate it until you’re older. Much older than you are now.”
Before I knew it I was standing in front of the file cabinet, staring up at the three books above. Red, bronze, and green, each with fine gold trimming along the edges and spines. The pages were crisp and clean, and yet when I took the first book and opened it up, it still had that soft dusty smell to it.
Just like home, and my throat closed up all over again.
A pair of arms came to rest around my waist, and I bit back a smile as Levi pulled me backwards, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “I hope you’re not planning on keeping those all to yourself.”
“Oh, would you like to read them when I’m finished?”
But he only shook his head, before leading me away from the cabinet, with his arms still around my waist. This time I laughed as he flopped us down on the couch, side by side, with the pillows pressed against my arm. Wordlessly he stole a pillow from the stack, placed it against my lap, and pressed his cheek to the soft fabric. A few seconds passed before he glanced up at me, the slightest trace of annoyance written across his face.
“Well? I’m waiting.”
With another laugh, I leaned down and kissed his forehead, brushing his long bangs out of his beautiful eyes. Then his nose, his cheeks, and finally his lips. And when I was done, I leaned against the cushions of the couch, turned to the first page, and began to read aloud.
And all the while, as selfish as it was, I thought of sharing a new life with him, just the two of us away from the world, with a home of our own and children in our arms.
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foodleasure · 3 years
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kasiaholla · 6 years
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Afternoon delight! What a magical experience. UCB Improv 101 Class of Spring 2018 #ucb #improv #saltypancakes #welcometochillis (at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, East Village)
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machpatrik-blog · 6 years
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#cheersnm #pancakes #saltypancakes (v místě CHEErS)
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blowwfish68 · 4 years
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Trying new recipes w/ Chef Ixchel (@technochocolat)... Are you ready to Order. Menu du jour: Sesame & sweet corn Pancakes your choice of topping. #tryingtobesane, #tryingnewrecipes, #athome, #athomecooking, #casaixchel, #foodtruck, #takingorders, #foodtogo, #menudujour, #areyouready, #veganfoodporn , #pancakewednesday, #lunch, #mittags, #video, #order, #sesame, #sesameseeds, #yourchoiceoftopping, #pancakes, #saltypancakes, #itsveganbaby, #sweetcorn, #happy, #itcameoutgood, #verydelicious (hier: Altstetten) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_SUXB8jFwM/?igshid=lt1ohwgtynog
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OMG STAR YOU SPOIL ME 😭❤️ you know how much I love AWWW (especially soft Levi)! Thanks for the snippet! Can’t wait for the whole thing! And as for your thoughts on 139, I completely agree with you on all of it. My first thought when I finished reading was “well.....not as bad as Game of Thrones but ehhhh 🤷🏻‍♀️” lol
Aww, no problem! I love spoiling my lovely readers from time to time 😘 (especially you ❤️)
And I agree, it’s not as bad as Game of Thrones (which was REALLY bad lol) but it’s not the best either. If I had the chance to keep some bits of the ending and change others, I absolutely would. It’s unsatisfying, but I guess it could be worse? Idk, I’ll wait until some time has passed and then I’ll go back and reread it. Maybe we just need to distance ourselves from it and look back on it after a little while. At least, that’s just my take on it.
I always love hearing from you, my love! Thanks for the ask! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
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STARRRRR 🌹 my girl! How have you been?! I realized I haven’t popped in to say hello in awhile. Life has been crazy! I haven’t even checked to see if you updated AWWW so you KNOW my life has been crazy 🤣🤣 I see you have new fics in the works? AMAZING. Anyway, I hope you are happy, healthy, and thriving my friend ❤️
Lainey! My darling! It's been so long since we've talked! (And I still have to reply to your comment on AWWW, I'm sorry I haven't gotten to it yet!) How are you? I hope you're doing well, and I wish nothing but the best for you! Just for you my dear, here's a little teaser for the next part of my Levi/Mia College AU fic Peace and Quiet. I don't have much of Ch. 53 of AWWW written yet, so I hope you enjoy this instead. It's good to hear from you!
“So.” His voice was firm when he held me at arm’s length. “Where are you heading?”
He motioned to my jacket, and my cheeks flared with heat. “Nowhere special… I just need to get out of here for a bit.”
“At this time of night?” The disproval was evident in his eyes. “You shouldn’t wander around when it’s dark out.”
“Oh, please. It’s nothing I haven’t done before.” Besides, who did he think he was, my personal bodyguard all of a sudden?
His eyes remained soft but concerned. That’s when I realized, it was just his way of showing he cared for me. That I was important enough to him that he was concerned for my safety.
Suddenly, his hand came into view, with a shiny pair of car keys looped around his finger.
“Wanna go for a drive?”
My stomach flipped at the memory of our last drive together, but the words were out of my mouth before I could stop them: “You know me too well, Ackerman.”
Send in a 🌹 for a sneak peek of one of my WIPs!
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STAR!! CHAPTER 50 OF AWWW!!!! IM DYING! ALL THE FOREHEAD KISSES ♥️😭 btw, can you add me to the tag list? 😘
Ahhh I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Levi’s specialty is forehead kisses, he is the master! I won’t take any criticism, he is the best at them!
And of course you can be added to the taglist! I’ll make sure to include you in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading! 😘❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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I want you to know that your latest chapter of AWWW made me cry and my fiancé looked at me like I had 3 heads 😂 he was like, “wtf are you reading woman?!” I yelled, “A GREAT BOOK OMG SHHH LEAVE ME ALONE!”
Aww, I didn’t mean to make you cry, dear! 😭 But I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! I always love hearing from you and reading your comments—they always put a smile on my face! 🥰 Thank you so much for reading! ❤️❤️❤️
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Don’t be embarrassed! It’s impressive! You should be proud! The thought just popped into my head yesterday and I just had to tell ya lol.
And you can call me Lainey or pancakes or whatever you’d like lol 😊❤️
Aw, thank you so much! And I love your username—I always have to chuckle whenever I see it! 🥰❤️❤️❤️
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Did you know that AWWW is almost as long (word count) as the first 4 Harry Potter books combined? We love a long story 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 love your work girly! ❤️
I-is it? ...Oh wow, now I’m embarrassed 😅 But I’m glad you like it! I prefer the longer stories too!
Also hello Saltypancakes, my precious buddy from AO3! Love you so much! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Hi Star! Just wanted to drop in and wish you a happy Friday! Hope you had a nice week ❤️
Hello Lainey, my love! It’s good to hear from you! Thank you very much, and I wish you a happy Friday as well! Hope your week was awesome! 🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️
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My love, your latest updates to AWWW have been *chefs kiss* you know how much I love soft Mia and Levi and this latest chapter was just HEAVENLY. Can you add me back into the tag list btw? Thank you! I hope you’ve been eating well and having wonderful days ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Lainey! My love! 🥺 I haven’t heard from you in so long! How are you doing? I hope you’re taking care of yourself and drinking lots of water and getting lots of rest 😘❤️💞❤️
Also, I would be glad to add you to the tag list! I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed these last couple chapters. It’s a little hard to get back onto a regular schedule but I’m enjoying it so far! I wish you nothing but the best my dear ❤️❤️ and it’s so nice to hear from you!
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OMG STAR!!! MUH GURLLLLL!!! IM F*CKING SCREAMING!!!!! YOU UPDATED MY BABY!!! 😭❤️ worth the wait. Always. So glad you are back. Hope life is wonderful and that you are eating well and are happy ❤️
LAINEY MY LOVE! 😍😍 I’m so happy to hear from you! AND YAY I FINALLY UPDATED, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED! 😘💞💞
Life’s been okay for now, a little stressful but manageable at the moment haha! How have you been? I hope you’re taking care of yourself too! Make sure to drink lots of water and get some rest ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you so much for reading the newest chapter, and for always supporting my little story (no matter how long it takes me to update)! 😅💞❤️💞❤️
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Hi Star🌹 also, how did you feel about Chap 139?!
Hello Lainey, my dear! Thank you for sending in a 🌹! Just for you, here’s a snippet of the next chapter of AWWW: (and our big softie Levi)
There was a moment of silence. And then, he nuzzled against my nape, pressing a soft kiss to the skin below. His voice was quiet and calm when he spoke again.
“You know I love you, right?”
My throat tightened. I glanced down at his hands around my waist, where he held me firmly against his body. But one of them fluttered down to my injured thigh, gently brushing against the bandaged wound. He caressed it gently, as though he was scared he would hurt me even more than I already was.
“...Yeah, I do. And I love you, too.”
As for Ch. 139... I have a lot of mixed feelings! I’ll put them down below a cut so I don’t accidentally spoil anyone!
I like a lot of things about it. But I also dislike a lot of other things. Here are some of the things I don’t like, first of all. Better to start with the bad and end with the good, right?
1. It feels a little incomplete and rushed. I’m probably one of the few people who actually enjoyed the 3-year timeskip, but I think it would’ve been better if there was a whole other chapter dedicated to it. It seems like it was tacked on at the last minute, especially since 
2. Suddenly being grateful for Eren’s mass genocide. I’m sorry, but no. I don’t think Armin, Mikasa, and the rest would all of a sudden accept Eren’s actions and be thankful for him. If they were, what was the whole point of the chapters leading up to this one? Where they clearly try to stop Eren and persuade him to think of another solution? It just kinda rubs me the wrong way. Especially when 80% of the world’s population is now dead thanks to the Rumbling. 
3. The Jaegerists practically controlling Paradis and continuing the cycle of hate. And Historia allows this to happen? Is Paradis still seen as the island of devils? It just leaves me feeling empty and hopeless. And this essentially means that Jean, Armin, and the rest of the soldiers are no longer welcomed on the island, or else they would be seen as traitors and killed. (Correct me if I’m wrong on any of this.) But then if this is true, is Mikasa still on the island? I’m so confused lol
4. The Titans turning back into humans. I’m glad they’re still alive, but if this was the goal all along, what was the point of turning Jean, Connie, Gabi, and the rest of them into Titans in the last chapter? It just seems shoehorned in to me. 
And now, some things that I really do like from the ending: 
1. Levi being alive and safe. Call it fanservice, but I’m glad he made it out alive at the end. He deserves to finally rest and be at peace. And with Gabi and Falco as his supposed adopted children? I’m all for it. He deserves the world and so much more. (And his scene with the rest of the Scouts was so sweet and tear-jerking. Absolutely gorgeous.) 
2. Mikasa’s character development. This might be controversial, but I’m trying to understand Mikasa as a human being rather than just a character in a fictional story. I didn’t really like Mikasa in the beginning of the manga. I thought she was too obsessive over Eren and she couldn’t figure out how to live without him. And even now at the end, while she still clearly loves him, she’s prepared to live in a world without him. She was the one who killed him. She was the one who buried him. And I think that she’s allowed to grieve for him at her own pace, and I hope she can find peace later on in the future. She deserves it. 
3. Annie’s reunion with her father. Problematic? On some levels, for sure. Absolutely. But he was all she could think about when she was on the island. And finally seeing them together after all this time was such a relief. 
For me, the ending is a mixed bag. There are some good things, and there are some bad things. I don’t think the ending is as terrible as Game of Thrones’ ending, but it’s not great either. Then again, when something like this is hyped up for so long, it’s hard to please every single fan. 
I just hope MAPPA doesn’t get any hate when they animate this for next year, and people try to blame them for the ending. 
Again, these are just my opinions! 
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foodleasure · 4 years
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🌻 Yep It's Cheesy ✌ _____ #🥞🥞🥞 #mixseeds #pancakestack #fluffyfood #fluffypancakes #bestpancakesintown #bestdessertintown #clujrestaurants #clujfood #pancakeforbreakfast #pancakesforbreakfast #pancakeforlunch #pancakesforlunch #seedsmix #saltypancakes #gorgonzolacheese #pancaketower #dessertforbreakfast #pancakestower #alwayshungry #stilleating #pancakesaddict #stillsingle #fluffydessert #brie #pancakehouse #americanbreakfast #sourcherry #americanpancakes #morningchallenge (at Yep'n Yo) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFo1r_Al-C7/?igshid=128ms58msl5nz
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