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lostcauses-noregrets · 3 months

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not late to the fandom, just really not updated. last time I was on the ackerman bond between Levi x Erwin was canonically proven, but I have seen people in the tags and some other comments say it was disproven later on. would you mind explaining to me what the hell happened? thank you very much for your existence in this eruri fandom <3 you are doing the titan's lord works!

Awww thank you dear <3

Okay not so short summary…

The bond between the Ackermans and their lieges was first mentioned by Isayama in the Answers Guidebook which was published in 2016, the same week as chapter 84, Midnight Sun (boy was that a head fuck). In the book Isayama said:

Isayama With the heroes of American comics, conflicts dealing with the situation “with great power, comes great responsibility” have been depicted. In Levi’s case, if he had no power, he would probably have been an ordinary person with no responsibilities but, as a consequence of having power, that he became a person excessively burdened with responsibility. Kenny talked about “everyone… was a slave to something…”, when he put the question to Levi “what is yours!?”, Levi himself too perceived it. That he himself too was a slave in regard to his own strength. The sense of duty that “I must become a hero”. …the same thing can be said of Mikasa too but…, for the Ackerman family, in the service of their master, there are many people who are able to manifest their power to its maximum. —Eh!? (surprise) About that, isn’t this information that hasn’t been talked about in the original story!! Certainly for Mikasa it’s Eren, for Kenny it’s Uri that is the lord/master-like existence… Isayama In Levi’s case, it’s Erwin. As the existence who surpasses him, he has acknowledged Erwin or how should I put it. That is the Ackerman lineage or rather, the instinctive part probably.

This became known as the “Ackerbond”, though that is a term that was made up by the fandom. There is no explicit mention of the bond in the manga until chapter 112 when Eren tells Mikasa that she is a slave to her Ackerman instincts, who is compelled to follow her host’s orders without question. (Cue lots of hand wringing about the “abusive” nature of the Ackerbond.)

However later in chapter 130, in an extended flashback, Zeke tells Eren that there is no such thing as Ackermans having “ingrained behaviour” or “compelled instinct” to protect their “host”, and that the real reason that Mikasa shows him so much kindness and affection is that she loves him.

For once, Zeke is right, as this ties in exactly with what Isayama went on to say about the Ackermans in the Answers book:

— Regarding Mikasa and Levi’s Ackerman family mystery, we’re also receiving more clarity! Can we say that Mikasa, Levi, Kenny are all part of the same Ackerman bloodline? Isayama: They are all part of the same Ackerman bloodline. However, their reasons for protecting their respective counterparts don’t have anything to do with the bloodline itself - it’s just their nature (laughs). Within the story, Mikasa and Levi almost have the guardian/knight-like roles, right? That’s because they encountered the existence of a “boss”-like individual, and the desire to work for that person is very in line with their personalities.

So there you have it. The so-called Ackerbond isn’t mysterious blood magic that forces Ackermans to obey their host, however it is in their nature to devote their strength to an individual they choose, whose “existence surpasses them”. Put in broad terms, Eren “surpasses” Mikasa because he gives her courage, safety, family, all things she has lost when they first meet. Uri surpasses Kenny because he has unlimited power and compassion and sees the good in everyone. And Erwin surpasses Levi because he has a cause to fight for, one that Levi can dedicate his strength to. I once read someone describing the relationship between the Ackermans and their significant others as a particularly selfless form of love and a deep seated desire to protect, which seems to hit the nail right on the head.

If you want more info about the Ackerbond I have many posts here: Ackermans Master Post and Ackerbond / Ackerbonds, and @tsuki-no-ura has helpfully provided a translation of the relevant passages of the Answers book here: Answers Guidebook Interview about Levi and Erwin.

[All translations by @fuku-shuu (x), @ningen-suki (x) and @tsuki-no-ura (x).]

#asks #ackermans #ackerbond #levi ackerman #erwin smith #eruri relationship #zeke yeager #hajime isayama #snk

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lenok993 · 5 months

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a c k e r t e a r d r o p

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momtaku · 9 months

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Do you think the Ackerpowers have dissipated completely post-canon? Do you think there is any residual evidence of the bond for Levi and/or Mikasa (other than, like, emotions)? Or did it all go away with Ymir and the Titans?

The superhuman "Ackerpowers" would have ended along with titan powers since they were based on the same thing. The bond, however, was never superhuman to begin with. It was an Ackerman thing in the sense that historically the Ackerman clan were prone to filling the role of knight for a liege, but the selection of their liege was a purely human thing based on choice and free will . The bond may have enhanced their Ackerpowers, but otherwise there was no other science or titan magic to it. The bond Levi and Mikasa felt toward Erwin and Eren were 100% their own volition, and if we go by Mikasa in the closing pages, absolutely nothing changed in that regard. I strongly suspect it was the same for Levi.

In other words, this went away

This didn't

Or in the words of Zeke (who I am loathe to admit was sometimes correct)

Thank you for the ask!

#ackerbond #ackermagic #levi ackerman #mikasa ackerman #it's been so long #am I doing this right?#chatting with friends

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hargreevesd · 4 months

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BAUKLÖTZE. Hange Zoë x reader Ackerman

Chapter One

Wall Sina

Year 850

"Hange, let me guess, are you about to visit the kid?"

"Of course, do you want you come with me? He needs someone to accompany him and he has to be out in 20 minutes."

"Do we really trust him?" I asked her with a shaky voice. He was just a little kid after all.

"Levi said he is worthy to trust, I think this says enough." Hange replied with confidence. This was enough for me to believe.

"I will wait for you in the door, don't be late, we don't have time."

The kid I was talking about, Eren Yeager, apparently could transform into a Titan. That would bring us so many chances to win against Titans. Could anyone even imagine that we could just use a Titan against others? He could fix the broken entrance of Wall Maria and we could retake back our land. Lots of our problems would be solved. But... Is he trustworthy? I heard from Erwin that he plans to join the Scout regiment. Besides from what he wants...

We have to succeed in this court. We have a plan but it's still difficult to win their trust. After all, they look at us like we are already dead.

"Ackerman!"

Wall Sina

Year 830

"Ackerman! Why don't you go and live with your other family back to Wall Maria in the underground? You don't belong here"

Comments about my blood family, the Ackemans, were made every other day. I couldn't really avoid it so I just accepted it. Something that crossed my mind though every day was 'why would they leave me and I ended up being adopted?' Not that I don't want my parents, but what if? Or what if they never kept my real name? I could be Y/N Stones. Or else I could be secret underground spy? Why would I even want that? I don't care about the history of my name. All I just want is to be historian.

"I'm so sorry for them, they are not bad, they just can't express their feelings we'll! " A kid in front of them told me as the others left. They were from my class, their hair were in a messy bun and they were carrying some big science books.

"I didn't ask." Look who was talking. Their friends have not stopped a single minute judging the very single move I do. At least it were them all alone and not with the things they talk with.

"Ackerman right? I always wanted to meet one actually, I find your family history really interesting."

"Yeah right, thank you." Of course it's always my family that they are interesting, not me.

"I'm Hange Zoë by the way, we are in the same class but we never really talk much so..

"Y/N." I just stood there staring at her because I had no intention of starting an actual conversation. Why would I?

"Come on Hangeee, leave the freak alone and join us!" all of her friends were screaming from behind but she didn't leave. She stayed there looking at me.

"We could be friends if you want to..." I guess she saw that I was not in the best mood for company. I was looking down like I was not even listening to her. But I did. And I wanted a friend. But not her. She already had her stupid friends anyway.

"Or I guess another time, see you around Ackerman!"

Wall Sina

Year 850

I turned around and saw Miche with Hange and right besides them, Eren. Hange was calling me from far behind. She truly liked calling me by my last name, not only in public but in general. And I just let her. Just her.

"Oh and here is Captain Y/N Ackerman, the greatest soldier we have alongside with Levi" Hange introduced me with the biggest smile she could wear. Why would she even say that, I told her many times to not introduce me again like that.

"Ackerman?" The kid asked.

"That's right kid. You must be Εren Yeager?"

"Ri-right" He seemed confused. Did I say something weird? Did I scare him?

"Be careful out there kid. It will be hard, but have faith in our Commander." I held his arm and showed him the way to the court.

"I know it's selfish, but we have no choice than to blindly trust you." Hange said and pushed him through the door.

"Do you believe we can win?" Hange asked me.

"We will."

"I told you we would win! I'm so excited to see what future holds us with this kid." Hange told us as we were walking out of the court.

"Yeah..." I heard what she said but I was just zoned out that moment. I was thinking about Eren's friend, Mikasa I believe it was her name. Do we happen to be relatives somehow? The backstory of my biological parents will probably haunt me forever, since I never got to know them. They could be dead. Or they could be hiding. Or-

"Y/N. Are you here?" and that's when I came to my senses. Why do I care about them anyways? They left me.

"Yes. Sorry, I was thinking about something."

"You always think about something Y/N, take a break." a familiar voice joined us.

"Agh!... Hello Erwin!" I smiled and I gave him a hug. "You can't really give advises on that topic when you are worse yourself" I looked behind him and I saw Levi with Eren holding some bandages to help with the bleeding. I couldn't not notice the steam... He really was a Titan after all. We joined all together a room to help Eren. Hange took care of him so she could take a better look on his wounds.

"Levi you could be more gentle. He is a kid after all." I broke the silence of the room.

"Tsk, nonsense, he seems just fine to me. Plus we needed to ensure he is trustworthy." Levi replied to me with his old time serious face.

"Does it hurt?" Hange asked Eren who was sitting on the bed with his hand on his head.

"A little..." he whispered.

And those two sat there, with Hange examinating Eren's teeth and screaming about how cool it was that he is healing himself and Eren totally confused. Our lives were about to change with this kid. I hope it was the best choice to join us and continue our journey. I had a feeling that Erwin is already planning an exhibition. He seemed skeptical.

I looked at Hange again and this time she was writing down her conclusions. I wish I had her patience sometimes, she looked so peaceful and excited. I was sitting in a chair near the window and I looked outside. The only thing I could see was a carriage and some horses. How much I missed my bed at the moment, I haven't slept at least for 48 hours. Right after our exhibition, the wall broke and I think I didn't have five minutes of peace from back then.

Me and my team, Sara, Celia, Rien and Floris alongside with Levi's team went to the old Scout Regiment headquarters. Hange was busy calculating her results from some experiments on her two titans, Moblit tried to keep his sanity over super excited Hange.

Levi was cleaning up the mess and I was reading at the library. Yet after so many books that I've read in my life I'm still learning. And I stayed there till very late. I was reading about our economic history. Economics are probably the hardest history you could find. Specific numbers, terms etc. I was sitting next to a massive desk with a candle and I was holding that big dusty book in front of me. My team and everyone were probably sleeping. They had to rest after all. I believe hard times are coming. Maybe we did find a solution with Eren, but it could also be our doom. As I was thinking all of these I heard a sound. I left the book I was holding and rushed to the door to listen what was going ok outside. I didn't heard anything so I opened it. The room next to the old library was the meeting room. I went inside and I found Hange all alone sitting on the floor.

"Hange... What are you doing on the floor?" I asked her and I started walking towards her.

"Eh, you know, just thinking..."

"Thinking of what in the floor? Where's Moblit? I thought you two were together thinking about experiments." I reached her and joined her on the floor. We are doing this at least one time a week. She finds it comfortable to sit down like that and I just join her.

"He was tired and I gave him the permission to leave..." She let it a sigh. "Everyone was tired actually. Why aren't you asleep? Pretty sure it's late and you must be tired..."

"I was reading and I heard a noise, probably you falling to the floor as I see." I smiled softly. What a typical night for Hange.

"Probably" She laughed, but seconds later she went silent again.

"Go on." I expressed.

"What?" She looked at me with a weird look. "What do you mean go on?"

"Tell me everything. We have all night."

"Re-really? Lydia no, you are tired." She stopped but my face was dead serious and immediately she got up and started jumping. "Can't decide where to start! Wait no I know. Get up!" She grabbed my hands and pulled me so I could get up.

"Hange please!" I started laughing.

"No laughs, no Hanges! We have job to do Ackerman! So look first of all-..."

And she rambled the whole night. About almost everything she had on her mind. And I didn't stop her. Not once. I was always there to listen when Hange needed to talk. No other reason, but I found her way of thinking extraordinary. I was always surprised by her knowledge. Even when we were kids, or when we joined the scouts ten years ago. Even that cold and stormy day where the exhibition went... Not time for that. She just... She just never proved me wrong.

Days passed and we had no improvement in everything. Neither with Eren or with Hange's Titans. I spent many nights awake alongside with Hange and Moblit exchanging theories and facts. That way maybe we could find something. Something well hidden. Most of the time I was in my room writing, thinking, googling, writing again, throwing papers away then the same thing all over again.

Erwin had a plan and we were just waiting for the news. So until that day I did the same thing again and again and again.

Until,

"Captain!" I heard a voice from behind and I turned around to see Celia. She seemed upset. Or to word it more correctly, amazed.

"Yes?"

"Eren transformed. Section Commanders Hange and Moblit are heading there at the moment." She was out of breath as she was saying this. She probably ran a long way to inform me.

"Thank you Celia for informing me. Get some rest while you can." I said to her and as she was leaving I started tiding the mess I had made before. If Eren finally successed and he managed to transform and expedition would start soon. That means no time to even think. When I rushed outside, everyone was returning. I was late but at least everyone was okay. Eren seemed so confused and terrified. Levi's team also. That was new. What happened? I wasn't with them for one time and they return like this? I turned my head to look around but Hange was nowhere to be found.

"Moblit where is she?" I asked nervously.

"She returned to Trost, pretty sure she is testing some new ideas."

"Oh thank you Moblit."

I understand that she went to see her Titans but I was expecting her point of view with Eren's transformation.

Some days later back to Trost, I woke up from Hange's screaming. Her room was next to mine. She asked for this when she was announced Section Commander and me Captain, so we could work without bothering others. Why would she be screaming that early? She does that a lot, but from the voice of hers I could tell something was off. Did anything happen? Is she okay? Why was I sleeping? What if? I tried to get ready quickly and went to knock their door but they didn't answer. How is that? She was screaming a moment ago. And then I heard her from outside. Outside? What would anything ne outside so import- wait. Don't tell me.

No.

Did we just lost... No.

My mind was full of thoughts while I was running to find Hange. And then I found her.

Why?

Who could do this?

Those monsters Hange loved were important for us. The only thing I could do was to get down and comfort her so they could stop screaming and crying. They were her kids, we spend days talking about them. Why? How?...

She didn't push me away, she did the exact opposite. Hange grabbed my hand like they were saying 'please don't let me go' and I didn't. I couldn't.

"It will be okay Hange, you are with me now."

...

How?

...

A traitor? No. Y/N you are thinking dramatically, something more logical happened. No. There's no other way. Someone killed them. Someone knew it all and destroyed our hope. I would find them. No way I would let them get away with this.

I had years to see Hange like that. Not after that day. The day my life changed. So I held them close, just like back then.

Wall Rose

842

knock. knock.

Nothing.

I knocked their door again.

"Cadet Zoë?"

"Yes?"

"May I come in?"

"Go ahead." she didn't sound so happy. I mean how could she?

I opened their door and I found them on the floor with the legs spread and their hands on their head.

"Section Commander Erwin send me, how are you doing?"

"Incredible. I think you can see it..."

I didn't say anything. After all... that happened, it was the least she could do about it. Try not to think. Try not to see something that reminds you of them.

"You know, we can go for some training to clean your mind... Or to the library, it has so many great books. I can suggest you some! Or um we can go eat something? Or definitely-" I didn't finished with the suggestions since she interrupted me.

"Thank you for trying, but I don't want any of those. You can go to Erwin and tell him I'm alright."

"Hange. You don't seem alright." I declared, no way I would leave her like that.

"Well of course!" She shouted.

"Look I know, it's hard. I've been there, but life doesn't stop. If you stop fighting you will lose. If your walls fall, you have to re-build them and start again." I sat down next to her and I pointed out side the window, where the walls were visibe.

"What like toy blocks like we were kids?"

"Exactly. You never thought of this before?"

"No... Not really. I mean it's not the most common comparison you could hear." Hange replied.

"I know... I know. But if you think like that maybe it will change something in your life. You can go out and seek revenge. Risk your own life. Or you could stay here, forever, trying to fix a wound that probably won't close because you yet don't believe it happened." I explained.

She didn't say anything back. She wrapped her eyes and stared the wall.

"Hange... I can leave you if you want me to, it's okay if you don't want to come with me..."

"Where to Captain?" She finally smiled. I knew them for so long, but I truly met ther yesterday.

"Captain? Me? I could never. You're funny after all."I laughed with her comment. "Library. My favorite place that I assure you it will cheer you up!"

I offered her my hand and then I showed her the way. When I was feeling down I always went to the library. It's always there for you. From what I remember from school they liked science so I went to that section.

"Go on choose!"

Her smile lightened the library.

"Tea? Coffee? What can I make you?"

She started reading something and they totally ignored me now. Agh at least they have a good time. "Hange, want me to bring anything?"

"Oh, sure yes, some black coffee! Bring something for you also and sit with me. We can analyse this facts, how a star even though-"

Wall Rose

Year 850

Knock. Knock.

Nothing.

"Hange. It's me."

"Come in." she finally answered.

I opened their door and stepped into her room. I was assuming Moblit to be there but he wasn't. They were at their desk, papers thrown everywhere, in the floor, in the bed, in the desk, in the window...

"Let me guess, Erwin send you?"

#hange x oc #hange zoe x reader #hange x reader #hange zoë #hange zoe #attack on titan x reader #attack on titan #aot x reader #aot #levi ackerman #erwin smith #ackerbond #ackerman #Spotify

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queen-helaenas-pet-spider · 6 months

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My New Roman Empire:

Kenny Ackerman realizing his dream of inheriting the Founding Titan so he can be closer to the man he loves {Uri Reiss}, will never come true.......

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sp9culation · 1 year

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okay but the ackerbond is so beautiful, and you can't deny that however you see this bond, platonic, romantic or otherwise, it's absolutely amazing.

erwin gave levi something to follow, something to believe in, a purpose.

eren gave mikasa a home, warmth, safety.

uri gave kenny kindness, hope, a new perspective of the world.

with the ackerbond, both the ackerman and their liege grow in strength. they make each other better. they're each other's missing piece. without the ackerbond, the ackerman is left hollow. (eruri </3)

please i love the ackermans sm

#aot #attack on titan #shingeki no kyoujin #snk #eruri #eremika #kenuri #erwin smith #levi ackerman #eren yeager #mikasa ackerman #kenny ackerman #uri reiss #ackerbond #ackermans #ackerman #wdym happiness i've never heard of it #</3 #pain

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holyfuckingshitbatman · 2 years

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Canon

I feel like Erwin wouldn’t know what a Twitter was, but this felt too perfect

#eruri #eruri fanart #i love them sm #levi ackerman #erwin smith #attack on titan #ackerbond #Levi is so teeny tiny #he’s just a lil hater Fr #should I do more of these?

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mitchiegonewild · 2 years

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uri, frantically searching his apartment: where are my car keys??

kenny, 20 minutes earlier: if i eat his car keys he can never leave

#kenuri #uri reiss #kenny ackerman #uri x kenny #kenny x uri #attack on titan #aot #ackerbond #i got this from an inotan post somewhere #attack on titan season 3

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kitschafterdark · 1 year

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"So you can drag me through hell

If it meant I could hold your hand

I will follow you"

『 BMTH – Follow You 』

#eruri #eruri fanart #levi ackerman #erwin smith #ackerbond

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ackerbondweek · 1 year

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Here are the prompts for Ackerbond Week 2022! In just a couple of weeks (Dec 10-17), the event will begin! Please visit our page to find our carrd and other info!

#Ackerbond #ackerbond week #eruri #erwin x levi #kenuri #kenny x uri #eremika #eren x mikasa #ackerman #ackermans

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hanahakiqueen · 2 years

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HEAR ME OUT

If the ackerbond does not exist but mikasa still haves weird headaches or starts feeling dizzy without a reason (the scene with Louise for example) What if she is in fact ill but no one brings out the subject because shes the second strongest. Think about it , the headaches come espontaneously along with her feeling weak or spacing out also in the jail scene in season 3 and in the jeagerist headquarters she looks really sick, not to mention Eren saying that she has gotten too thin and needs to take care of hersef or armin in season 2 telling her she fainted because of a head injury although shes not showing any signs of it and it just looks like she fainted out of nowhere.

PD: This is just a silly theory i made up with my dad in the car so im sorry if it doesnt make any sense

#aot #shingeki no kyojin #mikasa ackerman #mikasa angst #aot theory #whump aot #fyp2022 #sick characters #fan theory #fandom #fanfic #snk #whumptober2022 #fanfiction #what if scenario #attack on titan #ackerbond #sickfic #conspiration theory

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lostcauses-noregrets · 3 months

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your newest fan/stalker/follower anon here again. just had this random thought/idea and wondered if you know a fic (or have rec) of Erwin testing his authority/bond on Levi's loyalty. for example, he starts small, random tasks and wonder just how far he could go without Levi telling him no. (you know... The usual shipper stuff, lol)

Hello! So...there are Eruri 57 fics tagged Ackerbond on AO3 that you might like to explore. I've only read a tiny fraction of them, but many are by writers I really enjoy, so it's definitely worth exploring the tag. Fics where Erwin actually pushes the boundaries of Levi's loyalty tend to stray into so called Dark Ackerbond territory, which tbh, is not my thing. However, there are a few fics I love where Erwin tests the nature of the bond between himself and Levi for different reasons...

Spellbound by @ladymacbethsspot

The Blue by bowowline

Scorpion Grass by Dragona

#asks #eruri #fic rec #ackerbond #snk

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lenok993 · 5 months

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I've just realised one thing or get insight wow i'm slowpoke Mikasa was crying during serumbowl scene right? That means her tears were falling on Levi maybe even on Levi's face. Isayama didn't draw it, WIT didn't animate this detail. But thanks to Newton's law of universal gravitation it's fact

I'M

youtube

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raven-eruri · 2 years

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Levi’s smile is frozen in time, forever laced with grief and sorrow.

Much like this place, he thinks gloomily as he enters the small Bed and Breakfast on Kirstein Street, a bell jingling as he pushes the heavy wooden door. The house, clean and quiet, smells like cinnamon and apples. The landlady emerges from the kitchen, wiping her flour-covered hand on her apron. She greets him cheerfully, producing a small pair of thin round glasses from her pocket as she registers his name in the big leather-bound guest’s book on the counter.

“Ackerman, you said?”

“Yes. Levi.”

“That’s not a common name around here,” she remarks idly.

“I’m not from here.”

Levi takes in his surroundings, half-listening to her perky chatter. Everything about the house screams old-fashioned, from the floral wallpaper to the gleaming, spotless hardwood floors. As he scans the room, his eyes fall upon the portrait of a middle-aged man hanging proudly above the fireplace’s mantle. He looks about forty, standing proud and at attention, his right fist curled up on his chest, above his heart, inches away from an elegant bolo tie nestled in the collar of his green military coat. Marleyan soldiers wear grey, not green, and rank is shown by stripes on their shoulder pads, not stones around their necks.

“Who’s that?” Levi asks, a bit curious.

“Hum?” she raises her head, follows his gaze. “Oh, that’s Jean Kirstein, the 16th Commander of the Survey Corps. Great man. He was the officer responsible for brokering the peace treaty that ended the war in 864, after the bombings and the second Marleyan Offensive on Paradis,” she explains. “He was a distant relative of my husband.”

Levi nods. Other portraits are scattered around the room, showing more people in old military uniforms, posing with the same proud salute that was the habit of the old Army. Offering their hearts, if Levi recalls his history lessons correctly. On the right, Levi spots a smaller portrait of a boy with golden hair, a resolute and determined expression painted on his face. There’s a harshness to him, something hollow in how his eyes are fixed in front of him — like he’s looking at something beyond the painter, something only he can see. This is not the kind of expression Levi would have expected to see in someone so young, he thinks as he averts his eyes, uncomfortable. A bit further from the boy’s painting, above the couch, is a small round miniature of a messy brown hair soldier, one eye covered with an eye patch, the other eye piercing and tired. It doesn’t look much like the other paintings — it’s more of a sketch, really, but the lines are sharp and manage to capture the image of the soldier, freezing it in time. It makes Levi feel uneasy, somehow. The portraits are another reminder of the ghosts inhabiting this place, casting an old, eternal shadow over the otherwise warm room.

Levi can’t wait to get away from this place.

“Those are more portraits of the Survey Corps Commanders,” the landlady says upon noticing where his gaze has landed. “This is Armin Arlert,” she points to the young boy with the deep blue eyes, “he became Commander during the Rumbling, after the previous one, Hange Zoë,” she motions to the other portrait above the couch, “sacrificed their life to allow their comrades to escape the island."

Levi gives her a polite smile, turning back to the counter, eager to escape the weight of the dead commanders’ gazes.

"My late husband, may he rest in peace, harboured a bit of an obsession for history and all that related to the Jaegerist Insurrection and the Rumbling War. He had the greatest collection of books and writings about that time on all the island. When he passed away, I donated everything to the Sina National Archives, but I didn’t have the heart to get rid of the decoration.”

Levi nods again, uncomfortable.

“Are you interested in history, dear?” she asks.

Levi fumbles, trying not to show his annoyance at being called dear. “No. Not really.” He picks up his suitcase as she motions for him to follow her up the stairs. “I thought —” he falters. “I thought this was frowned upon?”

“Oh,” she lets out a small humph, condescending. “It used to be, yes. But it’s been over a hundred years now. We Eldian folks remember, of course. But Marley doesn’t care for it so much anymore.” She says that in a strange tone. The words are spoken lightly, but they carry a weight that takes Levi by surprise.

She breathes through her nose, curious. “Is it your first time in Paradis, dear?”

“Hum, no,” Levi coughs. “I was born here."

She stops midway up the stairs, raising an eyebrow. "Are you visiting family, perhaps? How lovely.”

“I’m here for a funeral, actually."

Her face falls upon hearing that, curiosity slowly replaced by sympathy. She lays a hand on his forearm, patting his biceps. "How dreadful. I’m so sorry to hear that. You have my condolences.” She studies his face for a bit longer than Levi feels comfortable being watched, so he casually snaps his head, tossing his hair out of his eyes and motioning to the door on top of the stairs.

“Thank you. Your brochure said the rooms were equipped with a private bathroom?"

"All of them! We take great care of our guests here; don’t you worry about that."

She unlocks the door, and they step into a small and plain but cosy guest room. The walls are bare of paintings or portraits, which Levi is thankful for. A double bed sits in the middle of the room, made of sturdy oak wood that matches the rest of the furniture. The quilt lying on top of the bed looks handmade, just like the lace doilies sitting under the lamps on the bedside cabinets framing the mattress on both sides. He takes a few steps into the room, setting his suitcase next to the dresser.

"Breakfast is served from 7 to 9 am. The rooms are cleaned daily, so we’ll ask that you vacate the room for at least an hour each morning. How long will you be staying with us?”

“Only a few days, hopefully,” he responds. He doesn’t plan to spend a minute more in this place than necessary. He’s been here for merely two hours, and already he’s feeling his old self sliding back into place, replacing everything he worked so hard to rebuild. To heal.

He thanks the landlady several times, each one more strained than the previous one, before she finally takes the hint and leaves the room — and when the door closes behind her with a light click and silence fills the room, he finally allows himself to breathe.

Deeply, eyes closed. Inhale, exhale. Once, twice, a third for good measure, until he feels his nerves relaxing and his heartbeat settling down.

He doesn’t have time to get distracted or overwhelmed by uneasy memories.

He’s here for one task, and one task only.

In forty-eight hours — seventy-two at most — he’ll be back on the boat, returning to his life, job, and Isabel. He’ll leave the island and never set foot there again.

Dragonfly in Amber | Chapter 1

#eruri #eruri fic #eruri fanfic #erwin x levi #levi ackerman #erwin smith #shingeki no kyoujin #this is an Outlander inspired AU #ackerbond #eruri au

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