#i’ll hide it way in the tags for those who don’t want spoilers

[sanjisluvbot]

Spending time with Yandere Strawhats x Black Fem reader

AN: Hello and welcome new readers, this is slightly a part three to my Isekai series and as I publish this I am thinking about creating separate fics for each of the characters below. If you want to be on a tag list I’ll add you 🫶🏽🫵🏽

MINI SPOILERS BTW

-

Luffy was the main source of light for your adventure. You hung out with him mostly in the middle of the day when the sun was at its peak. Other times it’s at the end of the day just before Sanji calls you in for the last meal. Those are your favorites, words don’t need to be spoken when you and Luffy are sitting on the head of the Sunny. At least not the words either of you want to hear at the moment. So you both sit in silence enjoying the false sense of bliss.

Luffy sits next to you in all meals, since you’re the favorite, he wouldn’t dare steal food from you.. most of the time of course. The first mate will always be to the other side of you as well neither taking their gaze off of you as if you were nothing but prey.

When you’re all on islands only few are assigned to take care of you and watch you. Nami, Robin, Zoro, Sanji and Jimbei, the rest couldn’t be trusted to not fall for you in their naivety.

When you were able to go adventure with Luffy you had more of a chance to escape when he was distracted by surroundings. However that didn’t last long, it was as if he had eyes on the back of his head. He would know exactly where you were hiding no matter what.

You got better at hiding behind a fake smile the more you hung out with Luffy. It was never a pretty sight with any of the crew when you angered them by mentioning your “ home”

Luffy would usually ignore you when you’d talk about home, he didn’t care about the past he just wanted to enjoy the present with all his friends. But those times you got under his skin he made your life a living hell.

Zoro wasn’t one to really welcome most with open arms especially with the way you ended up with the crew.

Zoro was one who put you in edge the most because even having one eye shut the man’s gaze makes one fully understand that if he wanted to he would end your life.

However that barley lasted a full week, after he found out you both had a love for drinking he made it a mission to get under your skin in the best ways he could. Always checking up on you, rescuing you when you’re in danger, wanting to play drinking games after dinner, and napping on the deck with him on warm days.

On new islands you would go pair off with Zoro, in order to fall into the shadows and disappear from the strawhat crew forever. However, Zoro was resilient, he always held your hand and never took that menacing eye away for more than a second.

You’ve tried to reason with him once when you both were drunk off your asses in the aquarium. “ I want to ask you something.. Zoro” with a heavy sigh he turned to face you from his spot on the floor. “ Why do you like to bother me when we are like this? You’re gonna ruin a good time”

His gaze was so intense making you gulp and turn away while his eye burned into your skull. It’s very unfortunate that this man is so attractive. “ I know it’s a lot to ask but-” “ Then don’t ask me I don’t have an answer to satisfy you y/n” you could tell when he was really inebriated, his hard exterior was down and he spoke to you with such a soft voice.

You and Nami spent most of your time together in her office. You liked to write and paint and she had tons of paper and ink.

Tanning on the Sunny was an essential it felt like you had a real girlfriend, you did your spa days together and talked about anything to come to mind. Sharing baths always made you blush since she would take the time to pamper you and scrub your scalp when it was wash day.

Nami had always been a great actor, that’s how she was able to survive those many years alone and ostracized from her family and friends. Bringing up home around her means waterworks.

It also means being punished by the whole crew because she told everyone you were thinking of an escape.

She loved taking you shopping, you were her little doll she wanted to dress up and take care of. She didn’t want to loose anyone else close to her which is exactly why she would go as far as getting you punished for a few days in order to make sure you can stay with her forever.

Ussop was the one you could relate to the most. You both were very similar in terms of being considered the weakest onboard and among other things.

Spending time with Ussop meant sometimes spending time with Chopper and Luffy playing games and pranks on crew members.

You learned about his garden and eventually started helping him take care of that. He spoke in depth about what he learned over the last two years and how his new seeds worked.

He turned you into a little inventor, bringing you under his wing and you were willing to learn anything and everything. You almost felt bad knowing the real reason you wanted to learn from him.

Sanji was enamored with you to the fullest extent. He is usually head over heels for anything that walks his way with boobs but you, you sparked something in him.

Spending time with Sanji meant you didn’t have to lift a finger because he waited on you hand and foot.

Sanji loved to have you perched on his side when he was cooking so you can taste everything and stroke his ego. He was such a charmer and you both got along so well since it was obvious you both had a soft spot for one another.

One islands like water seven you would pair off with him and go and explore the city and help him buy groceries. This is one of the main reasons out of all the Yandere Strawhats Sanji is the most obsessed. To him, those times were dates and godforbid something happened to you or you decided to leave him he would spiral.

When you used to talk about going home or one of the other crew members would tell him about things you been doing ( escape attempts ) he would get so angry his eyebrow going from left to right. This would cause Zoro and him to fight more often due to him wanting to take his anger out on anything.

Robin was the main one to keep you on your toes. Her eyes always let you know when to stop talking.

Spending time with Robin meant you were able to read a variety of books and inhaling knowledge just as she does. When you looked at books that resembles your situation she was always over your shoulder or had an eye pop up somewhere on your body.

“ Interesting book there y/n would you let me read it when your done?” Her smile never fully reached her eyes on most occasions which always left you drenched in a cold sweat because you knew.

You knew that escaping with someone like Robin on the crew was more than difficult, but you pushed that past you when you hung out. Sanji would bring tea and treats to the library and there would be soft music playing in the background.

Robin was serenity when you ignored the silent threats.

Spending time with the whole crew was usually meal times or when you had important business on an island.

Everyone bounced off each others conversations they truly stuck together like glue which is the main reason you’ve been with them so long.

No matter what the conversations always gravitated towards you. Each sharing their stories of time you spent together or future plans they had with you. Some of which you hadn’t even agreed to ( yet ).

It is hard to escape from a crew that you already ran away from once, they’d be damned if they let it happen twice.

#zoro x black reader #x black fem reader #platonic yandere #yandere strawhats #mugiwara crew #luffy x black reader #ussop x reader #one piece x reader #Nami x black fem reader #nico robin #Nico Robin x black fem reader #sanji x black reader #one piece headcanons #straw hat pirates

[autumnalwalker]

Character snippet tag

Thank you for the tag, @druidx.

Passing the tag to @writernopal, @imbrisvastatio, @alnaperera, @floweryprosegarden, @ryns-ramblings, and an open tag for anyone else who wants it.

Rules: pick an OC and post a snippet from their viewpoint.

So, this one's perhaps a little bit of a spoiler since it comes from near the very end of @thearchivistsjournal, but it's one of the few times in there that we get to hear the words of anyone other than the titular Archivist. To read the scene being described here from the Archivist's point of view, see Day 12. For Lin's description of meeting the Archivist for the first time, keep reading below the cut:

I actually made a point of avoiding you when you first washed up, especially after I heard you were going to be Archivist.  I still missed the old man and had a lot of tangled up feelings with all my good memories of the archive being tainted by sadness over his loss.  But I couldn’t avoid the place forever and I missed it as much as I did him, so I finally got my courage together and made myself go down there.

I was so nervous about how it was going to go, seeing someone else in his place, watching over our books, intruding in my place to hide from the world.  But then I got down the stairs and you looked ridiculous.  I know I should say I’m sorry for laughing like I did, but I’m still not.  I don’t mean that in a mean way though.  Seeing you there, looking nothing like him but drowning in his clothes like you were his kid that had gotten into his closet and surrounded by an utter mess was just the right kind of silly to get rid of those nerves and make me feel better about, well, a lot of things really.  I know you were embarrassed but please don’t be when you look back on that.  Under the exact context that you couldn’t have known, I don’t think you could have made a better first impression.

And I’ll admit, seeing all the books out of place and hearing they were going to be reorganized felt wrong at first.  The archive means a lot to me, and who were you to change something so important?  But then as you were talking you just got so into it.  Talking so fast you were stumbling over yourself and repeating things but smiling the whole time.  Here was someone else who really cared.  I was afraid you wouldn’t.  

As we got to talking and while I settled back into my old reading spot I started thinking maybe rearranging everything wasn’t so bad.  It was a fresh start.  A way for the archive to keep what it’s always meant to me without reminding me of what I’d lost.

From there, it wasn’t hard to start thinking of you as a fresh start.  Someone who didn’t have any prior history or associations with me to poison the present.  Someone I could do things right with.

You know I’ve drifted away from all my other old friends.  Some of the reasons I’ve told you, some I think you’ve figured out, and some you probably have an idea of now after all that other stuff I wrote.  I’ve had my problems in the past.  Still do.  But I’ve gotten better.  And I’m still getting better.

I know it was never your intention, but thank you for giving me the opportunity to try being a good friend again.  For being any kind of friend again.  I think we both know you can be alone without being lonely, just like you can be with others and still be lonely.  I was definitely the latter for a long time.  Longer than I realized, and you were my first step to getting out of that.  

#character snippet tag #tag game #writeblr #my writing #writers on tumblr #writing tag games #the archivist's journal

[englass]

WIP DAY

Tagged by: @derelictheretic & @fadedjacket -- thank you lovelies! 💖

Tagging (although completely optional as always): @starsandskies @chyrstis @chazz-anova @words-and-seeds @weekend-writer @deputyash @deputy-rice-pudding​ and anyone else that wants to do this! I truly have no idea who to tag anymore on these things...

A/N: Um... hi! It’s been awhile 😅 To be honest, I have been working on stuff on-and-off. Just at my own leisurely pace. Finally feel like I have something worthwhile to share though, but we’ll see. It’s a bit longer than I’d like to post for a WIP Day, but who knows when I’ll actually get it done so 🤷‍♀️

Before we get into it, I suppose I should mention the fandom it’s for at this point? It’s FF14 -- so, uh, be aware of Shadowbringers’ spoilers for this, I guess?

- - -

Fatigue tugs at you. The familiarity of this place plucking at ancient memories, the emotions ringing on the vibration, the echoes a faint afterimage; unrefined, barely a silhouette in the dark, but there all the same. They leave you dizzy, unfocused, feeling inebriated over this queer battle of wills; the invasive merging of memories not your own but– but they… they are– were?

You climb on the bench, spitting an exhausted sigh as you settle, harshly pressing your hands into your eyes. A tremble wracks your frame, the heavy taste of Light clogging up your throat. Even the feeble defence of your hands can not hide you from the intrusive memories, outlines clearer upon the pitch backdrop. Overlapping, intertwining, converging. Are you swaying? It feels like you are swaying. The Light writhing, agitated beneath your skin. It is all starting to make you feel sick.

Swallowing down the urge to gag you cautiously manoeuvre yourself. Lay down with your arms at your side, leeching the coolness of the stone through your clammy skin. You feel so warm, so grossly uncomfortable in your own body. Like it is no longer yours, as if there is not enough room. Never have you felt so small.

At least the leaves above you are pretty, somewhat distracting in their gentle sway against a phantom wind. Glimpsing past to the murky green beyond, you trace the rays of light that filter down from the ocean’s surface. Watch with absent interest as sea-life leisurely glides above the heavens, like birds on the wind. Find yourself mentally mapping out the sky, the stars that typically populate its canvas. The next time you leave the city you should take a spare journal with you, start compiling all the constellations you come across in your travels. That way, when you return you can give them to your friends; and when you ultimately have to leave again you can all–

…

… …

You curse, aggressively shove the ball of your hands into your eyes. A weak sound cracking loose in your throat, frustrated tears burning as they escape down the side of your face.  

That didn’t– that’s not your memory. It is not yours… and that hurts more than words can ever articulate.

It is not even the fact that you can’t remember them, or that they don’t truly belong to you. It’s how they make you feel that kills you.

You have always felt adrift in the world, always felt like something was missing. Only ever found in dreams and those painful moments of unwarranted nostalgia. It is why you originally set out on your travels. Vainly searching for clues in foreign tomes, collapsing ruins and distant lands. Looking for that mystical place that has ever resonated within you, the dual silhouettes that have ever compelled you back to them; that have ever urged for your morose soul to come home.

Those memories, painful as they are, they…

You scrub at your eyes. Cringing as you raise them above your head and see the liquid Light smeared across them. Shakily exhaling you drop them, uneasily wiping the oily remnants off against your attire. Try not to think too hard at the fact that you are crying Light, so contaminated that you are literally leaking the stuff. It is only because of Ryne and sheer willpower that you have yet not succumbed. Holding on because you must, because there is no one else. But…

Emet-Selch was right: you are all but a Sineater, at this point.

The temptation to surrender is there. In this hidden nook, within this skeleton of glorious Amaurot and amongst the ghosts of a resurrected memory you wonder if it would be so bad to give up. To finally rest. Or, at the least, to indulge. To not have your potential final moments be wrought with non-stop strife and conflict, but to be softened by the hollow comforts of a life never lived. Of memories never made. Of a love never shared, yet depthless and timeless; eternal.

#i love this game #can't wait for the next patch #and to get all the lynx's - woohoo! 2 down and more to get #my writing #my wip #tagged #tag game #wip day #wip game #different from my usual game/fandom of choice but i'd like to try and branch into all the stuff i enjoy #show my appreciation and love as a fellow hobbyist creative #derelictheretic #fadedjacket #thank you again for the tag lovelies! #sorry it's taken so long as always

[ontowanderlust]

Of Part time Jobs and Hidden Feelings

SYPNOSIS. You'd think that with all those part time jobs, she'd be used to making her feelings be part time too. Alternatively, she who jumps from one part time job onto another, she should include hiding her feelings into that roster as well.

PROMPT. Can feelings be part time too?

TROPES. S2F2L. “She fell first, he fell harder”

WC. 3k words. (Super haba kasi if isahang post so hehe)

WARNINGS. Use of profanities. Lots of them. Sorry guys. Masyado pong pasmado ang bibig ko kaya nadala sa fanfics.

TAGS. Part-timers; Alternating point of views;

NOTES. I’ve always always wanted to write this prompt kasi matagal na siyang stuck sa utak ko. Like siguro months din ang duration ng stay nito sa utak ko omg. This was supposed to be a spin off story from my commissioned piece kaya lang I thought na it’s best to leave it be and just branch this out as something else. Hence, being a svt fanfic.

MORE NOTES. This is a mixture of smau and written fic pero mas prominent yung written. And since this is a mix of different perspectives, point oh's are Jeon's point of view. And originally, I planned on posting this as one shot kaya lang super haba na niya and I fear that sa sobrang haba, pati kayo mawalan ng gana in the middle of it so chop natin into parts. Wag na rin kayong umasa na tapos na siya kasi to be honest, ang tagal na nito sa drafts ko and ngayon ko lang naisipang i-drop dito. Don't worry naman, tinutuloy ko siya... kapag may time and energy ako. Kaya lang super tagal na kahit ako, di alam kung kailan ko matatapos. lmao.

🏷️: @moonwonuu

One.

“Talagang ginawa mo, oh my god,” she could hear the awe behind Seokmin’s voice as he stared at her as if she’s some sort of mirage, absentmindedly placing the cups of ramyeon on top of the counter to which she began to scan through the machine.

“You know very well that I don’t say things without the intent of pushing through, Min-ah,” she grunted, giving him a pointed look as he continued to stare at her before snapping out of his trance as he took out his phone- no doubt to tell everyone in their group about his latest discovery, earning an eye roll from her.

True to her guess, her phone pinged with notifications followed by another consecutive pings- much to her exasperation. Di ba uso ang tulog sa tropa niya? (Spoiler alert: hindi.)

“Onga,” Seokmin agreed, nodding his head as he locked his phone, flashing her a sheepish smile. “Pero kasi naman, Riri, why would you apply for a job when you have no need for it?” He asked just as her co-worker made his way out of the break room, pausing in his tracks when he saw her with a customer. She watched him made eye contact with her before making his way towards the furthest aisle from where she were. Wow.

“Okay, I’ll ask this with much love and sincerity- nabubuang ka na ba?” Seokmin’s voice brought her attention back to him. “Maiintindihan ko pa kung gipit tayo sa cash at mahigit ang pangangailangan natin sa buhay kasi kailangan mong bumuhay ng tatlong anak pero di ba ikaw yung palamunin nina kuya Cheol?”

‘We don’t hit customers,’ she chanted in her head as she flashed him her award wining customer service smile, ignoring the small cough that came from the aisle where her co-worker had disappeared to. Ah, really. Of all times her friend managed to discover where she worked, it was the time where her co-worker had just clocked in. ‘We don’t hit customers no matter how hittable their faces are.’

“Kuya ko ba yun?” she deadpanned, crossing her arms as he shrugged, leaning against the counter.

“Hindi,” his cheshire grin makes her want to really deck him this time. “Kaso di ba palamunin na nun si kuya Han? So like, by extension, it applies na rin sayo? So ano to, nagbabagong buhay ka na ba at gusto mo nang bayaran si kuya sa lahat ng ginastos nya sainyong magkapatid?”

“Gusto mo pa bang makalabas dito nang buhay, Lee Seokmin?” She asked, hoping for her smile to be as menacing as her brother’s, feeling a small satisfaction when her friend let out a squeak before nodding his head furiously, fingers miming a zipper motion on his mouth. “Si kuya Han lang yung palamunin nun, huy. Tsaka didn't we talk about this? Learning experience ‘to for me para ma-hone pa yung mga skills ko.”

He raised an eyebrow, looking at her suspiciously. “What skills?”

“Social skills, what else?” She shrugged as she watched Seokmin gave her an incredulous look before turning around to peek at the aisle where her co-worker had disappeared to before turning back to her.

‘You call that socializing?’ the disbelief in his face looked palpable and if she didn't know any better, he would've scoffed out loud if it weren't for her looming threat. Takot lang ni Seokmin sa kanya, eh.

Pushing the plastic bag filled with his items, she nodded sagely, flashing him her best customer smile before jerking her head to signal that she's forcing him to leave. ‘Yes. Now get lost, dummy.’

Her friend's eyes narrowed at her while she glared back, daring him to continue. A minute passed before her friend backed down, shaking his head, reaching down to pay for his items.

Once he had collected his change, he raised the hand holding the plastic bag as he turned to leave the premises. “Eto na, sabi ko nga aalis na po ako, mahal na reyna,” he bid her as she scrunched her nose at how loud his voice being at what, two in the morning? “Matulog ka after ng shift mo, ah?”

When she’s sure he had left, she took out her phone, curiously checking for what he had sent in their group chat. Shaking her head, she narrowed her eyes as she typed in her reply, wondering how on earth did Seokmin took the picture without her knowing.

Fighting the urge to huff, she pocketed her phone as her face began to scrunch. Really, what’s so surprising in her taking up a part time job anyway?

Marami namang students ang gumagawa nito so bakit siya hindi pwede, di ba? And hindi naman siya ganun ka-entitled, right? Or siguro kasi not many would get a job just because they have trouble sleeping during the night? Or siguro… not many would get a part time job on a whim.

Ah well. Not many would want the graveyard shift anyway. In fact, when she had applied for this job, the manager looked like he would fall over in relief when she said she’s okay with taking the graveyard shift.

And so, for the first few days of working, she found herself finally enjoying the solitude of the night as she’s being productive instead of wallowing in her own thoughts.

That is, until her manager introduced her new co-worker, Jeon Wonwoo.

Subconsciously, her eyes wandered towards the aisle where he had hid himself only for her eyes to dart back to the monitor screen she was staring earlier when she saw him finally emerge from the said aisle before going towards the next aisle which happened to be where the beverages are.

‘Ang awkward,’ fighting the urge to groan out loud, her fingers kept on tapping on the counter as her eyes kept on darting from the monitor screen to her co-worker’s back who had busied himself by restocking the same items she had “stocked” hours prior. ‘Luh, gaya gaya?’ She bit the urge to voice out.

While she was grateful for the company he provided, (he doesn’t really have a choice in that matter anyway) it felt as if the guy didn’t like her- not even for a tiny bit. (Why else would he ignore and avoid her?) She watched him as he moved from the beverages towards the canned goods aisle with curiosity lingering in her eyes.

It’s not like her to take offense- hell, she doesn’t really care if people liked her or not. But for someone who doesn’t know her, it made her curious as to what she did for him to immediately dislike her upon first meeting especially since she had always been enamored of him the first time she saw him and that was what? Freshman week?

Bitterly smiling to herself, she shook her head as she threw him one last glance, tilting her head when she saw him turn his head slightly. The action had been minuscule but when your older brother goes by the name Yoon Jeonghan, one couldn’t help but become vigilant especially with subtle gestures.

Deciding it was nothing, she turned her attention back to the counter to see if it needed cleaning- for the nth time that night- early morning? ‘Lord, baka naman.’ She let out a small sigh. ‘Wala bang pa-divine intervention diyan? Mukhang mapu-pudpod na rin yung kamay niya kakapunas nung de-lata oh.’

“Uhm,” her reverie broke when she heard someone clearing their throat followed by a smooth baritone voice. If she didn’t have any self control, she would’ve shivered right there and then. “Gusto mo ba ako naman dyan sa cashier?”

Turning to look at him, she could feel her eyebrows furrowing. Has there been an instance where he was the first to approach her? “Kung gusto mo lang naman,” he was quick to add, no doubt noticing the look on her face. “Cause kanina ka pa rin naman nakatayo diyan.”

“Yeah, no, sure,” she blurted out, shaking her head as her eyes widened- was that a flash of amusement in his eyes? And was that an upturn of his mouth? The change in him was quick before she could even dwell on it. It’s as if… it never happened at all.

“Was that a yes or a no?”

‘Uhm, Lord? Ito na ba ang divine intervention mo?’ Wordlessly, she stepped out of the counter to make way for him, silently berating herself as she made her way towards the beverage area yet again, not noticing the way his gaze followed her for a moment before settling behind the counter.

Should she say something to keep the conversation going? But the time for her to reply had passed so should she create another opening for him to talk? Staring at the grapefruit flavored yogurt in front of her, she had came into conclusion, ‘Mukhang nabubuang na nga ako,’

Right? Who in their right mind would overthink as simple as starting the conversation? One with their co-worker as well? It’s like a simple decision, you want to talk or you don’t. There’s no in between- and oh god, is she channeling her inner Woozi?

Just before her thoughts could even spiral further, her train of thoughts- for the nth time that night- had been broken by the sounds of desperate running, making her and her companion turn their heads towards the door only to see masked men making their way into their convenience store.

‘Lord, alam ko humihingi ako ng divine intervention pero mukhang napasobra naman po ata?’ She could feel a headache incoming as she turned to look at her companion who had already had his arms raised. ‘Hala siya. Pinalaki ka bang duwag ng mga magulang mo, Jeon?’

Before she could even comprehend it, she could feel her hand reaching behind her as she grasped on what felt like a cup of yogurt- perhaps the same one she had been glaring at earlier, throwing it as hard as she can towards one of the robbers, hitting him squarely on the head, much to Jeon- and the two masked men's shock.

Did she just-

Earning their attention, she didn’t think twice before throwing whatever she could reach behind her as the robbers advanced towards her, making her spring into action- throwing herself at one of the men, hitting him with the can of soda her hand last took from the fridge.

“Yoon Rianne-”

“Get help!” She gave her a pointed look as she tightened her hold on the masked man while she swung her can over the other man. “Tawagan mo pulis or kung sino man, I don't care just- get. fucking. help!” she grunted as she threw all her weight, shaking the can on her hand as she quickly opened it, spraying liquid onto the other man she had been fending off her.

From her periphery, she could see the hesitation running behind his eyes before reaching for his phone while she gave her all to distract the two guys. She could almost feel the gears on his head turning as he watched her worriedly, already knowing what goes on with his mind- number one being, what the actual fuck?

Honestly? Di rin niya alam bakit niya yun ginawa. Was it because of reflexes? Years of being the subject of her kuya’s pranks when they were kids? A product of her hyperfixation of learning eskrima? Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. And since nangyari naman na, might as well go hard right? After all, di siya pinalaking duwag ng kuya niya.

She didn’t know how long she had been holding on to the guy but when she felt the weight from the other man becoming lighter, she sharply turned her head only to see Jeon beginning to follow her actions but before he could even do something, she watched in horror as he slipped on the liquid that had spilled from the soda she had been brandishing earlier.

Lurching forward, she reached for his outstretched hand, trying to catch him. She would’ve successfully saved him from falling if it weren’t for the fact that she was still on the masked man’s back as she attempted to help her co-worker and in doing so, her balance shifted that the sudden force had brought the man down with her, crashing into a pile of entangled limbs- her face jerking backwards as one fist came contact with her eye while she might have kicked someone- judging from the pained groan- to somewhere the sun doesn’t shine.

She would’ve done more- if it weren’t for the sound of keys dropping on the floor followed by a shriek from none other than their store manager. “What the fuck?”

Swallowing a groan as she threw her head back in exasperation, she couldn’t help but bitterly think, ‘Jeon, ang sabi ko tawagan yung pulis. Hindi yung manager.’

“You do realize that I’m letting you both off easily right?” Their manager looked at them with a mixture of pity, annoyance, and amusement as she looked up from her phone, struggling to lock it with one hand as the other was busy with placing an ice pack over her now bruised eye. “What, with the damage done to my store rather than yung perang dapat nanakawin sana ng mga yun?”

She blinked, looking at their manager blankly for a bit before turning to her co-worker who’s now rocking that yellow pikachu band aid on the bridge of his nose then staring back at their manager, wincing when she removed the ice pack from her eye. “Ah but Jeon didn’t really-”

“-realize na yung drinks na tinapon namin were expensive,” he spoke up making her turn to him, raising an eyebrow while he ignored her stare and simply looked back at their manager who looked just as surprised as her.

Huh.

She knew for a fact that the manager had reviewed the CCTV footage of the encounter earlier and while Jeon had been hurt during the fight where he was just pulling the other man off of her, he had not taken part of the said fight. So why on earth was he being let off?

And more importantly, why is he not saying anything about it?

The manager's exasperated sigh had her attention being brought back to the situation.

Seeing the manager shake his head, her heart dropped. "As compensation for protecting my store, l'll give you guys a severance pay and sasagutin ko na rin yung gastos niyo dito," he told them, sympathy evident behind his eyes. "However, since may damage yung store, I'm afraid your severance pay will have to cover the dues."

Letting out a small resigned sigh, they both nodded as their faces fell, the manager giving them gentle pats on their shoulder before leaving them as silence befell them.

Hyperaware of the coldness of the ice pack, she placed it on her lap as she closed and opened her fist to shake off the cold sensation before reaching for her phone.

“You shouldn’t stop applying cold pack on your bruise,” her companion cleared his throat giving her the excuse to study him intently the first time that night. “It will get worse and painful if you stopped.” He explained as she mutely nodded, placing the ice pack back on her eyes, jumping slightly at the combined cold and painful sensation.

Silence engulfed them once more, making her fidget on her seat. “Sorry I got you fired,” she mumbled, closely monitoring his reaction, tilting her head as she heard him hum in acknowledgment. “I don’t know why you did that but I could still run after him-”

“Sorry I couldn’t help you earlier,” he cut her off, offering his own apology, hands fidgeting on a small object she couldn't recognize. “It’s not an excuse but when I saw those men, I just…froze.”

“Understandable,” she shrugged, silently accepting his apology. “Mabilis lang reaction time ko kasi si kuya.” She didn’t know why she’s explaining but she felt like she had to or else she might be known in Jeon Wonwoo’s memory as that crazy beverage throwing girl from the convenience store.

Blinking, she may had forgotten that this was the first time they had interacted so she didn't know if he knew who her brother was. Back pedaling, she cleared her throat. “Uh I mean si kuya Jeonghan yung-”

“I know,” the small reassuring smile on him had her pausing for a moment before snapping herself out of her stupor. “Next time I’ll do better. I won't let you handle them alone.”

“Ah. So gusto mo uli manakawan?” she raised an eyebrow at him, wincing when she realized that she moved her bruised eye, earning a look of concern from him to which she waved dismissably at.

“No,” he shook his head when he's sure that she's alright. “I mean I’ll train my reaction time. Next time mas mabilis na ako magreact kesa sayo. Para di na ikaw yung manunugod bigla bigla.”

Trying to fight the smile threatening to come out. Is he really this… endearing? “Geh, sabi mo eh.”

It looked like he wanted to say more if it weren’t for the familiar sound of Seokmin’s voice from a distance. Inwardly cringing, she couldn't help but think if it's really a good idea to ask for her friends to pick her up rather than her brother.

“Ay talaga naman, Seokmin,” she wanted to facepalm earning a fond shake of Jeon’s head.

Deciding that was his cue, he stood up, pausing for a moment as if he was contemplating on something before nodding his head as he took her hand, placing the object he was playing with earlier on top of her phone.

“Wag ka muna manunugod ah? Get well soon,” he mumbled her name as he walked off while she was left to stare at his retreating back.

Looking down, she let out a small fond scoff as she inspected the grapefruit flavored yogurt cup. Did he really think…? Cute.

Despite her hesitation, she removed the lid and scooped a mouthful before grimacing- a sight that greeted her friends as they came to collect her.

She doesn't like grapefruits and yet, this yogurt may be her favorite out of all.

#seventeen filo wonwoo x reader #seventeen scenarios #svt scenarios #svt imagines #seventeen imagines #svt filo imagines #seventeen filo imagines #seventeen wonwoo #seventeen wonwoo filo imagines #seventeen wonwoo filo fic #svt wonwoo filo fic #seventeen filo wonwoo

[blackstarmylove]

So I have a question, I literally just got to know this game(no, seriously it have been just one day😂)and I would like to know if it has been already revealed why the MC is so important, like any clues or even a theory that you may have about it?And I really appreciate your blog, it's helping me a lot to understand everything, thank you so much, it's really hard to find anything about it.

Welcome to the fandom! 😁 Yeah, it’s difficult finding things about the game, and I wish fans would get together and translate/properly summarize the game. A lot more people would start playing it if there were translations/summaries. 😔 I try to point important things out, but my Japanese skills are not that advanced to understand everything, and translators don’t help. Whenever I can find time, I will try to find links to the translations floating around and put them in a nice organized post. 

We don’t know why MC is so important yet, but there are some theories floating out there. There are somethings we know about but these hints are either breadcrumbs from the chapters or theories by fans. I’ll put things under the cut just in case someone doesn’t want spoilers. 

MC has an item called the black card, and we know some of the other members in Starless have it too. Apparently, this card is very important, but whoever receives it, gets attacked. There is a shadow organization, Blackcard, that sends these cards out, but we don’t know what importance they have. Haseyama, the owner of Starless, once said that he wants MC’s cards because it’s much higher ranked than his own card. 

Now, some of the theories floating around are: the black card has to do with someone’s memories, so pretty much it’s a card that holds memories. An extension to this theory is the people are brainwashed to forget memories/repress them, and the black card “holds” those repressed memories. The only question I have for this is, if the memories are repressed, how come Rindou, Kei, and Sin still remember things from their past? Zakuro has amnesia, but we don’t know if he’s faking it. 

Someone else suggested that MC owns Starless, (but has forgotten) and that’s why everyone asks her for her opinions. Let me break this down - the old Starless was owned by Iwami and operated by the husband-wife duo, Akito and Koharu Miki. One day, the Mikis and Iwami vanished into thin air, abandoning Starless and leaving the memories/management in disarray. Kei got a call from the Mikis saying MC was in trouble and they wanted him to help her. If I recall correctly, the Mikis got the black card but passed it onto MC or pretty much used her as bait so that they could escape and go into hiding. 

After that Haseyama became the owner of the current Starless and Kokuyou was managing it, but things weren’t going so well until Kei came along and took everything into his hands. He knew MC was going to come to Starless and said she was a special guest in the show restaurant. But if MC is the owner of the new Starless, how come the cast members don’t recognize her, especially the cast members of the old Starless who moved to the new location? Kei does keep saying that Starless is a safe place for MC and is built for their protection, so maybe instead of being the owner of Starless, someone else built the place for MC after learning they were in trouble? Maybe Chiaki? This name has been thrown around a lot in the game, but we don’t know who they are. Kokuyou’s dogtag have Chiaki’s name on them, but from what the fanbase thinks, either those tags belong to MC (meaning MC is Chiaki) or a relative of MC. To add to this, Heath keeps saying MC is Chiaki, but then turns around and says they’re not Chiaki. Kei has told Heath not to say that name out loud. 

Another theory suggests MC is related to the Mikis or is their daughter. I can see her being related to them, but the child theory - some of the old cast members refer to Koharu in an informal way, meaning she’s around the same age as them, and MC is her 20s - that doesn’t connect. Unless Koharu is in her 40s and doesn’t care if the cast members refer to her in an informal way, but we have no hints about this yet. 

TLDR: We don’t exactly know who MC is or why she’s important, but we do know that she’s “famous” in the sense that there are a lot of people after her (and her black card). She has some connection to the theater restaurant, but we don’t know what. Kei and Heath know what’s going on, and some of the cast members (Takami, Sin, Nekome, Menou, Ran, Sotetsu, Haseyama, Zakuro) seem to know more than they lead on. 

Oh and if black cards are given out to people who have lost their memories, does that mean Kokuyou also has one? He never wants to talk about his dogtag, maybe because he doesn’t remember. Hope this gives some insight on what’s going on. The plot is kinda a mess because we don’t fully know what’s going on, but in the last chapter, we got some more interesting breadcrumbs.  👀

#xxellenxx27 ask #kiara answers #bsts spoilers #bsts character info

[elrondsscribe]

DON’T hide in the tags about Haladriel!!!!!!!!! You’re so correct bestie and you should say it. She’s literally married????? I don’t understand why people feel the need to ship her with him like it’s empowering or something.

Lol I know, right?

And the thing is, I love ot3s and polycules! I ship plenty of of non-canon ships across my various fandoms! And I really don’t care about “arrr sacred marriage vows must never be broken!” And I’m always down for interspecies romances. (Durondisa, anyone?)

And I absolutely hate when a woman’s significance gets reduced to being some guy’s daughter/mother/wife, in fiction and irl.

It’s just — it’s all the things together, you know. It’s the fact that, with all of Charlie Vickers’s charisma, I’m just not that into Halbrand. It’s the ‘Halbrand is Sauron’ truthers everywhere. [SPOILER EDIT Looks like I gotta eat crow on that one!] It’s that Celeborn’s chief sin appears to be just existing. It’s the constant “well I guess Celeborn could be okay but only if malewife/trophy husband!”

And above all, it’s the framing of all this as a progressive thing.

Because sure, there are plenty of antis and haters and losers and chuds who hate seeing Galadriel having any degree of independence, and want a canonical husband to “tame” her and all that gross shit. I can acknowledge that. But the way that so much of the RoP fandom has responded by knee-jerk dissing Celeborn and holding up Haladriel as a better pairing to ship instead is such a drag!

Because like. If what we like is for Galadriel to have a partner who almost definitely understands that Darkness pull that she feels, Celeborn is either an Exile like her or from Doriath, both of which mean he probably gets it. If what we want is someone who’s an equal to her without upstaging her, how about someone who rules a realm alongside her and yet defers to her when she points out he’s wrong? If what we want is a long term battle partner, how about someone who she says has “fought the long defeat” with her? If what we want is someone she respects as a worthy spouse, how about someone she called “wise” and “a giver of gifts?”

And if what we want is for her to be a girlboss who don’t need no man, then why not Míriel why bother shipping her period?

The point is, if ‘progressive’ is what this is about, then Celedriel no less ‘feminist’ a ship than Haladriel is. And I wish people would be honest and stop pretending otherwise.

Look, I’m not saying Celedriel is a morally better ship, or that Haladriel is problematic; I don’t believe either of those things. I’m more objecting to the fandom environment that’s popped up around Haladriel, because it’s no fun for me.

Especially because Celeborn antis aren’t new.

All of this shit ppl are throwing at Celeborn now? It’s all a retread from when the first film trilogy came out twenty years ago, almost verbatim! The two essays that sold me on Celeborn, ‘Celeborn Unplugged’ and ‘Prince Valium/That Tall Fellow Next to Galadriel,’ were written in response to the exact same, equally prevalent ‘lol Celeborn sux’ attitude (except everyone was shipping Galadriel and Gandalf then).

Truly there ain’t nothin new under the sun.

“You’re just some silly Celeborn fangirl and Celedriel shipper” Sure, I’ll admit my bias. I just wish the RoP fandom around me would do the same. “The ship you like doesn’t make you better, sweaty” That goes for Haladriel as much as Celedriel. “Celeborn’s not gonna fuck you, ya lil incel” Neither will Halbrand 🤷🏾‍♀️

(And hey, I like the idea of Galadriel dumping Míriel or Elendil in Celeborn’s lap like “we got a human gf/bf!” and Celeborn going “nice 😎” meanwhile Míriel/Elendil is like 😮. But anyway.)

Well there ya have it. Elvella whinging for way too long about a ship she’s tired of.

#ask answered #answered asks #elvella whinging #oops elvella got salty #not putting this in either ship tag #I do love this new fandom #but this is driving me BONKERS

[rakumel]

Raku Plays Her Faves, Ys VIII: Prologue Part 1

So, I’m going to give this a try. Let’s actually use this tag the way I originally intended, by playing a game I like very much and talking about it! Some swearing, by the way, if that matters to you. Just giving you a heads up. Also spoilers, though I’ll be hiding them (and most everything) under a cut. Will be experimenting with post length and frequency of updates over the course of this. Also, the game is...pretty long. It may not have been the best first choice for this. But again, I’d like to at least try.

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is part of a long-running series of games by Falcom. It’s also the only one I’ve actually played, though I like it so much that I eventually want to check out a few more of them. I decided to give it a try after UnPlayedAThing on YouTube gave it a glowing recommendation during one of his playthroughs of a different game. (Coincidentally, he did do a playthrough of Ys Books I and II that’s old but very good, and later did one for Ys III: Wanderers From Ys, if you’re interested in the earliest games of the series.)

Ys VIII looks great, sounds fantastic, controls are buttery smooth, and the story is surprisingly compelling despite some bumps in the road here and there - but we’ll get to those as they come. It’s just a great experience all around.

(By the way, apologies in advance for the quality of the screencaps: they’re pretty dark.)

Ys VIII opens up with a sweeping view of this ship, the Lombardia. Our heroes throughout the series, Adol Christin and his longtime traveling buddy Dogi, have gotten themselves jobs on the ship in order to earn some money for their next adventure, which is...well, technically Adol admits he doesn’t know. It’s a thing he does, apparently - just travels all over psuedo-Europe solving whatever world-ending crisis he and Dogi just happen to come across.

There will be a lot of psuedo-European names in this, by the way. Things like Romun, Garman. Sure tricked us by changing that one letter, huh?

Anyway, you can walk around the deck and talk to people, but at this point most of them don’t have names, only descriptions, and they say typical NPC stuff. The exceptions are Adol and Dogi, a sailor named Katthew, and the captain, Barbaros. I suppose Adol’s been too busy to chat with any of the other passengers, but it makes sense he’d at least know the name of someone he’s been working alongside for a few days, or however long they’ve been on the ship.

Anyway, after Katthew and our boys chat a little, Katthew tells Adol that the captain wants to talk to him. Uh-oh. Are we in trouble already?

Nope. Turns out, Captain Barbaros just wants to tell his new sailor about the Island of Seiren. No one knows anything about it for certain because any ship that’s tried to land there, or even go near it, has crashed on the rocks. None of the people on board those ships have ever returned to civilization, either. The tale of the island piques Adol’s interest, but still, surely none of that will be relevant later on, right?

The captain also assigns Adol his duty for the evening, which is to provide security for a welcoming party he’s throwing for the passengers aboard his ship. Quite nice of him.

Evening falls over the Lombardia. I like this part because it reminds me a little of the opening chapters of an Agatha Christie novel. First of all, the setting is a ritzy-looking place with a mix of people from all walks of life. (Also booze. Sadly we don’t get to partake, but then again, Adol is technically on duty.) Secondly, you’ve got a cast of characters, but you don’t know a whole lot about any of them yet. So even though you can take a wild guess about what’s going to happen next plotwise, there’s still a little air of mystery about who these people are, and if any of them will be important later. You can’t even rely on the old convention of “main characters are uniquely dressed” because, well, they’re all uniquely dressed except for the sailors. Well done, devs, well done.

(No, that’s not a pickup line)

Anyway, even though Adol’s told specifically to patrol a certain part of the ship, you can go pretty much anywhere and talk to whoever you want without much issue. (You can tell the Man in Black above he seems suspicious, but nothing significant really comes of it. You can’t like, actually report him to anyone, even though that’s literally Adol’s assignment. Oh noes! Muh immershun!)

If you go on deck, occasionally you might hear some conversation from the sailors, which again isn’t terribly significant but a nice touch that I appreciate all the same.

After talking to a few required people, you can talk to Dogi and then check in with the captain to advance the game. But I don’t mind talking to as many of these people as I can find - even though they only say one thing and repeat it afterwards, it’s at least an interesting thing that quickly establishes their basic personality without the dialogue feeling forced or stilted, at least to me. It’s cool and I dig it. Plus if you go all the way down to the cargo hold, you can talk with the livestock if you want.

I mean, it just moos, but still...

Moving on, Captain Barbaros summons Adol to his quarters because they’re about to pass by the infamous Isle of Seiren, though at a considerable distance (obvious spoiler alert: not far enough). Still, they’re close enough to see its silhouette, and he thought that Adol would like to see it, since he seemed interested in it earlier. (Even though it’s nighttime - you’d think Adol couldn’t see shit if it was dark AND they were far away from the island, but whatever.)

Naturally, this is the cue for Murphy’s Law to take effect, and suddenly shit goes very wrong, very fast.

Well, I for one am shocked, simply shocked that something unfortunate is happening to the ship that sailed so close to a cursed island. The captain sort of hand waves this by saying something like, “But we were giving it a wide berth!” Well, uh, if you’re close enough to see the outline of the island AT NIGHT, sir, maybe you weren’t as far away as you thought. Also, no way in hell did you wave a red cape at the bull of fate by telling Adol about the dangerous island. He might as well have announced “I’m going to sink this bitch!” right at the start of the voyage.

Okay, I’m done ragging on the captain. He gets better as the game goes on, I swear.

For now though, this post has gotten longer and more full of screenshots than I intended, so for the sake of everyone’s bandwidth and sanity I’m going to break it here. Tune in next time for part two, where we’ll find out just what exactly the hell is going on.

#raku plays her faves #ys VIII #lacrimosa of dana #raku plays her faves: ys VIII #it's going to be a looooooong while before they explain what a lacrimosa is #so you might as well just save that question for later kids #in other news: holy balls I'm following through on things #what sorcery is this #...let's see how long I can keep this up :(

[translationandbetrayals]

My journey with Idol’s animes and mangas - Part 4 - The final…?

I’ve reached the final stop of this journey… Well, here, because I think I’ve become more open to Idol themed anime and manga.

And to finish this, the manga.

  This is Oshi ga Tonari de Jugyou ni Shuuchuu Dekinai! 

To be honest with anyone reading this, I saved this one to read and started it (until chapter 5, because I was busy) after I found it under the “Girls love” tag, when I saved it I didn’t process the title yet. But also people from a discord server about SHINEPOST (anime i talked about 2 post ago) recommended me this manga as well as the previous anime (Kami Kuzu Idol)

And now, I'm kind of speed-running the reading to be up to date as I write this, sadly I’m running out of time and must write this, so this is my impression until chapter 30.

  So let’s start!

  This manga has 3 main characters: Manaka Sakiko, Yoshida Chihiro and Tozawa Maaya. The three of them are students in the first year of highschool.

Sakiko and Maaya are fans of the idol group Haruiro Sunshine.

We start with Sakiko getting the surprise of her life, the student next to her seat in class turned out to be Yoshida Chihiro, from Haruiro Sunshine, and most important of all her oshimen. 

Manaka get pretty nervous and flustered having her favorite idol sitting beside her and sadly as she got late to a class, she “outed” herself as a fan as she couldn’t think of anything else to say to introduce herself for English class. (The english source of the manga is translating haruiro as spring, i’m so sorry)

Surprising Chihiro a bit.

Because of this, Yoshida decides to talk to Manaka in private, where Sakiko kind of overshares her love for HaruSun and Chihiro.

Moment where Maaya appears throwing “accidentally” her phone to Manaka’s head

  Now if we move to Maaya, she found out her oshi Chihiro takes the same bus stop to go to school, and she is squeezing all of those 10 minutes waiting for the bus. And she’s like the opposite type of fan that Manaka is.

Tozawa is seriously a “Gachikoi” fan. (Like, in love with the idol, but like stronger than a celebrity crush if it's seriously)

As she’s apparently really in love with Chihiro. 

This girl basically starts to threaten Sakiko, and I hope we all think this is BAD BEHAVIOR!

But Yoshida is a bit oblivious about this, specially as Tozawa doesn’t speak about idols with her, she hides all fan-ness from her being, so she see both of these girls as friends, she really wants friends, specially after bad experiences she had in her previous school (fake friends who wanted to apparently take advantage of her status as an idol, and talking bad whenever she wasn’t arround)

  From here we have a normal but intense fan, a “yandere” fan, and the oblivious idol. They start to get along together because Chihiro wants both of her friends to spend time with, while Manaka wants peace between the three of them and Tozawa is almost trying to compete against Sakiko for Yoshida’s attention (and, spoilers ahead, she’s kind of loosing, i want to say because she’s fake and Manaka shows her true being (fan) to Chihiro.

  I don’t want to talk a lot about this because I’ll spoil all the manga (until chapter 30, there are 57 to december 5th 2022). I try to get what they want to show, it’s supposed to be the fans’ love for their idol in a very lucky scenario as being classmates, which is such a dream i think many of us had. But at the same time, and because of the tag this manga was under, they may or may not know they love her in another way as well, so yes, I’m starting to review the fruity factor in the manga.

Personally there’s a chapter where they think Chihiro might have fallen in love with a boy in her class, and the two fans are kind of divided in opinions (and let me be personal this time, 

is a common discussion every 2 months in my fandoms). One wants to basically “unalive” the boy because it could be dangerous for her career and also cuz “she should be the only one”...? (that’s kind of gay my friend); while the other is more in the way, if the groups has no rules against dating, and she fell in love is okay and i’ll protect her feelings (I hope we all fit in this opinion). They make a bit of a problem around this, and some misunderstood, but it is a good point they portray, it made me think.

  Other side is how idols who are still in “academic ages” must balance studies and work, being kind of a mess (some leave school, others finish by mail, and more ways apparently); in this side i like how mainly Sakiko likes to create a way to help Chihiro with her studies being a nice girl, besides Tozawa wanting to get into the teachers’ room and stealing the answers (which i think is not only for Yoshida, but also for herself).

As well as the fear of how classmates might react to you being an idol. How they could find out and say it to the rest when you don’t feel ready, and how they must think about how to handle the situation and think beforehand how the rest might act to you.

  I’m liking this manga but I cannot stand Tozawa being kind of toxic towards Manaka, at this point I just don’t really care about the GL side of it, I just like the interactions the three girls have and how the fans being classmates try to be normal (usually Sakiko fails) but protective in that friend way with Yoshida.

I want to see how Chihiro grows in trust at her classmates and creates beautiful friendships

and memories of her highschool years. How she handles work and school, what she dreams for the future! Because she already had a big moment where I say “if you cry i’ll cry” from the other two girls, but also from me.

  An idol wants to be an idol but also a normal girl at the same time, she might have troubles about it, but she is still working on it!

That’s what I can think about this manga.

  If you ask “Are you looking forward to the possible romance between Sakiko and Chihiro, though?” As i said previously, I need the girls love content, so in a way, yes, i want this to happen, but, also i don’t, i just want to see the idol’s life at school

  Anyways, my review at the moment is like a 5-6/10, I really want Tozawa to become less “yandere” and even if she becomes tsundere, to be really a friend to Sakiko, so the three are even more in harmony and they give Chihiro good memories; I lowkey even want this manga to keep going even after the three of them graduate school! But then the title would probably lose its sense.

  -CaMHH

#Anime #Manga #Japan #personalstory #essay #submission

[rainingpouringetc]

PLS WHO HAS WATCHED EPISODE FOUR I NEED TO SCREAM

#sab spoilers #i’ll hide it way in the tags for those who don’t want spoilers #just keep scrolling #nothing to see here #lalalalalalalalalalala #is that far enough #sab #ok read at your own peril #‘know that when i told you about true north i was talking about you’ IM SCREAMING #THIS MAKES MY MALINA HEART SO HAPPY #IM LEGIT CRYING THIS IS BEAUTIFUL #THE FACT THAT THEY BOTH WROTE IT IN THEIR LETTERS TO THE OTHER #THAT THEY WERE EACH OTHER’S TRUE NORTH #EVEN THO THEY ARENT EVEN GETTING EACH OTHER’S LETTERS #IM SOBBING I JUST WANT THEM TO BE HAPPY

[mischiefmanaged71]

It’s Raining Vengeance (3/7) - Bruce Wayne x Reader

Summary: Chance encounters lead to unlikely alliances and possibly something more. 

Author's note: Comment to be tagged.

Pairing: Bruce Wayne X fem! reader

Warning: The Batman SPOILERS

Series Masterlist

Rummaging through files, Y/N sighed as she dropped the papers onto her living room coffee table. Her head hit the back of the sofa as she blinked at the ceiling, the sound of the television newscasters filtering through the droning of her thoughts. The drop of a peculiar name caught her attention as the broadcast changed to a recorded video.

“This video is brought to you by the privileged elite of Gotham. To all of you watching and wondering why I’ve gone after your precious Mayor, police chief and DA, let us look back into Gotham’s track record of failures.” his voice hissed over the video, the mic capturing the spite in his voice.

“While it tries to pretend it's something else, we all know the truth. Gotham can only be changed through a revival. It needs to be torn down to build something better!"

He shook his head, the mask concealing everything but his eyes filled with contempt as he stared down the camera “It’s hard when no one sees you, but you wouldn’t know what that’s like, would you? Y/N…” he drawled.

Her head shot up, staring down the tv as the Riddler. He repeated her name again, addressing her full name as if to confirm her suspicions. A pit grew in her stomach as she stared at the screen, feeling as though his eyes could see her through the screen.

“Poor girl, all alone." He tutted.

"For those of you who don’t know her, Y/N Y/L/N is daughter to one of Gotham's oldest families. Her parents were killed in a car accident twenty years ago. Although, it's pretty obvious to anyone with a working brain cell that it was anything but an accident. This is just a testament to show you, the people, that even the innocent or those who appear so, are touched by this city’s grime."

Y/N clenched her fists as he directed his gaze back to the camera,"It’s an interesting puzzle. The reappearance of the prodigal daughter.”

“I’ll be watching.” the video cut out.

***

A sigh left her mouth as Y/N lifted the helmet off her head and placed it securely in front of her. The darkness of the garage clouded her vision as her lip twitched. Eyes moving to the shadows concealing most of the garage, save for the light from her bike, she tilted her head. Rising from her seat, she narrowed her eyes. 

“I know you’re there.”

The heavy steps of his boots echoed in the quiet garage as he came into the light. Her eyes trained on his stoic form as he remained silent and took in her leather jacket and black ensemble.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?” she mused, turning her body to him as he grew closer.

“You’ve seen the message?”

Y/N nodded her head, crossing her arms as she sighed “Not the kind of publicity I was asking for, but he’s got a flair for the dramatic.”

“Do you know what he wants?” Batman asked, studying her body language. 

“If I knew the answer to that it’d be a hell of a lot easier.” she almost laughed, “I’ve got bigger priorities than dealing with a murderer who hides behind a mask.”

“Well he seems to have taken an interest in you.” 

Glancing up at him, Y/N trained on his eyes; particularly the dark shadows surrounding his blue eyes. Her eyebrows raised in intrigue as she smirked, “I guess broadcasting it online is a way to get someone’s attention.”

“You ever think he posts those videos for another reason?” she mused.

His voice was low, sending shivers along her back as she listened carefully. It was a sound she relished as his tall figure loomed over her. It wasn’t intimidating to her, despite the ominous nature of the suit. “What do you mean?” 

“His messages, they come across obsessive. He’s analytical and calculated, but he lets it slip when he refers to his complex - this is his form of justice. A way to renew Gotham.”

“That’s why he went after the heads of Gotham’s state,” he replied.

“He’s tearing down corruption. Believes he’s earned it.” She crossed her arms against her chest, “Gotham has truly screwed over pretty much everyone bar the gangs.”

“What were you looking for with Penguin?” he murmured.

Her attention was drawn to scrutinise his face, pondering whether to outright walk away or answer the question. “Answers.”

“Do you always put yourself in danger to get them?”

A flutter stirred in her chest as she smirked, “Concerned about my safety, Vengeance?”

“Penguin and Falcone are not men you want to be messing with. They’re dangerous.” he stepped closer.

A look of aghast crossed her as she huffed, shaking her head “You think I don’t know that?”

“If you involve yourself in their world, you’ll bring unwanted attention.”

“Maybe I’m looking for a bit of trouble.” she smirked, looking up at him as a chuckle built in her throat. Her comment must have stunned him as he didn’t address it.

“You’re not safe here by yourself.” 

“And where would I go?” she furrowed her brows, “Gotham isn’t exactly a haven of safehouses. I’m safest in the place I know best.”

“I wouldn’t take Riddler’s threats lightly. He’s killed three of the biggest targets in this city.”

“I’d like to see him try.” she mused, turning to head out of the garage to her front door. Halted in her step, Y/N’s gaze fell to her wrist and the gloved hand that gripped it securely. He lightly tugged her toward him, looking down at her. Y/N’s eyes widened as she stared up at him stunned, mouth agape as her heart stuttered. 

“I can’t let you leave.” he tilted his head.

She narrowed her eyes in confusion, “I’m not going anywhere, but inside my house.”

“Do you think that a door is going to stop him from getting to you?”

Wrenching her wrist out of his grasp, she put distance between them as she sighed,

“I can handle myself. Riddler’s message was just a show of power to prove his intelligence. I thought that was obvious.”

“Until I find out why, you should stay hidden. Somewhere out of your routine.” 

A sigh left Y/N as she felt her resolve falter, “I guess I can think of a place.”

“Stay there until I report back to you.” he slipped a device in her hand, “Press that if you need to contact me.”

“So you’re planning on seeing me again?” a smile returning to her graceful features, “It seems to be a routine thing.”

“Danger seems to follow you.” his voice was low enough to be a grumble. It wasn’t explicitly flirtatious as her tone was, but he was returning her response on a whim.

“Gotta keep things interesting.” she responded, turning her head to grab her backpack off the side of her bike. “You know-”

Turning around to face him, she spoke to empty air as she swivelled her head to search for the Batman. All she was left with was open air, undisturbed and silent, save for her breathing. A flutter stirred in her stomach at the memory of his eyes trained on her. The flustered state of her composure when he touched her wrist.

TAGS:

@crazylokonugget @nifujiswhore @captainbarness @siriuslydestiny

#the batman #the batman x reader #bruce wayne x reader #battison x reader #battison #bruce wayne #It's Raining Vengeance series

[biggest-stupidhead]

AN: Here’s part 2 of my nurse reader and Levi request! It recently came to my attention that I was lowkey confused, I realize that you guys were asking for part 2 to my solider Levi and princess reader but I’ve been working on this one instead😂😂 So I’ll try and get to that other one soon. 

ALSO 139 SPOILERS 

Part 1

Summary: Levi’s dreams are coming true

Word Count: 4.6K

Warnings: mentions of scarring, blood, struggling to walk, kissing, angst

_______

The first few weeks were rough, he struggled to do the most mundane tasks, his fingers shook as he gripped a pen, his breathing was labored when he climbed stairs. He hated every second of it, he knew that this was part of being injured and recovering, but still, he felt weak and exposed. He also knew that it was unlikely that he would ever be the same as he was before his accident, this didn’t bother him too much. However, the thought of you only knew him as a frail wounded soldier rubbed him the wrong way. 

He used this as motivation to better his condition, with the knowledge that he would not function the same as before. He quickly found out that holding a pen in his right hand was now much too difficult, so he began practicing with his left instead. He also realized that being in a wheelchair was not for him. He hated being pushed by anyone, mainly because Gabi once lost control and sent him rolling down a busy street. So he began to use a cane or crutch, he also found out that he tired much faster using this method. But he much preferred it to the chair. 

After only three months of being discharged, Onyankopon had sniffed out an affordable space to open a modest cafe. The space also had a short set of stairs that led to a one-bedroom apartment above, which originally deterred Onyankopon from investing due to Levi’s state. But Levi had insisted that he would manage, so on a gloomy Thursday afternoon, they signed the papers and bought the place. Gabi and Flaco had been ecstatic to help decorate the space, scouring antique shops and pawn shops for the best (and cheapest) pieces of furniture. 

Levi had watched the pair carry in the first table, a round wooden piece fit for two along with mismatched chairs to go along with it. At first, Levi disliked the way the furniture clashed, but he soon grew to like it. As the kids slowly carried in more each week the space began to feel homier. The kitchen in the back was teeming with tins of tea, recipes that Onyankopon swore by were tacked up on bulletin boards. Each weekend Onyankopon would bring the kids back with armloads of ingredients to test out the recipes he had been gathering while Levi had been in the hospital. 

Soon they had perfected a menu, with croissants that were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, sticky-sweet cinnamon rolls, and lemon tarts. Levi had never been a fan of sweets, but he knew that most people were, so each weekend they slaved over the stoves and made huge messes of flour and sugar. After two months the cafe was rather put together, tables and chairs of all sorts spread about the room in an inviting pattern. A chalkboard menu that was slowly expanding was sprawled out over the main counter, which was being stocked with pastries. 

Onyankopon had brought in a box full of glassware that he had found on the side of the street, Levi had sneered at him as he watched him carefully wash them. 

“What are you planning to do with those?” Levi asked as Onyankopon scrubbed the dust off of the glass. 

“We can use them as centerpieces. Maybe we could cut some flowers from that field?” He said as he placed the glass vases and cups on the drying rack. 

“I suppose,” Levi grumbled, happy that he hadn’t planned on using them as cups. 

Finally, the day came when the menu was rounded enough and the furniture polished to open the shop. Levi hated to admit his nerves, but the truth was that his stomach was in knots and his heart was hammering out of his chest as he flipped the wooden sign on the door from closed to open. 

Gabi had whooped and hollered, Falco had clapped ecstatically and Onyankopon popped open a bottle of champagne. Levi had given them the slightest of smiles as the group retreated behind the counter to wait for someone to wander in. Levi sat back on a stool that Falco had thrifted for behind the counter, his cane resting against his knee as he watched the door with a steady gaze. 

“Can I be in charge of the pastries?” Gabi pleaded, big brown eyes wide as she clasped her hands together. Onyankopon shot a sideways look to Levi who inhaled sharply. 

“As long as you don’t spit in the food.” Levi relented and Gabi leaped into the air in her excitement before jogging back into the kitchen to take stock. 

“Falco you can carry food out.” Onyankopon offered and Falco nodded a gleam of determination in his golden eyes. 

“I’ll run the register and Levi you can brew the tea.” Onyankopon looked pleased with himself after assigning the roles and Levi shrugged in indifference. The minutes ticked by and the door remained shut, the wide windows let the warm morning sun seep into the room, yet it carried no joy. Or at least it didn’t summon any deep feelings from within Levi. Just when Levi was about to give up and go brew himself his own tea before calling it a day, the door opened, the bell tinkling softly. 

His mouth fell open when he saw you, in your plain clothes, a pair of dark dress pants and a silk dress shirt. Your purse was slung over your shoulder and in your hands was a bright bouquet of flowers. You pushed some stray strands of hair off of your face as you stepped into the cafe. 

“(Y/n)! You made it!” Falco rushed around the counter and took your hand in his to lead you to the counter. You laughed warmly and allowed the young boy to drag you across the room. 

“You’re the first person to come in.” Onyankopon mused softly as he stood behind the register, hands placed firmly on the counter. Your eyes widened in surprise before another warm grin passes placidly across your features. 

“I am?” You asked, leaning on the counter and throwing a playful glance at Levi who was half hiding behind Onyankopon. 

“It’s true.” Gabi groaned dramatically fanning her face, she had been fidgeting anxiously in the back for the past hour eager to serve guests. 

“What can I get the good nurse?” Onyankopon steered the conversation back to business as usual. 

“Ah, I’d love a cup of camomile and hmm maybe one of those lemon tarts.” You hummed, leaning over to examine the pastries that had been set on display in the glass containers. 

“Excellent choice, that’ll be seven pounds.” Onyankopon slid the key into the keyhole in the register and the old thing sprang open, spilling some change. He chuckled as he awkwardly collected the spare change. 

“Takes a gentle hand.” He explained as you smiled at him with the money in hand. Levi sighed and reached around Onyankopon to take the money as the larger man squatted down to retrieve the stubborn coins. 

“Congratulations Captain, you’ve made this place your own.” You said, slipping the money into his hands, the pads of your fingertips brushing his calloused palm. 

“Thank you, nurse (L/n).” He mumbled, trying in vain to fight off the butterflies swarming in his stomach. 

“You’re so very welcome.” You watched as the rag-tag bunch began to hustle around the kitchen, Levi limped to the stove and began to boil the water in the kettle, Gabi was pulling on a pair of gloves before she began to inspect the pastries, looking for the best one. Falco gestured for you to follow him to that round table at the front of the store, right by the large window. You covered your mouth to hide an affectionate grin as he pulled the chair out for you. You sat and thanked him as you made yourself comfortable. 

“I’ll bring your food to you miss.” He even did a bow which was when you could no longer hide your amusement. 

“Falco, too much.” Onyankopon was also laughing behind the counter as the young boy scurried back to grab your pastry, which Gabi had carefully chosen just for you. Levi was now steeping the leaves in one of the mismatched sets of china that they had collected. Once the tea was steeped to perfection he set it on the tray with the pastry and Falco carefully picked it up, using both hands. 

He set the steaming plates in front of you and you thanked him once more. You felt a bit awkward as the group watched with expectant eyes as you took the first bite. Your eyes lit up, it was just the perfect mixture of sweet and sour, the breading crumbling on your tongue. 

You nodded and held a thumbs up which made Gabi clap her hands and squeal. Falco laughed and shook her shoulder, a giddy gleam in his eyes. Levi bit back another smile, not eager to let you pull them from his lips so easily. A few moments after you had begun to eat, the door tinkled open again, this time it was an older couple. They ordered and sat down near you, murmuring about the decor and such. As the morning wore on, more people began to wander into the shop, families and starry-eyed couples alike. You sat at your table, a small amount of paperwork from the hospital spread across the tabletop. You worked well into the afternoon, not necessarily because you needed to but because you wanted to catch Levi and check in on him. 

You got your chance when the crowd ebbed and the orders slowed. The shop was once more empty and you could see the way that Levi limped between the sink and the stove. You gathered your courage and stood from your spot, leaving your purse and papers behind. Onyankopon was helping the kids in the back as they prepped for the pastries for tomorrow. 

“I’ll dry if you wash.” You offered and Levi shot you a look over his shoulder. 

“You don’t have to do that.” 

“I’ve been taking up that table all day, let me earn my keep.” You teased, carefully stepping behind the counter and into the kitchen. He did not oppose as you sidled up beside him and began to towel dry the dishes he had already scrubbed clean. You worked like this for a few minutes in silence, the sound of dishes and sloshing of water filling the air between you. 

“You seem to have healed well.” You commented as you accepted another clean plate. 

“Hm.” He hummed, eyes trained on his task. You noted that he no longer wore bandages on his hand where his fingers had once been. 

“How’s your knee?” You asked and he bristled a bit. 

“....it’s fine.” He said after a slight pause. 

“I can look at it if you’d like.” You offered and he inhaled slowly before releasing his breath in one long exhale. 

“I’m fine.” 

“Then let me look at your fingers, if you are doing dishes it’s likely to get infected.” You were a tad embarrassed to admit that you simply wanted to feel his skin against yours once more. But luckily Levi felt the same. He paused his work and grabbed a towel to dry his hands off before slowly extending them to you. You accepted them and ran your fingers over the callouses that decorated his palms before pulling his hand closer to your face to get a good look at the nubs where his fingers once were. 

Just as you had thought, they were fully healed with puckering pink flesh from where stitches had once been. 

“They look well, you should be fine, just...be mindful of how much time you spend washing the dishes.” You hummed, turning his hand over in yours to examine the back of it, old and new scars littered the expanse of his hands and up to his forearm.

“Okay.” His words were breathy and a bit choked. You snuck a glance up at his face and smiled sheepishly at him as you released his hand, which fell slowly back to his side. His cheeks were a soft pink, hints of a blush from the heat of your touch alone. 

“I would suggest looking into some gloves.” You advised and he rolled his eyes. 

“How am I supposed to wear gloves without my fingers?” He asked, holding his hand up as if to emphasize the loss. 

“You seem to have adapted well, I’m sure you can figure something out.” You assured him with a nudge to his side before you fell back into the easy rhythm of drying the dishes. 

____

You fell into a routine, stopping by when the cafe first opened to grab a cup of tea before your shift. Then you would go off to work and return later that afternoon to help Levi clean up. One rainy day you came in an hour later than usual, your scrubs soaked as you had forgotten an umbrella. Onyankopon and the kids had left earlier that week to go get the other cadets from Paradis, leaving Levi to tend to the shop alone. 

As you entered you flipped the sign to closed and then wrung your sopping wet hair. Levi stood behind the counter, watching you with his one steel eye. 

“What took you so long?” He asked before turning to do the dishes. You scoffed and looked back out at the window, the rain was pelting down mercilessly against the glass. But you said nothing, having learned long ago that arguing with him was pointless. 

“What have you got for me?” You asked instead wanting to throw yourself into the work he had for you. He put you to work in the kitchen, taking stock and sweeping the floors until you thought that you would collapse. It wasn’t that the work that was taxing, but the work on top of the hours you had already clocked in on your feet at the hospital. 

When he was pleased with your cleaning he waved you off with a dismissive flick of his wrist. Your clothes were still wet, as you watched him thumb through his earnings of the day in the register. You now knew a fraction of what he had put those cadets through all those years ago. 

“Levi?” You tested, his name falling sweetly from your lips. He turned slowly, pausing his counting to give you his full attention. 

“What is it?” He asked, placing the change back into the register. 

“How would you like to get some dinner?” You offered with a shy smile. His eyes widened and he whipped around to shut the register. 

“Only if you’re buying.” 

____

So now you sat across the table from him, your leg bouncing anxiously under the table inside the warm tavern. He seemed much less anxious, hands folded in front of him and his gaze void of any particular emotion. 

“So...you come here often?” You tried to start the conversation, for the first time finding it difficult. 

“No actually, I despise these places.” He answered literally and you nearly blanched, worried that you may have upset him or offended him in some way by bringing him here. 

“What? We don’t have to stay then we can-” You were reaching for your purse but he held up a hand to stop you. 

“It’s fine.” He assured you and you relaxed back into your seat. 

“Why do you hate these places?” You asked out of curiosity. 

“Not a fan of drunk men and shitty tavern food.” He shrugged indifferently. If he had been feeling braver he would have told you that it reminded him of his childhood and his mean drunk uncle. 

“Ah, I see.” Your shoulders slumped and you cleared your throat to fill the silence. 

“I don’t usually come to bars often either. Can’t trust me around beer.” You joked but Levi arched a thin brow. 

“Why’s that?” 

“Oh, my dad was a drunk and they say that it runs in the family. So I’ll never touch the stuff.” You shrugged and Levi was caught off guard with your honesty. He only hummed in response. Not long after that, the food arrived and the two of you ate in near silence, the sounds of forks scraping plates and wine sloshing in glasses. You paid for dinner and the two of you slowly made your way back down the street, which was slick with rainwater. You eyed Levi’s arm a bit longingly, wanting to feel his warmth pressed against you. You rubbed your biceps in an attempt to get the message across but he seemed clueless still. So you sighed and decided to take yet another risk, in one swift motion you slid your arm through his and he went rigid. His steps faltered and you looked over at him with a smirk curling at the corner of your lips. 

“Is...this alright?” you asked and he nodded tensely before resuming his pace. You were grateful that his apartment was so close to the tavern, as it began to pour once more. But of course, you could not run because you feared that he would injure himself, so the two of you simply picked up your pace. Levi held the door for you and the two of you stumbled into the dark cafe, the tables and chairs looked almost like skeletons as you weaved your way through them to the back set of stairs. 

“You can stay if you’d like.” he offered, a glimmer of uncertainty flashing over his features, clearly he was treading just as lightly as you were. 

“I’d like that very much.” You grinned and the two of you climbed the stairs to his small apartment. The floorplan was open, the kitchen and living room were all in one space. The furniture was also mismatched here, he set about lighting candles even though you knew that the building had electricity. You wondered if it was a force of habit, all of his years on that island with no electricity, or if it was an attempt to set the mood. You said nothing all the same as the candles set the room aglow in warm light. 

“It’s nice,” you commented and Levi hummed in agreement. 

“It’s no barracks.” He said as he shook the match, a small trail of smoke curling up from his fingertips. 

“Do you miss the military?” You asked as you slipped out of your shoes. He paused, a thoughtful look passing over his face as he pondered your question. 

“At times, there are things that I miss. But no, I wouldn’t go back.” he shook his head, damp locks of raven hair falling in curtains over his brow. 

“I can imagine.” You agreed as he slipped out of his coat and hung it on the coat rack, you did the same and he gestured for you to follow him to his room. 

“I have some dry clothes you can borrow.” He said as he sifted through his drawers, pulling out a simple cotton shirt and a pair of loose-fitting pants. He held them out to you and you accepted them with a smile. You noted that the clothes were larger than the ones that he pulled out and you wondered who they belonged to. 

“Whose clothes are these?” you asked out of curiosity and a pained look crossed his face. But you wondered if you had imagined it because of how quickly his features reset into his stoic mien. 

“An old friend.” That was all he said before leaving you to change. You pulled the clothes on slowly and carefully knowing that these are likely one of the last things he had that belonged to his friend. Once you were done you stepped out of the room to find Levi already changed and boiling a kettle over his small stove. The shirt hung loosely off of your frame and you pulled the collar up gently as you crossed the room to stand by his side. 

“Whatcha making?” You asked softly as he shot you a brief glance over his shoulder. 

“Tea.” He said bluntly as he reached up into the cabinets and pulled out two mugs. You hummed and moved to take a seat at the modest table that was pressed against the back of his couch. 

“Sounds good.” You said as you slipped into the seat, watching as he moved around his space. You noted the way his cane carried the majority of his weight, the way his fingers trembled as he poured the water to steep the tea leaves. You moved to get up and help him, but decided against it, reminding yourself that he was independent and could do these tasks on his own. Sure enough Levi finished the tea and carried the two cups over to you and placed them gently down on the table. 

You thanked him quietly and blew a puff of air over the surface of the green tea, sending ripples through the liquid. He watched you with unreadable features, hands crossed on the table and his cane resting against his thigh. 

“Tell me of your home.” You asked, daring a look over the rim of your cup. He inhaled and a far away look crossed his face as he thought of an appropriate response. 

“As I knew it or as it is now?” He mumbled as he brought his own cup to his lips. 

“Whichever you prefer.” 

“Hm.” He hummed as he let the hot liquid sit in his mouth hoping to buy himself more time. 

“Either way it was shitty.” He said after a few moments of silence. You set your cup down and gave him your full attention. 

“We never had much, and I can’t say that it was a happy life.” He said, sneaking a glance at you to guage your reaction. 

“I figured as much.” You commented and he shrugged. 

“There isn’t much left of the landscape after the rumbling, but that’s everywhere now.” He grumbled, beginning to lose himself in his own memories. 

“There used to be open fields and massive trees inside of the walls but…” He winced, flashes of blood and gnashing titan teeth, campfires, the heavy breathing of horses, explosions of thunder spears followed by the tangy metallic scent of blood. 

“Levi?” Your voice was soft and filled with concern, he snapped out of his reverie, his fists clenched around his cup. 

“Sorry.” He choked out, his tongue feeling fat and his mouth dry. 

“It’s alright, I shouldn’t have asked.” You waved your hands and quickly took a sip of your tea. 

“No, it’s not your fault.” He dismissed you, trying to calm the racing of his heart. 

“I’m sure that you’re tired, I’ll see myself out.” You began to scramble, reaching for your things and pushing a stray strand of hair from your face. Levi wasn’t sure why, but he felt an urgent need to reach out and grab you. Before he could dismiss the sense, his hand had already shot out and caught your wrist. 

You looked back at him with wide eyes, not moving a muscle. He stayed still as well, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of your arm. If he was hurting you, you showed no sign. 

“Don’t….it’s storming.” He said stupidly, as he stood keeping a hold on your wrist. Once he was on his feet he took a step towards you and his hand slipped down to intertwine his fingers with your own. 

“O-Okay.” You squeezed his fingers and he returned the gesture, eyes blank although they darted between your eyes and lips every few seconds. You took a step closer so that the tips of your feet touched his, your breaths mingling together. Finally his eyes settled on your lips and you unconsciously licked them as you wondered what he would taste like. Green tea no doubt, just as bitter and tangy as his personality seemed to be. 

You let out a shaky breath as he reached out, the back of his hand brushing that pesky piece of hair off of your cheek. He hesitated but gently grasped your face in his calloused palm, his thumb stroking over your cheekbone. You carefully broke free of his grasp on your hand so you could smooth down the fabric of his shirt above his heart. 

He swallowed thickly before lifting his chin, eyes trained on your lips. You tilted your head and met him the rest of the way, your lips slotting together perfectly. His other hand came to rest on the other side of your face, and you whimpered. You opened your mouth wider, your tongue slipping past his lips to taste him. He did taste like green tea after all, bitter and overwhelming. You couldn’t get enough, your hands slipping up the column of his throat to find the shaven underside of his hair. 

To your surprise he pulled away with a grunt, grey eyes wide and surprised. You looked back just as shocked but then you smiled. He blinked at you for a moment before pulling away completely and turning his back to you and running a hand through his locks. 

“I’m sorry, that was inappropriate of me.” He apologized and you shook your head. 

“I actually quite liked it. You aren’t my patient anymore Levi.” He remained silent, his back turned to you in shame. 

“You’re not even a Captian anymore, you’re just a man.” You assured him and he turned to look at you now, eyes filled with a certain grief you couldn’t quite place. 

“Is that how you see me then?” His voice was flat and you couldn’t tell if he was offended or pleased with the response. 

“No, I see you as a good man, who has been hurt one too many times. Someone who needs a….companion.” You settled and he finally faced you once more. 

“I shouldn’t have done that to you.” He grunted, steadying himself on the table. 

“It’s okay Levi, I-I like you.” You felt like you were tripping over yourself to assure him that he was not crossing any lines. 

“....” He remained silent, those sad grey eyes trained on your face as your chest heaved, panic quickly raising. 

“I promise you I’m fine. I’ve actually been wanting to kiss you for some time now.” You sheepishly admitted, rubbing the side of your arm. 

“I know.” He groaned his hands coming to hide his eyes and you felt even more distressed, you should’ve known better. 

“Look, Levi I want to be with you, and if you want the same then we can be. You don’t have to-” 

“Damn it (Y/n) I want to, but I don’t” He let out another frustrated grunt before his fist came down hard on the table, the cups rattling loudly at the disturbance. 

“I don’t want you to be chained to someone like me.” He admitted, eyes averted. 

“You don’t have to feel that way, I’m choosing you.” 

“Promise?” His eyes finally met yours and you nodded curtly, a look of determination and confidence plastered to your face. 

“Promise.” You assured him, sitting back down at the table to show that you weren’t going anywhere. 

“And if you bother me too much then I’ll leave.” You teased, but he seemed to take it literally, sinking back into his own seat and nodding in understanding. 

“That’s good.” He sighed, shoulders sagging in relief. 

“I really should go home, think about this and we’ll talk tomorrow.” You stood, leaning over the table to peck a kiss to his lips. He nodded and watched with tired eyes as you left his apartment. 

#Levi fanfiction #levi attack on titan #shingeki no kyoujin levi #levi ackerman x reader #levi ackerman fanfiction #levi ackerman x you #levi akerman #levi angst #levi aot #Levi x You #levi x reader #levi x y/n #levi x reader angst #levi x reader insert #levi x reader fluff #levi x !nurse reader #chapter 139 spoilers #aot fandom #aot spoilers #aot levi

[neocrush]

— the girl groups enhypen’s gfs are in !

genre: fluff (angst on jungwon’s part) + established relationship (eventually lol)

pairings: idol!enhypen x fem!idol!reader

note: idk how to title this pls i thought of it while showering

tagging: @jeminiepabo @strwberrydinosaur

you just finished performing and your members were in need of water bottles

you just finished performing and your members were in need of water bottles

you just finished performing and your members were in need of water bottles

but fucking mnet didn’t provide any inside of your dressing room??

but fucking mnet didn’t provide any inside of your dressing room??

but fucking mnet didn’t provide any inside of your dressing room??

so yves told you to ask for some from the artist in the dressing room next to yours

you knocked on the door without looking at the sign that showed who was in there

you asked for some water bottles and heeseung went “i’ll go get it!” and ran off to go get get them

jungwon just chuckled and went “hyung’s a really huge fan of your group, he kept on singing star on the way here”

you nodded at the younger one, impressed at the fact that you were popular among idols

the tall boy came back with a whole box full of water bottles

“there’s 12 of you here right now so i figured why not get a whole box” he chuckled nervously

you giggled and smiled at the nervous boy

“thank you heeseung-ssi, i’ll take this to my members” you took the box in your hands but was taken aback on how heavy it was

“don’t worry i’ll carry it for you”

long after that you started hanging out and boom you became his gf

you couldn’t resist the charms of lee heeseung

once it was revealed that you were a couple, orbits and engenes went INSANE (in a good way ofc)

“wait so y/n DOESNT hate men????”

★ jay - aespa

OMG OMG LEMME TELL YOU ABOUT THIS BBY

you both met at school after you both debuted

everyone was gossiping around about how you were in the same class with the enhas

so like... monster rookies class

usually idols aren’t seated together but the teacher seated you and jay next to each other

causing a bunch of “oooohhhs” from your classmates

there were times were you and the enhas would leave school early due to practice or schedules

and on the way to the school gate, jay would always spark up a conversation with you

you assumed he was just very friendly

long story short he had a massive crush on you

so a few months into your friendship (which the both of you were very open about with your fans), he confesses

you were like “WAIT SO IT WASNT ONE SIDED THE WHOLE TIME”

y’all were just really blind lol pls read between the lines

anyways on to ur lovely bf !!

he’s so bold and brave around you but so shy around your members and seniors

we all know how he really respects nct (along with other sm artists) bc he covered the 7th sense with sunghoon on iland

so one day you were like “oh btw i showed taeyong sunbae you and hoon’s t7s cover”

he was like 😟 to 😧 to 😯

got all shy and was like “oh what did he say..”

you don’t know why he was acting as if he didn’t body that whole performance ????

anyway you told him that taeyong said that he and hoon did really well and that he liked how jay did his part

hid his face on the crook of your neck

“baby we should come say hi to them next time you go to sm”

“NO i will make a fool out of myself”

speaks english and japanese with giselle a lot when he isn’t occupied with you

sometimes you’d even have to ask nct’s shotaro to translate

your seniors (especially exo’s kai) adore him so so much pls protect the boy at all costs

★ jake - everglow

he was an active viewer of produce 48 and (like me) was really attached to the yuehua trainees

especially you

so when you got eliminated just before the last episode, he was devastated to say the least

he awaited your debut and when the time came he supported everglow !!!!

LOVED BON BON CHOCOLAT SO MUCH

does the killing part choreo in his room when no one’s watching lol

dies everytime you do the little “everglow” in songs

right so when he debuted in enha, he looked forward to meeting you as an idol and not a fan

when you shared a dressing room at kcontact, he couldn’t help but introduce himself to you

he mentioned he was a big fan and your heart warmed

cute boy is a fan of you? omg heart go brr brr

your members tease you and you just shake it off

that day when you got back to the dorms, you watched a bunch of enhypen videos bc you were interested in jake

you weren’t aware of how popular you were among people - let alone idols so you were surprised

you fell in love with his personality and started saying hi to him whenever you meet backstage at music shows

not long after, you develop feelings for him

you thought it was just a puppy crush but as you saw him even more, it got serious

you never actually confessed but aisha accidentally spilled the beans when he was passing by

“cmon y/n just tell him you like him because he clearly feels the same !!”

“you like me?”

“AISHA”

“that’s my queue to leave”

so she leaves you two to pour your hearts out to each other

you two become a couple and forevergenes (such a cute name omg) LOVE you two

you’re both the puppies of your group so that makes your relationship 103892x cuter

you met his parents and they adore you and even asked for your autograph

“jake used to talk about how great you are after every produce 48 episode”

“okayyyy i think that’s enough embarassing me mom”

his parents love you like their own daughter but does layla love you?

you were so nervous to meet her and was actually scared she might not like you - knowing how important layla is to jake

at first layla ignored you and jake was like “she’ll come around”

you were convinced she just doesn’t like you, until this one time you were cuddling with jake on the couch and layla comes in

you expected her to snuggle up with jake but she came to you :D

now layla is super fond of you and mrs sim would even send you pictures and videos of layla getting excited whenever you were on tv 🥺

★ sunghoon - itzy

you and the girls were at isac

the six of you were just waving at your fans and making heart signs with your hearts

on your left you saw yeji making hearts with ryujin so you wanted to do that with another member too

you felt a presence next to you and assumed it was someone from your group

spoiler alert: it wasn’t

sunghoon and sunoo were waving at engenes who just happened to be seated next to midzys

so you turned to who you thought was an itzy member, making half a heart with your hand

until you realized it wasn’t 💀

you bowed and apologized when you both looked at each other, you were scared you crossed a boundary

you bowed and apologized to the engenes who were there too

sunghoon and sunoo reassured you it was all good

after that, sunghoon couldn’t help but keep his eyes on you the entire event

when the day was coming to an end, he pulled some strings and ended up having some alone time with you ...in stray kids’ dressing room

don’t ask

ofc skz already left so it was just you two there

fast forward, you both hit it off and he became your bf <3

midzys and engenes love you both sm and love bragging about you two to other fandoms

you two were even named the king and queen of 4th gen kpop

oh also

you already know where this is going

“SUNGHOON HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW NOT SHY’S PROPER TITLE IT’S YOUR GIRLFRIEND’S SONG” - jay

brags about how he can do the shoulder dance in wannabe

ofc it’s bc you personally taught him

sends you pics of jyp as reaction pics

so you send pics of bang pdnim to him

every once in a while he reminds you of that video of jay why pee trying to hit a high note

“lmao that’s your boss”

PLS you always get super embarrassed so ofc you bring up that vid of hitman bang

“rAp dAncE-“

★ sunoo - stayc

you were his seatmate at school predebut

you came from the same town, same school, same neighborhood, etc

the two of you were extremely close and both shared the same dream

when highup entertainment accepted you, the both of you were over the moon

he was so happy for you

but sad too bc that meant you had to move to seoul :(

you promised him to do your best and that you hoped to see him again but as an idol

and hopefully when he’s an idol too

well what you hoped for came true !!

although you couldn’t see him much as a trainee - which made you quite sad - you got to follow his journey on i-land

you even asked your fellow trainees to vote for him

anyways now that you both debuted, you became close again and became really open with your fans on how close you were

you recommended his songs to swiths and he did the same to engenes

he even memorized the choreo to so bad and asap and lemme tell you this

he BEGGED you to teach him those choreos

“sunoo you can watch the practice on youtube”

“but i want to learn it from you”

he never really realized his feelings until he saw you getting shipped with his other members

you were both on weekly idol and the hosts really seemed to like how you and jake looked next to each other and they just teased you both the whole episode

that made sunoo feel uneasy and he thought it was only bc he was an overprotective best friend

turns out he had feelings for you (wow shocker)

so one day he asks you to come to hybe

after slightly getting lost, you meet up with him in a practice room

he confesses bc he felt like not telling you about his feelings would put a wall between you two

you appreciate his honesty and tell him you’ve felt the same way every since you were classmates

he scolds himself for not seeing it all those years but you just laugh it off bc you were pretty good at hiding your crush

you both agree to secretly date, until you both announce it on your five month anniversary

fans were really shocked at first... but they support you !!!!

engenes will not hesitate to come at anyone who talks bad about you and swiths feels the same way about jungwon

he gushes about you every single time you’re brought up

and you can’t help but love your adorable boyfriend

★ jungwon - iz*one

okay so

he was just an average high schooler when you were introduced on produce 48

his deskmate was watching your audition video and it was the part where you were doing this freestyle

he was SO amazed and he secretly followed your journey on produce 48

always made sure to vote on time and watch the episodes live

once the debut evaluation came around, he asked everyone he knew to vote for you and even bought tickets to see the show live

almost cried when he saw that you were center

ACTUALLY CRIED when you got into the top 13 😭

fast forward to him debuting in enha

he wasn’t able to catch up on you since he was busy with trainee life, then i-land, then debut preparations

but somehow in the middle of promotions he ran into you and BOOM love at first sight

fast forward to you finally dating, he couldn’t believe he was dating the y/n of iz*one

wizones make those “ladies and gentlemen, y/n’s man” edits and engenes make those “ladies and gentlemen, jungwon’s woman” edits

both fandoms love you two so dearly that the only hate you two got were from the delusional ones (who clearly aren’t actual fans)

when your last concert came around, he couldn’t bare seeing you cry when you said “this has been iz*one’s y/n, thank you everyone!”

he got flashbacks from when you cried during the final episode of produce 48 and he’s just.. sobbing bc he couldn’t be there to hold you

so the next day he rushed to your dorms with snacks and emotional support bc you were emotionally exhausted from accepting the fact that your journey with iz*one is finally ending

you felt extremely lucky to be in his arms and he felt extremely lucky too that he’s able to make you feel a little better

★ riki - weeekly

you were both on weekly weeekly idol together

and both you and riki being main dancers, you were asked to do random dance together

a few popular songs played and the both of you did the choreos

until after school started playing and the boy did the chorus’ choreo and you were like “woah???”

bc he was so INTO ITTTT

the song was basically made for him to cover it

and the mcs saw your reaction so they asked him to do it once again but this time with the whole group

after filming, he came up to you and was like “i’m a huge fan of yours” and you’re just like ):&/£]>\**_£]

“woah really???? i rooted for you on i-land”

and his face just lights up bc his huge crush on you developed even more

you became besties since then but he didn’t ask you out until your birthday

he took you out to a puppy café, knowing you were obsessed with dogs

you’d ask him to show you pictures and videos of bisco

“i better meet bisco once we go to japan together”

melted at the thought of traveling to his hometown with you

anyways

once you left the café, he kissed you in front of your dorms

and somehow he became your boyfriend <3

riki as a bf isn’t really a very public person

he’s the “this is our relationship, not the public’s” type of person

he doesn’t wanna risk companies wanting to exploit your relationship

although he doesn’t talk about you two much, he loves to brag about you when given the chance

whenever variety show hosts would fawn over you he’d just look them in the eyes dead and go “she’s mine”

#enhypen x y/n #enhypen imagines #enhypen scenarios #enhypen x reader #enhypen fluff #enhypen reactions #enhypen headcanons #enhypen angst #enhypen x female reader #enhypen x you #heeseung x reader #jay x reader #jake x reader #sunghoon x reader #sunoo x reader #jungwon x reader #ni ki x reader #heeseung imagines #jay imagines #jake imagines #sunghoon imagines #sunoo imagines #jungwon imagines #ni ki imagines

[breathings-of-the-heart]

Stuck on You (Levi x Childhood Friend! Reader) Part 2

A/N: Hey guys! It’s been kinda a while but here is part 2~ I have this habit of writing and rewriting my pieces since I’m never fully satisfied by them, but overdoing that is just as bad so I’m going to leave this as is ajflkajada  The amount of love my first part recieved was so genuinely heart warming and I cannot express my gratitude enough. I’m nervous to post this because of it, to be honest, because I hope it lives up to the expectations. Thank you to everyone who has shown me support, it means so much! If you guys want a part three, or maybe just a short epilogue, I will consider it so let me know! Also if you would like to be tagged in my future works, comment below or send me a message <3 I hope you all enjoy!

Warnings: Angst, Season 1 and No Regrets ova spoilers

Word Count: 4k

If you haven’t already, read part one here

As a former member of the Scouts yourself, you knew the ins and outs of the military’s regulations. Because of this, you also knew your request was a strange one, seeing as soldiers weren’t typically allowed visitors, but you hoped your letter appealed to the more personal side of Commander Erwin. Apparently it somehow moved the man, seeing as you had been brought by carriage to the legion's base the following night.  

The clopping of horse hooves eventually stopped, and you were currently being escorted into the building by another familiar face, her hand already outstretched to help you out of the vehicle as soon as the door swung open.  

“I understand your reservations about this, but you’re brave for coming here. I think he’ll be relieved to see you, (Y/N),” Hange spoke, her fingers hovering over the small of your back as she guided you down one of the many hallways, lantern swinging in her free hand. “I think he could benefit from seeing a familiar face.”

Your eyes were downcast, staring at the floor as rooms upon rooms passed by along your path. You couldn’t speak if you tried, words seemingly stuck in your throat and unable to keep up with your racing thoughts.

Deep breaths, (Y/N).

For better or for worse, there was no need to reply, as Hange came to a halt not a second later. She squeezed your shoulder gently before bringing her knuckles to the wooden door, knocking once, twice.

Your hands were clammy, heart thundering in your ears as you tried to steady your breathing.

“Levi, someone is here to see you,” Hange’s voice rang out firmly.

There was a distinct sound of a chair being pushed back, and footsteps growing nearer. Time slowed down, and you began to second guess every decision up to now. Would Levi even want you to be here? Will he be angry? You felt like bolting away and forgetting about the whole idea, suddenly afraid of his reaction. Afraid that your presence would only make everything worse.

Your eyes were widening as you realized the possibility of leaving was too late to explore, Levi already turning the handle from the other side. So instead, you swallowed your pride, stood up straighter, and pushed away the growing sensation of nausea in your gut.

“Who could possibly be important enough to interrupt my--”


The second his eyes met yours, Levi halted in all movements. Your gaze was fixed on him as well, every bit of longing settling back in your bones the second it did.

He looked nearly the same as the last time you saw him, clean and kempt as ever, hair styled the way it always was-- the same way he’d keep it when he used to chastise you for running your fingers through it.

And those stoic, gray irises that drew you in your were fierce, yet somehow emptier. At the sight of you, his flooding emotions became too much to properly register, unlocking every moment you’d ever spent with him as they replayed all at once.

“(Y/N)?” He couldn’t hide his disbelief, eyes widening ever so slightly. 


“Hello, Levi.” 


~~~~~~~~~

Never did Levi think he would grow to care for another group of people the same way he had for you, Farlan, and Isabel. But sitting around Petra, Gunther, Eld, and Oruo, he found their excited chatter over the dinner table endearing more than anything. The ever stoic look on his face didn’t change, and he would never openly admit it, but it felt reminiscent to be surrounded by trusted company like this. All of Squad Levi had full faith in one another; it was necessary for the battle field. This created an unspoken bond between all of them that the unreachable Ackerman did not picture building with others again.

Fate worked in funny ways, he supposed.

Sounds of clinking silverware and chatter filled the mess hall, sun setting outside of its many windows and painting the expanse in an orange light. The males eyes drifted towards the entrance of the room expectantly, where a clock rested above the doorway. He took a sip of his tea whilst squinting at it, attempting to get a better read before feeling a slight jab in his side.

“Looking for someone, sir?” Petra inquired, with a hint of deeper emotion in her tone that went right over the male’s head.

He glared at her in annoyance, having almost spilled his drink as the thought of you returned to the forefront of his mind.

It was strange, seeing how capable you had become after spending those months by yourself in the Underground. They made you a bit more calloused than when Levi last saw you, carrying over to your skills as a Scout. You never used to be skilled at riding ODM gear, not even when Levi tried to teach you in your youth. Seeing you slash Titans without blinking an eye was like watching someone completely different.

But you had to learn, since you had no one to protect you.

Your open displays affection had grown fewer and farther between as your time in the Survey Corps dragged on. At first, Levi thought nothing of it. Truthfully, the Captain had hardly noticed, with how busy the both of you were. He wrote it off as stress, or the workload catching up to you. Or, maybe, it was that nagging thought in the back of his conscience he dared not dwell on: he had turned you into this, after being away for so long and then failing to protect your friends.

But as your words replayed in his mind like a broken record, too late he realized this wasn’t the case.

“I see the way you look at her. I see it because you used to look at me that way.”

“Captain?” Petra repeated, leaning forward to study his distant countenance and successfully pulling the man out of his thoughts. “She’s probably just training.”

He rested his hand on top of her head, turning it away from him and sighing.

“Eat, Petra. I don’t need you to be whining about hunger during our patrol tomorrow morning,” he chastised, forcing his eyes away from the doorway.

After that talk, Levi had watched you go, telling himself that you’d return soon enough. Yet could not shake the feeling in his gut that there was something amiss. He pushed away the pit in his stomach. You were safe, you were healthy, and that was all that mattered. Humanity’s Strongest had other things to focus on, after all, and tuned back into his comrades’ conversation. The man blended back in easily, occasionally offering a few of his own comments as the meal dragged on.

Every so often his thoughts would shift back to your conversation earlier that day, and he realized that you were wrong. As close to Petra as he had gotten, there was a stark difference between you and her:

No matter how strong you’d get, and no matter what you thought of him, Levi would always shield you from as much of this world as he could.

But it was better this way. Better if you moved on from him and easier to do if you thought it was because he wanted Petra.

If only he knew your last words to him “I’ll be back for dinner,” had been a lie.

It had been strange for him when you didn’t return. Levi tried not to think about how Kenny had done the same, instead grasping for a reason. For once, he could not read your thought process. The male had no idea why you’d voluntarily leave, after everything. He knew better than to hold onto certainty, but you’d thrown him for a loop. You were always the one to communicate, the problem solver, the one who understood him without much direction. Didn’t you know that you were irreplaceable? He should have come clean: told you that he didn’t see Petra that way, and just didn’t have the heart to admit he didn’t feel good enough for you anymore.

Did he ever even get the chance to say “I love you?”

His regret multiplied tenfold as he began to understand that maybe if he had, you would’ve stayed.

~~~~~~~~

A strange sense of comfort washed over the man as you smiled softly, small hands clasped together in front of you. He blinked, wondering if you were simply a mirage caused by his sleep deprivation. But you remained where you were, after all this time, standing at his door. For once in the man’s life, his mind was drawing a blank.

“I’ll leave you guys to it, then,” Hange stated, excusing herself and soon disappearing out of sight. 


Her statement pulled the both of you back into the present, and you were suddenly self conscious of Levi’s stare. You tucked your hair behind your ears and gestured towards his office, unable to gage his reaction to your presence.

“Would it be alright if I came in?” you asked shyly, astonished he hadn’t slammed the door in your face the second Hange left. 


To your shock, Levi simply nodded, stepping aside to let you through. Your movements were unsure and hesitant, stark in comparison to his: calm and collected as ever.

Just like any space Levi occupied, the area was clean and tidy, a lantern sitting upon his desk the only source of light against the cloudy night sky. It smelled like tea leaves, sandalwood, and disinfectant, a signature scent that made you fill with nostalgia. As the click of the door echoed behind you, the reality of your situation set in, and you turned around to face the man you were here to see.

His gaze had never left you.

“You’re hurt,” was the first thing that left your mouth, concern evident as you studied the bandaging that peaked above his knee length shoes. 


“Long story,” Levi offered curtly, eyeing you up and down from a few feet away. “One I don’t particularly care to tell you.” 


“Of course, that’s fine,” you agreed softly, a weak smile pulling at your lips.

You did your best to mask the hurt, knowing you deserved to feel it. It hurt to be here, the fear that Levi hated you previously keeping you away. Now that you were facing the music, that fear seemed more realistic than ever. Your brain wracked to change the topic before your mind could continue overthinking; desiring instead to cut the unbearable, building tension that never used to exist between you two.

“How are you, Levi?” it was a stupid question, but you no longer knew how to talk to him.

“(Y/N).”


The way he said your name was sharp and challenging. You quickly cleared your throat and looked away.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. Of course you’re--”


“--Why did you leave?” Levi effectively cut you off, orbs narrowing as you dared to come closer.

The question caught you off guard. You thought you’d made it obvious with your last conversation with him those years ago. Surely, he had some idea, although his pained expression said otherwise. His fingers twitched at his sides, a movement you didn’t miss as your eyes flickered back to his in surprise. He had been so composed just a moment ago, that the sudden shift gave you whiplash.

Now his fists were clenching, as he waited in the painful silence, knuckles turning white.

“Why did you leave?” The phrase echoed tauntingly in your ears, over and over again.  

You don’t know what came over you. All you knew was that you needed to rid him of the rare, defeated look etched into his countenance. To purge him of this feeling you caused. Whether reaching out would help or hurt, you didn’t know.

But you needed to be near him.  

Levi’s eyelids screwed shut as you brushed your thumb across his cheek. The action was so simple, so delicate, so unsure and so familiar all at once, and at the feeling, the Captain’s composure finally came undone.


He reached up and gripped your wrist, as if you’d fade away if he let go. In previous years, it was always you who craved skinship, yet it seemed as if a weight had been lifted off Levi’s shoulders to have you this close. Your touch still felt like the comforting warmth of a campfire; the type that would make anyone want to stay forever.

“I’m sorry. I thought you’d be better off without me,” you whispered. “I didn’t want to cause you any pain.”

He let out a breath.

“Then why are you here now?” his question was more defeated than hostile, which you hadn’t expected.

If someone asked a few hours ago, your answer would have been much clearer. But now, the logic that brought you here seemed overshadowed by doubt. After all this time, and after everything that had happened between you and Levi, any semblance of a relationship with him seemed unsalvageable. You told yourself this mantra over and over until it stuck. So why were you here?

Levi must’ve thought it audacious, for you to run away like a coward and still think you were relevant to him.

“I owe you so much. Whether I ended up being wrong or right, I’ve always acted with your best interest,” you sighed, thumb brushing over Levi’s dark circles. “Truthfully, I don’t know if I’m any use to you now. I might be the last person you want to seek comfort from, but on the off chance that I still matter to you, I’ll always come back,” you whispered earnestly.

Levi’s grip on your wrist tightened imperceptibly, and you longed to bury your face in the crook of his neck; to feel him wrap his arms around you in his embrace once more. It seemed as if Levi was staring into your soul, his shallow breaths mingling with yours at this close proximity as he opened his eyes to fully drink you in.

“I’m here to tell you that if you need me, I’ll stay.”


He looked to the side as if brushing aside your touch, hand falling away from the raven-haired man’s face as he did so. It felt like rejection, as if he was brushing all of you away with a simple turn of his head.

Silence.

“You’re a real idiot, (Y/N),” he spoke finally, voice nearly out of place against the stillness.

Moonlight suddenly peaked through the window, showering you in a bath of silver light. Levi recognized this look. You were wearing your heart on your sleeve, offering everything you had to give; eyes wide and honest, shining with a vulnerability that even after a lifetime of knowing you, he had never seen before. The man felt conflicted at the sight, annoyance prickling under his skin as you somehow managed to hold him together and tear him apart all at once with your presence.

Losing his squad twist that knife in his heart, convincing him that he was cursed to be left by everyone and his superhuman talents only doomed him to live a life alone.

But now, here you were, standing within arms length: despite the pain you caused, still the only person he had left. Only you could draw this much emotion out of the typically monotonous man. He couldn’t tell if you were a blessing or a curse, but in the moment, all he knew was that he didn’t want you to leave again. He needed you to stay here, with him, the way it should be. Because you were family.

And true to your word, you did.

“You should really get some sleep, you know,” you stated after a while, closing the door with your foot as you entered with two fresh cups of tea. 


You watched Levi fill out paperwork on the other side of the desk, bringing the cup to his lips in the strange fashion you always teased him for. His gaze flickered up boredly.

“You know I don’t sleep. You go on ahead, though. The bed’s behind that door,” he paused, gesturing somewhere behind him. “I hardly ever use it.”  

You shook your head, reaching forward and plucking Levi’s pen from his hand.  


“What you’re drinking is caffeine free. I switched it, so you have no excuse now.” You ignored the indignant scowl growing on the Captain’s face, urging him to listen. “Please, you really should rest. You know you need to.”

It took an entire hour of imploring and convincing for the man to finally give in, him grumbling as you helped take off the boot on his injured foot and ushered him onto the bed. You knew you were the last person with any right to tell the short Captain what to do, but knowing Levi, he was running on an hour or two of sleep while his body was begging for rest. And yes, you were very much hypocritical, draped across the couch in Levi’s office, staring at the ceiling. But none of that mattered to you, as long as he was okay.

You had been lost in introspection, being a room away from your childhood best friend and first love after so long a surreal experience. It felt strange to be back here, but you were too tired to dwell on how strangely out of place you seemed in a place you once called home.

The weight of your abundant emotions from the day finally crashed down, fatigue settling in. You rubbed your eyes, and snuggled closer to the cushions, letting the darkness claim you.

And in the other room, as Levi slipped out of his uniform, shaking his head in exasperation. His last thoughts while he inspected the door as if he could see you through it, was that of course only (Y/N) (L/N) could be more stubborn than he was.

As he slipped under the covers per your command, the ghost of a smile spread across his lips at the thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Perhaps it was the constant danger of where you grew up, and the need to always stay on your toes, but for as long as you could remember, you’d been a light sleeper. If someone so much as stared at you for too long, your body would jolt awake, ready to take action within a moment’s notice. There had been many instances where this came in handy in your past; even after years of seldom disruption in your now boring life within the walls, this was a trait you never seemed to grow out of. So it wasn’t hard to notice the heavy breathing and panicked movement from behind Levi’s closed door.

Just like for you, some things never changed-- when it came to old habits, you knew the man like the back of your hand. The reason he rarely ever slept was one you were quite familiar with. One both of you struggled with, and probably always would. Nightmares never seem to stop. You’d gotten through so many of your own rough nights with your friends by your side.

Levi, however, always refused to admit how they affected him. Insisted on going through it by himself.  

The subconscious urge to look after one other was most likely one you'd never grow out of, even if Levi had. You didn’t think twice before making your way across the office, swinging your legs across the sofa, awake within seconds. Without missing a beat, you stood up and made your way to Levi’s personal sleeping quarters, knuckles rapping against the frame twice. Levi’s shallow gasps quieted, and when you realized he didn’t plan on opening the door, you steeled your nerves to do it yourself. This was what you were here for, wasn’t it? To offer some comfort?

He did want me to stay.

“Levi?” You called into the darkness gently, feet padding foreword as your eyes adjusted to the lack of light.

His silhouette was upright in the bed, no doubt staring at you menacingly.

“I'm fine, (Y/N). Go back to sleep,” he snapped.

That didn't deter you, for he would never openly admit vulnerability. This was by no means new behavior. Besides, the strong emotion behind the Captain’s voice was an easy tell that betrayed his words. You pressed on, sitting on the edge of the mattress.

“Do you remember the time we were teenageers and you got sick, but couldn’t afford medicine so I took that sketchy job you specifically told me not to?” Your back was to him, yet you could feel Levi peering at you.

“Obviously,” he humoured you with a reply, knowing you weren’t going to leave. “You came home half alive and I felt like the most useless piece of shit in the world.”

You chuckled, fingers fiddling with the white sheets beneath them.

“Yes, which was unfair to yourself but also something I did not realize since you called me pretty much every name in the book,” you smiled, the memory oddly fond despite its events. “You were so angry, but I was also scared out of my mind... which was more important than your anger, I suppose. So you let me lay next to you that night. That was all it took to make me feel safe again.”

There was a long pause, you trying to get your words together in a way that could allow Levi to understand how you felt right now.

“I know what you’re thinking; what you’ve been thinking your whole life. You haven’t failed anyone and that stupid idea should be the furthest thing on your mind. Take it from someone who knows, alright? So many lives have had meaning because of y--”

His hand closed around your wrist, the grip much like it was the day you left him.

This time, he would not let go.

“--Stop, (Y/N). Don’t.”

You hadn’t realized there were tears falling down your cheeks until Levi turned your face to look at him. Trying to look away in your embarrassment, you laughed bitterly. His grip did not budge as he examined you sternly.  

“Just be quiet and go to sleep, alright?”

You wiped at your face, determination etched into every fibre of your being.

“Mark my words, Levi, I will make you believe me.”

Levi rolled his eyes but tugged at you once more, opening the duvet in an invitation. When he sensed your uncertainty he simply nodded, arms winding around your waist as you finally crawled in beside him. Both of you knew that there was so much that still needed to be said; so many buried feelings and pain that would only take time to unravel. It felt like a miracle to find yourselves in this situation, pushing aside the thousands of emotions and questions and misunderstandings the two of you had, if only to stay together in this moment.

You didn’t need Levi to know that you still loved him; not while he was coping with another loss. It would be selfish to spring that on, and that was not what you were here for. But you had to tell him:

“I missed you.”

Levi hummed, nose brushing against yours in the close proximity.  

“You better not be gone when I wake up,” he chided in response, orbs fluttering shut.

Your fingers threaded through his onyx black locks, brushing through the knots soothingly. Knowing you’d help this man heal no matter how long it took, you took comfort in the realization that he’d finally let you do just that.  

“I’ll be right here. You’re not alone, Levi. I promise you never will be.”

He pulled you closer, thankful that there was at least one source of warmth left in his life that he could hold onto-- especially after coming to terms with and almost having been certain he’d never experience this feeling of contentment, again. But here you were to prove him wrong, a living slice of home in his arms.

It may have been wishful thinking, but you could have sworn you felt Levi’s breath fan across your hairline, a soft voice whispering “Thank you, (Y/N).” before you felt yourself slip away into slumber once more.

taglist: @asterroidd @chucky-26o1 @silversxble @belovedwindermere @christina-mj-stan @leviackerrman @cravrat @thekohakuriver1 @batakprincess @sunisenpai

#snk #AoT #shingeki no kyojin #attack on titan #levi #lance corporal levi #levi ackerman #levi ackerman imagine #levi ackerman x reader #levi ackerman fanfiction #snk levi #snk fic #aot fic #levi x reader #attack on titan imagines

[ao3commentoftheday]

How do I tag my story without spoiling what happens? I wanna make sure I’m tagging properly, but at the same time I want to keep the element of surprise, y’know?

Also, thanks for opening asks again!

I’ll give you my opinion, and then the blog can give you some more options. There’s no one right way to tag, after all, so we all have our preferences. 

For me, you should add the appropriate warnings for the fic as a whole, right up front. If there’s major character death, use either the MCD warning or Author Chose Not to Warn (CNTW) warning. People who don’t like to see characters die will straight up hate you if they get surprised by that one. Not everyone will feel that way of course, but there will be some. Not to mention, they aren’t your audience anyway, so there’s no need to lure them in. They won’t like your fic. 

I’d also tag the general genre: action, hurt/comfort, whump, etc. and any other tags that would give people a sense of the kind of fic you’re writing. Additional tags for a romance fic are very different from the additional tags on a spy caper. 

If you plan on updating tags as you go, make sure that you add the tag for “additional tags to be added later” and then put authors notes at the tops of the chapters where those tags come into play. People don’t reread tags after they’ve chosen to read a story, so you’ll need to point that out. 

Another option you have is to tag the fic generally and then add spoiler notes to an end note on the fic. People who want to know what they’re getting into ahead of time will be prepared. People who hate spoilers won’t need to see them. 

I don’t personally care about spoilers. If a story is well written then the spoiler will make narrative sense. Plus, I’ll probably want to reread it, in which case I’ll already know what happens. Not everyone is like me though, so 🤷‍♀️

Let’s see what other people suggest in the notes! Readers and writers alike, how do you prefer tags for spoilers?

(and just FYI, if you’re a person who hates to see fic spoilers in the tags, there’s an option in your preferences to hide the additional tags so you can always avoid them)

#asks and answers #Anonymous

[adarlingmess]

Ugnayan

Summary:

Filipino word, noun: connection between persons, groups, countries, etc.

A collection of works detailing a manananggal clan’s relations with the Treses, and their allies.

II: Bad Habits

Summary: After disrupting one of House of Arko’s operations, one of the Kambal meets up with their informant.

Words: 4540

Characters: Basilio, Crispin, Sabina (OC), Alexandra Trese (mentioned only), Ammie (mentioned only), Reyna Manananggal (mentioned only), Dominic Villaceran (mentioned only), Mama Grande (mentioned only)

Relationships: Basilio/Original Female Character

Language: English, with a few Filipino words and phrases sprinkled in.

Rating: 16+

Warnings: Strong language, violence, mentions of abortion, references to human trafficking + sexual trafficking, sexual themes

Author’s Notes:

I am: back on my bullshit again

People were looking for a part 2 so have more Basilio x OC stuff. Spoiler warning for Verdugo: Takutan because this story heavily references its lore and events! The comics are known to be darker in tone, and so is this fic, so heed the warnings above. No Taglish version this time, Darling niyo pagod na 😩

This was supposed to be a simple job.

Get in, rough up House of Arko’s operation while Bossing is paying them a visit in their mansion, get out, and watch as Bossing confronts them about it at the next social gathering they’ll host.

But nothing was ever simple about the aswang, right?

Now there’s a huge one trying to eat Basilio alive.

“Damn it, Basilio. Your recklessness is a bad habit that’ll bite us in the ass later!” his older brother berates him.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever! Now might be the right time to call for backup kuya,” he strains, attempting to pull the  magubat’s jaw apart with his superhuman strength. His fingers slip from the drool and it almost bites his hands off.

Crispin’s busy with a horde of mailap, taking turns in taking pot shots from him in the shadows. “We should’ve taken a page from Carlos’ book and brought palm fronds. Who should we call?”

“What about Maliksi?” Basilio suggests.

“What’s one tikbalang to all these aswangs? We need something bigger, maybe a higante to take on that magubat!”

“Gago, a higante can’t get here as fast as a tikbalang!” Basilio snaps.

“Mas gago ka! What about that playmate of ours from when we were kids, y’know, the one that tipped Bossing off about this whole trafficking operation anyway? Think she can fly her way here?” Crispin growls, shooting down a mailap who was foolish enough to ambush the more cautious twin from above.

Ah, yes. Sabina.

Boyish, intimidating, hard to figure out- but still hot enough to flirt with, despite being aswang; that’s how Basilio would describe her. This Sab was a far cry from the Sabina Marie he once knew years ago, the one who used to wear an all-girl Catholic school uniform, shyly shared her snacks and books with him, and kissed him farewell when her mama told her she’ll not be coming with her to meetings with the lakan anymore.

A few days after they caught up with each other, she turned up at the Diabolical not too long ago with a flash drive for Alex’s eyes only. She didn’t even breathe a word to him, much less look at his direction, but Basilio could only surmise that it’s his fault.

“Sabina? Well, manananggals who follow the queen can shoot. It’s- ungh- worth the shot!” Basilio answers back, straining as he gets swatted to the side with one gigantic claw. “You make the call, my hands are full!”

“Give me your phone, I don’t have her Facespace.”

Basilio looks down from several feet, and gives his brother a sheepish smile. “Uhhh, okay, but she’s been seenzoning me.”

From behind his mask, Crispin frowns. “What did you do?”

“She might’ve seen me tagged in Ammie’s story when I was supposed to watch her gig. I got there when her set was ending, and she was pissed.”

Grumbling, Crispin takes his frustrations off on a mabangis charging towards him, a flurry of bullets raining upon its body. “What did Bossing say about getting personal with informants?”

“What? It’s Sab. She’s-”

“An aswang who might have an ulterior motive in helping us. Tangina Basilio, think with your head sometimes! The one between your shoulders!”

Distracted, Basilio failed to stop the jaws of the magubat from closing in on him. As quickly as his reflexes allow, he tosses his brother his phone.

“Just call already! Tell her it’s an emergency.”

The older Kambal flies up and extends his free hand to catch it. Crispin launches Basilio’s Facespace app and begins to search for their informant. He found her under the name Sab Evasco. Crispin pretended not to see the string of messages Basilio left for her, all left on read.

Her phone rings. One time. Two times. Three times. Crispin dials again. Twice. Thrice.

Someone picks up. He puts the call on the loudspeaker.

There’s someone strumming a guitar in the background, accompanied by a drumset’s cymbals. They come to a halt and Crispin hears a frustrated woman’s voice from the other end of the line.

“Ulol gago, fuck you Basilio, you can tell me if you’d rather go on Starbreaks coffee dates with a wind girl than watch me play.  I’m a grown woman, I can handle a simple ‘no’. I’m not in the mood for your games! Now fuck off, I don’t want to hear from you. I have a gig to practice for.”

Basilio cringes as he listens to Sabina’s tirade. Crispin guns a charging mabangis down, and his mask dematerializes for a brief moment, just enough for him to mouth to his brother “Gago ka talaga.”

��Sabina, it’s Crispin. We could use some backup here. We’re being swarmed by aswang.”

The sound of a guitar being unceremoniously dropped and the mad shuffle to catch it can be heard from Sabina’s line, followed by quick footsteps. Sabina talks again, calmer this time. “What? Couldn’t Basilio get his own ass on the phone and tell me himself?”

With an exasperated expression, Crispin turns on the camera, and points the phone at Basilio, who’s caught between the magubat’s jaws. “He said you were ignoring him, and he can’t get on the phone right now, as you can see.”

The Kambal heard her fumbling with more equipment, which sounded like a guitar case being zipped up and carried. A brief argument with her bandmates follows, then Sabina talks again.

“I’ll be there. Stay on the line.”

Now they wait.

As much as Crispin wanted to help his little brother, his hands were full with the wave after wave of aswang coming after them. They’re relentless. This is their food supply the Kambal are cutting off, after all.

“Any luck with Sab?” Basilio asks, attempting to shoot the roof of the mabangis’ mouth.

The bullets barely penetrate the thick membrane. He’ll need to transform the Armas Infinitum into a more powerful weapon to lobotomize the gigantic aswang, but seeing how he’s separated from his twin, it’s impossible at the moment.

“She said she’s on the way. She’s still on the phone. Here!”

Crispin throws the phone back to Basilio, who catches it with one hand, while his other arm continues to struggle with the magubat trying to swallow him whole. He tucks it in his breast pocket, and he jumps near the row of the magubat’s front teeth, prying it open with both arms.

Through the aswangs’ growls, Basilio could faintly hear a woman cursing and the jingling of keys from the other side of the line.

“Hey Sab! It’s Basilio. Sorry again about missing your gig.”

“Shut up and hang tight. If I didn’t care for you at all...” Sabina snaps. Basilio could barely make out the words Sabina was saying due to the wind and sound of traffic. “I’m on my way.”

“Ngh, can’t you come any sooner? I heard that aswang intestines are nasty.” Basilio pauses, realizing his mistake. “No offense.”

“I said zip it. Isn’t it enough that I went out of hiding and agreed to be Trese’s informant? Now I have to be your backup too?”

“Working with Bossing has its risks. We made that clear, princess.”

“Don’t call me that.”

There’s more turbulence and wind from Sabina’s line. If Basilio guessed, she’s now flying to the scene. The Kambal’s struggle with the aswang continued until they heard their informant’s voice through the speakers again.

“Big bad war demigods can’t handle a single fucking magubat?” Sabina deadpans, the turbulence and noise no longer accompanying her voice. “Open the fucker’s mouth wide. Make sure he’s facing east.”

“Kuya! She’s in the area, help me pry the jaws open!” the younger Kambal shouts to his older brother, who dodges a leaping mailap and quickly flies up to his aid.

“What’s the plan?” Crispin asks, and Basilio shrugs.

“I don’t know, she just asked me to do it!”

Before Crispin could question Basilio, a shot rings throughout the building, and the magubat collapses. The Kambal let go of the heavy jaws and flew away, watching the near-twenty foot aswang crush a few of its regular-sized kind. Upon closer inspection, a bullet has torn its way through the roof of its mouth. It’s a clean shot. The magubat isn’t regenerating, much to the Kambal’s surprise.

It’s a pleasant surprise, nonetheless.

“That’s for trying to eat my brother,” Crispin spits, kicking the dead aswang’s head.

Soon, more of the aswang started dropping like flies, too. Razed by bullets from an unknown assailant, the House of Arko aswangs started to panic.

“Wait a minute, I know manananggals who follow the queen can shoot, but Sabina is a sniper? Do you know about this, Bas?” Crispin exclaims, tearing his eyes away from the dead magubat to face yet another wave of mabangis.

“No! Damn, she’s using special bullets too. Where’d she get those?” Basilio mutters. A mailap attempts an ambush attack, and before he could react, Basilio watches it get shot mid-air as it attempts to jump him.

“You’re mine,” Sabina hisses, her voice crackling through Basilio’s phone speaker, smooth through the static.

Her emphasis on the word “mine” made goosebumps ripple through Basilio’s arm.

“Hot. Could you say that again?”

What he got instead was a groan. “Fuck, don’t distract me Basilio. I’m not here for fun.”

“You seem to be having fun shooting House of Arko’s minions though.”

“Fair. You two better look for the hostages. I have a bone to pick with this lot.”

The Kambal looks at each other, and nods. Glass shatters as they fly out the building’s windows, to the upper floors. After taking care of the guards, they saw them. Men and women in cages, all naked, and herded like livestock. 

“Please, help us,” one of them whimpers, crawling to the front of the cage and grabbing Crispin by the arm. She’s dirty, and her belly is swollen. Basilio turned on the lights and they saw it clear as day: most of these women are pregnant. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was going on.

House of Arko farms their food, breeding humans like livestock, and harvesting fetuses from them.

Sirens are blaring outside, both from police cars and ambulances, waiting for the hostages to be rescued.

All is well, or so they thought.

“Fuck!”

The cry came from their informant’s line.

“Everything alright?” Basilio asks her after fishing his phone out of his breast pocket.

“There are a few of them who found my vantage point. They’re heading towards my position.”

“Get out of there already, the hostages are secure.”

“They saw me. I can’t let them report back to Mama Grande and her sons that a manananggal is helping you. Suspicion would fall on my clan.”

Crispin nudges his younger brother. “I’ll handle the hostages and wait for Bossing. You make sure our informant’s alright.”

“Way ahead of you kuya,” Basilio replies, taking his guns out and flying out the window.

Under the pale moonlight and the city’s lights, Basilio spots a group of aswang scaling a dilapidated building east of him. On the rooftop, he sees it. Wings black as night, flattened against the concrete. Sabina lies prone and is aiming her scoped hunting rifle downwards, picking off the advancing horde one by one.

“Time to play.” The demigod rushes in and makes bullets rain on the hostiles.

He takes out a mabangis approaching their sniper from her blind spot. Those who didn’t die from being shot fell to their death, regeneration halted either by his or Sabina’s doing.

Basilio descends on the rooftop, and he walks his way towards the manananggal. His mask dematerialized, and the wind tousled his long hair. Just to be safe, he kept a pistol in one hand.

Across him, Sabina takes out her wireless earbuds and puts them away. Then, she slings her rifle on her shoulder, safety on. With her wings, she crawled towards his direction, like how a bat would move. Then, uses her wings’ sharp claws to plant herself on the concrete, a feat regular bats couldn’t do.

“Thanks for the help, Sab. About that gig…”

Before any more words could come out of his mouth, Sabina holds up her forefinger and presses it against his lips. “Shh. No more apologizing about the missed gig. Just make up for it. You owe me.”

Basilio nods, smiling at her. He watches as Sabina fishes out a box of cigarettes and a lighter from her vest. She’s wearing a black, long-sleeved polo shirt underneath it, and its sleeves are rolled up. Her shirt was unbuttoned just enough for him to catch a glimpse of lace peeking through. For all her boyish, edgy posturing, her choice of underclothes is girlier than what Basilio expected.

It almost makes him want to unwrap her like a Christmas present, but he’ll keep that thought to himself.

“Nice outfit. You were rehearsing in that?”

“We had a presentation for a class. No time to get changed. Now there’s a hole in the back, so I might as well wear this more often on future operations,” Sabina replies, placing a stick of Marlborough Reds between her lips.

“I’m in the mood for a smoke and maybe a chat,” she continues. “Join me?”

Basilio nods.

“How did you know about House of Arko’s human trafficking thing, anway?”

“Believe it or not, it was a hunch,” Sabina explains, black fingernails scratching the sparkwheel several times. “Ugh, fucking lighter dying on me again. I just had it refilled… must be the wind,” she growls.

Basilio couldn’t help but chuckle at her frustration. “A hunch?”

“Hmm… maybe hunch isn’t the right word. It’s an educated guess. Mama Grande loved serving boiled fetuses to her house guests, correct?”

Basilio nods, waiting for Sabina to continue her explanation.

“I suppose that it’s my place to judge if their mothers didn’t want to raise them… I’m a manananggal, for fuck’s sake. But there’s one red flag House of Arko failed to hide. From what I can tell, those fetuses are around five to eight months old.”

Sabina’s lighter finally lit up, and with a triumphant laugh, she lit her cigarette. Then, she carries on with her explanation.

“Most abortions happen during the first three months of pregnancy. It’s rare to see expecting parents get rid of them that late.”

“So? What does that have to do with the whole thing?”

“House of Arko serving older fetuses could mean one of two things: either all, and I mean all of the abortions they performed are from those who are truly in need of one that late, or they’re getting them from another source, possibly an illicit one. They don’t have the most benevolent reputation, so my intuition tells me it was the latter. So, I paid the place a visit and recorded what I could. I guess I should be thankful that your bossing found that blurry video trustworthy enough,” Sabina concluded, watching as the victims were clothed and herded into ambulances.

Dumbfounded, Basilio scratches his head. “Wow. Glad you’re on our side. How did you know that three month thing anyway?”

“Research and personal accounts.” Sabina’s response is clipped. Cold. Abrupt. It only raised more questions than answers.

“Personal accounts? You’ve met people who got them?”

There’s a flash of regret in Sabina’s eyes; regret that she opened her mouth and let him know more than needed. She cuts him off. “I can’t put my informants’ identities in jeopardy either now, can I?”

Per his older twin’s advice, Basilio’s finally using the head between his shoulders. “No offense, but you’re a manananggal. Y’know, known for eating babies? Hearing that from you is suspicious.”

“Yes, I am,” Sabina says through gritted teeth, glaring at him. “I can assure you, I’m following the accords and I’m not exploiting loopholes like what House of Arko is doing. I’ll reveal everything in due time.”

“Alright, keep your secrets. For now.”

A tense silence has befallen them.

“So- '' the manananggal blows a cloud of smoke away from Basilio, “-is this going to be a regular thing? Because if it is, I might finally quit smoking. Nicotine makes my hands shaky. Can’t risk accidentally shooting your ass.” She pauses, looking at him in jest. “ I’d rather do that intentionally.”

“You’re breaking my heart, Sabina Marie,” Basilio retorts, clutching his chest in mock pain.

They share a laugh over it, the mood lightening up.

Basilio looks in the distance, taking in the view of the cityscape. “Maybe you should quit. Singers shouldn’t be smoking in the first place.”

“The tar helps me belt out raspy screams, but yeah, you’re right,” Sabina chuckles.

“So, when is this next gig?”

“Next week. In Ilocos Norte. All the way up in House of Arko’s ancestral home.”

“Should I take that info to Bossing?”

“Yep. It’s open to the supernatural public anyway, so it's not like I’m giving you top secret info. Even the wind tribe is invited, despite their bad blood with my clan. Hopefully things won’t get physical. Most of my sisters are still bitter over how they blew us away when my mom- I mean, Inang Reyna decided to side against the Treses.”

So that explains some things.

“I dunno, maybe I should bring Ammie so I can watch the two of you in a catfight.”

Sabina elbows him in the chest, hard.

“Not funny at all, Basilio. I don’t even know her personally! It’s you I was pissed at.”

Now he grabs his chest in genuine pain as he croaks out an apology. “Sorry.”

“Whatever. Bring whoever the hell you want, just keep your distance from me when you decide to go. Even my father’s going to be there. I need to be on my best behavior.”

The demigod turns to their aswang informant, interest piqued. She’s divulging a lot of information. Perhaps he can sway her to spill more secrets.

“Didn’t know that the Reyna Manananggal had a king.”

“Oh, no. She’s not the type to share her power with a man.” Sabina pauses to take another hit of her cigarette. “I meant my biological father. Villaceran.”

Now that was unexpected.

“You drop bombshell after bombshell whenever we meet. Tomas Dominic Villaceran’s your old man?”

“Look at me. I’m almost the splitting image of the guy. If there’s one thing I’m grateful for, it’s inheriting his good looks.”

Basilio grins. “Can’t deny that. Most of the manananggal kuya Crispin and I encountered look...”

“Hideous, I know,” Sabina says outright. “You still haven’t seen that side of me, so don’t be too quick to judge my sisters.”

Basilio treads carefully, knowing that he might be prying on a sensitive subject. “So, about Villaceran…”

“I’d rather not talk about him. Our relationship is… strained.”

Giving her a sympathetic, understanding look, Basilio nods. “Right. Never mind.”

Another interval of silence passes between them. This time, it’s a little somber.

“So, does this party have a dress code?”

“Yeah. Filipiniana. Wear a barong. It’s one of those pretentious events that attempts to make House of Arko more appealing to the masses or whatever. Manipulative assholes.”

“You can just refuse to go, Sab.”

“I could, but being Trese’s mole among the aswang means I have to attend clan activities to supply more information. That also means attending every single party those Arko fucks throw.”

“You really hate House of Arko, huh?”

Looking towards his direction to meet his gaze, Sabina’s eyes are filled with a sea of emotions. Hatred, indignation, and something Basilio couldn’t quite place.

“Why wouldn’t I? Mama Grande raised boys who can’t take no for an answer. The Arko brothers have no respect for us manananggal. As if we weren’t fetishized enough in Manong Karma’s stupid aswang dating book...”

Sabina clears her throat and calms herself down. Bad blood between aswang clans could mean war. Basilio knows he should take that to the boss. His gears are turning tonight. He asks Sabina questions that could risk her support.

“Is that why you agreed to be an informant? You wanna bring House of Arko down? Then what, your clan will fill the space they’ll leave?”

“What? No, I have no desire for power, not like how Mama Grande or my own mother does anyway. My personal gripes with them aside, the House of Arko wants to ‘unite the aswang under one banner’ with no respect to the other clans’ autonomy and customs.”

“So you wanna protect your clan?”

“That’s one of the reasons, yes. Mama Grande’s been trying to play kumare with mom- I mean Inang Reyna-” This is the second time Sabina slipped and called her mom. She clears her throat and composes herself. “And I need to stop that. Inang Reyna already made the mistake of going against the Accords once. Allying with the House of Arko will ruin us further.”

Basilio leans in closer. “And what are your other reasons?”

Sabina looks at him for a few, quiet seconds, and looks away. “I’ll reveal them-”

“In due time. Yeah, yeah, I can take that as an answer. So, making you sing in that event is a result of them being magkumare?”

A defeated laugh bubbles from Sabina’s chest. “You got it.”

“I’m surprised they didn’t invite sirena to sing.”

Sabina rolls her eyes and tosses the butt of her expended cigarette on the concrete. Basilio took it upon himself to crush the embers under his heel, seeing how her lower half is hidden someplace else.

“Oh please, this is House of Arko we’re talking about, Bas. They believe aswang are superior. Letting them shine would take away the spotlight from the aswang. Mama Grande asked for me from Inang Reyna so they can gloat that even aswang can make better singers than the famed sirena. Ugh, I doubt my singing style even matches the performance they want from me.”

“Oh yeah? What kind of performance are they going for?” he asks her.

“Now that’s another secret. You have to show up to find out,” she hums in response.

Turning away from him, Sabina checks how many sticks are left in the box. Two. She takes one and lights it up.

“Screw it, I’m going cold turkey. I guess this will be my final box. Maybe for tonight. Maybe forever.”

“Then maybe you should stop with the stick you’re smoking and throw the last one away,” Basilio suggests.

“Are you mad? That’s a waste of money!”

“Still counting your blessings even with your mama’s wealth huh?”

“Old habits die hard.”

Sabina blows smoke away from Basilio’s direction. The wind made it waft to his face anyway, and she mumbles a quick apology. He shrugs it off. Not like the adverse effects of secondhand smoke affected him anyway. Hank smoked and was polite enough to turn away too, but Basilio can still smell it. He didn’t mind it. Still, Hank had told him and Crispin that it was a tough habit to break, so he never touched a cigarette.

Not until now.

Basilio takes the box from Sabina and picks up the last stick with his lips. Then, he inches closer to her.

Ironically, in an attempt to help an old friend quit her smoking habit, Basilio engages in it himself.

Little did he know, a new bad habit was forming between him and the little lady before him.

“I’ll make sure it won’t go to waste then. Light me.”

Sabina raises an eyebrow. “Just don’t start at all. Give it back.”

“One smoke isn’t going to get me hooked, princess.”

Brows knitted together, Sabina chastises him. “Take it from me, bad habits start with just one little taste, Bas.”

“One little taste never hurts anyone...”

“One little taste could leave you wanting for more.”

Basilio can feel himself getting hot under the collar. He’d never thought an aswang of all creatures could make him feel all bothered, yet there he was, getting turned on by her choice of words.

“Princess, are we still talking about cigarettes, or something else?”

Hearing his question, Sabina exhales sharply through her nose, cheeks dusted pink. “Maybe both. Whatever. Come here.”

Black fingernails scratched at the sparkwheel. Sparks were flying, but there was no flame. The cigarette remained unlit.

“Well, it looks like fate isn’t letting you smoke, so better just give me the damn cigarette back, Basilio.”

With a sly look, Basilio closes in on her, and presses the end of his cigarette to the embers at the end of hers, linking them together.

To his surprise, Sabina is neither backing away nor babbling defensively like she usually does whenever he gets close. Instead, she presses her chest to his, a challenging look in her half-lidded eyes. She wasn’t wearing her glasses like usual, giving Basilio an unobstructed view of her heated gaze. Was it bloodlust or desire? Either way, it got his blood pumping.

“You’re chattier than usual tonight,” Basilio comments. “Bolder too. I like that.”

In the form she’s in now, Sabina’s eyes glowed an eerie white, and aside from the wings sprouting from her back, little horns sprouted from her scalp, the root concealed by her crown of short, wavy hair. Basilio didn’t pay mind to her dangling guts, instead, his eyes were transfixed on that cute little lace bra again.

Through the layers of cloth between them, he can feel her heart beating. Basilio faintly remembers the taste of human and sigbin hearts.

Now, what does aswang heart taste like?

A dark part of his psyche- perhaps from being Datu Talagbusao’s son- wanted to tear it out of her chest and eat it to find out.

Basilio felt the urge to taste all the battles she fought through her blood, and possess her heart in a way no other person can.

The memory of seeing his father tasting his mother’s blood inserts itself in the present, and the fear of turning into the monster he was is enough for him to shake that thought away.

Basilio tries to focus on something else.

His eyes wander to Sabina’s mouth. He might’ve imagined something else between her dark lips, in place of the cigarette. Something bigger.

Something of his.

Sabina’s been pliable tonight. Perhaps he’ll push his luck with her one last time.

“So, any plans tonight, dear princess?”

“Unless you intend to treat me like one, don’t call me that.”

“I’m done with work, so if you want me to make good on that and make up for my mistake…”

Giggling, Sabina flies a few feet away from him. The black wings on her back are translucent against the pale moonlight. They almost looked like a dark shade of red.

“Go tell your brother about the information I gave you for now, then meet up with me afterwards. I hid my lower half in an alleyway behind that motel,” she tells him, pointing to the building’s direction.

“If you’re lucky, you’ll get to rearrange my guts. Literally and figuratively.” Sabina continues, a naughty smirk blooming on her lips.

Taken aback by the pun, Basilio laughs. “I didn’t think you were capable of dirty jokes.”

“You should know by now that I’m full of secrets and surprises.”

Grinning darkly, Basilio finishes the rest of his cigarette as he watches her fly away.

“And I’ll uncover them all, dear princess.”

Translations:

ulol - crazy; Filipino profanity

gago/gaga - foolish or stupid; Filipino profanity

tangina - contraction of putang ina, lit. whore mother. Used as an expression to express irritation, anger, or astonishment

Inang Reyna - lit. Queen Mother.

mare/kumare - derived from the Spanish word madre/comadre; kumare a reciprocal appellation for the godmother or for the child's mother. In a more modern and colloquial context, it’s used to refer to a female friend. Magkumare means women who are friends with each other.

Filipiniana - Philippine related book and non-book material

barong - also known as Barong Tagalog. An embroidered long-sleeved formal shirt for men and a national dress of the Philippines.

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