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ridingtorohan · 2 months

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How the shifters react to you having a high body temp, knowing that it represents your platonic/romantic attraction to them

Goofy headcanon time!

Each titan shifter can recognize how another shifter feels about them based on their body heat. This includes all attraction: familial, platonic, aesthetic, romantic, so on.

SPOILERS for shifter identities AND events up to Season 4 Special Literally everyone has some spoilers for the anime to some extent. Older shifters like Kruger and KSaver is excluded, but there's 11 listed. It's in order from oldest to youngest.

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ZEKE YEAGER

He feels it for a second, when your knuckles brush against his wounded shoulder, fastening his restraints tighter, making sure he's secure while transporting him out of Marley on the blimp

Blue eyes darting to you, tracing the features on your face, lingering for a second on the titan marks beneath your eyes

Then he focuses on the task at hand, filing that away for later

He has a lot of time to stew on it, the simmering heat under your touch. Low but steady. Lucky for you! You're assigned to his guard detail in the forest with Captain Levi

Shifter to shifter, you're able to relate on a different level than he does to Levi.

Also makes note how you drop to ice cold when the horrors of Shiganshina. Probably realizes that's where you snagged yourself a titan ability.

Listen... if you saw him coming out of the Beast........... you're smoking, iykyk?

Because he's a little shit, he uses it to his advantage. Makes full eye contact with you during conversations, leaning forward. Which makes it interesting when you or Levi nip off his arms to restrain him and you have to give him a drink.

Leans in nice and slow, eyes staring directly into yours, letting you watch him as he takes a long, slow sip. Licks his lips, knowing you're watching him, leans back, eyes lidded. "Thank you, I was terribly thirsty"

Levi kicks his teeth in

Lord have mercy on you for when it's time to bathe

He literally will always use it to his advantage if you let him but will never clue you in unless you already know

Zeke will tease you about this, pressing a cigarette to his lips, his arm or leg brushing yours. "Are you cold? I can help you feel warmer" (Levi is murdering him with his eyes in the background)

Y'know maybe he does warm you up later 😏

Probably starts warming up to you shortly before his jailbreak, though it's hard to tell in what way.

After this point, it's a little too late to do anything else about it.

LARA TYBUR

Bro you hardly even realize that she's a titan at first.

As a titan inheritor, the Marley Gov't requires that you and your fellows play nice with the Tybur family whenever they visit.

She's tepid temperature at first, your thoughts and ideas making you a little colder to the touch.

You brush against each other at some fancy schmancy dinner party. She act very much like an Eldian at the party, silent, refilling your cup and you thank her.

Later, you're just feeling soo awkward with her family, with watching Willy dance around his family, laughing and jesting.

Some of the Warriors keep trying to make guesses as to who the Warhammer is but ultimately you don't figure it out

You try your luck at befriending all of them, painfully aware of Willy's eyes on you every time you talk to his sister

But something about Lara keeps drawing you in. Her quiet demeanour, the sleek attire, her proper figure. Dutiful and classy, voice quiet but confident.

Telling her about books and the latest movie, offering tea and biscuits from your Zone whenever you visit.

She never says anything about your body temperature and honestly you don't touch her often enough to notice a difference

But you do notice that she talks to you a little more, lingers by your side more than she does anyone else

During the attack, you do everything you can to defend her crystal - so painfully, carefully aware of how it burns under your titan's hand

REINER BRAUN

Sorry, he's made to suffer. Nothing in his life is ever easy. Isayama decided that. (And so did I.) (There's a happy ending, I promise.)

Things would be simpler for Reiner if everything went well, if he became a great warrior, if his father noticed him, if he did well on his missions. The first thing that goes wrong is Marcel.

When he meets you for the first time, a memory tickles at his mind. Something familiar in the way your skin touches his. Then he gives you a smile, introducing himself and Bertholdt.

Something about you always drew him in. He'd watch you across the training yard and smile whenever you looked at him. Always glad to help you out, shedding himself of the warrior skin and so much easier into the soldier one.

Sucks as a sparring partner btw. Always checking to make sure he didn't go too hard on you.

At some point you probably made mention of him working up a sweat during the training. His body temp is not much warmer than normal but noticeable. Everyone in the Cadets is his pal but there's something special about you

You, who feels like they've had a bit too much sun, but still comfortable.

With time, it may increase to a warmth that lingers in his bones, reminding him of his mother's teas and fresh bread.

He really likes wrapping his arms around you for this, a big bear who just holds you tight to his chest. Big squish!

Likes to clap his hands to your shoulders from behind, feel your warmth in his hands

If you are this warm, he'll always do a little start when you touch him, caught off guard. With as often as he's thought about you, he'll become a bit flustered at times - he begins to entertain a crush and/or getting to know you better.

However, a part of Reiner always remains..... apprehensive

Lays awake at night wondering about you, your tale of being orphaned, family long dead. Something not quite settling

This is what stops him from actually getting close-close to you

At Utgard Castle, it's obvious why something niggled inside him at the sight of you. Because one day, when his dreams were shattered by a boy, a titan lunged out of the ground. That's how you inherited the Jaw

It explains everything, in the end. He may not have recognized that you were a fellow shifter but he did recognize the body heat

You, unfortunately, are either kidnapped or agree to go along with Reiner and Bertholdt in the forest.

You are, either, an unfortunate soul cast out of Marley or a former warrior candidate who was cast out alongside your family thanks to Zeke's efforts years prior. If the latter, Reiner does mention it to Zeke in hopes of him sparing you because, technically, you are on "their" side. It's not a positive outlook either way.

Knowing your fate in Marley, Reiner spends time with you. Painfully aware of how broken his betrayal meant to you (if you're colder) or how you still believe in him (if you remain the same/increase)

Above all else, Reiner considers you a friend and he's so sorry.

If, by sheer chance, he leaves you unsupervised or your chains a little loose to "let your blood circulate" and you accidentally escape, he won't be upset.

And if, he saw you, years later, doing recon work in Marley.. and your eyes caught, he would make the conscious choice to turn away.

Marcel may have been his first mistake but he doesn't regret these two.

Very awkward when you join forces with him to take down Eren.

Reiner remembers the last time he saw you, what your touch felt like.

But the thing about Reiner isn't that his soldier personality was a persona - it's still him. He still cares for you. At this point you know what the touch means, can't blame it on the campfires. You may or may not have trusted him before but you trust him now.

Your hand slides in his, reminiscent of your first meeting, letting him know. "I trust you, Reiner. We'll work with you"

He'll still be withdrawn from the Paradis group but ... his feelings about you never really stopped. Time, distance and circumstance may have changed it, but never stopping it.

He thinks of your touch, even now, even during the final fight.

And, when everything is said and done, when the titan blood doesn't linger in either of your veins, Reiner knows how you feel by the look in your eyes.

BERTHOLDT HOOVER

Whatever you do, do NOT think about Bertholdt touching a non-Marleyan shifter after he escapes beyond the walls. Do NOT think about your touch burning under his, with Bert pleading for Zeke's mercy. Because despite everything, you still thought so highly of him.

Real talk: THIS GUY IS THE REASON YOU BECAME A TITAN SHIFTER

Unfortunately, despite being a fellow warrior candidate, you weren't chosen. Your score was a smidge below what they were looking for.

Bert was one the first to shift. In the practice field where this is done, he, unfortunately, steamed the heck out of you. Bad enough that it was a matter of getting medical attention asap. Fortunately, thanks to your score, the generals decided that you would be swapped out with one of the candidates and inherit a titan!

This is Bertholdt's first memory as a titan, by the way. :) He feels beyond terrible for what happened.

But having grown up together, helped each other through the trials and training... you two wind up being friends. Decently close, because he winds up telling you about his family, what he's doing for his father.

Bert looks up to you a lot. Always staying by your bedside when you got injured, kept a Band-Aid in his pocket for whenever you tripped during the training. (Or if he does. As gangly-limbed as that boy was, that happened often too.)

He knows but also doesn't about the significance of the warmer touches. It was probably one of those tidbits that was filed away for later and then forgotten. It doesn't matter when you're in bed injured and recovering from the heat damage he literally inflicted on you.

Super caring. Always having to talk both of you out of trouble when you wind up in it. But Bertholdt finds himself admiring that anyway, how different you are to him. (He's actually so thankful that you're a warrior with him, even if this was the worst way for it to happen.)

The other warriors clue in that you two are close but don't really comment on it. "Good for them" stance.

Bertholdt likes sitting next to you! Thighs brushing, his leg touching yours. Just small intimate moments that mean the world to him.

Then Marcel gets attacked and all Bertholdt can think about is 'thank god it wasn't you'. He'll stay wide awake watching you sleep at night, only nodding off when/if you let him sleep beside you, his palm on yours.

During training, Bertholdt finds a lot of comfort by sleeping next to you. Even if he ends up sprawled all over your body.

Thing is, Bertholdt doesn't really quite piece together the heat thing. Just knows that you're his, in some shape or form, that you're what's making this mission bearable. He doesn't miss Marley, he just misses you whenever you're not around.

Gets fidgety if you elect to join a different faction from him. But he understands. (But when you walk past him during the scouts enlistment, his hand catches yours for just a moment. Just for this. Because no matter what you mean to him, he wants you to stay.)

Fake dating trope because how else are you supposed to inform Bertholdt about the information you gathered while in the interior?

Everybody believes the ruse lmao

And, the thing with him is, there always feels like there's going to be more time. Sitting at tables, talking about your days. Reminiscing about Marley and campfires.. it's easy to think that you'll get those days back. That it's just another year, another season, another "one more time" before you get to go home.

For Bert, his feelings are... kind of a catch-all. Could be inferred as romantic or platonic. All he knows is that you're the most important person to him. He's just so glad that he gets to spend your thirteen years together.

And, when the mission goes wrong, when the attempts to kidnap Eren go awry and he has to pull your battered body from your titan, Bertholdt is right by your side, as he always is. There's always going to be another attempt, another chance. (Until there isn't.)

Bertholdt feels like home, his hand warm in yours. (He wants to keep coming back to you.)

Maybe those three simple words are whispered, right before it all goes to shit and you're captured/immobilized and Bertholdt grows desperate to get you back. Maybe you two never say them at all. But when it's just you two, the moments feel like they last forever.

(But you do. You know you have to talk about what this means for both of you, even if it meant defining your friendship in a different way. And he'll stutter and stumble over his words but listen intently, knowing that nothing is worth the cost of losing you. And he's secretly so relieved that you feel the same way, no matter what form your affection takes shape as.)

Bertholdt will cherish your friendship for as long as he lives.

PIECK FINGER

Whoo! Titan! Bes - ties!

Warrior trainees together, it totally sucked when you were passed over and Pieck inherited without you. She's pretty chill about everything, walking down the street with you while holding hands, throwing her arms around you constantly. Letting you ride atop her titan's back while she runs around the airfield.

Consider your relationship with her a mix of her squad and Porco

Legit you both are close before you even get a chance to inherit your titan, which you do! Eventually!

She's honestly not that great at explaining how titan shifting works or how to "focus" and "control" it but she'll help you get your bearings by walking around with you in titan form

Her body heat is like a heated blanket, warm and comfortable, ooey gooey melting cookie in your mouth kind of warm.

If you're ever on a long trek together, it's easy to doze off next to her, backs pressed together or her head in your lap.

Honestly she probably doesn't even think to mention how you feel to her, or acknowledge what it means. Pieck is happy with everything you are, how it feels with you.

actually tbh might comment about it everytime she springs a hug on you

"Incoming hug! Ahh... this is nice. you're so warm😊"

Your warmth is so comfortable to her. She's often nuzzling against you.

Honestly you guys would be borderline romantic, even if one/neither of you felt that way. It's just how you two are.

If you do cheek kisses, she'd be all up for that.

If you're romantically attracted to her, it'd be a seamless transition. Like you could invite her somewhere and mention it's a date and she'd just go "oh yay :)".

Otherwise at some point someone comments about how you two are always together on outings (calling them 'dates') and Pieck just goes "yes. :)" then later when it's just you two, "it really does feel like a date sometimes, doesn't it?"

Definitely respects it if you're not interested in her that way + just think of her as a sister or best friend. She won't change how she interacts with you at all (unless you mention that it makes you uncomfortable)

ANNIE LEONHARDT

A year (or a few) older than her, your family has warrior heritage; it’s a point of prestige and honour for you, moreso than for normal candidates. You have an expectation and responsibility to your ancestors to follow through. Of course you’d get a titan. Especially the one your family has meticulously trained for again and again; it’s not so much about the high esteem but keeping it in the family. Inheriting their memories. (For giggles, imagine it’s the attack or female titan.)

By the time Annie and the other warriors are partway through their training, you’ve all but confirmed your spot. It’s just a matter of establishing which one you’ll get.

You’re not exactly friends with Annie initially, especially with her aloof nature. But she’s companionable, sitting quietly if you ever approach her. Everything about her at the start is like that - withdrawn, solemn. Just as focused on her duty as you are. Either you find companionship over this fact or in spite of it - finding life worth living outside of being a candidate.

When you’re recovering from your inheritance, Annie is the one to tend to you. While you don’t remember a lot of it, amnesia getting the better of you, you’re almost certain that she was holding you.

Annie often watches as you continue your training, especially as a titan. She’ll gladly train in titan hand to hand combat with you once she inherits the female titan.

All the shifters are given books to learn about how to best utilize their titans. As they’re leafed through, it’ll mention the odd quirk of the shifters. Pieck is the most excited for this, followed by Reiner. It becomes a point of conversation, where everyone compares their temperatures - though Annie is quite reserved about the whole ordeal. She takes pity on Bertholdt who feels hot to her touch, though she does throw him under the ringer. You, though? She says not much at all, calling it quits at that point (if she hasn’t already).

She doesn't make a big deal of it at all, merely treating you like another candidate. One that she gets along with better than anyone else, at any rate.

In the group, you're dubbed "Annie's best friend". If Annie ever hears of this, you never know.

When it's time to leave for the wall, her knuckles brush against yours. The only indication that she's restless and has any qualms about what they're doing.

But as children honed for war, sometimes rivalries are hard to beat. Especially when the first tragedy strikes your group and Reiner takes the lead, leading you to wall. To mayhem. Murder is a different burden to bear, one that sits funny in your throat.

She sits with you at the refugee camps. While you've never seen her grab extra portions of food, she always seems to have some for you. She takes care of you (and you remember your first shift, how she had been the one to hold you).

Joining the Police is the only sane decision, the inner network so much like Marley. So much like home. You're relieved when Annie goes with you, even though you think it was for duty. (You never know if it was.)

Hitch gets added to the short list of Annie's friends. But nobody replaces you, nobody knows her as well as you do. You know each other's mood, the subtle raise of her brow or scrunch of her nose.

She takes her duty seriously - but she takes you seriously too.

You're the only comfort from home she has.

In the forest after she's hacked up by Levi, you're the one to grab her. To take her back, tending to her as she's cared for you so many times.

Unfortunately your close bond makes it easier to seek you out as a titan. Easier to goad you into advancing attacks, to defending her honour from horrors Armin promises she's enduring.

For you, Annie felt like home more than Marley ever had. Siblings, best friends, lovers. Whatever you felt for her, it was strong.

If you get a chance to see her chrystalized, you touch it desperately, trying to feel a sense of life inside. And you feel it, an echoing thrum beneath your hand.

She mentions it, later, when you two are alone on the ship. "I don't remember what you said, but I felt you." (She always has.)

And when you both go to fight Eren, fighting for something you want so desperately to keep now, you feel her knuckles brush against yours like they did so long ago. When you two were sworn to duty, marching to the walls. This time, you take her hand and never let go.

If you both survive this, she'll show you exactly how much you mean to her.

YMIR

100000% figured out you were a titan shifter because of this.

Her memories of the castle are hazy at best; initially she only remembers the heat and fog, the truth of Christa's real name.

While she knows quite a bit about her titan and its abilities, she doesn't know anything useful. The body heat memories? She knows it. Knows how her previous shifter learned about it, knows how he felt about his comrades.

She's hardly had reason to touch you before this, but like she figured out Reiner in the castle (they touched briefly) she also knows who you are. Knows the truth of your Marleyan roots.

Like Annie, you had been more distant from the group and more independent - you weren't as easily found out compared to them. At that point, it was only Ymir who really knew. Go, you. Clap yourself on the back for a job well done.

As well as you'd hide your identity, unfortunately the capture must take precedence. With Annie compromised, Reiner and Bertholdt outed, you have no choice but to pick up their slack.

Eren is fucking pissed that you're a titan and regardless of your involvement with the walls breaking, often voices his displeasure towards you loudly.

Ymir saw it coming so she takes it in stride and is dismissive towards you. You two really don't get a chance to speak, not until she's back in Marley and that's all that's left for her. Stone walls and iron bars, her complacency and feeling like a debt is owed is what keeps her there.

You sit with her most days, where she eventually opens up about the cadets. That's not to say you're best friends, but she's not dense enough not to take advantage of how you feel about her.

Listen, if you're not a woman, you stand no chance. If you are, she might confess her feelings towards Christa, how Christa helped her change as a person, how she felt like she could be herself.

How she could be herself around you, too.

While Ymir was never as buddy-buddy with you as she had been Christa, she had often roped you into being indebted to her, owing her favours one way or another.

She's back to her usual tirade even while imprisoned, using those unreturned favours to charter better meals or pen and papers. Most days you watch her write, rewrite, try to figure out what she wants to pen to Christa. Ultimately she writes her final draft with Reiner and leaves it in his possession.

Ymir is never quite hostile towards you, not when she learns of your service to your country, to the threat you thought Paradis posed. To the family and people you swore to protect. She understood it. Perhaps better than anyone bar Marcel.

You get a chance to touch her sometimes, changing the irons or giving her new clothes or meals.

There was a time when you were closer, as cadets. When she'd sling an arm over your shoulder, teasing about something or other. That's what it mostly was, her goading you into some tasks for her or taking the fall for things.

Back then, she used how you felt about her against you.

Unfortunately, facing death, she's mellow and more withdrawn. You don't learn much of anything during this time, not verbally anyway. But you learn about what kind of person she was, what role she had before.

And she asks for you to be there when she's eaten. Not directly, but something Reiner tells you later. When he's telling you that you've spoken more to her than she has, that she had tolerated your presence better, that you were the only Marleyan that she looked forward to seeing.

And when you go through her cell later, rifling through what meagre possessions she had, you find a letter addressed to you, hidden beneath leaflets of messy unfinished letters. Thanking you for not treating her as a monster, for not using Christa against her like Bertholdt had. That if she had a choice, she'd want you to inherit the jaw solely for your friendship with your fellow cadets and Christa.

She writes of other things too, little things she noticed about you, tips on how to get better at hiding or hitting. Advice on to living for yourself and not under the charade of the Marleyan government.

There's scrawled out ink, too, of things that she crossed out. She writes in that familiar, knowledgeable but closed off way that she does. In those sentences, under candle light, you can make out her thoughts on the heat exchange, moments from your cadet days. Once, what she would've done if you both had stayed on Paradis. Even a list of favours that she wanted to bank on, teasing remarks written in margins of paper and belittling comments that felt only praising coming from her.

Strange, how you only know her better in death, where you can no longer speak to her and hear the words left unsaid.

PORCO GALLIARD

the biggest baddest boldest guy who will LATCH ONTO YOU SO FAST MAN. I'm half joking

But he zeroes in the second your temperature spikes whenever you touch him. Turns his head towards you, gesture a little quick, eyes watching you, half-lidded. Aware, aware, aware of what this means

He's always always watching you after this, smirking softly to himself, just nodding along

You're so lucky he feels the same way because otherwise he'd just wrinkle his nose and turn his head away, "ew, you're hot" like the turd he is /affectionate.

Once he notices, Porco will always be hovering over you, in your personal space, raising his eyebrows and smirking when you turn around and bump into him. Gtfo Porco. Always casual about leaning against you, your arms brushing.

Porco doesn't really do cuddling but he'll be annoying about this, lightly touching. all. the. time.

Porco knows what it means. And if you don't say anything about it, he will. Just casually drops the fact about shifter body heat before shoving his hands and walking off casually. Leaving you guessing about his intentions.

Eventually it culminates in frustration because this smug mf won't tell you JACK.

Honestly you're going to have to confront him about this at some point unless one of the others point out the weird dance you two are doing.

(If you get frustrated with him enough that it affects your temp towards him, he'll knock it back so fast. Rubber banding it like a pro. He may be a dick but once it's clear he's making you uncomfortable he'll back off.)

Raises his eyebrows, leaning back. "You know what it means, don't you?" All smug. Leading into him talking about his own temperature, "Well, what do you think it means?" Literally makes you guess about how he feels about you. If you guess romantic, he'll lean his arm up against the wall, getting close to your face, eyes half-lidded. "Yeah."

Free boyfriend.

If you don't do teasing, he'll be more upfront. “You know what it means.” He's reciprocal so even if he didn’t romantically like you if you guess boyfriend, he’ll be like “yeah”.

Again, free boyfriend.

If you're strictly platonic, he'll do a little sigh, expression smoothing and go, “You're my best friend, dumbass.”

Free best friend.

Will become the bitchiest bitch to ever bitch if your temperature ever lowers.

Possessive possessive possessive. Competitive af. “Well, the other shifters don't feel hotter than I do, do they?" Glowers and sulks if anyone teases that your touch feels scorching hot to them.

Other than these instances, he actually NEVER mentions your temp or asks how you feel when he touches you. Would listen intently if you ever decide to describe in detail what his body temp feels to you.

Gets super smug if you mention it in front of the others.

EREN YEAGER

Sorry, there's no happy way this can end at all. :(

Eren straight up does not know about the heat thing until he inherits the attack titan's full memories.

But he's always kind of ... known in a way too. Every time your hands slap together or you pull each other out of danger, he feels it. The warmth lingering under your skin.

Grisha learned it during his studies with Zeke and Eren inherited that memory. Eren remembers then forgets in that same instant when he inherits his titan as a kid. So he knows, by pure instinct, that it's good. It feels right

He emotionally warms up to you more because of this.

Does not get touchy feely over this, although his hands often linger a little longer on you

There's two paths here. One where you're a Marleyan warrior and one where you inherit it after (jaw or in Shiganshina).

As a warrior, your betrayals burns worse than anything else. He's always suspected Reiner because of his cold+hot flashes but you? You who always burned like a star under his fingertips, who sent a wave of comfort through him?

It stings like nothing else has ever before.

It stings when he's in Marley, bandage to his face and leg, watching the people walk past.

He either waits for you purposefully or has Falco grab you a day/hours before the Marley exhibit. (Conveniently, this would be when Reiner is busy and he has an excuse to talk to Reiner later)

Or you come along with Reiner

It's such a small moment, in the end. His palm meeting yours, or your shoulders touching when you pass him by.

But it's a supernova, lit under his touch. And it settles the idea inside him that Marley and Paradis are the same, that there are people he cares for both in and outside the walls.

As a non-Marleyan, in the end, it doesn't change anything. He's still Eren and you're still you. Despite everything.

He's like a comet when he touches you later, after the rescue from Marley. Even when his knuckles are bruised from Armin's bones, when there's a fire in his eyes and death on his lips

But he's still Eren and you're still you.

And there's never enough time

(There's a memory that you only get later, after Everything. Where you sit together, toes on the beach, shoulder to shoulder. Where his skin is warmer than the sands. Where he tells you in what way he thinks about you. Where he asks you about yours and you answer. And you will remember this with a heat in your throat knowing that you'll never feel his touch again)

ARMIN ARLERT

I'm absolutely losing it just thinking about going to a sauna with Armin and after he finds out about the body heat thing he accidentally exclaims, "wait why'd you gET COLDER?" (if you do it's def because you went through the mental gymnastics of respecting his body and not getting thorsty)

He honestly didn't even realize there's a difference between normal people vs shifters because he actually hasn't touched the Warriors trio a lot prior to his shifting (so he has no baseline to compare it to). And Eren always ran hot

He really only clues in when he notices that your body temperate is a lot higher than normal and he freaks out a little, thinking you have a fever. Except everyone else assures him that no, you feel perfectly fine to them, what are you on about Armin??

Hange knows jack all about it; it's not a normal titan feature. Armin eventually has to ask Eren, Zeke or Annie about it directly

Gets flustered and comforted by the realization that you care so deeply for him. If you run crazy hot then it'll be like making him face his fear of fire (rip Armin)

If you don't know what the body temp means, he'll be all too glad to inform you! He won't ask you what temperature you feel his touches at BUT would be all too willing to test what influences the increase/decrease!

Turns super red if the experiments get a little too handsy and you both feel each other's temperatures spike

He's actually super touchy feely! Always reaching for you, giving you lingering hugs or brushing at your clothes/hair. He'll take your hand when its just you two, thumb stroking over the skin, basking in your warmth.

Will cuddle if you let him/ask him. Absolutely adores it. Always happy to indulge

If you're crushing on him, this is the thing that tips Armin off! He's so studious and acutely aware of each minute change so he notices when you get a little warmer, esp if you're reacting to him grabbing your arm or brushing something from your cheek

Probably noticed how you act around him too

If you're not crushing on him the it's just an awkward fiasco BECAUSE:

He confronts you about this. You're both just sitting down somewhere, him across from you, knees drawn up as you're talking or enjoying the silence. Eyes downcast as he brings up, "Do you have... feelings for me?" Voice soft, skin even hotter than his tomato red face. He takes your hands in his and looks up at you earnestly, "this is how I feel about you", letting you feel his emotions

In the case that Armin thinks of you strongly as a friend/ally only, he'll let you down gently. By directly referencing his newfound knowledge. Purposefully going "It's interesting that we can tell so much about the other person when you touch them like this" and he grabs your hand, looking right up into your eyes, smiling gently, "Like this. See? You'll always be my best friend" Emphasis on 'always' and 'best friend'. #friendzoned #ripyou

FALCO GRICE

Sunshine baby, baby boy, my literal son in another universe

He's always holding your hand. You're so cool! A warrior who trained with Reiner, he looks up to you immensely, although your term being close to being up stresses him TF out about Gabi

Listen, you're stuck with little brother Falco who always follows you around, tugging on your sleeve or running off on errands for you. Give him the time of day and you'll have a new dog. I mean child

If you're close to Reiner at all he'll latch on even harder. You're both his parental figures, although he gets so flustered if anyone mentions it.

He's deadset on inheriting the Armour but if you have the choice of who you can give yours to and you pick him, he's gonna cry.

He doesn't remember a lot about his first shift or the events surrounding it, except the smell of burnt flesh and fire in his arms. If you touch him at all when he immediately comes out of his titan, he'll dissolve into hysterics, crying without knowing why, because your touch reminds him immediately of the memory he's almost forgetting

Fortunately, he does forget

When you finally get to touch him after the amnesia period is over, Falco absolutely melts in your arms. Also immediately cries. Because he does know what this means, has studied this in his books, knows it from Porco's memories. Sobs and wails in your arms, feeling so secure and loved. Because you love him and you care for him. After everything he's been through, he needs this

Hugs you so, so tight every chance he gets, getting red-faced whenever Gabi teases him. Hovers by your side a lot, knowing everything will keep being okay so long as he can feel your warmth.

Always touching you, probably gets a little anxious when you leave him alone but eventually comes around.

For the kiddos out there who are crushing on my son, I raise a counter scenario. Just for you. You're now my child-in-law

Training together!! Yay!!

Your grades will vary, though you're definitely behind Gabi on the roster. Sorry, I do make the rules.

Falco excitedly told you about body heat when he read about it in a book!! You two excitedly try to figure out how you'd feel to each other.

Unfortunately, this is about the time he gets a crush on you. So Falco gets so flustered the next time you mention it to him and he ends up blurting that he hopes he never finds out what temperature you'd feel like to him.

Wants to protect you forever and ever, taking a similar route that he does with Gabi in canon.

You became shifters together! Terrible news!

Except when you're both pulled from the napes of your titans. When you have to ride with Connie, forgetting everything except the press of his hand in yours.

Falco may not remember the meaning behind the warmth but knows that it's good, that he can trust you.

Once his memories come back, avoids you to high heavens because he is so acutely aware of the flipside of this scenario. That you can feel how hot he burns because of his crush. He doesn't even think about what your hot touch means for him

You have to chase him down.

Keeps making excuses until you almost fight him trying to get him to settle.

He's definitely heartbroken if you tell him you only see him as a brother/best friend. Probably gets teary eyed and red-faced but accepts it before running off. He'll stop avoiding you after this.

Gets so red if you tell him you romantically like him too.

After the confession or when he's calmed down from the rejection, he comes back around. He's pretty constant at your side and will hold your hand if you let him, reassured by your warmth.

No matter what happens, at least you have each other.

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jeankirsteinsgrlfrnd · 1 month

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Hi! Thanks for your headcanons, I really love them! How do you think Attack on Titan characters sneeze? I once thought Levi must sneeze like a little kitten, and now I can't get that thought out of my head.

a/n: this is an odd request but thanks anyway. not to kinkshame lol but i hope this isn’t meant in a kinky way bc literally the other day i went down a whole rabbit hole when i learned that there is a whole community abt this

eren jaeger has a dramatic wind up to his sneeze. you can see it in his face like thirty seconds before he actually does it.

mikasa ackerman doesn’t sneeze. nobody’s ever seen her do it.

armin arlert sneezes into his elbow like the king he is. he’s not a super germaphobe but he takes his & others health serious.

connie springer totally free sneezes. it’s the type of sneeze that dads usually do. loud & startling & out of control.

jean kirstein does it pretty normally. also always uses his elbow.

sasha braus has long ones. like eren, she has a dramatic windup but the sneeze itself is pretty quiet. lot of build up for nothing.

ymir always holds hers in so they come out completely silent.

historia reiss sneezes like a kitten or like a grown man. there’s no in between.

erwin smith always says “excuse me” after he does. he is also a victim of the dad sneeze.

levi ackerman uses a handkerchief to catch it. it’s pretty quiet.

hange zoe always tries to fight them off and continues talking but you can tell how hard they’re trying to not do it. eyes watering the whole time.

annie leonhardt also has never been caught sneezing.

pieck finger is a kitten sneezer.

porco galliard literally says the word “achoo!” when he does it.

zeke jaeger is yet another victim of the dad sneeze. he also always does it three times in a row.

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robosuta · 6 months

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We all know zeke can't stand the heat but he also stops functioning at anything below 15 degrees

jikupiku week day 1: snowfall

#jikupiku #jikupikuweek2023 #zeke yeager #zeke jaeger #pieck finger #zeke x pieck #my art

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hangeslefteye · 1 year

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Comment why xD

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kkkkkkeramic · 2 months

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"you look lonely"

#aot #attack on titan #jikupiku #zeke yeager #zeke jaeger #pieck finger #zeke yeager x pieck finger

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tender-hearteddd · 2 years

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thinking abt bertholdt and reiner having to teach monkey ass zeke how to use the ODM gear………..

#they are so funny sometimes #zeke jaeger #monkey #bertholdt hoover #reiner braun #it’s so funny to think abt zeke bert and reiner as a trio 😭#attack on titan #annie leonhart #aot spoilers #aot fanfiction #aot anime #aot fandom #zeke x reader #pieck finger #OMG and piecks reaction seeing how tall bert and reiner are 😭#I love the warriors #warriors>>>>

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roseofdarknessblog · 11 months

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Enemies to Enemies (Colt Grice x Reader + the Warriors)

I was battling a pretty bad writer's block once again... why do they happen so often lately? But anyways, I managed to come up with something. So here, enjoy some silly moments with our lovely Warriors.

♡ @chaotic-on-main ♡

„Are you sure this is a good idea?“ Colt asked, handing you a bottle of vine, while you were adjusting the roses in the wase for like the millionth time. Every detail had to be perfect. Otherwise, all of this would simply go to waste. „I think you’ll just make the whole thing worse.“

„Oh, please. What could be worse than their constant bickering? I’m getting tired of them both, but mostly Galliard.“

„Want me to remind you something?“ he teased you.

You furrowed your brows. „No, don’t! Otherwise, I’ll tell Zeke about how you lost his favorite baseball bat,“ you threatened the blond boy, adjusting the nicely polished cutlery before taking a step back to look at the table as a whole.

Everything looked even more perfect than you previously envisioned. Yes, it was a dumb idea and a complete waste of money and time, but... hey, miracles sometimes do happen, right?

„I didn’t lose it,“ Colt mumbled under his breath, averting his gaze.

„Then where is it?“ Zeke’s missing baseball bat was all the smoke between the Warriors for the last couple of days. Everyone knew about it. Well, except for Zeke.

„In the sewer.“

For a second you thought you hear him wrong. „Excuse me... what?“

„I have nothing to do with it!“ he exclaimed immediately, while his cheeks started to get a little red. „Ask Gabi and Falco. I’m sure they’ll be more than excited to tell you. At least Gabi, Falco is scared to even look at Zeke since then.“

„That’s why he’s avoiding him, now it makes sense. Or... no, it doesn’t but who cares?“ You waved your hand at him, hugged his right arm, and dragged him to stand next to you. „So, what do you think? Do we need anything else?“

The little round table in your family’s garden looked perfect. A white tablecloth, two lit candles, vine glasses and vine, plates, cutlery, and even some pink and purple confetti you had left from the time you were in charge of organizing a birthday party for Zofia earlier that year. If somebody looked at this arrangement, a romantic dinner would be the first thing to come to their mind.

But surely not a dinner for two people who couldn’t stand each other. Or at least one of them had to constantly bully the other one.

„I still think it’s a stupid idea and I really don’t know why I’m even helping you.“

„Because you love me,“ you said and kissed his cheek.

The very special „romantic“ dinner the two of you planned, was meant for Porco and Reiner. It was you, who came up with the idea, because getting shot at the nearest battlefield started to sound more appealing than listening to their constant stupid fights and taunts. While Reiner was the one, who held back most of the time and never started a fight first, Porco looked for an opportunity every chance he got. Yes, he had his reasons, you understood that, but if nobody did anything, those two would end up arguing right during your next military operation.

Good thing neither of their Titans could talk.

„Now... did you tell them to be here at seven?“ you asked, leaning your head against his shoulder.

„Yep.“

„Okay, so I guess we’ll just wait for them.“

Colt nodded, looking at you skeptically. He had every right to worry about how this evening would play out. But he surely didn’t think about Zofia and Udo rushing over and hurry both of you over to his house, because Falco and Gabi got stuck down in the sewer while they were trying to retrieve Zeke’s baseball bat.

At first, you wanted to stay at your place and wait for Reiner and Porco, but when you saw the panic on Colt’s face, you joined them.

When you arrived at the place, the guards from the Internment zone gate, who the kids befriended fairly easily, were already there, laughing their asses off, while Gabi was screaming at them angrily from down below. The two of them got stuck there after half of the old rusty ladder, they used to climb down, simply fell off and the remaining part was too high for them to reach.

„Are you sure you got it?“ you asked Colt, while he was throwing them a rope and was about to climb down to grab that stupid bat from Gabi, before helping them both up.

He mumbled something about not needing you to watch his every step, while he simultaneously cursed his little brother and Reiner’s cousin. Maybe that’s why he almost fell down as well when another step from the ladder broke off. All in all, it took you almost half an hour, until the incident was over.

Only then you realized, that your little rescue mission became an interesting comedy for some of the Eldian people passing by or looking out the windows of their homes. The only one, who was happy about it, was Gabi. She grabbed the baseball bat again, hoisted it into the air, and then bowed for everyone as if she just finished a theatre performance.

She and Falco smelled more than horribly but were still in a better condition than Zeke’s bat. Returning it to him in this condition would equal a war crime.

„I still want to hear how that bat got down to the sewer, alright?“ you asked Gabi, while all of you made your way back to your house. They both needed a shower and a set of fresh clothes Zofia and Udo agreed to borrow them. It was better than letting them go home in such a horrible state. This way the parents didn’t need to know anything. „I’m sure it’s a very interesting story.“

„Definitely!“ she shouted in excitement and started walking backward, just to look right at you, while she started talking again. However, she was cut short, when you arrived at your house. Going around, you peeked over the fence into the garden, almost forgetting how to breathe for a second.

„Look!“ you said to Colt excitedly and smiled so wide, your cheeks started hurting.

Right there, at the table, you so nicely set up sat Reiner and Porco. They were talking about something, while their vine glasses were half empty. If you didn’t know better, you would say this was truly a typical romantic dinner.

„I knew it! I knew it would work and you didn’t believe me!“ you teased Colt, jumping a little with joy. Only that your joy was short-lived, when you looked over at the boys again, as you heard a quiet sob and a roar of laughter right afterward.

„Ehm... are you sure they’re having the time of their life?“ Colt asked, trying to suppress a smile. Right next to him, the Warrior candidates were complaining that the fence was too high and they didn’t see anything. „Because I think Reiner...“

Only when you looked really closely, you saw the truth. While Porco was grinning and drinking the vine with a very satisfied look, Reiner was shaking his head and wiping away tears, while probably contemplating every single decision of his life, which lead him there.

And no, it really didn't help when he noticed you and Colt peering from behind the fence with apologetic looks on your faces. Embarrassed and probably red even behind your ears, you waved at him.

„Do you think serving the food we prepared for them would help?“ you asked Colt in a hushed voice, still waving at Reiner and now Porco as well.

„About that... I guess I forgot to turn the oven on when you told me. Otherwise, your house would be already a pile of ash, since we rushed off without thinking about anything else.“

„Oh...“

There really didn’t seem to be a way to save the whole night. Definitely not, when you suddenly heard Zeke’s voice from behind you. While he was walking up the street to your house with Pieck by his side, and already shouting something to both you and Colt, Zofia quickly pushed Gabi and Falco into the nearby bushes, hiding the baseball bat there as well.

It was better not to try your luck anymore.

#cringelord69 #23cringefest #colt grice x reader #colt grice #reiner braun #porco galliard #gabi braun #falco grice #zeke jaeger #pieck finger #shingeki no kyojin #attack on titan

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mariusofthesea · 9 months

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@porgatine sent me the most unhinged bitmoji the other day, and I turned it into Zeke and Pieck

No lie I love the sketch so much I think I’m going to do this digitally in full 💛

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autumesx · 1 year

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smoke break

#zeke jaeger #pieck finger #jikupiku #zeke yeager #attack on titan #zeke x pieck #my art #aot #aot fanart

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kissagii · 2 years

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Hi. How is your day/night? Am I not disturbinng you?

If not, then may I request headcanons about Porco Galliard, Pieck Finger and Zeke Yeager (separeatly) (if you do obly one character then may it be Pieck?) being almost k!lled by one of soldiers from Paradis and then comes Male! Reader who is also Survey Corps member and rescues them (Pieck, Porco and Zeke) by k!lling attacker. Lets just say it was some random, beacuse AOT has too much good characters arleady dead *sobs*. He done it beacuse he had enough of this place and eanted to have normal life outside the Walls. And so he joins them and Reader returns with them to Liberio.

Feel free to do it anytime you want. I don't want to make feel you uncomfortable.

Also sorry if I'm interupting you. Have great day/night.

~🏐Anon

hi! love this idea, it's really unique. sorry for taking so long to get to this, hope you like it! a

𝕤𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕡𝕖𝕚𝕔𝕜 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕫𝕖𝕜𝕖 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕒𝕔𝕜

warnings: season 4 spoilers, mild language, death, violence, knives

she/her, she/they, fem readers dni

peick was never good in close-quarters fights

her titan shifting powers were her biggest strength and she knew it

so when a jeagerist had cornered her in a small room she was almost helpless

she fought him off for a while, but it was clear she wouldn't win

and that's when you come in

she's on the ground, struggling to heal her wounds as the jeagerist attempts to question her

as a survey corps soldier, you were never the biggest fan of the marleyans, but you hated eren and his henchmen even more

and hell if you were about to let one kill a valuable asset

you caught the random man off guard, so the fight was short

a blow to the head with the butt of your knife had him out cold

only then did you turn to make sure peick was okay. even though she could heal herself, it was more out of habit than of concern

she thanked you profusely for saving her, a sort of kindness you though the marleyans could never show

after all, they were the enemy. they had destroyed everything you ever had.

but something about her genuine smile was making you rethink

an ambush was just about the last thing you had expected

after all, zeke was brought to the middle of nowhere to keep him away from the inevitable wrath of paradis' citizens

you were on watch when the ambush began, one of the few scouts stationed at the remote house

it was the sudden cries from his room that clued you in

the attacker had cornered him in his sleep, unable to use his powers and unable to fight back

when you entered the room, zeke had a knife to his throat

you hated to be violent, but you had a duty to protect zeke. his titan powers were too important to risk losing.

so you charged the attacker boldly, pulling out one of your many concealed weapons

he fought back with passion but a clear lack of skill

you bested him quickly with a few strategically placed blows

zeke softly murmured his thanks

and you eyed him carefully

"it's only because of my duty," you responded harshly

little did he know, there was more emotion behind it than simply your duty

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jujutsubaby · 5 months

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chemical reactions (part 3)

☆ pairing: zeke jaeger x pieck finger ☆ summary: when pieck traveled to faraway trost for a prestigious research position, she expected to feel lonely. what she last expected was to find a bit of home in her supervisor. ☆ warnings: chronic illness and parental death discussed ☆ tags: modern AU, academia AU, slow-burn, hurt/comfort, friends to lovers ☆ a/n: another slower setup chapter, but we get to see more of pieck and her dad's relationship (and more of that sweet sweet angst) in this one. side note, i can't believe isayama just straight up named her dad "finger"? lol. i'm gonna hc his name as "pieter" in this since i think it'd be cute for it to kinda match pieck :3 masterlist

After her meeting with Zeke, Pieck had just enough time to return to her apartment, get her suitcase, and head to the airport for her afternoon flight back to Marley. She was excited to see her father and friends — Pieck had not realized it, but these few months had been the longest she had been away from Liberio. For all its flaws, it still was her home.

Pieck could not imagine someone like Zeke, who had been so far from home for over a decade. She was usually able to tell if people were from Marley, but it had been difficult for her to tell with Zeke. She supposed that living in Paradis for so long had estranged him from Liberio. Would the same happen to her eventually?

After boarding the airplane and hauling her suitcase into the overhead bin, Pieck settled into her seat. The flight was several hours long, but she was still grateful for that — until recently, the only way to reach Paradis from Liberio had been through a weeklong sea voyage. Still tired from her late night, early morning, and general jitters, she was looking forward to using the empty hours ahead of her to catch up on sleep.

Sleep did not arrive as quickly as Pieck anticipated, and she found her mind continually wandering to her childhood acquaintance-turned-research advisor. What a bizarre turn of events.

What was curious to Pieck was that Liberio was a relatively small city, tiny when one considered just the Eldian community. Like many tiny communities, one individual's news always became everybody's news. Pieck had at least heard of most of the Eldians from her hometown, and what they were doing now. But she had heard so little of Zeke — little enough that she had even been able to forget him, as shameful as it was to admit. The silence surrounding Zeke's name in Liberio was enigmatic, bordering on suspicious.

Eventually, the low hum of the airplane lulled Pieck to sleep, and she drifted off with vague memories of a mysterious former classmate in the back of her mind.

When Pieck disembarked, feeling significantly better rested, she was surprised to find her father waiting for her at the arrivals gate of Liberio International Airport. Unable to help herself, she ran like a child into his arms, her suitcase clattering about precariously.

"You didn't have to come, Dad! I could have caught the bus back home!" She chided unconvincingly; in truth, she was overjoyed to see him, even if she knew the trek to the airport might have exhausted him.

Ever since her mother had passed longer ago than she could remember, it had always been just Pieck and her father. The past few months without him had been difficult and alien, but she was pleased to see a little more weight on his frame and color in his cheeks. The medical care he received must have been helping.

On the drive home, Pieck talked her father's ear off about the first semester of her program, and he listened eagerly. She was especially excited to tell him about her new position with TITANLab. As Pieck explained more about the project to him, she noticed that she was avoiding naming Zeke, for some reason. Why does it feel strange to bring him up? She wondered, but not for long; soon enough, the conversation rotated to its next topic, and she and her father chatted about anything and everything they could think about. This was always how it was with them; Pieck had missed this dynamic sorely.

Soon, Pieck's father pulled into an unfamiliar driveway, and she recalled that he had moved to a new place. Rather than the rundown apartment she was used to, her father now lived in a small, comfortable bungalow. As she walked in (empty-handed, in spite of her efforts to wrest her suitcase from her father, who insisted on carrying it in for her), she noted resplendent, well-tended rosebushes that lined the entryway.

"Taken up gardening?" She asked with a soft smile.

Pieck's father chuckled.

"I have to pass the time somehow."

His response was tongue-in-cheek, but Pieck still couldn't help feeling guilty for leaving him alone. Her father must have sensed this, adding,

"It's nice to live somewhere with room for plants; I've always wanted them but never got the chance. I wouldn't have been able to come here without your help, Pieck. You understand that, don't you?"

Pieck just smiled back and went into the house, afraid her voice would shake if she responded. She knew it was true; she suspected that her stubborn sense of guilt was just a different manifestation of homesickness. Sooner or later, though, she knew she had to overcome these feelings, especially at her age.

After they both had settled in a bit more, and Pieck quickly got the lay of the new bungalow, Pieck's father put on a kettle of tea and poured out two mugs for them.

Pieck cooled the tea and raised it to her lips. The flavor that hit her tongue was gorgeous, a symphony of flowers and herbs. She had never tasted anything like it before.

"This is delicious! What is it?"

"Nothing special, just some mint, lemon balm, and rosehips," her father shrugged and responded.

"Nothing special?! Where did you get all of that? This must have cost a fortune..." Pieck murmured thoughtfully.

"I actually got it from right out there," he said, gesturing vaguely towards an array of pots in the small backyard. "I started growing plants to make tea blends. I share them with the neighbors now, and one of them said she'd stock them at her market stall, in fact. I'm just glad anybody likes them!"

Pieck fondly noted the pride in his voice. "That's amazing, Dad! How did you choose to make tea blends, of all things?"

"Well, I actually always dreamt of doing that kind of thing, but never got the chance til now. You probably don't remember, but your mother and I used to be great tea enthusiasts."

"I didn't know that about you," Pieck said softly.

"You never got a chance to, sweetheart. When did we ever have time for our hobbies before?"

It was true, and Pieck was happy to see her father rediscovering his old interests, but it was still bittersweet. It was becoming increasingly clear that, with the right resources, her father could thrive independently of her. She hoped that she could find her own path and do the same.

She thought again about Zeke, who felt like her polar opposite in this area. Where she was afraid to disappear from her life in Liberio, it seemed he had done just that. But why? Pieck resolved to find out more.

Taking a sip of tea and steadying her voice, Pieck spoke up.

"Hey, Dad? You know that research project I was telling you about?"

"Yes, with Titans Corp!"

"Right, TITANLab. I forgot to mention earlier, but one interesting thing is that it's actually run by someone from Liberio."

Pieck's father hummed thoughtfully. "That is interesting. Who is it? Maybe someone I was friends with? But I don't remember anyone I knew going off and becoming a professor in Trost..."

"Well, he's actually a bit younger, I guess, more like me." Why was her heart beating so quickly suddenly? "He actually went to school with me for a bit!" Pieck said, her voice going too high for her to maintain her false casualness. Why was asking perfectly normal questions getting her so flustered?! "Maybe you remember him? Zeke Jaeger?"

"Jaeger...oh." Pieck's father put his mug down. "Oh yes, I remember him now. Vaguely, I suppose. The name does sound familiar." He sounded suddenly serious, almost disapproving. But that wouldn't make much sense. She must have been overthinking his tone.

"Well, isn't that interesting? Nobody's talked about him in so long. It's almost like we all forgot about him, isn't it?" She persisted, trying in vain to sound lighthearted. Pieck knew she would not win any accolades with her acting skills.

"Yes, I suppose so." He said with a tone of finality. Pieck recognized that tone, and she knew he only used it when she kept asking questions about a topic that brokered no further discussion.

An unexpected dead end...she would just have to continue her fact-finding mission elsewhere. Luckily for her, she was planning to get drinks with some friends the next evening. Reiner and Porco were unabashed gossips, while Annie and Bertholt could usually serve as a reliable sounding board for when they exaggerated too many details. Marcel would luckily be there as well to moderate; Pieck knew that some of her friends could get quite heated in discussions for no good reason. Between the lot of them, Pieck was sure she could get at least some answers.

Later that evening, Pieck and her father got to work preparing a stew for dinner. As she chopped carrots, he spoke up.

"Piecky, I know you just started, but have you given any thought to what you want to do after you finish your program?"

Pieck nearly took her finger off at that (given her surname, the irony was not lost on her).

"Not really...why do you ask? I guess a few people continue the part-time Paradis Labs work full-time, or otherwise go full on into the whole academia gig. I was thinking of just coming back, though. I could probably get a job that pays well enough here at that point. Wouldn't that be best?" She asked, setting down the knife before she caused any accidental injury.

Pieck felt her father seize her shoulders and turn her to face him, his expression suddenly serious. She couldn't help but note that his treatments must have been working well if he had the strength to spin her around like that.

"Listen to me, sweetie. I know you've always thought of me and my needs first. As your father, it's difficult for me to see you taking care of me the way I should be taking care of you." Pieck opened her mouth to object to his unfair appraisal of himself, but he silenced her with a look. "But I'm so proud of the young woman you've grown up to be. It's time for you to put yourself first, now. Imagine I didn't need you anymore. What would you do then?"

If he hadn't brushed a thumb across her face right then, Pieck would not have noticed that her eyes had filled with tears. She didn't like when he talked like this — it usually meant he was asking her to plan her life after his.

"I— I don't know, dad. I...what if I still need you?" Her voice was steady, but the tears started streaming down her cheeks, catching on her lips and salting her tongue.

While it was true that Pieck made her father's health her priority, it had never felt like self-sacrifice to her. Regardless of his opinion on the matter, Pieck knew that he had raised her as carefully and attentively as he had his herb garden, and she was well aware of how challenging that had been for him to do on his own. To her, putting herself first did mean putting him first too, as she knew it did to him.

Pieck tried to stifle a sob by pressing her hand to her throat, but a strangled sound still escaped.

Her father hugged her tightly.

"I'll always be there for you, no matter where you are, no matter where I go. It's just that the last thing I want is for you to limit yourself."

Feeling her beginning to sob, he hushed her as he did when she was a baby, patting her back consolingly.

Once she calmed down, they both resumed the dinner preparation, and it was as though the discussion had never happened.

That night, however, Pieck lay awake in her old bed in the unfamiliar new bedroom. What was she even planning? She had gone to college on her father's recommendation, and she had applied for this program on Professor Magath's. She had accepted the offer for the money she could send home.

If she lived in a vacuum, what would she do?

People did not live in vacuums, however; it was an impossible scenario to imagine.

After Pieck's mother had died, her father had raised her largely singlehandedly. But hadn't the Galliards delivered meals from their family restaurant when Pieck's father was paralyzed by his grief? And hadn't Reiner's mother taken Pieck aside to help prepare her for her first period when she would not have a mother to turn to? And hadn't Annie's father picked her up from school on the days her father was bedridden?

This had always been the way of the Eldians in Liberio; they banded together, partly out of necessity, and partly out of loyalty to one another. Asking Pieck to be selfish was asking her to forsake a part of herself that all her forebears had taught her by example. An Eldian leaving Liberio for good was very rare.

But she did know one notable exception now.

What had made him leave the way he did?

As sleep finally claimed her, Pieck wondered if she would ever feel brave enough to ask.

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