Who fell first and who fell harder in love? You or them?
Pairing: Sanemi, Kyojuro, Gyomei, Giyuu x gn!hashira!reader
Genre: Fluff
Note: Demons version over here
Sanemi Shinazugawa // Wind Hashira.
He fell first and harder.
It was a little crush at first. He admired you from the side, denying and saying to himself that you are not interested in him anyways, so Sanemi doesn’t allow himself the pleasure of even fantasising about taking you out or you liking him back. Firstly, you could never and don’t deserve a man like him, secondly, Sanemi doesn’t deserve you either.
Bottling up his feelings for you ended up being much worse for him. The overwhelming need to be near you all the time, jealousy bubbling up inside his stomach when someone’s being a little too touchy with you. Every thought began to circle around you and it began to drive him mad, really.
You still tease him about it every now and then about how Sanemi used to stutter and be all shy around you until you finally took the first step to ask him out. He doesn’t appreciate the teasing and always denies it— you definitely fell for him first, not the other way around. Totally.
—
Kyojuro Rengoku // Flame Hashira.
You fell first, he fell harder.
How can someone fall for him? He is compassionate, bright, caring, strong, a family man and so much more— Kyojuro didn’t make it exactly hard to let your heart choose him as your next crush. You were hesitant to make a move though, content with admiring him from afar and kicking your legs in the air when you think about the way you caught how his sweaty muscle flexed during training today.
Although you began liking him first, the realisation that he liked you too hit him harder than being tossed across the forest by a demon. It felt a little scary at first how he kept getting distracted by you and his thoughts kept revolving around you, so much to the point he had to confess or else he felt like he is about to explode from keeping all his feelings to himself.
Kyojuro never realised you actually loved him first, but is incredibly thankful nonetheless that you do anyway. After you randomly mentioned to him once, he was actually really flabbergasted and incredibly honoured.
—
Gyomei Himejima // Stone Hashira.
He fell first, you fell harder.
Gyomei felt guilty for developing feelings for you. He was sure you had no interest in being with someone that is doing the same work you do and all the heavy baggage that comes with it: going out during odd hours, the pain and injuries, the worrying about if the other is going to come back alive or the death announcement being delivered over a crow— he was sure you wanted a little bit of normalcy in your life, so he avoided the thoughts that seemed to circle you lately.
You fell much harder than he did. You couldn’t stop blushing around him to the point that even Gyomei could feel the heat radiating off your body and checking if you have a fever by touching your forehead, making you heat up even more. You can’t help but really begin to love the hunk of a man that is a walking green flag. You couldn’t help but confess to him one day and hope for the best.
Gyomei can’t help but smile every time you mention your early feelings for him. He feels silly for being hesitant about his feelings for you whenever you talk about how your feelings were gnawing at your brain until you finally confessed. It’s adorable, he thinks.
—
Giyuu Tomioka // Water hashira.
He fell first, he fell harder, he almost died while confessing.
Giyuu melted everytime he saw you. On the inside, that is. On the outside, Giyuu only eyed you occasionally and tried to keep his, what he thought to be a small crush at first, at bay and as secretive as possible. This is only temporary and his feelings will pass soon. But for now, he will mentally berate you for your choice in unhealthy foods and stare at the ceiling at night, wondering if you are safe and sound right now.
This “little crush” of his began to get a little out of hand. Giyuu could tell that his feelings were getting a little out of hand as he kept loosing focus and getting beat and kicked to the ground by the other hashira, mostly Sanemi for some reason, during training and rolling over in bed over and over while loosing sleep over if you are still alive. He began to fantasise about being in a relationship with you every now and then, only to become depressed afterwards about how impossible and unreachable that fantasy is.
Giyuu knows confessing to you was one of the best things he ever did, you falling in love with him as well was so surprising to him, he almost thought he was being manipulated by a demon or you were a skinwalker of sorts. But now that he has you secure in his arms as he admires your sleeping face, he realises that yes, this is real and that you’re not going anywhere.
—
💠
Author’s note. Thank you for reading!
I finally know what colour to paint my nails in my Douma cosplay after the trailer dropped— AND I can finally colour in my fans the way he had it in the trailer too UGHHH the trailer took me outtttt
Also why is the first pic in Kyo’s banner so delicious
Anyways, make sure to EAT, SLEEP and DRINK enough!!
onychinus wasn’t really an official office, but there existed a home-base of operations.
with clean-cut interior, bulletproof glass conference rooms, desks scattered with both paperwork and technology alike under the ambient warm light surprisingly considerate of people who are sensitive to brightness, the building stands central north of the N109 zone.
this, as far as dwellers and factions know, is the home of the infamous ruler of onychinus. the dragon’s den. the keeper’s castle.
and this young, new assistant who is trying to make something of himself in the tower of bodies trying to climb upwards on the social ladder starts work today.
onychinus promises worth in exchange for loyalty. no questions asked.
he can do that.
he hasn’t even been sat an hour yet on his new desk before the phone started to ring.
briefed that all calls should be handled with promptness and professionalism, he takes it barely at the first ring. not expecting the voice that comes through.
“helloo?”
it takes him a moment to recall the script. “service?”
“can talk to papa?”
papa? he’s spent all week memorizing the names of the organizations affiliates. not one is called papa. had he missed something? so soon shall this be the end of his career?
he swallows. ponders—this can either be an enemy with technology to change their voice, or… no, how could a child know this number?
“hello? can talk to papa?”
“who is this?” he demands, harsh.
it is lost on the voice. he dictates his own learned script slowly. “my name… is… keewo.”
keewo… neither was that on the list. had he missed a page? was it the phonetic alphabet? code?
his palms begin to sweat. phone calls should never last more than a minute unless necessary. and the time ticks dangerously closer to forty seconds.
and his supervisor seems to he counting with him, because across the room, polishing a newly shipped in protocore weapon, his eyes meet ones behind a crow’s mask.
“you are not in our system.”
“what tissem?” the voice breathes, mouth too close to whatever receiver he was using. “can talk to papa pease?”
“are you a child?” forty seconds… the masked man rises from his seat.
“no. i boy.”
“how old are you?” forty-three. he’s placing the weapon down.
“i two. oh-most, twee.” the boy says happily. “can talk papa now, pease?”
forty-nine. his eye twitches. “who is papa?”
“my papa!”
fifty. shit. the supervisor is a few steps— “what’s his name?”
“uhh… uh…” fifty-three.
fifty-four.
fifty-five.
“papa name is… uh—“
“you dialed wrong.” fifty seven.
“no! i pwactice.” he harrumphs on the other end. fifty eight. “my papa name sy-woos!”
fifty-nine.
sylus.
his blood runs cold.
at sixty, like clockwork the phone is snatched from his hand. but the masked man who’d given him strict instructions that day has frozen in his own place a few paces away.
behind him stands a ghost never meant to be witnessed by mortal eyes. this shadow clad in darkness that only allow his red irises’ glow to pierce through. he lowers his head—respect, fear— he cannot say. but his heart beats like hooves in of a stampede.
“kyros.” says sylus. mister sylus— he would be instructed to call him were it not deemed unnecessary because he never comes in. “papa is working, angel.”
he barely hears the commotion on the other end. doesn’t even register the way the ominous entity of a man’s voice softens to an unbelievable timbre just above him.
“i know, i miss you too.” he says. footsteps fade along with the voice as he retreats with the wireless into the private office reserved for him alone.
he’s done for, surely. how could he have dismissed the boss’s son? how could he have known? no matter; he should have. and now—
“hey.” the masked supervisor squeezes his shoulder and he jumps like a cat.
the man— he isnt sure which twin this is but there were two of them earlier— snickers. “scared?”
he swallows.
“don’t worry about it.” he points to the dock missing its handheld, towards the light glowing orange. “forgot to mention, if it’s this color, always redirect to the main phone.”
he swallows. the boss doesn’t like to be bothered with trivial things, is what he knows. right?
but his supervisor adds. “he doesn’t like missing calls from very important people.”
he has no time to process before sylus returns and the handheld clicks in place in the dock before him.
crimson eyes examine him and he feels like his skin is peeled apart and soul exposed for a moment before sylus slowly turns away.
summary: levi isn’t bad at a lot, this just happened to be one of them. or: five times levi tries to propose and one time he does.
wc: 4.5k
levi ackerman is not a man that feared many things, in fact some would say he's fearless but that's not the case.
levi, like many people, has his own fears.
they just look a little different than everyone else's.
levi didn't know what the right way was to go about this. if it were up to him the two of you would just go down to the courthouse and elope. and if he was being totally honest, that had been his plan until hange caught wind of it.
after teasing him a little, they'd insisted on him buying a ring, even offering to go with him and as much as he didn't care for those things he knew one thing, that you did.
so he went and bought one.
a simple oval cut ring with a gold band. he wasn't sure of what to get, it's not like you two spoke about marriage often. you couldn't really plan for the future in your line of work.
but levi knew life was too short to not do what one desires.
which is exactly why this should have been simple.
it was not.
the small velvet box had been sitting in his uniform pocket for days now. it was something he was constantly aware of, something he knew he had to do but he, for whatever reason, kept putting it off. so it continued to sit there, burning a hole in his pocket.
i. in his office
he sat in his office chair, filling out documents like usual when you'd barged in.
he knew it was you because no one else would ever have the courage to walk into his office like that unannounced.
he didn't exactly hear much that you said when you came in, but he knew it had you heated. you were pacing his office as you spoke passionately, clearly you had been wanting to get this off your chest for a while. but he wasn't paying attention to that. he was paying attention to you.
he watched your face silently as it glowed in the dim lights of his office.
god were you beautiful.
"levi, you're not even listening." you said, stopping in front of him.
"¡ am. you just began to repeat yourself."
"because you weren't listening."
"i'm sorry. finish what you were saying." he said, gently taking ahold of your wrist.
you took that opportunity to slip into his lap, letting him wrap an arm around your waist as you continued talking again.
and he let you, let your voice fill his office once more as he silently studied your features. the way your eyes squint as you furrowed your eyebrows, or the slight pout your lips had when you spoke about something that upset you, or-
"levi!"
he blinks slowly. "hm?"
"what's up with you?"
"you look pretty." was all he said, catching you off guard.
his compliment brought a smile to your face, taking that opportunity to lean in and press a gentle kiss to his lips.
“thank you.”
he'd grunted in response, acknowledging your words.
a comfortable silence surrounded the both of you, one that was familiar. it was nice, familiar.
maybe he should do it now.
levi pulled you closer to him, looking at you deeply which caused you to tilt your head slightly in question as his free hand slowly gravitates toward his pocket.
"what is it?" you asked, messing with a bit of his hair.
deep breaths.
"i wan-"
he couldn't even start his sentence before someone barged into his office panting, catching you both of guard.
"captain lev-oh."
it was jean. the annoying brat.
"i'm so sorry captain." he apologised quickly, bowing his head.
you took this chance to get off levi's lap, straightening yourself up.
levi let a small noise of disapproval, the sudden lack of warmth not welcome.
"you're being requested urgently by higher ups, sir. i didn't mean to-"
"that enough." he grunts, standing from his chair. “let’s go then.”
he glanced at you as he walked toward the door, silently apologising for the interruption. you didn’t say anything, just nodding in response. you knew it wasn’t his fault.
ii. your bedroom.
rays of sunlight shone through the gaps in the curtains, casting a warm glow onto your boyfriend’s chest.
he was up, of course he was.
the fact he’d slept last night was a miracle but you were forever grateful he did because it meant you had his chest to sleep on.
you turned over to be met with levi, seated upright on the bed with some documents in hand.
he heard your movement, placing them down on the bedside table, giving you his full attention.
“good morning.”
“good morning, handsome.” you greet, leaning up to giving him a soft kiss.
levi liked mornings like these.
though they were rare because you never seemed to be up on time, he cherished them deeply.
you rested your head on his shoulder, closing your eyes again, and levi took this opportunity to look at you.
really look at you.
his gaze lingered, taking in every small detail he’d already committed to memory. he often found himself wondering how he had gotten so lucky.
he wasn’t one that was used to expressing his emotions and for whatever reason, you understood that.
you let him take his time as he tried to get comfortable with it.
and even now, though he may not be there yet, he was definitely getting better at it.
his eyes flickered briefly to the bedside table. the top drawer to be more exact. where the ring sat in its box, waiting for him to open, waiting for him to ask you. where he’d placed it there earlier without much thought.
but now it felt impossible to ignore.
this could be it.
it was quiet.
you were here.
there was nothing to interrupt him, no one to get in the way.
just the two of you.
“..levi?” you mumbled quietly, your voice thick with sleep.
“hm.”
“come back to bed.” you murmur, shifting closer to him, your hand resting against his side.
he removed himself from his thoughts, looking down at you. at the way you were barely awake, completely relaxed against him.
and suddenly it felt wrong to do it now, not when you were half asleep.
so he pushed down the thought, sinking back into bed and wrapping an arm around you to pull you close.
iii. campsite
it’d been four days since that morning.
it was dark out, the sky clear with occasional bright white dot visible in the sky.
you’d insisted on sitting out in the dark for a while and who was levi to deny his girlfriend?
you both sat outside your tent, your head resting on his lap as you looked up at the sky. pointing at the occasional star or constellation you would spot in between idle chatter.
levi didn’t say much.
not that he really did.
he much preferred listening to your voice as spoke, his hand resting on your waist, thumb absentmindedly moving back and forth.
“that one.” you say, raising your arm to point.
“which one?”
you nudge levi’s leg, raising your arm again. “there, the really bright one.”
he follows your finger this time, looking up.
“i see it now.”
you smiled to yourself before getting yourself comfortable as familiar silence fell between you both again.
your eyes remain fixed on the sky, watching the stars flicker faintly above you.
“wait,” you gasped, sitting up suddenly.
levi’s hand naturally reached out to steady you. “what?”
“look.” you say quickly, pointing at the sky again.
he follows your gaze just in time to see a bright streak of light cut through the night sky.
a shooting star.
“make a wish!” you say, immediately closing your eyes.
levi watches you for a moment.
“that’s not how it works.” he huffs, earning a nudge from you.
“just do it.” you insist.
he sighs in defeat, but he doesn’t close his eyes. just watches you quietly.
your soft expression, the small smile on your lips.
he didn’t need to close his eyes to make his wish.
he already knew.
you open your eyes and look up again, as if expecting the star to still be there and then turning to look at levi.
“what did you wish for?”
your question earned a scoff from him. “you’re not meant to say.”
“i know,” you smiled. “i’m going to tell you anyway.
he doesn’t reply. just looks at you, waiting for you to continue.
“i wished for things to stay like this. just us. for as long as possible.
if you looked closely you could see the smallest shift in levi’s expression.
“what about you?”
his face remained unreadable, stiff. but his hand reached for yours, holding it in his gently.
this was it.
the perfect opportunity to tell you just how he felt, no–
“captain!” a distant voice called, followed with the heavy sound of footsteps.
really? levi thought.
he slowly closed his eyes, composing himself before rising to his feet, holding his hand out to help you up next.
the scout was stood before you now, drawing deep breaths.
“captain, you’re both needed urgently. some movement has been detected at the left wing.”
and just like that the both of you were sucked back into work, your previous moment forgotten.
iv. on a walk
the spring breeze felt nice on your skin, cooling you down as the hot sun continued to beat down on you.
for the first time in a while, you had some time to yourself before training. but that wasn’t even the most shocking part. the most shocking part was the fact levi also had that same period of time off. so what better way to spend it than basking in the late afternoon sun whilst taking a quiet stroll through the grounds.
this was a rarity you both enjoyed whenever you had the chance.
the two of you walked a familiar path, hand in hand, taking in the stillness around you. it was quiet, peaceful in a way your lives rarely allowed, and for once there was nothing pressing waiting for either of you. no orders, no responsibilities.
this was perfect.
“we should think of heading back soon. i’m sure training will begin shortly,” levi said, glancing ahead.
you sighed softly, turning to face him. “come on, levi, don’t be like that.”
he frowned slightly, not understanding what he’d said wrong. he was right, you both had to head back soon.
“don’t you want to spend time with me?” you asked, stepping in front of him and wrapping your arms around his neck.
his hands found your waist easily, like they always did, holding you without thought. he liked when you touched him, even if he’d never say it out loud. there was something grounding about it, something he’d grown used to without realising.
“i am,” he said simply.
you smiled at that, studying his face for a second before leaning in. he met you halfway, your lips moving together in a way that felt second nature now.
he definitely liked this.
you let out a quiet hum against him as his grip tightened slightly, pulling you just a little closer as the kiss deepened. for a moment, everything else faded away.
levi knew.
this was it.
he’d planned it this time. waited for the right moment, made sure no one would be around, no one to interrupt or pull you away. everything was exactly how it should be.
slowly, his hand slipped from your waist, moving toward his pocket. his fingers closed around the small box, steady but deliberate as he pulled back from the kiss just slightly.
you followed instinctively, your forehead resting against his, your breath still warm against his lips.
“…what?” you murmured.
he hesitated for only a second before pulling the box out, holding it low between you. his thumb brushed against the lid, heart steady in his chest even as the weight of the moment settled around him.
this was it.
“…i—”
a drop of water hit your cheek.
you blinked.
then another.
and another.
you both glanced up at the sky just as the clouds that hadn’t been there moments ago seemed to roll in all at once.
“you’ve got to be kidding me,” you muttered.
within seconds, the light drizzle turned heavier, rain falling fast and sudden, soaking through your clothes before either of you could properly react.
you laughed, grabbing onto him as the rain came down harder. “okay, maybe we should go.”
levi stood there for a second longer, the box still in his hand, the moment slipping away in real time.
then he exhaled sharply, snapping it shut and shoving it back into his pocket.
“come on.”
he grabbed your hand, pulling you along as the two of you rushed back toward shelter, your laughter mixing with the sound of the rain hitting the ground.
by the time you made it inside, you were both soaked.
you pushed wet hair from your face, still smiling. “that was fun.”
“…you’ll catch a cold,” he muttered, clearly not happy with the rain.
“loosen up, grumpy,” you teased.
he didn’t respond.
just watched you for a second, taking in the way you looked; soaked and laughing.
the moment had been perfect.
everything had gone right.
and somehow, it still hadn’t happened.
v. at dinner
it was a special night tonight.
it was date night, which meant one of you cooked while the other stayed out of the way, and then you both sat down and ate together like nothing else mattered. it was a tradition you kept every month or so. something simple, but something you always found yourselves looking forward to. though tonight felt slightly different.
“wow, levi.” you smiled, taking a seat across from him.
he didn’t say much, just adjusted your chair slightly before sitting down himself. everything was neat, organised, exactly how he liked it. the food was still warm, the table set properly, not a single thing out of place.
levi had one rule on nights like these; no one was allowed to disturb. and everyone knew better. tonight, he had made sure of it.
because tonight, he was going to propose.
you picked up your fork, glancing at him again. “you went all out.”
“…it’s nothing.”
you smiled slightly, shaking your head. “it’s not nothing. this is really nice.”
he hummed quietly, his attention on you more than the food. he’d planned this. every detail, every moment, making sure nothing would go wrong. for once, everything was exactly how it should be.
the box sat in his pocket, heavier than usual.
this was it.
the conversation stayed easy between you, light and familiar, the kind that didn’t need effort. you spoke about nothing important; training, small things, whatever came to mind, and he let it happen, waiting for the right moment to shift it into something more.
when you finished, you leaned back slightly, letting out a soft breath. “i enjoyed that.”
“yeah.”
you smiled at him, softer now. “i like this. just us.”
his gaze lingered on you for a moment longer than usual. “so do i.”
silence followed, calm and steady, the kind that usually didn’t need filling. this was the moment.
levi felt it.
his hand moved slightly, brushing against his pocket where the box sat, waiting.
say it.
just say it.
“there’s something i want to say,” he said.
you looked up at him, curious but relaxed. “okay.”
his chest felt tight, not in fear, but in the weight of it. of what it meant. of how much it mattered. you watched him patiently, like you always did, and for some reason that made it harder.
his fingers curled slightly against his leg. the words were there, he could feel them. all he had to do was say them.
“…we should do this more often,” he said instead.
you blinked, then smiled faintly. “i was just thinking that.”
he nodded once, like that had been what he meant all along, like that had been the question. the moment shifted, just like that.
you kept talking, completely oblivious to what had almost been said.
and levi sat there, listening, responding when needed, like nothing had happened.
like he hadn’t just failed again.
this time, there was no interruption. no bad timing. no one to blame but himself.
just him.
and the words he couldn’t seem to say.
iv.
the room was warm, lit softly by the lamp in the corner, the glow low and golden as the record player spun lazily in the background. the music wasn’t loud, just enough to fill the space, paired with the faint crackle of the vinyl.
you were already halfway through the song when levi walked in.
bare feet against the floor, hair still damp from your shower, wearing one of levi’s shirts that hung loose on you. you hummed quietly to yourself, moving around the room without much care.
he stood near the door for a moment longer than necessary, watching you move around. it wasn’t anything new. he’d seen you like this before. but for some reason, tonight it felt different.
“if you fall and hurt yourself i won’t help.
you turned immediately, grin already forming. “don’t lie.”
“i won’t.” he lied, he knew if anything were to happen he’d be by your side in an instant.
“liar.”
he didn’t bother responding to that, but his eyes followed you as you walked toward him, like you’d expected him to just… join in.
which he wouldn’t.
“come here,” you said, holding your hand out.
“…no.”
“levi.”
“i said no.”
you pulled him forward before he could finish, laughing softly as he stumbled the slightest bit, more from surprise than anything else.
“you’re no fun,” you murmured, placing his hands on your waist yourself before resting yours loosely around his shoulders.
he looked down at you, unimpressed on the surface, but he didn’t move them away.
“i’m not dancing,” he muttered again.
“you don’t have to dance,” you said, already placing his hands on your waist. “just stand there and look pretty.”
“i don’t do that either.” he scoffs in disbelief.
“you’re doing it right now.”
he gave you a look for that.
you smiled wider.
and then you started swaying again, slow and easy, guiding him without asking, like you always did.
it didn’t take long before he stopped pretending to resist.
“see?” you murmured. “not so bad.”
he doesn’t respond to that, just grunting at your words.
you laughed, leaning in slightly, your forehead brushing his for a second before you pulled back just enough to look at him properly.
“you’d be miserable without me.”
“i’d be able to get more done.”
“exactly. miserable.”
he never said anything, but something in his expression softened just slightly.
enough for you to notice.
“do you like being with me?”
the question came out of nowhere and it caused you to look at him with confusion.
“of course i do.” you said like it were obvious.
“why..?”
you let out a small breath, almost a laugh. “what do you mean why?”
“why?” he repeated.
the tone in his voice told you he wasn’t joking with you and it made you frown a bit. to you it was obvious why you were with him but levi was failing to see the same.
because.. you’re always there when i need you, even if you pretend it inconveniences you. you care for me and you’re honest. you make me feel safe.”
levi’s eyes never left your face, even when he finished speaking. instead he ket silence consume the both of you as he thought of what to say.
“i know i don’t talk a lot about how i feel.”
you huffed quietly, a small smile tugging at your lips. “you could say that.”
“i don’t.. but i think about it. i think about it way more than i say it.” he speaks slowly.
your smile faded slightly, your attention fully on him.
“i’ve lost a lot of people growing up. people i thought would see grow old alongside me. and i constantly think of all the things i never said to them.”
his words made you chest tighten. he didn’t talk about his past often and you knew there were scars there, scars that would most likely never fully heal. but whenever he spoke of it to you, you couldn’t help but feel grateful that he trusted you enough to open up to you.
“i know that nothing in this lifetime is promised, especially with our line of work but also know i wouldn’t be able to live with myself if anything were to happen to you. i can’t let it happen again, not with you.”
your expression changed, your hands resting on his shoulders.
“i don’t want this to end because of something i should’ve said. i don’t want to lose you knowing i could’ve prevented it.”
you shook your head in response. “you’re not going to lose me.”
“you don’t know that.”
“i do.” you said, stepping closer, your hands tangling in his hair. “i’m not going anywhere.”
he looked at you properly, like he found it hard to believe.
“..then marry me.”
you couldn’t believe the words that’d left his mouth, you breath caught in your chest.
“what?” you questioned in disbelief.
his voice remained firm as he repeated his words.
“marry me,” he repeated, just as steady. “so i don’t have to keep wondering if you know how much i love you.”
your chest tightened at that, something warm and overwhelming settling in all at once.
“levi..”
you knew your answer and you also knew the fact that you hadn’t given him a proper answer yet was eating at him so you decided to mess with him a bit.
“there’s no ring.” you huffed in fake annoyance.
he paused, mentally cursing himself for being so unorganised.
“right..” was all he said before pulling away.
before you could react, he’d already crossed the room, opening the top drawer beside his side of the bed. you watched him, confusion settling in for a moment before he turned back around, the small black box now visible in his hand.
“…no way.”
he walked back over to you, slower this time. when he stopped in front of you, there was a brief second where he just looked at you before lowering himself onto one knee.
“will you marry me?”
you couldn’t believe this was actually happening. you just stared at him for a second, pure disbelief written all over your face before you nodded quickly, almost stumbling over your words.
“yes–of course i will.”
he slid the ring onto your finger carefully, his touch steady despite everything. when he stood, you didn’t even give him a second to say anything before you were pulling him into you, wrapping your arms tightly around him.
“i can’t believe you,” you murmured, your voice slightly shaky against him.
“do you like the ring?” he asked, his arms settling firmly around your waist.
you pulled back just enough to look at it again, a small smile breaking across your face. “of course i do.”
your gaze lifted back to his.
“i love you, levi.”
and for the first time in a while, you were met with a small smile.
“i love you too.”
you barely had a second to react before he pulled you back in, one hand coming up to your jaw, holding you there as he kissed you firmly, pouring all his emotions into the kiss.
when you pulled back, you let out a quiet laugh, still a little breathless. you shakily placed your hand on his chest, staring in pure shock as you get a proper look at the ring.
you stared at it properly this time, like it had only just sunk in.
“…oh my god.”
your voice was softer now, almost disbelieving, your thumb brushing over it like you needed to make sure it was real.
levi didn’t say anything.
he just watched you.
you glanced back up at him after a second, a small smile slowly forming. “did you plan this?”
he scoffed at the question, shaking his head.
“no.” he started. “i tried five times before this.”
that caught your attention immediately, laughter bubbling up in your chest.
“what? you’re kidding.”
levi shook his head, completely serious.
“i’m not.”
you pulled back slightly just to look at him properly, eyes narrowing a little like you were trying to figure out if he was messing with you. “…you’re lying.”
“…i’m not.”
“levi,” you laughed, shaking your head. “there’s no way you tried five times and i didn’t notice.”
“you didn’t.”
“that’s actually embarrassing for you.”
he gave you a look, unimpressed. “…it wasn’t my fault.”
“oh, so now it’s my fault?” you shot back, smiling.
“things kept getting in the way.”
you tilted your head, clearly entertained now. “you have to tell me about each time. in detail.”
he sighed quietly, like he already regretted saying anything.
the music from the record player continued to spin softly in the background, the faint crackle filling the space between you, playing a familiar tune.
you stepped a little closer, your arms settling comfortably around him as the two of you began to sway gently to the music.
“fine,” he muttered after a moment.
you smiled against him, resting your head on his shoulder as he started, reluctantly, to tell you about each failed attempt.
and as he spoke, quiet and low, you listened, that same warm feeling settling deep in your chest.
because every almost, every failed moment.
it had still led him here.
to you.
you smiled to yourself, eyes closing briefly as you held onto him just a little tighter.
what is the little twins reaction at their mama turning into a cat😱
sylus x reader | sylus & his family | dad!sylus, turnedintoacat!mama!reader, very excited kyros & lucian
you dont remember climbing into kyros’s bed, but you take the opportunity to curl yourself closer to him and bury your nose in his hair.
his scent is particularly stronger, for some reason, and for another you get the urge to not make that so. so with sleepy, meticulous kisses—or so you think— you try and clean him.
strangely and blissfully unaware of the manifestation.
his hair sticks up with each kiss and his hands come around to push your face away. “owie.”
you frown. since when has he rejected your kisses? or think they were painful?
you chirp—
wait.
his eyes open at the noise. deep red irises light up like sparklers at the sight of you as he reaches and takes you in his arms. “woah!”
you blink. once. twice. how is he able to engulf you like this?
“woosian.” he whisper-shouts towards the racecar bed beside his circular-nest one. “woosi-yan!”
“kee-ro, quiet.” lucian whines, turning away from his brother’s voice and covering his head with his blanket.
you feel yourself being lifted up with arms wrapped tightly under your armpits. it takes a handful of effort for kyros to move gently and climb onto lucian’s bed.
but when he does, he pets your head and plops you down on his brother’s shoulder. breathing out, “tat.”
you blink. oh. not again.
reminded of the time this happened once before, you do not worry for being this way indefinitely. so, you decide in that breath to ride it out with a little bit more grace this time.
with a deep sigh, you make your way to lucian’s side and lick the tip of his nose.
you wish you could capture this somehow— the details of when they open their eyes to the sunlight in your feline vision. each lash so perfectly curated, each freckle in their irises wonderfully placed, the overjoyed expression that paints their features when a kitten wakes them.
“a cat!” lucian squeals, taking you with him again when he sits upright. you giggle in your mind, the purrs let them know you are.
you’ll commend them later with how gently they care for you.
kyros’s warm palm stays on your head, petting as he is talking to you about being part of the family. asking for permission to hug you which you respond to with slow blinks and head butts to his soft belly.
lucian excitedly crawls in circles around you, careful not to hit you, while yapping about how many tricks you’ll be able to do— with live demonstrations of said tricks. you so kindly demonstrate them back to him, and his face of triumph is one you've never seen before.
your heart warms, despite being in this predicament, not once have you yet worried about needing to turn back.
on this rare morning, when your little ones are fawning over you and showing you the fruits of your love for them, you take this curse as a blessing.
but that smell.
it’s not bad, just strong and warm and creeping. the smell of a living body— of milk, blueberries and a simmering smoke beneath. a strange variation of… sylus.
a scent too strong that you must wipe them clean of or else something else will smell them, then your little ones would be in grave danger. your pupils shrink to slits and your hackles rise at the thought. kyros murmurs a confused, "huh?"
hopping up on your hind legs makes him coo, but your singular purpose is to get to his cheeks. a few licks will balance them out, smooth it out and refine it— balance it with you, and make it smell like home.
"boys, have you seen your mother?"
you’re in the middle of licking lucian’s forehead when sylus walks into their bedroom. he stares at his children, hair mussed in different directions, and they stare right back at him.
"papa!" kyros smiles, scrambling off the sheets to crash into sylus's knees. he is caught just in time before any teeth are knocked out, and lifted into a sturdy embrace.
lucian tilts his head closer to you when you bap his forehead with your mitten. you start licking at another spot on his head. "papa, a cat came in."
"it looks like it." he chuckles, recognizing the dragon li that has begun scenting his children as none other than his wife. it's happened before, anyway, what he didn't expect is that it would happen again.
he reaches out to squeeze lucian's cheek good morning, but your paw swats his hand away.
the silence is heavy.
he scoffs at you, appalled. "are you keeping him from me?"
you hiss, ears flat back and petulant. the answer, horrifyingly, a yes.
you try to chirp at kyros, redirect him back to you because— ugh, he just undid all the work you did and now he smells even more like his father and even less like you. luckily, he is obedient and wriggles out of his papa's grasp at your command, much to sylus's displeasure.
"hey!" sylus harrumphs, watching as kyros sidles up next to you and lucian. his brood, now within your litter.
"papa no hurt you." kyros supplies helpfully. "he big, but he no hurt."
sylus softens at his children's words. to you, he says, "see, kitten? i'm harmless."
"her name miss waffle-cake, papa," whispers kyros, offended for you. you meow in protest at the dubbed name, knowing how sylus will use it against you later on, but kyros holds you close now and sniffs you. "she smell sweet!"
"oh?" sylus grins, sinister and mischievous. "may i?"
he's fast when he takes you from kyros. the height you travel up to is sickening with the speed, it makes you squirm and cry in protest. soon you're face-to-face with your husband, eyes gleaming, and smirk treacherous.
his nose is in your belly in an instant. it tickles. you do not know whether to scream or laugh.
your meows are incomprehensible, and your limbs flail about against your control. in your head, you are screaming for your life.
"stop!" is yelled from below you, your own kittens now pawing at sylus's legs in outrage. "stop, she don'ike it!"
sylus breathes a chuckle as he cradles you to his chest. your sheathed claws tap at his cheek in mock pride, saying, yes! listen to your sons!
"papa, be nice!" squeaks lucian, seeming most affected by your distressed sounds. "she little!"
"give me!" demands kyros, hands outstretched upwards. waiting for your return in his protection.
sylus laughs at your smug expression, surprised a cat can even have such a prominent one, and promptly hands you back to kyros.
"sorry." kyros kisses your forehead softly, and you melt in his embrace. "papa silly sometime."
lucian comes to scratch your chin and bump his forehead against yours. angrily muttering under his breath, "big lizard."
your purrs get louder as your laughter turns hysterical in your brain.
oh, your sweet boys.
"okay, i'm sorry." sylus sinks down to the floor to kneel on his legs and bows his head. "i got... excited."
lucian is the one who shifts his body to be the barrier between him and you. "papa... like cats?"
sylus chuckles at the accusation. "i love cats. especially waffle-cake." he nods towards you. despite yourself, you tilt your head shyly.
"miss waffle-cake." kyros sneers. he did come up with the name, after all.
sylus raises his palms regretfully. "miss waffle-cake."
oh he's loving this. you snuff a breath at him through your little pink nose.
sylus pleads with his family now, eyes big and unguarded. begging to be included in the fun. "i promise to be gentle."
the twins look to one another. it wasn't like their papa to lie to them. he messes with them, regularly, sure, but he isn't mean, they think. lucian is the first to nod, and so kyros announces the ruling that papa can now be part of the i-love-miss-waffle-cake-club.
grateful, he squeezes himself onto lucian's bed and takes all three of you in the crisscross of his legs. bending close to your snout for a little nuzzle as he whispers, "just say when."
knowing that the last time this happened, turning back involved lips and true love.
you rub your cheek against his chin in acknowledgement.
the morning is spent indulging your family on their simple joys.
you'd become one of the world's greatest marvels, existing being your greatest feat to your children.
your quick zoomies around the room are exhilarating, especially with two little boys trying to catch you.
you sniff them until their stomachs hurt from laughing.
you teach them to make biscuits on papa, starting your own little bakery on his bottom.
even your instinctive licking (because they're starting to smell like sylus again) is so inexplicably beautiful to them, they just sit there and let it happen.
and naturally, under the warmth of the morning light, once curious eyes waver behind heavy lids. your own yawn from your place on sylus's chest, underneath his shirt, seems to trigger everyone else's.
positions are established like nature, and soon you're squeezed up against two little ones who've decided they want to be kittens in papa's shirt too.
but before they drift away, kyros takes your paw in his hand and lucian kisses your head and murmurs. "wish mama was here."
melting your heart into oblivion.
"having fun?" sylus inquires once lucian has followed his brother into a dream later on. you've crawled out of his shirt and perched yourself on his shoulder, curling around your babies as best you can.
you chirp at him, yes. and slowly blink at your sons.
"ready?" he asks softly, but it sounds like another request entirely.
the slight pucker of his lips is cute, showing a little more than he let on— if you knew how to look for it. an expert in reading your husband, you read him clear as day: he misses you.
so you lean in, but instinct trumps logic and your paws press against his lips. "mrph!"
"what?" he wonders. you're getting up and climbing on his head now. he feels the sharpened bristles of your tongue move his unstyled hair in all directions, doing more harm than good if your intention was to groom him.
he lets you finish the job, just as obedient as his sons, until you give him the kiss he's been waiting for.
when your feline eyes turn from large and crystaline to the ones he fell in love with, he smiles. "kitten."
meanwhile, your hands slide up to the back of his head to tug him down. his hair—now perfectly balanced in scent thanks to you— is askew, but you make no effort in fixing anything else.
you take a whiff and sigh in relief. "much better."
"because... you're not a cat anymore?" sylus inquires. unaware of the still fading inner workings of a feline's mind.
"sure," you shrug, kissing his cheek. then you turn to your sleeping babies on his chest and soften. "but that was good too."
could you write fluff with reader that suddenly wakes up with telepath powers… and thinking that canon! levi doesn’t like her very much… it’s just the complete opposite (like a huge crush on reader…) , i think it’d be cute if all this time reader find out that levi totally thinks the exact opposite in what he says to reader!
feel free to do this anytime! hope you have a great day (˶ˆᗜˆ˵)
summary: after suddenly gaining telepathy, you discover that every harsh word from levi hides painfully soft affection and that the captain who acts annoyed by you is hopelessly in love
word count: 1,427k w
credit: @angeliicide & @chrisssiren for divider! 💌
@/suzupiyosan on X for levi art! 🎨
a/n: hii anon! thank you so much for your request!! i really hope this is what you had in mind since it’s my first time writing a telepathy fic 💭🥹
just to clarify, the italic parts are levi’s thoughts (what he’s actually thinking vs what he says out loud)
જ⁀➴ ✉︎ read on ao3 ⋮ canon masterlist ⋮ main masterlist
the headache hit the second your eyes opened.
it wasn’t the usual post exhaustion ache. this felt like someone had pried open a door in your skull and forgotten to close it. you sat up in your narrow bunk, pressing the heels of your palms against your temples, and that was when the voices started.
damn boots still aren’t polished right…
if i have to run laps again today i’m going to throw myself off the wall.
wonder if she’s awake yet…
dozens of thoughts crashed into your mind at once—some loud, some quiet, some bored, some anxious. you gasped, eyes wide. telepathy. somehow, overnight, you could hear what everyone around you was thinking. the survey corps headquarters had never felt so loud.
you dressed on autopilot, heart hammering, and tried to focus on building some kind of mental wall. it helped a little. by the time you reached the mess hall, the roar had dulled to a constant murmur. until you saw him.
captain levi sat at his usual corner table, back straight, cup of tea cradled in his hands like it was sacred. his expression was the same blank mask he always wore around you. you tried to slip past, but—
“oi. sit.”
his voice was flat. you obeyed, sliding onto the bench across from him with your tray of lukewarm porridge and stale bread.
“you look like shit,” he said, not even looking up from his tea. “eyes are puffy. didn’t sleep? try not to collapse during training. i don’t need dead weight slowing my squad down.”
your spoon froze halfway to your mouth.
she still looks beautiful. how is that fair? those tired eyes make me want to pull her into my lap and let her sleep against my chest. fuck. stop. she already thinks i’m an asshole.
you nearly dropped your spoon. heat flooded your face.
levi’s gaze flicked up. “what? something on my face, brat?”
“n-no,” you managed, quickly shoving porridge into your mouth.
all this time you had assumed Levi merely tolerated you. his sharp tongue, the constant criticism, the way he always seemed extra irritated when you were around—you thought he disliked you. maybe even resented you for taking up space in his squad.
but the thoughts flowing from him were impossibly soft.
she’s nervous again. cute. i should’ve saved her the softer bread roll instead of giving it to the new recruits. idiot. why can’t i just say something nice for once?
you spent the rest of breakfast stealing glances at him, fighting the smile threatening to break across your face.
training was even worse. or better. you couldn’t decide.
“fix your damn stance,” levi snapped, circling you with his arms crossed. “you’re swinging like a drunk civilian. again.”
look at her. form’s already improved so much. she’s getting stronger every week. makes my chest feel tight. want to tell her she’s doing well. want to put my hands on her waist and adjust her posture myself.
you stumbled mid swing. levi clicked his tongue.
“tch. pay attention.” he stepped closer, gripping your elbow to correct your arm. his touch was firm but careful. “if you die out there because you can’t focus, i’ll drag your corpse back and kick your ass.”
i’d burn the world down before i let anything happen to her.
your heart fluttered so hard you thought it might fly out of your chest. “yes, captain.”
he released you, but not before his fingers lingered half a second longer than necessary.
later, during hand to hand drills, he paired you with him. you ended up on your back in the dirt, levi’s knee pinning your shoulder.
“too slow,” he muttered, but his eyes were gentle. almost worried. “get up. again.”
she’s flushed. looks good like this. under me. shit—stop. focus, ackerman.
you bit your lip to keep from grinning. When he offered you a hand up, you took it. his grip was warm and steady.
after training, you were covered in sweat and dust. levi tossed a clean handkerchief at your face without warning.
“clean yourself up. you’re disgusting.”
her hands are too soft for this life. i want to wipe her face for her. i want to take her somewhere quiet and wash the dirt off myself. pathetic old man.
you pressed the handkerchief to your cheeks, hiding your smile in the fabric that smelled faintly of his soap—clean, sharp, comforting.
by late afternoon you were emotionally exhausted in the best way. every harsh word from levi was now wrapped in layers of affection in your mind. you followed him when he retreated to his office, pretending you had reports to deliver.
he was already wiping down his desk even though it gleamed. levi didn’t glance up when you entered.
“you’re still here? go rest. that’s an order.”
please don’t go. stay. the room feels warmer when you’re in it. i like the way you look at my bookshelves like you want to read every title. i like the way you say my name.
you closed the door behind you. levi finally looked up, one eyebrow raised.
“something wrong?”
you walked closer, heart pounding. “captain... you don’t actually hate me, do you?”
he scoffed, turning back to his rag. “don’t be stupid. if i hated you, you’d be scrubbing toilets with the new recruits.”
hate you? i’m so fucking in love with you it’s embarrassing. i count the days until i see you in the mess hall. i keep your gear in perfect condition because i can’t stand the thought of anything failing you. i replay your laugh in my head when it’s quiet.
you stepped around the desk until you were right beside him. gently, you placed your hand over his, stopping the endless cleaning.
“levi,” you whispered. “i can hear you.”
silence.
his entire body went still. those sharp gray eyes snapped to yours, wider than you’d ever seen them.
“what did you just say?”
“everything,” you said softly, smiling. “how you think i’m beautiful even when i look like crap. how you saved the soft bread for me this morning. how you wanted to adjust my stance by holding my waist. how you want to kiss me. how you… like me. a lot.”
levi stared at you for a long moment. a faint flush crept up the back of his neck—the tiniest, most precious crack in his armor.
“brat,” he muttered, but there was no heat in it. his hand turned beneath yours, calloused fingers threading carefully through your own like he was afraid you might vanish. “you’re a real pain in the ass for telling me like this.”
she knows. she’s still here. she’s smiling at me. don’t fuck this up.
you laughed quietly and leaned your forehead against his. he was shorter than you, but the way he tilted his head up to meet you felt perfect.
“i like you too,” you confessed. “i’ve liked you for a long time. i thought you couldn’t stand me… but hearing the truth? It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
levi exhaled shakily. one of his hands came up to cup the back of your neck, thumb brushing your skin with surprising tenderness.
“should’ve said something sooner,” he admitted, voice low. “but I’m shit with words. always have been.” he paused, then added, almost shyly, “you’re important. to me. don’t… don’t go getting yourself killed out there. i need you to come back.”
the words were still a little gruff, but now you could hear the full, beautiful truth behind them.
you pulled back just enough to look at him. “then i’ll keep coming back. every time.”
for a moment he just looked at you, eyes soft in a way no one else ever got to see. then he tugged you down gently and pressed a kiss to your forehead—slow, deliberate, and full of all the things he still struggled to say out loud.
“stay here tonight,” he murmured against your skin. “not for any weird shit. just… stay. i’ll make tea. we can sit quietly. i like quiet with you.”
you smiled, wrapping your arms around his shoulders. “i’d like that.”
levi held you a little tighter, his thoughts wrapping around you like a warm blanket:
finally. she’s mine. i’m hers. and i’m never letting her go.
outside, the headquarters continued its usual chaos, but inside levi’s office, the world felt perfectly still. just the two of you—his sharp words, his soft heart, and the new, wonderful understanding blooming between you.
levi would never admit it. he wasn’t even sure that he had fully accepted it himself. it didn’t go unnoticed the way he always lingered behind to make sure you were okay when you were injured, insisting on helping you walk. the way he’d silently pass you your water when you were seconds away from passing out during training. the way he’d get pissed off if you’d overworked yourself as if you had personally offended him…the list goes on. after a while, hange and erwin decided to tease confront him about it over lunch.
“ah, levi in love.” hange grinned at him, tilting her head.
“i never thought i’d see the day,” erwin chimed in.
levi clenched his jaw slightly and glared at the two of them.
“what are the two of you on about now?”
they exchanged a knowing look, which pissed off levi even more.
“we’ve been noticing something over the course of several months. you could say we’ve witnessed love blossom within the scout regiment.” hange wiggled her eyebrows at him.
“tch.” levi’s glower didn’t falter.
“you know,” erwin tapped his face with a napkin, “you could, i don’t know… tell her how you feel? you know more than anyone that in this line of work, you never know when your day will come.” he tossed the napkin on the table and shrugged. “but what do i know, hmm?”
hange giggled uncontrollably and the two men stared at her.
“hange, i’d expect.” hange frowned at this, but nodded in agreement. “but you too erwin? don’t be ridiculous. i’d expect more from you.” levi shook his head in disapproval.
erwin watched him carefully before smirking at him.
“better finish up your lunch or you’ll be late to her infirmary visit.” he gestured to the bowl of soup in front of him.
hange snicked before clasping her hand over her mouth. she shot levi an apologetic look before snorting once more.
levi huffed, pretending to not care, to not pay their aimless accusations any mind. but deep down, he knew there was some truth to what they were saying. so he quickly finished his lunch and excused himself from the table.
he got to the clinic in record time, with five minutes left to spare. he sat in the little waiting area, tapping his foot anxiously.
where were you? he wondered to himself. he’d always admired how punctual you were. it was very unlike you to not be early to an appointment, especially one as important as this one. don’t ask how levi knew but this appointment was a dealbreaker for whether you would be cleared to return to some of your duties. he knew how anxious you’d been about it, the worry had been plaguing your mind all week. you wouldn’t miss this for the world.
he heard footsteps approaching and he looked up to see you stumbling into the room. he shot up from his seat and grabbed your arm, guiding you to the nearest chair.
slumping down in the chair, you murmured a small thank you before fluttering your eyes shut.
forgive levi’s bluntness, but you looked like hell. your tired eyes had barely given him a once over. your hair was unbrushed and wild, and your eye bags were prominent. this disheveled state of yours was a stark contrast from the way you usually presented yourself: eyes bright and full of life, hair and clothing neat, along with all the strength and will in the world.
but what did levi know?
you squeezed his arm lightly before nuzzling your head in the crook of his neck. levi’s whole body tensed up, startled at the sudden movement. he wasn’t used to affection, let alone physical affection, so this alone set him off balance. he shifted uncomfortably under you for a little, before finally accepting it.
you were severely injured and tired. levi had been with you every step of the healing process so he knew the heavy burden you’d been carrying. what kind of person would be to not help you out in your great time of need?
he inched closer and held his breath while you shifted in your sleep. it took everything in him to not snuggle in closer to you and take a nap with you right there and then.
because despite himself, he was still in denial. certain that he wasn't deserving of love of any sort, especially on the receiving end.
so he sat there, shoulder numb, glad that you were knocked out cold. if you weren’t, he wasn’t exactly sure if he could unscramble his thoughts and confront what hange and erwin had said head on… and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to.
because part of him knew they were right. you were his weakness. he just wasn’t ready to fully accept it yet. it would make these fleeting moments of bliss turn into something more real, more scary. he’d already lost so many people in his life already—his mother, kenny, his first squad—just to name a few. he viewed these as small bumps on the road. these things would temporarily paralyze him, before he’d hit the ground running again.
but you.
he snuck a glance at your peaceful state, snoozing away on his shoulder without a care in the world. his heart panged at the thought of anything happening to you. to him, it wouldn’t be something minor, it would be a dead end. without even realizing it, you had become the center of his whole universe. being in your orbit is the only place levi felt grounded and secure. you always pulled him back right where he was meant to be.
Hi urs! what do you think would come to become the little twins' favorite childhood disney classic hyperfixation? might be random but you mentioned lion king a while ago and ever since i have been wondering how the twins' would be exicted for the movie esp the first time until they witness mufasa dying 😭😭
it’s the lion king for me 🥹
sylus x reader | sylus & his family
mama would have the urge to watch it one day when they were very, very little.
they don’t quite understand yet why you cry at some parts, and other parts and some parts more. but it’s the first movie they actually sit through and pay attention to…
except the times mufasa would speak, that’s when kyros’s head would bob up and down as if he’d doze off any minute. only because the timbre reminded him of papa’s voice so much.
the second time they would watch it, it would be with sylus.
“wah-yon!” lucian’s head pops up in the path of sylus’s view of the television. the nature documentary effectively abandoned now in favor of this interaction.
“hm?” he glances at the screen, now muted, showing small, furry mongoose. “uh, no, angel. meerkats.”
“ang!” lucian grunts. frustrated at something he cannot find the words for just yet. “gahr! wah-yon!”
“grr.” sylus growls back in confusion. is he playing a game?
“papa!” he whines, hopelessly plopping his cheek on his chest as if he’d given up. sylus is at a loss.
it’s then that kyros climbs the long way up sylus’s outstretched legs to position himself by his side. lucian’s face brightens significantly, ecstatic now that someone sensible has joined them.
“weewo!” he prattles on, a string of babbles that do and do not sound like words and gestures that should mean something but do not, unfortunately for their poor papa.
meanwhile, kyros pays attention with half-blinking eyelids and responds with a determined huff.
sylus is none the wiser.
joining his brother on their papa’s expanse of a chest, kyros says, “papa, wah-yon.”
and offers no further clarity.
sylus bares his fangs, hesitantly. “grr?”
“ah! no—papaa!” they’re both talking now. yipping and yapping. trying their best with their baby speech and bobbing heads and little movements to relay to him a more important message beyond lion.
they cannot figure for the life of them why their father is growling either. does he think they’re playing a game?
it comes to a point— when kyros baps his forehead and lucian cheers and says, “mankee! wah-yon!”— that he admits his defeat and begs for reinforcements.
he’s desperate when he calls out, “sweetie!”
and you—oh, you. you are an angel walking the earth when you come. spotting all three of them on the couch piled together. and you pout, “cuddles without mama?”
the children rejoice at your presence. lucian crawls over sylus’s belly to transfer to you, and you take him and listen to what he has to say.
“mama! a-kito-kotditi-ditidada-ababu wah-yon?”
you blink at him. for a minute, sylus feels relief that you are both on the same page, and finally there is someone on his side.
but then you shrug. “you want to see lions?”
“a-huh!” kyros squeals, gravitating towards you—the parent who gets them— were it not for sylus holding him in place.
no, he refuses to lose both the translation game and the cuddles. “a’mama, agdoo, dodopa-miya! miya pa mankee-pa, pah-wah-yon.”
“okay, we can watch the lion king.” you say. poor sylus is in utter disbelief.
you take the remote control and exit the nature documentary. flipping through titles on another application until it lands on the preview for the film. safe to say that your husband’s mouth agape has nothing to do with his program being interrupted.
“are you sure?” you ask them. sylus raises a curious brow to your disclaimer.
they’re already nodding and roaring at the screen like happy little cubs. so you hit play.
sylus didn’t think they’d cry. hell, he didn’t think you would cry.
“owpf!” kyros wails, digging his heels into sylus’s thigh as he presses his face against his chest. “toon-owpf!”
lucian is standing on wobbly legs, pressed against the screen, and is trying to nudge the cartoon lion with his mitteny palm to move. “papa wah-yon?”
this is sylus’s first time watching it, and so he grapples with the concoction of emotions he is feeling from the film and his family. you press your face against his shoulder to quiet your sobs; and he thinks this is why he is feeling so terrible.
it’s not because of the movie. right?
“dad, you gotta get up.”
sylus swallows. he is fine until simba, the little lion cub, tugs on his unmoving father’s ear. tethered by the memory of his own sons seeking his ears for comfort, the story hits a little too close to home and he feels his chest burn.
“shh,” he murmurs to kyros while he hides his reddened nose and burning eyes in his tousle of hair. “it’s okay. it’s okay now.”
kyros clutches onto his shirt for dear life.
“dad, we gotta go home.”
“a’papa!” lucian squeaks, hitting the screen harder, wanting to help simba. this is your cue to compose yourself and bring this one into a comforting embrace.
when in range, lucian’s fingers reach out to clutch sylus’s earlobe. sylus might never admit to shedding that tear, but you see it.
fortunately, the movie ends on a joyful note for his two little babies. he finally got why kyros hit him on the head and lucian called him a monkey later on because they giggled about it when it happened. so he files the trauma down to a painful but necessary one.
now, he knows his children’s hearts extend to more than just themselves.
he’d never been one to watch these kinds of things if it weren’t for you. he thinks maybe he should start doing it more often.
because as a viewer, he truly didn’t hate it. but as a father, he absolutely loved it.
...fuck my brain for this one but imagine dragon sylus. He has a family, happy and loved until one day it all crumbles. He was out with his sons to hunt, wanting to hurry and head back to his wife, his mate with their sons. That was the plan but god had already decided, humans- they stormed into their hunting grounds with fire and knives. He was too far away from his cave, he couldn't draw them there where you were, so? He hides his sons and tries his best to scare the away. For what felt like the longest time on earth to ever exist for the 2 kids, they finally went out of their hiding. The sun was setting, papa was not back, so they went to find papa. It took only a few minutes of waddling past a few bushes when they say papa sleeping. Their tiny feet padded fast towards him, "papa!! Papaa mama waiting!! No eepy papaa!!" They nudged him, poked him but he did say anything, why would papa ignore them? Was he mad that they came out of hiding before he came to get them? "Papa..we sorwy.. papa mama waiting..papa upp."
Fate was cruel to them, but how would such little babies know about that? They tried till the sun almost left the horizon and went to greet the other side of earth. Mama soon came finding them, when she did- they didn't understand why she was crying, was mama hurt? Was the baby in her tummy hurt? They watched as their mama cried and wailed at their papa, begging him to wake up, to say that he is okay. "Mama...let dada eep..he tired" . They couldn't understand everything yet but they felt it, the hurt their mama felt when she hugged them tightly, they felt her heart race upon hearing rustling. They felt her blood pumping as she ran with them through the woods but not before promising their papa that she will be back.
sylus x reader | sylus & his family | fluff, cute sylus, messy drunk kieran, amused mama, angst (huh?? what??), comfort (⸝⸝ᵕᴗᵕ⸝⸝)
tw: vomiting, inebriation, pregnancy, mentions of abandonment
sylus is just a little buzzed.
is what he first told you when he walked in through the front door with the slightest of wobbles. immensely noticeable knowing his usual, confident and unshakable stride.
you don’t hear.
kieran, trailing behind him, is a lot more far gone on his brother’s shoulder. you tend to him first, missing the slower movements of sylus’s arms raising to greet you and sidestepping him completely.
“gotta clean up puke in the car,” luke says. he seems unaffected by the evening’s outcomes, in fact begrudging the night now entirely. “kier’s a pig. worst birthday ever.”
you nod and take kieran’s limp arm and slump it around your shoulders, as if your frame would be enough to support his dead weight. he hiccups, “ma, i frew up…”
“i know, kier, it’s okay.” you pat his cheek and start the shuffle-walk towards a surface he can rest on.
you barely make it a few steps before the weight is lifted off your shoulders and kieran is hoisted up and over sylus’s shoulder.
“sy—“
he grunts, lumbering into the living room and tossing kieran on a couch haphazardly. kieran groans but slumps like dirty laundry over the arm rest.
then sylus returns, a willow hovering over you with limp limbs and a head hung low. you reach up to touch his face, feverish against your palm, and frown. “you didn’t puke too, did yo—!”
his shoulder muffles the rest of what you have to say, smelling fruity and tangy from his choice of alcohol, as he presses his forehead to your neck. “just buzzed.”
his arms circle your frame, larger now with the little heartbeats growing stronger in you, and you’re enveloped in his warmth. slightly off, but just as meaningful.
“papa’s just buzzed.” he whispers to your ear, and it tickles.
“looks like papa doesn’t know how to hold his alcohol.” you tease. you should have warned the twins that sylus is a poor drinking buddy when it comes to the harder fun drinks the youths tend to order.
but you couldn’t crush their drinking with dad dreams, especially now— in this time of sylus’s life—he takes pride in the title more than ever.
sylus was reluctant, not because he didn’t want to indulge, but you’ve just entered your second trimester and he’s been loathe to leave you since… well, since the announcement.
you teased him about being clingy, he whined in the privacy of your bedroom to your baby bump. tattling to your child how mama is keeping him and them apart.
but eventually, he caved and brought the unmasked twins to one of his more private speakeasy’s. which then, maybe escalated into something more neon and bouncy, you aren’t sure. the state of kieran tells you so much and so little all at once.
“i can!” sylus protests.
“f—ck! i gotta fy-ook!” kieran hiccups behind you in distress.
when you start to rush to find something to catch it, sylus holds you in place. you hiss at him. “sy! it’s gonna get on the carpet.”
“luke will clean it.”
you push him away just enough for him to tube-man upright. but kieran has already found a vase and stuck his face into it, now hurling accordingly.
“see?” sylus slurs. “my kids are smart.”
kieran’s dry heaves echo into the hollow artifact and trigger your own reflexes. suddenly, your stomach isn’t feeling so well. you pry away the corded muscles around your waist and sprint to the bathroom.
outside, amidst the chaos, sylus is bellowing. “kieran, look what you’ve done!”
and kieran is wailing, “i’m sorry! i’m s—orry!”
“ohh, i’m going to kill you.” luke returns just in time to witness his twin’s mess into the vase.
sylus is there, standing like a stunned specter when you emerge from the bathroom door. he blinks a few times like he’s rebooting before he places both hands on your cheeks. “are you okay?”
“yes,” you say kindly, stroking his ring fingers with your thumbs. “don’t yell at them.”
“okay.” he nods, squeezing his eyes shut and swallowing. “sorry.”
he turns his head and yells into the hallway. “sorry!”
“s’okay, dad.” luke calls back, tired.
“we love you, dad!” kieran cries, voice crackly and strained.
sylus grins, goofy and loopy, chuckling once and slowly turning back to you. “i like being dad.”
you smile at him. it’s been such a time since you’ve seen him drunk, and the last time wasn’t nearly as tame as this. tonight he’s just… happy and cute.
“do you hear me?” he asks, pressing his nose to your bump as he falls to his knees. “i love being your dad.”
“he isn’t even out yet.” you laugh, nails against his scalp that make him melt further onto you.
“doesn’t matter.” he murmurs, peppering kisses over what he believes is the little’s foot. “i’m dad. m’papa.”
he clings to you and snuggles his face into your belly when you sit among your boys in the living room. there, you laugh as luke paints you a picture of their night. how the speakeasy didn’t escalate into a full party, rather a case of your husband’s singing bug.
“boss sang like, seven songs.” luke says, and you laugh when sylus groans into your side. sedated only by your gentle caresses through his hair. “then, a gooey duet with kieran.”
“on the wings of love is a classic and you’re a—hic— pleb for not knowing it.” kieran interjects.
luke ignores him, still upset about cleaning up after his brother twice. “they sang through, like, three bottles of brandy.”
“and sum’beer.” adds kieran. “soo fun.”
“not fun.” grumps about luke.
sylus pouts against you. “you guys said you like it when i’m fun.”
“bossss,” kieran sings. “you were awesome. i will never—hic— ever—hic— ever forget tonight.”
luke watches his brother warily, but then softens when he looks back at sylus. “he’s right. tonight was pretty sick, boss.”
“dad.” sylus corrects, his voice now a grumble teetering towards unconsciousness. “i’m a dad—a’papa.”
“a’papa!” kieran responds enthusiastically, as if sylus had just recited a psalm. he closes his eyes and murmurs it to himself happily over and over.
“i think a’papa needs to go to bed.” you say, brushing back sylus’s hair from his eyes to see them closed. his mouth now slightly ajar too as his breathing steadies.
kieran’s echos fade too shortly after, and soon turn to soft snores.
only you and luke are left awake to witness the crackle of the dying fire in its hearth.
quietly, you ask. “why didn’t you drink?”
luke clicked his tongue and took a while. “i did.”
“but?”
he twists to retrieve a folded piece of parchment from his pocket. its crinkles sounding solemn as it is placed gently into your hands.
you give him a curious look as he sits back and waves for you to open it.
in big, bold, elegant font, it reads:
CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH
秦薛明 — Lucas Qin
luke turns shy when you look back at him. suddenly, his fingernails have turned interesting that it needs all of his attention.
“i hope you don’t mind.” is the first thing he utters and you are appalled at his words. “or he discussed it with you. we don’t expect you to think of us as yours, but we—we’d love to be part of the fa…”
his voice trails away when you plop yourself beside him and wrap him in a tender embrace. “of course you’re mine.”
he sniffles for the first time since you’ve known him. you don’t dare to look. but he leans his head towards you and swallows. “i didn’t want to forget.
“i didn’t want to wake up and maybe think… it was all a dream.”
all their lives— such hard and painful ones— they never had more than the other. never been wanted. never belonged.
at the gift presented to them, once pristine in the folders sylus had meticulously placed the parchment in, luke and kieran felt as if they had been killed, burned and reborn anew.
unmasked. with a face. with a name.
after years of always pausing by the door and waiting by the barrier, never did they think that they would be invited in.
and that will always be there to haunt them, the idea of being impostors in places they aren’t supposed to be in. where they think they fit, but their reality is bathed in delusion they would blame on their nonexistent childhood.
but now written, they will have something to tell them it’s all true.
“happy birthday.” you kiss his temple. he freezes at the affection, at the difference it makes coming from someone other than his brother. from another member of the family.
and as if you knew what he needed to hear, you swear.
you swear as if it is known, written in the stars eons ago. indisputable by fate or anything brutal that makes its demands. a truth you have lived and remembered and etched into your bones. you swear,
“you’ve always been our sons.”
a kick against his elbow that rests just by your belly is all is needed for him to believe it.
thank you for reading! ❀(*´◡`*)❀
秦薛明 (Qin Xuē Míng) - luke’s chinese name + sylus’s last name
A reoccurring joke while you were pregnant was that your baby would look like Satoru. The big beautiful blue eyes that stare deeply into everyone’s soul and snowy white hair that would blend into any white background.He hadn’t thought deeply about it surprisingly, just shrugged and would say something smug that he would forget immediately after it left his lips.
Never would he have guessed that the baby—his son— would actually look like him and it baffled him that this small human being looked like him but now his baby is 8 months and actually looks like baby Satoru.
You had gone to get groceries and asked Satoru to stay with the baby which he obeyed.He sat on the floor across from his son, examining this small human being that he had produced, well you produce but he helped.
The baby was sitting up and reaching for his toy car but it seemed to have been out of reach and he wasn’t even trying to crawl towards the car.He just looked at him as if he was supposed to get it for him but Satoru just stared.
The baby stares back at Satoru in awe and possible fascination, even the baby can see how beautiful his father is.Satoru can’t help but tilt his head to the right and the baby follows.It’s like staring at a younger version of him, it’s like he was reborn and given a second chance at a childhood and he was in disbelief.
He titled his head again to the right and the baby follows and Satoru can’t help but let out a breathless laugh as he looked to the side then back at the baby with a smile as the baby stared at him before bursting into a fit of giggles, gently swaying around as its hand excitedly patted the ground.Sweet giggles filled the air.
Satoru couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and joy that this was his baby, his son.He helped make this baby, that felt like a mirror and couldn’t help but feel at awe with the baby as he sighed with bliss and stood up before yonking the baby off the floor and lightly tossing him the air before kissing his forehead, the baby cradled against his chest.
“It’s just you and I, for an hour.Shouldn’t waste it staring at each other.”
imagine the babies kissing papa syloos helmet everytime he leaves since they saw him do that to mama🥹🥹
crying crying crying they would :< and sylus would keep the helmet extra squeaky clean for the little smoochies on it
"'top!" lucian squeaks, standing before the great lumbering beast in leathers and heavy boots. it turns its alien-shielded head down, where the little one sees his reflection in its darkness. "where go!"
"store." the voice breathes, muffled against the many suppressors in its egg-head. "mama needs butter—"
"i comin'!" kyros exclaims, running towards them as fast as he can.
"no, i'll only be a minute." the alien sidesteps lucian and starts marching along towards the garage.
"no, no, wait! papa!" they're breathless when they latch onto his legs. a single stride being almost ten for them. lucian whines, "please?"
"lucian." sylus sighs, crouching to bring his sons up to eye level so he can be heard better. each occupies a crook in both elbows. "i'm taking the bike."
kyros's excitement is palpable. "doy-wide!"
"not tonight." sylus says, apologetic. just as disappointed as the look on his squishy little clones' faces.
to his surprise, they nod and kyros presses his puckered lips against the vinyl of his visor. leaving a faint indented smudge by his eye. lucian adds his own on the other side.
"mmmuah!"
"see beyf," lucain says with a nod, knocking his forehead against the barrier. sylus winces with kyros who rubs his poor twin's forehead.
"thank you." sylus chuckles— for the well-wishes and for not putting up a fight. "i'll be safe."
izzy806
theartofmadeline
ellievsbear
kaledo-art
romaincrisis
2087
