#ackerlove

[randomnessgal]

When official work openly show who they ship 🌺😍😏

I mean why do you even doubt Rivamika love.

It's not a child's play but rather a love that has gone through many stages of trust, respect, responsibility, loyalty and ended up becoming magical love and unbreakable bond.

Source: Attack on Titan collaboration with His-j

[mk-kaze]

Jean: Today’s the day I’m going to ask Mikasa out on a—

Levi: Dont even bother, she’s mine. All rights reserved.

—

Eren: After all these years, I realized I have feelings for you Mikasa—

Levi: You’re time is long gone, she’s moved on. I have her love now.. And much more.

[kenrik]

In which Levi unassumingly confesses his attraction to Mikasa. (HS AU)

“You must be used to it.” He said so casually, so out of the blue, that Mikasa missed catching the rag he threw over to her. Eyes open in surprise, her brows furrow as she bent to pick up the soiled piece of cloth. “Being confessed to.” 

An angry flush paints her cheeks. She turned to the whiteboard and started wiping. 

“And why shouldn’t you?” He continued. Behind her, he started piling up the chairs. The screech of metal against concrete filled the palpable silence in their exchange. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as distracting as you.” 

Mikasa’s arm froze midair. Her knitted brows furrowed even deeper. She chose not to speak; she’s seen enough people lash back at him and fail. 

“We men are no match for women like you.” Levi finishes as he clapped the dust from his bare hands. His eyes glanced at the gloved hands of his clubmate and berated himself for being exactly that type of man who was putty in the presence of a beautiful woman. It was just as Hange said; men were all the same. 

Now - his gaze rose to the girl setting down the rag; the whiteboard before them, although rid of writing, was smudged with black ink - if only Mikasa thought differently. 

Levi sighed as he grabbed the rag she set down and redid his companion’s work. 

“Eren is a lucky bastard.” He gritted, tiptoeing, trying to reach the higher portions of the board. 

Mikasa was suddenly beside him, taking the cloth from his grasp and easily wiped the smear he was trying to reach. “He isn’t.” She said in her reserved voice.

“Aa-” Levi nodded, agreeing with a smirk forming on his lips. “A bastard.” 

“No,” The beautiful young woman’s eyes continue to survey the board, not exactly knowing what more on it she had to clean to satisfy Levi. “Lucky.”

A crease formed in between the young man’s eyebrows as he turned to the girl beside him. As he did, Mikasa in turn met his gaze with a twinkle in her eyes. And Levi swore, in that moment, he saw fireworks.

Embarrassed, he quickly turns away and mumbles, “You missed a spot.” before making his way to the back of the room, picking whatever trash he passed. 

“Where are you going?” Mikasa called after him with a chuckle in her voice, teasing. 

“Garbage!” He raised his hand filled with some random crumpled paper Mikasa swore freshly came from his own schoolbag. 

With a smile on her red lips, the girl shook her head as she hid her chuckle behind a gloved hand; thinking that, for a guy who was as crass and headstrong as Levi, he frightened easily with a little flirting. 

*A/N: Hope you support my story, Shingeki No Koukou! 

Mikasa-centric. My take on SNK had it been high school instead of Paradis; had it been schoolmates instead of titans; had it been Mikasa as the protagonist instead of Eren. This won't be an inspirational story about fighting for the greater good. Far from it. This story is about Mikasa and how she is forced to deal with a world far bigger than Eren and Armin. Modern AU. Rivamika. 

[kenrik]

For those who anti-/rivamika...

Hi. (Because, I like procrastinating.) 

I. My shipping history! When I was in college, I never would have dreamed shipping or even myself liking a guy 5 years older or younger than me. Yuck. Gross I thought it. Which is why the first time I encountered the ship (Community, Jeff x Annie), I cringed at myself because I thought it was weird for shipping a pair at least 10 years apart in age. 

When I was 14, I shipped Sakura and Sasuke because they were perfect together. Cool guy. Sweet (albeit annoying) girl. Plus, they were in the same age group! And they’re so damn cute together. And Sasuke’s so hawt. 

When I was 12, I shipped Sakuno and Ryoma because Sakuno was so sweet and docile. She is so perfect for the cool Ryoma. 

Looking back, my biases really affected my choice of ships. I thought the cool guy should end up with the cute girl who is so obviously in love with him. Pretty telling of how I saw my gender, isn’t it? (Always protected by the strong guy. Always so in love and sacrificial. No own motivations, no own battles.) But damn, I was a starry-eyed girl. Sue me. 

Then, as does everyone, we grow up. Saw the world. Met loads of people. (Both online and in person.) No one can really tell what makes a relationship. So, regardless of what you ship, it all boils down to personal preference. There is no need to beat the other down. I ship RivaMika because of the potential. (Like all my other ships and my non-existent love life... TMI!!!) hahaha! 

II. How I started. a. EreMika Like mostly everyone else, I sailed the EreMika ship. (See my bias towards straight pairings!) It was the cutest thing seeing these kiddies together in the first episodes. Also, I shipped them because I wanted the girl to get what she wanted - the affection of Eren. 

But gradually, as the story progressed - you have to ask, is that really what’s beneath Mikasa’s overprotective attitude over Eren? You know, amid Mikasa’s great strength, she’s still a kid. Immature and rash. It’s not obvious because as a soldier; she follows direct commands. So, these faults of her character are not that obvious. (It became blatantly evident when she had to act on her own in retrieving Eren from the Female Titan.) 

b. Female Titan - Rivamika Entry. HOOKED. I only came to ship Levi and Mikasa following the events of the Female Titan encounter. Of all the rescue operations I’ve watched, this was the most incredible and badass. I instantly had to ship them because of how awesome they were together. (That was my initial thought. After re-watching/re-reading, I realize that Levi did most of the work...)  III. My misunderstandings. a. Levi and Mikasa's characters. i. How Levi really is. Levi is not an abusive maniac. He does not like beating up children. (He does have a hard hand - but that’s a crutch he got for living most of his life in the depths of the underground hell which threatened to kill every ounce of humanity in him.) 

This character has an incredible backstory. (Just like everyone in this remarkably created universe.) But, his is sadder. He never had a moment of happiness. And that instant, that second he did, it was snatched away from him so easily, so quickly. All his life he’s been surrounded by people who couldn’t care any less about those around them. So, don’t you think it’s remarkable that this man who exudes the overused stereotype of “I don’t give a rat’s ass.”, keeps the patches of his fallen comrades? Helped Mikasa save Eren. (Other than helping Mikasa, he did it so willingly because Eren was a part of his squad. He wouldn’t hold back to rescue whatever tinge was left of them.)

It’s incredible that, with what little this man has, with all that he’s lost (and I’m crying just thinking about how a man who never had anything could lose so much), he continues to fight for humanity. 

So, that’s how Levi really is. He’s a tough guy, no doubt. But those that matter - the traits that count, they’re in him a hundredfold. And this is why I admire his character so much. All the humanity that Erwin and the other’s have lost. Levi gained. It’s a remarkable contrast, isn’t it? I will cry an ocean’s fill the day they kill off Levi. (I say when because I believe they really will.)  ii. How Mikasa really is. Regardless of how much we admire this child, she is what she is - a kid. “Gaki.” as Levi so lovingly puts it. 

She is strong, filled with incomprehensible potential. But, she is immature and rash. She lets her emotions get in the way of her duties. (But as you continue into the plot, you see how she’s developed. She’s more toned down. She is able to distance herself from Eren.) 

But, if you were to rate Mikasa to Levi. Mikasa does not even compare. Mikasa is heartless when it comes to those who are not Eren and Armin. Especially in the first season/first arc of the manga. Remember - she had the gall to blame Levi for Eren’s taking during their chase for the Female Titan. 

“If you did your job, Eren would be safe.” She says something like this with so much spite and loathing - to a man who just fucking lost his entire squad in the most horrendous of ways. This is a man who immediately locked up his own remorse, his own feelings of guilt, to get on with the next goal: Save Eren. 

SO. IDK WHAT THE FUCK YOU SHITS ARE SAYING. I’ve tried locking up feelings before. And trust me, that is not a good practice. SO. Who the hell could fucking understand what’s going through Levi’s head? He doesn’t seem to have a confidant. Nor does he seem to be looking for one. 

Mikasa has Eren and Armin. The 104th. She practically had and has a family. She’s been surrounded by love her entire life. So, to blame Levi. To injure him. 

I gravely think we fans aren’t giving Mikasa the shitloads worth of how horrible she’s been to Levi. From promising to beat him up after what he’s done to Eren during the latter’s trial. To blaming the bereaved man for losing Eren. Those may be two incidents. But, both were crucial to Eren’s well-being. Plus, taking into account that in the first parts of the anime/manga - Levi and Mikasa had little to no interactions to begin with. 

I love Mikasa’s development in the manga. But, considering the fact that Levi saved her ass from getting killed by the Female Titan. That he saved her fricking boyfriend/brother loads of times. That he continues to respect her and mentor her. LEVI is obviously the better character. So, no, in the Rivamika ship, you are not allowed to say Levi is the lucky one. Mikasa is the fortunate one; that Levi understands where her anger/rage came from and is able to move past it. 

b. Rivamika. When you have a wrong understanding of the characters, you tend to have a wrong understanding of the ship as well. Initially, I thought Levi was uncaring. I thought Mikasa was cool and just incredible. I thought Levi would beat Mikasa up - hence my previous fanfics. But damn was I mistaken. 

In the anime, there seems to be zero Rivamika. That’s because it’ll happen in the later arcs. But its there more or less. 

Also. The damn art in the anime (first season) is incomparable to the manga. In the 1st season anime, Levi has a baby-bod. Which is... effin not his dang body. In the manga (as seen above), he’s basically a muscular man. They fixed this in season 2. (Yes!) And in the manga, Mikasa looks younger, less mature than her anime version. --- So if there needs to be a Rivamika image that pops into mind, keep in mind the one on top of this post. 

IV. Rivamika (see: appreciation post)

V. Conclusion: Why I Rivamika. a. Potential i. Caring Levi and a maturing Mikasa I just adore Levi. And I love Mikasa. 

Since I adore Levi - I want him to be happy. I want him to lead a life that has been contrary to what he’s been through his entire life. I want him to gain rather than lose. I want him to live for someone, to fight for someone special to him. I want him to stop seeing himself as an instrument for humanity’s survival. After all, if you’re not fighting for something concrete - then why the hell are you fighting? (Right, Jean? LOL.) I have a penchant for sad characters, for the ‘bad’ characters. I believe they are misunderstood; that they aren’t given the development they need. 

But Levi has everything good in him. So, why shouldn’t he be happy? (This is why I ship him with everyone. LOL.) 

Mikasa, I love. She is just incredible. And, most compatible to Levi. She’s uber powerful. She is most likely to understand Levi. (Remember - Levi has no confidant. I doubt Levi/Erwin/Hange talk about their feelings.... They’re people who get the job done after all. So, no need for the mushy stuff.) But as she is, I think the best bet for her to shed off her feelings for Eren and have her affections swayed by someone else is - maturity and distance. 

In the manga, we already see her development. She’s become Levi’s right hand. She back-ups the man. And she understands him. 

I don’t like thinking my ship as “here’s a Levi.” and “here’s a Mikasa.” now fall in love sort. The way I think Levi will fall in love with Mikasa is companionship and understanding. Tea time talks maybe. Being there when he needs a helping hand. Levi as he is, is and has never been in search of romance. Levi is a simple man with zero input on the topic. He only has this vague idea of love and family in the corner of his mind. Something he doesn't think about because for him, it isn't necessary. It isn't what's in front of him. That being said, I think he's one that could grow affection quietly and be satisfied with this alone. He yearns for nothing, he wants for nothing after all. Heck, the man isn’t in search of a friend even. He’ll grow the affection for certain. But, Rivamika sailing will all be in Mikasa’s wheelhouse. 

And, I think Mikasa will fall for Levi once she freaking matures. I say mature because we can hold it as a fact that she already understands Levi in the manga. So, she needs to mature to shed her old feelings. We slowly see this in Eren and Jean’s brawl, where she just lets them fight. (Good times, good times.) Mikasa will fall for Levi only when she realizes how much he’s done for her, for everyone. She’ll fall in love with him after she realizes how much there is to admire in him, after she reassesses what it means to fall in love with another. 

I don’t understand how this will work in canon. But just imagine the possibilities. One headcanon is - they embark to unknown territory. The protagonists are in separate teams. I see Armin in HQ, dealing with military strategy. I see Mikasa training her own squad. I see Levi and Eren joining the frontlines. (This is where the distance I mentioned could develop. - Mikasa can grow, reassess her feelings.) (But crap, I think she’ll only end up missing Eren... :( ) 

(Speaking about Eren. I don’t think he’ll fall in love with Mikasa. From his character - he obviously isn’t looking for one. And second, he never seemed to be attracted to Mikasa at any point of their relationship. He always saw her as a friend, an unwanted nuisance at times. Annie, I’m pretty sure he fancied at one point or the other. - This works with Rivamika because it gives me room to believe that Mikasa will have to move on.)  (But then again, you can never be certain. He could come out one day saying, “Of course I love you. I always have.” I think his relationship with Mikasa opens this door to a frank and casual confession. :O )

ii. The Indefeasible Ackermans The Ackerman line will certainly continue. It’s impossible to think those genes will be lost to humanity forever. One of the two (assuming there are no others) will procreate with someone. So, why not just put them together? 

(Kidding aside.)

I say potential because of the inherent capabilities of these characters. The trajectory of their stories will reach heights unknown. They’ll be doing remarkable feats, journeys, battles. They will save humanity. The thought of their finding love through all it is so damn romantic, I can’t even begin to describe it. It will just be so incredible and heart-wrenching. (To find love in a hopeless place. HA......... ha. Sorry.)

b. Biases i. How I appreciate my gender. It’s easy to pinpoint flaws in depictions of your gender. So in my ships, I quickly take note of this. I love how in obvious ships (EreAnnie, RivaMika), the women are equally or even stronger. 

I love how confident the men are in their own abilities. That Levi doesn’t give a rat’s ass about his height. That the men’s frustration with getting stronger doesn’t stem from jealousy towards their female counterparts, but the struggle to win a life-long battle. 

When I was younger, it’s so obvious that I liked the girls in my ships to be the under in more ways than one. Although I wanted them to develop, they were never allowed to grow more than their male counterpart. In Rivamika, Mikasa could so easily surpass Levi any day now. I also like the fact that Levi is shorter than Mikasa. That’s how you know a man is confident - that he doesn’t mind living up to such an incredible partner. 

(Oh yea, look! For the first time, it’s the man who sacrifices his time and effort for the woman’s sake.) Love RivaMika so gosh darn much.

ii. What I look for in a relationship. EQUALITY AND RESPECT. (including attraction, love, admiration, trust... all that jazz of course.) You get this in Rivamika if appreciated properly. 

All points taken, Rivamika is awesome. If you don’t think so, it doesn’t matter. Just make sure to ship and let ship. If a ship doesn’t suit your taste, look the other way. Don’t be immature and show us how much time you can afford to waste by ranting about a pairing you hate. (And like that, I just wasted a butt load of time... oh no.) 

END. 

[kenrik]

Because the Ackermans were just so beautiful today. 

(Another dirty sketch.)

[kenrik]

NOTE: SPOILERS. My appreciation of Rivamika

Basically, my analysis of Levi and Mikasa’s relationship and their respective characters. This is what I use for my fanfics/for shipping. 

I think a lot of us have over-analyzed and given rivamika in exchanges that are very well, simply, organic and platonic; in exchanges that can well be attributed to how they interact with those around them in general - not some special rivamika moment we want that’s isolated and solely between them alone. So, here is my appreciation of our Rivamika moments and the search for that something special Levi feels only for Mikasa and vice versa, not as a teammate nor a leader - but as individuals.

1. Levi and Mikasa at Eren’s trial.  Levi lingered because of Mikasa’s death glare, one Levi initially doesn’t understand because he knows nothing of the Shinganshina trio back then. All he saw was a girl with a look as if she was so ready to skin him alive. (Which she was.)  _contrary to the view that he found a connection there.  _However, Levi could’ve met her glare with surprise because - with his popularity as the humanity’s strongest, no one yet - rather, no one would dare look him straight to the eye, let alone openly and intensely glare him to kingdom come.  2. Levi and Mikasa against the Female Titan.  With age comes incomparable death (both in our time and in their universe). Mikasa, being young, is rash and, unlike the much older Levi, desperate to keep everyone she loves alive. Levi also wants this but knows the bitter reality of survival. When he sees Mikasa rampaging, he sees his younger self and knows exactly what she felt; even if just a faint, painful recollection. So, our dear Levi, quick to empathize, devices a way to save Eren INSTEAD of the goal - which is to capture the Female Titan.  _contrary to the view that he did it because there’s something about Mikasa. Rather, he saw himself in Mikasa. He saw everyone he failed to save in Eren. I really think he’s looking out for the Shingnshina Trio by now, to save something from his past he himself failed to do back then. 

_NOTE for RivaMika points. If it weren’t for Levi, Mikasa would be pretty much dead. Even earlier then, I didn’t realize this. I only thought that, if Levi hadn’t shown up, Eren wouldn’t be retrieved. (I wonder if Mikasa realizes this. So far, it seems to me that she doesn’t. More than Eren’s life, she has to acknowledge she also owes hers to Levi. OR is that more telling of her character? - That compared to Eren’s life, she gives zero fucks for her own.) 

<I missed the whole Eren controlling titans parts in the manga because I wanted to save some surprise for the anime. So I won’t be able to note Levi and Mikasa’s characters in those scenes.>

3. Rivamika team up to rescue Eren. (again) By this point, we know that Mikasa feels remorse for making humanity’s strongest take a break to recover. (We see this when Annie in titan form was trying to escape. Mikasa made sure, in Levi’s stead, she didn’t. + Asking how Levi’s injury was.) As well, her respect and trust for Levi has grown. She no longer questions him and even leads the rally for others to put their trust in Levi.

In his squad, she unconsciously becomes Levi’s right hand woman. She is no longer rash and is able to control her protectiveness over Eren. (We also see this during Jean and Eren’s brawl. Mikasa doesn’t stop them, doesn’t stand in for Eren. Instead, she enjoys herself. By this time, her world is wider. It is not simply herself, Eren and Armin anymore.)

On the other hand, the trust Levi puts on Mikasa is the trust he puts on everyone in his team. He knows each one has their own strengths. And, being the experienced leader he is, is able to put everyone to good use. He and Mikasa, being of the same blood, are just more in tune with each other; have the same wavelengths.  _Instead of phrasing it that he thinks Mikasa is an incredible fighter through Rivamika goggles, there is nothing more in this because, as team leader, it’s his job to sift through his team’s strengths. 

4. Levi and Mikasa for the serum.  When Mikasa finds out about Armin’s death and sees the desperate scene unfolding before her; the impossible choice Levi was to make; when she was advancing towards him with her blades out (if I recall correctly) - I honestly, HONEST TO GOD, thought she was going to slice his hands to get the serum to Armin. 

It was fear I saw in Levi’s eyes when he found Mikasa. I didn’t think at all that it was remorse/guilt. 

Mikasa is a woman of action. She has a rank of priorities. And on the top of her list - Eren and Armin. While Eren and Armin entered the legion for humanity’s sake, I believe Mikasa entered because Eren and Armin did. (Her motivation to fight for humanity, I think she only later appreciated upon meeting everyone else.) So, when she sees Armin dead. The serum in the hands of a tortured Levi. And Eren desperately begging for Armin’s life. She knew what she had to do. She had the obvious advantage over the burnt out Levi. It was so easy - to kill Levi, to get the serum, to save Armin. 

But, she didn’t. She recoiled. 

While Eren continued to plead, she lost herself to her sobbing because she, having been exposed to Levi’s motivations (which is humanity’s survival), has acknowledged the harsh reality. Now that I think about it, her character has grown quite a damn LOT. (Total character development right here! From having shunned the world, limiting herself to the trio; she now sees the greater picture.) 

On the other hand, Levi who knows what is necessary for humanity to move forward - does the unthinkable. He goes against this harsh truth and chooses to save the trio; save Armin. I really have no idea what to make of his decision. I have no idea what to make of how he saw Erwin. Oddly enough, while Mikasa acknowledges what is necessary for humanity; Levi seems to have fallen astray? All I know is he thought that, overall, even amid humanity’s battle; Erwin deserved to rest, that they were selfish for even thinking to keep him alive. In this decision, we see that while Levi’s motivations run for humanity’s best interest, his decisions ultimately depend on the sake of his closest relationships - that he’s a softy. (This also happened after he overhears the trio back in the safehouse talk about the ocean.) (But, I really don’t understand his decision. So, that may need some other post/analysis.)  Maybe, Isayama wanted to show how complex his characters could be.

-

Looking at everything, I can’t isolate scenes that I can safely say are Rivamika, not some team exchange for the battle for humanity whatever, other than these two I concede to there being something more; something just between Levi and Mikasa. Not as fighters, teammates, fellow-Ackermans; but as individuals who may just progress into that vague term I’ve been using - “something more.” 

1. Historia hits Levi. 

There is just no other explanation to this. Even I can’t say this is just a team thing, Mikasa respects him, whatever. 

While everyone else is close to losing their breath, Mikasa is smiling! WHY. WHYYY. No other reason than - She is not afraid of Levi. She knows Levi will not retaliate. She is amused by Historia. AND, she is amused by Leviiiiiiii’s iritated/shocked reaction. (It’s obvious the panel is dedicated to Levi’s reaction - seeing how everyone else is on the edge.) 

Even while reading this part, (when I read, I just glance and move forward), I found her smile odd. Although a Rivamika fan, I just put this aside because I had to finish the manga. But as I look back - I can’t rationalize this smile other than her amusement towards Levi. This is great because she sees Levi more than simply a crass, pushy captain; that there is actually something about him that can make her smile. 

2. How Levi has always spoken to Mikasa. 

He has never been crude to her. There has always been compassion, a gentleness. HE HE HE. HI HI HI. Always. Alwayyssss. (In the carriage scene. In the leg scene. In the Ackerman lineage scene.) 

BONUS. Mikasa is taller than Levi.  Isayama himself has said (if the YT 107 facts are to be trusted), that Levi has no preference, not even if he prefers the opposite gender. All Isayama said for a fact, is that Levi has always been keen on tall people. 

TO END, (I really don’t know what I’m talking about by this point LOL.) While it’s fun over-analyzing for Rivamika - I stay true to what I said; that there is barely anything on that we can use for shipping rivamika that every other shipper could so easily use; that I don’t really know what I’m shipping (at times I find myself shipping Hange/Levi and Eren/Mikasa then feel guilty.); that I retract my prior posts about Levi and Mikasa’s character developments. 

We may be tempted to say Levi and Mikasa have this great connection in those parts I’ve mentioned, (not that there’s a problem with it because - a shipper’s got to ship), we cannot deny that SNK is a survival/action story; that all those moments are moments of the team and not necessarily rivamika. 

[kenrik]

Rivamika practice sketches. (Guess which I drew first) haha

[kenrik]

rivamika sketch