#shipbox

Thanks for reading them lovely😭💖

YES. Brilliant question. /pulls up a PowerPoint/

Levihan

For Levihan, I know this is cliche, but every levihan fan’s pilgrimage starts at this very spot:

Fucking “right here” sexual tension so thick it breaks my fucking butter knife. Because I’m an idiot, I didn’t *notice* it the first time (I used to watch the anime when having dinner during University forgive me), but when I rewatched it and this scene came on. Omfg. I just-

What even is that Levi? What is this smouldering look? Did your face have to be that close to Hanji’s to make your point? Omg! And Hanji’s stupid wide-eyed expression because Levi caught them off-guard? Stop it. Stop. We’re in public. We’re at work. Human Resources will be hearing about this!

The second scene that made me absolutely feral was when Hanji barged in on Levi’s squad’s tea time and talked to Eren while the others were like “fuckkkk go awayyyyy” and Hanji just barks a curt “Levi! What’s Eren up to today?” And he replies, completely deadpan, and Hanji proceeds to ignore his comment completely, switches back to their “uwu hewwo bb Ewen” voice and pulls Eren out of his duties. It was such an embarrassing partner (who is the manager of another branch and technically my boss) shows up at my workplace to wreak havoc moment? And Levi is just- completely used to it by now? He doesn’t mind?

And the third, after investing countless hours on this goddamn ship, they hit me with the telepathy scene. God. If that doesn’t sum up why I love them- Hanji getting excited and Levi being like “how the fuck were you raised? Why are you so feral? Stop being embarrassing!” And Hanji getting annoyed because “I know! Don’t you think I know? How dare you think I wouldn’t know!” And then they proceed to demonstrate that they, in fact, do not know.

Jeankasa

There ain’t that many but- we do what we can… (I do have favourites).

The scene where Jean swoops in to save Mikasa? A classic. A cliche. A favourite. It’s always Mikasa who has a handle on things, but when she’s in danger Jean fiercely protects? He’s just a boy trying to save the girl of his dreams? So tropey? So heroic? Iconic.

But my two absolute favourite moments?

One would have to be when the gang was talking about Eren and how he put everyone in danger. And Mikasa knows he’s not the same Eren, but she just doesn’t wanna face it. And Connie’s had it with everyone’s bullshit and is like “so tell me Mikasa since you know him so well- Why did he laugh?” And Mikasa looks at Jean and this is me reading into it because I’m obviously a sucker for them, but she looks at him? You always look at the person in the room you’re most comfortable with- whether it’s a tense situation or whether it’s to laugh. Or you look at the person whose counsel you seek or whom you trust to give you an accurate read of the situation. And she looks at him for assurance, for confirmation. And when she sees his face- she knows he feels the same, that Eren has gone astray, he just doesn’t want to say it because what’s there left to say? What’s the point of hurting her more? At that moment she looks away and her expression is one of realisation? She finally faces the truth? Ugh. This moment has such brilliant hurt comfort potential? I gaped okay. This scene makes me feel things.

The other? When Eren said shitty things to Mikasa and they rejoined the group and Jean asked for elaboration on how Eren had hurt Mikasa. And she was like “it’s fine…” and Jean, very calmly but very firmly, said “no it’s not fine. What did he say?” Very protective, very delicious. But in a way that isn’t him swinging his ego about and yelling and being forceful about it and making it about him? And after when he tries to rationalise Eren’s behaviour, reassure them that he’s out of it and he’s saying things he wouldn’t normally say? It’s just such a defining moment for Jean? It shows how mature he is. He didn’t use that to his advantage to be like “lol told y’all Eren’s an asshole”? He just wants to make sure everyone’s okay, and that Mikasa isn’t hurt.

YES! Notice in every official drawing of them together Hanji is talking Erwin’s ear off and Erwin just has this smile on his face like “yup! That’s Hanji for ya! That’s the Hanji I know...”

Case in point:

And he just finds her endearing and she just smashes the hierarchy (still maintaining her respect for him ofc!) and talks to Erwin like a friend? And Erwin treats her as an equal and thinks the world of her? Ah! My heart!

It’s finally time for me to answer this because I’ve watched the relevant episodes.

When Niccolo was first introduced, I was a sceptic. I thought it was gonna be a hinted at ship (not to say they’re any less valid, but I thought it’s a ship that would require more work on the part of the shipper to draw the links). Because I thought that was it? Sasha being a big fan of Niccolo’s food? WHICH IS, in itself very cute because... how apt that she should date a chef. (Connie, Jean and Mikasa are like “good god... typical...) Literal match made in heaven.

But Sasha died and then came the grieving. When Jean apologised to him and he’s just like “why are you saying sorry to me? I’m just the guy who made you guys food...” that hurt me... Because he wishes to be more?

Good god as if the graveyard scene wasn’t enough, Niccolo-kun went batshit on Falco and Gabs. And his expression here was just *chefs kiss* (pun intended)-

You can tell the exact moment he sort of just loses it? Can you imagine going to a fancy restaurant and in the middle of your steak and peas the chef comes out, a child under his arm and another kicked in front of him and he’s wielding a kitchen knife talking about avenging his girlfriend, your daughter? And he offers you the knife and asks if you’d like to join in. And the military is there, and he actually tells them to back off because he’s “just trying to avenge Sasha”. And he is unleashing generations worth of confusion and just manic grief on two kids?

Also note that whenever I see Niccolo I always say out loud “awwwww he’s her boyfriend!” And the first time it was just in a “awww how cute... he’s blushing” sort of way, second time it was a more serious “oh no... he’s her boyfriend 🥺”. And when he was waving that knife at Falco and gabbers, saying he had someone special to him too and her being a goddamn Eldian, saying she “saved him from the war”... his grief was so intense that it hit me-

“Oh my god... He’s her boyfriend...”

Sorry this took so long? I love this ship. Girl loves food, boy is chef? Yes. Star-crossed lovers from two warring factions? Yes. Love for girl undid a lifetime of brainwashing? Yes. Wish we had more😕

LOVE. GREAT. BEAUTIFUL.

Look at them? They’re so beautiful. I get a very specific vibe from them. They’re like when your older brother starts dating this really cute/quirky girl from school and he’s a jock and she’s an understated cool girl and they’re just... A really cute couple?

What did I say! Older brother and his gf brings younger siblings and a bunch of their friends out to have fun (chaperoned by a paying adult of course... Sorry Reiner...)

Also... I know I used this meme for levihan too but it applies here:

Porco is a bit of an asshole but he’s soft for Pieck and she manages to calm him a bit and she gets him to not take himself so seriously?!? Like when Porco was like “oh yes our superiors are so brilliant!!!” and she’s like “yeah lol like when they sent 4 kids on that suicide mission huh!”

Calls him Pokko and lives to tell the tale? Because she’s so self-assured she also doesn’t cave when it comes to him. She’s just unaffected and I think Porco needs that reality check.

Cal💖💖💖💖💖💖💖 omg this question gave me butterflies🥺 I don’t know if I remember this correctly but…

I just thought it was cute at first? When Jean saw Mikasa walking past and he was like “omfg girl of my dreams she’s perfect” and boy even worked up the courage to TELL HER. Little blushy baby. Omfg. Witnessing that was nightmarish. But it was just really cute and childish and “Eren I’m so jealous I hate you how am I not better than you in every way!”

But I didn’t really ship ship them until the later seasons where I saw that Jean still likes her but in a quieter way? And his little crush for her develops beyond just the fact that he finds her really pretty. He tells her like it is when she was defending Eren saying how not all of them are willing to blindly die for him. And despite not agreeing with her and telling her exactly why, he still cares for her and respects her 😔

Jean valiantly swooping in to save her? His calm “Connie, stop it…” when Connie was about to go off about Eren being a dick and Mikasa looking at Jean after Connie went off anyway. And Jean just looking away because he didn’t wanna make matters worse because he knows she’s already feeling bad as it is. And him saying it’s not fine, it’s not okay, and asking again what Eren did to hurt Mikasa. Ugh. Please😭🔪

Jean doesn’t let his lil crush get in the way of their comradeship, doesn’t swing it about and doesn’t make it her problem? It’s like he understands Mikasa will always love Eren and he respects that. And that’s when it hit me! Jean really sees her! He sees her the way I would like her to be seen? Lets Mikasa be the main character😭 Eren is such a loud angry Aries boy and it just overshadows Mikasa and it’s always about him. But when Mikasa is with the other kids and Jean I see her more clearly and I feel for her more! I also think the jeankasa maps onto the growth of both characters really well?

Also I kinda like the hurt comfort trope where it’s convenience at first. They fool around because it’s convenient and they’re both… There. And Mikasa’s like I can’t love you the same way and Jean’s like yeah I know it’s okay. And he loves her quietly and they just hang around each other and have loads of fun with their friend group. And there are moments here and there when she laughs with him and she’s silly with him and he laughs when she says something funny and she thinks huh… okay… and it’s just a slow burn realisation that this is something beautiful and gentle and patient and kind 😔🔪 and I also love the idea that you can love multiple people in one lifetime and have those different loves be brilliant and painful in their own distinct ways.

And I think in a way writing jeankasa for me is my love letter to Mikasa who deserves good things💖 and to Jean whom I’ve always loved as a character✨ they’re both good kids. They’re good for each other😌

I think this gif says it all for me? I do like Eremin because of the *~•range•~*. (Again I can’t relate much to Eren as a character but I do think this ship is beautiful)

I’m always a sucker for a strong bond and this is something Eren and Armin have? There’s also that healthy contrast in personalities. Eren protects Armin and Armin balances Eren out. He balances out his impulses, his anger, his hot-headedness, basically his big Aries energy. And for that, Eren becomes a better person.

Also a big sucker for characters talking about dreams and the ocean? BIG SUCKER for that (which is why Hanji telling Levi “wouldn’t it be nice if we just lived here together” was such a big moment for me ugh). I just think it’s very poetic. And I also love how Eren brings it up on multiple occasions, like the ocean stands for so much more between them.

Also, how the relationship progressed in season 4 just makes for good angst? Armin being disappointed in Eren because this is not the person he knows and loves, because Eren has lost his humanity and Armin just doesn’t understand him anymore. And him defending Mikasa against Eren just- ugh. Armin is one of the few people who has that hold over eren. And this look is gold-

Reunionnnnnnnnn!

Believe me when I say “supreme sapphics” cracked me the fuck up!

Look at how cute they are 💖

In canonverse I definitely see them as best friends? They’re roomies omg! I love thinking about them having little conversations (like it’s a sleepover), at first mostly one-sided talking on Sasha’s part with mikasa ignoring her in favour of sleep. But after a while, Mikasa looks forward to these talks. I also indulge in the idea that they talk about relationships and just general gossip. And Sasha’s just goddamn messy and Mikasa makes her contain her mess to her half of the room. And they just tolerate one another’s quirks (they don’t mind really!) Also Sasha steals Mikasa’s clothes because she doesn’t keep up with her laundry.

BUT...