#slow burning

Dérive

Rating: Explicit

Chapter: 24/?

Artist: @maskenjager

Summary

Gustave Écrivain is a Head Mechanic of the Jaeger program, creator of the Painted series of Jaegers, and a former Jaeger pilot cadet. Verso Dessendre is one of the pilots of Painted Cypher, one of the fastest and most lethal Jaegers in the world, and currently without a co-pilot. Both of them have their past, their baggage, and a hundred reasons that they should not work together as Jaeger pilots. Yet the second they step in a sparring ring together, it is obvious from that very first exchange - they are meant to be. Can they overcome their respective pasts, and all of the obstacles in the present - to end up together in the one place that matters. The Drift.

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XXXI.

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Summary (i guess?): From the dark musty cell of Stillwater all the way to the very base of Firelights, but where to from there? Guess you'll just have to let fate lead you.

Author's note: I'm going to see the Inside out 2 movie t'day all on my own and I'm exited and scared too 'cause I've been in the cinema on my own before lmao :]

previous: Thirtieth chapter

next: Thirty second chapter

Masterlist

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The creature broke into a run, following you and Ekko flying away on the machines. It cried out as you left the abandoned gray street and stopped before the street ended. You turned to spare it one last sad look, it yipped at you, but you had to turn away from it and follow the boy. You sped up a little and caught up to Ekko, and the two of you flew in silence for a little while. It was weird how this part of the Undercity was almost dead, the usual chatter of different streets replaced with quiet whispers from the shadows.

1.7k words. This is a slow burn story. Like really really slow burning.

No thoughts tonight, just thinking about how you are a gift from Kenny to Levi. After Kenny was found severely wounded, he gave Levi the titan injection as well as you. You were Kenny's redemption.

You knew this day would come. Kenny told you. Kenny had prepped you since he knew Levi joined the Survey Corps. Being the leader of the interior MP, Kenny knew one day he would have to come face to face with Levi, and only one would survive. And he had already made up his mind.

When a short man with dark hair the same shade as Kenny's walked into the bar you worked at at 3pm, you recognised him instantly. Not that it was the fact that you had saw him multiple times on horse back, but it was the way he walked that resembled the man who raised you. You knew your life would change, once again. The bar owner quickly welcomed the captain, thanking him for saving humanity. But Levi only had his eyes on you. He told you to go with him, and you nodded. Then, you left the bar with the man.

The things you had rehearsed for years came smoothly. You told Levi about how Kenny picked you off the street after he left him in the Underground, and how Kenny brought you up in a bar his most trusted friend run, and how Kenny wouldn't shut up about him when he was crowned the "Humanity's Strongest Soldier". Levi nodded, he said "at least he didn't leave you," but you told him "you are his pride and joy, I am his redemption."

Kenny asked Levi to take care of you. Not that you were a child, Kenny wanted Levi to have a family, even though not by blood. Kenny raised you with stories of Levi growing up and the skills he taught Levi. But he made sure you never had a drop of blood in your hands and not a scratch on your skin. Kenny taught you how to escape hostile situations, but he knew you couldn't run forever. He wanted both of you to have each other.

Levi never understood why Kenny gave you to his care. He couldn't understand why Kenny insisted him to take you in. You were a lucky normal civilian who lived in the inner walls. Still, Levi took time and effort to teach you how to use the maneuver gear, and you picked it up after a few days. Levi was surprised at your improvement, but you reminded him you trained under Kenny for years too. You are not an Ackerman, but you weren't a helpless person.

Due to shortage of soldiers, Levi had to take you to the battle fields. To his surprise, you were calm when you saw the titans. And you rode alongside Erwin with no hesitation, charging toward the Beast titan and his group of abnormals. Your sole purpose was to be with Levi. Kenny raised you with his memories of the boy you never met, but knew that you only had him. You knew Levi well, but you also knew nothing of him. He made you a soldier and you obeyed your superiors, you charged into hell.

"That rut is a hard piece of work, but he is soft on the inside like rotten cabbage. When I die, this world is only you and him. Y/N, make Levi a man, not the monster they said of him."

Levi watched in shock as you and Floch dragged Erwin onto the roof. Your face was flushed with exhaustion. You were panting for air as Floch begged Levi to revive the commander. You stood at the back, watching in silence. In the end, Levi chose Armin, and life continued.

.

Levi found some peace in you. The way you talk and the way you held a knife resembled Kenny so much. Even the way you gulped down a mug of water after practice. He felt like Kenny was with him. You exchanged glances a lot but rarely talked to each other. He was your captain after all, and you were just an orphan passed to him.

But things changed when Levi caught you sneaking off with the maneuver gear at night. You told him you were dying in the camp, you need fresh air on the top of the wall. "You needed fresh air too, Captain," you pointed out. Levi was tired to his bones, His eyebags were hanging below his bloodshot eyes and he had lost some weight for his cheekbones to show.

Signing, he knew you were right. He took his maneuver gear too and off you went into the dark. When you both sat on the wall, you exhaled in relief. The cold air in your hair and your face, the crescent moon hiding and showing behind clouds, and the endless outside world.

You said, "Kenny never liked this."

"What?"

"Kenny. He never liked the outside world. Or on top of the walls. He liked being within the walls."

"Yeah?"

"He took me up on the wall once. Wall Sheena. When he had the vertical maneuver gear. He said heights were never his thing and he never understood why you would go out there." You pointed at the titan's territory.

"What would the old shit know about freedom?" Levi signed.

"But he knew he would run into you someday within the walls. He was really proud when he saw you came back in one piece after an expedition. He kept saying "my boy" for a week. He even waited by the gates a few times to watch your return, you know." You tilted your head and watched Levi. His face was a confusion of emotions.

"Tell me more about him please." He croaked.

.

You hang out with Levi more. You were often seen together in the camp. On the roof late at night, on the fields early in the morning, or in Levi's office. Rumours were spreading but you both ignored it. You felt something changed in your relationship with Levi after that night on the wall. And you had seen Levi's soft side just as Kenny told you for years. The man you grew up with did not change much. Although he grew tougher, but he was still Kenny's memory of the little boy you grew up with.

Levi found peace and closure with you. He had wondered for years about his background but he did not ask out loud. He never thought Kenny left the key in you. You do know almost everything about Levi, even the parts he refused to admit to. But you never told anyone about him unless he asked you. He respected you for that.

You filled in each other about the lives you did not live. You told Levi about your life with Kenny and in the bar while Levi told you about his (in pieces) and the news of the walls You never pushed Levi for the things he never said. His life was harsh, you knew that. You learnt to brew tea for Levi during those late nights talks in his office as his insomnia kicked in. You could hardly sleep too, after all the horrors you saw. Kenny raised you to stay calm in all situations, but seeing titans were not in his books.

.

After Levi came back from Marley and Eren ran away to infiltrate the Marleyen's military, everybody was preparing for war. But Levi asked you to resign from the Survey Corps.

"Why? Am I not contributing to the cause?" you demanded an answer.

"You had contributed enough, now it's your time to leave." Levi did not raise his head from the stack of paper work.

"You can't kick me out, Captain. I did nothing wrong and I am willing to fight!"

"I said no. No more questions."

"Levi," you snatched his pen off his hand, "cut this bullshit! You can't make me quit!"

Levi slammed his fist on the table, "I can! I can and I will! I can't have you dying just like that! I promised him to take care of you!"

"And I promised him to be by your side! I promised him you would have a family!" You yelled back.

"Then don't die! Because I can't lose you!" Levi stared at you with tears in his eyes. He whispered, "I can't lose you. I-I, can't lose you." And tears rolled down his cheeks.

Your heart broke seeing him like this, you rounded the table and pulled him into your arms, burying your face on his shoulder. "I won't die, Levi. I promise."

"No, you don't know that. Right now it's not us against the titans, it's us against the whole world. I can't let you die. Yo-you are all I left."

Pulling back, you looked at each other. Your eyes slowly trailed to his lips, and his eyes on your lips too. Moving in slowly, you tested his waters. He tilted his head slightly. Eyes closed, and you lips met. A soft brush turned into a collision. Your lips feeling each other, moving more and more hungry with each kiss. When you pulled back, you both were panting and blushing.

You had fallen in love with the boy in Kenny's memory since Kenny told you about him. The boy had been your companion in every step of your life even when you hadn't met him. And you fell for real when you spent your days when the man who you knew so much but also nothing about. His stoic character, his calm demeanour during crisis, and all his little habits that made him him.

Levi fell for you without him knowing when or why or where. He knew one day that you had taken his heart. You filled the gap he was afraid to look into. You were patient with him. You answered his questions about himself. You knew him in ways he did not because he didn't have the privilege to look into. And you were always by his side, giving him peace when he could not calm himself. He found himself thinking about the past less, and more of the future of no wars.

Chapters: 16/17 Fandom: Persona 5, Persona 5 Royal, Persona Series Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Suzui Shiho/Takamaki Ann, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakamoto Ryuji Additional Tags: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic, Angst with a Happy Ending, Aftermath of Torture, P5R compliant but no spoilers until like the last chapter or something, one tiny spoiler about the new velvet room, Genderfluid Character, Genderfluid Akira, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Character Study, Underage Drinking Summary:

Persona's users didn't have a palace.

But that didn't mean they were entirely well or mentally stable, as Akechi had been living proof of that.

 In which Lavenza asks for their help because her Trickster was dying, and the phantom thieves find themselves in Akira's heart, the velvet room a haunted place that was too dark and too sad, each cell locking up his worst memories, and all the times they've failed him.

In which they all find a boy that was their leader and their friend, but broken in so many ways his physical body was failing and he was going to die alone in his hometown if they didn't do something.

In which Akira finally gets to be saved, and in which there’s a happy ending even for someone like him, after all.

Pairing: namjoon/jungkook Rated: M Author: ameliabedelias Length: 61k

When Jeongguk is six, he meets Kim Namjoon. When Jeongguk is nineteen, he meets Kim Namjoon. Again.

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Or, Jeongguk has known Namjoon his whole life.

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Reccer’s Note: