the single most sweetest thing he could have heard about that. eren looks at elliot for a second (a couple of seconds), and— from the melancholy, he actually smiles. it’s soft, reassured and genuine. ]
They are, somewhere. [ he likes to believe that, at least. ] Sometimes I still catch myself thinking I’d like them to meet you.
[ he nods, and the smile— it’s still there, along with eren’s fingers squeezing his hand in return. with a bit of lightness to the air now (wow, who knew), eren can relax his shoulders. ]
You said you had something to tell me too, didn’t you?
[ breathes in. he holding elliot’s hand for this and leans over. he has a feeling where this is going, but.
at least, the act of betrayal doesn’t bother him as much as it used to. it doesn’t bother him at all, really (there are reasons for betrayal and they run so much deeper than “I wanted to hurt my friends” because it’s never like that.) ]
throughout it, eren’s expression maintains neutrality. he doesnt want to cause alarm when it doesn’t have to be, or set fire to gasoline when there was no need to. ]
Does that change what you feel about him?
[ for eren, it doesn’t, but for more personally mutual memories. if anything, he hopes to guide that saddened face of elliot’s away. one hand washes the other. ]
The Crow that's here now isn't the same as the Crow in my memories. And even if he was... [He offers a little shrug] I remember how much the other Elliot missed him. He never hated him.
[So why should he now?]
I just...I don't know what'll happen when he finds out here.
[he considers, then gives a little shake of his head]
Thanks, but...I think that conversation should be something I should handle on my own. It's a Class VII matter...it'd look bad if I felt I had to bring back-up.
[Having Eren there when he breaks the news to him...it shows that he doesn't trust Crow. That he's fearful of him. Which couln't be further from the truth]
[ but eren doesn’t seem deterred in the slightest, and still mildly smiling. ]
You’ll talk to him on your own time, or whenever he comes to you to talk about it. And I’ll do the same thing if he ever comes to me. Rean’ll probably do the same thing. [ . . . ] Betrayal’s universal. He just needs to know that his friends see past that when he starts doubting it.
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[That's...really sad. Especially considering what eventually happened to that world, if Eren's presence in Recolle indicates anything]
...I hope they were born into this world and are doing just that.
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the single most sweetest thing he could have heard about that. eren looks at elliot for a second (a couple of seconds), and— from the melancholy, he actually smiles. it’s soft, reassured and genuine. ]
They are, somewhere. [ he likes to believe that, at least. ] Sometimes I still catch myself thinking I’d like them to meet you.
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I'd like to meet them too. We'll keep an eye out, okay? I mean, we found Levi, Crow and Rean- so who knows who else we'll find.
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[ he nods, and the smile— it’s still there, along with eren’s fingers squeezing his hand in return. with a bit of lightness to the air now (wow, who knew), eren can relax his shoulders. ]
You said you had something to tell me too, didn’t you?
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But oh right, it's time for him to swallow and look a little nervous.]
Yeah, I do....
Just so we're clear, this stays between the two of us, right? No telling anyone?
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You know I won’t. What’s going on?
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Well...remember how I said Class VII had a traitor?
I...I haven't gotten any memories that directly says it, but I think I have an idea of who it is.
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at least, the act of betrayal doesn’t bother him as much as it used to. it doesn’t bother him at all, really (there are reasons for betrayal and they run so much deeper than “I wanted to hurt my friends” because it’s never like that.) ]
Someone important?
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I don't remember anything directly pinpointing it as him, but in all my memories during the war? Crow is the only class member missing.
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throughout it, eren’s expression maintains neutrality. he doesnt want to cause alarm when it doesn’t have to be, or set fire to gasoline when there was no need to. ]
Does that change what you feel about him?
[ for eren, it doesn’t, but for more personally mutual memories. if anything, he hopes to guide that saddened face of elliot’s away. one hand washes the other. ]
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[The answer comes easy. ]
The Crow that's here now isn't the same as the Crow in my memories. And even if he was... [He offers a little shrug] I remember how much the other Elliot missed him. He never hated him.
[So why should he now?]
I just...I don't know what'll happen when he finds out here.
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[ oh, elliot. if there is something that eren knows now, it’s how layered betrayal can be. ]
We’ll talk to him. It’s the best thing we could do.
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Thanks, but...I think that conversation should be something I should handle on my own. It's a Class VII matter...it'd look bad if I felt I had to bring back-up.
[Having Eren there when he breaks the news to him...it shows that he doesn't trust Crow. That he's fearful of him. Which couln't be further from the truth]
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[ but eren doesn’t seem deterred in the slightest, and still mildly smiling. ]
You’ll talk to him on your own time, or whenever he comes to you to talk about it. And I’ll do the same thing if he ever comes to me. Rean’ll probably do the same thing. [ . . . ] Betrayal’s universal. He just needs to know that his friends see past that when he starts doubting it.
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Yeah, you're right. He'll probably judge himself the hardest for his past, so we have to be there for him.