[ especially around those days, perhaps. eren decides to sit and rest his ankles now, propping a leg up closer to his chest and just. looking up. just looking up and listening to the insects chirp. the bond bleeds, though not entirely open— what drips from eren is heavy reverie. ]
[That gets a smile out of Elliot, happy at the prospect of spending more time with Eren. He liked the guy, okay.
He'll sit down with Eren, his own knees bending and his arms wrapping around them. He's close to Eren, but he's still respecting his personal space. The feeling he's getting from him is a relaxing one, not unlike playing an instrument. A fitting emotion, on a night like this.]
I know you will be. [Worried or not, he's being truthful] You're one of the strongest people I know.
[Eren has proven himself to be resilient, adaptive, over the last few months. He had such a strong will, but it wasn't detached from reality. ]
And I won't ask what you're hiding from me. [Because he knows he is. Even before this memory update, he'd see Eren in the coven classes about creating mental blocks.] Even if it's something bad.
[ something bad, something good. whatever word you call it, he didn’t quite care anymore. it wore him down, but it gave him hope. it made him horrible, but it kept him going.
faintly, eren replies. ]
It’s just mine. [ neither nor. his burden, his vow, and his actions. ] We all have them.
[ eren’s placid to it, nevertheless. no sneers or feelings that would reject it, and lower do his walls come, undone. there’s nothing in there but a buried unhappiness— but god damn is there hope worth fighting for that throws it all under a rug.
he’s less angry, but the feeling is there, still, and easy to rile if something prods too far. mild relief pokes out of the cloudy storm beneath his greater emotions, and he sighs out, eyes up to the sky that prepared for morning showers in some hours. ]
I’m going to get markings for it later. [ because . . . there is a thing, that he’s thinking about. ] Not far away from my changes in full.
[ at least he won’t be surprised when he suddenly. gets big. ]
[Elliot hadn't expected that wall to come down, honestly. He figured it'd stay up for awhile. So there's a bit of surprise coming from Elliot as he realizes he fully feels that Bond again. Some parts of it feel different than before, a different energy from Eren in a sense. Something's changed, and the effects will reveal themselves in the days to come.
But...it's still familiar enough that Elliot relaxes for now. Even the buried unhappiness, well, it's not like Elliot doesn't have his own share of that. Instead there's just affection and acceptance towards Eren. No prying emotions, no distrust. His nerves of course, were ever present, but it's radio background noise ]
Oh yeah, your tattoos. I did some reading up, I think I should be able to apply enchantments to tattoos just fine. Might wear off sometimes though...
[So that'll be a thing to keep in mind. And ah, right the changes. Elliot looks over Eren. Physically he's changed a lot over the past few months. ]
Yeah...you're really dragon-y now. With how you're walking now, I wonder if you'll get a tail like some other dragons I've seen.
[ in actuality, so— he doesn’t actually mind! he’s never minded much to begin with. while he’s sitting, he lifts his foot and moves his toes and flexes his joints, all clawed or scaled, or both.
the tattoos are a good thing to look forward to, even if he’ll have to get more enchantments to them every so often. after a moment longer . . . eren clears his throat, stabilizes on all limbs before lifting himself up in a slow stand. ]
We should get going. I have to check on someone before I go back, too.
Uh huh, sure. [Because Mikleo and Lex would love to wake up to see Eren with a broken nose from falling flat on his face, surely.
He comes over to Eren, standing side by side and lifting Eren's arm so it'll rest on his opposite shoulder. He's wrap his arm around his waist but...the wing blocks that. So him acting like something to lean on will have to do]
Considering her world...she's probably used to sleeping through worse. [Like how she was intent on sleeping through the entire dream] I like her, she's nice.
[ eren’s stiff, walks on wobbling for a few paces— but for perhaps one of the first times he was offered help, eren retreats. his arm pulls away from his bonded’s shoulder, and he walks. he came all the way out here on his own, it wasn’t now that he’ll need a crutch. he was used to accepting it, but there’s more to it than this. no matter how many times he tells himself they have nothing to do with it, the same apprehension sits on his concerns. ]
. . . I meant it, Elliot.
[ the last thing he wants to do is emotionally attack him to force him away, but the point stands. eren’s feelings are reserved, tense but more gentle in his honesty than he could’ve been. there’s loss. there’s a hole in his heart that he doesn’t think freedom can fill. he doesn’t want to lose anyone because he relied on them. ever again. the smaller the favor the bigger the habit.
what’s worse (or better?) is the pang that comes with elliot’s comment of lex. a bubble of warmth that doesn’t deserve the look on the dragon’s melancholy face. he loves her. like a smitten fool. ]
[He's a little surprised to feel Eren retreat. Eren's always been independent, but he's never really pulled away like this. He feels a little baffled, confused- as if something that wasn't supposed to happen just happened.
Were he younger, he'd probably take that as a comment about him. Heck even now, unwanted anxious thoughts tease such an idea. But he's matured enough to push aside those thoughts for now before he could jump to any conclusions, and tries to get clues from Eren to what's going on. Feelings from the bond, his body language, his choice of words...
...]
And we like you too, you know.
[There's a feeling of confidence with his words, warmth and love. There may be no filling that hole in Eren's heart, but that hole doesn't have to be the only thing there.
He won't try to take him again, but he does speak gently, picking up on that apprehension mixed with that loss. He doesn't know what happened in Eren's memories, and true to his word- he's not going to pry. And such, he can only speak for their own situation now.]
Someday we'll go our separate ways. And it'll hurt, no matter what. But that's all the more reason to embrace the time our song lasts, don't you think?
[ it’s a favorable way to see it, and eren . . . would agree. he does agree. it’s the reason why he’s even bonded, and is staying that way without any sudden canceling. it’s why he lays with them, why he does spend time with them and why he’s allowed himself to anchor and harbor feelings since the beginning. ]
Let’s see how the tune plays out. [ he might not be saying yes or no, because things could change as plans do— but, he’s not going to turn blind eyes and make promises he maybe might not be able to keep. he’s willing, in all honesty, but he knows he has the cold calculation to do the opposite, no matter how much it twists him inside.
he’s not a good person and he’s pretty sure that no one is aware of that yet. he doesn’t know which is worse, leave them in innocence, let them find out on their own or just show them already. “see how the tune plays out”, he thinks again. and with that, smiles, small but there. he was born to feel, born to live, and born to be free. ]
[He knows Eren agrees to it. Their time together being finite wasn't new, they'd known it from the beginning. But sometimes a little reminder of that helps, especially when he feels apprehension over loss coming from the other.]
That's all we can do. [He says in agreement, his tone still gentle and warm. He wasn't expecting any promises here. But seeing a smile coming out of Eren was rewarding enough, no matter how small.
This time, he'll reach out to hand to take one of Eren's. A compromise. He won't force the other to lean on him, but he wants to be there for him all the same.]
[ even if he’s hurting and even if the smile is short lived— at least it was there. the hand that comes into his, though, that isn’t necessarily retreated from. at first, loose holding takes command before eren ends up inhaling. a slightly firmer hold from there, not too tight, not too dead.
he’s alright with this, all up until they get there. ]
I’ll . . . See you later. [ . . . honestly? there’s a better word for this. ] Thank you.
[He gets a small smile on his face as Eren firms up the hold of his hands. As they walk, he intertwines his fingers with Eren's claws. He's used enough to the clawed hands that he knows how to move his fingers without getting cut
When they reach the spot, he gives Eren's hand one last affectionate squeeze before letting go and stepping back.]
Hey, anytime. [He means it too.] Say hi to Lex for me, okay?
[ . . . sure, says the expression on his face, solemn but sturdy in the way that he comes over to knock their heads together, before he turns to slip away.
some time to himself to think before she wakes would do him good. ]
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You’ll see me around.
[ especially around those days, perhaps. eren decides to sit and rest his ankles now, propping a leg up closer to his chest and just. looking up. just looking up and listening to the insects chirp. the bond bleeds, though not entirely open— what drips from eren is heavy reverie. ]
And I’ll be fine.
[ because he knows you’re worried af ]
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He'll sit down with Eren, his own knees bending and his arms wrapping around them. He's close to Eren, but he's still respecting his personal space. The feeling he's getting from him is a relaxing one, not unlike playing an instrument. A fitting emotion, on a night like this.]
I know you will be. [Worried or not, he's being truthful] You're one of the strongest people I know.
[Eren has proven himself to be resilient, adaptive, over the last few months. He had such a strong will, but it wasn't detached from reality. ]
And I won't ask what you're hiding from me. [Because he knows he is. Even before this memory update, he'd see Eren in the coven classes about creating mental blocks.] Even if it's something bad.
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faintly, eren replies. ]
It’s just mine. [ neither nor. his burden, his vow, and his actions. ] We all have them.
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[His tone more light and teasing than accusatory. He's really not trying to pry for information here. As such, he'll change the subject]
Oh yeah, my waterproofing spell's all done.
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he’s less angry, but the feeling is there, still, and easy to rile if something prods too far. mild relief pokes out of the cloudy storm beneath his greater emotions, and he sighs out, eyes up to the sky that prepared for morning showers in some hours. ]
I’m going to get markings for it later. [ because . . . there is a thing, that he’s thinking about. ] Not far away from my changes in full.
[ at least he won’t be surprised when he suddenly. gets big. ]
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But...it's still familiar enough that Elliot relaxes for now. Even the buried unhappiness, well, it's not like Elliot doesn't have his own share of that. Instead there's just affection and acceptance towards Eren. No prying emotions, no distrust. His nerves of course, were ever present, but it's radio background noise ]
Oh yeah, your tattoos. I did some reading up, I think I should be able to apply enchantments to tattoos just fine. Might wear off sometimes though...
[So that'll be a thing to keep in mind. And ah, right the changes. Elliot looks over Eren. Physically he's changed a lot over the past few months. ]
Yeah...you're really dragon-y now. With how you're walking now, I wonder if you'll get a tail like some other dragons I've seen.
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[ in actuality, so— he doesn’t actually mind! he’s never minded much to begin with. while he’s sitting, he lifts his foot and moves his toes and flexes his joints, all clawed or scaled, or both.
the tattoos are a good thing to look forward to, even if he’ll have to get more enchantments to them every so often. after a moment longer . . . eren clears his throat, stabilizes on all limbs before lifting himself up in a slow stand. ]
We should get going. I have to check on someone before I go back, too.
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[He looks at Eren's feet. They're starting to look more dragon-like than human. No wonder this guy is having such trouble walking.
He gets up with him]
Lex, I'm guessing? [The third bond] Let me walk you there, it'd be bad if you tripped on the way.
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[ but he gestures and waits for elliot to come over and walk him over there, anyway.
but, yeah. lex!!! ]
I managed to keep her asleep until now.
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He comes over to Eren, standing side by side and lifting Eren's arm so it'll rest on his opposite shoulder. He's wrap his arm around his waist but...the wing blocks that. So him acting like something to lean on will have to do]
Considering her world...she's probably used to sleeping through worse. [Like how she was intent on sleeping through the entire dream] I like her, she's nice.
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. . . I meant it, Elliot.
[ the last thing he wants to do is emotionally attack him to force him away, but the point stands. eren’s feelings are reserved, tense but more gentle in his honesty than he could’ve been. there’s loss. there’s a hole in his heart that he doesn’t think freedom can fill. he doesn’t want to lose anyone because he relied on them. ever again. the smaller the favor the bigger the habit.
what’s worse (or better?) is the pang that comes with elliot’s comment of lex. a bubble of warmth that doesn’t deserve the look on the dragon’s melancholy face. he loves her. like a smitten fool. ]
Me too. Both of you.
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Were he younger, he'd probably take that as a comment about him. Heck even now, unwanted anxious thoughts tease such an idea. But he's matured enough to push aside those thoughts for now before he could jump to any conclusions, and tries to get clues from Eren to what's going on. Feelings from the bond, his body language, his choice of words...
...]
And we like you too, you know.
[There's a feeling of confidence with his words, warmth and love. There may be no filling that hole in Eren's heart, but that hole doesn't have to be the only thing there.
He won't try to take him again, but he does speak gently, picking up on that apprehension mixed with that loss. He doesn't know what happened in Eren's memories, and true to his word- he's not going to pry. And such, he can only speak for their own situation now.]
Someday we'll go our separate ways. And it'll hurt, no matter what. But that's all the more reason to embrace the time our song lasts, don't you think?
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Let’s see how the tune plays out. [ he might not be saying yes or no, because things could change as plans do— but, he’s not going to turn blind eyes and make promises he maybe might not be able to keep. he’s willing, in all honesty, but he knows he has the cold calculation to do the opposite, no matter how much it twists him inside.
he’s not a good person and he’s pretty sure that no one is aware of that yet. he doesn’t know which is worse, leave them in innocence, let them find out on their own or just show them already. “see how the tune plays out”, he thinks again. and with that, smiles, small but there. he was born to feel, born to live, and born to be free. ]
There’s a lot of ground to cover.
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That's all we can do. [He says in agreement, his tone still gentle and warm. He wasn't expecting any promises here. But seeing a smile coming out of Eren was rewarding enough, no matter how small.
This time, he'll reach out to hand to take one of Eren's. A compromise. He won't force the other to lean on him, but he wants to be there for him all the same.]
Aha, good thing I like traveling.
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he’s alright with this, all up until they get there. ]
I’ll . . . See you later. [ . . . honestly? there’s a better word for this. ] Thank you.
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When they reach the spot, he gives Eren's hand one last affectionate squeeze before letting go and stepping back.]
Hey, anytime. [He means it too.] Say hi to Lex for me, okay?
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some time to himself to think before she wakes would do him good. ]
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Time to head home]