[Fine. Aubrey steps back from the tree. She hasn’t drawn her sword since before they reached the clinic. Started to, once or twice, when a stray noise or villager scared her on the travel back; but it’s never come out. It couldn’t. Sunny was right there....
[He’s sleeping now.]
[Without warning Aubrey swings, slashing sideways as if raking down a swarm of foxes. Blade hits blade, not skin; metal makes such a different sound than the dull thunk of wood. No hesitation; Aubrey draws back and lunges for his midsection. Her eyes are wide. She can’t let the enemy get close…]
[Eren knows grief, knows rage. It has to come out somehow, right? That's what he told her. Aubrey's eyes are wild. She doesn't hold back an ounce. Eren blocks each strike, jumping and dodging. He's never been the poster child for coping. If this is what Aubrey needs, fine.]
Hey, Aubrey. You might actually hurt me if you knew what you were doing.
[Part of her knows it’s Eren; sharpened instincts don’t care. She never did have to strike down a person in Sunny’s defense; maybe that’s her only respite. Each swing is more desperate than the last, harsher, less coordinated; just one blow, is the simple, easy objective, and she can’t do it.
[When she first picked up her bat, she bashed a bin to pieces. It felt good. Nails snagged, made it harder; made it better, the catharsis, but by then she didn’t need to as much anyway. Had other stuff to keep her busy.
[Lately it’s just been a sleepy boy and her own head. That’s been something.
[Eren taunts her, and she snarls back, wordless. It’s like she’s right back where they started, flailing and useless. This is why he wanted her to fight, isn’t it?
[She stabs for his face. That wasn’t in the training.]
[Eren isn't expecting the blade to come slashing toward his face. He stumbles back, ducking his head out of the way. The razor sharp blade still grazes his forehead. Awful lot of blood vessels in the face. Rusty red pours down his face. The dodge sent him to the ground. He glares up at Aubrey, blade still poised in front of him.]
[Disturbing fucking sight. Sunny’s face dripped red, too. So did the wolf’s—
[The wolf.
[She plunges the blade down, aimed for the skull, not caring where or if it hits. If Eren blocks right, it could easily skew crooked, hurting him or her or both or neither; Aubrey’s throwing her weight into it.]
[Eren is quick. His sword isn't at the right angle to block, but he uses it anyway, throwing it in the process. He rolls onto his back. If she keeps striking, he's at her mercy.
[She doesn’t stop. Eren rolls, dodges; she doesn’t stop.
[His voice comes through mid-swing. A deflection; the legs, not the chest. Aubrey lets go; whether the blade hits or not, it’s (now literally) out of her hands, and she staggers from the thrown weight.]
[This is his fault. The blade flies, embedding itself briefly into Eren's shins. When he staggers, the blade slips out and clatters to the ground. Fuck. He falls to his knees - pain - he rolls onto his hip.]
[Aubrey drops by his side, grabbing his leg, hands clawing, as if she’s going to gnaw on it. Doesn’t say anything, but she holds tight, as if the harder she squeezes the more the bleeding will stop. (It just might; she has that ability. But her mind’s far too frayed for any other effect.)]
[Eren tries to shift away from Aubrey when her hands clamp down, snarling and shoving himself away across the ground. He even goes so far as to kick his legs. Coincidentally, the bleeding stops, but the pain doesn't, and the wound doesn't go away.]
What? Spit it out. [He's not angry at her, it just hurts (fuck, those have to be deep wounds - did the blade make it down to the bone?), and she was clawing at him.]
I’m trying— [snarled between gulping, ragged breaths—] to help you— [Just let her see the wound, please— The effect can only occur as long as she can keep touch.]
—You stupid— [her grip is not gentle] stubborn— boy.
[Eren sucks in a sharp breath through his teeth, body tensing. It's not as if he hasn't had worse, but fuck, give him some time to adjust. He doesn't kick her away again. She's screaming at him. Was this good for her? Or did he make everything worse as usual?
[He watches her with sharp green eyes.]
Help who? [He doesn't believe her ire. Even he knows he's done nothing to deserve it.]
[Fuck. Fuck. Eren’s listening to her. Now he is; she said she didn’t want to hurt him. But she did anyway, huh? His blood stains her palms, stains his face. Tears well up; her head droops. Part of Aubrey feels like it isn’t here; the rest is only here, this messy, overgrown, bloodied dirt.
[She can’t cradle him like this. Sunny is asleep. She hopes....]
[Eren doesn't need an apology. He truly doesn't. Maybe Aubrey's apology is for someone else, or maybe it isn't. She isn't like him at all, really. Just an average girl from a peaceful world. She has to carry a blade here. It isn't just for fun. She's learned that now. Maybe it really is a terrible truth.]
You don't have to say you're sorry to me.
You did exactly what you should have when facing an enemy.
[If Eren really had been an enemy, she would have hacked him to shreds.
[He doesn’t want to hear she’s sorry. Right. Aubrey wants to scream, but Sunny is asleep, or at least resting somehow, and Eren is hurt. Because of her…
[Her hold loosens. Doesn’t quite go slack.]
I… actually can heal you. Too. [She’s getting really sick of blood.] Here....
[All this time, she was gripping without healing. He lets her. He feels strange. He isn't afraid of Aubrey, just...baffled by her.
[There's always this terrible tug, this overwhelming desperation to feel closer, but sometimes the only way they can talk is through their blades, and isn't that how it's always been for Eren?
[Aubrey told him about her friend. He wishes she'd said more. He tried to talk to her about his heart. He wishes she'd stayed.]
Aubrey...
[He's facing her, but his eyes are cast to the side.]
You're important to me. ["Because you're important to me. More than anyone else."]
[Idly, she wishes she wasn’t. Eren has lots of important people here. Have they all been able to fend for themselves?
[Does she dare ask? Or is that another thing they’re not supposed to talk about? God, her mind is frazzled.
[Eren’s wound looks deep. Aubrey feels sick. She’s facing him, too, but can only focus on the injury. Maybe now the magic will work. Wouldn’t have it if not for this place; wouldn’t need it, either. What a mixed fucking blessing.]
[It's selfish. Who cares? Does it matter when they can't tell each other the truth? Is lying by omission really something a friendship can sustain itself on?
[Does he owe it to anyone to tell the truth? It's his sin, isn't it?]
[Her eyes flit up to his face, nothing else moving. Dark irises, by the by; contacts are one of many, many things that seem too trivial to bother with now.
[Wordless, she shuffles forward and reaches for his forehead. If Eren allows, she’ll swipe a thumb across it; if he resists or tenses at all, fine, she’ll draw back. Sometimes Aubrey’s healing comes with a feeling, usually soothing. Burning, that one time. But right now it’s rather hollow. Utilitarian, really. Sunny’s glows.]
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[ … ]
[Fine. Aubrey steps back from the tree. She hasn’t drawn her sword since before they reached the clinic. Started to, once or twice, when a stray noise or villager scared her on the travel back; but it’s never come out. It couldn’t. Sunny was right there....
[He’s sleeping now.]
[Without warning Aubrey swings, slashing sideways as if raking down a swarm of foxes. Blade hits blade, not skin; metal makes such a different sound than the dull thunk of wood. No hesitation; Aubrey draws back and lunges for his midsection. Her eyes are wide. She can’t let the enemy get close…]
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Hey, Aubrey. You might actually hurt me if you knew what you were doing.
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[Part of her knows it’s Eren; sharpened instincts don’t care. She never did have to strike down a person in Sunny’s defense; maybe that’s her only respite. Each swing is more desperate than the last, harsher, less coordinated; just one blow, is the simple, easy objective, and she can’t do it.
[When she first picked up her bat, she bashed a bin to pieces. It felt good. Nails snagged, made it harder; made it better, the catharsis, but by then she didn’t need to as much anyway. Had other stuff to keep her busy.
[Lately it’s just been a sleepy boy and her own head. That’s been something.
[Eren taunts her, and she snarls back, wordless. It’s like she’s right back where they started, flailing and useless. This is why he wanted her to fight, isn’t it?
[She stabs for his face. That wasn’t in the training.]
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Don't stop.
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[Disturbing fucking sight. Sunny’s face dripped red, too. So did the wolf’s—
[The wolf.
[She plunges the blade down, aimed for the skull, not caring where or if it hits. If Eren blocks right, it could easily skew crooked, hurting him or her or both or neither; Aubrey’s throwing her weight into it.]
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[Good. Finish it.
["So don’t you tell me that it doesn’t matter whether you want to die or not!"
[Eren rolls to the side, away from Aubrey, and up off the ground.]
That's enough! At ease!
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[She doesn’t stop. Eren rolls, dodges; she doesn’t stop.
[His voice comes through mid-swing. A deflection; the legs, not the chest. Aubrey lets go; whether the blade hits or not, it’s (now literally) out of her hands, and she staggers from the thrown weight.]
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Fuck. [That's a lot of blood.]
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[Eren is on the ground. She hurt him.
[Aubrey drops by his side, grabbing his leg, hands clawing, as if she’s going to gnaw on it. Doesn’t say anything, but she holds tight, as if the harder she squeezes the more the bleeding will stop. (It just might; she has that ability. But her mind’s far too frayed for any other effect.)]
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Hey! Back the fuck off! Just hold on!
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I am—! [He kicks her in the gut. Aubrey lets go, choking, but frantically grabs for him again.] Just— listen to me—!
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What? Spit it out. [He's not angry at her, it just hurts (fuck, those have to be deep wounds - did the blade make it down to the bone?), and she was clawing at him.]
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I’m trying— [snarled between gulping, ragged breaths—] to help you— [Just let her see the wound, please— The effect can only occur as long as she can keep touch.]
—You stupid— [her grip is not gentle] stubborn— boy.
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[He watches her with sharp green eyes.]
Help who? [He doesn't believe her ire. Even he knows he's done nothing to deserve it.]
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[She grabs him again, knuckles white.] Why can’t you just listen to me?! [Voice breaks into a plea. There’s so much blood....] I told you… I told you…
[Those eyes aren’t Sunny’s.]
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[He thought she could handle it. He should have been there. She never called for his aid.]
I'm listening to you.
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[Fuck. Fuck. Eren’s listening to her. Now he is; she said she didn’t want to hurt him. But she did anyway, huh? His blood stains her palms, stains his face. Tears well up; her head droops. Part of Aubrey feels like it isn’t here; the rest is only here, this messy, overgrown, bloodied dirt.
[She can’t cradle him like this. Sunny is asleep. She hopes....]
I’m… sorry.... [Strained, whispering.]
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You don't have to say you're sorry to me.
You did exactly what you should have when facing an enemy.
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[If Eren really had been an enemy, she would have hacked him to shreds.
[He doesn’t want to hear she’s sorry. Right. Aubrey wants to scream, but Sunny is asleep, or at least resting somehow, and Eren is hurt. Because of her…
[Her hold loosens. Doesn’t quite go slack.]
I… actually can heal you. Too. [She’s getting really sick of blood.] Here....
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[There's always this terrible tug, this overwhelming desperation to feel closer, but sometimes the only way they can talk is through their blades, and isn't that how it's always been for Eren?
[Aubrey told him about her friend. He wishes she'd said more. He tried to talk to her about his heart. He wishes she'd stayed.]
Aubrey...
[He's facing her, but his eyes are cast to the side.]
You're important to me. ["Because you're important to me. More than anyone else."]
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[Idly, she wishes she wasn’t. Eren has lots of important people here. Have they all been able to fend for themselves?
[Does she dare ask? Or is that another thing they’re not supposed to talk about? God, her mind is frazzled.
[Eren’s wound looks deep. Aubrey feels sick. She’s facing him, too, but can only focus on the injury. Maybe now the magic will work. Wouldn’t have it if not for this place; wouldn’t need it, either. What a mixed fucking blessing.]
You’re… important to me, too, Eren. [Quiet.]
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[It's selfish. Who cares? Does it matter when they can't tell each other the truth? Is lying by omission really something a friendship can sustain itself on?
[Does he owe it to anyone to tell the truth? It's his sin, isn't it?]
matching forlorn stares!
Of course you are.
[Her eyes flit up to his face, nothing else moving. Dark irises, by the by; contacts are one of many, many things that seem too trivial to bother with now.
[Wordless, she shuffles forward and reaches for his forehead. If Eren allows, she’ll swipe a thumb across it; if he resists or tenses at all, fine, she’ll draw back. Sometimes Aubrey’s healing comes with a feeling, usually soothing. Burning, that one time. But right now it’s rather hollow. Utilitarian, really. Sunny’s glows.]
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[He frowns.]
Why are your eyes different?
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Mm? [Has Sunny mentioned it? Doesn’t really matter; he knows her well. It takes Aubrey a moment to realize what Eren’s talking about.]
Oh. Contacts. [ … ] Thing in my world. [Thorough explanation.]
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