[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.]
[He doesn't really get it, but...he watches her eyes; in fact, goes so far as to duck his head a little if she averts them for any reason.
[Brown, huh? That makes more sense. Did her eyes always look wrong before? Is he just now noticing? There's brown in her hair too. Why did she change everything dark?]
[She doesn’t look away, if only because even though Aubrey’s eyes seem to watch Eren’s face, she’s not quite focused on him. Or on anything. But his comment gets her attention, and she pulls back belatedly.]
…Thanks. [Not in the mood to deflect. It doesn’t matter.]
Sorry about the mess. [The wounds closing isn’t a magic blood-be-gone.] You can wash up in my place, if you want. I should check on Sunny....
[She says this, but… doesn’t get up, right away. Her body feels like lead.]
He means a lot to you...[Eren's voice is soft, oddly empathetic. He spent the last two weeks protecting someone too. It feels wrong to be away from Subaru now.]
[She’s about to mention Sleepr again, but. Made that mistake with Grog. (Hell, that whole stupid phone thing. More bullshit to be “ready” for.) Whatever Eren knows, he knows.
[Aubrey hauls herself to her feet, extending a hand for her friend. Behind her, the only section of her house that’s been cleared out is the window facing Sunny’s. That wasn’t like that before, either.]
I still… want to train, if that’s okay with you. I need to keep him safe.
[She never, ever, ever wants to pick up a sword again. But, silent, Aubrey picks up her bloodied blade. Wipes it off on her shirt (clean clothes, another thing that feels unimportant), and sheathes it with some prejudice.
[In short order, she returns to Eren with her practice sword—and a spare rag, damp with water. He can wipe the blood off his face, at least.]
[He'd almost forgotten the blood on his face. He accepts the rag to wipe it off. His shins still sting. It's annoying. He's used to being normal again by now.
[Eren is loaded down with blades - his sword from Kanoa (still laying on the ground), his ODM blades, and his practice blade. He hands the dulled one to Aubrey; then, he draws his ODM blades, holding them at his sides.]
Two's better than one. It's not like you have a shield.
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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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[Brown, huh? That makes more sense. Did her eyes always look wrong before? Is he just now noticing? There's brown in her hair too. Why did she change everything dark?]
You look nice.
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[She doesn’t look away, if only because even though Aubrey’s eyes seem to watch Eren’s face, she’s not quite focused on him. Or on anything. But his comment gets her attention, and she pulls back belatedly.]
…Thanks. [Not in the mood to deflect. It doesn’t matter.]
Sorry about the mess. [The wounds closing isn’t a magic blood-be-gone.] You can wash up in my place, if you want. I should check on Sunny....
[She says this, but… doesn’t get up, right away. Her body feels like lead.]
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…He does.
[She’s about to mention Sleepr again, but. Made that mistake with Grog. (Hell, that whole stupid phone thing. More bullshit to be “ready” for.) Whatever Eren knows, he knows.
[Aubrey hauls herself to her feet, extending a hand for her friend. Behind her, the only section of her house that’s been cleared out is the window facing Sunny’s. That wasn’t like that before, either.]
I still… want to train, if that’s okay with you. I need to keep him safe.
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[She never, ever, ever wants to pick up a sword again. But, silent, Aubrey picks up her bloodied blade. Wipes it off on her shirt (clean clothes, another thing that feels unimportant), and sheathes it with some prejudice.
[In short order, she returns to Eren with her practice sword—and a spare rag, damp with water. He can wipe the blood off his face, at least.]
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[Eren is loaded down with blades - his sword from Kanoa (still laying on the ground), his ODM blades, and his practice blade. He hands the dulled one to Aubrey; then, he draws his ODM blades, holding them at his sides.]
Two's better than one. It's not like you have a shield.
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[Aubrey’s eyes widen a bit, the most alert she’s looked with Eren since… well, not counting whatever that meltdown was? Since before all this started.
[She takes his practice blade. Might be placebo, but it feels heavier than hers somehow. Weighted.] Dual wielding, huh…
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[She stands up straighter.] All right.
[It wasn’t a failure of her blade that nearly got Sunny killed. But maybe if she’s stronger, more sure of herself in the first place…]
Let’s go.