[Eren feels no reason to shy away from talking about Armin. It isn't a matter of trust; he doesn't worry what Akechi might do with the information.
[Fuck. He'd be shouting it from the rooftops if he could. He'll never shy away from loving Armin; he saw enough of that in his future.]
Armin Arlert. He's my best friend. We've known each other since we were just kids. Me, him, and Mikasa grew up doing everything together. [Laughing, playing, sharing secrets - grieving, fearing, training, growing, shrinking, crumbling, rotting--]
Like I said, he's smart, but not just the average kind. He's a strategist. [...] He's the reason that ocean I showed you didn't reach every shore, he's--
He's the bravest person I've ever known.
[There's a pause. Eren clears his throat. He's emotional. It's obvious.
[That, he hadn't meant to share with Akechi at all.]
[It's a disgusting display of sentimentality - one he asked for and can't be too upset by.
Every so often, there's a reminder that Eren isn't an apathetic or dulled by war. He's emotional. Irrational. Blunt and furious in his expressions of others, to others, because of others.
Nothing on Akechi's face gives way to that judgement. His body poised neutral and attentive.]
He sounds clever. That ocean was nothing to trifle at - to stand in the face of it would certainly be an act of bravery most would never understand.
Thank you for sharing and-
[He might never see this guy again. The odds aren't in his favor.]
[Eren takes it as sincere. That's the danger, isn't it? You see one real glimpse of someone, and suddenly you start believing what they tell you. Akechi and he really could be friends, he thinks. Armin would probably like him a lot, and get him to smile too - a real one, and not the kind that comes from slitting some beast's throat.
[Yeah. Eren's pretty certain of that.]
What's your best friend like? [Everyone's got one, right? Even Akechi, surely.]
[It's so goddamn typical. The wrong questions at worse times - a principle that only exists in the vicinity of Eren and the ever increasing orbit he maintains. What's your best friend like? - the most innocuous, stupid question in the world.
He laughs - dim and oppressive. Choking under the weight of-
Glasses clinking on a coffee bar with a newly set chessboard next to his glass and-
Handcuffs slamming against a dulled metal table - viscera and blood pooling and pouring and slinking down into a-
For a moment, he's dizzy. Then he's not. Nausea hits, and it doesn't. A dull throb appears, then vanishes. It goes away because it has to. He smiles because he has to. It's a choice he made because he had to.]
My apologies - I got lost in thought for a moment.
[His fingers curl around a counter he doesn't remember moving towards - a knuckle white grip under gloved hands.]
I've said this before, but I have difficulty making friends. That wasn't ever a lie. Anyone I've interacted with - it's a stretch to call them a friend, let alone a best friend.
[It curls against his chest in dizzying waves - ones that don't matter. This doesn't matter. Nothing about Joker ever mattered.]
There was someone I enjoyed quite a bit. Our relationship was-
[A lie, like this one. Like the next one. Like all the ones to follow.]
Pleasant.
[A beat, and-]
Sorry, I think I ate too fast and have a rather intense headache suddenly. You're welcome to lounge around the shared room until the storm lifts, but I need a moment.
[It's grief. All of it. Akechi is a liar, and now, Eren understands why. He knows that voice. He knows this pain. He's felt it a hundred times; he's caused it millions of times...
[Somehow, he'd never considered that Akechi was in pain.
[Stupid. He'll never let him feel alone again.
[And he doesn't leave. No one else seems to come home while he sits in the shared space, waiting. Just waiting. Just in case.]
[To his credit, he does lay down - all nausea and throbbing pain in his temple ebbing after a few minutes of blissful silence. He waits until the rain stops to leave his room with the knowledge that Eren likely wandered out at the first available opportunity. There's nothing to do outside of talk and eat - one of those options pulled away the second he left the room.
Imagine the fucking jumpscare he gets when he sees Eren still there, on the couch, waiting - for what?]
Did something happen? I assumed you would be gone by now.
[Eren shrugged.] Sure, I guess, but I'm done with work. We were in the middle of hanging out, asshole. [He's not angry; just...acting natural. He's not always good at that, but he's doing alright with it right now.]
[On the tail end of their previous conversation, to ask that-
Is suspicious in a way even Akechi has to recognize is his own paranoia bursting to the surface - fresh off old wounds and worries. Chess is a common game. Cards are a common game. Eren is being petulant because he was left alone, asking for him to entertain as a price for him wandering off -
Feels normal. Acceptable.
The visible surprise in his widened eyes lasts only a second. He's composed. Back. Fine.]
I didn't expect that. Aren't you full of surprises today? If you want to play chess, we'll have to go to an establishment - I've seen a few setups at different places. I'm not against going to one now.
[What's open at 1AM for teenagers to play chess before a 4AM jog?? Who tf knows. Time to find out.]
As for other games, I don't own any and I doubt my roommates have a secret stash somewhere.
Chess is fine. I'm not stupid enough to think I'm any better at it than you are, but I can hold my own.
[With this, he gets up, starts heading toward the door.]
I think there's actually an outdoor set somewhere near The Stone Dragon - assuming none of those brainwashed goblins or gelflings ran off with it. [He only says "brainwashed" because of current events, right? Right?]
Given your propensity for surprising me, I assume even if you aren't good, it'll be entertaining at a minimum.
[No one was a better match than the cafe worker in some cozy alleyway shop. Akechi's expectations are low as he moves towards the door to wander off towards Stone Dragon in the dead of night.
What is happening today.]
And if they did, we'll simply hunt them down for it. It should be simple enough, given the frequent looping.
[Following him out the door.] Right. This place is a total mess. For all we know, the chess pieces will get up and start moving by themselves...
[So, they'll wander into town, track down that chessboard; turns out, it wasn't stolen, but knocked over. As they approach, Eren's mouth falls into an irritated frown. He bends over to begin collecting all the pieces.]
There better not be any missing...
[There aren't, so the game can commence. They play until it's time to run.]
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no subject
Yeah, sure. What do you wanna know?
no subject
[A pause, and-]
Sometimes it's nice to talk about old friends.
no subject
[Fuck. He'd be shouting it from the rooftops if he could. He'll never shy away from loving Armin; he saw enough of that in his future.]
Armin Arlert. He's my best friend. We've known each other since we were just kids. Me, him, and Mikasa grew up doing everything together. [Laughing, playing, sharing secrets - grieving, fearing, training, growing, shrinking, crumbling, rotting--]
Like I said, he's smart, but not just the average kind. He's a strategist. [...] He's the reason that ocean I showed you didn't reach every shore, he's--
He's the bravest person I've ever known.
[There's a pause. Eren clears his throat. He's emotional. It's obvious.
[That, he hadn't meant to share with Akechi at all.]
Miss him like fuck.
It's alright, though. I'll see him again.
no subject
Every so often, there's a reminder that Eren isn't an apathetic or dulled by war. He's emotional. Irrational. Blunt and furious in his expressions of others, to others, because of others.
Nothing on Akechi's face gives way to that judgement. His body poised neutral and attentive.]
He sounds clever. That ocean was nothing to trifle at - to stand in the face of it would certainly be an act of bravery most would never understand.
Thank you for sharing and-
[He might never see this guy again. The odds aren't in his favor.]
I'm sure you will.
no subject
[Eren takes it as sincere. That's the danger, isn't it? You see one real glimpse of someone, and suddenly you start believing what they tell you. Akechi and he really could be friends, he thinks. Armin would probably like him a lot, and get him to smile too - a real one, and not the kind that comes from slitting some beast's throat.
[Yeah. Eren's pretty certain of that.]
What's your best friend like? [Everyone's got one, right? Even Akechi, surely.]
cw: murder, gore i got out of bed for this shit
He laughs - dim and oppressive. Choking under the weight of-
Glasses clinking on a coffee bar with a newly set chessboard next to his glass and-
Handcuffs slamming against a dulled metal table - viscera and blood pooling and pouring and slinking down into a-
For a moment, he's dizzy. Then he's not. Nausea hits, and it doesn't. A dull throb appears, then vanishes. It goes away because it has to. He smiles because he has to. It's a choice he made because he had to.]
My apologies - I got lost in thought for a moment.
[His fingers curl around a counter he doesn't remember moving towards - a knuckle white grip under gloved hands.]
I've said this before, but I have difficulty making friends. That wasn't ever a lie. Anyone I've interacted with - it's a stretch to call them a friend, let alone a best friend.
[It curls against his chest in dizzying waves - ones that don't matter. This doesn't matter. Nothing about Joker ever mattered.]
There was someone I enjoyed quite a bit. Our relationship was-
[A lie, like this one. Like the next one. Like all the ones to follow.]
Pleasant.
[A beat, and-]
Sorry, I think I ate too fast and have a rather intense headache suddenly. You're welcome to lounge around the shared room until the storm lifts, but I need a moment.
no subject
[Eren has no response. He lets Akechi go.
[It's grief. All of it. Akechi is a liar, and now, Eren understands why. He knows that voice. He knows this pain. He's felt it a hundred times; he's caused it millions of times...
[Somehow, he'd never considered that Akechi was in pain.
[Stupid. He'll never let him feel alone again.
[And he doesn't leave. No one else seems to come home while he sits in the shared space, waiting. Just waiting. Just in case.]
no subject
Imagine the fucking jumpscare he gets when he sees Eren still there, on the couch, waiting - for what?]
Did something happen? I assumed you would be gone by now.
no subject
Oh. [Awkward. All that time waiting, and he never came up with an excuse.] You said you needed a moment. I figured you were coming back.
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He did say that. Akechi pauses in a brief interlude as he relays the previous conversation - not that it matters. He didn't think Eren would stay.]
Ah - so I did. My apologies then. I lost track of time.
[The fuck.]
Though in saying that - there's no need to hold up your schedule to accommodate me. The rain stopped some time ago. You could have left.
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no subject
Any hackles raised by his appearance lower with that single asshole tacked on. Eren's being petulant. What a twist.]
We were escaping the rain - calling that hanging out is a stretch, but even so -
[He just...eyes the empty room. Unless Eren wants to do a crossword, he's shit out of luck.]
What did you have in mind? As I said before, there isn't much to entertain with and frankly, we'll be meeting up again in a few hours to jog.
: )
fuckin WOW
Is suspicious in a way even Akechi has to recognize is his own paranoia bursting to the surface - fresh off old wounds and worries. Chess is a common game. Cards are a common game. Eren is being petulant because he was left alone, asking for him to entertain as a price for him wandering off -
Feels normal. Acceptable.
The visible surprise in his widened eyes lasts only a second. He's composed. Back. Fine.]
I didn't expect that. Aren't you full of surprises today? If you want to play chess, we'll have to go to an establishment - I've seen a few setups at different places. I'm not against going to one now.
[What's open at 1AM for teenagers to play chess before a 4AM jog?? Who tf knows. Time to find out.]
As for other games, I don't own any and I doubt my roommates have a secret stash somewhere.
no subject
[With this, he gets up, starts heading toward the door.]
I think there's actually an outdoor set somewhere near The Stone Dragon - assuming none of those brainwashed goblins or gelflings ran off with it. [He only says "brainwashed" because of current events, right? Right?]
no subject
[No one was a better match than the cafe worker in some cozy alleyway shop. Akechi's expectations are low as he moves towards the door to wander off towards Stone Dragon in the dead of night.
What is happening today.]
And if they did, we'll simply hunt them down for it. It should be simple enough, given the frequent looping.
no subject
[So, they'll wander into town, track down that chessboard; turns out, it wasn't stolen, but knocked over. As they approach, Eren's mouth falls into an irritated frown. He bends over to begin collecting all the pieces.]
There better not be any missing...
[There aren't, so the game can commence. They play until it's time to run.]