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[Slight and ever-dry grin, at that.] Fuckin’… universal constant.
[Kade would rather do a backflip off a ledge than put up with Valerie for the sake of war. Then again, Val would probably get herself killed in a situation that dire. Eh. Hypotheticals.]
You want another one? [Gesturing with the question card.]
One thing? [It's an easy answer. It's the only answer.]
Peace. [But there's weight to it - terrible weight.] What are hypotheticals for if not idealism? That's all I'd want. [It would solve everything else, surely...]
[It’s a surprising answer, when he started with (to Kade) such a cutthroat impression. You know, let the innocent rot in jail to save a friend’s ass, kinda sounded like a victory-at-all-costs deal. But he answers too quickly, and heavily, for it to be a facade.]
Yeah.
You know, you don’t strike me as the type to think winning the war will make that possible.
Human hatred, greed...war will always exist, and it only begets more.
Winning is a matter of survival. That's all...
What would your answer be?
[Not "real". How bizarre...]
Were you somewhere real before? [Surely it can't have always been that way...]
[Yep, only four. Armin gets a long-suffering nod for that.]
Eh… yes and no. Me and two others, we sure felt like we had real lives before… [Uh, how deep in the trenches does Kade want to to here…] …before.
But the details are all fucked. Like some… dream or shit, where all the specifics are just. Not there.
[Shrug.] You get used to it.
I come from a sheltered community, but even then, there were hundreds of thousands of people. And that felt small to me...
[Bold of him to assume that anyone has their heads wrapped around it except Valeries Georg, who had no life prior adn should not have been counted. Her head’s wrapped around it too much, actually.]
None taken. You kinda have to live it to believe it, and even then…
Anyway, I’d figure the world can feel small even with actual millions of people. Depends on who you’re stuck with.
You're right about that.
[Pause.]
I'm Armin, by the way. It's nice to meet you, all things considered.
Who, where, same difference. [Maybe more literal in Kade’s case than Armin’s. The influence of time and place on community just seems like one big clusterfuck, real or not.]
[Anyway, right, proper intro.] Kade; same to you. [In lieu of a handshake, Kade offers a small wave.] Considering the questions, this could’ve gone a lot worse.
Well, there's still time.
I try not to be unpleasant if I can help it, though.
[It’s been how long since they started with one of the world’s little games? It’s a nice one, at least. And god, may it not leave Armin coughing up petals again....]
[She smiles at him, faint and tired, but light all the same. Eren’s not with her, but he’s in the arms of someone else he loves and who loves him. Despite how Armin last saw them… they’re holding on.]
Hey, Armin. [On to the prompt, then.] You know, despite what you’ve said… I think you’re one of the most true people I know. You know what you value, and you know what you’re fighting for. [Maybe it’s presumptuous, but…] I don’t think any of that is a lie.
And your ocean-blue eyes are pretty beautiful, too. [Small cough. Sometimes the clichés are true.]
[The former is harder to swallow - he's not "true" at all, but...]
I've been more honest with you than I'm used to. [There's a pause, a weak smile. It fades very quickly.] I don't like to lie. I guess I'm just used to it.
I used to value honesty a lot. You're right, though. A lot of what I've told you is true. [Accept that, at least. He'll try.]
It's...refreshing. To be able to tell the truth. I appreciate that.
[She didn’t just want to compliment his looks. Should’ve figured the rest might be a fine line, though…]
I’m glad you can, here. I mean, even with how this place is… the people are good. As in, there’s worse to be honest with… you get it.
[Aubrey’s not good at talk like this. What she can say, though:] You’re cute when you blush, too. By the way.
Are you flirting with me, Aubrey?
[He’s so much smoother than Eren.]
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