[It’s a high, wavering whisper. The arms around her neck are surprising, as if she hasn’t been holding him; his cheek on her shoulder has her face warming. It’s not just out of fluster.]
[They… don’t deserve her…?]
[Loathing clamps down on her heart, a swirling, pitch gnaw that never went away. It tells her to deny, deny, deny; she had nothing to do with Eren being like that. Eren should be here, Armin’s peace on his shoulder. Aubrey hardly even comforted Eren when he cried. Aubrey just… Aubrey just worries, and gets stuck in her own head, and then it’s too late.]
[For a moment, she stiffens. But Armin is wrapped around her neck like a scarf, his head rests on her shoulder, and he’s not as warm as he used to be but he feels very much alive. And he needs her to be steady.]
[She pulls her wrists back around him, and holds. The breath Aubrey lets out is slow, and weary, and so very, very tired.]
no subject
. . . Wh.
What…?
[It’s a high, wavering whisper. The arms around her neck are surprising, as if she hasn’t been holding him; his cheek on her shoulder has her face warming. It’s not just out of fluster.]
[They… don’t deserve her…?]
[Loathing clamps down on her heart, a swirling, pitch gnaw that never went away. It tells her to deny, deny, deny; she had nothing to do with Eren being like that. Eren should be here, Armin’s peace on his shoulder. Aubrey hardly even comforted Eren when he cried. Aubrey just… Aubrey just worries, and gets stuck in her own head, and then it’s too late.]
[For a moment, she stiffens. But Armin is wrapped around her neck like a scarf, his head rests on her shoulder, and he’s not as warm as he used to be but he feels very much alive. And he needs her to be steady.]
[She pulls her wrists back around him, and holds. The breath Aubrey lets out is slow, and weary, and so very, very tired.]
You deserve better.