[Maybe for the best that Armin doesn’t reach out. It’s occurring to Aubrey that she’s started to associate this disgusting overflow with Eren’s arms; she wants him, how the hell is she supposed to face him after this, the works. It’s Armin who’s been hurt more here, anyway; Aubrey wouldn’t want it.]
[She centers on his answer, instead. May the self-pitying sentiment of deserved punishment not eat her alive for two seconds.]
“Something we all need,” huh… [Aubrey rubs her eyes. Might’ve got some sawdust in them; whatever. They’d be red after this anyway.] Why’s that?
Rihanna wants to teach us the power of friendship, Aubrey.
I'm not sure...[His answer, for Armin, is surprisingly distant, as if distracted.]
It just feels...significant. And not necessarily malevolent, the more I think about it...
[A disembodied voice sent by the universe itself to break Armin's spirit back into something honest - this is something he endured not thirty minutes ago, and yet...]
Not that I approve of what we've been through - you two especially - but it's just as I said; if there are intentions behind it at all, I'm not sure that they're to cause suffering for the sake of suffering. That's all.
[Aubrey tries not to hear his answer as sharply as she did his talk of lessons and calculation. Besides, she took it to heart even then.]
I don’t like it… [Unsteady breath in. The rest comes out in a sigh, weary.] …but you’re probably right.
Anything you don’t want to talk about, or face or hear or whatever… it’s here.
[Including people. Or at least, Armin and Reiner for Eren; Bertholdt for Armin. Mari’s an outlier, it seems. Aubrey doesn’t want to connect that last dot yet.]
I guess… it does tend to go better, when you don’t resist it.
[After all, he was fairly cooperative with the game overall. Still, it was punishing; not as punishing as Eren and Aubrey's experiences (or so Armin understands them).
[How much torture do those two let themselves endure before giving in...?]
It's a dilemma, right? As humans, we want everything to have a purpose or a reason. We want to know why what's happening is happening. We want to know how.
Maybe there isn't a purpose. That's a possibility too. But I don't like it as much...
Hey, that’s not an insult. [Aubrey isn’t quite feeling a laugh, but she manages a small, brief smile in return.] Fairy tales might be fake, but… there are moments.
And I guess, even if there’s not a purpose after all…[Arguably a more terrifying thought than a malicious reason. At least that’d imply something to fight back against. Then again, grueling things happening for no reason… kind of a theme, isn’t it?]
[It’s a fair omission. A nice thought, that someday they might all really have each other… It sounds impossible, but so would being stuck in a malleable space with people from another world. And Armin, at least, has been shaping his space pretty damn well.]
Yeah. I guess that is a kind of freedom. [Aubrey’s smile is, if tired, more genuine this round.]
[Freedom in captivity. Idly Aubrey wonders what Eren would think of that; surely nothing good. (She knows she broke his heart; she doesn’t quite realize how close he was to drawing this very conclusion.)]
[It takes her a moment to respond to the rest.]
—Oh, no, it. I never thought you were. [Impatient, maybe, but not at her. It’s weird to recognize that consciously. He has every right to be furious....]
I’m… sorry for snapping at you, earlier. Not to put you on a pedestal or anything [or so she’ll try], but… you’ve really been nothing but patient, even now. [Aubrey swallows. She hopes the appreciation is implicit enough.]
If there’s ever stuff you want to talk about… I’ll listen. Even if it’s awkward.
I appreciate that. [His expression reflects this.]
And the same to you.
I'm good with patience, and I try to be a good listener.
I consider you a friend, Aubrey. [With a little smile.] I hope you feel the same, even given the circumstances.
[He's not sure he's as much as said so out loud before. It's a term that he's used both loosely and stringently in his life; but for Aubrey, it fits. And they should be friends. After all, she's...married (?) to Eren now.]
Definitely. [No hesitation, this time. There’s a lot she doesn’t know about Armin, still, and back home she might’ve been a lot slower… but hell, they’ve been through too much here not to consider him one. And even if they hadn’t, she’d probably want him to be. He’s just…]
Hope this world stays kind to you, Armin. Well, kind as this place ever is. [Aubrey should probably leave before she gets emotional again. But…]
[Muttering, somewhat:] Other offer’s still open, if you want. From earlier. [A side glance.] No pressure.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[Maybe for the best that Armin doesn’t reach out. It’s occurring to Aubrey that she’s started to associate this disgusting overflow with Eren’s arms; she wants him, how the hell is she supposed to face him after this, the works. It’s Armin who’s been hurt more here, anyway; Aubrey wouldn’t want it.]
[She centers on his answer, instead. May the self-pitying sentiment of deserved punishment not eat her alive for two seconds.]
“Something we all need,” huh… [Aubrey rubs her eyes. Might’ve got some sawdust in them; whatever. They’d be red after this anyway.] Why’s that?
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Rihanna wants to teach us the power of friendship, Aubrey.I'm not sure...[His answer, for Armin, is surprisingly distant, as if distracted.]
It just feels...significant. And not necessarily malevolent, the more I think about it...
[A disembodied voice sent by the universe itself to break Armin's spirit back into something honest - this is something he endured not thirty minutes ago, and yet...]
Not that I approve of what we've been through - you two especially - but it's just as I said; if there are intentions behind it at all, I'm not sure that they're to cause suffering for the sake of suffering. That's all.
dying! at the strikethrough
Rihanna’s methods are cruel, Armin.[Aubrey tries not to hear his answer as sharply as she did his talk of lessons and calculation. Besides, she took it to heart even then.]
I don’t like it… [Unsteady breath in. The rest comes out in a sigh, weary.] …but you’re probably right.
Anything you don’t want to talk about, or face or hear or whatever… it’s here.
[Including people. Or at least, Armin and Reiner for Eren; Bertholdt for Armin. Mari’s an outlier, it seems. Aubrey doesn’t want to connect that last dot yet.]
I guess… it does tend to go better, when you don’t resist it.
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[After all, he was fairly cooperative with the game overall. Still, it was punishing; not as punishing as Eren and Aubrey's experiences (or so Armin understands them).
[How much torture do those two let themselves endure before giving in...?]
It's a dilemma, right? As humans, we want everything to have a purpose or a reason. We want to know why what's happening is happening. We want to know how.
Maybe there isn't a purpose. That's a possibility too. But I don't like it as much...
[His smile is as weary as her sigh.]
Call me a romantic, I guess.
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Hey, that’s not an insult. [Aubrey isn’t quite feeling a laugh, but she manages a small, brief smile in return.] Fairy tales might be fake, but… there are moments.
And I guess, even if there’s not a purpose after all…[Arguably a more terrifying thought than a malicious reason. At least that’d imply something to fight back against. Then again, grueling things happening for no reason… kind of a theme, isn’t it?]
…it’s like you said. We have each other.
In general. [A reluctant caveat, but…]
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We need each other.
And if there really isn’t a purpose, then…I guess that just leaves it up to us to decide.
That idea - it’s almost sort of…freeing, don’t you think?
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[It’s a fair omission. A nice thought, that someday they might all really have each other… It sounds impossible, but so would being stuck in a malleable space with people from another world. And Armin, at least, has been shaping his space pretty damn well.]
Yeah. I guess that is a kind of freedom. [Aubrey’s smile is, if tired, more genuine this round.]
We’ll figure it out. Especially if you’re here.
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Aubrey, I hope this goes without saying, but I feel no ill will toward you for any reason.
Genuinely, I mean that. I know this conversation has been...awkward, to say the least, but...I'm not upset with you.
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[Freedom in captivity. Idly Aubrey wonders what Eren would think of that; surely nothing good. (She knows she broke his heart; she doesn’t quite realize how close he was to drawing this very conclusion.)]
[It takes her a moment to respond to the rest.]
—Oh, no, it. I never thought you were. [Impatient, maybe, but not at her. It’s weird to recognize that consciously. He has every right to be furious....]
I’m… sorry for snapping at you, earlier. Not to put you on a pedestal or anything [or so she’ll try], but… you’ve really been nothing but patient, even now. [Aubrey swallows. She hopes the appreciation is implicit enough.]
If there’s ever stuff you want to talk about… I’ll listen. Even if it’s awkward.
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And the same to you.
I'm good with patience, and I try to be a good listener.
I consider you a friend, Aubrey. [With a little smile.] I hope you feel the same, even given the circumstances.
[He's not sure he's as much as said so out loud before. It's a term that he's used both loosely and stringently in his life; but for Aubrey, it fits. And they should be friends. After all, she's...married (?) to Eren now.]
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Definitely. [No hesitation, this time. There’s a lot she doesn’t know about Armin, still, and back home she might’ve been a lot slower… but hell, they’ve been through too much here not to consider him one. And even if they hadn’t, she’d probably want him to be. He’s just…]
Hope this world stays kind to you, Armin. Well, kind as this place ever is. [Aubrey should probably leave before she gets emotional again. But…]
[Muttering, somewhat:] Other offer’s still open, if you want. From earlier. [A side glance.] No pressure.
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[He does expect Aubrey to leave after she says that, but she doesn't. The "other offer"...?]
To hit things? [At this, a teasing smile.] You want another round with the ODM gear? Is that it?
I think that could be arranged.
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[…]
Well, I mean. I wouldn’t complain.
[She shrugs. Her arms are, rather awkwardly, raised, as if weighing the option.]
Up to you.
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[He holds out his arm.]
Come on then - oh, grab your bat first. I'll show you how to swing while we're in the air.
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[…You know what? Fuck it. Practically the same thing, anyway, yeah?]
Alright. If you insist.
[With a quick ‘>:P’, Aubrey picks up her bat, and throws an arm around Armin for round 2.]