[That made a strange amount of sense. Elliot's come across a number of strange powers. Some of which would come with some pretty rough setbacks. Eren's sounded very rough, if that setback as a shortened lifespan. It was a setback he didn't know what he could do about it.
It does put things into context though]
...That explains why you seem so accepting about being a dragon, huh. Most of the other "monsters" I've met have been pretty unhappy about it.
[ he was trading one giant monster for another, and adding some extra time for him to think on his own, to boot. his scales don’t bother him now, they only did when they were growing in— the teeth were bothersome when he wanted to close his mouth normally and ends up cutting himself, leaving the inside of his mouth almost sore.
he could no longer regenerate, but prices were prices. he could only truly hope that it’s true, that when they return, so will their abilities, and gone with this one. ]
It’s not too different from what I had, anyway.
[ . . . sans being scaly, but he’d been dehumanized by the greater populous for so long. ]
Must've been some ability if turning into a dragon is "not too different"...
[He curious of course. But it's one of those things where he's not sure if he's allowed to ask about it. If it was something that was enough to shorten his lifespan, it couldn't have been very pleasant.]
But I could see why you'd see that as a small price. [...] For what it's worth, I think your scales look cool.
[It's a remark to mostly lighten the mood. He knows how heavy it's gotten, and he doesn't want to put too much pressure on Eren to share what must be a touchy subject]
[ he probably only wouldn’t say something more out of possible irrelevance, or thinking it isn’t too important here— but he sees elliot’s Look from the corner of his eye as he pokes at the golden side of the carcass, picking at a piece that isn’t cooked, but, it’s been in front of the fire enough to eat. one piece for him, one for elliot, which he holds out.
the remark is cute, actually, and it earns a small smile if anything. attempt accepted, even if they were a pain to grow (literally). ]
Thanks. [ it’s not that much of a touchy subject anyway— it was a fact. ] It’s a shifting ability. It’s name is the Attack Titan.
[Food! He'll accept the piece of meat with a thank you. He blows on the food a little to make sure it's not too hot and then takes a bite. It's good, a hunk of unseasoned meat roasted from a raccoon which is far from a delicacy, but still good all things considered.
But oh, looks like he is getting an answer.]
Attack Titan....[he turns into an "attack titan"? He doesn't know what a titan is but..] Was it something big?
Fifteen meters. [ meat will always be good, no matter where it comes from— don't say it, i know what you're thinking. ] It's a giant, made for close combat.
[ hah, you know, actually. eren doesn’t seem all too surprised by machines. ]
It’s more like controlling a giant than turning into one. [ it’s just easier to explain that way. ] The flesh builds around you, until you’re at the nape.
Machines are probably the same way.
[ . . . that’s an evolutionary thought he hopes will never come to warfare, they have enough giants. ]
...Ah. Yeah. The pilot is usually in the chest cavity and it doesn't have to rebuild each time, but sounds like a similar principle.
[Why he doesn't sound upset by this found similarity, he doesn't sound happy about it either. And why would he be? His world changed the day soldats and divine knights entered the picture. And even if he had some fondness for Valimar, he wouldn't say it was for the better. For any of them. ]
I don't recommend letting any engineers studying your attack titan up close.
[ mm. MMM. let’s just. yeah, about that. eren’s expression is one that almost seems to want to roll his eyes, and in the end, simply hands his head in unfortunate agreement. ]
There won’t be anymore titans to study. [ soon. no one to inherit them, or turn into them, either. he just had to think that out, and plenty grateful for the extra time he has here at something of a standstill for him to get ahead.
silence comes once more, soft this time and nestled with the cracks of their fire and cooking raccoon. eren pulls larger pieces away from the stake, unhurt by the heat that snaps under and around it. elliot might just have to be careful— once it’s in his hands, or close to them, it’s really hot.
which brings him here, after much consideration. ]
[Elliot bites his lip a little. Good, is his first thought that comes to mind. They sounded too similar to soldats for Elliot to find any comfort with them, especially if it comes as such a heavy price as to drain Eren's life.
But on the other hand, he's not sure how Eren feels about the matter. Maybe there's more to it than that. It's not easy to read his expression since well, Eren often has an unhappy look on his face and for reasons Elliot can't always predict. So the conversation gets tabled, for now.
Instead, he focuses on the food. He is...pretty impressed how close Eren gets his hand to the fire without hurting. Was it a dragon thing or were his nerves that dead? Him on the other hand, winces a little when he takes his own bit of meat, almost dropping it before he quickly sets it down on his handkerchief to cool a little.
He was checking his hands for burns (fortunately, he got off easy this time), when Eren asks that. His head shoots up and looks over at the other]
[ eren keeps his hand under elliot’s food, just in case. he forgot, man— and it retreats back to his legs when the other has everything under control.
where’d that come from, haha. ]
. . . We work well. [ eren shifts the way his legs stretch out, bending one to rest his elbows over as he digs in. ] You need a bond, and I wouldn’t turn down a second.
[Yes please remember that soft humans are much more burnable than dragons Eren.
Elliot pauses, biting his lip a little as he thinks over that rationale.]
That's..true...
[He really did need a bond, and he liked Eren. They made a good team, it was just the misunderstandings that got in the way. He's not sure a bond alone would solve that. Being able to form a combat link didn't magically make all misunderstandings go away in Class VII after all. But...it'd help. No denying that.]
Would your other Bond be okay with it? I know people put emotional weight on the bonds, so I don't wanna make anyone uncomfortable...
[Temporary bonds were whatever to Elliot. It'd be like getting mad at someone for forming a combat link. But if he's learned anything from his past couple weeks of being lectured- it's that a lot of people held the permanent bond to a much higher status. A symbol of their relationship, even. Elliot didn't fully understand it, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try to respect it.]
He wouldn’t be a good match for me if he wouldn’t be.
[ said curtly, but not rude. he just knew mikleo in that sense and mikleo knew him. they weren’t bonded for nothing, and eren would still be exceptionally picky with the people he wants around him— there was a lot of unspoken understanding that had no need to be said all the time. they were open, true, and free. that’s all that truly mattered in their journey to help fix what was broken here, and the reason why they meshed. he notices that, though, and tepidly remembers a post he saw on the network that asked about bonds under the name of one elliot craig. ]
—Bonds, they’re what we make of them. What everyone else says doesn’t apply unless you want that for you.
[Eren sounds so sure about that. He supposes Eren would know his partner better than Elliot did (he doesn't even know the guy's name), but shouldn't they at least tell the other guy? It seems polite to at least mention it. But surely Eren will. A strong bond is all about communication.
Elliot will later regret this assumption.
But what he wants from a bond. One image comes to mind immediately: Class VII. His second family, his bonds deeper than any other. But none of them were here. He had to find a way to last until he can reunite with them.
Eren's offer was tempting. He did like Eren, he was a good man.
What does he want...]
I don't want a long term relationship from a bond. I need to go home and fulfill a promise.
But I don't want to use my bonds. Even if it's a temporary arrangement, I'll still treat them as I would my precious friends.
but that first part is an obvious one, perhaps one of the stronger reasons why he hadn’t gotten involved with people in the past until his time at home— he doesn’t even have enough time, nor focus, to commit to a long term relationship. eren wasn’t made for that in this life, and he wouldn’t be stupid enough to search for that here. ]
It’s what I’d look for in Bonds. It’s hard to want something long term here unless someone wanted to, [ he shrugs, taking a bit out of his remaining leg. coon leg. ] stay here.
[he makes an "mm" sound of agreement as he chews some of his meat. He glances out at the nature around them, thinking]
...I wouldn't blame someone if they did. Besides the Cwyld, it's not a bad place. My home could learn a thing or two.
[Sure, it wasn't a perfect place. He saw the difficulties monsters had, the discrimination that still lingered. But he also saw people constantly working to improve that, to welcome strangers into their home. The light Prince Olivert always spoke of was clearer here.
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no subject
[That made a strange amount of sense. Elliot's come across a number of strange powers. Some of which would come with some pretty rough setbacks. Eren's sounded very rough, if that setback as a shortened lifespan. It was a setback he didn't know what he could do about it.
It does put things into context though]
...That explains why you seem so accepting about being a dragon, huh. Most of the other "monsters" I've met have been pretty unhappy about it.
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[ he was trading one giant monster for another, and adding some extra time for him to think on his own, to boot. his scales don’t bother him now, they only did when they were growing in— the teeth were bothersome when he wanted to close his mouth normally and ends up cutting himself, leaving the inside of his mouth almost sore.
he could no longer regenerate, but prices were prices. he could only truly hope that it’s true, that when they return, so will their abilities, and gone with this one. ]
It’s not too different from what I had, anyway.
[ . . . sans being scaly, but he’d been dehumanized by the greater populous for so long. ]
no subject
[He curious of course. But it's one of those things where he's not sure if he's allowed to ask about it. If it was something that was enough to shorten his lifespan, it couldn't have been very pleasant.]
But I could see why you'd see that as a small price. [...] For what it's worth, I think your scales look cool.
[It's a remark to mostly lighten the mood. He knows how heavy it's gotten, and he doesn't want to put too much pressure on Eren to share what must be a touchy subject]
no subject
the remark is cute, actually, and it earns a small smile if anything. attempt accepted, even if they were a pain to grow (literally). ]
Thanks. [ it’s not that much of a touchy subject anyway— it was a fact. ] It’s a shifting ability. It’s name is the Attack Titan.
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But oh, looks like he is getting an answer.]
Attack Titan....[he turns into an "attack titan"? He doesn't know what a titan is but..] Was it something big?
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Wow...
I know people who use humanoid machines that are giant, but to turn into one is really new.
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It’s more like controlling a giant than turning into one. [ it’s just easier to explain that way. ] The flesh builds around you, until you’re at the nape.
Machines are probably the same way.
[ . . . that’s an evolutionary thought he hopes will never come to warfare, they have enough giants. ]
no subject
[Why he doesn't sound upset by this found similarity, he doesn't sound happy about it either. And why would he be? His world changed the day soldats and divine knights entered the picture. And even if he had some fondness for Valimar, he wouldn't say it was for the better. For any of them. ]
I don't recommend letting any engineers studying your attack titan up close.
[Eren was right to have that hope]
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There won’t be anymore titans to study. [ soon. no one to inherit them, or turn into them, either. he just had to think that out, and plenty grateful for the extra time he has here at something of a standstill for him to get ahead.
silence comes once more, soft this time and nestled with the cracks of their fire and cooking raccoon. eren pulls larger pieces away from the stake, unhurt by the heat that snaps under and around it. elliot might just have to be careful— once it’s in his hands, or close to them, it’s really hot.
which brings him here, after much consideration. ]
Would you bond with me?
no subject
[Elliot bites his lip a little. Good, is his first thought that comes to mind. They sounded too similar to soldats for Elliot to find any comfort with them, especially if it comes as such a heavy price as to drain Eren's life.
But on the other hand, he's not sure how Eren feels about the matter. Maybe there's more to it than that. It's not easy to read his expression since well, Eren often has an unhappy look on his face and for reasons Elliot can't always predict. So the conversation gets tabled, for now.
Instead, he focuses on the food. He is...pretty impressed how close Eren gets his hand to the fire without hurting. Was it a dragon thing or were his nerves that dead? Him on the other hand, winces a little when he takes his own bit of meat, almost dropping it before he quickly sets it down on his handkerchief to cool a little.
He was checking his hands for burns (fortunately, he got off easy this time), when Eren asks that. His head shoots up and looks over at the other]
Huh? Where'd that come from?
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where’d that come from, haha. ]
. . . We work well. [ eren shifts the way his legs stretch out, bending one to rest his elbows over as he digs in. ] You need a bond, and I wouldn’t turn down a second.
[ but, but. ]
But we’d work better if we understood each other.
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Elliot pauses, biting his lip a little as he thinks over that rationale.]
That's..true...
[He really did need a bond, and he liked Eren. They made a good team, it was just the misunderstandings that got in the way. He's not sure a bond alone would solve that. Being able to form a combat link didn't magically make all misunderstandings go away in Class VII after all. But...it'd help. No denying that.]
Would your other Bond be okay with it? I know people put emotional weight on the bonds, so I don't wanna make anyone uncomfortable...
[Temporary bonds were whatever to Elliot. It'd be like getting mad at someone for forming a combat link. But if he's learned anything from his past couple weeks of being lectured- it's that a lot of people held the permanent bond to a much higher status. A symbol of their relationship, even. Elliot didn't fully understand it, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try to respect it.]
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[ said curtly, but not rude. he just knew mikleo in that sense and mikleo knew him. they weren’t bonded for nothing, and eren would still be exceptionally picky with the people he wants around him— there was a lot of unspoken understanding that had no need to be said all the time. they were open, true, and free. that’s all that truly mattered in their journey to help fix what was broken here, and the reason why they meshed. he notices that, though, and tepidly remembers a post he saw on the network that asked about bonds under the name of one elliot craig. ]
—Bonds, they’re what we make of them. What everyone else says doesn’t apply unless you want that for you.
no subject
Elliot will later regret this assumption.
But what he wants from a bond. One image comes to mind immediately: Class VII. His second family, his bonds deeper than any other. But none of them were here. He had to find a way to last until he can reunite with them.
Eren's offer was tempting. He did like Eren, he was a good man.
What does he want...]
I don't want a long term relationship from a bond. I need to go home and fulfill a promise.
But I don't want to use my bonds. Even if it's a temporary arrangement, I'll still treat them as I would my precious friends.
Is that okay?
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but that first part is an obvious one, perhaps one of the stronger reasons why he hadn’t gotten involved with people in the past until his time at home— he doesn’t even have enough time, nor focus, to commit to a long term relationship. eren wasn’t made for that in this life, and he wouldn’t be stupid enough to search for that here. ]
It’s what I’d look for in Bonds. It’s hard to want something long term here unless someone wanted to, [ he shrugs, taking a bit out of his remaining leg. coon leg. ] stay here.
[ it wasn’t their case. ]
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...I wouldn't blame someone if they did. Besides the Cwyld, it's not a bad place. My home could learn a thing or two.
[Sure, it wasn't a perfect place. He saw the difficulties monsters had, the discrimination that still lingered. But he also saw people constantly working to improve that, to welcome strangers into their home. The light Prince Olivert always spoke of was clearer here.
He'll look back at Eren. ]
Alright, I'll Bond with you.