It's going really well! The boss is good, and the rest of the staff's nice too. And it's really nice to have a steady income. Street performing is so...unpredictable, you know?
Itās even better when youāre getting paid for something you love doing.
[ in actuality, erenās own income as an airman was fairly mediocre if you compared it to how much he actually has and spends. thank u dad, for not being an asshole when it came to learning about investing and babyās first cash. then again that was before eren said ānoā to medicine . . . ]
I need to show you how to apply that, if you want. Thatās how I get my stuff running.
[ that cash, index fund, THE CRAzy things youād think eren wouldnāt know. ]
[Elliot knows what Eren means by that. He's well aware that Even invests and that's why he doesn't have to worry about money so much. He knows he should learn one of these days but...
Jokingly:]
Hehe, are you saying there's something wrong with my plan to marry a rich airmen?
[ what?? whatās a joke?? not that eren canāt differentiate between joking tones and the like, butā my plan to marry a rich airman, airman, airman, man, man, man, man, man . . . . . . there it goes. echoing. in his head.
that was a joke! but eren is speechless, his face a dark shade of purple with how much it has surpassed red in a matter of moments. thanks to facetime, you get to see it. he opens his mouth, closes his mouth, lips spreading out in a smile that didnāt know how else to express that thought other than looking like a grade-a dumbo and making his cheeks hurt ]
Nān, neh, [ see, no words! the sure sign that youāve got one eren jaeger right in the palm of your hand. heās so committed that, in actuality, itās something that could very well be up ahead if they worked. gahā he doesnāt know whether to look embarrassed, or happy, or embarrassed that he looks happy????? heās dumb ] Thā thatās, well, itās not . . . Nhuo, no. Iām, yeah.
[ the last time he got like this, they confessed. he needs to cover his face. the moment is golden, take a picture. ]
[Okay Elliot can't help it, he bursts out laughing at Eren's response. That face and the stuttering was just too good. He'll take a moment to screencap the screen- because oh Yes he's getting a photo of this]
Hahaha Eren, breathe, it's okay. I was kidding, okay? It's too soon to be thinking about that.
[ is that going on instagram, or his personal collection of flustered eren photos
but now you see why heās all choked up!!! the laugh only makes him rub his face more intensely to smack the eggplant color off of him. he looks embarrassing either way in this situation, whether it was because he entertained the idea with no problems beyond flustered dokis, for like three seconds, or because he couldnāt actually speak real words just because of the m word so soon.
it was a joke. breathe, boy. youāve known each other for years but youāre only two months into dating!! ]
Iā [ he swallows, still smiling sheepishly. he prays to all the gods alive that elliot doesnāt think heās a rusher, or that heās going to be, it most definitely is too soon, but. you know how to get him good, huh. this is proof of your power. ] Yeah, I know. Dā donāt get the wrong idea, or anything, I was just . . . [ seeing his life flash before his eyes. ] Weāllā focus on the now.
[His personal collection, don't worry. He'd never post embarrassing photos of Eren even if it would get him so many followers. So many.
but the poor guy, took it so hard. He gives him a warm and sympathetic smile]
N-no, it's okay! No wrong ideas. [It was nice though, that he didn't react terribly to the idea. He saw that smile] I'd like to finish college first before I do anything like that, anyway...
[ i canāt believe eren is a dormant viral internet sensation. one post is all it takes to unlock his true power: millions of views.
heās glad. the warmth in his smile is at least enough to soothe right along with his words. gradually, that purple is easing back into light pink, all until itās left his cheeks and just hangs on his ears last. this time with his shirt, he rubs at his temple. haha. sweaty. ]
Me too. I finish technical training in December for Security Forces. [ thatās one extra step towards officerā then itās getting through the air force academy for his degree, earn his credits, climb the ranks-! ] You got your major, yet?
[If they ever go broke, they'll know what to do to get money back fast]
December? Haha, almost there then! [You can do it! And oh that question, he rubs the back of his neck] W-Working on it. I just applied for a couple more scholarships. I wanna hear back from them before declaring it. Y-you know, in case my aunt and uncle ... [He trails off, but it's pretty clear what his concern is - being cut off. Especially after Angela got thrown out]
[ eren gets where he wants to go with that, raising a brow before they furrow at the thought. he hates that. he hates, hates, hates that, so bad, and knows exactly what to do with it. ]
In case they what? [ he doesn't say it like he's questioning what it was— he says it as if he were defying them. ] As far as I know, you don't need them to pay a thing.
[ eren could just be like āiāll pay for itā, but itās the same thing he told angelaā there are some things in life that are far more satisfying and self liberating to do on your own than with dependance. eren was proof of that same thing, and he successfully lives alone without a drop from his father. sure they had to give the push and he had to start somewhere, soā theyāre giving to start here, too. he leans into the screen. ]
Youāre gonna pay for it. Iāll teach you in a week. You wonāt need to worry about them when itās all on you.
[ and keep showing him the ropes along the way. day trade, honey. ]
[Crap. He brought this up again. And this time, he doubts he can evade it with a distracting joke like before. Tricks like that only work once.
He hesitates, worrying his lip as he steels himself up]
...N-No thank you, Eren.
[He swallows. Man, he wishes the earth would swallow him up right now]
I mean- i-it's good that you're helping Angela, you should. S-She's your family. And she's really independent, so she'd make use of it...
B-But...if you taught me, I-I'd just do what you say. Without thinking about it. I-I'm pretty weak like that. But that wouldn't be any better than ... [What he'd do with his aunt and uncle.] A-And I'd always feel indebted to you, and that's not good for our relationship...
So...I'm s-sorry. I'm grateful, but [He glances to the side, so he's not looking at Eren's face] I...I have to find my own way to be free. Even if it takes a little longer.
[ eren goes through a lot of visible emotions that elliot can probably guess, even without looking at him. he stares with confusion, tempted to interrupt him the more he speaks. his eyes fill with indignation for what he hears, and he has to bite the inside of his mouth to stay quiet. thereās even a moment where he has to look away, close his eyes and let those words float into his ears instead of punching them gone. it was none of that, none of that.
his lips part, but nothing comes out, even after elliotās finished speaking. iāll just do what you say, without thinking. iām pretty weak like that. it boils his blood to hear it, the same way elliot hadnāt liked it when eren belittled himself. quiet. donāt yell. youāll make it worse.
eren didnāt want to force anything into him, butā he also didnāt want him to keep thinking that way either. he could say many things, like how he was completely wrong, that he didnāt get it, thatā he didnāt get how he could think that. heāll have to trust whatās coming from the heart now. elliotās . . . done a lot for him, so you can you bet that heās learned a thing or two when it came to talking. sometimesā you had to speak each otherās language. he wishes he could grab his hand just so he could feel how serious he was about it. ]
āYour violin, your instruments. [ he looks straight into the camera, and while his eyes pierce, he hopes elliot can look at them. theyāre intense with emotion. ] Howād you learn to play them?
[Gold Star to resisting the urge to yell Eren. We all know how much you love yelling. Gold Star.
Elliot still doesn't quite look at the screen. He knows Eren well enough that he knows it's a leading question, that Eren has some kind of point to make. Eren wants to help him, he knows that. Eren is always looking after him, which Elliot is grateful for that. He wouldn't know what his life would be like without Eren, but he's very sure it'd be a lot more miserable.
But he still had to make sure he did things to stand on his own two feet sometimes.]
T-Teachers taught me. [There's no point in denying that] But- I wasn't dating any of them. I could go against what they taught without feeling...bad about it.
[Well besides his mom, but he was a little kid and she's dead now so that's a moot point.
He glances at the screen and sees Eren's intense emotions, and he hesitates a little. He's really not good at the face to face confrontation...or the any kind of confrontation really. Especially when he cared so much for the person he was confronting.]
...L-Look, how about a compromise? Gimme a year to try to figure it out on my own. A-And if I don't manage in a year ... I'll let you teach me.
[ eren listens with a hand to his mouth, still watching. at least he got that point, that you start somewhere, that people help you get goingā youāre nothing if youāre alone, thatās what that girl said. thatās what elliot reminded him.
heās not good at confronting, but there he was, confronting. confronting because he felt that he had to do something for himself. thatās when eren realizes whatās actually going on, what heās seeing in elliot right now, and from an intense stare that can penetrate stone, it widens into the surprise of realization, beforeā he actually smiles. he sees it, now. (setting goals and objectives, especially in a yearly time limit, thatās actually two of the ten personal marketing tips. good job, elliot). ]
. . . You probably will. [ thatās actually really cool, and itās completely possible starting with an attitude like that. he nods, though. itās a deal. ] How many times have you done that for yourself?
[ standing up for himself, he means. he . . . really liked seeing that. heās not even upset anymore. it was different from what he didā what eren did was stupid and reckless. what elliotās doing is planned and notable.]
[Elliot felt really nervous, as if waiting for some shoe to drop. Even though he trusts Eren so much, there's still that little bit of fear in him. But instead he doesn't, he actually seems to smile. He's not sure...what he's smiling about, but it's a relief to see]
[ you know, being assertive!!! not in the aggressive sort of way, butā most definitely being confident and sure about yourself, and what you want. thatās an attractive thing all on its own. says erenās smile, probably, as he keeps smiling. ]
Donāt feel bad about taking what you learn and doing what you want with it, Elliot. You deserve freedom in that, too, doesnāt matter who taught you.
[ thatās the whole point of doing things your own way. thatās what they all had the right to do, since the day they were born. ]
O-Oh... [His ears turn a little pink] N-Not very often, really. You're just easy to talk to...
[Eren listens to him. Even if Eren was always opinionated with strong convictions, he always listened to Elliot's much quieter voice. After years of knowing Eren, he trusted him enough to know he'd be there for him, even if they disagree.]
I'll...I'll keep that in mind though. [And on that note] O-oh yeah, speaking of freedom, did you know Angela wrote a song about us being birds?
[ if you can talk to eren, you can talk to anyone. he makes a sound even, as if objecting a little, because, when was anything from him considered easy . . . even he knows he can be harsh sometimes. but, as long as he has that in mind, heāll leave it be the way it was. for now. ]
Donāt forget weāre a team.
[ wherever heās weak, he knows where elliot can fill the gaps, and vice versa.
and then, after a blink and an awkward smile, he leans over. a song about them as birds . . . . ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
He gives a nod] Yeah. Sorey was really nice to me when I first got the app. And they both work at Club Sunshine now, so I see them at work.
[You know where he performs on weekends]
no subject
Howās that going, actually?
no subject
no subject
[ in actuality, erenās own income as an airman was fairly mediocre if you compared it to how much he actually has and spends. thank u dad, for not being an asshole when it came to learning about investing and babyās first cash. then again that was before eren said ānoā to medicine . . . ]
I need to show you how to apply that, if you want. Thatās how I get my stuff running.
[ that cash, index fund, THE CRAzy things youād think eren wouldnāt know. ]
no subject
[Elliot knows what Eren means by that. He's well aware that Even invests and that's why he doesn't have to worry about money so much. He knows he should learn one of these days but...
Jokingly:]
Hehe, are you saying there's something wrong with my plan to marry a rich airmen?
no subject
that was a joke! but eren is speechless, his face a dark shade of purple with how much it has surpassed red in a matter of moments. thanks to facetime, you get to see it. he opens his mouth, closes his mouth, lips spreading out in a smile that didnāt know how else to express that thought other than looking like a grade-a dumbo and making his cheeks hurt ]
Nān, neh, [ see, no words! the sure sign that youāve got one eren jaeger right in the palm of your hand. heās so committed that, in actuality, itās something that could very well be up ahead if they worked. gahā he doesnāt know whether to look embarrassed, or happy, or embarrassed that he looks happy????? heās dumb ] Thā thatās, well, itās not . . . Nhuo, no. Iām, yeah.
[ the last time he got like this, they confessed. he needs to cover his face. the moment is golden, take a picture. ]
no subject
Hahaha Eren, breathe, it's okay. I was kidding, okay? It's too soon to be thinking about that.
no subject
but now you see why heās all choked up!!! the laugh only makes him rub his face more intensely to smack the eggplant color off of him. he looks embarrassing either way in this situation, whether it was because he entertained the idea with no problems beyond flustered dokis, for like three seconds, or because he couldnāt actually speak real words just because of the m word so soon.
it was a joke. breathe, boy. youāve known each other for years but youāre only two months into dating!! ]
Iā [ he swallows, still smiling sheepishly. he prays to all the gods alive that elliot doesnāt think heās a rusher, or that heās going to be, it most definitely is too soon, but. you know how to get him good, huh. this is proof of your power. ] Yeah, I know. Dā donāt get the wrong idea, or anything, I was just . . . [ seeing his life flash before his eyes. ] Weāllā focus on the now.
no subject
but the poor guy, took it so hard. He gives him a warm and sympathetic smile]
N-no, it's okay! No wrong ideas. [It was nice though, that he didn't react terribly to the idea. He saw that smile] I'd like to finish college first before I do anything like that, anyway...
no subject
heās glad. the warmth in his smile is at least enough to soothe right along with his words. gradually, that purple is easing back into light pink, all until itās left his cheeks and just hangs on his ears last. this time with his shirt, he rubs at his temple. haha. sweaty. ]
Me too. I finish technical training in December for Security Forces. [ thatās one extra step towards officerā then itās getting through the air force academy for his degree, earn his credits, climb the ranks-! ] You got your major, yet?
no subject
December? Haha, almost there then! [You can do it! And oh that question, he rubs the back of his neck] W-Working on it. I just applied for a couple more scholarships. I wanna hear back from them before declaring it. Y-you know, in case my aunt and uncle ... [He trails off, but it's pretty clear what his concern is - being cut off. Especially after Angela got thrown out]
no subject
In case they what? [ he doesn't say it like he's questioning what it was— he says it as if he were defying them. ] As far as I know, you don't need them to pay a thing.
no subject
T-That's not true. They're paying for part of my tuition. I tried to make it all my own, I did, but...it wasn't enough.
no subject
[ eren could just be like āiāll pay for itā, but itās the same thing he told angelaā there are some things in life that are far more satisfying and self liberating to do on your own than with dependance. eren was proof of that same thing, and he successfully lives alone without a drop from his father. sure they had to give the push and he had to start somewhere, soā theyāre giving to start here, too. he leans into the screen. ]
Youāre gonna pay for it. Iāll teach you in a week. You wonāt need to worry about them when itās all on you.
[ and keep showing him the ropes along the way. day trade, honey. ]
Youāll be as free as youāre meant to be.
no subject
He hesitates, worrying his lip as he steels himself up]
...N-No thank you, Eren.
[He swallows. Man, he wishes the earth would swallow him up right now]
I mean- i-it's good that you're helping Angela, you should. S-She's your family. And she's really independent, so she'd make use of it...
B-But...if you taught me, I-I'd just do what you say. Without thinking about it. I-I'm pretty weak like that. But that wouldn't be any better than ... [What he'd do with his aunt and uncle.] A-And I'd always feel indebted to you, and that's not good for our relationship...
So...I'm s-sorry. I'm grateful, but [He glances to the side, so he's not looking at Eren's face] I...I have to find my own way to be free. Even if it takes a little longer.
no subject
his lips part, but nothing comes out, even after elliotās finished speaking. iāll just do what you say, without thinking. iām pretty weak like that. it boils his blood to hear it, the same way elliot hadnāt liked it when eren belittled himself. quiet. donāt yell. youāll make it worse.
eren didnāt want to force anything into him, butā he also didnāt want him to keep thinking that way either. he could say many things, like how he was completely wrong, that he didnāt get it, thatā he didnāt get how he could think that. heāll have to trust whatās coming from the heart now. elliotās . . . done a lot for him, so you can you bet that heās learned a thing or two when it came to talking. sometimesā you had to speak each otherās language. he wishes he could grab his hand just so he could feel how serious he was about it. ]
āYour violin, your instruments. [ he looks straight into the camera, and while his eyes pierce, he hopes elliot can look at them. theyāre intense with emotion. ] Howād you learn to play them?
no subject
Elliot still doesn't quite look at the screen. He knows Eren well enough that he knows it's a leading question, that Eren has some kind of point to make. Eren wants to help him, he knows that. Eren is always looking after him, which Elliot is grateful for that. He wouldn't know what his life would be like without Eren, but he's very sure it'd be a lot more miserable.
But he still had to make sure he did things to stand on his own two feet sometimes.]
T-Teachers taught me. [There's no point in denying that] But- I wasn't dating any of them. I could go against what they taught without feeling...bad about it.
[Well besides his mom, but he was a little kid and she's dead now so that's a moot point.
He glances at the screen and sees Eren's intense emotions, and he hesitates a little. He's really not good at the face to face confrontation...or the any kind of confrontation really. Especially when he cared so much for the person he was confronting.]
...L-Look, how about a compromise? Gimme a year to try to figure it out on my own. A-And if I don't manage in a year ... I'll let you teach me.
O-okay?
no subject
heās not good at confronting, but there he was, confronting. confronting because he felt that he had to do something for himself. thatās when eren realizes whatās actually going on, what heās seeing in elliot right now, and from an intense stare that can penetrate stone, it widens into the surprise of realization, beforeā he actually smiles. he sees it, now. (setting goals and objectives, especially in a yearly time limit, thatās actually two of the ten personal marketing tips. good job, elliot). ]
. . . You probably will. [ thatās actually really cool, and itās completely possible starting with an attitude like that. he nods, though. itās a deal. ] How many times have you done that for yourself?
[ standing up for himself, he means. he . . . really liked seeing that. heās not even upset anymore. it was different from what he didā what eren did was stupid and reckless. what elliotās doing is planned and notable.]
no subject
D-Done what for myself...?
no subject
[ you know, being assertive!!! not in the aggressive sort of way, butā most definitely being confident and sure about yourself, and what you want. thatās an attractive thing all on its own. says erenās smile, probably, as he keeps smiling. ]
Donāt feel bad about taking what you learn and doing what you want with it, Elliot. You deserve freedom in that, too, doesnāt matter who taught you.
[ thatās the whole point of doing things your own way. thatās what they all had the right to do, since the day they were born. ]
Thatās what makes us free in the first place.
no subject
[Eren listens to him. Even if Eren was always opinionated with strong convictions, he always listened to Elliot's much quieter voice. After years of knowing Eren, he trusted him enough to know he'd be there for him, even if they disagree.]
I'll...I'll keep that in mind though. [And on that note] O-oh yeah, speaking of freedom, did you know Angela wrote a song about us being birds?
no subject
Donāt forget weāre a team.
[ wherever heās weak, he knows where elliot can fill the gaps, and vice versa.
and then, after a blink and an awkward smile, he leans over. a song about them as birds . . . . ]
āWait, what?
no subject
Haha, yeah. I won't. We're a good team.
[And yeah, that's about the reaction he expected]
Yeah. She went ahead and wrote a song about us. I'm a heron and you're a crow.
no subject
Did she at least explain the choices? I donāt get it.
[ like, why was elliot a heron. and why was he a crow. shouldnāt it be like . . . a songbird and an eagle??? (eren you are not an eagle) ]
no subject
[He hesitates but you know, it's Angela's problem really]
She described herons as "gentle" and crows as "noisy"
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
points to eyes, points to html
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)