abandonhumanity | PSL / MEME CONTINUATION

[When Eren falls to the ground, Aubrey almost jumps; when he flings himself onto the roof, she actually does.]

Be careful! [Her hands clap right back over— Hide, dumbass! Stay down!]

[“I will.” But then what? Can he fight these things forever?]

[Fixing her eyes on Eren, and not frantically all around the rooftops or at the approaching monsters, keeps Aubrey grounded. She doesn’t notice that yet another titan heard.]

[Eren notices just in time, but fumbles with surprise. It's frustrating, having the same mentality he had before he woke up, but feeling younger, clumsier, stupider. This one's close - too close for comfort - and it seems that more are coming from the same direction.

[There's no time to waste.

[One down, then two, a third one. He's not sure he's ever made this many consecutive ODM kills in his life, and it's exhausting. Landing back down on the roof, he tries to catch his breath - since when does he breathe again?

[He wipes the sweat from his brow, eyes set in a glare as he continues searching the would-be Shiganshina - more like his shattered home than he's ever seen it.

[More titans fumble toward them from all directions.]

Shit.

[He doesn't even think about it as he bites down hard on his hand.

[Nothing happens.]

Shit!

[When he died, when he took away the titan power from Eldians - did he rob himself of it too? He bites down again - nothing. Again. Nothing.]

What the Hell?

[A hand the size of a canon slams down on the roof, sending tiles flying. Eren whips around, desperate, his hand bleeding. He fires himself at the titan for a seventh time, slicing through the nape and then crashing back onto the roof with a pained wince.

[They don't have numbers. The Titans do. This isn't good...And he doesn't have time to will them somewhere else right now...]

Aubrey! Get us out of here!

[He doubts it'll be successful. She has to be just as distracted as he is - seeing a titan up close for the first time is one of the most terrifying things he can imagine, even to this day.

[He doesn't have time to keep barking orders, though. He's back in action, sending another to the ground.]

[There’s too many. It’s impossible to keep watch on Eren, lost in a flurry of distorted limbs and inhuman (yet far, far too human) maws—

[A jolt of deja-vu; they’ve been closed in like this before. Eren bites his hand; trying to transform. He’s—

[The titan’s hand slams down, and Aubrey ducks, desperate and far too close to certain death, her mind already reeling somewhere else just before Eren’s order connects—]

[Something grabs her wrist.]

[As the titan under Eren falls, the world goes dark. Crumbling walls enclose them, the ground below stained pitch with blood from old carnage. Are they meant to die here?!]

Go to Hell and rot!

[When Eren looks back, he’ll just barely be able to make out the silhouette: Aubrey, held by the arm by none other than an old shadow-friend. He has a face today, though—the warped smile of a half-pitch titan. A hideous, familiar thing, its body bloated like a corpse washed ashore.]

[It’s not trying to eat her. He’s just… staring. Sad and smiling. Eren’s nightmare wasn’t done with him; this labyrinth isn’t done with her.]

[Aubrey is terrified.]

[The scene shifts, the walls crumble. A monster has Aubrey by the arm, and she's terrified - but Eren is useless. His body has reverted back to its usual, nineteen-year-old state, but he's nothing more than a heap on the floor. It's strange, though - he doesn't look passed out. He's curled up on his side, bare feet tucked tucked up beneath him, sleeping, just as he and Aubrey were back on the couch in Mari's home. Nothing seems to wake him.]

[It's damn lucky for that sleeping piece of shit that Levi just so happens to see the beast in time. Of course, he has no idea that its an old friend - even if he did, it wouldn't matter. Levi got used to the fact that titans were once people a long time ago. That doesn't mean he'll spare their lives.

[His speed is blinding. Scarcely does Aubrey have time to scream, and he's there, spinning through the air like a corkscrew and slicing off the titan's arm, freeing her - even if the arm goes along with her when she separates.

[He's not one to waste time. Not a split second later, and he's slicing through the titan's neck, sending the smiling, sad face sailing to the ground along with the head.

[He lands, his eyes still on the titan, waiting to see if it can keep flapping around like a chicken with its head cut off. He doesn't look at Aubrey, but his low voice demands:]

Someone ought to start explaining now - what's that piece of shit gotten me wrapped up in this time?

[He's sleeping in the corner like a well fed dog. But Levi knows he has something to do with this.]

[Aubrey drops. The behemoth, and its arm along with, starts to melt as soon as its head flies; unlike any real titan, it’s not a clean descent. In place of smoke is that dreadful pitch goop, drooping and dissolving into nothing—though at least that “softens” Aubrey’s fall.

[She feels (and looks) like a seagull yanked out of an oil spill, stumbling to her feet in some kind of instinctive scramble. Her arm hurts. Meanwhile, something does remain of the felled “titan”—the drowned silhouette of a boy. It is not alive.

[Aubrey can’t quite make him out, in the dark. The newcomer’s voice grabs her attention, even as she looks for someone else. Is he why Eren’s nightmare came true? Disoriented—]

You know him?

[Does he know him? Levi’s voice is tight.]

We’ve met once or twice.

[With this, he limps toward Eren; despite the limp, when he reaches Eren, he delivers a vicious kick to the ribs.]

Hey, Jaeger. Rise and shine, brat. You still haven’t learned your lesson, have you? And here I could have sworn we cut off your ugly head.

[Another kick. Eren’s body seizes tight for a moment at the motion, but quickly relaxes again into still sleep.]

What the hell is this? [He’d sound exasperated if he didn’t sound so tired.]

[“Jaeger.” There he—
[ !! ]

Leave him alone!

[She all but throws herself at the man, grabbing at his cape, his shoulders, anywhere to wrench him away and try to throw him back. Zero regard for any stray weaponry.]

[There’s some lesson here about turning your back, probably. Still, even as she throws herself at Levi, the little girl with the bow on her head doesn’t seem like the biggest threat; in fact, in the interest of her safety; he manages to unclip and toss away his blades before landing hard on his ass. Pain explodes in his knee, smaller explosions echoing through the rest of his body. He doesn’t show it with more than a wince.

[He used to be a lot harder to take down.]

Calm down. [He sounds irritated, firm, but relatively calm nevertheless.]

And let go. Now.

[He doesn’t need to ask twice—for the second part, anyway. Soon as he’s out of the way Aubrey dives for Eren, kneeling protectively over him as she checks his ribs, that his limbs are intact, that there’s no blood— Is his pulse gone again?] Eren… [Why isn’t he waking up?!]

[Aubrey grabs his hand. Her left arm throbs, not quite dislocated but clearly pulled in a way it shouldn’t have been. Hell with it. She’s so tired of feeling useless.]

[All she can do is stay there, over him, with him, head still buzzing with leftover adrenaline. She needs to focus, get somewhere else.... Who’s the guy who kicked him, anyway?]

[Aubrey doesn't need to search long for a pulse. Eren is breathing - the steady, calm breath of sleep, his chest rising and falling, slow and even. There's even the very light snoring, so soft that it's difficult to hear if you aren't listening for it. He doesn't react to her touching him, nor the soft plea of his name.]

[Perfect. As if Mikasa and Armin weren't bad enough. Just one more Eren Jaeger fangirl who fails to see what a goddamn monster he is. How the Hell does he manage to suck people in? Levi knows it isn't his shit personality, and he'd hope this girl isn't like the Jaegerists, supporting the fact that he wiped out countless lives in the billions.

[What makes Levi still care about him? After everything, why does he see Eren and still only hate him with 75% of his heart?

[It would be more dignified to try and stand right now, but fresh from the battlefield, he's not sure his body will allow it unless a more imminent danger appears.

[Eren's the most imminent danger there is, but Levi isn't jumping up and slicing through his head a second time, now is he? Stupid kid, just lying there sleeping like the world is still fucking turning.]

You might as well be cradling a bomb, brat. Use your brain and back up.

Edited (had to use a meaner word) 2023-11-21 15:22 (UTC)

[A sharp glare back, then, for the man who saved her. It doesn’t last, but she makes no move to leave Eren, either.

[He has a pulse. He’s breathing. For now, that’s enough to steady her.]

[Just another moment to watch him… It’s not hard to imagine why he’d be described like that. His face is still so soft....]

[Without looking up:] Who are you? [It’s not as pointed as Aubrey intends.]

[For once, his reputation doesn't precede him. What is this place...?]

Levi. Captain of Paradis Island's Scout Regiment.

If you haven't heard of it, then you really have no idea what you've got your hands on.

[Or she does, and she doesn't care. He's going to venture a guess that it's the latter.]

Do you not realize that that thing destroyed over half the human race [He doesn't know the death toll yet.], or do you just not care?

[“That thing.” Some fine Captain.... It feels impossible to bite back the retort, but Aubrey at least keeps it to a mutter:] He’s not a monster....

[But. Hell. Lest she forget the context of that conversation. Of having to wonder, now, if he has a pulse at all.]

I know, I… [She shuts her eyes for a moment. Eighty percent.] I know.

[It’s not a defense.]

He’s still a person.

[Eren respected his Captain.... Quieter, but not trying to hide it:] You know that.

["The billions of innocent men, women, and children he killed were also people."]

All monsters are human. You don't need to defend Eren Jaeger to me.

["I know, I know," and yet, she's still protecting him. "I know, I know," but let's try to save him. "I know, I know," but maybe we can just talk it out. "I know, I know," but he's still Eren.

[He knows. He knows. He knows. He knows.]

My turn to ask questions. Who are you, and what the hell going on?

[She bites back a retort. Levi must not know his thought was shared, and Aubrey isn’t keen to enlighten him. Not like there’s anything good to say, to that....]

[The questions, then. Like those aren’t just as complicated.]

My name is Aubrey… Aubrey Jaeger. [There’s no point trying to hide it; Levi’s got at least one eye. She’s surprised it doesn’t sound like an admission, context considering; and surprised that she’s surprised, because why would it be?] As for what’s going on…

[She brushes back the hairs on Eren’s forehead, and they fall right back in place as always. It’s a petty move, fine; if Levi has a problem with that he can look somewhere else.] …We’re still trying to figure that out.

[Aubrey Jaeger?

[Oh for fuck's sake.]

I'm guessing you're not his sister.

Take a fucking guess.

[A breath in, and then finally looking back. Not a glare, but not much else.]

Look. Thanks for killing that thing, but if you’ve got nothing better to do…

[Yeah. Then what?]

[Yeah, she should be grateful - and yet.]

Listen, kid. I don't care if your his wife, aunt, or personal assistant. I don't have the luxury of letting the Jaegers out of my sight anymore.

[If Zeke is here, he is going to have a fucking conniption.]

The fact you know what he's done and still fawn over him like that tells me what sort of person you are.

Forgive me for not leaving the fate of the world in your capable hands.

[Of course he gets to go off to some other dimension and get married. Of course he doesn't have to sit around and face the consequences of what he's done. Of course he gets off Scott free. Meanwhile, "Everyone I've ever loved is dead because of him.]

Edited 2023-11-21 16:52 (UTC)

[“Fawn over him”… Funny. Might as well be hearing herself, from ages ago. She should be grateful. She should be more sympathetic for Levi’s lost comrades; it’s not that she isn’t. And yet…]

Judge me all you want.

I’m not leaving him.

[When she tried—this wretched place.
[That stupid kid has long faded. Yet here they remain.]

Neither am I.

[And so, they are at an impasse.

[Idly, Levi rubs at his bum knee.]

Never knew the brat got married. Figured I would have heard your name before now if he had.

[But what does he know? A lot less than he'd like to.]

[Hell of a stalemate this is.]

Yeah, well, I’m not from your world.

[It’s impossible to clean all this… shadow-tar crap, from her jacket, but Aubrey tries anyway and then throws the garment over Eren like a blanket. He looks cold, curled up in the corner like that.

[Stubbornly, pettily, she’s not moving them while Levi’s here. Not yet, anyway; not on purpose.]

None of us know what the hell this place is. Get used to it.

[Huh. So they have matching shit personalities. Great.

[Never mind the "not from your world" bit. How in the Hell does she say that so casually? It's ludicrous.]

You know more than you're letting on.

Hell, you had to meet and fall in love with that thing, let alone get married. Probably took at least ~~100,000 words~~ ten minutes.

Who else is here?

[Aubrey just rolls her eyes at the commentary. Even if Levi was suddenly asking real polite for a relationship history, she wouldn’t give it. None of his business. He wouldn’t get it.]

Why should I tell you that? [She will, probably. But he’s annoying.] So you can go harass them, instead?

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setting this up for an aubey peril if you so choose to accept

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2/2 - accurate description in link not icons lmao

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feel free to assume the panel transfers

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levi “captain of being right and he should say it” ackerman