abandonhumanity | PSL / MEME CONTINUATION

[“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?

[And I quote: . _ .]

Harassment. That's what you'd call this?

Because I kicked the guy who tried to wipe out all of humanity.

That's harassment in your book. [A statement, dry - not a question.]

Throw out your shitty bias and answer me. I'm not sitting here sweet because you hurt me. It would take less than a second to slice that bastard's head off if I wanted to.

[Scratch that; she’s not saying shit.]

[But you’re not.]

[This world fucking sucks.]

[Aubrey shifts more protectively in front of Eren, particularly his neck. There’s not a doubt in her mind Levi could dispose of them both like garbage if he wanted to—but he will have to toss her, first.]

Why?

[An easy bluff to call when she - ostensibly innocent, maybe even a victim - is bent around him like that. Levi sighs.]

Because I need to understand what's going on here.

Look. In a different world, putting Eren down might not be necessary. It sure as Hell wouldn't change anything back home.

Unlike him, I don't enjoy taking the lives of other people. Never really did much for me.

That doesn't mean I won't if he puts a toe out of line, though. Seeing as he's focused on getting his beauty sleep right now, I don't really see the need.

[He'd also really like just one good opportunity to spit in his face while he's awake to appreciate it.]

[At least he’s slowly, begrudgingly graduated from calling Eren a “thing” to “bastard” to, finally, by name. There are significantly more important topics at play here, but that feels like a small… victory? concession? Even if Levi’s phrasing the death like some rabid euthanization.

[Whatever.]

You’re right, [still guarded, but a step down of her own;] anything that happens here…

[Well. That’s certainly what she wants to think.
[Eren didn’t want to go back; she can believe that. Aubrey’s assumed he just… didn’t remember. Got caught up in it all, maybe. What’s more crushing, the idea that he forgot just as involuntarily as he left, or that he remembered and…

[Ugh. Forget it.]

We’ve been here a long time. I know he’s dead. [And, with a quick pulse check:] Even if he doesn’t look it.

“We,” by the way, [and finally, an answer, if only so Levi doesn’t pursue the other topic,] being us, Armin, Mikasa, Reiner… Bertholdt once, too. [Quieter:] And someone I know.

[So, this is Hell. Makes perfect sense. Levi doesn't remember dying, but that hardly matters now. Here he is. If it isn't Hell, then it's some realm that Eren no doubt controls, where the dead don't die, and all he does is lie around and nap. Also fabulous.

[Then it isn't just that putting Eren down would be unnecessary here - it would be impossible.]

That's it. You haven't met anyone else?

[There's a name or two he's hoping to hear, maybe - so sue him.]

You say he's dead, but you imply that the same can't be said for the rest of us. Too easy an explanation, I guess.

Well… yeah. I don’t know. [Too easy for what?]

If the rest of us are dead, we don’t remember it. Eren did. Bertholdt, too.

[Mari didn’t.
[That irks her.]

You’re the first new person in a while, actually.
[Although, come to think of it…]
Weird question: Do you smoke?

Edited (surprise! strangers) 2023-11-21 19:39 (UTC)

[Dryly (as if everything he says isn't dry):]

Why? Are you offering?

[He doesn't, but he sure would right about now anyway.]

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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

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