[ Maruki twists around to reach his satchel again, pulls out a small leather drawstring bag. He thinks to press that into Eren's hands, let him open it himself, but–

No, it's better this way.

It's next to impossible to claim anything when it comes to Eren. He wears Mikasa's ring around his neck, his own for her on his finger, Jean's bracelet on his wrist. None of the traditional pieces would be solely their own – and even in the unlikely event that Maruki could get over that, he still wouldn't want to do it. Something so obvious would rouse suspicion.

So instead, what's pressed into Eren's hand is a perfect flat disc of grey-green gemstone, the same as Eren's pendant. It's been broken into several pieces, then melded together with gold – the same hue as Maruki's own pendant, too.

Maruki curls both Eren's hands around it and holds them there, speaking softly. ]

I want you to keep this on you at all times. In your pocket, so that when I'm not with you, you can hold it and think of me.

[ Sort of like a worry stone, in that way. ]

There's a tradition in my reality, to repair broken ceramics with gold. Instead of making seamless repairs so it looks like the object never broke at all, it calls attention to the places where it was broken. It makes their history beautiful, even if it was painful.

[ His thumbs smooth over the ridges of Eren's knuckles, again and again. ]

I told you before... I promise to accept every part of you. It's all beautiful to me. All of it.