[ You're a sweet thing, a statement that borders on tragic, ricochets through Maruki's little body like buckshot.
He's thought about it so often throughout his life, and more and more lately.
It's so easy to be cruel. It's so easy to lash out, take the pain you feel and turn it outwards to pass to someone else. It's so easy to be dismissive, and callous, and angry. It's so easy to not consider others when speaking to them. Maruki understands why people act that way. Why they act that way toward him, even. Objectively, he gets it. But–
Kindness, empathy, altruism – all are inherent to his nature, but that doesn't mean they're easy choices to make. Every time he's hurting and sets it aside to show another person genuine care, it is a choice he makes – and the more he hurts, the more difficult that choice becomes – and in a reality like this, there's so much more hurt than he's used to.
He will always be gentle, will always be caring, will always be kind. Even if the rest of the world is anything but. Especially then. It's so, so difficult – and the more difficult it is, the more important it is that he sticks to his guns.
No one likes a martyr, so it's not as if he'd ever give voice to these thoughts. But the hurt compounds until it bursts in his chest like it does now.
He coos in time with Eren's breathing, little head turning into nudge against his chest, beak picking miserably at the fabric of his shirt. ]
not the lantern festival link... stop...
He's thought about it so often throughout his life, and more and more lately.
It's so easy to be cruel. It's so easy to lash out, take the pain you feel and turn it outwards to pass to someone else. It's so easy to be dismissive, and callous, and angry. It's so easy to not consider others when speaking to them. Maruki understands why people act that way. Why they act that way toward him, even. Objectively, he gets it. But–
Kindness, empathy, altruism – all are inherent to his nature, but that doesn't mean they're easy choices to make. Every time he's hurting and sets it aside to show another person genuine care, it is a choice he makes – and the more he hurts, the more difficult that choice becomes – and in a reality like this, there's so much more hurt than he's used to.
He will always be gentle, will always be caring, will always be kind. Even if the rest of the world is anything but. Especially then. It's so, so difficult – and the more difficult it is, the more important it is that he sticks to his guns.
No one likes a martyr, so it's not as if he'd ever give voice to these thoughts. But the hurt compounds until it bursts in his chest like it does now.
He coos in time with Eren's breathing, little head turning into nudge against his chest, beak picking miserably at the fabric of his shirt. ]