[ Maruki hears it. He's listening. He has listened to every word Eren has said to him, nearly every single day for months. He has reams of paper dedicated to keeping everything about Eren straight. An unfathomable amount of information, shared to both counselor and friend, all painstakingly catalogued and filed against his heart.

He hears the truth in Eren's words, but he also knows they come from a different reality, with a different set of circumstances.

And now he's here, with Maruki. Change is as inevitable as they are. ]

Maybe. Maybe not. You won't know until you find out. And please don't take this as me spontaneously developing an ego, but...

[ His hands rub up and down Eren's upper arms, soothing. ]

You've got an expert in the field at your side. You haven't had someone around to help you or let you simply be, Eren.

[ His eyes are dry again, smile entirely genuine and radiantly warm. ]

If you don't trust your own mind, trust me. I never let you down before.