[ He notices the shift, of course. He can read her. He knows her. He's glad to see that. He doesn't want her to think of constantly fighting him, of the way it has to end. Even if it hasn't happened and she doesn't have his knowledge, she knows. There's only one out for them back home. They don't have to think about it now, right? With enough distance, can you heal a wound this deep?
It's his own fault that this is so hard and strange and he knows that, but he hates it all the same.
They can never go back to before, before he left for Marley. Before the power of the Founding Titan and the memories in the Attack Titan showed him far too much of the world. Before he became a monster for real.
He shuts his eyes for a moment. There's too much in his head. ]
Something better.
[ He parrots it back at her, a hollow reflection of her own words while he deals with his own shit, all of the things he keeps from everyone else.
He opens his eyes again. His expression isn't as flat or as distant, and he doesn't sound so hollow when he says it again. ]
Something better. Yeah. Me too.
[ He shrugs a shoulder and his gaze slides away from her again. He tries to think about what he actually wants, but he doesn't even know. ]
no subject
It's his own fault that this is so hard and strange and he knows that, but he hates it all the same.
They can never go back to before, before he left for Marley. Before the power of the Founding Titan and the memories in the Attack Titan showed him far too much of the world. Before he became a monster for real.
He shuts his eyes for a moment. There's too much in his head. ]
Something better.
[ He parrots it back at her, a hollow reflection of her own words while he deals with his own shit, all of the things he keeps from everyone else.
He opens his eyes again. His expression isn't as flat or as distant, and he doesn't sound so hollow when he says it again. ]
Something better. Yeah. Me too.
[ He shrugs a shoulder and his gaze slides away from her again. He tries to think about what he actually wants, but he doesn't even know. ]
I won't make you do anything.