[ Whether or not Eren decides to do anything to celebrate his birthday -- or perhaps someone else does it for him, similar to how Levi's "dinner party" ended up happening -- Levi will make an effort to catch him today. ]
[ He'd been going back and forth about it. Eren is unforgivable. Eren is a kid they all failed. Eren almost destroyed the world. Eren is one of the kids he's watched grow up. ]
[ He'd expressed several times now that he wants things to be different here. That he doesn't want to do what he did -- will do -- even if he still would; that he wants to be someone better. Levi had chosen to believe him. He chooses to believe him every day. ]
[ So far, he has not betrayed that belief. Levi is a little worried he may be in a more destructive mood now that Armin has gone home, but perhaps some positive reinforcement is exactly what he needs to stay on the path. ]
[ Either way, it's something he feels he should say. ]
[ No regrets, right? ]
[ He stops in front of Eren, pausing with that usual awkwardness of his, and holds out a brown paper bag for him. This time, whatever is inside is soft. Definitely bigger than a peach. ]
...I don't know if it still means as much to you as it used to. But, Eren.
[ Eren does love saying how he's the same as he's always been. Perhaps that extends to his feelings about the Survey Corps and Humanity's Strongest, feelings that Levi had experienced firsthand in the metal titan. And if not, well... surely he can still appreciate the familial sentiment behind it. Levi makes sure to stare right at his face. ]
[ Inside the package, there's a forest-green Scouts' expedition cloak with the emblem on the back. ]
You're still one of us.
[ If Eren tries it on, he will find that it seems somewhat shorter than it's ought to be, even if they were always a bit short by design to make sure the gear didn't catch in them. After all, the Wishing Dandelion only allows you to regain items that you have possessed yourself in the past. But whatever name had been stitched on the hem originally had been meticulously stitched over to say Eren. ]
[ Happy birthday, brat. Don't make him regret this. ]
action; march 30th
[ He'd been going back and forth about it. Eren is unforgivable. Eren is a kid they all failed. Eren almost destroyed the world. Eren is one of the kids he's watched grow up. ]
[ He'd expressed several times now that he wants things to be different here. That he doesn't want to do what he did -- will do -- even if he still would; that he wants to be someone better. Levi had chosen to believe him. He chooses to believe him every day. ]
[ So far, he has not betrayed that belief. Levi is a little worried he may be in a more destructive mood now that Armin has gone home, but perhaps some positive reinforcement is exactly what he needs to stay on the path. ]
[ Either way, it's something he feels he should say. ]
[ No regrets, right? ]
[ He stops in front of Eren, pausing with that usual awkwardness of his, and holds out a brown paper bag for him. This time, whatever is inside is soft. Definitely bigger than a peach. ]
...I don't know if it still means as much to you as it used to. But, Eren.
[ Eren does love saying how he's the same as he's always been. Perhaps that extends to his feelings about the Survey Corps and Humanity's Strongest, feelings that Levi had experienced firsthand in the metal titan. And if not, well... surely he can still appreciate the familial sentiment behind it. Levi makes sure to stare right at his face. ]
[ Inside the package, there's a forest-green Scouts' expedition cloak with the emblem on the back. ]
You're still one of us.
[ If Eren tries it on, he will find that it seems somewhat shorter than it's ought to be, even if they were always a bit short by design to make sure the gear didn't catch in them. After all, the Wishing Dandelion only allows you to regain items that you have possessed yourself in the past. But whatever name had been stitched on the hem originally had been meticulously stitched over to say Eren. ]
[ Happy birthday, brat. Don't make him regret this. ]