[ Eren is aware that Levi is one of the hardest people to fool. He pays a lot of attention behind that stoic mask. And Eren pays attention to him, too — too much, probably.

He could never intimidate Levi. He can only provoke him a little, not far enough, not enough for...

The only thing he thinks would ever get Levi to give up on him is a total shutdown. He doesn't know how to manage that. Someday. But not today, too close to seeing those children here alive and laughing, horrified by his apology even in a language they don’t speak.

Why had he saved that kid? Maybe just because he's not as unforgivable a monster as he will become? He can't even say. He doesn't really know.

Back in this room, Levi's voice is softer, not anger or a threat. Eren's heart snags on that tone.

Fuck. Fuck, this isn't supposed to go like this. Is it? ]

These people will kill us the first chance they get.

[ His other hand clenches too. ]

That's all they've ever planned to do, since before we were even born. Karl Fritz, the Reiss family, they would just let us all die.

[ A complicated mix of emotions passes over his face, maybe a welcome change to the weird distance he's had going on since the medal ceremony. Anger. Despair. Fear. More anger. ]

You're right. I don’t have a choice.

[ He says this now but he's been yelling freedom his whole life. He'll go back to that, maybe immediately, this hypocrisy beginning to twist itself up in knots in his head. ]

I can't watch you die. I won't.

[ Whether he means you as in "all of you" or just Levi himself, it's all the same. ]