[ the pause is brief; erwin looks at levi, unflinching, and takes the cup of tea.
he carefully, quietly sets it back down, and this time he doesn't let himself hesitate, doesn't let himself be such a coward that he can't even open his mouth to say anything but wishy-washy crap that doesn't mean anything.
he carefully but firmly takes levi's wrist, fingers curling around it so he doesn't step away. ]
Don't go.
[ his voice is quiet. it doesn't shake, but the words are barely breathed out. ]
[ he closes his eyes when Erwin takes hold of his wrist, further holding himself back from actually facing the other man. he could easily break free if he wanted to, but it's not like Erwin isn't aware.
this isn't meant to be restraint, though—it wouldn't work, of course, but Erwin wouldn't do it even if he were capable. that's not the kind of relationship they have, no matter what their respective ranks say.
(what kind of relationship do they have, then? he still doesn't know.)
Erwin's hand on his wrist is more like a 'please' at the end of 'don't go'. can he really say no to that? doesn't Erwin always know best? ]
I don't know if that's a good idea.
[ he doesn't know how much longer he can do this, either. ]
Edited (I'm not doing the thing i) 2025-03-14 01:11 (UTC)
[ erwin knows. if there's one thing erwin can always be certain of, it's levi understanding him, what his actions mean, what his words mean.
but he can't expect levi to understand what erwin himself doesn't understand.
he doesn't let go but he doesn't know what to say. or do, for that matter. at length, he just tips his head forward and rests his face so that it's hidden in levi's hair. which is maybe a little wild, but it sure is a thing he's just done. ]
Help me think of another way. We work best together.
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he carefully, quietly sets it back down, and this time he doesn't let himself hesitate, doesn't let himself be such a coward that he can't even open his mouth to say anything but wishy-washy crap that doesn't mean anything.
he carefully but firmly takes levi's wrist, fingers curling around it so he doesn't step away. ]
Don't go.
[ his voice is quiet. it doesn't shake, but the words are barely breathed out. ]
no subject
this isn't meant to be restraint, though—it wouldn't work, of course, but Erwin wouldn't do it even if he were capable. that's not the kind of relationship they have, no matter what their respective ranks say.
(what kind of relationship do they have, then? he still doesn't know.)
Erwin's hand on his wrist is more like a 'please' at the end of 'don't go'. can he really say no to that? doesn't Erwin always know best? ]
I don't know if that's a good idea.
[ he doesn't know how much longer he can do this, either. ]
no subject
but he can't expect levi to understand what erwin himself doesn't understand.
he doesn't let go but he doesn't know what to say. or do, for that matter. at length, he just tips his head forward and rests his face so that it's hidden in levi's hair. which is maybe a little wild, but it sure is a thing he's just done. ]
Help me think of another way. We work best together.