maidenofrelief | Labyrinthum IC Inbox

[Oh, great. Eren loves small talk.]

Did you pass Kuchel's on the way in?

[A question met with another question. It's a tea shop in Somnius, with a clearly marked sign.]

You'll find something there to suit you.

[Kuchel's? Hmm did she see that...

Ah. No. No, she didn't. She didn't see much actually, due to. Reasons.]

I must have missed it on my initial arrival, but I'll be sure to look! Tea really is good to soothe the nerves.

[And boy has she needed to soothe her nerves as of late. Especially talking to current reason number 1 on the Nervous meter.]

[At this, Eren's eyes - only his eyes - move to Chihaya, dull, gray-green.]

Am I making you nervous?

[It's a more direct question than she was expecting. Her light purple eyes flick over to his and she finds herself pinned in an intense stare. In any other circumstance she would have said those eyes were beautiful; a stunning gray-green that reminds her of a polished geode that would shine if put in the right light.

It's obvious though that she's not that light. And it's not a surprise. She's used to being unwanted, used to being looked at with a critical eye and with suspicion. It's what made coming here a surprise. Everyone here for the most part is true to who they are, whether that is friendly or not. Even now with Eren's obvious distrust and grudge towards her existence here it's honest. Perhaps there is something to be said for being disliked for who you are, not some title or a monstrous reputation. Its got its own positive swing to it.

Now the question is- should she be honest? She's still looking him in the eyes as she contemplates this and finishes making her meal. She's uncertain as to what to do and then a stray thought crosses her mind.

What would Akira do?

He'd be brave, she thinks. Chihaya takes comfort in that.]

Yes. You are.

[She says her piece, holding his gaze as she does, and then looks away to pile her food into a bowl. Beyond the vocal admission though she manages to look calm as she finishes assembling her meal.]

But I am glad we're talking.

[Akira taught her to face her problems head on. While it will never fix her fate, it certainly helps influence it just a little.]

[For a miserable liar, Eren values honesty more than one might guess. His question was no test, but if it were one, Chihaya would have passed. When she breaks the gaze, he turns back to their tea, taking a mug in each hand and nodding toward the table where they both may sit.]

I won't consider you an enemy unless you give me reason to. The owner of this house has extended his welcome.

[Her heart is still beating a bit fast but the tea is ready and so she takes her bowl and sits down at the table.]

I don't see how I ever would give you that reason, but I appreciate it all the same.

[At the mention of Maruki she smiles warmly.]

Yes, he did. Maruki-san is so kind, and has been kind to me since I came here. I owe him a lot for that.

He's a kind person. [That description doesn't even come close. He's too kind. Even a stranger can't resist taking advantage.

[Eren sits at the table too; momentarily disappears into his mug.]

I'll ask that you don't take that for granted. [Because Maruki let her.]

Edited 2025-01-27 17:05 (UTC)

I don't intend to.

[It comes out strong and firm, more than she expected it to. The idea of taking Maruki for granted, after everything he's done and continues to do for her? Impossible. There's an edge of anger there too, a sort of of course not! that also almost slips out but she bites her tongue.]

But if I do, I have a feeling someone will remind me.

[Now she's smiling a little mischievously as she looks at him across her own mug and takes a sip. Oh- perfectly steeped, just the right temperature and so warm in her hands... she can feel her shoulders relaxing as she sips. Her smile rests into pure contentment and she lets her eyes close.]

[Oddly enough, it helps a bit to hear something like offense in her voice at the mere idea that she might take advantage of someone like Maruki - and she should be offended at the very implication, because the idea should be so far from her mind that she finds it entirely unreasonable.

[Yeah. Alright. Eren approves. And she likes the tea. No surprise there.

[He gives her no further grief - for now.]

That blend supposedly calms the nerves.

[Chihaya doesn't notice any change- she's reveling in the tea and the good food and... perhaps the good company. He's intimidating, yes, but not completely unapproachable. She looks at him again and feels gratitude that someone like him is looking out for Maruki. She hasn't known him long, nor has she known Eren long, but she knows that if her powers were back she would be able to see that connection. Two stars burning bright in the night sky and seen from anywhere on the earth. Not a native constellation by any means, but made sweeter by time and space itself acquiescing for just this once to allow two unrelated lives to touch.]

Well, I never quite know if it is the tea itself or just the ritual of drinking it that calms, but it's always worked for me. Thank you for sharing.

No one ever claimed that tea where I came from did anything. There was only one type, as far as I know.

There's excess of everything here. [She might be used to that, though. A lot of people are.]

[Only one type of tea? Hm. That sounds impossible to Chihaya with tea being so important in so many aspects of her culture, but it must have been different for him. So many worlds, so many different ways of living. She'll never know it all.]

It seems everyone who has been here for awhile has really made this place their home, or at least a resting place until whatever happens next, happens. With that kind of teamwork, you can make resources really last or even get more. My village always had to do that during the winter since- ...ah, sorry. That's silly.

[She chuckles at herself. No need to go talking about all that.]

I hope you've been able to enjoy that excess here.

This place isn't my home. It isn't any of our homes.

[Some unique distance seeps into Eren's voice now. He circles the rim of his glass with his finger, but his eyes are focused ahead.]

We're all captives here. That's an undeniable fact.

We enjoy that excess, yes. Anyone who claims they don't participate are lying, but...

You're right about something else too.

[His eyes shift to Chihaya. He tilts his head just so.]

The Dreamers' ability to organize is frightening. We're well equipped to survive on nothing more than each other's loyalty when things go to Hell. We've proven it.

[Isn't that nice? My, he's forgotten to sip his tea.]

I find that encouraging.

[Ah. Right. Other people here don't view this as a necessary sentence, a trial to be endured. They view it as a gilded cage or a hostage situation. Good for them. Perhaps they have a greater purpose back home. Something important that needs them specifically and whatever wish they might have made is worth losing for that.

Chihaya is not that way. She knows that there is nothing waiting for her back home. No scale that is unbalanced by her absence or greater goal that can only be achieved with her participation. That's for people like Akira or detectives like Akechi or doctors like Maruki- she could disappear and perhaps only Akira would care. It's why she has to make this work. She has to make her wish come true. Because as it stands her being home again means so many people's lives are ruined. Being here means that finally she can say that she could do something for them.

Eren's gaze shifts to her and Chihaya can't find it in herself to be nervous anymore as she meets him evenly. He's unintentionally reminded her of why she more or less chose to come here. When everyone here has finally escaped and gone home she will remain. There is no other option.]

That is encouraging. In times like those, you need anyone and everyone to get through.

That's right.

[She makes no claim as to her own opinion of the cage. If she agreed, she'd say so, right?]

It benefits the Dreamers to consider ourselves on the same side.

Edited 2025-02-09 06:13 (UTC)

And we are! At least, I hope we are.

[She smiles, right as rain. It's like nothing happened- she remembers what she is here for and to be fair, she does believe they are on the same side. After all while she is be staying behind she will do her damndest to help everyone who wants to leave, leave.]

I'd like to think everyone is generally looking out for each other. That's how it has felt since coming here, at least.

Against greater adversaries, that tends to be the case.

During times of peace, tensions between Dreamers get higher.

[A break to sip his tea. He closes his eyes against the steam.]

At least that's how it seems. The herd gets restless. Something should happen soon to wake everyone up again...

[You know Eren, you might have greater success in making friends if you didn't speak like some kind of Ayn Rand scholar two tokes away from shooting up a school.]

...yeah. ok.

[She can't even bother to hide how weird she finds that phrasing. She focuses on finishing her food and taking more sips of tea.]

There's no way to predict when they happen, right?

[Hilarious coming from her.]

[He's not trying to make friends. ♥︎]

Not really. The only certain answer is "often". Sometimes there are a few peaceful months, and sometimes we go months without.

[It's all unknown. Because of course it is. If it was easy, if you could tell what was going to happen and how, people's wishes would have had to be granted by now.

Another sip of tea, a final scoop of her food, and Chihaya sits back contented.]

Well, thank you Jaeger-san. For the tea and your company.

Mm. [Nothing more than a brief sound of acknowledgement. He takes it as a cue to get going. He'll take his tea back to his room, he supposes.

[No further parting greeting. He doesn't think much about what sort of impression he left.]

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YEAH A ROGUE TALKING LION WOULD DISTRACT ME TOO

SOMETIMES YOU ARE WALKING DOWN THE STREET NORMAL-LIKE AND THEN YOU SUDDENLY LEARN ANIMALS CAN TALK

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aw...chihaya...tf...if only eren had heard those words

Sorry, those are inside thoughts, which are most thoughts except for when you [REDACTED]

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oughhhh chihaya noooo...

:^)

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cw: gun violence reference but like as a joke

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hehe wrapt