[ konoha's help in learning how to get his new legs to work mostly properly had sufficed; now, the practice was all on eren. his new frame was taurish and wide enough to rival a thoroughbred's, and so was his height, now added onto the waist of his (more human) torso upwards. every clop of his scaled legs was wobbled down a wide open path of concrete on emerald park, ambivalent at all times to sink his maned hooves into the fresh and cared for grass. it felt— wrong, don't ask him why. it made more sense in his head than not, especially with anything having to do with flattening as a whole.
a woman up ahead is on the same path as him, but it isn't large enough to be a two-way avenue, the closer they got, the more eren knew someone was going to have to step out of the way. he would, if the limits of the concrete weren't surrounded by hundreds of tiny living things, ah— they bump, he can feel it, and his journey in trying to maintain on the cement without pummeling the grass or the girl in his wake is actually as hilarious as a horse on skates. he's lost balance, it's going to take him some tries to snatch it back, much less trying to avoid them both. there battered his tail and thank god his single horn had sprouted in the middle of his forehead and not anywhere lower to easily weaponize.
[ Eunyu, in her life, has never felt so much embarrassment on behalf of someone else. She'd known Eren was fast (questionable) approaching behind her, could hear him come up, but made no attempts to move out of his way. She was here first, of course, and he could deal with her.
But his approach itself made her... unsure. What she assumed was some kind of lame dog or a cow or something turns out to be a guy with the motor skills of sliced bread, and it would be comical to try and watch him right himself if he wasn't so damn big.
Eunyu skitters away from him, staying on the path, and foolishly running ahead of him. ]
What're you doing?!
[ She wants to yell at him some bright, fun insults, but he looks like he's already suffering enough just trying to stay upright... Okay maybe just one. ]
If you were a racehorse they would have shot you already!
[ one, single hoof hits the grass, and the sudden change in terrain gets the taur’s gut (or guts?) to ice over and drop like an anchor. as fast as he was to pull back like he would if he stuck one of his limbs into a furnace and back on the cement, he’s done it. he’s stepped on the grass. oh no the poor grass— ]
I’m sorry— Shit— [ he seems to be regaining equilibrium, with less stumbling, but he sees the girl as correct in her insult. both his hands cradle his head with growing anxiety, on of his hooves hitting the concrete path with the same agitation his fur and scales shifted with. ] What do I do now?
[ The simple solution all along would have been for him to walk on the grass and pass by Eunyu leisurely strolling; why this idiot thought careening down the path was the best course to take she'll never know, but at least he is a comfortable enough distance away that Eunyu doesn't feel like he's going to trample her.
She stops fleeing from him, at least, scoffing at the way he pulls his- horse? cow? deer? foot away from the grass like he's stepped in lava. People here really are... insane. Really. ]
Are you talking to me or the grass?
[ She really isn't sure of the answer to that right now. ]
[ he can’t even— reach that low to touch it, his horse body would end up awkwardly angled and he’d try to stretch too far down. eren still tries to anyway, expanding the horizontal space between his front legs to be able to bow, somewhat, enough to card the trampled grass blades with his fingertips. the grass is actually fine. ]
[ She shoves her hands into her pockets, taking a few tentative steps closer to him, but still staying far enough away that she can flee in terror just in case he loses control again.
She tilts her head, motioning with it to the trampled grass. ]
[ no—! this is injustice he’s created! this is horrible—! although . . .
eren has seen enough of annie’s “jokes” in the past to pick up on the cues now that didn’t quite say she was telling the truth. at least, annie used sarcasm with a deceptive sort of facade at times that made him believe she was playing around (though she never really put on a convincing argument about being frail when she could flip men on their backs twice her size).
standing and then clipping his hooves back on the pavement (and reminded of konoha’s words), he tries to . . . swallow it. remember, grass doesn’t die when you step on it! don’t be silly! although now, with his expression troubled, he can realize that he’s bothered her, either with his accidental actions or his words. ]
[ He can rest assured that the only bother he has created for her was the brief terror where she assumed he was going to run her down like a car out of control- but now it looks like he's managed to stop himself, and that he is no longer going to come at her like a heat seeking missile, she's finding him far less terrifying than her initial hit of adrenaline would have her otherwise believe.
She raises her eyebrows at him, not sure whether she's asking if she would forgive him if he trampled her the way he trampled the grass (? creepy), or if he's asking her to put the act of almost flattening her behind her (which she already has, but he doesn't need to know that).
She assumes it's the second, because the first is so ludicrous it makes her want to laugh. ]
It'd be difficult. You would have to make it up to me.
[ simple as that and all around complying. qilin were righteous creatures and now of all times does eren truly feel the need to satisfy the correct sort of justice she was asking for. what it was, ah . . . maybe that didn't matter. in place, his hooves only adjust to the throwing of his weight from one leg to another, keeping his hands together to anxiously rub his thumb over the top. could she be taking advantage of him? oh, yes, but he was in the wrong first. his qilin brain doesn't think to consider the truth when everyone one was good until proven otherwise— and he should protect that notion, yes? ]
[ Even from where she's standing, his anxiousness is clearly visible, and Eunyu feels a brief moment of guilt in even considering taking sarcastic advantage of him. The truly genuine have always hit a weak spot in her, and she feels a sudden need to take Eren under her wing and teach him the art of a graceless 'fuck off'. ]
[ when he has his actual legs back, he’ll consider: what the hell was he thinking? ]
I’d . . . Find out.
[ his ears are folding down and his tail wavers, lowering his eyes until they barely seemed open. one of the things he’d react even worse to, a qilin as is, would be massive payback for those that try and wrong him. ah, this mess . . . was it embarrassment he was feeling, or certainty? ]
There’s punishment for that sort, [ but, it does inch some edges of clarity into him. he has to say though, since she could’ve: ] but, thanks, if that’s advice.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
@eunyu
a woman up ahead is on the same path as him, but it isn't large enough to be a two-way avenue, the closer they got, the more eren knew someone was going to have to step out of the way. he would, if the limits of the concrete weren't surrounded by hundreds of tiny living things, ah— they bump, he can feel it, and his journey in trying to maintain on the cement without pummeling the grass or the girl in his wake is actually as hilarious as a horse on skates. he's lost balance, it's going to take him some tries to snatch it back, much less trying to avoid them both. there battered his tail and thank god his single horn had sprouted in the middle of his forehead and not anywhere lower to easily weaponize.
eunyu may want to save herself before scorning! ]
no subject
But his approach itself made her... unsure. What she assumed was some kind of lame dog or a cow or something turns out to be a guy with the motor skills of sliced bread, and it would be comical to try and watch him right himself if he wasn't so damn big.
Eunyu skitters away from him, staying on the path, and foolishly running ahead of him. ]
What're you doing?!
[ She wants to yell at him some bright, fun insults, but he looks like he's already suffering enough just trying to stay upright... Okay maybe just one. ]
If you were a racehorse they would have shot you already!
no subject
I’m sorry— Shit— [ he seems to be regaining equilibrium, with less stumbling, but he sees the girl as correct in her insult. both his hands cradle his head with growing anxiety, on of his hooves hitting the concrete path with the same agitation his fur and scales shifted with. ] What do I do now?
[ he’s— he’s looking at the grass.
he’s mourning grass. ]
no subject
She stops fleeing from him, at least, scoffing at the way he pulls his- horse? cow? deer? foot away from the grass like he's stepped in lava. People here really are... insane. Really. ]
Are you talking to me or the grass?
[ She really isn't sure of the answer to that right now. ]
no subject
[ he can’t even— reach that low to touch it, his horse body would end up awkwardly angled and he’d try to stretch too far down. eren still tries to anyway, expanding the horizontal space between his front legs to be able to bow, somewhat, enough to card the trampled grass blades with his fingertips. the grass is actually fine. ]
Did I hurt you, too?
no subject
[ She shoves her hands into her pockets, taking a few tentative steps closer to him, but still staying far enough away that she can flee in terror just in case he loses control again.
She tilts her head, motioning with it to the trampled grass. ]
I'm sure it will forgive you.
[ Dripping with sarcasm. ]
no subject
eren has seen enough of annie’s “jokes” in the past to pick up on the cues now that didn’t quite say she was telling the truth. at least, annie used sarcasm with a deceptive sort of facade at times that made him believe she was playing around (though she never really put on a convincing argument about being frail when she could flip men on their backs twice her size).
standing and then clipping his hooves back on the pavement (and reminded of konoha’s words), he tries to . . . swallow it. remember, grass doesn’t die when you step on it! don’t be silly! although now, with his expression troubled, he can realize that he’s bothered her, either with his accidental actions or his words. ]
Would you?
no subject
She raises her eyebrows at him, not sure whether she's asking if she would forgive him if he trampled her the way he trampled the grass (? creepy), or if he's asking her to put the act of almost flattening her behind her (which she already has, but he doesn't need to know that).
She assumes it's the second, because the first is so ludicrous it makes her want to laugh. ]
It'd be difficult. You would have to make it up to me.
no subject
[ simple as that and all around complying. qilin were righteous creatures and now of all times does eren truly feel the need to satisfy the correct sort of justice she was asking for. what it was, ah . . . maybe that didn't matter. in place, his hooves only adjust to the throwing of his weight from one leg to another, keeping his hands together to anxiously rub his thumb over the top. could she be taking advantage of him? oh, yes, but he was in the wrong first. his qilin brain doesn't think to consider the truth when everyone one was good until proven otherwise— and he should protect that notion, yes? ]
What can I do?
no subject
Don't agree to that. I could be a scumbag.
no subject
I’d . . . Find out.
[ his ears are folding down and his tail wavers, lowering his eyes until they barely seemed open. one of the things he’d react even worse to, a qilin as is, would be massive payback for those that try and wrong him. ah, this mess . . . was it embarrassment he was feeling, or certainty? ]
There’s punishment for that sort, [ but, it does inch some edges of clarity into him. he has to say though, since she could’ve: ] but, thanks, if that’s advice.
[ how does he make it up to her twice now 🤔 ]