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[ 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 may want to save herself before scorning! ]
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! ]
[ eren separating from his main group was possibly thanks to his absolute distraction after getting to sample a little plastic spatula of yaranak's prized honey. one test led to a potent desire to lick it all off and the childish pique for more of a good thing to satisfy his sweet tooth. mead— even some little honey containers to take with them, you can bet he's taking plenty with his housemates (and himself, of course) in mind. trying now an assortment of honeys from wildflower to clover and orange blossom (with a mug of mead in one hand), eren reaches over to one of the sampling handouts to get his hands on a spatula to finally pick out his remaining choices.
beads of it fall down his arm and to the floor, the floor where everyone is stepping and . . . he has a convincing need to lick it all up before it's too late. priority ends up going to the little drop on the floor, all as eren holds up one arm, holding his mead, and the other trickling honey down to his elbow. make way, y'all. ]
beads of it fall down his arm and to the floor, the floor where everyone is stepping and . . . he has a convincing need to lick it all up before it's too late. priority ends up going to the little drop on the floor, all as eren holds up one arm, holding his mead, and the other trickling honey down to his elbow. make way, y'all. ]
[ Luffy loves meat the most, but sweets are a close second. So he's all about this honey tasting, and some of the sweet mead. He can hold alcohol well enough, thanks to his fast metabolism, but he's more interested in just the varieties of honey. It sticks to everything, everyone, in this shiny, irresistible way.
It's chance that Luffy ends up nearby when Eren goes chasing his own drop of honey. But that arm up, honey dripping all over, is...somehow impossible to ignore. Luffy has no sense of personal space generally, but he's aware you don't just go around licking strangers. That would be super weird, right?
But for some reason that doesn't occur to him here. All he can consider is that trickling golden honey, and how it might also drip down to the floor and be wasted. Well, they can't have that! So he takes Eren's arm with one slightly-sticky hand and licks that line of honey off. It's easy for a guy with a stretchy tongue. ]
It's chance that Luffy ends up nearby when Eren goes chasing his own drop of honey. But that arm up, honey dripping all over, is...somehow impossible to ignore. Luffy has no sense of personal space generally, but he's aware you don't just go around licking strangers. That would be super weird, right?
But for some reason that doesn't occur to him here. All he can consider is that trickling golden honey, and how it might also drip down to the floor and be wasted. Well, they can't have that! So he takes Eren's arm with one slightly-sticky hand and licks that line of honey off. It's easy for a guy with a stretchy tongue. ]
[ 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!
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!
[ late into march, the walls of a three room apartment had become too small to satisfy eren especially when night had come, and brought with it more activity that needed burning. he’d take many forms, then, mostly dependent on the eyes that saw him, but at the moment it was compact, sleek and pitched with inky black fur that shined silver under malachite’s moon. the fox trots right through the patches of shadow born from high buildings and glowing lamp posts, and settles his attention on a child walking with their hand wrapped around their mother’s, another holding a delighting treat from festive stalls to make way for spring (and the primavera getaway). the child was slurping away at an ice cream cone one minute, then a dry, brittle little stick the next. by the time they threw their tongue around a vanilla scoop, it was around bark.
the child would begin to cry, of course, but there the fox sat with a cone sticking out from between its teeth to give a lasting snicker and— oh, cold. ]
the child would begin to cry, of course, but there the fox sat with a cone sticking out from between its teeth to give a lasting snicker and— oh, cold. ]
[The evenings still got a bit chilly, but early on the weather was nice. And there weren't any biting insects about. These apartments came with tiny balconies, just enough room for two chairs and maybe a tiny folding table. Or for one Kaede to stretch her legs out and take over the whole thing.
Initially, she hadn't paid much mind to the child and parent; they were far out of range two stories down, weren't paying attention to her, and so Kaede had shuffled them off to so much background decoration. Then something darted from the gathering shadows below--something with pointed ears and a bottlebrush tail. A dog...?
That got Kaede's attention right quick, and she stood from the creaky chair promptly to get a better look. The dog(?) wasn't easy to keep track of in the dark; she heard the child begin to shriek, but she had no sympathy for it whatsoever.
--ah, movement again. There was the dog, unhelpfully black against shadow. It'd seemed it stole the child's ice cream--that was what let her spot it. It seemed rather smug about it, almost like a cat. Kaede snorted at it. Good boy.]
Initially, she hadn't paid much mind to the child and parent; they were far out of range two stories down, weren't paying attention to her, and so Kaede had shuffled them off to so much background decoration. Then something darted from the gathering shadows below--something with pointed ears and a bottlebrush tail. A dog...?
That got Kaede's attention right quick, and she stood from the creaky chair promptly to get a better look. The dog(?) wasn't easy to keep track of in the dark; she heard the child begin to shriek, but she had no sympathy for it whatsoever.
--ah, movement again. There was the dog, unhelpfully black against shadow. It'd seemed it stole the child's ice cream--that was what let her spot it. It seemed rather smug about it, almost like a cat. Kaede snorted at it. Good boy.]
[ even on the floor all this honey can’t go to waste! none of it! how gross is licking something off the street? very, but it also didn’t seem to deter eren in saving this little drop and getting one more taste elsewhere. it was alarming to have his arm taken, and at first it comes to his mind it might be one of his friends— or the captain (oh no) trying to pull him up.
it wasn’t either of his guesses, and the dreaded fact is solidified when something wet slurps right up his arm and takes all that god damn honey! no! that’s disgusting! never mind he’s been coated in titan spit on more than one occasion, but— still, this doesn’t bring calm, but a chill up his spine as he yanks his arm back. ]
Hey!
[ was that— sticky honey residue on this guy’s fingers?! ]
it wasn’t either of his guesses, and the dreaded fact is solidified when something wet slurps right up his arm and takes all that god damn honey! no! that’s disgusting! never mind he’s been coated in titan spit on more than one occasion, but— still, this doesn’t bring calm, but a chill up his spine as he yanks his arm back. ]
Hey!
[ was that— sticky honey residue on this guy’s fingers?! ]
[ 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?
[ he’s— he’s looking at the grass.
he’s mourning 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?
[ he’s— he’s looking at the grass.
he’s mourning grass. ]
[ no one told him he’d get brain freeze if he tried to chew and swallow the whole thing, or at least a chunk. it never actually happened, but now that instant karma has given him a whack back, he chews through the freeze in his bones and teeth in what would be a hilarious attempt at trying to hide the evidence.
looking up had been off handed, and so was finding the sights of a pink haired girl looking down at him. bright blue eyes stare back up . . . and he wonders, immediately, how he could get up there. ]
looking up had been off handed, and so was finding the sights of a pink haired girl looking down at him. bright blue eyes stare back up . . . and he wonders, immediately, how he could get up there. ]
[ 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. ]
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. ]
[The way the dog kept grimacing and turning its head at the chill was quite funny; Kaede let herself chuckle a little bit more. Though on second glance, those ears...they were awfully pointy. And that tail--they made it look more like a fox, but black all over instead of orange. Huh. Guess what she heard about foxes coming to live in big cities was true, then.
And it was looking up at her with those pretty blue eyes. It didn't seem alarmed at her presence, just distressed at the brain freeze.
Well, she could get it something nicer to eat.]
Stay there.
[Not that she was holding out high hopes for the animal understanding her, but she felt so much more at ease around them. The crying child had been pulled away by their mother, either to get a replacement ice cream or go home, Kaede didn't care which.
The diclonius slipped back into the apartment, leaving the door open. It was still on the third story, but there were other balconies below it, and decorative bricks jutted out from the walls.]
And it was looking up at her with those pretty blue eyes. It didn't seem alarmed at her presence, just distressed at the brain freeze.
Well, she could get it something nicer to eat.]
Stay there.
[Not that she was holding out high hopes for the animal understanding her, but she felt so much more at ease around them. The crying child had been pulled away by their mother, either to get a replacement ice cream or go home, Kaede didn't care which.
The diclonius slipped back into the apartment, leaving the door open. It was still on the third story, but there were other balconies below it, and decorative bricks jutted out from the walls.]
Both . . .
[ 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?
[ 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?
[ just “stay there”? oh, eren knew. eren had just decided he didn’t want to stay put since the very beginning. it might seem like a workout, but getting started on hopping to the first balcony was an easy fit when he spots a couple of bricks he could use to scale to the next one. nimble like a cat, he hounded from the second to third floor with ease, deciding to sit on top of the girl’s balcony and wait with a swoosh of his tail.
it’s food. how can he say no to indulging himself with other people’s food? not only that— nice place? he can have a blast in here. ]
it’s food. how can he say no to indulging himself with other people’s food? not only that— nice place? he can have a blast in here. ]
[Kaede wasn't gone too long; the balcony opened from the kitchen, and she was still fishing around in the mostly-empty fridge when Eren hopped up past the rail. Maybe not the egg sandwich, but--oh, a sausage. One of those pre-cooked ones from the convenience store, but still the whole fucking sausage.
The diclonius turned back to the balcony, cutting the package open with a snik of her vectors, and--those eyes were looking right at her again. Kaede stopped short, surprised, but not tense and wary like she might have been for a human visitor.]
When did you get up here...?
[Ah, it didn't matter. Saved her the trouble of aiming. With a resonant hum, a vector stretched out to offer the food to the fox instead of her physical hand. She was tolerant of animals, but getting her fingers bitten was still unpleasant.]
The diclonius turned back to the balcony, cutting the package open with a snik of her vectors, and--those eyes were looking right at her again. Kaede stopped short, surprised, but not tense and wary like she might have been for a human visitor.]
When did you get up here...?
[Ah, it didn't matter. Saved her the trouble of aiming. With a resonant hum, a vector stretched out to offer the food to the fox instead of her physical hand. She was tolerant of animals, but getting her fingers bitten was still unpleasant.]
[ Luffy's eyes go wide when Eren takes his arm back. ]
Whoa! You're a person!
[ Did this dumbass captain think that an arm with honey on it was just hanging out randomly? Apparently so. It hadn't really occurred to him to think beyond it. He's always been driven by impulse, for better or worse (often for worse). Now is no different. Besides, something about the honey just...entices him, even if that's not all that hard to do. ]
That honey's really good, huh?
[ No apology. No explanation. No recognition of how absolutely bonkers this interaction has been for the past few seconds. He just goes right on like nothing is strange, offering his too-wide grin to Eren. ]
Whoa! You're a person!
[ Did this dumbass captain think that an arm with honey on it was just hanging out randomly? Apparently so. It hadn't really occurred to him to think beyond it. He's always been driven by impulse, for better or worse (often for worse). Now is no different. Besides, something about the honey just...entices him, even if that's not all that hard to do. ]
That honey's really good, huh?
[ No apology. No explanation. No recognition of how absolutely bonkers this interaction has been for the past few seconds. He just goes right on like nothing is strange, offering his too-wide grin to Eren. ]
[ food offerings, was his hunch on point—? it was, and as any interaction with a kitsune, an offering of high value such as this one was a game breaker; any desire to bring her tricks and mischief has fallen flat the instant she holds out the single sausage with her vectors and the tasty, wafing smell fills his twitching snout and wet nose. gently clasping the offered end between his teeth, the fox dips his head away slowly only to nearly swallow it whole in about— maybe two or three chews.
he licks his chops, his single brush-ended tail motions into five, and with feline grace, he drops to land on the floor of her living space, front paws and then back. "have this meal" was not the same as "welcome home", but eren has deduced and accepted that it feels that way. would you look at that, with a squeeze of his eyes and a low rotation of his ears, his lips pull back, and he smiles. ]
he licks his chops, his single brush-ended tail motions into five, and with feline grace, he drops to land on the floor of her living space, front paws and then back. "have this meal" was not the same as "welcome home", but eren has deduced and accepted that it feels that way. would you look at that, with a squeeze of his eyes and a low rotation of his ears, his lips pull back, and he smiles. ]
[That seemed to go over well. Very well. Enough that the fox just...waltzed inside, entirely unafraid of her presence. Maybe it was someone's pet? Kaede stepped aside a little, to let it in--
--hang on. That fox didn't have five tails just a second ago. But it was smiling at her, with that soft face. She really wanted to scratch its ears.
Slowly, Kaede crouched, and just as slowly extended her hand for the animal to sniff. Can she scritch?]
--hang on. That fox didn't have five tails just a second ago. But it was smiling at her, with that soft face. She really wanted to scratch its ears.
Slowly, Kaede crouched, and just as slowly extended her hand for the animal to sniff. Can she scritch?]
Yeah. I'm emotionally scarred for life.
[ 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. ]
[ 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. ]
[ luffy’s right— the honey is really good, to the point that he only momentarily skips the fact that arms apparently don’t come stuck to people in favor of grabbing the other’s hand to inspect what he thought was glaze on his fingers. more like a snatch at his wrist to get a better look, but then . . .
his frown goes sharp. ]
Where did you think an arm comes from?
[ ????? ]
his frown goes sharp. ]
Where did you think an arm comes from?
[ ????? ]
[ kaede will be surprised as his pinned ears don’t rise, but fear not! he doesn’t seem defensive, his tails (adding two more to show off seven) waving down as he crouches low and keeps his smile. when her hand seems near enough, the fox slides his side to the ground and seems to laugh. a high pitched chuckling comes from behind his grin, and continues after each scratch she gives him. ]
[She'd never really heard a fox before, let alone heard one doing this squealing giggle and wiggling about on the floor. It was strange, at first, but...really, really cute. Help.
And while she couldn't reward it with ear scratches, chin and neck rubs were fine too. She even got both hands involved in the scritches! And while Kaede did notice its tails (definitely plural) flicking about at the edge of her vision, she was more concerned with whether or not the fox would accept belly rubs.]
And while she couldn't reward it with ear scratches, chin and neck rubs were fine too. She even got both hands involved in the scritches! And while Kaede did notice its tails (definitely plural) flicking about at the edge of her vision, she was more concerned with whether or not the fox would accept belly rubs.]
[ 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. ]
Would you?
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?
[ eren wouldn’t otherwise accept such touches around the face, much less his belly— the latter felt nice, but the former . . . it wasn’t as if they were bad! but.
the fox dashes off rather quickly into her home, jumps onto a living room table and looks behind his shoulder blade with an inquiring little gaze. now you have to catch him for it. ]
the fox dashes off rather quickly into her home, jumps onto a living room table and looks behind his shoulder blade with an inquiring little gaze. now you have to catch him for it. ]
[When the fox moved suddenly, Kaede pulled her hands back--she wasn't sure if that was a prelude to a bite or not. But it didn't seem to be; the fox darted off further into the apartment, those blue eyes staring back at her from the coffee table.
With a snort, the horned girl stood, and slowly made her way after it. The last thing she wanted to do was scare the fox, though it didn't seem very intimidated.]
Where are you off to?
[She left the sliding door open, though; if it wanted out, it could go.]
With a snort, the horned girl stood, and slowly made her way after it. The last thing she wanted to do was scare the fox, though it didn't seem very intimidated.]
Where are you off to?
[She left the sliding door open, though; if it wanted out, it could go.]
[ eren didn’t usually sleep well— he’d either not sleep until his body shut down or would wake up riddled with nightmares. maybe the reason for his alertness now had been the latter, but the source was different. loneliness drifted him to think of mikasa, and in the dead of night, that’s where he goes; to her room, past armin’s as he watches him snooze for a moment, and then quietly closing the door behind him.
he hardly makes a sound in this modernized apartment, it hadn’t a squeaky floor board in sight. he hits his shin against the bed’s frame and instantly jolts, though, holding back a cuss but rattling the bed either with his own weight or a suspicious thud. it’s not like he could see shit all that well. ]
he hardly makes a sound in this modernized apartment, it hadn’t a squeaky floor board in sight. he hits his shin against the bed’s frame and instantly jolts, though, holding back a cuss but rattling the bed either with his own weight or a suspicious thud. it’s not like he could see shit all that well. ]
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