Sometimes, though, it feels like they're both slipping. Levi stares at him, and he's tense like a tuned string on an instrument. Not again, he tells himself, yells, runs after the phantom memory. Wait. This time, he can do it right.

His hand gradually tightens around Erwin's until he's wrapped his fingers around the man's palm, not caring of the dirt digging under his nails as he does so.

"You've paid your dues, Erwin," he cuts him off mercilessly. "You can do whatever the fuck you want."

There's enough otherworlders here to pick up the slack even if the wounded and the children don't fight this time.

"If you wanna help, great. You can do that without getting yourself killed, from a safe distance. If you don't, it's the same thing. Stay away and stay alive. If anyone gives you shit for it-- just--"

Something cracks a little in his voice, and his gaze finally slips away, now focusing instead on that white cosmos blossom next to their hands.

"Just say that I threatened to break the rest of your limbs if I catch you on the front lines. Because I fucking will, Erwin, I--" He looks at him again, then, and there's so much of everything in his eyes -- pain, determination, fear, worry, anguish -- that he looks like he's about to cry or punch him, maybe both. "I've had enough of watching you die."