The look Levi gives him puts little cracks in his heart as it confirms his suspicions. Erwin just murmurs a soft "of course" as he plants his feet and shifts his weight to accommodate for the shift in balance, more pronounced without his other arm. If only that had been righted when he'd been pulled here - he could easily have just swept Levi back onto his feet (or into said arms, a little piece of his brain visually suggests). But - this is the state they're both in, now. Each missing pieces of themselves, Erwin's ambitions writ gruesomely over their bodies. He does notice the brace, and doesn't ask about it just yet as its function is fairly obvious for the time being, but it still twists something in his chest to see the man whose swift strength he had so heavily relied on be slowed and hobbled like this. Because of him. For him.
Levi's hand is warm in contrast to the air around them, the shape of it familiar and yet not (like so many things about him, and Erwin can't decide what to do with those feelings just now; to be miserable and guilt ridden because of the things that it had cost someone he cares for so deeply, to be just happy to see him again at all, nevermind being told that they can stay...all of them...it feels too much and impossible and too good to be true).
Erwin folds his fingers over the back of Levi's smaller palm as they walk, following his lead for a change. Perhaps for now it's enough just to be happy to marvel at the miracle of having this again: Levi, at his side.
He listens intently, not paying particular attention to where they're going, focused on the sound of Levi's voice, the soft edges on the cadence of his words. How stark the contrast is, between hearing him as a shadowless spirit and standing next to him in the flesh yet again. And when Levi grips his hand harder, Erwin grips back, thumb brushing softly over his skin. It happens without thinking.
Jean and Mikasa preferring to stay in ignorance is an interesting, although not unexpected, choice. Perhaps it would be better to hold onto the fact that he's already aware of much of what happened, even if the emotions that might have attached themselves to those events never fully developed. The awareness is still not as strong as his memories from the course of his life, but he still knows. Yet the others need not know that - not yet, anyway - especially as they all apparently come from disparate times (and other worlds? Erwin will have to pick their brains about those experiences, at some point).
As buzzing as his mind is, he just nods, still holding Levi's hand. "I understand."
The bar is cozy - small but not crowded, dimly lit (with electricity rather than candles, although some of those appear on tables too, possibly for ambiance). Erwin watches with utter fascination as a small bead of water forms between Levi's palms and then shoots away across the room, almost too fast to follow.
"Amazing," he breathes, eyes bright and curious. Perhaps he seems overly impressed by a simple action, even for someone who has seen people transform into Titans. But this is far different, as far as he's concerned. Erwin gently catches Levi's hand again with his own, thumb tracing over his palm with unvarnished curiosity, feeling for a hint of moisture. "How do you do it? And anyone can learn?"
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Levi's hand is warm in contrast to the air around them, the shape of it familiar and yet not (like so many things about him, and Erwin can't decide what to do with those feelings just now; to be miserable and guilt ridden because of the things that it had cost someone he cares for so deeply, to be just happy to see him again at all, nevermind being told that they can stay...all of them...it feels too much and impossible and too good to be true).
Erwin folds his fingers over the back of Levi's smaller palm as they walk, following his lead for a change. Perhaps for now it's enough just to be happy to marvel at the miracle of having this again: Levi, at his side.
He listens intently, not paying particular attention to where they're going, focused on the sound of Levi's voice, the soft edges on the cadence of his words. How stark the contrast is, between hearing him as a shadowless spirit and standing next to him in the flesh yet again. And when Levi grips his hand harder, Erwin grips back, thumb brushing softly over his skin. It happens without thinking.
Jean and Mikasa preferring to stay in ignorance is an interesting, although not unexpected, choice. Perhaps it would be better to hold onto the fact that he's already aware of much of what happened, even if the emotions that might have attached themselves to those events never fully developed. The awareness is still not as strong as his memories from the course of his life, but he still knows. Yet the others need not know that - not yet, anyway - especially as they all apparently come from disparate times (and other worlds? Erwin will have to pick their brains about those experiences, at some point).
As buzzing as his mind is, he just nods, still holding Levi's hand. "I understand."
The bar is cozy - small but not crowded, dimly lit (with electricity rather than candles, although some of those appear on tables too, possibly for ambiance). Erwin watches with utter fascination as a small bead of water forms between Levi's palms and then shoots away across the room, almost too fast to follow.
"Amazing," he breathes, eyes bright and curious. Perhaps he seems overly impressed by a simple action, even for someone who has seen people transform into Titans. But this is far different, as far as he's concerned. Erwin gently catches Levi's hand again with his own, thumb tracing over his palm with unvarnished curiosity, feeling for a hint of moisture. "How do you do it? And anyone can learn?"