looking at places and sighing a lot

[bodt]

It's nice that you're enthusiastic but, maybe you should calm down a little?

I know it's not exactly my place to say this but... lately your work has been pretty lax, no? You should think about what's important, and give each of those things the attention they deserve.

I understand if you decide to throw caution to the wind, though! Having fun is important, too. And as for that place... I'm already dead, so I'd fit right in, wouldn't I?

Comments

[tactitan]

_{[Fun fact about dead people: usually they stay dead. Especially after being chewed on by a people hungry titan. Sorry Marco, give him a moment.]}

...M-Marco?

[bodt]

O-oh. Hi, Armin! Are you alright?

[tactitan]

I...I'm okay. _{[As okay as he can be, considering everything.]} You look...um _{[Not dead]} well! _{[Surprisingly well. Whole even. No matter how smart you are, it's hard to be articulate when you find yourself talking to someone who should be dead.]}

[bodt]

Hehe, yeah, I know... I suppose that's one of the upsides to being dead. [ No having to look like a half-eaten, rotting corpse. ]

[tactitan]

...Are you a ghost? You look pretty, er, solid.

[bodt]

Would you believe me if I said I wasn't quite sure myself? Sometimes this place doesn't make a lot of sense. I wonder what I'm supposed to be...

[tactitan]

_{[Hey, as long as he's not a zombie...]} No, I believe you...not a lot of things make sense any more.

Are you being sent somewhere too?

New to this kid, please bear with me..

[empathetical]

[He's not upset he's not upset he's not upset he's not upset he's not upset]

Y--

You... idiot.

I'm new to this one too I feel you

[bodt]

It's nice to see you too, Jean.

[ No sarcasm at all, he's being totally honest. ]

[empathetical]

[Marco is always honest.]

Don't... say shit like that so easily. Like it-- like it's nothing.

[Not gonna cry. Jean's a soldier now.]

[bodt]

Oh, Jean... [ He knows you're about to cry. He can just feel it. ]

It's okay. I mean, it's not your fault, you know? It's not something either of us can change, so... please don't blame yourself.

Oh my god... also sob no appropriate icons, I'm sorry.

[empathetical]

[There's a forced, almost harsh exhale of breath, and Jean hangs his head. He won't cry. But he may]

Blaming myself? Who's stupid enough to do that? [This guy right here for starters.] I just... nobody even knows what the hell even happened to you. Nobody saw a goddamn thing.

But now you're here. Like nothing even happened. [Reaching out, he nudge's Marco's right arm. It's tangible. It's real.] Fucking hell, man, yo-- you're full of it, you know that? Fucking full of it.

[He's dealing with this the best way he knows how, okay.]

[bodt]

[ He smiles, sadly. ]

If I had to die, I wish I could have died doing something valiant or courageous, but... Sometimes people die like that, too.

[ He takes Jean's hand, squeezing it to reassure him that, yes, this is real. As real as it can be. ] I don't have any regrets otherwise, though. Please don't worry, we gave it our best!

[toobig]

The... lady told me you might... be coming to our game.

That's...-- I don't know if it's a good thing but--

Uh.

At least Jean won't have to cling to me the whole time anymore.

[bodt]

Well, I've got one of the prerequisites, after all. [ Being dead. ]

I hope he hasn't been too troubling for you! I understand he can be hard to deal with if you don't know him well.

[toobig]

He's-- fine.

[Ignoring the first comment.]

Basically... the same as in training camp. I've... just been showing him all the-- uh, weird new stuff.

[bodt]

Oh, that's good. I'm glad to hear he has someone who can help him. He might not look it, but Jean gets lonely very easily, so try and be nice to him.

[toobig]

Right... I'm-- I hope I am...

[Because Bertholdt wants friends and wants to be nice and the Jean at the game doesn't know anything yet and it breaks his heart but he wants to hold onto that just a little longer.]

I'll-- I hope you... I hope you make it there. It'll-- be nice to see you again.

[bodt]

I'm glad to hear that! I'll certainly try my best!

[ The void of the afterlife gets so boring... ]

[sorryaboutyourmom]

Why d'you gotta find a new place?

[This is definitely a tiny, eleven year old Bertholdt at your ankles Marco. Well-- not that tiny, he's tall for his age. But much tinier than the Bertholdt you know, at least.]

[bodt]

[ Ohhhhh no, he's so cute! ]

Hey little guy, what're you doing here?

[sorryaboutyourmom]

I'm stuck here, until the lady lets me go back to do the mission...

[bodt]

The mission, huh? What mission is that?

[ He bends down to be at eye-level. ]

You must be very smart if you've already been given missions at your age.

[sorryaboutyourmom]

Issa secret, mister.

[Takes a step back.]

[bodt]

Oh, okay. I won't pry.

[ Aw kids. So shy. ]

Are you here by yourself, or are you lost?