[He folds his feet beneath him, drawn into a tense ball in the oversized chair. Not a great topic if she wants to settle him down, but she ought to know.]
Three KIA, besides Dagger.
[No one he'd known very well, though they'd shared a rover with April, briefly. Though—]
[ Three KIAs isn't that bad, and Mikasa doesn't dwell on it since it's not anyone that know but. She'd seen that Sasha had been transferred and she greets the news with stony silence. It's better than the alternative; that she died in this desolate place again. (Like the rest of them probably would. Her mission freebie demanded that her and Eren remain on the same crew, though it isn't a request that would save either of them from danger.)
When it's apparent that Eren is done, she just offers a short nod—silent again. It settles this time, and they both return to the recesses of their thoughts; pointless things that Mikasa wouldn't bother saying out loud, futile thoughts and wishes that would serve no purpose in the cruel reality of their lives.
But the two of them had survived. It had been a long time they'd been employed by the CDC, faced with powers greater than the both of them combined, and they'd survived. Not entirely by a feat of skill, so perhaps they do have some bit of fortune on their side.
Then, her attention wanders once more to their surroundings, and she shifts in the oversized chair, leaning toward the side so that she can examine the mirrors and the worn, old and dusty supplies that sit at their base. It's all rather familiar. ]
This looks like a barber shop. [ She imagines at least, it's not like she'd frequented them.
The point is that it's startling human. Perhaps they'd landed on some strange earth. ]
[They'd survived. Because they had no other choice. (Because any choice that ended otherwise was unacceptable. Something he wouldn't allow.)
He'd leaned his arms against his knees to wait out the storm in his standard measure of unhappy attention. Doesn't pay the mundane surroundings much mind until she mentions it. It does look like one. Sort of. (So?)]
Are you gonna cut your hair?
[Why else point it out? (And maybe it says something that he asks—are you gonna—and doesn't tell—you should— They're worlds away from home, from the people they'd been, and Mikasa can grow her hair out if she wants to. They still rely on their gear, here. But not as exclusively.)
Nevermind that it's been more than a year since either of them has had a proper hair cut. Eren's too impatient to let his get too long (and too impatient to keep it too short.) But quick trims with sewing scissors only go so far.]
[ The question earns a curious look from her, and she takes a moment to pinch a couple strands of hair between her fingers to check the length. It is, even with semi-regular maintenance from Ino, longer than she normally keeps it. But it's not as though a couple of inches really makes a difference at this point.
Letting it fall again, she shrugs in response. ]
I don't know. It might save time just to use a hair tie.
[ Like nearly every other girl from their year, but that's not important.
She settles back in her chair then, already tired of the wait, before she focuses again on Eren, giving him a contemplative stare. ]
[Every other girl in their year who was just asking to get scalped or something!!!! Idk.
He raises his head to frown at her, when he feels her watching him. Is it? His hair had been scorched shorter after the Neraki set his cage ablaze, and he hadn't really touched it since. Things had been busy. He's not very good at paying attention. It's been a while.
He raises a hand to rake it through his bangs, as if only then noticing.]
I guess.
[Not so long that it was getting in the way and irritating him, but getting there.]
[ It's not exactly a surprise that Eren hadn't noticed. He probably wouldn't even notice that his own arm was missing if it didn't hinder his fighting ability.
Needless to say, Mikasa isn't that shocked, nor is she all that invested in the state of Eren's hair as silence spreads between the two of them again. She looks again around the area, until she scissors and bottled water(?) on the ledge under the window catch her attention again.
[Look, he would have noticed once it got long enough to like...obscure his vision. (Then again he manages alright with his titan's longish hair so maybe he wouldn't.)
A few seconds pass with nothing but the wind howling and the sandstorm battering at the windows. He pulls his hand through his apparently overlong hair, pushing it back from his face and shaking the remnants of the sand from it.
And instead of hackling, posturing, bristling, (you're not my mother, Mikasa)—]
[ His easy compliance is unique enough to earn a raised eyebrow from her, though she doesn't say anything, simply acknowledging his response with a soft nod.
She pushes herself off the chair then, gathering the scissors from the shelf and snipping a small portion of her own hair to test how sharp they are. The water stays put for now; she knows already that it's not safe for consumption. Though no one had mentioned that it wasn't safe to make contact with (they are presumably going to need some for hygienic purposes eventually), it's not necessary so she leaves it be.
Scissors in hand, she walks over to stand behind Eren, watching with an impartial eye before she reaches out to straighten it, tugging the tangles and the sand out. ]
[Look, he's capable of being Not-A-Brat. Sometimes. Given their particularly unorthodox and uneven relationship, it's rare that they're on the same wavelength when things aren't otherwise...terrible.
And right now...
It is a painfully mundane thing, really. They've done it a dozen times before, after the wall fell. It's practical, necessary. (It's quiet and close, and she's been gone for weeks. They've lost more than they've found, and his heart is hurting for it. He's burned through the bulk of his initial anger at the way Macha had ended, his hopeless and helpless guilt at the fate of the Neraki. It's still there, hanging around his neck, settled on his shoulders. The sand is battering the windows and driving them to shelter and his hair is falling in his eyes and Mikasa is at his back.) Her fingers catch on a knot in his hair, and he sucks a breath in through his teeth, reaches up reflexively to catch her wrist and still her before he can think better of it.
His mouth presses thin, but he doesn't say anything. Just holds on a second or two too long before letting her go. He closes his eyes, head bowed, humming tension slowly sinking out of his shoulders as she gets back to carding her hands through his hair and going through the motions of trimming it.]
[ She lets her hand still when he grabs her wrist, waiting patiently for the sting to subside before resuming her movements with a slight roll of her eyes. He can't see her face, and he probably wouldn't even be able to tell if he could, but right now she's thinking wimp.
But the moment passes. She thinks instead of how much easier it would be if Eren actually brushed his hair, and she didn't have to fiddle with the tangles. Eventually she just abandons them, picking up the scissors so that she can get to the task at hand.
The sound of sand and wind against the window is soon accompanied by the snipping of the scissors. She's not a professional by any means, but she's had enough practice cutting Eren's hair throughout the years that it's familiar. It had never gotten this long as far as she can remember, but the motions are the same.
Her knuckles and the backs of her fingers brush against his nape as she works, not even thinking about the vulnerability of it. This is natural, and there's no suspicion or ill intent between them. (Regardless of whatever the Black Box would like her to imagine.) The circumstances are bizarre, when she thinks about all that he must be holding now that she doesn't know about but. Right now, she's comfortable. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Three KIA, besides Dagger.
[No one he'd known very well, though they'd shared a rover with April, briefly. Though—]
They transferred Sasha out.
[And Reiner. But fuck Reiner.]
no subject
When it's apparent that Eren is done, she just offers a short nod—silent again. It settles this time, and they both return to the recesses of their thoughts; pointless things that Mikasa wouldn't bother saying out loud, futile thoughts and wishes that would serve no purpose in the cruel reality of their lives.
But the two of them had survived. It had been a long time they'd been employed by the CDC, faced with powers greater than the both of them combined, and they'd survived. Not entirely by a feat of skill, so perhaps they do have some bit of fortune on their side.
Then, her attention wanders once more to their surroundings, and she shifts in the oversized chair, leaning toward the side so that she can examine the mirrors and the worn, old and dusty supplies that sit at their base. It's all rather familiar. ]
This looks like a barber shop. [ She imagines at least, it's not like she'd frequented them.
The point is that it's startling human. Perhaps they'd landed on some strange earth. ]
no subject
He'd leaned his arms against his knees to wait out the storm in his standard measure of unhappy attention. Doesn't pay the mundane surroundings much mind until she mentions it. It does look like one. Sort of. (So?)]
Are you gonna cut your hair?
[Why else point it out? (And maybe it says something that he asks—are you gonna—and doesn't tell—you should— They're worlds away from home, from the people they'd been, and Mikasa can grow her hair out if she wants to. They still rely on their gear, here. But not as exclusively.)
Nevermind that it's been more than a year since either of them has had a proper hair cut. Eren's too impatient to let his get too long (and too impatient to keep it too short.) But quick trims with sewing scissors only go so far.]
no subject
Letting it fall again, she shrugs in response. ]
I don't know. It might save time just to use a hair tie.
[ Like nearly every other girl from their year, but that's not important.
She settles back in her chair then, already tired of the wait, before she focuses again on Eren, giving him a contemplative stare. ]
Yours is getting pretty long.
no subject
He raises his head to frown at her, when he feels her watching him. Is it? His hair had been scorched shorter after the Neraki set his cage ablaze, and he hadn't really touched it since. Things had been busy. He's not very good at paying attention. It's been a while.
He raises a hand to rake it through his bangs, as if only then noticing.]
I guess.
[Not so long that it was getting in the way and irritating him, but getting there.]
that icon is too cute
Needless to say, Mikasa isn't that shocked, nor is she all that invested in the state of Eren's hair as silence spreads between the two of them again. She looks again around the area, until she scissors and bottled water(?) on the ledge under the window catch her attention again.
Then, absentmindedly: ]
I could cut it.
sometimes...he's cute...
A few seconds pass with nothing but the wind howling and the sandstorm battering at the windows. He pulls his hand through his apparently overlong hair, pushing it back from his face and shaking the remnants of the sand from it.
And instead of hackling, posturing, bristling, (you're not my mother, Mikasa)—]
Okay.
no subject
She pushes herself off the chair then, gathering the scissors from the shelf and snipping a small portion of her own hair to test how sharp they are. The water stays put for now; she knows already that it's not safe for consumption. Though no one had mentioned that it wasn't safe to make contact with (they are presumably going to need some for hygienic purposes eventually), it's not necessary so she leaves it be.
Scissors in hand, she walks over to stand behind Eren, watching with an impartial eye before she reaches out to straighten it, tugging the tangles and the sand out. ]
no subject
And right now...
It is a painfully mundane thing, really. They've done it a dozen times before, after the wall fell. It's practical, necessary. (It's quiet and close, and she's been gone for weeks. They've lost more than they've found, and his heart is hurting for it. He's burned through the bulk of his initial anger at the way Macha had ended, his hopeless and helpless guilt at the fate of the Neraki. It's still there, hanging around his neck, settled on his shoulders. The sand is battering the windows and driving them to shelter and his hair is falling in his eyes and Mikasa is at his back.) Her fingers catch on a knot in his hair, and he sucks a breath in through his teeth, reaches up reflexively to catch her wrist and still her before he can think better of it.
His mouth presses thin, but he doesn't say anything. Just holds on a second or two too long before letting her go. He closes his eyes, head bowed, humming tension slowly sinking out of his shoulders as she gets back to carding her hands through his hair and going through the motions of trimming it.]
no subject
But the moment passes. She thinks instead of how much easier it would be if Eren actually brushed his hair, and she didn't have to fiddle with the tangles. Eventually she just abandons them, picking up the scissors so that she can get to the task at hand.
The sound of sand and wind against the window is soon accompanied by the snipping of the scissors. She's not a professional by any means, but she's had enough practice cutting Eren's hair throughout the years that it's familiar. It had never gotten this long as far as she can remember, but the motions are the same.
Her knuckles and the backs of her fingers brush against his nape as she works, not even thinking about the vulnerability of it. This is natural, and there's no suspicion or ill intent between them. (Regardless of whatever the Black Box would like her to imagine.) The circumstances are bizarre, when she thinks about all that he must be holding now that she doesn't know about but. Right now, she's comfortable. ]