[Thankfully for Eren, Hange's patient when it comes to matters that are actually important. She's willing to answer, so long as he's willing to listen.]
FROM: hange.zoe@cdc.org
They will.
FROM: hange.zoe@cdc.org
We can't allow ourselves to doubt them. This won't work otherwise.
FROM: hange.zoe@cdc.org
For now: will you be able to at least agree to a ceasefire?
[As much as he chafes against it, the best way to get Eren to cooperate with something he doesn't like is to get him to understand why it might be necessary. So as unhappy as he is with the conversation, it means a lot that she's willing to have it. (As a superior officer and de facto Commander in Erwin's absence, she doesn't technically have to.)
Still, this is somewhat more drastic a disconnect than usual. It's complicated in a few ways. Goes against the grain of him in others. He's radio silent for a while. Long enough to be worrying, maybe.
After several long minutes, carefully, as if typing it is just as difficult:]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
Yes ma'am. I will agree to a ceasefire if they will.
[If they break their word then all bets are off. But he can try. In effect, a ceasefire's not all that different from what they've been doing for the past few weeks already. It's still hard. He's supposed to believe they'll hold up their end of the bargain. But he hadn't wanted to believe they were traitors, didn't want to doubt them in the first place, and he'd been wrong. But he does want to believe in Hange, and in the rest of the Corps, and with the CDC breathing down their necks and holding humanity hostage against them, he doesn't have any better options. If she thinks this is the right thing to do—for the Corps, for humanity—then for now...he can try.]
She doesn't expect her soldiers to wipe the identities of those who've personally threatened humanity and provide a blank slate. They all have every right to hate the shifters and what they could potentially stand for. It wasn't an easy thing to accept and cast aside, not when they've been trained specifically to protect the human populace. In Eren's case, as one of the few Shiganshina survivors, it must be especially hard.
However, Hange's methods have always been unconventional. She's shifted her priorities about the titans once already; to her, this isn't all that different in the long run. They must be willing to take risks, to broaden their horizons and capture any opportunity they can allow.
Hange can't claim this is the right thing to do, but for now it's all they have.]
[It's...especially hard. Even alone in the of his rover and far away from the shifters and farther away from the ruins of Shiganshina and the remains of humanity. It's hard. Accepting what's happened, (what's going to happen, in a future he should remember but doesn't.) Being so close and having to hold back. Again, he takes a while, holding the blackglass too-tight, knocking his head back against the wall of his bunk to vent his frustration in a too-small and very-unsatisfying way.
There's a lot more he'd rather do (rather say) than go along with this. But it's settled. (Is it? Words are cheap, he can't forgive Reiner for what the Armored Titan did, he can't trust Annie even if some part of him still wants to.)]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
Roger that, Squad Leader.
[But he'll be there. Because as hard as it is, it's not about what he wants. It can't be. Not here.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
FROM: hange.zoe@cdc.org
They will.
FROM: hange.zoe@cdc.org
We can't allow ourselves to doubt them. This won't work otherwise.
FROM: hange.zoe@cdc.org
For now: will you be able to at least agree to a ceasefire?
no subject
Still, this is somewhat more drastic a disconnect than usual. It's complicated in a few ways. Goes against the grain of him in others. He's radio silent for a while. Long enough to be worrying, maybe.
After several long minutes, carefully, as if typing it is just as difficult:]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
Yes ma'am. I will agree to a ceasefire if they will.
[If they break their word then all bets are off. But he can try. In effect, a ceasefire's not all that different from what they've been doing for the past few weeks already. It's still hard. He's supposed to believe they'll hold up their end of the bargain. But he hadn't wanted to believe they were traitors, didn't want to doubt them in the first place, and he'd been wrong. But he does want to believe in Hange, and in the rest of the Corps, and with the CDC breathing down their necks and holding humanity hostage against them, he doesn't have any better options. If she thinks this is the right thing to do—for the Corps, for humanity—then for now...he can try.]
no subject
She doesn't expect her soldiers to wipe the identities of those who've personally threatened humanity and provide a blank slate. They all have every right to hate the shifters and what they could potentially stand for. It wasn't an easy thing to accept and cast aside, not when they've been trained specifically to protect the human populace. In Eren's case, as one of the few Shiganshina survivors, it must be especially hard.
However, Hange's methods have always been unconventional. She's shifted her priorities about the titans once already; to her, this isn't all that different in the long run. They must be willing to take risks, to broaden their horizons and capture any opportunity they can allow.
Hange can't claim this is the right thing to do, but for now it's all they have.]
FROM: hange.zoe@cdc.org
Then it's settled.
FROM: hange.zoe@cdc.org
I'll see you in two hours, Eren.
no subject
There's a lot more he'd rather do (rather say) than go along with this. But it's settled. (Is it? Words are cheap, he can't forgive Reiner for what the Armored Titan did, he can't trust Annie even if some part of him still wants to.)]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
Roger that, Squad Leader.
[But he'll be there. Because as hard as it is, it's not about what he wants. It can't be. Not here.]