[ In her current state, Ophilia decides it’d be best to table the lock-and-key argument for another time. Any discussion is bound to be unproductive, because Eren won’t budge and she’s probably seconds from spontaneously combusting on the spot herself. ]
I… see.
[ The weight of his gaze too much to bear, she drops her eyes and hangs her head. ]
Have you considered that perhaps it might, erm… give others cause for misunderstandings…? [ See: Ophilia. She is very much misunderstanding what it means to be dragged by the hand onto a dinner date with Eren. ]
[ He pauses and considers what they must look like. And he gets it, he really does. Ophilia has every right to be concerned about the many possible misconceptions one might make when anyone else were to see them walking hand-in-hand.
While there's a dozen different answers that could easily settle this in an instant, such as that the culture here is so vastly different that no one would bat an eye at them, or that there are so many people out there it hardly matters what they think, what Eren ends up saying hardly solves anything at all: ]
You're wearing gloves, so we obviously can't be close.
[ Ophilia’s chin comes up, her eyes flying comically wide. He cannot be serious. ]
But…!
[ Oh, but he is. Eren fully intends to stand by what he says regardless of how sound his logic may or may not be. Knowing full well she doesn’t stand a chance here either, she surrenders herself to yet another loss. ]
Y-yes. But of course. The gloves. [ She doesn’t sound convinced. ] Will we be gone long?
[ Eren catches on to her quite quickly. He gets them walking again before he responds, just to try and stifle any of her many possible concerns. ]
If you're worried about what might happen to my apartment while we're gone, don't be.
[ But even if he says "don't be worried" he knows that hardly makes a difference for her. So, as Eren drags Ophilia in front of an elevator, he stops and turns to face her, putting his free hand on his waist. ]
I'll have to get the lock replaced since I lost the key. When that happens, you're getting one too.
no subject
I… see.
[ The weight of his gaze too much to bear, she drops her eyes and hangs her head. ]
Have you considered that perhaps it might, erm… give others cause for misunderstandings…? [ See: Ophilia. She is very much misunderstanding what it means to be dragged by the hand onto a dinner date with Eren. ]
no subject
no subject
[ He pauses and considers what they must look like. And he gets it, he really does. Ophilia has every right to be concerned about the many possible misconceptions one might make when anyone else were to see them walking hand-in-hand.
While there's a dozen different answers that could easily settle this in an instant, such as that the culture here is so vastly different that no one would bat an eye at them, or that there are so many people out there it hardly matters what they think, what Eren ends up saying hardly solves anything at all: ]
You're wearing gloves, so we obviously can't be close.
no subject
But…!
[ Oh, but he is. Eren fully intends to stand by what he says regardless of how sound his logic may or may not be. Knowing full well she doesn’t stand a chance here either, she surrenders herself to yet another loss. ]
Y-yes. But of course. The gloves. [ She doesn’t sound convinced. ] Will we be gone long?
no subject
If you're worried about what might happen to my apartment while we're gone, don't be.
[ But even if he says "don't be worried" he knows that hardly makes a difference for her. So, as Eren drags Ophilia in front of an elevator, he stops and turns to face her, putting his free hand on his waist. ]
I'll have to get the lock replaced since I lost the key. When that happens, you're getting one too.