#purgandum

          he regards the fair-haired man with some sense of panic about him, before anchoring himself with a simple training of his breath------------------years of coping with CRIPPLING ANXIETY guided him to the skill, of course. and, fortunately, it works this time around, and the long-legged boy takes yet another breath to provide the upcoming speech with some STABILITY------much needed, at that. 

                    ❛  that vase looks ... really expensive. listen, i don’t have a lot of money, but, i’ll pick up extra hours to pay for it. i mean ... i d’know how much of it i can actually afford, but, even if it’s just to get it FIXED, i’ll see what i can scrape together. i------------------i’m really sorry, mister---?  ❜  the lack of a name to use cuts his sentence short, but the guilt written across that innocent face gives a HUNDRED MORE APOLOGIES.  

          a few clueless children stop to say hello, and despite the likelihood that their parents have instructed them not to speak to strangers ( maybe even not to speak to ERWIN SMITH in particular ) the veteran is grateful for the show of innocent kindness---------------------he doesn’t see a LOT of that, not at all. though, as he notices from the corner of his eye and through the sharpest of his senses, there is another guest that may hope themselves to be invisible, and in response, erwin feigns the best of his oblivious behavior. ergo, not all who reside within sina’s enclosure are UNCULTURED PIGS, as a familiar tongue may have dubbed them such------------yet erwin is charming as he returns the waves and smiles of those who may spot him on his stroll outside their windows or in their gardens. 

          it is when the “unknown” guest approaches the third block of following him that erwin decides to let him know that he’s been SPOTTED, sighing,  ❛  it is very difficult to take me by surprise, good sir------------i am always on both the offensive and defensive, given my line of work. come into the open, won’t you? i assume you follow me because you wish to have a word. ❜

          intent eyes then fall upon amethyst, VAGUELY FAMILIAR, but enough to replenish a not-so-distant memory. a low hum sounds in the blond’s throat, as clearly those words resound in the depths of his mind, i can purify your soul if you allow me to. his head tilts upward just slightly, as lazuli study carefully the seemingly UNCONDITIONALLY MISCHIEVOUS features of the known stranger. 

                    ❛  ah, you,  ❜  says erwin,  ❛  time had almost allowed me to forget about the brevity of our first encounter. why might you be following me, sir?  ❜