There's no external reaction to that declaration, except for perhaps the way the steady sinking of his heart likewise continues to pull at his expression. So it might come to that (again), after all. The original task he'd accepted in that very first hour of meeting him, the sole condition of his survival: that if he ever becomes a real threat, Captain Levi, Humanity's Strongest, would be able to put him down.
It's something he's always been prepared to do, but hoped he never would. Levi still carries that hope, and he won't put it down unless Eren forces his hand. It's just becoming more and more likely that he will.
That, too, might be inevitable. Even Eren knows it, and he'll still do it.
Somnius isn't home; Erwin is home. Jean is home. Eren, too. Somnius is just the strange place they've all found themselves in and needed to build a life, for better or worse. Levi knows Eren would tear it down if he feels it's in the way of his freedom, if given the chance. But even disregarding his own wishes, there are other people here with no other chances than this, people who can find relative comforts here than they would otherwise - people who would die, all for Eren's personal wish fulfillment. That, more than anything, Levi can't allow to happen.
He also isn't ready to give up the things that he has now. He'll have the rest of his life to be without them and no memory of this place to hold onto then. Levi realizes that Eren will always see a cage no matter where he looks, but that doesn't mean everyone else is trapped with him, or must suffer his consequences.
After several long, quiet moments, Levi reaches and takes the other cup, raising it to his lips to take a careful sip. Tea here is still better most anything he could get his hands on inside the walls.
"You won't have to do it alone." Because he could never leave killing someone you love solely to Jean. His gaze returns to the younger man, deadly, achingly serious. "Eren was once my responsibility. If it comes to that, we'll do it together."
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It's something he's always been prepared to do, but hoped he never would. Levi still carries that hope, and he won't put it down unless Eren forces his hand. It's just becoming more and more likely that he will.
That, too, might be inevitable. Even Eren knows it, and he'll still do it.
Somnius isn't home; Erwin is home. Jean is home. Eren, too. Somnius is just the strange place they've all found themselves in and needed to build a life, for better or worse. Levi knows Eren would tear it down if he feels it's in the way of his freedom, if given the chance. But even disregarding his own wishes, there are other people here with no other chances than this, people who can find relative comforts here than they would otherwise - people who would die, all for Eren's personal wish fulfillment. That, more than anything, Levi can't allow to happen.
He also isn't ready to give up the things that he has now. He'll have the rest of his life to be without them and no memory of this place to hold onto then. Levi realizes that Eren will always see a cage no matter where he looks, but that doesn't mean everyone else is trapped with him, or must suffer his consequences.
After several long, quiet moments, Levi reaches and takes the other cup, raising it to his lips to take a careful sip. Tea here is still better most anything he could get his hands on inside the walls.
"You won't have to do it alone." Because he could never leave killing someone you love solely to Jean. His gaze returns to the younger man, deadly, achingly serious. "Eren was once my responsibility. If it comes to that, we'll do it together."