You only control what you can touch with your own two hands. Words are not enough. Clever does not do. You do not talk your way out of falling rocks. They are out of time.

Give up on your dream,

he releases.

Die,

he forgives.

And so Erwin dies a man. Forgiven. Relinquished. Remembered. He has loved, and been loved in return.

This is more than he could hope for. He thinks, it is more than he deserves.

Does he dream? Between the stone, and the soil, and what comes next. No. He does not think. He sees.

Blank white earth, soft whorls of snow. He walks through endless space. The tree grows closer. 'Erwin, ' Levi asks, tip of his nose bright red, breath fogging in his face, 'How long does this last? '