[closed] This blood on my teeth is far beyond dry

[warrioreidlos]

Characters: Reiner Braun and Armin Arlert; Reiner Braun, Bertolt Hoover and Annie Leonheart.
Date: Throughout the latter part of January
Location: Various
Situation: Various
Warnings/Rating: Spoilers for the AoT manga

[ooc: Just a catch all post for several scenarios. No open starters at this time, but if you'd like to plot something, you can always contact me.]

Comments

[isnotokay]

[ That Bertolt immediately thinks to back Reiner isn't entirely unexpected, though that he actually said something is. A muscle in her jaw jumps slightly as she clenches it, and she shakes her head. ]

It's not enough.

[ They didn't even like each other. If normal humans had the opportunity, wouldn't they drift? Thinking of the squad she'd been a part of in Stohess, she's reasonably sure that's the case. ]

[warrioreidlos]

We were brought here without our input. They'll take us sticking together as common sense rather than anything to be suspicious about.

[It's true that they don't like each other. Rather, Reiner and Annie don't like each other much. From Reiner's point of view, Annie and Bertolt get along okay enough, both prone to those same kind of silences. But they don't have to like each other to be comrades, and that was something they couldn't help but be.]

[wreckingbert]

You two look like siblings.

[Bertolt readies his kidneys and ball sack for the inevitable onslaught that comment is going to get him, but it's true and needs to be said. He can't say that about either of them, he's too dark to look related, but with their blond hair and pale skin, no one would question it if Reiner and Annie said they were related.]

Siblings stick together.

[warrioreidlos]

I look nothing like this shrimp.

[Reiner jerks his thumb at Annie, inevitably rescuing Bertolt's kidneys by presenting his own as a far more viable target.]

[isnotokay]

[ Do you want to die, Reiner?

Annie is wondering, and she isn't shy about looking like she's considering helping him along in that regard. ]

I couldn't be related to someone so incompetent in hand-to-hand.

[ Lucky him that it's too early in the day to kick his ass. ]

[warrioreidlos]

Still beat you in the rankings, didn't I?

[Through his magical skills of being able to interact with people.]

[isnotokay]

[ Clearly Reiner needed nailed in the head with a piece of fruit.

And now Annie is helpfully obliging. ]

[warrioreidlos]

[Thank god he's got a thick skull.

Rubbing the back of his head, he glowers at her.]

What the hell, Annie?

[Totally siblings.]

[wreckingbert]

[Idiots. Idiots, both of them.]

[But they're his idiots, and Bertolt sighs quietly.]

No one would question a brother and sister staying close to each other.

[isnotokay]

You're that desperate, aren't you?

[ Yes, she's just ignoring Reiner as she slips off the counter to go fetch her apple. ]

It's too complicated.

[wreckingbert]

[Thus chastised, Bertolt looks back down at his plate, ducking his head to make his hair fall over his eyes.]

It wouldn't benefit me at all. Just the two of you.

[Okay, he's done, no more talking this morning, only eating.]

[isnotokay]

Same hometown?

[ There's no shift in her tone when she says it. ]

The three of us.

[warrioreidlos]

Lets go with that.

[he agrees, resting his hand across Bertolt's for a moment, brushing over his knuckles in silent support.

Without moving his hand, he glances over at Annie, grinning.]

I guess we could be cousins. I can share my good looks with you to that degree.

[isnotokay]

[ She has the apple in hand again, Reiner. Stop that.

She squeezes the bruised fruit briefly as if she were tempted to pitch it again before wiping it off on her shirt. Making an aggravated, quiet sound, she sits heavily in the chair across the table from her comrades. ]

Distant.

[warrioreidlos]

Twice removed. At least.

[With a last squeeze to Bertolt's hand, he goes for his apple again, not really sparing the core. What sort of idiot would throw away perfectly fine food?]

[wreckingbert]

[Bertolt has laid waste to most of the food on the table, and while he's still hungry, he's also starting to be aware of how bad he smells. He glances at Reiner, then back at his now-empty plate.]

Is there any water around here?

[He's going to need at least three or four buckets to stop smelling like something died in his shirt.]

[warrioreidlos]

[Lets just burn that shirt.

There have been many discoveries in this place, but things like indoor plumbing and the showers they have here are definitely amongst the best. Almost as good as the ice box.]

Just wait until you see where we can wash here.

[It's private! And it doesn't run out of warm water.]

[wreckingbert]

Will you show me?

[Reiner and Annie can fight all they want, once Bertolt is busy getting himself clean.]

[warrioreidlos]

Sure, I gotta shave anyway.

[He rubs his cheek with a wry grin. He isn't the only one that has to shave here, and he doesn't even care about shaving in the same room where Bertolt is showering. He's seen him too often in the buff to care.

He glances at Annie for a moment.]

We'll talk more later, okay? There's probably some other things we need to discuss.

[isnotokay]

[ Annie just makes that same short, sharp aggravated sound in response as the last time. She might even finish her fruit and go get dressed while they're busy, but for now she's just going to ignore them until they leave the room. ]

[wreckingbert]

[Bertolt rises to his feet, slowly and creakily, still stiff from his long sleep. He looks at Annie for a moment, opens his mouth to speak… and then changes his mind. He'll just quietly follow Reiner out of the room, trailing him like a ghost.]

[warrioreidlos]

[Reiner waits for him to catch up, slinging an arm around his shoulders then.]

We already bought you some spare clothes too.

[For everybody's sake, he really shouldn't be wearing these clothes again.]

We're running low on funds now, but we can discuss that later too.

[wreckingbert]

Thank you.

[Bertolt leans against Reiner, just a little; Reiner is about the only person alive with unspoken, explicit permission to touch him whenever he likes, and Bertolt drinks it in like a plant seeking sunshine.]

I'll help however I can.

[After he cleans up. No one would give him a job looking and smelling like he does right now.]

[warrioreidlos]

[Reiner hums lightly in response. He honestly wasn't expecting anything else. Bertolt had always fallen in line with him without struggle. Annie was going to be a bigger problem.

He guides Bertolt to the bathroom, pushing open the door before giving him a forward little shove.]

Lemme go grab the stuff we got you, okay?

[wreckingbert]

[It's probably a bad idea to leave Bertolt alone in the bathroom; it's so completely different from what he's used to that he simply stands in the door, gaping, until Reiner comes back.]