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

[Reiner half turns to regard him.]

It's not even like you were bad at climbing trees. You just kept losing your nerve.

[Based on sheer technique and reach, Bertolt could've been the best tree-climber of the three of them, if only he hadn't constantly frozen up with every sway of the branches under his feet.]

Remember how I broke my arm trying to catch you that one time.

Edited 2014-02-11 20:27 (UTC)

[Dude, don't look at him like that when he's showering! Bertolt sticks his head under the spray to rinse his hair out before he responds.]

Good thing you knew how to heal it, or we would have been in trouble coming back.

[He isn't looking looking, just... looking.

He shrugs a little at that though.]

Hey, I promised I would get you down.

[He says that in a tone that very much conveys he still thinks it was the right decision, that conveys that he would've made the same decision even if he couldn't heal or if they would've gotten in trouble. He'd promised, after all.]

So you broke your arm instead of me breaking my ankles.

[Which, considering the phobia he developed later, was actually one of the nicest things Reiner has ever done for him.]

Thanks. For getting me down.

[Reiner does nothing but nice things for him.]

Well, if Berick would've tried he probably would've broken his ribs. You're heavy, you know?

[Not as heavy as Reiner, but you know, he is a tall guy and got plenty of weight to him.]

[Bertolt never said he didn't. Even when Reiner is lost in being a soldier, he's still nothing but kind and supportive to Bertolt. It's not his fault that he doesn't realize how bad some of the things he says then hurt.]

I know.

[Years of barracks life and cold showers have turned Bertolt into a master of cleaning quickly and efficiently, and he turns off the shower and steps out, leaving his stinky, soaked clothes at the bottom of the stall for later.]

Where are the towels?

[Reiner jerks his head to the right, indicating the closet that holds their towels. Their super fluffy, soft towels. Compared to the scratchy, standard towel they got in the 104th, these are divine.]

Go for it. And toss me one.

[So he can finish up shaving and wash his face.]

[The bathroom is larger than any Bertolt has ever seen before, but they're big guys, and to reach the towels, he needs to brush past Reiner, his damp skin whispering against him. He doesn't apologize; why would he need to? It's not like this hasn't happened before, a million times.]

[He plucks a towel out of the closet, marveling for a moment at its softness, before he drapes it over Reiner's shoulder. He takes another for himself and aggressively towels off his hair before getting to the rest of him, starting with his arms and chest and then working his way downward.]

Thanks.

[Reiner doesn't react much to Bertolt sliding past him. He had spent too much time amongst naked dudes to react too strongly. He liked having dignity.

Shaving the last of his face, he then cleans the blade and his face. Yes, that is better. No more stupid teenage stache. Turning to Bertolt, he holds out the razor.]

Here, we can share it.

[Bertolt brightens when he sees that razor and, having wrapped his towel firmly around his waist, reaches for it.]

Thank you.

[He comes from a hairier class of people, and he's about two days out from having a full beard. It'll feel good to get all this crap off his face, and he steps up to the mirror and begins lathering up.]

Edited (fuck you, past progressive) 2014-02-12 15:57 (UTC)

It's nothing.

[He claps his hand on Bertolt's shoulder for a moment, before he quickly changes out of his own clothes, with the same kind of lack of caring Bertolt had had about being naked in his presence, reaching for the clean set. He's still intending to go for a run. Doesn't seem sensible to shower only to need another one once he is back. This concept of unlimited hot showers still hasn't quite sunk in.

Somewhere around pulling on his shirt, Reiner pauses, almost contemplative. His voice is idle, but his brows are knotted, and his shoulders tensed.]

I'm gonna talk it over with Annie too, but... I'm thinking of meeting up with Armin.

What?

[Bertolt turns to look at him, one side of his face covered with shaving lather and the other still sporting bristly black hairs.]

Why?

[He knows Armin better than either Annie or Reiner, and he thinks that’s a terrible idea.]

Because we can't afford discovery. These people need to think we are just humans.

[He rubs his neck. Listen, he thought this through, okay? Have a little faith.]

Eren is here as well. You know how he tends to react first, think later.

[Bertolt might know Armin the best, but Reiner thinks he can understand how Eren thinks. It's nicely straightforward and black and white.]

He knows we are not on his side anymore. If he sees us and loses control, we'll be forced to face him down as a titan. He might force us to shift as well to deal with him. We can't let that happen. The only one who can put a leash on him is Armin. We need his cooperation.

[Bertolt listens, watching Reiner closely the whole time. He can think of multiple arguments against what his friend is planning, but he can also tell that Reiner has made up his mind about something and won't be easily dissuaded.]

[He shrugs and turns back to the mirror, lathering up the other half of his face.]

Talk it over with Annie, then do what you think is best.

I won't do anything stupid.

[Except maybe meeting Armin, that is probably stupid.

He sighs, pinching his nose for a moment.]

I just don't want a repeat of what happened last time we met.

Huh?

[Bertolt starts scraping the razor along his cheek, shaking the hair loose into the sink. He remembers the last time they saw the Survey Corps, but he doesn't remember anything in particular about Armin.]

Right. You weren't here then.

[He and Annie had things happen, man, while you weren't here. Slightly embarrassing things in retrospect, though he still stands behind what he did. Which, actually, let him just busy himself tugging on his shirt.]

[Bertolt doesn't say anything, just tries to catch Reiner's eyes in the mirror. To most people, he would just look slightly quizzical. To those who know, however, he's wearing his 'what the fuck did you do now, Reiner?' expression.]

[It was a quality moment of Reiner, no.

Reiner hesitates, but then Bertolt has a right to know. It might bite them in the ass later after all.]

I punched Eren.

[The fact that half the city isn't gone leads Bertolt to believe that it ended at punching and everyone stayed human.]

Are you going to punch Armin?

[He snorts. This is probably a bad time for a joke, which means it is a good time for a bad joke.]

I wanna talk to him, not kill him.

[But Bertolt probably deserves some more explanation. Or maybe he just wants to defend his actions to the one person he is pretty sure agrees with them. He knows Annie still doesn't agree with what he did.]

Annie was going to turn herself over to their hands so I could keep my cover. [He shifts slightly.] I just couldn't stand aside and do nothing. They can't have her.

[Yeah, Reiner punching Armin would probably end in decapitation, even without him using his titan form.]

[Bertolt's eyes widen at that, and the razor blade stops, hovering near his neck.]

Did she think that would work?

[Bertolt rather distinctly remembers Eren and Armin both being aware of what he and Reiner are, and fails to see how Annie giving herself up would have changed anything. Moreover, he completely agrees with Reiner. They can't have her, end of story, full stop.]

I don't know. Eren wasn't reacting to me as if he knew what was going on, but I think Armin still knew anyway.

[There was more to it, probably. The way Annie had seemed so shattered that first week. Even now she isn't the same as she was before Trost. Bertolt must have noticed it, though Reiner isn't going to tell him how bad it was right at the start. Some things... some things didn't need to be talked about.]

I just punched Eren and grabbed her before she could do anything. I figure, if we run into him again, he'll probably want to pay me back for that. That's why we need Armin to keep him under control.

[Bertolt finishes shaving and rinses off the razor, watching the soap and hair swirl down the drain. He thought he'd gotten out of a bad spot by ending up here; turns out everything here is just as complicated and awful as it is back home. But at least there's food here, and they're all together, and only two people know they're mass murdering monsters. It could be worse.]

[He has the feeling that back home, it's going to get a lot, lot worse before it gets any better.]

[He turns around, setting the razor blade on the sink, and claps one hand on Reiner's shoulder, giving the heavy muscle there a little squeeze. It's not for him to say what's right anymore. All he knows is that he'll defend Reiner and Annie with his life.]

Can I borrow some of your clothes?

[If it were just he and Reiner, he could walk around in a towel, but he'd like to get covered before he goes back out there and sees Annie.]

[With a sigh, Reiner reaches up, prodding Bertolt between the eyes.]

You gotta start paying attention, Bertl. I already got you your own clothes.

[He gestures over to the closed toilet where he left Bertolt's change of clothes. He recognizes Bertolt might just be trying to change the subject, but he allows it. He figures this is as much of a go ahead for his plans as he is going to get from Bertolt. Now all he needs to do is inform Annie.

Giving Bertolt a little nudge towards the toilet, he grins.]

You know you look pretty ridiculous in my shirts.

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