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

[ 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.

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?]

[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.]

[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.]

Will you show me?

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

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.

[ 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. ]

[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.]

[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.

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.]

[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?

[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.]

[It isn't too long before Reiner returns, a clean change of clothes for both of them draped over his arm. When he spots Bertolt standing transfixed in the open door, he laughs for a moment, though he completely gets it. He had stared much the same himself.

Giving him a shove, he pushes him into the bathroom.]

Nothing like home, right?

[He isn't even talking about their village, not really.]

What is all this?

[Bertolt stumbles inside the room when Reiner pushes him, still gawking like a little kid.]

Where does the water come from?

[He doesn't see any buckets, where are the buckets they're going to use to haul the water in?]

[He shrugs.]

Just go with it.

[He's quickly coming to understand that in this place he'd not going to understand a thing. And he figures he can either agonize about that, on top of all the other things he needs to keep in mind, or he can just use it to his advantage.]

Here, watch.

[Dumping their clothes on the closed lid of the toilet seat, he pulls Bertolt closer to the shower, reaching in to turn the knob and turn on the water.]

Reiner!

[Bertolt snakes his arm in around Reiner, imitating his movements and first turning the water up higher before turning it off, soaking the sleeve of his shirt and sweater.]

What are you doing, you're going to waste it!

[He wasn't ready yet! By the time he got his clothes off, the water would be gone!]

[Despite all they have done and all they have become, messing around with Bertolt in the same way they have done since the time of their childhood is always easy. Reiner grins as he turns the shower on again, this time shoving Bertolt forward under the spray.]

Relax, it doesn't run out at all.

[Bertolt yelps when Reiner pushes him forward, and then the water is spraying in his eyes and he needs to blink rapidly to clear them.]

It's so hot.

[His clothes are soaked and clinging to him, but he's too interested in this device now. He peers up at the shower head, looking at the little bullets of water pounding down on him.]

Where is it coming from?

There.

[Reiner jerks his thumb at the shower head. He knows that isn't answering Bertolt's question, but he doesn't have any other answers for him. This kind of stuff goes utterly beyond him.]

[Yes, thank you, Reiner, that's very helpful. Bertolt leans closer, reaching up to touch the shower head and feel the water pulsing through it. His first instinct is that he should go ask Armin about it, because Armin would know how it works, or they could try and figure it out together.]

[Except he can't ask Armin, can he? Not anymore.]

[Bertolt sighs, bending his head to let the water pound over it, and starts stripping out of his clothes, letting them fall into sodden heaps at his feet. He doesn't try to cover up or hide himself from Reiner. Why would he? They've seen each other naked countless times since they were kids, and then more while living in the barracks. Reiner's seen his naked body before.]

[Once his clothes are gone and kicked to a pile in the back of the shower, Bertolt starts eying all the bottles strewn around the shower stall. Soap, at least, he recognizes, and he plucks up the bar and starts soaping up.]

Reiner? Which one of these is for hair?

[He lives to serve.

With Bertolt stripping himself of his clothes, Reiner pulls back and heads for the sink. Bertolt isn't five anymore, it's not like he needs help. Over by the sink is the one thing he had spent far too many hours trying to find. The straight razor had been a bit harsh on their budget, but hey, he (and now Bertolt too) need to shave, and whatever little black devices and breakable looking razors they used here, he isn't putting those anywhere near his face. He likes his face. He doesn't want to slice it off!

He's always up to getting a good lather going here, when Bertolt's question drifts over to him.]

Red bottle.

Thanks.

[He finds the red bottle and shakes it quizzically, surprised to hear a liquid splashing around inside. He'd half-expected to just use the bar of soap on his hair; having something liquid to wash with is kind of new. He pours a little out on his hand, hardly more than a dollop, and brings it to his face to smell it, his nose wrinkling at the fruity, aggressive scent. Nothing to do but to try it, right?]

[He puts it on his head and starts working it through his hair, his eyes widening in amazement when it starts turning to suds under his hands. Liquid sudsy stuff to wash your hair and hot water that still hasn't run out… wonders will never cease.]

[Reiner can't help the snort of laughter when he spots Bertolt's surprised look, courtesy of the mirror. Feels like it has been a while since either of them could be so innocently boggled over all the things this place was presenting them with.]

Don't get too excited by it. Or if you do, at least let me clear out of here first.

[]Bertolt looks over his shoulder and gives Reiner a very flat look. Like he’d start to jerk off with his friend right there! Who does Reiner think he is, Jean?]

It smells really nice.

[Said with as much dignity as he can muster, and then Bertolt goes back to lathering up.]

[Maybe a guy can dream, ok.]

Smells like rubbing a tub of ripe strawberries on your hair.

[He is not deeply into fruit scents.]

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