Eren hit the beam hard enough that it takes him a second to get any breath back; he didn't get all the air knocked out of him. He didn't break his nose (not that it would have stopped him or even slowed him down). But he barely has that one hand out of the water when Reiner stands over him.
He looks up, his face finally expressive, but just angry. He's not mad at Reiner. Well, a little. It's his own stupid fault he fell and he knows that. But anger is anger, and Eren's rage has always been quick to ignite. Looking like an idiot only makes it worse, though this is hardly the first time he's done something like that.
He hears his own words thrown back at him and of course he doesn't hold his breath. He opens his mouth to say something scathing, free hand seeking purchase on the edge of the beam. But he's too late for that and it was the wrong thing to do, trying to stand so he can yell about it.
The stick catches him and flips him right into the water. So much for not having to taste that again.
He lets go of the foam stick out of surprise, trying to right himself again when the world suddenly goes sideways. Stupid. Always the dumbest mistakes at times like these. Even in earth shattering battles he makes these stupid mistakes, too headstrong and too furious. He loses as often as he wins no matter what he's doing.
At least right now, no one else has to lose anything because of what he's done. Really, Eren himself is only taking hits to his pride here in the end. How is Reiner so much better at this? It's not sheer strength. It's not even that he's calmer than Eren, probably. It's whatever that move actually is. Eren can't even visualise it, the idea of using a rifle that way. They didn't really get taught that. There wasn't time. Eren can fire a rifle. He's a decent shot. But he can't envision it as anything calculated to do something other than fire bullets.
One flailing hand finds the foam stick and he uses that to pull his head back above water. He does, in fact, know how to swim. He gets back to the beam without help, slamming the stick back onto it and hauling himself out of the water. It isn't graceful; the waves still pull at him and he's not actually dressed for this. Wet pants are a lot heavier than swimwear or even shorts. He should have taken them off. He could do that now but that seems more embarrassing. He'll just suffer.
"That was also cheap," he growls. He wasn't angry at Reiner until that damn remark, his own words shot back at him. Did he deserve it? Sure. Does that make it sting less? Not a bit.
He climbs to his feet, wet hair sticking to his face where some of it has come loose. He doesn't tie it tightly, so the waves and his own momentum mess it up. He doesn't even bother to fix it, just finds some balance and picks his stick back up.
"Again," he demands, angry, predictable, water pouring out of his mouth like he didn't bother spitting it out first. He has the insane thought of the warmth of it, like blood, some other layer of memory juxtaposed with this one.
He wipes his mouth -- uselessly -- on the back of his hand. There's no blood, just water and his own indignation. If his cheeks are a little pink from how humiliating this is, he pretends not to notice.
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He looks up, his face finally expressive, but just angry. He's not mad at Reiner. Well, a little. It's his own stupid fault he fell and he knows that. But anger is anger, and Eren's rage has always been quick to ignite. Looking like an idiot only makes it worse, though this is hardly the first time he's done something like that.
He hears his own words thrown back at him and of course he doesn't hold his breath. He opens his mouth to say something scathing, free hand seeking purchase on the edge of the beam. But he's too late for that and it was the wrong thing to do, trying to stand so he can yell about it.
The stick catches him and flips him right into the water. So much for not having to taste that again.
He lets go of the foam stick out of surprise, trying to right himself again when the world suddenly goes sideways. Stupid. Always the dumbest mistakes at times like these. Even in earth shattering battles he makes these stupid mistakes, too headstrong and too furious. He loses as often as he wins no matter what he's doing.
At least right now, no one else has to lose anything because of what he's done. Really, Eren himself is only taking hits to his pride here in the end. How is Reiner so much better at this? It's not sheer strength. It's not even that he's calmer than Eren, probably. It's whatever that move actually is. Eren can't even visualise it, the idea of using a rifle that way. They didn't really get taught that. There wasn't time. Eren can fire a rifle. He's a decent shot. But he can't envision it as anything calculated to do something other than fire bullets.
One flailing hand finds the foam stick and he uses that to pull his head back above water. He does, in fact, know how to swim. He gets back to the beam without help, slamming the stick back onto it and hauling himself out of the water. It isn't graceful; the waves still pull at him and he's not actually dressed for this. Wet pants are a lot heavier than swimwear or even shorts. He should have taken them off. He could do that now but that seems more embarrassing. He'll just suffer.
"That was also cheap," he growls. He wasn't angry at Reiner until that damn remark, his own words shot back at him. Did he deserve it? Sure. Does that make it sting less? Not a bit.
He climbs to his feet, wet hair sticking to his face where some of it has come loose. He doesn't tie it tightly, so the waves and his own momentum mess it up. He doesn't even bother to fix it, just finds some balance and picks his stick back up.
"Again," he demands, angry, predictable, water pouring out of his mouth like he didn't bother spitting it out first. He has the insane thought of the warmth of it, like blood, some other layer of memory juxtaposed with this one.
He wipes his mouth -- uselessly -- on the back of his hand. There's no blood, just water and his own indignation. If his cheeks are a little pink from how humiliating this is, he pretends not to notice.