(open) ☀️ beach bonfire party

[niwabi]

WHO: Everyone! You and you and yes, YOU!
WHAT: Summer Beach Party
WHEN: June 23rd
WHERE: Solarpeak Beach
WARNINGS: none for now!

BEACH PARTY

The sun is shining, a cool, crisp ocean breeze flutters across the shores of Solarpeak Beach. There's not a single cloud in the sky, the perfect day to have a party! Whether you heard about it through Yoimiya's network post, word of mouth or just happen to stumble onto the festivities, everyone is invited to Ellipsa's scorching hot Beach Bonfire Party! Grab your swimsuits, sun dresses, or whatever you feel the most comfortable in, and join in on the fun.

➤

Gonna Soak Up the Sun

Through the combined efforts of Sisu, Yoimiya, and the many kind volunteers who lent their assistance in setting up the venue, the beach party is here and open to the public! Upon arrival, everyone will be given a choice of colorful, handmade hibiscus leis or bracelets to adorn for the party. They aren't mandatory in the slightest, just a cute little thank-you gift to those who are attending. After receiving a warm welcome from the hosts, you're free to set off and have fun! Meet up with friends or introduce yourself to new people from distant worlds, the party is your oyster. Of course, there will be plenty of other activities to partake in as well. Venture forth to the fun!

Feeling brave and daring? Sitting on top of the ocean is an inflatable balance beam built especially for water jousting. Foam joust poles and life jackets (if you wish to wear one!) will be given to would-be challengers looking to scratch the itch for a fight. The goal is to assert your dominance by knocking adversaries into the water and be the last person standing. Show off your strength and become the champion of the beach!

Perhaps you might be in the mood for a bit of fun in the sand. A large area of the beach is sectioned off for the grand Sandcastle Competition. Solarpeak residents from all across the city are bustling with excitement, flocking in to watch the artists do their magic, so go wild with your creations and give them a good show! Buildings, any kind of sculpture, or even just a basic castle are all accepted, let your imagination run free. You can even drag a buddy in for a helping hand if your work of art requires assistance. For the winner, the grand prize is a summer gift basket filled with goodies for a nice relaxing spa day at home. Tucked away inside the basket are gift cards to various restaurants in Ellipsa. Don't fret if you aren't interested in participating! Anyone is welcome to walk around and marvel at the competitor's creations.

➤

A Feast for All

The hosts are bound and determined to ensure that no one leaves this beach hungry. If you're craving a cold tasty treat to stave off the heat, a bustling shaved ice stall is here to cool down roasting attendees. An endless variety of flavors are available for mixing and matching, waiting to quench your thirst. If you are feeling adventurous, there are a few questionable flavors on the menu such as Bacon, Durian, Jalapeño, Ketchup, Mushroom, Pickle juice and Seaweed. Try them at your risk or if your palette is "hungry" for something more on the "unique" side.

For those who made inquiries about alcohol, special arrangements have been made! A small pop-up bar has been set up for today's joyous occasion. The bar's pride and joy is a variety of summer-themed cocktails but you can also find other basic liquor or non-alcoholic drinks if your tastebuds are craving simplicity. To go alongside the refreshing beverages, food is also provided at this small establishment. Some of the dishes on the menu are: kebabs with a hint of rum, peach bruschetta, spring rolls, fish and chips, crab hush puppies, and a spicy jalapeño popper dip (you can also ask for the ghost pepper version of this dip if you are feeling brave). All the hosts ask is that visitors to the bar be mindful of the people who can't or aren't interested in drinking.

Decorated across the shores of the beach are tables, picnic blankets, and sizzling hot grills for the designated picnic area. In a similar fashion to the potluck that took place a while back, several tables have been set up for those who like to go crazy in the kitchen or wish to advertise their food business by bringing samples to share.

Time flies when so much fun is taking place! As the last light of day begins to fade, the stars come out to brighten up the night sky on this clear summer day. However, just because there's no more sunlight, doesn't mean the party is over. Far from it! There's still lots of excitement to be had for the attendees who wish to stick around for the night festivities.

➤

A Midsummer Night's Glow

On the middle of the beach, a blazing bonfire burns ever so brightly inside a log fire pit. Eat snacks, catch up with friends, meet new people, or get cozy with others should one be feeling touch starved. In need of an icebreaker? A game of truth or dare or telling scary stories makes for a good way to pass the time. Maybe you'll have a fateful encounter and land yourself a date before the night is over.

With a sky full of beautiful stars, a bustling bonfire, and a large open space, the atmosphere is perfect for dancing. The DJ for the evening is the bright and energetic Aimoto Rinku, here to bust out an array of sick beats with her turntable. There's plenty of fun to be had in a group conga line or grab a partner for a slow, romantic bolero, and dance to whatever music piques your interest. A small makeshift stage is also set up for those who wish to sing, Rinku will be more than happy to work with any potential performers. From upbeat EDM to ballads, all types of genres fill the air with music. Let loose, enjoy the melody, and dance the night away!

➤

Festive Mementos

For one of the hosts, summer just isn't the same without fireworks exploding across the sky. To end the evening with a bang, a beautiful barrage of fireworks paints the night sky in various colors and patterns. As a final gift to the attendees, Yoimiya has prepared sparklers for everyone to play with. There are a variety of colors to choose from, pink, red, blue, green, orange, purple, yellow, etc. No matter what color catches your fancy, with a little flick of the wand, all of them appear like twinkling stars sparkling and flickering across the stick.

To end off the light show, fireworks representing each of the seasons burst into the sky. Blue snowflakes for Winter, pink cherry blossoms for spring, a yellow sun for Summer, and red maple leaves for Autumn. After the vibrant display, a final golden ray of light flickers and explodes into a bright, heartwarming message for all of the guests. "Thank you for attending! You are all amazing! Let's have a great time in Ellipsa!"

(OOC: Make your own top levels, mingle and have fun! ♡)

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[hometown]

Perhaps foolishly, Reiner takes Eren at his word about swimming. It's not that Reiner is distracted by Eren agreeing to the challenge. (Even if that is distracting. It makes Reiner's inner competitor come to life, eager to clash with Eren: to test himself, to win, to drag more reactions from Eren's lips and body.) Rather, Reiner just doesn't have any reason to second-guess Eren's assertion.

Learning how to swim was something Reiner did at an early age. It was part of Warrior training, he thinks. (Couldn't have been soldier training, could it? No, that would've been too late in life.) There was no point in wasting time and money training Warriors who might trip and drown in Liberio's river or harbor. Thus: swimming lessons.

"Good," Reiner says, his smirk widening. "Then there's no need for life jackets."

Yeah, he's still admiring Eren's bare chest as he says it. Why not? It'd be a damn shame to cover up that view.

He glances toward the inflatable balance beam again, noting that its latest occupants are clearing the way. Then he tips his head to the side. "Looks like it's our turn," he says, starting to lead the way.

[dreamsofwings]

"No, I'll be fine."

Eren learned to swim as a kid in lakes and rivers. He's not entirely sure when the last time he actually went swimming was, but he does know how. It just doesn't occur to him that the ocean is different. Even if it did, like he's going to put on a life vest and lose face in front of Reiner? Absolutely not.

He stretches arms above his head, almost lazy, but of course it's calculated. Reiner's already staring at him, after all. He likes keeping the other boy's eyes on him, even here where other people can see it happening. Why not? They're just playing a game, aren't they?

Yeah, some game.

He follows Reiner's gaze to see the other people on the beam leaving and moves to follow.

He has no idea how to play this game, obviously. He figures Reiner doesn't actually know either. But in the end, the rules are easy enough: be the last one standing. It gives him a disadvantage; while he's barely shorter than Reiner now, he's still smaller. Pound for pound, Reiner is stronger than he is and they both know that.

Just adds to the challenge, though. He doesn't have to be stronger, he just has to find a way to win.

The foam stick thing is surprisingly light. The idea is not to let go of it entirely, or so the people chaperoning the game tell them. Use the foam thing to knock the other person off balance and into the water.

He offers that smirk to Reiner again, still incapable of an actual smile as they go to climb onto the beam. Getting onto it isn't that hard, but staying on there is harder than Eren can anticipate. Good luck?

[hometown]

The rules are indeed simple enough. Reiner is friendly to the people who explain, sociable by habit and nature. However, his eyes keep drifting to Eren, unable to keep himself from admiring all that bare skin. It's nothing he hasn't seen before. (Nothing he hasn't touched or tasted, either.) But it's different seeing Eren in the sunlight, different seeing him in such a relaxed atmosphere.

He likes it, he realizes. Likes it far more than he probably should.

Reiner finds a foam stick in his hands and pulls his mind back to his current objective. Win the game. Knock Eren into the water. Admire that sight.

Predictably, the beam is unsteady, rising and falling with the waves. Reiner takes a second to try and orient himself, finding his center of gravity. It's vaguely reminiscent of testing ODM gear for the first time, only less predictable and controlled. The foam stick, too, is slightly too unfamiliar to feel natural. Reiner knows how to use rifles as a melee weapon; he could utilize those techniques if the stick were a bit shorter. As it is…

Well. Nothing like using raw strength to muscle his way through.

Reiner squares up to Eren, a whisper in the back of his mind: "We're soldiers, aren't we?" Looks like Eren took that lecture about not running away to heart, even when the odds are stacked against him.

"C'mon," Reiner says, a cocky smile on his face, raising the stick into what feels like a decent ready position. "Show me what you've got."

[dreamsofwings]

Eren isn't unfriendly, just quiet. Reiner looks at him and he looks back, that same lazy smirk settled on his face even when his eyes start to unfocus. It just happens, that sort of drift, when there's nothing concrete that anchors him here and now. Will he ever explain it? Unlikely; the only person who has any real insight about this is Levi, and only because they were in each other's heads.

He's not completely unmoored, though. Some of the memories that slot into place are recent ones. Hard not to be when Reiner's right there in touching distance and not wearing most of his clothes. If only Eren could actually relax in a place like this. Close enough.

The foam in his hands is unfamiliar enough to pull him enough into the present. Having a clear objective keeps him there.

Win.

Which is similar to fight, isn't it?

He has no idea how to use a rifle as a melee weapon. But he does have good balance, better than most people; he was able to balance on that busted up ODM gear back at the start of training, after all, through determination and practice. He also spent awhile only having one leg, and despite that giving him some clumsiness, well…some of that was feigned, too, wasn't it?

The way the water moves the beam under them is weird, constant, shifting. It isn't like sand. He hasn't actually spent time in sand, though.

He's spent too much time there, in a future he can't entirely understand.

But as strange as sand is, the ocean is stranger, being on top of it. This isn't like a boat; the boat has weight to it that this comparatively flimsy beam doesn't. This thing moves a lot more. So that's part of the challenge, huh?

He mirrors Reiner's movement, raising the foam stick in front of him. He can tell how it helps keep balance, how it can throw someone off balance.

"Better hold your breath," he says. Even if he wins, he doesn't actually expect to knock Reiner into the water on the first go. But he can still talk shit about it.

He's as still as he can be on the shifting beam for a moment, then he rushes — or, what would be a rush on solid ground. He's hoping for the surprise of it, stick against stick, stick slightly bent so it will catch under the other one. Even though he's been flush up against Reiner — and under him, or trapped against a wall — he conveniently forgets how solid the other boy is for a moment. Stupid mistake, probably. At least Eren is a lot stronger than he was at fifteen.

cw altered mental state (?), reiner losing track of who/what he is

[hometown]

Despite the unfamiliarity of the situation—the newness of the beam, the foam poles, the ocean undulating beneath their feet—there is so much that is familiar. Squaring up against Eren, weapons ready. Eager taunts thrown between them like arrows before a fray. The determination in Eren's eyes, the desire to fight that overrides reason. The way Eren rushes in, heedlessly ignoring how solid Reiner is.

They could be sixteen and fourteen again, clashing on the training ground, Eren going all out while Reiner holds some in reserve. They could be even younger, back when they first joined the Training Corps. They could be kids, or as close to kids as two boys stripped of their childhoods could ever be. They could be allies; they could be friends.

They are friends, aren't they? Comrades in arms. Soldiers.

Something shifts in Reiner, sneaking up like a rogue wave, a brief haze slightly delaying his reaction time. He doesn't block quickly enough; Eren's strike slides beneath his guard, and Reiner takes the hit straight to his solar plexus. Winded, he snaps his weapon up (muscle memory: buttstroke, upward swing), aiming for Eren's ribs as he steps forward (advance the rear foot, Braun, use your body), the power behind it enough to cause severe damage—

If they weren't using foam sticks.

If they weren't friends. Because Reiner would never hurt his friend. Not intentionally.

[dreamsofwings]

Eren isn't sure what label he'd put on them. He can't make some insane leap from enemies to lovers, not yet. That's too loaded for what they are and should be. Are they friends?

Reiner could be someone he could protect.

He thinks that again, past and present juxtaposed like they always are. Absurd. Reiner has not ever needed his protection, would reject it, would rail against it. His protection comes at too high a cost, and Reiner is still married to his idea of a mission.

They're not not friends, though. This fight isn't exactly like anything else. They aren't fighting like enemies, like they're trying to kill each other or even really hurt each other. The goal is knock each other into the water.

But something shifts in Reiner anyway. Eren sees it, senses it, can't react to it quite quickly enough. On land, maybe he could do it, jump away faster than Reiner could hit him with that stick. There's nowhere to jump to here anyway. He takes the hit, which isn't soft but hurts only a little. With a real weapon, it would have been brutal.

"What the fuck—" he says, because his own rush hadn't been anywhere near that serious. Okay, lesson learned, except—

Except when he takes that hit, he overcompensates for it and swings again, the end of his own stick coming back. It probably even connects, but his center of gravity is so far off that it doesn't matter. Not only that, but the beam they're on is wet and slippery. His off-balance foot slides out from under him. He tries to tilt the stick to right himself, but the beam tips, threatening to dunk both of them.

It's just Eren who hits the water, though, too fast to even register that it's happened. This is when he learns two things at the same time. First, saltwater fucking sucks to get in your eyes, though it won't damage him (wouldn't damage a regular person, but the redness will fade from Eren's eyes fast). But it still stings and sends his vision blurry. Second, the water moves, not at all like a lake, dragging at his body. It would be fine if he were upright, probably, but he's not.

It's disorienting as hell for a few horrible moments before he manages to pull himself up again, clinging to the floating stick he's still holding onto.

He glares up at Reiner.

"That was cheap as hell," he says, spitting salt water out of his mouth. Ugh, disgusting, no wonder Levi doesn't want to swim in the ocean. (He doesn't know Levi can't swim.)

"Again."

He reaches for the beam to climb back onto it, but that's harder than it looks due to the bob of the waves.

[hometown]

Truthfully, Eren's curse surprises Reiner. The disconnect between Reiner's mind and body is too sharp, though not as severe as those times he fully forgot he could heal. He didn't hit Eren that hard, did he? (He did.) He would never attack Eren seriously. (He has.) After all, they're friends. (Are they?) Comrades. (Were they?)

Eren manages what might generously be called a follow-up strike, then loses his balance as the beam shifts, dumping him into the water. For one glorious second, Reiner grins, ready to give a good-natured laugh and coax Eren into another playing round. This is fun, isn't it? They're just having fun. After all that they've been through together—first as trainees, then as Scouts, now as companions in a new world—they deserve to cut loose and have fun.

But then Eren sort of … flails gracelessly in the water. Reiner's smile falls away, confusion setting in just in time for Eren to glare up at him, literally spitting salt water. He has no idea what Eren means about a cheap shot—they were trained in the same moves! (They weren't.) So Reiner dismisses that out of hand, choosing to address the far more important issue:

"You said you could swim!!"

He sounds properly offended, even as he drops down to kneel on the beam, one hand gripping the side while the other reaches out and grabs Eren's upper arm. Hauling Eren (relatively effortlessly) back onto the beam, all while sending an accusatory look Eren's way.

[dreamsofwings]

They could be having fun. Maybe, if fun was a concept Eren still understood in a real capacity. Maybe, in another life. But there had been that shift, hadn't there? It wasn't even Eren's fault, he's pretty sure, not this time. But he's seen this before, hasn't he, years ago, watching Reiner struggle with his fractured psyche, all the pieces of himself trying to align. They both have their insane shit to sort through.

It leaves Eren a little confused and more than a little pissed off, because that loss was humiliating. And he doesn't enjoy being humiliated. (That's a complete lie, but he's not enjoying it right now.)

Reiner pulls him out of the water and he's reminded, not for the first time, of how unmatched they really are in pure physical strength. He can't take Reiner in a fair fight, not as himself. As a titan, sure, but that's no longer a fair fight and they usually stalemate those anyway. If it were just him and Reiner, Attack/War Hammer vs. Armored, without anyone else fucking interfering for once, could he win? Maybe they'll find out someday. But in a regular fight, like this, him against Reiner before all Reiner's shit wore him down? No way.

Just kidding, Eren couldn't take older Reiner in a fistfight either.

He manages to climb back to his feet, a little ungraceful, like a baby colt getting its legs under it.

"I can swim fine," he says, eyes flashing with his irritation. "I've...never done it in the ocean. That's all. I got it now."

He absolutely does not and he knows he does not. But he has a better idea that it's different, so that's a start.

He spins the foam stick back into place in front of him.

"Again," he says, demanding, because in any context he will still push and push and push until he's gone too far. He's always been like that. Despite Levi judging him for losing this game, maybe the captain could at least be happy(?) that it's a throwback to how he was before. He wants to win because he's competitive. Because losing to Reiner is still losing to...an sometimes enemy (ambiguous). Because he fell off the stupid beam in like two hits!

[hometown]

The accusation in Reiner's eyes doesn't immediately fade. He's not genuinely angry, of course; he's only concerned. He cares about Eren. He doesn't want Eren to hurt himself playing this game, even if the only real risk is choking on salt water for the few seconds it would take Reiner to stage a rescue. And sure, maybe Reiner is acting a little overprotective—he cares, even in this new world—but he really believed that Eren could swim.

As Eren explains that he's never swum in the ocean before, a trace of confusion knits Reiner's brow, memories shifting in strange ways. Reiner hasn't swum in the sea, either. No one from their world has. But it's not that different from swimming in a river, right? It can't be; how else could Reiner manage it so easily?

(Liberio's harbor turned to a pier, warships turned to fishing boats, waves turned to rapids.)

At any rate, Eren demands a rematch, and Reiner shakes off his confusion. He pushes himself upright, raising the foam stick into a ready position, eyeing Eren closely.

"You sure you don't wanna get a life jacket?"

Given how bullheaded Eren is, that demand for a rematch, Reiner doubts Eren will stop and say yes. But still, he has to ask.

[dreamsofwings]

What the hell is that look even about? Almost an accusation. Please, if Eren was going to lie, he would be better at it, right? Though Reiner probably has no idea that Eren is any good at lying, certainly not on the unimaginable scope that he does it. He hasn't even outright lied to Reiner since he got here. Well. He hasn't outright lied to anyone other than saying he's fine when he isn't, which doesn't really count. The other stuff, the stuff he hides or only says half of…that's trickier. He just does that to everyone, even people he doesn't know. He can't seem to stop doing that.

But something else happens, Reiner's expression changing. Eren can't get a read on him.

Of course he knows Reiner is absolutely nuts. Not that he can judge; he's self-aware enough to know he's not the same as he used to be, even though he wouldn't put words like madness on himself. He saw what Reiner was like (will be like?) later, longing for death, hollowed out, taller but thinner. He saw Reiner flip flop between things he knew about himself. Is that what this is?

Well, whatever. It isn't that Eren doesn't care, it's just that he's focused on doing this right now because he's mad that he fell in the water so fast. And he's mad that it was strange and he ended up with gross saltwater in his mouth. He's just mad at himself, but that doesn't mean he can't take it out on Reiner in this competition. It's not a real fight and he's not even that mad, at least.

He's a little angrier at that life jacket comment, though, because it feels like a dig and he's already stinging with embarrassment.

"Shut the fuck up and let's go," he says from behind clenched teeth. But this time he doesn't charge in right away. Whatever that thing Reiner did, the move that Eren had no idea about, he's not going to fall for it again (maybe). He tells himself he'll let Reiner make the first move, but then he's always been pretty easy to goad into flying off the handle once he's angry or embarrassed. Could go either way.

[hometown]

Naturally, Eren doesn't do the sensible thing and get a damn life jacket. Reiner can't quite suppress the tiny sigh that escapes him, traces of disgruntlement and fond amusement warring on his face. After all this time, Eren is still Eren, even in a brand new world. It seems a few years didn't change much.

(That's not true. Some part of Reiner knows it's not true. He knows how much Eren's apathy irritates him; he knows how he'll push for Eren's hatred over indifference; he knows the foolish concern that claws at him, demanding to know what the fuck happened to sap Eren of that inner fire. He knows what Eren feels like clinging to him in the dark; he knows that nightmares plague Eren's dreams. He knows how dangerous it is to care.)

Reiner swallows a lecture about responsibility. Sometimes, the best way to learn is by getting thrown on your ass a few times. Or, in this case, thrown into the water. Besides, it's not like Reiner will let Eren get seriously hurt. He cares about Eren too much; he would never do anything like that.

"Brace yourself," Reiner warns. Then he closes in. It's not a full charge—the undulating beam won't allow for that, and he's careful not to lose his footing. But he moves quick, striking with that same swing: starting low, swinging the end of the stick rapidly upward, aiming at Eren's ribs.

There's only slightly less power behind it this time. Muscle memory is hard to overrule, even like this.

i'm mean to him but he deserves this

[dreamsofwings]

Eren has never done the sensible thing in his life, so why start now? He would feel ridiculous about a life jacket. He can swim. He won't drown. Even if hitting that water sucked and hitting again would suck, the taste of salt and the way the world seems to move away from you in the ocean, he's not going to die or anything. Whatever.

He's not so full of himself that he doesn't take Reiner's warning, though. He does brace. He knows Reiner's strength, his weight. At least he doesn't actually have that much room to charge at speed. If there were more room on the beam, Eren could probably dodge out of the way, but this game isn't played like that. He can't move out of the way or he'll just step right back into the water.

That's the same thing, he thinks as it happens. The same strike. It must be some Marley thing, because Eren still doesn't recognise it.

He brings his own stick down to counter, not strong enough to avoid getting hit but at least more prepared this time. If these were real weapons, something solid, this would suck. But they're just foam.

He has no idea how to actually counter. He can't sift through memories fast enough. It's not a computer database; he can't just look for something he needs to know and know it. Other people's lives and memories are unreliable. He knows things without knowing why more often than he does it on purpose. So he comes up with a lot of nothing.

He thinks of Annie, using her motion against other people since she's smaller than they are. He knows how to fight like her, but that's with hands, and—

He can feel himself start to slide on the wet beam.

He makes a sound almost like a growl and just pushes back. He gets one bare foot planted on the beam but the other…well, the beam is still wet and not really designed to be grippy. This is the kind of game where you fall off pretty easily and don't take it as seriously as a death match, you know, if you're normal.

His back foot slides on the water and he can't recover from that and push Reiner at the same time. The force pushes his own legs backwards, and that one goes out from under him.

He doesn't hit the water, though, just the beam, one arm still holding the foam stick, the other reaching to catch himself. That arm finds only water. At least he's smart enough to turn his head before he hits his entire face on the beam.

rip eren

[hometown]

There's something not quite right about the way Eren moves. Something lacking in his reaction. Not emotion, of course; Reiner can all but feel the frustration rolling off his friend, dark as a storm cloud looming above, ready to rain on everyone's parade. That part isn't surprising, even if it does make Reiner wish Eren would stop and put on a damn life jacket. Eren is intense to a fault, passionate even when prudence would prove a better option.

(That's not true. Reiner wishes it were still true. He wishes he could erase the impassivity that hangs on Eren like a shroud. He wishes he could undo all the damage those mysterious years have caused. Deep down, locked away in his heart, he wishes he could see Eren smile at him again.)

What's puzzling is the counter Eren chooses to use. It's not one that Reiner anticipates. Not one of the moves they drilled ad nauseam, practicing even in sleet and snow, ensuring cold fingers wouldn't cause them to falter. In fact, it doesn't look like a proper maneuver at all; it looks more like Eren is just improvising.

But why wouldn't Eren use the techniques they were taught? Sure, the sticks are longer than rifles, so adjustments are necessary. However, Reiner can't fathom why Eren would abandon those moves altogether.

Whatever the reason, Eren fails to properly counterattack, just shoving against him. Reiner frowns, the wet beam compromising his footing. Should he retreat a step? Disengage long enough to brace himself, then—

… Then Eren loses his footing on the wet beam, sliding down until he falls flat on his stomach. Loses the fight, too, even if he's yet to hit the water. Even if Eren wouldn't admit defeat until the bitter end, and probably not even then.

Reiner abandons thoughts of backing off, resolving to end this (doubtless embarrassing) bout quickly.

"Hold your breath, Eren," Reiner says, almost kindly.

Then he whacks his friend again, the foam stick striking Eren's shoulder, aiming to shove him off the beam and into the ocean.

[dreamsofwings]

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.

[hometown]

The anger on Eren's face isn't surprising. A little frustrating, sure, but not surprising. Would it kill Eren to take a breath and get a fucking life jacket? Apparently so. Reiner watches Eren flail in the water, wincing slightly. He takes no particular pleasure in kicking Eren's ass like this. Maybe he would if Eren were putting up a decent fight. Reiner has a competitive streak: he enjoys winning, proving his worth and coming out on top. But given the way things are going, Reiner's concern only grows.

Why is Eren behaving so strangely? Reiner knows that Eren can counter that attack. They all can. Bertolt, Annie, Marce—

(Marcel Galliard, dead at thirteen, sacrificing his life for Reiner's, and it was Reiner's fault, it was all his fault—)

—Marco. They were all trained in these techniques. Why is Eren struggling so much?

Reiner steps forward to help Eren out of the water, but his assistance proves unnecessary. So he backs up instead, the beam slick beneath his feet, testing his balance. Eren looks properly pissed off now. Maybe Reiner shouldn't have made that quip about holding his breath. But he was trying to be helpful. (Was he?)

"Eren," Reiner starts, trying not to sound placating. He fails, and he knows it. Grimacing, he clicks his tongue against his teeth, studying Eren's furious expression, his stance, his body. Eren looks … really fucking good, dripping wet like this, even with salt water pouring from his lips. Automatically, Reiner's gaze drifts down, following that stream to Eren's chest, his abs, his soaked pants—

Pants. Eren is still wearing pants. Not even shorts: pants. Is that why he's having so much trouble in the water?

Shaking his head, Reiner's eyes meet Eren's again, focusing his mind on the situation at hand.

"All I'm doing is hitting you with a buttstroke," Reiner says, demonstrating the arm movement sans the added force from his leg stepping forward. "We've practiced this. You remember how to counter it, right?"

[dreamsofwings]

Eren can't work out at all why this is so difficult, other than that there's some Marley shit involved in whatever that move is.

He can feel his teeth clench tighter at that tone. Eren, like saying his name like that will calm him down. Reel him in. Of course it doesn't; it never would, not from anyone, certainly not from Reiner with all the shit between them. There's a lot that's complicated, but right now there's just Eren's anger and his need to stop losing so badly.

"What the fuck do you mean all you're doing is—"

Wait.

He snaps his mouth shut. He's not as dumb as he was at 15; he's always been able to learn things from fights, even if he gets his ass handed to him because he flies off the handle or goes off on his own.

He knows that part of a rifle is called a butt. He's seen the way Marley soldiers walk and run and move on a battlefield, carrying guns that he's only handled a little bit. He still can't envision using a gun that way. What would be the point…? (He just learned that twice, though, didn't he?)

It is Marley shit. But it's the kind of thing Reiner gets all fucked up in his head, like when he seemed to be confused about half the shit he was even saying. That was years ago. Eren has no idea if Reiner in the future still has issues like that. He has other issues, sure, but whether this kind of thing stopped happening? No clue, no way of knowing.

"Just who do you think I am?" he asks, tone softer, almost dangerous. Eren at 15 wouldn't have known how to use that tone; all he did was yell. Eren at 20 is colder, more ruthless.

This is just a game, which they both momentarily seem to forget.

"Where are we, Reiner?" he asks in that same tone. He rights his stick in front of him.

"Sure, I remember how to counter it," he says, which is obviously bullshit. He has no idea how to counter it. But he's about to try to learn, to twist Reiner's confusion around so it works in his favour. He might be slightly sorry for being such a dick later. Or not! Who knows!

"Do you remember?"

He takes the visual and physical experience, now that he's seen it twice. When he charges forward this time, he does a reasonable approximation of what Reiner did. Buttstroke. It's not perfect, no long-practiced technique here. He's good at picking up things like this; he'd learned quickly from Annie how to use her moves.

Even if he gets tossed in the water again, he's willing to take that loss if it teaches him the counter. If he sees Reiner do it, then maybe he can replicate it.

Or if he's got Reiner enough off his game, maybe he can just win. That would be fine too.

cw major mental instability, panic, gaslighting (?), it's just a mess

[hometown]

Predictably, Eren responds with anger. Reiner suppresses another sigh, his frustration growing. It's impossible to get through to Eren when he's like this. If Reiner could only convince Eren to calm down, maybe they could handle this sensibly. But Eren is behaving like he does with Jean, all bullheaded aggression. Usually, Eren doesn't butt heads with him, but here they are.

And then, something changes. Something in the air between them, a sudden shift that Reiner doesn't understand.

He blinks, a chill running up his spine as Eren's anger vanishes, dead calm replacing it. What…? Reiner's brows twitch, confusion pulling them together, something like wariness tightening his shoulders. But why is he wary? So what if Eren is calm? They're friends. Reiner has nothing to fear from Eren.

Just who do you think I am?

Soft words. Too soft. A dagger sheathed in silk. Reiner parts his lips, trying to say, "What are you talking about?" Or maybe, "You're my friend." But the words freeze on his tongue, choked by uncertainty surging through his veins.

Comrade. Friend. Reflection. Mission.

Mission?

Soft kisses in the dark, too-warm skin pressed together, their limbs tangled, voices quiet. "We're stealing time," Reiner said. Why did he say that? Why did they have to steal? "Did this ever happen back home? Did we ever happen?" Questions Reiner didn't ask, questions he was ashamed to voice. But why? Why would he hesitate? Why would he feel shame? Why couldn't they be together?

Where are we, Reiner?

They're … training, right? No, that isn't it. They're on a beach. They're playing a game. They're in a new world, aren't they? A world completely unlike their island—

Island?

Do you remember?

Reiner's eyes are wide, his breathing short and quick. Sweat that has nothing to do with the sun breaks out on his brow, cold against his skin. Does he remember? What is he supposed to remember? What—

Eren charges. Reiner reacts, the training his body knows kicking in despite the chaos in his mind. He braces and shifts his stick's position for a perfectly practiced counter, knocking it against Eren's at just the right time, deflecting the force behind Eren's blow. But then they're close, Eren's changed face so near Reiner's, bodies bare from the waist up, and Reiner knows what Eren feels like pressed against him, knows what it feels like when they fight and fuck, knows how much he wants it, knows how much he—

The world shifts beneath him, or maybe it's just a wave. Instinctively, Reiner counterattacks, bringing the other end of the stick down toward Eren's shoulder. Aiming to knock Eren to the side, throwing him into the water again.

But whether it works or not, Reiner loses his balance. He slips, sucks in a breath, then tumbles down, cold water slamming into him.

[dreamsofwings]

Eren watches that confusion pass over Reiner's face as he speaks. He shouldn't be doing this, not after Reiner was good to him. But he does it anyway, pushes that button because he can, because he's sure it will work.

It does, and Eren actually regrets it a little. He doesn't really want to hurt his friends. Reiner is…is he a friend? A lover? An enemy? Shit, he's actually not sure now, and that complicates things. It's easy to manipulate someone if they're an enemy; there's no moral quandary to worry about. This, though? This was mean and he knows it. (He would do it again though, probably.)

At first Eren isn't sure that Reiner will counter the strike. But he does. Eren drops his gaze from Reiner's face so he can watch the counter. He does sort of get it, but it happens quickly. It's going to take more than once to learn it, but he can't play the card he just did in order to do it. He could probably just ask, but he's Eren, so he doesn't even consider that possibility in these circumstances. If they were actually training, sure, but this is a fight game.

Reiner's counterattack knocks Eren off balance, but he manages to catch himself just before he topples into the water.

Looking down from the beam, it's a hollow victory. What did he really win here?

"Shit," he says out loud without realising it. He offers a hand to Reiner when the blond comes back up, even though he probably doesn't need it.

[hometown]

Cold water, cold sweat, a cold chill down his spine. The push and pull of waves, utterly unlike a river. Why did Reiner think they could be rapids? Why did he forget?

He remembers now, the cold plunge shocking him back to his senses. His eyes are already shut against the salt water, but he squeezes them tighter, a vehement curse exhaled in a stream of bubbles. Fuck. Fuck, why does this keep happening? Why does he keep forgetting?! He's not a fucking soldier! He never was! It was just a stupid fantasy. A pathetic, last-ditch effort to save himself as he crumpled beneath the weight of his sins.

His head breaks the surface, blond hair plastered to his scalp, beads of water running down his face. He sees Eren's extended hand, an offer to help that twists a knife in Reiner's chest. Eren knew precisely what he was doing, asking those questions. And Eren accused Reiner of cheap shots?

But the hand is still there, offering help. Offering to haul Reiner out of the cold water. Even though Reiner doesn't necessarily need assistance—even though Eren was the one who put him here in the first place—he still reaches for Eren's hand. Still takes it, just as he did when he had a broken arm atop Wall Rose. Still burns the moment into his memory, as he has every time someone has helped pick him up when he's down.

Reiner can only hope Eren won't notice the trembling in his fingers.

He quickly releases Eren's hand once he's hoisted onto the beam. Plants his feet, finds his balance, and retrieves the foam stick, willing his hands to quit shaking. Then he raises his eyes, traces of shame and (irrational, clearly irrational) hurt almost entirely concealed by anger.

Almost.

"Again," he snaps, lifting the stick into position. Eager to win for real. Eager to prove that he's not that fucking weak.

[dreamsofwings]

Eren knows it was cheap, a lower blow than he should have made in something that's not even serious. It also shows his hand just a little; he's willing to do this like that just to win here. What would he do in another situation? Actually, even he doesn't know the answer. Part of him still wants blood and violence because that is what he knows. Part of him wants to return to that night in the dark where he remembered how to be soft.

Neither of them are soft now, though.

Eren is a little surprised that Reiner accepts his hand. He wouldn't have, if their positions were reversed, though Eren just gets angry at words more than confused.

He watches that anger on Reiner's face and answers it with half a smirk. Oh? Now they're playing for real? Good. It's hubris to think he can win with Reiner angry at him for that display of utter bullshit, but he would never admit defeat. Besides, he's still standing, right? That's good enough.

He lifts his stick too.

"Yeah," he says. "Again."

He waits, braced as well as he can be against the increasingly wet, slippery beam beneath them. He saw the counterstrike. Maybe he can figure it out this time.

[hometown]

Eren's maddening lips curl into a half-smirk, apparently pleased by that cheap victory. It makes Reiner's utterly irrational hurt sting a little more, salt water in a fresh wound. Reiner tries to shove it down, kicking away his pathetic reaction. Tries to dismiss it as unimportant.

Why is he even upset? It's his own fault for not getting over this shit. He was doing so well before he came to this world; he worked hard in those months atop Wall Maria, piecing himself back together with Bertolt at his side, the two of them carefully avoiding Zeke's suspicion. And now, what? He looks at Eren and Jean and starts falling apart again…?!

And there Eren stands, pleased with himself. Proud of that shitty, underhanded move.

What a fucking asshole.

Reiner doesn't hesitate. He moves in slower than before, feet planted as solidly as he can, drawing just close enough for what he intends to do. He hasn't clued in to Eren's true intention; he doesn't realize that Eren was trying to learn from his own counter. However, Reiner saw the strike Eren used: an imitation of his own. He doesn't intend to give Eren another tutorial.

So before Reiner is in range for that favored attack, he abruptly lowers the "muzzle" and rams it forward, using every bit of muscle he has. Aiming to stab Eren with what would be a bayonet.

It's far too serious a blow for this game. Even with foam sticks, Reiner is strong. But he's angry: at Eren, at himself, at his shattered identity. So, fuck fighting fair. Eren sure as hell isn't.

[dreamsofwings]

This is where Eren's planning, such as it is, falls apart. He can't predict with any real accuracy how people will behave. Who can? Well, Armin probably can, at least to some some extent. Eren is basically assuming things will go the way they've gone, that they'll be four for four here.

As soon as Reiner moves, he realises he's wrong. Shit, what is he supposed to do to block that? For as many people as Eren has killed, will kill, he hasn't fought that many of them up close and personal. A few, sure. But mostly he's had fistfights or titan fights. Even serious fights before they reclaimed the walls, they weren't like this. Guns, sure. Not rifles. Not calculated strikes with weapons.

It's not like a sword fight, either. He's trained with a sword and is passable with it, but these are foam sticks, not at all designed to do what swords do.

He has to make a choice, and fast. Move out of the way (into the water), or take the hit and hope he doesn't fall. These are not very good odds.

He picks the stupider choice. Of course he doesn't just dodge; that's still losing, because falling again is a loss no matter what causes it. And he's not a coward anyway, shying away because he pushed Reiner too far.

He does his best to block or deflect; the technique he tried to observe from before won't work here at all. He deflects the stick only a little, taking the hit off center instead of head on. That's a mistake too, though in the end there were no good choices here.

Reiner is stronger than Eren, obviously, and though Eren is braced for an attack, there's no real contest. The blow actually hurts; if he was a regular person it would probably bruise. It will bruise, really, but only for a minute.

He can't right himself again after the hit, wincing in pain, moving his own stuck too clumsily in an attempt to counterattack. But he's already off balance, and whether his wild strike connects or not, he tips to the side. This is a worse way to fall, for him, because he hits the water sideways, the momentum flipping him so he's not sure which way is up.

It will take him a few extra seconds in the pull of the waves to figure it out. He comes up coughing water. Stupid. Why did he think this was going to work?

[hometown]

As close as they are, Reiner catches that wince of pain on Eren's face, the foam stick lessening but not eliminating the strength of Reiner's blow. That angry, stinging part of Reiner sneers a vicious, Good. Eren hurt him, now he hurt Eren. Simple schoolyard justice.

Eren's wild swing connects. Reiner drops to a knee and plants a hand on the beam, keeping himself steady. Cheating, probably, if not in letter, then in spirit. But screw it. Eren is already in the water. What's the point of Reiner falling in, too? Why shouldn't he take advantage of being the only one still on the beam?

Eren flails in the waves again. This time, Reiner doesn't shout, throwing accusations that Eren said he could swim. This time, he remembers that the ocean is a far different beast. But it's still Eren's fault for pigheadedly refusing to wear a life jacket. It's still Eren's fault for fucking with Reiner's head.

He remains kneeling, glaring down at Eren as the other boy surfaces, coughing up water. For a moment, Reiner considers withholding his hand, refusing to help Eren back up. But…

But…

Furious with himself, Reiner extends his hand.

"Are you satisfied?" he snaps. A demand that's half anger, half everything else: hurt, humiliation, uncertainty, and other feelings too fleeting to name. However Eren interprets it, it's likely evident that Reiner isn't asking about the game.

[dreamsofwings]

Eren would probably feel the same in Reiner's place, glad to cause hurt if he'd been hurt. But even though this is entirely his fault, he's sore about it. He's a hypocrite with a shitty temper, after all.

Eren isn't really expecting the help. He sure doesn't deserve it after that stunt, playing Reiner's confusion against him. But Reiner is still nicer than Eren, and even being pissed he still helps Eren out of the water. Eren accepts, then sits there on the edge of the beam, legs in the water. He lets his own anger (mostly) drain away, dripping off him like the water from his hair.

"No," he answers, almost sullen. He follows what the question is really asking. It's not about the game. Of course he's not satisfied about that either, but he's lost his taste for getting his ass kicked at this.

He stares down into the water for a minute, coughs again. Ugh, saltwater really is disgusting.

He chews on his lip for a minute.

"I shouldn't have done that," he says. It's not quite an apology. He's not prone to giving apologies to people. They don’t really matter to him. Once the damage is done, what good are apologies? He's too used to his actions being unforgivable.

[hometown]

After all this, Reiner expects more anger. He expects Eren to refuse the offered hand, accuse him of another cheap shot, and demand yet another match. He expects a fight, verbal or otherwise. Words sit ready on Reiner's tongue, fueled by fury and hurt. He's ready to say that this is a waste of his time. He's ready to scream, shout, and shove Eren into the water again.

But that isn't what happens. Eren sits on the beam, legs dangling in the water, trousers sopping wet. The air shifts between them, Eren's anger no longer sparking and spitting like wildfire. Reiner remains kneeling, studying Eren's gloomy face. Watching Eren chew his infuriating, bewitching lips. Wondering if this is just a reprieve. Wondering what's going through Eren's head.

The apology isn't quite an apology. It's still more than Reiner anticipates. His eyes widen, startled. After a moment, he shifts from his kneeling position, sitting on the beam as well, legs dangling off the opposite side to help maintain its balance.

They're sitting close together. Close enough that a slight lean would bring their bare shoulders into contact. Close enough that Reiner's hand could slide over from where it rests on the beam, brushing Eren's hip. However, Reiner doesn't initiate any such touches. He stares out at the horizon, looking at nothing in particular. Focusing on Eren sitting beside him, facing the opposite direction.

Honestly, what is he even angry about? What right does he have to feel hurt? It's his fault for being fucked in the head. And whatever's going on between them—whatever they shared in the dark—it doesn't erase all the things exposed by the light of day.

"You saw an opportunity, and you took it," Reiner finally says. It's not quite forgiveness, just as Eren's words weren't quite an apology. He sounds more tired than anything, his anger and humiliation turning inward. Beating himself up for something he can't control.