Tattoos were an uncommon sight in Liberio, the city where Reiner was born. He recalls glimpsing them on (civilian) sailors sometimes—the people who went to faraway places and didn't have to worry about military regulations regarding appearance. But the idea of getting one himself was never feasible. Possessing the Armored Titan means that Reiner heals too quickly; his body would doubtless reject the ink, wiping it away as if it never existed.
But this tattoo is magic. Painless, as well (though that wouldn't have been a deterrent for Reiner). The novelty of having a tattoo combined with its extra effects is too great a temptation for Reiner to ignore.
So here he sits in a tattoo chair: shirtless and quite relaxed, completely comfortable with having his bare upper body on display. He's as broad and well-built as ever, seemingly at the very pinnacle of good health. However, he still sports a goatee, and there's something distinctly tired in his eyes.
The tattoo that the artist is inking onto his left pectoral is simple: a pair of clasped hands. Not raised as though in prayer, but held as one might hold a lover's hand.
Bigger on the Inside
Jumping through magic portals to fight things on the other side isn't in Reiner's wheelhouse. Or at least, it wasn't before arriving in this world. But at the end of the day, a mission is a mission, and a fight is a fight. What else is Reiner to do but carry them out?
He sits on the grass in Blossomcrown Park once everything is over, touch energy drained after the fierce battle. He has no wounds, of course; the blood on his clothing is either from wounds since healed, or it was never his to begin with. But Reiner knows he should make his way over to one of the tents. Ask someone for a handshake or pat on the shoulder. Do something to regain his energy.
Right now, moving to a tent seems harder than all the fighting combined.
So Reiner continues sitting in the grass, his exhausted gaze catching on the cherry blossoms above. Watching as they sway in a light breeze, oblivious to the traces of violence still clinging to people's skin.
Waiting in the Shadows
Another day, another fight. It almost feels normal, even if the enemy was unlike anything Reiner had seen before. (Maybe that shouldn't strike him as unusual. How many strange things has he seen in this world? How many people would call him strange?)
But there was one too-familiar thing that sticks in Reiner's mind: the enemy tried to eat people. That wouldn't be unusual back home—but here? After what Reiner recently learned…?
It sticks in his head. Leaves him unsettled and restless, pacing the luxury airship instead of pausing to enjoy it. He wanders from one deck to another, peeking in on the restaurants, the bars, the spa. (A spa! In the air!) But he doesn't seem able to stop, too agitated to sit in one place for long.
So on he paces: up and down stairs, back and forth along the lengths of each deck, looking more like he's doing an endless patrol than enjoying a well-deserved break.
[Ever since a good part of Nightwake City's population was pulled into the Paths, Hijikata hasn't seen anyone from the world of titans whom he knows to have been involved in the incident - neither Marco nor Porco, whose memories he ended up in; not Eren, who did his best to explain why he caused the near-end of their world; not Reiner, whom he saw standing with Eren when he first arrived in that endless desert landscape. Here and now, Reiner is the first... and he looks not unlike how Hijikata felt in the aftermath, after all he had seen. (Okay, that's too much said. He doesn't look as bad. But while Hijikata has mostly bounced back by now, somehow, that doesn't entirely seem to be the case for Reiner. Granted, it's only been a good month since.)
That tattoo he's getting... somehow, Hijikata didn't expect something like that, but then what did he expect? Certainly not anything martial, not after seeing first-hand how the little Warrior Candidates were made into war machines. Even so, this motif seems painfully tender, a gesture of human connection, of support and affection. Maybe Hijikata didn't expect Reiner to display whatever feelings led him to this choice so openly.
Once the tattoo is done, he approaches him, in too sombre a mood from all the memories to even think of getting distracted by his chest this time. Part of him wants to outright ask whose hands those are, but he feels like giving Reiner a break, so he goes with something less personal. After all, their relationship status is still '???' - he's pretty damn sure that it doesn't qualify as a friendship.]
That came out nicely. What abilities did you pick?
[He doesn't comment on Reiner's goatee, not sure if he thinks that it suits him or not. It doesn't look bad, but it does make him look older... and in combination with his tired eyes, it makes for a sadder overall impression. Hijikata, for his part, is wearing his simple black kimono rather than his uniform, and Reiner may see part of a large dragon in cool blue-grey-green tones slide across the triangle of exposed chest.]
This has to be the third time he's seen the young man pass by. At least, he's pretty sure it's Reiner. Buff blonde young men aren't that common. Hakkai is seated in an alcove, where he'd been doing something approximating drowsing. He hasn't bothered to change out of the singed clothing from the fight - even with the spa available.
Eren finds Reiner on accident. Or maybe not; maybe it's the subconscious draw that will always pull them together. Maybe Eren is the last thing Reiner needs when he's like this; Eren isn't exactly good at comforting anyone. He never was, and he's worse now. He's only good at empathising to a point — again, one of the terrible qualities of his younger days made worse because of his own choices and the burden of circumstance.
He spent a good deal of time just spaced out leaning on the railing, so it's not like he's doing much better than Reiner. But here they are, orbiting each other without even realising it, like twin stars.
He catches Reiner outside the entrance to the spa (which Eren himself hasn't bothered to look in yet). He walks faster to catch up. He wasn't going anywhere specific, so wherever they're going, they can wander there together.
"Reiner," he says, reaching out a hand as he often does, without thought or real intention.
[ It's not over yet, which means Levi isn't heading home. Sure, he'll wash up, rest for a couple hours, refill his gas and maybe get something to eat, but he's not leaving the immediate area. ]
[ He does pay a visit to the tents. He knows Erwin is there, helping the effort, and he'll take any chance to steal an extra moment, just because he can now. Even if it's something as unpleasant as getting his scraps and cuts patched up, he can't help but be glad about it. He might overstay a little, insisting he still needs more energy, but in the end there's more people waiting in line that needs Erwin's help right now, so he reluctantly takes the rest of his break elsewhere. ]
[ The park seems like a nice enough place; nature and open air, and he could probably nap under a tree somewhere if he can find a quiet corner to do so. As he strolls across the meadow, though, he spots a familiar figure staring up at the cherry blossoms, or maybe something much, much further. ]
[ Reiner doesn't look too worse for wear -- or he wouldn't if Levi hadn't spent months witnessing his younger self in action, vibrant compared to this. But now he looks almost like the Reiner that Levi knows; beaten down, tired, just wanting for the hell to end. He can't help but feel concern -- even pity, perhaps, for the state he's in, even if his outer injuries have healed. Was this related to the Paths incident? Should he have checked on him?.. Then again, if he now knows, that does make things easier, doesn't it? ]
[ Still, Levi hesitates a little. The boy -- no, young man -- definitely looks like he needs some company, but Levi is hardly a suitable person for it. Reiner is still tense around him most of the time, and maybe that's never going to go away completely. But as there seem to be no better options available at the moment, Levi sighs and starts approaching -- slow, relaxed, like one might approach a skittish animal trying to convince it they're not a threat. Hopefully it helps that he's still a little banged up from the fighting, too. ]
Reiner, [ he greets, from a bit further away as not to startle him too much. ] You look like shit.
The heat of the bonfire feels good against Reiner's skin. He's showing far more of that than usual, having wandered over to the bonfire on Solarpeak Beach after taking a dip in the artificial ocean. (In other words: he's sitting by the bonfire in just his swim trunks.) He's also managed to shave his face recently, looking more like his old self—even if fatigue still lingers in his eyes.
Reiner is unfamiliar with this particular celebration, but he's keen to watch it unfold. He's less keen to participate, raising a hand in protest when someone asks him to play the part of winter.
"I'm dressed for summer," he says mildly, uninterested in donning the heavy coat being offered. However, Reiner's broad and muscular build has the person utterly convinced that he would make a fine winter.
Help him out? Or help convince him to wear the coat and participate?
Pancakes
Reiner never knew there were so many ways to make pancakes.
He does the tour more out of curiosity than an interest in the ultimate prize. He has breakfast in a different district each day for just over a week. A part of him is genuinely interested in the variety, wanting to see what wild concoction is next on the list. Another part of him is in search of something nostalgic: the pancakes he would have back home on special occasions.
Of course, none of Ellipsa's delectable pancakes are scraped together from Liberio's rations. So Reiner doesn't experience that nostalgia—but he does taste some good pancakes.
Spotting a familiar face likewise doing the tour (or at least appearing interested in the pancakes), Reiner offers a friendly half-smile. "Got a favorite yet?"
Jellycats
An unusual "cat" already lives in Reiner's house: a sphinx kitten seemingly made of stars. However, that doesn't stop Reiner from cooing over the red jellycat that has decided to follow him around.
Or maybe "cooing" is an insufficient description. There's cooing happening, to be sure. But perhaps "doting on" would be more accurate. Or "claimed by the jellycat"—as it seems to have made a home for itself perched on Reiner's shoulders, rubbing its face against his.
It smells like strawberries to him. That's a perfectly valid excuse for his grin as the jellycat demands attention, right?
( ooc:tdm for easy reference. all prompts take place prior to gabi's departure )
gabi's departure / video game arc begins | closed to close cr
Reiner didn't get rid of them. They disappeared along with his cousin—here one night, gone the next morning. It doesn't take much research for Reiner to discover what it means.
Gabi didn't want to stay in Ellipsa forever. Reiner knows that. She wanted to go home; she had a future there. But as Reiner stares into the empty room that was once hers, he can't suppress the sharp, sudden swell of loss.
Selfish. So fucking selfish of him to want her to stay.
He doesn't reach out to his friends this time; unlike Bertholdt's death, there's no truth to confirm. Instead, he cancels plans and spends the morning setting up the video game console he purchased on a whim. He and Gabi spent enough time at the arcade that it seems a fitting way to … what? Mourn her?
She's fine, Reiner reminds himself. Gabi was only in danger in Ellipsa, poised to get caught in the crossfire if hostilities between the Warriors and the Scouts ever erupted. But Reiner worked his ass off to ensure that never happened. Held his tongue and his temper even after discovering how deliberately ignorant he had been kept.
He tries not to think about it. Boots up the game console and starts trying to learn how to play, letting the game's noise fill the silent house.
The next day, Reiner does the same. And the next. And the next. His recently shaved goatee starts growing in again—but at least he's getting the hang of his games.
Well... Reiner hasn't surfaced in a while. Unfortunate, considering how there was actually someone Hakkai wanted to introduce him to. They seemed like they'd get along. He didn't worry much at first. But then...
It's been a very long time indeed.
He's mostly gotten himself put back together, thanks to being bullied into it. So he packs up some things, and goes over to check in. Knocking lightly on Reiner's door. If he's not home, then he'll leave the package on the doorstep. That's nothing new for either of them, at least.
[It's been a while since she's seen Reiner out and about. Which, alright, she doesn't see Reiner every day normally anyway, but usually now and then they'll cross paths.
And, anyway, they're friends, so Evangeline doesn't need a special reason to send him a text message. She's allowed to bother him just because.]
Hey, do you want to get lunch this week? My treat.
Eren loses track of days; they blend into one another in more than one direction. It's just a thing that happens. It's been like this since he was fifteen. Only the routine of the military kept him going, and then that fell apart. Then he spent a year and change in Marley, which made it worse.
Folkmore.
Ellipsa.
He doesn't have strict structure, so…
He notices the last time Reiner texted him, though, from the date on the message. He double checks the date on his phone's home screen. It's been a few days.
Eren can't just do things by halves so he doesn't text. He just shows up at Reiner's place. He's unaware that Gabi isn't there anymore, but it no longer matters to him if they accidentally run into each other. They've seen each other in passing before. It's awkward, but whatever. It's not like he came here to get laid.
He doesn't particularly want to see Gabi right now, a stark reminder of the future Sasha doesn't know about, the future Eren had an inkling of and did nothing to stop and everything to perpetuate. He hadn't really known how it happened. It should have stopped him, but nothing could.
Nothing could. He hopes Sasha never has to know.
He shoves all that out of his mind and rings the bell.
After hearing about Galliard leaving from Marco, Jean decides to get two big pizzas, two big bottles of soda and heads to Reiner's place. He hopes Reiner will answer when he rings the doorbell. He could probably kick the door down, but he'd rather not.
He's not actually aware someone else was gone, too. Just Galliard. Marco was sad about it, too, but Reiner was worse at taking care of himself, which is why he was here instead.
Annie isn’t exactly surprised that Reiner has one of those jellycats that have been all over the place as of late, since apparently he’s a cat person. Still, there’s something incredibly disorienting about seeing him with the little creature on his shoulders, twisted around the back of his neck with its face pressed against his cheek.
It’s hard to hate him like this. Not impossible — she definitely still resents him, at the very least. But he’s been trying, has been making an effort, and isn’t good behavior supposed to be rewarded? Not that her company is much of a reward, but the point remains.
Her mind made up, she makes her way over to where he’s standing. She won’t bother him for long.
“Does your magic sphinx cat know that you’ve abandoned it for this thing?”
Guess who happened to be around to help, but didn't make it back home before full moon hit. Yep, it's Jean. So when he spots Reiner sitting on the grass, he beelines there, sitting close by, tail wagging. He found someone he considers pack. This was great news.
Restless and caught up in his thoughts as he is, Reiner doesn't notice the quickening footsteps behind him. But when Eren speaks, Reiner's body reacts before his mind catches up. His hand moves on instinct, reaching as he turns—not to defend himself, but to meet Eren's hand. Their fingers brush, then Reiner clasps Eren's hand, fingers automatically moving to entwine.
Something in Reiner's chest settles, sudden and unmistakable. An anchor tugging him, preventing him from floating away.
"Eren," he says, meeting Eren's eyes. Vibrant, no matter the storm.
He squeezes Eren's hand, his shoulders relaxing minutely. "Hey."
Eren also feels just a little tension bleed out of him at Reiner's touch. It hasn't been that long since he fucked everything up with the Paths. It's been even less time since Reiner found out about Bertholdt, which is…still a mess he's dealing with, Eren knows. They both get lost in time in their own ways.
Their fingers lace together, like always. It's one of Eren's favourite things, though he can't articulate it and is too Eren to say it aloud anyway.
Eren has never gotten over anything in his life. He wonders if Reiner has, or can. They're so much the same that he thinks maybe not. You just learn to live with the holes — in the walls, in your head, in your soul. That's all there is; it's like Reiner himself told Eren long ago: just keep moving forward.
At least they're doing that together now.
"You do okay in that fight?" Eren asks. Maybe they should have done that together, too. Eren actually can't imagine fighting on the same side. That is never to be at home. The world would be worse off it it were. He and Reiner have fought against each other over and over. What would it mean if they stood side by side?
He'll mull that over some. There will always be another fight.
The days pass, bleeding one into the next. Reiner is usually aware of that passage, sticking to a routine as he has since childhood. Military structure is all he knows; it helps him keep moving forward.
But not right now. Right now, with Gabi and Galliard disappearing in tandem, Reiner has finally come to a stop.
He's surprised when the doorbell rings, but doesn't hesitate to go answer. He's dressed, at least, though not in anything he'd wear outside. (Sweatpants and a soft t-shirt are far from his usual attire.) It may add to an overall air of dishevelment. Then again, it may not. It isn't as though Reiner slept in his uniform for all those years of training. Maybe he simply looks as though he just rolled out of bed.
Whatever the case, he opens the door unshaven and in sweatpants, blinking at the bright light of day like a disrupted owl.
"Eren," he greets, taking in the man on his doorstep. A note of surprise colors his voice; has Eren ever visited Reiner and Gabi's house?
—Reiner's house, now. Just his. Far too large for only one person.
Eren isn't actually aware of the other warriors disappearing. It's not like he talks to them. But something is up with Reiner, and that's enough to bring him here.
He raises an eyebrow, taking in Reiner's appearance. He almost never sees Reiner in casual clothes. On occasion, sure. But unshaven, wearing clothes he might sleep in? For Reiner it seems out of sorts when it's not first thing in the morning.
He's only been here once, when Reiner cooked that sandwich for him. That seems like a hundred years ago. Though to Eren everything is mixed up anyway, the order never quite right.
"I'm fine," he says, which is never true but today it's close enough. "You haven't texted me in awhile," he offers by way of explanation, though that raised eyebrow holds an unasked question.
"Do you...want some company?" he continues, awkward because even after all this time he's not sure how this goes.
Maybe it should come as a surprise that Eren chose to come over instead of calling or texting first. It doesn't. This is Eren. Anyway, Reiner and Eren communicate better face to face, skin to skin.
Is that what came first for them? Maybe. Certain conversations stick in Reiner's head, words said in anger, in passion, in quiet confession. But they're far more honest with touch involved, their hands finding each other as they speak, too-warm fingertips on unscarred skin.
Reiner reads the question in Eren's raised eyebrow, though he isn't sure how to answer. Admitting that he's stopped staggering forward feels … wrong. Something he shouldn't say to someone who pushes forward just as relentlessly—or even more so.
(It tastes like old failures.)
Then Eren asks another question, charming in his awkwardness. Reiner nods, stepping aside to welcome Eren in without conscious decision.
"Yeah. Thanks, Eren." And then, as Eren enters the otherwise unoccupied house, he adds, "Gabi and Galliard are gone."
Gone. Not out, not home—though he believes that's where they've gone. Just gone. An explanation of his own, answering the unspoken question.
"Shit. I'm sorry," he says, knee-jerk emotional honesty coming out of his mouth before he can stop it. "I know they mean a lot to you."
Not meant. Not past tense. They're not dead, and even if they were, it never gets to be past tense.
Eren slides past Reiner into the house. There's nothing about this meeting being clandestine, no reason he has to hurry or hide (not that he cares enough to do those things anyway).
He knows he's not good with words. So when Reiner closes the door, he reaches for him. Normally he'd reach for a hand, but he doesn't this time. Instead he offers an actual embrace. He's...a little stiff about it, maybe, because of his own uncertainty. Things with Reiner aren't all that difficult much of the time, but this sort of thing doesn't come easy to Eren anymore. Reiner is better at comfort than he is. But the fact that he tries is something, at least.
There's part of him that feels cold inside about this, though. Gabi and Galliard are gone. Home, presumably (Eren realises, in some dim far off way, that Galliard does not live to see the end of the world. That's not the point.), but it's a small comfort. Could any of them really just...be gone?
Eren isn't afraid of much. But he's afraid of losing this, this place, this reprieve from his apocalypse, this stolen time. He's afraid of losing Reiner, something he's already confessed once. Internally, his resolve increases. He will do anything to stay, to keep them here. The cost would never matter.
Maybe he's not all that much better, even when he tries, but what can he do? He wants to hold on to all of them as long as he can. He didn't care about the warriors personally, but Reiner did. They would have factored in on that alone.
"You're not going to just shut yourself up at home forever, right?"
Mean, not meant. Reiner catches the distinction, grateful for it. He doesn't know what will happen to Gabi in that far-off future he will never see. Nor does he know what will happen to Galliard, short of meeting the fate that all who possess a Titan eventually do.
Back in their world, Reiner is doomed to die at twenty-three. Of course he won't see that future.
But there's more to it than that. He confessed as much to Armin, drunk and foolish as that was. "I'm not going to become that Reiner," he'd said. And Reiner doesn't want to be. He doesn't want to be a broken shell of a man kneeling in a basement, begging the person he would gladly chase forever to just kill him. He never wants to become that.
(There is a connection to be made, a correlation between 'not becoming that Reiner' and 'not seeing Gabi and Galliard's future.' But Reiner hasn't made it yet.)
Reiner inclines his head in acknowledgment, not quite trusting himself to speak. A rare occasion when he finds words difficult. Maybe that's for the best; he might start crying yet again, and he's done enough of that over the past few months.
But then Eren does something Reiner doesn't expect. Instead of reaching for Reiner's hand, Eren moves closer. Strong arms slide around him, embracing him. If it's a little stiff, Reiner doesn't notice. He returns the embrace at once, arms wrapping around Eren, holding him close. He turns his head, pressing his nose to Eren's hair. Breathing in what feels like the first full breath he's taken since he awoke to an empty house.
When was the last time he touched someone? How many days has it been…? Too late, Reiner realizes that he doesn't know. He wasn't keeping track; he never needed to before. How close was he to turning into stone?
His arms reflexively tighten their hold, squeezing Eren a little. Then he brings one hand up to the back of Eren's head, fingers brushing through long hair. Stroking it half-absently, the motion soothing.
"Not forever," he agrees. Acknowledging that, yeah, that's what he's done. "I didn't expect it, you know?"
Why would he? As far as Reiner knows, no one from their world has left before. To have two of the people from his home vanish one after the other…
Maybe Reiner would've taken it better if he weren't already wrestling with loss. Then again, maybe not. When it comes to finding himself in an empty home, there's no such thing as good timing.
Not forever, Reiner says. Eren takes that at face value. How do you process this weird sort of grief, anyway? Eren isn't sure. There's a friend he misses, back in Folkmore, whose loss in his life he has never dealt with. He's the one who left, technically, but that doesn't mean he doesn't think about Gideon. Does she miss him? Will she care that he's not there? No way to know.
"I know. How could you expect it?" he says, softly. "That happened to me a bunch of times back in Folkmore. Someone was there and then you just woke up and…they weren't there anymore. I wasn't as close to anyone there like you were with them, though."
That's true, but it doesn't mean he never wondered after any of them.
He turns his face into Reiner's neck, also breathing him in. He knows Reiner's scent well, the lingering ozone tang of what they are, that soap he likes, and just Reiner. Neither of them has to smell like blood anymore, like war and death. In Eren's mixed up memory he remembers the scent of the harsh laundry soap on their training uniforms, the leather and gas from the ODM. Reiner doesn't smell like that anymore either. Eren hasn't in years.
"You better not turn to stone on me," he says. It could be a threat, because he's Eren, though he doesn't mean it with teeth. Isn't that leaving, too? He doesn't really know what happens after you turn to stone. Is it like Annie in a crystal for years, aware enough to hear Armin's voice? Or is it like the quiet solitude of death? Is that what happens when you die? Eren still doesn't know. He can't imagine death is peaceful, when so much of it around him has been violent.
Eren is in less danger of becoming stone himself, because Armin wouldn't let him. Reiner wouldn't let him, either, if Reiner wasn't caught up in his own shit.
"You can call me," he says. "I'll come."
He doesn't quantify it. He was willing to follow Reiner into the segments even when he wasn't sure Reiner really wanted or needed his company. Eren is all in or he's radio silence. He never does anything by halves.
For what it's worth, Reiner didn't realize he was a cat person (and dog person, and probably other animals-person) until fairly recently. When would he have had time? It wasn't as though he had a pet in Marley; it was just him, his mother, and the false dream of a father. In Paradis, there was little leisure time to play with animals—at least as far as Reiner remembers.
(Maybe there would've been if he'd made time for it. Maybe if he'd stopped bulldozing his way forward, he'd have gained a greater appreciation for the present.)
But Ellipsa has provided that time, and a plethora of animals besides. So here he is, cooing away at the jellycat that smells like strawberries.
Reiner doesn't hear Annie's approach. But when she speaks, he turns to look at her, quickly biting back the smile threatening to bloom at the sight. (He doesn't entirely succeed; it shows in his eyes, the fact that Annie is safe and Annie is here still a source of relief and happiness.)
"'Abandoned' is a bit harsh," he says, a hand helping support the jellycat where it perches on his shoulders. Unnecessarily, probably, but it's an excuse to pet it. "I was thinking that it might like a friend."
She doesn’t know much about cats, but she hadn’t really thought that they liked companionship. Isn’t their whole thing that they’re independent and stuff? Still, if Reiner wants to delude himself with dreams of magical cat friendships, Annie isn’t going to stop him.
“I see,” she says, half-teasing. “If you keep that up, you’ll get an entire menagerie.”
And wouldn’t that be a sight? Reiner surrounded by animals, some of that tension gone from the set of his shoulders, his eyes with that bright happiness lighting them from within…the sort of life neither of them had been able to have back home.
“Does this little fellow have a name?” She reaches out to pet it before hesitating and drawing her hand back. “It’s a cute little thing.”
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event: doctor why instead of who | closed to plans
Bigger on the Inside
Waiting in the Shadows
( ooc: event plotting for easy reference )
Color Me Inked
That tattoo he's getting... somehow, Hijikata didn't expect something like that, but then what did he expect? Certainly not anything martial, not after seeing first-hand how the little Warrior Candidates were made into war machines. Even so, this motif seems painfully tender, a gesture of human connection, of support and affection. Maybe Hijikata didn't expect Reiner to display whatever feelings led him to this choice so openly.
Once the tattoo is done, he approaches him, in too sombre a mood from all the memories to even think of getting distracted by his chest this time. Part of him wants to outright ask whose hands those are, but he feels like giving Reiner a break, so he goes with something less personal. After all, their relationship status is still '???' - he's pretty damn sure that it doesn't qualify as a friendship.]
That came out nicely. What abilities did you pick?
[He doesn't comment on Reiner's goatee, not sure if he thinks that it suits him or not. It doesn't look bad, but it does make him look older... and in combination with his tired eyes, it makes for a sadder overall impression. Hijikata, for his part, is wearing his simple black kimono rather than his uniform, and Reiner may see part of a large dragon in cool blue-grey-green tones slide across the triangle of exposed chest.]
SHADOWS
This has to be the third time he's seen the young man pass by. At least, he's pretty sure it's Reiner. Buff blonde young men aren't that common. Hakkai is seated in an alcove, where he'd been doing something approximating drowsing. He hasn't bothered to change out of the singed clothing from the fight - even with the spa available.
"Is everything all right?"
shadows
He spent a good deal of time just spaced out leaning on the railing, so it's not like he's doing much better than Reiner. But here they are, orbiting each other without even realising it, like twin stars.
He catches Reiner outside the entrance to the spa (which Eren himself hasn't bothered to look in yet). He walks faster to catch up. He wasn't going anywhere specific, so wherever they're going, they can wander there together.
"Reiner," he says, reaching out a hand as he often does, without thought or real intention.
bigger on the inside
[ He does pay a visit to the tents. He knows Erwin is there, helping the effort, and he'll take any chance to steal an extra moment, just because he can now. Even if it's something as unpleasant as getting his scraps and cuts patched up, he can't help but be glad about it. He might overstay a little, insisting he still needs more energy, but in the end there's more people waiting in line that needs Erwin's help right now, so he reluctantly takes the rest of his break elsewhere. ]
[ The park seems like a nice enough place; nature and open air, and he could probably nap under a tree somewhere if he can find a quiet corner to do so. As he strolls across the meadow, though, he spots a familiar figure staring up at the cherry blossoms, or maybe something much, much further. ]
[ Reiner doesn't look too worse for wear -- or he wouldn't if Levi hadn't spent months witnessing his younger self in action, vibrant compared to this. But now he looks almost like the Reiner that Levi knows; beaten down, tired, just wanting for the hell to end. He can't help but feel concern -- even pity, perhaps, for the state he's in, even if his outer injuries have healed. Was this related to the Paths incident? Should he have checked on him?.. Then again, if he now knows, that does make things easier, doesn't it? ]
[ Still, Levi hesitates a little. The boy -- no, young man -- definitely looks like he needs some company, but Levi is hardly a suitable person for it. Reiner is still tense around him most of the time, and maybe that's never going to go away completely. But as there seem to be no better options available at the moment, Levi sighs and starts approaching -- slow, relaxed, like one might approach a skittish animal trying to convince it they're not a threat. Hopefully it helps that he's still a little banged up from the fighting, too. ]
Reiner, [ he greets, from a bit further away as not to startle him too much. ] You look like shit.
tdm #7 | closed to cr
Pancakes
Jellycats
( ooc: tdm for easy reference. all prompts take place prior to gabi's departure )
gabi's departure / video game arc begins | closed to close cr
Reiner didn't get rid of them. They disappeared along with his cousin—here one night, gone the next morning. It doesn't take much research for Reiner to discover what it means.
Gabi didn't want to stay in Ellipsa forever. Reiner knows that. She wanted to go home; she had a future there. But as Reiner stares into the empty room that was once hers, he can't suppress the sharp, sudden swell of loss.
Selfish. So fucking selfish of him to want her to stay.
He doesn't reach out to his friends this time; unlike Bertholdt's death, there's no truth to confirm. Instead, he cancels plans and spends the morning setting up the video game console he purchased on a whim. He and Gabi spent enough time at the arcade that it seems a fitting way to … what? Mourn her?
She's fine, Reiner reminds himself. Gabi was only in danger in Ellipsa, poised to get caught in the crossfire if hostilities between the Warriors and the Scouts ever erupted. But Reiner worked his ass off to ensure that never happened. Held his tongue and his temper even after discovering how deliberately ignorant he had been kept.
He tries not to think about it. Boots up the game console and starts trying to learn how to play, letting the game's noise fill the silent house.
The next day, Reiner does the same. And the next. And the next. His recently shaved goatee starts growing in again—but at least he's getting the hang of his games.
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It's been a very long time indeed.
He's mostly gotten himself put back together, thanks to being bullied into it. So he packs up some things, and goes over to check in. Knocking lightly on Reiner's door. If he's not home, then he'll leave the package on the doorstep. That's nothing new for either of them, at least.
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And, anyway, they're friends, so Evangeline doesn't need a special reason to send him a text message. She's allowed to bother him just because.]
Hey, do you want to get lunch this week? My treat.
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Folkmore.
Ellipsa.
He doesn't have strict structure, so…
He notices the last time Reiner texted him, though, from the date on the message. He double checks the date on his phone's home screen. It's been a few days.
Eren can't just do things by halves so he doesn't text. He just shows up at Reiner's place. He's unaware that Gabi isn't there anymore, but it no longer matters to him if they accidentally run into each other. They've seen each other in passing before. It's awkward, but whatever. It's not like he came here to get laid.
He doesn't particularly want to see Gabi right now, a stark reminder of the future Sasha doesn't know about, the future Eren had an inkling of and did nothing to stop and everything to perpetuate. He hadn't really known how it happened. It should have stopped him, but nothing could.
Nothing could. He hopes Sasha never has to know.
He shoves all that out of his mind and rings the bell.
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He's not actually aware someone else was gone, too. Just Galliard. Marco was sad about it, too, but Reiner was worse at taking care of himself, which is why he was here instead.
kitty :3
It’s hard to hate him like this. Not impossible — she definitely still resents him, at the very least. But he’s been trying, has been making an effort, and isn’t good behavior supposed to be rewarded? Not that her company is much of a reward, but the point remains.
Her mind made up, she makes her way over to where he’s standing. She won’t bother him for long.
“Does your magic sphinx cat know that you’ve abandoned it for this thing?”
bigger on the inside
"Hey, Reiner."
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Something in Reiner's chest settles, sudden and unmistakable. An anchor tugging him, preventing him from floating away.
"Eren," he says, meeting Eren's eyes. Vibrant, no matter the storm.
He squeezes Eren's hand, his shoulders relaxing minutely. "Hey."
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Their fingers lace together, like always. It's one of Eren's favourite things, though he can't articulate it and is too Eren to say it aloud anyway.
Eren has never gotten over anything in his life. He wonders if Reiner has, or can. They're so much the same that he thinks maybe not. You just learn to live with the holes — in the walls, in your head, in your soul. That's all there is; it's like Reiner himself told Eren long ago: just keep moving forward.
At least they're doing that together now.
"You do okay in that fight?" Eren asks. Maybe they should have done that together, too. Eren actually can't imagine fighting on the same side. That is never to be at home. The world would be worse off it it were. He and Reiner have fought against each other over and over. What would it mean if they stood side by side?
He'll mull that over some. There will always be another fight.
"I didn't actually ever go inside."
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But not right now. Right now, with Gabi and Galliard disappearing in tandem, Reiner has finally come to a stop.
He's surprised when the doorbell rings, but doesn't hesitate to go answer. He's dressed, at least, though not in anything he'd wear outside. (Sweatpants and a soft t-shirt are far from his usual attire.) It may add to an overall air of dishevelment. Then again, it may not. It isn't as though Reiner slept in his uniform for all those years of training. Maybe he simply looks as though he just rolled out of bed.
Whatever the case, he opens the door unshaven and in sweatpants, blinking at the bright light of day like a disrupted owl.
"Eren," he greets, taking in the man on his doorstep. A note of surprise colors his voice; has Eren ever visited Reiner and Gabi's house?
—Reiner's house, now. Just his. Far too large for only one person.
"You okay?" he asks, focusing on Eren's eyes.
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He raises an eyebrow, taking in Reiner's appearance. He almost never sees Reiner in casual clothes. On occasion, sure. But unshaven, wearing clothes he might sleep in? For Reiner it seems out of sorts when it's not first thing in the morning.
He's only been here once, when Reiner cooked that sandwich for him. That seems like a hundred years ago. Though to Eren everything is mixed up anyway, the order never quite right.
"I'm fine," he says, which is never true but today it's close enough. "You haven't texted me in awhile," he offers by way of explanation, though that raised eyebrow holds an unasked question.
"Do you...want some company?" he continues, awkward because even after all this time he's not sure how this goes.
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Is that what came first for them? Maybe. Certain conversations stick in Reiner's head, words said in anger, in passion, in quiet confession. But they're far more honest with touch involved, their hands finding each other as they speak, too-warm fingertips on unscarred skin.
Reiner reads the question in Eren's raised eyebrow, though he isn't sure how to answer. Admitting that he's stopped staggering forward feels … wrong. Something he shouldn't say to someone who pushes forward just as relentlessly—or even more so.
(It tastes like old failures.)
Then Eren asks another question, charming in his awkwardness. Reiner nods, stepping aside to welcome Eren in without conscious decision.
"Yeah. Thanks, Eren." And then, as Eren enters the otherwise unoccupied house, he adds, "Gabi and Galliard are gone."
Gone. Not out, not home—though he believes that's where they've gone. Just gone. An explanation of his own, answering the unspoken question.
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"Shit. I'm sorry," he says, knee-jerk emotional honesty coming out of his mouth before he can stop it. "I know they mean a lot to you."
Not meant. Not past tense. They're not dead, and even if they were, it never gets to be past tense.
Eren slides past Reiner into the house. There's nothing about this meeting being clandestine, no reason he has to hurry or hide (not that he cares enough to do those things anyway).
He knows he's not good with words. So when Reiner closes the door, he reaches for him. Normally he'd reach for a hand, but he doesn't this time. Instead he offers an actual embrace. He's...a little stiff about it, maybe, because of his own uncertainty. Things with Reiner aren't all that difficult much of the time, but this sort of thing doesn't come easy to Eren anymore. Reiner is better at comfort than he is. But the fact that he tries is something, at least.
There's part of him that feels cold inside about this, though. Gabi and Galliard are gone. Home, presumably (Eren realises, in some dim far off way, that Galliard does not live to see the end of the world. That's not the point.), but it's a small comfort. Could any of them really just...be gone?
Eren isn't afraid of much. But he's afraid of losing this, this place, this reprieve from his apocalypse, this stolen time. He's afraid of losing Reiner, something he's already confessed once. Internally, his resolve increases. He will do anything to stay, to keep them here. The cost would never matter.
Maybe he's not all that much better, even when he tries, but what can he do? He wants to hold on to all of them as long as he can. He didn't care about the warriors personally, but Reiner did. They would have factored in on that alone.
"You're not going to just shut yourself up at home forever, right?"
Move forward, he means.
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Back in their world, Reiner is doomed to die at twenty-three. Of course he won't see that future.
But there's more to it than that. He confessed as much to Armin, drunk and foolish as that was. "I'm not going to become that Reiner," he'd said. And Reiner doesn't want to be. He doesn't want to be a broken shell of a man kneeling in a basement, begging the person he would gladly chase forever to just kill him. He never wants to become that.
(There is a connection to be made, a correlation between 'not becoming that Reiner' and 'not seeing Gabi and Galliard's future.' But Reiner hasn't made it yet.)
Reiner inclines his head in acknowledgment, not quite trusting himself to speak. A rare occasion when he finds words difficult. Maybe that's for the best; he might start crying yet again, and he's done enough of that over the past few months.
But then Eren does something Reiner doesn't expect. Instead of reaching for Reiner's hand, Eren moves closer. Strong arms slide around him, embracing him. If it's a little stiff, Reiner doesn't notice. He returns the embrace at once, arms wrapping around Eren, holding him close. He turns his head, pressing his nose to Eren's hair. Breathing in what feels like the first full breath he's taken since he awoke to an empty house.
When was the last time he touched someone? How many days has it been…? Too late, Reiner realizes that he doesn't know. He wasn't keeping track; he never needed to before. How close was he to turning into stone?
His arms reflexively tighten their hold, squeezing Eren a little. Then he brings one hand up to the back of Eren's head, fingers brushing through long hair. Stroking it half-absently, the motion soothing.
"Not forever," he agrees. Acknowledging that, yeah, that's what he's done. "I didn't expect it, you know?"
Why would he? As far as Reiner knows, no one from their world has left before. To have two of the people from his home vanish one after the other…
Maybe Reiner would've taken it better if he weren't already wrestling with loss. Then again, maybe not. When it comes to finding himself in an empty home, there's no such thing as good timing.
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"I know. How could you expect it?" he says, softly. "That happened to me a bunch of times back in Folkmore. Someone was there and then you just woke up and…they weren't there anymore. I wasn't as close to anyone there like you were with them, though."
That's true, but it doesn't mean he never wondered after any of them.
He turns his face into Reiner's neck, also breathing him in. He knows Reiner's scent well, the lingering ozone tang of what they are, that soap he likes, and just Reiner. Neither of them has to smell like blood anymore, like war and death. In Eren's mixed up memory he remembers the scent of the harsh laundry soap on their training uniforms, the leather and gas from the ODM. Reiner doesn't smell like that anymore either. Eren hasn't in years.
"You better not turn to stone on me," he says. It could be a threat, because he's Eren, though he doesn't mean it with teeth. Isn't that leaving, too? He doesn't really know what happens after you turn to stone. Is it like Annie in a crystal for years, aware enough to hear Armin's voice? Or is it like the quiet solitude of death? Is that what happens when you die? Eren still doesn't know. He can't imagine death is peaceful, when so much of it around him has been violent.
Eren is in less danger of becoming stone himself, because Armin wouldn't let him. Reiner wouldn't let him, either, if Reiner wasn't caught up in his own shit.
"You can call me," he says. "I'll come."
He doesn't quantify it. He was willing to follow Reiner into the segments even when he wasn't sure Reiner really wanted or needed his company. Eren is all in or he's radio silence. He never does anything by halves.
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(Maybe there would've been if he'd made time for it. Maybe if he'd stopped bulldozing his way forward, he'd have gained a greater appreciation for the present.)
But Ellipsa has provided that time, and a plethora of animals besides. So here he is, cooing away at the jellycat that smells like strawberries.
Reiner doesn't hear Annie's approach. But when she speaks, he turns to look at her, quickly biting back the smile threatening to bloom at the sight. (He doesn't entirely succeed; it shows in his eyes, the fact that Annie is safe and Annie is here still a source of relief and happiness.)
"'Abandoned' is a bit harsh," he says, a hand helping support the jellycat where it perches on his shoulders. Unnecessarily, probably, but it's an excuse to pet it. "I was thinking that it might like a friend."
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“I see,” she says, half-teasing. “If you keep that up, you’ll get an entire menagerie.”
And wouldn’t that be a sight? Reiner surrounded by animals, some of that tension gone from the set of his shoulders, his eyes with that bright happiness lighting them from within…the sort of life neither of them had been able to have back home.
“Does this little fellow have a name?” She reaches out to pet it before hesitating and drawing her hand back. “It’s a cute little thing.”