seasonsrpg | darling it's better

Option A

Fighting with a ribbon stick seems utterly ridiculous to Reiner. (Then again, so do many things in this strange, magical world.) Silly as the ribbon sticks may seem, Reiner isn't the type to turn down a new weapon just because he might look like a fool using it. So he takes one in hand, finds an area where he's unlikely to hit anyone, and gives it a swing.

Reiner expects his Elemental Weapon to produce earth, like his season. Barring that, he expects lightning or maybe fire. Instead, a beam of pure light blazes from his ribbon, scorching the ground and temporarily blinding Reiner.

"Shit!" he curses, lowering the ribbon as he rubs his eyes, trying to see past the spots dancing across his vision. "What the hell was that?"

Option B

After his initial surprise has faded, Reiner sets about practicing in earnest. He's far from a natural with the weapon, appearing unable to stop swinging hard when he wants to deliver an attack. One look at how he's practicing reveals that this is a man accustomed to physical fights, not magical ones.

Maybe that wouldn't be such a problem if Reiner weren't six-foot-one and built like a barn. As it is, the power behind his swings causes him to keep blasting powerful attacks, then grimacing with frustration. That's not what he's trying to do!

Eventually, he figures out that he can flick his wrist and send slow-moving orbs of light toward a target. So, when he's not hitting way too hard (and temporarily blinding anyone in the vicinity), he can be found flicking his wrist at targets, trying to figure out how to control the orbs' speed.

Option A

Thanks to a gift from a friend, Reiner is a (frankly gorgeous) merman with a shimmering blue-green tail, fins on his ears and forearms, and gills along the side of his neck. He takes a seashell necklace as well ("just in case"), then sets about trying to bond with a mount.

This isn't the first time Reiner has done such a thing, although that mount had wings, not fins. He's gentle with the creatures, speaking in a low, soothing voice, letting them take their time checking him out.

If he spots someone nearby, he nods a greeting and says, "They're amazing, aren't they?"

Option B

Soon enough, a massive seal covered in spots decides that she quite likes Reiner. Reiner strokes the seal's head, smiling as he talks to her.

"Oh, you're beautiful," he says. "Look how sleek and strong you are."

Whether the seal understands or not is anyone's guess, but she seems to preen, enjoying the attention.

"Do you think we can be buddies on this mission?" Reiner asks, his voice adopting a sing-song lilt. "I think we can. Yes, I do…"

Whoops, he's just cooing at the seal now. At least she seems happy about it!

Amazingly frustrating, perhaps.

[Despite their words, Purple's tone is as even as always... even as they float slowly, gently around Reiner while clinging to their own mount, the fish seemingly unable to really stop swimming.
And that mount is... definitely not a living creature. It's a reanimated shark.
Because of course it is.]

My apologies... They are wonderful; I just don't do well in commanding the living.
None of my attempts were successful.

[ At first, Reiner doesn't register the "reanimated" part of the shark. It's not as though he's overly familiar with the creatures, save for seeing their fins. Reiner is just struck by the fact that it's a shark. A shark that Purple has apparently bonded with, using it as a mount.

Damn. Talk about an intimidating sight.

But then Purple continues speaking, and Reiner's brow furrows slightly in confusion. ]

"In commanding the"…

[ Reiner trails off, eyes widening as he realizes what he's looking at. ]

… Oh. Oh, wow.

[ For what it's worth, he doesn't sound frightened or disgusted. He's just having a holy shit moment. ]

[Equally taking a moment to register, Purple's not sure what that reaction's about at first. As the shark keeps very gently, slowly moving around, all they really do is tilt their head in confusion...
At least until they follow Reiner's gaze, then it's as if they've perked up by a lot.
(As much as they can, anyway. They only have their eyes to express with, and their voice isn't exactly animated.)]

Quite the amazing find, yes? Unfortunate that it is missing so much, ah...
Viscera. As it has lost a fair amount of stability without it. But even so, I must say I am rather pleased.
It makes a fine mount, and a wonderful subordinate.

[That's followed with them giving the shark's head a pat or two between the (completely directionless) eyes, of course.]

... The only downside is that it claims it cannot stop moving, or it will die.
I have explained many times that it is already dead. The idea hasn't stuck quite yet.

"You definitely have quite a tender side to you", Ozymandias says with a hum as he walks into the water, relaxing. He has a seashell necklace from a quest already, but no merman form. He's just going to be going as himself.

Reiner is somewhat surprised to see Ozymandias without a merman form. After all, it was Ozymandias' gift that gave Reiner his own tail, and he quite likes it! But the stunning sight of Ozymandias is always welcome, bringing an immediate smile to Reiner's face.

"Don't tell my commanding officers," he half-jokes. (Only half. He has no idea how they would react to his "tender" side; he can only imagine it wouldn't go well.)

There's an amused huff. "My lips are sealed", he says, coming close to Reiner.

"Your tail is even more beautiful than it was in the pictures."

Option A

For the most part, Reiner sticks to the path, his mind focused on the mission. However, if he spots someone who has decided to explore, Reiner pauses, dismounts, and swims over to them.

"Hey, don't wander too far," he says by way of greeting. "It would be easy to get lost down here."

Option B

Very rarely, Reiner himself will be distracted as something shiny or interesting catches his eye. He never wanders far from the path, always leaving his mount within sight to guide him back. But he can be spotted swimming toward interesting objects, curiosity plain on his face.

Option C

Alternately, if Reiner spots someone who appears to be having trouble swimming—whether they've lost hold of their mount or just lost track of up and down—he's quick to approach, reaching out a strong hand to grasp their arm.

It's really just a combination of things getting unlucky. The mermaids don't want to give Levi a full mount, and the teen orca he's been given, while quick to take a liking to him after receiving some treats, is just too energetic and not particularly used to carrying humans or anything else around.

And it's during one such show of acrobatics that Levi feels his grip on the harness slip, and he tumbles off the creature's back a moment later, swearing under his breath.

Oh, and he still can't swim.

He's got the breathing bubble, sure, but that's not going to help him much at the bottom of the ocean -- which he still can't even see despite swimming for hours. He's sinking. He should probably call for help, but was anybody even around? Shit, he should have just stayed home, he thinks, as the water around him slowly gets darker.

Finally, his mount realizes it's lost some weight and turns around -- but it's too far, and --

There's a strong arm gripping him, and for a moment, he's too surprised for words, instead turning to look whoever or whatever had just caught him.

It's... Reiner? But different?

"...What happened to your legs?"

Don't worry, he's grateful for the rescue, but he has never seen mermaids before this week and he certainly never watched someone he knows transform into one. Give him a moment.

When Reiner spots the dark-haired person sinking into the depths, he initially thinks it's a stranger. A young teenager, maybe, or just someone near Connie's height. Reiner leaves his mount behind, wanting a ready reference of which way is up, and dives down after the sinking stranger.

Only it's not a stranger at all.

For the second time in Ellipsa, Reiner finds himself inadvertently rushing to the aid of Levi. There is no volleyball this time, no sand to risk spraying into a drink. And this time, Reiner has every reason to believe Levi is in genuine danger, sinking like a stone toward the ocean floor.

So Reiner grabs Levi's arm, meeting his eyes as Levi looks up. Finding himself surprisingly unafraid to be so close to the man who nearly killed him.

"It's magic," Reiner says, as though that isn't obvious. "A gift from a friend."

It's an honest mistake at a distance, but surely, no teenager has those eyebags.

A gift from a friend. Well, Reiner must have been making friends with the locals, it seems. That's... good? The more he interacts with people here, the less likely he will be to try to blow them up, right?

Well, at least while he's not asking the wrong questions. Levi still intends to tell him the truth if he asks for it, but if he doesn't, well. This really is simpler for everyone.

But even if they've reached a somewhat civil equilibrium (in big part probably thanks to Gabi and the heartfreeze incident), he certainly wasn't expecting this Reiner to come to his aid (again). The older one, sure, but the fresh Warrior?..

Well, if it weren't for him, Levi would be on a long way down right now. He probably would have died even if he managed to reach the bottom and walk for a while, seeing as his ability to breathe was tied to having physical contact with someone every twelve hours and that place had to be pretty damn deserted.

It's actually quite chilling to think about; he keeps considering this place 'safe' compared to their own world, but it has some completely new, different dangers that he couldn't even think to consider.

To think he got this close to breaking one of his promises. Fuck.

"...thanks," he says, sounding just the tiniest bit strangled, but there's no rude follow-up or anything. It really must be genuine.

For a moment, Reiner watches Levi's face, practically seeing the cogs turning behind those eyes. He has no way of knowing what Levi is thinking. Surprise is plain on Levi's face, as is consideration, but beyond that? Reiner is at a loss.

Maybe Levi is at a loss, too. Maybe he expected Reiner to let him sink. Or maybe he expects Reiner to take this opportunity to enact revenge, no matter how temporary.

Maybe if Reiner weren't such a half-assed piece of shit, he would.

Instead, Reiner keeps a firm grip on Levi's arm, not allowing either of them to sink farther. He waits while Levi processes the situation, still surprised to find that his own mind is calm. Is it because he's approaching on his own terms? Or because Levi doesn't scream "threat" in the water like he does on land?

Whatever the case, Levi thanks him—albeit in a strained way—instead of brushing him off or flipping him. (Underwater. Somehow.) It feels like progress—although toward what, Reiner has no idea.

"You're welcome," he says with a nod. Then he turns his eyes back to the surface and kicks his tail, propelling them upward, pulling Levi along without much effort.

Reiner is quiet for a good few kicks, watching the water slowly lighten. He dove farther than he realized, his focus on Levi's sinking form instead of his surroundings. How far would Levi have sunk if Reiner hadn't intervened? Would anyone else have spotted him and helped? What would Gabi do if her "best friend" drowned?

"… It probably wouldn't be useful right now," he says. "But if you want me to teach you the basics of swimming sometime, I can."

Since it's apparent that Levi has no idea how.

It may be a mixture of both, but Levi definitely isn't looking like much of a threat at the moment. ~~Probably more like a wet kitten.~~ Ironic, considering water is supposed to be his element, but perhaps the seasons were a worse match for some than others. (But then, even on land he often wasn't quite as terrifying as he was in the air.)

Still, if he had wanted to flip Reiner (underwater) he probably would have managed it somehow. He doesn't. There's no unspoken rule broken or sensibility offended. Instead, he's just had his ass saved by somebody who only really knows him as an enemy. There's finally a fragile olive branch of trust being extended, and why would he want to break it?

He does look somewhat uncomfortable as he's being pulled up, but he makes no motion that might interfere with it. The uncertain feeling intensifies a little at the offer; quite a change from someone who had essentially been holding an entire street of people at a knifepoint the first time they've met. Apprehension, perhaps. He mostly trusts Reiner not to transform on him here, but there's not exactly much he could do about it if he did.

"...I'll think about it," he says, wondering if there's anything that could go wrong about accepting help from someone who would like to see him crushed under a pile of boulders (even if he knows they're going to change their mind later).

Damn, this whole thing was a headache. How did Gabi hold out this long?

"Didn't know you're such an avid swimmer." More like a well-rounded Warrior candidate, probably, but he can't say for sure if swimming is even included in the Survey Corps curriculum as he had never gone through it. And there was definitely not enough water to need that skill where he came from.

His orca finally notices what happened and quickly swims up to them with a small sad whale whistle which may or may not be orca for oops, my bad.

Levi's noncommittal response is difficult for Reiner to dissect. It's more polite than an outright refusal, although that may be because Levi doesn't want to provoke him in this situation. (Not that Reiner could do much if Levi verbally provoked him. He'd still get Levi back to his mount, for Gabi's sake.) But it's also far from acceptance of the offer. Pride standing in the way, maybe? Or apprehension? Or maybe Levi just doesn't want to be around Reiner for an extended period of time.

Well, whatever. Reiner made the offer; that's all he can do. Whether Levi eventually takes him up on it or not is a problem for future-Reiner. His conscience is clear.

"My hometown has a harbor," Reiner says. "I learned how to swim as a kid." It's no more than he told Hange during their conversation at the beach, but it's far from the whole story.

Each Warrior Candidate represented a significant monetary investment. The time and resources spent training them made them far more valuable (literally) than the average soldier. Losing a Candidate to something as preventable as drowning was unacceptable. Between Liberio's harbor and the (polluted) river winding along the internment zone's edge, drowning was always a risk. Therefore, they were taught to swim.

But, of course, Reiner doesn't delve into any of that. As far as he's concerned, revealing that his hometown has a harbor is more than enough.

Levi's orca approaches with its sad little whistle. Reiner stops propelling them upward and simply hangs onto Levi, waiting until the other man has a secure hold of his mount before letting go.

"Hey, buddy," Reiner addresses the orca once Levi is on its back, his tone switching from practiced neutrality to something softer. "Can you do me a favor? Can you make sure he stays safely on your back until you get to the village?"

Autumn magic permeates those words, the ability to ask animals for small favors allowing the orca to understand Reiner. However, whether it will actually grant his favor is anyone's guess.

He does think Reiner deserves the redemption he's going to get -- has gotten -- and ultimately he doesn't blame him personally for the Paradis infiltration mission either. Perhaps he used to. It can be tempting sometimes, like when Reiner threatens the safety of Nightwake, but back home... he was in a situation that no kid should have been put in to begin with. That's hardly something to pin on him when the ones who sent him there would have done it again to anybody without a second thought.

Reiner should have never ended up at that point, should have never been forced to choose between the options he did. Not unlike Eren, even though there's no redemption for killing the entire world. But they've been managing, somehow, small tendrils of trust allowing them to reach each other despite the rift between them that can never close.

He can't overlook the fact that Reiner, this version right here and now, thinks they're enemies. But then, what the hell was he doing right now, helping him? That's not exactly enemy behaviour. Perhaps things had gotten more complicated for him too, even if he doesn't know the truth.

Yet.

"Right," he says mildly. He did know about the Liberio port -- he had been there, several times now, at least one of them through Eren's memories here -- but just because there was a harbor nearby did not mean the people living there were allowed to go there. He supposes it makes sense, though. Warriors were Marley's weapons; they would want them as versatile as possible. "Well, suppose I'm lucky you did."

He doesn't thank him again -- once is enough -- but the sentiment is much the same.

He reaches for his mount's harness perhaps a little stiffly, still on high alert from the stress of nearly dying, and makes sure to strap himself in more securely this time, even if it limits his mobility somewhat.

The orca doesn't answer, but it does swim an excited little circle around Reiner with some happier sounding clicking noises. It's probably as good as promising that it will do its best, though whether or not that will be successful probably remains to be seen.

Reiner gives a little hum of acknowledgement. Yes, it is lucky that Reiner knows how to swim. Lucky for both of them: Levi for not drowning, Reiner for not having to carry the news of Levi's death to Gabi. Not that such a death would be permanent in this place. However, Reiner knows that the scars would remain. Better to avoid the whole situation.

He waits as Levi straps himself in. A part of him wants to check the straps as he used to check Bertholdt and the other's ODM gear, a second pair of eyes occasionally catching things that would otherwise be missed. He doubts such a move would be appreciated, though. Instead, he confines himself to watching as the orca swims in its happy circle, a small smile touching his lips at its enthusiasm.

"Thanks," he tells the orca, assuming it will do its best. Then he looks at Levi again, the smile fading into seriousness. "Do you want me to stay near you?"

Just in case Levi falls off again.

It wouldn't be taken as offense, either, though Levi still isn't entirely comfortable with Reiner. He wonders if he ever will be, but at least their level of civility seems to be approaching the sort they had at the end of the world, and now he does have clear proof that the younger man isn't waiting to get rid of him despite his last memories from home being of them as bitter enemies. Levi briefly wonders when exactly he comes from; if he knows about his former classmates blowing him up, if he knows about his comrade's fate, if he knows that they all but wiped out the Survey Corps that day.

He seems to be on their side again now, however reluctantly -- or perhaps on Ellipsa's side is a better evaluation of that -- and as much as an extra failsafe would feel nice right about now, they do also have a mission to complete.

"No, I'll slow you down." He frowns slightly, hoping it doesn't sound too dismissive; he just really does think that Reiner seems to be too damn effective in this environment to get tangled up babysitting a hamstrung man who can't swim. "There's probably others that could use your aid."

Mermaid Tales

As a friendly, sociable young man who is happy to chat with just about anyone, Reiner quickly finds himself asked for stories. He appears surprised at first, then shrugs and agrees.

"Sure," he says. "What kind of story do you want to hear?"

The mermaids choose one of the following:
A childhood story. (Reiner will talk about a childhood spent training for war, culminating in becoming a Warrior.)
A funny story. (Reiner will talk about his best friend's bizarre sleeping habits.)
A love story. (Reiner will appear slightly self-conscious, then talk about a recent date.)

( ooc: choose an option and receive a starter! during options 1 and 2, the mermaids will begin crying tears of sadness. (yes, even at the "funny" story.) reiner will have absolutely no idea what to do with that. )

Siren Calls

Sometime after Reiner finishes sharing stories, he hears a voice. A voice that makes him jerk to attention, his eyes wide, head instantly swiveling to face it.

"Reiner," a man's voice calls. It isn't urgent or hurried: it sounds as if the man is naturally soft-spoken, but he's raising his voice just to get Reiner's attention.

And it succeeds.

Reiner's expression twists, hope and joy and longing causing his breath to catch, his better sense cast aside. His lips move, silently mouthing a name:

Bertholdt.

Then Reiner takes off toward the voice, swimming as fast as he can.

[The mermaids ask for a funny story, and Evangeline perks up a little. They'd asked her about her childhood and gotten her depressing background, and they'd sobbed at that... but surely a funny story will be fine?]

I kind of want to hear the funny story too.

[ Reiner smiles at that, finding no reason to refuse a request from both the mermaids and Evangeline. He clears his throat and then begins. ]

All right. This is a story about my best friend, Bertholdt. You see, he sleeps in the weirdest positions…

[ Reiner continues, speaking enthusiastically as he describes Bertholdt's nocturnal gymnastics. He paints a vivid image complete with a description of Bertholdt himself: six-foot-four and all limbs, with a face that appears positively angelic in sleep no matter what contorted position he's twisted himself into.

It is indeed funny at first, Reiner's fond amusement adding to the effect. But at some point, Reiner's cheerful demeanor wanes. He stumbles over his words. His eyes cut to the side, expression gradually crumpling, shoulders slowly curling inward. He tries to push forward, continuing his story in a faltering manner. But— ]

… Whenever he gets here … you'll have to see it for yourselves.

[ —it's painfully obvious that Reiner misses Bertholdt to the point of outright grief, his best friend's absence a gaping wound in his chest. ]

[It's hard to find a story funny when the narrator is so clearly wounded by the subject's absence. The mermaids tear up, and while Evangeline doesn't cry - at this point she's not really sure she knows how to anymore - her face falls.]

...I'm sorry he's not here yet. I hope he comes soon.

Yeah. Me, too.

[ For more reasons than Reiner can count. He wants Bertholdt at his side, the way things have been since they were children. And he wants Bertholdt to be safe, far away from the mission that Reiner knows goes horribly wrong.

He tries for a smile; it's weak. ]

I figured he'd be here by now. We've never been apart for so long. Not since we met when we were little kids.

There are a lot of people from your world, so it seems like he should get here sooner or later, right?

[As opposed to the people Evangeline misses, who she doesn't expect to see until she returns to her world.]

I'm glad you have a friend like that, at least.

Combat

Underwater combat is a pain in the ass.

Fortunately, Reiner figured out his Elemental Weapon well enough to put up a good fight. He flicks his wrist, sending slow-moving orbs of light toward his foes. Then he slashes the ribbon stick through the air, causing sharp blades of light to shoot toward the enemy.

It's a decent tactic: the blades are so distracting (and powerful) that the orbs go mostly ignored—right up until the orbs hit, setting off explosions of light.

Reiner mostly stays on the offensive. However, the moment he spots someone in trouble, he goes to their side. An earthen shield appears between Reiner and their foes, effectively protecting them from ice and lightning—if only temporarily.

"You okay?" he asks the person, all business, an outstretched hand magically holding the earthen shield in place.

Rescue

It doesn't even occur to Reiner to not scoop up one of the native captives. She's an older woman who appears physically weakened, although whether that's from captivity or a preexisting ailment is anyone's guess.

Reiner cradles the woman in his arms, barely seeming to notice the weight, and starts back toward the coral paths. As he does so, he looks to someone whose arms are not similarly full.

"Can you keep a lookout for any enemies we missed?" he asks. He won't be able to do so as efficiently, focused as he will be on swimming while carrying the woman.

Option A

Reiner is back in his human form, dressed in a dark green t-shirt and practical trousers. He's quick to engage others in conversation, smiling and laughing, seeming to have a great time. He's also eager to try all kinds of foods, taking a little bit of just about everything.

Catch him in a good mood as he smiles and asks, "What are you enjoying most? The food or the air?"

Option B

Or catch him after he's had a drink or two, when his mood is quieter, his brow creased in thought. He doesn't appear entirely aware of his surroundings, looking up in surprise when he realizes someone is nearby.

"Sorry," he says. "Did you say something?"

There is no guarantee that this will work.

Of course there is no guarantee. It's magic. New magic, at that, and one that is based on trust. Something that Reiner utterly destroyed back in their world, betraying Eren more thoroughly than he betrayed anyone else. (Save for Marco.) Something that Reiner believes they've rebuilt here, despite everything.

Still, it's one thing for Reiner to cradle that trust to his chest, feeling it in hands and fingernails on napes, blows withheld, and intricate knots crisscrossing Eren's skin. It's another to literally put it to the test.

He tries not to let his nerves show, listening attentively as their teacher lays out the instructions. It sounds simple enough. All they have to do is pull a sword from a stone, and then…

Well, then some magic happens. One of them pulls a weapon from the other. (Which sounds painful as hell, but the teacher insists that it won't be.) If this does work, then which one of them will be the vessel and which one the wielder?

Reiner looks over at Eren as they start toward a sword, hoping to gauge how Eren feels about all this. "Any guesses what kind of weapon it will be?"

It will, not it might. Reiner wants to believe this will work.

Edited 2023-09-24 19:23 (UTC)

Eren is a little sceptical about the weapon thing. This is about trust or some shit? Please. He's the least trustworthy person he knows.

But…does Reiner know that? Actually, now he's not sure. Reiner has no idea about all the lies and half-truths Eren has told, even in Ellipsa. It's hard to stop being a liar, he's found, even if he largely does it to spare other people from his horrors.

All of that aside, though, isn't what they have based somewhat on trust? It didn't start there, but somewhere along the line, it became that. It took trust to let Reiner fuck his face like that one time, and that was before he'd decided to trust. It took trust to tell Reiner some of his shit there in the dark.

What do you want to be?
Alive.

He'd never said such a thing to anyone else, only to Reiner.

They hadn't killed each other as titans and they could have.

When did he forget what it was like to trust someone? Obviously Reiner has broken his trust in the past, and he has broken/will break Reiner's in return. For now, though, this is still stolen time.

Reiner asks him a question and he shrugs.

"I don't know. I only know how to use guns and swords. What about you?"

It's a relief that Eren doesn't question that "will be," the confidence Reiner tries to inject into his words. He knows that Eren has no reason to trust him. He knows, too, that Eren does trust him, at least as far as sex is concerned. It's bewildering. Humbling. Overwhelming. Undeserved.

Still, it's hard to shake the feeling that they're walking into an exam without having studied.

At least Reiner has no reason not to trust Eren. Sure, there are things Eren doesn't tell him, strange things and behaviors that go unexplained. But Reiner knows Eren. He knows how vengeful and dangerous Eren is; he knows how profoundly Eren cares for his loved ones; he knows how similar they are in some respects and how different in others. Reiner can trust Eren to be Eren—and really, isn't that enough?

"Just guns, swords, and knives," Reiner confirms. "Unless you count cannons. But if one of us yanks a cannon out of the other, I'm gonna have questions."

Eren makes a half-amused little scoff at that. Imagine pulling a canon out of someone. Maybe if they were titans that would make sense; there'd be plenty of room then. But today they're just boys, as much as they ever can be.

Reiner's betrayal felt deep when he was 15. But the person Reiner betrayed most was always himself, wasn't it, shattering into pieces, trying to be someone else entirely, all of it? Yes, they had lived together. Yes, they had trained and fought together. But Reiner was true to his mission in the end. The betrayal part was…complicated.

Other than that, Eren hasn't actually known Reiner to lie to him on purpose. Under circumstances where Reiner had real choices, he doesn't think Reiner would ever have gone against him. That's as close to trust as he knows how to come, but it's enough.

"Somehow I doubt we're gonna pull cannons out. Doesn't seem easy to wield one. Too stationary." Of course he's mostly talking out his ass since he has no idea how this works.

"How do we know?" he asks. "I mean, which one of us takes a weapon from the other?"

That half-amused scoff isn't the laugh Reiner wishes to one day hear from Eren's lips. However, he considers it a victory nonetheless. A half-smile tugs at his own lips, and he casts Eren a quick look as they continue to walk, unaware (but wholly unashamed) of the warmth in his eyes.

"If it's a cannon, we'll have to ask any enemies to stay nice and still," he jokes. Then, more seriously, "Once we pull out the sword, its 'essence' will enter one of us. Whoever it doesn't enter wields the weapon."

Speaking of swords, they've reached one. The magic blade is buried deep in a rock, looking quite irretrievable. Reiner meets Eren's eyes as he reaches out, one hand grasping the handle.

"Ready, Eren?"

Eren's mouth twitches at the joke but it doesn't form into a smile. Someday. At least he can manage sceptical amusement. It's a step forward, if nothing else.

He can't guess which of them it will be, but in the end it doesn't matter. They're both weapons, so he figures it could go either way.

His eyes move up to Reiner's and he nods, reaching out with a hand to grip the sword as well.

"Yeah. On three," he says. "One. Two…"

darling it's better

Elemental Weapons

Mount Bonding

A;

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B

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Cave Exploration & General Travel

C

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Mermaid Tales & Siren Calls

mermaid tales 2

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Siren Territory

Feast

CLOSED: Vessel & Wielder (for Eren Jaeger)

cw explicit references to sex

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