[ Eren's missing an eye too...but he doesn't say as much as to not broach unpleasant topics. Instead, he focuses on all the warm things the man has mentioned - such as good meals. It's enough to make one laugh if he were within the walls, but here it's not so far away. Eren's mind becomes full of food fantasies.
But that requires getting the ingredients in the first place. Which is what they're here to do. Eren takes the spear silently, and shakes his head. ]
All acts in life are trials, just some...less difficult than others. I'll be fine. [ He hopes. ] Let's get to it, then.
[ Tenderly he moves from where he is to the beach, whereupon he removes his one (1) boot. As he rolls up his pant leg, he makes some light conversation, starting with the most obvious point. ]
[ Oh, it definitely stands out. Mostly because of where he's from. It actually makes him smile. It's been a while since he's heard anything so nostalgic.
Reinhardt is still smiling as he gets his own things ready, his boots removed and his own pants rolls up. ] I'm pleased to meet you, Herr Kruger. I'm Reinhardt. Reinhardt Wilhelm. And I hope we catch a lot. We'll need the energy when we start rowing again.
[ He says "we". He means himself. Eren isn't going to have to row that boat. ]
[ Thank God Eren's intuition is pretty decent. He doesn't know the term, but "herr" comes off to him as some form of title - and with the way Reinhardt uses it, it must be something casual, even friendly. The name nearly rubs Eren the wrong way, but he keeps his cool and shows nothing. ]
The effort will be worth it, I'm sure. Just need to start.
[ And that he does. It's not long before, kneeling on the beach, water creeping up to his knees every so often, that his eye catches the movement of what could very well be their lunch. With a motion that nearly makes a whistle in the air, he chucks his spear. And it hits with deadly precision, on one end of it is a fish that struggles and struggles some more, but in the end quickly bleeds out.
The whole process, however, threw off Eren's balance, and from his position it's very easy to fall into the river - unfortunately enough for him, this is exactly what happens. First he doesn't take it too seriously, hand still on the stick which connects him well enough with solid ground that he thinks he'll be just fine crawling his way back onto the bank. When that doesn't work, he tries to use his hand as a sort of anchor to push himself back in, and in doing so loses his grip, and quickly slips down the stream.
With little else to do, he's at risk of drowning. Please send help. ]
[ Reinhardt's way of fishing uses must less effort. It works for him just fine. It also means he can sort of keep an eye on his companion. Which is good, since it seems that Eren has himself a little problem.
Reinhardt doesn't immediately act. Mostly because he knows that no one likes to feel as if they can't do something. He thinks the young man has got this beat. So he waits and that seems to be a problem. Because Reinhardt can't swim.
He can't swim at all. If he dives in or is pulled in, he's screwed. Yet he still rushes to the edge and reaches down into the water with both hands to try and catch Eren and haul him up to shore without the both of them drowning.] I have you. Don't worry!
[ Crying for help? Not in his lifetime. Despite the severity of the situation, all he does it grit his teeth and bear it until the opportunity arrives to escape - he takes it with desperate fervor, grabbing Reinhardt for support and throwing himself onto the sandy shore. Leaving behind a path in the dirt of the beach, he falls first onto his shoulder and then onto his back, laying spread eagle, sputtering out coughs every now and then.
His panic quickly recedes - it takes just a breath, but it's a breath he wouldn't have been able to take without the help of someone else. For that at least, it beget some praise. ]
...Thank you. [ And after pausing for thought: ] Herr Reinhardt. Quite heroic of you to go to such lengths.
Might I ask what that means, actually? The term "herr". I'm unfamiliar with it.
[ He quickly moves on from the accident, for the sake of his own integrity, but with his clothes wet with his mistakes it was really quite difficult to take his mind off the whole mess. Lot of good rolling up his pants did there. ]
[ Reinhardt just smiles at the young man. He reaches over to give him a soft pat on the damp shoulders, letting him catch his breath. ] Think nothing of it. You are a friend, yes? And friends help each other. Besides, I couldn't forgive myself if I sat by and watched you. I can't swim so...I know what it's like to struggle like that.
[ He settles back, laughing a little when he pulls a small fish from Erin's sodden shirt. ] Looks like you caught one.
[ Another laugh. ] It's a title. In my language it just means Sir or Mister. But I will call you what you like.
[ The gesture is both welcome and unwelcome. The former because Eren is, at the moment, cold as shit (how does that work?), the latter because he's just naturally averse to being touched. But it's not as if he can do anything about it, and understanding that the intent is, quite honestly, kind and well-meaning, he resigns himself to it.
There's even a joke to appreciate, which helps in getting his spirits up after that flop on his part. ]
That's hardly even a mouthful after being roasted... [ Eren quirks a brow before pushing himself off the ground. ] Looks like my being foolhardy nearly got us both into a bind. My apologies. Though I can't help but wonder - and I mean no offense in asking - but...how old are you? I would have thought someone of your age would have experience with something as rudimentary as swimming.
[ It's a good thing that Erin isn't complaining about being cold because Reinhardt would have just given the younger man the shit off his back. As it is, he'll happily start the fire for the fish early to have a place for Erin to dry out. ]
It's a good snack to enjoy while waiting for the real meal.
[ If the fish haven't been scared away. If so, Reinhardt will scrounge for something. He won't let this young man go hungry.
And laughs brightly at the question. He knows with his silver hair and his beard and the age lines on his face, he must seem terribly old.]
Me? I'm 61. And if you wish to know, it's because I've always been so very large, even as a child. Even in the rivers and lakes, when my parents would let me swim, I was tall enough to just stand on the bottom. By the time I was around your age, I had joined a military group that wore heavy metal armor. In that armor, even the best swimmer would have drowned, so I just never learned how. Which means that once we're back in the boat, I'm counting on you to keep me from falling out while I row us the rest of the way.
[ It's a story that, though Eren hadn't been interested initially to hear, intrigues him the more it goes on. To him, there's humor in the fact that, rather than simply not knowing how to swim, the opportunity to learn just never showed up. He missed his chance for the six decades of his life. Not that Reinhardt would have been practicing since birth, though.
It's when Reinhardt himself implies that he'll be relying on him later on that Eren visibly balks at the idea, eye widening just a smidgen. ]
...
[ As much as he'd have liked to immediately deny the idea that he should be relied on - God knows, he shouldn't - it wasn't so bad, and neither was he so bad a person to strike down a person's good faith in such a mundane situation as this. ]
I'll keep that in mind. We've had an easy time of that so far, it's just this fiasco that's been troublesome. I think... [ Sighing - but not with disappointment, just resignation. Everyone had their roles. Eren's just wasn't in hunting. ] I'll leave the fishing to you. I'll have to start myself a fire just to dry, so take your time. We can eat after that.
[ Reinhardt gives the younger man a smile at that reaction. It hurts his heart a little to think that no one might have been willing to trust Erin. Well, Reinhardt will. Even if they'd just met, Reinhardt will just trusts.
So when his unreasonable request is finally agreed to, that grin just goes broader. ] I feel safer at the rest of the water crossing already. Safer and warmer. I look forward to that fire, my friend, and I'll see just how many fish I can get us to cook up. And if you feel like it, you can always join me with one of my poles. An extra hand on the lines is always best. [ He'll leave it open. No pressure to do anything but sit in front of the fire to get warm and dry. ]
[ It was difficult for others to trust you when you could hardly trust yourself. Eren was grateful that Reinhardt was willing to extend an uncommon courtesy and for that, silently made to gather kindling and the like without a single complaint. Everything after that was easily accomplished - it's with little trouble that he manages to get the fire going and before long their beach becomes just that much warmer.
With little else to do besides sit there, he finds himself uncharacteristically taking comfort in the heat. It was really rather rare for there to be anything on his mind but the next battle - here, at least, he was liberated of that. And in some sense, he was relieved. His shoulders no longer bore the burden of an entire nation, and yet... ]
...
[ He sighs. What was lost could never be regained. He shouldn't dwell on his world anymore. He turns his head to peek behind him. ]
[ Reinhardt has gotten his lines into the water. He's even taking off his shirt to fashion as a little net. He knows he's giving the young man a show, but it's fine. He's trying to make it so that Eren is comfortable in removing things to make it dry faster. ]
Thank you. That fire looks warm and perfect. If you'd be so kind as to get some sticks and help get that first fish roasted.
[ Reinhardt is just going to use that shirt of his as well as his makeshift poles to drag up quite a few fish for them both. ]
[ Eren's response is a curt, but very comfortable - ] Sure.
[ To which he follows up with making his way up the beach towards the trees, looking for only the driest, firmest, and thinnest fallen branches to cook on. He is, in fact, quite enthusiastic about this, though by average standard's he just looks like he's doing his job.
It's not long before he's gathered up a handful of them and returned, shivering, to the fire, laying them all out besides the embers. Seeing that there's already fish just waiting to be charred, he gets on it, setting them up so that they're speared all the way through and roasting right where they should be.
The smell alone is enough to make Eren's empty stomach rumble. ]
[ Reinhardt watches the young man and smiles a little. It's good to see the young man willing to still try, even after such a scary experience. He appreciates such bravery and stubbornness.
He continues to go back and forth until he's certain there's enough fish for two before he plops in front of the fire to try and get warm from being shirtless and wet. ]
I can't wait to dig in. But you go first. Since you worked hard at getting this wonderful fire going. [ That and he wanted to make sure he didn't eat more than his fair share. He knows he easily could. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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But that requires getting the ingredients in the first place. Which is what they're here to do. Eren takes the spear silently, and shakes his head. ]
All acts in life are trials, just some...less difficult than others. I'll be fine. [ He hopes. ] Let's get to it, then.
[ Tenderly he moves from where he is to the beach, whereupon he removes his one (1) boot. As he rolls up his pant leg, he makes some light conversation, starting with the most obvious point. ]
Your name. Mine's...Kruger.
[ German in origin, it must stand out...right? ]
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Reinhardt is still smiling as he gets his own things ready, his boots removed and his own pants rolls up. ] I'm pleased to meet you, Herr Kruger. I'm Reinhardt. Reinhardt Wilhelm. And I hope we catch a lot. We'll need the energy when we start rowing again.
[ He says "we". He means himself. Eren isn't going to have to row that boat. ]
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The effort will be worth it, I'm sure. Just need to start.
[ And that he does. It's not long before, kneeling on the beach, water creeping up to his knees every so often, that his eye catches the movement of what could very well be their lunch. With a motion that nearly makes a whistle in the air, he chucks his spear. And it hits with deadly precision, on one end of it is a fish that struggles and struggles some more, but in the end quickly bleeds out.
The whole process, however, threw off Eren's balance, and from his position it's very easy to fall into the river - unfortunately enough for him, this is exactly what happens. First he doesn't take it too seriously, hand still on the stick which connects him well enough with solid ground that he thinks he'll be just fine crawling his way back onto the bank. When that doesn't work, he tries to use his hand as a sort of anchor to push himself back in, and in doing so loses his grip, and quickly slips down the stream.
With little else to do, he's at risk of drowning. Please send help. ]
no subject
Reinhardt doesn't immediately act. Mostly because he knows that no one likes to feel as if they can't do something. He thinks the young man has got this beat. So he waits and that seems to be a problem. Because Reinhardt can't swim.
He can't swim at all. If he dives in or is pulled in, he's screwed. Yet he still rushes to the edge and reaches down into the water with both hands to try and catch Eren and haul him up to shore without the both of them drowning.] I have you. Don't worry!
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His panic quickly recedes - it takes just a breath, but it's a breath he wouldn't have been able to take without the help of someone else. For that at least, it beget some praise. ]
...Thank you. [ And after pausing for thought: ] Herr Reinhardt. Quite heroic of you to go to such lengths.
Might I ask what that means, actually? The term "herr". I'm unfamiliar with it.
[ He quickly moves on from the accident, for the sake of his own integrity, but with his clothes wet with his mistakes it was really quite difficult to take his mind off the whole mess. Lot of good rolling up his pants did there. ]
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[ He settles back, laughing a little when he pulls a small fish from Erin's sodden shirt. ] Looks like you caught one.
[ Another laugh. ] It's a title. In my language it just means Sir or Mister. But I will call you what you like.
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There's even a joke to appreciate, which helps in getting his spirits up after that flop on his part. ]
That's hardly even a mouthful after being roasted... [ Eren quirks a brow before pushing himself off the ground. ] Looks like my being foolhardy nearly got us both into a bind.
My apologies. Though I can't help but wonder - and I mean no offense in asking - but...how old are you? I would have thought someone of your age would have experience with something as rudimentary as swimming.
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It's a good snack to enjoy while waiting for the real meal.
[ If the fish haven't been scared away. If so, Reinhardt will scrounge for something. He won't let this young man go hungry.
And laughs brightly at the question. He knows with his silver hair and his beard and the age lines on his face, he must seem terribly old.]
Me? I'm 61. And if you wish to know, it's because I've always been so very large, even as a child. Even in the rivers and lakes, when my parents would let me swim, I was tall enough to just stand on the bottom. By the time I was around your age, I had joined a military group that wore heavy metal armor. In that armor, even the best swimmer would have drowned, so I just never learned how. Which means that once we're back in the boat, I'm counting on you to keep me from falling out while I row us the rest of the way.
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It's when Reinhardt himself implies that he'll be relying on him later on that Eren visibly balks at the idea, eye widening just a smidgen. ]
...
[ As much as he'd have liked to immediately deny the idea that he should be relied on - God knows, he shouldn't - it wasn't so bad, and neither was he so bad a person to strike down a person's good faith in such a mundane situation as this. ]
I'll keep that in mind. We've had an easy time of that so far, it's just this fiasco that's been troublesome. I think... [ Sighing - but not with disappointment, just resignation. Everyone had their roles. Eren's just wasn't in hunting. ] I'll leave the fishing to you. I'll have to start myself a fire just to dry, so take your time. We can eat after that.
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So when his unreasonable request is finally agreed to, that grin just goes broader. ] I feel safer at the rest of the water crossing already. Safer and warmer. I look forward to that fire, my friend, and I'll see just how many fish I can get us to cook up. And if you feel like it, you can always join me with one of my poles. An extra hand on the lines is always best. [ He'll leave it open. No pressure to do anything but sit in front of the fire to get warm and dry. ]
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With little else to do besides sit there, he finds himself uncharacteristically taking comfort in the heat. It was really rather rare for there to be anything on his mind but the next battle - here, at least, he was liberated of that. And in some sense, he was relieved. His shoulders no longer bore the burden of an entire nation, and yet... ]
...
[ He sighs. What was lost could never be regained. He shouldn't dwell on his world anymore. He turns his head to peek behind him. ]
Herr Reinhardt? It's all ready.
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Thank you. That fire looks warm and perfect. If you'd be so kind as to get some sticks and help get that first fish roasted.
[ Reinhardt is just going to use that shirt of his as well as his makeshift poles to drag up quite a few fish for them both. ]
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[ To which he follows up with making his way up the beach towards the trees, looking for only the driest, firmest, and thinnest fallen branches to cook on. He is, in fact, quite enthusiastic about this, though by average standard's he just looks like he's doing his job.
It's not long before he's gathered up a handful of them and returned, shivering, to the fire, laying them all out besides the embers. Seeing that there's already fish just waiting to be charred, he gets on it, setting them up so that they're speared all the way through and roasting right where they should be.
The smell alone is enough to make Eren's empty stomach rumble. ]
no subject
He continues to go back and forth until he's certain there's enough fish for two before he plops in front of the fire to try and get warm from being shirtless and wet. ]
I can't wait to dig in. But you go first. Since you worked hard at getting this wonderful fire going. [ That and he wanted to make sure he didn't eat more than his fair share. He knows he easily could. ]