[ 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. ]
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no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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. ]
no subject
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.
no subject
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. ]
no subject
[ 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. ]