"Floodlights on the Square"

[Reiner Dornkirk]

"Floodlights on the Square"
The Morning of 46th Ash, 122
Location: CLASSIFIED

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It felt like Reiner had finally just fallen asleep, when Kuno nudged him awake to start the day. As soon as his eyes fluttered open, his weary mind remembered why it was thus and tension collected at the pit of his stomach. The first time he'd tried to sleep last night, he'd failed because of guilt and worry over having ruined his friendship with thoughtlessness. The second time he'd tried to find slumber, it eluded him due to confused humiliation at having had an unexpected and very unwanted physical reaction to a bit of closeness during an intimate moment. But it was supposed to have been intimate without being erotic. Two brothers in arms... roommates and best friends who'd grown close enough to be vulnerable and share feelings with one another. It was that sort of bond you heard about in great war stories, and learned about in boot camp. But it wasn't something base or dirty, so why did he feel like this?

Kuno couldn't have handled it more gingerly or consolingly, for which Reiner was very grateful. Utterly embarrassed, he'd been relieved at the suggestion that they just try to sleep. He could hope Kuno was still halfway in the land of Nod and would forget this come daybreak, but that seemed a spurious dream. Who forgot a thing like that? It was so... Aberrant!

Even so, his roommate was the nurturing type and had not only gone out of his way to explain that it was a non-issue (which Reiner wasn't inclined to believe), but he even went as far as to nestle against him, rather than forsaking his touch. Reiner couldn't say he'd have done the same, if Kuno had exhibited some kind of deviant interest in him. He might have shot right out of the bed like a bullet. Not Kuno, though. He just snuggled on up and fell asleep, while Reiner was assaulted by battalions of fell thoughts. And just when they'd calmed enough to let him rest, now he and they were roused for an early day and an important task.

He rubbed his eyes, looking around as he sat up. Perhaps he'd been out longer than he realized, as Kuno was half-dressed already.

"Oh... did you shower?" His voice cracked several times with the formidable morning rasp he'd earned with his restlessness.

[Rune]

The fact that one Konrad Kämpfer's bed mate had reacted, specifically to him, in a way that, seen in a certain light, might have implied interest beyond that of brothers in arms was one he had tucked away in lieu getting as much sleep as possible before morning. Now it was morning, said bed mate was still abed, snoring softly and seeming dead to the world.

The private could be afforded a few extra minutes of sleep while Kuno rose, set a kettle to boil so they could both imbibe much needed caffeine, and took the first shower. There was not time to linger in the blessedly still hot water, but if the lieutenant took a few moments to attend to necessities beyond washing, well, that was his own business. The idea that, even if it was only subconscious, Private Dornkirk might find his company in their bed more than simply comforting was, in itself, comforting and also more.

It was also nice to have the belief that, if his own body decided to make itself a nuisance it was now highly unlikely that he would be shunned or even kicked out of their shared sleeping accommodation.

Thus it was that when he went to wake the sleeper Kuno was chipper, despite short and troubled night's rest.

"Up and at 'em, soldier!" He said, more gently than a drill sergeant would have but still with enough energy that it would wake as intended. The handsome face contorted into an only partly put-on wince at the sound of the private's voice. If anyone had seen them they would have assumed it had been Reiner who's spent the night in terror-dreams and then weeping.

"Shower is all yours, I'm done, even left you some hot water, and the coffee is almost done. You're welcome."

As early as it was he assumed they had a reasonable expectation of being given breakfast aboard ship. Even if they weren't Kuno found it uncomfortable to eat when he hadn't slept enough, so the loss would be for Reiner alone.

He did not make any comment about any of what had passed between them the night before, instead passing a steaming mug into his friend's hands even before he pulled himself from bed. As they had packed the night before all there was to do was shower and dress and get to the ship before the appointed hour. Kuno had left a good hour for Reiner to do the first two and them to make the walk together so if the other man wanted to take care of any lingering physical difficulties, he had a little leeway.

[Reiner Dornkirk]

Reiner blinked and started at Kuno's volume and chipper attitude. This was a far cry from the man who'd woken him last night in a fit of sobs and sorrows. He wrinkled his nose with a groan and ran his hands through his dark hair, yawning.

Sitting up, he rolled his neck and shoulders, all of which cracked.

"Man, Kämpfer..." He rasped, taking the mug by the handle and cupping the bowl of it with his other hand as it was offered over, "You sure know how to treat a fella. If you were a woman, I'd make an honest one of ya..." He felt a pang of weirdness, making one of his frequent allusions to their resemblance of a newlywed couple after everything that had transpired the prior night. From Kuno's concerns about Renata, up through Reiner's unfortunate mishap, it seemed a rather delicate topic, after a fashion. But in a way, the private was subtly making an excuse for and to himself. By feminizing Kuno as a wifely figure, he could better get his head around the confusion of the prior evening. After all, it had been very late after a long stressful day that had begun early. He'd just been woken abruptly a few minutes before, and surely part of his mind was still in the realm of dreams where strange and fanciful connections were often forged. He'd just had a smooth, long lithe body in his arms, and looking down at Kuno's back, Reiner had noticed some of his characteristics that might be described as feminine and, besides... The private may have suggested the lieutenant was pent up from having bunked in such close quarters with him, but that implication worked both ways. Reiner hadn't come up with that supposition out of thin air, it had been a problem for him as well. He was a twenty two year old boy, and he'd been abstaining for a wildly unnatural span of time for someone of his hormone count.

After taking a few, fortifying sips of the coffee he mustered the might (though, in truth not the will,) to rise to his bare feet. He placed his mug down on the night stand and undressed for his shower. He was grateful for the hot water and, as was ever the case during this unasked for chaste period, he strained at the task of washing his nethers, but he did not indulge in an attempt to tend to the matter while Kuno was so close at hand. Reiner was much too shy about such things and, after last night's incident, he would have been all in his head about whether the lieutenant could tell what he was doing and suspect it was about him. Surely that would have been a bridge too far, even if the thoughts of that long, smooth back and the tender kiss to his neck were enough to rouse him again.

"Fuck!" The word was a hissed whisper, but it would be the only aberrant sound Kuno might glean over the sound of the pattering water and scrubbing soap.

He finished up, dried off and dressed in the new uniform- coming and slicking down his hair with pomade, which then went into the duffel for the journey.

"Alright, boss. Ready when you are."

[Rune]

The tall man in his crisp, fitted uniform stopped what he was doing and fluttered his eyelashes at the messy haired, sleep wrinkles form still half under the covers. Pitching his voice up unnaturally high he said,

"Awww! You say the sweetest things." With a little bouncing back kick with one foot he dropped the act and laughed, returning to the task of making his own cup of coffee. The easy teasing between the two men was, in his mind, further proof that despite the events of the previous night, both before and after they went to bed, their relationship was intact, and, if anything, stronger for it.

Watching the private undress with no more or less shyness than he ever had also helped solidify the idea that nothing substantial had been changed. Though his listened, Kuno heard nary a peep that might imply physical satisfaction aside from a single swear word which was more likely to imply some small mishap as than release.

"Inspection, Private!" The lieutenant barked playfully once Reiner declared himself ready to go. The goose-stepped around the shorter man with an overly dramatic serious expression and pretended to find specks of non-existent dirt or other things until he was back around facing his friend.

"Kidding! You look perfect, shiney as a new pfenning. Let's go."

Leaning down to snatch up his bag he waited for Reiner to do the same before letting them out and locking the door behind him. His long legs caught up to the other man before they reached the bottom of the stairs and, for a moment, it looked like he might intend to race him all the way to the airfield. Kuno stopped after only a few feet and laughed, waiting for the private to catch up before matching pace with him.

The walk wasn't too far but during it Kuno realized that the other man might not have one of the very warm long coats that the men of the ZADC were given to weather storms and cold while in the clouds. Considering their new home was in the clouds he suspected the coats might become common fashion soon enough but he would also ask the Captain if there might be an extra for his friend.

On arrival they found the ship in the final stages of preparation to embark. Kuno presented himself to the Captain with a smart salute and let Reiner do the same. The mustachioed, older man who ran the Noble Gambit looked them over with a grunt for their strange new uniforms but saluted them back and told them where they were to bunk.

It became obvious as they made their way to the cabin that had been, unexpectedly, set aside for them, that no one seemed quite what to do when assigned to escort a private. Reiner was not a civilian or a member of government, he was a soldier, with a rank. The mission was about him but was he to be deferred to?

The Captain seemed at ease with the situation but most of the crew appeared not sure if they should be saluting the newest Dornkirk like an officer, giving him the respect of a Minister, or treating him like they would a new member of the crew. Kuno, realizing this, walked in front once they entered the smaller passages below deck so people saluted him if they did now know him and greeted him if they did. Those that knew him well enough to know he'd just been promoted did both, sometimes making a playful joke or slapping him on the back. Reiner was able to either greet the men they encountered or fade into the background as he chose.

The Gambit was a large enough ship that officers were given cabins, lieutenants would be expected to share. In recognition of Reiner's important mission and Kuno's promotion it seemed the Captain had decided to give them a cabin together. The room, once they found it, was tiny but neat, with two bunks build into the walls with airmans' chests secured to the floor at their feet.

Kuno slipped his whole duffel into the chest without bothering to unpack anything and threw himself onto the bunk he had chosen.

"Almost like home, eh? Except you'll have to privilege of not having to deal with my cold feet, nor I your blanket thievery." Green eyes darted over Reiner darkly before Kuno grinned to show it was all in fun.

[Reiner Dornkirk]

Reiner wasn't sure he'd ever seen Kuno in such high spirits. It was odd, after the evening they'd had. At first he didn't understand it, but somewhere along the line he decided that the lieutenant was putting on an act for his benefit. He became certain this was all an exaggerated show of comfort, in spite of Reiner's little lapse. There were moments when he wondered whether it wasn't mocking, or whether it might betoken some sort of comeuppance later, but he preferred to think it was intended as a kindness. Even if the whole ordeal did lend to Reiner the notion that Kuno wasn't a very good actor.

Once his mock-inspection was complete, he gathered up his things and headed out the door and down the steps. Part of him wanted to address last night's events. He knew he'd have to at some point, but with Kuno being so free and easy and Reiner feeling so anxious about the whole thing, he figured he could let it lie. It was probably wiser to broach it when they weren't in public anyway, just in case things went awry.

Upon reaching the Noble Gambit, Reiner was finally able to get out of his head a little to take in a view of the vessel. It was kind of a dream come true to be heading onto a real airship. The spartan, military transports and the little yachts-cum-ferries didn't count. This was the sort of ship he'd imagined himself captaining when he'd been a boy.

He was drawn from his reverie by the appearance of the captain, and he saluted sharply a split second after Kuno did. If the crew was bemused and uncomfortable by the strangeness of Reiner's role, the private himself was tenfold disconcerted. He was singled out, set apart, and... in the scheme of things, not very important in his own estimation. He just represented people who were important and was accorded privilege for that incidental circumstance.

Being quickly put back into his bashful box, Reiner was more than happy to let Kuno lead them through the ship. He would be friendly if he was introduced around, but he wouldn't seek out new connections independently. He wasn't a morning person at the best of times, and now that he was in this weird position he wasn't feeling particularly social.

It was something of a relief to find himself back in a more private setting so soon. He unshouldered his bag, and let it tumble to the floor near the other chest.

"I don't mind your feet," He wrinkled his nose, "Sorry 'bout the blankets, though. Only child problems." He bit his lip,

"So... are we supposed to do anything before takeoff, or what?" He sat down on the edge of his bunk, with a weary sigh, rubbing his eyes which were still disinclined to remain open, even after coffee and cold air.

[Rune]

Kuno raised a brow at the casual toss of the bag to the floor.

"Might not want to leave that there, once we start moving, if the wind kicks up, no knowing where it'll end up." The duffel, to be fair, would probably be fine, unless any of it's contents were fragile, but it was a warning that would hopefully stick around should the private decide to leave out his rifle cleaning kit or similar.

"At least you're little enough that even when you hog there is some left for the rest of us." Teasing Reiner about his totally normal height was something Kuno indulged in only occasionally, no use beating a joke to death, particularly when it might come to genuinely upset the other man.

"Once we're in the air properly I'll be heading to the officers' meeting with the Captain to get my standing orders and duty rotation. I imagine you'll be receiving your orders in written form after take off as well."

It was probably no longer needed that orders for secretive of sensitive missions be handed out after a ship had left port under the current circumstances, but the Minister had been military and most of the rest of those in charge of the Islands still were. It made him wonder how many routine actions were being done out of habit now, rather than necessity. It was something to keep and eye out for, if he could make suggestions to increase efficiency or reduce waste in this new world it would speak well of his capacity to adjust to changing situations. Anything that could get him closer to that next promotion was worth trying. His new insignia had barely been pinned to his chest and already his instincts were squirming for better. Ambition was a good characteristic in an officer, but Kuno knew that his own was motivated more by an overactive need to survive than any ideas of patriotism or honor.

"Shouldn't be long now, just have a seat and, once we're away, we can see if you have air-legs or will need to develop them."

At that moment there was a set of bell clangs and one long whistle. Kuno's eyes raised toward the upper deck as though he were hearing speech and said, "There you go, we're off!"

It took a moment to realize that, of course, Reiner had no idea what the signals meant.

"We'll have to teach you what the bells and whistles mean in our off hours. Seems like, considering where we live now, it'll be useful for you."

[Reiner Dornkirk]

"Huh? Oh..." Reiner visibly blushed, embarrassed at his little blunder as he crouched to collect his duffel and put it properly into the chest as Kuno had.

"Ugh, I'm not little, you're just tall!" There was clearly a bit of actual irritation mixed in with the verbal sparring, but it just made Reiner push the envelope a bit farther in his retort:

"...Probably a little Avialae in your background... Come to think of it, I did notice some little feathers sprouting at your shoulder blades, when I saw your bare back last night."

When Kuno got down to business, Reiner sat upright and nodded firmly, as if a switch flipped from flippant to formal.

"Aye, aye!" The formal fell away quickly, "...Did I say that right?" But returned straight away. "That makes sense. Do you know how long we have until take-off? Oh..." It seemed just as soon as Kuno uttered his answer, the whole ship broadcast its impending departure. Reiner scooted over to the edge of the bed, and held onto on of the poles that kept it in place. Once the clangor dwindled enough, he decided to hazard addressing the elephant that had followed them from their usual room to their current.

"Lieutenant, er... Kuno, do you think we have time to talk? About last night?" He bit his lip and glanced to the floor between them. "I really appreciate you acting like everything's hunky dory, but I feel like I've got some stuff to get off my chest, still? Just to kind of, uhhh... Clarify some things I think I've figured out about what happened. But... we don't hafta talk about any of this if it makes you uncomfortable. I'm just trying to save face or, uh... I guess reclaim the face I lost? I... don't want you to think I'm a weirdo."

[Rune]

Kuno raised a brow at the suggestion that he might have tainted blood somewhere in his history but just snorted rather than reply. The one that had come to mind, 'You sure didn't seem to mind last night.' felt impolitic so soon after the incident.

"Not bad," Was his answer to the question as to the correct salute, "But just one 'Aye' is usually sufficient, we aren't a pirate penny dreadful."

The second question answered itself as the room around them shuddered and the ship slipped its moorings. The lieutenant's body moved with the ship's swaying as though he was a part of it but he didn't make fun of Reiner for clinging to the bed pole. The first time the street kid named Kuno had come up in a ship he'd been sick for two days before his air-legs found him.

He sat up when the other man's tone changed and raised one brow enough to imply he was listening but not so much that it was sarcastic. When the subject matter was suggested the brow lowered and was replaced by a small, curious frown. He wasn't sure which part of the evening was being referred to and as Reiner went on it did not become clearer.

"Do you mean... the nightmares?" They, and what had come after them, the stormy weeping and subsequent conversation were the central part of the evening for Kuno but that did not seem to be what they were talking about. It took another moment before he smiled and shook his head.

"Oh, you mean that." He gave a very slight nod toward the front of Reiner's uniform trousers. "Have you seriously never had that happen in close quarters with other soldiers?" The question was genuine. Even navy men who weren't of Kuno's sexual perversion ended up hard while bunking with others.

"I suppose you army types have enough room to sleep far enough away from each other, eh?" It wasn't teasing, more a realization. Scooting till they were sitting face to face, almost knee to knee in the close confines he said, "Look at this room. This is an officer's room. The enlisted men, they sleep two to a bunk on most ships. Maybe not this one, being as large as it is, but room is at a premium on ships and I doubt you can find a man among them who hasn't woken up or fallen asleep with a similar complaint as yours last night. Not unless he got his balls shot off. I didn't react to it because it isn't weird for me."

He shrugged, doing all he could to convey the normality of the situation.

"We're all men, most of us very young ones, we can't let shit like that mess with our heads. Here even more than on the ground. If you're off your game here you could get everyone on your ship killed even before you encounter the enemy."

[Reiner Dornkirk]

At being informed they weren't living in pirate pulp, Reiner sighed exaggeratedly.

"A boy can dream, can't he, matey?"

The private tightened his grip on the beam in his arms as the ship actually started to move. As if things hadn't felt odd enough to eyes that hadn't been shut in sleep for long enough, now the more steady approximation of 'terra firma' that represented the islands gave way to the groan, quake and wobble of a smaller vessel quitting its berth.

"No, not the nightmares the-... Yeah." Good, he got it. He was glad it didn't need to be spoken aloud, though he didn't love the way Kuno gestured to his junk.

Reiner sort of scoffed at the cross-examination,

"I mean, I guess, probably..." He'd have scratched the back of his neck if he weren't clinging to a metal bar so, instead, he pressed his face against the cool steel. It felt kind of nice against his cheek. "But no one ever noticed or nothin'. Man, when I was like seventeen? Just wearing the wrong underwear would make me want to hump my desk in history class, but I just..." As the lieutenant leaned forward, Reiner paused to let him say his piece. He reluctantly drew his face from the cool beam, so he was more lined up with Kuno. He no longer felt like he was going to slide across the room if he wasn't holding on for dear life, so he just let his right hand grip the beam so the rest of his body could sit more toward the middle of the bunk.

"Ah... Yeah, that makes sense. I didn't think of that." He felt really, genuinely consoled for the first time. "And I just... also wanted to say that... Well, you know last night when I was talking about thinkin' maybe you were all pent up? I may have been, uhh... projecting a bit. It's been a while since I've had someplace to myself, so I haven't really... Y'know. Gone to a staff meeting?" He cracked a crooked, awkward smile that seemed as embarrassed about the pun as the situation that had given it rise.

"So, I think I'm just a little more sensitive than usual, and uh..." He chuckled and now he did scratch the back of his neck, since he had a free hand. "You probably didn't even notice this, but you whispered something last night real close to my neck and you kinda kissed it a little?" He forced a laugh, "Man, when you haven't had relief in two whole weeks, your body is ready and rarin', so... Yeah." He chuckled, "Maybe at some point tonight you can go for a stroll on the deck and give me, I dunno... half an hour in here? Eh, who am I kidding? After two weeks? Gimme three minutes and two of 'em will be clean up."

[Rune]

Kuno had been already in the navy by seventeen, the lowest rank and, as there was, at that time, no war, had been given time to learn the ropes. Literally and figuratively, it turned out, for he had already been tall and good at climbing. He did not say any of that, for he was not proud of the fact that his education, such as it had been, had been of short duration. He could read and do sums as well as any man aboard but he had learned the math on the ships once he learned he would need it if he ever wanted to be promoted out of the rope lines.

Instead he reached over and clapped Reiner on the arm,

"See, no problem."

Seeing that the other man was already clinging less he said, "And look, you're already getting your balance. I was motion sick for days when I was assigned my first ship."

When the conversation concerning arousal continued he was a little surprised but not bothered, listening to Reiner talk about his constrained desires would have been quite pleasant had Kuno the freedom to do more than sympathize or tease about them.

"Aye." Tone sounding a bit pent up and regretful of the inability to do aught about it, letting the sympathy build between them as two men bereft of female company. "I wasn't denying what you said, only, like I said, when you're on a ship with only men for months and months on end you get less shy about taking yourself in hand." Green eyes glanced down and the faintest of flushes just hinted over his cheekbones,

"I've, eh, I've been taking care of it, in the shower. You could do the same when we're home or, wherever really. No showers on the smaller ships I was on as a lad so we just learned to give a man the courtesy of not watching." Most men had, anyway. Those who did watch often ended up pressed against a supply barrel behind a wall of other supply barrels with his hand clamped over their mouths, but that was a tale that would never pass his lips in life.

The euphemism earned a hearty laugh, "I might have to tell Captain Merovech that one after our, ehem, staff meeting later."

He laughed again, more softly, pushing surprise that he did not feel into it.

"Did I? I was already mostly asleep again, don't even remember until you moved and I thought I'd pinched you or something."

He hadn't been asleep, and the slight brush of his lips had been a comfort he allowed himself in his adrenaline let down that he hadn't been able to help. The response Reiner had had was far more gratifying than the hoped for either ignoring it or not noticing. Perhaps the private was simply quite pent up and still young enough that his body didn't care overmuch what was stimulating it. What the other option might be he did not think the words of, but the emotion sat warm in his belly as he pulled himself up to his feet.

"On that note, I'm off to my meeting. You could stay here and cling to your pole if you want, but I might suggest you wait till this evening. No telling if the Captain has already sent someone with your orders who will arrive as soon as I depart."

He gave a cheeky wink, then straightened his coat and made for the door.