Legend of Ransera

Reiner blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in Kuno's demeanor. At first he thought it might have just been a playful tantrum, like usual. They often pretended to be cross with one another when they were satirizing the fancy fops who'd kept the working man down, or the newlywed couple they often unintentionally evoked as such swimmingly complementary roommates.. But Kuno had never seemed genuinely mad at him, apart from once. It had been early on- the time he'd misspoken and earned the then-private's ire for seeming to claim that he had it worse facing the Blitz from afar than those who'd been in the thick of it.

"Whoa, Kuno... are you all right?" But the lieutenant seemed to be rushing to get away from him. His heart sank. "Konrad! Please talk to me?" If the man had looked back, he'd have seen Reiner's expression was harrowed and haunted. Terrified he'd done irreparable harm, but having no clue what he'd done to deal it. Then the influence of the beer the lieutenant had shared, took Reiner's mind in another direction...

As Kuno continued to ignore him, and outpace him his fear turned toward anger. This wasn't fair, at all. It was... womanish! Giving him the silent treatment and running off without even cluing him in as to his wrongdoing. How could you litigate his innocence, if he didn't understand the charge? Because surely he was innocent! In just two weeks, Kuno had become his best friend in the world. Both of their worlds were so much smaller now that Zaichaer was rent by breaches. These were times when friends were all important and their bond felt so potent to Reiner. How could Kuno turn on him like this? Eventually he slowed his pace. If Kuno wanted to be a bitch, let him.

That was all well and good until he actually got back to the apartment and his hand trembled as it reached for the door. That wasn't anger. The fear was back, because maybe he'd really hurt Kuno. He'd been thoughtless before. It wasn't out of the question that he'd been thus tonight. He took a breath and he tried the handle. Kuno hadn't locked it, so that was something, he supposed. Still, he didn't say a word when he stepped inside. He just locked the door, took off his shoes, removed his coat and folded it. Pretty routine, all things considered, except for the silence that hung between them like a pall.

He took a seat at the edge of the bed, burying his face in his hands and sighing. By and by, he lifted his head to look across the room at Kuno by the stove, facing away from him. Finally, he had to break the silence, because he couldn't take it anymore.

"Hey..." His eyes darted to the floor. He wasn't sure he could face that green-eyed gaze directly, right now. "I... must've done something to really irk you, and... I won't lie and say I know what it is, but I'm real, real sorry, Kuno. You're..." He clenched his eyes shut. Fucking beer must've been making him histrionic, because his eyes were moist and stinging.

"You're my best friend, all right? If I hurt you, tell me how to fix it. I can't stand having you mad at me. It makes me want to jump off the island."

"Of course we're friends!" Reiner replied, incredulous. "I spend every waking moment with you that one of us isn't working toward the betterment of the State!" Apparently family supper at White Knight Hall fell under that umbrella to Reiner, but shouldn't it? They'd broached important things and he'd participated.

"Even today when I was super hungry, I didn't just stop and get something on the quick, I wanted to have dinner with you and talk about our days, and we did!" He knitted his brow, bemused at Kuno's train of thought. Before he had time for conjecture, which would have likely led him to the possibility of jealousy, Kuno sat beside him. He quickly turned, pulling one leg up onto the bed so he could face the other man directly- part of him wanted to reach for him physically, and his body language broadcast that, but he didn't. That would've made things weirder.

It was easier to look Kuno in the eye now that he wasn't being cold, but he seemed so vulnerable it broke Reiner's heart.

"You did! We are brothers-in-arms!" He protested, shaking his head uncomprehending as to how Kuno could feel otherwise. As he started to speak of Renata, he tilted his head, eyes widening. Where the fuck was this heading? His posture stiffened, and his fingers curled against the fabric of his sleek new slacks.

"What?" The turn Kuno took next was half relieving, half confusing, but either way- His stance relaxed significantly.

"Married? Settle down? Start a f-... Kuno, I'm twenty two years old. I've never had a girlfriend for more than a couple of months, and my duty is to Zaichaer, to our people, to... to getting things back on track, so civilians can think about stuff like kids and families. I'm nowhere near any of that, I just... I was being social, is all, and she was cute, wasn't she?" He sighed, smiling for the first time since they'd gotten back,

"I thought you sat us over there because you wanted to... Y'know, maybe get your rocks off. I know you don't get us much privacy as you used to, since I started bunking here. I thought you might be a bit, um... pent up?" That might actually explain the severity of this mood, Reiner thought, biting his lip and searching Kuno's eyes for further clarity.

Reiner's smile melted like first frost, as he finally came around to comprehension of Kuno's meaning.

"Ohhh." He tipped his head down, suddenly wishing there were more beer. "I didn't-... I wasn't thinking about any of that. I was just... having a good time. I guess I wasn't thinking much at all." He grimaced, fingers starting to fidget together over the knee of the one leg that was up on the bed with them.

"It's so small up here..." There were so few people, and so many of them were important. Not that grunts like him weren't important, but they were scientists and strategists- Leaders with training and experience far beyond Reiner's years. Kuno was right. He couldn't just toy with the hearts of their daughters.

"I wasn't... I asked her on a date, I wasn't going to just... I've always been real respectful. I'm not an asshole or... or sexual predator, Kuno, I hope you know that. I didn't mean I thought you were either, I... Like I said. Not much thinking going on. Ugh..." Now he'd run the full gamut of his least favorite emotions. Embarrassment had just come calling. He sighed heavily and just plopped down on his back, both legs now hanging over the edge of the bed and his hands covering his face.

"What the fuuuuck..." He groaned quietly into his palms. After a moment, he let his arms fall to the sides. His hazel eyes gazed weakly at the ceiling above. There was the stain of an old watermark there, and he let his eyes go blurry as he looked at it.

"You won't lose me, Kuno, unless you want to..." He rasped, "But if you want to, now I know you can powerwalk like a motherfucker and I'll have no hope of catching up." It was a joke, but somehow it didn't sound like one. There was a weary resignation in his voice. After such a good first day at work and the exciting prospect of a first date, those things felt sullied now.

"Heh..." Reiner considered, "Yeah. Maybe I will. Who knows what'll come of it? Most people aren't compatible just because they're attracted to each other. More likely than not that'll be true of us and it'll just... take care of itself without me needing to make excuses." He sighed,

"Yeah. I get it Kuno. I... wish we could've just talked about it on the walk back, instead of you storming off that way. If you'd given me a chance and just talked through it with me, I don't think you'd have taken it so personal... It's like... Obviously both of us'll get married someday, but my cousin and Eitan are married and they're still really close. They live in the same house and everything!" He glanced at their present surroundings, "Though admittedly it's a lot bigger than this shithole." He noted with a weak chuckle. "No offense." He bit his lip.

"Sure." Reiner took in a deep breath and sat himself up, "Besides I want to get out of this fancy new uniform before I wrinkle it any more." He unbuttoned the slacks, as he rose to his feet holding the waist and stepping out without letting them tumble to the floor as he usually might. These trousers were being treated like the national flag- As if it would be an offense against Zaichaer to let them graze the ground. He removed the button-down shirt, but left the tank-top undershirt, so he was down to that, his briefs and socks.

He would neatly fold the uniform up, and put it with his others, before pulling on a pair of simple, pajama pants to cover his legs which were still a bit cool, despite Kuno's efforts to warm the one. He took the duffel bag he'd arrived with out of the closet, and knelt to sift through what was already inside it, before deciding what needed to be added.

"I've heard of the Noble Gambit, yeah... But I've only been on transport ships until recently. There was a fleet that escorted us to the Northern Front, though, so I got to see the flagship... I'd kill to take a ride on that big ole battleaxe..." Reiner wrinkled his nose.

"Ugh, no!" He mock whined, "I joined the ZDC because the ZADC rejected me. As did the Riverland Corps. I never told you that?" That wasn't so difficult to believe. It wasn't a point of pride, by any means, and they'd only known each other two weeks. It just felt like so much longer.

"Yeah, I was dying to join the ZADC in hopes of being assigned to one of the ships my uncle built, but I guess I make for better cannon fodder, huh? Oh well..."

“Mm.” Reiner pursed his lips. He was a little miffed at the infantilization that Kuno employed to excuse his ignorance, but not offended enough to make mention of it. The last thing he wanted to do was curry further conflict, after having just resolved their issue. It was good enough that Kuno seemed assuaged and Reiner had said his piece about what he seemed to be an overreaction on the part of the lieutenant.

He glanced to the side, finding himself face to crotch with Kuno. Slowly his gaze rose and found the older soldier’s eyes looking softly upon him, faintly smiling lips imparting an apology and a compliment that balmed his prior umbrage.

“I forgive you.” He offered softly, then cleared his throat and turned his attentions back to the task of packing his duffel.

He went from kneeling to sitting, a few times pausing to meditate and make certain he hadn’t forgotten anything. He wasn’t quite as fastidious as Kuno in that regard, and he was anxious about forgetting something important. Ultimately he decided it was good enough, and he’d quintuple check things in the morning.

“Oh.” He accepted the water with a slight smile, taking a sip at Kuno’s urging. “Thanks…” It was thoughtful, he supposed, if a little strange. Sometimes it really did feel like Kuno thought he was a little kid who’d wither away if he wasn’t taken care of. It wasn’t like they’d had so much to drink that he’d be especially wanting for water. He wondered if maybe Kuno felt bad about their disagreement, and took to nurturing as some sort of penance.

Still a bit jostled by the turn of the evening and still a bit cold, he wore his pants and tank top to bed, though he did peel off and discard the socks.

“Night…” He offered as he slid under the covers and turned his back on the lieutenant, as he drew the bedding up to his neck.