We can beat them, just for one day

[bertall]

Bertolt couldn't sleep.

It's been a good week, maybe two since he and Reiner had stumbled Marco and Jean, and he couldn't shake the feeling that things would go wrong. Terribly wrong. Even though he felt safe with Reiner sleeping two feet away, his thoughts kept wandering. If their new companions found out about their past, what would happen to them? What would happen to Reiner? He still remembers the young soldier that had been part of their group before Berwick had died. The kid had just turned twenty a month before the outbreak occurred.

Bertolt remembers the fear in his eyes as he was cornered by a mob on what should've been a simple scavenging job. They had found some supplies and were trying to trade with a small band of survivors when they recognized the tattered uniform top tied around his waist and the tattoos. Bertolt couldn't do anything but watch from a distance. His job was to keep an eye out from the rooftops for walkers. He went 'home' empty handed that day, rifle slung over his shoulder and the soldier in his arms. He refused to let the walkers make a meal out of his corpse. He deserved a proper burial.

The more he remembered, the sicker he felt. Part of him wanted to believe that Jean and Marco were good people. At the same time, he didn't know a thing about them - sure, Marco had been a teacher before the outbreak, but... Things change. Bertolt didn't want to lose Reiner to people like that. Not if he could help it. With Annie missing and Berwick dead, the blond was the only thing he had left in this godforsaken world. If he lost him...

Bile rose in his throat. One hand reached out to lightly shake Reiner's shoulder, his voice soft and urgent. He needed an excuse to get away from the others, so he fell back on the one he'd use back when they were all in boot camp; "...Reiner, I gotta pee."

We need to talk.

Comments

[bertall]

With the main cause of his stress pushed to the side, it's easier for him to laugh. If there was one thing he could always count on Reiner for, it's things like this.

Bertolt suddenly plasters a forced but lazy grin on his face for all of three seconds. "Groovy." Deep down, he wanted Shadis to have survived. The guy was tougher than railroad spikes for crying out loud. With his own half of the joke over, he lets the fake smile disappear in favor of a smaller, genuine one. "But you wouldn't be off the hook either, Braun. Your hair looks like the broom we'd use to squash those giant bugs we'd get around base."

[warrioreidlos]

"Don't you think I know it." Reiner longs for the days of buzz-cuts, electric razors and clean socks. And showers. And the dead not walking the earth, but sometimes, really, it just feels like he misses the buzz-cuts and showers most of all. It is hard to really feel more human than the walkers under such a layer of grime.

"I'm adding scissors to our shopping list." Shopping list, loot list, small difference.

[bertall]

"I don't know if I can trust you with the big boy scissors, Reiner." Or himself for that matter. Bertolt found out the hard way that he was absolute shit at cutting hair. Especially his own. One too many lopsided bangs and he had just given up and let Berwick and Reiner cut it for him.

"I vote we add something sweet to that list too. I'll take stale twizzlers if it comes down to it." Plus the new guys might like it. It wouldn't be hot water, but it's the little comforts that make the apocalypse a little more bearable.

[warrioreidlos]

At least Reiner's hair is so short that unevenness is not easily noticed. Unlike Bertolt's longer hair.

"Screw your twizzlers, I want skittles. You know how I feel about rainbows." It was a bit of a tired old joke, but even the stale old jokes are bits of familiarity in this world. Just like a stale bag of skittles would be.

[bertall]

Yeah, he's going to nag someone to cut it. While he doesn't want it as short as Reiner's, he doesn't want it to be too long.

At the mention of rainbows however, Bertolt leans down just long enough to press a small kiss to Reiner's cheek. "Meet you in the middle with rainbow twizzlers and skittles." Compared to how he was feeling earlier, Bertolt is definitely in a better mood.

[warrioreidlos]

"No need to get decadent," he teases, stroking his fingers over the back of Bertolt's neck again.

If Bertolt is joking with him again, then he must be feeling better. Good. Which probably means they can head back to the camp. Not that they are really far away, still within sight, but it is still a few more meters. "Come on, lets head back. You should try and get a little more sleep."

[bertall]

Bertolt hums softly in agreement as he untangles himself from Reiner. He doesn't let go of his hand though, he just holds onto it tighter as he starts to lead him back. "He's probably wondering what's taking us so long, too."

It's not as if it was a big secret, but talking about it was still enough Bertolt on a one-way trip to Blushtown.

[warrioreidlos]

Reiner lets go of Bertolt's hand, reaching up so he can scruff his fingers through his shaggy hair instead, grinning widely. "Yeah, well, we' ll just tell them you've got the shyest bladder."

[bertall]

"I grew out of that after middle school!" Which was true! He could only go either alone, or when he had Reiner or Berwick talking to him. Everyone else? He'd just hold it.

[warrioreidlos]

He laughs, the sound low and rumbling, his arm sliding down to rest around Bertolt's shoulders instead, pulling his head down a little to bridge the difference between their heights. "You'll always be my shy little Bertl who can't piss in front of anyone."

[bertall]

"Oh my god," the old Bertolt would've nudged Reiner in the side. This Bertolt just lets Reiner tug him around, another laugh threatening to slip out. "Reiner, you're such an ass." But he's Bertolt's ass.

"I hope I drool on you."

[warrioreidlos]

"You only drooling on me would be a luxury." Drool is such a minor thing compared to Bertolt napping with his face in Reiner's crotch and his shin in his face. Or his foot in his ear. Or whatever weird pose he manages to come up with this time.

[bertall]

It's only a matter of time before their new 'friends' start asking questions about that little habit too. One that he wasn't going to explain. Reiner'll have to take care of that. "I'll drool on your lap. Then you'll have to explain why you have a wet spot there."

With the small camp in view, Bertolt keeps himself between Reiner and the new kids on the block until they were finally back in their little blanket nest-bed-thing. Even with his worries tucked away on the shelf, he still can't help but be a little protective.

[warrioreidlos]

Reiner sinks back into their blanket nest, after making sure that Jean still looks awake enough to continue the rest of his watch. He'd rather take over his watch than have him fall asleep on them. But with him looking awake enough, it is time for Reiner to get some more sleep. He makes himself as comfortable as he can on the hard ground, adjusting the blanket he uses for a pillow, before stretching out his arm, inviting Bertolt in against his side without words.

[bertall]

Bertolt doesn't hesitate. Ever since he was a little kid, he had a hard time falling asleep without something or someone familiar nearby. Before the military, it had been a stuffed bear from Christmas. As a soldier, it was Reiner's pillow. Now, it was Reiner himself. Once he scoots into the blond's arms, Bertolt twists their legs up and buries his face into the crook of his neck.

Nothing could hurt him like this. Not walkers, not humans, not even his own imagination. The only one capable of hurting him now was the man he loved, and he knew that would never happen. He stays like this for a few minutes and allows Reiner's heartbeat lull him to the brink of sleep, but there was one more thing he still needed to do;

"...Love you, Reiner."

[warrioreidlos]

"I know," he murmurs in return, turning his head a little to brush his lips against Bertolt's hair. His arm tightens around his shoulders pulling him a bit close . "Go to sleep, Bertl. I'll be here when you wake up."

[bertall]

With that little confirmation, Bertolt hums softly and finally, finally relaxes and lets himself fall back asleep. At least when he's being held like this, there's less of a risk of him twisting around and accidentally kicking Reiner in the face.