BERTOLT

[bloodread]

Comments

[perspire]

Aren’t we going to fight anyway [ but going to reach out to take it, immediately lacing their fingers together. Gloved is fine, he won’t feel how sweaty his palm got waiting for an answer ]

[bloodread]

Shut up. [ Nagako meanwhile, winds closer as if to match and Akira leans a little against Bertolt in turn. ]

...guess we're not that bad at talking. [ This is kinda nice, he thinks. ]

[perspire]

We're getting better at it.

[ leans back against him and just smiles, enjoying this ]

There's more... I want to talk about. But I want to enjoy this first, if that's alright?

[ also sadly picture for a moment if idi was still around and her cuddling around them ]

[bloodread]

Yeah. [ He can relax into the silence a while, but just a little while; Nagako moves a bit, not drawing back any but have you seen a snake pace? This is kinda what that looks like. ]

...sorry, I'm not gonna ask. [ Akira turns and just presses their lips together, both brief and lingering at once. He pulls back after with a blink, like he himself is surprised, a soft edge of a smile peeking out barely. Nagako settles immediately after. ]

OK, now we can do whatever else you want.

[perspire]

[ he's about to ask what akira is doing when he feels the kiss. he feels himself freeze and just as he's about to respond to it, akira pulls away. there's a huge flush on his face and he just can't do anything else but look at akira.

just. give him a moment ]

[bloodread]

[ He will be patient! Just vibing here with this dumb satisfied look on his face. He curls one of their intwined fingers to poke just a bit, as he's waiting. ]

[perspire]

[ very pointedly: ] I'm going to surprise you with a kiss later.

[ but he doesn't sound too upset about this happening at all ]

But... there's one more thing about being a titan that I haven't told you. There's... a time limit.

[bloodread]

You can't do that if you just told me.

[ This is a challenge he is probably going to regret at some point, but it's fine. He cocks his head to the side at the rest. ]

Huh?

[perspire]

You won't know when it'll happen.

[ they'll both regret it

but he looks at him seriously ]

It's a curse, the Curse of Ymir. Whoever gains the power of one of the titans limits their lifespan to thirteen years.

I've had my power for a little over five years.

[bloodread]

[ Oh, huh. There is a blink as he processes (he's doing so much of that tonight), but it doesn't take him long to respond. ]

...these past four months have felt like freakin forever. Eight years might as well be an actual fucking eternity. [ A beat later. ]

I'm used to dealing with curses.

[perspire]

I... are you sure? That's a lot, on top of everything else.

[bloodread]

Do you want me to say no? [ Nagako bobs her head up from where she's settled, then puts it back down again. ]

I have no idea what the hell is gonna happen tomorrow, but I'm not gonna run away from it or do anything else but face it head on. [ I don't know what the hell I'm doing here either, but that's not going to stop me. ]

[perspire]

No, I don't! I just wanted to make sure.

I'm... tired of running. There's so much that at home that I need to do, that I want to do. There's no guarantee that I'll even live for the next eight years, not with everything going on. [ sounding more and more sure of himself as he speaks ]

But right now, the thing I'm most sure on is that I want to be with you.

[bloodread]

[ Home. That certainly is something, isn't it. Ami, Natsumi, Hazuki and...Amanome. He curls in on himself, something of a reflex before he shakes it off. He's tired too. ]

Bertl, I don't care. Do you know why I—why I kissed you?

[perspire]

... You want this too.

[bloodread]

[ Huff. ]

No, I didn't know then. But I wanted to figure it out. [ He does not have the self-awareness to know completely where his heart lies, but he is good at following his instincts. ]

[perspire]

[ lets out his own huff of laughter as he squeezes his hand ]

Then, we can figure it out. We can figure everything out.

[bloodread]

Gonna leave that up to you for now, just tell me where to drive. [ Today has been so long? He doesn't really wanna think anymore and he can't think anymore really. ]

Can we talk about something simple? Like who the hell was throwing rocks and t-shirts?

[perspire]

--I asked for a rock to be given to you.

Gently.

[bloodread]

...I figured. Tsuru would have just given me those stupid eyes.

[perspire]

I also asked for a rock to be thrown at Sholmes and-- it felt wrong to send something to the living without sending something to you.

[ a beat ]

I... considered a flower. But that felt like too much.

1/2

[bloodread]

Why him?

[bloodread]

[ Wait, what. ]

I'd have fucking killed you. Again. [ But perhaps it would have been worth it since he's flushed once more. ]

[perspire]

[ laughs more honestly at that ]

Maybe I should have, if you look like that.

But it was just something fun, for calling me forty-years-old when I was alive.

[bloodread]

[ The hair clip was enough! ]

I can kick your ass and hold your hand at the same time.