[Close enough. Eren's not in the hotel, but he's not far. He swings back into the lobby to meet up with him. Hinata's a bright spot of color most days, and the place is bustling, but not crowded. He's not hard to spot. He raises his voice anyway.]
[... there's a bundle of neon green in his arms as he turns to face who called him, expression lighting up on catching sight of the other. meeting the other teenager half-way in the lobby, he tosses the green thing Eren's way once he draws close enough; it falls open mid-air (and quite possibly smacks into the other's face) to reveal a warm, long-sleeved pull-over hoodie.]
[one could suppose it'd be baggy on Eren. one could also suppose he'd never want to wear it, because it was an awfully solid neon.]
[the grinning Hinata didn't suppose either of those things - or maybe he did, but he definitely didn't seem to care.]
[as if throwing it at the other hadn't made it obvious, he had to add,]
[It's a slower and softer projectile than a volleyball. (A brighter and more casual echo of his forest green Survey Corps cloak.) He catches it out of the air with one hand.]
For me? [Echoed, sort of dumbly. At least we know hoodies are apparently a thing where he's from (thanks Annie.) It is not remotely as cold on Selena as it had been on Ajna. He might run a little warmer than most people anyway—]
[he tries to say with a straight face, but it breaks at the end into a pretty stupid grin and under-the-breath snicker. all in good humor, though; everything about him's optimistic and hopeful, especially as Eren hadn't immediately thrown it back.]
[if anything, the shocked voice encouraged Hinata's happier side. even if a sweatshirt wasn't Selena VII-appropriate...]
And I saw it on sale for cheap, so I figured why not?
[Woah, no homo, bro. He frowns back at Hinata while he tries to decide if he's being made fun of (if he's going to be pissed off at it.) But it's an oddly kind gesture that he hadn't been anticipating, so he can't find it in it to sweat the petty things. He huffs a breath out through his nose in a scoff.]
Bullshit.
[He's pretty sure his eyes aren't anything like this ridiculous color, wow. (They're still ridiculous, though. They just don't have flourescents in shingekiland.) He throws it over a shoulder to free his hands, tipping his chin at Hinata curiously.]
You didn't spend all your money on everyone else, did you?
[Because Eren hardly needs handouts. In fact, he's got more spending money now than he's had in...ever. It's an odd thing, to be able to afford frivolousness. He doesn't really remember to try. Excess isn't a thing that ever interested him in the first place, and he's got other things on his mind nearly all of the time.
[it had been bullshit - he'd gotten it because a pair of worn gloves remained tucked into a bag, and even if the current location had sun shining out the ass, who knew where they'd be next. beyond that, it might've saved one of his fingers from falling off. an idea that seemed like an exaggeration now, but by god, he hadn't been prepared for that cold.]
[and beyond that, well.]
If you can't accept my reasoning, why'd you ask? [sing-songed, but lacking anything even vaguely resembling bite. as far as he was concerned, he owed Eren far more than Eren owed him--- a verbal thanks really wouldn't be necessary. and even beyond that, back-and-forth ribbing was nice. he'd spent the better part of his interactions on Ajna being intimidated or awed by the recruits around him.]
[so. the lack of thanks and not-actual-complaining complaints felt far more normal.]
Nah. [didn't mean he'd gotten sappy, mind.] Not everybody's got eyes that shine like yours, Jaeger.
[or maybe it did.]
And considering how much we got paid, it feels like I'd have to buy a throne made of sweaters to even make a dent.
[He's got his mom's eyes, Hinata, don't make me sad. (Save the striking color, though, hers had been brown. One hand me down from his father, maybe. Green eyes and monster powers.)
As flippant as the answer is, he goes sort of grim anyway. Levity was nice while it lasted, huh.]
Yeah, no kidding. [Planetary destruction pays, apparently. He has no idea how much a credit would be worth in the currency back home, but considering the going rate of goods around here...
He sort of hates it. Taking payment for it. They need to do it to survive, here.]
[a quick underthebreath snort, smile dimming only slightly as the jovial mood faded.]
The CDC.
[answer kept short in an effort not to tread into darker territory, arms raising to clasp behind his head, posture relaxed from head to toe. they could grumble about the who, but Hinata was very aware neither of them had a snowball's chance in hell of meeting the higher-ups. and right then, he'd sooner join a knitting club than gripe about unchangeable issues.]
[with a musing tone, gaze sliding off to a few bored-looking (and vaguely robotic) receptionists, he had to ask:]
By the way... You wouldn't happen to be free for the next hour, would you...?
[Good luck, Hinata. Eren's made a lifestyle of trying to change things other people have long decided are unchangeable. The CDC has the brunt of his focus, these days, and he orbits back around to the problem again and again when there isn't something else occupying his attention. There's something to be said for focus, but it does lend itself to some tunnel vision.
He opens his mouth to argue—who pays the CDC?—but Hinata bluntly nudges the conversation away, and he pulls himself away to follow it.]
An hour? [It's not a no. He's not doing much of anything but wandering the walkways in hope of catching sight of the people he'd lost a few days back] What for?
[the moment where Eren almost argues doesn't go unnoticed, but the fact he turns his mind toward Hinata's question puts a small, somewhat satisfied smile on the high schooler's face. answering promptly and happily,]
There's a park not too far from here.
[with some of that well-worn hopefulness,]
Would you be up for some practice?
[... paaaause. for what?]
We learned some sparring techniques at camp, and I figured you might have a style to teach, too. [...] And whatever time we've got left over we could play a round of volleyball.
[there it was. do note, the two options seemed exclusive.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org
I can meet you outside
--> Action?
Like in the lobby??? That works!!
[not exactly "outside," but ... he'll stand there for however long it takes.]
Action???
Oi, Hinata!
Action!!! (8
- Eren! Hey!
[... there's a bundle of neon green in his arms as he turns to face who called him, expression lighting up on catching sight of the other. meeting the other teenager half-way in the lobby, he tosses the green thing Eren's way once he draws close enough; it falls open mid-air (and quite possibly smacks into the other's face) to reveal a warm, long-sleeved pull-over hoodie.]
[one could suppose it'd be baggy on Eren. one could also suppose he'd never want to wear it, because it was an awfully solid neon.]
[the grinning Hinata didn't suppose either of those things - or maybe he did, but he definitely didn't seem to care.]
[as if throwing it at the other hadn't made it obvious, he had to add,]
It's for you.
ah, I hate you
For me? [Echoed, sort of dumbly. At least we know hoodies are apparently a thing where he's from (thanks Annie.) It is not remotely as cold on Selena as it had been on Ajna. He might run a little warmer than most people anyway—]
Why?
(:
[he tries to say with a straight face, but it breaks at the end into a pretty stupid grin and under-the-breath snicker. all in good humor, though; everything about him's optimistic and hopeful, especially as Eren hadn't immediately thrown it back.]
[if anything, the shocked voice encouraged Hinata's happier side. even if a sweatshirt wasn't Selena VII-appropriate...]
And I saw it on sale for cheap, so I figured why not?
shoves you in the mud
Bullshit.
[He's pretty sure his eyes aren't anything like this ridiculous color, wow. (They're still ridiculous, though. They just don't have flourescents in shingekiland.) He throws it over a shoulder to free his hands, tipping his chin at Hinata curiously.]
You didn't spend all your money on everyone else, did you?
[Because Eren hardly needs handouts. In fact, he's got more spending money now than he's had in...ever. It's an odd thing, to be able to afford frivolousness. He doesn't really remember to try. Excess isn't a thing that ever interested him in the first place, and he's got other things on his mind nearly all of the time.
(He's getting around to saying "thanks.")]
no subject
[and beyond that, well.]
If you can't accept my reasoning, why'd you ask? [sing-songed, but lacking anything even vaguely resembling bite. as far as he was concerned, he owed Eren far more than Eren owed him--- a verbal thanks really wouldn't be necessary. and even beyond that, back-and-forth ribbing was nice. he'd spent the better part of his interactions on Ajna being intimidated or awed by the recruits around him.]
[so. the lack of thanks and not-actual-complaining complaints felt far more normal.]
Nah. [didn't mean he'd gotten sappy, mind.] Not everybody's got eyes that shine like yours, Jaeger.
[or maybe it did.]
And considering how much we got paid, it feels like I'd have to buy a throne made of sweaters to even make a dent.
no subject
[He's got his mom's eyes, Hinata, don't make me sad. (Save the striking color, though, hers had been brown. One hand me down from his father, maybe. Green eyes and monster powers.)
As flippant as the answer is, he goes sort of grim anyway. Levity was nice while it lasted, huh.]
Yeah, no kidding. [Planetary destruction pays, apparently. He has no idea how much a credit would be worth in the currency back home, but considering the going rate of goods around here...
He sort of hates it. Taking payment for it. They need to do it to survive, here.]
Who the hell pays for all this, anyway?
no subject
The CDC.
[answer kept short in an effort not to tread into darker territory, arms raising to clasp behind his head, posture relaxed from head to toe. they could grumble about the who, but Hinata was very aware neither of them had a snowball's chance in hell of meeting the higher-ups. and right then, he'd sooner join a knitting club than gripe about unchangeable issues.]
[with a musing tone, gaze sliding off to a few bored-looking (and vaguely robotic) receptionists, he had to ask:]
By the way... You wouldn't happen to be free for the next hour, would you...?
[oh so innocent.]
no subject
He opens his mouth to argue—who pays the CDC?—but Hinata bluntly nudges the conversation away, and he pulls himself away to follow it.]
An hour? [It's not a no. He's not doing much of anything but wandering the walkways in hope of catching sight of the people he'd lost a few days back] What for?
no subject
There's a park not too far from here.
[with some of that well-worn hopefulness,]
Would you be up for some practice?
[... paaaause. for what?]
We learned some sparring techniques at camp, and I figured you might have a style to teach, too. [...] And whatever time we've got left over we could play a round of volleyball.
[there it was. do note, the two options seemed exclusive.]
What d'you say?