[ You know those kinds of coworkers you only know in passing? Maybe you've had a chat once or twice, introduced yourself - and you think to yourself, "I should probably know them better than I do." But there's little opportunity to do so, and so you're left with one option - observing them from a distance and gauging their personality from those little snippets.
Eren was a bit of a stalker - attentive when he felt like it, and in the case of a man he knew as James, and others knew as Bucky, he very much felt like it. So when it comes time to watch how he deals with the locals in their latest mission, it comes as a surprise to see him acting so out of the ordinary.
Once a moment of Bucky's faux douche-baggery passes by (whatever that happens to be), Eren just so happens to be within talking distance in the dark and spacious hallways that make up the city. He speaks plainly: ]
[He’s known of the man from a distance of course. They’ve spoken before, a long, long time ago. And with everything that’s happened since his arrival, it feels like ages have passed, their time in France feeling such a distant memory even if it’s not even been a year.
The frankness Kruger always has is appreciated though, even if the situation they’re in doesn’t exactly lend itself to the safety of this conversation.]
Sometimes sacrifices are necessary when the walls have eyes and ears, friend.
[It’s not in his usual vernacular, though whether or not Kruger can catch the disparity is unknown to Bucky himself.]
Are we friends? [ His tone is just a little curious - it's more assertive than anything, but he still manages to come off as deadpan like anything else he would say. ] The James I know wouldn't be so impolite.
[ He gets what the man's trying to say - that you have to harden yourself for whatever situation arises - he just wishes it weren't this way. Even if he himself does the same thing on a daily basis. ]
Possibly. Certainly allies at least. [And that much is true for him, anyway. He doesn’t really know enough of Kruger, but the man is a soldier like him, and there’s still certain aspects of survival in war that soldiers understand better than most others can.
At the latter remark he releases a wry huff though. It’s not that he doesn’t understand the notion either, that this is jarring and unlike how it would preferably be, but the situation isn’t wholly in their hands either. Whether or not they ascribe to COST’s full message, they’re still pawns in a larger game.]
I’m not so kind at war. There were moments in Gallipoli.
You're right. I shouldn't expect anything less. [ He shrugs. ] It was foolish of me to get caught up in all the glamour and forget how high the stakes were.
[ That said, Eren wasn't sure whether or not merely acting tougher was gonna make much of a difference. But he wasn't in much of a place to be commenting here - after all, his attempts to better COST's efforts had gotten him killed, and from what he can tell, James' approach hadn't yet done him in.
Maybe having a big bark was more important than a big bite, here. ]
[There’s a hum as he moves closer, not really wanting to continue at normal volume from such a distance, even if there’s no real secrets being said. It’s standoffish and will look strange.]
High stakes or not, that doesn’t mean time can’t be enjoyed. Though, in my experience, glamour isn’t always worth the investment anyway. Power is.
[ There are worse things in life than looking strange. Eren doesn't really mind standing out, but at the same time he doesn't mind it when James gets closer. ]
Is there much to enjoy around here? [ He's asking this question quite seriously. ] All my time's been spent recuperating from my loss.
Your loss? [It’s said in a way where the other man doesn’t have to reply if he doesn’t want to, but obviously Bucky has always been concerned for the wellbeing of those around him. His choice of words here, even nonchalant, don’t really change that.]
Parties, if that’s your thing. Or fighting. I imagine it is paradise to some.
My death. [ A short, succinct answer. It wasn't a topic he felt would bring anything to the conversation. ] Parties, no. Fighting is all I know, but I've ruled myself out of that one.
[Oh. Well then. That does explain why he’d avoid fighting at this point too. Though now it does beg the question of what exactly Kruger finds entertaining in his free time other than fighting. Bucky doesn’t really know. And yet even then, he supposes it’d be said the same for Kruger of him. They like it because they’re good at it. But is that really liking it? Probably not. Convenience is not the same as real choice.
He hums thoughtfully before answering.] Well. Gambling. Watching sport. Cards. Playing video games.
[ None of those particularly interested him, and it showed quite clearly on his face - though James seems to enunciate each one, Eren shows no reaction to them whatsoever. It's only once the time to self-reflect comes around does his brow furrow - but only barely. ]
If I'm not training, I'm occupying myself somewhere else. [ He frowns at the ground. ] Cleaning, sometimes. In my youth, I did farmwork.
[ Sigh. Not the kind of sigh that implies he's looking for pity, though. ]
Spare time's always been in short supply, and I was never one to try for it.
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lefthandfree) wrote2017-11-06 08:53 pm
no subject
Eren was a bit of a stalker - attentive when he felt like it, and in the case of a man he knew as James, and others knew as Bucky, he very much felt like it. So when it comes time to watch how he deals with the locals in their latest mission, it comes as a surprise to see him acting so out of the ordinary.
Once a moment of Bucky's faux douche-baggery passes by (whatever that happens to be), Eren just so happens to be within talking distance in the dark and spacious hallways that make up the city. He speaks plainly: ]
That's not like you.
no subject
The frankness Kruger always has is appreciated though, even if the situation they’re in doesn’t exactly lend itself to the safety of this conversation.]
Sometimes sacrifices are necessary when the walls have eyes and ears, friend.
[It’s not in his usual vernacular, though whether or not Kruger can catch the disparity is unknown to Bucky himself.]
no subject
[ He gets what the man's trying to say - that you have to harden yourself for whatever situation arises - he just wishes it weren't this way. Even if he himself does the same thing on a daily basis. ]
no subject
At the latter remark he releases a wry huff though. It’s not that he doesn’t understand the notion either, that this is jarring and unlike how it would preferably be, but the situation isn’t wholly in their hands either. Whether or not they ascribe to COST’s full message, they’re still pawns in a larger game.]
I’m not so kind at war. There were moments in Gallipoli.
no subject
[ That said, Eren wasn't sure whether or not merely acting tougher was gonna make much of a difference. But he wasn't in much of a place to be commenting here - after all, his attempts to better COST's efforts had gotten him killed, and from what he can tell, James' approach hadn't yet done him in.
Maybe having a big bark was more important than a big bite, here. ]
no subject
High stakes or not, that doesn’t mean time can’t be enjoyed. Though, in my experience, glamour isn’t always worth the investment anyway. Power is.
no subject
Is there much to enjoy around here? [ He's asking this question quite seriously. ] All my time's been spent recuperating from my loss.
no subject
Parties, if that’s your thing. Or fighting. I imagine it is paradise to some.
no subject
Not much left, is there?
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He hums thoughtfully before answering.] Well. Gambling. Watching sport. Cards. Playing video games.
What do you do in your spare time? I never asked.
no subject
If I'm not training, I'm occupying myself somewhere else. [ He frowns at the ground. ] Cleaning, sometimes. In my youth, I did farmwork.
[ Sigh. Not the kind of sigh that implies he's looking for pity, though. ]
Spare time's always been in short supply, and I was never one to try for it.