Work Text:
Insecurity was an interesting thing. Maybxe it was from a lifetime of desperately trying to get his dad's attention, but Reiner never felt like he was good enough. In high school he pushed himself in class and on the football field and was always getting showered with praise for how smart he was, how athletic he was. He was handsome, he was fit, he got scholarships, he was the most oogled-at guy in high school before Bertholdt swooped in and asked him out.
And when he looked at his own reflection, Reiner tore himself down in every way. Weren't men supposed to have more body hair? He frowned and looked at his bare chest. No hair there, and only a thin covering of hair on his legs. He loved Bertholdt's hair and though he would never admit it, he was jealous of Bertholdt's legs and chest. It made him look so damn sexy; not that he hadn't been hot in the past when Bertholdt shaved himself for competitive swimming.
Or his face. His mom said he was handsome. Bertholdt, too. But when he was in high school, sometimes the coach would call him "a goddamned ox-face" if he fumbled a play or fell short of expectations. Sometimes Porco had called him an ox-face long ago before they mended their relationship, but it had still hurt. It left him with this idea that his face was too rough, too unfriendly and ugly. Not handsome and chiseled, just ugly.
He didn't have a belly, far from it. Reiner made a point to work out every other day, not because he wanted to stay fit and was concerned about his health but because he found it to be a genuinely fun thing he liked to do. But recently people seemed to be talking a lot about the softer, less fit men in a positive way. The "dad bod" was becoming more attractive in society's eyes. Which was great! He was all for body positivity! Reiner didn't want anyone to hate themselves because they weighed too much or too little.
What he didn't like was people looking at him and calling him a meathead. Assuming he was stupid because of his muscles. He couldn't help that he was stocky; apparently that came from his absent father. And being called a Chad? That drove him insane in a way Reiner truly could not put into words. He left other people alone, why did they have to be hateful to him?
Reiner sighed and rubbed at his core. Looked at his arms. At least under his arms he could grow hair... wasn't that the worst place to have a bunch? Reiner grimaced and grabbed his electric razor, then did away with the hair. He felt cleaner when he shaved his armpits, but he felt more comfortable in his own skin with that hair gone.
His beard, though... that hair wasn't going anywhere. It hid his ox-face. Reiner grabbed his beard oil and put it on. Bertholdt liked teasing Reiner when he put his beard butter in at night as a leave-in conditioner, but it was one of the only things Reiner was truly confident about in his appearance. He needed to take care of it.
His reflection stared back at him. Reiner chewed his lip, then grabbed his t-shirt and put it on along with his pajama pants. He made his way to the living room and sat down in front of the tv. Bertholdt had already gone to work, but Reiner was unemployed at the moment; his work laid him off along with dozens of others. Pieck was caught up in the layoffs and was using her time off working to learn candle making, but Reiner hadn't found a new hobby just yet.
Bertholdt had insisted he take a break from working to allow himself time to relax. They were fine financially, even on just Bertholdt's income. All the time at home had left Reiner wanting to get a dog, but he hadn't broached that topic with Bertholdt yet. Or maybe a kid, but he really hadn't brought that up with his love.
,p>
He must've drifted off, because it didn't take long at all before he heard the keys jingling outside his door. Reiner gave a happy smile to his husband and stood while Bertholdt put up his keys. Bertholdt accepted the tight hug and laughed when Reiner kissed his neck. He was just too ticklish, and Reiner knew how much to tickle him without it being too much.
"Glad to see you too, Reiner." Bertholdt accepted the smooches to his cheeks; there was nothing better to come home to. The house smelled good, but Reiner wasn't cooking; he must've put something in the slow cooker so he could forget about it. It smelled like stroganoff, so Reiner was probably going to make some mashed potatoes when it was ready...
"I love you. Welcome home." Reiner stepped away and went to the kitchen. The food was coming along nicely, but he still had about two hours until it was ready. Bertholdt didn't like eating as soon as he got home. Reiner went to the bedroom and found Bertholdt stripping down until he was completely naked. "Trying to seduce me, Bertl?" Reiner joked; Bertholdt gave a scoff in return. When he turned around, there was an amused smile on his face.
"No, can't say I am. Sorry, Reiner, I'm just not feeling like having sex tonight." Reiner approached his nude husband and pecked his cheek. A clean pair of pajamas sat on the bed; Bertholdt didn't sleep with underwear on. His hug was returned whenever Reiner pulled Bertholdt against him. Reiner closed his eyes and swayed Bertholdt back and forth. "I need to take a shower. I got so sweaty at work and I feel disgusting."
"Care if I join you?" Bertholdt cocked an eyebrow, and Reiner pulled away shaking his head. "I'm not trying to seduce you, I promise!" Reiner smiled sheepishly and blushed. He'd be the first to admit that he loved seducing and making love to his husband, but he really wasn't trying to get laid tonight. "I'm not in the mood either. I just want to spend time with you."
Bertholdt loosened up and relaxed. Reiner was probably one of the horniest people in the world, not that he was complaining. He just didn't want sex now. But looking more closely at Reiner, Bertholdt could tell he didn't seem in the mood. "Oh, Reiner. You're sweet. Let me get the water warmed up."
Reiner tossed off his shirt and pants, then took off his underwear. He followed Bertholdt to their large bathroom and found Bertholdt looking at his reflection. He seemed concerned with his nose. "You admiring your own nose there? It's perfect." Bertholdt blushed when he looked at Reiner. He was partial to Reiner's bent nose.
"No, I was just worried because I think I've got some blackheads." Reiner was eying Bertholdt's body. He was covered in that fluffy hair that Reiner loved so much. He looked at his own body and felt self-conscious. "Are you okay, Reiner?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Uh... do you ever wish I looked different?" Bertholdt frowned. Reiner walked past his husband and stuck his hand into the shower; the water was sufficiently warm, and so he opened the door and invited Bertholdt inside. Bertholdt looked Reiner's body up and down, then stepped inside the shower. He let out a content sigh and let his hair get wet while Reiner followed him in.
"You look just fine to me, Reiner. What's wrong?" Bertholdt moved so Reiner could get get himself wet too. Bertholdt put his hands onto Reiner's shoulder, then pecked his lips. "You don't need to change anything about yourself, especially not for me." Reiner hummed and reached for his shower puff. Bertholdt quickly plucked the puff out of Reiner's hand and poured some shower gel onto it. He lathered it up. "Turn around for me."
"I just love the way your body looks. It's perfect, and mine isn't." Bertholdt was silent while he started rubbing the soap along Reiner's broad shoulders. Reiner's body relaxed whenever Bertholdt cleaned his backside. He gave Reiner's ass a tiny swat, earning an amused hum. "I love your hair. I guess I'm just jealous."
"You're handsome the way you are, Reiner. You know I love you regardless of how you look." Bertholdt turned Reiner around and pecked Reiner's nose, then admired Reiner's body. "I wish you could love your body as much as I love it." Reiner hugged Bertholdt under the warm stream of water. "Wash me, Reiner?"
"Of course. Give me your puff." Bertholdt loved the way Reiner massaged his shoulders while he cleaned them. The floral notes in their shower gel made the entire bathroom smell good, and the lotion they would put on afterward would smell fantastic as well. Reiner gave Bertholdt's ass a squeeze when he reached down to clean him. "I just love your hair. It's so handsome and alluring. Look how bare my body looks compared to yours."
"...I'll be honest, Reiner, I'm a little self-conscious of my hair." Bertholdt fidgeted with his fingers when he turned around the face Reiner. Reiner started cleaning Bertholdt's chest and admired the hair on his chest. Bertholdt's ass was hairy, his thighs were hairy, his chest was hairy...
"Your hair makes you nice and fluffy. You're so soft. I'm jealous." Reiner was surprised when Bertholdt brought his hands up and groped his pecs. Bertholdt made a cheeky expression and laughed.
"And these make you nice and soft." Reiner closed his eyes whenever Bertholdt kissed his nose. Bertholdt grabbed the shampoo and started lathering up Reiner's hair. "Your hair is so soft, too."
"It's soft because you buy me such nice shampoo." When they first moved in together, Bertholdt had been horrified to learn that Reiner used an off-brand combination shampoo-conditioner-body wash. He'd tossed out Reiner's product and replaced it with gel that was healthier for his skin. The shampoo that he'd purchased was specially for Reiner's thinner hair and his slightly oilier scalp. Bertholdt hummed to himself while he massaged Reiner's scalp. "You take such good care of me."
"It's because I love you." Reiner returned the favor and cleaned Bertholdt's hair. Whenever he washed his hair, Bertholdt's long hair would get in his face. But once they got out Bertholdt would slick it back; Reiner couldn't deny how sexy it was. Bertholdt grinned at Reiner once their hair had been conditioned and their bodies cleaned. "I want to just stand here for a minute. The hot water feels so good."
Bertholdt hugged Reiner under the water. The two of them stood together in the embrace under the hot water until Reiner broke away; he grabbed his towel and started drying himself as soon as he was out. Bertholdt followed soon after. They put their lotion on their bodies and, as expected, enjoyed the aroma of their lotion. Reiner plopped down onto the bed and spread his arms out.
"Dinner will be ready in about an hour and a half." Bertholdt sat down on the bed next to Reiner and ran a hand along his thigh. Reiner was self-conscious about his lack of body hair, but Reiner still had thin and soft hair on his legs.
"I know what we could do for a while." Bertholdt said suggestively. Reiner snorted, then laughed. Bertholdt laughed too, then the two of them crawled up to the head of their bed. Bertholdt had no intent of actually having sex, and Reiner didn't either. But the teasing tone was too sweet to ignore.
"I know, I know. We can snuggle." They enjoyed the feeling of their bare skin pressing against one another. Bertholdt was so soft and cuddly, it was almost too much for Reiner's heart to take. Bertholdt's hands caressed Reiner's shoulders. Reiner moved to rest his head on Bertholdt's chest, the sighed happily. "Your heartbeat is so comforting."
"You're sweet, Reiner." Bertholdt sighed happily while Reiner's hand rubbed along his chest. Dinner would be ready soon; they'd need to get up and put their pajamas on to eat. But until Reiner needed to go back to preparing the food, Bertholdt wanted him here. With their bodies fitting together perfectly, like they were made for one another. Bertholdt gave Reiner's ass a squeeze and sighed happily.