Chapter Text
Major Claire Rieveldt paced in front of the hotel that the Imperial Army was using as accommodations for the ongoing occupation of Crossbell. It was past 11pm and the cause of her concern was that Rean had disappeared. Although Altina had been assigned as his partner, and unofficially as his minder, she wasn’t experienced enough to keep watch of an Eight Leaves One Blade practitioner and he had given the younger girl the slip, vanishing without telling anyone where he was going.
Worse still that once she thought about it for five seconds, she realized this was likely not the first instance of this happening, just the first time Altina noticed his absence.
So the RMP officer had spent the last hour looking for Rean as well as recruited Lechter’s assistance for the task. After some time, her “brother” as it were called her back and informed her that he would be sending Rean over to the hotel. Putting two and two together, Claire had a bad feeling about the situation.
Once Rean came into view, her suspicions were proven correct. The swordsman’s gait was uneven and his body swayed from one side to the other.
“Rean, have you been drinking?” She asked, already knowing the answer, but still concerned all the same.
“Heh, maybe,” he slurred his words. “What, are you going to tell me I shouldn’t because I’m too young? I turned 18 last year, you know? I can drink a pint if I wanna.”
“For starters I don’t care how young you are, a single pint of beer would not put you in that state.”
“Yeah well, it’s the truth no matter what you wanna believe, just one pint of beer…” He held up his right index finger then slowly raised three more fingers. “Aaaaand four shots of whisky.”
Claire felt exasperated, she pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled. “I am more worried that you may not operate at full capacity tomorrow and-”
“Hey hey hey, check this out,” Rean dismissively interrupted her attempt at chiding him and took a few steps back and closed his eyes, arms open wide, barely maintaining his balance, when the energy of his ogre state started to form itself around him. Claire was in shock, the last thing she needed was a drunk Rean going berserk. She reached for her ARCUS, hoping she could freeze him before he could do any damage.
When the transformation was completed Rean opened his eyes back, his expression changing back to what had become his usual mood, a blank expression that barely hid his feelings. He crossed his arms and stood still for a moment before closing his eyes again, exhaling and turning back to normal.
“And just like that I’m sober again. Nifty trick, huh? I should tell Instructor Sara about it, she’s going to be so jealous, I can basically drink her under the table now with no side effects. Hmm…” He started to stroke his chin. “But if I do that to avoid the side effects, does that mean my body won’t get used to alcohol and I’ll stay a lightweight forever? We’re going to need to study this once I’m back.”
There was another exasperated sigh from the major as she allowed herself to relax. She understood that Rean had gone through a lot, she was there when he had a panic attack after all, but they were in a delicate position, people’s lives depended on them.
“Speaking of which, I just can’t wait to get back to Thors, back to my dorm room, hanging out with my friends and my girlfriend, studying. You know, stuff someone my age should be doing instead of all this…” Rean spread his arms, gesturing around him.
“Is this what this is all about, you miss school? Well, I’m sorry to break it to you, Rean, but everyone here misses something but we also realize we have responsibilities. Don’t forget, you chose to be here.”
Rean cackled loudly. “Choice? You really think that I had a choice?”
Claire cursed herself and closed her eyes, that was the wrong thing to say to him. Rean was clearly provoking her, he was looking for a fight and as an Ironblood she was a perfect target. At least it was a small blessing that he wasn’t lashing out against random people.
“I apologize, I know this situation is not what you wished for. I understand you are going through a lot of pressure and-”
“Did you know?”
Claire pursed her lips under his accusing glare, very aware of what his question was about. There was really no other choice for her but to be truthful.
“Back when I first met your group at Garrelia Fortress, I managed to contact Lechter in Crossbell and passed on the news, mainly to talk about Valimar and how he could be used during the war. He then told me about your… affiliation to His Excellency.”
“Tch, of course he knew.”
“He was elusive at first, telling me I should keep an eye on you, but I can read him like a book and I knew it wasn’t just due to your status as Valimar’s pilot. After enough pushing he told me the whole truth.”
“Oh so that’s why I was worth helping, huh? That explains you putting people to guard Ymir. Helping your boss’ estranged son would look incredible on your resumé, no wonder you made it to major.”
“It wasn’t like that,” Claire frowned at the accusation that she could be so opportunistic. “Considering that Ymir had already been attacked once, I believed it was prudent to strengthen its defenses. I genuinely was looking to protect your town, Rean, as it was and still is my duty to protect the people of Erebonia. How could I even be doing that to court favor with His Excellency if back then I believed he was dead?”
“Yeah, right,” he said dismissively and turned away from Claire, looking back on the streets of Crossbell. He stood there in silence for a while but with a restlessness in his body he made no effort to hide. “So you knew all along. Throughout all of the civil war, every time you were helping us, helping me and my family, you knew and didn’t tell me. I was just another pawn on a chessboard you and the other Ironbloods were playing with, guiding me where I had to be to maximize my usefulness on Osborne’s plans.”
“Again, Rean, it wasn’t like that. I never saw you or the rest of the Crimson Wings as pawns. I understand you’re upset about the fact I kept the truth from you, but what do you suggest I should’ve done? Betrayed the trust of my people for your sake? So you could be an even bigger pile of nerves, as if Crow’s betrayal hadn’t messed you up enough?”
Rean turned around to her, quickly covered the distance between them and stood right in front of the police officer. “It certainly would've been better than finding out 5 seconds after having my best friend die in my fucking arms!”
It was an impossible discussion, they would just keep screaming at each other until their voices gave out, so Claire relented.
“There is a lot you don’t understand.”
“You’re right but I think I understand enough,” Rean walked past the major, purposely bumping into her shoulder on his way back to the hotel.