maskormenacelogs | (no subject)

WHO: Jean Kirstein and Rin Matsuoka
WHERE: That same community center in De Chima.
WHEN: September 22.
WHAT: Swimming lessons.
WARNINGS: None, except language. Maybe.

[The annoying thing about nearly missing this swimming lesson is that he bought a swim suit in advance. Hell, he'd even bought it the day he'd been ported out, and the bag holding the dark green trunks was still sitting on the edge of his bed when he returned home. He's glad that he's made an arrangement to return again, especially since he wants to be able to go near the water without much fear. He's athletic enough, but growing up behind the walls hadn't granted him many opportunities for swimming. Or any, as he had told Rin. Arriving in this world had changed that, and his first few hours of sitting by the ocean told him that he didn't want to stay away from it.

Of course, months had passed. Jean had been caught up in trying to catch up on his studies so that he could attend the mandatory schooling, as well as figure out his job. Knowing this world's geography (which was much more complicated than what he had back home) was important, so he was glad for it. But it put his initial thoughts of closeness, combined with the ocean, out of his mind.

He's relieved, then, that he can have this lesson. Jean wants to return to the normalcy of this place, as some part of him is desperate to put an aspect of what happened back home behind him. He had already been experiencing the effects of it for over a month before he experienced it himself, and since they're moving forward back home with some accomplishments, he'd like to do the same here. That much is important.

Upon his arrival, he doesn't wait for any instructions or look for Rin right away. The last thing Jean wants is his hand held. He knows how to change clothes, and he can follow the signs in the community center well enough. Once he's changed, he comes out with a towel and looks around, figuring that he'll spot his instructor easily enough.]

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[Rin can't possibly know Jean's history; he wasn't gifted with the power to read minds or glimpse another person's history by merely looking into their eyes. All he knows is that the other boy's shown genuine interest in learning how to swim, and that's good enough for him. In the end, he can't fancy himself much of a teacher, but he also can't say no when someone's being sincere. He doesn't have the pseudo-spiritual relationship some guys do with water. Doesn't stop him from knowing it has 'healing' properties.

There are some things that can only be worked out while going through laps. He's nearly sure of it.]

Hey.

[Has to be Jean. The only other folks to wander in before him were a couple preteens who had lost their parents. Rin directed them down the hall, and that was a good ten minutes ago. This one has a lot more purpose to his stride.

Already in the water, Rin will pull himself up, standing at the edge and waving a hand.]

[It turns out his instructor spotted him first. Jean grants him a quick nod, and he heads toward the water. He looks out over it, noting that there the pool's idea of a "shallow end" was very different from the ocean's. There wouldn't be any slow walking out before he could easily turn back around.

Still, he's flown over Trost while trying to move quickly out of the view of titans. Some water can't destabilize him that much.]

Hey. Where do we start?

[If anything, he can look at this with some purpose.

Of course, he didn't say "how do we start," though that's really what he's thinking.]

[By being in a suit, Jean is already top of Rin's impromptu class. He simply doesn't know it yet, because he wasn't there the day half the people showed up in regular shorts or full battle costumes. Seriously, this is a welcome surprise. The boy isn't in khakis and a ski mask. They're already getting places.]

You can use the ladder to lower yourself down, or we could start at the family pool.

[That's become part of his new 'usual spiel,' as if this teaching thing was going to occur again, anytime in the near future. The family pool is in the next room over, and while it's bound to be more populated, it may be less daunting.]

[Jean, having just gone in to change, doesn't know the difference between this larger pool and the family one, but something about the family one sounds crowded. If it's meant for families, that's exactly how it's meant to be, right?

He shakes his head, moving toward the ladder to lower himself down. He doesn't need an audience.]

We'll move only if we have to.

[Because Jean is nothing if not stubborn.]

Don't push yourself to the edge today. It's just the start.

[But he's more pleased that Jean is willing to take the rougher path than he is worried it won't serve him well. Rin's there so that nothing too bad can happen. Before Jean can submerge more than his feet, his 'trainer's back in the pool, treading over to the ladder. See? Nothing to be scared of.]

Come on, worry about me once I mess up.

[Of which there is a decent chance, anyway. But he does ease along the edge of the pool, holding on. Jean doesn't have a sense of treading the water, and even being in it is strange. But he's in it, and he's not drowning.

Some part of him is mentally rewarding himself with that victory.]

[Two minutes and he hasn't drowned. If this was a game, that would surely be an Xbox achievement. But this is real(ish) life, and so all Jean will earn is subtle approval from the swimswam master himself.]

If you come along this way, you should be able to stand.

[Maaay have accidentally directed them to the deeper end of the pool. As long as Jean stays holding onto the ledge, it'll be fine. He doesn't look short, to begin with.]

Try kicking your legs a little. Relax and enjoy it.

That's the kind of thing you should mention from the beginning. What was that?

[The irritation he feels is mild. Jean can't blame someone for doing that, and it would be difficult to truly understand how little experience Jean has with something like this. Still, the irritation isn't nonexistent. He's likely to say something more if something like that happens again.

Frowning—but then, he seems like the type to default to a frown—he sticks to the wall as he moves forward, kicking his legs and feeling how different it is to be in that kind of water. He can feel it, but he's not relaxing yet.]

Sorry, sorry.

[He'll get the hang of complete beginners eventually. At Samezuka, and at his school in Australia before that, anyone aiming to be involved in swimming already knew the basics. They weren't institutions that let someone wander into the pool area and put on a pair of floaties-- they were very serious, hardcore teams. The weak simply didn't make it. Rin had to adapt, and now he'll have to adapt to something less rigid.

This guy doesn't have to know anything, like where the deep end is and where the shallow portion isn't. Think of him like a toddler.

In sympathy, Rin sticks to the wall as they move, too. It's kind of fun. He figures kids do this all the time if they aren't so serious.]

You should be able to stand around here.

[Once they get to the more level area, Jean's feet touch the bottom of the pool. While there were some places that had water in their world, it was nothing like this, and no one really made a habit of getting into it. That'd be stupid. Swimming was unheard of, so now he finds himself trying to get acquainted with a new activity.

Besides, "those places" weren't Trost, which was more focused on manufacturing than anything else.

But nothing in this world is like his hometown, so he has to adapt. Swimming will be useful, especially if he wants to experience the ocean more.]

Right ... [He seems steadier, and he turns in the water to look out.]

Now what