How I imagine Reiner as a father
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. *･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ｡ﾟ☆: *｡ﾟ ───
(Spoilers if you haven't watched all of AoT/SnK)
What he would go by:
Reiner would definitely go by all the cute names for dad by his kids
Dada as babies, Daddy when they're little (or Daddie), and then Pops when they get older. He also loves the idea of Papa, just anything his kids want to call him, he's happy with
Except Father (unless in formal situations)
Father is the word he associated with his dad because it felt so cold and heartless so he doesn't want his kids to view him that way.
He would eat up the homemade/special nicknames for him
Like him being called their superhero/super titan when playing or getting to pretend he's the king in their imaginary kingdom
The Basics:
Reiner didn't care whether he had boys, girls, or any combination, he just wanted kids (3-4 being his dream)
However, Reiner would be a great girl dad. Something about having two or three girls who he would let paint his nails, color on his arms and back, or who he would give piggyback rides to just feels like something he would love. He would take them on daddy/daughter dates growing up where he would do his best to show them respect and love so that one day when they go out and date someone they will know what is healthy and what isn't
But, if he does have boys (he would love them just as much as the girls obviously), best believe he's going to love watching them wear his shoes and mimic him when they're little. He looks forward to having those father/son moments where they make handshakes and inside jokes but also can't wait to teach them how to be good men as they get older
Reiner really respects the people in his life and he's not afraid to admit when he is in the wrong. So same goes for his kids, if he messes up he continues to feel guilty over it and apologizes for hurting their feelings or not following through with a promise he made
He also knows how the real world is and how terrible it can be (especially since he contributed to that by allowing the titans into paradise in his youth), so he's terrified of his kids being statistics or apart of any of that
Reiner teaches his kids self defense but refuses to let them become warriors as it's one of his largest regrets in his life
Whenever his kids ask about war or his work, he makes sure to be honest but also saves them a lot of the details. He knows if he isn't honest then they will grow curious and want to see for themselves, but he also doesn't put his trauma on his kids
Financial issues are NEVER spoken about to his kids. Reiner refuses to let his kids know how bad they are struggling as he wants them to enjoy being kids so if he can't afford food that night, he will go hungry just to feed them (since they are Ymir descendants, they don't have a lot)
He struggles with the brainwashing that Marley did to him to make him believe that Ymir descendants are less than human but he does his best to spare his kids that feeling by reminding them they are just as deserving of love and respect as anyone else as long as they are good people
He struggles with a lot of mental health issues so he is always open about what mental health issues are with his kids
The first time one of his kids has a panic attack he is quick to help them through it and explaining to them how to breathe or distract themselves from their anxiety
While he struggles with therapy and opening up himself, he makes sure his kids always know they can trust him with their issues without fear of judgement
One of his favorite lines is "I'm the armored titan, if I can handle war then I can handle you burdens."
However watching his kids cry over how the world treats them causes him to feel so much pain or rage he usually has to work out or practice his fighting skills to calm himself down
Parenting Style:
He's a stern and fair but loving and attentive parent
Reiner believes in raising his kids mostly equally but knows that they are all different so he raises them based off what works for them as well as preparing them for the separate struggles they will encounter
He's so awkward when it comes to their preteen stages. Reiner + Puberty do not mix well
He cooks for them whenever he can and encourages them to help him since strongly believes that kids should have consistent chores so that they value the things they have in their life (it also brings the family closer when they all help each other out)
He doesn't believe in locks on the door but he does knock before entering
The kid's rooms are their safe place but since the kids most likely share rooms (Eldians are broke) he lets them know that they have to respect everyone's boundaries
Yelling sometimes happens but its only ever when he's scared for them and doesn't know how to show it properly but he always apologizes and explains himself (he's still a broken man so he's not going to be a perfect parent)
He would shave his head if one of them got cancer type of thing
Type of Things Reiner Raises His Kids On:
Sea shanties and old crooner style music (so Marley's version of Frank Sinatra or Bobby Vee). Modern Reiner would probably listen to some classic rock and alt/indie/country though (He also would have that raspy old man voice while he sang)
He hikes with them!! Imagine Papa Reiner with a baby strapped to his chest, a backpack on his back, and his two other little ones trotting beside him while on a trail
Reading is a huge thing. He wasn't the greatest in school and reading isn't always his strong suit but he reads them stories at night for sure so that they always stay imaginative
He dances with them when his back isn't hurting
Sports are a huge thing in this family, if they could wear jerseys and and face paint in Marley they would. Baseball especially (thank Zeke for that influence). Football and swimming would be the other two
Reiner is a handyman for sure, hands on has always been his strong suit so anything his kids want (within reason) he sees no problem with building/crafting for them
Game night is a must when he isn't working
Some Additional Things:
How he's act with them:
His reflexes:
A song I feel like is "dad" Reiner's style:
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. *･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ｡ﾟ☆: *｡ﾟ ───