Chapter Text
It has been four years since becoming a scout. Four years from Trost. And four years since Marco’s death. Somehow, everything Jean does is still influenced by him. Every titan and every Marlean dead. He kisses the blade that kills. In his right hand is where he was last able to hold Marco. The last ash he could grapple with. He’s made it a habit that he kisses that hand before battle to be a little closer to Marco.
From the moment Jean joined the scouts he knew that it was stupid to get attached to anyone but he figured he would be within the MP’s ranks. He would be safe with every friend he’s made. He never accounted for trost being attacked by titans. He never accounted for Marco. The moments replay in his head often.
“You’re not strong, so you understand how weak people feel.” And so he got stronger. Stronger for Marco and everyone else who’s ever felt weak. He joined the scouts for Marco. Everything was influenced by a boy who surpassed everyone else in Jeans mind. Everything.
People are dying and Eren is being reckless and becoming less like himself everyday. Jean’s trying to set an example of a good soldier. Conny and Sasha know how to be good soldiers and yet Jean still feels like he has to mask everything for them.
Now bullets are flying and titans roar after the declaration of war and Jean moves quickly. Flashes of rock and people and dangerous titans such as the Jaw and the Cart fly by. He stays on task and deflects any threats thrown his way.
“I’m gonna check my blade, Conny.”
“Hurry back quick we don’t have a second to spare man.”
He swings past everything and stops for a simple moment to gather himself. He hides in an alley and checks his gear. He leans back and sighs before staring at the ground.
“It’s for humanity.” He reminds himself before sheathing his blades. He’s about to aim his gear to shoot up onto a near roof when he hears a gasp. It threw him off and he snaps his head around, placing his hands on the handles of his blades. A shadow zips by. It wasn’t a scared kid. It was a grown person running to warn the marlean military of a paradis eldian within an arms reach. This was a problem. Sure he could’ve just shot away but the more backup comes, the harder this will be for the scouts.
So he began a chase. When the corner was turned he still saw them sprinting down the street. He tried to catch up using his gear but loss sight when they turned a corner. He tried to follow their path but he soon realized that they turned into a home. Not a place of warning but a place of refuge. He walked into the house. He didn’t know why he did, he didn’t know these people and he didn’t care. Maybe his interest was piqued from what he previously thought to be a threat.
His interest was right to be piqued. His gut knew when something was wrong. He wasn’t stupid. Well maybe he was, given that the moment he entered the house he was tackled with a knife to his throat. The man he was tackled by froze. A mistake. Jean took the opportunity to not once take in any features of this person and pinned them.
“Wait!” A voice from below yelped. “Jean wait!”
“How-?”
He turned the prisoner of Jean over, still keeping him secure.
A beat.
“No.”
Thump.
“Marco.”