Unconditional (Jean x Mikasa)

Is He Your Husband?

"Goodness! Son, you're finally home." Jean's mother hugged him as soon as she saw them at the door.

Jean is puzzled as he watches Mikasa enter his home and headed to the kitchen.

"Mother, what should I cook today?" Mikasa asked calling out Jean's mother.

"Mother? She's calling my mom, mother. What the hell is going on?"

Jean's mother noticed Jean's shocked face. "Sorry son, I did not reply to your letters. I am not really used to receiving letters from you. So, I just ask Connie's mom to tell you I am okay here. Sorry, I didn't tell you that Mikasa has been living with me."

"Since when?" Jean is still in shock.

"Since she came home from the rumbling. She was totally in pain. I knew she's all alone and I was alone too. So I decided to take her in. It was good she agreed because otherwise, I'll be worried about her everyday."

"So you're the person she mentioned who's been there for her."

"Most likely." Jean mom stated.

"Oh, son. She's using your bedroom. So, just stay on the other room."

Jean shrugged and brought his luggage upstairs. He went to his new bedroom, trying to take the reality of living with her in his head. He heard several knocks on the door. He opened it and saw Mikasa.

"The tub is ready for your bath. You should clean up before dinner." She said and turned around. But Jean got a hold of her wrist.

"Mikasa, you don't have to do anything for me. This is all so weird."

"Jean." She's trying to calm his nerves.

"No, please don't do this. I'm not comfortable. Remember, we used to live together in the military base, didn't we?" He said still holding her.

"Yes." She simply said not looking at him.

"Let's live that way, where no one needs to serve anyone. Please."

"But this is the only way I could repay your mother's kindness." She said meeting his eye.

"You don't have to do anything for me. Helping with the household chores is more than enough. Besides, you don't need to repay my mother, I think she's happy you're here with her."

"Okay. Only for today, I'll say it again, take a bath before the water gets cold. I'll also put clean clothes on your bed. Don't worry, I won't do it again."

Mikasa sounds disappointed by his rejection. This is not the response he aims to have. He just don't want her serving him. Cooking for him is more than enough for him, but preparing his bath, his clothes, is already way beyond absurd.

"I am not even a baby or a child. I don't want her to be so worked up serving me. But why she seemed angry at me now?"

------

Jean shirtless, wearing only his boxer shorts, goes to the dinning room to eat breakfast. As he pulled the chair, she heard Mikasa called her, "Jean." She turned to her only to see her covering her eyes, blushing from embarassment.

"Oh, shit. I am sorry Mikasa I didn't mean to." Jean ran back upstairs totally embarrassed that she saw him half naked.

"It's not like this is the first time, I saw him shirtless. I saw him too many times. I even helped him button his uniform. But why do I feel so ashamed? Why did I react that way?" Then images of the bulge underneath his boxers came to her. "Oh!" She gasped. Realizing that this is the first time she saw him only in his boxers. Blood came rushing in her head. She can't unsee what she saw. Curiosity runs through her head. "So, that is what it looked like underneath those pants."