A Love Like War (On Hold)

Chapter 7

Jean's POV

"If anything happens to me out there... please, take care of her for me."

Marco's last words echoed in my mind as a chain of memories that I'd rather forget started playing themselves in my head.

---

I just stood there, frozen, looking like an idiot as I stared at the grotesque looking face that was clearly also staring right back at me with such malice and predatory intent that it made my heart skip a beat....

'Damn it... I don't want to die...' I thought as I forcefully tore my eyes away from the monstrosity and turned my attention towards the corpse of a former fellow soldier in front of me with, what I hope, a perfectly functional 3DMG. 'Breathe... Just take the damn thing and bolt before that fucking thing kills you.' I thought desperately as I knelt down and began working on unbuckling the belts that held the damn thing in place while keeping the distance of the Titan that was already making its way towards me.

The ground rumbled as the Titan's thundering footsteps became louder and louder making my heart beat wildly inside my chest as panic started to take over my system making me miss a few belts here and there as I started cursing under my breath in frustration.

'I don't want to die here, damn it!' I screamed in my head as I unbuckled the last belt that was fasted at the bloody gear and started to pull it off the poor bastard's corpse as I stood up only to find out that the Titan was standing only an arm's length away from me making me freeze on the spot as it slowly reached out its massive hands towards me as if telling me that Death himself was already claiming me.

My uneventful life started flashing right in front of my very eyes. My family, my childhood, the first time I saw and thought that I had fallen in love with Mikasa, and those hellish days that I spent in that bloody Military Camp as I worked my ass off just to get a spot in the TOP TEN. Those hellish days that became a bit more bearable ever since my best friend, Marco Bodt, had introduced her to me as one of the promising soldiers in his group... and as the girl that he had deeply fallen for....

"Damn it.... I haven't even told them the truth yet..." I muttered under my breath as my knees started to buckle as thoughts of her started flooding my mind as I stared at my upcoming demise. 'I'm going to miss her.' I thought to myself glumly as her image etched itself into my mind as my heart raced at the very thought of her standing beside me.

Her intoxicating scent that smelled of strawberries. The way her sapphire blue eyes sparkled like live stone when the sun touches them. The way her raven black hair glistened and flowed like silk in the summer breeze. The way her pale yet soft looking skin would be tainted a slight hue of pink whenever she was next to him making her look like one of those fragile porcelain dolls. Specially the way she smiles lovingly and sweetly at him that was the reason that made me fall for her in the first place. A smile that she never wore whenever she was with me or with anyone else for that matter. Sighing, I closed my tired eyes in surrender as I awaited Death to welcome me into his arms as I expected the bone crunching grip of the Titan that never came.

Instead, all I felt was something wet and sticky splattering over my face.

"Jean!" A familiar deadpan voice called out my name making me open my eyes in an instant only to witness the Titan's downfall in front of me. Its gigantic body slowly evaporating into thin air.

"(y-y/n)?" I muttered dumbfounded as I lowered my vision only to be met by a pair of cold sapphire blue eyes that chilled the blood in my veins. "Uhm... W-what-"

THWACK!!!

"What the hell were you thinking you moron!" she growled at me after hitting me with the hilt of her blade, her sapphire blue eyes flaring with anger. "Surrendering yourself to the enemy like that. Are you that much of a coward, Kirschtein!?" she snapped at me as she continued to shoot daggers at me with those sapphire blue orbs of hers.

"(y/n), calm down. I'm sure Jean was just too petrified by fear to move then." another familiar voice said, making me turn and to be met by the smiling freckled face of my best friend, Marco Bodt. "You alright?" he asked calmly before giving me one of his warm smiles.

"Y-yeah. I was just trying to get a functional gear. Sorry." I muttered in embarrassment as I eyed the 3DMG that almost costed me my life. 'She saved me...' I thought as I tried to fight the smile that was about to make its way to my face as I stole a glance of her standing in front of me, her back at me, as she scanned the surrounded buildings.

"Marco." she muttered under her breath as she eyed the building ahead of us warily.

"Yes?" Marco replied as he started to make his way towards her side like he always does. A prince beside his princess.

"Help Jean get his gear strapped on. I'm going to take care of some things up ahead." she said as she replaced her already blunt blades with sharper ones and began making her way towards the buildings.

"What are you- You couldn't be-" Marco started to argue only to be cut off by the sound of thundering footfalls that came from up ahead. "

"10 minutes." she simply said before firing her wires towards the direction where those godforsaken footfalls came from.

Marco, annoyed in his own way, simply helped me buckle up the gear that I've gotten earlier securely on my harness. His freckled face clouded with an expression that I have never seen. He was mad.

"Marco-" I tried to talk to him only to be cut off by his hand telling me to shut my mouth.

"Jean, I want you to promise me something." He began as he finished buckling the last belt to secure the blasted gear.

"What is it?" I asked, eyeing him curiously.

"Promise me that if something were to happen to me. You'll keep her safe." he said as let his brown eyes wander towards the direction where she last stood.

"W-what are you talking about?" I stuttered in surprise.

"I know you like her too, Jean." He said before returning his gaze at me. His brown eyes smiling.

"I-"

"Please... If anything happens to me out here. please take care of her for me."

"A-alright... but nothing will happen to you, Marco... I'm sure of it."

"we both know that that's a lie."

Taken a back by his words I couldn't help but just comply with his request... not knowing that it would be his last, I smiled at my friend, my brother-in-arms, as we made our way back to her side.

---

'But I don't think she needs taking care of, Marco.' I thought as I stared at (y/n) who was standing in front of me at the Scouting Legion's training ground, her raven black hair glistening in the sun as she charged at me, full throttle.

THWACK!

The sound of leather hitting my bare skin echoed in my ears as I felt my body soar through the air with her kick making my body land with a loud splash as it hit the wet ground.

"Damn it..." I muttered under my breath as the tattletale splashes told me that she was making her way towards me as I my body remained rooted to the rain drenched ground.

"That all you got, Kirschtein?" I heard her ask as several thoughts flooded my mind.

Looking up at grey clouds that continued to forge ahead as rain continue to fall, my mind finally settled on one single thought. A thought that was more of a message to the departed than anything.

'She's more capable of taking care of herself than you give her credit for.' I thought as I tried to stand up and ready to counter only to find her unconscious in the arms of the man whom my best friend secretly despised.