The Start Of Something Great

Shore Leave

Carver's POV: Jan. 12th, 0713
Daturn, Saso City

Beep. Beep. Beep. The shrill noise of my alarm sliced through the quiet morning, jerking me awake. I swatted at it, silencing the intrusion, and swung my legs over the side of the bed, planting my feet on the floor. The sun streamed through the window, warming the space around me.

I dragged myself out of bed and walked into the living room, when my phone buzzed in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw a text from Jean.

"Hey, Hitman squad wants to hang out at a local restaurant. You down?"

I paused for a second, considering it, before quickly typing my response.

"Yeah, sure."

Immediately, Jean replied.

"Cool, I'm grabbing Ray, then heading your way. Buck and Raptor are already on their way."

Hearing that Buck was out and about again lifted my spirits. I tossed my phone on the couch and headed to my closet, pulling out a pair of jeans, an ODST tank top, and a hoodie, finishing it off with my ball cap. After changing, I headed back into the living room.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The familiar sound of someone at my door made me smile.

"Coming!" I called, walking over to open it. Jean stood on the other side, dressed in black jeans, an ODST hoodie, and a bow in her hair. Her purple hair with blue roots caught the light as she greeted me.

"You know, this is the first time I've seen you without your helmet on."

I chuckled as I locked the door behind me. Jean flipped me off, her face breaking into a grin, and we both laughed as we walked out of the apartment. Outside, Ray was waiting in Jean's demilitarized Samson truck, looking relaxed in sweatpants, a black tank top, and her signature ODST beanie.

"Hey Jacob," she greeted with a smile.

"Hey, Ray," I replied, returning the smile as I climbed into the passenger seat. Jean slid into the driver's seat and started the truck.

"So, what restaurant are we headed to?" Ray asked as we pulled out.

"Some place Lux recommended," Jean replied. "Pierogi Palace."

As we drove through the streets, we passed a variety of restaurants: Russian, Chinese, French, Canadian—places that brought Earth's many cultures to life on other worlds. I smiled at the sight of them, thinking back to my own childhood in a Russian district.

"I could go for some of my mum's cooking," I muttered in Russian, just to see if Ray was paying attention.

Jean smirked, clearly understanding. "Bet hers doesn't beat mine," she teased, making Ray raise an eyebrow.

Ray turned to us, clearly confused. "What the hell are you two saying?"

Jean and I burst into laughter.

"We were just talking about our moms' cooking and how much we miss it," I explained.

Ray seemed satisfied with that, but I could see the curiosity lingering in her eyes. We reached Pierogi Palace's parking lot, where Dev and Ren were chatting outside, laughing like old friends. Kai and Lux were hand-in-hand, walking toward the entrance.

Jean parked next to their demilitarized Samson, and we all climbed out of the truck.

"Hey, you guys ready?" Jean called over to the others.

"Yeah, let's go," Dev answered, already making his way to the door.

As we approached, I held the door open for everyone, and Jean followed behind.

"Hey Jean, I've got something for you," I said, trying to hide my nervous excitement.

Jean raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a curious smile. "Okay, what is it?"

I fished around in my pocket and pulled out a freshly made patch—an Atlas Titan with the words "К концу" embroidered on it.

Jean's eyes widened when she saw it. "Oh, sorry, did you not like it?" I asked, unsure if she'd like the gift.

She looked at me, surprised. "No, I like it a lot! But—wait, you got it copied so I could have one too?"

I nodded, feeling a little bashful. "Yeah. Thought it'd be cool if we had matching patches."

Jean's face turned a deep shade of red as she took the patch from me, clearly touched by the gesture. "Thank you so much, Jacob," she said, her voice softer now.

I motioned for her to enter, holding the door open for her. She gave me a slight bow of gratitude as she passed, and I followed her into the restaurant.

The place was stunning. The bar was a gleaming white marble, and the tables were round, each with four chairs around it. What stood out most, though, was the shelf behind the bar, lined with model Titans, tanks, and even an EVA shotgun. The atmosphere was cozy, but there was an air of reverence for combat, which I liked.

As I looked around, I saw that all the bar stools were marked "Reserved"—except one, which was open next to Jean, Lux, and Kai. I slid into the seat beside them, joining their conversation.

"So, you two have been together almost two years now?" Jean asked, glancing between Kai and Lux.

Kai grinned, squeezing Lux's hand. "Yeah, hard to believe, huh? We used to hate each other."

I chuckled, leaning back as I looked around. Buck and Raptor were sitting at the bar, beers in hand, sharing stories with each other. The rest of us started ordering our food, and Lux suggested the pierogis, which sounded perfect to me.

As I placed my order, Jean turned to me with a glint in her eye. "Hey Jacob, wanna hang out after this? Just you and me?"

I felt my face heat up as I tried to answer. "Y-yeah, s-sure," I stammered, feeling a little embarrassed by her smile.

Buck, Raptor, Devoron, and Ren finished up and headed out, which meant it was time for us to leave as well. We walked back to Jean's Samson, where Ray climbed into the back seat, and I slid into the passenger side. Jean started the truck, and we drove back to our apartments.

Ray got out first when we reached her place. "Thanks for the ride, Jean," she said as she waved us off.

"No problem," Jean called back.

"Well, my place or yours?" Jean asked once Ray was out of sight, catching me completely off guard.

"Uh... mine, I guess?" I stammered.

Jean gave me a sly grin as she turned the truck in the direction of my apartment complex. Once we arrived, we both got out, and I opened the door for her, letting her go ahead.

Inside my apartment, the tension was palpable. We both sat on the couch, and I glanced over at Jean, who was blushing a deep shade of red. I could barely contain the smile forming on my face.