death do us part

sunburnt

It's hot, so hot. The sun shines down at him as he's been out there working. He's hot and bothered and his shirt sticks to his sweaty skin. The long sleeves helping him just a tad, covering him from the sun but not from the heat. The hat he wears barely helping cover the sun.

He turns to glance at Eren, if that idiot hadn't opened his mouth and offered their help they wouldn't be out here.

"We can develop the island and our muscles at the same time, my ass." Jean glares at him then beside him, where you stand.

"Seriously I don't understand her." He grumbles under his breath as he watches you yawn swinging the hammer around almost hitting Eren who jolts causing you to gasp. Hands coming up apologetically.

Connie laughs like it's funny.

"She's been different I'd say. But aren't we all?" Connie says as he slams the hammer down onto one of the spikes, Jean reciprocates his actions beside him.

"Yeah but- she's out of it...you don't think she's on-"

"Don't even finish that sentence!" Connie whisper shouts, stopping his actions.

"Don't be an idiot why would she do that?" Connie says with an annoyed look.

"I'm just saying..." he shrugs his shoulders and glances back at you, putting your arms out high onto the air yawning, as Eren stares at you blankly.

"You can't say that shit out loud what if someone hears you?" Connie continues to over panic.

Jean looks away from you and Eren, he looks down sighing.

"We're grasping at straws here trying to avoid the rumbling and save Historia." He huffs the weight of all the issues that are going on resurfacing.

Is this how she feels? Is that why she's distancing herself?

If so, you're not discreet at all, same with Eren.

The two of you have been acting different. Everyone's been trying to figure it out, if something happened, if somethings upsetting the two of you.

Although, with Eren no one says anything.

Whereas you...everyone pities you and tries to get you back to your "normal" self...if there ever was one.

Jean huffs and looks back up, his hearing catching Hange call out to them as she and Levi head towards them.

"Man, you're all working hard in this heat!" Hange says with a small smirk. As her smirk goes away and she becomes more serious.

"The Azumabitos sent their reply. Looks like we can't turn to Hizuru."

"Seems they want to monopolize Paradis Islands resources. They won't help us trade with others." She finalizes.

"So we've got no choice but to rely on the rumbling and sacrifice Historia?" Eren says his eyebrows furrowing and his hands turning to fists.

"Why won't they consider a path of peace?" Armin looks down, disappointed.

"They fear us because they don't know what we are." Mikasa mumbles.

"That's right. They won't trust people whose faces they haven't seen. So let's meet em! If you don't understand something, go figure it out!" Hange announces.

____

"Make a base in Marley and infiltrate, huh?" Jean says thinking out loud.

"Hange has a plan for everything! I'll be able to chow down on real Marleyan cuisine!" Sasha smiles her hands clasped together at the thought, had she even heard what Hange had said?

"If the world knows that we want peace, maybe something will change." Armin says from the front of the train.

A silence runs through them all for a moment as they think.

"I've only got over five years left. We're gonna have to decide who inherits my Titan soon." Eren says looking forward.

"I will." Mikasa announces to which Jean instantly objects.

"Not you. We still don't know what the Ackermans are. And won't it hurt any plans with Hizuru if you become a Titan?"

Mikasa frowns and turns to Jean, "Then who will?"

"Me. First of all, I'm way smarter than Eren. Instead of a suicidal maniac. You'll have a gifted leader who shows good judgment in all situations." Jean says while pointing towards himself, everyone looks at him with a plain look while you scoff and roll your eyes at him.

"Someone that amazing shouldn't lose thirteen years, moron." Connie says across Jean.

"I'll inherit Eren's Titan. It works out good, right?" Connie smiles towards Eren.

"That's not good at all. You're an idiot." Sasha huffs in disapproval.

"We can't leave such an important role up to an idiot....doggone it...I'll inherit it." Sasha puts her hands onto her lap like she's the best choice.

"You said an idiots not fit for the role...you're more of an idiot that I am so you're contradicting yourself." Connie says holding a staring contest with Sasha.

Jean looks at both of them and then around him, it's a hard choice and all, so who would get the-

"I will."

Jean turns to look at you beside him. He hadn't even realized you were sitting there. If he's being honest he had forgotten about you for a moment.

It gets quiet and no one says anything, his eyes widening just a bit when no one objects. So you'd get the Titan? You weren't dumb like those two, you were smart and capable. It made sense but he frowns at the thought and looks away.

It's almost as if everyone agrees.

Until...

"I don't want any of you to inherit it." Eren finally says.

"Why not?" Jean looks up to him confused.

"Because you're important to me. More than anyone else. So I want you to have long lives."

It gets quiet again, no one says anything until Jean peeks through a gap in his fingers, and looks toward Eren whose cheeks are a bright pink.

"Huh?! What are you turning red for?! The hell kinda mood is this?!" Jean gets agitated pointing towards him.

"Jean it's the sunset, it's making our faces red." Armin says.

"Oh. Nothing we can do about the sun." Jean mumbles looking down for a minute.

His thoughts go back to you, glancing towards you to see your expression, were you glad that you wouldn't inherit Eren's Titan?

He stills as he watches you. You have a frown on your face, and your eyes are closed, cheeks tinted pink as the rest of them.

But your head is up, as if you're not upset but disappointed.

What's up with you?