Best friends..? [JeanMarco]

Chapter 6 - Day off -

[Marco POV]

Today was an off day for the scouts. No training. No plan discussions. Marco had decided to spend his day sat out in a field near headquarters. 

The field around him was full of hydrangea* as well as tall grass and bushes. He found comfort in the silence of the field he was sat in. He lay down in the grass, underneath a tall tree. Marco looked up at the sky and sighed, he felt rather calm and happy today. 

Clouds passed by as Marco looked up to the sky. He could spot one shaped like a heart, one like a star and one like a dog. A small and gentle smile appeared on his face as he relaxed. He spent most of his morning in the field alone. However, he heard footsteps approaching. Marco sat up and looked around but didn't spot anyone at first. Then he looked again and spotted Jean Kirstien, his best friend, approaching the spot he was sat. 

Marco waved slightly at Jean, and Jean waved back. He leant against the tree behind him as he waited, Jean then sat down beside Marco and smiled at him.

"Hey Marco" He spoke. An unusually sweet tone in his voice. No cockiness to be heard. 

"Hello Jean" Marco responded. He felt butterflies in his stomach. Why did he feel that? Marco shook his head a bit to snap himself out of it before speaking again. "What are you doing out here?"

"I thought I would come out here to draw for a bit. I didn't think you would be here." Jean responded. "It's nice to see you though" Jean leant back on the tree with Marco. 

"I see..." Marco muttered as he looked away from Jean and at the scenery "It's rather beautiful here, isn't it? I didn't see things like this in Jinae district." 

"It is" Jean smiled back. He seemed to be in a good mood. 

Jean was sat there sketching as Marco enjoyed the scenery. They didn't pay heaps of attention to one another, but they enjoyed each other's company. 

"It's nice sitting here with you Marco" Jean told him. 

Marco felt his face go red again, the butterflies returning. "Thanks Jean... Same here. I enjoy your company" 

Jean occasionally looked up from his drawing to look at Marco. Marco had noticed this but ignored it as he enjoyed the silence. The wind blew through his hair as he gently smiled, enjoying the break from all the ODM training they had been doing. 

Jean looked up at Marco "Hey Marco? Can you look here a second?" 

Marco looked over at Jean "Why?" 

"Just. Sit there like that for a second"

Marco looked confused but did as he was told. 

"Tadaaa" Jean passed Marco the piece of paper he had been drawing on. It was of Marco looking up at the sky, a soft smile on his face. Marco's face flushed even more red but Jean paid no notice. 

"Wow Jean.. this is.. amazing! Can I keep it?" Marco asked

"Of course." Jean grinned, wrapping his arm around Marco's shoulders again and ruffling his hair with the other. Marco chuckled in response, and then smiled at his friend. His stomach was full of butterflies. Was this a crush? 

Marco looked over at the hydrangea's beside him and picked one before handing it to Jean. "For you" he smiled. "It's not much..." 

Jean took it and smiled "Thanks Marco" 

[*hydrangea, a type of flower often resembling heartfelt emotions and gratitude.]

Jean and Marco spent the rest of their day together. Marco had dropped the drawing off to their barracks on the way to the nearby town where the boys got lunch together. Jean had got an omelette, his favorite. While Marco had gotten a salad. They sat in silence as they ate. 

After they had eaten, Marco spotted a bookstore and wanted to go in. He dragged Jean in to look. They both looked through the shelves of books before getting bored and leaving. Jean and Marco walked the streets together. Marco smiled at Jean as they walked before looking ahead of himself. 

"This has been fun." Marco smiled as he walked beside Jean.

"Yeah it has." Jean responded

 "Hey wanna go back to that field and watch the sunset??" Marco asked.

"Sure why not" Jean grinned, as they made their way back to the field.