In Another Life (EreJean)

twenty-six

Chapter summary: Jean and Eren take a dip in the ocean.

"So what's the ocean like?"

Jean opens his eyes. Above him, Eren leans over the ship's railing and gazes out at the sea. The wind breaks through the ends of his hair, his chin tilted slightly upward like he wants to kiss it.

Jean's lying in Eren's shadow, so he gets none of the calming breeze. Instead, his legs receive the full extent of the sun's greediness. He already has tan lines.

Eren looks down at him, enthusiasm tugging at his lips. "Is everything really colorful like they show in pictures?"

Jean rests his hands behind his head. The waves beneath the ship rock him like a lullaby. He offers a lopsided grin.

"It's pretty amazing," he says. "The bits I've seen, at least. There's still plenty I haven't seen."

"I want to see all of it."

"The ocean?"

"Well, yeah, but not just that. I want to see what's on the other side of it. I want to see everything. I don't think I'll ever be satisfied until I see all the world has to offer."

Jean observes Eren from the corner of his eye. Eren's staring out at the sea again, welcoming it with a boyish curiosity.

"It goes on forever."

His voice is so soft that Jean can't tell if he's meant to hear it. There's more Eren wants to say. It's obvious by his expression. Maybe the words are spilling out in his head, this time for his ears only.

Jean turns his head toward him. They've been at sea for an hour, yet his stomach is still in knots. It's possible he's seasick.

But each time his eyes land on Eren, Jean doubts it's seasickness at all.

He rests his arm against his forehead. His upper body is blocked in the shade, but the sun's rays are harsh against his shins. The heat soars through him, ultimately accumulating in his chest. A fire ignites in his lungs. His chest caves in and out, much faster than before.

"Are you okay?" Eren asks.

Jean shuts his eyes again and takes a deep breath. "I'm a little warm."

"Hey!" Eren calls out. "Someone get Jean some water!"

It takes less than thirty seconds. Reiner and his obnoxious dangling earring shaped like a dagger surge out of nowhere with a bucket of water. He douses Jean in it, mostly hitting his face and chest. Jean falls into a coughing fit and sits up. Some of that water went down the wrong pipe.

Eren rushes to the floor. He slaps Jean's back to a steady beat. Jean would tell him that he's doing more harm than good, but he's too busy choking.

When his throat is fully cleared, Jean relaxes. His face shifts from a disturbing red to his natural complexion. Eren's fingers delicately trace his back in crescent patterns. It feels good, as terrifying as that is to admit.

He glares at Reiner who's standing above them with a dopey smile like he actually did something useful.

"Where'd you get that?" Jean snaps.

"Kitchen," Reiner answers proudly. "I filled it with water from the sink."

"Idiot!" Eren says. "He's a mermaid. He needs saltwater!"

Reiner gawks at them without blinking. Jean searches his golden eyes for a hint of intelligence, but all he sees is an absence of thought. It's like Reiner shut off the switch to his brain years ago and has been too stupid to remember to turn it back on.