to love and be loved 【a jeanmarco fanfiction】

part 4

Marco sat on Jeans cot, partially in shock of what just happened and partially confused as to what he should do. those guys were jerks but he's ok now nobody needs to get hurt. the other side of him wanted to pummel them into the ground, to hang them with their own maneuvering gear. Marco was deciding whether or not he should chase Jean and team up or stop him, or to sit here and let it play out. Jean doesn't know who the boys, he doesn't even know what division they're in. he can't do any damage. he noticed he was still on Jeans cot, and slowly climbed down the ladder and crossed to his own cot. as soon as he sat down and relaxed, the cabin door creaked open, allowing in Eren Jaeger, another boy in his division. Eren shut the door behind him. "hey Eren. why are you in cabin #3? I thought you were placed in #4." Marco asked, a little concerned.
"You weren't at training today and I saw you last night; you looked pretty beat up. I just wanted to see if you were all right." Marco hardly knew Eren, they've talked but only about military stuff. never about each other.
"uh yeah I'm fine. I was just tired."
"have you been crying?" Eren asked, coming over to his cot.
"no nope I'm fine it's nothing. really." am I just a bad liar? I feel like I've said I'm fine, it's nothing, really all night long, Marco thought.
"Marco, i know we're not close or anything, but I'm here for you if you need or want me." he said, resting his hand on the bunk above me. Marco nodded.
"thanks Eren."
"Marco, by the way, I told Jean who those guys were. I only saw a glimpse, but there was no mistaking them. Jean looked pretty pissed. I hope that's alright." he pushed open the door and left. Jaeger knew? he was there? and he told Jean?
shit.
Marco slammed open the door and sprinted after Jean. He had forgotten shoes and had a t shirt on instead of the uniform tunic, but his pants were still uniform. ahead, he saw a group of other soldiers. it looked like one was standing out, preparing to fight. Jean. Marco ran faster and he was only a few feet away when he saw Jean throw the first punch. it knocked the guy square in the jaw! even though he thought it was terrible, Marco had to admit Jean was a great fighter.
"Jean! stop!" Marco arrived out of breath and grabbed Jeans arm. "don't do this, Jean . please, don't." Jean paused and turned towards him. "Marco, what are you doing? these are the guys! Jaeger told me!"
"I'm not going to let you beat them!"
"he can't beat us, trust me, momma's boy!" the one who got punched, Arthur.
Jean swiveled around and slammed his fist into Arthur's nose this time. he crouched, holding both hands to his nose. blood trickled out between his fingers.
"this conversation doesn't involve you, asshole." Jean spat, turning back to Marco. "these people don't deserve mercy, Marco. they deserve a good ass whooping and I'll happily oblige."
"Jean, you don't need to do this. please, don't do this! this isn't your fight in the first place, it's mine. you don't need to fight for me."
"they deserve this! if you're not going to fight, someone needs to punish them. the idiots don't even know the whole story!"
"what story, Jean? there is no damn story. just stop this! we've already established that they're dicks. we got it. they're scared of you-"
"no we're not!" Arthur cried from his spot on the ground. Jean lashed out a leg and kicked him in the gut. "yes you are."
"yes we are! yes we are!" the others called for Arthur.
"anyway, they're not going to bother me anymore. can we just let it go?" Marcos voice pleaded. Jean looked at him, his bruised face and how his eyes didn't glow as they did before. how they had a darker feel to them.
"find, but I swear if I ever hear even their name again, I'm not showing mercy." Jean sighed, and began to follow Marco back to the cabin.
"good thing your boyfriend came to protect you otherwise we'd have pummeled you!"
before they could even move, Jean had swung back and nailed Arthur in the back of the skull, pushing his forehead into the ground. he held his fist there and kicked him again in the gut. "this isn't over, you motherless-"
"Jean, seriously just leave." with one last kick to his balls, Jean turned around and headed for the cabin.

the next day was a day off, and boy, Marco figured it could not come at a better time. he woke up to chatter from his cabin mates, and looked across the aisle and up to Jeans cot. Jean was laying in it playing with his pocket knife. Marco wiped sleep off his face and padded up the ladder. "hey, Jean," he said softly, "mind if I sit?" the sleep hung in his voice, making it rougher, like he'd been drinking whiskey. Jean looked up with bored eyes, and pulled his legs to his chest, allowing room for Marco to climb in. "Marco, I have something to ask you. 2 things, actually." his voice was normal; Marco wondered how long Jean had been awake.
"yeah sure, anything."
"isn't...isn't your mother, um, dead?" he asked, avoiding Marcos eyes. he looked away, to the wall.
"she- she died. that's why I joined the military." he said. the memories were fresh and vivid, her lying in that bed....things Marco wished to god he hadn't seen. "you said you had 2 questions?" he replied, eager to change the subject. Jean nodded. "yeah, my second one is this. why did you hold me back yesterday? I could've easily whooped all of their asses, and they deserved it." Marco sighed. he knew this was coming at some point, just hopefully after 10 in the morning, but apparently not.
"they were just trying to have a laugh. not a very good one, and not ethical, but this place is hell, Jean. it's hell. I try and I try to keep smiling, but it's hard without a reason. that's why I'm so grateful for you, Jean. you're my reason." Marco felt himself blush, and he turned his gaze to look at Jean over the light brunette's knees, who was staring at him with colored cheeks and a true smile. "those boys...they don't have a reason. they bully others for joy, for the rush, for the feeling of power and security." his smile faded, and he lifted his eyes back to the wall.
"so that's it, then?" Jean said, and. Marco looked back to him.
"aaaand violence is never the answer and whatnot." Marco added, chuckled lightly.jean grinned and rolled his eyes at Marco. "look around you. we're in the military!" they both laughed a little harder.
"Marco, I was, uh, wondering something else, too." Jean said, suddenly avoiding his eyes. color filled his cheeks and ears.
"yeah?"
"I wanted to know if you, um, wanted to, if you wanted to be, um, my boy-boyfriend?" his eyes peered up, but his face remained tilted down. Marco broke out into first a small smile, then it grew to be a grin that could've reached his ears. "yes, Jean, I'd love to." he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Jean. he really likes to hug, Jean thought. but hey, I wasn't complaining at all. "of course."
surprised at Marcos embrace, Jean slowly lifted his arms and tightened them on Marcos back, pulling Marco towards him. "thank you." he whispered softly into Marcos raven-black hair. he let his eyes shut and his body relax into Marcos. they broke apart, Jeans arm still resting on Marcos shoulder. "hey, Jean," Marco said, "so does this make us gay?"Jean rolled his eyes again , grinning.
"yes, very."

dear mom,
I miss you so much. something happened... I lost all my other letters. except the one about Jean, thank god. if they had...never mind I'm not going to tell you about it. when I see you I'll tell you everything I'm skipping in these letters. well now Jean and I are...dating!! I thought it was just a crush, that it would never happen. but he asked me! oh ma, it was great. he's great. i don't want to throw around the word love like it means nothing, but I really do think I might be getting close to loving Jean. he stood up for me in a way no one else has ever done. it made me feel so good, so loved, like I belong. I guess military isn't too bad. I love you always,
Marco ツ