to love and be loved 【a jeanmarco fanfiction】

part 5

Jean couldn't believe he was dating Marco. it was crazy. good, but crazy. the other cabin mates started suspecting them. who wouldn't? they hug all the time, talk all the time, and hang out all the time. honestly, Jean thought it'd get to him more, but it doesn't at all.
"hey, Jean?"
Armin Arlelt, a kid in Jaegers division. big, blue doe eyes and short blonde hair, he looked very out of place in this harsh place. although, he is very much smarter than he looks, a genius with battle tactics.
"yeah, what's up Armin?"
"are you and Marco dating?"
Jean laughed a little.
"oh I'm sorry I was just-"
"yes." Jean laughed a little more. "yeah, we are, Armin. yeah."
"oh, ok. you guys are, uh, you guys are good together."
"thanks I guess."
Armin nodded and turned around, and walked around. well, word is out now, Jean thought. there will be whispers soon. if anyone tries to hurt Marco again, this time I'm-
he felt a tap on his right shoulder, but as he turned to his right he saw no one was there.
"gotchya!" he heard to his left, and this time when he turned he saw Marco smiling there. Jean laughed. "no ones done that to me since...oh god. year 4?" They both chuckled lightly and started walking towards the mosh pit of a lunchroom. they were serving burgers today. Marco and Jean joined the somewhat line and waited. "hey, Marco you know what I get to say now?"
"what?"
"your freckles are the cutest things I've ever seen."
"Jean!" Marco blushed and rolled his eyes.
"what? it's true. you know what else is true?" Marco sighed jokingly. "what?"
"I'm so damn gay." they both laughed, knowing full well it was true.
"yes, yes you are. but at least I am too." Marco winked really obviously, and Jean laughed harder. He couldn't believe that after what those guys did to him, Marco was this happy, this soon. bruises were still brushed along his jaw and although a lot better, cuts were still on his face and chest. Marco didn't even seem to care. he went through training normally like every other day, like every other trainee.
"Marco, do you remember anything about the night when...that happened?" Jean asked, legitimately curious.
"no, not at all. I only remember what happened, then sleepwalking back, then waking up in the morning." he confessed.
"you said some pretty strange stuff."
"you're lying." Marco exclaimed. "no way."
"you told me your favorite color was a raccoon."
"did I really?" he out his tray on the table covered his face with his hands, spreading his fingers slightly to peer out of. "nooo!"
"you also wanted to know if you were a princess."
Marco slid his hands up and through his soft, black hair. "oh god."
"then, we got in the cabin and-"
"no stoooop it Jean!" he blushed like mad as Jean laughed harder.
"alright, alright I'll stop." he raised his hands in surrender.
"jerk." Marco said, playfully shoving Jeans shoulder. a whisper caught Jeans attention. it almost sounded like they said jeans name. so it's begun, he thought, the whispers. just like middle school.
Mikasa, Eren, and Armin sat down in 3 of the vacant chairs.
"hey, guys!" Armin said cheerfully.
"hey what's up you guys?" Marco replied. Mikasa sat down silently on the end; Eren sat down with a grumbled, "Kirschtein," to which Jean answered with, "Jaeger."
"so what were you guys talking about?" Armin asked, trying to break the awkward silence. Marco saw the effort and quickly caught on.
"oh we were just talking about, um, lunch! I have been starving all day!" he chuckled. "what about you guys? up to anything new?"
it was really only Marco and Armin talking. Jean glared at Eren and Mikasa watched him like a hawk. Eren was stuffing his face, either too hungry or too annoyed to care.
"oh nothing really. we heard what happened to you Marco, you alright?"
sensitive topic, Armin, bad choice, I thought. Marcos smile faded a little but he perked it up, very falsely, and replied. "oh it was nothing! don't worry, I'm fine!" he smoothly fake laughed and thought of a topic. Jean could see he was faltering and broke in.
"have you been to the bathrooms recently? they're disgusting!" Marco looked up at him with grateful eyes. Jean guessed that Armin noticed the tension at the prior topic and added to the new one.
"I know! like we're already in the military, at least give us good toilets!" Armin laughed a little harshly.
"so are you guys gay or what?" Eren put in bluntly. Jean felt himself blush madly and he saw Marcos freckled face was filling with color. Marco looked back to Jean, hazel eyes open wide.
"EREN!" Armin cried, nervously watching us while trying to control Eren, who hadn't moved.
"what it's a legit question." he replied, chewing a bite of burger. Jean began to feel the rage towards Eren, and stood up with fists clenched.
"Jean, what are you doing? sit -"
"Marco!" he cut off.
"Jean," Marco replied, glaring at Jean, hoping.
"Marco!" Jean exclaimed, almost pleading.
"Jean," Marco warned.
"Maaarco!" officially pleading.
"sit down."
"Marco -"
"please, Jean, just sit down for gods sake."
he retired to his seat, defeated.
"fine." Marco looked at him and winked inconspicuously. how the hell could he do that? Jean thought. he couldn't wink that smoothly to save his life. in return, Jean just smiled and turned back to Eren.
"yup we are. well I am, i don't think Marco is dating me, a member of the same gender, because he's straight."
Eren murmured some form of 'ok' and turned his full attention back to his lunch. Mikasa whispered something in his ear and he jolted up. "I am NOT!"
Armin had given up on trying to control him and was making small talk with Marco.
Jean strained his hearing to try and catch what Mikasa was saying. he didn't even think she had a voice.
"Mikasa!" she whispered something else. "I don't mean to..." something the girl had said had hit him, and he looked suddenly bashful. "I'm sorry..." she added something else and he sighed. "do I have to?" she didn't have to say anything, just stare at him through her dark curtain of hair. Jean remembered when he liked Mikasa; it felt like so long ago. it was back when she had long hair.
Eren returned his glare to me. "I'm sorry," he sighed, "am I done?" he added to Mikasa. she picked up her tray and left to dump it and leave. "Mikasaaa!"Eren called, scooping up his own tray and following suit. Armin said goodbye to Marco and me and set off after Mikasa and Eren.
"what a group of weirdos." Jean muttered under his breath.
"are you ever nice?" Marco asked, jokingly.
"nah."