Jean is fed up. He's tired of spending day after day having to listen to them constantly worry about each other. It's annoying. And incredibly painful to watch. The words and touches are more caring, they linger — it isn't normal by any means. And yet, they still are too blind to notice anything.
Of course, Jean admits he wasn't too quick on it either, but that's because it takes a little longer for things to sink in for him. But it still did, and after a rather short time of knowing them too. But he'd first started hearing word of it from the beginning. Rumors started circulating and by the half year mark, the entire cadet corps was trying to help them out. Because they all saw what was going on and they needed something done about it. Whether that be to help them be happy together or to stop the gross pining from afar depended on the person.
So, when it's Jean's turn for the night shift and he's paired with Eren, he decides the time has come to give him a piece of his mind just like the others had. Of course, some had gone to Armin instead, seeing him as the more approachable of the two, but Eren had definitely been informed on numerous occasions. Jean just hopes that this time, he'll actually shut up and do something about it.
The breeze ruffles his hair and he runs a hand through it, trying to calm it, as he lets a soft sigh float away. He glances at Eren, seeing his eyes trained on the horizon, watching for any sign of a titan. Jean knew there wouldn't be much to look at and had chosen to lean back and try to get some rest, but Eren apparently thought something was going to spring out and attack them at any given moment. But as focused as he is on the task at hand, Jean notices a stiffness about him. A quick gaze and cloudy eyes that tell him he must be thinking about something. "You're worried about him," he decides to say and sees Eren stiffen even more, his frown deepening. He doesn't say anything for a moment and Jean thinks he might be right. "Now's not the time for conversation, Kirschtein." he grumbles and Jean cracks a smile. He'd never been able to get to the suicidal bastard, but now he knew what made him tick. The one thing he could discuss that would make him annoyed, but not enough to throw a punch. Because deep down, Jean thinks, Eren knew he was right.
"There's nothing out here, why not pass the time with a little conversation?" he asks, folding his arms behind his head and stretching his back. He sees him roll his eyes, but he doesn't say anything, so Jean does for him. "Seriously, why are you so concerned? He's not a little kid — he can take care of himself,"
"I know that." he says a bit harshly and Jean loves how much this is getting to him. Maybe he's the only one who can finally talk some sense into the brunet. "Then stop worrying so much."
Eren once again falls silent and Jean is getting a bit frustrated. He thinks over what he can say for a moment before clearing his throat. "You know, right?"
"Know what?" he asks, but Jean thinks he knows what he's talking about. "That he's . . . y'know . . . into you."
Eren shifts, falling into a more vulnerable position and Jean has never seen him like this. "I've heard about it."
Jean chuckles, running a hand over his face. "So what do you think? Do you think it's true?"
"It doesn't matter what I think." he says almost immediately and Jean lets out a breath. "Defensive much?" he says under his breath and Eren turns to him, a fire burning in his eyes. "What does it matter to you, anyways, Kirschtein?" he spits and Jean just meets his gaze calmly. "I'm sick and tired of you guys," he says and sees Eren's face soften slightly. "You two are so fucking gone for each other it's ridiculous and the entire corps has lost their minds. It's the most obvious thing in the world and you still haven't seemed to notice something's up. It's disgusting. Just fucking grow a pair and kiss him, will you?"
Eren scoffs and turns away and Jean takes that as a personal victory. "Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about."
"Jaeger, when are you gonna stop denying it?"
He falls silent. "We both know you care about him, so why not just go for it?"
Jean doesn't know why he's being so bold with his accusations, but it seems to be working because Eren lets out a sigh. He puts his head in his hands and Jean is surprised that he might have actually gotten through to him. He chuckles. "So even you, huh?" he asks and Jean knows he's talking about the rumors. "Even your dense ass thinks something's up?"
He puts a hand on his chest in offense. "Excuse me," he says and sees Eren smile softly and thinks to himself this is strange for them. They've never really had a conversation that didn't escalate into a full-on fist fight. "Did you talk to him?" he asks and Jean feels suddenly a little self-conscious, but shakes it off. "Yeah. On a mission. He was worrying himself to death about you and I decided I needed to say something to get him to shut up." he says and again sees a shadow of a smile on Eren's face. "I've noticed it too." he says after awhile and Jean falls silent, listening to whatever he has to say. "I tried to deny it. We had always been that way, so I figured people were just being stupid. But then everyone started telling me and . . ."
"And you realized that maybe they were right." Jean finishes for him and he sighs, looking up at the sky instead of at his shoes. "Yeah."
"And?"
"And what?"
"You think they're right?"
Eren pauses for a moment, fidgeting with his fingers. "Maybe," he mutters almost silently and Jean has never seen him like this. He thinks maybe what Eren is feeling is fear, so he decides to go down that path. "Have you said anything to him about it?"
He shakes his head softly. "No. I couldn't."
"Why not? If you think he likes you, what's the problem?"
"I . . . What if he doesn't?"
Jean gives him a look even though he isn't looking at him. "Are you fucking kidding me?" he asks and when Eren turns to him he sees a raw fear there, a vulnerability he's never associated with him before that makes him wonder if this is really the same Eren he knows. "He's obsessed with you. Even when we first met, I didn't know what was going on, but I knew the way he acted around you was strange for a friend. Do you know how much he worries about you when you're not there? Have you noticed the times he stares at you when he doesn't think anyone's looking? He's head over heels for you."
He inhales sharply, turning away. "I don't want to say anything."
"Because you're afraid he won't feel the same —?"
"I didn't say I was afraid." he snaps, looking at him with anger before it fades back into fear. "I just . . . don't want it to change anything."
"It won't."
"You don't know that."
Jean shakes his head before shifting, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "Jaeger, I'm gonna tell you something and you better listen to me."
Green eyes look to him, seeming almost blue in the dark. "Armin cares about you. And even though it's obvious he's in love with you, let's pretend he isn't for a second. Even if he just thought of you as a best friend, which he doesn't, he wouldn't stop talking to you if you brought up the rumors. Even if you confessed to him and he didn't feel the same, he'd still be your friend. Because he cares about you too damn much to let you go over something as stupid as that. Now, back to the reality where he wants you so much it's fucking killing him, if you bring it up, things are going to turn out okay. I don't know him nearly as well as you do, but I know that he's never going to say anything because he's too scared you'll reject him. So if you don't say anything, you're going to lose the chance of something amazing. I should know."
He suddenly swallows, turning his face, feeling green eyes burn into the side of his head. "There was someone who I had feelings for who I'm pretty sure liked me too. But I was too damn scared to say anything. And the very day I had gathered enough courage to confess, it was too late and they were gone. Now I'll never get the chance to say the things I never did."
He looks at Eren with watery eyes, but finds he doesn't really care. "And goddamnit if that isn't the biggest regret of my life."
He subtly wipes his eyes before continuing. "Jaeger, I'm telling you, you have to do this before it's too late. Before you lose him forever or vice versa. Just talk to him, would you please? For everyone's sake, just fucking tell him. Don't end up like me."
Eren takes a moment to look at him and Jean thinks he might just be considering it. He's a bit more emotional than he thought he would be, but figures that's his own fault. But overall, he's pleased with what he's done.
~~~
A few days go by after that night and occasionally at lunch or dinner, Jean will glance over at where Eren sits with Armin and Mikasa to see his gaze on the blond, a considering gleam in his eyes. And one day, luckily Jean looks at the right time to catch Eren telling him something with a serious gaze and they're standing up to go outside. Jean smirks to himself, thinking he's finally done something right. He makes his way over to Mikasa, though it's more to give them both some time as she'll probably start to think Eren somehow got himself killed and would probably walk out to see them making out or something similar. But after awhile, she gets tired of him and stands up, moving to sit next to Sasha instead. Jean thinks that's better than checking on Eren and continues to eat his lunch in silent self-praise.
It's probably a few weeks later when Jean decides to leave lunch early and he's walking back to the barracks when he vaguely thinks he hadn't seen either of them in the dining hall. He figures perhaps he just didn't notice or they were sitting somewhere else and silently opens the door to the barracks. He looks up and immediately wishes he hadn't as he sees chocolate hair and then blond underneath it, spread like a halo on the pillow of his bunk bed. They're kissing and though it's odd of him to be watching all this, he smiles to himself, proud of what he's done. But then he hears one of them make a soft noise of pleasure and sees Eren's hand reach to the button of Armin's pants, and he notices the blond is excited. He quickly covers his eyes and tries not to gag before backing quietly out of the barracks and shutting the door behind him. He feels a mix of pride that he had somehow convinced Eren to make a move and disgust at how much he had just seen. But once he's calmed down and taken a moment to try to erase the image of them from his mind, he realizes he can no longer go into the barracks unless he wants to interrupt them and sit there awkwardly, pretending to wonder why both of their pants look a bit too tight. So instead, he decides to head back to the dining hall, deciding he will never open a door without knocking ever again.
