I'm here now [SNK Jean x Marco]

Chapter 12~

        We all got off the cart, one by one, looking down. The Captain was the last to get off. After we all got up, some of us looked around at people and waved happily at them. I kept my gaze and my head down, though, I still wasn't sure if I was going to be comfortable at all today after what had happened in the cart, only about five seconds ago. I hear a high squeal and immediately, I know it's Laura. I also hear slight thumps, one after the other. And I know, of course, it's her jumping up and down in excitement. The squeals and thumps suddenly stop as I hear Shadis' loud voice,

"Quiet, pig!"

I look up a bit a the cadet's faces. Some of them are staring in awe, even though we've done nothing yet. Some of them looked bored as fuck, and others were looking respectful, standing in their salutes in a straight line next to one another. Laura was beaming at me, and I look up at her and give her a weak smile. I guess she hasn't noticed anything was wrong with me, because she still couldn't stop smiling like an idiot at me. God, she's too ..enthusiastic. She'll make good friends with Hanji, if she joins, that is. The Commander steps up, hands interlocked behind his back,

"You've all seen me before, and some of you may know me. I'm Erwin, the 13th Commander of the Survey Corps. I'm sure that you know why I'm here." He takes a look around at the cadets, them nodding their heads 'yes.',

"Good. I apologize, for this year there will be no speech. Commander Hanji, Captain Levi and I must assemble our squads so we can prepare for the very soon upcoming mission. Step forward if you wish to join."

I look up now too see Laura disobeying his orders and running up to him, the Commander takes a small step back seeing as Laura was so damn close to him. Laura immediately puts up a stern face and her salute,

"Thank you for having me sir! It's an honor to serve amongst and alongside you, sir!"

Erwin only nods and smiles at her, gesturing towards the line Mikasa, Armin, Eren, Sasha, Connie, Land, Janny, Bertholdt, Reiner, and I have formed. Laura beams once more at me and skips towards me. I slightly groan, damnit, she's going to be attached to me like a leech this whole year. She positions herself next to me easily, considering I was at the end of the line, and there was no one next to me. Was. There was no one next to me. Once she gets next to me, I look down at her and smile a bit, to which she smiles back. We both return our gazes to the other people walking towards our line. With each person that nears, it seems as if Laura inches closer and closer to me. Eventually her shoulder's touching the top half of my arm. Is she trying to say 'Back off, he's mine.' or what? When everyone that would like to join lines up, which only about ten more people did, the Commander turned around and smiled at them. Walking up to each new recruit, he asked their names. After he was done, he sent them all to gather their items and return. While they were gone, we packed back into the cart. Unfortunately, I had to sit by the Captain again. No one said a word as we watched the new recruits climb onto the second cart. The whole cart ride back was a deadly silent ride. Not even Sasha or Connie talked at all due to the awkwardness of me and the Captain. Sometimes, Levi would talk, but only to answer Erwin's question, and that's all he'd say, nothing more. I hadn't gotten the opportunity to apologize to him yet, so I'd do it when we got back.~

        ~Eventually after what had seemed like eternity, the two carts rolled into the field, stopping to a halt. Everyone got off, some of the new recruits hurrying off with eagerness or others cautiously getting off, waiting for further instructions. Erwin brings his horse to his stable, leaving the Captain and Hanji with us. Hanji, of course, immediately runs over to introduce herself to each and every one of the new recruits. Levi walks next to her, giving each recruit a stare. Aw, man, Captain. Don't scare these new recruits too. I take a good look at each recruit's face as the Captain stares at them, some of them start to sweat, others begin to nervously twiddle their thumbs or glance around everywhere. Way to go, Cap'n. Reiner looks at the Captain,

"Captain Levi, may we head inside or begin training?"

Levi doesn't look at him, but he nods. We all depart and go our own ways. Well, most of us. I head inside, following Reiner and Bertholdt. All three of us end up going upstairs to the boy's hallway, from there, we depart. I watch as they both enter Reiner's room and shut the door behind them. Oh, geez. I enter my own room, taking off my Scout Regiment jacket and cloak, throwing them onto my bed. Craning my  neck to the left, I take a long stare at Marco's picture, sighing. Walking over to it, I sit down on my bed and give the picture a warm smile. Immediately after doing so, I heard his soft and gentle, soothing  voice in my head, that sounded just like a whisper, and I saw his breath-taking perfect smile flash back into my head ||Flash Back||

"Wow, Jean .." Marco said as he looked down, holding his arm and blushing like mad.

"What, Marco?" Jean had replied with great curiousity, seeing that his dear Marco was as red as a tomato,

"Your smile. It's heart warming and adorable. I love it." Marco had said, finally looking up to meet Jean's gaze, who was now blushing as well.

"O-Oh.."Jean replied, blushing and rubbing his neck, "Thank you, Marco."

Marco had smiled and nodded, "I never want to see it fade. If anything is to happen, please don't stop smiling for me, Jean."

Jean smiled back at Marco, nodding as well, "I promise I'll never stop smiling for you, Marco. Please, do the same for me."

"I will." Marco replied, now grinning. 

Suddenly, that's all I could remember of my flash back, me and Marco promising each other we'll never stop smiling for one another,

"I promise I'll never stop smiling for you, Marco. Please, do the same for me."

"I will."

"I promise I'll never stop smiling for you, Marco. Please, do the same for me."

"I will."

"I promise I'll never stop smiling for you, Marco. Please, do the same for me."

"I will."

"I promise I'll never stop smiling for you, Marco."

"I promise I'll never stop smiling for you, Marco."

"I promise I'll never stop smiling for you, Marco ..."

I slowly come back to reality as my voice fades, promising Marco I'll never stop smiling for him. I look at the picture of Marco again, closing my eyes and softly whispering,

"i promise I'll never stop smiling for you, Marco. Please, do the same for me."

I sit on my bed for a moment, squeezing my eyes shut tightly, longing to hear his promising voice telling me he'll keep smiling for me, too. I don't know how long I sat on that damned bed, acting like an idiot, waiting for a dead person to speak to me. I finally open my eyes after what seemed like an eternity, releasing a huge sigh. What did I expect? After another long moment of sitting on my bed, deciding on what I should do next, I think that taking a nap would be best right now. Kicking my boots off, I lay down on my bed, fingers interlocked and placed across my chest, looking up into my cold, stone ceiling. Fluttering my eyes shut, I begin to doze off to the muffled, but loud, laughter of Connie and Sasha. The slight giggles of Armin, Land, and Janny. Laura's voice praising me, and the new recruits chatting away... ...and the soft, gentle, whisperlike voice that was ever so soothing,

"I will.."