Nepenthe - Jean Kirstein
- Reads 2,015
- Votes 137
- Parts 8
MatureOngoing5h 28m
Last published Fri, Apr 24, 2026
After prison for manslaughter, Jean Kirstein disappears, leaving Canada, a shattered night, and whispers that follow him like warnings. Shingashina is quiet. A small house. A forgettable job. A second chance he doesn't think he deserves. He's not here for redemption. He's here to survive.
Painting steadies his hands; college keeps him moving. Until history class threatens to unravel him, and you appear. A volunteer tutor, patient, gentle, and impossibly stubborn. You treat him like he's human, not a stranger haunted by shadows.
He keeps his distance at first. Short answers. Guarded glances. Walls built from knowing exactly what happens when people get too close. But you don't push. And that's worse. Slowly, silence cracks. Words become warmth, warmth becomes something dangerous.
You start to see him, the version the world left behind. And Jean knows how this ends. The truth about Marco Bodt isn't a story. It's a fracture that never healed. And some fractures leave marks no one else should find.
The closer you get, the more he realizes he doesn't want you to leave. And maybe, that's the most dangerous thing of all.
˙⋆✮ This story contains mature and potentially distressing themes, including depictions of violence, references to past trauma, and explicit sexual content. It also addresses homophobia and its emotional impact. Reader discretion is advised. Please take care while reading.
˙⋆✮ Rankings
1 in #marcobodt
1 in #kirstein
2 in #excon
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apt. 215 { Jean Kirstein X Reader }
{ Jean Kirstein x fem! Y/N } || Modern AOT AU Your life is in shambles. Your relationship with your boyfriend Jared is hanging on by a thread ever since he moved to New Eldia to pursue a career in music. After one of the most grueling semesters you've endured throughout the entirety of your college career, you have one thing to look forward to- moving to Marley City. With a new degree in biology, a job working in a research lab one of the most prestigious universities in the country under your belt, and a chance to live a life you've only ever imagined in the city that never sleeps- you know you have to take charge of your life before you lose your last shred of humanity. You move into a run-down 2 bed/1bath apartment in the heart of the Marley district, expecting a girl your age to occupy the other bedroom based on what the leasing company told you. Instead, a tall 22 year old man appears in your apartment, and you don't need your degree to tell that you guys are polar opposites. You're a bright, diligent, 4.0+ GPA scholar with dreams of getting into an M.D/PhD program. An introverted homebody at heart with a close circle and a closed off heart. A self-proclaimed nerd with a knack for the finer things in life like cheap moscato, obscure coffee shops, and long days sunbathing with a book in hand and headphones on. He's an attractive narcissist who only cares about going out and fooling around with anyone and anything that distracts him from his dreary job at a small investment banking firm. Sassy and reckless with an overly nonchalant attitude that makes your blood boil. Two opposing forces, one unit in the big city. Only the universe knows what apartment 215 has in store for you. ⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ 18+, dark content mentioned so please heed any trigger warnings and read at your own risk! Crossposted to AO3 -- "apt. 215 { Jean Kirstein x Reader - Modern AU }" by itsthebeehere![𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐓 [𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧]](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/256010374-256-k68218.jpg)
𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐓 [𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧]
[𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 / 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐔] Crashing into a stranger on what feels like the worst day of your life so far? Pure, unlucky coincidence. Only to cross paths again one eventful night soon after? Fate, possibly. One college party. One broken heart. One hookup. When Jean proposes a deal so tempting, you agree without any further thought. It was supposed to be a distraction. You were supposed to forget. What starts as a seemingly innocent yet instant connection spirals into something neither you nor Jean sees coming. （（ＳＭＵＴ） ((did I mention smut? I just wanted to be crystal clear as a warning that this is a plot-heavy story with smut scenes, so don't say I didn't warn you.... SMUT)) Started: 01/27/2021 [Available on Wattpad/AO3/Tumblr] [[Cover made by me]] [[actively editing first few chapters]] Highest Ranking(s): #1- Jean #1- Kirstein #1- Jaeger #1- Fratboys #1- Titan #2- fratboyeren #2- jeankirschtein #3- AOT #3- Jeankirstein #5- plot #6- Eren #6- snk #6- Modernau #7- jeanxreader #11- surveycorps #15- Shingekinokyojin #51- attackontitan #151- University
Love at First Fright
You moved to Marley away from home. You needed a breather from your past life and are in need of something new. Your long distance best friend Pieck Finger who lives in Marley convinced you to move in with her. One night she takes you to go with her to a popular Halloween Festival near by. As you walk through the small park, a tall scare actor scares you so bad you scream. Little do you know that scare actor's name is Jean Kirstein and he is going to be a big part of your new life in Marley.
Tattletale
Jean Kirstein friends to lovers slow burn. In your senior year of high school, your best friend went missing without a trace and you were the last person to see her before she disappeared, making you the prime suspect. Two years later, you return to your hometown to start your sophomore year of college and run into a face you never thought you would see again, Eren Jaeger. Assimilating into his group of friends, you realize just how connected the world truly is. With the two-year anniversary of your friend's disappearance nearing close, you begin to question loyalties within Eren's friends. Near the anniversary of your friend's disappearance, another person goes missing and you, once again, were the last person to be seen with them. Were you just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or are you not as innocent as you propose... A certain mullet-headed friend of yours is fully convinced of your innocence, enough to help you bring justice to your friends who have disappeared. DISCLAIMER: Y/N is an unreliable narrator and often lies to herself. The truth of a lot of things rests within other POVs that are not Y/N's. This does not mean Y/N is lying all the time, it just means that this fic will require a lot of thinking, which may not be everyone's cup of tea. This story will not be a romance-oriented fic, it is a mystery plot with a romance sub-plot. Not affiliated with Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama.
A Bell To Ring || Jean x Reader
Y/n used to have a future. Once upon a time, there were dreams of stages, spotlights, and cheers - until a single injury shattered all of it. Now? She's barely hanging onto college, drowning in grades, and doing her best to push the world away before it leaves her first. Jean Kirstein wasn't supposed to stick around. Annoying, persistent, and impossible to shake, he shows up when Y/n least wants anyone to. But sometimes the wrong people slip through the cracks, and sometimes the heart can't tell the difference between a lifeline and a hook. This isn't just a love story. This is a story about a boy who let the light in a girl's dark world, flickering where she never thought it could glow again.Complete
𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑
[𝐉𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐗 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑] [𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐄 𝐀𝐔] (y/n)'s reputation for being daring and 'promiscuous' is often portrayed as affluent, arrogant, and self-centred, causes those to wonder if there's more to her than meets the eye or if she's just putting on a facade. (y/n) finds herself drawn in by an irresistible dare, leading to Jean Kirstein, who is typically reserved. He finds himself entangled in her world. Jean Kirstein is a quiet and solitary individual, often seen clutching a sketchbook, who prefers to avoid getting involved in any unnecessary drama. However, everything changes when he unexpectedly becomes the focal point of a mysterious game that unfolds around him. "It is through the destruction of our hearts that we come to truly appreciate the inherent beauty that exists within the world." 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝: 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟖𝐭𝐡 '𝟐𝟑 𝐑𝐞𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: -
𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗔 ⬩ jean kirstein
Jean Kirstein was impossible. Loud. Arrogant. Annoying. He was everything you hated wanting. And yet, somehow, the two of you end up teaching each other things you didn't know you needed to learn. ⤷ ゛𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 some rivalries weren't always meant to stay simple. 🟠 - [updating when i can] ⁉️ SLOWburn . . . 💌 frenemies - to friends - to lovers ⚠️ mature themes. 𝗝𝗘𝗔𝗡 𝗞𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗜𝗡 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗙𝗜𝗖 ©sneakpieck_2026
𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐩𝐬𝐞 | J. Kirstein
"𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚." he declares with a defiant huff. You look at him, admitting, "𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺? 𝘪'𝘮 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦." Jean raises an eyebrow. "𝘼 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙘, 𝙝𝙪𝙝?" "𝘈𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺," you reply. He glances down at you, "𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙝, 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙬𝙚'𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜" ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ׂ╰┈➤ While working at Sawn and Beans cafe, yn meets the famous Sasha Braus. As Sasha introduces yn to her friends, she finds herself drawn to a mullet-headed boy named Jean who swore to himself to not let anyone in and that love brings nothing but betrayal. He has made it his mission to push everyone away, but yn, a hopeless romantic with a heart full of kindness, which happens to be everything Jean hates... just can't seem to stay away from her. What unfolds when Sasha's and yns worlds collide? - Set in modern world slow burn!!!! like crazy slow burn.... Everyone is 18+ college au ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*･ fanart creds: kama_moto - 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ⋆˚✿˖° #1 ᴊᴇᴀɴxʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ 12/18/24 #2 ᴇʀᴇɴᴊᴇᴀɢᴇʀ 6/23/25 All characters besides the ones i've created all belong to the manga artist of attack on titan, Hajime Isayama.
about you | jean kirstein x reader
You were supposed to leave him behind. The boy who challenged you, competed with you, annoyed you to your very core, until he didn't. Jean Kirstein, your academic rival, your almost-friend, your first love... and the person you left without saying goodbye. You thought distance would make it easier. That burying yourself in ambition, in grief, in survival, would make you forget. But nothing could quite erase the burn he left on your skin, or the look he gave you the night everything fell apart. Now you're back in Paradis. Just for a few months, just long enough to fulfill a promise, to see your friends again, to pretend that the past doesn't hurt anymore. But fate has other plans. Because the first time you see him again... he's not standing. He's broken, quiet, older...and yet everything you once loved still lingers in his eyes. From academic enemies to something impossibly tender and undone, this is a slow-burn story about growing up, losing everything, and finding your way back to the person who always felt like home. "Do you think I have forgotten about you?"
𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐘
𓊈 𝙵𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚋𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚎𝚛 𝙹𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝙺𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚒𝚗 𝚇 𝙵𝚒𝚐𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚂𝚔𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛⋆. ୨୧˚⋆ 𓊉 ☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ 𖤐⭒๋࣭ ⭑→In which you leave Marley in the middle of sophomore year, running from a past you refuse to name and a mother you're desperate to forget. Paradis University is meant to be a clean slate, a place where you can pretend and no one knows your scars. That plan falls apart the moment you meet Jean Kirstein. The cocky, infuriating captain of the football team and your friend's worst influence. He manages to get under your skin like no one else, and you swear you'll never fall for someone like him. You hate him. He hates you. Or at least that's what you tell yourself, But between heated arguments there's the unexpected moments of softness, the feelings you can't outrun, until stolen glances turn into late nights, and slowly love finds you where you least expect it. ☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ ⚠︎ Cautions→ Violence, blood, traumas, explicit sexual content, smoking, suicidal thoughts, self harm, mention of abuse and SA, minor characters death etc.
{ Jean Kirstein x fem! Y/N } || Modern AOT AU Your life is in shambles. Your relationship with your boyfriend Jared is hanging on by a thread ever since he moved to New Eldia to pursue a career in music. After one of the most grueling semesters you've endured throughout the entirety of your college career, you have one thing to look forward to- moving to Marley City. With a new degree in biology, a job working in a research lab one of the most prestigious universities in the country under your belt, and a chance to live a life you've only ever imagined in the city that never sleeps- you know you have to take charge of your life before you lose your last shred of humanity. You move into a run-down 2 bed/1bath apartment in the heart of the Marley district, expecting a girl your age to occupy the other bedroom based on what the leasing company told you. Instead, a tall 22 year old man appears in your apartment, and you don't need your degree to tell that you guys are polar opposites. You're a bright, diligent, 4.0+ GPA scholar with dreams of getting into an M.D/PhD program. An introverted homebody at heart with a close circle and a closed off heart. A self-proclaimed nerd with a knack for the finer things in life like cheap moscato, obscure coffee shops, and long days sunbathing with a book in hand and headphones on. He's an attractive narcissist who only cares about going out and fooling around with anyone and anything that distracts him from his dreary job at a small investment banking firm. Sassy and reckless with an overly nonchalant attitude that makes your blood boil. Two opposing forces, one unit in the big city. Only the universe knows what apartment 215 has in store for you. ⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ 18+, dark content mentioned so please heed any trigger warnings and read at your own risk! Crossposted to AO3 -- "apt. 215 { Jean Kirstein x Reader - Modern AU }" by itsthebeehere
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