Just This Once || Erenxreaderxjean

25

The next thing he noticed was his tear stained face. It was red and blotchy, and fresh tears were still silently spilling over his cheeks. His mouth was set is a straight line, but his lips trembled, begging to release his cries.

"Eren..", Jean approached much more softly, reaching a hand out to try and pull his friend away from the edge. "Tell me what happened."

As soon as Jean's hand touched his shoulder, the brunette seemingly broke free of his trance, and smacked it away. "Don't touch me", he bit, hastily reaching up to grip at his hair as he finally let out a deep shaky breath.

Jean retracted his hand, his worry only increasing as he watched his friend continue to walk along the edge, the water calling out to him 50 ft below.

"Please tell me what's wrong", Jean practically whispered.

Eren's lip trembled again, and he ran a hand sloppily down his face trying to wipe the snot and tears away.

A manic smile crossed his face, and he shrugged his shoulders. "She's gone!", he laughed, throwing his hands up. "She's fucking gone!"

"Who's gone?!", Jean pleaded.

"I don't want to be here", he whispered, eyeing the water. "WHY ARE YOU HERE?!", he turned around and screamed at Jean, wondering why his best friend had to show up now, of all moments. As if this wasn't hard enough.

"I always come here.. And I'm worried about you! Who's gone, Eren? Tell me what happened?!"

Finally, Eren allowed the tears to flow free. Jean watched as his friend broke down, and his knees buckled, the brunette falling to the floor of the bridge, just barely missing the edge. Jean rushed forwards to catch him, in case he did indeed fall over the side.

"She left me", Eren cried, his words barely audible, muffled by his tears.

Jean clung to Eren, positive now that he had meant to jump. He wasn't going to let him go. Not when they were still so close to the edge.

Jean had tears of his own now, born from the pain of seeing his best friend in such agony.

"Please, tell me what happened."

Eren breathed deeply, his lungs still shaky as he inhaled. He, too, clung to Jean's shirt, needing something to keep him grounded.

"She..her car...an accident...she left me", his words were broken, interrupted by his sobs.

Jean ran his hands up and down Eren's back, something his own mother frequently did to soothe him when he was upset.

"Who, Eren?", he murmured, his voice cracking, for he feared he already knew the answer.

"My mom", the brunette sobbed harder, his cries echoing across the landscape. "She's not coming back."

In that moment, Jean's heart shattered. Whether it was for his best friend, or for himself, he wasn't sure. Carla Jeager had always been kind to him. She was his own mother's best friend. Losing Mrs. Jeager was like loosing a part of his ow family.

Jean bit back his own sobs for Eren's sake. He didn't need to deal with Jean's pain on top of his own. Instead, he just let him cry. He let him cling to him, and seek comfort in his closest friend.

After what felt like hours, Eren's tears finally slowed.

"Let me go, Jean", he muttered with a lack of emotion.