when we were young

jean's pov

What did worry Jean was Reiner. Jean noticed some nights you and Reiner sneaking around, god knows coming back from where and what you two were doing. How Reiner would stare at you from the far but in a different way Armin did. Reiner looked at you as if he knew you better than anyone else here would. It annoyed the shit out of Jean and the fact Reiner was in pure oblivion over Jean's observation just pissed him off even more.

It was clear from to anyone who watched you the way Jean did that Reiner had some sort of connection to you. Only ones who squinted as hard as Jean did would see it. Armin, even as smart as he was, probably didn't even realize.

Reiner was one of the most popular boys here, the way people gravitated towards him and automatically liked him was something Jean was always jealous off. Aside from Connie, Marco and Sasha, everyone here labeled Jean as an arrogant jerk. And once you were given a label here, it was almost impossible to shake that off. Before, Jean wouldn't be surprised if you already caught word of his jerk reputation here. But after tonight and what you said, Jean knew it was too late.

A FEW NIGHTS AGO------

Jean only did what he thought was the right thing to do.

All he ever wanted to do was the right thing.

So that night, when he saw Reiner roll in alone back into the boy's bunks, he approached the blonde and asked.

"Hey Reiner, what's the deal with you and Y/N?"

Reiner froze. As if Jean saying Y/N's name was some forbidden word that couldn't be spoken to him.

"What do you mean, what's the deal?" Reiner practically stared into Jean's soul.

Jean swallowed.

"Like, uh, are you two together?"

Reiner continued to blankly stare at Jean as he lost himself in his words.

"You know, are you two together? Like talking?"

"I talk to a lot of people here."

"Yeah I know Reiner but are you talking to her?"

"What are you getting at?"

Fucking god. This conversation was already exhausting Jean. Did he have to spell it out for Reiner?

"Dating. Are you dating her?" Jean puts an emphasis on each of his words and talks slow to make sure Reiner understands this time.

Reiner coughs and almost looks disgusted.

"No, we're not dating. She's not my type." Reiner says flatly.

Not his type?

The sentence put Jean at a loss for a minute. How could Y/N not be Reiner's type? Sure at the time, Jean hardly knew Y/N personality wise, but looks? She was the prettiest girl Jean had ever seen. It came as no shock when Jean started to notice some other cadets aside from Armin staring at her. Truth is, it pissed him off more than anything else. The way their eyes would wander around her and the slick comments some boys made to one another about her. He wishes he had the right to tell them to shut the fuck and maybe even beat the shit out of them like he does to Eren, but he didn't.

But Y/N not being Reiner's type? Jean wasn't buying it. Jean had noticed on more than one occasion Reiner and Y/N walking back the bunks around the same time at night. As if they were coming back together from somewhere. The stares Reiner would give her. It wasn't making sense.