"I'm talking about how you're in love with Eren."
Love.
In love.
In love with Eren.
Eren.
Jean felt like his whole world start to crumble from above, his eyes widening as he quickly tried to dismiss the idea.
"What? Me? love that idiot?"
"No, never. I think you've hit your head, Marco. There's no-"
Marco let out another annoyed sigh as he grabbed ahold of Jean's shit collar, looking at him with an almost pained expression.
"Stop denying it. Stop denying yourself happiness. Who cares if you're in love with Eren? Why does that matter?"
Jean was half surprised, half stunned by how irritated Marco seemed, this being the most forceful he's ever seen him.
"I-.."
Jean was at a loss for words. He already knew why he had been denying himself. Why he had been pulling away and keeping a distance.
Because he'd rather sit from the sidelines and watch Eren be happy than ruin that himself.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It took about 10 seconds for Eren's brain to register the words.
About 20 seconds to emotionally register what those words meant.
And another 15 seconds to let his knees buckle from underneath him as he sat by the door, one hand over his mouth as he tried his best to listen, but the beating in his chest was noise-canceling anything else.
Jean didn't...Jean didn't hate him at all.
Jean loved him.
Jean was /in love/ with him.
How was Eren supposed to react? How was he supposed to feel about-
"There you are!"
Eren looked up from where he was, surprised to see Historia at the bottom of the stairs with a smile.
"Oh- are you okay? Are you sick?"
She took a few steps towards the brunette and Eren quickly scrambled up, brushing himself off as he gave her a quick nod.
"Oh...yeah I'm fine, why?"
Historia laughed quietly, pointing to her own cheeks.
"You're super flushed, almost like you have a fever. Are you sure you feel okay?"
Eren wished he could see himself right now, flushed cheeks with a shocked look on his face. But, how else was he supposed to look when he just found out that one of his best friends was in love with him.
And more surprising was the racing in his chest and the warmth that it brought him knowing that Jean loved him.
What was this?
"Oh.. yeah, I guess I'm not feeling the best right now..." He muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck.
She looked at him carefully, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear before nodding.
At least she seemed to understand.
"Why don't you go lie down in the nurse's office for the rest of lunch? If you don't feel better you should go home."
