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- THREE MONTHS AGO -
"SAY, IRIS, OUT of all the boys, who would you date? Not that it's obvious, but I am a wonderful candidate. I am handsome, famous with the ladies, if you know what I mean-"
Suddenly, Sasha slaps the back of Connie's neck, rolling her eyes. "Don't be stupid, Connie. She would never date you."
Connie puts on a hurt expression as he rubs his neck, dramatizing the effect, earning a chuckle from the rest. "C'mon, Sasha! What was that for?!"
"Sasha's right, man," Eren shrugs, biting into his apple. "No offense but, in what world would Iris date you?"
Connie glares at him. "None taken."
The young Cadets laugh at his clear annoyance.
They were all gathered in the Mess Hall, fueling up their bodies with food before Shadis brings them hell later on the day. Iris sat next to Mikasa at the end of the bench, Armin and Eren to Mikasa's left side. Across the four, sat Sasha and Connie, two empty seats next to Connie.
"Seriously? What is wrong with me?" Connie asks desperately, confused at how everyone was giggling at him. "I'm a nice guy!"
"Nobody said you aren't, Connie," Armin chuckles.
"Oh, y'all are just playing me with me, man!" He turns to Iris and extends his hand to her, "Iris, help me out! If I asked you out, you'd say yes, right?"
They all turn to her with excitement, waiting for the perfect moment to tease him again, except for Connie. To their surprise, she takes his hand and with a soft laugh, she says, "Don't listen to them, Connie. In another world, I would definitely date you."
Connie bursts out laughing, banging his fist on the table as he mockingly pointing at his friends' shocked faces.
"Ha! In your faces, suckers! You hear that, Eren? In another world, she would date- hold up," he stops, looking at Iris with confusion. "In another world?... Wait, what?"
That was it. All of Connie's hopes to save his dignity were crushed by the sound of his friends' laughter. Iris places her hand on her lips to prevent herself from laughing, but she couldn't stop the silent giggles.
Armin reaches out his arm to pat Connie's shoulder, trying his best to hold in the snickers, "I-It's okay, Connie! We love you nonetheless!"
"Yeah, totally, man! We love you, Connie-" Eren cackles mid sentence, earning a look from Mikasa.
But Connie wasn't giving up. He tugs Iris' hand that he still held. "Nah, Iris! Why not in this world? C'mon now! Why nooot?"
Iris was about to give him an answer, but Sasha cuts her off by suddenly blurting out, "Connie, don't be silly, Iris is dating someone already. It's obvious why she won't date you."
Connie turns to Iris with wide eyes, "What?! You are?!"
"Yeah!" Sasha exclaims, munching on her breakfast. Crumbles around her lips. "Isn't she dating Jean?"
Iris feels her stomach sink when all their eyes snap at her. Nervously, she looks at the culprit for the awkward silence.
"Uh, Sash, what are you talking about? I'm not dating Jean."
"Nonsense! You two are always together. Training together, eating together and whatnot," Sasha notices their awkward glances and her mouth hangs apart in disbelief. "Guys! Have you not seen how Jean acts around her? He's always trying to act cool and impress her, when he's really not, he tries to make her laugh and gets all nervous when she looks at him! C'mon! Do you really not see what I'm seeing?"
"Trust me, Sasha, we do," Armin says hesitantly.
Iris gives him a confused stare, at all of them.
"See? Armin sees it too! I'm not crazy, I swear!"
"You're right... He does get all nervous around her!" Connie lets go of Iris' hand and tilts his head, deep in thought. Then, he snickers. "Now that I'm really thinking about it, Jean is such an idiot in love!"
"Uh, Connie?" Armin calls, his eyes stuck on something behind him.
Oblivious, Connie continues with his anecdote. "You guys should've seen him the other day! I found him drawing, and I thought it was weird because I've never seen him do it, and-"
"Connie. Stop talking," Mikasa warns calmly.
"But, Mikasa, you guys haven't heard the best part yet! So, as I was saying, I saw the drawing and guess who it was?!"
Curious about their odd behavior, Sasha turns around and shrieks in panic. "Jean!"
"What? No, idiot!" Connie rolls his eyes annoyedly. "Jean was the one drawing! I caught him drawing Iris! Ha! Can you believe it-"
He feels something heavy on his shoulder, and when it squeezes him, Connie goes pale. He slowly looks over his shoulder, and jolts up in his seat, hitting his knee with the table, but the pain was not enough to distract him from his dangerous glare.
Connie smiles with fear in his eyes. "J-Jean!... My guy!.. Look, everyone! It's Jean! Who would've... t-thought?"
Indeed, it was Jean. He was accompanied by Marco, who greeted the group with a warm smile, where as Jean had his cold eyes set on a panicked Connie.
Jean squeezes his shoulder harshly, making Connie wince. "Nice story, man. Wanna tell us the rest?"
"Nuh-uh! I'm all good!" Connie rapidly shakes his head at the request, hoping Jean would have mercy on him. "And you know what? It was nothing, r-really!"
"Hm, I see," Jean nods. He turns to the rest. "Well, how about I tell you guys a story? Once, I caught Connie trying to fit his whole fist into his mouth and he was making this face that-"
"Okay! Okay! You win!" Connie cuts him off as his ears redden furiously. He turns to the rest, scoffing as they laughed. "And you! Couldn't you have given me a warning? I don't know, how about 'Watch out, Connie! Jean's behind you and he's gonna kill you!'? That would've been nice!"
"We did warn you," Mikasa shrugs. "You just didn't want to listen."
Connie dismisses her words with a dramatic wave of his hand, "You people are fake! Fake friends!"
"All right, we get it, drama queen!" Sasha rolls her eyes. "But what really matters is: are you gonna eat that piece of bread?"
Armin hands over his bread with a smile. "Here, Sash, you can have mine."
Sasha happily accepts it, savoring the sweet flavors. She smiles back at him and says, "Thank you, Armin! You see that, Connie? Armin does help a friend, just like we did when we warned you about Jean."
Connie gasps dramatically, and hell breaks loose.
Amidst their bickering, with Armin and Marco trying to stop them while Eren giggled and Mikasa sighed tiredly, Jean took the chance to sit at the end of the bench, across Iris.
His eyes soften when they meet hers. "Hey," he greets, his voice soft and calming.
"Hi," Iris smiles. It was silent between them for a moment, but then she asks, "Was that really necessary?"
"What was?" Jean asks back, stabbing his food with his fork as he avoided her eyes.
Iris crosses her arms and places them on the table, leaning forward to be closer. "You know, the whole almost-dislocating-your-friend's-shoulder-thing?"
"But he started it," he mumbles.
Her smile grows bigger at that, but Jean's face remained intact, serious and distant. Just as he was about to stab another pea with his fork, Iris grabs his hand. He looks up.
"Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay? You look down."
He shakes her off and clears his throat, "Nothing. I'm fine."
That didn't convince Iris. She knew something was bothering him, so puts on a smile again and taps his arm.
"Wanna get out of here?"
"What? Where to?"
She shrugs her shoulders, "Who cares? Wherever. Just you and me."
You and me. He liked the sound of that.
Jean spares a glance at his friends, and back at Iris. He wanted to stop it, but a small smirk tugged on his lips. "Eh... it was getting boring anyway."
Satisfied, Iris grabs his wrist and makes a run for it, tugging Jean with her. The two laugh as they ran through the crowds in the Mess Hall, successfully disappearing from their friends' sight.
"How dare you? I do not look like an egg! Jean! Can you believe this-wait... Where did he go?" Connie looks around, dumbfounded.
That catches everyone's attention. All eyes turn to the two empty seats at the end of the table. Sasha gasps.
"They ran away together! See? Those two definitely have something going on!"
"Sasha, I think everyone knows that Jean likes Iris," Marco says, scratching the back of his ear.
"Yeah, we all know," Mikasa agrees, sipping on her juice. "Jean thinks he's smart enough to hide it, but he can be pretty obvious sometimes. I don't know about Iris, though. She's really good at avoiding the question every time I ask."
"Do you think she likes him back?" Sasha asks her.
Mikasa sighs. "I don't know."
"But we're her friends! She'd definitely tell us if she liked him, right? I mean, we do everything together. Isn't that right, Mikasa?"
She nods, "Yeah, but I guess we'll never know."
"Hm... Jean and Iris. Iris and Jean. Their names are kind of cute together!"
Eren snickers at Sasha, "Please. Why would Iris possibly like that jerk? His face is built like a horse! She'd have to blind to ignore that- Ow! Mikasa!"
The raven haired girl retreats her hand after pinching Eren's arm. "Eren. Don't be mean," she says, to which he rolled his eyes.
"Aw, man! I wanna know what they're doing... I'm gonna go see!" Connie was about to get up, but he is stopped by Marco's hand, making him flop back into his seat. "What?"
"Maybe you should stay here." Marco suggests.
"Marco's right, Connie," Armin says calmly. "We should just... let them be. If Iris has feelings for him or not, I think it's something only for her to know right now. We'll have to wait for them to tell us."
The group falls into an odd yet peaceful silence, taking in Armin's words with a new perspective.
And then.
"You think they're making out?"
"Connie!" everybody yells.
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"Iris, wait! Wait! Why are we still running? My feet are killing me!"
Jean was no longer running, but dragging his feet through the dirt as he tries to keep with Iris, who seems to have slept twelve good hours. He was sure that in any moment, he'd start to see stars dancing around him.
She halts, and Jean exhales in relief. They were both panting heavily, their feet burning inside the thick walls of their combat boots. They were so focused on catching their breath that they didn't notice their hands were still intertwined.
Iris takes a long breath and turns to Jean, chuckling. "Think it's time we cut down those omelettes, huh, Kirstein?"
"Never... It's me and my omelettes against the world."
She tries to laughs, but her stomach throbbed at every movement. "Believe me... if my stomach didn't hurt, I'd laugh at your face."
He glares at her. "And who is there to blame for that? You were the one who started running as if Titans were chasing us!"
"Yeah, yeah, say what you want, but I wasn't the only one desperate to get out of there... Seriously, one more second of all that and I would've lost my mind."
Jean snickers, wiping the sweat off his eyes with his sleeve. "So much for friendship, huh?"
"Shut up," she rolls her eyes, and then, an idea pops up in her mind. She pulls Jean's hand. "Come on."
He groans as Iris starts walking, dragging him along. "For heaven's sake, woman! Where are you taking me? I can't take it anymore!"
Iris bats an eyebrow at Jean. "Stop being such a baby, and trust me. It's just around the corner. I promise."
"Fine. Fine."
To his surprise, Iris was right, it was just around the corner. She had taken him to an old facility used to store all the past Cadet Corps' ODM equipment, basically their own trash can for expensive gear. This was building was located on the far end of the campus, just below the mountain so not a lot of people come around, and Iris seems to be able to navigate herself through it pretty well.
Iris pushes a door open, revealing a flight of stairs leading them up to the rooftop, and as they arrive at the last steps and open the final door, she grins, extending her arms for Jean to see.
"Welcome to my humble, non-official hanging spot! Enjoy your stay and don't forget to check out by reception. Frank will be glad to assist you at anytime."
Jean frowns. "Frank? Who's Frank?"
"Oh, it's kind of an inside joke," Iris smiles, walking away from him. "You see, the other day, Reiner and I found a huge rat here, and I could've sworn that it was cat. Reiner screamed like a little girl. You should've seen him!"
Oh. "You and Reiner, huh?"
"Yeah! And so we decided to name him Frank, well, Reiner did. He was the one to bring me here first, after all, so I guess he gets the naming privileges."
"That's... cool... You sure seem to spend a lot of time with him."
Iris mimics a dramatic gasp. "My, oh my! Is that... jealousy I sense in you, Kirstein?"
"What? No! Why would I be jealous of him?"
"Don't worry, honey! He's just a friend! You're the only one I love!"
There was silence, and then Iris starts laughing hysterically at Jean's flushed face. "You should've seen your face!"
"Oh, shut up!" he yells through her loud cackles, looking away to hide his embarrassment, and to take his mind off the envious thoughts, Jean analyzes the place.
The rooftop was the third level of the storage unit, filled with things like rusted metal pieces, broken furniture, and some other discarded items.
He watches Iris get comfortable in an abandoned couch covered by a dark mantle, probably as an attempt to keep it off any more dirt. Iris pats the space next to her.
"Hold up," Jean says, inspecting the couch as he sits beside her, "how often do you come here and how come Shadis hasn't caught you?"
"Please, Shadis is always, either passed out in his office snoring like an asthmatic dragon or screaming at people's faces. Trust me when I say that man doesn't have enough graces to care about who's going in and out of this old building."
"Fair enough."
Iris lets out a deep breath and sinks deeper into the couch, then she asks, "So... you all right?"
"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"
She softly punches his arm. He feels his heart skip a beat at her swift touch, and she looks up to the sky, his eyes travel around her features, admiring their beauty and elegance. He found looking at her freckles this close a very warm feeling inside.
The kind of warmth that only Iris can make him feel.
"Kirstein," she calls, chuckling softly, "you're always telling me how I shouldn't feel like I need to hide something from you... I hope you know that it's the same for you."
"That's different."
"How so?"
"Because... it is," Jean grumbles.
Iris gives him a look, noticing how he's avoiding her eyes and nervously tapping his fingers on his thigh. She holds his hand with a softer gaze.
"Jean... what's wrong? You can tell me anything. We're best friends, aren't we?" She nudges his shoulder, hoping to get a smile from him, at least.
In that moment, all thoughts were vanished from his mind, and he is left with the thought of asking her 'what if I want to be more that?'.
He wouldn't, of course. He'd have to be completely insane to believe he'd ever had a chance with her. He couldn't be with her, but maybe, just maybe, he could be near her. That would be more than enough for Jean.
So when Iris is about to retreat her hand, sighing disappointingly at her failed attempt, Jean quickly grabs her hand and blurts out the first words that rolled off his lips.
"Don't join the Scouts."
Iris gasps. Not only was she taken back by what he said, but by the tender yet troubled look in his eyes. Never has she seen him be this... scared.
His hazel orbs trembled as they penetrated through her brown ones, his lips slightly apart and his chest heaving up and down.
"What?"
Jean sighs frustratedly, leaving her hand to ruffle his hair. "I... I just... Don't join the Scouts."
Though she's still processing, Iris manages to say, "I... don't understand... Where is this coming from?"
"Well, with graduation around the corner, I have just been going insane... My mind... it's, like, full with all these thoughts, you know? I dont get scared about the future, but last night, I realized that you'd be joining the Scouts soon... and I just...," he sighs, "Don't."
"Wow... I don't how to say this, but... I don't think I'll change my mind, Kirstein..."
He scoffs, as if he thought it couldn't be any more obvious. "Iris, you can't possible believe that the Scouts are the best option here. Joining them is committing suicide... and you know that. Just look at them! Hundreds of them leave the walls in hope to fight for humanity's survival, and how many live to see another day?... We both know the answer, and it's not a good one."
Iris lowers her head, not daring to meet his eyes because she knew they spoke the truth.
"There's still time to think this through. Graduation's not for another two weeks! You can choose another regiment and-"
"Stop."
"I-what?" Jean asks, blinking confusedly as she stares at him. He noticed how she suddenly turned cold, the warmth in her eyes vanishing with a single word. "Stop?"
Iris takes a deep breath. "I won't change my mind, Kirstein. I won't. Can't. No matter how much you try to make me think differently, I'll still join the Scouts. I'm sorry, but it's the truth-"
"Iris!" he yells, jolting up to stand on his feet. "You're telling me you're actually gonna give up your life for those people, and for what?... To them, you're just fresh meat that's ready to be sacrificed! But all right! If you're so desperate to die, then go ahead and join those suicidal maniacs! Why don't you say hi to Eren for me once you're both dead!"
Iris' rises as well, standing dangerously close to him with their breaths clashing against the other, her eyes bathing in anger.
"You think I don't know that? Of course I do. I know the risks I'm taking. I know that, so there's no need for you to throw it on my face."
"So why do it, huh?! Why are you desperate to throw away your life?!"
"Because I have to, Jean!" she yells back. "I don't have a choice! I know what I have to do so I'll do it! I wouldn't expect you to understand nor do you have to!"
"Oh, really?" he scoffs in disbelief. "After all that bullshit you gave me of trusting each other?... I've tried to help you open up to me, and what do you do? You shut me off... as if I meant nothing to you... I literally know nothing about you, Iris!... You know everything about me, even the parts I would never dare to tell someone... You know them all... Haven't you noticed that?"
Iris could only stare in shock.
Jean sighs. "Of course you don't... You're selfish. You think for yourself, and never notice what that does to others... You never give me the chance to understand."
That pressed a button inside of her, making her narrow her eyes at him. "Well, I'm sorry for wanting to keep things to myself, but you're not so innocent yourself either."
"Excuse me?"
"Kirstein," she says, "everyone knows the real reason why you're joining the MPs. You've said it yourself; you want to move to the Interior and live a better life, despite looking like an arrogant, selfish jerk in the eyes of everyone. But who cares about what they say? You're being selfish for your own good. For your own survival, and not everyone else's, so guess what? I am too!... Why is it any different for me?"
"How is joining the Scouts beneficial to your survival?!"
Iris couldn't believe him. Why was he pushing her so much? Why does it feel like he's using this fight to cover something else?
"Why does it matter? At the end of the day, I'll be fighting outside the walls, and you'll be in the Interior living a safe and luxurious life just like you always talk about! Why do you keep pushing it?"
The two of them stood still, breathless with frustration. Their gazes were heavy with emotions. Anger. Guilt. Fear. They could see it all in each other's eyes, feel it, and yet, no one could find the strength to say anything.
Suddenly, Jean gently grabs her shoulders and brings himself closer to her. Iris gasps quietly at the proximity, desperately fighting the urge to give in to her wild thoughts.
"You told me... that I wouldn't understand, right?... So help me understand," he says in a soft manner that made her heart race. "Why can't you come with me to the MPs?... It'd be better, you know. We'd have to suck up to arrogant bastards, but it'd be fun as well. We can see each other every day, we can go for drinks, and we wouldn't even have to worry about anything.... We'd be safe, and that's what matters."
Iris places her hand on top of his arm, sighing deeply. "I know, but..."
"But what?" Jean asks, eyes blinking with hope.
"I... can't."
Jean's hands slowly slip off her shoulders. "I don't get it... Why do you feel like you have no choice?... You do, Iris... You have the choice to choose differently... to join the Interior and stay... with me."
She shakes her head. "It's not that simple, and I can't tell you even if I wanted to... but me joining the Scouts doesn't mean I won't see you again. I promise."
"You don't know that."
"I've told you, haven't I?... Home is not a place, but those you hold close to your heart... and I... I'd do anything for them... That's how I know I'll come back after every expedition and we'll see each other again... It's not easy to get rid of me, Kirstein."
She could see the subtle sparkle in his eyes, lighting up in admiration. Jean breathes out in relief as the unbearable tension is lifted off his shoulders. And then.
"It's just that... the thought of you... not coming back, I don't know, it... makes me feel sick. It's all I've thought about since you told me you're joining the Scouts last week... and it's silly, I know."
Iris is stunned, to say the least. She grabs his hand to catch his attention, softly squeezing it.
"I shouldn't have said what I said when all you were doing was looking out for me. I'm sorry, Kirstein... and about what you just said, it's not silly... I actually think it's nice," she smiles warmly.
He is taken back. "Nice?"
"Yeah," Iris nods, "it proves that you're not a jerk that acts like he doesn't care about anyone... You have a good heart, Kirstein."
"Wait a minute, who told you that? It was that idiot Eren, right-"
She slaps his arm playfully, making him wince. "Look at you, always managing to ruin the moment. Forget everything I said. I'm not sorry."
When she tries to walk away, Jean grabs her wrist and smirks. "Aw, Iris, don't get mad! Please, do go on with your marvelous speech about me. I would love to hear the rest!"
She glares at him. "Fuck off. I'm never saying anything kind about you anymore, you hear me?"
His smirk grows bigger at her annoyance. Now, he held both of her hands. "Why'd you stop? You were telling me how sweet I am, and I'm guessing you'll proceed with my charming looks, won't you?"
"Kirstein, let me go, or I swear I'll kick you so hard you'll shit out tears."
That only fueled Jean's urge to keep teasing her. "Aw, you flatter me! I know my hair is luscious and soft-"
"Fine. You asked for it."
"What was that? You think I'm sexy? Oh, Iris- MOTHERFUCKER!"
Jean immediately drops his hold on Iris when her knee harshly kicks his crotch. He makes low, muffled noises as he bends forward to hide his suffering from Iris, who was doing her best not laugh but failed to do so.
She becomes a giggling mess when she sees the deadly glare in Jean's eyes, and to give him a taste of his own medicine, she pats his shoulder. "Please, Kirstein, do go on with your marvelous speech."
Shortly after that, Iris was once again running away with Jean chasing behind, laughter in the air and a familiar warmth filling up their beating hearts.
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Is it possible for two friends that've known each other for three years to feel grown even closer in a span of a week? If it is, then Jean and Iris must be the living proof.
Those following seven days were chaotic. Every Cadet was on the edge, giving their last efforts to finalize their long and challenging journey to graduate. They were all too busy to even notice how fast time was running.
Still, Iris and Jean always managed to find a way to be around each other, even if their eyes were too heavy to look up. Wherever Iris was, Jean stood beside her, and though it wasn't out of the ordinary to see them stuck together like glue, their friends thought the sudden closeness was interesting, to say the least.
None of them questioned it, of course, but they were all wondering if something had happened between the two. It was rare to see Jean smiling so often. Everybody is a witness to that. Nonetheless, they kept quiet.
"You cheater! That was my card!" Jean yells, pointing at a carefree Eren who simply shrugged at him.
"Not my fault you're distracted, Jean," Eren tells him blankly.
Jean's mouth hangs low in utter disbelief, mumbling, "You bitch..."
Sitting crossed-legged beside him, Connie sighs and pats his shoulder. "It's okay, buddy. In another life, you might actually beat Eren at cards."
The ash-brown haired boy glares at him and immediately makes Connie's smile fall off. With an awkward laugh, Connie gathers all the cards, shuffles them, and hands equal shares to Eren and Jean.
The three boys began their fourth round, sitting in a circle in the floor next to their bunk beds. ODM training had just ended and the Cadets were on break. Some boys stayed at the barracks, others were around campus.
Marco and Bertholdt were sleeping in their respective beds, trying to gain back their energy with a power nap. Armin was calmly watching his friends play cards from his bed, chuckling at Jean's frustration whenever Eren beats him. And lastly, Reiner, who was polishing his boots near the group.
"Jean, your turn," Connie announces.
Jean hums as he scans his cards, and after a few seconds, he grabs one and puts it at the top of the pile. He tilts his chin at Eren to let him know it was his move.
"Soo...," Eren says, placing his card, "what's with you and Iris?"
Jean frowns at him. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"The other day, at breakfast, you two disappeared suddenly and I remember you coming back to the dorms with the biggest smile plastered on your ugly face. Since then, we've all noticed how you two have become inseparable, even more than you already are."
"Mikasa follows you where you go, and you don't hear me saying anything."
Eren bites back a snarl, and keeps his cool. "Whatever. The point is: you should confess to her."
That made Jean's cards slip off his hands. He looks at Eren with wide eyes. "Confess? What is there to confess?"
"Please!" Connie exclaims. "You forced me to go to the market with you and buy that necklace you saw! The one with the pine cone! If it's not for Iris, then who? There's no way you'd go measures for someone unless you like them! You like Iris! Period!"
Jean is left speechless.
"You bought a necklace for her?" Eren snickers. "Wow. I mean, I was just assuming. Never thought you'd actually admit it... Little Jean-boy has a crush!"
"Shut up, Eren!" Jean yells, feeling his ears and face heat up. "So what if I like her?! Why is everybody so invested in this?! Mind your own business, idiots!"
They all laugh at his flushed state. Reiner suddenly approaches them, confused at the sight of Eren and Connie holding their stomachs as they laughed with all their might.
He chuckles at them, "What's so funny, Connie?"
"Jean... H-He... I can't!" Connie only cackles louder, not able to even form a sentence.
"Shut up, Connie! It's not funny!"
"Oi, Reiner!" Eren calls, wiping the tears off his eyes while chuckling. "You're a close friend of Iris, right?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Poor Jean over here doesn't have the guts to ask Iris out, so how about you give him a little help, huh? Be his wingman!"
Reiner is taken by surprise. "What?"
"Yeah, dude!" Connie exclaims as she stood up. He wraps an arm around Reiner's shoulder and with the other, he pats his chest. "We're all friends! That means that if someone needed a small favor, you'd offer help, right? Help Jean out with Iris! Put in good word, would ya?"
"Connie, stop it. I don't need help," Jean grits through his teeth. He looks at Reiner. "Look, man. Don't mind these idiots. They don't know what they're saying."
Reiner blinks twice and finally says, "You... like Iris?"
"He looooves her!"
The way Jean flushed even more at the mention of her name and got defensive when asked about her made Reiner feel odd, to say the least. He couldn't explain the sour taste in his mouth. He didn't show any signs of discomfort, instead, Reiner puts on a fake smile.
"Wow... That's amazing."
Jean widens his eyes. "What? You really think so?"
"Yeah... I think you two are... great together."
Connie and Eren break into cheers, shaking his shoulders excitedly, as a smile creeps on his face. His heart was beating out of control, delighted at the thought of that far away possibility.
"Well, would you look at that, Kirstein? The odds are now in your favor!" Connie exclaims, smirking playfully.
Jean shrugs both of Connie and Eren'a hands off him and rolls his eyes. "All right! All right! I get it! Now stop bothering me and draw your card."
And just as Armin decides to join the game, sitting between Eren and Connie, the boys heard a knock on the door, and then look at each other in confusion.
"You think it's Shadis?" Armin asks.
"Nah," Eren says, "It's probably Daz who locked himself out. I'll go."
With a small sigh, Eren gets up and makes his way to the door. There, he opens it and suddenly bursts out laughing, catching the attention of everyone else.
"Oi, Jean! Someone's here to see ya!"
Groaning annoyedly, Jean sets down his cards and walks to the door, hoping it wasn't one of Eren's tactics to piss him off. Totally unaware of the situation, Jean hisses, "Eren, I swear that if you're pulling a prank, I'll-... Iris."
There she was. She was dressed in her off duty clothes. Plain, brown cargo shorts reaching her mid-thighs and a tight fitted shirt the color of a dark forest. A rich green that made her golden skin seem heavenly.
He couldn't help but admire the way her clothes hugged her curves in the right ways, not too loose or too tight. Just perfect.
Like her.
You're pathetic, he thought to himself.
Her ebony waves were braided into a long braid, resting on her right shoulder with strands of hair framing her face. It made him think about how he has truly never seen Iris in nothing, but with her hair down or her usual ponytail.
He sure wasn't complaining.
"Hey, boys. What are you up to?" Iris greets them with a wave.
"Nothing much. Just some cards," Eren shakes his head, raising his hand to fist bump Iris.
"Well, it's still better than having Shadis burst your eardrums."
"You're right."
They chuckle together. Jean had almost forgotten the idiot was there too.
Then, their eyes meet. She greeted him with a warm smile. A smile so bright it lit up his own face, making his ears flush and his heart shake. He was so caught upon the movement of her soft lips that her words turned silent.
"Jean!" Iris raises her voice slightly, making him flinch back into his senses. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Yeah, Jean," Eren teases, patting
his shoulder. "Did you listen to Iris' wonderful offer? Or were you too lost in her eyes?"
Before answering Iris, he gives Eren a hard glare. Then, he says, "Sorry. Something about a lake, I think."
Iris sighs and gives him an annoyed look. "Yeah, the lake. The one near the training base inside the woods. Some of us are going for a swim. Wanna come?"
"Is Mikasa going?" Eren asks.
"Mhm," nods Iris.
His green eyes light up at that. "Alright! I'll the others!"
Eren disappears further into the dorm, and even then, Iris could hear him talking about it and Connie's excitement. She turns to Jean and nudges his arm. Her eyes filled with hope. "How about you, Kirstein? You're in?"
He smirks. "Always."
‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒ ✯ ‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒
After a long hike through the woods, the young Cadets were far more than exhausted. They all carried their respective bags, dressed in casual summer clothing, driven with the thought of diving into the cold, refreshing water. However, the heat was not doing their excitement justice. They were drenched in sweat, with their legs sore from stepping over rocks and arms weak from carrying their bags.
Still, they were determined to make it to the river.
Reiner led the group upfront. He had Bertholdt to his right, and Annie following close by but still at a distance where she could be alone. It took a lot of convincing for Iris to make Annie come along. A little of negotiating cleaning chores too.
Ymir and Christa were not that behind. Christa was munching on an apple, admiring her surroundings. Ymir boredly did the same, just not so much on the trees but on her.
Then, came along Connie and Sasha, who were bickering about whether or not Connie would survive in a bear fight. Sasha strongly believes he wouldn't, which made Connie protest otherwise.
Armin, Eren and Mikasa walked side by side, engaging in a calm conversation as they followed the rest. Eren jokes of how Connie would mostly likely end up pissing his pants in a bear fight, and Mikasa and Armin giggle quietly with him.
Lastly, Iris and Jean. They walked slightly slower than their friends, taking the advantage of not having any eye set on them and enjoying their talk.
"And that's how I got this scar," Jean tells her, pointing at the small faint line on the bridge of his nose.
Iris laughs heartily, visualizing a five year old Jean being slammed in the face with a door. "I can't believe you were running for an omelette!"
He looks at her in disbelief, shocked at the way she couldn't stop laughing. "Hey! It was the last one, all right! How was I supposed to know my mom was gonna slam the door on my face?"
"You!... I c-can't!" she barely managed to say, holding her stomach as she cackled with all her heart. Tears were now forming in her eyes from how hard she was laughing.
Jean gently pushes her, annoyed, "Okay, I get it! Now stop laughing!"
Iris stumbles forward, but it didn't stop the giggles. She looks at him, trying her best to hold it but his annoyed eyes only made her laugh more.
"You're so annoying," Jean rolls his eyes, walking faster, but she catches up to him, grabbing his arm.
"All right, I'm sorry! I'll stop! I promise," she smiles sheepishly. "If it makes you feel any better, when I was three, I ate a very questionable amount of grass. Turns out humans can't eat it like cows do, and it can be quite harmful to your stomach."
Iris' heart tingles at the sound of Jean's laugh. It was nice seeing him so happy when he's with her.
"Laugh all you want but at least I wasn't the one to get my face slammed into a door and get a scar from it," Iris says, raising her hands in the hands with a teasing smile.
His smile is wiped off his mouth immediately. "Yeah. Whatever."
Iris drops her hands and chuckles, satisfied at his defeat. Then, she takes in nature around her.
Thousands of majestic trees surrounded them, their leaves dancing with the wind, gently caressing their skin. Golden sun rays peaked through the tall branches, casting a glowing path through the woods. The heat had passed, leaving behind a smell of damp wood and a gentle breeze.
The fallen leaves crunched under their boots as they followed the stream of water leading to their destination. Jean and Iris' footsteps matched their rhythm. Her ears perked up at the faint melody of the songbirds, bringing a smile to her face.
How badly she needed this. An escape. A long and deep grasp of pure oxygen to remind herself she's only human, a mere peck of dust in this grand universe.
Suddenly, she hears Reiner yell from upfront, "Look! We're here!"
Everyone's eyes snap in his direction. He was standing at the edge of what seemed like a cliff, looking at something below him. The first ones to approach him were Annie and Bertholdt, and soon the rest were joining the commotion. Iris gasps in awe as she looks down.
The lake was ethereal, perfectly shaped as a disk surrounded with a shore of big rocks to one side and a waterfall to the other, right below where they stood. Its blue-crystalline color was one of a kind. It was so beautifully transparent that she could see the floor of rocks at the boot of the lake.
She noticed how the water gleamed under the warm sun and formed rainbow arc with the its reflection, blending in with the air.
It was mesmerizing.
"Well? What are we waiting for?" Connie asks out loud, making all of them turn to him. He was grinning as if he was fighting the adrenaline in him. "Let's get in!"
"Shouldn't we go down and leave our stuff first?" Armin inquires, his blue eyes mixed with confusion.
"Armin's right, Eren," Mikasa nods, starting to feel concern at how fast he was moving.
"Hell no!" the brunette exclaims, shrugging off his bag and shoes off his body. "I ain't walking anymore! I'm jumping!"
Before Mikasa, or anyone, could say anything, Eren was stripping off his grey shirt and taking three steps back. All of them watched as he angles his body forward, preparing himself with a deep breath.
Then, he smirks, "Let's go, Mikasa!"
Her eyes widen, knowing exactly what was going to happen. "Eren, wait-"
Without wanting, Eren grabs her wrist and runs off the edge, pulling her with him. Both of them let out loud, thrilling screams that echoed through the air. The impact creates a huge splash in the water, and when they come up the surface, soaked and their clothes sticking to their bodies, Eren throwing a fist in the air when he reaches it, a big smile on his face. Mikasa is still in shock, but manages to smile as well, still feeling the adrenaline.
They all cheer.
"Yeah, Eren!" Connie whistles.
Beaming with excitement, Sasha drops her and runs to Connie, pulling him with her to the edge. "Come on, Connie! Our turn!"
"What- Ow! Sasha!" he winces as the girl suddenly jumps on his back and smacks his face with her elbow. Iris giggles at how he struggled to maintain his balance.
"Now jump! Come on!"
"Hold on, idiot! Let me take my shoes off!"
"No time for that! Let's go, Springer!"
Somehow, Sasha makes him run and they jump together, laughing hysterically in the air. Armin and Bertholdt were next in taking off their clothes, standing only in shorts. They nod at each other and jump as the other cheered from below.
"Let's go, Ymir!" Christa exclaims, carelessly throwing away her dress to reveal her bathing suit.
Ymir tries to keep up with her, taking off her shoes as fast as she could, but the blonde was ahead of her, already leaping off the cliff. Ymir wastes no time and dives after her.
Iris sets down her bag, unlaces her boots and steps out of them. She watches as Jean and Reiner mimic her. Then, she slips out of her shirt, revealing her bra, and when she has the fabric off her, she finds Jean staring at her.
Wide eyes. Red cheeks. Lips hanging apart.
Confused, she asks, "What?"
He gulps nervously. "You're... you're wearing..."
Iris looks down, and back at him. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"
It wasn't that scandalous, in her opinion. She figured it was reasonable to be taken back after only seeing her in her uniform and in casual clothes. Noting that revealed much of her body other than her arms for the most part, but Jean's reaction was something she did not expect.
His hazel eyes were slowly moving down. Discovering. Wandering.
With her shirt gone, she stood with only her black bra and her brown cargo shorts, which made her bronze skin glow under the warm sun. Her long braid fluttered with the breeze, and her freckles had gained this unique glow.
It was enchanting. She was enchanting. He couldn't find the strength to erase the image of her smooth and beautiful tan skin. Of her perfect lines and curves.
Of her.
And while Jean was lost in a trance, Iris felt a sudden wave of anxiety creep up. Why is he looking at her like that? What could he be thinking? Is she that disgusting to look at?
Her mouth had gone dry at the thought, and her arms had unconsciously wrapped around her around chest in attempt to drive his attention somewhere else, and he notices that.
"No! No! It's not like that!" Jean exclaims, shaking his hands his in the air. A silence takes over them. He sighs, dragging a hand on his reddened face. "I-I'm sorry, I just thought..."
"Thought... what?"
Then, in a soft whisper, he says, "You look nice."
Nice. You look nice? What the hell are doing, idiot? Jean thought, wishing he could slap the stupidity off his face and erase this moment.
If heaven was embodied into a single image, Jean knew she would be the one. Graceful. Breathtaking. How could nice ever compare to her?
Yet, he couldn't bring himself up to tell her. He never does.
Iris' face softens as her cheeks shade into a faint crimson color. Her eyes had widened slightly, caught back by him, and her lips had parted. Still, she manages to say, "I... Thank you..."
Her gentle voice sent an odd sense of adrenaline to his heart, and just as he opens his mouth, somebody else beats him to it.
"Come on, Reiner! Show Iris who makes the best jump!"
It was Connie yelling from below, followed with cheers from the rest. Reiner chuckles, peaking at the lake below. "What do you say, Iris? Wanna bet on it?"
Her eyes drift to his and she scoffs, approaching him at the edge. "Please. We both know I'll always beat you. You are nothing to me."
He laughs. "Don't get all cocky on me. I can still take you."
"Laugh all you want. We'll see who wins," she says, taking two steps back to prepare herself. Jean stood right next to her, watching, amused at this new, confident side of hers. It captivated him. He just couldn't take his eyes off her.
Reiner mimics Iris and stretches his shoulders. The two smirk at each other. "On three?"
Iris nods. Her eyes sparkling with adrenaline. "One..."
"Two..."
The two friends angle their bodies forward, ready to jump at the same time, but just as the third count slips from their mouths, Iris lets out a loud gasp, feeling her body being lifted from the ground.
"Jean!" she exclaims, hugging his neck for dear life as he picked her up in bridal style.
He smirks at her panicked state, and then at Reiner, who was taken back by his sudden appearance. Jean laughs. "Sorry, buddy. You'll win next time!"
Iris widens her eyes. "Wait! What are you gonna-"
Without any warning, Jean secures her on his arms and runs off the cliff, letting out a loud cheer. Iris shrieks, feeling her heart beating out of her chest, and presses her face against his.
It was ecstatic. Nothing she has felt before. Just pure adrenaline rushing through her every vein. Their pressed bodies collide against the cool water and she's engulfed by it, Iris can still feel it.
She and Jean swim up to the surface, where they're greeted with clamor.
Connie swims closer to them, ruffling Jean's wet hair. "That's my man! Oh, you should've seen your faces!"
He smiles proudly at that. Iris slaps his arm with the biggest smile on her face. "What is wrong with you? I was about to beat Reiner's ass!"
Jean shrugs, fighting back a laugh as he tries to keep himself afloat. "Consider it payback for laughing at me, Elvira!"
Iris playfully rolls her eyes and swims slightly away from them, raising her head to meet Reiner's figure at the edge of the cliff. "Reiner! Come on!"
He nods at her and jumps, creating big splashes of water. When he comes up, he's smiling at her.
"I'm guess you can say I'm the winner."
Iris slaps water at him, giggling. "In your dreams! I want a rematch!"
"Or... how about we team up against them?" he asks, pointing at something behind her with his eyes.
Iris looks over her shoulder and was immediately greeted with water splashed at her face. The guys were playing chicken fight. It was Jean on Connie's shoulders going berserk on Eren who was fighting back with all his might, not minding a struggling Armin under him.
The match was intense, everyone was cheering, and Jean and Eren were still fighting fiercely, but with one last push, Eren and Armin went underwater. Jean, Connie and Sasha break into happy screams.
Then, in a blink of an eye, she's sitting on Reiner's shoulders, his hands wrapped around her thighs and hers using his head as support. She almost fell off but Reiner made sure to never allow that.
"Come on. Let's do this," he grins up to her, approaching an overjoyed Jean.
Iris nods at him with a smile, then whistles at Jean. "Oi, Kirstein! You up for one more?"
He mockingly scoffs at her. "No fair! You have Reiner on your side!"
"Aw, afraid we'll win? It's all right. I understand," she giggles.
"Get him, Iris!" Sasha shouts, trapping Mikasa in a side hug, unable to contain her excitement.
Jean warily squints his eyes at Iris, pointing his finger at her. "You better not regret it when I win."
"Please, you're full of bluff. Is that all you are?"
She wouldn't admit it to him, but Iris was always amused at the way Jean furrows his eyebrows and how he clenches his jaw when annoyed. It was sort of adorable seeing him hold back when it comes to her.
She does her best to hide her smile.
"Now... fight!" Eren yells, almost as if he were an arbitrator.
Jean and Iris' hands clash against the other. They pushed and pulled, but nothing could make the other fall. Reiner was also playing his part, giving Iris the advantage at pushing.
"What's wrong, Kirstein? Cat got your tongue?"
Jean grunts. "How are you so goddamn strong, woman?!"
She laughs.
"Go, Iris!" Christa cheers.
Beside her, Ymir yells, "Elvira, move your ass! Push him already!"
"Jean! The hell are you doing? Knock her down!" Eren screams, looking extremely stressed. "Connie!"
"Push him, Iris! Push! Finish him! Don't let him win! You can do it!" Sasha encourages from beside, splashing water at Jean's face as a distraction, oblivious to her other friends getting attacked as well.
"Sasha," Armin calls softly, protecting his face with his hands, "I think you're getting a little too excited."
"Yeah, Sash, you're throwing water at us." Mikasa spits out the water from her mouth.
"Oh! Sorry, guys!" the girl chuckles nervously, before resuming her previous actions. "Go, Iris!"
Amidst the crowd's shouting, Iris decides to pull another of Jean's strings. "What do you say, Kirstein? Loser grants the winner three wishes for the day?"
He snickers. "Deal."
It wasn't long before Iris had gained the upper hand again, and with a hard push, Jean is thrown backwards. Reiner and her raise their fists in the air as Sasha, Christa and Ymir celebrate their victory.
Carefully, Reiner kneels, going underwater, and once Iris has her feet on the rocky ground, he traps her in a hug, laughing against each other. They pull away and high-five with the others.
Iris looks back at Jean, and swims to him. "Ha! Who's the one regretting it now, huh?"
"Yeah, yeah," he says, rolling his eyes. "You win, but I swear, if you make me do stupid shit, I'll drown you myself."
She places a hand over her heart, mocking a heartfelt gesture. "That is so incredibly sweet of you, Kirstein!"
"Oh, damn you, Iris!"
And when he starts to swim away, she follows. Her laughter echoing in the wind.
‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒ ✯ ‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒
The following hours were full of swimming, laughter, playful fights and fun. The young cadets were in an incredible need of an escape. A moment to truthfully feel alive, and not worry about everything else.
Nobody said it out loud, but they were all happy to be there, surrounded by each other.
"Hey, Kirstein! You ready to fulfill my wishes?"
He groans. "What now?"
She nudges his shoulder. "Don't be so bummed out. We only got three wishes down to go! Gotta make the best of them, don't you think?"
The two were walking together to the shore. As fun as swimming in the lake is, one cannot ignore how tired and thirsty it makes you feel afterwards. Everyone, but Annie, was still inside the water, savoring every moment.
Jean and Iris decided to go for some water, but as their feet reached the rocks, they realize something. There was no water. Their stuff was left behind at the cliff.
Jean groans, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You've gotta be kidding me... Why are we so goddamn stupid?!"
"Yeah, well," she sighs, patting his shoulder, "lucky for me, I have a very special someone who can grant me a wish! Kirstein, for my first wish, I want you to hike that cliff and bring all my stuff!"
He glares at her. "Hell no."
She glares back. "Oh, come on! It's not even that hard! You're just lazy! And, you have no other choice, remember? You lost. I won!"
Jean was about snarl at her, but he knew it was a battle he couldn't win.
He knew he could never win against her. Literally. It was really odd how he always accepted everything when it comes to Iris. No matter what she said, no matter if he's in the right and she's not, he always ended up doing what she wanted.
He just couldn't help himself. It's like it was part of his nature, something programmed into his brain that made him want to do everything and anything for her.
And besides, Iris was right. He didn't have another choice.
See? This is what he's talking about. What's strange is how it didn't bother him at all.
Instead, whenever Iris gives him that small smile, the one where her eyes light up and her freckles are squished by her cheeks, Jean could easily forget everything and feel warm deep inside, knowing she was happy.
That was all that mattered to him. All that matters to him now.
"Fine. Fine. I'll go."
"Yes!" Iris whisper-yells to herself.
There it is. That smile of hers. God. You're so pretty, he thought, losing himself in her beautiful smile.
Then, suddenly, she snaps his fingers at him. "Well? Chop, chop, Jean-boy! I'm sort of freezing over here, you know."
With that, Jean leaves her and heads towards the cliff. As she waits, Iris grows colder. She was starting to shiver, and it wasn't even cold. It wasn't something new to her.
About two minutes later, Jean was back, carrying two bags, and a sulking look in his face. He hands Iris her bag, and says, "Here. Your clothes are inside. Would that be all, Your Majesty?"
"Yes, that'd be all. Thank you, my loyal knight!"
To that, Jean rolls his eyes in a playful manner.
She lets out a soft smile at his acting as her hands searched for her towel inside her bag, only to never find it. Confused, she looks up to Jean. "My towel... it's not here."
"What? You're telling me... you've come all this way... just to find out you didn't bring a towel? To a lake?..."
Iris groans, "I know... I must've left it at the barracks. Ugh, what am I gonna do? I mean, I can dry up but you know how easily I get cold and-"
She was cut off by a something heavy being wrapped around her soaking body. Her eyes find Jean's. He was carefully adjusting a towel around her shoulders, making sure it covered her neck correctly. He glances at her. A blank yet soft gaze.
"Isn't this your towel?" she asks, grasping the towel closer to her body as the cold breeze passes by.
His hands now rest on her shoulders with his thumbs tracing slow circles on them, sending tingles all around her being. She trusted it was because of her soaking body.
"I figured you'd forget to bring one," he says, "so... I came prepared. Who knows what you would've done without me?"
"Probably freeze to death," she chuckles sheepishly.
Jean couldn't help but stare in awe. Her dotted cheeks made her eyes turn into half-moons whenever she smiled, and it never failed to amaze him. Under the golden sun it was where she became an angel.
"Hello! Earth to Jean!" Her fingers suddenly snapped in front of his eyes, startling him. Iris chuckles. "You okay? You were spacing out just now."
"Huh?" he blurts out. "Oh... yeah, yeah. I was- um, I was... Yes, I'm okay."
She stared suspiciously at him but nodded, nonetheless. "All right then... Come with me!"
Iris starts walking along the edge of the river, heading towards a big rock. She wraps the towel around her upper body and sits down on the rock, her feet dangling off the end and swirling in the water. Her hand pats the space next to her.
Seeing him stand still, Iris tilts her head. "What are you waiting for? Sit with me... or are you planning to keep swimming?"
Jean sits next to her with a sigh, gazing over at his friends inside the lake. "Aren't you? Why'd you get out?"
She exhales deeply. "Think I had enough for today. Besides, my nose hurts from all the water I inhaled when Reiner water-bombed me. We won the water fights, but at what cost?"
"Yeah," he snickers. "the guy is the reason why poor Armin almost drowned a while ago. Seriously. I literally had to grab his arm and pull him back on his feet."
"Don't be mean!" she laughs, nudging his shoulder.
"I'm not! It's the truth!"
Her laughs slowly turn into soft giggles and soon, they fall into silence. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. Completely the opposite, actually. It was nice. Peaceful.
Everything fell into its place. The trees above them danced with the winds, shaking their leaves and protecting them from the bright sun. Across them, the lake's scenery was out of this world. Their friends' voices were blending in with the sounds of nature, as though it were a symphony.
It just felt right to be there. Next to each other.
"Do you ever think... about the future?"
She glances over at him curiously. "What about the future?"
He breathes deeply, supporting his body with his hands slightly behind his back. "You know, like... how life's gonna be twenty years from now. Like, will we still be friends and go for drinks, laughing till morning like everyone says we will or... will all just forget each other?... Worst case scenario is we don't even make it past graduation... and I'm not sure if I want to know..."
Iris smooches closer to him so her hand could rub his arm up and down. He gratefully accepts her comfort. "Look, I can't guarantee anything from the future, but I do know that you and I... we'll make it through... We always have, and we always will."
He looks at her. His eyes were searching for something in hers, a desperate yet soft gaze that twisted Iris' heart.
"Why?"
"Because...," she says, taking his hand in hers, "it's you and me, remember? Iris and Jean... We've always been by each other's side, haven't we?... I mean, do you annoy me to the point where I wanna rip out my hair and choke you with it every day? Yes, but you're still my best friend and I would do anything for you!"
Jean couldn't help, but laugh at her remark. Neither could she stop her smile.
"Really? Would you do anything?"
He just couldn't believe it. He never thought he could make such impact on a person, much less someone as great as Iris. His brain was too small to comprehend how she could see the good in him, making him wonder if he's even worthy of her friendship.
Jean never knew how much she cared about him, and now, hearing her kind words made him realize that it was the same for him. She is the only person he's willing to do anything for.
She nods happily. "Mhm. In fact, I have an idea."
He narrows his eyes suspiciously. "What kind of idea?"
"I'd like to give you one of my wishes!"
"Yeah, right."
"Wha- I'm serious! Come on. It'll cheer you up! I'll do anything, I swear!"
He crosses his arms, smirking. "Fine then. Just don't regret it. After all, you did say you'd do anything for me... or is that a lie?"
Iris raises her hand in the air with the most sincere look on her face. "It's not a lie. I swear by the heavens, I meant every word. Now, go ahead. What do you wish for?"
"Promise you'll do it?"
She groans. "Yes! I'll do it! What is it?"
"Nah, you're too much of a coward."
"Kirstein," Iris grits through her teeth with a sharp stare, "stop playing with me, or I'll actually stop talking to you for the rest of this day. Trust me, you'll regret doing this for my other wish."
"All right, I'll be serious!" he jokes, but slowly, his face changes, turning the air around them into this tense yet calm sensation.
She notices his eyes, and asks with hesitation, "What do you... want me to do... then?"
"Kiss me."
Her heart drops.
"I... w-what?"
As Jean leans in closer to her face, her lungs suddenly forget how to function. Her heart felt like jumping out of her chest at any moment.
And his eyes. Oh, his eyes. They had this yearning in them, shifting their focus from her own and her lips every now and then. How could she focus when he's doing all that?
"Kiss me," Jean whispers lowly. Iris blinks. "You said you'd do anything for me ... so kiss me."
She involuntarily gasps as his cold hand draws a strand of hair behind her ear and grazes against her cheeks. It is killing her how hard it is to look anywhere but his lips.
And his messy, damp hair and naked chest wasn't making it any better.
"Kirstein... I... I can't... What are you-"
His face is now inches away.
"Why not?" he slyly smiles, as though he knew the effect he was having on her. "It's my wish. It's only fair for you to grant it, right?"
"I... are you crazy? They can all see us and-"
His smile grows bigger. "Who cares? Let them see."
Iris finds herself leaning in as well. It's like she was expecting, wanting something that shouldn't be ever done, yet there she was, letting it happen.
And when their breaths clash against the other's, their lips slightly brushing, heartbeats falling into rhythm, the sound of a branch breaking startles her. Iris snaps her head to the sound.
She gulps. "Reiner."
Reiner's eyes were so wide she believed they could fall out. He blinks and gains composure, clearing his throat before saying, "O-Oh, sorry. I didn't realize you two were in the middle of... something."
Iris immediately distances herself from Jean and rises to her feet. "No. No. There was, this is, nothing. We were just... talking."
"Talking?... Huh," he gives her a tight smile, "well, what a strange way to do that."
Jean stands up as well. "Not to us."
Reiner frowns at that, a mix of confusion and discomfort in his eyes face. Iris looks at him in disbelief.
"Kirstein," she warns. He simply shrugs.
"Anyway," Reiner says, "I'm gonna leave now. I was just looking for you because you had suddenly disappeared."
Iris softens her face. "Oh. Okay then. I'll join you and the guys in a bit."
He gives her a small smile and nods, then he walks away, heading to the lake. She turns to Jean, who was casually kicking rocks with his feet.
"What was that?"
"What was what?" he asks back.
"You know what I mean."
He looks up. A playful smile creeps up his lips. "What, us almost kissing or you being disappointed that Reiner interrupted us? Because, if you ask me, I'd say you looked pretty mad he came in such a perfect moment-"
Iris feels her neck beat up again. She punches his arm, glaring to mask her shyness. "You're fucking crazy."
She attempts to walk away, but doesn't get the chance to even take two steps before Jean had grabbed her arm.
"What now, Kirstein?"
"I have something for you."
His hand digs inside his pocket and pulls out something she recognized as flowers. Her annoyance melts at their beauty.
The flowers' petals were tinted with a deep blue with a tinge of purple that enchanted her. Some of the petals were rising up while others cascade down. It was unbelievably mesmerizing to look at.
Jean's slender fingers bring the flowers closer to her. "Here. I found them by the cliff. It reminded me of you."
Her heart flutters as she takes the flowers. "Of me? Why?"
"Don't you know what its name is?"
"No... Am I supposed to?"
He chuckles at the confused tilt of her head. Then, his hands cup hers that held the flowers, softly rubbing his thumbs on the back of her hands.
"I've heard some people know them as blue flags. To me, they're Irises."
Irises. Her eyes light up in excitement. She smiles brightly. "Really? Are you serious?"
Jean nods. Iris grabs one of them and brushes her nose against the Irises' petals and is met with a sweet, floral aroma, a very subtle hint of wood and soil mixed in.
"Wow... I can't believe it," she says. "This is my first time seeing one, at least in real life."
"In real life? What do you mean?"
"Well," Iris exhales, sitting back down on the rock, "when I was younger, I remember my uncle showing me this journal full of drawings from his trips. Since my mom, his sister, couldn't come with him, he'd draw everything he thought she'd liked. Through his drawings, she traveled the world. I did, too."
Jean listened attentively to her story, sitting beside her. She didn't know it, but her stories brought him great joy and comfort.
She twirled the Irises as she explained. "I remember seeing this flower on that journal. Since it was a drawing made far too early before I was born, it was a little messy and hard to imagine it in my mind but very beautiful, nonetheless. Seeing it in real life is way better though... Do you know the meaning of an Iris flower?"
Jean shakes his head. "Not really, no."
"Irises have multiple symbolisms... She told me that Irises are a way of showing people your trust, your loyalty and how much your relationship is worth... Someone gives you an Iris and without a word, you'd know that person is telling you 'I trust you. More than anything and anyone in this world'... and I think that's beautiful... maybe even more than love."
Jean was captivated by her words. He couldn't help, but ask, "You really think it's more important than love?"
Iris sits in silence for a moment, then nods at him. "Yeah, I think it is. Without trust, there is no love. It is how you depend on someone and how they depend on you. It is much more valuable, don't you think?"
"I think you're right."
"Thank you... for this. Really."
Jean's ears flush. His hand nervously scratches the back of his neck. "O-Of course."
She gives him a small smile. "I guess there's nothing left to do, but this..."
He watches as she separates one single Iris flower away from the others and extends it out to him,
a warm gaze in her brown eyes.
"I trust you, Jean Kirstein. Do
you trust me?"
He knew the answer way before she asked. Since the day he met her, he knew. He takes the Iris and feels his heart come alive.
"I trust you, Iris Elvira... More than anything and anyone in this world."
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MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODYYYYYY 🎄🎄🤍🤍🤍
this is my christmas gift you guys so thank you so so so much for all your support, patience and love for this story, i hope blessings come in your way and i wish you happiness and good health always 🫶🫶🫶
besides that, i'd like to know your thoughts!!
i was sort of worried that this chapter was kinda too much on iris and jean's relationship so i don't know if it came off as forced or something 😭 i hope it didn't, let me know in the comments :)
with that being said, merry christmas again and happy new year <333