finished writing season 1 !!
———
Y/n was exhausted.
Not only from the tiring day of training, but rather from Shadis, from the pressure and expectations, from the fight for the top ten. She didn't mind it, usually, but she really needed a break.
''Fuck,'' Y/n muttered when she didn't manage to slice the titan nape properly.
''FOCUS, L/N!'' Shadis yelled from his horse under them. Y/n scoffed, flying ahead. I'm trying. She went for the next titan ahead of her, raising her swords as she neared.
''TOO SLOW, Y/N!'' Connie yelled as he suddenly appeared in front of her, slicing the titan nape perfectly. Y/n wanted to yell, but Connie was gone as quick as he'd appeared. Is this how Jean feels like when we steal his kills?
She took a sharp left turn, spotting another titan dummy. She lifted her blades and spin, cleanly slicing the titan nape off before landing on a tree branch nearby. Finally. She straightened up and knocked on her gas tanks. There wasn't that much left — just how much had she exhausted in so little time? She wasn't going too quick, was she?
''Y/N!''
She almost jumped as Jean suddenly dropped on the branch in front of her. A hand flew over her heart as she tried to calm down her racing heart. Jean placed a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong with you?"
Y/n shrugged him off. "I'm fine," she said, facing away from him. Her hands gripped her ODM handles.
She was about to take off when Jean's hand found its way on her shoulder again. "No, hold on. You're off your game."
"No need to point it out, Horse Face," Y/n bit back, though as she looked at Jean's shocked expression, she realized she'd gone too far. "I'm— Walls, I'm sorry, Jean-Bo, I didn't—"
"It's fine," Jean cut her off, a smirk on his face. "Since you're so off your game, surely you can't get more titans than me this time, huh?" She scoffed. "Say, if you beat me, I'll treat you to some food tomorrow in town."
Y/n's eyes widened. She knew what he was doing, of course, but she couldn't back down from a challenge — especially when it came to beating Jean and his high ego. "Oh, you're on, Moron Kirstein!"
It was like something new had ignited in her. She thought back to their first time practicing with the titan dummies, how Jean had helped her there, too. She grinned at the thought, remembering she'd beaten him then, too.
Raising her blades, she sliced her first titan perfectly, then twisted her body to face Jean, who was flying behind her. "ONE TO ZERO!" she declared, laughing as she sped away again, missing Jean's grinning face.
"ONE TO ONE!" Jean called but a few moments later, causing Y/n to look at him and watched as he moved from his first slice to the second. "MAKE THAT TWO TO ONE!"
"YOU WON'T BEAT ME, JEAN-BO!" Y/n yelled as she twisted her body to slice another nape. Two to two.
Another titan dummy appeared in front of them — both raised their swords, each of them managing to slice one side of the nape, sending the red piece falling to the ground.
A whistle sounded through the forest. "END OF THE EXERCISE! RETREAT BACK TO CAMP!"
Jean and Y/n landed on a three branch again, each of them smirking at each other. "So, about that treat tomorrow?" Y/n crossed her arms in front of her chest.
Jean's eyebrows suddenly narrowed. "Huh? What treat? We killed that last one together!"
"Huh? No, my blade sliced through first!"
"The hell are you talking about? We tied!" Jean protested again. "Besides, if we add the ones before I challenged you, I win!"
Y/n thought about it, then scoffed. "You're so annoying."
Jean grinned, realizing he'd won the competition and the argument. A rare victory. He almost wanted to smile at her annoyed expression, but he felt like she'd kick him off the tree if he did. "Says who. Come on, let's get back to camp."
———
Y/n looked around, not finding a small bag she could use. Had she not packet any? Then again, she never really expected to be going to a town while in the army. She grabbed her small coin pouch and left with Sasha.
It was a rare day off when the cadets were allowed to go in the next town over if they wished — some like Mikasa, Eren and Armin had already left, while others like Annie stayed behind. Y/n couldn't wait to go, mostly to bribe Jean to treat her anyway, despite loosing their friendly competition the day before.
''Jean,'' Y/n said when they met up with the three boys. Jean hummed, looking away from Marco and Connie's conversation. ''You have pockets, right? Can you keep my pouch with you? I don't wanna loose it.''
''Oh, yeah.'' Jean nodded, taking it from her hands and putting it in his spare pocket.
''Thanks,'' Y/n said as the group started heading to the exit of the training camp. ''Don't you dare spend my money, though.''
''Tch, who do you take me for?'' Jean scoffed. "What do you wanna do first?"
"Oh, oh!" Sasha raised her hand eagerly as she walked with Marco and Connie in front of Y/n and Jean. "Can we eat first? I'm starving!"
"We ate, like, an hour ago!" Connie pointed out, causing Sasha to frown.
"Me, personally, I need to go do a little bit of shopping," Y/n said, looking at Sasha. "I need a new skirt. You wanna come?"
"Oh, yeah! I gotta buy a new vest, this one is getting too small," Sasha thought out loud.
"What are we going to do?" Marco asked, looking between Connie and Jean.
"I'm not going shopping for skirts." Connie said, raising his chin high. "That's boring!"
"Huh? I think you'd look great in a skirt, Connie."
"Shut up, Y/n!"
Once they made it to the town, the group split into two — Y/n and Sasha went to a nearby clothing store, while the three boys walked around the market, waiting for the two so they can all go get lunch.
There weren't many stalls around and most of them sold food. Jean walked next to Connie and Marco as he looked around, not listening to their conversation. Truthfully, he wouldn't have minded going with Y/n, he was used to it. But she has Sasha now. Jean's chest tightened.
His eyes fell on a stall selling accessories — wallets, watches, bags. Jean's eyes fell on a brown fedora hat.
When we live in the interior, we'll be able to buy all the hats we want!
The memory flashed in Jean's mind. He remembered Y/n had taken a liking to a similar hat the day he'd told her that. He smiled at the thought. They were so close to achieving that dream now, it felt surreal.
His legs acted before he could think, as did his hands. "How much for this?" Jean asked, holding the fedora up to the seller.
The man told him the price — it wasn't the most expensive, but Jean swallowed and handed the money over. The man took the hat from him to put it in a bag, but furrowed his eyebrows as he looked between the hat and Jean. "Isn't that too small for you, boy?"
Jean felt his cheeks heat up. "Oh, uh, it's not for me." The seller sent him a knowing look before handing him back his purchase.
"Jean, where did you go, we were looking for you!" Marco asked as he and Connie ran back to him.
"I was buying something. Did you not see I was gone?" The boys laughed awkwardly. "Tch. Morons."
"Huh? What'd you buy?" Marco asked and before Jean could answer, Connie had reached into the bag.
"HEY! The hell are you doing!" Jean reached out to grab the hat back, but Connie jumped away.
"You got a hat?" Connie asked, looking between the hat and Jean, much like the salesman had. "Your head is too big for that."
"Give me that!" Jean snatched the hat and put it back in its bag. "It's for Y/n." He regretted telling the truth as soon as he had.
Connie raised a brow. A smirk spread on his face. "Oh? Is that so?"
Marco smiled. "That's nice of you, Jean. Is there an occasion?"
Jean shrugged. "Not really."
"Oh? So you're just buying her presents now?" Connie's smirk grew. He crossed his arms. "Is there something we don't know?"
Jean rolled his eyes, though he did feel his cheeks heat up. "It's kind of an inside joke thing. You wouldn't get it."
"You know, Jean, I've been wondering for a while . . ." Marco started and Jean was already sure what his next question was going to be. "Do you . . . like Y/n? You don't have to—"
"Shut up." Now Jean's face felt like it was on fire. "Yes, I do, and if any of you ever mention anything to her or anyone, I will personally feed you both to the titans. You got that?"
The two watched him, stunned at his serious expression. Connie coughed, being the first one to speak. ". . . But if we're in the MPs, we'd be in the interior, so how—"
"I'll find a way."
"Right."
Jean's racing heart calmed down. He couldn't believe what he'd just done. Why did he tell them? Why did he tell Connie of all people? He was going to regret this, he already knew. No one knew about his crush on Y/n, he's been silent for years — why was it so easy to open up now?
Jean put his money pouch back in his pocket; he tried to, at least, when he realized there was something already in there. "Oh, fuck." He took the second pouch out. "I didn't give Y/n her money back. I gotta go to that store."
Connie's smirk returned. "Go ahead, we know you already miss your little—"
"I'll kick you in the shin if you finish that sentence."
"Okay, okay, no need to get violent, yeah?" Marco sighed. "We're gonna walk around a bit more. See you for lunch, yeah?"
The shop was empty when he entered, aside from the saleswoman sitting on a stool in the corner, reading a book. At the back of the store were two cubicles, which he assumed were the changing rooms. Y/n and Sasha's voices echoed from behind the curtains.
"I think I actually like the black one better," Sasha said as her changing room opened and she stepped out. "You done in there?"
"Not yet," Y/n said, though her head peaked from behind the curtain anyway, looking at Sasha. "Yeah, I like that one better, too. The one other one blends with your hair too much."
"Right? I think I'll get this one," Sasha returned to her changing room, closing the curtain. "Can we go after this? I wanna eat!"
"Yeah, I just wanna try on this dress," Y/n said. She was about to move her head back in her changing room when her eyes fell on Jean awkwardly standing in front of the entrance. "Huh? What are you doing here?"
"Who's here?" Sasha's voice came from the other changing room.
"Jean," Y/n called back.
He finally dared to near the changing rooms, clutching the bag he was holding. "You forgot your pouch." Jean said.
Y/n's eyes widened. "Oh, right! Thank you." Y/n's hand peaked out Jean dropped her pouch in it. "Thanks. What'd you buy?"
Jean looked at the bag, then back at her. "You'll see."
Y/n rolled her eyes. "Okay, Mister Mysterious. While you're here, can you tie the strings? I can't reach."
Jean nodded. "Yeah, sure."
Y/n opened the curtain further, causing Jean's breath to catch in his throat.
The dark blue dress reached to her ankles and it had short, off shoulder sleeves. There was a string tied around her waist, and above it a corset.
She turned around as Jean continued staring at her with his mouth slightly parted. "I can't pull the strings together tight enough. Can you do it?" Jean didn't move. Y/n looked over her shoulder. "Jean?"
That snapped him out of his trance. "I, uh, yeah, yeah. Sorry." Jean quickly grabbed the strings, pulling lightly. "Is that okay?"
"Tighter." Jean pulled, causing Y/n to gasp. "Holy fuck—Too tight!"
"Shit, sorry," Jean quickly got to loosening the strings, allowing Y/n to breathe again. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, fine." Y/n nodded. "Tie it together."
Jean did and quickly stepped away. Y/n twirled around, moving over to a small mirror next to the changing rooms. "What do you think?" She looked back at Jean.
"It's nice," Jean said.
"Hm, I feel like it'd look better in red," Y/n thought out-loud.
You'd look good in anything. Jean wanted to slap himself. Stop this. Focus. "Nah, I think this one is fine."
"Hm? You sure?" Y/n twirled once in front of the mirror. "Yeah, I think I like it like that. Should I get it?"
Definitely. "Yeah, sure. If you have money."
"I should if you didn't spend them," Y/n said. She sighed. "If I get this, that means no more outings until we actually become MPs. Is it worth it?"
Yes. "Hm, there isn't much time left until we start getting paid properly. Why not?"
"I guess," Y/n said, hands on her hips. "Would I even have time to wear it? We mostly wear our uniforms. Besides, I only need a skirt."
Jean scoffed. "Since when are you so rational?"
"I've always been rational!" Y/n said before thinking better of it. "I'm mostly rational. Whatever, I think I won't get it. It's too expensive and I'm starting to get hungry, too."
Fuck. Why couldn't we have MP salaries already? "We can come back after we get our first paychecks and get it."
Y/n's eyebrow quirked. "That almost sounds like you wanna buy me a pretty dress, Jean-Bo," Y/n said and felt her heart flutter at the thought. She didn't let it show. "Hope you don't back out on that promise."
"Hey, I never promised—"
"I can't hear you!" Y/n said as she closed the curtain. "The curtain is too thick, sorry, Jean-Bo!"
The cadets only started making their way back to camp when the sun was starting to set. Sasha had grown tired, so she'd made Connie give her a piggy back ride as Marco held her bag, the three of them walking ahead.
Y/n walked next to Jean, holding on her own bag before her eyes fell on Jean. "You never told me what you bought, Jean-Bo."
"Oh, uh." Jean cleared his throat. He hesitated before he reached in the bag and brought the hat out, placing it directly on Y/n's head. "It reminded me of you."
Y/n took the hat off her head and checked it out. "Huh?" When we live in the interior, we'll be able to buy all the hats we want! Her eyes widened. "What's that for?"
Jean shrugged. "Dunno. Accept it as a graduation present, or something. Pre-MP dream achievement." He looked away, trying to play it cool.
Y/n's chest tightened. A grin broke on her face. "Aw, Jean, you have a heart! That's so sweet!"
"I'll bring it back if you keep on being annoying."
"Hey! You already gave it to me!" Y/n hugged the hat to her chest before putting it back on her head. "Thank you, though. I love it."
Jean nodded, still refusing to look at anything but the dusty ground. "Yeah, don't mention it."
Y/n yawned then, wrapping an arm around Jean's and leaning on his shoulder. "Jean-Bo, I am so tired—"
"I'm not giving you a piggy back ride."
"Man, so your kindness does have limits?"