Vista - Attack on Titan x Reader

CHAPTER SIXTY NINE: Normal

Why didn't anybody stop me from wearing this..?

Dresses had never been an article of clothing I was comfortable in, but there I was, standing impatiently outside of the Trost gates, the calico matetial tickling my ankles. I had wanted to look nice, for a change, but it came at a cost. Far too breezy.

"Hey, (Y/N)..!" Turning, I saw Jean jogging up to me, slowing his pace as he got closer. "Wow...you look really pretty..." Clearing my throat and tucking my hair behind my ear, I quickly looked him up and down. Just regular clothes, topped with a long coat and a hat. He actually looked rather handsome.

"Uh, thanks...You...scrub up well, too..." I complimented, motioning for him to enter the district so we wouldn't stand around like a pair of idiots. Goodness knew we were exactly that.
"Thanks, I like to think so..." He chuckled, taking the lead. "Um, the markets here are pretty great. At least they used to be, before everything happened..."

Trost was still damaged, but it was pulling through. It was good to see it thriving again, even if it did bring back some darker memories.
"You grew up here, huh?" I asked, matching my pace to his so I wouldn't fall behind.
"Yep, all my life until starting training." He replied, smiling a little as we turned the corner to find a staggering number of stalls. "Anything in particular you wanna look for?"

A new brain.

"How about we just browse?" I suggested, shrugging my shoulders. It was strange, being alone with Jean outside of work. Things were seeming a little too forced, but a promise was a promise. There was food, clothing and trinkets galore, and each time I stopped to take a better look at something, Jean waited patiently. Happily.

I found myself at a little stall that was filled with stone and wooden carvings, inspecting each and every one. They weren't very detailed, but I could tell that they were all made with love. Something caught my eye, and I picked it up, a small smile pulling at my lips.

"What did you find?" Jean asked curiously, and I turned to hold up the tiny stone horse figure, dangling it by the chain that came from its back.
"I like it. It reminds me of you." I chuckled, only laughing harder when he stuttered.
"Aw, come on! Why me?!" He whined, eventually trailing off into his own hearty chuckle, leaning over to the vendor. "How much for this one?"

The portly gentleman thought for a moment, scratching the salt and pepper scruff of his chin.
"For your lovely lady friend, I'll go 2 marks." He offered, and before I had the chance to reach for my coin purse, Jean was handing over the money.

"H..hey! I can pay for it!" I complained, puffing my cheeks when he waved me off with a limp wrist.
"Nah, I invited you out. Today's my treat. Just...don't go too wild, I'm not rich." His smile was softer now, and despite feeling guilty, my heart fluttered, just a little.

No...This is just as friends...

"Then...thank you, Jean-Boy..." I sighed, tucking the little horse into my bag to keep it safe. From there, things seemed to kind of ease into normality. We tried on fancy hats with no intention of buying any of them, ate some special mushroom jerky that had us dry heaving for a good half an hour, and playing tag with a few of the local children.

Soon enough, it hit noon, and we found ourselves in a quieter part of town, away from the bustle of the marketplace. We were talking a lot more casually now, and I was actually having fun.
"Do you mind if I stopped in somewhere? My mother lives nearby, and if she found out I didn't come say hi..."

Shaking my head, I offered him a smile, motioning for him to go right ahead.
"I don't mind at all." I didn't, but I was still kind of nervous. Meeting family was a big step, even though we weren't a couple. It gave a more personal attachment, and that was dangerous in our profession.