hopeless | jean kirstein

28 | sunset

"I'm sorry." Were the first words Connie had told her the moment she sat down across him at breakfast.  They were quite the crowded bunch that morning, with everyone including the new recruits such as Marlo sitting with them.

The boy had surprisingly chosen to transfer to the Survey Corps after the operation to retake Wall Maria was announced, claiming that he wanted to do his best for humanity instead of just doing nothing.

Taryn furrowed her brows at the pleading male in front of her. "Why are you apologizing?"

"I'm just sorry." Came his reply. She noticed that he looked rather unwilling, as if he was forced into it. And maybe Connie would've never done it, thinking that what she doesn't know won't hurt her, had he not been under Mikasa's watchful eye in that very moment.

She sighed. "I can't forgive you if I don't know why."

Catching on to their conversation, Jean frowned as he bit into a roll of bread. "What the hell did you do?"

Mikasa picked up a spoon. She was quite fed up with Connie beating around the bush. "He—"

"Shush, Mikasa!" Connie cried out, his eyes begging for her to stay silent. As the girl only regarded him with a stare, he gulped, forcing out a nervous laugh as he turned his gaze back to Taryn. "Don't worry, it's nothing that huge."

"He almost—"

With much effort needed he clamped a hand over the girl's mouth, causing Mikasa to struggle against him. The two began to squabble right in front of everyone, attracting quite the attention of a lot of people surrounding them. It went on for minutes, until Jean took matters in his own hands and bonked Connie in the head, the boy finally letting go of Mikasa, ceasing the fight.

Her eyes darting between the two of them, growing worried of Mikasa's glare and Connie's irritated frown. Taryn sighed, turning her gaze back to her food. "Tell me later, Connie. Whatever you did," She muttered. "I'm sure I won't get mad."

"You will be." Sasha snickered.

"We can win! We can beat them!" Marlo exclaimed from in front of her, his sudden burst of enthusiasm almost making her jump from the surprise. He had an eager grin on his face as he held a cup of hot chocolate in his hands, his eyes shining with excitement. "With the new weapons we've got, the Titans will crumble like paper!"

"You're so damn worked up," Jean drawled as he sipped from his cup. "Only you would become so happy about being a scout."

She couldn't help but let out a small laugh at his statement. Eyeing her half-full cup of chocolate, she glanced up at the boy, remembering something. "Didn't Hitch try to stop you from joining?"

Marlo appeared confused. "Hitch? Why would she?"

At his words, Connie and Sasha burst into giggles. "Oh, you know, because you two are...heh."

Seeing their teasing faces and wide smiles, Marlo frowned. From his expression, he clearly didn't understand what they were trying to say.

Setting his cup down, Marlo gazed at the two of them seriously, his face stoic and voice low. "I don't follow, but Hitch told me off, saying I wasn't cut out for it and not to act cool. That if I stayed in the Military Police, I could coast along in life," He told them. "I thought she was better than that. Told her I was wrong about her."

His words incited a wave of disappointed sighs and frowns. It was obvious from Marlo's expression of disbelief that he didn't anticipate their negative reactions, his eyes slightly widening in surprise as he scrambled to figure out what he had said wrong.