endure | e. jaeger & a. arlert

XII. Rage

a/n: consider this trost pt 1...pt 2 will be out today as well

"I can't believe I'm stuck doing this with you of all people," Jean grumbled as you passed him a wrench. He banged it against the gate aimlessly, and you smacked him upside the head.

"You're not fooling anyone when you do that, you know. And for what it's worth, I don't want to be here with you, either. I'd much rather be up with Tullia and Eren checking the cannons or something, not repairing a gate that isn't even broken," you said, pulling out a screwdriver and giving it a confused look.

"Right? It's literally perfectly fine! This is just busy work," Jean said.

"That much we can agree on. Well, whatever. This is just the last thing we have to do, and tomorrow we'll have picked our branches and will never see each other again. I'm assuming you're still going for the MPs?" you said, discarding the screwdriver with a sigh, deciding you weren't going to get any meaningful use out of it.

"Of course I am, and you should too. Look, it isn't like I care about whether you live or not, but joining the Scouts is a dangerous idea. Seriously, consider the MPs, yeah? It would be a shame for you to become a titan snack, if only because we all know how insufferable Jaeger would become. Sina, he's already annoying and angry all of the time, I bet he'd just become worse. Do us all a favor, you hear me?" he said.

"I'm sorry, Jean, but my heart is set on the Scouts. You should join, too. You're the most irritating person I've ever met, but I can't deny that you are talented. If you ever tell anyone this, I'll deny it, but...you're really strong, and a good leader, too. You're the kind of person that could change the world. Even if you did rank below me," you said.

"You really think that about me? I'm nothing spectacular compared to, say, Armin or Mikasa or you or Tullia," he said. You looked around, making sure nobody was around to see what you were going to do next before you hugged him.

"Maybe that's what makes you so great. Now, like I said, never speak of this again. But remember it," you said, letting go of him hastily and brushing yourself off. Jean seemed like he was processing your words before he nodded.

"Thanks, Y/N. For what it's worth...you're the kind of person that could change the world too," he said.

Coming from Jean, this was high praise. You knew that he meant it, because Jean was brutally honest. He was not the sort to lie about things to make someone feel better, especially not to you. A compliment from Jean was hard-earned and always well-deserved, and so you accepted it with a smile on your face.

"You know what I've always wondered?" you said to Jean after a few moments.

"No, I do not," Jean said.

"Why do they do it? The titans? Why do they eat people? It's not like they need to. What's more, why did the Colossal and Armored only break down Wall Maria? Like, why not go all of the way?" you said, your hands on your hips.

"Why are you thinking about that? Happy thoughts, Y/N! Happy thoughts!" Jean said, snapping in your face. You blinked.

"Sorry, Trost just reminds me of Shiganshina a lot, that's all. I wonder what I'd be doing right now if it hadn't happened. Probably talking to Dr. Jaeger, I suppose. I was going to work with him when I grew up. I wanted to be a doctor," you said. Jean began to laugh at this.

"You can't tell me there isn't some sort of irony in the girl that wanted to heal people becoming a soldier," he said when you frowned at him.

"Well, I guess it is pretty silly, but what other choice did I have?" you said.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. This whole world, it's pretty shit, isn't it?" Jean said.