Stay With Me

One of These Days

APRIL 18, 2003

It was Friday, and Jean sauntered in, feeling amazing and eager for the weekend. He was early, so he walked into the break room to get some coffee, hoping there were donuts that day. He saw a bright pink box and grinned as he hurried over to it. He flipped the lid open, but all that was left were crumbs.

Eren had a newspaper open, reading the latest from the Iraq War as he sipped coffee. "Sorry, I ate the last one," he muttered. "You snooze, you lose."

"Fuck off."

"Language," Eren warned passively.

"I'm not on the clock yet, so I can say whatever the hell I want. And why are you here so damn early?"

"I'm actually here later than usual. You're just always barely skidding in on time."

Jean huffed, although it was true, and walked over to the coffeemaker. "Well, if you have this much free time in the morning, you should eat a real breakfast. Someone like you shouldn't be eating donuts. You look like you haven't worked out in ten years. Maybe you should join a gym."

Eren mumbled, "Says the guy who can't punch anymore."

Jean spun around to him and growled, "What did you say, bastard?"

Just then, Reiner walked in with Bertholdt beside him. "What's that about a gym? Do you work out, Jean?"

"Not since I got back from Afghanistan."

Eren froze with his coffee almost to his lips. Jean served in the military?

Reiner was also intrigued. "You fought in the war?"

"I was on an aircraft carrier, so we didn't see that much action." His eyes darkened. "I saw enough when I went ashore, though." He instantly snapped out of it. "I probably should get back into lifting. Trost didn't have a gym. Working out in that redneck town was helping someone get their tractor out of a ditch. I need to find a gym around here."

"I can invite you to mine. I get a bonus if you join. I got Bertholdt going."

The tall man laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, although I can't lift weights like Reiner can. I just like the treadmill and swimming pool."

Jean grinned excitedly. "That'd be great. Do you go a lot?"

"Every day before work."

Jean cringed and muttered, "Oh, no way could I do that. I'm lucky if I can make it here on time. I can join you on weekends, though. Maybe we can have some friendly rivalry like the old days."

Reiner laughed and shook his head. "I've seen your definition of friendly rivalry." He shot a glance at Eren, who ignored them. "I wouldn't mind a workout partner, though. Bertholdt doesn't do well on weights."

"I really don't," he agreed sheepishly.

Jean shrugged modestly. "I probably can't lift as much as you, but my endurance is good. Gotta keep in shape to please the ladies, you know," he said, elbowing Bertholdt with a suggestive wink, who awkwardly tried to smile back. "Don't wanna tire out after just ten minutes, am I right?"

Eren rolled his eyes and let out a sigh of disgust. Pig!

Jean added, "You know, Jaeger used to have a helluva body."

Eren had just been taking a drink, and he choked hard on the coffee. Was Jean, of all people, actually complimenting him?

"All the girls were crazy for him. Bronze skin, six-pack abs, plus that boyish charm." He turned over to Eren. "Seriously, what happened to you? There's letting yourself go, and then there's ... that!" he said, waving to Eren's pale, gaunt face. "I mean, look at yourself."