The Return of Marco Bodt (Titan!Marco)

Chapter 12

Later in the day, Jean and Marco were escorted down to the dungeon by Erwin and Moblit. Jean peered into the empty cells wondering what had happened to the people that were once inside. Erwin lead them to two empty cells in the back of the dungeon.

"I'll have you two in the room next to each other so you'll be close. Jean, your door will be unlocked if you need to get out for any reason but if I catch you trying to escape I'll lock the door," Erwin explained getting a nod from both Jean and Marco that they understood. Once Jean and Marco were in their cells, Erwin headed to a large meeting room with Moblit and Hanji. Levi Ackerman, who was known to be the strongest human alive, was also in attendance.

"Is this about the titan shifter you guys managed to catch?" Levi asked. He leaned back in his chair and laid his legs on the table, putting his arms behind his head trying to get as comfortable as possible.

"Yes. He seems very willing to help us but there's an issue," Erwin said.

"And what's that?" Levi questioned, seeming confused. Hanji and Moblit were clearly feeling the same confusion that Levi was.

"He's too innocent. He doesn't seem capable of even killing a fly. He could have killed some of the scouts which were holding him back from getting Jean but he didn't. He's not able to take a life which is going to be necessary if he is going to help us," Erwin explained.

"What are you trying to say?" Levi asked, seeming interested now.

"I'm saying that we take away his innocence. Toughen him up. Maybe get him more like that Jaeger kid just without the constant yelling about killing all the titans. We need to get some anger and hatred in him. He won't be any help to us as he is," Erwin said.

"Commander, I don't like what you're getting at..." Moblit said shyly.

"I don't want to do this but we're going to have to. I don't think hurting him will help my cause so we're going to have to hurt Jean," Erwin said.

"Commander!" Moblit cried, horrified at what Erwin was saying.

"I won't hurt him too badly but just enough to make Marco snap. If it makes Marco more protective over Jean that works too. If we put Jean in the right position Marco would do anything to protect him," Erwin explained to a horrified Moblit.

"And what if it backfires? As in he won't want to help us anymore or he turns against us?" Levi asked.

"I'll have to kill him then. But I'll make sure we won't need to do that," Erwin said. "I have this all planned out. All you have to do is do what I say. Meeting adjourned."

Jean paced around his room for what felt like hours when he heard someone tap on the brick wall on the side of his cell. "Jean, are you awake?" Marco asked.

"Yeah. What's up?" Jean replied as casually as possible.

"Do you think I'm a monster?" Marco said quietly.

"Of course not!" Jean cried, caught off guard by Marco's question.

"I saw the way you looked at me when you touched me," Marco said, his voice getting even quieter as he spoke. Jean opened his cell door and went over to Marco's staring him down from in between the cell bars.

"I didn't know that was you. I just thought I was touching a normal titan who had no regard for other human life. I know that you're not like that. Titan or not, you'll never be a monster to me," Jean said.

"Thank you," Marco said with a small smile. "I'm going to get some sleep, you should too," Marco said, waiting expectantly for Jean to go back to his cell. Jean couldn't believe Marco slept that night after everything that had happened. With all the questions running through his head, he didn't think he would ever be able to sleep again.