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heichou-espurr · 2 years ago

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1989 (Jean’s Version)

Chapter 1: Welcome

Like any true love,

It drives you crazy

—The body was identified as Porco Galliard, a senior at Marley High School. Initial reports say the cause of death was blood loss from multiple stab wounds to the chest area. No suspects have been arrested at this time but investigators are looking into—

Jean officially said goodbye to his last summer break ever as he walked up the steps of Trost High with his backpack slung over a shoulder. The keys to his '87 Mustang jingled with each step and he still smelled a bit like smoke from the cigarette he'd put out in the parking lot.

Familiar faces swarmed as he entered the cold hallway and it honestly beat the heat. Everyone buzzed with excitement and nerves; new meat Freshmen unsure of where to go and Seniors already counting down the remaining days until graduation when their first period class hadn't even started.

"Oh shit, if it isn't my favorite second-best thrower?"

Jean rolled his eyes as Eren Jaeger approached with open arms, like they hadn't just all been hanging out at the movies over the weekend. Bertholdt worked the concession stands and prying free popcorn and soda after 7 o'clock came easy.

"Whatever Jaeger," Jean said, rolling his eyes and giving in to a fist bump. He was more surprised to see Eren in on time and not behind the building smoking--

"Fucking finally, Floch!"

Their morning greeting was cut short as Floch Forster walked up. Not on the team but he hung around enough to play equipment manager and occasional weed dealer. And as Jean watched Eren fork over a handful of crumpled bills and Floch slip over a baggy, Jean knew which role he played today.

“Did you hear about Porco?” Eren said and Jean slapped his arm.

“Dude, don’t be so fucking loud about it!” Jean spat. “It’s not exactly the best thing to talk about on the first day.”

“Look, I’m doing my due diligence to make sure you losers don’t bring it up around Reiner.” Eren shook his head. “Poor guy. Do you think, you know, he did it?”

“Bertholdt?” Floch whispered. Eren snorted through his nose and Jean shook his head.

“Is a little respect for the recently deceased too much to ask for? Even if Porco was a total asshole.”

“Whoa! Sorry, Mr. Funeral Director, didn’t know you had that big of a conscience.” Eren waved his hands to further sell his sarcasm but Jean still frowned. “Sounds like you’re still mad Porco fucked Reiner first.”

Jean may have been a bit scorned by Porco’s quick work but he held his tongue.

The news barely broke and it stirred whispering rumors throughout the school halls. Everyone wanted to know the bloody details more than the truth; a student’s body found gutted with stab wounds all over, face down in a football field and no cameras, the last person to see him alive was his alleged secret boyfriend from a rival school. Jean hadn’t had a chance to even ask Reiner about it because he was busy being interrogated by the cops, mourning and attending therapy.

"Anyway, see ya, geeks," Eren said, waving them off and heading toward the exit.

Floch looked on with his puppy dog eyes as a teacher stopped Eren in his tracks. Behind him, everyone’s laughter boomed because he had been caught, chastised, detentioned and all before the first bell.

It was all expected, all typical. The same way it had been last year. Jean sort of thought things would change this year. Nothing major or dramatic just not be quite so predictable. Cookie cutter. It was a scripted high school experience and he wanted a new beat to dance to for his senior year.

He’d changed and somewhere hoped the rest of the year would follow.

He slapped Floch on the shoulder, pretending to transfer a bit of confidence so he didn’t have to watch Floch suffer, and walked ahead to his class. At least they'd get their letterman patches they'd ordered--

He knocked shoulders as he turned the corner and books hit the floor faster than he could react. A planner, journal, binder, ocean blue pencil bag. The boy muttered sorry and adjusted his glasses before dropping to his knees to pick up his belongings.

Candy-colored plastic beads decorated his wrists in rows.

"Hey, sorry about that," Jean said, bending down and scooping up the planner. He glimpsed a written schedule and tucked it between the pages of the planner while sneaking a peak at the blond hastily stacking his belongings.

He wouldn't have guessed the guy was a senior but the schedule confirmed it.

"It's fine," he shrugged.

Jean held out the planner and offered a smile. "We have the same math class. Sorry, didn't mean to look, I just--"

"It's fine." Firmer this time. A flush of color blossomed over his face, his perky nose, under ocean blue eyes.

Wow.

The first warning bell broke the trance. Jean glanced away at the scattering crowd, as students begrudgingly went to their first period classes. Some were lost on accident, some on purpose, teachers came out of rooms to stand like foreboding guardians to their classes. Jean looked back, just in time to see the blond turning away. Head down, shoulders slumped, the best way to stay hidden in the sea of faces.

And Jean never even caught his name—

“Was that Armin Arlert?”

Jean looked at Eren as he suddenly appeared at his side. He held a pink detention slip in his hand, the ink still wet.

“Who?”

Eren snorted. “The mousy blond. Armin? Wait, you weren’t even here for that.”

Jean’s mom moved to Shinganshina from Trost the summer before Junior year. He remembered it so well because he hated it. Hated the school. Hated Porco for snatching up Reiner.

He remembered the news and pushed away the thought.

“What happened?”

Eren checked his watch. “Just drama. Hey, you have history with Mr. Smith right? Can you take notes for me? I’m meeting up with that Hizuru babe from the private school.”

Jean rolled his eyes. Mikasa was a babe but it was the first day of class. Eren’s inability to maintain any patience flew over Jean’s head.

“Sure thing.”

Eren fist bumped his shoulder and tossed the pink slip in the trash’s direction — missed— and headed toward the exit. Jean didn’t watch to see if he made it or was intercepted again, but looked back in the direction the blond, Armin, scurried off to.

He started toward his own first period class but he couldn’t quite shake Eren’s words. He wondered, as he exchanged courtesy good morning’s with Mr. Smith, just what had happened Sophomore year.

Jean walked into his Calculus class early. It was one of the few classes he didn’t share with Eren, Floch or anyone else on the football team. And after a messy Home Ec. Class with flying eggs and too much flour, he looked forward to something quiet and a little far from his usual rowdy group.

He stood a second in the doorway, examining the available spots. Not that it was the most popular class so the seats were plenty available. He just told himself he looked for seats because he really scanned for—

“Excuse me.”

Jean looked around as the weird goth girl stood behind him with her heavy-eyelinered glared. He knew better than to test Annie anymore than necessary so he slid aside so she could slip into the room. Great. Annie, but still no Armin. Jean walked to a desk near the back of the room and opened his notebook. Annie got the nice spot in the back by the window and he wasn’t going to fight her for it.

“Good morning, my future mathletes!” Dr. Hange chimed, walking in with a wave. Jean never understood why someone with a real doctorate would actively teach high school calculus but he appreciated Dr. Hange’s presence in the school. “I can’t wait for this year. I have so much in-store—”

Hange paused as a figure appeared in the doorway, too quiet and inconspicuous but Jean saw him like a blinding light.

“Ahh, lost?”

Armin nodded. “Sorry. I think this is Cal?” He held up his schedule, the one Jean had seen earlier, and Hange skipped over to take a look. After a glance, Hange smiled.

“Ah, yes! Welcome in, take a seat!” And they gestured to the infinite rows of desks.

It wasn’t a joke that its popularity was nonexistent.

But Armin smiled and quickly ducked his head as he headed to an empty spot. Jean looked at him, caught his eyes, and even waved. For a brief moment, Armin really looked at him and he foolishly thought Armin would come sit by him.

Again, foolish.

Armin’s face twisted at the site of him and he slipped into an empty desk halfway down the row over. Jean deflated as Armin pulled out his notebook and his textbook.

So it was a challenge. Or maybe just futile. But Armin’s dismissive response to him piqued Jean’s curiosity. Hange turned away to the board and Jean scooped up his belongings, to shift two desks up and sit next to Armin.

Blue eyes glanced over and Jean heard a groan. Against the window there was a pop of bubblegum from Annie.

“Hey,” Jean said, waving.

Armin gave a thin-lipped smile, that really wasn’t a smile at all, and a curt wave back.

“I didn’t get to introduce myself earlier. I’m Jean.” Armin didn’t reply, but he did start to scribble in his notebook. “Um, Armin, right? I’ve never seen you before. And I know all the seniors here so—”

The bell rang again, the sign for the new period to start. They could hear the last bit of scurrying to class as Hange closed the door to officially start.

“How did you know my name?”

Jean looked at Armin, while Armin’s eyes were trained on the board. He whispered soft, so no one but Jean could hear. Jean picked up his pencil and placed it to his own notebook like he prepared to take notes.

“Eren said you used to go here. I’ve only been here since junior—”

Jean glanced at Armin and he’d gone rigid. Stiff all over and his pencil gripped tight between his fingers. Jean swallowed.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

“Is that all Eren said?”

Jean’s throat dried. He didn’t mean to touch a nerve.

“Yeah.”

Armin didn’t reply. He didn’t nod to acknowledge. He kept his eyes on the board and his hand working the pencil as Hange taught. Like some sort of robot, or if his body was possessed by something.

He kept quiet, until the bell rang again. It heralded a sigh and stretches from the rest of his class, while Hange panicked over losing track of time. They hastily scribbled the homework assignment on the board in certified chicken scratch.

Jean didn’t know what to say to Armin, if anything. An apology felt out of place. An attempt to carry on a light-hearted conversation felt forced. He packed away his books as Armin stood up.

“If Eren says anything, just know…I’m not that same person anymore.”

Jean stopped and looked up at Armin. He still had that distant look in his eye, unable to really look at anything but the things ahead; the board, the wall, the door. Jean didn’t even know what else Eren would have to say about Armin, if anything, but he had his brewing assumptions.

He turned to say more but Armin scooped up his belongings and made for the door, to disappear in the hallways before Jean had a chance.

Across the room, his eyes fell on Annie. She watched it all with quiet judgment.

#jearmin #jean x armin #aot #snk #fanfic #aot fanfic #porga writes #fic: Jean’s Version

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