tactfulaim

[tactfulaim]

persecutedsoldier:

           Marco couldn’t help but laugh softly at Jean’s fragments at his expression. The excitement radiated off of Jean and onto him as he was hugged yet again. This time Marco returned the action since his arms were free to do so, nuzzling into him as much as he could get away with before Jean pulled away to go ask for the day off. The teen waited around the front of the store, looking at the virtual systems a bit—  though mostly frowning at them.

As soon as Jean had come back out Marco faked a frown, ready to tease on how he was upset he didn’t get to see the blonde at work but as soon as he was about to say anything his found himself grabbed and dragged outside. Pushing Jean softly he made sure to keep himself from tripping when pulled. Rolling his eyes he smiled and shrugged.

"Well— what’s new around here? Other than my best friend working behind my back!"

another laugh resonated through the teen's vocals-- such a pure, genuine sound that oozed warmth and happiness. God, Jean's enthusiasm was completely uncontainable and it was crazy to think how much he missed this fuckin' kid. He had to keep himself from reaching out to grab Marco again because while he knew that he was there, there was a tiny part of his mind that try to con him into believing he was dreaming. 

"Hey, you never asked!" Ivories bright and bare, illuminated the sheer joy that the sandy-haired teen felt when a face-splitting grin pushed across his expression. Joking around with Marco like this felt surreal and he was just happy he got to do it again. ( Jesus Christ, Jean's acting like the brunet had been resurrected from a tragic death. )

Now let's get back to answering Marco's question; Jean took a moment to think about any new attractions that boomed since his friend had last been in town. Thoughtfully stroking at his non-existent beard, he finally came up with something. "Well, there's this cool cafe a few stores down. Ever had bubble tea, Marco?"

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drops coconut in a box off at your door

u forgot the lime--

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          jean was so beyond himself that he found it difficult to speak and his words only came out in broken fragments. He couldn't help it, he was overzealous with the fact that Marco was back in town, in front of him, after what felt like an eternity of him moving. The sandy-haired teen was like a puppy, greeting the master it adored after a long day's work. Finally though, he just settled with letting out another peal of laughter and gave his friend another hug.

"You, my friend, are godsend. Wait here." He said as he practically bounces away to go tell Mikasa that he was gonna call it a day. I mean, there was just no way he could completely focus on the job while Marco was there. And he was so grateful that when she gave him the okay, he kissed her cheek quickly, telling her that she was the 'best store manager ever' before he darted over to the lockers to grab his stuff and put up his apron.

It wasn't long until Jean found himself grabbing Marco's arm and dragging him out of the cafe. "Okay my day is cleared and all yours! What'cha wanna do?" 

            Though he should have known better by now Marco hadn’t thought that Jean would rush away from the counter in the middle of work. Having the blonde rush over and squeeze him feel nice though, he would have returned the hug honestly but his arms were even squished down. 

Laughing he did his best to wiggle himself free and brush away Jeans hands from his hair and his face. With a smile he shook his head to the reasoning for keeping his job in the dark. “Of course. I thought I’d surprise you with a visit though, I see it worked.” 

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like… i did this thing… but… ughh

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          the customer he was tending to was easily forgotten the minute he was called out to-- Especially when he recognized that certain voice. Jean did have enough courtesy to shove that customer onto the other person who was working register with him but that was only after he hopped over the counter. 

"Dude, Marco!!" With the excitement bubbling through his blood, the teen couldn't help but rush over to the ravenet, immediately embracing him in a bear hug. Laughter rang from his vocals and he ruffled dark tufts of hair before patting Marco's face. "That's because you never asked-- What're you doing here, man?" 

        Almost a year had passed since the brunet had moved away and a few months had gone by since he’d quick playing the popular MMO that the cafe he was walking into had been based around. Stepping inside he looked for the reason of hist visit and upon spotting Jean he couldn’t help but call out to him even though he seemed to be busy with a costumer. 

"Ah— I was told I could find you here but you never told me you got a job!"

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         as hard as it was, Jean didn't really find room for self-pity especially since he still had the rest of the cafe crew. Plus it also helped that Marco talked to him almost every day through texts or Skype. So he wasn't exactly lonely or without his best friend. But he saw how his change of mood effected Armin and he couldn't help but smile at him. This guy wasn't so bad at all. 

Reaching over, Jean ruffled at blonde tufts of hair and laughed quietly. "Anyway, is there anything else to do around the shop?"

It was obvious that he was trying to change the subject but could you blame him? There was no reason to mope around, especially if things needed to be done. Besides, he didn't want to make Armin feel more dejected if he kept going with problems that weren't really his-- Although, he had to admit it was amusing; Seeing Armin upset. ( Which he really shouldn't make a habit unless he wants a certain sibling duo on his ass. )

It was nice, seeing the grin appear over the other boy’s face—it felt almost, well…rare to see, as normally Armin himself hung around Eren and Mikasa, and, well, it was often that Eren would spike some sort of problem up, leaving the two nothing but grumpy messes. 

A nice change in tune, really.

Though, when Jean had continued the corner of his lips slowly drooped into a frown, a soft sigh soon sounding passed slightly parted lips—he himself knew little on the situation, though, from what he’d heard, not many really knew. Except maybe Jean, that is. 

"Yeah. I understand."

A small nod is given and hands go back to their place behind his back, the boy’s weight shifting from one foot to the other, feeling a little awkward now—not for the fact that the topic was brought up, but because he had caused it, and it wasn’t hard to miss the sudden change in Jean’s stature and mood. 

It must be hard, having a friend like that just, move away—he’d been with Eren and Mikasa, well, almost his whole life, and they really had been his only friends for years. So, he couldn’t exactly sympathize with Jean. 

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jean kirschstein | balmain mens f/w 2011 collection

eren jeager | nicholas k mens f/w 2013 collection

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          "yeah, yeah, laugh all you want. It was gonna be so legit, okay?" He wasn't exactly upset with the response he got over the band name, rather he was really pleased. The grin Armin has is mimicked on Jean's own expression and he just continued to bounce off of the good vibes that the blonde emit.

Yeah, he could get used to hanging with the baker more often.

Sadly though, the next query aimed his way causes his face to contort in slight dismay. Just the thought of his answer made the teen upset but he could get over it enough to tell Armin. "We didn't get to do it because that's when all the shit with Marco went down and then he had to move." Eyes made up of a golden brown averted their attention from onlooking pools of blue. "After that it didn't really feel right starting up the band without him, y'know?"

“Crystal Math?”

Alright, so that actually made him laugh—quite a bit, really. A small snort even sounds before a hand is cupped over his nose and mouth to muffle the noise, head giving a small shake. That…wasn’t exactly what he expected, but it was still pretty great in the end.

It takes the boy a moment or two to compose himself, but eventually he does so, tuning back in to let Jean finish his speech, a hand wiping a stray tear from the corner of his eyes, a wide smile now finding its place across his features. Jean was, well, quite amusing, really—when he and Eren weren’t neck in neck, that is. 

Having some time to actually talk one on one with the guy wasn’t so bad, good, actually.

"What happened that stopped you from starting it?"

If it wasn’t the name, well, he wasn’t quite sure what it was. 

And by now, he was far to interested to let the subject drop, plus, it was helping him see in the eyes of Jean—at least, a small aspect of it.

Crystal Math, he really wasn’t going to be getting over that one any time soon.

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          oddly enough, jean decides that he really likes being in the attention of the petite blonde. Sure, it wasn't like this was their first time ever engaging in small talk but Armin always seemed to be preoccupied with Eren and Mikasa; Which was a little gross from a simple-minded outside viewer like Jean. But Armin really wasn't that bad, now that he was away from the company of those odd siblings.

"We did, yeah. It's kind of stupid though." But that wouldn't stop Jean from telling what it was. "We were gonna call it Crystal Math."

The sandy-haired teen laughed then and shook his head at himself. Crystal Math had been his own stupid word play on crystal meth but it kind of fit the duo. Most people thought Jean was some kind of drug addict and Marco was the math nerd. It would've worked out somehow. "Marco was gonna be the bassist and I was supposed to be the lead singer. We were gonna ask Connie to be on the drums and make people try out for the guitarist. We almost had everything planned out."

“Dead serious.”

A soft chuckle of his own passes at the other’s sudden attitude change—going from embarrassed and spooked to open and actually willing to at least tell what he could. Sure, the two didn’t know each other all well, but Armin still counted Jean as a friend, not nearly was close as Eren or Mikasa, but, maybe one day they could get here.

Now would be a place to start, seeing as others weren’t vacating the area and Jean didn’t seem to mind talking.

The blond ends up almost straight across from the other boy, though left enough space between the two as he stands, fingers interlocking behind his back loosely as he relaxes down slightly, a small yawn stifling as he grew tired from the days work—though, the yawn was quickly forgotten as a brow raises, a soft smile settling over.

"Did you two come up with a name?"

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( laughs quick doodle but this is for the cutie armin known as bakerboyarlert. ilu dustbun. ♥ )

[tactfulaim]

          a small chuckle left the teen in disbelief as he quickly ruffled at his own hair. He didn't know Armin too well but he didn't think he'd be interested in a band that never was. Although, in all honesty, it made Jean crack a smile as he shook his head, facing the petite blonde. With his arms crossed over his chest and his weight leaning on one leg, Jean inquisitively rose a brow at the other.

"Are you serious?" A rhetorical question but he just needed to get it out of his system. Another soft chuckle left him and he approached closer to where Armin was standing, only to lean against the display that held the shop's confections. "There's not much to tell though, it was just a silly idea that Marco and I cooked up."

"I see."

The blond gives a small nod before placing the last holder down, letting his gaze travel over each table to make sure none where left bare—luckily, all was finished in one trip, thanks to Jean’s help. A heavy breath is released before the flour-covered apron over his chest is untied and lifted off, soon being hung on the hook that stood outside the kitchen area.

After doing so, the baker had turned on his heels to now face his friend, even if the boy was facing away, it didn’t stop him from speaking. 

"A band, huh? I’m a little interested to hear about this, to be honest."

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          jean followed in suit, placing the holders he grabbed onto tables that the blonde had yet to get to. Honestly, he had his back turned to his friend mostly because he was focused on what he was doing-- But if he had to admit, it was also a bit because he was embarrassed about being caught singing.

"Sometimes, yeah." He admitted, sheepish in his answer. "It helps time go by when there's nothing else to do." Surprisingly, he found it easy to just tell the truth to Armin about his little hobby. Any other time, he would find any excuse to get off the topic. "I was gonna start a band to a little while back." 

"Ah, I’m sorry!"

When the other had tripped Armin jumped slightly, not meaning to scare his friend with his sudden appearance into the room—A sheepish smile soon falling over his lips.

"—You’re welcome."

After Jean had taken a few of the holders Armin shuffled his way over to empty tables, placing them down one-by-one in the middle of the wooden surfaces, though, his gaze shifted over to the taller male.

"Do you normally sing?"

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          caught by surprise, Jean tripped on the table he was working on, cursing under his breath from the sharp impact. "Shit, Armin-- Don't scare me like that." There was an obvious red tint rising against his cheeks as he went over to the blonde, taking some of the load off his hands. "But thanks, I guess." 

"You have a lovely singing voice, Jean."

The blond comments, arms full of newly filled napkin-holders to be placed atop each clean table. 

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          "where is your boy tonight, I hope he is a gentleman--" Quietly sings to himself, cleaning up shop while everyone is god-knows-where. 

[tactfulaim]

Pain is real. But so is hope.

(via constantquibbling)