Even in new surroundings, it didn't take long for the two to start arguing.

Jean was being useful and was carrying a sack of flour into their hideout house. When going up the stairs that lead to the front door of the wooden cottage, Sasha staggered beside him with her heavy crate, complaining that they would be better off hunting.

"Even without depending on shopping like this, we could gets lots of things from that mountain!" she whined.

Armin, who was cleaning plates by the kitchen counter, dismissed her idea.

"It's no good Sasha," he shook his blonde head slowly. "That mountain is a reserve." He turned around to face her, abandoning his chores. "There wouldn't be meaning in this if we caused trouble."

She looked over at him with a grimace; the idea of holding back on her hunting was apparently painful. "A-alright, I won't do it..." She placed the box onto the floor underneath another counter where barrels stood. "Probably." she mumbled.

"I heard you, you potato woman!" Jean yelled at her.

Just then, Eren stormed in, wearing a bandana over his mouth and another over his brown locks, carrying a broom in his grip. "Guys…" He pulled the bandana from his mouth. "Did you remove the dust and mud from the boxes before coming in?" Green-blue eyes scanned the room, looking especially at the newly taken in boxes. Cue an argument.

"…What?" Jean raised an eyebrow at him in confusion. "We didn't. Look at all this, it's not like we had time to do it." He gestured to the piles of supplies that had been hauled in.

Eren stared at him, panic beginning to wash over his face. "…Don't you get it? Do you think Corporal Levi will be satisfied with this nonsense?" His voice raised in pitch as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. "Even this morning, if I hadn't mended the sheets of your bed-"

Jean growled at him "Shut the hell up! Are you my mom or something?!"

Mikasa and Historia walked in, the wooden floor groaning under the weight of their piles of firewood that they carried. Cue the argument breaker-uppers.

"We're back." Mikasa told them nonchalantly beneath glossy, black threads.

Armin spun round to look at them, his eyebrows almost disappearing underneath his hairline. "Huh?! You went wood chopping?!"

Mikasa turned her face to him, balancing a chopping axe on her shoulder as Historia disappeared behind her.

"My body is becoming dull, after all…"

"You're not a wild animal! It's no good to move around!" he squealed.

Eren looked at her guiltily. "I tried to stop her, she didn't listen. She's cured already. Also, she trained her abdominals."

His comment turned Jean livid. "You bastard, you peeped on her!" He barged into Eren's personal space.

"What?!"

Really, it felt like they had gone back to the days when they were still just trainees at the 104th trainee squad. Armin still reflected on the lives lost, only now it was about the soldiers that had died while protecting Eren and Historia. Sasha still stole food and then denied it. The only people who seemed have undergone a change were Historia and Eren.

"We have to finish cleaning before Connie and the Corporal come back." Eren told them as they crowded around Sasha and tried to make her admit to her crime. Armin dug into her bag, finding the incriminating loaf of bread she'd stolen.

Jean didn't notice that Eren's face clouded over as he remembered that they were Levi's squad. The most recent of many that had come before. Only this time, he had been close to the previous and freshly deceased squad. He knew he had to avenge their lives and make sure he protected these people in his now, his friends, as best as he could. Death was never allowed to be in vain.

During his duty for lookout, Jean contemplated the bombs that had been dropped on them by their superiors. They had to stay in hiding for longer, even though all of humanity was at risk with the breach in the wall. Everything now depended on Eren's ability to harden his skin in titan form, and the possibility of him also being able to manipulate titans made them all even more desperate to protect those behind the walls. It gave them false hope.

They had their advantage, though. Even if it was just one titan shifter. But, just to make the whole thing even more fucked up, more so than having to hide out in the wild, Nick the Priest had been killed. And he'd been a valuable witness to the titans trapped in the walls, or at least he could've told them who could explain more about it.

The clouds hung overhead, darkening the sky and the trees surrounding the land swayed in the cold. The lantern he had only just let him see his close surroundings, and the cottage lit up dimly behind him. But it wasn't too bad out there, Jean felt a bit warmer when he stuffed his hands in his green coat pockets, though the rifle around his shoulder was becoming uncomfortable against his stiff back.

Alone on his small lookout tower, Jean had all the time in the world to stare into the darkness, watching and waiting for some kind of mad ambush that would probably come when he wasn't paying attention. Back in Trost, they'd never really seen any mountains and he decided that although the snowy peaks in the far distance looked pretty cool, they also seemed a bit pointless.

Speaking of which, he was almost seriously considering transferring from this stupid Scouting Legion to the Garrison. At least they got interesting tasks to do, or even just useful things. Standing out in what was now a drizzle, wasn't useful. Not useful at all. Pretty pointless, according to Jean.

He wasn't grumpy. Just very, very realistic.

And it just so happened to be that this, as well as basically everything else, was a waste of time. But it's not like he could've done anything about that, not with his lousy position. He sighed a cloud of white air, leaning forward on the wooden railing, half daydreaming as he watched the dark, drooping evergreen branches rock to and fro.

The next night, Jean slipped into his bed in the attic. At last; normal, single beds and not bunk beds. It wasn't cramped in the cottage, meaning there was plenty of space for everyone. The cotton that he curled up in was beyond the warmth he'd been imagining, seeing as his limbs were still frozen from being outside earlier. Not to mention this place didn't exactly come with heating.

When he was comfortable, he put his face down in the pillow, bending one leg up to his chest with curled up hands tugging on the blankets. Even his sleeping position hadn't changed, despite all he'd been through along with everyone else. With bleary eyes, he saw the listless silhouette of Eren in the bed next to him, the only source of light being the crescent moon that shone through the panelled window that lacked curtains.

Eren was in a similar position to him, only he was facing the other way. Ew. He shuddered at the thought of sleeping in the opposite direction. His own eyes widened as Eren's opened and peered over to him, his big eyebrows furrowing in confusion, one of the only two expressions he ever saw Eren with.

His voice croaked as he stared at Jean with eyes half shut. "Eh? Who're you?"

Jean rolled his eyes, more than used to Eren being annoying.

"Whatever, Jaeger. Can it and get some shut eye."

But Eren's eyes still lingered on him, making him start to growl until Eren rolled over and eventually began snoring softly. Jean closed his eyes, relaxing his face. To think he'd actually once, once upon a time, suggested that they become friends.

The next morning, Eren repeated what he'd said last night.

"Who're you?" he asked, peering into Jean's tawny eyes.

Jean combed his fingers through the blonde part of his tousled hair, cocking his head at Eren as he lay on his pillow. It was too early for questions.

"What d'ya mean 'who're you'? It's pretty obvious that I'm the finest piece of ass in this household, that's who I am." he chuckled at his own joke.

Eren was hovering over his bed, both of them still wearing their night clothes. His gaze wouldn't leave Jean's face and it was irritating. Jean sighed and stretched, grunting when he popped his joints and grimaced up at Eren.

"What?" he snapped.

"I'm being serious, who are you? Like, what's your name? Are you new to Corporal Levi's squad?"

Jean looked away, to the attic banister then down to his lap where he sat up in his bed.

"You're being serious." he repeated.

Eren's eyes bore into the top of his head. "Yeah, I am."

Jean sat up suddenly, snapping his head round to look behind him.

"Armin, I think your boyfriend's gone mad."

The blanketed pile on the bed beside him mumbled "He's not my boyfriend nor is he mad." Armin's head peeked out from the long side of the covers.

"Yesterday Mikasa said Eren had some problems during his training and he couldn't remember the things he'd done when he was transforming."

Eren nodded in agreement, remembering that Hanji explained to him what had happened.

Armin sighed heavily, his eyelids halfway drooping. "Of course, I don't really think he doesn't remember you. After all, he saw you last night at dinner and was acting normally. Although I'll admit it was a pretty quiet night between the both of you. Then again Historia was talkin' so…"

"So… has he gone mad or is he just being an idiot? Get to the point, man."

"Dunno." Armin slipped back under his covers.

Jean turned back to Eren who was glaring at him with his arms folded.

"Don't call me an idiot, it's not nice."

"Pffft, I've called you worse and so've you for me. Just try waking up, 'kay?"

Eren shook his head in bafflement at Jean, then walked away and began finding his clothes so he could change. Jean slipped out his bed and did the same, stealing a glance at Eren in bewilderment. Eren didn't retaliate. Sure, there were days when they didn't fight (when they weren't near each other) but Jean always somehow managed to pick at Eren's nerves. With everything he said. Today shouldn't have been an exception.

Except it was.

Nothing happened. Seriously, the rest of the day went by and it was as if Eren and Jean never got into fights in the first place.

All of the younger soldiers, Jean, Eren, Armin, Connie, Sasha, Historia and Mikasa, were crowded in the kitchen and lined up along the counters as they cut and prepared food. The room was silent apart from the mundane sounds of plates and cutlery clattering and the snips from Sasha peeling potatoes with a knife. She dropped it with a clang, making everyone gasp in surprise and turn around to see where the noise had come from. She was staring at Eren, then glancing at Jean.

"Why haven't you guys fought all day? It's been quiet. Far too quiet, and it's making me itchy."

To emphasize her point she scratched her hand with her untrimmed nails, leaving pink lines on her palm.

Connie scolded her. "Sash, don't do that, you'll hurt yourself."

He raised an eyebrow as he turned to face them, Jean making sure he didn't return Eren's curious gaze on him.

"It's pretty weird though. Did you guys call a truce or something?"

Jean shook his head. "Nope. I just decided to ignore his idiocy for once."

"I'm not being an idiot." Eren told him. He faced Connie. "I don't remember who he is and he won't tell me. By the sounds of it, I'm not sure I want to, seeing as he apparently hates me and legend has it that we fight all the time."

"It could be brain damage from yesterday's shifting. You didn't do any today, did you?" Armin piped up into the conversation. "You had a bit of amnesia, so it's likely that it could've affected other memories too. Though, I'm not sure why you'd only forget one person."

Sasha clapped her hands excitedly. "You guys could start fresh!" her brown pony tail swung around her neck as she bounced where she stood. "A clean slate, as they say. Just imagine it, the dynamic duo actually being" she paused for the dramatic effect, "friends."

Jean pondered this, allowing himself a glimpse of the tan boy that had returned to cutting the food, watching his muscles move under a beige shirt as they rippled from the effort. Could they really be friends? Eren wouldn't know what he was like. He wouldn't know that he gave Jean the nickname Horseface. He'd pretty much gotten over the fact that Mikasa was his dedicated follower to death and beyond, so he could start out not being jealous... To everyone's surprise, Jean stepped over to Eren and stuck out his hand.

"Jean Kirstein. From the Trost district. Sorry for the awful start we had earlier. I tend to say whatever's on my mind, and usually they aren't nice things." Eren took his hand and shook it firmly.

"That's alright, it's to be expected if I suddenly forget you out of nowhere. I'm Eren, oh, but you already know that, huh?" he looked at Jean sheepishly.

Jean ignored the others as they stared at him. He wanted to have this chance. Granted, he'd probably start a fight soon enough, but still, what could it hurt? He knew he was an asshole, but this guy didn't, and it was refreshing to finally have a completely new start. So be it. He smiled at Eren, who returned it with his determined trademark grin.

Jean realized sooner rather than later that it really did feel weird to not have Eren biting at his throat and shouting whenever he saw him. It was almost irresistible to give Eren a sneer when he over idolized Levi and to reply rudely at something he said. By some miracle he didn't. Part of that reason could've been because Eren was much quieter than before. It had been in Jean's head that Eren was loud and obnoxious, it seemed. And he didn't hear any of the inspirational speeches he thought he always heard. Had he been blinded by his petty hatred? Or maybe it had been Jean's fault that Eren had been someone to make speeches.

At the table while they ate dinner, Eren made polite conversation with him, asking him questions like how long they'd known each other, though Jean managed to avoid explaining their first meeting. Their superiors were obviously confused, opening their mouths to ask them why the hell they were acting like they'd just met when they'd known each other for years, but they never did.

From that night on, Eren made it a regular thing to go out with Jean for his lookout duty. That night when he'd asked to accompany Jean, Levi had told him it was far too dangerous, that they were supposed to be protecting Eren. But Eren gave him a startlingly intimidating glare and told him that as a kid, it was people his own age that were helping him, risking their lives, and if they could do it, then he was pretty sure he could last a few hours outside, not to mention he would also be with someone.

Jean could tell from the tension in Eren's shoulders that he was scared as he stared the shorter man down, but they eased up when Levi growled that he could do what he wanted.

He kept quiet as Eren lead them outside, not wanting to stay inside the tension filled room.

They trudged towards the lookout tower at the back of the house, grass stuck to their shoes and the cold bit through their thin coats, but neither cared. Eren let Jean stick close to him, knowing he was a walking, talking furnace to go. Their shoulders brushed as Eren slowed down to Jean's pace and they stepped onto the wooden tower, not talking just yet. Eren sighed blissfully as he leaned on the railing with his hands, taking in the view of the mountains and the trees. Jean didn't get why he was so interested in the landscape, it was pretty boring. But he didn't say that, despite having said he always said what was on his mind.

Jean stood up straight, carrying the same rifle as he had yesterday. He looked down at Eren, the half moon's light shining on one side of his face, drenching the rest of him in shadow. His eyes were half shut, as if he was dreaming with his eyes open and a small smile played on his lips. Jean coughed and looked away into the distance.

"Is there, uh, a reason you wanted to come out here with me?"

Eren hummed thoughtfully in response. "Well, not really. I just thought it'd be more enjoyable to have a change of pace, rather than being inside the house all the time. After a while it gets suffocating. Plus,"

Jean turned to see Eren's mouth become down-turned.

"I'm just reminded all the time when I look at them about how many people ended up dead because of me. Even I can only stand so much of that." He quirked the corner of his mouth.

"Since I don't remember you, I don't have to go through that. It's just for a few hours, but still. It's nice to be with someone you can relax with. You probably think I'm selfish, right?"

Jean felt the heat go to his face. Jean was someone he could relax with? If anything, it was Jean who had probably made him feel the worst out of all of them. And for Eren to think his company was nice… well apart from Marco, he'd be the first to say that. Feeling embarrassed, Jean rubbed his neck and leaned forward onto the railing, looking down at the dirt trail they used to walk to the house. Damn Jaeger and his sudden seriousness.

"Nah, not really. I know I wouldn't be able to stand in your shoes. I'd end up getting myself sent to the gallows for going on a rampage, and I'd hurt way more people in the process too. You're doing alright." He nodded at Eren.

Jean thought he saw Eren blush, but it was difficult to tell in the murky darkness as the clouds covered the poorly lit moon.

"If you say so… I'm sure you're right. I just need to get out of my head a bit. Growing up'll do me a favour, that's a definite." he sighed, resting his chin down on his arms as he folded them on the railing.

Some random urge came over Jean, and he ruffled Eren's hair, the same way he would do to Armin when he was acting up and getting upset. Who knew Eren's hair was so incredibly soft? And that, when you got down to it, he was a pretty friendly guy and it came as a shock to Jean, but the guy actually did have feelings? He sounded so out of character. Jean drew away his now shaking hand and hoped Eren wouldn't say anything. But of course, he did.

"It's funny how similar we are. I just noticed that." he chuckled.

Jean tilted his head. "How, exactly?"

"Yeah, because we both know we're going to end up getting someone killed and we can't do anything about it. Sucks to be us, huh?"

No, Jaeger was supposed to be the idealistic guy, Jean was the realist, he knew everything would end up down the drain. They'd fought countless times over Eren's unattainable dreams.

There was a pain in his chest when he saw the sad smile on Eren's face, one that left his eyes looking dead and Jean had to forcibly resist this goddamn urge to touch him again. Because god forbid what would happen if this breathless dizziness he felt made him go too far. Sappy feelings were not part of the Kirstein package.

He still hated Jaeger. He totally did. And he didn't touch people he didn't like, even if they were no longer half bad. He'd only patted his head because he looked like a mutt that had been kicked in the gut. Jean saw certain people as assholes for a reason. Eren was one of them. He bit his tongue inside his mouth and did his best to avoid any more eye contact that night.

He made sure to keep his eyes away from the other guys in the attic, who were already too curious and bombarded him with questions as soon as Eren had business downstairs with the Corporal. Whatever that was.

"I honestly think he doesn't remember you, Jean." Armin told him from where he sat cross legged on top of his bed covers. He played with his sleeve absent-mindedly.

Jean pulled a night shirt over him. "Yeah well, that's a brilliant guess to make, Einstein."

"How did it go when you two were outside? Did you end up fighting? Even just verbally?" Connie leapt onto his bed, it creaked under his weight.

"Dude, get off. And no, we didn't. We just talked. No verbal fights, either."

"Talked about what?"

Jean turned and looked Connie dead in the eye.

"Death. Life. And other trivial things."

Connie's mouth opened slightly, but didn't push the issue any further. If he'd tried to, Jean would've stuck it up his ass. He tugged on his night pants and scurried into bed, just in time for Eren to walk in.

"Hey guys." He said with a sigh, walking over to his bed.

By the looks of it, he was so tired that he either forgot or didn't care that he was still in day time clothes and went straight into his bed. He sighed tiredly again, his eyes already beginning to close and shut out the world.

Jean rested his chin on his hand, propped up by his elbow on the pillow.

"You're not sleeping like that." He pointed out. "Levi will definitely give you more chores and skin you alive if he finds out you-"

"Shhh Jean, the Corporal can't find me in my bed. I'm in my own zone in here. He'll never find me." he giggled as he dived under the covers.

"Really? And what if someone happened to tell him..?" Jean teased him. "Also, why do you keep calling him by his title?"

Jean lay back on his pillow, the others had finished getting ready for bed and the lantern was extinguished, leaving them in darkness.

"Eh, well, I'm just being respectful. And no, no-one will be telling him. I have a pitchfork handy, and I will use it." Eren gestured under his bed with a sly grin.

"Not if I use it first."

They whispered to each other like that for some time, until Connie told them to shut up because they were being loud. Instead of going to sleep however, Eren decided to go into Jean's bed.

A startled Jean tried to push him out.

"Hey, what are you doing?! You can't just hop into my bed like that!"

"Jean shut up!" Connie groaned at him.

"Well I would, but there's a pervert in my bed."

"I'm not a pervert!" Eren lay beside Jean, the skin contact they made lit Jean's body on fire.

"Get out of my bed." Jean pulled the blanket away from Eren.

Eren pouted. "But I just want to talk to you."

"I quite fancy sleeping, actually."

"We've been talking for ages and you suddenly want to go to sleep?" Jean saw his eyes widen in disappointment.

"Yeah, I do. Got a problem with that, Jaeger?"

Eren's eyes searched his until Jean looked away. Their legs were too close together on the small space of the bed, Eren's mop of hair was splayed out on his pillow, Jean could smell Eren he was that close and quite frankly Jean wasn't having it.

"Get out." he repeated, hoping his voice sounded firm.

Eren snuggled closer with his eyes closed, wrapping his arms around Jean's waist, making his breathing hitch and causing him to swallow an uncomfortable lump in his throat.

"Why aren't you listening to me? Get out my bed Eren. God, you're so stubborn."

He considered pushing Eren out, but his warmth was actually pretty inviting and Jean found himself grumbling himself to sleep in Eren's arms.