A/N: Hello! So this was an idea that popped into my head as I've been pouring over Jean and Marco fics the past few weeks as my obsession for Snk/Aot has reached unhealthy heights. Each one-shot will have different subjects and events about life with the characters from the anime/manga in a Modern college AU. Trigger warnings may apply and will be presented as needed.
I do not own any of the Snk/Aot characters, they belong to Hajime Isayama.
TW: abuse, violence, language.
Comfort
Jean entered the apartment and saw you passed out on the couch, the T.V still on the blacked out Netflix screen. He set his backpack on the counter and slightly shook his head taking in the sight. It was hard to believe that the bundled up form looking so sweet and peaceful had just gone through one of the worst break-ups he had ever seen. Marco soon walked out of his room at the back of the hallway carrying a bowl of cereal having heard the door. Even though it was close to 1 o'clock in the morning, the boy loved his cereal.
"I didn't have the heart to wake her," he placed the dish into the sink, not bothering to begin rinsing it out. Marco didn't really need to explain. Jean let out a small sigh. He understood, he didn't want to see the dull look in your [e/c] eyes either. That fucking prick had broken your heart for the last time; he and Marco were going to make sure of that. Over the last three years of seeing the manipulation and emotional abuse that your ex put you through was enough to make Jean's and Marco's blood boil.
"You told Reiner he's not allowed anywhere near her unless he wants a restraining order right?" Jean asked walking over to pick up the PlayStation remote. He backed out of the screen and groaned, gaining an inquiring glance from the other brunet.
"Yeah I told him, but that doesn't guarantee he won't try other means," Marco moved over to get a better look at the screen, seeing the display for the show you had just been watching," Why does she do that to herself?" "Say Yes to the Dress "filled half the screen for a brief second before Jean shut it off completely.
"No clue really," Jean picked up your feet from the couch and sat down, placing them back down onto his lap. The light blue fleece blanket fell a bit as you stirred from the movement, but didn't seem to wake.
"I don't fucking know what goes through that stubborn head of hers," he started fixing the blanket so that it covered your shoulders again. Yes, your stubbornness was the primary culprit of your current circumstance and heartbreak, but how else were you going to learn the real underlying causes of aspects to your personality? But that's getting a little bit ahead of things.
Marco and Jean had grown to love that trait- along with others- about their little third wheel. While the boys had known each other since high school, you turned up and had tagged along from the first day of your freshman year at college. All during your undergraduate and until now they had stuck by your side, and you in turn, were by theirs. That included your very rocky and exceedingly unhealthy relationship with Reiner Braun. At the beginning they were supportive and minded their own business, but after he became upset at you for not changing your birthday plans to accommodate his schedule, perked their interest in voicing their true opinions. He hadn't cared that you had asked for work off weeks in advanced and had invited friends from out of state for your 23rd birthday, he had to be there or "it was over". Since you went through with your plans, he made the biggest and most childish scene in the parking lot that Jean had witnessed. However when he came back apologizing after the girl he immediately hooked up with after you allegedly cheated on him, you were completely forgiving and wouldn't hear any of your friends protests against Reiner. Jean didn't believe a single word that came from his mouth, but finally gave in-along with Marco, Sasha, Connie, and Ymir-and let you do what you wanted. And boy what a ride it turned out to be. A year in and he popped the question. Of course, you ecstatically said yes.
"She can't possibly have made any solid wedding plans?" Marco sat on the arm of the couch near your head, being careful not to sit on any stray [h/c] hairs of yours. Jean let out a huff, feeing confidence at the absurd question. Truth was though, he was also unsure. They knew that you had started to make wedding plans as soon as Reiner proposed, but he was adamant about not setting a date, saying that you had loads of time for that stuff, as of course you needed to save up enough money.
"He never gave her a ring Marco," Jean mused," I doubt he ever would have too, the slime ball. He just knew the best way to keep her hooked with a false security." He looked back down at your sleeping form and sighed. "You and I know she deserves so much better than that." A short silence fell between the two men as Marco nodded his agreement.
"We should probably get her to her room," Marco stood up from his perch and began to move toward a position to where he could better pick you up to carry you.
"I can walk Marco," you murmured. He froze, his hand just starting to pry under your body.
"[First]? How long have you been-," he started.
"I've been coherent long enough to know that you two do a fucking piss poor job of letting me sleep when I've actually fallen asleep." You sat up, pulling your feet off Jean's lap and your knees in toward your chest. "You both know how much trouble I already have with sleeping on a normal schedule. By the way, what fucking time is it?" you rub your [e/c] eyes smearing the remaining streaks of eye make-up around. You figured you looked bad but didn't really give two shits how you appeared in front of Jean and Marco, as long as your emotions were in check. Physically they've seen worse. You briefly remember that horrific 3 day event of the worst stomach virus in the history of the world. Marco more so than Jean, but he wasn't called a freckled saint for nothing.
"It's about 1:15am," Marco explained. He sat back onto the coffee table directly in front of you and Jean. You looked between the two men, a little surprised that they were even still awake.
"Why are you guys even still up?" you huffed," I'm fine. I promise. I don't need the two of you to watch over and coddle me all night again." The two exchanged a somewhat nervous glance before Jean stood up and went to retrieve his backpack.
"Well [First]," Jean had fished out the paperwork that would at least serve as a more solidified threat should Reiner ever show his face around the apartment complex, university, or where you and Jean both worked. "I accidently left the paper work for a restraining order in my locker at the Rec center and I had a closing shift at the restaurant tonight on the busiest night of the week, which I wasn't originally scheduled for." His tone became a little defensive as he continued, "And obviously you aren't really fine as you seem to be showing a tendency of emotionally torturing yourself by looking at wedding dresses. But if you really fucking insist, [First], that you're fine and on being left alone then I'll just go to bed," he sauntered down to his room, which was 1 door before Marco's. You mentally kicked yourself. You knew if wasn't fair to scold them when they were just concerned about your well-being. Marco gave you a worried look, "Just don't shut us out, please, [First]," and he made his way back to his own room. You sighed, wrapping the blanket around your shoulders and went into the kitchen to get a glass of water, all the while watching as your best friends retreated further into the apartment. You could already feel the edge of the loneliness start to creep back and crawl over you. It made you feel heavy yet strangely hallow as well.
"I'm sorry," you whispered and then exhaled, "This is going to be a long night." Slowly you made sure everything was locked up and turned off the lights before making your way to the bathroom. Despite the cold winter air that was sure to greet you in your bedroom, the feeling of grime was no longer settling well on your skin. You turned the faucet and soon the room filled with a light steam. The warm water relaxed your muscles as the bruise on your shin started to become noticeable. You knew that the only way that Jean or Marco would believe that you did in fact trip over the coffee table was seeing the incident for themselves. Not that Reiner had ever physically harmed you in any way, but the fact that you injured yourself while clearly trying to get away from him was unsettling to your best friends. This was the fight that led to your most recent break-up.
It was no secret that you and Reiner had your disagreements that could (and more often than not) escalate to absurd proportions. He would often call, text, or even just show up with some complaint about your brother, whom he lived with. Or, more increasingly, the two men you lived with. That was exactly what you two had been arguing over when Marco came home from his student teaching position. Luckily he didn't have to be held too long after the final bell rang. Your mind flashed back to yesterday.
Reiner had asked-yet again- if you and your brother could just switch apartments. For whatever reason the two no longer got along, something about your brother being a hypocrite. You had just shrugged that off as a farce that was trying to take some of the attention off of his real issue. He didn't want you to continue living with Jean and Marco. It didn't matter that if you moved would be nearly 18 miles further away from the university and your place of work (with no really reliable way for you to get to either), nor that the rent was more expensive than either of you could afford. Your brother could, and had been willing to help supplement Reiner's share of the rent. After all, he was your fiancé and soon to be family. None of this mattered. All that mattered was that you were living with two non-related and very attractive males. You admitted that many would raise an eye brow to the living situation you were in, but once they got to know the dynamics between the three of you it wasn't a big deal. What hurt you the most about Reiner's position was that he just didn't trust you, or your best friends.
"They are just my friends," you said, the pleading and agitated tone to your voice didn't sway him from arguing back.
"Oh come on [First]," he scoffed, "I'm not dumb. They're still guys after all and I've seen how they look at you. You won't admit it, but I can tell. A cute little remark here, a hug there. All of it is just so that one of them- if not both- can have the chance to fuck you. That's all you are to them." You were fuming as you sat on your queen sized bed. It was one thing for him to falsely criticize you, and the shit about your brother was such nonsense it was purely laughable. But degrading Jean and Marco to being nothing but crude perverts was not something that you were willing to listen to.
"I'm done with this conversation Reiner," you set your laptop down, stood, and picked up your phone ready to make your way out of the room.
"I'm not [First]," he spat, "Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me that you're not just fucking them already!" You whirled around. You were not a cheater. You abhorred the thought, as you couldn't stand ever thinking that you had caused someone that type of pain. Those that knew you well knew and understood that your own heart just couldn't allow yourself to hurt another like that. With each new fight the two of you had it was become clearer and clearer that Reiner didn't know you at all, nor did he seem to really want to get to know who you, [First] [Last], were.
"Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME," you nearly screamed, glaring daggers at the over bearing blond before you. At this point Marco had returned and heard the glass shattering against the wall of your room and Reiner roar, "FUCKING QUIT YOUR GOD DAMN SHIT [FRIST] AND TELL ME!" You burst out of your room, keeping your eyes on Reiner as he followed after you. Marco stood there in the living room and reached out for you and you barreled toward him, panic and tears filling your eyes. While the glass didn't hit you, you were scared as shit seeing the large male lash out in that manner. After hearing about some of the minor horrors that your grandmother had gone through with your alcoholic grandfather you had vowed that you would never EVER get into that kind of relationship. Yet right before you were the starting signs of that very thing. Marco pulled you behind him, shielding you from Reiner's view.
"[First]," Reiner called after you, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Baby, I'm sorry I-" he emerged from the hallway and saw you huddled behind one of the men you had been arguing over. You had continued to back up as far as you could to get away, not just from the immediate situation, but all the shit that you were sure was about to happen. You had no idea way you had locked up, normally you didn't take shit and stood up for yourself and others. But this. This was all overwhelming. You weren't watching your feet and slammed into the coffee table, falling into the space between it and the couch.
"Babe," Reiner started over toward you, but was quickly blocked off by Marco.
"Back the fuck off Reiner," Marco calmly stated. As you picked yourself up the text message tone went off on your phone with a message from Ymir. She lived in the apartment below and no doubt heard everything that was going on and wanted to check in, or give you a heads up that she called the cops. Instead it was just a link to a web page. You clicked it, but went back to monitoring the two men in the room. Marco continued to stand in front of you, blocking your view. His voice was low and quite frankly it even scared you how much venom he was putting into his words that he was throwing at your boyfriend. However, his words quickly faded from your mind as your phone lit up with the completely loaded webpage. There in front of your eyes, was a picture of Reiner kissing some girl you didn't recognize. You stared at it, not wanting to comprehend or accept what you were seeing. The date and caption of the picture couldn't have been clearer. 'Me and the ex' Sep. 14 '09.' The information sent you reeling. When your eyes returned to the events in the room, you saw that Jean was now also home. The energy in the room had gone from merely tense to downright lethal.
"Babe," you whispered. Standing back up and making your way over to Reiner you clutched your phone in a death grip, "Who is this?" You held the phone up for him to see, his eyes slightly bulging from recognition.
"Babe, it's not-" a loud SMACK resounded in the living room.
"You fucking bastard," the tears were flowing freely from your [e/c] orbs, "and you…you had the fucking audacity to accuse ME of cheating on you! WITH JEAN AND MARCO," you screamed. The hatred and pain you felt seared every inch of your being. "Not to mention this was only 6 months ago. You were practically living here during that time! Am I seriously supposed to believe that you weren't out with this girl while I was at school or work, only to come home and fuck me that very same night?!"
He was stuck silent, mouth agape desperately searching for words. Not even an apology was able to past his lips. You brought the phone to your forehead clasping it in both hands. You tried to stop the tears and the headache that quickly growing. There was no way that you could be crying to show any sign of weakness when you said this, if you did, then he would just come back. It had to end. Tonight. The other two men, stood in silence, waiting for you word as they knew what was coming, and were all too happy to oblige. Seeing the amount of emotional pain you were experiencing broken both their hearts, but they understood that you had to make this final decision.
"Get out," you murmured. Quicker than he could react the other two had his arms in vice grips and pushed him toward and out the front door. With a slam and a lock of the deadbolt it was over. The phone still pressing against your forehead you turned to where your ex-boyfriend had just been. No longer being able to hold back the tears and emotion your knees gave out causing you to crumple down to the floor. The sobs racked your body as a set of strong arms wrapped around your shoulders. Initially you flung them off, the thought of even being touched made you feel filthy. How could Jean and Marco even look at you after what just happened? However, your actions didn't deter the arms from enclosing around you again, this time in a strong embrace. Another hand was placed on your back and gently rubbed circles. This pain was not something that you had yet experienced. It was entirely new and thus you had no control. Not having control was something you hated for the men that were holding you to see. Normally in a situation like this you tried to it hide it from them, maybe a tear or a trembling lip here and there would clue them in, and it only took a hug to calm you down. This whole thing was different. You had lost track of time and you continued to cry, not really realizing that you were being carried down the hall. The arms left you briefly and were replaced by the softness of a comforter. However, you knew it was not your own as the laundry detergent had a very different smell. After that you don't remember much, as the exhaustion from your crying overtook you, and you feel asleep.
As you came out of your ruminating thoughts you realized that you had made it out of the shower and into your room. Hair still dripping wet you tossed the teal towel aside and searched for your sleeping cami and shorts. Silent tears had returned in a near torrent as soon as you slipped into the cold bed that you had once shared with Reiner. Not long after you heard a soft knock on your door, but you were unable to will your body to move. It wasn't locked, so Marco entered anyway.
"[First]," he said as he closed the door behind him. Your only response was a soft sob. He crawled on top of the covers of your bed and placed his arm over you, trying his best to comfort you, while still giving you enough personal space. It really did pain both him and Jean to see you hurting so. Finally you were able to turn over to where you could face him, the soft yellow glow of the nightlight you had helped him see your tear streaked face. He brushed them away with his thumb, gave you a soft smile and kissed your forehead. No words needed to be exchanged as you wriggled closer, but chuckle was heard on the other side of the room, causing Marco to turn his head. Jean now stood in the door way watching his friends with his arms crossed over his chest.
"I thought someone didn't want to be coddled?," he smirked, but there was nothing but gentle joking behind it.
"Jean," Marco warned, "not now." Finding your voice somewhat you added, "I'll you know this is not coddling," you pushed Marco over a bit further and made a spot for Jean, who walked over and laid down behind you.
"I swear if you two weren't here I don't know what I'd do," you whispered. Suddenly the night didn't seem like it was going to be as long as you initially thought as you drifted off to sleep, enveloped in the warmth and comfort of your best friends.