Tiny stars were scattered across the sky. Everyone else was in bed, oblivious to what a beautiful night it was.
Everyone except Jean Kirschtein.
Jean sat at the base of a tree, his eyes turned skyward. He had tried counting the stars, but there were too many. Just like there were too many titans. But titans weren't beautiful like the stars. They were evil. They were ravenous. They took his love away from him.
They had been meeting at night for a while. Seeing his face would be the greatest part of Jean's day. They would meet at the tree and sit and talk. Then one night, Jean had taken his hand, and a feeling different than any other he had ever known swelled in his heart. The feeling had grown every time Jean would see him, and he finally found out what it was the night before he lost him.
"Jean, there's something I have to tell you," Marco had said, lying down on the ground to face the sky.
"What?"
Marco turned his head to look at the brunette and took his hand. "Ever since we became trainees, it's been…different. I don't see you very often, and I've realized that…"
Jean sat up and looked down at his wide, dark eyes. "Marco, what are you trying to say?"
Marco sat up and faced him. "I hate not being able to see you every second of every day. I want to always be there for you and I want you to be there for me. Jean, I…" Marco looked away. Jean cupped his cheek and turned his head towards his.
"Marco, you don't need to be afraid to say anything to me. What is it?"
"Jean, I love you."
Jean's brown eyes widened and his heart began to beat faster than ever.
"What did you say?" He breathed.
"Jean Kirschtein, I love you. I've loved you for a long time, but I didn't know how you felt, so I didn't say anything—"
Marco was interrupted as Jean's lips met his. Jean smiled. "Marco, I love you too."
Marco's lips stretched into a brilliant smile. "Really?"
"Yes, stupid."
Marco took Jean's face in his hands and kissed him. Jean seized Marco's shoulders and slowly began to caress his pale, muscular arms. Marco took off his jacket and threw it aside, breaking away from Jean for a second before returning to him. He laid back down on the ground, pulling Jean down with him as their kiss grew more passionate, more ardent.
"Are you ready?" Jean asked. "This is a big step."
"Yes," Marco whispered. "I want to take this step with you."
Jean smiled as he pulled his shirt over his head and lost himself in passion and love.
"That was…amazing." Marco sighed. Jean rested his head in the crook of Marco's bare shoulder.
"Want to hear a secret?" Jean whispered.
"Of course," Marco replied.
"You were my first."
Marco gawked at Jean. "Really? I thought that someone like you would have…"
Jean shook his head. "Nope. Just you. And I want it to be only you. Marco, let's run away from here. We can go anywhere, and it would be just us, no one would judge us, I could love you every second—"
"Yes," Marco cut him off. "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes."
Jean's eyes began to fill with tears of joy and love. "Marco Bodt, I love you more than anything. I love your hair, I love you puppy eyes, I love your freckles." he said as he kissed each freckle dotting Marco's nose.
"I love you too, Jean," Marco said as he pulled him down for one more passionate and loving kiss.
That was the last time he had seen Marco before he died. All Jean wanted was to hold him, to kiss him, to see him smile, to see the love in his large, innocent eyes. Jean put his face in his hands and cried. Once he began, the tears wouldn't stop.
"Marco, I'm going to join the survey corps. I'm going to do it for you," he said, his voices shaking. "I love you, Marco Bodt. I will always love you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
He sat there until his face was wet and his eyes were red. When the tears finally stopped, he stood up and faced the sky.
"I'm going to fight for you, Marco." Jean said, saluting to the heavens. "I'm going to be strong for you."
Jean's breath was shaky, but he said the words for his love.
"I'm going to live for you."