". . . Once the Titans start to turn east, then the second team can- Jean! Focus!"
"I am focusing," came the slightly offended reply.
Exasperation. "Not on me! Focus on the plan, you dolt!"
The tall, sandy-haired soldier propped himself up and looked at the blonde with irritation. "Not a dolt."
"Really?" Armin self-consciously swiped at his own hair while shooting a dark look at Jean, who puffed out his cheeks and exhaled.
Long and lean, he frowned at Armin. The smaller boy just whacked at him the sheets of paper, too annoyed to be intimidated. Papers rattled, and their impact added injury to insult.
Jean fell back with an 'oof', but his long arm sneaked around and grabbed Armin's wrist hard, and he easily pulled the strategist onto him, the young boy yelping. He held the blonde tightly to his chest and frowned up at him, narrowing his eyes. He was not happy, and it showed in the dark, brooding look. His partner's constant refusal and rebukes were slowly starting to get on his nerves.
Armin released a breath, flushing slightly, before growing still and looking down into the Jean's brown eyes; into their reproach and resentment. Armin shot him a pleading look as he attempted to express the need for seriousness. He didn't mean to keep so much distance between them, but they had so much to do it was hard to keep account of everything. It took massive willpower to keep his own mind on track, which meant that Armin sometimes forgot that he might not be the only one fighting his desires. But of course, he ended up sprawled over his partner anyway, and all other brain functions pretty much shut down in order to fight to keep his thoughts on safe tracks. And far away from thoughts on their current position. So they laid like that in silence for a while, Jean's arms around Armin. One of them was struggling to face down his emotions; the other was struggling not to feel too comfortable.
Finally, Jean sighed slowly and closed his eyes briefly. Armin felt himself rise and fall with the squad leader's chest, but, with some- quite a fair amount of- a lot of difficulty, remained focused on the goal. The important one. Focus, Arlet. Now, after years of training and work under the guidance of older soldiers, the two of them were supposed to lead their squad's next mission on their own, and design their plan of action. They were supposed to lead their squad. Their squad. He was supposed to organize their plans. Jean was going to lead them, and he was supposed to help him. Officially teammates, partners, whatever one chose to call it.
Barely catching himself as his arms weakened, the blonde's breath caught as he found his face inches from the taller man's. And almost felt his arms give way again. Arlet! Focus! Jean's expression was softer now. He lifted up a hand and gently cupped the side of the younger boy's face, tenderly threading his fingers through the golden locks. Armin sighed unnoticeably. Jean was still frowning, but the darkness was gone, leaving only a sigh. He had seen the seriousness in his strategist's eyes, the clear message that coyness wasn't welcome.
Again.
Resentment, yes. But more powerful was Jean's grudging respect for the boy, who had proven himself countless times already. A feeling of debt he couldn't shake- ah, and what else? Oh yes. The demon and angel of all emotions. Love. Looking into the blue eyes, he could hear Armin's voice, "Come on, listen to me! I'm with you, Jean! Against Sasha, against the Female Titan, before the forest- we even fought against Annie! Now, we can finally fight together officially and completely. Will you bear it?"
Hell, how did Armin convey so much through wordless actions anyway?
It seemed he would have to put away the demanding lover and remain the responsible leader for now.
. . . Well damn the pretty boy.
"Alright, fine," Jean's hand stilled, resting against Armin's cheek, his fingers trailing down the boy's jaw line. "Tell me your idea again."
Armin gazed down at the taller soldier for a moment, moved. He felt the soft warmth of Jean's fingers and palm acutely and wanted even more. He really was his own worst enemy. The small boy closed his blue eyes and sighed softly, quietly. Focus, Arlet.
". . . I thought that we could send in two smaller groups after the center once we reached the blind point. That would be able to solve the problem of titans possibly running us down in the passage." The blonde let himself relax, pressing against the length of Jean's lean body, and nestle himself in his shirt. The older male's expression shifted slightly, but he didn't comment. His hand still rested under Armin's hair. "They could stay in the back . . . what do you think?"
"I think," Jean started slowly, never taking his sharp eyes off of Armin's blue ones, "That your plan is a good one. If you remained in the center, I could lead one of the teams and direct them. How fast could we shift the formation?"
Armin's skin was tingling more and more the longer he felt Jean's breathing. He blinked, trying to focus. "A-A few minutes, I think." He looked down at his partner's face, a slowly, and steadily, growing electric tension dancing through his veins. While Jean was beginning to act more serious, Armin felt himself become increasingly distracted by a strange yearning for the motionless, the aggravatingly motionless hand resting under his hair to tighten its grip and pull him down to it's owner's lips. Traitor, he thought to himself.
Oh, who cares anyway,. You told him, he listened, we finished our business, haven't we?
"That's good." Jean commented. Then, catching Armin's expression and realizing what it meant, he grinned from under the short, sandy hair around his long face. Oh, finally. This was going to be very nice. When he spoke, it was with the obvious and smug satisfaction that many would consider douchebag. "Something you want to say, Arlet?" He asked innocently.
Dignity and emotion clashed. But in due honesty, dignity had very few allies at this moment, and emotion had just won the last election with a landslide.
Finally, from under blonde hair came a low voice.
" . . . just kiss me already, you jackass."