I woke up realizing something was wrapped around me like a vise and my heart skipped a beat when I opened my eyes and saw Marco's arm was tangled around mine and his face was a few millimeters away from mine, his long eyelashes brushing his cheekbones and his mouth slightly opened. His freckles were truly distracting and even if I wanted to spend the rest of my day like that, I felt my morning erection waking and I slowly let go, hurrying to the bathroom where I washed my face and brushed my teeth with his toothbrush. I looked in the mirror - I still had dark circles under my eyes but the grey from my hair was slowly fading and I was wondering if I should go and dye it again. I sneaked outside of the room and went downstairs where Mrs. Bodt was singing the tune playing on a TV show.

"Good morning!" I said cheerful and she almost dropped the cup she was holding. I began to chuckle and sat down, looking around for something to eat.

"Morning, Jean! Is Marco up?" I shook my head and she offered me a plate filled with pancakes. "Please have some" I nodded and began to stuff my face with one of those fluffy things before Marco's usual tea was ready and I took the cup, deciding to wake him up. His mother wasn't saying anything but by her eyes I could understand we were thinking the same, it was weird for him having me around so close while he was dating that Nate guy but where I was actually staying I couldn't give less damns about his opinion. If Marco wanted me to stay over, I will stay over, if Marco wanted to go out with me, I will go - simple as that. I found him on the side where I've been sleeping, his bottom slightly raised in the air which made me laugh.

"Hey, Freckles" I whispered but there was no reaction. I went closer and grabbed his nose between my fingers so he couldn't breathe and he got up instantly, making me laugh my ass off. He watched me annoyed and then pushed me with his covered foot. He never took his socks down which I found seriously weird and amusing.

"Leave me alone, jackass" he groaned groggily but that wasn't my plan. I took a doughnut pillow and hit his head a few times until he began to giggle, yes giggle, and attacked me back, making me fall on the floor. He rawred and got on top of me, hitting me again and again, his body holding my legs under his weight. "Death to the traitors! Long live the king!" he yelled and I burst into a fit of laughter, raising my hands in defeat. Okay, long live the king.

"Truce! I brought you tea with lemon!" I said and pointed to the nightstand. He then got up, civilized, and went to take his tea, sitting back on the bed that was now a mess.

"You better help me put things back in place" he warned and I rolled my eyes.

"Sure, sure" I went to sit next to him, holding nothing because I drank coffee downstairs and watched him savoring it. His eyes gleamed more with each gulp so I smiled at the sight, beginning to put things back in place - all the pillows and blankets. After that I undressed his clothes and got back in mine, deciding it was time to go home. "You're going out with Nate today?" I asked, trying to look uninterested even if in reality I was burning with curiosity. He nodded and then furrowed his brows.

"Are you coming back tonight?" Well, I could, taking in consideration my place was a disaster but I couldn't do this without him telling Nate. I was not that kind of guy.

"If you tell Nate, yes" He pursed his lips, dissatisfied.

"Jean!" he whined and I shrugged my shoulders, checking to see if my piercings were in place.

"I don't want him to think we do things behind his back, we're not doing anything. If he doesn't want me here I won't come anymore." He puffed his cheeks and I knew the reasons - he didn't want to tell him so he wouldn't ask him not to invite me anymore. He was looking too cute to resist so I went closer and rested my arms on either sides of his legs, bending my body so we were at the same level. "Message me when you can, okay?" I asked and he nodded, his breath hitching because of the closeness. I leaned and pecked his lips before getting up and grinning at his blushing face.

"Okay, take care" I nodded and waved before getting out of there. I was walking down the street (had no money for the bus or the metro) when a grey Wolkswagen slowed down next to me and I let my sunglasses slide down my nose to see Nate was driving it and he was looking shocked at me. He probably realized I was coming back from Marco's place.

"Hi, Nate!" I said cheerful and he furrowed his brows, his pretty face upset.

"Hi, Jean, is Marco home?" he was testing the waters. I nodded, still smiling.

"He just woke up, I went to leave him some stuff he's left at my place a while ago" Shitty excuse but still an excuse. "Have fun!" I said with a grimace - in reality I wanted him to find a guy with who he could fuck off. He thanked me with half a mouth and I sprinted down the street, it was a sunny day, the air was clear and everyone was fucking happy. It took me a while to get home but it was for the best because once I got to the those dumpsters near our school I saw the black kitten Marco fed the other day was now laying dead on the ground - probably because of the cold rain that fell last night, maybe because his mother was missing. Beside him was a grey kitten - probably his brother that was meowing his head off, hungry. I couldn't stand to let it there so I took the black one and put it in the dumpster and the grey one I picked up, placing him in my jacket, close to my chest. I was adopting him, I couldn't let him like that. He began to cry louder and I petted his head gently. "It's okay, calm down, we're going home where you'll have milk" he was really small and I wondered if we had any syringes with which I could feed him.

I hurried home so I could feed him and the first stop was at the fridge, ignoring my father that was eating his breakfast. I took the milk out and hurried upstairs, yelling for my mom. She got out scared and I smiled.

"Do we have a syringe?" She opened her mouth in shock.

"Jean, please tell me you're not doing drugs" I burst into laughter and then unzipped my jacket so she could see my new friend. "Oh my God!" she said and came closer to pet his ears. He slowly withdrew, scared, and I rubbed between his ears, trying to make him feel comfortable. "He's so cute... But your father" she stopped and I swear her face split in two because of a Grinch-like grin. "...is allergic to cats" I burst into laughter and she came to kiss my cheek. "Love you, Jeanbo"

"Love you too, mom" I said and she went to search for a syringe, time in which I decided I should wash the little guy and make sure he wasn't infected with anything. I would take him to a veterinarian the next day but until then some dry shampoo would have to do because he was too freaked out to put him in water. I began to wash him slowly and as loud as he yelled, by the time I was done my mom came with the syringe and helped me feed him.

"Have you thought of a name? It's a male" I didn't want to ask how she knew that.

"He looks scary so maybe something ferocious" we both chuckled and I pouted. "How about Deathly Nightmare?"

"More like Dreamy" I chuckled and petted his paw as he was gulping the milk.

"Hi Dreamy, you little sucker" I said, using a weird voice women were usually using when they were talking to babies. He stopped eating and yawned before stretching and searching for a warm place to sleep in. I placed him on the bed and made him a fort out of little pillows before leaving him be and beginning to play videogames. The man was still around so I sure wasn't going to walk around. But I didn't have enough luck and he knocked at my door and came in, even if I didn't tell him it was alright.

"Hello, son!" he said and I said nothing but he sat on the bed and when the cat began to cry out I let the console down and hurried to him. "What is that?"

"A kitten and you're disturbing it" I said and caressed his nose when he sat in my lap. "It's okay, Dream-boy" I burst into laughter because I was going crazy. My father sneezed and I almost said good boy. "What do you need?" I asked and pressed play again, staring a new game.

"Where have you been last night?"

"My business, eh?" I said impassive and he frowned, calling my name. "I was at Marco's place"

"You're still hanging out with that kid?" I nodded, concentrated on the screen. "Isn't he gay?"

"I don't give a shit what he is, he could be a panda for all I care" Yes, a cute and freckled panda.

"I just said" Well, don't just say, fuck off. I ignored him until he left and then decided I should hop on the chat that was including all my friends. I snapped a picture of the grey fuzzy ball and posted it, waiting for any kind of reply. Trying to bribe your friends back into liking you was dirty but it seemed to work because in less than five seconds someone answered.

The Con-Man: What is that? I took another pic and posted it.

Sasha-Chips: IS THAT A KITTEN?

Jeanbo: Yea...

Reiner Rei: Is the big scary Jean Kirschtein adopting a cat? :))

Jeanbo: Sorry for kicking you, Reiner, I owe you one.

Reiner Rei: You are so doing my history project this semester. Damn it.

Yerren Jaeger: I want to pet it!

Jeanbo: No chance, I don't want it to catch yelling germs. I burst into laughter at my own joke - what a dork.

Sasha-Chips: lol

The Con-Man: Ladies and gentleman, Jean Kirschtein is back. I grinned.

Armin Ar. is on

Armin Ar.: Hi guys, oh, Jean! Hello!

Jeanbo: Hi, Armin! I sent another cat pic.

Armin Ar.: Wow, that's a nice cat

Jeanbo: Thanks, his name is deathly Nightmare

Yerren Jeager: You're such a fucking dork, ruining that pet.

Jeanbo: Shuddup

Sasha-Chips: Wanna go out today? I am bored.

The Con-Man: We have a math test tomorrow, Sasha! Try to be a little responsible! Is 4 P.M. ok?

Yerren Jeager: I'll be there.

Reiner Rei: Me too, I'll call Ymir and Krista too.

Everyone signed off so I went to have a shower and then changed in some nice clothes, deciding I should go too. Marco was with Nate either way so whatever. They got me back with their arms opened which surprised me because I was an asshole these past days. I told them my parents were divorced now because they deserved an explanation and they seemed to understand, we went roller-skating and then out for pizza. We had good laughs, especially when we saw that Reiner was ordering pineapple on his pizza, and around ten we decided to go home. On my way back I used my last money to buy Nightmare a collar and I took a black one with tiny metal spikes. Perfect. All the lights inside the house were turned off so I sneaked inside and took the syringe to feed him, petting his soft fur.

"Eat up" I urged but when he finished there were some strange noises coming out of throat so I panicked until he vomited all over my shirt, making me wrinkle my nose. "Yuuuuuck" I said to the silent room but he was watching me so innocent that I couldn't stay mad. Jesus. I picked a tissue and cleaned the shirt that I undressed and then began to feed him again, patiently, making sure he was alright. He was almost asleep when my phone pinged and I went to see who was looking for me. Captain Freckles.

Coming tonight? It sounded like we were having a kind of fling so I chuckled.

Nope, I am sorry, can't do

Y not?

I have a friend over and he's sick.

What friend? What's going on? Oh, he was jealous. I grinned evilly.

He's feeling sick, he lost his brother today and...

Oh my God, Jean! I am sorry!

You know him.

I am sure I don't. I took a pic, being a merciful god, and sent it to him.

Did you took a cat from the dumpsters?

Yes, the black one was dead and this one was all alone. I said and petted the little head that was resting on me, with closed eyes. Yes, he was not alone now, we were having each other. His parents disappointed him too so we had some common traits.

Poor thing, he's not feeling ok?

He's better now, almost asleep but I don't want to let him alone tonight. I said. And you're with Nate and I don't like coming to you after you've been with him, after you belonged to him for hours. I wondered if they had sex, Jesus I couldn't even imagine that.

Oh, okay. Can I come over? I groaned, why me? Why always me? I wanted to see him but I also didn't want to see him.

Ok, tell me when you're here. I typed and then covered my face with an arm. Damn Marco Bodt who I couldn't refuse. I checked myself in the mirror after putting Nightmare in his pillow fort on the bed and saw I was looking a lot better. I was still somehow confused but sure was better, even if my father was still a jerk. I began to play a videogame until Marco said he was downstairs and I went to open the door for him - unlike some people who made others climb walls. He came to hug me.

"Hi" I smiled and pulled him inside, locking the door behind us. My bedroom was the only one who had lights on and as soon as he saw the cat he was absorbed by it, petting it even if it was asleep and was paying no attention to him. Oh, well. I sat on the bed next to him and watched his broad back and slender limbs that were revealed by the short pants he was wearing. He had a white shirt on that let me see his freckles on the back of his neck and I felt my fingers itching with the need of touching them. So I did because he was so close and he froze at my touch. "Jean" he whimpered and turned around.

"Yes?"

"Don't do that?"

"Do what?" I asked teasingly and his cheeks heated - so cute.

"Touch me like that and kiss me" I raised a brow and he stuttered. "Y-you kissed me this morning"

"That was merely a peck, not a kiss" I said still teasing and he bit his lip, looking anywhere but at me. "You're the one coming here in the middle of the night when you have a boyfriend" Not that I was accusing him of anything, I was simply making a statement but his eyes were hurt so I regretted my words right away.

"Because you're my friend" I didn't like to see him like that so I nodded and smiled, crisped.

"I am sorry, I'll not do that anymore" He nodded and then turned around to see for the cat - which was good because I was almost sure I looked like I was about to cry.