"Jade?"
The suggested girl turned to the voice, unknowingly. "Markov? Is that really you?"
"Jade, what're you doing here?"
"I came to enlist. I'm a trainee."
She ran up to him and swung her arms around his neck. Markov felt the warmth of her body against his own and hugged her back. "It's been a while."
Jade laughed and tightened the hug. "It's has, hasn't it."
Mikasa swung open the door only to see Markov hugging a different girl. Worse, she was beautiful. She felt a huge punch to her stomach, knocking the air from herself. She felt every piece of her remaining heart crumble under it. Nix and Kita entered afterward, talking to each other about their new uniforms. "These Survey Corps Uniforms are awesome."
"I kn-" Kita paused in her sentence and stared, then abruptly grasped her boyfriend's arm, digging in her nails excitedly. "Oh my god oh my god oh my god!"
"Ow ow ow, Kita geez."
He was met with a high pitched squeal and more pain in his arm. "He's hugging somebody! And she looks nice too!"
"Who is she?"
"Lets go and ask."
They quickly passed Mikasa and approached their friend as if not to startle him, not unlike a baby deer. "Hey Markov..."
They quickly stopped the hug and turned to the pair. "Nix, Kita, this is Jade Aiken. Jade, this is Nix Grim and Kita Irne."
"Nice to meet you." Kita shook her hand.
"Sup. A friend of Kiaser's is a friend of mine."
"It was a bit weird seeing him hug somebody. I've never seen him do that before."
"We became friends when we were 6, but I had to move and he promised he wouldn't forget me. He gave me this." She held out a necklace that had an orange gem in the center.
"I still can't imagine him doing that." Nix laughed
"Well, that was before the...accident. It happened the day after, I had just moved and got a call from his foster mum saying he had been injured. But I couldn't go and see him."
"That's really...I'm sorry."
"But that was in the past."
Markov smiled a genuine smile. One that hadn't been seen in years. "We met Kaiser when we were 10. He was 11 at the time. Kita just moved and I offered to show her around, but I got lost, so Markov helped us."
Markov felt the cold stare of an enemy. The same guy it had been for the past three days. Jean Kirstein. "H-"
Markov turned and punched him I'm the stomach before he could finish his first word. "I'm not in the mood, Jean."
Jean groped for his breath, reaching out and almost grasping it, but it slipped through his fingers. "He'll be fine." Markov muttered and went back to the table, followed by his three friends.
"So, why the sudden thought of joining the military?"
"I wanted to do something. I was super bored."
"Great enthusiasm."
The three chuckled a little, Markov was being his usual self, only the slightest but distracted by the fact Jade was there. Though, that slightest bit was noticed. "Markov, come with me."
Markov sighed and picked himself up from the table, following Kita. "What is it?"
"Ah, so the tables have turned."
Markov pulled a confused expression but didn't ask her to carry on, knowing she would anyway. "You totally like that girl!"
"I'm unable to."
"But you can try. Look, did you like her before she moved?"
"Sure."
"Then your heart is still set on her! Markov, I'll tell her about the Valentines party tonight and you can take it from there. I'm pretty sure she likes you."
"Oh really, how can you tell?"
"Just because I just met her doesn't mean I can't tell. Unlike you, I happen to be female."
"Fortunately."
"So I can read her better. Just...just...okay?"
"Okay."
They both walked back out, it was quite déjà vu. "Hey, Jade. Did you know there's a Valentines party in a few hours?"
"I did not. Who you guys going with?"
"I'm going with Nix, but sadly, Markov doesn't have anybody to go with."
"I find that hard to believe." He whispered to herself, then blushed at her thoughts.
"Yeah, but he's had about 7 requests he's turned down."
"8."
"And you're telling me you liked none of them?"
"That is correct."
Nix shook his head and laughed. "Then there was the whole Mikasa fiasco."
"Who's that?"
"His girl that likes Markov. Like, a lot."
For some strange reason, Jade felt the urge to hit whoever that girl was. "So what branch are you joining?"
"I think the Survey Corps is the most exciting, so probably that."
"Sweet! That's where we're going."
"I'll see you there then. But, you could get into the Military Police right?"
"Yeah, but it kinda sucks."
"Right. Well, me and Nix should get going."
"We should?"
"We should."
Kita nudged Markov before she left with Nix secured in her bear grip. "So...no date for the dance."
"You know how I can't feel nervous?"
"Yeah?"
"If I could, I would be in this situation. But I'm not, therefore making this easier to ask."
"What is it?"
"Would you go with me to the dance? There's officially nobody else."
Jade practically imploded from the proposition, mentally slapping herself for stuttering. "Y-yeah..of course."
Markov smiled again and checked the time. "We should get ready then."
"You're fine, I'm an absolute mess."
"Don't say that." Markov sighed and grabbed her hand.
The feel of his hand in hers made her blush even more extreme.
Mikasa was, at the least, depressed. He had moved on so quickly. Not that he was with her in the first place. She felt something she hadn't felt in a while.
Jealousy.
She hadn't had to come across it for one, because there was nothing to be jealous of. She was smart, beautiful, skilled, at least that's what her parents said. There was no reason for her to be jealous of anyone.
Well, that was until she believed she fell in love, which in turn was a little crush.
Whoever that girl was, she would regret being that close to her Markov.
What was she thinking? He is not an object you can own. She has got distracted lately. Maybe she should just ignore him for a while, surely he isn't going to the dance with anyone. "Hey Markov, where are you going? I thought you'd be sitting out the party."
"Not anymore."
That girl was going to pay...
"You're moving?"
"Yeah, I am." I replied solemnly.
Markov looked sad. Really sad. Genuinely sad. He's usually such a happy guy. "I won't forget you, Jade."
"I won't forget you either, Markov. We'll meet again."
"I swear we'll meet again. Here, take this."
He unclasped the necklace he was wearing and handed it to me. "Markov..."
"Promise you won't forget." He smiled cheerfully.
He jogged off to his family and waved goodbye. "I never will."
I gripped the necklace close to my chest as I heard my mum on the phone. She drooped and slowly walked towards me. "Jade...I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what mummy?"
"Markov...he's in hospital."
My heart stopped beating. My body went tense and cold. I remember that feeling so clearly.
And to some extent, I still feel it today.
"Jade? Are you okay?"
"Oh, um yeah I'm fine. I just spaced out a bit."
Kita continued to plait Jade's hair. "You really like Markov, don't you?"
"I guess I do. Ever since he gave me this my heart stuck to him."
"Thanks for the visual.
"Not like that. You get what I mean right?"
"Yeah. How your heart is with somebody until you get some closure?"
"Yeah, that."
"Can't imagine how you felt when he asked you to the party."
"Implosion."
Kita finishes her hair and they readied themselves, then left the room.
Markov did a quick shave on his hair and sorted it out. "You nearly done?" A voice asked from the opportunity side of the door.
Instead of replying he simply left the room to meet the person who had asked. "Lets get going then."
Markov nodded and followed Nix outside.
"Okay Soldiers, well done on getting this far, I might add. I am Commander Maggie Kurosaki. There are a few rules to tonight's party. First of all, no breaking objects and/or property. And the second is that you do whatever the hell you want, apart from break number one. Got it?"
The large crowd split up and went to random areas. "So you're the new Commander? I have to say, this is not what I expected."
"You expected a tough, built man?"
"Kinda."
"Well that's just sexist."
Shadis flared his nose and strode off in a manner of pride, or superiority.
"Annie, it thought you wouldn't turn up." Bertholdt chuckled and - as guessed - continued to sweat.
"I can't leave you alone here can I? You'll get drunk and get in a fight."
"Nice to see you're there to protect me." He teased.
"More like there to watch."
"Gee, thanks. I heard we had a new new one."
"Jade Aiken. I heard of her too. A parent she knows Markov."
"You think they're friends?"
"Probably. I believe they came together."
"Markov is here? I thought he would've gone with Mikasa."
"Mikasa likes him. It's not mutual."
Bertholdt couldn't help but feel as though Markov was a threat. They were so alike. Calm headed, bored, loyal, protective, strong. He felt that himself and Annie didn't share that.
"Mikasa, right?"
"Y-"
She looked the girl up and down, mentally suppressing her anger towards that girl. "Jade."
"Ah, so you know me."
"Everyone does."
"I just wanted to say, don't see me as a threat. Please. I know you like Markov and saw us hugging and that, but there's a reason in hand."
Mikasa hesitated to nod, but did so. Finally getting a slight hint of closure. "I understand."
Jade smiled and walked off, smirking slightly as she parted ways.
She will be fun to toy with...
