For the letter 'J', I was given 'jeopardized'.
Rating: K+
Genre: Drama, Romance
Characters: Connie, Sasha, Jean
This was written to pair up with 'Pristine' (Alphabetique collection) and 'Moonshine' (Smorgasbord collection).
Jeopardized
verb jeop·ar·dize \ˈje-pər-ˌdīz\
: to put (something or someone) in danger
(A couple years from current manga time)
"Honestly, you two should know better by now," Jean paced away a couple of steps, then whirled on them, "We've been in Squad Levi for nearly three years and done this formation hundreds of times - I know you have an unconventional way of doing things but don't you see how you jeopardized us all?"
Connie leaned against a tree and folded his arms, looking away. Even the posture enraged Jean further. "I don't see what the big deal is."
Jean was aghast. "What the big -" he cut himself off and pushed a hand over his forehead, pressing back the strands of hair that'd come loose from his topknot. "If that aberrant had broken through we'd be dead!"
"That's exactly what we were trying to prevent!" Sasha objected hotly where she stood on a fallen trunk. She swooped a hand angrily outward, "If we'd lost Connie then the formation would have been broken anyway and we'd be a man down besides. How can you be so callous?"
"I'm not!" Jean retorted, "I don't want to lose anybody, least of all my friends, but as horrible as it sounds we have to keep things in perspective…" He didn't want to have this conversation, no matter how many times he'd had it with himself in the past.
"He's right, Sash'," Connie contributed lowly.
"Shut up - you would've done the same thing for me and don't pretend otherwise!" Sasha said, reeling on him. Jean was surprised to see her eyes watering in the moonlight.
"Of course I would have," Connie said, his voice rising.
"See!"
"Sasha," Jean tried, not feeling comfortable with how oddly emotional she was getting. The last thing he needed was for Captain Levi to arrive and see them bickering like kids.
"Stop pretending you're so different, Jean," Sasha said. She hopped down from the tree trunk and pushed a finger into his chest, "You've done far worse for 'Cee so how dare you judge me for this."
Indignation flared to life in Jean's chest. "Yeah, but I love her and that makes it -"
"It's no different!"
"Well I love him!"
The three of them froze at the simultaneous shouts and glanced between one another. Then, Sasha and Connie were looking somewhat shyly at one another; as though in sympathy, Connie smiled and wandered over to her first.
"There, I said it," Sasha mumbled and took his hand.
Jean rolled his eyes. "Finally."
"I love you, too," Connie said, quietly but happily.
"I know," Sasha replied, almost indignant herself. She pushed at his face with her free hand, frowning, and then brought it closer again to kiss it. "Stupid."