All Caught Up In The Eye Of The Storm

Jean POV

Jean had had a crush on Armin since they were 12 years old. But Armin only ever had eyes for Eren, which pissed Jean off. Eren was the most annoying person on the planet, which was infuriating enough, but he also treated Armin like shit. He ignored Armin's feelings, completely ditched him when he started dating Mikasa, and then forced Armin to endure so much shit as that relationship later fell apart. Poor Armin got stuck in the middle of a shit storm. Still was, really. If it had been Jean, he would have ditched Jaeger years ago, but Armin kept clinging on, not matter how badly he was treated. It was sad, really. Why couldn't Armin see that he deserved better?

"Jean? Are you even listening to me?" Jean looked up at Marco, who was sitting across the table from him.

"No." He answered truthfully.

"I didn't think so. What has you so distracted?" Marco had been Jean's best friend since middle school, so when it came time to pick a roommate, it hadn't even been a question. How the third renter in their house had ended up being Connie was much more of a mystery.

Connie wandered into the room. "Is this a party planning meeting?"

"Yes." Marco answered.

"Why do we have to have a party?" Jean asked.

"Because we haven't seen our friends in forever, certainly not together."

"There's a reason for that. Most of them are annoying as fuck, and put them together, they're unbearable."

"You're a killjoy, aren't you, Jean?" Connie asked, getting a soda out of the fridge.

Jean decided not to even deign to respond. "So, how many people are coming to this damn event anyway?" He asked Marco.

"Well, 14 people have said they're coming, not including us, but you know how people just show up to these things, so I'm planning for about 30."

"Fuck. We will have booze, correct?"

"Obviously." Connie said. "Sasha and I are working on that. Can I be in charge of the music?"

"Sure." Marco said.

"Terrible decision." Jean said, shaking his head.

"What are you contributing to this party exactly?" Connie asked.

"My presence."

"Oh my god."

"Okay guys, I'm trying to make a grocery list." Marco cut in, trying to get them back on track.

The back door swung open, and Sasha stepped inside, carrying several bags from the liquor store. "Hey, guys."

"I'd complain that you don't live here, but if you have alcohol, I'll let it slide." Jean said.

"That's nice of you, Jean." She grinned, setting the bags on the counter. "So, what are we up to?" She asked, sitting at the table.

"Grocery list." Connie said.

"Oooh, let me see what you have." Sasha took the list from Marco. "Oh, this is not nearly good enough." She took the pen out of his hand.

"Here we go." Jean muttered.

"Are you ever not a cynic" Connie asked.

"In all the years you've known me, have you ever known me not to be a cynic?"

"Annnnnd finished." Sasha set the pen down.

"Okay, let's go to the grocery store then." Marco took the list back.

"Oh no. I have to get to work." Connie stood up.

"Yeah, me too." Sasha chimed in.

"So, it looks like it's me and you, Jean."

Jean rolled his eyes, "Unbelievable."

Jean followed Marco into the grocery store 20 minutes later. As much as he complained, he didn't mind hanging out with Marco, especially without the others. Jean volunteered to push the cart, so that Marco could grab the stuff on the list. "Hey, Marco?"

"Yeah, Jean?" Marco looked up from comparing salsas.

"Did uh…did Armin say he's coming?"

Marco smiled brightly. "Yeah! He said he's coming with Eren. It'll be nice to see him again."

Jean sighed. "Eren's coming?"

"Yes, Eren is coming."

"Oh, great. What a fun night it will be."

Marco grabbed a salsa and put it in the cart. "Jean-"

"Oh. Hey guys." Both guys looked up to see Mikasa standing at the end of the aisle.

"Hey, Mikasa!" Marco smiled.

"Hi." Jean nodded. She looked really pretty, with a wool coat over a dress and tights. Jaeger was such an idiot. He'd had both Armin and Mikasa wrapped around his finger and managed to blow it with both of them. Dumbass.

"What are you shopping for?" Marco nodded to the shopping basket in the crook of her arm.

"Just a couple things Mom needs. You?"

"Shopping for the party."

"Oh yeah, that's Saturday. 6, right?"

"Yeah, 6 is fine."

"Okay, I'll see you guys Saturday then." She gave them a small smile, grabbed a bag of chips, and left the aisle.

"Feeling real talkative there, Jean?" Marco asked.

"Oh, shit."

"What?" Marco looked alarmed. "What's wrong?"

"Mikasa is coming…and Eren is coming…"

Marco's eyes widened. "Oh dear."

Jean let out a laugh. "Well, I guess we know what the entertainment is going to be."

"Maybe we could keep them separated." Marco suggested as they began to walk again.

"Our house ain't that big, Marky." Jean shook his head. "No, I feel bad for Armin."

"Yeah, I can't even imagine what this must be like for him. They've been his friends since they were little. Now they want to tear each other apart."

"This is why you don't date your friends."

"That's a terrible idea, Jean. Who are you going to date? Shouldn't you be friends before you date?"

"Not friends like they were."

Marco sighed. "I just hope they're not pressuring Armin to pick a side. Things are hard enough for him."

"Why, what's happened now?" Armin had had the worst childhood Jean had ever heard of, and the shit just kept piling on.

"He's in a fight over his inheritance."

"Still? I thought they worked it out with his grandfather."

"Yeah, but now his grandfather has passed on, so he's in a fight with his aunt." Marco looked sad. Marco's dad was Armin's lawyer, so they were intimately aware of the troubles the poor kid had.

"Poor kid can't catch a break."

"Yeah. Hopefully, Eren and Mikasa will act nice."

"Hey, I'll look after him at the party."

"Really?" Marco stared at Jean. "That's really sweet of you."

"He's our friend, Marco. We were there for him before when he needed a friend, and we should be there for him now." Jean shrugged as they stopped to grab paper plates and plastic cups. "Besides, you know I wanted Armin to be our roommate."

"Things certainly would be different if he had, instead of staying on campus."

"Why didn't he?"

Marco shrugged. "I don't remember."

"He can't possibly like living on campus. No one likes living on campus."

"Maybe he does. You can't generalize everyone." Marco dropped trash bags into the cart.

"I can and I will."

Marco shook his head and smiled. "Well, hopefully the party helps him take his mind off of what's happening."

"You guys look like you're feeding an army." They looked up to see Reiner, an apron wrapped around him.

"We're just running into everyone tonight." Marco grinned. "We just saw Mikasa a couple minutes ago."

"Yeah, I saw her." Reiner returned to stocking sponges. "So, you expect it to be a big party then?"

"Unfortunately." Jean sighed.

"Can you make it, Reiner?"

"I'm scheduled until 9, but I can make it by like 930."

"Awesome." Marco smiled brightly.

"Alright. See you Saturday night then." Reiner smiled at them.

"Yeah." Jean said, walking away. Marco quickly hurried after him. "I'm dreading this party more with every passing moment."

"Oh, stop it. It's not going to be that bad. I bet you'll have fun."

Jean rolled his eyes. "I doubt that very much."

"Always such a Debbie Downer." Marco playfully nudged him. "Just remember, there's going to be lots of alcohol that you didn't have to pay for."

"That's true. Okay, I guess this party won't be the worst."

"That's the spirit!" Marco clapped him on the shoulder. "Okay, next on the list is…chocolate pudding." He looked at Jean. "I don't think that's for the party."

"No. She's trying to get us to do her grocery shopping." Jean shook his head. "Goddamned Potato Girl."

"She doesn't like to be called that. That whole thing happened a long time ago now."

"Then she should stop acting like a Potato Girl. She's 21 years old, for fucks sake."

"Okay, so we're not getting that." Marco crossed it off the list. "Next is…toothpaste?"

"She's going to get it when she gets home." Jean grumbled.