Chapter 4: Why

By the time it was time for classes to start, Marco had fallen back asleep in Jean's arms. His hands still gripping to Jean's shirt kept him anchored to the other. It took Jean two hours to get Marco to calm down and stop crying. He wasn't sure what had happened still, but it didn't take a genius to realize that Marco had broken into a thousand pieces and it was going to take really strong glue to put him back together. Jean was exhausted but he continued to look down and talk to Marco. If only he hadn't walked away last winter would his best friend still be together and not completely shattered? All he wished was to go back then and be with his friend who loved to sing, and put a smile on everyone's face. All he wanted now was for Marco to go back to being the naive, freckled boy who always got all A's and never frowned.

Jean was tired he could admit. Tired of seeing this, tired of people, tired of the world being such a cruel place. He knew Marco didn't do anything to deserve ANY of this...yet it still happened.

"Why do bad things happen to good people..?" He sighs.

All of this was his fault, and he intended to fix it...even if it broke him in the process. Marco had to be protected. He shifted on the floor, hoping not to wake Marco. "I've got to do something about this...before something else happens. Marco, I promise I'll fix this..."

Their schedules didn't mix until around the second to last period and Marco was for once excited to see Jean. Usually he avoided his gaze while trying to make himself feel smaller so Jean's new friends wouldn't pick on him like they did every day. The day had started off pretty okay and he sat up tall in his desk until one of Jean's new friends tossed a paper ball back at him. 'Hey freckled freak you're blocking the view of everyone behind you' the note read, and Marco pushed it aside. He knew Jean would take care of it, and there was no reason to get upset. Everything was going to be okay he kept trying to reassure himself.

Eren sat in his desk next to Marco, same as any other day, listening to Ms. Hanji babble about anatomy enthusiastically. Bored, he started doodling on his desk. When the bell rang for third period, he walked up to Marco, a broad grin on his face.

"Hey Marco. You seem different. What happened yesterday..? You don't seem to be phased by anything those jerks do." Walking alongside Marco down the hall, he waits for an answer.

In the meantime, Jean is sitting in his desk, along with a handful of other students. Staring at the blackboard, he realizes that their teacher wasn't there. Instead there was a substitute teacher. Her name was written on the board, Petra Rall. "That's interesting..." He thought. Why wouldn't their vertically-challenged ROTC teacher be there?

Marco held his books close to avoid having them smacked out of his hands. He was unsure of how to quite answer Eren without telling the truth. He tried to come up with a quick lie as his next class was in a few doors.

"I-I don't know. I guess I just don't mind it anymore..." Marco turned and headed towards the open door.

"I'll talk to you later, okay?" Marco took his place in the back as Mr. Gunter, his algebra teacher, finished sending text messages.

When lunch came around Marco found himself outside hiding under a large tree. The grass was warm as the sun beamed down. Marco closed his eyes and let the warm breeze blow through his hair. The only person who knew he was here was Eren whose big mouth told anyone who asked where he was.

During lunch, Jean knew where Marco would be. Cursing Eren's big mouth, he made his way outside, hoping that no one came to harass him in his absence. Walking up to the tree, he found Marco alone, leaning on the tree.

"Marco."

Snoring softly he didn't respond to Jean's first attempt. His bag was sitting next to him unzipped from when he had nibbled on an apple but grew tired of it. The ground was warm, and the grass was a small blanket. When Jean called his name for a second time, he opened his eyes and looked at him.

"Jean..? How did you know I was out here..?"

Grinning, he ruffled up Marco's hair.

"Hey sleeping beauty." Sitting down, next to him, he shrugs.

"Gayger has a big mouth..."

"I should have known I guess..." Marco leans on his shoulder. "How has your day been so far..?"

Laughing, he continues,

"Well...Napoleon wasn't here today, so we had a sub third period. Name's Petra. She's pretty cool. Other than that, nothing really happened. What about you?" Jean stares at the apple.

"Hey, can I have that? I'm starving"

"I had stuff thrown at me, and I failed my Algebra test from last week... But you're here now so it can't be too bad of a day." He reached for the apple and handed it to Jean.

"Sure. It's a bit yellow now though. Why haven't you eaten yet?"

"You're not hurt right?" He grabs the apple and starts eating it.

Answering the question with his mouth full, he says,

"I was looking for Levi. I haven't found him anywhere. If he'd have known he wasn't going to be teaching today, he would have told us about it last class, but he's not here...And can't help but feel suspicious... he's a new teacher, so I have no idea. I was doing that. And the lunch line is miles long."

"No...It was just paper. So it didn't hurt too bad." He tried to smile but remembered was written on the pages. Even if the paper itself wasn't hurtful being called a freak did sting still.

"Maybe Mr. Levi went to get lunch or something. I'll go with you to look again if you want. But I'll walk slow because my ankle is really hurting."

"Oh. Okay. That's good to hear." Shaking his head, and throwing the apple core towards the trashcan, he says

"Levi doesn't eat. He drinks the blood of his cadets. It's scary. Okay, but I doubt we'll find him, we'll overlook him...literally." Standing up, he smiles at Marco,

"I'm sure I can carry you if I have to." He holds out a hand offering to help Marco up.

Marco laughs and takes Jean's hand using it to lift himself up.

"You may have to. It really hurts. I need to re wrap it again." He looks at his bag on the ground, and tries to reach it with no success.

"Would you mind getting my bag?"

Slinging Marco's bag over his shoulders, Jean casually straightens his jacket, then picks Marco up bridal style, completely startling him

"I'll carry you to the end of the world if I have to. I'm not losing you."

After the shock of being picked up so suddenly goes away, he smiles and wraps his arms around Jean's neck.

"Thank you..." His face turned bright pink and he buried his face in Jean's shoulder.

"I love you...so much." He kept his face hidden in Jean's shoulder and breathed softly into it as they walked back towards the school.