This one is my favorite amongst the entire series (including Unbowed and Unbent) so far. I really loved writing this one and I hope you guys like it too.

Chapter Rating: T
Chapter Warning: No explicit content but I went with the T rating because I think I sprinkled in some swears.
World: Canon
Word Count: 1501

Three: Losing a Bet

"Oh, just do it Horseface!" Eren said obnoxiously, the amusement clear in his voice.

Jean grit his teeth in response, trying to will the blush off of his face. Eren elbowed him in the ribs when he didn't make a move to get up.

"C'mon Jean, these are the rules. You lost so you gotta do it!"

Jean stifled his urge to groan in frustration. Why? Why did the universe hate him so much?

But Eren was right. These were the terms they'd agreed upon. Eren had spent the entirety of yesterday bragging about how tough he was and how he'd take down anyone hand-to-hand to prove it. Jean, of course, wanted to kick the snot out of the little brat (but to be honest he'd slacked off in his hand to hand training just as much as the next guy so he probably would've embarrassed himself). So instead he had bet Eren that he couldn't take Reiner and that had become the event of the night.

Virtually the whole squad had come out after dinner to the lowly lit makeshift arena outside. Shadis had turned in for the night so he didn't disturb them as Connie officiated the "match" as he'd dubbed it.

However, that wasn't even really the interesting part. Well, it was half of it. The stakes were these: if Eren lost, he'd have to show up to training the next morning stark naked. But if he won then Jean had to plant a big fat kiss smack on Marco's mouth.

When Jean had heard this, he almost backed out, the thought entirely too embarrassing. But his pride had gotten the better of him and besides, he had faith in Reiner. He was practically a beast, he could easily kick the snot out of a little shit like Jaeger.

But of course that hadn't happened. It was at least interesting to watch. The two of them made a couple of failed attempts at each other until finally, Eren ducked, caught Reiner off balance, and tossed the blond giant right on his ass. There had been cheers but mostly groans, which made Jean think that some other people had made some upsetting bets too.

Breakfast hadn't even finished the next morning before Eren was harping on Jean about his 'punishment'.

The way Reiner was grinning on the other side of him think that maybe the bullheaded shit had taken a dive…

Jean narrowed his eyes suspiciously as Reiner joined in on Eren's teasing. "Yeah, c'mon Kirstein, what's the big deal? Afraid of catching cooties from all those freckles?"

"Shut it, Reiner," Jean grumbled in response, not even bothering to look over at him.

Eren stood and moved behind Jean, rubbing at his shoulders in faux encouragement. "C'mon tiger. What's the worst that could happen? He's like a puppy. He's not gonna hit you or anything."

Jean was about to launch into a speech about how that was not the point but then Eren was lifting the back of his stool, effectively dumping Jean out of it. If he hadn't caught his balance, he definitely would've ended up on the floor. He turned on Eren with a snarl on his lips, but Reiner caught him easily by the shoulders and spun him around, giving him a gentle shove in Marco's direction.

"Go on, lover boy," Reiner chuckled. He and Eren stood shoulder to shoulder, arms crossed with shit-eating grins on their faces. Jean scowled at them once more before clenching his fists and turning away.

He trudged over to where Marco was sitting, having a quiet conversation with Armin after having just finished breakfast. Oh God what am I doing? There are so many people in here… Jean thought to himself, unable to stop the feeling of heat rushing to his face.

Armin looked up at him first, flashing him a friendly smile which Jean couldn't find it in himself to return as he approached Marco's back.

Marco obviously caught Armin's look and was already turning to look over his shoulder as Jean stuttered out a pitiful, "Hey, M-Marco…"

Once he caught sight of Jean, his brilliant white smile fell from his perfectly freckled face and it was immediately replaced with a look of concern. "Jean, is something the matter?" he asked, eyebrows pulling together in worry. Great, Jean thought, I must look terrible. "Are you feeling sick? You don't look so good." Yep. There it is.

When Jean didn't answer him, Marco started to stand, which in the end, is what made it really awkward in a number of ways when Jean leaned down to kiss him.

The idea was that if he just leaned in and kissed him, he'd have a head start in running away because Marco would have to get up to chase after him. But Jean had hesitated too long and as Marco stood and he leaned in, it wasn't awkward in the sense that their kiss became a bit harder than intended, or his lips landed in the wrong place. No, they cracked their faces together really fucking hard, that's what.

Jean immediately straightened, holding his nose as his eyes watered and he grunted in pain. Marco rushed to his feet even faster, pressing a hand to his forehead as he scrunched his nose in pain and fussed over Jean like a mother hen. "Oh, Jean, are you okay?" he asked, making way too much out of it for Jean's tastes.

He could already sense people turning to look at them, which was exactly the opposite of what he wanted, and he could hear Jaeger and Braun behind him, snickering and probably falling all over each other in their fitful attempts to hold in their laughter.

With a hiss, Jean pulled his hand away, actually surprised to see it free of blood. What did Marco have in his head, anyway, rocks? Jesus. "I'm fine," he grumbled, rubbing at the back of his neck as he looked down and away from Marco.

Marco was having none of his lame answer and stepped into Jean's personal bubble, taking his face in both hands to tilt his head back. "Let me see," he demanded, but honestly did Jean even have a choice? He was already being manhandled.

His face was still fiercely red and he was surprised he didn't combust from the embarrassment at this point. "Jean, you're burning up. Are you sure you're feeling okay?" Marco asked, touching different parts of Jean's face to see if it was all as hot as his cheeks. Of course it was.

Jean grabbed Marco's wrists and pulled them away from his face, looking sternly at him. "I'm not sick," he said adamantly.

"Oh…okay," Marco said, clearly now at a loss for words. "You, uh, you had something to tell me?" he offered lamely, obviously trying to fill the silence.

Jean tried to keep the grimace off his face but he wasn't sure if he succeeded. Just do it, Jean. He pinched his eyes shut for a quick moment and steeled himself before reaching up with one hand to grip the back of Marco's neck. Then, he tiptoed and placed his lips against Marco's.

It wasn't a magic moment. In fact, it was horrendously awkward. Marco, being Marco, clearly had no clue what was going on and had not even the remotest idea of how he was supposed to react so he just stood, unmoving, one hand still trapped in Jean's between their bodies and the other hanging limply at his side.

Jean, for his part, was making probably the ugliest face he had ever made; scrunched up and pinched shut, he counted to five in his head as quickly as he could. One Wall Maria… Two Wall Maria… Three Wall Maria…

It was the longest five seconds of his life. The worst part was the fact that he could feel literally every single person in the room staring at them, and he could hear Eren and Reiner cackling like the stupid little assholes they were.

Four Wall Maria… Five Wall Maria!

Jean pulled away as quickly as he could, putting a solid foot of space between him and Marco. When he looked at his freckled friend, his expression was completely different. Simply put, the boy was confused. His eyes were wide with innocence and his head slightly tilted in question as he looked at Jean, as if waiting for an answer.

Jean gave him no such thing as he cleared his throat and, face flaming, turned and walked briskly out of the mess hall. When he pushed past Eren and Reiner, they were literally clinging to each other, trying to stay standing as they laughed. They whistled and catcalled after him and the rest of the squad was trapped in a daze of confusion. At the center of that confusion was poor Marco who was left standing in the middle of the room, fingertips touching his lips lightly as a small, pleased smile graced the corners of his lips.