Author's Note: I think you're gonna begin to notice the reason I named the fic the way I did. Just so many annoying questions.

Warning: Jean x Eren. Feel free to skip cuz its not too important.

Smith wrinkles his brow, a frown etching into his expression as he examines my face.

I'm sitting in the back seat of my car, while Smith is leaning in. The sun is just starting to come up so I'm able to see that there are at least three others that had come along with the boss. I can't really tell how long its been since everything happened. All I care about right now is getting home, taking a long shower, and sleeping until the next week. Looks like its going to have to wait though.

"Tell me what happened."

Everything comes flooding back to me and I suck in a breath. I chew at my lip, rub my injured arm, and recount the events back to Smith. When I tell him about the things they said to me, I see something flash in his eyes.

"There was a Strigoi?" Smith rubs at his chin. "They didn't say anything else?"

I shake my head. "No, but I don't really understand what they were saying either." I shift around until I'm facing Smith completely, our eyes locked. "Why did Mikasa say that you would know about this? Is there something I should know about?"

Smith considers me for a moment. I know he sees the barely restrained anger and confusion radiating off me. Even so, all that leaves his mouth is, "Telling you would only put you in more danger."

I grit my teeth and lunge at him, grabbing at the fabric of the crisp gray dress shirt he's wearing and pull him closer. "Mikasa needs my help, do you think I give a shit if knowing how I can help her puts me in danger?"

I growl at the apologetic look he gives me. "There are others who can look for Ackerman. Its best you stay put."

I get an over powering urge to shake him and I don't know how I'm able to refrain from doing it. "As you can see, I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself."

Smith narrows his eyes at this and grabs at my fist still clutching his shirt and pulls it away. I let it fall to my side. "Is that so? Then would you care to tell me when you learned how to use such advanced mind manipulation?"

I swallow harshly at the realization that I'd unconsciously left out a very important detail of tonight's attack.

Smith keeps going, leaning in uncomfortably close. "I don't recall Werewolves ever having that ability. Tell me Jeager, how exactly did you kill that Strigoi?"

All the fight I had left in me dissipates and I can't help but squirm in my seat. I bite the inside of my cheek, scowling. As confident as I was in my abilities, there was no doubt that Smith was far above me. Reluctantly, I give in.

"I may have had some help." I mumble out.

"Who was it?"

There's something strange about the way Smith asks that question but I decide to ignore it for the time being. I doubt Smith is willing to answer any questions I might have judging by the aura he's emitting. I don't know how describe it, but he suddenly seems ten times bigger.

I try to think back, but for whatever reason, my memory of the man is a little fuzzy. "I don't know. He came out of nowhere and I couldn't see him very well." I run a hand through my hair. My head is beginning to hurt. "I think he might have known something. At least that was the impression I got."

Smith leans back and I can breath again. "Interesting."

I sigh, too tired to start a game of twenty questions. I'm still angry at being kept in the dark, still reeling over the attack, but most of all, I'm terrified for Mikasa.

"I still want to do what I can for Mikasa." I put all the confidence and determination I can into my expression, eyes bright and lips set in a tight line. "Let me help. Please."

Smith squares his jaw. "Go home. I don't think they'll come after you for a while, but we'll have people watching you just in case."

I feel my temper rise again and I open my mouth. "I don't-"

"We can discuss the situation about Ackerman later. For now, you need to rest."

I'm tempted to argue back, but the chance at being able to do something for the woman I considered my family kept me from voicing out my frustrations. I hang my head in resignation. "I understand."

"Good." Out of the corner of my eye I see Smith signal at someone behind him before turning his attention back to me. "I'll have Petra drive you home. Can't have you getting into an accident."

I roll my eyes at his attempt at humor. "Whatever, as long as I can finally sleep, I don't care how I get home."

Smith gives me a soft smile but his eyes show an evil kind of glint. "I still expect you at work come Monday morning."

I groan and he laughs. I swat at him until he finally moves away from the car, still chuckling as he closes the door. The driver's door opens a moment later and Petra pokes her head in.

"Hey Eren. Tough night, huh?"

I snort. "You have no idea."

Her laugh is soft as she climbs in to turn on the car. I don't even bother asking how she got the keys. "Still want to join the Corps?"

I grimace. I blame it on the pain that hits me as she puts the car in reverse before making her way out the lot. "Ugh, don't ask."

She glances at me through the rear-view mirror. She doesn't say anything more but I know she's trying not to laugh. I really can't blame her. For all my boasting, I look like I was hit by a car.

It doesn't take long before we pull up to my apartment. Petra insists on walking me to my door and I let her, not really caring at this point.

She wordlessly hands me my keys so I can get inside. I'm halfway through the door before she speaks again. "Eren." I turn to look at her and she smiles. "I'm glad you're ok. You did very well."

I return the smile and nod. "Thanks."

"Mikasa will be alright. She's one of the best."

I nod at her again, but my smile is a little more strained. I don't say anything to that.

She gets the hint and begins to move away. "I'll see you at work, Eren."

"Yeah, see you." I shut the door.

Once alone, I debate on a shower or just knocking the fuck out. I look down at myself and take in the caked blood and dried sweat. Shower it is.

Once in the bathroom, naked as the day I was born, I check out the damage in the mirror.

There's a dark bruise forming at my ribs. I flinch slightly as I press at it. There weren't any broken bones, so that was good. There's a lighter bruise on my face, but I expect that to be healed in a few days. I eye both gunshot wounds on my side and upper arm on my left side. I must have unconsciously shifted at some point because the injuries are already half healed. They are mostly an angry red but I know they'll scar. I thank my lucky stars that nothing vital was hit.

I turn to the discarded bandage on the floor, thinking hard. Why would a stranger take the time to rescue someone, let alone give first aid, to someone they didn't know? I chew at my bottom lip. I let my mind wander back to the man who saved me. I recall dark hair and flashing eyes before my head begins to hurt again.

I shake my head to dispel the feeling. "Doesn't matter." I say to myself and hop under the water.

Minutes later, I'm throwing myself on the bed, still slightly damp, my eyes drifting shut.

I dream of fire and blood.

xxxxxxxxxx

I wake up the next day groaning and unwilling to get out of bed. My body is aching enough for me to actually consider popping ten pain killers. My brain feels like its splitting behind my eyelids and I know I resemble a beached whale. Just when I don't think things can't get any worse, the phone begins to ring.

"What the fuck?" I hiss out, reaching for my bedside table. My irritation increases as my hand finds nothing but smooth wood. With movement resembling molasses, I sit up and glare around the room before finding the source of my annoyance lying on the floor a few feet away.

I stare at it until it stops ringing. Not a second later the jingle from hell starts up again. If someone didn't know better, they could have sworn I was an extremely frustrated sports fan with the sounds I was making as I got of the bed and dragged my feet over the vibrating cell phone. Snatching it up, I swiped it and growled into the mouth piece.

"What?"

"Wow you sound like shit. I can only imagine what you look like."

I can just hear the stupid smirk on his face. I pinch the bridge of my nose. "What the hell do you want, Kirschtein?"

"I'm just checking up on my sweet baby boo."

"I'm hanging up."

I hear him cackle through the line. "No, no, seriously. I heard you ran into some trouble. You alright?"

My left hand reaches up to scratch at the back of my neck and I wince. I plant myself on the corner of my bed and let out a tired sigh. "Yeah, I'm fine. Got banged up a little bit, but nothing too bad."

Jean is quiet for a minute before he replies with an accepting grunt. "Alright. You get any days off?"

I snort. "I wish." I hear more ugly laughter and I roll my eyes. "Is that all, Kirschtein?"

I hear him work to catch his breath. "Yeah. I'll see you at work, loser."

I click my tongue in reply and press the end button.

My back hits the bed as I flop back in an attempt to go back to sleep. I raise my phone to glance at the clock. Its just after two in the afternoon.

Yeah, I'm going back to sleep.

xxxxxxxxxx

Surprisingly, I end up sleeping the entire weekend away. I think I got up about twice to take a piss and eat a granola bar. Other than that, I was dead to the world. Come Monday morning, luck was on my side since I actually woke up early enough to make breakfast before heading to work. Which turned out to be exactly what I needed since I woke up hungry enough to eat an entire sofa.

I was still a little achy, but it was nothing compared to the days I had training sessions with Smith. That man did not kid around. Sometimes, I swear, he was actually trying to kill me.

When I'm once again crossing the elevator doors to my floor, everything from Friday night hits me like a ton of bricks. With a stomach twisted in painful knots, I make a beeline for Smith's office, waving off Jean as he stands to greet me.

I push open the door without a second thought.

"Glad to see you're doing alright, Eren."

I close the door behind me. "Any news?"

Smith looks up from his paperwork. "Always quick to get to the point." When I don't say anything, he continues. "We have been unable to contact Ackerman through standard means. However, we have other ways."

At this point he gets up and begins to pace. "We at least know where she is, and that's enough."

"So when are we going to go get her?"

His blond head shakes at my question. "There is no 'we' in this, Eren. Even if you were an agent, you don't have the experience to take on this kind of mission."

It takes a moment for his words to sink in, like if the world had come to standstill. "W-what are you saying?"

I meet Smith's cold blue stare. "You will be updated on Ackerman's status, but you cannot join the assigned rescue team."

I see red. I can hear myself shouting.

It's not fair.

Everything seems to happen very fast. I'm grabbing a chair, throwing it. I'm lunging at Smith, demanding, because Mikasa needs me. Only I can help her. I have to be there.

Then I'm flying through the air, my back slamming into a wall. Blue is bleeding into red. A snarl of my name and a command. Its familiar.

Sleep.

I wake with a start, my arm shooting out instinctively at the figure hovering over me.

"Ow, what the fuck, Jeager?!"

"Jean?" I crack open my eyes, taking in my surroundings. The ceiling is one I know, but not one I see very often.

"Yeah, why did you fucking hit me, you ass?" Jean is still rubbing at his nose, cursing, as I sit up and bring a palm to my forehead.

"Why am I at your apartment?"

Jean shoots me a glare but answers my question. "Smith asked me to take care of you after he dragged your carcass out of his office and dumped you on my desk."

I groan. "What happened? What time is it?"

Jean tsks at me and moves to the kitchen that's located to the left of the couch I'm laying on. I hear him run the tap and then make his was back over with a glass of water. "I just heard a bunch of noise and next thing I knew, Smith was assigning me as your babysitter." His eyes move to a clock on the wall. "It's a little past four."

A fuzzy memory of what occurred pops itself into my head and I just want to slap myself over the sheer stupidity of my actions. I'm surprised Smith took it so easy on me. Well, not that easy if I was knocked out for so long by a simple command.

I find myself taking the offered cup and downing its contents in one go, my train of thought unbroken.

I should've had better control, how could I have just attacked Smith like that? I know I have a temper, but its never been this bad. Is it the stress over Mikasa getting to me? I chew at my lip. No, its been since before that. I rack my brain but I can't think of any previous instances where I've been unable to control myself. My head begins to throb. Maybe there has been? Maybe-

All the air in my lungs leaves me in an airy oof as Jean sits himself in my lap. "Jean, what the hell?"

He brings a hand up to jab at my forehead. "I don't want to see your face get ten times older right in front of me." He aims another jab at the crease between my eyebrows. "You think too much."

I push his hand away and scowl. He just smirks at me and presses himself further onto me. "Shit Jean, you fat ass, get off me." I wheeze as I push at his chest.

"Are you done thinking?"

"No." I reply in a stubborn huff.

Jean shrugs and shifts enough so that when he presses against me again, the roll of his hips are right over my crotch. I hiss. "Is this your idea of a distraction?"

He begins to slowly rut himself into my lap. "Maybe."

I grab his hips and press him down harder and he let's out a small groan. "I think you're gonna have to do better than that, Kirschtein."

"Shut the hell up and lie the fuck back, Jeager." Jean growls out at me, pushing at my chest so my back meets the couch in a slightly slouched sitting position.

My laughter dies in my throat as I watch Jean slide off my lap and kneel between my legs. He palms me through the coarse fabric of my jeans and a moan leaves my lips.

One thing I like about my job was that there wasn't really a requirement as to how we dressed. So at times like these or when I went straight to a club, it was already in easily removable casual wear. This was especially handy as the moon made itself bigger, rounder. I was easily aroused and difficult clothing only served to frustrate me in the worst kind of way.

My hips buck as a warm hand meets the bare, semi-hard flesh between my legs. When did Jean get the zipper open? "You're thinking again."

I prop myself on one arm and bring the other to grab at Jean's hair. "You're not doing a very good job then."

The cocky look on my face twists to one of pleasure as Jean brings his tongue harshly over the base of my dick to the leaking tip. "You better shut your mouth, Jeager."

"How 'bout you just put your mouth to use, Kirschtein." I grunt, tightening my fingers in his oddly colored locks.

There's an annoyed twitch of Jean's brow but he doesn't say anything more, choosing to shut me up by closing his mouth over me, tongue pressing into the head. I throw my head back in a moan, putting effort into keeping my hips flat on the cushions.

Jean's methods of making me feel better almost always led to sex, but I wasn't one to complain. More often than not, it really did prove to be the distraction I needed. I have to wonder if this is the reason Smith asked Jean to keep an eye on me.

"Fuck." I moan out, watching as Jean bobs his head, tongue roaming and wet sucks filling the air. I'm bending over Jean's form as he works harder over my cock, a hand grabbing at what his mouth can't reach, strokes following the movements of his lips.

The wanton sounds ripping themselves out of my throat grow louder and its not long before I'm grabbing at Jean's head with both hands and thrusting shallowly into his mouth. When Jean begins groaning around my cock while stroking his own dick, it serves to fuel the fire building in my stomach.

There was nothing I loved more than seeing someone like Jean, nerve-wracking with a dash of arrogance, on his knees and between my thighs. Face flushed, eyes closed and moaning as I fucked his face. This made my day like nothing else could.

Jean is moving faster and the ache in my groin is growing rapidly. My fingers pull at Jean's hair in warning as I gasp out. "J-Jean, I'm gonna- ugh, shit." Jean only sucks harder at the words and I can only imagine the look on my face.

Harsh pants and lewd, wet noises are echoing around the room and when Jean presses a finger to my entrance, it proves too much. I'm throwing my head back, a long guttural moan tearing itself from deep in my chest as I rut up to spill into Jean's waiting mouth.

I'm still coming down from my high as Jean tenses between my legs, letting out a low groan as he comes in his hand. I flop back on the couch, breathing ragged.

I eye Jean with a lazy, satisfied grin. "Thanks."

He smirks and shrugs a shoulder. "You gonna stay? Your car is still at work."

I purse my lips in thought. As much as I enjoyed Jean's company at times, there was only so much patience I had before I couldn't stand being around him. It was rare if I ever spent the night over at anyone's place, which usually involved me being unconscious.

I shake my head. "Nah, I can walk, my place is not that far." I sit up again with a little effort. "I need some time to think of a way to face Smith anyway."

I hear Jean click his tongue from somewhere to my right. "There you go with the thinking again. I'm surprised your head hasn't collapsed in on itself."

I laugh. "This time its necessary."

"Uh huh."

I stand and adjust my pants, bones popping as I stretch. I look a Jean who's in the kitchen again, rinsing out his mouth. When he's done he brings a hand to his hip and meets my gaze. "At least stay until you have something to eat, you missed lunch."

I think on it only for a moment before I nod in agreement.

I end up staying at Jean's place until a little after dark, wanting the company more than I thought I did. I had already said my goodbyes and farewell insults, making my way down a street.

I keep a close eye on any place that the light of the street lamps doesn't reach, but nothing moves. I make sure to keep my senses on high alert just in case, although I really hope the walk in uneventful. I'm glad Jean doesn't know the details of what happened last week, otherwise I'm not sure he would have let me leave. The last thing I needed was people treating me like I was incapable of protecting myself.

I look up at the slowly swelling moon and feel its heat in my veins. There were five days left until the moon was completely full but I could already feel its burn. I turn a corner and my apartment building comes into view.

Maybe I should have done a little more with Jean, I think, it would have held me over until tomorrow. I'm still mulling over the missed opportunity of sex when I come to a stop. My head snaps to darkened alley of my building. I immediately position myself into a fighting stance.

"What do you want?"

"Your reflexes aren't bad." The smooth voice reaches my ears before I make out the shadow of a person leaning against the wall a few feet away. I shiver. "I have to wonder though, would you have noticed me if I was actually hiding my presence?"

The person pushes themselves off the wall and makes their way towards me, strides slow and confident. My narrowed eyes widen in shock as the man comes into view. An odd feeling settles itself in my gut.

"You." I breathe.

Author's Note: Nothing is getting confusing right? [sweats]