Chapter Text
Many would appreciate a morning like this. They would look, mesmerized, at the weak sunrays illuminating the grass that swayed in the wind and the birds that flew through the air singing. If they were awake, that is, because it was way too early to function. But, if they were, they would look at the sky, smile and say that the day looked promising.
But not Jean Kirschtein.
Not Jean, who had to wake up because he was one of the lucky ones selected to help Hanji with their crazy new experiment. At five in the morning. Great.
So now here he was, dressed in his full uniform as he moodily followed the other lucky people to an open area away from the Survey Corps’ castle headquarters. The cold wind wasn’t helping at all as it blew through Jean’s thin clothes, making him curse and wish for his warm bed. Where he could be sleeping now. He grimaced as he rolled his shoulders, sore from cleaning the stables until late last night.
A few meters ahead, Jaeger was talking with Hanji, and of course, Armin and Mikasa were by his side. He winced when Eren said something particularly loud. It seemed that the boy didn’t know any other way to communicate besides shouting. Jean sighed. It was too early for this shit. Actually it was too early for anything.
After a few minutes, Jean found himself on a hill with some scattered trees surrounding it. Hanji turned to them.
“Alright guys, here’s what we’ll do.” They rubbed their hands together, eyes shining with manic excitement. “After comparing Eren’s blood with a lizard’s, I noticed that they have certain similarities," the scientist animatedly went on about scientific methods that nobody understood, except perhaps Armin.
Wait. So Jaeger has the same blood as a lizard? Jean smiled to himself. This was the only part that he had been able to understand from the explanation that was still going on. And the only one that matters. He looked over at Eren and saw that he must have been thinking the same thing, since the tips of his ears were red. Jean chuckled and Eren glared at him. He only smiled and looked ahead. At least he’d have something to tease Jaeger about later. Maybe this wouldn’t be useless, after all.
" ... then, to test the limits of his regenerative capacity, after Eren transforms, I will inject the serum in his bloodstream and see how his titan form reacts." Hanji was still talking, Jean noticed. He glanced at Eren, who seemed determined, as always, his eyebrows furrowed together in concentration, but Mikasa looked at the Squad Leader as if challenging them to hurt her adoptive brother. "All you guys have to do is make sure that he, well, doesn’t get out of control." Hanji grinned, as if a drugged and uncontrollable 15-meter class titan running around the headquarters was nothing.
"Now get into your positions!" Hanji cried out and grabbed a surprised Eren by the arm, dragging him to the middle of the open area.
While the others began to spread across the field, Jean surreptitiously approached the trees and he quickly used his gear to jump to the nearest branch. From there he could see what was happening and not be trampled by a bunch of uncontrolled meat. He smiled smugly. Jean, you’re a genius.
He was still praising himself when he felt the hair on his neck stand up. Lightning crossed the sky, followed by a violent vibration that almost threw him off the tree. And where Eren had been seconds ago, stood a huge titan breathing heavily. Smoke was coming off of it, and a mass of tousled hair covered his face. Then the creature moved slowly and Jean felt, more than saw, two eyes staring at him. A shiver travelled down his body. He could feel the intensity of that gaze even from meters away.
Jean was already wondering how far he could run before the titan got him, when the creature raised its head and gave a cry that echoed in his bones. He realized that Hanji must have already gone up and injected the serum on the titan’s neck. They don’t waste time. Jean thanked Hanji silently.
Time stopped for a moment as the titan went completely still, its muscles contracting. Then its skin began to smoke and dissolve. Screams could be heard from where the others were down there, and Jean examined the situation. Some people were firing their grapple hooks, trying to get purchase in the titans skin to pull them up, but the decomposing meat made it an impossible task.
Jean was about to join the group when he saw something detach from the titan’s steaming body and begin to fall toward the ground. Eren. He looked at the commotion at the creature’s feet and realized there was too much steam, which prevented the others to notice the small form quickly falling from 13 meters above the ground.
Goddammit, Jaeger. Jean propelled himself forward and activated the gas mechanism on his 3DMG, moving toward what he believed to be Eren’s body.
The mist coming from the titan prevented him from seeing clearly, but Jean could still distinguish the body falling a few meters in front of him. It’s too small, he thought, confused. Even if Jaeger wasn’t the definition of tall, it didn’t make sense that he looked so tiny. Unless… Jean felt something clench in his chest. Eren’s body could only be this size if he had lost not one, but many limbs. Jean cursed under his breath. How many times would he have to be torn apart until there was nothing left? He imagined that Eren wouldn’t mind if it helped humanity fight against the titans. The idiot.
He finally got through the dense mist barrier and saw a figure in front of him falling with amazing speed toward the ground. He fired his hook to the nearest tree and spun, colliding with the body and bringing it close to his chest. Instantly, he felt small hands hold tightly around his neck, almost making him choke. Jean shivered. Something went terribly wrong. Tightening the other body against his, he headed to the nearest tree.
After landing, Jean kneeled and put Eren’s body on the tree’s branch. Because it had to be Eren, if the mass of brown hair tickling the side of his face and the incredible force with which the arms were still clinging to his neck were any indications.
“Eren, you can let go now. C’mon.” Jean said softly, with a delicacy that if anyone asked he would deny it until his death.
Slowly, the arms eased and Jean could breathe normally again. Only to feel the air being pushed out of his chest when he saw the boy in front of him. Wearing an oversized t-shirt, he couldn’t be more than 6 or 7 years old and he almost didn’t reach Jean’s waist. Jean looked at him petrified. This boy is… Oh god, it can’t be. He thought desperately. But he couldn’t pretend that he didn’t recognize that wild brown hair – that he had seen many times running around the training fields, or those big green eyes that stared at him in wonder. The boy then frowned, wrinkling his nose. That face… Jean had no more doubts. This boy is-
“You smell like horse shit.” The boy said abruptly.
Yes. He definitely was Eren Jaeger.
Inhale. Exhale. Don’t push the boy of the tree.
Jean passed a hand over his face as he assessed the situation for a moment. Then he crouched down and wrapped tiny Eren in his oversized shirt. “Hey! What are you-“ he was interrupted when Jean slung him over his shoulder. “Let me go, idiot!”
Jean grimaced when the boy’s voice echoed in his head. Jaeger might be smaller now, but his voice was as loud as ever. Maybe not as deep, but terribly loud? Yes.
Ignoring Eren’s tantrum, Jean fired his hooks and jumped in the air, heading to where the others were gathered.
It really was too early for this shit.
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Jean landed and put Eren, who had gone silent during the flight, on the ground. He glanced at him and saw that the boy was in awe, looking at his 3DMG and the surroundings with bright eyes. Jean smirked, at least Eren would be too stunned to talk for now. Then he heard someone calling his name and turned around. Armin rushed in his direction.
“Jean!” He said, panting, his chest rising and falling rapidly. “Where were you? Eren-" Armin stopped when he saw the little boy giving him a wary look behind Jean’s legs. “He… This is…”
“The one and only. I got him when he fell from the titan.” Jean said, nodding to the decomposing carcass a few meters ahead. He glanced sideways at Eren, who had just noticed Armin’s 3DMG and had gotten a little closer to him, alternating his gaze between it and his uniform.
“Wow.” Eren murmured, clutching his hands to his chest so he wouldn't touch the gear.
“Oh, dear.” Armin said, covering his mouth with one hand. After making sure that the other teen wouldn’t have a mental breakdown, Jean looked around, wanting to get the hell out of there before Mikasa discovered what happened.
“Eren!” Too late. The three turned to the shout’s source and saw Mikasa running towards them. She didn’t seem to have any doubts about the boy’s identity as she kneeled in front of him and began searching for any scratch or injury. “Are you alright?”
“Hm, yes, I’m okay.” Eren said, moving away from her inquiring hands. He seemed confused while he stared at her face, like he was looking for something. “Do I know you, Miss?”
Mikasa froze. “What?”
“Do I know you? Are you one of my mother’s friends?” Eren’s eyebrows were furrowed together, as if he was trying hard to remember. Jean looked at him. If he didn’t even remember Mikasa… “How do you know my name? I don’t think I know any of you. But you are from the Survey Corps, right? You even have the uniforms!” Eren said excitedly, his eyes shining as he looked at the three teenagers.
Before any of them could answer, they heard another shout, but this time it was Hanji who came running, with the others soldiers behind them. “Oh! That’s Eren?” They almost jumped with excitement, smiling as if all went just as expected.
As Hanji took a step near Eren, Mikasa stood and drew her blade from its holster. She pointed it to their neck. “Bring him back.” Mikasa said, her blank expression more terrifying than ever.
Everyone held their breath for a few seconds until Armin touched her arm gently. “Mikasa.” He warned. Slowly and without letting her eyes leave the scientist’s, Mikasa put her sword back.
Hanji, that didn’t seem affected by the incident, turned to Eren, smiling. “Now, let’s see…” They said and began to touch his face and hair.
Eren slapped their hand away and stepped back. “Stop it.”
Hanji was surprised for a moment, but then they laughed. “Oh, that’s wonderful!”
Eren scowled and got closer to Jean. Who finally took a good look at him. The strong wind was making his hair go all over the place and he clung to his oversized shirt, hunched over like a cornered animal. Jean realized how lost Eren probably was, suddenly surrounded by strangers, not remembering his own childhood friends right in front of him. Then Jean decided to help him – so this would be finished faster and he could go to sleep, of course.
At this time, Hanji had already stretched out their hand to touch Eren again. "Squad Leader." Jean said. Their hand paused in mid air and they looked at him. "Isn’t it better to send a report to Commander Erwin? He may want to be informed as soon as possible about what happened."
Hanji made a thoughtful expression and moved away from Eren. Jean heard him sigh, relieved. “Yes, you may be right. But I need to collect more information before writing the report.” Hanji said and turned to Mikasa and Armin. “Could you two take Eren to my lab?” Both of them nodded.
Mikasa kneeled beside Eren and stretched out her hand. “Eren, can you come with me? I promise we will explain everything to you." She said with a gentle voice that Jean had never heard before, as if she was afraid Eren would run away. Something he definitely could do, Jean had no doubt.
Eren stared at the hand in front of him for a few seconds. Then he glanced at Jean before he took it. Together, the three began to walk in the lab’s direction.
“Hey Eren, have you ever seen 3DMG before?” Armin asked. He positioned himself at the boy’s side, talking to him while Eren walked hand in hand with Mikasa. They looked like a happy family. Jean rolled his eyes.
Eren looked over at him over his shoulder. Jean arched one eyebrow. Is he obsessed with me or something? But Eren turned away after a moment.
Jean followed the trio with his gaze as they crossed the hill, faintly hearing Armin’s voice explaining how the gear worked. Behind him, Hanji was shouting to the others that they were dismissed. Jean sighed. Finally.