neighsaying | inbox | labyrinthum

[ He thinks she's cute when she realizes she's been caught staring. He likes the way she stops and stares, seeming a little eager to take him all in. He knows he's decently attractive.

And if she has no objections... ]

All right. Come here.

[ He says it as he pushes himself backwards, towards the part of her bed closer to the wall. He stretches out on his side; the beds are well built enough that he's not hanging off the end, though he still bends his knees a little bit out of habit.

He moves his hand to catch at hers, threading their fingers together and tugging her towards him, wanting her to lay down. He'll catch her in the circle of his arms when she does, and lets her choose if she'd rather be facing him or give him her back instead. ]

[ Watching him make himself comfortable on her bed, she's struck for a short moment over how comfortable and at ease he seems. All of this seems to be so natural for him, so easy, when she feels as though she is overthinking everything that they do together. Maybe, in time, she'll adjust, she'll get better at it, but right now she's stuck in a learning curve.

For someone who's been naturally good at her one vocation for years, a learning curve is an adjustment to her.

She slowly makes her way over, choosing to settle with her face towards him, lifting so she can look at Jean as she makes herself comfortable. It's definitely going to feel weird at first, but there's a learning inside of her, wanting to be held, to feel his arms around her.

Maybe he'll even kiss her again. The thought makes her blush harder. ]

Thank you.

[ She's not sure why she's thanking him; for being kind to her, for letting her take it slow and easy, for showing her the jacket? Any one of them would be fine. ]

You're welcome.

[ He's nervous, which is a sensation he's familiar with but never enjoys. He's good at what he does, with the ODM gear, with telling people what to do in battle. Being with her feels like learning the gear again, sometimes finding something that he can do with ease and other times cursing his mistakes.

But she doesn't seem to mind it. Whether she doesn't realize or doesn't care, it helps ease some of that anxiety.

Still, his stomach flutters in a familiar way when he has her in his arms, settled so that she's facing him. They're close but not quite touching shoulder to hip. It's funny, how he's laid in a bed with Eren and not been as nervous; but he's used to touching Eren, because of their constant fighting, and he's not used to touching her without a reason other than his own want. ]

I want to kiss you again, too.

[ He whispers it to her, like a secret, some of his hair falling across his forehead as he shifts his head a little closer. He says it because he's not sure what the step of too much is for her yet and he'd rather check in too much than not enough. ]

[ Briefly, Mikasa panics and wonders if Jean has suddenly developed the ability to read minds.

Tilting her head up, she watches him for a short few seconds, the kind that probably feels like an eternity for him. She wants, she thinks, to reach out and touch his face, to feel how warm he is, to make sure that this is real because all of it feels like some kind of dream. To have Eren here, to have Jean here, to be able to touch them both and make sure they're safe and well taken care of...

Her hand lifts slowly, pushing the hair out of his face and landing to rest on his cheek, thumb stroking gently over his cheekbone, caught up in the moment of it all. They're in their own bubble right now and nothing can disturb them; there's only her and Jean and nothing in between. She's okay with that, she thinks. She's happy.

It doesn't stop her from getting nervous, though, at the offer - the request, she thinks, or the quiet admitting to a secret. ]

I want to kiss you too.

[ Is that okay? Are they allowed? They're partners, but she can still imagine Eren's jealousy... But they're together too. If Eren wanted to kiss people... She shoves that thought away and focuses on Jean, on the warmth of his skin under hers and the softness of his voice.

She can't be very good at it, so she's determined to take his lead and learn quickly. ]

[ It's an eternity but he still doesn't mind waiting through it for her. Especially with the way she looks at him, like she's trying to memorize his face; she reaches up another eternity later and pushes his hair out of the way, touching his cheek. He leans into the touch of her hand, eyes fluttering closed for a moment. He doesn't want her to ever doubt that he accepts her touch and wants more of it; even more than that, he does crave it.

He opens his eyes when she says she wants to kiss him, too. It's as good a go ahead as he's going to get. There's no thoughts of Eren, or anyone else, in his mind when he leans in and presses his lips to hers. The arms around her tug her just a little closer as he does it.

It's just Jean and Mikasa, figuring out what they want, in this space on her bed. ]

[ It's not that she didn't expect the kiss, since she had told him she had wanted it, but it still surprises her just a little bit. It surprises her because they're allowed to have it, that just by saying that she wants to kiss him they're able to share a kiss with one another. It still feels just a little like something of a fantasy (though she's not sure if it's hers or Jean's).

At least she knows this: he is being careful with her, gentle enough, and there are no thoughts in her mind other than kiss him back.

Mikasa's body shifts just a bit closer to Jean's, pushing up and letting herself return the kiss with a softness that's unlike her, the brutal a fighter she remains. The hand on his cheek seeks his hair, fingers curling around what she can reach and holding herself in place there as she makes a soft noise, pleased. ]

[ It's a surprise because he can kiss her. He's allowed to because she wants it too, and all of those things are new and delightful. Even better is the way she pulls herself closer, burying a hand in his hair and making that soft, pleased noise.

One arm - the one she's laying on - stays wrapped around her, hand curled against her hip. The other he lifts to mirror hers, cupping her jaw tenderly and encouraging her to tilt her head a little. It shifts the angle of the kiss, makes it easier to slide their mouths against each other. Jean doesn't seek to deepen it further, mindful of this being her second kiss, in all likelihood.

It doesn't mean a part of him isn't hungry for it, though, the way their mouths catch and press against each other. ]

Edited (i repeated a word too many times) 2023-12-23 14:59 (UTC)

[ Mikasa is thankful, because she doesn't need it to be more than this; there is a quiet part of her that wonders what it would be like to deepen it, to allow herself to try kissing in a way those desperate people had been - soldiers who came back and found their wives and dipped them, lovers reunited, the whispers she heard in the barracks. All the things she thought were both out of her reach and utterly below her with her singular focus.

It's good like this, to press small, soft kisses against Jean's mouth, to let herself press her kiss against him with a sharpness that betrays her inexperience. It's all a myriad of sensations; soft hair in her fingers, the warmth of his body, the way he draws her closer, as if afraid she might disappear.

A shiver runs through her as she grips a little tighter, afraid herself, like she might wake up at any moment. ]

[ He wants to take things slowly, both out of concern for her and to do things right. She's not some casual fling or a one night stand; she's important to him. Literally the woman he's dreamed about, and he'd rather die than push her out of her comfort zone.

This is sweet, and perfect. The way she presses kisses against his mouth in return, making his lips curl up in a little smile briefly. The way that she's melted into his arms, the way they both cling to each other like they're afraid they'll float away otherwise.

Her kisses are forceful and his are gentler, and he wouldn't have it any other way. Eventually he has to pause to actually catch his breath and not try to gasp it between kisses, and he lets himself brush their noses together when he pulls back, breathing a little heavily.

He doesn't know what to say - so he says nothing, not wanting to break the fragile little bubble. His fingers find some of the longer strands of her hair and weave through them, a thumb stroking over the skin under her ear. ]

[ The touch of their noses brings her out of the kiss haze she's been in, and her head tilts up to look at Jean. She wonders if she looks as flustered as she feels, as flustered as he looks, all from something as simple as kissing - but she's never kissed anyone before, so of course she'll be a little embarrassed by it.

Does it always feel like that, soft and warm and making her feel so genuinely happy? Or does it change depending on the person you're kissing? No one else had inspired anything like it inside of her (Eren remaining the exception to all her rules), but she hadn't gone around kissing other people.

Shifting her weight forward, she leans up to press a kiss to his forehead before she tucks herself against his body, head under his chin. He's taller than her, so she fits comfortably enough. ]

[ She does look flustered; her color is high on her cheeks and he thinks it's a good look on her. One he'd like to see more of - but he reminds himself not right now. Especially with the way she kisses his forehead before she tucks herself up against him.

He takes another deep breath just to calm his heart, which feels like it wants to beat right out of his body. He's sure she can feel it but he's more than happy to have her pressed under his chin. He lets his hand fall from her jaw to curl around her shoulders, and shifts his head a little so he's comfortable lying on his side.

There's a big, dopey smile on his face now that he can't quite banish - but he doesn't need to get rid of it, does he? He's happy. ]

[If nothing else, Eren understands that Jean cares about him. It's not that he didn't think so before; they've always cared about each other - always. But it's been different lately. How couldn't it be? They're standing from two totally different perspectives. Jean looks at him differently now - and it isn't always a bad thing. Would Eren ever have let him hold him like this if they were still both kids? It's hard to imagine. Jean has become his anchor, his stability - sometimes the only semblance of it that he has left. And Eren clings to that, clings to Jean, tracing soft circles on his back, burying his nose in the older boy's hair. He leaves a small kiss there, not quite realizing it. At times like this, all he can do is follow the natural flow of things.

[It doesn't have to mean anything...]

[They've been spending a lot of time together, Jean, Eren, and Mikasa. For all that's been going on in Eren's head, it's been a good thing; better than Eren realizes. He's still a mess. He still has periods where he goes as cold and numb as the future Eren that they remember - the Eren that he now knows he's capable of. But they're good at pulling him back. They've cared for him. They keep him close, and it's fortunate, because every day he feels like living just a little more.

[And he wants to thank them - each of them, in their own way. He's always had a special bond with Mikasa - that isn't a mystery to anyone. But he and Jean have gotten closer than he'd ever imagined they would. They're partners now too, something that still thrills Eren every time he catches himself thinking about it for too long.

[All that is to say, it's a little difficult to get one of them alone, but on the 24th, while Mikasa is elsewhere, Eren finds Jean in the cottage, two packages hidden lamely behind his back.]

Hey, Horseface. [Eh. Old habits die hard.] C'mere a second.

[ Jean feels the kiss to his hair, and gives a little sigh. It's sweet and he tries not to read into it, but he appreciates receiving it all the same. He keeps one hand on his nape and lets the other brush over his spine, petting him comfortingly.

He'll stay like this as long as Eren lets him hold him. ]

[ Jean is poring over a book from the library he picked up while he was out delivering presents. When Eren shows up, presents visible behind his back, Jean is a little surprised - and then he smiles, soft, before he lets it morph to an annoyed look at the nickname. ]

Stop calling me that, short brat. What are you up to?

[ He gets up from the kitchen table all the same, though, coming over and planting his hands on his hips as he looks (down) at Eren. ]

[Well, at least he's aware that any attempt to hide the packages has not been successful. He rolls his eyes.]

What does it look like? Here. [And he hands him one of the packages - rectangular and heavy.]

Be careful with that. [Remember how he asked about those arm measurements? Inside the package is a sword, responsibly sheathed. It's handsome and sturdy, sharp as all hell, and custom made to fit Jean's measurements.

[He keeps the other package - much smaller - behind his back.]

[ Jean didn't have any clue Eren was getting him a sword, so he takes the package, clearly surprised by the weight of it when its handed over. He opens it and immediately his expression lights up.

What nineteen year old male would not be fucking thrilled by a custom made sword? Once he has it out of the box, he takes a step back to unsheathe it, testing the weight with one hand. It's heavy but, not too heavy - the right weight for someone of Jean's height to wield with one arm. ]

Holy shit, Eren, this is fucking amazing.

[ His eyes are wide and he looks like a kid on Christmas. He kind of wants to start swinging it around but Mikasa would probably have his head so he sheathes it, giving Eren a wide smile. ]

Thanks.

[Jean brightens, so Eren brightens. He hasn't been doing a whole lot of smiling lately, but he's smiling now. He likes it. And he looks damn good wielding it too.]

I've got one too, so let's practice, okay? Not on each other - we have to used dulled blades for that, but Kanoa - that's my friend - he has those too.

You like it?

I love it.

[ Genuinely, he really does. Swordfighting was never something they trained exhaustively in - no one was using just a sword, after all, they had two attached to their gear - so when Eren suggests practicing, he nods. ]

Absolutely - sword's no good if you can't use it, right?

Right. And if all that shit Captain Levi told me about monsters is true, then we might need them.

They're really not the same as ODM blades either. You'll have to learn all over again. [What Eren still won't admit: he's always admired Jean's skill with ODM. He knows he'll take to a sword like a fish does to water.]

I mean, I doubt he made it up for fun.

[ His expression is a little amused as he says it, though, looking at Eren. He has a feeling he won't find it too hard to pick up the basics, but he doesn't say that. ]

We can make it a competition. Loser has to do dishes or something.

[ Jean's (mostly) teasing, judging by the smile instead of the smirk on his face. ]

Gee. High stakes, Jean. [With a little eyeroll, but he's clearly pleased.

[So, the first present was a success.

[Onto the one that actually means something. Eren's smile fades a bit. He glances away, reaching up to scratch self-consciously at the back of his head.]

Okay. Come...sit down. [It's muttered. He takes the smaller package and holds it in both hands instead of hiding it behind his back. And he takes a seat on the couch.]

Don't give me shit for this...

[ He wants to ask if Eren wants to up the stakes, but Eren looks a little nervous about this gift so he doesn't add on the commentary. Instead, he follows Eren, carrying the sword with him and setting it down on the coffee table (heavily; it's loud).

He's curious again, that much is clear. When he sits, he sits close enough for their arms to brush. ]

I won't.

[ He means it! He suspects he won't be tempted to give him any shit about it, though. ]

[Eren is more than a little nervous. He's still getting used to being vulnerable with Jean-- Hell, he's not used to being vulnerable with anyone, and to him, this gift is...a big deal.

[A really big deal. As serious as the rings waiting for him and Mikasa...]

I'm gonna hand you the package, but when you open it, don't do anything with it yet. Just--

[Oh, fuck it.]

Here. [And he hands him the small box. Inside: two carefully crafted, braided wrist bands. One is slightly smaller than the other one. They're made of fine leather - not cheap on the shards front - with three silver beads in each center, held in place by more complicated braids.

[He spent ages trying to pick out the right ones...]

[ The instructions leave him with questions. He can also tell how nervous Eren is, which in turn makes him a little nervous; though he doubts Eren got him anything dangerous.

He opens this one a little more carefully, all the same, and when he opens the box he pauses for a moment. They look like bracelets, at first guess, but there's two of them. They're also definitely of a quality made to be worn, not something you dress up in. ]

Eren...

[ He sounds a little surprised, a little touched. They've never really done gifts like this, though Jean was the one who gave Eren a necklace. He did it under the guise of something to remind him of Armin, though. ]

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me: i'll use ALL MY KISSING ICONS

me with my one kissing icon

it good tho

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[ action ] backdated to 12/24; cw: ideation mention

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