The Collection (For Lack of a Better Title)
By: Stevanie Salazar
AN: So this is a little surprise for a friend of mine. These were all written like at 4 a.m., I will probably edit them later but right now I just wanna get the surprise out there y'know.

if I owned Attack on Titan there would be a LOT more frick-fracking going on

Warning for the whole collection: Each one is Jeren/Erejean centered, I am mean to Jean, also I did not have someone edit/beta these hahahahaahaha feel free to point out mistakes

A Thing For The Heroes

Warnings: AU, One-sided love

He stutters and gasps and clenches his fists, and every breath he takes seems to fill his being with self-loathing and humiliation, "Damn it, why does it have to hurt this much?" Was it really only just this morning that he had been so happy? Hell, was it really only three months ago that if someone had told him that he'd fall in love with Jaeger of all people he would've laughed in their face before punching them.

"Wow you're such an idiot, Jaeger," Jean droned, "I'm surprised you passed elementary school to be honest."

"Shut up Kirschtein, if you don't like it there are plenty of empty seats in the room, take your pick."

"No I enjoy watching you take down the completely wrong notes way too much to ever move."

"What?!" Eren hissed, looking down at his notes and back up before narrowing his eyes at the grinning Jean, "You're an asshole."

Eren Jaeger was stupid, loud, reckless, tactless, and tasteless (he could probably go on forever listing Jaeger's stupidly perfect faults) and definitely not his type at all. Jean preferred the soft-spoken, educated guys who always knew exactly what to say at the right moment.

"But you always were a sucker for the heroes, weren't you?" A voice whispers cruelly in his head. He tilts his head back and lets out a humorless chuckle.

"Yo, faggot," A guy- a nameless, faceless jerk- shoved into Jean. Jean ignored him, he was after all, quite used to it anyway. Jean tried to dodge through the small group but was grabbed by his collar.

"Hey, don't ignore us, we know you want us," another nameless jerk said, sneering.

Jean scoffed, putting on a brave face, "Please, I'd be surprised if anyone wanted you." He winced as he saw the rage come over their faces and braced himself for a punch.

The hit never came. Instead, there was an enraged roar and the sounds of a scuffle.

Soon the group was running away, and Jean looked up to see Eren, eyes lightened with anger, his expression drawn into a scowl, with his adopted sister Mikasa leaning coolly against the opposite wall.

Eren turned to him and extended a hand, helping Jean up, who dusted himself off righteously, even as he felt his heart flutter just the tiniest bit.

"Thanks Jaeger, Mikasa," Jean thanked, nodding at them.

"I only helped because Eren wanted to," Mikasa droned. Jean looked towards Eren who shrugged.

"No problem Kirschtein, we may not get along, but no one ever deserves to get bullied, ever," Eren stated, his eyes still ablaze.

When the two left Jean just leaned his head against the wall and groaned, "No, no, no, no, anyone but him."

Stupid, loud, reckless, tactless, and tasteless, the boy that was (is) everything Jean didn't (shouldn't) want ends up being the boy that was (is) everything Jean needed. Jean grits his teeth.

"Just a crush, just a crush, you can get over it, just a crush," Jean repeats in his head.

"Don't lie, he's everything to you, and you know it," the cruel voice whispers once again.

And damn it, that voice is right.

"Guys, Jean, Jean, guys!" Eren introduced, an arm slung around Jean's shoulders.

"Jean?" A small blond boy questions, "Oh! You mean the one that you said-"

"Shh now Armin, no need to finish that sentence," Eren chuckles nervously, a hand clamped over Armin's mouth.

"I'm not worried," Jean grinned, "Whatever insults Eren has said about me probably aren't intelligent enough to hurt me."

Surprising everyone at the table, Eren let out a laugh, patting Jean on the back.

"Yeah, whatever you say horse-face." Eren grinned.

The group accepted Jean, just like that. They joked and laughed, and Jean learned about each one's individual quirks, and for the first time in a very long time Jean smiled and felt like he belonged.

He can't stop the tears now, Eren had given him friends and security. Eren had saved him, with his stupid big teal eyes and nice smile and dumb passionate hot-headed nature. Jean can't stop the tears, no matter how much he tries.

"I was so stupid, to think that he could have ever fallen for me," Jean thinks bitterly.

He realizes he should've squashed his hope when it first reared its head.

"Jean, I have a serious question," Eren sat down by Jean on a bench outside.

Jean opened his mouth to say something snarky, but seeing Eren's expression he quickly shuts it and nods at Eren, urging him to continue.

"Well you know how you like guys right?" Eren said, twiddling his thumbs.

Jean felt his heart leap into his throat in joy and he can only manage another nod.

"I think...I might like a guy," Eren admitted, "I admire him a lot, even though he sometimes gives me a hard time...thing is, I don't even know how I'd go about telling him…do you think you could help me out?"

Jean wanted to kiss Eren on the spot and smack him for being dumb, for once again having absolutely no tact, but when he saw the earnest expression Eren's face he decided to humor him.

"Just don't beat around the bush, tell him- and soon, you don't know when the opportunity is going to pass you by. The worst thing he can say is no," Jean shrugged nonchalantly, trying desperately to keep down his blush.

Eren seemed to contemplate his advice for a moment before nodding and smiling, "Thanks Jean, I think I'll confess during lunch." He patted Jean on the shoulder lightly before standing up and walking towards his class.

Jean remembers how he had dashed to the bathroom before lunch to make sure he looked presentable. And how he practiced exactly what he was going to say.

"I was going to nod like I'd known all along and accept, it was the coolest way I could think of."

"For someone who calls Eren stupid, you are truly the foolish one," the voice once again makes itself known.

It's once again, absolutely right.

Jean was twiddling his thumbs while continuously staring at the clock, in ten minutes lunch would be over, damn it, Jaeger sure was taking his sweet time. Granted, it was cute that he was this embarrassed, but time was running out.

"Hey, where's Eren?" Jean said, asking Mikasa, she always knew where he was, even when he didn't want her to know.

"He told me he was going to go to a class to finish some make-up wo-"

"He's confessing his love to that senior, Levi," Armin cut in, grinning, "Sorry Mikasa, he didn't want you stopping him, and it's already too late." Armin gestured.

Both Mikasa and Jean's heads snapped to where Armin had been gesturing, and sure enough, there Eren was, hand intertwined with Levi's who was looking particularly bored. Eren led him over to the table and grinned.

"I'd like you guys to meet Levi Rivaille, he's a senior, and also now my boyfriend."

Everyone at the table immediately made room for him (with the exception of Mikasa who glared daggers at him) and began to ask him questions. While Levi was coolly answering the Q&A session Eren leaned over and gave a one-armed hug to Jean.

"Thanks man, I would've never got up the courage if you hadn't given me that advice."

"No problem," Jean choked out before standing up, "I just forgot I left a book in my locker I need next hour, so I'm going to run and go get it...congratulations Eren."

Jean stumbled out into the chilly air. He stuttered and gasped, clenching his fists. Every breath he took seemed to fill his being with self-loathing and humiliation.

You're such a fool Jean Kirschtein.