-- a little note before you read: italicized words are flashbacks in this story!

The grass flowed to the direction of the wind as it blew by. You ran your hands through it as you inhaled the scent of nature around you. As you dragged your hand higher through the grass, it slightly grazed against the male beside you. His hand lightly brushed against yours causing you to retract your arm.

"Sorry Jean!" You shyly turned to him and apologized.

"It's okay.." He chuckled. "You did nothing wrong." As he said this, he reached out to you and spread his hand open wide.

"I guess you're right.." You stretched your arm back out and placed your hand in his.

Everything could have never been more perfect than it was at that moment. Yeah, you loved the feeling you got when you were riding on horseback through a grassy plain as the wind blew against your face, it was a great feeling. You also loved being with your own horse, whom you named an raised since a young age, the way it would nuzzle up to you when you brushed through its beautiful mane. Both of those were and still are perfect times but you knew that it wouldn't beat being with Jean. You felt as if you betrayed your love for horses for Jean, but that's just how it came to be.

You giggled to yourself as you reminisced the moments that led up to this point. It seemed like a long time since those days of shying yourself from each other but you could recall each moment as if it was just yesterday.

"What're you giggling at?" Jean squeezed your hand as he turned his head to face you.

"I don't know.." You suppressed your laugh. "It's just.. I'm remembering what we were like before this.." You raised the both of your hands in the air.

"A couple..?" Your heart skipped at the words escaping his lips and you nodded. He chuckled, "A lot of things happened, huh?"

"A lot! But like I said, all that brought us together!"

"Yeah, you're right.." He sighed as he closed his eyes. "You were a really funny girl.."

"Ahh, stop!! I'm still embarrassed about it!" You tried to push him away from what you knew was coming.

"I can't believe you and your thinking.. Horse-loving girl." There it was.

"I-it's not my fault!"

"Yeah, yeah.." He kept teasing you.

You exhaled a deep breath as you looked back at how you and Jean grew to like each other.

You met Jean through the trainee corps. You still remember the first time seeing him and thinking he was a jerk. Even up to this day you wondered how he was able to capture your heart, but he did.

Each little event involved with him just kept drawing you more and more to him. His skills on the 3DMG were stunning and his leadership was unwavering. Though what really drew you in at first was his obnoxious behavior although it wasn't exactly a positive way that he got your attention.

You didn't hate the boy but you didn't like him either. He was a jerk to pretty much everyone - especially you.

You would notice him here and there and he'd scoff at you, "What're you looking at?" He'd roll his eyes away and walk from you. He was really rude.

One day, the turning point in this relationship, the two of you we're fighting. It was a night training that you had to go through. Jean was the captain of one group and you were lucky enough to be under his command.

His lousy skills were revealing themselves as your group failed a mission which caused your group to miss out on dinner, the last meal of the day. As you guys suffered, you took your hunger and anger out at Jean.

"This is your fault, Jean!!" You poked a finger at his chest and glared into his eyes.

"I don't get why you're suddenly speaking up now, _______. You were so quiet before.." His nonchalant tone annoyed you so much more than you already were.

"Of course, it's because of you! Our team lost its dinner because of you. You were being selfish and we failed!" You stepped up closer to the boy and puffed your chest up.

"So what?" He leaned down toward you. "If any of you were good then I wouldn't have to carry you guys at all!!"

"Ugh!! Shut up!! You act like you're some big hot shot but you know what, you're just a big fat cocky brat. Please Jean, if you are as good as you say you are, you would know to set yourself below your comrades and let us take a little initiative. Because you know what, you can't do any of this by yourself!!" You were so steamed that you ended up pushing him away from you.

He stumbled back with a look of surprise on his face. He snapped back almost instantly and stepped up in front of you one more time. "_______.. I am the captain of this group. Don't tell me what I did wrong. So what if we don't have dinner, suck it up. You go sit yourself down by that tree, shut your mouth, and cry yourself to sleep or something, I'm tired of you."

Your teeth were grinding hard as you still looked at him with your glaring eyes. "Make me. I can say whatever I want so who cares about your stupid words. You know what, how about yo-mmphff" You felt a hand clasp over your mouth and your body was dragged back.

"Yeah yeah, whatever, I've had enough. You two wouldn't just kiss already so I had to do something about it." You ripped the hand away and turned around.

"Connie! What are you doing!?" You fumed.

"Just stop fighting already. It's no use getting mad at each other." He sighed.

"Connie you don't need to butt in!" Jean raised his voice.

"Jean, you stop it too.." Reiner yelled out from a distance. "This situation can be handled much more maturely."

"Yeah, so just sit still and be quiet." Connie plopped down and crossed his arms.

As you stood, you glared at Jean. You were still angry at him. In response, he made a face back at you.

That night as you tried to fall asleep, the scene of Jean yelling at you replayed in your head. You were so frustrated that you weren't able to fall asleep. You filled with rage as you thought of the words he said to you. Then you could see his face. You remembered the look on his face he was cool at first, not giving a care about you and your words. Then you saw how the wrinkles formed as his brows would furrow. His bangs were also quite messy from today's training and they did make him look different.

Before you knew it, all you could think about was the way he looked. Feeling disgusted, you shook your head and squeezed your eyes tight. Strangely enough, his face still filled your thoughts.

You stood up and decided to take a quick walk to cool yourself off. To your surprise, Jean was also up.

"Hmph.." He noticed you and laid back down.

"What's your problem." You scowled.

"Go to sleep.. we have to wake up early.." You were a little shocked by his answer since it wasn't actually an insult.

"That's all?"

"What, you want me to say more?" He didn't turn back to look at you. "Go to sleep or else you'll have baggy eyes.. or something."

He didn't say anything else afterward and you went back to sleep. You didn't understand why, but that night Jean filled your thoughts more than it should have.

You laughed as you laid there next to Jean. "We were really silly back then." You turned to him.

"It wasn't that long ago if you think about it..." He added.

"Like a few months or something, right?"

"Yeah, something like that.." He let out a chuckle too as he thought back to other times that you two spent. "Hey, how about that time when we were just starting to show that we liked each other? You were so weird.."

"N-no I wasn't!!"

The feelings that you felt the night of the argument was stuck inside of you. Ever since then you took notice of Jean more and more each day.

You found yourself stealing glances of his face as he sat in the classrooms, hoping that he wouldn't notice. You also began to have scenarios in your head in which the two would converse in a more mature manner than screaming discouragements. It was weird what you felt for him. And no matter how many times you wished away those thoughts, they flooded back.

"Hey Christa..?" You sat next to the blonde during your lunchtime.

"Yes, _______?" She happily replied.

"What's it like to have feelings for someone?"

"What do you mean?" She looked a little puzzled by your question.

"Well.." You stirred the soupy contents in your bowl in front of you. "I guess when you see someone you just feel.. warm inside?"

"Oh.." She looked liked a lightbulb clicked in her head. "Are you having those feelings?"

You nodded slowly as you felt a burning sensation fill your cheeks.

"It's nice isn't it? I think you've found some you're fond of. Maybe as a friend or lover."

"Who's talking about lovers?" Ymir set her tray on the table in front of Christa and sat down.

"Oh no one!" Christa giggled. "_______ just asked me a question."

"What was it?" Ymir leaned in closer to the two of you.

"I-it was nothing!" You felt like no longer going over the subject.

"Huh? Maybe Ymir can help!" Christa exclaimed.

"It's okay.. You helped me enough Christa." You gave weak smile.

"Fine.. but _______. Don't reject the feelings. I'm sure you're holding enough emotions inside of you, let this other person know how you feel too." Christa smiled assuringly.

"Thanks."

A few days later you were able to tell Christa a little more about what you felt. You told her about your feelings that you felt towards Jean.

"It's so weird to me.. He's a jerk and he's so mean to me. I just don't get why I could be attracted to him at all."

"You never know.." Christa looked up at the sky. "You never know who might be that someone you end up liking."

"Yeah but of all people it's Jean.."

"He's not that bad.."

"You know what I think.." You interrupted her. "He looks like a horse doesn't he?"

"What are you talking about?" She had a twisted look.

"He looks like a horse. You know.. I love horses. I actually miss my horse.."

"_______.. I don't think that's the same-"

"Maybe I like Jean because he looks like a horse!!" You yelled out.

"_______!" Christa tried to cover your mouth but you blurt it all out already.

"Did I come to soon?" Ymir peered behind the two of you.

"Huh?" You looked behind you in surprise.

"I knew you weren't normal.. But to hear this?" It was Jean.

"W-w-what?? No way! I didn't say that! Ahh!"

"I-I knew you weren't normal at all, _______." Jean crossed his arms and looked away from you.

"Shut up Jean!" You screamed and dashed away from the group.

"_______! Wait!" Christa yelled for you but you were too embarrassed to look back.

"Ymir! What should we do?" Christa whined to the tall girl beside her.

"Jean go talk to her." She suggested.

"To a weirdo like her? Hah, I'd never do that." He turned and walked the other way.

"Wait a second.." Christa looked at the ground in thought. "Weren't you blushing earlier?"

Jean paused for a second and spoke, "Hmph, a girl like her wouldn't make me blush.."

"Jean. I think you like _______ too." Christa's eyes beamed.

"You're crazy to think I like her!" He faced the two with wild eyes.

"I actually think it's true too.." Ymir crossed her arms.

"You should go chase her.. It's not nice to leave a lady like that.." Christa persuaded.

"But I don't even-" He was cut off.

"This is your only chance. After this she's going to shut herself away from you. There's no way she'd come back after embarrassing herself. Now go get her or leave her and never make contact with her again." Ymir stared him down as she pointed in the direction you ran in.

"Ugh.. fine.." He sighed and ran off.

"What was all that?" Christa nudged Ymir.

"I don't know.. But it worked."

"_______!" Jean stomped down the path searching for you. "Where are you!?"

You could hear his words but you held back. You really didn't want to see him. He was probably just going to make fun of you more.

"Look I'm sorry.. A-are you around?" He continued.

You sighed as you sat down against a tree. Your cheeks had a few drops roll down from the embarrassment you faced. You didn't know whether to call out or let him find you.

"_______.." His voice was softer this time.

"Jean.." You stood up and stepped from behind the tree.

"_______!" He stopped as he saw you and ran straight to you.

"Why are you here?" You wiped the last if your tears away and faced him.

"To talk to you." His eyes looked serious.

"What could you ever want say to me!?"

"_______.. Sorry.." He took a deep breath. "Sorry for making you cry and saying those things to you."

"Are you okay..?"

"I mean it!" He raised his voice. "Look I'm not here to make fun of you or to call you names I'm here because.." He paused not knowing what to say. "Because.."

A gust of wind blew past the two of you as Jean lowered his face to your cheeks. Your heartbeat skipped as his lips made contact to your cheeks.

"Because of that.." He whispered as his arms encircled you.

Minutes passed by and the two of you sat against a tree, enjoying each other's presence.

"So you really like me because I look like a horse?" He asked with his eyes looking up in the sky.

"I-I only said that because I was in denial!" You defended yourself.

"You're funnier than I thought you were.." He sighed in relief and rested his hand in the grass.

"And you're nicer than I thought, Jean.." You turned to face him and rested your hand down too. "Oh, sorry!" You pulled away, feeling his hand under yours.

"It's okay, you did nothing wrong.."

"And that's when, huh?" You stretched your arms as you laid next to Jean.

"Yeah, that's how we came to be.. You really were a funny girl.." He couldn't help but laugh.

"Whatever.. I still like you now because you look like a horse.." You teased him as your rolled over his arm and into his chest.

"Ahh.. let's just stay like this forever then.." He wrapped his arms around you and nuzzled close to your head.

-- IM SO SORRY FOR BEING GONE GUYS.. but I really keep up with all the comments and stuff.. you guys are all amazing people. To my new followers, Hello! Hi wow thank you for following me and I hope I can meet your expectations as a writer!

anyway.. this was a request from way wayy back and I didn't know how to do it so if the horse loving seems forced.. sorry. it was fun to write nonetheless since I put the flashbacks.. ;u; hope you enjoyed it~ and sorry for typos!