“A Smile Better Than Any Night”
Notes: This entry doesn't have much of the prompts of this day, just a tiny little piece but still I wanted to upload it because I love the result. Happy third day of Jeanpiku week!!! Hope you like it.
She wasn’t a fan of parties.
 But she could not say that since she had never attended one.
 The only time she could think of coming close to being in one was when the Liberio festival was celebrated back in Marley.
 God, mentioning those times was like remembering a past life.
 She still remembers Falco and Gabi's expressions when they first saw how much food there was.
 It was a different day, calm, enjoyable.
 The calm before the storm.
 Not so much for Reiner’s wallet though.
 And here she was, sitting alone at a table watching the rest of the guests dance or talk with others.
 Connie had asked the warrior earlier if he could borrow Falco and Gabi so his night wouldn't be so boring.
 At first, she frowned at the question, Falco was eighteenth after all, and it wouldn’t be long before Gabi is too.
 They could decide for themselves.
 But then she realized by the look on his face that he was ashamed by what happened the night of Falco’s birthday.
 She is seen as the person who takes care of them, which she is, so she understood.
 She happily accepted.
 First, because Falco and Gabi also looked just as bored.
 And second, because she didn't want Connie to feel bad about that night.
 She knows he cares about them and it feels good that they have one friend to have fun with while they stay in the island.
 The three of them asked her if she wanted to go with them but she kindly refused.
 She said that she already felt the years taking their toll on her, which made them giggle.
 She saw how they went on smiling and laughing while leaving the room.
 And of course, she also noticed Connie mischievous smile.
 Yes, Jean and him would make sure not to make this event boring for them.
 Again…
 This is the third time she mentions Jean’s name inside her head.
 She wouldn't be thinking about him if he hadn't given her that compliment earlier.
 Well, if he hadn’t told Falco about giving her that compliment.
 She knew it was just that, words, he meant good and only told her she was pretty.
 The prettiest in the room……
 Again, just a compliment….
 It irritated her so much why she was making such a fuss about it.
 Worst of all is that they have not even exchanged words.
 Just looks.
 She wondered why he was caring so much, why he was so interested.
 Maybe he wanted to be close to her too because he is Falco and Gabi’s friend.
 Or was it something else?
 Why was it so confusing?
 While hearing the glasses of champaign being served and mumbles all over the room, she remembered the moment he gave her a tissue.
 Back then, when she was a crying mess, when she was outside her most vulnerable state.
 He didn’t even know her and gave her some comfort, he knew she was the enemy, that she killed many people that were on his side, some even friends.
 But she also did the same with him….
 She didn’t know him, she knew he was the enemy and yet, she wanted to give him the same comfort, even though she killed his comrades too, some…even friends.
 Was this the reason she couldn’t stop thinking about that night?
 About those nights?
 Because he was an enigma?
 Because it made her curious why he was acting the way he was acting?
 So many questions wondered her mind and were easily vanished the moment she heard someone sit next to her.
 “Mind if I join you miss?” Pieck heard while turning her head to the voice.
 The warrior smile when she saw a familiar face giving her a smirk, the woman was wearing a short white dress with her hair down as always.
 “Woah, by that look I must say I’m flattered but I’m actually straight” Hitch responded with a grin on her lips while taking a seat.
 “I’m surprised you’re not annoying Annie with your charm” Pieck said in a sarcastic tone.
 “Please, I’ve received enough death stares from her anyways” Hitch laughed while serving herself some champagne.
 Pieck had to say that not being alone it was comforting, it was nice seeing the blonde girl again after some time.
 She knew Hitch thanks to Annie, the reason?
 Because she was one of the few persons that the blonde tolerated.
 “How you’ve been?” Pieck asked the lady, while taking a sip from her drink.
 “You know, being over here, being over there, work is always calling, considering how fucked up this island is” the blonde answered with a sigh.
 “I really don’t want to talk about work, just give me this night to rest” she added.
 “What I should be asking is what the hell is going on with you? I come here and the first thing I see is a beauty sitting alone, having an existential crisis with herself” the blonde raised her eyebrows.
 Shit…
 Was she being that obvious?
 How much time has she been rambling inside her thoughts?
 “Nothing, I was just wondering where Falco and Gabi are” she lied, trying to be hard to read, which she was good at.
 With most people.
 “Ohh!!! The two brats are here?? They must be tall, it’s been forever since I last saw them” Hitch answered enthusiastically, but not falling for it.
 Pieck took her glass and drank some more while nodding to the blonde.
 “But that can wait. Tell me, who will you sleep with tonight?” Hitch asked.
 That made Pieck instantly choke with her drink, fortunately she didn’t spit any.
 “W-what?” Pieck widened her eyes while looking to the blonde.
 “Don’t give me that -I’ve never seen a dick- face. You were drooling just before I talked to you” the blonde said with a mocking tone.
 “Just to be clear, there’s no one here I would like to sleep with, and second of all-” the warrior couldn’t continue at hearing the blonde laugh at her.
 “Darling, you may fool anyone with that tone and face, but that won’t work with me” Hitch said between laughs.
 Pieck was getting angry.
 Not at her.
 She was getting infuriated knowing the moment she heard “sleep” she thought about him.
 Why?
 Just why?
 Not understanding how she was feeling was getting tiring.
 “Look” the blonde respond calming herself. “This party, event or whatever is getting nowhere, you should be trying to find a partner, at least someone who’ll give you a good-“
“Hitch” the warrior looked at her with a serious face.
 “I’m just saying, we’ll be here one night, no one would say or remember anything, you should at least try and see what happens”
 The warrior glared at her. “Uhuh, and tell me, what happens with Gabi and Falco in the meantime”
 “They’re practically adults now! Look, if it makes you feel any better, I can take them to my room just for the night, I know there’s a lot of people here. And you can have a little…alone time” Hitch really was trying to sound tempting.
 She hated to admit that she had a point.
 This was supposed to be one night in a ship, assist to the dinner and return the next morning.
The ship would follow a route just around and close to the island.
They couldn't risk entering in other waters when there was a world out there that still considered Paradis the enemy.
The Rumbling worked, but for how long?
 And that was the schedule, but some idiot from the higher ups also attended to the event and the news of him getting married spread out quickly.
 Now the staff was doing their best to get ready all the preparations for the wedding and of course, they said…
 It would be an honor if the “Heroes of Paradis” attended to the event.
 Besides, Annie and Armin were long gone, probably trying to avoid the higher ups.
 Mikasa probably was with them or alone somewhere.
 Gabi and Falco were with Connie….
 And probably with Jean
 Shit.
 Again.
 He was probably with them, right?
 No.
 Why was she wondering where he was?
 “So, you’re going to act like you’re not thinking about him?” Hitch finally asked, after waiting for an answer.
 Pieck felt her heart almost stop when she heard her.
 “I’m not…” she said.
 “Oh, so is a he, good to know” Hitch had a wide grin all over her face.
 Fuck.
 How could she not realize that she was luring her into a trap.
 “Let me guess, hmmm” she started tapping her fingers on the table and looked around the room.
 Pieck was praying for her not to say his name, she was praying for her not to find him.
 “What about him?” she pointed at a young man who was dressed very nicely at the distance.
 “Hitch, even if you point at every man in this room, or in the whole ship, you’ll never find him because there’s no one I’ve been thinking about” the warrior respond, trying to fool her.
 Oh, but little the warrior knew how much will the blonde had.
 After 15 minutes trying to guess, Hitch finally gave up.
 “You’re not fun, Pieck. I was just trying for you to have a nice evening” Hitch said a little annoyed.
 Pieck tried her best not to look relieved.
 “Hey, I don’t need to get laid to have fun. With you here, I already know that I’m in for a ride” Pieck chuckled.
 Hitch giggled a little while handing some more champagne to her friend.
 “I guess you’re right, who needs men anyway?”
 Both of the girls clinked their glasses and took a sip from their drinks.
 After Hitch finished, she looked behind Pieck and raised her eyebrows while waving.
 “Hey Jean!”
 This time she didn’t had any luck left, the warrior spit some of her drink the moment she heard the name.
 The blonde girl couldn’t help but feel proud of herself, with a wide smile.
 Pieck turned around and saw that there was no tall man behind her, frowning her eyebrows and biting her lip.
 “There’s no way…you totally fell for it” Hitch couldn’t help but burst out of laughing while receiving a deadly glare from the warrior.
 Pieck felt so embarrassed, now Hitch was going to think that she like Jean when she doesn’t, she doesn’t even know what to think.
 “So…tall guys” Hitch answered with a teasing tone, calming herself.
 “Hitch, you better not-” again, the warrior was interrupted.
 But not by Hitch.
 “Excuse me” a young voice came from behind her.
 Hitch directed her eyes above Pieck’s head, confirming to the warrior that this time she wasn’t pranking her.
 She turned around and met eyes with a young man, attractive, dressed in a suit and with short hair.
 “Hi” Pieck answered. “Do you need something?”
 “I was actually…” the man gulped; his left leg was shaking.
He was in front of one of the “Heroes” after all.
 The warrior heard how Hitch was chuckling a bit.
 Was this man trying to ask her out?
 “I was wondering if I could get you a drink” the man muttered. “Only if you have time of course, if not I totally understand”
 Pieck would have refused him quickly, respectfully of course, but quickly.
 She started thinking, wondering inside her mind.
 Hitch was more suspicious about Jean.
 She also told her that she should have fun.
 You know what?
 Fuck it.
 If Hitch wanted her to have a great night, she’ll have it. But under her terms.
 “I’m sorry, she is interested in-
 “Fine” the warrior said to the man, preventing Hitch from finishing the sentence.
 “Huh?” Hitch asked confused, looking at the warrior who was getting up from her seat.
 “Why the face Hitch? You told me I should try” Pieck whispered to her and winked at her.
 As both of them left the table, Hitch grinded her teeth.
 “She likes taller men anyways” Hitch screamed to them, but they were already leaving the room.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………….
 Over the way to the bar, Pieck listened to the man talk and talk.
 She had to pretend sometimes to be listening.
 Something about a prestigious position and fast cars were the only thing that her ears heard.
 She thought about how she avoided Hitch for the moment but was now in this situation.
 The warrior told herself that she should at least try and take her advice.
 She was in this position now anyways and the man wasn’t bad looking.
 But...she wanted her first time to be like this?
 This man probably was looking just for sex, which was a good thing because if he would have implied something romantically, now that would have been a problem.
 But she had doubts…she couldn’t just…do it.
 Ever since she was a little girl, she's always had the idea that if you're going to be this intimate with someone, it has to be someone you love.
 That was one of the things that her father taught her.
 It warmed her heart just thinking about him.
 He knew the destiny that she had.
 The short life and curse that she was carrying.
 And still, sometimes he took the time to explain things like that to her.
 He took the time to brush her hair every morning when she was little.
 He took the time to wait for her to fall asleep when she was scared of the dark.
 Hoping that one day his daughter won’t need to go to war anymore.
 Hoping that one day she’ll fall in love and think about having a family.
 With him not in the picture anymore, she did her best to be strong and enjoy life.
 And she did, she does, every time with Falco and Gabi, every time with Annie and Hitch.
 Even today, just talking with the rest of them makes her feel good.
 Yet, every time she thinks about love….
 About someone with her….
 There is nothing.
 She knows so little about love….
 Few men caught her attention but she quickly forgot them.
 Thinking about her mission, her training, she had no time for those things.
 At least, back then….
 Then why?
 Why when she now has no mission….
 ….no training….
 ….no lack of time….
 Why is it so difficult?
 She didn’t care if she was meant to be alone.
 She has enough right now.
 If-
 “Hey, are you listening?” The young man asked, looking at her.
 She quickly looks at him.
 “Yeah….no, actually, I’m sorry” she said in an embarrassed tone.
 The man chuckled. “It’s alright, I’ve been talking a lot about me, please, I want to know about you”
 She was startled a little by the question and by the fact that she walked for some good minutes and didn’t realize that were already at the bar.
 “Where’s the bartender?” the young man asked, while trying to find an employee.
 “Well, we can wait” the man rang a small bell that was on top of the counter, alerting the bartender that there are customers waiting.
 He leaned on his elbow placed on the counter and smiled at Pieck.
 “Seriously, I want to know about you”
 About her?
 She came to the conclusion that he was asking about her “action” days, when she and the others stopped the Rumbling.
That is what everyone likes to ask her.
 Every single time.
 “There’s not much to- “
 “Pieck?”
 That voice.
 His voice.
 It made the small hairs of her ears to stand on end.
 She looked behind the counter and saw Jean, looking at her with a frown on his face.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………….
 What?
 What was she doing here?
 Well, of course, she boarded the ship with the others.
 But what was she doing…
here?
 “Jean?” his name escaped from her lips, she looked confused as him.
 “Oh my- For the love of Ymir! Jean Kirstein, is such an honor, I didn’t have any idea…” the man frowned, looking at Jean’s clothes.
 “Are you the bartender?” the man asked.
 Jean didn’t answer, he was still looking at Pieck.
 “Sir?” he heard the man asked again.
 Pieck eyes traveled to the man who was waiting for an answer, by her expression she was starting to get nervous.
 Jean finally snapped from his thoughts and look at the man.
 “Sorry, what was your question?” Jean asked.
 “Why are you the bartender? You are a hero; you shouldn’t be working behind a counter” the man added.
 “I lost a bet, the price it was that if I lose, I would have to work as a bartender for the whole night” Jean explained, taking some glasses from the counter.
 “I see, but sir please, you shoul-“
 “I insist, please, it’s no problem at all” Jean answered, getting ready to take their orders.
 He couldn’t stop looking at her from the corner of his eye.
 He needed to get it together.
 “Alright then…I’ll have two red blossoms” the man indicated, while turning to Pieck.
 Jean remained silent; he didn’t even know what the fuck a red blossom was.
 He couldn’t stop thinking all day about when he was in Pieck’s house.
 And he felt sick for doing that.
 He wasn’t even an old friend of hers or a loved one.
 And yet his mind always drifted to that moment.
 He couldn’t think about the compliment he gave her.
 It would make him go red all over again.
 But why the hell it felt so fucking good to say it?
 He came to his senses the moment he heard her laugh.
 Right, he almost forgot that she came to take a drink with that man.
 “And of course, I’ve heard about you, Pieck Finger, I just didn’t want to be seen as a…crazy fan or…stalker” the man chuckled nervously.
 “I must say, you have a really pretty name, I like it” the man added while not taking his eyes off Pieck.
 Pretty.
 He used the same compliment that Jean said to her.
 Was this man for real?
 “Thank you…” he heard her voice thanked the man, her tone was so soft, like she didn’t want the man to be disappointed or proud of his compliment.
 “So…I heard your friend yelled that you like tall men” the man responded.
 Jean stopped whatever he was doing.
 He didn’t move, he didn’t open his mouth, he just stayed still.
 Was he hearing things?
 Did that man was telling the truth?
 “I would say that I feel attraction to them, yes” Pieck answered.
 No.
 Stop.
 Why was this making Jean smile?
 Jean needed to distract himself, he needed to get out of there.
 But every time he tried to look away, the image of the look on her face in that forest came to his mind.
 That look was haunting him, not in a bad way, but he needed it to stop.
 After some minutes, Jean looked at Pieck a few times.
 She didn’t look back.
 But rather than feeling bad about it….
 He felt pleased.
 Jean thought for some moments….
 Is this life sending a signal?
 Rather than asking to himself why was he feeling so thrilled about her….
 He scolded to himself that he needed to ask why he couldn’t see how happy she was now.
 Jean didn’t know her, he knows that, he knows that perfectly…. but that smile….
 That smile that she gave him when he handed her that tissue for her to wipe her tears….
 That smile was there…right now.
 With that man.
 He knew he doesn’t have any right to feel jealous or possessive about her, not in a million years.
 But he wasn’t…. he was loving looking at her smiling like that.
 That strong, fierce, sweet and beautiful woman that she is, was there right now.
 Just enjoying a chat with a stranger.
 He knows that she didn’t need anything to change who she was.
 All the moments he looked at her through his entire life….
 All the memories that he has of her…
 She was…perfect just the way she is.
 She is.
 But right….
 Who was him to tell that she was perfect?
 He only was sure of something.
 He is glad that someone is making her smile.
 He is glad that that comfort that he gave her, she can find it in someone else.
 He is glad that…she can heal the wounds from that day…
 with someone who isn’t broken.
 Jean managed to serve their drinks after a while.
 He walked to them and placed the drinks on the counter.
 “Thanks, sir, I appreciate it” the man told him with a nod.
 Pieck on the other hand, this time, he met her eyes.
 It was just for two seconds but felt like minutes.
 That look was everything he needed.
 He gave her a small smile; he was sure that she didn’t even knew why he was smiling.
 But he did.
 It was enough.
 The tall scout started walking away and washed his hand with some water before heading out from the bar.
 “It’s interesting to know that. Now, if you don’t mind, could you tell me about that day?” the man asked.
 Like if they were connected, Jean and Pieck just widened their eyes and stood still.
 No.
 Don’t…
 “I know the Rumbling was something extremely devastating, but I’m interested to know, did you see it all happened?” the man asked with an intrigue face.
 Pieck couldn’t formulate any words, she couldn’t move, she looked like she was looking at ghosts.
 Please…
 “How many poor victims you had to witness that day?” the man asked again.
 Don’t do that to her.