Domestic Jeankasa fluff because I say so

[angewiesen]

It was spring, in the very last moments of coolness before an early summer. Jean woke up when the first fingers of dawn's sunlight reached through their open window and touched his face. It was a habit he learned in training that continued to be relevant in his life today. Out here in the wilderness, you got up with the sun and went to bed when it set, and you spent those precious waking hours working the land.

When he was young, he dreamed of a life in the city, of lax morals and drunken dalliances. When he took up with the Corps, those dreams faded. He assumed that he'd die before his retirement. When the Rumbling was stopped, the world had changed so violently that he had no idea what his future would look like. Even when all sorts of possibilities opened up to him, where he was now wasn't one of his first guesses.

It was what Mikasa wanted. What she figured out she wanted, once her life was suddenly void of its previous purpose. Jean was happy where she was happiest. He could adapt. He'd been doing it all his life before now, and this change was relatively easy in comparison.

Jean stiffly stretched in place on his side of the bed, warming his body up, before he turned on his side to face Mikasa's back. It didn't look like she was up yet. He reached around her waist and drew himself up against her body. He buried his nose in her dark hair. He liked it even more than he thought he would in all the fantasies he had as a teenager. He really had it made.

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[loadbearing]

Mikasa wasn't the lightest sleeper. She could sleep through the hustle and bustle of the barracks. Even now, years later in her own home, that habit remained. She had an innate sense of when something dangerous was near. But for now, she felt safe enough to remain snuggled into her side of the bed.

She stayed that way, even as the arm wrapped around her. She offered a soft murmur as she burrowed further into the blankets. Giving Jean a bird's nest of black hair to the face as she curled up.

Nope, it wasn't time to get up yet. Just a bit longer...

[angewiesen]

Jean considered it a compliment that she didn't wake up when he cuddled up to her. After years of being in war together, he thought she was the type to jolt awake at the slightest provocation. As it turned out, that's just how they all were from training, or trauma, or both. She actually slept very deeply when she felt secure.

From what he could remember, they had a lot to do today. This was his first spring planting, and it was hard work. Even after a life as hard as his, he still went to sleep each night totally exhausted. But these moments were precious. He could wait until the sun got a little higher to actually try and wake her up.

[loadbearing]

There was a certain sense of security to it. She could sleep sounder when she could hear the sound of someone else in the room, even if if it was their snores. Just the sounds of life. The heartbeat against her back only served as further comfort.

But alas, even with him pressed flush against her and all the comfort. Her body sensed it was dawn and she started to stir. Even if that consisted of a sleepy groan as she uncurled again and stretched, mouth opening in a yawn. Then she promptly went limp again, sinking back into the covers. Half-awake, but only just.

[angewiesen]

"G'morning," Jean greeted her once he was confident she was awake enough to hear it. He lifted a hand to pull a bit of hair away from her face. She cut it every so often, but it was starting to get long again.

[loadbearing]

"...Morning." It was a lazy drawl, her eyes closing as his hand brushed her head. The mess of black hair would not be tamed by a single brush. The rest of it pooled over his hand and the pillow.

She sighed, her blurred eyes opening again to look at him. "What time is it?"

[angewiesen]

"Too early," was always his response. He may have been conditioned to get up with the sun, but that didn't mean he had to like it. "Probably... 6ish? I haven't heard the clock chime."

They only had one, and it was in another room. He had to judge on whether or not he heard its hourly gong yet.

[loadbearing]

That got a small grunt, agreeing with the sentiment. Mikasa's eyes sliding back shut as she nuzzled at him, sinking back into the mattress.


"It didn't wake me up..." There was another few seconds of getting cozy. Then she sighed against him. "It sounds like it's raining..." Only a drizzle, they'd be able to work in it still. As unpleasant as it'd be. Maybe it'd die down later...

[angewiesen]

"Is that your way of asking for 5 more minutes?"

Jean wasn't going to complain if that was the case. He was finding that he actually kind of liked farm work-- it reminded him of all the nice times in the Corps where they were doing something low-stress, like building orphanages or laying down railroad. But spending time laying around in bed was even nicer. As Mikasa turned around to nuzzle at this chest, he held her a little tighter.

[loadbearing]

Well...She had been settling again to get cozy. Sighing against him. Then she wiggled, pushing herself up. Okay, okay, she's getting up. She didn't want to get up, but Jean's comment made the workaholic in her rise.

Albeit, slowly. She was still just midway between sitting and lying. Giving another sigh as she looked out the window to see the rain.

"It has to be done at some point..." But she was still reluctant to leave the bed, her body giving a small shiver in the cool spring air.

[angewiesen]

Ah, too bad. Still, Jean got up with her, and draped his body over hers. She was always freezing cold, but he tended to run warm, so things worked out.

"Breakfast first?"

They could take their time with it, if they were waiting for the rain to stop.

[loadbearing]

This is why she always wore a cardigan. Even when she was young and in the South's warmer weather. She leaned into him, not even thinking about it as she tried to swing her legs around. Hanging them off the bed. Sighing as she gave another little stretch, kicking a leg up.

"Yeah... I don't know what though." It's punctuated with a yawn, too sleepy to think of what they had in the pantry.

[angewiesen]

"I'll see what the ladies are up to."

That's what he referred to their chickens as. At this time of year, they were starting to lay more frequently. One of them was pretty broody, and he usually had to physically remove her from the nest.

Jean threw some clothes on and staggered into their backyard to check the hutch. About half of their clutch had eggs, which would be enough for a good breakfast. He took a moment to look out at the valley as he did so. There wasn't any civilization out here for miles. That was how Mikasa liked it.

[loadbearing]

Mikasa snorted, still stretching. Ambling over to pick out some clothes, her hand reaching up to try and brush her hair a little... It was still a mess.

"Don't get beaten up too badly..."

Those hens, they could get pretty mean. Even if they were mostly harmless. But Mikasa got ready. Moving into the kitchen, setting out some plates as she buttered bread.

"It's so peaceful here." Just a little mumble.

[angewiesen]

Admittedly, the broody one went straight for the attack when he lifted her off of the nest, and he had to chuck her (away from any walls) to avoid losing an eye. She's a bird, don't worry. She fluttered harmlessly to the floor, clucking indignantly. How dare she be handled so!

Jean got 10 eggs in total. They were getting to the season where they were laying so well they would have to start preserving the leftovers.

"You say that every day," he remarked as he set the basket down on the counter next to her. "I'd be concerned if it wasn't."

I live........

[loadbearing]

Mikasa heard. It was hard to miss the enraged clucking, even as she nibbled her bread. Waiting for Jean to return. His reply made her head dip, a soft smile forming on her face.

"I would too..." After everything they'd struggled for. Her eyes squeezed shut as she took a breath, giving a small shake as she looked at him again. Then inclining her head to the basket "How were the chickens?" Dropping the topic before she thought too hard about it.

Though the weather did seem to be clearing up, maybe they would do some work. Her normal go to when she didn't want to think about things.

[angewiesen]

Jean saw that slight falter and didn't say anything about it. He knew the look. He had the same kind of moment frequently himself. There's shit you can never forget, both good and bad, that decided to rear itself up over some of the most mundane, unpredictable things. If she wanted to talk about it, she'd say something. Otherwise, it was best to let it lie.

"They're doing good. The warmer it gets, the more they lay," despite any small protests, he found them pretty interesting. Before coming to live here, the only animal he'd ever interacted with were horses. "Big Bettie's a bitch though. Keeps trying to sit on all the eggs. Tried to peck my eyes out for moving her."

[loadbearing]

It was hard to believe how little time had passed. Still hard to realise they were so young and so much had happened in just a few years.

But those times were over now, even if the memories would never leave...

"... They will and she will. We'll have to be careful with her." They'd dealt with worse than a fat bird, but you never know. She was good at laying but maybe... Eh, she was fine for now. No chicken dinner yet. "I wonder why she's like that, the others are... I've seen them eat their own eggs before." Bettie got all the maternal instinct here. Mikasa just snorted, shaking it off and looking back at Jean.

"Any ideas what to make with them?"

[angewiesen]

"She's the boss for a reason, I guess," Jean shrugged a little. "She's the only one that'd actually reproduce right, so she's the smartest out of all of them."

In the nation of the blind, the one eyed man is king? Or in this case, the biggest bird-brain.

"What else do we have around?" he asked as he wandered the kitchen, peeking into cabinets in a cursory way. There was leftover bread, and in the icebox (icebrust stone had some great practical applications, if you know how to work with it so it doesn't explode) there was a variety of root vegetables, and new leeks.

[loadbearing]

She gave a small chuckle. At least they got eggs, even if the chickens weren't the brightest. Mikasa wasn't sure what they'd do if the chickens didn't give eggs... Probably eat them and get some more but that felt like a waste.

"Bread, some vegetables." She gave a small shrug looking over at the pantry as well. But Mikasa wasn't the most creative with cooking. She'd make the same things every day. Jean had a bit more variety when it came to cooking skills.

"It's strange, having the choice." Maybe that was why she didn't adventure more.