Hello! Do you have any ReiJean Valentine’s Day headcanons? 👀
Hello!! Thanks for the ask!!
I’m not big on Valentine’s Day in itself but I’m big on being super corny so here we go!!
Neither of them have really celebrated before they got together, Reiner because he was a child soldier and then a depressed and suicidal teenage soldier, and Jean because Valentine’s Day was simply not a thing on Paradis (big fan of any kind of situation involving the Paradis natives learning about Valentine’s Day, Christmas or the different iterations of the Tooth Fairy or any other widely known celebration btw). They do celebrate every year, but it’s usually nothing big and happens in the morning. Jean likes to get Reiner a bouquet of flowers, different ones every year, and Reiner gets Jean a breakfast in bed if they’re off that day. I like imagining them and the rest of the Alliance celebrating platonic love and friendship on Valentine’s day, something they caught on during their travels as peace ambassadors. They try to meet up with Levi, the kids and Onyankopon, have a meal together.
I got even more carried away/ drafty thinking about how it could go when they’re not together yet so more under the cut I guess.
They’ve been staying at a town that has barely been spared from the Rumbling east of Fort Salt and where refugees have been gathering for a couple weeks when Jean learns about Valentines Day. Falco barges into the kitchen one afternoon, with teary eyes and troubled breathing, goes straight to Pieck, and asks her what he could do for Gabi for Valentines day. There isn’t exactly florists around anymore, food is tight, nature is definitely not healing, and, and, and… Pieck holds him tight, gently stroking his hair until he calms down. Jean watches as she teaches Falco how to fold a page of a book into a flower.
A couple of days later, one of the women that has been working with them on cleaning up the outskirts of the city asks Reiner if he’d be her date for the Valentine’s Day. Reiner turns beet red and says he already has plans.
Reiner has a date then. It’s fine. Jean is cool with it. Really. It’s not like him and Reiner are an item. Sure, they’ve been sharing a room (well, it’s more a glorified cupboard, but there isn’t exactly any room to spare these days). And sure, some nights when Jean wakes up screaming, Reiner is there by his side. And yes, some nights Jean soothes Reiner to sleep. And… Alright. Alright. Maybe he was starting to entertain the though that there could be something more than mere camaraderie between them. But, according to Reiner, there isn’t. That’s perfectly fine. They are friends and Jean will get over his unrequited crush. It’s not his first rodeo. And what if he was trying to muster the courage to properly ask Reiner out? He spent the past 22 years not celebrating Valentines Day (and not being in a relationship), he doesn’t need to start now.
Jean wonders who it is. In a curious way, not a jealous way. He considers asking Reiner about it, but the man refused to answer any of Connie’s questions about it, and Jean respects his privacy. Still. It’s highly unlikely to be someone they both know. But Jean is also doubting Reiner’s capacity to score a date with a stranger. The man is unbearably hot, and while he’s not Yes-Beat-Me-Up-I-Won’t-Fight-Back-Reiner he’s not Cadet-Days-Reiner either. Maybe it’s no one? Maybe Reiner is not into women and tried to turn her down gently? That’d be great. That’d be so fucking lovely.
On Valentine’s Day, Reiner comes into their room around 6. His shirt is ironed (who the fuck finds the time and the iron board to do that nowadays?) and open one button too many, his hair freshly washed. He looks nice. (He looks gorgeous. Jean is fucked). He smiles warmly.
— Hello Jean.
— Hi.
(Jean swears he is trying not to be curt. He might be kind of failing.)
— Any plans tonight? Reiner sits on the edge of Jean’s bed. He smells like Cologne. Where the hell did he even get Cologne?
— Why? Did your date cancel on you? Jean says pointedly as he sits up from the bed.
Reiner furrows his brows and sits up too.
— Anyway, he continues, I’ve got to go. I’m on schedule tonight.
— Connie is keeping watch tonight.
— No he isn’t. Connie was on two days ago.
— No, remember, I was on two days ago. I took his shift. Took the one he has next week too.
Jean looks at Reiner suspiciously. It’s depressing, patrolling the outskirt of the city at night, watching the barren wasteland and waiting for people to appear on the horizon. Especially when there has been no new arrival for a week and that they have to face that they might be all that is left on this side of the globe. But they’re all adults and they all need sleep. There is no way he is gonna let Reiner be a sleep deprived self-sacrificial -
Wait.
— You took two of Connie’s shifts so I wouldn’t have to work tonight?
Reiner nods, his cheeks turning pink. Jean’s stomach does a flip. Oh. They stare at each other in silence, Reiner’s blush deepening.
— Well are you gonna ask me out or what? Jean finally barks.
Reiner widens his eyes, and lets out a full belly laugh.
— Fuck, he says, You’re the actual worst.
Jean crosses his arms on his chest with a smirk. Reiner shakes his head.
— Jean. Would you like to be my date tonight?
They both smile earnestly.
— Very much yes.
Jean picks a clean shirt (it’s not ironed but it will do) and combs his hair the best he can. Reiner holds out his hand, and Jean takes it, letting Reiner leads him to the main square, where people are slowly gathering. There’s colorful paper garlands hanged up, a woman is playing a boxed shape thing Jean has never seen before and Falco and Gabi are sitting on a low wall, fifty centimeters apart but feet touching, a paper flower tucked in the buttonhole of her dress.
They dance for a long time. Well. Reiner tries to teach Jean how to dance. It’s a lot for Jean, because not only is Reiner a pretty good dancer but he also has his hand on Jean’s waist.
They take a break, their shoulders touching. Reiner’s hair is a mess, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his soft gaze on Gabi and Falco, who have joined some other kids and are doing a weird jerky dance. Pieck is slow dancing with a lady in a periwinkle dress who’s at least three time her age. Connie joined the celebration after watch was declared cancel for the night, and is having an animated discussion with people Jean has never seen before. The air is warm, the Sun just setting. Jean takes it all in, carving the moment in a corner of his brain.
— This is nice, Jean says softly. Thanks Reiner.
— I’m glad, Reiner says, taking his hand. Jean squeezes it.
— Do you want to make out? Jean blurts out, at the same time Reiner asks:
— Do you want to take a walk?
Reiner blinks.
— Same thing, Jean mumbles.
— You’re a piece of work Kirstein, Reiner says. Let’s go.
— I’m a piece of work? Jean protests as they leave the square. Very rich coming from the man who -
Reiner doesn’t give Jean the opportunity to finish his sentence.
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