So I uploaded this story on another site last summer and decided to upload it here. It's one of my first Attack on Titan fixed and my friend challenged me to make a stripperAU which i wasn't sure about but decided to give it a go. So here it is. Concrit needed!

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Chapter 1

Eren is just a guy trying to support his younger brother. When he loses his job suddenly, he lands another in a place he would have never expected…& ends up going much deeper than he ever intended. Shy is something Eren has never been, and while he would have believed that would lead to him taking his clothes off for cash, he certainly didn't see himself falling for a stripper...

Eren was royally screwed.

He'd been working at the Wall Rose Diner for ages. He knew the owner practically since birth, so he had job security and better pay than he'd get anywhere else in food service. The environment was fast-paced but not too stressful, and he went home tired but not quite dead to the world. The best part was that since he worked the night shift for the 24-hour restaurant, he got home in time to make his little brother breakfast and drive him to school before passing out. Armin seemed to appreciate the arrangement, because he even had time to eat dinner together and get some help on his schoolwork before Eren left for work. Today was no exception; he picked Armin up from school, asked him about his day, helped him with some homework and made him dinner before heading for work.

Unfortunately, his perfect schedule and perfect job had just been yanked out from under him. He went into work only to find that the owner had suffered a heart attack and his son and only surviving heir was inheriting the restaurant. He was closing it down and selling it, firing all the workers with no additional pay. Eren was practically sobbing when he called his best friend, Mikasa. Thankfully he'd found out about it before her shift at her own job even started, so she told him to come over right away so they could talk.

After she'd calmed him down, she made him some tea and sat next to him on her couch, rubbing his back. "Okay, now tell me what happened."

He went over the whole story, which she could actually understand now that he wasn't blubbering and muffled through the phone. He told her how the owner was such a good man and the only father figure he really knew. He explained how his son was a heartless bastard who sold the place right out from under them with no notice and no severance package. He told her how it would be impossible to find another job in this economy with good enough pay to support himself and Armin with a schedule that wouldn't ruin their current setup. He cried about his rent being due in two weeks, and that if he couldn't support Armin, his brother would get thrown into foster care, and he just couldn't bear that.

Once Eren had cried and wailed until his voice was raw, Mikasa shoved the tea into his hands and took a breath. "All right. So now that we know the problems, let's work on a solution."

Eren scoffed. "Like it's that easy. In this economy?"

"Night jobs are easier to come by because no one wants them." Mikasa told him, sipping at her own tea calmly. "Connie, our bartender, is leaving in a week and Erwin hasn't hired a replacement yet. Why don't you come to work with me tonight and apply?"

Eren blinked at her. And blinked again. "Mikasa, you work at a strip club."

Mikasa sighed. "As a hostess. All the dancers are men. Connie bartends and he doesn't dance. It's not a bad place, Eren." She took a sip of her tea. "And besides, the stripping is only in the back building Thursday through Saturday. The rest of the week, it's just a swanky bar and grille."

Eren frowned. He wasn't thrilled, but at this point, what choice did he have? And besides, Mikasa was the most level-headed person he knew. If she didn't find the place to be unbearable, it was probably all right. After a moment of thought, he nodded.

"Okay. I'll come check it out."

Club Tryst was a classy place on the corner of Trost Road and Maria Avenue…hence the name "Maria's" for the attached restaurant. The club's name, of course, was a play on 'Trost', and Eren had to appreciate it, because the Wall Rose Diner had been named for the two roads it was on: Wall Street and Rose Boulevard. His heart was still heavy with grief and his eyes stung from crying as they entered the back building. It was a Friday night, so the restaurant was already busy, but it was still fairly early, so the clubbers hadn't come out yet.

"Mikasa…early as usual. And you've brought a friend with you…?" A tall, blond man spoke as he approached her.

"Yes, Erwin…this is my good friend Eren. Eren, this is my boss, Erwin. He owns the club and the restaurant. Eren lost his job today and I was wondering if he could work with Connie tonight as a sort of application for the job opening? He's 21." Mikasa suggested.

Erwin nodded thoughtfully. "Well, if you come recommended from Mikasa, I'll have to take you up on it! She's the hardest worker I have here. What did you used to do, Eren?"

Eren looked up at him with his full attention. "I worked at the Wall Rose Diner, sir."

"Oh, a nice place. It's always busy there, and Pixis is a great man." Erwin replied.

Eren frowned, a stabbing pain running through his chest. "Y-yes…um…Mr. Pixis actually…he, uh, passed away in his sleep last night. His son closed the restaurant."

Erwin blinked at him. "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that…so they just let everyone go unexpectedly? Surely they could run it without him until someone purchased it?"

Eren shook his head. "No…his son, he just sold out to some big business that's been wanting to build condos there for years. Wasted no time, too."

Erwin frowned. "How unfortunate and terrible for all of you. Well, I can't possibly turn you away with a story like that. Come on, I'll introduce you to Connie and he can show you the ropes."

Erwin put an arm around Eren and led him over to the expansive bar, where he met Connie. He was a nice kid; energetic, but excited to get the hell out of there all the same. He was leaving town to pursue higher education, and he told Eren all about it as he showed him where everything was, taught him how to mix the drinks and stressed how important it was to chat with the customers and be personable, but also quick with the orders. It could get busy, especially on Fridays and Saturdays…but Eren wasn't too worried. He'd dealt with lunch and dinner rushes at Wall Rose for so long, this was going to be a breeze. He didn't even need to carry around food here.

"Now the guys, some of them like a drink before the show…helps loosen 'em up. Jean likes straight-up JD on the rocks, but make sure it's a double on Fridays. Reiner just wants a single shot of Jaeger. Marco likes his Patron Silver on the rocks with a twist of lime and Bert…never call him Bert, he's 'Holt' on stage, he likes his vodka. Just the cheap stuff, but bring him the whole bottle." Connie explained, and Eren took to memorizing it all. "Levi just likes ice water, but it's gotta be from a bottle. We keep some in a cooler under the bar. Don't ever give him tap water unless you're into getting chewed out."

"Right…no tap water. Guess he's a purist?" Eren commented.

"Neat-freak. He hates dirt and filth and any form of grime. Erwin has to order in the organic, purified water for him and the pole has to be cleaned for him before every dance. That's why he usually dances first and last…easier that way. You know how hard it is to buff the fingerprints out of those poles? Annoying as hell." Connie grumbled. "He's allowed to be a diva, though, I guess. He's Erwin's favorite. Been here the longest, and he's the crowd favorite. Gives some hope for us short guys…"

Eren nodded slowly. "So he's picky about his water, doesn't like being dirty, and he's short."

"Okay, so he's got like an inch on me, but still. The ladies love him. He's all focused and serious when he dances…not like the others, they really get into it. Levi always leaves 'em wanting more and I guess that's what keeps 'em coming back." Connie explained. "He's also the only one who doesn't go home with a gaggle of women every night, so there's that, too. The ladies always want what they can't have…"

"Is that your excuse, now?" A female voice piped up teasingly.

Connie jumped slightly. "Jesus, Sasha…you scared me."

"Erwin said we got some new blood…wanted to come introduce myself." The brunette replied. "I'm Sasha…I waitress here. Basically, I'll be handing out the drinks you make to the people not sitting at the bar."

Eren nodded. "Nice to meet you. I'm Eren Jaeger."

Connie's eyes went wide. "Dude, your last name is Jaeger? Holy shit, Erwin has to hire you. Bartending's in your name!"

Sasha chuckled at that, and Eren just ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Anyway." The girl piped up. "Over there is Annie, and that's Petra. They also waitress, as well as promote at the other clubs around town for us." She pointed to the other girls, who turned and waved.

"Oh, almost forgot…Zoe usually only comes in around close, but she handles our books. Just…don't ask her anything about the club or accounting; she'll talk your ear off for three hours." Connie warned.

Sasha grabbed herself a coke before heading over to where the other ladies were. "Well, good luck on your first night, Eren."

"Thanks." He called back with a genuine smile.

Connie turned to him, slapping his hands on the bar. "Okay, so…let's get our strippers some drinks, shall we?"

Eren prepped the drinks on his own, with Connie's constant supervision. He was actually impressed with how well the kid had memorized everything. When he was done, he loaded everything up on the tray, and they headed for the back room.

"Gentlemen!" Connie bellowed as he burst through the door, Eren in tow with the tray of drinks.

"Conn-ay!" A chorus of cheers went up, and they laughed, looking to the door.

"I have some fresh meat for you…Erwin's trying him out today. Name's Jaeger, and he's probably gonna be my replacement, so get used to him." Connie told them.

"Jaeger? No shit?" Reiner commented, taking his drink of the same name off the tray.

"It's Eren Jaeger…you can call me Eren, really." He replied with a slight blush. Pretty much every guy in the room was topless, tan and freaking cut. Eren had never really put much thought into his sexuality at all, since he was too focused on school and work to actually have a social life, but he was now 100% certain he was at least bisexual for any one of the guys in the room, at the very least.

"Nah, you're definitely Jaeger, kid." Jean said with a chuckle, taking his JD. Eren just decided to learn which one was which by watching them take their drinks.

Marco stepped up and grabbed his Patron, followed by Bert, or rather, "Holt", who snatched the (admittedly small) bottle of vodka and just started chugging. He was met with looks of disdain, but they were quickly masked. Eren deduced from process of elimination that the quiet guy on the couch must have been Levi. He tucked the tray under his arm and padded over, handing him the water.

"Levi, right?"

He nodded, taking it as he looked the boy up and down. "Yes. Your name's Eren?"

The boy nodded. Levi took a long drink from the bottle after cracking the top open, sighing in satisfaction before returning his eyes to Eren's. He merely nodded right back, then turned to Connie. "You can tell Erwin I only need the pole for my first routine. He needn't bother wiping it down again until after close."

Connie gave a thumbs up. "You got it. C'mon, Eren. We open soon."

A chorus of "See ya, Jaeger!" and "Bye, new kid!" followed them out as they shut the door behind them and headed back for the bar.

Connie showed him a few more things before the lights flickered and Erwin's voice cut through the chatter, "House opens in 10!"

A few acknowledging responses followed, and Connie quickly wiped down the bar. "All right. Last question: are you gay?"

Eren sputtered. "Wh-what? I don't—I mean, I don't really date…at all. I like…women, sure. But, guys are, you know, also…"

Connie rolled his eyes. "Dude, no judgment. Just saying, those guys are distracting to me, and I'm straight. When they hit the stage, usually you're gonna be distracted your first night…but even moreso if you're not just interested in looking."

Eren shook his head. "It won't be a problem. Once I get a focus on something it's hard to distract me. If I'm working, I probably won't even notice the stage."

Connie snorted. "Sure, kid. You just keep thinking that."

Erwin called a huddle for the non-dancer staff five minutes before open. He introduced everyone to Eren again, in case anyone got missed, and went over a few procedures and crowd forecast for the night (it was going to be a full house based upon the crowd outside). He ended with telling Connie to keep an eye out for Eren and help him out through the night before clapping them both on the back.

"All right, everyone…good luck tonight, let's do some business!" Erwin piped up.

Everyone gave an affirmative little whoop before heading off to their stations. Erwin went to go prep the dancers and kill the lights as Mikasa opened the doors.

Eren was slammed with drink orders within two minutes of the doors opening. Connie was impressed with how well he kept up, laughing as he watched him slide another drink over to Sasha for delivery.

"Just wait 'til the music starts, kid. Good luck hearing orders."

Eren groaned. Now that was one thing the diner hadn't prepared him for.

Yet another thing Wall Rose could have never prepared him for was when Erwin stepped onto the stage. He'd been wearing a full suit before, but now he was just wearing the trousers and shoes with a vest and bowtie with no shirt or jacket, revealing muscular, toned arms. The ladies screamed as he skirted the edge of the stage, mic already attached to his ear.

Eren didn't get to hear his whole speech over the drink orders, but he was basically riling up the audience and explaining the whole no touch rule. Apparently that was a very big deal to him and Connie explained over the roar of cheers that although most club owners constantly broke the rules, especially at male-dancer clubs where cop presence was literally zero, Erwin was extremely strict about it because of his own morals and Levi's essential phobia of anything germy, including strangers and their unwashed hands.

"He seems really protective of Levi." Eren commented, off-hand.

Connie shrugged. "Guy makes him good friggin' money…and they go back a ways."

Eren's attention was drawn to the stage yet again when the crowd practically screeched. The lights dimmed as Erwin made his way off-stage and a shadowed figure approached the pole from backstage. The spotlight came on abruptly, brightening up the area were Levi now sat on his knees, splayed openly around the pole as he gripped it with his right hand. He was wearing a dark cloak over his shoulders and relatively dark clothing, but there didn't seem to be a particular theme to it. The crowd went wild again as a heavy bass thudded through the speakers and Levi started gyrating his hips. He moved with a sort of grace and precision that seemed so like him, but his face held little more than a smirk as he kicked a leg up, cartwheeling to the other side of the pole without letting it go. He tossed off his cloak with a flourish before grinding his ass along the pole in time with the beat, eliciting shrill cries of delight from the audience. He took his time stripping, getting out of his shirt with long, slow circles of his hips that had the ladies crooning and begging for it. His chest was toned, but surprisingly pale…he practically glittered under the stage lights. He threw the garment into the crowd before going back to the pole, then all bets were off.

And damn, the man could move. He worked the pole like an expert; not some cheap go-go dancer paid just to hold it and shake her hips, oh no. Levi made that pole dance, twisted and twirled around it with practiced expertise, flipping up just to slide back down, spinning and dropping dramatically with the beat, and the ladies were screaming for it. Eren didn't even notice Connie was taking care of all his orders out of sheer amusement at the look on his face as he watched Levi move, completely unaware of the rest of the club. The orders had even slowed down because everyone was just so damn focused on watching Levi dance.

Levi flipped off the pole and landed in an impressively dramatic half-split, standing slowly with his back to the audience. He gripped at his tear-away pants and pulled them off, leaving him in nothing but skintight, black booty-shorts that were practically painted on. He finished his routine by spinning to the bottom of the pole and landing on his knees, spread-eagle toward the audience. The music ended and the shrieks were deafening, money flying at him from all sides. He sat there and almost appeared to bask in it for a moment before standing, going to retrieve his cloak. He draped it over his shoulders and waved to the audience, biting his lip obscenely as he exited the stage.

Eren didn't even realize he hadn't moved for the entire routine until Connie shoved him, telling him to quit drooling and get back to work.

Oh yes. Eren was royally fucking screwed.

A/N Reviews are appreciated! Along with concrit!