These men forgot about their wives and lovers when they were with me.

I forgot about all these men when I woke up in the morning too.

I never recall their faces, bodies, and actions. I never tried to because it was going to be different every night. There was no point.

And every night, I trudged home at around 3am in the bare covering of my jeans and shirt. A heavy feeling. Slow steps. Aching muscles. Swollen skin. I never bothered to wash off my smeared make up until I go home.

I fucked and got fucked every night, but I still came home feeling their rough touches ghost my skin.

Last night was no different.

My alarm rang loudly, screeching for me to get out of bed at 8:30am.

"No…shaaaaddup.." I told my alarm as I smothered it with a pillow. It clattered on the table. One of my arms dangled half off the bed as I lied on my stomach, blankets swirling around me. Last night, I didn't bother to change after showering and crashed into my bed in just my boxers.

Comfy.

I was too lazy to get up right away. I opened my eyes slowly. There was a dim light… coming from the closed windows.

Wait, what was the time? Did my alarm clock ring yet?

I rolled to my side and glanced at the green digital display. It was 8:44am. And it was Saturday.

I groaned. I had forgotten to reset the alarm before I went to sleep. Too late now.

I didn't have to work at the flower shop today. I wanted to raise my arms and cheer, but I was too tired to. Closing my eyes, I was ready to fall back to sleep for the next ten hours. I wanted to sleep the day away.

The moment I threw the blankets over my head, my phone buzzed on the bedside table noisily. Guren no Yumiya blasted through the phone speakers which were set on the highest volume setting.

"Are you fucking serious?!" I groaned into the pillow, which muffled my complaints. I rolled over to the drawer again and blindly grappled for my phone. The ringtone stopped playing when I found it.

Missed call.

Missed call.

Missed. Call. When I tried so hard to get to the other side of the bed to use my precious energy to pick up the fucking call, it shut off. I gripped it tightly, almost crushing it with my fingers.

It started to vibrate again. At first, I thought I was just my anger channeling through, but realized it was another call coming in when the song started playing again. I winced at the loud sound. "Ah, what the hell..." I muttered. I tapped the green button and picked up.

"Hey, Eren?"

It was Armin.

"Hmm, what?" I mumbled.

He spoke so fast his words seemed to run together. "Do you want to come over later? Maybe? I haven't seen you for a long time and all…It's been a week already! You don't really have to but… It would be great if you could read my new story and-"

I rubbed my eyes lazily. "Yeah, sure, Armin. I can come over later. Let me get ready. I need coffee too. I'm going to stop by the shop. Want some?"

"O-oh, no it's okay. Just come to my house whenever you're ready."

"Okay." I smiled to myself. "I'll see you later."

I hung up and dropped the phone on the mattress. Has it been that long already? A week? Armin sounded like he needed to see me urgently…

"Heh, I guess he just misses me a lot."

This was a good way to start the weekend. Spending some time with my childhood friend. My best friend.

I got out of bed but didn't bother with the blankets. They were just going to get messed up later when I slept on them. There was only bedroom I kept neat, and it was the one at The Basement.

I felt clean but vulnerable as I washed off my make up from last night. Without it, there was nothing to shield me from the people I met. My eyes looked too murky and dead without shiny silver powder around them. I gazed at my reflection in the bathroom mirror.

Bare skin. Bare face. Vulnerable.

I was only vulnerable if my clients wanted me to be.

It didn't feel right outside of the rosy bedroom. So, I couldn't resist putting just a bit of lip gloss on. Protection. It was protection.

Plus it was SPF 15.

I dressed myself in casual clothing. I didn't have to dress for work of any kind. These were the days I enjoyed. I pulled a striped dark blue and white t shirt over my head and wore a pair of black skinny jeans. I shoved my phone and thin, worn, wallet into my back pockets. It didn't seem very hot outside so I grabbed my favorite black jacket. After locking the door, I finally headed out.

I lived in a small apartment by myself that was right near the busiest part of the town. It was nicer than the surrounding places, since I could afford it with the amount of money I made. It was convenient to walk anywhere so I didn't own a car. It wasn't like I passed the driving test with a high score like Armin anyway.

Today was sunny. It was a nice day again. I walked a couple blocks down from my apartment building to a coffee shop I frequently visited. They had good coffee and raspberry pastries. And free wi-fi.

A little bell tinkled as I opened the door of Heaven's Cup of Coffee. There was a line and I joined the end of it. I stood as casually and as not-awkwardly as I could. I observed the pretty gold decorations and lavender and rose baskets hanging at each corner. Trying to look busy, I glanced at my watch several times and avoided eye contact until I reached the front of the line.

A cheery blond at the counter smiled and asked, "Hello! What would you like to order, sir?"

Her fingers were poised at the keyboard, ready and waiting. A dark-haired woman walked behind her and put an arm around the cashier girl. She looked at me, as if she was trying to remember something.

"Eren? Is that you?"

Wait, she knew me?

"Yeah… Hi, I'm Eren. I don't really remember who you are…" I cautiously answered.

She turned to the cashier girl. "Historia, don't you remember Eren? We were all in this one class together back in college."

The girl named Historia looked up to the ceiling, thinking. "Eren… Jaeger? Oh! The one who always got in arguments, right?" She asked innocently.

I narrowed my eyes. "Is that how you remember me, Historia? At least I thought I recognized you when I saw you at the coffee shop every time."

I met these two during college, and Historia and Ymir were already together by that time.

Ymir shot back at me, "Don't talk to my fiancée like that!"

"Woah, woah, fiancée? Ymir, Historia…. you guys are engaged?"

My eyes widened as the taller woman showed me the matching rings on their fingers. It was a golden band with a small, circular diamond at the center that was nestled between two sideway-facing crown-shaped gold pieces.

"Yes, Eren. Can't you see it's obvious?"

I frowned at Ymir's sarcastic tone of voice. "Well, yeah, now I know. I never think to look at other people's hands. Congratulations to you two!"

Historia hugged her fiancée's arm, smiling. "Thanks Eren!"

"Did you know that I named this coffee shop after her? She really seems to have come down from heaven to be my savior… Sweet and comforting, that's Historia!"

The shorter girl immediately hid her face in Ymir's clothes. "N-no, I'm not! I just act that way because I love you! Y-you don't have to tell him about the coffee shop, Ymir!"

I couldn't help but smile. They were really perfect for each other. "That's really nice, Ymir."

She stood up straighter and gave me a confident smirk. "I know. Now, we can take your order."

I scratched my head and laughed softly. "Yeah, that's what I was here for. I'll take a latte, please."

Christa typed the order in. "Any flavor shots? And I'll give you the art for free, too."

"Hmm… nah, it's okay. I don't really like my latte any sweeter. Draw whatever you think is your best design."

"Alright, that'll be $3.75."

I handed her the exact amount and stepped aside to wait for my drink. I watched Ymir's skilled hands whisk steamed milk into a frothy whiteness, and pour dark espresso into a white ceramic cup. In a swift move, she put down the empty coffee pot and grabbed the bowl of frothy milk, which she handed to Historia. The smaller girl slowly poured a thin stream of milk to create two squiggly designs. She turned the cup sideways and created two small oval shapes under the previous squiggles. She placed the bowl back onto the counter and dipped a spoon into the milk. She carefully made a circle in between the squiggles with the back of the utensil. She took a toothpick to create a small circle above the large circle.

Historia placed all her materials down and handed the cup to me, smiling sweetly. "It's an angel, Eren. Enjoy your latte!"

I ogled at the squiggles that had become delicate wings, the ovals that became legs, the circles that became a head and a halo. "Wow…" I whispered, staring at my drink. I looked back up to thank the two girls, but they were kissing each other over the counter.

"U-uh, thank you!" I called anyway.

The coffee shop had customers trickling in and out. If I was lucky enough, I would be able to find a table to sit at before my latte got cold. But I wasn't lucky. There weren't any tables open. I walked around, looking at the seats over and over again. No luck. My cup of coffee wasn't scorching hot in my hands anymore.

"Aaaagh, shit…" I spoke to myself, running my hand through my uncombed hair. I paced for a minute. Two minutes. The liquid threatened to spill over the edges.

Finally settling down, I stood by a tall plant and took small sips while peering over my cup looking for any unclaimed tables. I probably looked like a fucking creep.

"Hey, kid."

I glanced up.

Wrong direction.

I glanced back down.

A short man in a dark grey business suit stood in front of me. He had a black leather messenger bag hanging on one shoulder and a coffee cup in the other hand. His dark, thin, eyes stared at me through his unframed lenses.

He called me kid. This shorter man called me kid. Sure, he looked older than me but-

"I'm not a kid, old man. I'm already 23." I retorted.

"Excuse me? I wasn't asking for your age or opinion. But if you're going to act so hostile over something like that then I won't offer you a seat at my table."

"W-wait, what?"

He sighed. "You look fucking desperate. And creepy. Come with me."

He started to walk away. Did I have to follow him? For the sake of a table, yes. I quickened my pace to catch up.

I stifled a laugh as I walked beside him. He was so… tiny.

"What's so funny, kid?"

I turned away, even though he wasn't looking at me.

"N-nothing!" I said immediately. "Just…thanks for offering me a seat."

He shrugged, and then slid into a chair. The table he found was at the back corner of the shop. Only a few people lingered there. It was quiet. He pointed at the chair across him.

"Sit."

I pulled out the chair and plopped down. "Thanks again. Really."

The man sipped his drink, and then adjusted his frames before saying, "You don't have to thank me so much. It's called common courtesy."

"Do you always offer strangers a seat at your table? You don't seem like someone who would-"

"You don't seem like someone who gets out of bed before two in the afternoon. Don't assume things, kid. You don't know me."

I opened my mouth to say something, but decided not to.

We silently sipped our coffee drinks for a few minutes.I secretly observed him as I sipped. He held the cup not by the handle, but by the rim. He stared blankly outside, avoiding eye contact and ignoring me completely. He furrowed his eyebrows.

I wondered what he was staring at so intently. I looked out the window and furrowed my eyebrows too. It was hard work getting such a deep crease between my eyes. I tried to drink my latte but sputtered.

"Oi, what the hell are you doing? You look fucking constipated with that face."

I sat up straight, shaken from my concentration on the boring outdoors. "I'm not constipated! Who are you to judge anyway? Hypocrite."

"Mm, that's real mature of you, copy-cat."

At that, I really furrowed my eyebrows.

"Me, immature? At least I don't call people names."

I saw the lightest smirk disappear as quickly as it appeared on his face. "Oh? So you would rather not call me by my real name? I don't appreciate 'old man'. It's not as if I'm that old."

"I never said that. I don't appreciate being called 'kid' either, old man."

I tried to drink my latte as angrily as possible, stared right into his eyes, challenging him.

"Call me Levi, kid." He held out a hand.

I shook it. It was warm, from the coffee cup. It was dry and comforting.

"Eren."

If he didn't give me his last name, I wasn't going to give him mine either.

"It's nice to meet you, Eren."

My name rolled slowly off his tongue, and I gulped.

A coffee shop was not the appropriate place to get a boner. But fuck, here I was getting a boner in a coffee shop. And from a stranger saying my name, of all things. If only his voice was enough to make me tent my pants, then I couldn't even begin to imagine what the rest of his body could do to me.

My mind was reeling with thoughts of Levi in bed. Levi undressed. Levi pulling me closer. Levi sucking-

"Hey, brat. Are you okay?"

He was leaning forward, his face a little too close to mine. I couldn't feel his breaths on my nose, but he was looking intently at me.

I was still dazed when I answered. "Oh. Oh, yeah. I'm fine. I'm okay."

Taking a sip of coffee, I diverted my attention away from him, avoiding his intense gaze.

He cleared his throat. "Mm, okay.

There was the awkward silence. It could be blamed on the fact that we were kind-of strangers.

I was still staring attentively at everything but Levi when I heard his chair scrape on the floor."I have something to do now. Thanks for the company, kid."

He adjusted his jacket and glasses before picking up his briefcase. He left his cup on the table and looked at me once more.

I worked up the nerve to say something. "Thank you for the table, Levi. I-I guess I'll see you around."

He shrugged. "Next time, try not to make it so blaringly obvious that you can't keep your eyes off me no matter how hard you try."

The man walked off.

Next time?

I couldn't keep the stupid grin off my face as I watched him leave the café.