Eren walked home with her,waving to Marco as he left. Scarlet walked inside,slumping upstairs.

Screw today.

When she made it to her room,she saw Harlock sitting on her desk. No one had called her.

Surprising.

She opened her phone,slowly sitting down on her desk chair.

Call Armin?

No. She didn't have enough energy for that.

[Red]: Ar?

[Lil' Dork]: Yes?

[Red]: I had dinner at Eren's place today. His dad is a prick.

[Lil' Dork]: Oh my god.

[Lil' Dork]: Did he hurt you?

[Red]: No. Well. Not physically.

[Red]: Kinda stung when he told me I'd have more talent as a barista than an artist. Like my mom.

[Lil' Dork]: Oh my god.

[Lil' Dork]: I'm so sorry,Scarlet.

[Lil' Dork]: Don't listen to him.

[Lil' Dork]: I love your art.

[Red]: I told Eren that I didn't give a fuck. And that I was going to prove him wrong.

[Lil' Dork]: Of course you will!

[Lil' Dork]: Your art is amazing,love.

[Red]: Damn right it is.

[Red]: I'm painting something right now.

[Lil' Dork]: Awesome!

[Lil' Dork]: Show it to me when I get home,okay?

[Red]: Absolutely!

[Lil' Dork]: Fantastic.

[Lil' Dork]: Hey,I've gotta go. I love you! See you later!

[Red]: Love you too! Bye!

Scarlet smiled at her phone,biting her thumb. God,Armin was adorable.

The next day was Monday. That meant she had to work again.

Marco gone,and Laura in the kitchen once again.

Scarlet stood at the counter,apron tied twice around her alarmingly slim waist. She was finally reading the book she got,enjoying it immensely. Kyra seemed like a cool girl. Someone Scarlet would love to hang out with.

A girl and a shorter boy walked in,looking at the paintings on the wall.

All done by a Miss Scarlet Johnson.

The girl walked up to the counter,smile wide. She had a skirt and a white t-shirt on.

In the middle of October.

What the hell.

"I'll take a cup of *insert coffee here*" Scarlet sighed,yelling the order back to Laura.

"And for you,bro? I mean...sir?"

The boy sighed.

"I don't want anything."

"A LARGE ORDER OF NOTHING LAURA!"

"GOT IT!"

The boy looked stunned for a moment,then grumbled as he walked over to a table in the corner.

Then,the bell rang again.

"W-" Scarlet stopped herself.

Standing dead set in the middle of the doorway,was Levi Ackerman. In all his short glory.

"A cup of black coffee." He said,walking up to the counter and pushing his jet black hair to the side a bit.

"L-Laura! A cup of plain black coffee!"

Scarlet picked up her phone.

[Red]: EREN. GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE. YOUR AUTHOR IS HERE.

[Red]: I shit you not.

[Red]: *image attachment*

[Jeager]: HOLY-

[Jeager]: I'M ON MY WAY. STALL HIM.

Scarlet looked up to the man.

How do you stall a world famous author?

Hazel Grace,your wisdom would be lovely at the moment.

"Uh. You look a lot like a man who wrote a book my friend likes. I think his name is Levi Ackerman."

Levi looked up. "Yeah. I wrote Attack on Titan. Stop acting like a dumb shit. What about it,brat?"

Scarlet blinked. "Are you working on the next installment? And why the hell did you kill off Lane's entire squad? Even Penny!"

Levi rolled his eyes. "Because I could. It's my book. I could make them all burn in a fire."

Scarlet glared. "Spare that Alex kid. He's a lot like my boyfriend."

Levi's dead expression broke for a moment,a ghost of a smile appearing on his face.

"Your friend,eh? You told him I was here,didn't you?"

Scarlet nodded.

Levi rubbed his head,smile fading. "Fuck you. You know that? Fuck you."

Scarlet smiled. "Thank you. It's an honor to be told that by a writer such as yourself."

Eren burst through the door,panting.

Levi's dead expression returned. "No. Whatever you're going to ask me to do,no."

Eren snapped a picture with his phone,then left.

Levi sighed.

"Sir? Have you ever considered turning your books into a graphic novel? If so,I'm an artist in training,and I'd love to work on your project."

Scarlet scribbled her number on a napkin,then handed it to Levi.

A moment later,Laura rushed out with the black coffee.

"I really could have done without coffee. Upon reflection. I didn't need this shit today." Levi sighed,grabbing the napkin and the coffee,walking out of the store.

Scarlet smiled. Man. That guy was a PRICK.

After cleaning and closing up,Scarlet decided to walk to the nearest Wal-Mart for a rousing game of "You Want It. You'll Never Have It."

Tis' not a fun game.

Scarlet made her way to the store,the doors parting for her as if she was important and going to buy something.

The food section.

Exotic things she couldn't try.

Wouldn't get the chance to.

Seven hundred dollars she had already told herself she couldn't touch.

God damn it.

She had fifteen dollars. Fifteen dollars from working at at the café.

Art sets? Canvas?

No.

Not enough money for that.

Food. Coffee. Tea.

Fifteen Bucks.

Scarlet struggled with the groceries,setting them down on the table upstairs. She put the coffee and tea downstairs,and kept the apples and bread upstairs.

Laura had shut herself inside her room. But at least the pile of bills on the table disappeared. She paid them at last.

Scarlet put the apples and bread up. Harlock had managed to squeeze out of her room,because he was circling around Scarlet's feet. Strange. Laura never messed with her room,and Scarlet always closed the door.

Scarlet closed the cabinet door and opened the kitchen door long enough for Harlock to get out. She crossed to her room,opening the door.

Maybe she hadn't closed the door in the first place.

It was entirely possible.

That or Harlock was being a real ghost captain and snuck out.

Harlock plopped down on his bed.

Scarlet had stitched the word,"Arcadia" onto his bed a long time ago.

Eren texted her about a million times.

[Jaeger]: HOLY

[Jaeger]: I MET LEVI FUCKING ACKERMAN.

[Jaeger]: Well actually I just busted in and took a picture of him and you.

[Red]: I gave him my number.

[Jaeger]: YOU DID WHAT.

[Red]: I want to draw Attack On Titan. As a graphic novel or something. Maybe even a manga

[Jaeger]: You're amazing.

[Red]: I know. :)