My beautiful morning turned sour the minute I stepped into my office. Hanji managed to catch me smiling, of all things.

She raised an eyebrow as soon as I made eye contact with her. "What was that about?"

"Nothing. Get out of my office." But she wouldn't. She stayed there and talked away, and it had been an hour, and I was ready to kill someone.

"And then this cutie stepped ahead and paid for me, his name was Eren-"

I glanced up immediately, staring at her in surprise. I was met with a smug, delighted smirk.

"You're blushing."

"Did you say that he paid for you? Why did he need to? Why did you talk to him?" She was never going to let this go, I just knew it.

"Well," she sighed dramatically. "I forgot my wallet, so it was really embarrassing when the cash register asked me to pay... He looked grumpy. Not as grumpy as you, though. Anyways. This kid stepped ahead of me and told the guy that he'd pay! He was so cute. He looked about twenty. We talked for a while. You sure shot up when I said his name. Do you know him?"

His manners had definitely improved since the last time I knew him. "Something like that," I muttered. His smile replayed in my mind, and it took all of my strength not to smile like a love sick idiot. "What did you talk to him about?"

Her grin was way too knowing. "I asked him where he's going to college, where he works, things like that. You know, I mentioned you, and he had the same reaction that you did."

I smiled slightly. Her grin somehow widened. "He didn't even know my name before today."

"So you did talk to him today!" She stood up excitedly. "I knew you looked happy! What did you say to him? Are you two dating? Do you like him? You certainly seem to have a thing for him. You know, he kind of blushed when I said your name, that's a good sign. I can help you out if you-"

"Hanji." I glared at her so icily that she shivered. "Get out."

Later I heard her talking to Erwin about how I was starting to remember. It troubled me as I walked to the coffee shop. Why did they know before I did? Did Eren remember? Was he agonizing over it even more than I was?

And even worse, what if he didn't remember anything? I was moody, I didn't smile a lot, I couldn't carry a conversation, I got too wrapped up in work and martial arts... There was no way he'd be interested in someone like that.

He was standing outside the door, leaning against the wall. He was wearing a long coat, skinny jeans, boots, and a scarf, and God he looked good in winter clothing. His nose looked red. How long had he been waiting?

"Aren't you cold?" I asked, and he jumped a little, flushing immediately.

"I'm fine! You're only wearing a suit, aren't you cold?" It was snowing lightly, falling into his hair and eyelashes. He didn't even seem to notice, smiling at me brightly. It felt like something inside my chest was buzzing.

"I have only been outside for a few minutes. How long have you been waiting here?"

He blushed again. "Um. About thirty minutes. I wasn't sure what time you got off work and I wanted to spend some time outside. I like the cold."

"It's snowing, Eren." I gave him a disapproving stare. "Let's get you inside. You know you can catch colds like this. You're not even wearing gloves."

He bit his lip, embarrassed. "I didn't think it would snow today," he mumbled as we stepped in. He was playing tough, but I heard his audible sigh of relief as the warmth hit him. The thought of him waiting that long just for me made me selfishly happy.

We ordered coffees; peppermint for me, gingerbread for him. He crinkled his nose at the suggestion of mine, telling me, "I can hardly stand toothpaste."

It felt strangely comfortable as we sat down together. I noticed the paint splotches on his thin, bony hands. "Are you in art school?"

He perked up immediately. "Yeah! I was just painting with acrylics today. That's my favorite kind of paint. What about you, do you draw or paint?"

His excitement was oddly endearing. With most people, it effectively shut down any chance of conversation. "I do martial arts and play piano. Gymnastics, too. But I don't normally tell people that."

Eren grinned. He didn't smile this much in my memories, but when he did, it was directed towards me. He was always angry or focused, sometimes grieved. Besides the seductive and teasing smiles that flickered away in seconds, I only got soft ones in the early hours of the morning, feeling the warmth of his skin against mine. Those little moments kept both of us going. It was nice, but oddly strange to see him this... normal. "That's a strange combination. Do you ever dance?"

Was he going to taunt me for being a male ballerina? "In the past, yeah. I haven't done it in a while, but it's really..."

"Beautiful." This expression I was more familiar with. His eyes burned with sincerity. "Sometimes we do gesture drawings of ballerinas. I don't know anything about it, but it's beautiful. I'd love to see you dance."

He was dreamier in this life, and it continued to catch me off guard. A sudden thought weighed me down. I don't know him. I didn't know what he liked to do, what expressions he wore most, if he was moody or calm, if he ever got that passionate gleam in his eyes that I yearned for.

I gave him a tiny, wistful smile. "Why did you recognize me?"

The question caught him off guard, but I enjoyed, no, loved the way that he thought about it. "You seemed familiar." His eyebrows were furrowed as he looked me in the eye. "I can't explain it. I just know that I've been searching for you ever since you walked away. I feel like... I've known you before. I'm sorry if that's weird."

"Don't be so formal with me." I sipped on my coffee, bothered by his politeness and control. How could I tell him that I loved him more than anyone else on Earth and yet I didn't know him at all? I felt almost anxious, almost disappointed, with myself and with him. Why was I craving his angst so awfully?

I could almostsee the apology written in his eyes. "Something tells me I should be."

"I feel the same way about you, if that makes you feel any better." But I didn't. I wasn't one to get anxious, but it was bubbling up inside of me. I love you, I need you, I want to know this version of you. Please remember anything, anything at all. I miss you.

That's what it was. That strange ache in my heart. I missed it all, even the things that used to annoy me.

The strange new Eren smiled, this time more softly. "My parents passed away last year. I didn't want to be around anyone. I didn't think I could be consoled, but something about the silence between you and I healed me more than words could."

He gazed out the window, and that's when I saw the sadness still lingering in every action that he made.

"My family died three years ago in a plane crash." I swished the coffee in my cup, finding comfort in the monotonous movement. "I haven't been able to cry about it. You helped with that. Thank you."

He snorted. It made me happy to hear him laugh the same way, even if it wasn't as obnoxious or sarcastic as it used to be. "We have the opposite problem. I can never control anything."

I smirked at him, unable to refrain from teasing. "Your crying is pretty. When your eyes are red, it brings out the green in them."

He flushed intensely, scratching his head, a gesture he did when he was uncomfortable. It was strangely fun to see him squirm. Strangely cute.

"Thank you," he responded, not meeting my eyes. He cracked his knuckles, then fidgeted with his scarf, then bit his lip. It was taking all of my self restraint to refrain from kiss him right there.

A moment of silence passed, and then he took a deep breath, looked me in the eye, and said, "We have an art gallery on Friday. Do you want to come?"

Like I could refuse an offer that earnest. "Of course."

I smiled. It was no grin, but at least this time it wasn't sarcastic. He practically glowed. "Okay! I'll pick you up, if that's alright. I can get you here, or from your house, whatever you're most comfortable with."

He was worried about me being uncomfortable with him? The thought was laughable. I rolled my eyes at him. His cheeks dusted with pink. "I'll text you my address. Let me see your phone."

Eren handed it over. Our fingers brushed as he did, and they were ice cold. I frowned at him disapprovingly. "Your hands are freezing."

He shook his head like the stubborn idiot he was. "It's not that cold, really, I-"

"Shut up." He blinked at me, surprised, as I took off my gloves and tossed them to him. "Wear these. I don't want you to get sick."

He took them without a complaint, a sign that he was getting slightly more comfortable. I typed my number into his phone quickly before standing. "I've been sitting in the office all day. Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Yeah." I noticed that his lips were softer in this life, always slightly curved. He looked positively angelic as he gazed at me with that warmth in his eyes, his face still slightly flushed from the cold wind.

I saw something reminiscent to the love he used to feel when he said softly, "I'd love that."