By the next morning, I was already settled in with what little clothes I had stowed away in the dresser, bedding for my mattress, phone plugged into the wall, and now I was about to jump into the shower, placing my shampoo, conditioner, and bodily essentials away as I bathed.

I was glad that Ymir didn't bother me too much as she worked in her studio, but it also made me very nervous how detailed she was, too. From the loft, I was able to see dozens of Jean's portraits, featuring all sorts of different angles, and she didn't even miss the dimples above his ass or the small freckle that was on the outside of his right butt cheek. Seeing her dedication made me realize it really wasn't about a thing of perversion but that she took her models seriously—I would've probably drawn a stick figure and called it good.

Before I knew it, I was out of the shower and drying my hair off with her hair dryer and preparing myself for the day. I was about to slide into my jeans but I remembered what she said.

I cleared my throat, slowly taking off the jeans, and glancing about her bathroom. It was small with brick walls but the shower had temperature settings, water pressure, and lighting color, all at the flip of a dial. The little space it had was my little sanctuary for now until I gathered myself to walk outside naked.

I wondered if I should wear makeup or not. I glanced at myself in the mirror, growing self-conscious to the small pimple that was near my hairline. I didn't want her to draw that…

I huffed and quickly grabbed out my makeup bag and began to apply my moisturizer. I could hear Ymir walking to the door and leaving. She didn't come back until I was done applying the last bit of my lip gloss. I listened intently as I patted the orange into the corner of my lips, but I couldn't hear too well.

Maybe the walls were soundproof? I wondered exactly why they had to be but I didn't want to think of it.

I cleaned up after myself and stood before the door, closing my eyes and inhaling, trying to relax but finding myself wiggling about nervously.

She'd be the first person to see me naked, but at the same time it was liberating. It made me feel almost free and invincible to know that I was about to strut out naked. Holding onto that feeling, I opened the door and walked out, glancing around and spotting Ymir at the table.

With a girl.

Who was staring.

My eyes went wide and I ran and hid myself behind the counter in the kitchen.

The other woman laughed, choking on her biscotti as Ymir closed her eyes, smirking.

"A female nude model?" The woman gave Ymir a quizzical look before standing up and walking over to me.

"It's okay! I'm not a perv like Jean." She promised and I wondered how she even knew. I shot Ymir a look—what a big gossiper!

I covered my face, embarrassed. She came closer and the moment I pulled my hands from my face she gasped, shooting Ymir a dangerous look.

"A minor!?"

"No!" Ymir slapped the table, laughing. "But she definitely looks it, doesn't she? That's why she's my secret little project."

Secret little project.

The way Ymir's eyes glinted and how the corners of her mouth curled sent a shiver down my body.

"Really? You have such a baby face!" The woman admired, exhaling. "Oh, right, my name is Sasha! And, you must be the Historia Reiss I've heard about?"

"Um, yes, I-I think so?" Smooth.

"Oh, Ymir, she's adorable. Here I thought you got another girlfriend." Sasha was visibly disappointed that I wasn't more to the artist.

"Nothing compares to you, mon chou." Ymir smiled at Sasha as the brunette sat back down at the table, flicking a crumb of biscotti at her.

I had no context as to what Ymir said, but the way they both gazed at each other made it obvious there was some history between them. Thankfully, my stare was caught on by Sasha.

"Ah, Ymir and I used to date a few years back. She funded my coffee shop downstairs, I fucked her like a porn star, and she made me breakfast while I gave her profits when her commissions were going slow." Sasha waved it off as if she didn't say anything crude, but, I felt warm just knowing and watching her grin and laugh and talk. She had that sort of bubbly personality everyone can be charmed by.

"By porn star, she means that she'd be a pillow queen and maybe wiggle a finger here and there. Don't be fooled," Ymir clicked her tongue, grinning as Sasha turned a bit red, scolding Ymir with a teasing smile.

"Now, she is married with my ol' friend Connie. They're quite cute," Ymir nodded, grabbing a mug of coffee and raising it towards her. "As cute as men can get."

"Oh, you, stop being so jealous," Sasha retorted before motioning for me to sit beside her.

"I brought coffee for you, too, Historia. Vanilla latte with whip cream and sprinkles. From what Ymir described you as, you're a sprinkle girl. I can tell." Sasha gestured to the coffee.

Oh, I was a sprinkle whore.

Like an animal being coaxed out with food, I scuttled over, taking a seat.

"Ah!" Ymir put up a finger, staring at me as she finished her gulp of coffee.

"Wear some clothes." She motioned for the bathroom door, knowing I left them there.

"Ymir!" Sasha threw a dirty spoon at Ymir this time as the cream on it splattered all over her face. "Manners!"

She turned to me, sympathetic.

"Ymir is just an asshole. She means to say that you should put clothes on. We don't want the coffee to spill and burn your lovely skin, okay?" Sasha gently patted my head, smiling. She was so very gentle with me. She reminded me a lot of my sister as I got up, hurriedly putting on clothes as Ymir bickered with Sasha on how she wasn't 'an asshole' and 'Historia knew what I meant'.

Truth be told, I was beginning to learn that Ymir was either an in-denial or unapologetic asshole.

When I rejoined them, we sat down and Sasha and Ymir mostly spoke about the coffee shop and finances and possibly hiring another person on for on-call since Hannah was pregnant and might need a lot more days off. Who Hannah was, I didn't know. I really didn't know much what they were talking about and I pretended not to listen as I played on my phone.

We sat like this for ten minutes before Sasha got buzzed on her phone and got up.

"Well, I will send you an e-mail. And, really, Ymir—take care of your space! There's paint all over the floor." Sasha huffed, staring out in what could be described as a 'living room'.

"What? It adds character." She shrugged. Sasha only sighed, waving goodbye to me and leaving the apartment.

I put down my phone and glimpsed up at Ymir to see her watching me, eyes hazy with thought. She popped her lips, chuckling, and nodded to the sketchbook I didn't notice.

"Alright. Let's get to this. We're going to make some jam from the berries I got in the garden, but I want you to be naked. Don't worry, I'll handle the boiling pot." Ymir jumped up and strode to the kitchen, sketchbook in hand.

"When I tell you to hold, I want you to keep that position so I can draw you." Ymir explained and I was already heading back to the bathroom, undressing hastily and coming back out.

Ymir was staring.

I was staring.

She scoffed.

"Don't be so tense."

I didn't realize my shoulders were squared and I was looking like I was ready to wrestle a bear until I saw myself in the mirror.

"Alright, c'mere. Let's get this going, yeah?" She waited as I went over, standing in front, uncertain what to do, because I never did nude modeling or jam making. Let alone met a hot person who acted like a grandma.

"Hey," I felt her hand on my chin, lightly holding it and lifting my face to look into hers, "relax. This job is easy—be yourself and I will love it."

I felt my mouth go dry as I was dragged into the depths of her warmth and words.

"Good," she released my chin, walking past me and grabbing some mason jars.

"You'll be a natural, Historia. I promise."

Naturally, I was fucked. Big time.