What a drag... [AU Kick-off]

Although fall was already well underway, today was as sunny as ever. Leaves fell into the streets, creating intricate mixes of red, orange and yellow. People seemed to walk around aimlessly and take advantage of the unusual warmth before winter kicked in.

Oh, what a beautiful day!

But let’s face it, Ymir was fucking bored.

Getting the day shift at the Beaby Bean Coffee Shop was probable one of the most tedious things that could’ve happen to her. People strolled in, bought one damn cup of coffee and then stayed there forever, chattering on about the gorgeous fucking day and blab la bla.

Urgh.

The other type off customers the little coffee shop was home to at the moment wasn’t any better at helping Ymir’s mood: Students. Tired, caffeine-drugged, midterm-stressed, Students. Most of them stayed quiet in their corner and asked for refills once every hour. Not too bad, at least Ymir didn’t have to rush to get the orders all in and then get herself in trouble because apparently ‘screaming at customers to shut the fuck up so she could make their goddam coffee’ wasn’t a proper way to address customers.

Sometimes she really wondered just why Hanji kept her around. Every time she got in troubles with customers, she’d have Ymir come into her office, tell her that she should not do blab la bla, then let her go. Oh, and then she gave Ymir that creepy smile… the brunette could only shudder at the thought.

Shaking he head in an effort to push that thought aside (God, her boss was such a creeper), she leaned on the counter and looked around the small shop. Cushioned seats, walls painted in warm browns and reds with wooden ledges; she had to admit, this felt a lot homier than if she was working at Starbucks.

Maybe Jean would come in soon for the evening shift and they could hang out for a while and laugh at customers. For now, Ymir was pretty set on glaring at customers and trying to figure out what topic they were freaking out over.

Wind was blowing hard despite the weather being unusually warm. Hands in his pocket, the hood of his sweater over his head, Jean walked unhappily to work. Hearing the sound of the leaves crunching under his feet made him feel slightly better.

A few hours ago, he had been napping happily in his bed. Lazing around was what he liked best, but sadly, life wasn't as perfect and he had to work to have money and do other stuff he enjoyed doing... Which wasn't much. He had to admit that making fun of people with Ymir was pretty entertaining though. It was the only thing he actually kinda looked forward too when going to work.

Jean was one street light away from the coffee shop he knew too well. A bunch of college and university students all around him, with their schoolbag and their smart ass conversations. They annoyed the hell out of him. Sometimes, he regretted not going to college or university after he graduated high school, but he sincerely didn't have the heart to. Anyways, he didn't fucking know what he wanted to do with his life. So he decided to take the year off. And got threatened by his mom to find a job quick or else... So there he was. At least his boss was pretty chill. Creepy, but chill.

He pushed the door of the coffee shop and dragged himself to the back store to drop his stuff and put his work apron (with that stupid cap he hated so much). He then finally installed himself behind the counter with an uninterested facial expression.

"Yo," he finally greeted his co-worker.

Ymir practically jumped Jean as he walked to the door. FINALLY, someone to interact with that wasn’t asking her to put more whip cream on their coffee. She was glad to have someone like Jean working with her and not those unusually perky barristas from the weekend shifts… or Mikasa (please no, not her, never her, anything but that, please). They’d strangely become friends quickly despite Ymir’s lonesome habits; laugh at people was that much better when you had someone to do it with you.

Plus, the fact they were both in some weird ‘transition phase’ trying to find what they wanted to do with the rest of their lives helped their bonding, in a way. Although, in Ymir’s case, she just didn’t care enough to go back to school at the moment. She knew full well that if she so much as tried, she could get into any and all colleges and probably have the scholarship to go with it. Unfortunately, she was too fucking bored to give a single crap about her education.

“Not late for once?” she teases, a lazy smirk grazing her lips, “I’m impressed. Did your mom have to kick you out of bed or something?”.

"Ha ha. Really funny," he laughed sarcastically. "Nah, Hanji actually called me to remind me at what time my shift was tonight. Like what the fuck?" He explained to his co-worker.

Jean had the bad habit of being late, like Ymir had pointed out. Like always late. Ymir and himself were the worst employees ever, but Hanji still managed to keep them for so long. There was something seriously wrong with their boss. Or maybe she didn't care considering she had Mikasa a.k.a. employee number one (and "hot Asian chick" for Jean) to compensate for them being so horrible.

As he was about to complain about all the annoying students in the streets and mainly in the coffee shop, one of them popped in at the counter, looking at the menu, not knowing what he wanted. Jean groaned. It was already a pain to give them what they want, it was worst when they stalled in front of them for five minutes, asking what was good or not. Jean only wanted to give them their fucking order so they could go away and he could continue his conversations with his co-worker.

He leaned in on the counter and held himself with his hand on his chin. The student finally decided what he wanted to have and Jean went to go do his order while he expected Ymir to take care of making him pay.

He came back with the order and gave it to him. The student left to sit further in the coffee shop, looking insulted at their service (but that was a common facial expression for them to receive from customers).

Jean looked at Ymir and smirked. "I'm sure you have something to say about that Jew-fro..."

Mikasa had been having a peaceful evening, just a nice day to relax and not think of studies or work or Eren being impossibly difficult about everything. She wished he would try to understand for once. But her relationship issues with Eren weren’t the source of her problem right now. Right now in the middle of a peaceful day, a day free of worries and responsibilities, she had been called in to do to fulfill exactly that. She wondered how Hanji even managed to set up the Beaby Bean Coffee Shop when she ran off on so-called “important business related excursions” which in other words meant “Going to a science convention”. She knew Hanji ran this business as hobby, considering she was already researcher at the university near the café, but she should take it a little more seriously. Especially on Mikasa who she knew attended the university as a student.

Mikasa sighed and resigned herself to her fate. Having had to replace Hanji as overseer, in other words boss, a couple of times already she knew the workings of the job. That mostly entailed paperwork and every so often greeting clients and keeping employees in check (oh the joy) but that didn’t mean she liked it. No she didn’t even like it one bit especially considering the employees.

She neared the corner of the café where the entrance to the back was easily accessible. Giggling her keys out of her pocket she unlocked the door and entered through the back. Once she got in she quickly made her way towards Hanji’s office deposited her things and decided to make her way up front to check who was working the shifts. She made in just in time to see Jean handing an order to a client and turning to Ymir for a snide comment. She briefly inwardly cringed at this combo (of all the employees she could deal with, really) and made her way towards them silently positioning herself right behind Jean and leaning in to intone neutrally.

“Don’t encourage rude behaviour Jean.”

The witty comment she had been about to make about the student’s unfortunately hairdo was all too quickly forgotten when she heard none other than Mikasa fucking Ackerman make yet another intervention. Ymir could practically feel her skin crawl at the sound of that voice.

“Jesus, Mikasa!” he snapped, startled by the other employee’s sudden appearance behind her friend, “You just scared my freaking balls off and trust me, those were pretty hard to grow in the first goddam place”.

There was just something about that Asian chick that Ymir could not stand. She honestly didn’t give a single crap about Hanji’s obvious obsession with Mikasa or the fact Jean was so hung up on her but honestly, the way she took care of her brother was plain weird. Like, seriously; who has to call their boyfriend every f-ing break to make sure he didn’t get in trouble, burn the house, or even put a fork in a plug and die in horrible and electrifying agony.

Seriously Mikasa, get a life.

“It’s not like we’re doing nothing anyways,” she shrugs and leans back against a counter, giving Mikasa her usual bored look, “You saw us serve that customer. Now he has his latte and I’ve yet to hear a single complaint about Jean’s drinks. Juuuuust sayin’”

Jean jumped at Mikasa's sudden entrance. He turned around with a surprised expression on his face. If it wouldn't have been the Asian young woman, Jean would have told her to fuck off. Anyways Ymir did it for him...

Jean nodded at his co-worker's reply and then looked at her half-insulted, half-joking. "What do you mean 'yet'? My drinks are fucking good even when I don't try!"

He then looked at Mikasa and smiled suggestively. He sadly knew he had no chance with her, but he was glad he had someone as attractive as her to look at when he came to work. Not that Ymir wasn't attractive. She was in her own way, but to Jean, she was simply her 'bro'.

Mikasa’s eyes sharply looked over Ymir, at with slight annoyance which gradually faded into indifference. She completely disregards the other female’s loud voice and crude comments and her obvious dislike toward her. She knows Ymir couldn’t stand her, probably because she did not even try to care herself. They mutually avoided each other and found the other’s company quiet…taxing. Ymir was nothing if not a loud-mouthed disturbance, hence why Mikasa partly hated her job.

Noticing that Ymir had started talking again, Mikasa gives her a brief look of acknowledgement and sighs audibly. Ymir always liked to talk divert attention or make excuses. Her eyes flicker to Jean who had seemed surprised by her sudden entrance, not that she wasn’t expecting it. She saw the way he easily rebutted Ymir’s claim with indignant yelling. Mikasa would roll her eyes, but it would look highly unprofessional and she couldn’t seem to care enough to do so. She sighed once again (this job had increased her number of sighs to an abnormal level), exhausted with their childish behavior and Jean’s leer that was directed toward her. She sent him a cold look clearly communicating, once again, that she was not interested.

Folding her arms across her chest she assessed both employees and regarded them with a fierce look.

“Complaint or not that is beside the point. Making comments on client is childish and rude. If they were to hear those comments it would tarnish the reputation of this establishment. We need friendly, responsible and efficient baristas that create a nice atmosphere instead of acting silly. I know both of you are capable of such, more than capable even and I have no doubt” and here her eyes trail towards Jean “that your skills are superb but I also want an attitude which reflects these excellent skills.”

Eren fulminait son départ de la maison. Il était persuadé que Mikasa l’avait fait exprès, même si cela pouvait passer pour un oubli. Même s’il pensait qu’elle ne le méritait pas, Eren était en route vers le lieu de travail de Mikasa avec son lunch qu’elle avait laissé sur le comptoir de la cuisine. S’étant chicaner avec elle peu avant son départ, Eren essayait de se convaincre que la seule raison pourquoi il allait lui porter son repas, c’était qu’il pourrait avoir un café gratuit par la même occasion puisqu’elle travaillait là.

Lorsqu’il arriva devant la vitrine du magasin, après une longue marche passée à bouder, Eren regarda à l’intérieur de la boutique et remarqua les deux employés à l’air blasé. Ils parlaient avec Mikasa et ne semblaient pas la prendre au sérieux. Eren haussa les épaules se disant que ce n’était pas son problème et qu’elle savait quoi faire de toute façon. Il pénétra dans le café et marcha directement vers Mikasa pour déposer de façon désintéressée la boîte à lunch sur le comptoir.
«Tiens. Tu as oublié ça à la maison.» Marmonna Eren avant de croiser les bras en fixant Mikasa. «N’en prend pas l’habitude. Je suis seulement venu parce que je voulais un café.»

Il regretta aussitôt ses paroles qui étaient sorties plus méchantes qu’il ne l’aurait souhaité, mais continua de froncer les sourcils pour ne pas le laisser paraître. Inconfortable avec le regard des deux autres sur lui, il les dévisagea un moment avant de retourner son attention à Mikasa. Il était toujours fâché contre elle, mais il ne voulait pas que les deux employés s’en mêlent ou commentent leur situation. Il parlerait avec Mikasa plus tard.

«À quelle heure tu termines ce soir…? Oh et pourrais-tu me donner un café moyen. Vanille française? L’autre là-bas avec le chat mort sur la tête va surement cracher dedans avant de me le donner.» continua Eren en prenant soin de ne pas parler fort pour que les autres ne l’entendent pas.

Ymir groans audibly as she sees Eren come through the door. She didn’t really know much about the kid but man was he annoying. She assumed it was in part because of the weird relationship he had with Mikasa. At some point, when Ymir started working here, she thought they were siblings seeing as they were always together. When she learned they weren’t, she was severely creeped out. Having close friends that happen to have dicks was fine. Having friends that happen to have dicks and that you constantly called for no good reason other than to constantly monitor them? Nope, no good.

“Pfft, you really think you’ll get a free coffee with that shitty attitude? Get lost brat, even mommy-Mikasa doesn’t want you here today,” she interrupts. God, even his whiny voice made her skin crawl. Plus the way he just thought he could abuse of Mikasa’s authority as Assistant-Manager was so off-putting.

At Mikasa's compliment on his skills, Jean smiled broadly and pretty much ignored everything else she had said.

Suddenly, the brat Jean despised the most made his appearance. He seriously didn't get what Mikasa found in him. Jean was way better looking, had funny jokes, was way more charismatic, but most importantly of all... he treated Mikasa with respect and if she'd give him a chance, she could see that he had gentlemen manners with girls who deserved it, such as the black haired young woman. The brunette was a little shit to her. And the way Mikasa talked about him in the begging made it seem like he was her shitty little seven years old brother. Seriously.

But Jean knew the other didn't like him back. He was probably intimidated by Jean's greatness.

He glared back at the other and got angry and insulted when he impolitely ordered Mikasa around. Who did he think he was?! Jean smiled when Ymir told him off. She was always quicker than him when it came to insults and comebacks.

"Yeah, fuck off and look at the sign. It clearly says 'no dogs allowed'"

She was looking at her co-workers with a firm exasperated gaze expecting them to reassure her on their capabilities that is until she heard the jingle of the ball that indicated a client had entered the café, she looked over toward the client planning on sending Jean and Ymir a warning glance before making herself scarce. This plan was flunked down the toilet when none other than Eren entered and marched right up to them with a frown as he threw a box on the counter. Mikasa wondered what the oddly familiar box was that is until she recognized it was her lunch box.

Despite the unresolved tension between them from their earlier fight Mikasa was touched at the gesture and happy that Eren cared to bring her lunch for her. A warmth spread in her and she wanted to lean over the counter and press a kiss against his cheek (not that she would that would be highly unprofessional but still the desire was there). That is until Eren opened his mouth and yipped away. After that the soft smile that had been blossoming on her face stilled, the warmth spreading through her turned to ice and instead of wanting to kiss him on the cheek she wanted to slap him.

The simmering rage from their previous fight boiled up inside her again but she refused to act on it or even show it, she remained calm collected and waited for him to say something else. ANYTHING else that would make Mikasa not want to punch him. As she heard him speak again she reprimanded herself. She should have known that Eren would just make things worse. She was about to answer him with a perfectly unaffected voice, mind you, that she finished at 8pm and that no, he could not have coffee.
But before she could utter a word Ymir spoke it ad low and behold sarcastic and snippy comments filtered out of her mouth. It was true that Mikasa didn’t want Eren near her at this moment and that she would rather lock herself up in solitude but it was not for Ymir to voice that out in such…indelicate tones. She turned toward Ymir eyes narrowed slightly to convey she was not pleased with this behaviour and ready to reprimand her when Jean spoke up, Jean who had said equally if not even more inappropriate comments then Ymir, all the while smiling broadly.

Mikasa had enough of this, her sharp gaze filtered on Jean for a second she wanted so badly to tell them to mind their own business and to stop insulting Eren. Despite being mad at him she still loved and adored him and that meant that she had zero tolerance for other people insulting him. She turned her back on her co-workers she could deal with them later causing a scene now would do no good and would just give a bad repute to the café and the whole issue had nothing to do with their job it was private and personal and something that should not be discussed while on the job. She turned back toward Eren still irritated but her gaze was level and her voice was monotone when she spoke.

“Eren I can’t give you free coffee you know it’s against policy. Thank you for the lunch.”

(Jme souviens pu de ce qu’on avait décidé… pour le bien de ma santé mentale, Eren et Mikasa sont des amis d’enfance, très proche, mais pas encore en couple)

Eren eut un mouvement de recul en entendant la voix d’Ymir. Il s’attendait à une remarque comme celle-ci de la part de Jean, mais venant d’Ymir c’était… bon… aussi attendu, mais encore plus brutal. De se faire insulter par Jean, c’était habituel et cette fois-ci exceptionnellement, il l’avait cherché. Ce qui le dérangeait vraiment c’était que les deux employés semblaient s’être mis sur son cas et Mikasa ne levait même pas le petit doigt pour les ramener à l’ordre. Il venait de faire tout le trajet pour lui apporter son lunch et il ne pouvait pas avoir de café. Déjà là, c’était décevant, mais que Mikasa le laisse se faire insulter comme ça, Eren n’acceptait pas du tout la situation. Se retournant vers Jean, Eren le regarda avec autant de haine que possible.

«Étrange, s’il n’accepte pas les chiens, pourquoi ils en ont engagé un?» rétorqua Eren qui aurait continué si Mikasa n’avait pas commencé à parler à cet instant précis. Le jeune homme ne put retenir sa déception et son sentiment de trahison, alors qu’elle le regardait sans expression faciale. Il ne fallait pas être un génie (comme Connie) pour deviner qu’elle lui en voulait toujours et qu’elle ne voulait plus le voir.

Eren ne put s’empêcher d’en vouloir aux deux employés, persuadé que Mikasa aurait été plus heureuse de le voir et plus reconnaissante s’ils n’avaient pas été là. De voir leur visage satisfait suite à sa rejection humiliante ne faisait qu’aggraver sa situation et grandir sa colère. Essayant de camouflé son regard blessé à Mikasa, ne voulant pas être pris en pitié, Eren pris le même air neutre que Mikasa essayant de paraitre crédible.

«Je sors ce soir. Ne m’attend pas pour souper. J’ai rendez-vous avec… hum… Annie. On se voit demain, peut-être…» marmonna Eren en se dirigeant vers la sortie. Si Hanji avait été là, il aurait surement eut son café.

The brunette resists the urge to burst out laughing at Eren's comeback. Sure enough, Jean was her best friend but that Jaeger kid did have a good point. And who was she not to enjoy the funnies when they were right in from of her? But aside from that, the brat had to go. It wasn’t that she was particularly inclined to help Mikasa out of an obviously awkward situation but she couldn’t keep herself from giving that little asshole a lesson.

As she watches Eren start to walk away, she grabs something from under the counter.

“Hey asshole!” she shouts after him. Ymir then takes out a plastic cup filled with whip cream (and a tiny bit of coffee) and throws it towards Eren with strangely accurate precision. The contents spill over his head, covering his hair and face with a thick coating of white, poofy cream.

“Here’s so you smell a bit better than usual on your date” she concludes with a smirk. She cares little for what the customers think of this turn of event if anything, it’ll drag them out of their constant studying and bring some life back to them. It was more about proving a point; don’t be a dick. Especially not to people Ymir spends too much tie with and ends up begrudgingly becoming ‘friends’ with.

At Eren's comeback and his supposedly best friend's laugh, Jean cheeks reddened from frustration and embarassement. He was about to shoot something back at him, but the following events happened too fast. Eren announcing he had a date with Annie?! Pfft. Yeah right.. And then the splendid throw of whipped cream coming from Ymir to Eren's head. Jean's laughter couldn't be controlled and he laughed incredibly loudly in the whole shop. Eren's state, the customers' face... Like Ymir, he didn't really care for the customers. He also thought his job was boring as it could be.

He tried to control his fit of laughter as he reached for something in the top shelf. He opened the container and grab one Maraschino cherry and quickly made his way to Eren, still laughing.

"Wait, wait, wait!" He gently put the cherry on top of the brunette's and smiled broadly. "And now, Annie will want to eat you up!"

The young raven haired woman felt a stab of pain shoot through her, as Eren flaunted his supposed “date” with Annie Leonhardt, a silent dead-eyed girl he’d met in University. Though she knew it wasn’t her place to restrain him or ask him to forget about Annie, she couldn’t help but feel the urge to snap at him for bringing it up to spite her. Sometimes she suspected he knew of her feelings for him and played them to his advantage. Eren was like a rose beautiful and mesmerizing but get too close and you’ll be pricked. Perhaps it was her fault she’d always taken care of him as something delicate and revered him as her most precious person, putting him on a pedestal. Though as she watched him turn his back on her nonchalantly she still couldn’t bring herself to see him in a bad light because contrary to what Ymir and Jean seemed to so ardently believe, she knew a side of Eren that was sweet and kind.

Conflicted by her emotions she resigned to watch him go and head to Hanji’s office to sort out some paper work when Ymir spoke up and in the next few moments she stood shell shocked. Mikasa was absolutely stunned; jaw slack from surprise as she watched whipped cream cake Eren’s face, dropping down along with the brown liquid. Even if she’d been admittedly furious with him and her nerves were frayed mere seconds ago she could not help but feel a wave of protectiveness overcome her at his vulnerable state. Mikasa hated seeing Eren so humiliated, her radiant rose tarnished. A bout of furry welled up from the deep recesses of her mind and she felt blinded for an instant, her fists clenched, her teeth gritted and her eyes sharp like shards of ice. They’d pushed things too far.

The exotic woman advanced in long strides towards Eren and Jean, her eyes zero-ing in on the cherry he’d plopped on the cream topped brunette. Despite her obvious furious aura she did not raise a hand against her employee, which would be highly unprofessional and cause more of a scene. Instead she chose to stare down Ymir and Jean with righteous furry, and then turned toward Eren hastily.

“Come at the back we’ll get you cleaned up.”

Eren ne put que sentir les regards des autres clients sur lui ainsi que celui des employés. Trop sous le choc et enragé au plus haut point, le jeune étudiant fulminait, les poings serrés et les yeux plein d’eau. Il ne pouvait détourner son regard des deux employés qui avaient osé l’humilier ainsi, se demandant pourquoi ils n’étaient pas renvoyés sur le champ. Comment pouvait-il encore garder leur emploi?

«Vous vous croyez malins!?» hurla Eren en s’avançant avec haine et rancœur vers Jean se faisant menaçant. « Comment peut-on engager des imbéciles comme vous!? Vous devriez perdre votre emploi, bande de sauvages! Laissez-moi parler à votre employeur! Où est Hanji!? Elle va vous foutre à la rue et plus personne ne voudra vous embaucher!» s’époumona Eren en se laissant entraîner à l’arrière de la boutique par Mikasa, sans doute pour que les clients n’aient plus à supporter son désir de vengeance très vocal et ses cris incessants. Affreusement humilié et souillé, Eren suivit Mikasa et retira sa veste dès qu’ils furent seuls. Il la regarda un moment, découragé et énervé avant de la lancer plus loin sur une chaise.

«Je ne comprends pas pourquoi tu ne l’es a pas renvoyés! Tu es de leur côté aussi!? Ces macaques! Ils vont le payer! Donne-moi le numéro d’Hanji et argh-» s’arrêta Eren en constatant que même son t-shirt était taché et sentait le café à plein nez. Soupirant, Eren retira son chandail et le posa avec sa veste sur la chaise. Frissonnant légèrement, Eren s’approcha du lavabo et se pencha pour avoir la tête sous le jet d’eau dans l’évier. Il laissa couler l’eau chaude un bon moment sur sa tête pour que ses cheveux deviennent moins collants. C’était sa seule option pour l’instant. Refermant le robinet, Eren se recula et se redressa en secouant la tête pour enlever l’eau, laissant quelques gouttes couler dans son cou et sur son torse.

«Mikasa tu aurais une serviette ou des vêtements de rechange quelque part…?» s’enquit Eren, toujours furieux en la regardant avec de gros yeux. Pourquoi le fixait-elle ainsi?

Ymir could only watch, slightly dumbfounded, as Mikasa drags Eren towards the back of the coffee shop to clean himself up. For the life of her, the brunette never understood how her co-worker could just keep letting a guy like Eren get the best of her every single time. Then again, Ymir knew Annie and she doubted the poor kid had even managed to talk to her yet (the blonde had that effect on people… probably the cold eyes). It was just hard for her to understand any of their lovey-dovey drama.

If she were to ever fall in love, which seemed unlikely, Ymir would definitely not pull that kind of crap, no sir. Heck, she’d probably be the worst girlfriend ever considering the minimalist amount of fucks she game in general.

She looks over to Jean and sighs; “They’re so fucking weird,” she comments, “please tell me something in the near future will happen to get our minds of these two idiots…”

Jean stepped back, looking at Eren weirdly, clearly judging him when the latter stepped forward in a fury to shout nonsense almost in his face. He was about to reply angrily for being “attacked” so savagely, but of course, Mikasa intervened, obviously taking the brunette’s side. Jean sighed annoyed as he watched the two head to the back store and made his way back behind the counter to join his co-worker and friend.  He looked at her while she said her comment and laughed curtly.

“Either Mikasa will have to quit or Eren will have to move to another country… or die. No wait, that wouldn’t work either. Mikasa would still come to work and probably think about him…” He mumbled annoyed. “What does she even see in him, seriou-…?”

His sentence was cut short as a very tiny, adorable, beautiful, blonde girl talked in her tiny, adorable voice, apparently asking a question. It took him a moment to process her question as she interrupted his beginning of a rant.

“Our manager? Uh.. No, she’s not there. And our assistant manager is currently… busy. But I guess I could maybe go get her anyway.”

He glanced at Ymir to see what she thought of it. She would always lie to people bringing in their C.V., saying the manager or the assistant manager are not there although they were, or taking their C.V., saying she would give it to her manager, but would simply throw it in the trash can (not even the recycle bin. That’s how yolo she was). So Jean figured she would think of doing the same this time, although the girl in front of them seemed extremely sweet and was absolutely gorgeous.

She squeezed his arm tightly as she dragged him out of the scene, hoping she could get him away before fists started flying around. She knew his anger was justified but she rather he let out his frustrations away from customers they had already caused enough of a ruckus as it was. Fortunately, Eren was determined to resort to verbal threats rather than his fists, though she couldn’t blame him if he would, she had felt the itch to wipe off the smug look off their faces too. She glanced back at him as she brought him toward the back of the shop, his eyes bulging out of his skull in indignation, his face red with furry and his fists clenched with barely contained rage.

Once they entered the staff room she let him go turning back to close the door so they wouldn’t have to be bothered, she didn’t need them coming in to rub salt into the wound. She leaned against the door for a moment letting out a heavy breath; she couldn’t believe this had just happened, what would she tell Hanji? Today really was a bad day after all. Mikasa felt herself simmer down, from her previous murderous intent, letting go of the door knob and turning toward Eren in an attempt to assess the damage and perhaps help him clean up. His hair was soaked through with stale coffee and clumps of whipped cream, some of it still dripping down onto his cheeks. His shirt was also soaked through, she sighed moving toward the cabinets in hopes of finding a spare uniform she could lend him in the meantime.

Mikasa had expected the verbal assault that followed; Eren had always been vocal and quite…expressive whenever he was angry. Though he had every right to feel vindicated, the young assistant manager wished he would stop yelling, she already felt high strung as it was. Finally finding a spare uniform she took it in her hands and turned around addressing her childhood friend.

“Eren calm down they’ll get an appropriate sanction but I can’t fire them we nee-”

Her lips stopped forming coherent sounds when her obsidian orbs raked his half naked and pleasantly…wet form. His hair was plastered to his tanned cheeks and the water dribbled down in a slow torturous way down slim skin. She felt perverse as she watched a drop trail down and catching on a pert nipple; she bit her bottom lip suddenly feeling very warm. She realized belatedly that he was speaking to her, averting her eyes from his well-toned chest and she tried desperately to focus on his words.

En voyant le vêtement, Eren s’approcha de Mikasa et la remercia à voix basse, essayant toujours de se calmer. L’eau qui dégoulinait dans son cou aidait aussi à refroidir ses ardeurs. Ne remarquant pas l’hésitation de Mikasa, Eren continua de secouer ses cheveux avec ses mains un moment pour qu’ils sèchent plus rapidement et agrippa le vêtement tendu par Mikasa. Il l’enfila rapidement, trouvant qu’il faisait bien froid : c’était l’automne après tout. Ce ne fut que lorsqu’il enfila l’uniforme qu’il se rendit compte que Mikasa le fixait trop intensément. Cette nouvelle le laissa perplexe et lui fit oublier sa colère pendant un moment.

«Mikasa… je ne vais pas tuer personne… pourquoi tu me regardes ainsi? Est-ce que tout va bien?» demanda Eren confus et mal à l’aise avant de regarder l’heure. «Et merde… je n’aurai jamais le temps de passer à la maison et me changer… bordel d’employés incompétents. Mikasa, j’ai besoin du numéro d’Hanji… Donne-le moi s’il-te-plaît.»

Still refusing to meet his gaze head on, her cheeks positively red and her heart thundering in her chest, she answered him with the best unaffected tone she could muster at the moment.

“Y-yes everything is fine Eren, I was just distracted."

Her attempt at indifference was not entirely successful but Eren was also very dense, he never really noticed the minute things about her, she guessed that was why he had never caught on to her feelings, it was somehow a blessing and a curse. She sighed as he once again pressed on for Hanji’s number, knowing he was unlikely to give up and her will caved in under his own as it did time and time again. They were both stubborn, though she was stronger than him and sometimes she would win, sometimes it was him. Now after a particularly long morning and the emotional baggage she carried with her presently she reluctantly caved in, extending her hand forward.

“Give me your cell phone I’ll punch it in, but I warn you not to be aggressive, Jean and Ymir can be uncouth but they are good workers. Just...take some time to cool off before you make the call okay? I know it’s hard after what they have done but I ask you this as your friend.”

«De pas être agressif? Mais t’as vu pourtant ce qu’ils ont fait! Je peux pas les laisser s’en tirer si facilement!» Eren la regarda avec insistance, un air mauvais sur le visage suite à cette humiliation publique et gratuite. Si Mikasa était de leur côté ce serait la goutte qui ferait déborder le vase. En plus, lui qui était ici uniquement pour rendre un service à Mikasa en lui apportant sa boîte à lunch. Enfin, c’est ce qu’il se disait. Avoir su, il serait resté chez lui plutôt que de lui apporter ou mieux encore, il aurait tout gobé lui-même dans un élan de frustration et de faim.

Savourant cette petite victoire, Eren lui tendit son cellulaire et se laissa conseiller par Mikasa. Bon d’accord… il était toujours en colère contre elle à cause de leur dispute de ce matin-là, mais elle l’aidait quand même et puis, il était incapable de rester fâché contre elle bien longtemps. Si ce n’était que pour mettre des bâtons dans les roues d’Ymir et de Jean, Eren serait déjà en train d’appeler Hanji, mais l’idée de mettre Mikasa dans le pétrin ne l’enchantait pas du tout.

Rangeant son cellulaire dans sa poche de pantalon après que Mikasa ait entré le numéro dans sa liste de contact, Eren pinça les lèvres lorsqu’il entendit le dernier mot de l’argumentation de Mikasa. Ne comprenant pas sa propre réaction, Eren recula et passa une main dans ses cheveux en regardant ailleurs.

«Ouais… bon … je vais devoir y aller si je veux pas être en retard… et ouais… Merci Mika… À plus tard.» marmonna Eren en se dirigeant vers la sortie avec un uniforme sur le dos après avoir ramasser ses vêtements souillés. S’il attrapait un rhume à cause de ces deux employés imbéciles, il leur ferait payer.

She sighed as she punched in the numbers hearing Eren grouse about her warning, she knew it seemed like she was picking sides but truly she trying her best to remain neutral. If she’d picked sides both Ymir and Jean would be supporting a black eye. No she had to act like the responsible one in this whole ordeal despite her various conflicting feelings. At this very moment she wanted nothing more than to lock herself up in her office and preoccupy herself with work instead of thinking about Eren going on a DATE with Annie or even think about the two employees out front who always managed to give her a headache.
As she handed him back his phone she could see that he had put some distance between them, she looked at him curiously but he only shuffled awkwardly and mumbled his words as he hastily left. Clenching her fist she watched him go and forced the words out.

“Have a nice evening Eren.”

With that she too left the back room and shut herself into her office hoping not to be bothered.