Street Brat (Ereri)

2. The Tawaif of Wall Rose

Eren darted up the brothel stairs, weaving with well-practiced ease through the clusters of intoxicated Military Police and ostentatiously dressed noblemen lounging in the entranceway. Eren scowled and tugged at the itchy hem of the ill-fitting Mikasa always insisted he wore whenever he dropped by; Wall Rose had an image to maintain and it just wouldn't do to have him ducking in and out in his dusty street clothes. The working girls in their brightly coloured robes and glistening imitation jewellery dropped their put-on smiles to chirp warm greetings to him and proposition him with coy smiles. He responded with the usual wink and promised maybe next time, but they both knew next time would only be met with the same response.

He was a familiar face by now, and the girl managing the desk knew to automatically point him in the direction of where his sister would be without prompt. Eren nodded his gratitude and went through the heavy, burgundy curtain she had gestured towards with a single heavily jewelled hand. The smothering scent of incense hit him as soon as he drew back the curtain and he had to blink away the dizziness as his nose adjusted. A few rays of sunlight filtering through tiny windows placed high near the ceilings, casting little light on the dimly lit room. Scented candles placed in ornate candle holders provided a warm glow and flickering low light that threw twisted shadows against the drapes and veils that hung from the clay walls. The whole room looked a little hazy; Eren was never sure if that was a result of smoke or if the strong incense fumes were playing havoc with his senses. Velvet sofas, beds and mattresses piled high with cushions and fur skins were scattered haphazardly around the room to accommodate the amorous couples that occupied them. The room echoed with low moans and other sounds of artificial love-making. He'd grown used to that by now and didn't even glance at the figures cloaked in shadows writhing among the cushions as he made his way through the room and towards the washing area he knew to be on the other side.

Eren emerged outside squinting in the bright sunlight and gratefully swallowed down breaths of fresh air. There were three girls in washing cloths gathered around the crumbling well, giggling and gossiping as they dumped buckets of cold water over their heads. One of them, a young mother, had her small son perched on an upturned bucket as she scrubbed at his hair with a bar of soap and coconut husk, scolding them for crying so loudly. Eren soon located Mikasa seated on a bench a little ways off. She was folding laundry while Armin sat in the laundry basket playing with the remaining sheets.

"Helping anne with the chores, are we?" Eren scooped up the giggling toddler and tossed him up into the air, catching him back in his arms safely.

"You didn't have work today?" Mikasa asked, smiling at Armin's delighted squeals.

"Ahh, about that..." Eren pulled a face but didn't finish the sentence. He apparently didn't need to because Mikasa paused her folding to fix him with a disbelieving frown.

"You weren't fired, were you?" She asked, although her tone suggested she already knew the answer.

"Look, there was a guy who was being a dick, I was just trying to calm him down, but he swung first—"

"Again?! Eren that's the third job you lost for starting fights!" Mikasa's raised voice interrupted his explanation and Eren cringed "I can't support all three of us on my own, you need to contribute too."

"Relax! I am! Here, look at this," Eren shifted Armin to perch on his hip and used his free hand to pull a thick wad of crumpled noted from the folds of his dhoti. He beamed triumphantly at Mikasa's widened eyes "See? This should cover us for at least a fortnight. And I'll be getting more soon too." Eren waggled his eyebrows as he waited for her ecstatic reaction, but all he received was a dark glare.