Chapter 25: Under a crimson moon - The ones we love

"Just here." Eren had been following Jun for some time now; away from the other end of the station that Eren always seemed to travel from. Behind a row of storefronts, down a tight alley that could suffocate you. Neon lights flickered, pointing them into a metal door. Jun pushed the door open.

A wash of indigo and violet light washed over them. A club; although empty for the time being. Tables and leather booths lined the room; a bar top stocked full of various liquors.

"Your sister works here?"

"Yeah, works and owns the place too." Jun took a seat at the closest table surveying around the club; waiting patiently. Whilst Eren inspected a picture frame; capturing all the staff; each scantily clad women of all shapes and sizes posed lewdly.

"Jun... what kind of bar is this-"

Eren turned to see a woman bound towards Jun, barley a skirt to cover her lower half and two straps of little clothes to cover her nipples. Black hair tied up into a side ponytail. Large hazel brown eyes and the most eye-catching part her immense bust which bobbed with each step closer.

Poor Eren didn't know where to look, eyes darting from her bust to the indigo walls.

"Who's this handsome guy Jun?" The woman took a seat next to Eren.

"Ahhh..." He tried to not stare, suddenly preoccupied with the picture frame, feeling his face redden. Her attire wasn't doing him any favours.

"This is Eren, my master."

"Master? Oooo." She inspected Eren further leaning forward, cleavage once again pulling Eren's gaze.

"Quite the introduction, my name is Mei Jiao, it is very nice to meet you Eren." Mei stuck out her hand; Eren reluctantly grasped it, avoiding eye contact.

"Nice to meet you too."

"Anyway sis. Master Eren took me on my first gate today!" Mei smiled at him fondly.

"Oh? Did you clear it?" Mei gave him an inquiring look.

"Yeah!" Jun drew forth Seraph causing his sister to clap excitedly.

"My, my... Very impressive Jun." She kissed him on the cheek; as Jun smiles giddily at the praise.

A day of being surrounded by buff, shirtless men flexing to every little thing had taken a toll on Eren's patience; however, upon seeing the sister's skinship it threw him completely out of his comfort zone once more.

"What is this place?" Eren recovered from his flustered state. Mei smiled softly at him.

"This is my establishment... 'Club Eden' A gentlemen's club for all your personal desires. We cater to 'all' your needs here."

"And you run the place?" Mei gave a subtly frown.

"Well, on paper I own it. The Crimson Bandits believe it's theirs so..." Mei sighed, resigned to the gang's ownership of her establishment.

"Well, if we pay them, they keep themselves happy. And, it keeps this one feed." Mei jested ruffling the top of her brother's head.

"Does this mean your affiliated with the crimson bandits?" Eren asked suspiciously, becoming much more cautious than before.

"No... Well not by choice at least. It's hard to run a business when your locked in their territory."

"This was always a dream of mine to run a business like this." Mei continued.

'She always wanted to run a titty business?' Eren thought confused.

"That is why it's called Club Eden. Everyone can come here, relax, be in a safe environment... Without any judgement... without discrimination." Mei smiled softly.

"And, sex sells well."

"Fair enough."

Mei's lips curved into a knowing smile. 'What's wrong, Eren? You're acting like you've never been in a place like this before... or is it something else making you nervous?" Mei leaned closer, like a vixen she sensed Eren's hesitance.

 It had been many years since Eren had seen a pair up close, and yet she somehow read that?

"O-oh um... Yeah." Eren stumbled, not able to compose himself quick enough. All the while Jun sat with a doe eyed expression staring between the two. It was like he was used to this.

"Oh. Where are my manners, a drink on the house?" Mei offered kindly.

"Can I have a beer for me and my master Mei?" Jun requested brightly. She giggled playfully.

"Sure, on the house-"

"Just water for me thanks." Eren immediately waved off the drink. "I don't drink in public. Personal rule."

"Oh? So, if we were in private it would be a different story?" Mei hummed teasingly. Eren was flustered once again.

"I have my rules, which I live by, it keeps me out of trouble." In truth this was a rule Eren did live by a long time ago. However, Lucifer had informed him that one of the many abilities of being a reaper; Is having a greatly enhanced body, including higher alcohol tolerance.

"I would love to stay and chat, but these payrolls aren't going to pay themselves. I'll get Akari to bring out your drinks." Mei kissed Jun on the cheek again before bouncing her way back to the staff only doors.

"She's quite something."

"Yeah, my big sister Mei; a bartender, manager, waitress... And more. She works so hard. Ever since our parents died..." Jun lowered his head, getting lost in a memory.

"She has been my whole world. Without her I'd be... Probably like the bandits that run this place." Jun took a brief pause.

"In a way, you're meeting her means a lot to me master." Jun once again used his puppy dog eyes.

"Firstly, I only agreed to one gate and that was only for today. Don't go around raising your sister's expectations now. And secondly… I'm sorry about your parents Jun."

"Thanks, it's been 4 years now since the Shinjuku gate collapsed."

'Shinjuku gate collapse? Another thing I need to look up.' Eren logged that topic in his brain.

"I'm lucky she works as hard as she does." Jun looked at the ground mournfully, Eren noted how downtrodden the boy was, getting lost in thought.

---

From behind the bar a short dirty blonde-haired women emerged; hair tied in a long flowing pony tail with a gentle curl. Eren recognized her instantly. One of the girls from the blaze he caused, the one that drove away from the scene afterwards. She wore similar attire to Mei except with a collar and silver bands on her wrists and a lacy see through cami crop top.

She had seen his face during the fire, although was yet to recognize him fully. With drinks in hand walking towards the pair, she smiled at Jun then turned to Eren, upon getting a full view of his face. The smile on her face faded; recognition swept through her eyes as she stiffened. Her stride and light step now a heavier slow shuffle.

"Hi Akari," Jun waved to Akari as she finally approached the table. Setting the drinks down.

"What's wrong Akari? It looks like you've seen a ghost." Jun sipped at his beer.

"O-oh... J-just a bit sick today." She gave Eren his water with a shaky hand. Eyes averting him as she set it down in front of him.

Eren gave her an intense stare down.

"Thanks..." He eyed the woman, no malice or intent behind his stare. It was more of an observation and out of curiosity if anything. She left without a word, back behind the bar.

"Cheers!" Jun raised his drink,

*Clink*

Eren joined him. He sipped in silence. Surveying the indigo walls and then Akari.

The image of her within the fire appeared in his mind. "I'm sorry Jun I need the bathroom."

"Behind the bar and too the right." Jun didn't think twice as Eren headed off behind the bar. On the way past Eren gave the hostess a signal to follow.

The men's room was just as colourful as the rest of the establishment, maybe more so. If that's even possible, even the men's room looked high-end and modern. Everything was either dark grey or dark blue, with a blue LED light around the mirror. There were six stalls and four urinals. The floor black and the walls were a dark blue with silver specks here and there. A wall mounted plasma television filled the bathroom with calming music.

"Please, don't kill me." She spoke gently, her voice sounded more anxious than sad or desperate.

Eren observed the woman, no longer was she brash and rebellious as when he saw her during the fire. A mere shell of her former self. Bowing all the way down in line with the sinks looked as if she was almost cowering.

"Have you told anyone? About the fire." Akari trembled in place, shaking her head.

"No... I swear"

"I'm not going to kill you. I wouldn't have saved you if I was going to turn around and kill you afterwards." Eren assured her softly, arms crossed as he leaned against a stall door. Akari straightened up. Hands falling to her side. "Thank...you for saving me, for saving us."

Eren walked over to her, gently raising her chin. "The girl... is she safe?" He eyed Akari for any potential signs of deceit or lies. She returned Eren's gaze with wide eyes.

"Yeah, thanks to you... she's staying in the next ward over. Away from all this crap." She explained.

"I'm glad." Eren began to leave the bathroom.

"I-I wish someone like you existed when I was her age." Eren looked over his shoulder; The woman gave off a calm smile, gently bowing at the waist. A victim of the harsh times maybe, of something unmentionable. Yet a fire was within her, a drive to keep others from the same fate.

"Eren!" Jun pushed through the door.

"Something wrong Jun?"

"Bandits... six of them, just arrived." Jun's worried gaze lingered behind the door.

A quick glance out the door; six men dressed in crimson, lounging about like they owned the place with weapons strapped to their hips. An entitled swagger to them, a dangerous energy swirled.

"Jun. Take Akira and your sister out the back please. Now." Eren ordered softly.

"Wait...are you gonna-"

"Don't worry, just leave." Jun obeyed. Running off to the doors across, where his sister is.

From the ring he materialized the mask of Malphas; placing it to his face. Eren looked up at the glowing eyes in the mirror, a flash of azure blue eyes reflected in the glass. Breathing in slowly through his nose, feeling his stomach expand on each inhalation, pausing momentarily before exhaling gradually through his lips, watching his breath escape.

"OI! Where's our beer!?!" One of the crimson bandits smacked the counter.

The thumping sound echoed throughout the empty club. "Relax man, we own them, they're not going anywhere..." The apparent leader laughed.

"I want to get a drink then get out of here before it gets dark." One of the bandit's twitched, rubbing his neck anxiously.

"Woman! WHERE ARE YOU?" The first man banged on the table again, one hand on his waist, other knocking aggressively.

A calm air hung around the room, suffocating silence pressing down on the party. A masked man emerged from the back. Shocked expressions on each of the bandits.

"Y-you only come out at n-night..." The leader gulped. The man trembled, gripping the hilt of his blade, tightly.

The reaper reached for the light switch, "Lights out."

*Click*

"AHHH!" Screams echoed through the void.