Levi cleaned the shower thoroughly after his wank session and then the whole bathroom as an afterthought. He was dimly aware that the smell of bleach would tip Hange off that he'd rubbed one out in the shower. Fortunately—aside from the inevitable ribbing—she didn't care and he didn't mind that she knew.

Dressed, hair still damp, he walked through the room. He was starving but he'd wait for Hange to wake up before he ate. He decided to walk to the McDonald's and get a cup of coffee, though.

The motel clerk had been kind enough to leave him a duplicate key so he grabbed his wallet, key, and cigarettes and strolled over to the fast food place.

Since everything was right there clustered beside a highway off-ramp the place stayed busy. He darted between cars as deftly as anyone born in a big city would and marvelled again at how reticent southerners seemed to be about honking their horns. New Yorkers used the things like punctuation.

He cast a glance over at the Midnight Inn and Dreamers. It was Sunday so the bar would be closed and the motel looked sleepy and calm. He noticed several cars left in the parking lot, probably a common occurrence as people who drank too much would probably Uber home.

Standing in line at the counter he inhaled the scents of greasy breakfast foods and idly watched the crowd. There was a fairly even mix of white people and people of color, something that struck him. He'd always assumed that the south was predominantly white but the different races of people moved and mixed and spoke to each other like neighbors.

He got his coffee quickly, added a fuckton of sugar to it and stirred it as he walked out. When he got back to the motel he set up shop on the trunk of their rental car and lit a cigarette. His mind quickly turned to Erwin.

What was he doing right now? Probably still sleeping. He'd also probably have a huge crushing hangover when he woke up.

Levi wasn't bothered by hangovers much although he'd definitely have to get a few ibuprofen from Hange later on. He went over the events of the night before meticulously. He couldn't help it. He was always second guessing himself, overanalyzing everything.

Why hadn't Erwin made a move or given him an indication of how he felt? Hell, why hadn't he?

He crushed out his smoke, carefully retrieved the butt, (he never just threw his cigarette butts on the ground. That was nasty,) and lit another.

He was trying very hard to sort out his feelings. He wished Hange was awake. Draining his coffee he finished his second cigarette and went back into the room to brush his teeth.

As he was brushing, Hange snorted, grunted, and rolled over in her bed. Levi watched her through the mirror. For a minute she just sat on the edge of the bed yawning and scratching her head, legs wide open and showing the crotch of her underpants. Levi always woke up and hit the ground running. Hange was not that quick at waking up. Levi wouldn't say that she wasn't a morning person (Hange was a twenty-four seven wide open person judging from how wildly she slept.) She finally looked up groggily as he was wiping his mouth off with the towel. Her face split into a big grin.

"Morning, Sunshine!"

Levi nodded. He knew what was coming and he braced himself.

Hange twisted around to look at his bed. Her smile widened so much Levi was afraid her face would split. "Didn't come home last night at all, eh?"

Levi didn't bother to respond. "Maybe I did. You know I always make the bed."

Hange considered that. "Hmm, OK. Didn't get lucky last night?"

"Nope."

Hange breathed in the smell of bleach. "But you washed the shower. With bleach."

Two spots of color appeared high up on Levi's sharp cheekbones.

"C'mon … spill! I'll share mine if you share youuuuurrrrs."

"OK, OK, I may have spent the night. But nothing happened."

"Why not?"

"Too drunk."

"Where did you sleep?"

Levi hesitated, his blush deepening.

Hange sprang up. "Oh my god, you slept in his bed? With him?"

Levi rubbed the back of his neck. He needed to trim his undercut. He'd do that today. "Maybe."

Hange came into the bathroom, hiked up her skirt, pulled down her underpants and sat on the toilet. This was nothing for her. She did it all the time.

Levi held up a hand and scooted out of the room, "Fuck Hans, you know I hate that! I don't wanna see your shit!"

Levi could hear urine hitting the water and he shuddered, crossing to his bed and sitting down. "At least close the door!" he shouted. He heard a flush. "And wash your hands!"

Hange gave her hands a cursory clean and emerged from the bathroom. She studied him. "Why do you seem so … off?"

Levi sighed heavily and flopped back onto his bed on his back, feet still on the floor. "I have no idea," he said to the ceiling.

Hange waited patiently.

"OK, I do have an idea."

"OK. Well why don't we talk about it over breakfast? The place next door, Waffle House, is soooo good."

They settled into a booth (which Levi eyed suspiciously until the waitress sighed and wiped it off) and both ordered coffee. Levi ordered two eggs, scrambled, and bacon and hashbrowns ("what the hell are grits, anyway?" The waitress had looked positively pained.) Hange had the all-star with grits ("They're good! Get them with cheese!") and hashbrowns. As they waited for their food, Hange gulped their black coffee, had it refilled, and stared at Levi over the rim.

"OK, you, fess up. There's something wrong and I can tell. I've never seen you act like this. What is it?"

Levi stared down at his hands, twisting his rings on his left hand with his right. "There's nothing wrong ..I ..."

"Bullshit," Hange said calmly.

"There's … I … fuck!" He ran his hand through his hair. Finally Levi put his face in his hands.

Hange reached out and touched his arm. "Levi?"

"Fuck, Hans. I really like this guy. I don't even know why! I mean he's kind and smart and gorgeous as all hell …"

"I think you just answered your own question."

The waitress came by and refilled Hange's cup. Levi sipped at his coffee. Fuck, he needed a cigarette.

"But he didn't even make a single move, Hans. Really. If he was interested why didn't he? I'd have fucked him in a heartbeat. No … well yes, but that's just not all I want."

Levi looked at them helplessly and Hange patted his hand.

"Well, you know we're in the deep south. Non-binary genders are really frowned upon. They have all the same queers that are everywhere but people have to be careful. Moblit and I had a long, long talk about everything and I learned some stuff. Like that it's easier for me and him since I present as female." Their hand stroked his soothingly. "Give it some time. We just got here."

Their food arrived, plate after white plate with a little gold filigree, of food. They both dug in, just eating for a while and thinking.

The food was good. Not gold-star but hearty and filling. Hange paused after inhaling half of her breakfast.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I really don't. I don't want to harass the guy. Maybe he was just star-struck—you know how it is—or maybe he's closeted and just wanted a quick fuck. Shit, I don't know."

"Well, he didn't seem like he just wanted to fuck. He seemed content with drinking with you and talking with you. Moblit says he's a good guy."

Levi pushed his hash browns around on his plate. The hashbrowns he was used to came from Mc Donald's and were compressed together. These loose ones offended him somehow.

"How could he really like me though, Hans? I mean look at me. I'm rude and stand-offish and weird … and short."

Hange shook her head. "There it is. You being you again. Shitting on yourself. Jesus Levi. Give yourself some credit. You're hot as hell. Yes, you take some getting used to but you're a fine man."

Levi smiled at her. "Thanks."

But secretly, in his heart, he was sure Erwin could never feel strongly about him as a partner. And, fuck it, they were from different worlds and he would, eventually, go back to his world and Erwin would still be down here.