Levi was completely and utterly wasted. He was laying on the bed, the floor around him littered with beer bottles, when Hange burst into the room. He turned his head lazily toward them.

"Oh, fuck, Levi." They sat on the edge of the bed, pushing his hair out of his face. "Do you need to throw up?"

"Y'know I nev … never throw up. It's gross as fug."

"I heard about what happened. Some of it."

Levi stared owlishly at them. "Yeah? How?"

"I sent Moblit over to Erwin's house."

"Well, shid." Levi turned his face away. "He doesn't care abou' me attal, Hans. I emba'rss him. 'Nother big win for me, huh?"

"Oh, honey, you're wrong. You need to give him a second chance."

Levi sat up unsteadily in the bed. "Nope. No sec'n chanzez." he clenched his fist over his heart, "I heard 'im …"

"Moblit said— "

"Don' givafug!" His voice rose. "I heard 'im! Said he din' know me! I'm gonna go take a shower." He struggled to get out of the bed. Hange controlled him easily in his boneless state.

"No, dear, you'll fall in there. Just lie back. Can I get you some food? Maybe some water?"

"Go gimme more beers."

Hange sighed.

Another week crawled by painfully. Things settled into some semblance of normalcy. Levi was at work bright and early on Monday, looking haggard. He threw himself into his work.

Mike got the story as they knew it from Hange. He tried to broach the subject but Levi cut him off immediately. "It's over Mike. Let it go."

Erwin was like a ghost, pale and sick-looking, he drifted through the diner and then back home at night, speaking only minimally. Everyone in town could tell something was wrong. Many asked him if his son was OK. When Mike tried to talk to him he looked so hurt and vulnerable that Mike just gave up.

Mike told Nanaba what had happened and Moblit filled in some details.

Nanaba, who wasn't much for crying, burst into tears on Mike's couch while they were watching TV. "It's just not fair that we're so happy and Mobe and Hans are so happy and Levi and Erwin are … not."

The little, thrown-together friend group were miserable and clung to each other.

On Saturday Mike was over at Erwin's house, helping him clean the gutters. Erwin did most of the actual work himself, shooing Mike off and plying him with beer. He just needed to use Mike's equipment, namely his ladders. Mike finally had enough beer to loosen his tongue and his inhibitions and he introduced the subject of Levi.

"Have you seen Levi around town?"

Erwin was washing his hands in the kitchen sink and Mike saw his shoulders draw up at the mention of Levi's name. He grabbed the cold beer he'd gotten out of the melting ice and turned. "No. Should I have?"

"Erwin …"

"What? I haven't seen him. Haven't thought about him." This was a blatant and bald-faced lie. Erwin thought about him every day, jerked off thinking about him in his bed at night. Mike didn't need to know that. That was pathetic.

"I think he's avoiding you too. You two need to work this shit out."

"There's nothing to work out. Levi's done with me. I screwed up. I don't deserve him."

"Jesus, Erwin!"

Mike grabbed another beer and opened it, taking a big swig. "Well, Nan and I are going to Dreamers tonight. Hans and Mobe will be there, too. You should come."

Erwin considered it. He'd been holed up in his house for so long. He really really needed human interaction. "I'll consider it."

Saturday night rolled around and Erwin took an Uber to Dreamers. He'd been drinking a bit much the past few days and the past week. OK, a lot, especially by his normal standards and he didn't want to leave his Mercedes in the parking lot overnight. Again.

Erwin was at the bar, alone, since the others hadn't show up yet, sipping a dirty vodka martini and feeling sorry for himself. He really should have asked when the others were planning to arrive. He really regretted coming. What was he going to do here? Play the fifth wheel? Exactly. He should have just stayed home, alone, where he could've stewed in his own juices in private.

He knocked back the rest of the martini and ate the olives, gesturing for another and the door to the bar opened. He looked idly sideways and froze.

It was Levi. Oh damn, it was Levi.

Erwin couldn't stop himself from drinking in the man's gorgeous look. He had on black jeans and a black button-up shirt with the long sleeves rolled up, exposing the tattoos on both arms. His pale skin contrasted deliciously with all the black and just the sight of him made Erwin's mouth go dry.

On his arm was a tall blond woman with huge brown eyes. She was average weight with wide hips and long legs.

They found seats at the other end of the bar.

For several minutes Erwin wished the ground would swallow him up. He didn't want to just leave—he'd have to walk right past them—but he didn't know what to do. He hid behind his fresh drink.

Levi seemed to not recognise him at all as he sat and flirted and chatted with the tall woman after they'd told the bartender their drink order. He didn't seem to even have looked down the bar in Erwin's direction.

Levi of course had spotted Erwin immediately. The only reason he hadn't just turned and walked right back out the door was his date. He'd have had to explain his behavior. Also, there was nowhere else in town to go (he sure as shit wasn't going to The Stockade.)

Had Erwin even seen him? Surely he had. The bar wasn't crowded yet and every time the door opened everyone automatically glanced toward it. That and Levi was hard to miss.

His whisky shot arrived and he gestured for another then tossed the first one down his throat. Much better.

Erwin nursed his drink, Levi threw back shots and time crept by. Erwin stared longingly at Levi and Levi appeared to ignore him.

After a few drinks, the woman excused herself to the restroom. Levi stared idly over the bar and drank his fourth shot, not looking right or left.

Erwin couldn't help himself. He scooted closer down the bar till he was two stools away. He screwed up his courage.

"Levi."

The man never looked at him or reacted. He tapped the bar for another shot.

"Levi? It's me, Er-Erwin."

Levi finally looked around at him slowly. "Erwin. Talking to me now, are you? Better scurry on off before I make you look bad." He turned back to face forward and knocked back his drink. He held a finger up for another.

"Levi …"

"Jesus, Erwin, I'm here with somebody. What are you after?"

"I thought maybe … maybe we could, y'know, talk."

"About what?"

"About us. About everything."

"Seriously? Dude. I'm about to get laid here, and you're going on about us? There is no us."

A flash of something hit Erwin deep in his soul. Something twisted and ugly and utterly out of character for him. Was he … jealous?

"Levi …"

"Look, Erwin, we talked, we drank, we had a blast and then it was over. I had to take you home, remember? You almost yarked on my shoes."

Erwin looked wretched.

The tall blond woman showed back up. She smiled affably at Erwin.

"Levi, I didn't know you knew Erwin."

"Hey, Yelena," Erwin said.

Levi's eyes narrowed. "How do you know Erwin?"

"He owns the Chicago Diner! The cute place out north of town. They have the best food! We went out once or twice."

Levi's head swiveled to Erwin and he glared at him. Erwin wished she hadn't revealed that bit of information. He pasted on a fake smile that he hoped was convincing. "Yes, I'm just too old for Yelena. I can't keep up."

Yelena laughed at that and reached across Levi to pat Erwin's hand.

"I gotta piss," Levi muttered and got up.

Erwin watched him go, shamelessly checking out his tight ass as he went. Yelena drained the rest of her MaiTai.

Erwin tried, he really did. He tried to resist. But knowing that Levi was right there, alone, in the bathroom was just too tempting. If he could just get him to listen to what he had to say. He hesitated a moment then he just couldn't stand it any longer.

"Now you've made me have to go!" He stood, digging for his wallet. "Yelena, buy yourself and Levi a drink on me, OK?" He dropped a twenty on the bar and walked quickly to the men's room.