Mike and Nanaba met for lunch at Erwin's diner.

"I am so pissed!" Nanaba said as she slid into the booth.

Mike immediately reached over the table to her and took her hands. "Why, Love?"

"I wanted to wear my good gold dress for you today but the zipper has come completely out! I'm pissed, I tell you!"

Mike laughed. "Nan, you could arrive in jeans and a tee shirt and I'd be thrilled. You look absolutely beautiful in whatever you wear."

"Aww, Mike! That's so sweet!"

Nanaba stood awkwardly in the booth and leaned over to kiss him across the table. After she sat they both looked at each other like the star-struck lovers they were for a bit.

"You know," Mike said, "You could ask Levi to fix it for you."

Nanaba frowned. She was still not totally on board with Levi since the fight.

"Levi?"

"Yeah. Apparently, he started out in costume design. Guy absolutely tears up a fucking sewing machine."

"Really?!"

"Really. I've just seen him. Sewing costumes to help out the costume department."

Nanaba chewed her lip. "Do you think he would?"

"Wouldn't hurt to ask."

Erwin wandered over with a pitcher of iced tea. "More?"

Mike nodded and held up his glass.

"How did construction go today?" Erwin said. Everyone knew that Erwin was fishing for any scrap of news on Levi. Mike related the story of the cedar shakes.

"I take it you and Levi are getting on a little better?"

"Well, the guy didn't try to punch me," Mike said, rubbing at his side where he still sported the fading bruises.

Erwin smiled ruefully.

"But, seriously," Mike said, "The guy's a hell of a decision maker. Did you know that he got started in costume design?"

"I recall him telling me that he worked Off Broadway in the theatres there, designing and sewing costumes."

"Designing?" Nanaba said.

"Apparently so."

"That's really cool," she mused, sipping at her tea.

"Yeah," Mike said, "Levi will surprise you."

Erwin's face had flushed pink at that and he seemed pleased at the praise for Levi. He went back behind the counter as two more customers came in.

"Christ, Erwin's still got it so bad," Nanaba said with a sigh.

As Levi and Hange left for the day and were driving back into Ellway, Levi spoke up. "Wanna try the Diner for dinner? Maybe get take-out and eat it at the motel?"

Hange looked at him narrowly and the car drifted toward the side of the road.

"Eyes on the road, shitty-glasses!"

They steered a bit left and cut their eyes at him. "You know that's Erwin's diner? He'll probably be there."

Levi scooted down in his seat a little, staring out of the windshield. "Yeah, so? I won't combust if I see him."

"You did last time, Hun."

"I did not. I saw him on the set at the lake. It was fine."

Hange shrugged. "Fine by me but behave yourself."

"Tch."

Erwin's diner was in the old Lunch car style, made to look like a lunch car diner from the 20s, 30s, and 40s. It resembled a train car, long and narrow with shiny silver metal on the outside. "The Chicago Diner" was emblazoned on a sign on top.

"I wonder how he got that name?" Hange wondered out loud.

"He's from Chicago," Levi said as they got out.

"Yeah? I never knew that. I could tell by his accent he wasn't originally from here but I never knew his hometown."

Levi was somehow proud of himself for knowing something about Erwin that they didn't.

They settled onto two of the seats at the counter since they were just ordering take-out—They didn't want to take up a booth . Erwin was behind the counter and Levi took a moment to drink in the sight of him. He was wearing his khakis and a pale blue button up shirt that set off his eyes. He had a white half apron tied around his waist and had a white towel thrown over his shoulder. His eyes warmed when he saw them.

"Hange! Have you come to eat?"

"We're getting take out today. Levi suggested it!"

Erwin's gaze slid to Levi. "Levi, hello. How are you today?"

Levi felt suddenly tongue-tied and had to control himself not to just grunt a reply. He cleared his throat. "Erwin. I'm fine … uh, you?"

Hange's gaze went raptly from one back to the other. Both of their faces had gone pink. She grinned. It was great.

"I'm doing … OK," Erwin said. "What can I get you both?"

"I want a gyro with fries and a large Coke," Hange said.

Erwin had whipped out a pad. He noted down Hange's order. "Levi?"

Levi studied the menu, posted on the wall behind Erwin. It featured sandwiches typically loved by northerners; gyros, rubens, meatball subs. Levi's mouth watered. This had been a good choice.

"What do you recommend?"

"Ahh," Erwin gestured to the menu, "that'd be the Italian beef. Ours is pretty darned good if I do say so myself. Thinly sliced beef cooked with Italian sweet peppers and juice for dipping."

"Sounds fantastic. I'd like that."

Hange elbowed him. "Please."

"Please."

Erwin laughed and oh, how Levi had missed that sound. "Hange, you're beginning to sound like a southern momma."

Hange beamed. "Why thank you, sir! Nothing wrong with being polite!"

Levi rolled his eyes.

Erwin made the Italian Beef himself while his main cook, Clinton, a man of indeterminate age with skin like mahogany, shaved the gyro meat off of the cone and dropped the fries.

Erwin's mind raced. Levi had come to his diner. Of his own volition. Had suggested that they come. Erwin was thrilled. He had to stop his hands from shaking. He wished that they were not getting the food to go. He wished that they'd sit down and stay so that he could at least be in the same room as Levi for a while.

He tried to concentrate on the sandwich but it didn't work. What he really wished was that he and Levi could just sit and talk, all alone, with nobody else around.

While Erwin was thinking about Levi, Levi was right behind him watching him appreciatively. He shamelessly took a long gander at Erwin's ass. He had gotten thinner. His butt was smaller and less round and his trousers sort of hung on him. He still looked good though. Levi wished he would eat, nevertheless.

Erwin and his cook finished up the food and packed it up, Erwin struggling with trying to do everything quickly so the food wouldn't get cold while still fiddling over the details to try to make the time that Levi was there drag out. Finally, it was ready to go and Levi and Hange paid.

"You should stay and eat here," Erwin said in a last-ditch effort.

Hange looked around at Levi and raised her eyebrows. Levi shook his head. This was about as brave as he got. He was ready to flee back to the motel and just go over the encounter over and over in his head.

"Bye, Erwin," Hange said, "Bye, Clinton! Thanks for the food."

Clinton nodded and waved.

"Bye, Hange," Erwin said. "Bye, Levi. Uh … see you soon?"

Levi was taken aback, his face reddened. "Yeah, uh, see ya."

In the car, Hange side-eyed Levi.

"It was good seeing Erwin, wasn't it?"

"He's too thin."

Hange chewed on that. "Well, he's had a rough time, Levi. You both have."

Levi just grunted and looked out the window.

Back at the motel Levi sat with his food and a beer at the table and Hange plopped onto her bed with hers.

"You shouldn't eat on the bed, Hans! It's nasty, especially with how you eat."

Hange ignored him and turned on the TV, taking an enormous bite of her gyro. Bits of food immediately rained down onto her lap. Levi shuddered and opened his beer, taking a long draught. He turned to his sandwich, primly unwrapping it and opening his dipping sauce. He even tucked a napkin into the collar of his shirt.

It was good. As good as Erwin had promised and more. It was thick with the thinly sliced beef and peppers (Levi suspected that he'd made Levi's with a bit more filling than was normal,) and the sauce, actually the au jus from the cooked meat, was delightful.

The sandwich made him think of Erwin and he drifted off into fantasy. He'd start going to the diner regularly for sure. He knew Mike ate there often, he could catch a ride with him, maybe. Perhaps he and Erwin could just sort of chill and talk together. He'd love to tell him about his work on the movie. He'd love to hear more about Erwin's life.