If I want to keep her safe, then where does my loyalty fall into?

"You give yourself too much credit, Miche."

I could feel frigid waters being poured at the top of my head. If we're in the doorstep of the right room, then what in the devil's cock is Phoebe doing inside the men's comfort room?

I knew Erwin had to stop me when I held my hand on the knob. For which is better? Being caught in a place you shouldn't be, or hearing something no one should hear?

"And besides, Lev— Sir Levi chose to go after us."

If she says something to endanger herself— something to incriminate herself, then there's nothing I can do.

"Levi," Erwin mumbled. He knew then that Phoebe was hiding at the back of Hange's door, and he told her everything she wanted to hear.

And now he's asking me the same thing he asked in his office. The one I couldn't bring myself to answer despite attempts.

"To whom is your loyalty? To whom are you betting your life for?"

That I was sure, but not anymore.

"I'm not going to hurt you, so please tell me one thing now."

"It was a coincidence, Miche. It was all bluff. Sir Levi wasn't waiting for us, it was all luck. There was no draft and there was no gear. I just happen to see you in Ragako and I also happen to have more balls than you and your dead horse combined."

This. This one right here ma'am, is what you should've said. Defensive and deceitful, but safe. Well, safer. Sadly it's one of those times where you could only think of the perfect response days after the shootout.

Now that Miche sniffed your bull from a mile away, it's curious why he never attempted to rat you like every soldier would've. You mean, you have intel, then why is it that he's not trying to take it from you? It's been days!

Maybe he sincerely saw that you never mean harm…? Maybe he took pity on you? Or because he felt indebted after you jumped into action to save his ass?

You bit your lip, your foot set a quick pace of tapping the cold, tiled floor of the men's bathroom as you leaned forward to their cold, smoothly polished bathroom counter.

Maybe that's why you felt the urge to shit; the coldness of the counter cut through your thin, shapeless hospital gown, making its way to your stomach.

Wait, if you say to Miche that you happen to see him in Ragako, won't he get suspicious that you were suddenly in the mood to stroll along the rolling fields of the south wall with such extensive injuries?

Guess not so perfect after all.

"I'm just more sensitive to scents than most people. Nothing special, really." You heard Miche's zipper zip, before the sound of flushing water.

"Huh?" You lost track of the conversation. What were you talking about again? You're sure you asked him about his hyperosmia…

"What do you get by sniffing people when you meet them? Sorry if I'm being rude but there's only one other animal I know that does that."

"I don't hear that often." Miche replied just when the cubicle door opened, revealing his limping form. You walked towards him to assist his stance, avoiding his unwashed hands at all cost.

And yes, your ankle is recovering, and now that it does, you're the human crutch to this humongously long man.

The giant took his sweet time. The bitter, foul smell of his shit was all over the bathroom didn't need his hyperosmia to know it's coming with you after you walk out.

"Because they hate to offend you if they compare you to a bear." You simply replied as you both limped to the lavatory. He's heavy. "And please don't put your hand on my shoulder, you just pooped for fuck's sake."

He paused to stare at you, like he's rethinking all choices he made in his life before moving again.

"I was thinking of dogs." Miche said with a smirk.

"Huh," You clicked your tongue. "Well I was thinking of bears. More size appropriate."

"No, I was thinking of dogs because they're all cuddly and warm."

You scoffed, letting him hear the sarcasm in your one-breath laugh.

"Wow, you really think you're all cuddly and warm?"

"Nanaba always tells me I'm warm when we cuddle." He almost whined. You eyed him from his long curtain fringe, to his sole supporting foot. And why do you get the feeling that you know who's wearing the pants in their relationship?

"Dogs bark too when they see their favorite person. I bet Nanaba is thrilled."

"Well, I do the barking, then someone has to do the moaning sweetheart." Miche responded with a charming wink.

"Eww." He mocked your reaction.

The injured captain scanned the tiled room, and when he was certain no one was in it besides the two of you, the atmosphere went from easy, to tense.

"Does Levi know what you know?" And when Miche saw a chance, he shot it.

"No," You answered, "He has nothing to do with any of what happened in Ragako."

"So he just blindly agreed to work with you?" Miche said sarcastically, raising one eyebrow followed by that tilted nod. He leaned on the cold, moist wall of the wide bathroom, his hands crossed together as if disagreeing with you. Well what is there to expect? You saw this coming. You never expected Miche to rest and be content with what you said to him the last time he asked you.

"No," You shrugged. "I kind of…" You couldn't believe you're saying this, your nose wrinkled while finding the right word…

"...manipulated him." You pursed to a downturned smile, expecting a lash out or a reprimand at any moment…

Miche's eyebrows only tensed higher, waiting for you to clarify what dared to come out of your mouth…

"Well, it's like this, I begged him to do it, I think." You promptly continued to talk, hoping the swiftness of words will spare you from the MP's torture chambers. You sighed, weighing the pros and cons in your head, with Miche waiting for you.

You need to clear Levi's name on this. He has nothing to do with it.

"I didn't think it would work though. He refused and I went alone. If you're thinking again about what Petra said, forget it. You give yourself too much credit, Miche. And besides, Lev— sir Levi chose to go after us. I didn't force him to do anything— well, I asked but he said no, and I said: 'sure, I'll do it myself and thank you for everything.' because sir Levi has been… well, he was nice to me, although he lied about some stuff making me a escapegoat to a marriage but I think it's all settled and forgotten—and he helps me when I need the help, even when he thinks I'm not aware that he's helping me. And Sir Levi is just… he's…. I know he's got a reputation for being grumpy and sassy and unbothered and he gets a pass to be an asshole because he's crazy strong but really, in truth he's just being honest. And who doesn't want honesty? I know he's offensive and linguistically colorful, but you see, he's not all that. He almost doesn't want to show he cares, but he cares very deeply. And if someone just looks at him close enough, I think he's one of the kindest, gentlest man there is. He's strong but kind in his own way. Some people think that it's a weakness but I don't think it's a weakness at all. I think the dichotomy of him is to be respected… even admired."

"Alright." Miche averted his eyes while trying to hold a laugh. You didn't understand at all. Initially. Why he suddenly felt the want to laugh or why he felt the need to suppress it, not until you understood why you were out of breath.

Why the muscles in your face felt tense, or why your reflection in the mirror was smiling back.

Levi. You were talking about Levi.

You wiped the grin off your face— what do you think you're grinning at? Who do you think you're getting starry-eyed for?

Optimistic Phoebe: Well, we're thinking of the same person, aren't we?

You feigned coughs to cover the embarrassment, fighting the bloodrush in your cheeks as if you're fighting for your life. You will never admit it, even if you're burning, dead and flat under a titan's sole.

"Yeah, I guess what I'm saying is, Sir Levi made the right choice, and I like this, that I get to be with you, Miche."

Miche scoffed at you before patting your shoulder, the injured one..

"Ha! You better not let Nanaba hear that!"

"Ow! As a friend! And stop patting me on the bad arm— ow!" You winced, dodging the next pats that was slowly turning to slaps. He's not called Humanity's second strongest for nothing after all.

"Damn Miche, that fucking hurt—" You could feel the dressing got a bit loose, your Trost injury peeking from the edge of the itchy salmon-colored bandage.

"But how did you convince him to work with you?"

"Sorry?" You heard him, but you're giving him a chance to rethink what he said. You knew this was coming. Miche, the guy who almost impaled your arm with his finger suddenly letting things slide? No. There has to be a catch.

You felt the tension replace the momentary ease. Miche meant business now.

"I don't know. Maybe he's got a change of heart?"

"And he knows you knew that abnormal was coming?"

"I thought we're past this." Your tone soured. "Aren't we supposed to drop this off?"

"But we need that information, whatever you have, Phoebe."

"So, all that sweet talking's just for buttering me, huh? I won't tell you. Especially not now—"

He had his fingers tightly wrapped on your wrist and all the friction fucking hurt.

"Sorry," Miche's grip loosened almost instinctively when he saw you wince, and you were left to coax the reddening hand print with your other hand. Then the comfort room bursted open, followed with that slow yet dramatic entrance of two men linked together in the arms.

One in blonde, and the other, in that dark hair you knew too well.

Working on 2 chps today. I feel like I need to push another chp because one, the wordcount's too short and; two, I don't like cliffhangers, not this time.

Thanks for reading, and stay sane.

Your delusional fanfictioneer,

sultryzucchini.