The Experiment (Attack on Titan // LeviHan) (Part 1)

Hurt

It was an old doctor with infernal hands who tended to him, not Hanji.

Hence, Levi didn't cooperate with the infuriating commands to hold still until at least five of them forced a vile tasting liquid down his throat that made him instantly drowsy. Getting stitches on his side was unpleasant but what they did with his throbbing hand was much worse.

He cursed at them when they set the bones so he didn't have to scream but his tongue began to form strange knots as his mind became muddled. His eyelids got incredibly heavy too and despite great resistance on his part, they fell shut.

He dreamt of killing hundreds of people with his blades, the streets were awash in blood and gore as the force of violence coursed through him.

When he awoke, he was in considerable pain and in a foul mood. He was also alone: Hanji still hadn't come! Either the Church asshole had lied to him and she wasn't here at all - or was but she didn't care how he fared. Both possibilities bore unpleasant potential consequences that he brooded over for a while.

Well, it was easy, he concluded in the end. If she wasn't here, he would have to go find her.

Getting up proved to be a bit tricky though. They had fucking bound him to the bed! His right arm was completely immobile but he could move the fingers on his left hand at least. Deftly, they began to work on the knots they could reach. Finally, the hand was free. But by that time, Levi's mouth was so dry his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. His roaming eyes located a bottle next to the bed - could be anything in there, but he was too thirsty to care.

It took him way too long to free the whole arm, blast it. Besides, he was so exhausted after the ordeal, he nearly dropped the bottle. Which, he belatedly realized after emptying it all into his mouth, would have been fortuitous - because it contained that vile sedative that knocked him out immediately.

This time, he dreamt of fires - the entire world burnt as nine gigantic Titans looked on with blank faces.

He awoke sweating and shaking, his head feeling like a gigantic ball full of air. But someone was sitting next to him.

"Hanji?" he croaked, feeling a strong rush of relief when he recognized the familiar shape.

"Hey," she seemed to jerk awake, then bent forward, "how are you feeling?"

"Hanji," Levi wanted to grab her hand but someone had tied him up and covered him with a blanket again. "Hanji, take those off me!"

"Hmmmm," she peered into his face. It was rather dark in the room, but there must be a single flame somewhere behind her, creating a faint corona of light around her head. Strange, yet eerily beautiful. "Nah, I think it's better if you keep lying down for a bit."

"But I want to sit up!"

"Shh," she said, brushing her fingers over his forehead briefly, "you really need to lie still and mend. Don't fidget."

Her touch was light and fleeting and gone too soon, but his heart began to beat faster. How could he get her to put her hand back?

"I'm goddamn thirsty," he articulated with difficulty. His tongue felt like a bloated, uncooperative slug. "I want water! Not that stuff," he disdainfully pointed his chin at the refilled bottle on the bedside table.

"There's water here," she turned to the table behind her. The candle on there illuminated her face: She looked very tired, Levi realized with a pang, exhausted, actually.

"Here," she poured something into a glass from a pitcher. "Do we have to be careful because of poison?"

"No," he croaked, "I know who the person behind the poisons is. We can leave soon."