The pain before happiness (Levi Ackerman x Reader)

Fifteen [Tube baby]

"It's okay. Just breathe." Levi assured trying to calm the trembling boy in his arms.

It was just a normal day as the two of them sat in Raven's room, doing their own thing, either reading or doing paperwork. Out of the blue, Raven heart monitor started to race and flatlined. Eren froze as he started to hyperventilate while Levi quickly yelled for the doctor.

"She's okay. She's going to be okay." Levi assured, rubbing his back to soothe the crying boy.

The waiting game began. They waited and waited that hours passed in a blink of an eye. Eren fell asleep in Levi's arms.

"It hurts. It hurts to breathe." She thought, struggling to take a breath. Her chest burned in pain, head pounded, and her body was numb. She wanted to cry and yell in agony but, nothing came out of her mouth. Hell, she cannot even lift a finger.

"Doctor! I... I think she's waking up." She heard someone said. Raven painfully opened her eyes, bombarded by multiple medical staffs hovering her.

"Can you say something? Can you move a finger for me?" He asked. Raven stared at him. "How about blinking your eyes once for yes and twice for no." Raven blinked twice. "That is fine, it is a good start. The captain and a fellow soldier are outside waiting for you, may we bring them in?" Raven blinked once. "We will bring them in now." The doctors and fellow nurses left her.

"Raven," A whisper was heard.

"Kaa-chan,"

Raven started crying silently letting the tears fall freely. It was so suffocating to not be able to say that she was in a deep guilt for causing all the pain to both. Levi gently took her right hand and plants a kiss. Eren took her left hand and rested his cheek on her palm.

"It's okay, you're okay. You're okay." Levi repeated wiping off her tears. "It's going to be okay."

"Kaa-chan, I miss you so much." Eren whispered.

Raven wanted to yell at him that she misses them too but, no words came out. It took minutes until Raven finally calmed down as Levi and Eren combined their foldable bed beside her. She fell asleep afterwards as they held her hand. It was the next morning when Raven woke up and saw Erwin standing at the foot of her bed.

"I'm glad you woke up." Erwin whispered.

"Wa..." Raven tried to croak out but felt the dryness of her throat.

"Ah water," She silently thanked him for understanding her. Erwin proceeded to grab a cup of water on the table before climbing onto her bed by the foot. Raven chucked internally. There was no way Erwin can access her when Levi had an arm wrapped around her protectively and Eren was sleeping on her chest. "Seems a little awkward," Erwin whispered as he helped the former general to drink her water.

Raven took a couple of minutes to down the liquid before she took a deep breath, "I'm.... I'm so..rry for w...hat h....appened."

"You did nothing wrong sweetheart," He said, "I wa--," Raven's eyes widened when Erwin was sent flying off the bed.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Levi growled. Eren sensed the tension that circulate the room. He woke up but, much to Raven's dismay, he partially transformed.

"L...evi," Raven tried to call him out. "Er...en."

Erwin winced at the new formed bruise on his stomach, "calm down."

"I will be calm when you are not in this room." Levi sneered.

It took all of Raven's strength to reach out for Levi's hand. She finally touched it and weakly tugged his hand.

"Raven," Levi finally calmed down and so did Eren.

"Kaa-chan," Eren curled beside him.

"Ca..lm down, I... am okay." Raven heaved. Once she got both their attention, she saw Erwin sneaked out of the room. "I.... I'm so...rry,"

"No, you didn't do anything wrong Kaa-chan." Eren said.

Raven smiled and caress his hair, "yo..u've gr...own so mu...ch," Eren started crying. "cry-baby." She chuckled.

"You're okay." Levi kisses her forehead.

"I'm okay." She assured.

"Kaa-chan. When were you ever going to tell me all about it?"

"Y..ou were ne..ver su..ppose to kn..ow." She whispered. Raven reached for his cheek, wiping his tears away.

"Please tell me the truth, Okaa-chan." Raven sighed and held their hands.

They entered the Shangri-La.

It was a dark night as Raven loitered through the quiet street. She was dressed in baggy clothes that had random tear on it. Her face was sunken and even through the clothes that she wore, anyone would know that she was practically a skeleton. Day 19 since Raven had escaped from Grisha's hold, seeking freedom in a painful way. She was only 17 years old then, clueless of her childhood memories. All she knew was that Grisha had took her away from her parents and killed them in front of her eyes. He brought her back to a basement and started injecting every single serum that she could catch a glance on. Before she knew, she started changing to something that no one would ever expect. A demon.

Through all the years, Grisha experimented daily and she never had a chance to even breath as another dose was given. 14 years straight and Raven had enough of all of it. She managed to sneak out of there without anyone catching her and here she was. Day 19 of survival, alone. It was then when she heard a baby cry from a small little box nearby where she seeks shelter. Raven did not hesitate as she opens the box to see a tube baby.

Tube baby were not common in this world, but Raven had seen some in Grisha's labs. A tube baby was made to prevent the humanity extinction. Usually, they were given out in black markets and Raven wondered why it was here. The baby had grown to his full form as his hands reaches out of the tube, indicating that it needed to be removed from the tube and Raven did so.

"Hi baby," She cooed at the tiny male baby. "Why are you here all alone?" She looked around for any possibility that parents would come finding. Raven waited and waited for the entire night hoping anyone would come for the baby, but no one did. "Eren. I will name you Eren. Kim Eren and I'll protect you, Eren."

From then, Raven worked hard day and night in search of a job to support herself and Eren. She managed to secure a job and a small apartment that was affordable. Raven raised Eren up to be her son. She loved him and taught him all a mother could possible be. She even thought him some self-defence until that one horrifying night happened. Raven was walking home with Eren after the two had spent the day together when Grisha appeared out of nowhere hitting Raven hard and sent her flying. Eren was taken into Grisha's hold as he screamed for his mother. Grisha laughed sinisterly. Raven could not make out what he was saying as the ringing in her head severed. All she could barely see was Eren struggling against Grisha's grip and an excruciating pain through her stomach. Raven looked down to see a knife stabbed through her.

"Okaachan!"

"Eren," Raven whispered, and she blacked out.