Equanimity » Levi Ackerman

13 | 𝔄𝔤𝔬𝔫𝔶 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔭𝔞𝔦𝔫

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Maria hadn't woken up on the way back and Hanji was worried she wouldn't for a while longer. The mood was tense and soldiers were mourning over the dead. While Levi had his injured leg looked at, Maria was taken in by an infirmary located in Calaneth.

"But Levi, she needs the medical attention." Hanji argued with the man when they made their way to the room Maria was temporarily placed in. Merely hours after their return, Erwin was being summoned to the Capital as they demanded for Eren to be handed over. Everything seemed to have unfolded into a mess.

"When Erwin comes back, I want to take her with us to the Capital, where there can be eyes on her twenty-four-seven. Not in some half-assed infirmary here in Calaneth." Levi scoffed.

"Hey, she's my friend too... And I don't like to say this, but this is what she signed up for. Besides, she's not out of the danger zone yet." Hanji looked over to the male next to her. "Moving her body can still be risky, in view of the fact that she still hasn't woken up..." The small man couldn't help but feel annoyed as Hanji tried to reason with him.

"However, it would be better for her to wake up before Erwin comes back. You'll be here with Eren for the time being anyway." Hanji and Levi stood in front of the room Maria was in. Nurses rushed in and out of the space with red-colored water and bloodied rags.

"Come on." She pushed open the door to let Levi in, given he was now walking with a crutch.

The bespectacled woman let out a sigh when her eyes fell upon her honey-blonde friend. "At least she's cleaned up a bit, right?" The nurses had washed the remaining blood and dirt off her skin and changed her out of her uniform. Levi did not speak. Instead, he made his way to her bed and sat down on the stool next to her.

"We've managed to close up the wound as far as it would go, but she began to get feverish as soon as we were done. If she gets an infection, it might slow down the healing process..." A sudden voice came from behind Hanji. "How are her ribs?" "They're heavily bruised, but not broken." The physician spoke.

Silence filled the room. "I'm glad..." Levi shot Hanji a weird look. She might have misjudged one of her injuries - hell, even Maria did when he tended to her in the forest - but Levi couldn't help but feel uneasy about the situation. Maria was sweating profusely, her fist clenching the white bedsheets that covered her. The wet cloth on her forehead was already in need of change.

"Oi, Hanji pass me that bowl." Levi glanced over to the water bowl on her right. The brunette obliged and handed him the bowl so he could rinse the fabric and place it back on her forehead. Levi wouldn't openly admit it, but he hated this. He hated himself for the fact that he had left her there. As a consequence, Levi knew very well this would haunt him until she would wake up.

Hanji also noticed this but doubted he would concede to anyone about his concern for her. Maria was the Lieutenant of his squad but above all, their friend.

· · ─── · ·

Levi and Eren stayed behind while the recruits of the Scout Regiment had been moved to an outpost in the southern region of Wall Rose. They were put on standby, under the supervision of Mike. This except for Jean, Mikasa, and Armin, who hadn't reconciled with them yet.

The Captain had been going back and forth to check up on Maria's situation, to Eren's surprise. Although her fever had gone down pretty fast, she still hadn't woken up. That was; until the third day.

The black-haired male had been staring out of the open window, his crutch clutched under his arm. The faint sensation of a soft breeze tickled Maria's skin. It took her a moment to open her eyes just a little; getting used to the light in the room.