In Twenty Years Time ~ An Armin Arlert FanFic

5 - Doctor After Doctor

The coma Jo was in was unlike any seen before, so the constant stream of doctors and even members of the Scout regiment, as mentioned, filed in and out of Jo's hospital room, asking questions, giving exams, running tests, so on and so forth. No matter who came in or who went out, Armin and Dr. Springer were always there to ease the always-sudden tension in the room left behind the constant, repeating questions. Occasionally, the two males would light up at a few certain people who walked in, always dressed in Scout attire, close to identical to Armin's uniform. Now, Jo, who was once scared of needles, wasn't even phased by them now due to how many times she's been stuck within the past 8 hours. Though she wasn't phased, it didn't mean that she didn't hurt each time someone missed the vein, completely disregarding the already-inserted IV until Dr. Springer or Armin would mention it. After every time that would happen, Armin would silently judge and shake his head at the profoundly incompetent medical professional.

Around seven in the evening, what was thought to be the last doctor left the room, and was bid adieu from the two primary males in the room. Armin closed the curtains behind the door, sighing out of exhaustion, which made both the doctor and the female chuckle at this. He shuffled out a laugh as well, amazed at the number of people that came in and out of that tiny ICU room. "That was an insane amount of people in a very short period of time," Dr. Springer concluded with a laugh. Jo nodded in agreement, beat from the amount of human interaction as an ambivert, more an introvert than anything. "I'm going to turn in my final chart of the day, as my shift is ending in," He checked his watch, "T-minus four minutes." Armin smiled at this and sank down into the chair that was practically his based on how much he sat in it over the past two years. Shuffling with papers, Dr. Springer eventually took his leave, saying goodnight to the couple, "Armin, you can stay for the night if you want. Have Levi take over for tomorrow." Armin nodded and bowed his head in thanks. The door closed once again, leaving the couple alone for the second time today.

Jo leaned back, stretching and exposing her neck, which felt better than she remembered, being that she had her vitals checked at least twenty-five times that day if not more. She felt eyes on her, which brought her to bring her head back up and look at Armin. He was silently admiring her when she wasn't paying attention. Once he realized, his nose gained a slight red and he looked away out of embarrassment. Jo laughed at this, catching on to the boy's simple innocence, yet in a weird time, he was older than she was since Jo practically froze in time. Jo, seventeen then, and seventeen now, looked upon the twenty-year-old who was now fidgeting with his fingers on the mattress. Jo broke the silence.

"Shouldn't you call that Levi person if you're going to stay the night?" Jo reached down for Armin's fingers, who were fidgeting with themselves, trying to keep themselves occupied. She clasped them, running her fingers along each of his. He looked up, eyebrows arched in realization, and given goosebumps at the sensation he was receiving. Jo mimicked the look, and Armin blinked a few times. Snapping back to reality, he shook his head and reached for his phone.

"Thank you- was too busy daydreaming," He had said before rapidly dialing a phone number he had memorized by heart. Jo furrowed her brows. Daydreaming? The Commander of an Army gets caught daydreaming? she thought, scanning the boy's face. He put the phone on speaker, so Jo could hear, and Armin's fingers laced back in with Jo's while the other hand held the phone. It rang only a few times before what sounded like a busy dining hall was being received on the other end. Jo flinched, her ears still adjusting to all of the sounds after being asleep for twenty years. Armin quickly turned down the volume a few notches. He mouthed 'Sorry', and ran his thumb along her knuckles. Jo shook her head, telling him she was fine. "Levi," Armin spoke into the phone. There was no response other than the busy-dining-hall bustle. He waited for a few seconds. "Levi," he repeated. The phone made a noise as if a door was being shut. Suddenly, the busy-dining-hall vibe was diminished, almost muffled. The receiver must have transferred to a more quiet room. "Levi?" Armin questioned for a third time, wondering where the receiver was, if he was there.

"Arlert, what's up? You still at the hospital? Longer than usual," A man replied almost instantaneously. The voice was deep; deeper than Armin's, and had some rasp in it, as if he downed a bottle of whiskey entirely within the past hour. It sent shivers down Jo's spine, the intimidation radiating off of the phone. Armin gave a light squeeze to Jo's hand, sensing the cowering feeling in Jo's aura.

"Hey. Yeah, I am. Remember the girl that I found two years ago in Marley territory? Yeah, well, she's awake. I've been with her all day," Armin stated rather bluntly. Very straight to the point, pop off I guess, Jo thought, eyes widening. There was silence on the other side of the line. Armin looked around with his eyes, wondering what had happened to this Levi person. Armin spoke up.

"Ackermann?" He asked, wondering where the other male had gone. Surname? The silence grew longer, almost leading to the blonde man hanging up. His actions were quickly diverted as the speakers of the phone almost blew out.

"She's awake? That girl is awake?" Levi stated across the phone, clear disbelief laced in his voice. Armin smiled at this, squeezing Jo's hand a little harder, leading to Jo grinning as well. Levi took the lingering silence as an answer. "Well, I'll be damned. I'll cover for you tomorrow, but only tomorrow. Understood, commander?" Levi's voice turned more stern with the ending words. Jo almost flinched at the seriousness. Armin wasn't phased at all, almost as if he was used to the deep, stern voice on the other side of the phone.

"Yes, Captain. Only tomorrow. Understood," Armin replied. So he's the captain, and Armin is the commander... isn't the commander higher than a captain? Why is the commander answering to the captain then? Jo thought. Armin seemed to read Jo's thoughts, quickly ending the phone call, thanking Levi for the gesture. He set the phone down on the mattress, sighing in relief about not having to go to work tomorrow. Jo noticed this, and ruffled his hair, starting to play with it. Armin relaxed into Jo's touch, saving the questions for another day, or so she thought.

"That's Captain Levi Ackermann. Don't let his stern voice scare you; he just cares about many but doesn't like to show it. He's had it bad, so I don't like to give him a hard time unless one of my plans I know is foolproof, he argues with me on. That's probably the only time I stand up to the Captain. Yeah I know, I'm Commander, he answers to me and whatnot but, there's history that comes with the title. He's practically Commander. Everyone in the regiment looks up to him," he said, grogginess laced in his tone and voice. Jo continued to play with his hair, relaxing him, "Put it this way. He's the brawn and I'm the brains... Though he has a great sense of brains with him, too." Armin finished. He sighed, sitting up, letting Jo's hand fall. He sat back in his chair, thinking for a second. His eyes were closed; you could practically see the gears turning in his head. After a moment or two, he looked up at Jo, who was looking at him the entire time. Armin smiled; Jo smiled back. He nodded towards the side of Jo's bed, asking permission to sit with his eyes. Jo moved over, and Armin got up from his chair and sat down on the bed, a much better alternative. The only sounds were the beeping of the monitor and the two people's breathing. Tension grew with silence. Jo glanced down at the man's chapped lips then back up to his eyes. Realized what she had just done, she reddened and looked down at their hands. She could hear Armin chuckle.

The weight from the bed lifted, forcing Jo to look up. The tall man was standing now, stretching, with his arms and hands above his head. Jo admired this, for you could see how every single muscle in his back and shoulder was moving due to the definition, how the black and silver belts moved with them, and how the blackness of the suit contrasted with his pale skin and blonde hair. Jo gulped, swallowing whatever saliva she had left, and turning away as she felt her face and ears get hot. What are you even doing? She cursed to herself.

"I'm going to head home for a change of clothes, and then I'll be back, okay?" Armin breathed, interrupting her thoughts. Jo returned to him, Armin now leaning over the bed. Jo nodded, disappointed he was leaving but not at the same time because he was coming back. He smiled again, and leaned down farther, placing another kiss on Jo's forehead as she closed her eyes. And with that, the only other sound in the room was Armin's footsteps, walking out.