Wilted Roses 🥀 A Modern AOT Fic

Chapter 1: "He forced a smile and shook my hand."

Sasha.

On July 4, 2021, I was admitted into the hospital. I had been feeling sick lately and the doctors seemed to be very concerned. They checked me in and made sure I was comfortable. They ran countless tests, which only seemed to drain my energy more. I had assumed it was just an average illness, maybe I had eaten something bad? I ate a lot, so it wouldn't surprise me if I ate something that messed with my stomach.

That first day, I saw many different patients come in and out quicker than me. I was still waiting in my room, waiting for some answers as to what was going on. However, it didn't look as though I'd be getting them anytime soon. My nurse, Krista, always looked to be so worried whenever she checked in on me. It's like she knew something I didn't, which was probably true.

As she came in to check my blood pressure and heart rate for the third time that day, I groaned. "Don't you have any good food you could bring me? I'm starving! And none of that hospital crap. I'll be out of here soon anyway, so why not something good?"

Krista looked at me and shook her head. "Unfortunately, you can't eat until we are done with all the tests. It could mess with the results. I will be sure to bring you something yummy afterwards, but don't tell the doctor or he will have my head!" The girl was short, much shorter than myself, with long blonde hair. She looked so petite, she was so cute.

Now myself.. I didn't think I was cute in the slightest. I was plump because of how much I liked food, and my cheeks were chubby. I was actually quite insecure about them, but my mother always teased me and pinched my cheeks all the time, telling me how cute I was for still having a baby face. Certainly, I didn't have a baby face. I was twenty-five, and therefore, an adult.

"Alright, I guess that makes sense. But bring me a good feast, not the idea of a hospital feast." I shuddered and shook my head. Hospital food had to be the spawn of Satan or worse, if there was anything worse.

Krista offered that same kind smile and she nodded her head. "Of course. Like I said, something yummy!" This girl was making me blush. She was so kind hearted!

However, peering into the room, I saw a much taller, brown hair woman. Her face was covered in freckles and she seemed to be glaring at me. She looked to be dressed in a similar fashion as Krista, so maybe she was a nurse? I didn't know, but she made me feel uneasy. "Uh.. is that your friend?"

Krista looked over and she laughed a little, waving to them. "Oh, that's just Ymir. I met her in college and we ended up in the same career field. Come to think of it.. I'm pretty sure she was going to be a chemical engineer or something but she changed to become a nurse on the baby floor shortly after we met.." Krista hummed then gathered her things. "I'll be back to check on you later! Hang in there, soldier!"

With that, her and the taller woman left. The way Ymir looked at her.. well, I could tell. She was fascinated with the blonde. I didn't know whether to be concerned or happy for them, but she changed her whole career path to be with Krista! How cute.

I was swooning over the thought of having someone love me like that before I snapped out of those thoughts.

I didn't have time for that. I was already twenty-five and my main goal in life was to just live it freely, with no concerns about love or anything else. I was going to be a free woman, doing whatever I wanted. I even had a bucket list of things I wanted to do. I've crossed quite a few off since I left home, but there were still plenty I wanted to do before I couldn't! And I had no worries about it. I had at least another forty years if not more to do them.

I settled back into my hospital bed and looked up at the bland ceiling. I hope they let me out soon. Give me some heavy medication and then say "Alright you're good to go! Don't eat anymore bad seafood!"

But that didn't happen. One day turned into two, then three, and now I've been there for a week. My health continued to decline and I was tired almost all the time. Right now, they wouldn't even let visitors come into the room unless that had a mask on out of fear of me getting sicker.

My friends Jean and Connie had been visiting me every day so far, bringing me cards, sneaking in chocolate and other yummy food. They were really great friends. Currently, they had me in my wheelchair and were pushing me around, just so I could be out of my room for a bit. I adjusted the mask I was wearing as I looked into the different rooms as we went by.

"So then professor Levi decided to make us clean up the entire room just because Connie had to be eating in class. It's almost like Connie was trying to act like you because you weren't there. We had to stay for like four hours because even when it was clean, he still found something." Jean explained, sighing a bit as he pushed me.

Connie nodded his head, grinning widely. "Oh yeah. It was so worth it though."

I smiled at the story and shook my head. "You guys are dorks." I sighed softly, hesitating as I saw a room with a new name on it. I'd been there a week and had grown fairly familiar with the long term patients in this wing, and this name was different.

'C. Niccolo' it read. Hm, I wonder what's wrong with him? Did he have an illness like me? The doctor had told me it was likely I had leukemia and until I could regulate my white blood cells and get a donor, I'd have to stay in the hospital to avoid getting sick.

They stayed with me for about another hour before they had to go. They left me in my wheelchair so I could stay out and about until a nurse, most likely Krista, caught me and made me go back to my room.

I wheeled myself into the therapy room and smiled a little as I watched people make progress. I had grown incredibly fond of Petra, who had suffered major blood loss and lost most movement on her right side due to an accident. She was making amazing progress as she could walk four steps instead of two today. I waved to her and she offered me a small smile in return.

My eyes caught a glimpse of a slightly short, slender man. His hair was almost white, and he was just sitting by the window, looking out it. I didn't recognize him, and if he was over here, that meant he was a long term patient. I wheeled myself to him and smiled happily, offering my hand. "Hi! I'm Sasha." I greeted him. My arms were much skinnier than before, a sign that I hadn't been eating much. Because I haven't.

He looked at me, and I could tell he was not happy. Around his eyes, they were black and blue. His hair was messy and he had bandages around his neck and arms.

However, despite this, he forced a smile and shook my hand.

"I'm Niccolo. It's.. nice to meet you, Sasha."