Shards In Your Heart || AOT x Male Reader

And At Last, We Meet.

T.W: graphic descriptions of blood and gore.
A/N: the story is set before Erwin became commander but I promise you'll meet Eren and gang.

Loud screams filled your ears, echoing across the halls. A woman's.
No. This can't be happening.
You were back here again.
Amidst the rickety old house you ran, from bedroom to bedroom frantically searching for the source of the screams, opening each door in frenzy. Somehow you knew what you expected to see, you knew what was going to happen, and here you are, back home, you could stop it.
The footsteps echoed across the hall, "just a bit further, please, hold on" was the only repetitive thought in your head, like a mantra, over and over again. Part of your mind was afraid to see what happened, the other more dominant part was sure you could prevent it.
There was only one more room to check, as you rushed down the stairs into the kitchen. Time seemed to slow down as you scrambled down, your heart beating with all its might until it was the only sound encompassing your mind.
A gunshot. Two in quick succession.
The screaming stopped.
Your heart thumped louder and louder.
You slowly opened the door.
On the floor lay two bodies. Covered in blood. A woman and a small boy, of about 6 years. The woman's body had been mangled beyond measure, her pretty face bruised and swollen, droplets of blood adorning her neck and face. There was a hole in her chest, blood trickling from it. The little boy was no better, his clothes covered in the blood of his brother's dead wife, a bullet lodged in his chest.
It was too late, they were gone.
You only caught a glimpse of the attackers face, black haired with sharp features before he bolted out through the window.
You couldn't save them. It was all your fault, if only you'd have been earlier you could've stopped him, you could've stopped him, you could've stopped him-

"Wake up (Y/N),  Oi, wake up idiot", Levi stood over your sleeping form shaking you awake.
(Y/N) woke up with a jolt. It was then he realised what a mess he was, the pillow wet due to the cold sweat that he now realised covered his whole body. He was breathing, though only in sharp pants, his heart beating faster than ever.
It took a few minutes to calm down and get adjusted to your surroundings, Levi's face slowly coming to focus in front of you.
"What... what happened?" You murmured, more to yourself really. You knew the answer, this wasn't the first of these nightmares, most of the days, you would visit this place in your sleep. However none of those days felt as real as today. Haunting. The same event, that fatal event that happened 3 years ago.

Everything hurt. You heard their screams once again, those screams would never leave you.

"Oi, can you breathe" Levi questioned, he was sitting at the edge of your bed, now propping up your pillows so you could sit up properly. His hands were on your shoulders, and he felt your forehead for a fever. You winced at his touch.
"No fever" he declared, "that's a relief" he added as an afterthought.
"You were screaming, and you said a name, 'Aurora'. You were muttering something. 'Please hold on'." Levi spoke in an off handed tone, but there seemed to be a shred of concern in his voice.
"I don't want to pry too much (Y/N) but you should really see a doctor, or tell someone about this...condition, of yours", Levi was precariously talking, looking into your eyes almost searching you.

The words were uttered lightly, with a certain softness to it but you understood his implications. Seeing you like this created the idea in his mind that you were some sort of liability. Expendable. Mad. A sudden bout of rage overcame you. You were not a liability. You were a soldier. A fighter. You bit back

"You think something is wrong with me? Do you think I'm some sort of liability, that I'm expendable? You think I'm crazy? You think I'm not able enough to fight? I'm perfectly able, I don't need your help, thank you", with every sentence your voice rose carrying with it the tone of a perfectly controlled rage, almost turning into a growl, the anger boiled beneath your surface, brows furrowed, glaring at Levi.