Danger Day pt 2: The Levi Squad

Stay by my side

Eren POV
There wasn’t much to do. We couldn’t help Marco. Hange was doing their thing in saving the teen. I sat with my back against the wall. Someone, I think possible Armin, had given me a water bottle. I had drunk nearly all of it. Levi was helping Hange, with his smaller hands he could do more, or something like that. Armin was debriefing Erwin. I was sure I would be up next. Jean dropped to sit beside me.
“Why didn’t you just trust me?” He asked.
“It wasn’t you.” I finished the water, turning my head to look at him. “You had a bad habit of asking when Bertolt was close by.” I stated. Jean looked shocked, then nodded.
“So, you guys been together since high school?” He mumbled.
“No.” I started to explain, but the doors burst open. The last person in the world I thought I would see came strutting in. His wire rimmed glasses gleamed in the light. I got a quick glance and a nod, before he took off his long-sleeved shirt, and went to save Marco.
“Dad?” I breathed out.
“Are you ok, Eren?” He asked. It was weird to hear the concern in his tone.
“Uh, yeah.” I muttered. He gave a quick nod, then forgot I was there as he turned to see what he had to do for Marco.
“That’s why you hate your father?” Jean asked.
“Can we get out of here?” Jean looked to the table where the boy was unconscious. He gave a quick nod. Helping me to my feet, since my shoulder still killed me, we walked out. I told him everything about the near rape, about how Levi had been my bully, about how dad found us having sex in Levi's place and last about how I ended up here.
“Graduation was the first time I had seen him in two years.” I whispered.
“But you never stopped caring about him?” Jean had one hand on a tree branch as I leaned against the tree trunk.
“No.”  I whispered. “God, I wanted to. I tried everything to get him out of my head. None of it worked.” I stated. Jean sighed.
“I know the feeling. I had this major crush on you in high school. It is why I enrolled here. Then you still kept me in the friend zone even when Levi wasn’t around.”
“I’m sorry. I never felt anything more than friendship towards you.” I watched as he raised then lowered his shoulder. He spun to lean beside me.
“It’s ok.” He ran a hand over his face. “Marco and I have been together for a few months now.” He muttered. My eyes went huge.
“Oh God, Jean I didn’t know!” I cried. I saw the tears in his eyes. Without thinking I pulled him into me with one arm. I awkwardly patted his back as he pushed his forehead into my shoulder. “He will be ok. Dad may be a terrible father but he is an amazing doctor.” As those words left my mouth, I saw a movement in the trees.
Peering closer, a small figure stepped onto the path leading to where Jean and I stood. Levi, covered in blood, looked out of place somehow. His face was a mask of indifference, but I could tell he was very upset. Lifting my other arm as best as I could, I reached out for him. It was like he was in a daze as he walked up to me. His face was buried in my side, a moment later.
“Is there any news?” I asked softly. He shook his head.
“He's lost a lot of blood. Your dad and Hange are doing all they can. Did you know that freak has an entire fridge full of blood?” I felt him shake his head once more. The three of us lingered in the trees for a long time. It wasn’t until my stomach started to rumble that I realized I hadn’t eaten all day.
“Come on, let’s get something to eat.”  Levi pulled himself up from the patch of grass we had chosen to sit on. Aimlessly, Jean and I followed. It looked like Pixus had everything under control. His men had set up temporary food stations and tents. I saw Erwin talking to the smaller bald man. Levi had seen him too. We walked up to our commander.
“There you are. Dr. Yeager and Hange are still working on Marco. Why don’t you guys grab some food.” As I turned to get in line a thought struck me. My head snapped up.
“He survived!” I gasped.
“What?” Erwin and Levi turned to look at me. I took off running. It couldn’t be. Where was Bertolt?
“Who’s guarding Bertolt?” I asked.
“My men, over there.” Pixus pointed in a direction opposite of where I was running. I had to make a decision quickly. Spinning I abandoned my first trajectory. Racing toward the new prison, I couldn’t stop seeing it replayed in my head. The bolt of metal. Where had it come from? Why hadn’t anyone else wondered this? My feet skidded to a halt.
“Eren, stand back.” Erwin hissed. He had seen what I had. The two guards were out cold, the door stood open. Erwin drew his side arm. Moving cautiously, he made his way into the dark confines of the structure. A moment later, he came out. Kicking at a rock he snarled.
“It’s empty.” Right before his cold beady eyes fell to me. “Who's alive?” he demanded.
“I was just thinking. The metal bolt that hit Marco, where had it come from? It looked like a grappling hook. But all of us trained on the ODM gear were there, or at least accounted for in other places. So, where or who, would have done that?” Blank stares met the end of my speech.
“No one died in the ravine today. Armin saved me, but somehow, Reiner survived. He was using those hooks to climbed back up. I don’t think he realized how close he was to our position. When Hange cut the bolt, I heard a scream of surprise. My brain didn’t put it together with all that was going on…”
“Reiner came back for Bertolt.” Erwin was furious. You couldn’t tell, he looked so calm, but it was there, under his mask.
“I will send a search party to the bottom of the ravine. See what might be left down there. You have this taken care of?” Pixus was watching Erwin.
“Yes, go. Eren, you need to go eat. Levi, Jean stay with him. I have a feeling those two are not far away. They will be coming after Eren as soon as they can.”
“Right, because Bertolt knows he is still alive.” Jean muttered.
Levi said nothing. He tugged on my sleeve. Slowly, we turned to head back to the food tent. After grabbing a tray and getting some food, we found a place to sit. Petra was at the end of the table. I plopped down beside her.
“Is your unit still functioning?” I asked her.
“Yes, sir.” She said. I shook my head.
“Don’t bother with the sir crap right now.” It just felt wrong to me. She was older than I was. “What about the training unit?” I asked. Petra looked around.
“I don’t know. I saw Hange working on it, but then Marco got hurt she took off.”  The petite blond stated. I nodded. Aside from the few people who had their ODM gear and Petra’s B.R.A.T unit we were demolished. I hated feeling so useless. Absently I ate the food. To me it was tasteless.
No sooner had we finished, when I saw Armin walking up. He looked exhausted. I met him on the path, slipping my arm around him as I wasn’t sure if he was about to collapse. “How is he?” I asked.
“Out of surgery and still breathing, at least.” He muttered. “Your dad wants to ship him back to Central, but he isn’t strong enough to survive the journey right now. He's hoping by tomorrow.”
“Can I see him?” Jean asked.
“He's sedated, but I guess. Ask Dr. Yeager.” Armin called at Jean’s running form. I pulled my best friend with me. Getting him some food, I sat next to him as he ate.
“You need some rest, Armin.” I stated. He nodded. Petra still sat where I left her. “Petra?” I called. She turned to look up at me. “Can you make sure Armin gets a cot?” I asked.
“Yes sir.” She said moving to the swaying boy’s side. With nothing better to do, I walked back to the lab. Levi followed me. Dad was cleaning up the operating area, Hange was checking over some printouts and Jean sat hunched over beside Marco's bed. For a moment I just stood there not really knowing what I was doing here.
As if I was on auto pilot, I made my way to dad. Without a word I began to clean the instruments and table. They needed to be sanitized, disinfected, then sort of baked in this machine to become sterile again. Neither of us spoke as we worked. It had been a long time since I had helped, yet my body knew what to do. It was a mindless task for me. When I put the last tray into the oven, I stood starring at the orange glow.
“Will he make it?” I asked the shadow I had seen come to stand beside me.
“Is he one of yours?” dad asked. I shook my head.
“Just a friend. We were in school together.” I said.
“It’s touch and go. I don’t have all I need here to do everything I can.” He said. “Pixus told me that he didn’t have a unit that he could spare to take him back to central.” I jerked slightly.
“I do.” I whispered. Jean must have been listening. He jerked up looking at me. “Jean, you've been training in the brat unit, right?”
“Uh yeah.” He said. I nodded.
“When Dr. Yeager…” I saw dad flinch at this. “… deems it safe to move him, then use the training bot. You can keep him stable in the cockpit. Dad will have enough room to monitor him. You can move swiftly. And for no reason what so ever are you to stop until you reach Central, understand?” I asked. He nodded.
“Yes sir.”
“I can send Mikasa as guard. She can use the ODM gear.” Levi stated.
“That would leave Eren vulnerable.” Dad stated.
“I’ll be fine.” I turned to head out towards the sunlight once more. A large hand stopped me. Dad pressed his palm against my chest.
“Eren?” He began. I looked up at him, too tired to really care what he wanted to say, but I stayed to listen anyway. He lowered his hand, looking lost. “Be safe, son.” He whispered.
“I will be fine.” I repeated.
“Without Mikasa…” His voice faltered.
“He has me.” Levi snapped.
“And me.” A tiny voice came from the doorway. I turned to see Petra there. “Armin is asleep, sir.” She informed me. I nodded.
“Thank you, Petra.” I wasn’t sure if it was just for taking care of Armin, or backing me up. She didn’t leave. I blinked at her.
“It has been a long day, sir. You are wounded. You should get some rest too.” Her face blossomed red. I sighed.
“I will, don’t worry. You can rest for now. We will need you in your unit soon enough, I think.” She nodded then spun and walked away. A hand touched my back.
“We all need some rest. I still have the bunks from when you went down…” Hange said. Absentmindedly my hand rubbed the back of my neck where the node was.
“Yeah, sure.” I said. She led us over to them. I flopped down, not caring about what dad was going to do. A small weight sank the bed beside me. I smirked but rolled to give him more room. Levi's head fell against my chest. I stroked his hair as sleep took me.
Tomorrow was a new day. I didn’t sleep all night. Levi was gone when I woke, not that surprising. I pulled myself out of bed. Jean was asleep beside Marco's bed. Someone, most likely, Hange, had gotten him an easy chair and a blanket. Levi was standing by the door watching the moonlight filter in. Dad was a shape in the dark on another bed. I assumed the last figure was Hange. I walked up to Levi. Slipping my arms around his waist, I placed my chin on top of his head.
“Hey.” I greeted him. His fingers laced into mine.
“Hey.” He said. We stayed like that until the screaming started.