Redemption Song | Levi & Eren

Chapter 4: What's New Pussycat?

      His skin burnt but he shivered on the bench. His stomach growled, yelling for food, but his nausea disagreed and his stomach turned every time he saw the blue food tray on the ground. He hugged himself for warmth and didn't realise his uncut fingernails were digging into his pale caucasian skin, drawing blood.

He swallowed the vomit his stomach regurgitated, shaking in disgust. His tainted skin dirtied with injection marks itched and he scratched at the sites. His serrated nails caused his lips to twinge in pain whilst a wave of anger rose to the surface.

Eren lunged from his poor excuse for a bed and ran at the wall. His gaunt fist struck the white concrete wall. Pain rushed through his nerves. He gritted his teeth as tears stung his eyes.

Feeling angry at his physical weakness he punched the wall again with his second fist. He screamed, expelling rage crafted from his self-hatred. The adolescent channelled his remaining strength into his dominant fist, placing his opposite hand on the wall for leverage as he pummelled the concrete.

In his fit of fury, he failed to recognise the sound of approaching footsteps. They halted outside the metal door and the rectangular peephole hinges creaked as it slide open. Immediately, it slammed shut and the jangling of keys echoed before the prison metal door swung open hastily.

"Eren! Stop!" the voice of a woman ordered, but she went ignored. Even as she forcefully seized his arms, he continued to attack the concrete. "Damn it! Eren! Back off!"

Eren cried out in anger, snatching his arms from her grip and running into the opposing wall, striking it once, and then glaring at it as he composed himself.

Detective Mikasa Ackerman said nothing but kept keen eyes on his tense form. She glanced back, observing the splatted bloodstains on the wall, before staring at his fists. Dark red blood dripped from his injured clenched fists and puddled on the floor below.

"Do you have any idea how worried I've been about you?" her voice was strained and fatigued.

Eren sucked his teeth, smirking with his back to her. "Yeah? Then what the fuck took so long?"

She placed a hand on her hip. Eren glanced at her, noticing how her short black hair suffered from split ends due to a lack of sleep and brushing. Her grey eyes held bags beneath them. Her black blazer over a simple white work shirt needed ironing.

Mikasa released a sigh. "I figured doing a night in a cell would do you some good. At least this way I know you're safe."

"Safe!?" he iterated loudly but she didn't react to his outburst. "I'm trapped in fucking prison and you're happy about it!?"

She bit her tongue, nearly shouting back at him. "You're in a holding cell, not a prison...and either way, you'd be safer in both options other than whatever drug den you've been holding up in."

"Oh really!?"

"Yes," she took a step forward and noted how Eren instinctively took one back. "You've been fed, been given a bed to sleep on and if you'd asked for a coat or blanket they probably would have given you one."

Eren growled, biting his lip with his chipped fang. "You don't get it," he snarled, turning his back to her.

A cell succumbed to silence. Guilt stung Mikasa as she fully took in Eren's figure. His lack of clothes exposed sickly skin spoiled with sweat and blood. Purple bruises littered his arms and she didn't want to guess how long it had been since he'd washed his hair and body. Despite mentioning the bed the cell provided, she doubted he'd used it and the food on the tray was hardly touched.

"I want to help you, Eren," she pleaded, taking a tentative step forward and carefully reaching out to him. "I just...just want you to talk to me."

Her hand caressed his shoulder and he flinched at the touch. His slow breathing become inconsistent and he shoved her hand away.