Stopwatch

✪Ch 5: Germany?

"Eren!" I yell as I open the door. There, I find Eren on the floor.

"L-Levi!" Eren responds startled like a kitten. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?! I came here to give you your medicine!" I respond loudly and firmly. Stupid Jaeger, I'm doing my best to keep him alive yet he dares to ask such a silly question. Does he want to die?!

"Levi I don't need the medicine anymore. Erwin came in and gave it to me. He said you forgot, and to not tell you since you seem to be bothered by this case. I'm sorry I've caused you trouble," Eren replied calmly, getting up, and sitting on his bed. Why is he doing this? Why is he so calm?

I look at him and nod, overwhelmed by how foolish I am. I try to calm down and pat Eren's head for some sort of strange reinsurance that he's still here, then head straight towards the door until I hear a loud crack. It startles me and I look down. There I find a white teacup, broken. I must of missed it when I ran in here. I was worried about Eren after all not some stupid teacup. Then, I remember.

"Eren!" I yell unwillingly.

"Yes, Levi?" Eren responds confused.

"Uh, um, what was that loud noise I heard?" Eren looks at me, looks down, then looks behind him.

"L-levi" Eren starts talking as he blushes intensely, "I-I heard your birthday was coming soon and I also heard how much you like tea and that Hanji broke your teacup so I asked Armin to buy one for you from his trip to France. But I kinda got a bit...dizzy and I, I'm sorry!" Eren started crying. Why the hell is he crying?! He got dizzy! It was an accident! I should be worrying about his health right now not some stupid teacup!

"Eren, it's okay. Tell Armin I said thank you...you too. Thank you, Eren," I said as I smiled. I pick up the pieces from the teacup and put them in my coat's pocket. This is a present for me I shouldn't just throw it away. I decide to leave Eren alone and walk out the door.

••••••••••••••✂️••••••••••••••
Eren's POV

"Armin, you can come out now," I looked behind me as Armin stood up.

"That was scary. I thought he was going to find me," Armin laughed nervously.

"We weren't playing hide-and-seek, Armin," I laughed. "Good thing the teacup that broke was that coffee Erwin brought me. Now Levi will surely be sruprised since he thinks his present is nothing but pieces. Anyways, can you put the teacup you got over there where Levi won't find it?" I asked politely as I pointed at the closet.

"Of course!" Armin whistled hiding the teacup joyfully.

I smile at thought of having Armin here with me. Im glad I have him as a friend. However, I also wish he wasn't my friend. Behind that happy whistle of his, I notice a sorrowful, pitiful sound which only the ones close to me can whistle. I hate this situation. But I hate myself the most.

"Eren," Armin looked at me worried, "are you okay?"

I incline my head slightly. "I'm fine." This is something I have to deal with, not Armin.

"Eren I'm going to talk to Dr. Ackerman about something. Don't worry, it's just for this thing I'm working on. You just stay here and I'll be right back!" Armin yelled, running in the hallway.

"O-kay," I whisper to myself.

••••••••••••••✂️••••••••••••••• Levi's POV

"Dr. Ackerman!" I heard a child yell.

"Oh, so it was you," I turn around, waiting for Armin to catch his breath.

"Dr. Ackerman I've come to talk to you about something. Something concerning...Eren," Armin paused, "I've been traveling around the world to find similar cases and I found that in Germany they have about 30 doctors and 10 scientists working together to find a cure. You are in charge of Eren, correct?" I nod. "Great! But first I must ask, who else are you in charge of?"

"I'm completely responsible for Eren Jaeger. I have others I'm responsible for, such as Hanji. However, if your question is 'which patients are you responsible for?' then the one and only patient I have right now is Eren. Hanji helps me and Erwin is my superior. Erwin is in charge of sending all my data to the lab and checks on me once in a while to see if I've screwed up. Hanji helps me. In other words, Erwin is simply my messenger and Hanji is my assistant."

Armin looks at me and places his hand on my shoulders. "D-Dr. Levi Ackerman!" he shouts.

"I'm right here you don't have to yell."

"I beg you! Go to Germany and save Eren!" Armin finishes as he takes his hands off my shoulders and bows down.

Germany? That is way too far. I already have all the equipment I need here and my research is scattered all over my office and lab. Moving to Germany would just be a nuisance. Nevertheless, there are people like me working on this case. I'm not a fan of working with others, but I'm certainly not a fan of letting my patient die. I have a profile I have to keep. And only I can do it.

"Sorry, Armin, I can't," I reply, "going to Germany will only cause me trouble."

My cheek turns red.

"What was that for?!" I yell as I touch my cheek. Did Armin just slap me?!

"What was that for?! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?! THIS WAS FOR EREN! HE IS NOT A WHAT! All you care about is playing your elite doctor game! You don't give a damn about your patients! All you care about is you! Well, fuck you and your stupid pride! Eren is as good as dead with you! Can't you see Germany is the best option right now?! You have research, they have answers! Don't you dare think you can do this on your own! EVERYONE IS HERE FOR YOU, EREN!" Armin falls to the floor and starts crying. His cheeks get red, and his face gets covered in his tears.

"Look, Armin, I am the doctor here, not you. I can't say I hold any feelings towards Eren as a friend like you, but that does not mean I'm going to let him die! Just leave it to me. I can help them. I can do it," I try to help Armin but Armin doesn't even bother to look at me.

"3 days. You have 3 days to decide to go with Eren to Germany or stay here. If Eren has to go without you then so be it." Armin gets up and cleans his face with his shirt. He gives me the biggest deathstare I've ever recieved and vanishes.

Who does he think he is?! He can't take Eren with him! They won't allow it.

"Tch, how stupid."

I continue my day as if nothing happened. I yawn and look at the clock. 11:00 P.M. I should give the new data I gathered to Erwin. Then I can go home and take a nice, warm shower. I grab the folder and walk towards Erwin's office.

"Hey, Erwin," I speak loudly.

"Levi," he nods. That's rare, he called me Levi.

"I found something interesting today I thought you should take a look at it and give it to the guys at the lab," I inform him as I give him the folder, "I don't think it's something special but, it about Eren's DNA. The pattern is a bit...off."

"Thanks. Make sure you come here at 6. We must help with Eren's transfer."

"Eren's transfer?! Where is he going?!" I yell.

"Calm down, Levi. You will be with him. Armin convinced me and those at the lab. We will send all your research, everything, to them," Erwin explains.

"No! That brat, Armin, doesn't know what he's talking about! He's letting his fear of Eren dying take over him and his reasoning! I can handle this! I don't need anybody's help! Cancel this Erwin! This is stupid!" There is no way I'm going to Germany. I have a feeling I can't trust them. There is way too many people working on this and there must be several cases there as well. They're not going to focus on Eren! The only person I care about saving right now is Eren!

"LEVI YOU ARE GOING TO GERMANY WITH EREN AND THAT'S FINAL! Understood?!"

I hope there's a nice place for Eren at the cementary then.

"Understood."