Awake My Soul - Ereri

Chapter 34 - Put to Rest

"Oh my god Eren!" Eren's friends ran into the small room, flowers and teddy bears and cards in their hands. Levi rested his head back, pretending to be asleep in the chair in the corner of the room. They all crowded around his bed, muttering things and holding his hands. This lasted for maybe ten minutes before Armin subtly walked over to Levi's side and pulled up a chair.

"You don't have to pretend to sleep you know?" He said. Armin had been every day since the day after Levi had been allowed up. Armin had been understandably mad at Levi at first, although after they had talked about the whole situation, not that Levi had been particularly enthused to talk, Armin had softened and the two had talked often. Mostly about Eren, including possible outcomes and more often than not, Levi's feelings towards him. It felt good to talk to someone, though he wished he were talking to Eren, rather than Armin. But Armin listened and that's all Levi needed right now.

"Yes I do, I don't want to talk to them." Levi muttered

"Why? You did when Eren was-"

"Don't speak about him in past tense he's not dead." Levi whispered harshly. Armin sighed.

"I didn't mean it like that, I just think they might be less mad if you tried talking to them?"

"I doubt it." Almost if it were scripted, Jean turned around, his eyes landing on Armin and then Levi. He frowned.

"What are you doing here, asshole?"

"I'm here to see Eren, same as you." He was concise and bitter. He ignored the last part of Jean's sentence.

"He wouldn't want you here."

"I'm sorry? Are you Eren's mind? Eren's mouth?"

"Listen here, dickhead." Jean growled

"No. You listen here horse face. I'm not leaving this hospital until Eren personally tells me to leave, so until then I'm staying here." Levi clenched his fists. As much as he wanted to hit Jean he couldn't. For starters they were in a hospital. Besides if Eren woke up and found out that Levi had hit one of his friends, it would only make Levi's job of apologising that much harder. He sighed picking up his schoolbooks.

"You leaving shorty? Didn't you just make a big speech about staying?"

"I'm going to the cafeteria to finish my school work since you rudely interrupted me." Levi spat, pushing past Jean and into the hall. When he walked out of the room he almost ran into Mikasa.

"You okay?" she asked, noticing Levi's tense mood.

"Fine. Jean's just a dick." Levi frowned. "I'm going to the cafeteria."

"Did you want any company?"

"No thanks go make sure that group of idiots aren't messing up the room." Mikasa nodded and the two parted, walking their separate ways. Levi pressed the elevator button and waited for the elevator to come. When it eventually did, He pressed the button for the ground floor. He stared at the numbers slowly decreasing. When they finally got to his floor he stepped out into the cafeteria and set up station at one of the tables. He sat there at a table for a few hours, trying to finish off his history work he'd missed. After about the first two hours, the lady at the cafeteria brought him over a tea. She repeated this every hour until Levi finally fell asleep at the cafeteria table. The number of sleepless nights catching up with him.

Mikasa had head down to the cafeteria after visiting hours were closed, looking for Levi. Much to her surprise she found him asleep at a table, his schoolbooks and laptop sitting near his head. She walked up to him and sat down at the table across from him. With her presence Levi stirred lifting his tired head to look at her.