Awake My Soul - Ereri

Chapter 36 - Forgive Me.

"Levi you don't have to do this." Mikasa said, her arms crossed as Levi packed his things into his bag.

"It's fine. He doesn't want me here, I'll go." Levi shrugged.

"Levi." Mikasa said quietly, placing her hand on his arm.

"He'll feel more comfortable if I'm not here anyway. It's not a big deal." Levi tried not to sound as hurt as he felt.

"I'll try and change his mind."

"What does it matter Mikasa, it's obvious he doesn't feel the same anymore. I can't do anything about it."

"Yes you can! You've made mistakes before, just apologise, do something!"

"He's going through enough without me here." Levi sighed. "I'm only a hindrance to his recovery.

"But he wants you here." Mikasa groaned, like Levi was thick.

"You're kidding me right now. You heard him, he literately said he doesn't want me here."

"Well then I want you here." Mikasa sighed. Levi shook his head.

"No you don't. Why would you want me here? I'm cynical, a dick, it's my fault he's even here."

"Oh my god Levi. If you drag your head out of your ass you'd realise that you're not bad company." Levi just laughed.

"You are. Honestly, you're the only reason I've got through this whole thing still sane."

"Why because you have somebody to blame other than yourself. I'm glad I've been help. And I'm relieved that Eren's okay, but he's the one who's hurt. He gets to decide what he wants, not you, not me. Yes I wish he wasn't sending me away, that he didn't hate me, that he had been happy to see me. But I'm an idiot to believe that that was the way it was going to work. I've hurt him so much that the least I can do is leave, like he wants me to." Levi picked up one of his books and placed it onto his neatly folded clothes.

"What if he's making the wrong choice?"

"Then he knows where to find me." Levi muttered. Mikasa groaned.

"I'm not going to argue with you anymore. I'm just saying that you're missing an opportunity to make things better."

"No, I'm missing an opportunity to make things worse." Mikasa frowned, shaking her head and walked out of the room. Levi sighed and continued to pick up his things. After another few minutes he heard voices outside the door. Eren's voice to be precise. When the door opened and Eren hobbled in, Levi looked up and froze when the two made eye contact. Eren froze too, holding onto his drip. They both looked away quickly. Staring at the ground.

"Sorry, I was just leaving." Levi muttered, picking up the rest of his schoolbooks and shoving them in his bag. He cringed at how messily he'd placed them there. But he zipped up his bag anyway and placed it over his shoulder. Eren didn't say anything, he just went over and sat down on the bed. Levi walked a few steps and then paused.

"Eren?" he asked quietly. He looked over to the younger boy. Eren sat with his back to Levi.

"Yes?" he whispered, barely audible from where Levi was standing.

"I'm really glad you're okay." Eren still didn't look at Levi, but he nodded. Levi turned back around and walked towards the door. He gripped the door handle, breathing deeply as he turned it. But it didn't turn. He turned it again. It still didn't turn. He turned it with more force, but it didn't work.

"You've got to be kidding me." Levi muttered. He kept trying to turn the stuck handle. He groaned after a few times. He didn't know why it wouldn't turn.