Imperial Affairs (Levi X Reader) AU

78. Limitless Dreams

Reader's POV

When my body began turning cold, I closed my eyes to let myself be consumed by non-existence once and for all. I felt warmth over me as I lost consciousness, I didn't know where it had come from. It must've been my mind, wanting me to go peacefully and so, created a delusion for me to smile in my final moments.

I was kept warm for a while, I could feel the pain from the poison but I couldn't register it. I heard talking. Someone was talking to me. It was a beautiful voice. Someone replied. It was a...familiar one. It sounded like mine. But I didn't feel my lips move at all. Either I was losing all control over my body or this was all just a dream.

Sharp pain found its way in my heart, not in the physical sense, no, it had been hurting like that for a while, It was pain that swallowed me up whole. It wasn't that powerful because it was a common feeling for me, that feeling of despair. The conversation that I was responding to but couldn't quite hear seemed to be triggering that response. I must admit, it didn't seem like a pleasant dream.

A moment later, I felt lighter, and colder. I was provided warmth with a hug but the pain grew only worse. I did know that death from this poison wouldn't be quick. My final few moments wouldn't be coming anytime soon. The ones that had just passed were the final moments I would retain my sanity. After that, it would all go black until my mind lost its power to think and to function.

After a while of emptiness, I felt something pleasant, something rather refreshing. I didn't know what it was but it made me freeze to the point where I could no longer feel any pain. I loved the numbness.

The feeling continued with the little bit of warmth I was feeling but was unaware of its source. As I got more numb, so did my brain. I couldn't even hear the incoherent conversation at the back of my head anymore. I fell into the quietness.

The quietness lasted for a while. A long while. It felt lonely. It felt scary. I couldn't open my eyes. They felt too heavy. But the silence was painful. I couldn't hear anything. I couldn't feel anything. It seemed like everything had frozen still and silent. The pain had stopped. But my mind was haunted. I didn't know where I was. I didn't know if I had died. Confusion, fear, anger...I didn't have nightmares...because this reality was one in itself.

After eons of waiting in that dead silence and loneliness, I felt that I could hear something. The silence was broken but I couldn't make out the words. Sweat covered my body and fear took over me. I needed to hear someone. I called out a name, the only one I put all of my trust in.

I tried to open my eyes. My sight was blurry. My eyes were watering and hurting as I saw the marble white ceiling. I opened my mouth. It was dry. My throat was parched. It hurt as I took a breath from it. I tried to let a sound out. Only heavy breaths escaped my lips. After a few seconds of trying, I could finally say something but it wasn't loud enough for even me to hear.

I wanted to call out to the voice in the room. I knew it was his. And there was someone else with him, someone I knew but my tired brain couldn't recognise in this state.

"Er-Erwin-" I tried to speak but was interrupted by my own coughing.

That was enough to get his attention as he turned from the door of my chambers toward me in a hurry. He looked haggard, like he hadn't eaten in years, and slept even long before. His expression of pure relief calmed my nerves when I saw him as he rushed toward me and held me up while putting a glass of water to my lips.

"Erwin?" I asked through half lidded eyes, "Are you-are you okay?"

He wordlessly hugged me which was quite uncharacteristic of him. But who was I to complain?