Rivals (OC X Levi Ackerman)

Chapter 4

I feel sick to my stomach as I watch the titan materialise, so unbelievably gigantic that it was destroying the cave around us as it protruded onto the surface. Rocks begin to fall from the ceiling, and the scouts appear to be screaming at Eren to do something. I turn around, facing away from them all, and I have to admit, I feel scared.

I fought well, for it to end like this?

Eh. C'est la vie. I turn my head back to look at Eren, and sigh. Irritating little child. I die here.

...
No. The hell I do. I'll see my squad again. My mom. My dad. My horse. My ugly little hometown.

I charge towards Eren, lift him to his feet by his neck and punch him with my free hand.

He stares back at me in shock.

"I don't mind dying in battle. Of sickness.  Of old age. But me, and the rest of these people who have fought for you will not be forgotten under a pile of rocks. Do you hear me? They all swore to die for you, but that doesn't mean they should. And I never swore to do that! I will die for the greater good but I am not dying for a whiney little juvenile."

"But I can't-"

"I don't care if you can't. I care if you don't try. Hold up this fucking cave like humanity depends on it. Because it does."

I loosen his neck and let him drop to the floor.

The cave continues to rain with rocks and boulders, and I kneel on the ledge. He gets to his feet and looks back at us, before diving into the centre of the cave.

I squeeze my eyes shut, and wait to be crushed. The sound stops. So this is the afterlife?

I open my eyes, and stare at the beautiful and monstrous statue holding up the cave. Not bad.

The scouts celebrate, and I smile slightly as I watch them. They don't seem like a bad bunch of kids.

Once we retrieve Eren and make it out of the cave, injured carts are set up. I watch as Hange lays down, groaning and shutting her eyes.

Levi approaches me, and I groan internally. What now?

"We have a problem. That titan is heading for the wall. It's not interested in us."

"What do you want me to do about that?" I ask him.

"Nothing. Except hurry up. We need to beat it there."

"Understood." I reply.

"You're paler." He says, suddenly.

"Huh?" I respond, and suddenly all becomes clear. My legs go weak, and give way.

Before I hit the floor, Levi grabs underneath both my arms and tries to help me back to my feet.

"Exhausted? MPs really do slack off."

I want to snap back at him but everything is spinning.

"Meyer." He says. "You need to stand. I can't carry you, I'm not your horse."

I get my balance, but fall again.

"Okay." He says, grunting as he catches me. "Pain in the ass."

He helps me to an empty injured cart.

"I'm shot." I say, suddenly.

His eyes widen slightly.
"What?"

"Abomen, on the right. Think i've lost a good chunk of blood now."

"I need support!" Levi yells. Once Armin arrives, he gives the signal for the horses to set off.

Levi unbuttons the lower portion of my blood soaked shirt and pulls it aside to reveal a bullet wound.

Armin prepares rags and dips them in alcohol. Levi snatches them and cleans the wound, making me writhe and yell.

"Bullet's still in there." Levi says, and I see sweat on his forehead. He grabs small forceps and without warning, digs into the wound to get the bullet. I can't control it and I kick so violently he kneels on my legs as he works to stop me moving.
I can feel every movement of the metal and it's like I'm being sliced open from the inside. I feel sick with the smell of my own blood.
"Nearly done. Pass out if you need to." He mumbles.

I feel my face soaked and freezing cold with sweat.
"Just fucking shoot me."

He pulls the bullet out and tosses it aside.

"Done?" I ask.

He looks down at my open wound, and back up at me. Not his normal expression. There's some guilt.

He gets out string and a needle and begins to stich the wound.

"I fucking hate you." I hiss at him, in worse pain than I had ever been before.

"Not a problem, princess." He replies. It takes him a few minutes to stitch the wound. I look over at the alcohol Armin used to clean the wound. Bottle of rum. I grab it and chug as much as I can stomach, and relax slightly.

"Whatever shuts you up." He says, sitting on the cart beside me, freeing my legs.

"I swear. I'll kill you the second I have the chance." I hiss at him, breathlessly. Armin looks shocked, but Levi tuts under his breath. His expressions seems to even have a faint smile.

"Well, princess. If you can't beat me when you're healthy, I don't rate your chances with a hole in your stomach."

"I'll show you 'princess'." I spit, and try and sit up. I'm too weak, and lay back down. To my shock, he chuckles slightly under his breath.

Asshole.