Rewind

Chapter 21

Days passed and Eren still made no progress. Levi would be woken up in the middle of the night from the sound of Eren vomiting. After he would be done Eren would be left gasping for breath. He would wipe his mouth and Levi would pull him close. Levi would hold him until he fell asleep. Once he was asleep, Levi would get up and go clean the can out, and try to get rid of the smell. Sometimes he would do this multiple times during the night. And each time he would hope that Eren would get better. But he never did.

"How long has it been since I got shot?" Eren asked weakly.

"A few days over two months," Levi said.

"Why do I feel like today has like, an event or something?" Eren asked, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Because today," Levi said. He paused and looked at Eren, who gave him a confused look. "Is our nine month anniversary."

"Damn," Eren said.

"What?" Levi asked confused.

"We can't celebrate with sex," Eren pouted.

"Is sex all you can think about?" Levi teased.

"Hey, I've been deprived of it for two months," Eren defended himself. He started coughing and Levi pulled him into his lap. Eren took deep wheezing breaths when he was done.

"Enough talking for now," Levi said, rubbing circles into Eren's back. "Just know that I love you."

Eren nodded. He wanted to say it back, but he knew that Levi didn't want him to talk. And he really didn't have the energy to defy Levi right now. 

The days quickly blended into weeks. And those weeks turned into a month. Eren's sickness only got worse. Eren couldn't even talk anymore without losing breath. When he needed to say anything he would write it down. Hanji had come back a multiple times to check on him.

Levi worried even more. He saw how Eren was getting worse. He knew Eren needed to get better, or there would be no Eren.

Eren reached over and grabbed Levi's wrist. Levi looked over, ready to ask Eren what he needed but stopped. He saw Eren folded in half with a hand on his head, face contorted in pain. Eren let out a small, breathless scream. Levi jumped off the bed and ran out to everyone, panic clear on his face.

"Hanji!" He said urgently. She looked up, saw the frantic look on Levi's face and stood up. Together they ran back to the room.

Eren was still folded in half. But now he had both hands on his head. Hanji ran towards him and turned him to look at her. She asked him questions and he would either nod or shake his head. But she had to repeat the questions before he would answer. Levi stood next to the door biting his thumb nail, a habit he picked up recently. Finally she stood up and went to Levi. Levi looked over her shoulder to see that Eren had passed out.

"His brain isn't getting enough oxygen," Hanji said. "If this continues his brain will shut down, in turn, killing him." Levi ran a hand slowly through his hair.

"He's not going to live, is he?" Levi asked, almost silently.

"No, I don't believe so," Hanji said. "I'm actually surprised he has lived this long. But, I would say he has less than a month."

Levi shut his eyes and shook his head. "No, you said he would heal!" Levi shouted.

"I thought he would," Hanji said. "I've never seen anything like this. I'm sorry. I am so sorry." She left Levi there, with tears slowly falling down his face.

"Hanji," Erwin asked. "Is Eren okay?"

"If by okay you mean alive? Then yes," Hanji said. "But I don't think he will be for long."