Breathless •Eremika (Love. Me. Now. Or. Never.)

II: Blue n' Black

"Eren?" Mikasa called out, a third time, yet he still remained silent, unmoving. Then he rolled off her.

"You friggin' brat," Levi had kicked Eren's lifeless form off her, picking him up and pinning him against the wall, "Don't play dead. You tried to fight me. Don't play dead, you friggin' brat, wake up!" He drove his fist into Eren's ribcage.

Upon the punch, Eren's teal-green eyes fluttered open, sucking in a sharp breath. He glimpsed around nervously, trying to take in his surroundings. When his eyes rested on Levi, he cringed, frailly holding his arms up for defense.

"There's no backing down now, Yeager," Levi wrapped his hand around the windpipe, threatening to crush it. Eren choked, gurgling, floundering about helplessly.

"No! Stop!" a voice squeaked. It was Armin, who had sprang into action before anyone did, grabbing the attacker by his firm shoulders, "Stop, please, just stop. I know you don't hate me, right? Please stop hitting Eren, for my sake."

At that, Levi's steely grasp on Eren's neck loosened. He spat venomously, "You friggin' brat. You aren't dead right now because your friend Arlert saved you." He dropped him to the ground, "You ought to be grateful."

"Levi! Eren! The principal's office! Now!" the teacher hollered, snapping back into reality.

*****

"Oi! Over here!" Armin beckoned for his friend to join him at the lunch table. Eren's lips were a sickly purple and the usual rosey-pink in his cheeks was no longer there. He sat down, enervated, on the bench opposite Mikasa.

"So what did the principal say?" Armin inquired tentatively.

"Nothing," Eren murmured, "He just gave us a warning."

"How're you feeling?" Mikasa asked, "Levi punched you pretty hard."

"I'm fine," he nodded subtly, forcing a faint smile.

"I'll go and get you your lunch," she offered, "Stay here and don't pick any more fights," With that, she stood up and sashayed towards the lunch queue in the cafeteria.

When she was out of earshot distance, Armin tapped Eren on the shoulder, "What was that all about? Why did you land on Mikasa?"

Eren inclined his head quizzically, "I landed on Mikasa?"

"Yeah," Armin trailed off, scratching the back of his head, "that was probably how you pissed Levi off. Why did you do that anyway?"

"I fainted," Eren croaked, wiping the beads of sweat off his face with the back of his hands.

His friend's eyes widened a full inch, "What? Is it because of...?"

"Yeah, I fainted again. I went to the doctors yesterday. They said that my condition isn't getting any better and they aren't optimistic about how things are looking. I'm on a roller coaster that only goes down. They also said that I've only got one year, max," he explained, "I'm going to tell Mikasa today. Afterschool."

"Eren-" Armin started, but stopped himself as he saw Mikasa approaching with the corner of his eye.

"Eren, you have to eat," Mikasa slid the lunch tray in front of him, nearly spilling the drink. She narrowed her eyes, and abruptly reached out, touching his forehead. She gasped when she felt the unworldly heat radiate to her hand, "Eren, you're sweating so much, are you alright? And you're looking so pale."

He recoiled. Crap. He wasn't prepared to tell her yet, not now. "Um," his voice cracked, "It's just Levi. He intimidated me a lot. I'm just still not over it yet, I guess."

A pause. Mikasa sighed, taking the spot next to him, "Just eat for now. We've only got five minutes until lunch ends."

"I don't want to eat," he murmured, giving the lunch tray a hard shove.

"Just a piece of bread would do," Armin knew that if Eren didn't take anything, it would raise suspicion and Mikasa would question them until they spilled his secret.

Eren seemed to have caught his friend's hint. Grimacing, he reluctantly took the crumbly bread-roll and nibbled on it. His stomach was doing backflips and his insides were churning, the dinner from last night threatening to bubble out of his throat. His ribs still ached from Levi's blow and without even checking, he knew that there was a nasty, ugly bruise.

Instinctively, he clutched it with his hand, then regretted it instantly as he didn't want Mikasa to see him injured.

"You were so foolish," Mikasa spoke up, unexpectedly, gazing down at her hands which were folded on her lap, "You shouldn't have gotten into a fight with Levi. Look at where that got you, idiot."

He had never predicted that she would not ask about how he was and would instead give him a lecture on how 'foolish' his acts were. He lifted his chin, "What?"

"It was wholly your fault. You shouldn't have gotten involved in a fight with him, you can't really blame him for punching you back," she repeated firmly. Eren's ears rung. Was she accusing him of initiating the fight? "You're so immature."

He couldn't find his voice. Armin interjected, in his place, "What the crap, Mikasa, don't blame Eren. Levi is the bad one here. What are you saying?"

Mikasa pouted, blowing air out, "You ruined it. But fine, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." After that, she stood up and departed from the group, elbowing her way through the throng in the cafeteria.

Eren hid his face in his palms, his breath hitching, "What did I do? She hates me so much now."

Armin rested a hand on his back, "She doesn't hate you. We'll talk to her afterschool about what's going on with you and maybe she'll understand."

**********

The bell rang, resonating in everyone's ears. The students scrambled to the exits, in a wild frenzy to get out of school. Eren and Armin waited for Mikasa, as usual, at the gates. She was late today, unlike any other ordinary day.

The sun scorched their backs as they waited, "When's she coming? She's taking ages." Eren was going to suffer from a heat stroke if this continued.

"Hey, there she is," Armin pointed in the direction of the gates and there was, indeed, Mikasa, ambling out.

Eren beamed, walking up to greet her, but screeched to a halt as soon as he saw the person walking alongside Mikasa. It was Levi, muttering inaudible things into her ear. He had to bite back the wave of envy and treachery wrenching his heart. A feeling of desolation settled in his head.

"How could she?" Armin stammered. Mikasa did not even take a glance at her two friends, walking the opposite way with Levi, engaged in a conversation.

"Let's go, I can't bear this," Eren managed through gritted teeth, "I can't bear this. She knows that Levi beat me up today." He grabbed the other boy by the arm and yanked him away, propelling him forwards. His chest screamed in agony, reminding him of Levi's punch.

"What about your illness? She deserves to know. Maybe there's a reason why she's talking to Levi. She isn't the kind of person who betrays you," Armin blurted out, tripping on his feet to catch up.

"No, I'm not telling her. She doesn't deserve to know," Eren spat, giving Mikasa one last glimpse. She took no notice of him at all, strolling casually with Levi beside her. It had felt as if someone stabbed him through his back and savagely twisted. How could she? After their fight during class. Just. How. Could. She?