Even the Strong Cry

Chapter Fifteen

Levi was sitting on the sofa with Eren beside him when someone knocked the door. Eren looked at Levi, slightly surprised. In the week that Eren had been staying there Levi had had no visitors, except for Erwin and that was just for a planning session for the latest mission that they were preparing.
"Who is it Levi?" Eren asked.
"How am I meant to know?" Levi snapped. He instantly regretted snapping because he saw Eren's hurt expression. He opened his mouth to apologise, but he instead he just stood up and walked over to answer the door. It was probably better that he didn't get so close anyway.
As soon as he opened the door Levi knew something was very wrong. Hanji was on his doorstep, holding a brown envelope. Her usual cheery grin was gone and she looked more seneiohs than Levi had seen her in his life.
"Eren's results are in, and so are yours," she said gravely. Immediately Levi's heart sank. He had hoped that Eren was going to be okay... but it looked like all his hope was is vain. Something had gone wrong, and seriously wrong.
"He's in the living room...I guess you want to talk to us seperately?" Levi let Hanji in as he spoke and she simply nodded.
"I'm going to take him into your office, then I'll speak to you," she said.
Levi followed her and sat down on the sofa again, making a point of sitting extra close to Eren and giving the young boy's hand a reassuring squeeze. "It's going to be okay," he whispered kindly.
"Eren, come with me. I need to talk to you about your test results. Then I'll talk to the Captain." Hanji held out a hand to help Eren to his feet but he refused her offer and got up on his own. They both walked to Levi's office, leaving the captain alone to his thoughts, and he wished that he could be in his office playing the piano to distract him. The only decent thing on tv was some romantic drama, and Levi felt that he would rather not watch that. He knew that it would only upset him more.
The minutes passed slowly and Levi felt himself begin to tire out, although he wasn't sure why. It was still early morning. He closed his eyes for a moment, delighting in the simplicity of the darkness; and before he knew it he was fast asleep.
"Levi! Wake up!" Eren was shaking him, and before he knew what was going on the boy and Levi hugged to his chest tightly. "I heard the news Levi, I'm going to be okay, and I can stay with you..." Eren's voice didn't sound right, it almost sounded like he'd been crying. Levi's tired mind couldn't work out why though, surely it was good news?
"I'm glad that you can stay." was all Levi could manage to say.
"Eren is going to be alright as long as he eats plenty of fruit, he had anaemia, not enough iron in his blood; that's why he fainted so much for a while," Hanji's words were reassuring but her tone was off. Her next words sent shivers down Levi's spine. "Your turn Levi..."