A New Companion | Attack On Titan

19: Redemption

Levi s POV,  Two Days Later

I've been in this damn hospital for two days straight with a fucking air mask on my face. I mean- the first few hours of this thing being there is fine.

I couldn't breathe for shit.

But after the night came, I was able to breathe just fine. . . But no. The doctors wanted to keep me here two extra days with Eren, who was practically forced to sit in a wheelchair.

Damn doctors. . . .

"Mr. Levi. . ."

"What is it?"

"You're annoyed by all this, are you?"

"They didn't have to almost strap me down. Shit. .  ." Eren chuckles lightly.

"I'm sorry. I was the one that started it."

"No, it wasn't. The first couple of hours is when I needed you. . ." I shifted on the bed, laying on my side, facing Eren. "Thanks. . ."

"Your welcome Mr. Levi." Just then, the lights started flickering along with the tv, which turned off and on with the lights. "Uh oh."

"That damn roof better not break. I swear to god if it does."

"It's not going to break, don't worry-" Just as he said that, the window in our room shatters, and automatically,  I give Eren a death glare. "Well. . . . It just the window. . . Right?"

"We're on the fourth floor. No one can physically break the glass."

"Not unless it was an earthquake-"

"Eren!"

"Ok ok! They said it might be an earthquake in the area!"

"Fucking hell-"

"It was only a category one!" Eren moves the wheelchair to the window to look out of it. "At least the ground isn't affected." I sat up in the bed and threw the air mask off my face. "Can we just leave now? I'm not going to be smushed by a roof again."

"Ok, but we have to- M-Mr. Levi!" I look up to see Eren staring at me. "The air mask-"

"Don't need it." I stood up slowly, slightly wobbling on both legs.

"Can you even walk yet?!"

"Well, now's the time."

"But the doctors-"

"They can go fuck themselves. I'm out of here." I grabbed the walking stick at the foot of the bed and inched my way towards the door. The light sound of wheels trained behind me, meaning that Eren is following me.

"You shouldn't go by yourself, Mr. Levi."

"Then don't leave me alone." I opened the door and peeled out into the open to see everyone scrambling around.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know, but stay close." I widened the entryway and walked out. The light flickered again, but much faster this time.

"Mr. Levi. . . Where do we go?"

"If it is an earthquake, then we need to be on the ground floor. Problem is, the elevators will be packed throughout all the floors. It'll be too much of a hassle to wait."

"So. . . We take the stairs?"

"That's also a problem. I can't walk straight and you have a wheelchair. One of us is bound to fall and bust our faces."

"Then. . ." Eren moves closer. "What do we do? We can always link arms and walk together but-"

"Link arms?"

"Yeah, like how we carry people over the shoulders? We could do that and walk down the stairs. . . Like extra slow." I turn to Eren.

"Did you do rehab yet?"

"I was done with it earlier today, but it does hurt to walk after a long while."

"Can you walk down four flights of stairs?" I turned to him.

"I can try-"

"Then let's go." I motioned Eren to stand up and follow behind me. Not being able to stand by any longer, I pressed on towards the stairs. Hearing feet scramble behind me made me slow down slightly.

Slightly.

"Mr. Levi, don't push yourself! You'll get hurt!" I felt something softly take a hold of my arm and started guiding me at a calmer pace.

"Then don't fall behind."

~~~~~~~

We finally made it to the stairs with weak legs and being exhausted. Eren and I were mainly dodging around people as we led ourselves to our destination. On the way, the building did shake several times from the quake, which had us ducking for our lives.

Almost.

"We're here. . ."

"Isn't that the most obvious thing you said all day?" I asked.

"Pretty much." Eren opened the huge door and looks inside. "The stairs look steep."

"Then we gotta go now if we want to make it to the ground floor in time." I gazed back up to Eren to see him nodding in approval.

Then, we both started the descent.

20 Minutes Later

"Damn, what floor are we on?"

"Uh- the. . . . third floor."

"Tch." I rolled my eyes in frustration. "This is taking too damn long."

"Don't worry Mr. Levi, we'll get here soon enough." After that, most of the way was in silence. We moved as swiftly as possible down the steep steps of the hospital, trying to make it to the first floor. Overhead, the lights started flickering once again.

"Eren. . . . Hurry up. . ."

"I know. I know." He quickened his pace as the lights finally gave way and turned off altogether. "Damn it. . ."

"Eren, I can't see shit."

"At least we're on the second floor. The door is just over there." I see a body move towards the light, and I just slowly followed. When I got down there,  I see Eren waiting there within the doorway, checking to see if anyone else was there. "Are we clear?" Eren turns around.

"Yeah, I don't see anyone."

"Then let's go. We can't make it if the lights don't work."

"Ok. . ." With Eren once again taking a hold of my arm, we walked out and sought out the elevators.

"Well well. . . . If it isn't little Ackerman." I halted all movement.

It can't be. . . .

"Mr. Levi?" I turned around to see a man with a much larger build than mine. He had on military garb along with a noticeable eye patch over his left eye. "Eren. Get behind me." He did as told, still holding onto my arm.

"Levi. . ."

"Bassett. . ."