Experimenting With Miracles // ERERI

Chapter 13

No one was telling him anything.

Eren didn't know how bad off his husband was, if he was going to recover, if he would have permanent damage. He didn't even know what had happened. The most he had gotten was when Hanji had first appeared telling him that Levi was indeed injured.

Meanwhile a high fever had taken him and left him feeling weak and exhausted. He could barely stay awake, let alone keep food down. But despite this sickness, Eren lacked concern for himself. Instead his lucid thoughts were consumed by his developing child and injured spouse.

Due to his sudden illness, he had been moved to a private infirmary room. Jean and Connie had been the ones to walk him there, at least until his legs had given out completely and he had relied solely on their strength.

He looked up blearily as the door to his new room opened to reveal Mikasa.

She approached the bed slowly, “How are you feeling, Eren?”

He had only seen her once since the expedition. She had an odd bruise or two on her face, no doubt results of combat. But otherwise she just looked tired, which was a bit unusual in itself. Eren blinked when she placed a gentle hand on his forehead.

“Eren?” She prodded.

“Mmm’fine,” he finally answered weakly.

Her dark eyes held disapproval, “No you’re not. You’ve got a high fever again. Have you eaten anything?”

His gaze wandered to the window, “...Can’t keep anything down.”

Mikasa gave a ragged sigh, “Well you need to try, for your child.”

An odd sense of anger welled up in his stomach, “I’ve tried , Mikasa. But every bite tastes like sand, then it curdles in my stomach and comes right back up. I’m not wasting anymore food.”

She was quiet for a few moments, then her knitted brow relaxed. “Eren-”

“How is Levi?”

The question caught her a bit off guard. But instead of answering, she turned her head away. She couldn’t tell him, no one could - Hanji had ordered everyone into silence after having pointed out that the stress could affect him severely.

Eren’s eyes found her face, “Mikasa… please . I need to know.” His voice cracked with desperation, “I can’t stand not knowing… I just.. Tell me if he’s alive.” The mere thought that his beloved spouse might be gone had his heart racing and stomach churning, but the thought that he was lying injured in bed with no one at his side was just as sickening.

His sister shook her head reluctantly, “I..I can’t, Eren. I’m sorry.”

“I deserve to know! Why won’t anyone tell me!?” Tears sprung to his eyes. He was so tired and aggravated and.. scared. He was scared out of his mind. It was a raw and powerful fear that he hadn’t felt so potently perhaps since his mother’s death. It was chipping away at him slowly but surely.

His gut twisted in a disgusting way. He lurched up and bent over the side of the bed, gagging harshly over the bin that was placed there.

“Eren!” Mikasa was at his side instantly, rubbing at his back in a soothing manner.

After a few dry heaves, Eren sat back a bit. Tears still cascaded down his face with his emotional misery. “D-Dammit,” he cursed weakly.

The raven haired woman felt conflicted. Withholding Levi’s state of being seemed to only stress her brother out more, so perhaps he should know. She bit at her lip absently, uncertainty clear in her posture. A sudden weight falling onto her lap immediately alerted her from her thoughts.