White Blank Page *Captain Levi* (AOT Fanfiction)

Chapter Thirteen

            As I got off, I tripped, and came to lean on a tree. I looked down at my hands and they were shaking. My fists clenched and trembled as I tried to calm down. I barely noticed a hand on my back, comforting me as best it could. I turned and found Petra with a grim expression on her face. I sucked in a breath and clenched my fists tighter. Petra grabbed my wrist and I released my fists. Nail marks indented my skin, and blood began to drip from the small wounds I’d created.

            But, I ‘d managed to slowly calm down my breathing. The others were talking, but I hadn’t been paying attention much. They boasted about what a good choice it was to stick with the Scout Regiment, and how they’d all pulled through. But, no matter how much of a success they felt it was, if I hadn’t listened to Captain Levi, Fala may not have been hit. Her loyalty astounds me, but I suppose I can’t blame her since I’d do just the same.

            I was lost in thought when we decided to continue moving through the trees. Suddenly, there was a loud shriek, a shriek from the female titan I suspect. We all exchanged glances, but continued moving. There were loud crashes and echoes throughout the forest. It seemed the air had filled with the noise of thunder as titans stormed the forest. We did not see any, but we could tell they weren’t to far off due to the rumbling of the ground and the shaking of the trees.

            Something was wrong, and we all new it, but it was our order to continue onwards, and so we did. Through the trees, there was a shade of green unlike the leaves and bark, a cape, a human. I saw only flashes before the person disappeared. Suddenly she reappeared in front of us, and slashed. There was a clang and someone fell, I barely had time to notice who it was as she flashed in front of me. She didn’t strike anyone with her sword as she passed.

            Out of nowhere, a large yellow lighting bolt emerged from the clouds. The electricity in the air was unnerving, and we turned to find the female titan right behind us. We raced forwards as fast as possible, the others yelling for Eren and I to continue while they handle it. I could see the conflict in Eren’s eyes, but he decided to trust them. He moved forward. I looked back as they headed toward the beast.

            “Eren, keep going, it’s my job to protect you to,” I said lowly, my eyes flashing with returning anger. 

            “Iris wait!” he yelled out behind him.

            It was too late though; I’d already maneuvered away. The others had managed to cut the creature’s arms, and eyes. I sped forward and silently helped, deepening the cut in her right eye as I passed, then slicing at her stomach to slow her regenerating. I stalled as the others prepared to slice the area on the nape of its neck and get the person inside.

            There was a twitch of movement beneath me, and seemingly out of nowhere the female had an eye, and moveable body parts. It rose to its feet in a flash and grabbed at the others’ maneuvering wires. One after another they were thrown or stomped on. The creature grabbed me by the wire and held me up, it seemed to study my features, and then I found myself in a tree, my side cut open by a large protruding branch.

I knew the thing had held back though, I would be dead if it hadn’t. My vision blurred as the blood flowed out of me, but I still watched as the others were brutally slain. My eyes widened in horror, and I tried to move myself from the branches of the tree, as Petra was thrown against a tree trunk only a little ways away. My heart pounded with that same feeling of dread as the beast lifted its foot. My body didn’t think as I moved, and somehow I managed to maneuver towards her, I grabbed her as the foot came down. The titan’s foot caught her cape, and we went tumbling over as it ripped. After we’d ceased rolling and just lay there, the creature seemed to lose interest, and killed the last of us.

Somewhere in my peripheral vision I saw the strike of lightning, and a figure move into view. A loud deep titan yell echoed throughout the trees. And the stomping of feet indicated the running of both the titans. Somewhere in my mind, I knew that Eren had transformed, but the searing pain in my side, and the only just breathing Petra beside me, kept my from thinking straight.

As the footsteps grew farther away, I managed to gain control of some of my body, and slowly sat up, leaning against a tree. I dragged Petra onto my lap, and held her hand. Her eyes were wide and afraid as she struggled to breathe. I could tell most of the ribs in her body were broken, and her lungs most likely impaled by bone. Her fingers interlaced with mine as ragged breaths released from her chest. 

            “Shhhh,” I whispered in a choked voice, “It’ll be okay, it’ll be fine,” I said quietly, trying to comfort her.

            I could barely tell if I was trying to comfort her, or myself. But, as the seconds dragged out, and she breathed her final breathes, it didn’t seem to matter in the end. Her hand went limp, and her eyes glazed over, the warmth and happiness in them fading to blank nothingness.

            I stared in shock down at her, no muscle in my body moved, my eyes remained open, and I just looked. I looked down at my only friend, her body bloody, battered, and her eyes still wide with her last thoughts of fear. My mind didn’t process, I didn’t cry; I just stared.

            I don’t know how long I sat there, but soon enough I could feel my own blood loss weighing down on me, and my eyes finally blinked, coming back to reality. I closed her eyelids, so that she looked peaceful now, not afraid.

            Only a few moments later, there was a light thump in front of me, and I looked up to see Captain Levi standing there with a blank expression as usual. I knew I held a similar expression, except my eyes were most likely wider, more distant, and my face was definitely covered in blood, unlike his completely clear skin.

            He didn’t say anything as he bent down. He carefully lifted Petra off of me, and then placed her softly on the ground, and looked at her for a moment.

He then squatted in front of me and began talking. I didn’t process what he was saying, but I knew he was wasting time by being here, and that Eren would probably need his help.

“Captain Levi?” I said in a gravely voice.           

            “Iris, I need you to listen to me,” he said in a more urgent version of his usual commanding voice. 

            “What are you doing Levi?” I asked in a distant voice, not even caring that I hadn’t said “Captain”.    “Go,” I told him.

            “Iris you need to bandage your wound, or you’ll bleed to death,” he said his tone growing more urgent every second. 

            “Levi, you have a job to do,” I whispered, “Go, before it’s to late,” I tried to urge him to leave me. 

             “Shut up, brat! For once can’t you just listen and do as your told?” He stated in a louder tone then his usual dull one, I could tell he was losing it. 

            “I’ll be fine,” I tell him, “Stop worrying, and make the right decision,” I continue to try and make him leave.

            He’s tearing my reddened and bloody shirt now, and taking out bandages from a pocket. He’s mumbling to himself, “I can’t loose all of you, not all, not you,” continuously. He begins to unroll them, but I grab his wrist.

            “Levi, stop,” I say looking straight into his eyes, then I take the bandages, “I can do it myself, now go help Eren before it’s to late,” I choke out, tears filling my eyes as I can feel my body getting weaker and weaker.

             “Iris,” he says, his voice growing quiet for once.

            I can tell he wants to say something, but can’t seem to form the words he needs. My tears are almost spilling out now, but I don’t dare say goodbye, in fear that I won’t see him again.

“Spit it out Levi, tell me what you need to say, then go,” I strangle out, the energy used for this conversation draining me.

            “Just…  Don’t die… please,” he states in a near whisper, he then leans forward and closes his eyes tightly, pressing his forehead to mine,

“I love you.”