Yesterday's Enemy [AoT]

FIFTY-EIGHT

'Log: April 13th, year 844. The Krüger Tunnels have suffered irreparable damage to the arms and ammunitions quarter. Primary operator status has been transferred to Lorelai Bervik. Half a tonne of gold has been retrieved from the mineral storage vault.'

-Hephaestus Log #4214

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FIFTY-EIGHT

Wall Sina, Interior, the Krüger Tunnels

Levi groaned, hoisting himself up against the wall of the corridor as he clutched his arm. His hand came away warm with blood.

That was way too close. He thought he'd die underneath all that rock. Levi's ears still rang with the volume of the explosions, though they seemed to be settling on the other side of the blast door. Thank God. His head was spinning with the pain, and he wasn't sure he could make a run for it as things stood.

Dizzily, Levi looked to Lorelai beside him. Her quick thinking with the H.A.T. bullet had saved his life. "Hey," he prompted, wincing as he sat up straighter against the wall. "Thanks for that; you saved me."

Lorelai looked up from the ground, wiping dirt from her face. "Don't you dare thank me. It's my fault you're hurt."

"Don't start," Levi groaned, closing his eyes. "We... we should go." Using his viable arm, he began struggling to his feet. Deaf to Lorelai's protests, he staggered forward all of two steps before she had to catch him.

"Levi-"

"I'm fine," he croaked out. "It's just a scratch." Faint with blood loss, he collapsed to the floor. She caught him just before he struck the cold metal of the tunnel. He had to move; he didn't want her spending any more time than she needed to in this place. "I can do it-"

"Oh, you brave fool." She kissed his forehead, easing him down against the wall. "Please, just stay still— breathe. I'll patch you up."

Levi distantly recognised the trail of blood left behind him and decided to heed Lorelai's advice. What came out was a strangled, hoarse noise as he drew breath. "My arm-"

"I know, sweetheart. I know. You'll be okay. I've got you."

Lorelai's voice was soft and panicked. He got the feeling all of these kisses and reassurances were just as much for her sake as they were for his. "Lorelai-"

"I've got you. I can fix it." He sat, pliant and weak with agony as she began easing him out of his coat; Levi didn't miss the way she winced as he cried out when the sleeve peeled off. "I've got you, sweetheart. You're okay." His shirt was soaked through with blood.

Exhausted, all Levi wanted to do was drift off right now. The dark pulled him, his eyelids growing heavier with each passing minute. Still, he refused. He gripped Lorelai's coat like a lifeline as she worked, her eyes growing wider with worry all the while.

"Levi.... can you move it at all?" she said, pressing a further kiss to his now cold, sweat-soaked temple. "Try and do this." She flipped her palm upwards, then downwards again.

Levi groaned. He couldn't feel much of anything except pain in his arm. He doubted he could move it at all. "You're seriously asking me that right now? Damn, Lorelai, I didn't know you had a sadistic side."

"This is not the time for suggestive jokes, sweetheart."

"I didn't mean it like that."

Breathing shallowly, she brushed a piece of hair from his forehead. "Why don't you listen to me? If you'd just waited for me as I'd asked, you'd be perfectly fine right now."