Guilded Cage

A Shadow of a man

I didn’t see a lot of Levi over the next two weeks. Hange and a tall guy named Jean helped me get my legs working again. One time, a few days after I first woke up in the bed, I had a nightmare. Kenny was cutting me, getting ready to hang me. I was screaming as he killed my mother. When I woke, I was still screaming. Arms wrapped around me from behind.
At first, I fought them, then that cool soft voice whispered: “You’re ok, brat.” I stilled in his arms. He hummed a lullaby. In the morning when I came too, he was gone. It felt like his comforting me was the dream. It was so strange. When I did see him it was typically at a distance.  He would come talk to Hange, while Jean helped me on the even bars. Things like that.
Over time my legs began to work. I got stronger and soon was able to walk with Jean following me with the wheelchair. Then today it happened. We were walking down this long hall. I had a walker while Jean followed with the chair.
“So, are you into anime or you just know the names of some good ones?” he demanded. I laughed.
“Fucking I love anime. Seraph to the end, D gray man, My hero…” there was a snort that cut me off. I looked up. Steel grey eyes watched me. He stood at the end of the hall. White shirt clinging to his biceps as he had his arms folded across his chest. Black clad legs crossed in high boots he looked amazing.
“You sound like two fan girls gossiping.” He told us.
“You knowing what a fan girl is just blows my mind, boss.” Jean said. I was watching him, not where I was going. The first sign that I was in trouble was him standing up. His face never changed. He moved like the wind. The next thing I knew I was kneeling on the ground, his arms around me once more.
“Are you falling for me, brat.” Those lips where so close to my ear I felt them move. He whispered it so quietly I doubted Jean heard. The horse faced looking boy had rushed to help me.
“No, stop.” I told him. “Let me.” Jean backed away. He held onto the handles on the wheelchair. Carefully I disentangle myself from the short handsome man. Getting my feet under me I glanced at him. He still held his arms out, ready to catch me if I fell again. Looking him dead in the eye I stated.
“You’re not like him. He would kick a dog when it’s down, not help it.” With that I pushed with my arms. They wobbled a little. I got my feet flat, pushing up I was able to hoist myself into the chair.
Levi stood slowly before me. Those intense eyes weighing me. “Jean, take this back to Hange. I'll take the brat back to his room.” Jean didn’t even try to argue. Bowing his head, he folded the walker hurrying away. He called over his shoulder.
“See you at four, Eren.” With a final wave he was gone.
“Eren?” Steel grey eyes. Like molten mercury. I looked up at him.
“What? You just realized I had a name?” I growled at him. Thin lips twitched into a side smirk. He moved behind me. We turned to head back the way I had come with Jean.
“No, I knew your name. Your mother made sure of that, little brat.” His voice was cool. I seethed. For two weeks I thought about him. About what I wanted to say to him if I ever got the chance to talk to him. Now here he is and I can't get my head clear enough to say anything. Why did I bring Kenny into this? I thought.
“Do you have plans for dinner?” he suddenly asked.
“Oh yeah..” I sneered waving one hand around. “I thought I would run down to the seven eleven, grab a hamburger, coke maybe some nachos. Eat it all in my room watching Netflix.” Sarcasm, just a natural from of speech for me.
“In that case, I guess I should see if Jean would be interested in having some steak with me.” He retorted. I snorted. There was no TV in my room. For that matter I haven’t seen one at all in this place.
“Why aren't there any TV'S?” I demanded.
“Why, so you can rot what little brain cells you have left?” he asked.
“It's not like I can go anywhere. It would be nice to watch something once in a while.” I muttered.
“Have you attempted to read? You know books, the rectangular objects on all the shelves in the room next to yours?” he asked. I folded my arms refusing to respond.
“Thought not.” I could hear the smirk on his face. “If you had attempted to explore, you would have found the TV.” He stated as he spun me around. Kneeling before me, he got our eyes on the same level. Ok so the runt didn’t have to kneel he bent over.
“I will instruct Jean to bathe you after your next session with him. Then he will bring you to the dining room. We shall have a dinner date, young Eren.”  He stood, walking away from me.
“Where am I?” I shouted after him. He didn’t even turn around. “You said you would take me to my room!” I screamed. This made him pause. Calling over his shoulder, he casual stated;
“Turn to your left. See the door, that's your room, brat.” I looked to where he indicated. Sure, enough there was a door. Looking back, the hall was empty. I sighed. What an ass! I fumed. Looking around, I saw another door. I wheeled up to it. Pushing it open revealed a large room. Every shelf was filled with books. There were tables piled with them. He had a freaking library!
Wheeling forwards the chair hit something. I was thrown out of it. Catching myself on my hands I looked back. There were two small steps that led down into the room. “DICKHEAD!” I screamed in rage. He could have warned me! I sat up now what was I going to do?
No one came in response to my scream. Fuck them I can do this myself. I scooted over to the chair. Flipping it over it took me a few tries to get it upright. I also smashed the handles into my face and punched myself in the lip, but the chair was on the flat surface. I managed to get the breaks locked. Now how to get up by myself.
Looking over the layout I tried to recall the tricks Jean and Hange were telling me about. Things to do as my strength returned. Pushing up I used the seat to get my knees under me. I had to stop there to catch my breath. It had been a hard day.
Once I was ready, I placed my hands on the arms. Getting one foot up I used my arms and feet to try to pull up into the chair. It tipped. I had to let go. Falling back on my ass. There was a gasp. It was cut off short.
“Whose there?” I yelled looking around. There wasn’t an answer. “If someone’s there come help me!” I cried. “I can’t get back in my chair!” I went on. No sound echoed in the silent room. At least the chair didn’t fall over. It was still sitting on its wheels. Fuck them all. I can do this. I’m a Yeager after all.
Gritting my teeth, I pulled myself back up on my knees. Sliding my foot under me I used my legs, more than my arms. As I pushed my torso into the chair, I got my other foot under me. While laying face down in the seat I got my hands onto the arms of the chair. Pulling myself up while pushing with my feet I managed an awkward sort of flip to get my ass at least half in the chair.
I paused my body felt like rubber. Breathing deeply, I rested a few minutes. When I was ready, I got my feet untangled. Using one arm I pulled myself around so that I was sitting properly in the seat. I smiled to myself. That's when I heard the sound of one person clapping.
“One thing Kenny taught me, if you get yourself in a jam, there ain’t nobody coming to your rescue, boy, so you have to figure it out.” I looked up at that expressionless face. He arched an eyebrow.
“Do or do not, there is no try.” I jutted my chin out to tell him. “I prefer following Master Yoda!” to my utter astonishment he threw his head back and laughed.
He was laughing so hard he stumbled back to sit on the corner of the table. One hand clutched the edge while the other held onto his stomach. Oh, but what that did to his face!
Although extremely handsome in its sober state, when it was lite up with laughter… it would take even the most hard hearted demon's breath away. I knew my mouth hung open gapping at him, but damn was he good looking.
Slowly he regained his composure. “You have guts Eren Yeager, I'll give you that.” He stood walking over to me. Looking down his nose at me he added. “Yet nothing compared to your mother. Keep working at it though.” He slapped me on the shoulder before walking out. I was too stunned to realize he left me trapped in that room.
There was no way I could get up those two steps alone. Surely, he would send someone, right? Or at the very least Jean would come looking for me at four. At least Levi left the door open. I decided to explore the room. It was actually two rooms.
The second one was through an archway. Here it was set up more like a living room. There was a wraparound couch, twin easy chairs with a side table between them sat on a higher rise behind the couch. A coffee table sat before the couch. Facing the easy couch were twin recliners. Everything was in the same shade of green. They were all surrounding a cabinet. In it was the TV. The remote sat beside it. I sat myself before the coffee table to watch something while I waited to be discovered. Out in the hall two people watched me. I didn’t even know they were there. Their conversation never reached me.
“You should have let me help him!” Hange cried to the short man.
“He wouldn’t know he could do it if you helped him.” Levi scowled up at her. “You're not his mother. He needs to do things for himself.” He spat.
“Are you at least going to help him out of that room.” She gestured wildly at the door. Levi turned to look at it. A smirk touched his lips. Hange had never seen the man laugh. Smirking was almost as bad as his stoic face. It was all condescending. Yet Eren had gotten him to laugh… She studied his profile as he looked at the door.
“No, I won’t help him. Send Jean at four.” Levi turned to look at her once more. She arched an eyebrow.
“What you're not going to make him figure it out?” she demanded. Levi eyed her.
“I think he is lonely. Call that blond nephew of yours. He's close to Eren's age. Maybe they could be friends.” Levi turned dismissing the scientist.
“He isn’t my nephew you dim witted baboon! He's Erwin's!” she snarled. He paused. Flipping his head backward he looked up at her over his shoulder.
“Oh, yeah, I almost forgot about him.” He winked. “Call the nephew. Erwin is away for a few more weeks. I’m sure the kid is just as bored as the brat is.” With that he dismissed her and the conversation by walking into his own room.
“Just who are you Eren Yeager? You are the only one I’ve seen get a reaction like that out of the little runt.” Cunningly, Hange eyed the door to the library a few more minutes. She then hurried away to notify Jean Eren's location and plans for the evening.
Then she called Smith's nephew. The kid said he would come over the next day for lunch. She let Levi know. He simply said ok before hanging up on her.