"He's still alive."
Erwin opened his eyes, barely hanging onto consciousness. He tried to focus on Levi and Hange's faces above him. Why am I alive? The beast titan should have killed me.
"What's... Going on?" he murmured, his eyes falling shut.
"I'm giving you the titan serum," Levi answered, his voice shaking just a bit.
"Armin will die!" Eren's voice shouted.
Erwin wrinkled his thick eyebrows, trying to process that. Levi shouted something back. Armin was dying?
The commander forced his eyes open again, looking in the direction of Eren's voice. He could barely make out a charcoal human shaped lump lying near him.
He could see Eren gesturing furiously at the burnt body.
Erwin tried to focus on the conversation. All he could make out was that Armin was the body. Levi and Eren were arguing about who should be saved. Erwin or Armin.
"Levi," he rasped, struggling to stay conscious.
Levi was kneeling by him in an instant, holding up the titan serum. Erwin grabbed his arm to stop him.
"Give it to Armin," he breathed. "Save him."
Erwin had never admitted it before, but he loved Armin. He would gladly die for him. Besides, Armin was the more logical choice. He was young- a fresh mind.
"What?!" Levi was shaking.
"You heard me. That's an order. Save. Armin. Arlert."
Everyone fell silent. Maybe he was just losing consciousness. Erwin couldn't tell.
Hange was crying above him. Tears splattered on his cheeks. Levi was still staring at him.
"Levi, do it," Hange said, "it's his last order. Give Armin the serum."
Levi looked ready to protest, but after a moment he stood up. He stormed over to the burnt body and kneeled. Erwin watched as Levi injected the serum into Armin's arm.
That's when he finally allowed himself to give into the darkness tugging at the edges of his mind. He could rest easy knowing Armin was saved.