Chapter 1: Accident
Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin
Summary: "This is your burden to bear, yours and mine." [Modern AU]
There will be one-sided Eren/Annie and hints of Eren/Mikasa later on. There will be two OCs in this story as well.
No, no, ugh, no, finally. His finger tapped the steering wheel in sync with the beat. The temperature in the car soon shifted from toasty to oven hot. Levi turned the knob counter-clockwise, reducing the digits and making the temperature a bit more bearable. Outside, the rain continued to pour from dark, ominous clouds, soaking anything and everything below to the core. The song finished and the commercials started.
He began flickering through stations playing commercials, music he didn't like, and more commercials, only pausing once to hear about a massive crash before reaching static. Unable to find a station, he momentarily took his eyes off the dark road.
There was a reverberating thud followed by the screeching of tires.
Deafening silence replaced the downpour outside.
A violent thudding began and thunder cackled above. Suddenly, the universal mute was off and the rain impinged upon the concrete.
The loud pounding of his heart dulled out all other ambient noises. Panic surged in him and made it hard for him to see clearly. For one sweet, beautiful second, he thought maybe it was his imagination. Then lightning struck. There was a form lying completely still a yard away. Please let it be an animal. Suddenly Levi found himself praying to the God and gods he didn't believe in.
Turning the steering wheel and inching closer, the headlights illuminated the injured man. Oh shit oh fuck! He sat frozen, fear pumping fast through his veins. What do I do? The primal instincts of fight or flight kicked in. He could die! If he wasn't dead already. With trembling hands, he took out his phone. No signal. He cursed the storm viciously, mentally and verbally muttering every expletive in every language he knew.
Levi ran his hand through his hair, practically feeling his blood pressure skyrocket. The idea of running away flashed through his mind once again. The rain and darkness of the evening and the storm would make any footage from the surveillance cameras grainy at best. The downpour would wash away all the evidence...
I can't believe I'm actually thinking about running! He couldn't stay either. He could only imagine what the story would do to his family. His future, his family's reputation—Levi hit the wheel in frustrating. He knew he was only deluding himself, rationalizing so he wouldn't have to take responsible even though it was his fault.
But not completely. Levi wasn't drunk and speeding. Yes, he took deep breaths. It was an accident, pure and simple. As long as he paid all the medical fees and compensated the man for any wages lost from having to take a leave of absence from work, the man wouldn't—he couldn't—press charges.
Dread weighed heavily in his stomach, making him feel nauseated. He couldn't call an ambulance, leaving only one option. Quickly exiting the car, he was relieved to feel the pulse in the man's neck and carried him to the passenger seat, soaking wet by the time he got in to drive to the nearest hospital.
Levi tapped his foot impatiently. It was a hit and run case—without the run part—he wondered if the hospital was obligated to call the police, especially if the man didn't press charges. Fortunately, his lawyer was in the neighborhood and showed up quickly. "Tell me everything," Nanaba demanded the moment she stepped out the elevator and joined him.
She sat quietly until he was finished. "Was he jaywalking?"
"No," his shoulders slumped as he realized the man wasn't walking around carelessly.
"Any signs of intoxication?"
"I don't know."
"I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. If you weren't drunk or speeding, taking the storm into account, you're not in too much trouble—not with that law that is. Have you called your family yet?"
"No," he fiddled with his fingers. "I don't know how to tell them."
The door opened and the doctor emerged. Levi jumped to his feet immediately. "How is he?"
"He's alive," Dr. Yeager said. "Unfortunately, according to his medical record, he's got a blood disorder known as Neglis Aplastic Anemia, the bone marrow loses its ability to replenish red blood cells."
"He's going to need a blood transfusion then?" Nanaba asked.
"Yes, but we have a problem," he sighed. "There was a huge accident because of the storm, resulting in many casualties. Mr. Ral has a rare blood type and we used up most of our supply for that accident. We still need more."
"So you can get more from the blood bank or another hospital, right?" Levi asked.
"Again, the storm's causing problems, blocking roads and creating heavy traffic on streets that are still open. There's a truck on the way but there's a chance Mr. Ral's body may reject the treatment. We're going need all the blood for the others too." Before Dr. Yeager could be questioned further, his pager beeped and he excused himself, having other patients to attend to.
Levi collapsed back into the chair. "This is my fault."
"No, it's not, it was an unfortunate accident."
"I took my eyes off the road for a second and he..."
"With how dark it was, there's a strong possibility you would have missed him regardless. Anyway, you brought him here, didn't you?"
"To die," he said bitterly. "I wasted too much time, I should have acted the second I realized what happened. But no, I sat there too afraid for myself, tried to make excuses to run all the while the man was bleeding to death."
Nanaba sighed, "I'm your lawyer Levi, not your mother, I don't have time for this. Now," she stood, "you can wallow in self-pity but I'm going to do my job." He shot her an angry look. "Don't make that face, it's not that I don't care about what happened, I merely disagree with your stupid pity party. You made a mistake like anyone else would have. Unlike majority of the people, you took responsibly for it." She rounded on the nurse leaving the room. "Excuse me, ma'am, may we speak to the patient? We'll be very quick."
"I'm sorry, he's resting, you'll have to wait for him to wake."
"...be more than enough to cover all the costs."
"What about his family?" Levi folded his arms. "I have to apologize." He couldn't just have his lawyer right a check and put a price on the man. It didn't feel right to him and he told Nanaba as much.
"If that's what you want," she nodded. She didn't betray what she was thinking. She didn't think Levi would take too well to her telling him the man's family may get greedy and make a huge fuss to try to milk the deal for all it was worth. It was a possibility he was too guilty and in shame to even consider. It wouldn't be the first time people—even good but desperate people—tried to use injury as a excuse to swindle money from a company or someone rich.
Levi rubbed his face and ran his hands though his hair. "I shouldn't have waited...if I'd just come here immediately..."
Dr. Yeager appeared once more and went inside to check on his patient. He opened the door 15 minutes later. "I think you should come in." The two exchanged a look of confusion before entering.
"What's going on, doctor?" Nanaba watched him carefully as he shut the door. Something felt off to her.
"I know what happened wasn't an honest accident." Grisha held up a hand. "Please, you don't have to say anything, we're not in court, just listen. Henry's condition is too severe, he won't make it," he stared unwaveringly at Levi, who's face had drained of color. "He doesn't want the transfusion in case it doesn't work and it could have gone to help someone else. Maybe if he'd gotten here quicker, I could have saved him."
Levi stared at the floor, too shocked to speak. "Where are you going with this?" Nanaba's eyes narrowed suspiciously, mind racing. "You sound like you know the patient."
"Henry and I are friends," he explained. "He's got a daughter, she used to tutor my son, and her father is all she has. Please look at me when I'm talking to you," he told Levi, forcing him to meet his eyes. "I read the files and I treated Henry, he bled out too much, all things considered. I take it you didn't bring him here immediately?"
"Don't say anything."
It is my fault. He'd felt bad before, knowing he'd caused the accident. He was feeling down right awful now. If only I hadn't waited!
"His wife died in childbirth and he raised his daughter all by himself, often times taking up two jobs and still being there for her. You can't put a price on that." Grisha's gaze softened. "However, Henry's a good man, he doesn't blame you."
Levi could only stare with wide eyes. "He...forgave me?"
"What's the catch?" Nanaba interrupted bluntly.
"Henry's treatments weren't going well," Grisha sighed. "The disease was fatal and he didn't have long. Taking the financial situation in consideration, he either had to stop the treatments or leave his daughter drowning in debt. No doubt clearing it wouldn't make a dent in your client's fortune but there's a problem."
"What problem?"
"Henry met his wife overseas. While he was legally able to bring her here, his daughter..."
"She's an illegal immigrant." Suddenly it all made sense to Nanaba. "Mr. Ral wants my client to marry his daughter?"
"Wait—" Levi finally spoke, only to be cut off.
"That's very cunning. Why sue and settle for a few hundred thousands to keep quiet when she could marry my client before getting citizenship, then file for divorce and walk away with half his entire fortune."
"That's not it," Grisha glared. "She doesn't even know anything. And you're a lawyer, you can draw up a contract so she doesn't get his precious inheritance, just enough to stay afloat.
"I think—"
"I'm listening." Nanaba shot Levi a look when he tried to speak, much to his annoyance. He did not like to be treated like a child. Especially taking the topic into consideration, he wanted to be heard. Though common sense prevailed over indignation and he kept his mouth shut.
"They only have to be married for a year before getting divorced. All Henry wants is enough money to pay for her education and to afford a modest, middle class house. That's a hell of a lot cheaper than suing and settling. And absolutely no one outside this room has to know about the deal."
"If we do this contract marriage," Nanaba said, "I'm going to put several clauses in it stating she cannot ever tell anyone about the accident as well as—"
"Please, I don't even want her to know the truth about this accident," Grisha shook his head. "Either she'll to be too angry to accept marrying a man who—unintentionally—lead her father to death's door. Or, knowing Petra, she'd refuse out of a sense of mortality."
"We need to think about this."
"You don't have long. I called my son before coming to check on Henry. He's brining Petra. The storm's cleared up, they'll be here soon."
"What now?"
"It's up to you," Nanaba handed him a cup of water. She took a sip of her own water. Going from personal experience, she knew the cafeteria's coffee was awful. She watched him observe the people eating around them, as if it would lead him to the answers he was looking for.
"What do you think?"
"Financially and politically, the marriage thing is the better option, especially if I get to draw up the contract. But you'd be marrying this stranger who'll live with you and your family—and you know they'll insist on living together if you choose not to tell them the truth. So, what are you going to tell them?"
"God, I don't know." He rubbed his eyes tiredly.
Nanaba's phone buzzed. "It's Dr. Yeager, his son called, they're here."
"I want to see her." Levi stood abruptly, hurrying over to the elevator. "We'll stay out of sight." If he was going to be stuck with her for a year, he at least wanted to see what she was like for himself. Dr. Yeager obviously thought highly of her. Levi knew the teen had to be the doctor's son, the resemblance was obvious.
His brow furrowed at the sight of the small, ginger-haired girl clinging to his arm. What? Then she turned. At first, he thought the distant look in her eyes was due to the situation, then he saw the cane and realized the look came from a lack of sight. "She's blind." He went numb with shock.
Nanaba saw the look on his face and sighed, pulling out her phone, "I'll get the paperwork started then."
No way was Levi going to let a blind woman be deported to a foreign country after he believed himself to be responsible for letting her father die.
"Hey," Eren poked his head in the room, "breakfast's ready."
"I don't feel hungry."
He was tempted to argue, changing his mind at the last second. "Okay, I'll try not to eat it all and save you some." He knew all too well what it was like to lose a parent. He wandered into the kitchen permeated with the warm scent of pancakes. "She doesn't want to eat," he said.
"That's understandable," Grisha placed a slice on Eren's plate.
"The storm caused a lot of chaos and death," he stabbed the stack, deep in thought.
"Yes..."
"When are we leaving?"
"In an hour. So hurry and eat and get ready."
Eren nodded and finished quickly before disappearing to shower. "Good morning, Petra," Grisha greeted and she nodded politely in return. He sighed, watching her nibble on her breakfast half-heartedly. "How are you feeling? Is the headache gone?"
"I'm better," she replied. "Thank you for letting me stay here. I don't know what I'd do if I had to stay alone at home."
"It wasn't a problem, Eren and I think of you as family."
"Well," Petra pushed her barely eaten breakfast away, "I think I'll go get ready now."
"Petra," Grisha began.
"Yes?"
"...Never mind," he shook his head. "It can wait. I'll tell you about it later today."
The car ride to the funeral was coated in thick silence. The atmosphere made Eren uncomfortable and he tried to drown it with music. It almost made the situation worse and he turned the radio off. He stuck loyally by Petra's side as the funeral began. Soon people began arriving, offering their condolences to the young woman mourning in quiet.
Eren knew the feeling of shedding so many tears that it felt like you couldn't cry any longer all too well. Petra had been a constant presence during his mother's funeral, close, but never overbearing, unlike some women who'd expected him to burst into tears and throw himself into their arms to be comforted.
Wheres he'd mostly glared at anyone who got too close, she was completely blank. Mostly people turned to him after Petra would utter a few words acknowledging their existence for a moment. Eren found himself doing most of the talking on her behalf. Eventually, the minister spoke briefly about the deceased and the casket was taken outside to be buried.
For a second, he was glad she was blind, she didn't have to see the coffin being lowered into the hole. He'd hated that part during his mother's funeral. It was the worst for him. The small crowd thinned out as people said their goodbyes and took their leave.
"Eren, why don't you help Mrs. White out? Her ride will be here soon." Grisha gestured to the elderly woman in the wheelchair, who used to babysit Petra as a kid. "How are you holding up?"
"Okay," Petra shrugged, "mostly thanks to Eren." For the first time in a over a week, a small smile graced her features.
Grisha felt relieved, and proud of his son for his maturity. He caught the minister's eye. "Excuse me for a minute, dear."
Petra felt a presence soon after Grisha walked away. She tilted her head curiously. The people attending the funeral had been close friends—no family, expect for Eren and his dad, she considered them family too. Everyone knew well enough to introduce themselves as they approached her. This one didn't.
"I'm sorry..." He started then stopped. She could practically hear him thinking. "I've been in your situation before and I got real sick of people regurgitating the same thing real fast," he admitted. "So all I can say is that I hope you find the strength to keep moving and be happy."
Then there was silence.
"Thank you," she inclined her head. It was the first time she heard anything other than 'I'm so sorry for your loss' or 'he was a good man.'
"I'm Levi by the way," he blurted out and tensed.
"Nice to meet you."
She could feel him staring. Levi was confused. She's not reacting at all. It made him hopeful. Maybe she didn't blame him? Even if she didn't, it seemed unlikely she wouldn't have any feelings regarding the man responsible for putting her father in the ground. An uneasy feeling squirmed in him. "Listen—" The words were stuck in his throat. He couldn't force them out.
"Yes?"
He cleared this throat. "Are you okay?" He wanted to slap himself for blurting out the first thing that popped up into his mind. "I'm mean...you just...you're not crying—not that there's anything wrong in grieving differently," and now he was babbling, "I only thought..." Why was he so terrible at voicing his thoughts properly?
"Can I tell you a secret?" She said suddenly in an odd tone.
Curiosity peeked, he stared into her amber eyes. "I know sometimes it's easier to talk to a stranger."
"I feel a little—"
"Are you ready to go?" Grisha materialized with Eren by his side. He hadn't known Levi would be coming to the funeral.
Levi watched her, waiting for her to finish. "Yes," Petra nodded after a pause. "I'm ready." He wondered what she wanted to say.
"Why don't you two go and I'll meet you at the car? I just have some business to take care of."
"Thank you for coming," Petra said.
Levi assumed that was for him and nodded, then immediately felt stupid. Eren lead her away before he could reply. "She really doesn't know me?" He turned to Grisha as soon as they were gone.
"No, I told you, we weren't telling her."
"I didn't think you'd actually go through with that. What exactly does she know?"
"One of the common side effects of Neglis Aplastic Anemia is dizziness. As far as Petra is concerned, her father had a nasty fall and bled out too much by the time he was brought to the hospital."
"Won't the nurses and the reports say differently?" Levi protested. "That's a huge lie."
"You're responsible for this," Grisha snapped, gesturing to the graveyard, "and I'm trying to clean up your mess." He took a breath to calm himself. "Look, I'm doing all this to protect her, and you in turn. So stop poking holes in everything I do because you're going to ruin it. I mean what possible reason would Petra have to go talk to the nurses and look at her father's reports?"
"I know I fucked up, I just don't like that I have to lie—not just to...her," he couldn't say her name yet, "but my family too. On one hand, they might want her to know, on the other hand..." They'd agree and keep the secret to themselves.
"This is your burden to bear, yours and mine," Grisha said.
"I know," Levi sighed.
Any little reservations the doctor had about having Petra marry Levi vanished. He was sure he wasn't making a mistake when the deal was made. Still, he felt a lot better being 110% sure his first impression of Levi was right. He had done his homework on the young man and his family and felt confident now more than ever.
His phone buzzed. "It's Eren, he's wondering what's taking so long." Grisha slipped the phone back into his pocket. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go break the awful news to her, while she's still mourning."
Levi nodded, "I'll take my leave too then."
Later that evening, Grisha paced around his study. He sat down and took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. I hope I did the right thing. He had to convince Petra. Soon. There was a knock at the door and Petra entered. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes, sit down, please," he said. She pulled back a chair and took a seat. "I have something important to tell you."
I'm purposefully leaving some holes in the story. Feel free to make comments and ask questions—it helps me make sure I didn't miss anything—just don't demand answers. I'm not going to reveal everything at once. How boring is that?
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