Running through the trees
In her dreams,
She trips on jagged roots,
Becomes tangled
in the overgrown brush.
The birds in the sky warn her
That her memories are close behind.
Twisted branches reach for her,
The earth rises up to swallow her
As pain echoes through the woods,
Lingering in the leaves.
-Christy Ann Martine
When I had reached the infirmary, Hange was already helping the medics with Levi, but when she saw my distraught expression, she immediately came to me. She opened her mouth, no doubt to ask if I was injured, but I cut her off.
"How bad are his injuries?" I asked, my voice taking on a calm, quiet tone, my eyes never leaving the raven-haired captain. Hange's eyes turned more serious as she put a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"He's lost a fair bit of blood, broke his left arm, and has three cracked ribs. Those'll be painful, but they'll fully heal in time…" Hanji comforted, but I knew there was something she was leaving out.
"But?" I demanded, my gaze still on Levi as the medics properly cleaned and wrapped his head. At least they got the blood out of his hair. That would've driven that clean freak of a captain crazy. Hanji sighed.
"You Smiths are too perceptive for your own damn good," she muttered before reluctantly telling me the words I had been dreading to hear, "Emmryn, the blow to his head has put him into a coma. We don't know if he'll wake up, and even if he does, we don't know when that will be and if his brain sustained any permanent damage."
This caused my eyes to snap up to hers with a glare. Hange was clearly shocked and took a nervous step back, which honestly was probably a smart thing to do. I needed to punch or break something or someone. I really didn't care which at this point. Sending one more look towards Levi as the medics finished tending his injuries and realizing there was nothing I could do at the moment, I turned and ran.
I ran all the way to the training grounds before I was stopped by none other than the rest of Squad Levi. They all looked concerned, though Oluo still managed to give me a look of distaste, and I once again felt my anger flaring.
"Emmryn, what happened?" Petra asked, her voice laced with genuine concern, "Are you injured? Where's Captain Levi?" At her last question, my head dropped to stare at the ground, and my hands balled into fists as I fought back tears of anger and guilt.
"Oi! Greenhorn, don't ignore your superiors. Now, where is the Captain?" Oluo demanded, but my gaze remained on my feet.
"Petra, Eld, Gunther, Oluo," I addressed each of them, refusing to lift my head as I fought (and somehow succeeded) to keep my voice steady, "Captain Levi sustained a major head injury while fighting the abnormal titan we ran into. Section Commander Hange has informed me that the captain is currently in a coma, and the doctors are unsure of when or even if he will wake up."
Petra's gasp was audible, and a growl escaped Oluo. Next thing I know, someone grabbed the collar of the gray button up I was wearing and used it to lift me off of the ground. It didn't take a genius to figure out who was responsible so I continued to focus on the ground, not willing to meet any of their concerned or angry faces.
"How could you let this happen, you stupid slut?! Don't you realize how much more valuable to humanity Captain Levi is? Especially compared to some Underground sewer rat like you!" Oluo yelled, tightening his grip on my collar. At this, I finally looked up and locked eyes with the curly haired asshole. I'd had enough.
"Listen, asshole. One of these days, you're going to make that comment in front of the captain, and I won't step in to take the heat off of your ungrateful ass. I risked my life to save the captain and took down an abnormal titan by myself on my 1st fucking expedition," I vented angrily, my voice staying dangerously low, "Where the fuck were you?"
The whole squad looked shocked, and Oluo released me from his grip, before completely ignoring my question, "What the hell gives you the right to be so upset? We've known the captain longer than you. Or did you provide your services to him when you were supposedly cleaning his office?"
CRRRAAACKKKKK!
I blinked in surprise. Oluo was on the ground with a very bloody, clearly broken nose, but no one would have guessed who was responsible for the punch that caused this. Spoiler alert: I'm sad to say it wasn't me.
"Shut the hell up, Oluo! Hasn't the captain already told you to cut it out? Emmryn is our squad member, and from what I've seen, a damn good one at that. So knock it off because the more shit like this you pull, the more I will have to report to Captain Levi when he wakes up," Eld ordered, his usual relaxed tone gone as he spoke with authority and conviction, leaving no room for arguments as Petra wiped her now bloody fist off on her uniform pants, "And he will wake up. It'll take more than a head injury to take Captain Levi out of commission."
For the first time, I saw why Levi made Eld second in command, and I was truly grateful for both him and Petra. His words and Petra's actions encouraged me, and after the emotional rollercoaster I'd been on, I was too hungry and exhausted to deal with anymore, so I made my way to the mess hall while the others dealt with Oluo.
I quickly grabbed my rations and made myself a cup of tea with three sugar cubes. There was some tea left in the kettle, so I made another cup for Levi to take to him in his office. Suddenly, it hit me again. Levi wasn't in his office. He was in a coma. Tears started to prick my eyes, but I shook my head to dispel them and reminded myself what Eld had just said. Levi would wake up.
With that conviction in the forefront of my mind, I took a try with my rations and both cups of tea to the infirmary. There, I spoke with the nurses who led me to Levi's private room, perks of being an officer I guess.
When we reached his room, I still felt my heart drop even though I knew what I'd be walking into. Levi had been bathed and changed from his uniform to a loose white v-neck shirt. His head was wrapped with bandages, and his face looked almost peaceful. The only indication he was even alive was the faint rise and fall of his chest that was barely visible.
Walking over to him, I gently placed the tray with the food and two cups of tea on the table beside the bed before taking a seat in the chair that had been placed beside the bed. All traces of hunger were long forgotten as I stared at the comatose raven-haired captain, silently begging him to wake up.
"Hello," a kind, deep voice greeted from behind me, startling me from my thoughts as I turned to see a doctor there, "Mr. Ackerman's condition is stable. It's now up to him if he wakes up or not. May I ask what your relationship with him is?" My cheeks felt hot when he said relationship but quickly brushed it off as me overreacting.
"H-he's the captain of my squad," I answered softly.
"And?" the doctor prompted, "I'm told you're the girl that saved him and that you faced down an abnormal by yourself to do so. You don't get that kind of bravery and selflessness just from someone being your superior." The fuck is this guy? A therapist? What the hell does he know?
"Fine. He's my friend," I admitted, starting to tear up. The doctor nodded, saying one last thing before leaving the room.
"It often helps patients in comas to wake up if you talk to them. No one's sure why or if they can hear us, but I thought you'd might like to know. Please call if you notice any concerning changes, though I and the nurses will be here to check on him periodically." And with that, Levi and I were alone.
Tears streamed down my face before I could even think to stop them. Grabbing Levi's right hand and holding it in both of mine, I decided to do what the doctor suggested and talked to him.
"Levi, please wake up," I begged, my voice barely audible, " I never wanted to trust or get close to anyone in this damned place, especially not a guy. But you forced your way close to me. You're rude, cold at times, bossy, a clean freak, a hard ass, and you interfered in my family affairs which severely pissed me off. But, more than that, you're the only damn person I completely trust and can be myself with. I don't even flinch when you get close anymore. Please don't let me go back to the way I was… Please, Levi… I can't go back to that… Please wake up… Levi…" And with that, exhaustion overcame me as I fell asleep, the food and teas all but forgotten.
Song: I Want You Here by Nightcore
Edited: 03/26/2020
