I groaned as I felt my brain begin to process where I was. I felt soft covers underneath me and on top of me. I took a few breaths before opening up my eyes. My vision was blurry for a few seconds, but it cleared as I blinked.
"Ryder!" I looked to my right and law Levi sitting in a chair. I felt something holding onto my hand. I looked down and saw that Levi's hand held mine.
"Levi…" I saw his eyes dart across my face with worry.
"You're okay." He breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Ya…I'm alive." I began to try and move, but Levi placed his other hand on my stomach and lightly pressed me back down.
"Don't get up just yet." He said softly.
"What happened?" I asked him.
"After we got you back here we had a doctor check on you right away and he found out that you broke almost all of your ribs and one of them were pushing up against your intestines, so that's why you were finding it so hard to move."
"How long have I been out?"
"Only a day. We found something out, Ryder. About the Female Titan."
"What is it?"
"Armin came to Erwin and said that he knows who the Female Titan is."
"Who is it?"
"Her name is Annie Loenhart. Armin remembers seeing her with one of their dead companions Manoeuvre Gear when we did the check-up after Sawney and Bean were killed. Also, when he was being chased by the Female Titan he used a nickname, for Eren, that only their group of trainees would know."
"Which was?"
"Suicidal Bastard…clever actually. So he believes that it is Annie." I was silent for a few seconds before I felt the blood under my skin begin to boil.
"Are we going to go after her?" I asked.
"Yes, but you are staying here."
"No Levi, I am coming."
"No you're not."
"Yes I am. You can't stop me!"
"Yes I can!" He yelled at me. I shut my mouth before I began to talk again. "I have already told Erwin that you are in no fit state to be joining us. You will stay here, Ryder."
"Levi…"
"Don't. I almost lost you yesterday. If I hadn't gone back to get you…"
"Hey…" Levi lowered his head. My free hand reached over to touch the side of his face. He looked up and into my eyes as he grabbed hold of my hand and pressed his cheek against my palm.
"I almost lost it, Ryder. The fact that she did this to you…when I was fighting her yesterday…all I saw was red. All I could think about was what she did to you and Petra, Gunther, Oluo, and Eldo…I wanted her dead right then and there. I wanted to kill her with my bare hands." I knew that Levi never lost control when it came to Titans. He always thought with a clear mind, but I could picture the rage in his eyes as he swung his blades at the Titan.
"I'm here Levi."
"Barely. You almost didn't make it. We just skidded by, again."
"I know and I'm sorry for that."
"It's not your fault. I should've stopped you from joining the Survey Corps all those years ago. I promised your mom that I would keep you safe."
"Levi, stop. You have kept me safe. Do you think I would still be alive if it wasn't for you? I would've been dead a long time ago."
"I just can't keep seeing you in this bed…"
"I know…"
"I can't lose you…" A soft smile came to my lips. "I…I…"
"Shh…it's okay, I know." I whispered to him. I knew what words he was trying to say, but I knew that he couldn't right now. This ordeal was too much for him to process and he just needed some time. I gently began to bring his face down and he brought his face into my stomach. I rested my hand on the top of his head and ran my fingers through his silky black hair as he kept hold of my other hand.
He just needed some time to think. That's all he needed. But I knew Levi loved me too – he was always better with his actions than he was with his words.
Okay this one is a little shorter than usual, but trust me...my favourite bits are coming! UGH! Anyways, starting the next chapter is where I picked up from the Manga, so if you haven't read it yet then...you decide what you wanna do!
I hope you guys still liked the chapter! :D