The thunder continued to crack the darkened sky.
The rain had no signs of stopping.
At that moment, the world stood still for Eren Jaeger.
Standing strong and determined for the first time since meeting the last titan, Eren faced his enemy, swords drawn and ready to be covered in the blood of the abomination before them.
"Looks like you didn't understand my previous warning." The titan, hearing this, turned towards Eren.
"And not listening to me will be that last thing you ever do, you fucking monster!" From that point on, it seemed as though the pain had completely disappeared. Eren showed no signs of slowing down. Quickly, just like before, he looped around the titan and secured himself to its body. This time, Eren would make no mistakes.
"DIE, BASTARD!" With the slash of his blades hitting the titan's neck, the fight was over. Everything at that point fell silent. Not even the loud fall of the titan was heard by Eren. All that was on his mind was going back to the captain's side.
"Captain!" Eren's words came out louder than he was expecting, due to the fact that the rain had calmed.
Even though the rain was constant, it had died down almost instantly, leaving only a drizzle falling from the brightening clouds.
"W-well done Eren. How are your injuries?" The captain's voice seemed to be returning back to its usual pace. Even though Eren hadn't thought of the idea, maybe a rest is what Levi really needed at this point.
"I'm fine, I was just in shock at the time was all" Even though this wasn't a lie, it was hardly the truth either. Eren could feel the broken bones inside of him, but was at no point going to let that slow him down or make it get in the way of helping Levi. His body could wait, whereas the body in front of him, could not. "Come on, let's get moving". As Eren began picking him up, he knew that the rest of the journey was going to be 10x's harder than before. The weight of the commander seemed to of doubled, making every movement agonising. Sweat already began to pour down the sides of the soldiers face and the breaths he took seemed wheezy and unbearable.
Even though the Captain's state of health was at an all-time low, his judge of behaviour seemed to be unscathed. He could tell just by the movement of Eren's legs that he was in tremendous pain.
"Eren, put me down. It's obvious that you can't carry me." Again, Eren had no intention of putting the captain down and ultimately admitting defeat, but he really was in agony. He reluctantly placed the captain back into his previous spot in the doorway and then attempted to regain his breath.
After a minute or so, the soldier seemed to of returned to his senses and began thinking of a solution for this mess he had placed them both in.
What could he do?
Leave Levi and bring back help? No, he couldn't leave him defenceless in the street!
Carry him? In his current state, it seems like the worst solution.
Take shelter for the night and wait until morning? It was a risk; a risk of waking up in the morning to find the dead body of his colleague next to him, but at the moment, it doesn't seem like a bad idea, especially if they could find some first aid to stop the bleeding.
Without hesitation or warning, Eren hauled the captain over his shoulders.
"Eren, what are you doing?! I told you to put me down!" The confusion in his voice came as no surprise, predictable even.
"Don't worry, it'll only be until that red rimmed door up ahead"
Rivaille looked around for the door, intrigued by what Eren would possibly want in that house. Sure enough, there laid the door, red rimmed and slightly rotten. The condition of the house itself was not much better; the paint chipped away revealing large, deep cracks that make the structure look old fashioned and in need of much needed repair. The exterior of the house held little explanation as to why they were heading towards it, but even so, he kept quiet and didn't question.
Even after the short distance of travel, Eren's breathing was unrealistically fast, almost as though he was dragged under water for a long period and was gasping for air once he surfaced. Sweat dripped down his face, flowing down his pulsing neck in an attempt to cool him down.
His efforts were repaid by the cool air that hosted the house. Both the soldiers now laid in the kitchen/ living room, Eren being exhausted and Levi being completely drained of energy due to blood loss. With his one good arm, Rivaille poised himself into a seated position, leaning against the damp, mould ridden wall. Only now could he get an overall view of the interior of the house.
The old phrase 'Don't judge a book by its cover' certainly didn't apply in this case, for little remained in the house after the evacuation (that or the house did not hold a lot of possessions beforehand either). What remained in the kitchen/ living room was an old, oak table surrounded by 4 matching stools (3 of which had been broken in some way or form over the years), a sink containing unfinished washing, an array of cupboards and a broken sofa, which even if weren't broken, would not be able to support even a person of Levi's size. No source of lighting seems to be in this room, but hopefully another room could provide something.
The sight of the place left Levi frustrated and uncomfortable; the fact that he couldn't even clean just one layer of dust in the place left him irritated and fidgety. Everyone knew him as a clean freak, so entering a place like this was sheer torture for him; unable to move and unable to clean.
After a few minutes, Eren finally starts to take action.
"Captain, we're going to stay here tonight. I'm sorry about the mess, but it was the closest house that didn't have a chunk of it missing."
"I guess we don't have any other option." Levi hadn't noticed the absence of roofs and walls to the other houses, in result making this place well-chosen in comparison.
Eren begins to sort out the overnight accommodation, shutting the doors and windows being the first task. On his return from the other rooms in the house it seems as though there are only two more rooms; a small bathroom with no working plumbing and a bedroom without a usable bed. He returns with some candles and matches, lighting up the bleak and rundown home into a comforting space of rest, and some blankets and two pillows.
"There doesn't seem to be any first aid in here, so I'm just going to have to give you a blanket to replace the bandages."
Slowly and carefully, Eren begins to cut the blood stained shirt, revealing the horrendous wound. For a moment, he just stares at the bite mark, stunned at the size and colour. The flesh around the wound, now turned black and purple, pulsates as blood and puss continue to flow from it. What is really needed is for the bite to be cleaned and treated to stop infection, but with the lack of supplies, all Eren can do is stop the constant flow of liquid. Tightly, he begins to wrap the blanket.
"Arghh" Even though Eren is being as gently as he possible can, nothing could stop the captain from letting out a cry of pain, but it would only end up worse if he stopped.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be, you are only trying to help. Besides, you're using a blanket, it's not the-"
"I'm sorry. It's all my fault." Levi could see the tears roll down the other soldier's face. "You would never have ended up like this if only I had paid attention!" Loud sobs began escaping Eren, along with cries of pain; the pain of making someone else suffer.
"That titan appeared out of nowhere; no one could have seen it coming!"
"Why! Why did you push me out of the way?! WHY DID YOU SAVE ME!?"Eren's eyes locked with Levi's, filled with sorrow, anger and love. They're such a bright green, such a mesmerising colour. Anyone could see that Eren was having an overload of emotions, confused about many things and taking every mistake, making it his fault and then punishing himself. Gently, with his usable hand, Rivaille caressed Eren's cheek. Instantly, he calms down, but still with tears in his eyes.
"I saved you because my life is not worth nearly as much as yours. You are too important to loose. You have so many that love you Eren, yet you've become blind to it. I have no one who loves me and no one to give my love to. Except you, Eren. With you gone from this world, I would be alone. If I go, then you have one less person to worry about. I saved you… because you're the one who deserves to live."
