See Me Now

VII. Weakness

(F/N) watched over Levi, who now lay in his bed, still unconscious. On the other side of the room, she could hear Erwin and Hange in such heated argument, that it made the girl finally cover her ears in an attempt to block the curses and the mention of her and Levi's name in their conversation.

She looked back at Levi, whose face was contorting with nightmares she's not aware of. He looked really sick, his face as pale as paper. She brushed a wayward lock off his forehead. He's sweaty, and yet his skin felt cold.

"Urgh,..." Levi mumbled in his very troubled sleep. She hated seeing him like this. Humanity's Strongest Soldier,... was as every bit as human as he possibly could, after all. He's just like everybody else.

But, what made her worry the most, was the thing that the old woman injected on him, and her words, Ackerman must die!

What made her say that? And how did the Captain, who fought for humanity countless of times and survived to tell the tale, gain such enemies who wanted him dead? Why would they do that?

The door of Levi's room suddenly opened, and in came Erwin and Hange. (F/N) stood in attention and was about to salute the Commander when he gestured for her to stop.

"Please, (L/N). Go back to your seat." Erwin said gently at her.

"Y-yes, sir,..." the girl muttered and went back to Levi's side.

(F/N) was not aware, but the Commander of the renowned Scouting Legion was more than glad to see her. But, he did not wish to see her like this; torn, worried,...

...and horribly bruised.

What in the blazes happened to her while I was gone?

Hange, on the other hand, was not amused with (F/N)'s decision to continuously cling onto the man who hurt her. And yet, here she was, on what appeared to be Levi's most challenging life trial ever. She never left him there on the Trost marketplace, despite the fact that she could easily get killed by those men who pursued Levi. She protected him until the end. It was a good thing that Erwin arrived at the scene. If he hadn't, then,...

She hated her persistence towards the man. The man,... who broke her heart.

"You said you're not hurt." Erwin said to her. He was looking at the ugly bruise on her face. She noticed this and turned away, not wanting the Commander to see her like this.

"It was an accident, Commander. It was entirely my fault, sir." she said. But, of course, Erwin didn't believe her. He knew the truth. He could sense it.

"How is Levi?" he asked instead of prying deeper about her bruise.

The girl looked at the Captain, who was still groaning in pain even as he slept. "He's not,..." a lump suddenly grew in her throat and she couldn't continue speaking.

"Okay." Erwin sat at the bed and faced (F/N), his beautiful blue eyes twinkling against the small light cast by the candlelight. "Now, tell us what happened,..."

The girl told them everything, from the first time she met the old woman to the moment Levi was injected with the mystery serum. Erwin frowned at the mention of the old woman and the serum, his eyebrows furrowing deep in thought. Hange just listened, her thoughts instantly wandering to the possible effects the serum could have on Levi. What could possibly happen to him? And if anything did occur to his body, can they cure him of it?

When (F/N) finished her story, Erwin kept silent for a few seconds. After that, he stood up, went outside, and after twenty minutes, he came back, bearing a tray with a bowl of hot soup and a loaf of bread. He placed it on the bedside table. Then, he went to Levi's closet, opened it, and produced a clean, white sheet. He gave it to (F/N), earning himself a confused look from the Cadette.