The Path Back to You | Levi x OC

Chapter 23 - Tender

Anastasya

Anya gasped as her eyelids fluttered open. Every single inch of her either ached, throbbed, or stung, and in some instances, all three at once. She tried to move but her limbs felt as heavy as stone and, for a moment, she panicked that she might be paralysed. Seconds later, she felt a warm, calloused hand take one of her own, and she flicked her gaze to the left. Levi was sitting in a chair beside her bed, and from the barely-contained relief flooding his pale, shadow-lined face, she was in a bad way and had been for some time.
"That was one hell of a nap you were having."
"How-" she paused, her voice no more than a cracked whisper, her throat tender and raw.
Levi wordlessly held a cup of cool water to her chapped lips, and she carefully sipped it. When he lowered the cup, she cleared her throat and tried again.
"How long was I out for? Where... Where are we?"
"You've been out cold for a week. We're in Trost, back at HQ. You were moved here a few days after you arrived in Ehrmich."
"A week?!" she exclaimed, trying to sit up more.
She winced as fiery pain shot through her torso. Her ribs were busted, and she erupted into an agonising coughing fit, tears rolling down her face as she fought to suppress it.
"Hey, take it easy," Levi cautioned.
Once her hacking had subsided to the occasional splutter, Anya's eyes widened as the horrifying memories of the latest mission came rushing back to her in full force, threatening to snatch her breath away.
"Erwin! Did he make it?" she asked.
"Yes. He's recovering next door."
Anya knew that something was wrong. Levi was regarding her carefully, doing his best to disguise his worry, but she saw it. She saw the firm, downwards cast to his lips, the tension in his jaw, and the flicker of anxiety in his steely-blue gaze, and she stared back at him, almost too afraid to ask.
"What... What is it?"
"Erwin hasn't woken up yet."
"What do you mean?"
"He's been in a coma since getting back here. Like you were, until just now."
Nausea surged through her, and her entire body seemed to go ice-cold as she tried to process the information.
"What... Levi, what if he doesn't wake up?"
"He'd better, because I've got some questions," he replied.
Anya knew that although Levi's concern for his best friend took precedence, he was nevertheless pissed with Erwin, presumably for allowing her to go over the wall again when she should have returned with the other injured soldiers. However, she didn't have the energy to talk about it yet, and she did her best to relax. She had to believe that Erwin would wake up. In her mind, there was simply no alternative. Whilst she attempted to douse her fear, within seconds, sheer panic struck her again.
"Eren?!"
"Tsk. The brat's fine, Anya. Worry about yourself for once."
"I think you might be doing enough worrying for both of us," she said, noticing his bloodshot eyes. She glanced down at her lap and shifted awkwardly.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I need to use the bathroom. Really bad."
Levi arched an eyebrow, the smallest hint of a smirk returning to his lips.
"Lucky you have an ensuite. Come on."
He helped her to get out of the bed and across the room, and then opened the bathroom door. When she finally reached the toilet, she turned and waited.
"I want to pee in peace!"
"Just don't fall in," he said, sighing as he gave her some privacy.
Gritting her teeth as her tortured body creaked and groaned, Anya sat down and relieved herself for an entire minute, jumping sharply when Levi's voice floated through the door.
"Hey, is that the tap or is it still you?"
"Stop listening!" she exclaimed, coughing as she huffed a laugh.
At last, she was done, and agonisingly slowly, she heaved herself up and flushed. She then shuffled over to the mirror hanging above the wash basin, almost stumbling into the wall when she saw her reflection gawping back at her. Her usually-smooth, pale face was now a fierce pink, and her cheeks and nose sported several clusters of small, orange blisters that looked oddly like freckles.
"Levi," she wailed.
He was in the room within seconds, though he visibly relaxed when he realised what was wrong.
"Ah."
"'Ah?' That's all you can say?! I look hideous."
"That's nothing. You looked like a damn tomato before. It's a lot better now."
She frowned, tentatively touching the side of her face.
"I guess that's... reassuring. Why does my hair look so...good?"
"I knew you'd complain about your face, so I made sure that your hair wasn't a bird's nest for when you woke up."
Anya turned to him, feeling strangely emotional. She realised that he was probably the reason she wasn't covered in sweat, blood, and dirt, too, and she smiled at him. Throughout their years together, they'd always looked after one another, but her time beyond the walls had almost caused her to forget.
"Thank you," she said, her voice soft.
Levi nodded, just once, but it was all the communication they needed. He stepped closer to her and gently cupped her chin, running his thumb over her bottom lip.
"Come on. Back to bed. You need rest."
Once Anya was under the covers again, she tried to gather her thoughts, the knowledge of Erwin's condition lingering in the corner of her mind like an oppressive curse.
"What news is there?" she asked.
"Wall Rose has been deemed intact, hence why we're in Trost. The Military Police had to hurry the hell up and declare it, though. All of the refugees were relocated to the Underground, but food started to run out and so did peoples' patience." He tsked, and she echoed his sentiment.
"It's pathetic," he continued. "Less than a week down there and they were on the verge of civil war."
"Any sign of Reiner and the other two?"
"No. Seems like they've scurried back to whatever hole they crawled out of."
"How's Hange?"
"Annoying, like always. No doubt she'll come to see you soon. She's been to Ragako with Conny Springer to investigate a Titan stuck in a house or something."
Anya tilted her head back a moment. For the time being, she didn't want to think about Titans at all. There was a subtle tension in the air between her and Levi, and she wanted it gone.
"I feel like shit," she admitted.
"That's hardly a surprise."
"How are you? How's your leg?"
"Getting there, but it's still not how it was."
He leant forward, searching her eyes for answers, a sudden intensity to his gaze.
"Hey. Why didn't you come back with the others? Why did you put yourself at risk like that?"
"I wanted to help Erwin, too. He didn't have you or Hange with him like usual. I'm good at what I do, Levi. I thought that if I just pushed myself a little more, I could save some lives."
"You did. Erwin, for one, owes you his life. Anya... I'm not stupid. There's more to it than that. I saw how terrified you were after Stohess."
"You know how it is," she murmured, looking away. "I... I was so close to killing Reiner that in spite of my injuries, I felt like I had no choice but to continue."
"Anya."
She forced herself to meet his gaze.
"You're right; after seeing Eren and the Female Titan trashing what's supposedly one of the safest districts within the walls, I almost lost my nerve completely. I wasn't safe out there, in Titan country, and all I had to cling onto was the stupid, childish belief that if I just made it back to the walls, I'd be safe. Stohess well and truly destroyed that delusion, and I was determined to be like...like me again. So I went after what scared me, no matter the consequences."
Levi sighed. He took hold of her hand again and pressed his lips to it for some time.
"You're still you, idiot. I thought I was going to lose you again," he confessed quietly.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
He stifled a yawn and blinked, and she wondered when he'd last slept.
"You should rest. I'm out of the woods, now." He hesitated, and she squeezed his hand. "Go."
He squeezed her hand back and got to his feet.
"I'll be back in a few hours. I'll let Hange know you're awake if I see her."
She nodded, and he left, albeit reluctantly. Not long after, Hange barged into the room, grinning.
"Anya!"
She rocketed into the chair beside the bed, and Anya chuckled despite the pain she was in.
"Hange," she said. "You've got no idea how happy I am to see you."
"Oh believe me, I do." Her friend's grin faded, and she furrowed her brow. "I was really worried, Anya. I wasn't sure if you were going to wake up."
She noticed the tears in Hange's eyes and frowned.
"Hey, come on. Don't be upset," she tried. "I'm completely fine now."
They stared at each other for a moment and then burst out laughing at the ridiculous statement, though Anya regretted it as her ribs protested.
"At least your sense of humour wasn't damaged," said Hange.
"How is everyone?"
"Shaken, but all right. I think you and Erwin came off worst. Apart from those we lost, of course."
"Makes me almost grateful for these injuries," she replied solemnly. "Levi looks exhausted."
"He is. He's barely left your side."
"How's Erwin? Levi... Levi told me that he hasn't woken up yet."
"He hasn't. The doctors said we just have to wait."
Anya bowed her head, her worry threatening to drown her.
"He was amazing," she said quietly. "I couldn't believe it. A Titan snatched him from the saddle and carried him off, and yet he was still ordering us all to go after Eren."
"That sounds about right," Hange said, with a small smile.
"I have to see him."
"Um, it doesn't seem like you should move."
"I need to at some point. My legs are stiff from lying here for so long," she said, frowning at them.
"By the way, you're talking about how great Erwin was, but what about you?"
"Huh?"
"The Armoured Titan walked towards you, and you just stood there! And then you were this close to bringing the bastard down," she said, gesturing with two fingers.
"With Eren and Mikasa's help," she reminded her.
"Even so, it was impressive. I wonder why Reiner homed in on you, though."
"Perhaps my reputation preceded me, and he thought I'd cause him some problems," she said, trying to block out the glowing furnace of the Titan's eyes.
Hange suddenly got to her feet.
"I've got to go and write a report," she proclaimed.
"Oh?"
"I returned from Conny's village earlier today."
"Ah, Levi mentioned you went to Ragako. What did you find?"
"Nothing...obvious. It's just a feeling at the moment. I promise I'll tell you after I've thought about it some more, but for now, you need to focus on getting better."
Whatever Hange had found had unsettled her, but for now, Anya let it go.
"Hmm. I'm not sure I even want to know," she said.
Hange shifted awkwardly and went to the door.
"I'll see you soon, okay?"
After Hange had gone, Anya sat in bed, staring up at the ceiling for what felt like an eternity. The only other visitors she had were doctors, who checked her over and, satisfied, brought her a small amount of food to ease her back into a normal diet again. However, her anxiety consumed any appetite she might have had, and she found herself unable to stomach anything.
She needed to see Erwin.