Be Kind (Doctor Reader x Levi Ackerman)

Chapter 43: A New Start, Again

"L-Levi?" you choked out.

Hange turns to look around, and so do you. It seems like Hange is unaware of where Levi was.

"I haven't seen him," Hange said. "He was up there with Mikasa, so he should've–"

You look around for him frantically. It's difficult to see with all this fog and steam.

Your eyes widened when you spotted a mop of raven hair in the distance. It's him. Levi is sitting down, laying his back against a big boulder.

"There!" you exclaimed.

"Oh! He's alive!" Hange breathes a sigh of relief. "Go!"

You're scrambling up again and running toward Levi at full speed, heart pounding wildly in your chest.

Levi's eyes widen the moment he sees you running towards him, he calls out your name.

"Levi!" you cried, a tremble evident in your voice as you collapsed to your knees and hugged him. The force was nearly enough to knock Levi's head on the boulder, all wind knocked out of his lungs.

"Hey," Levi croaks out.

"Y-you're safe," you cried, tears streaming down your cheeks, grasping onto him tightly. Despite him hugging back, Levi's grip around you was weak. He must be exhausted to his core.

"Oh my god," your heart lurches when you see his bloodied left knee. "What happened?"

"Got caught in some snake Titan's mouth," he winces.

"Snake Titan..?" you immediately scrambled to take a closer look. It looks like it had been skillfully bandaged up by someone, so you can't tell what's under that bandage.

"Your doctor friend, Luca.. he said it was potentially a kneecap fracture," Levi croaks out. "I might not be able to walk on this knee again."

"Levi.." you breathed out. "All that matters is that you're alive! We can worry about that knee later!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he chuckles.

"Any other injuries?" you picked up his arm and scanned for injuries, but none to be found.

"Not that I know of," he said. "I'm.. glad to see you. So glad.."

You pull him into a hug again, and thank the universe for keeping this man safe and alive.

"Oh my god, Levi," you whimper. "I'm here.. I'm here for you."

It felt unreal to have him still in your arms after all that happened. How did he survive this? It was a miracle that he made it alive after all these years. Perhaps it was because he was an Ackerman, or perhaps it was just his fate.

"Thank you," Levi smiles, gently rubbing your hair. "For being here with me.."

As the fog and smoke is slowly beginning to clear, you thought you saw a group of people within the fog.

Someone was standing and looking at you.

You squint your eyes. A mop of bright blond hair, a warm pair of brown eyes. Mario Mueller, although a little fuzzy and translucent, was smiling and waving at you from the fog.

You feel your throat tighten and your tears well up. "Mario!" you cried. "We.. we did it. There are no more Titans.."

Mario doesn't say anything. He continues to smile and wave.

"You did it! I'm proud of you!" he seems to say.

"I wish you could be here with me," you said.