Swing Life Away [Ereri/Riren]

Relapse - Part 4

I forgot to mention in the summary - Alex and Reiner had their kid (duh). His name is Peter, and he really looks up to his uncles, especially Levi. I know he appeared earlier, and there didn't seem to be any confusion, but yeah. (I'm horrible at this, sorry. >.<)

Also, sorry this is late.

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Levi was in the emergency room until sunrise, which was when they transported him up to the sixth floor. It was a long night of several tests and conversations about Levi's hellish, self-destructive past to keep at least a dozen different nurses and other hospital personnel in the loop. He slept on and off through the few long, rainy hours, and once had jerked awake, allowing Eren only seconds to hold a bucket beneath his chin before he vomited violently into it.

"You okay?" Eren asked, casting the bucket aside and rubbing Levi's back.

"No," Levi mumbled.

"What is it? What can I do?"

"Water."

Eren retrieved the bottle from the table and held it out. Levi took a few short sips before relaxing back against the mattress, keeping hold of it.

A tall blond man sporting facial hair and a white coat stepped in at that moment, complete with a clipboard and a stethoscope around his neck. He introduced himself as Dr. Zacharias, sanitized his hands, and pulled on a mask before sitting on the opposite side to Eren.

"Pneumonia," he stated definitively. "A severe case, we've determined. And the withdrawals aren't making it any easier for your body to fight it off. To be blunt, there's quite a bit we'll have to give you to give your body a fighting chance against the disease. If not, there's a possibility..."

"Don't," Eren interrupted, sounding oddly choked. "Please...don't say it."

The doctor nodded once. "I think you see the point. Shall we go through with it?"

"Yes. Do whatever you have to."

"I'm afraid it's not your decision," the doctor said, looking back to Levi. "But yours."

Levi's tired eyes lifted. "Yeah. Go ahead," he said quietly.

The doctor nodded again before leaving them with a few other things Eren didn't really bother to remember. His mind was foggy after being awake for so long.

It took Levi softly calling his name to bring Eren back to reality and have him realize he'd zoned out. He looked up to find the other holding the bottle of water back out to him; he took it and set it aside again.

"Y'feelin' okay now?" Eren asked.

"Yeah," Levi lied. "You need sleep, kid."

Eren managed a weak half smile. "I'm okay," he promised.

Out of habit, Levi's hand lifted and extended toward his husband only for him to back away again, remembering his contagiousness. "Bullshit. You're getting circles under your eyes. They're bloodshot and you look like you're gonna pass out at any second."

"You have pneumonia and you're worrying about me..." Eren mused, shaking his head.

"It's nothing. You should get Alex to come get you...take you to get some sleep."

"I don't wanna leave you here alone."

"I'm not a child, Eren. I'll be okay."

"Levi..."

"If you don't wanna leave, at least go crash on the couch." Levi jerked his chin in the direction of the window, under which was a small leather sofa. "You're not twenty anymore, Eren. You need sleep."