Overprotective: AOT/KNB Crossover [Reader x Eren]

Chapter 15: Her Condition Worsens

~from Himuro's POV~
"So?" I asked the doctor, leaning forward slightly, my hands clasped together.
He sighed, and I flinched. "It's not looking good. (Y/n) was struggling enough before...now, it seems the sudden shock has worsened her condition rather drastically."
"What...what does this mean for (y/n)?" I asked, swallowing and forcing myself to look the doctor in the eye. I came with (y/n) to every appointment, so he knew me fairly well, at least enough to give me a look of pity right now.
"I'm sorry, Himuro. I don't know how much more we can do for her. AIDS is breaking her body down, and adding stress..." He shook his head.
"But...treatment has worked for other people," you pressured, desperation lining your features, but the doctor just shook his head.
"Not exactly. Medication prolongs one's life, slows down the disease, but..." He sighed, looking older than his years. "The fact of the matter is that there simply isn't a current cure for AIDS, and even if (y/n) opted for lengthy medication, she simply can't afford it."
The oxygen was forced out of my lungs as I sat there, staring at nothing. "Why? Why (y/n)?" I put my head into my hands as hot tears flowed out from my eyes. "She didn't do a damn thing to deserve this, not a damn thing."
The doctor just let me cry for a minute, most likely used to patients and their families sitting in my footsteps, before quietly exiting the room.
"It wasn't her fault," I mumbled. "She- She was supposed to be happy. I gave up on me, but I had hope for her...and then...and then I looked away for one second, and someone broke her," I said, crying through my fingers. I haven't cried in a long time, forcing myself to be strong for (y/n) or turning my sorrow into anger instead, but somehow, without her here, smiling beside me, two heads shorter than me, it all just seems more real...
"I'm not broken," she said from the doorway, a smile fighting to stay on her lips, but when my head snapped up, I could see exhaustion's forces trying to drag down her body. Her eyes were underscored by dark marks, and her hair was messed up...she was abused by some asshole...she has AIDS...she's dying...and yet...
And yet (y/n) was still smiling.
I looked up at her helplessly, unable to hide my tears, which suddenly seemed like an admission of doubt in her strength, in her, but she just stood there, watching me, her lips still twisted into a smile, because that was all she could do anymore.
"It's okay, Himuro," she whispered, coming over to me slowly and patting me on the head. "It's okay. You don't have to cry. I'm right here."
Why is she the one consoling me? Doesn't she know that life handed her the worst f**king deck of them all? Doesn't she see that her skin gets paler every day, that every cold she catches takes longer to disappear, that her tiny hands shake just a little more with each passing hour? Doesn't she know-
I looked up at her to see tears running down her face even as she smiled gently at me, her hand still on my head to comfort me, and I knew.
Yes, she did know.
She knew, and she accepted it.
What other choice was she giving me?
Forcing a smile onto my face as well, I drew her into a tight hug, scared at how lightweight she was becoming, at how thin she was, at how her clothing hung just a little too big on her, but all of those things just meant that I could hug her harder.
I wasn't going to let (y/n) go, not to Death himself.
And the last person I was going to let touch her was Shougo Haizaki himself, damn his slimy soul.

~from Levi's POV~
What the f**k was Hanji saying? "What do you mean, Hanji? Speak slowly. You're talking too fast and it's annoying, brat."
"It's about (y/n)," she said with an uncharacteristically worried expression on her face.
I just laughed meanly. "(Y/n)? Why would I care about-"
SMACK. I froze, stunned, my head twisted to the side until I slowly moved to look back at Hanji. What the hell? Hanji was crying? "Hanji-"
"SHUT UP, LEVI," she yelled, and I actually took a step back.
"Calm down, Hanji," I said, trying to soothe her, my hands raised defensively in front of my face, but she only seemed to get angrier.
"No, I'm not going to CALM DOWN!" she yelled even louder. "You have NO. IDEA. what (y/n) has gone through, what she's going through every day, because you're too much of an asshole to care about anyone other than yourself!"
My eyes narrowed. "Is that so?"
"Yeah, it is! You're almost as bad as that bastard!"
"Which bastard?" I asked, not really caring about Hanji's insults, but interested to know who I was being compared to.
"The f**king guy who raped (y/n)!" Hanji yelled, flinging her fists at me like...well, like a girl.
I just let her hit me, just like her words were hitting me. (Y/n) was...raped? When? Why didn't I know this? Exhaling evenly to create an impression of calm (despite feeling anything but), I turned away. "Whatever. (Y/n)'s problems aren't my-"
BAM. This time, Hanji full out punched me - and didn't stop. She kept up her assault, hitting me, kicking me, punching me, and I didn't stop her, knowing deep inside how awful I was and needing to somehow feel redeemed for that. Unfortunately, pain has never served as the official currency of catharsis.
"DAMN IT LEVI! STOP ACTING LIKE NOTHING EVER FAZES YOU! (Y/n) is sick and hurting, and that bastard just transferred into our school-"
I grabbed Hanji's wrists, abruptly forcing her to cease her attack. "What did you say?"
"That f**king asshole transferred into our school," Hanji said between heaving sobs.
The cold rage that I'd tried to ignore earlier burned through my blood again. This time, I let it take over, narrowing my eyes and clenching my hands. "His name, Hanji. Give me his name."
Hanji looked in my eyes and fear flashed in hers, but that didn't stop her from uttering words that I'd grow to hate.
"His name is..."