Thank You

Chapter 15: Friendship is stronger than words can describe.

I grab a small wooden bucket and make my way down to the first floor. Outside the first floor is a well, that's where we get all of our water. I sprint, not wanting to waste any time, and look around rapidly for the crank. The well was very old and practically falling apart. Why doesn't the Corps. get another? I grunt impatiently and quickly but carefully turn the crank the get the bucket down the well.

It took me about 5 minutes until the bucket was actually down in the well and then I shook it around a bit to get the water in there. I needed water and lots of it.

When I decided it was heavy enough, I cranked it back up. When it reached the top I stuck my hand in the water to see if the temperature was adequate. It wasn't warm but it wasn't freezing.  It was good enough and so I took the bucket with both hands and I made my way up the stairs and around sharp corners. I'm not saying that walking up 3 flights of stairs is hard, but with a 90 pound bucket full of water is in your hands, it's a lot harder then usual. It's almost like I'm just waking Armin up the stairs.

The closer I got the stronger the cries from Armin. "Don't worry Armin, I'm on my way." I was struggling to get the bucket up the last set up steps and my hands were getting tired. I didn't want to give up, not when I'm this close to him. I'm almost there. I have to push, I have to.

I tightened my grip on the metal handle and ignored the throbbing in my hands. I used my thighs to keep it moving and I heaved it above my chest, trying to get a better hold on it. After a long trip up the stairs I peer around the corner to see Mikasa. She was in room and she tore the door of the hinges. Well, I need a new door now. Why mine?

Oh no, this isn't good. I didn't even tell her anything and now she's pissed. I quietly and swiftly make my way over to my door and put down the bucket of water in front of my feet. I was out of breath from heaving 90 pounds of water up 3 flights of stairs and now I'm in trouble.

"Mikasa I-" I was interrupted by a swift kick to the nose. I was thrown back into the wall behind me, which knocked the air out of me. At first, I didn't even feel the pain so I ignored it and looked up at Mikasa who was giving me a blank stare with fire-y eyes.

Mikasa walked over to me with tears in her eyes and got on her knees to meet mine. "How...why...(Y/ N)....please tell me what happened to him." I have never seen her this concerned before.. she really cares about him...

I reached out and touched her cheek, " I'm tending to his wounds but I don't know what happened." Ow, my nose. I don't know what's worse, my probably broken nose, or Mikasa angry and concerned about Armin.

She gazed at the floor in silence and then threw her arms around me. "Mikasa?" I put my hand on her back and tried to comfort her. "Mikasa, he's going to be okay. Please let me tend to his wounds." I tried getting up but her hold was really tight. She's...hugging me? She's so vulnerable right now.

"Thanks." Her face was buried in my chest and her tears were dripping onto my shirt, making it damp. Really vulnerable....

"Can I get up?" I gently moved out of her grip and got up. My nose was throbbing and I felt blood rush from my nose. I grabbed a cotton swab from my first aid kit and stuck it in my nose. I think it actually is broken but that is the least of my problems.

Mikasa got up with me and handed me the bucket of water, but she didn't take her eyes off of Armin who was quiet laying there.
"Is your nose okay?"

I took the bucket and I got a towel from a drawer, "Armin, sweetie, please try to prop yourself up, I'm back with the bucket." I gently took the sheets off his fragile, mangled body. My nose fucking hurt like Hell but I needed to help Armin so I manned up and beared the pain.

"Mikasa, please help me prop him up." Mikasa quickly ran over and moved him so he was sitting upright and propped him up with a pillow. I heard him whimper softly and open his eyes just enough so I could see the blue tint in his eye.

His eyes were half open and he looked exhausted, I wanted to make it quick so he could rest. His blonde hair was tangled and covered in mud, and like his face, was also covered in dried blood. I dipped the towel in the water and wrung it out so it was damp, then I started to wipe away the dried blood from his chest slowly. It looked deep and painful, almost like a red river. The cut was near the middle of his sternum and it was bright red. I wiped the remaining blood of the wound and began with the next one. There were only two but there was a lot of blood to go with it. The last cut was above his bellybutton and it was less deeper than the other one. It was only a scratch from the knife but there was so much blood it could've easily killed him. I cleaned off the blood in the bucket and squeezed it out. I continued to wipe the rest of the blood until my white towel was completely red.

I threw the towel in the water bucket and grabbed the first aid kit. "(Y/N), am I gonna die?" Armin reached for my arm.

"No Armin. Don't speak like that, you're going to get better. You'll have really cool scars to tell the story." I smiled at him but the smile was painful, I didn't know what to do.

In the first aid kit we were given on the first day we were here, it contained gauze, some sort of spray, band aids, and cotton pads. I used all of the bandaids on myself because I fall on everything and all that was left was the spray, cotton pads, and the gauze. I picked up the blue spray bottle and observed it. Benzoyl peroxide this was rubbing alcohol. This was to clean the wounds. Okay, you can do this.

I get up from my knees and face Armin. "Okay Armin, this is going to clean your wound so you don't get an infection, it's going to sting but it's normal." His eyes looked like a baby doe's in a headlight.

Mikasa grabbed his hands and and told him to squeeze her hands if it hurts. I hovered over him and held the spray over his chest wound. "Okay ready?" He nodded. I sprayed it twice and moved down to the other wound.

He twitched at the first spray and squeezed Mikasa hand when it started to fizz up. "If it hurts that means it's working." It was a sad truth to tell.
I smiled reassuringly at Armin as I swiftly glide the warm towel across his cheek. "You'll be just fine." There was so much dirt and blood on his face that I needed another towel. It took me about three whole minutes to rid of all of the dirt and blood until he looked clean enough. I decided to let him rest then wash him tomorrow morning before I go to practice.
I moved on and sprayed the other wound on his sternum. As soon as I was satisfied that they were both clean I wrapped him gently in the gauze. I make it tight enough to stop the bleeding but loose enough that he can breathe. "Okay Armin. Just rest for now. I'll come back tomorrow to replace your wraps." I gave Mikasa a reassuring smile and packed all of my things.

"I'm sorry for being such a bother." Armin seemed aware of the situation but he still felt like he was a bother. What a troublesome kid..heh.

I chuckled.  "Armin, this is what friends do." I grabbed a few pillows and a spare blanket that  I keep in the bottom of my vanity and headed towards the door. 

Mikasa scrambled to catch up to me, "(Y/ N) wait!" I stopped in my tracks and waited for her in the hallway.

She turned me around involuntarily and pierced my retinas with her sharp gaze. "Tell me what you know and where you found him."

I explained to her how I found him but I left out the part about how I ended up at the shed in the first place.

"Is he really going to be okay?" She was genuinely concerned for this kid, I couldn't blame her. Him and Eren are all she has.

I faintly smiled, " Yeah. He's gonna be fine. His wounds aren't anywhere vital. It might take a few weeks before he can really go back on the field but he'll be just fine." I'm actually glad my dad pushed me to read medical books and attend medical school. Even though I never got to that point, for once I'm glad I knew what to do.

My next mission is figuring out where to sleep!

Author's Note:
Yo yo what is up my dudes! Every weekend there will be a new chapter up. If there is not and I miss it, then I might just be editing the recent ones. Please look forward to it!