Surviving | Attack on Titan | Levi

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Candidate Zero

Hanji sat in her gray chair, her eyes squinted as she watched Eren's blood slowly move around in the thin, long, clear plastic tubes then drop by drop, drip into an empty glass tube. The lights were off, all except for the bright lamp that sat on Hanji's desk. Eren was asleep, his soft snoring giving the room some sound. 
        
        Hanji blinked, her eyes getting tired and dry from staring for too long. But she couldn't help it, she hit a breakthrough. It didn't take long to study the cells in Eren's blood and then put together a possible candidate for a cure. This was her first candidate, Candidate Zero. Her idea was to try and separate the zombie DNA from Eren's immune one. 

        To do that, the blood had to be carefully watched and moderated. Gunther would be her first test subject, and if it didn't work she was sure she could get more by sending Eld and Erwin out. 

        Hanji had basically put together a concentrate that could turn oil into gas, except it was being used to extract the zombie DNA. Hanji sighed and leaned her head back. She didn't know how long it'd take for the tube to be filled, but by the progress she's made so far, she guessed it'd be awhile.

        So all night, Hanji stayed up sleep deprived and a mess, just watching the blood circulate through the plastic, bendable tubes then slowly drip into the small glass one. 

        Drop by drop, Hanji waited for it to fill.






        
[Name] woke up to blinding light and arms securely wrapped around her body. After a couple of blinks, [Name] looked around, not recognizing her surroundings. When she realized she was on the roof, the memories of last nights events rushed into her mind. 

        [Name]'s eyes wondered to her scattered clothes and she couldn't help but blush. Carefully removing Levi's arms, she grabbed one of the two blankets and wrapped it around her bare body, leaving on to cover Levi's. Levi mumbled something then turned around, snuggling into his own arms.

        [Name] smiled at him, then quickly turned around to pick up her clothes and put them back on. All the candles were put out, and the food stayed cold and untouched on the table. 

        Once [Name] was done putting her clothes on, she threw the other blanket on Levi and quietly sneaked away, wanting to eat and take a shower. She softly closed the door to the roof then sped down the stairs.

        "And where do you think you're going?"

        [Name] stopped and reluctantly turned around to see Sasha leaning against the door frame with a knowing smirk on her face. [Name]'s eyes nervously glanced around the hall.

        "Oh, you know. Food. Shower. I'm actually quite hungry, so I'm just going to go," [Name] pause and turned her body to the left, "like now." 

        As [Name] walked down the hallway to the kitchen full of shame, Sasha's laugh echoed through the hall, taunting [Name] like an attached demon. [Name] groaned, wishing that Sasha would just find some food and forget about their little run-in.

        But sadly, the universe doesn't like to work in [Name]'s favor.






Connie squinted at the back of Jean's head with his tongue barely hanging out. Jean was trying to sweet talk Mikasa, who wasn't having any of it. After Sasha came running into the lounge and told everyone about the little date she help set up for Levi for [Name], Jean went into a great depression and now he's trying to pull some moves on Mikasa.

        "There," Connie muttered to himself, then let go of the rubber-band. An almond forcefully smacked into the back of Jean's head.

        Jean instantly sat up, "What the hell?!"

        "Something wrong?" Connie asked innocently while quickly tucking his homemade slingshot under his thigh. Jean glared at Connie, then his eyes looked down at the almond that lied perfectly still on the couch. Quickly, Jean grabbed it then chucked it at Connie.

        "No!" Connie shouted, jumping out of the black chair before he could get hit. Jean huffed then sat back down, returning his arm on the back of the couch, right behind Mikasa's head.

        "Now, have I ever told you that your hair is just beautiful?"






The last drop dripped into the glass tube. 

        "What is that?" Eren asked from his cage, eyeing Hanji has she grinned at the blood filled tube.

        "Candidate Zero," Hanji answered picking up the tube and a syringe. 

        "Candidate Zero? What's that mean?" Eren questioned.

        Hanji stuck the end of the syringe's needle into the blood and sucked it up, "It's the first candidate for a cure, and I'm going to use it on Gunther." 

        Hanji set down the now empty tube and walked over to Gunther's cage with a blood filled syringe. Gunther reacted to the smell of blood and instantly pressed his torn face up against the glass. Hanji presses on of the buttons, letting a small hole open in the cage. She put her gloves on then shoved her hand into the hole and grabbed Gunther's hand.

        Gunther tried to pull on her arm and bite it, but Hanji was quick and safe to pull it out of the hole where Gunther's face can't get. Hanji flipped his arm over and stabbed the syringe into Gunther's vain and empty it.

        Gunther immediately reacted. His body started shaking, like he was having a seizure. Heavy panting and groans of pain escaped from his mouth. 

        Another groan and Gunther was laying on the floor. Hanji and Eren watched in disbelief as the torn and ripped out skin of Gunther's body started to heal at an alarming rate. Gunther's panting of lighter, but the shouts of pain became louder. They weren't just groans and moans anymore, they were real screams of pain.

        Screams of pain only a human or an animal could make, nothing a zombie could. 

        Gunther raise his head slowly and stared at Hanji with confusion. His face was completely healed, almost like nothing even happened.

        "Hanji?" Gunther breathed. Hanji stood there with her mouth open wide, still not believing what just happened. Eren, too, had his mouth ajar. 

        Hanji gulped then opened her mouth to speak to him, but before she could get any words out Gunther grabbed his chest. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. His eyes were wide in fear and desperation. 

        "Gunther!" Hanji yelled, putting in the password to open the door. The door slid open and Hanji rushed into the cage. 

        Gunther's body lie motionless on the floor, his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Hanji listened for his heart, but heard nothing but silence. 

        Candidate Zero worked, but Gunther ended up dead anyways.