Levi pulls you out of the water, and he drags you to the grass. For a split second, he looks over his shoulder to see the others running up behind him. He quickly turns his gaze back to you. Levi is trying desperately to quickly comprehend the situation in front of him. Your limp body is almost frozen to the touch. He barely even notices his own state, how cold and wet he is, how his heart is racing so fast it could burst right out of his chest.
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Your lips are blue, and you're unmoving. Hang and Erwin are following. Quickly, they both land on the grass next to you and Levi. There's a brief pause between the group before Levi leans in to check if you're breathing…you're not. Without a second thought, he starts CPR. He leans in, doing mouth-to-mouth, then back to CPR, over and over. Erwin takes over CPR when he notices Levi getting tired. Levi’s bangs are dripping onto your face as he leans over you.
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You startle awake with a hard cough that pushes through your lungs. You weren't out very long. You're choking on water as your body flings you up into a seated position. “Where the hell am I?” you mutter aloud, thinking that it was a private thought, and that it didn't actually come out of your mouth. All you feel right now is confusion. Where are you? Who are these people around you? What events led you to be here right now, and why the hell are you so cold?
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“ Oh my god, are you okay!!?? That was terrifying!!” Hange screams
Levi just exhales deeply before dropping his body into the grass. Erwin checks your pulse ( out of pure instinct, he can clearly see that you're alive ) “ steadying… Levi, are you okay as well? “
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“ What?” He remarks, stunned by the question because, duh, didn't Erwin just see what went down, and that clearly his own state was not on the list of priorities here?
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“ Levi, I'm sorry we didn't notice faster. I don't know how I missed what was going on. It's my fault I'd been rambling on about the prof, and - really dear, are you okay?!”
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After the coughing settles, you lean back on your elbows. Apparently, you hadn't yet noticed just how weak you are. You realize how shaky you feel, so you just plop right back down on your back. What the hell is going on? The last day is a complete blur.
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Hange quickly pulls off her puffy coat and wraps it over you as you lie on your back. Your eyes wander. They flicker between the people who surround you. They were looking at you like you were an animal in a zoo exhibit. Confused would be an understatement to explain the way you really feel right now. You're still so tired, and as much as you want to stay awake and try to understand what was going on, your eyelids are just so heavy right now. You allow your eyes to flutter shut, and before you even know it, you're asleep again. This time you're dreaming, it wasn't like when you were asleep a moment ago. This was a state that felt familiar, hazy, and not nearly as final.
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When you come to, you're still drifting in and out of consciousness because you really just feel that tired. But one thing was for sure, you knew you weren't in the same place as the last time you had awakened. You remember that, yes, waking up choking on the water that filled your lungs. Couching and heaving for air as you lie on the ground. Being stared at by strangers and not knowing why. The rest of the night comes back to you in pieces. Like the night after being plastered drunk, and you forget everything done, how the memories of the wild things you said and did come back hauntingly slowly. You remember standing atop that bridge. You remember every minute of indecision before you fall. You remember that moment right as you slipped. It all sort of just falls into place, everything that happened that led up to this point. But you can't seem to place what occurred after. How you arrived here…You start to realize from the smell, the harsh lighting, and the beeping from machines… What best made sense is that you're in a hospital room. God, how you hate being in a hospital. Your eyes, your body, every part of you from head to toe were screaming at you to rest, and you do. You close your eyes and decide it's too much strain to think about this night. And you go back to sleep with ease.
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In the waiting room, the group remains silent, sitting next to each other. Erwin is in a chair with his back to the entrance you came from, Hange is in the chair next to him, and Levi is at the end. The two of them could tell exactly what Levi was thinking without having to ask. All of his emotions were written on his face; he didn't need to say anything. The three of them sat there in silence for a while. The guilt on Levi's expression was amplified by his palms that dug into his eyes. He'd sigh, then pinch the bridge of his nose while he tapped his foot on the ground repeatedly. The air was tense. But no one wanted to say much, and no one wanted to leave until they knew you were okay, either.
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After around 15 minutes, your doctor came out to greet them. The three of them rise and head toward him almost immediately, like they knew that he was looking for them.
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“ How is she? Is she okay, doc? We tried really hard, and she seemed fine, but I’m not sure because she seemed to have passed out again and we ran all the way here and- “
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“Hey, dumbass, shut the hell up and let the man speak. “
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“ No, it's okay, really, I'm just glad that someone was there for her. She is doing fine, she's stable and resting now. She has a bit of frostbite, and she had some water in her lungs, but no permanent damage. Honestly, if you hadn't gotten to her when you did, I'm not so sure she'd be as lucky. “ The doctor said that, almost like he knew there was guilt in the air.
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Hange and Erwin instinctively look to Levi for a moment, like they could read his thoughts, and wanted to be sure he heard that last part. He did what needed to be done, and he was successful. Meanwhile, all he could think about was how all he had to do was get there quicker and talk you down in the first place. What an idiot, why would you do such a dumb thing? Didn't you realize that there are so many people in this world who would do absolutely anything to be able to live? People who undeservingly suffer, desperately trying to hold on for dear life, just so that they could see just one more day? How could you be so reckless with your own life? You were just plain foolish, and these thoughts consumed his brain.
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“ Oh yeah, you guys are free to see her now. She may still be asleep, but she's in room 13B down the hall to your left. Just go right through those doors, and you'll be right on your way. “
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Hange and Erwin push through the doors, make a left, and find your room. Levi staggered behind. The doctor had one last comment to make when he saw that Levi might not be ready to see you yet.
“ Hey, if I'm being really honest here, I'm just glad that this time, she's had someone here to help her.”
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“ This time? Are you saying she's done this before? Jesus, “Levi grunts as he rolls his eyes.
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“ This? No. But she's what we call a frequent flyer, and this isn't the first time she's come into the emergency department. Usually, it's some unexplained injury that she always has some excuse for; she never lets us get her the help she truly needs. However, I'm hoping maybe this instance will be a wake-up call for her. Sorry, wait- I'm guessing you are family, right?”
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“ Uh … yeah, sure. I’ll go see her now, thanks, “ and he walks off following the path he watched Hange and Erwin take. Those words lingered in his head as he made the turn. “Wake-up call? You've been here before, frequent flyer? "What the hell was going on with you? He wasn't sure if he really even wanted to know the answers to those questions. He did what he needed to, and you were safe. Why even visit? Or care? Maybe it was because something had been nagging at him this whole time…who the hell were you, and why the hell did you feel so familiar?
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Levi feels uncomfortable in a way when it comes to visiting you, actually meeting you when you wake. He doesn't want this interaction; he just wanted to know that you were ok and alive. He peeks his head into the room and sees Erwin and Hange standing there. He can tell you're just waking up, and he sits in the chair in the hall. No need to go in. He thinks about how much he just wants to go home and shower and wash his dirty clothes. He decides to at least wait for Hange and Erwin to be finished so he can tell them he's leaving.
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Your eyes open, and slowly you see two people standing above your bed. Hange, sitting right next to you, almost too close for comfort, introduces themself.
“ - and this is Erwin, and I'm not sure where Levi went, he was right behind us.”
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You sit up and try your best to eerily mutter out, "I'm so sorry, but I don't remember you guys at all.” It felt wrong as it came out, almost like you were rejecting these nice people, which you weren't, just genuinely confused and trying your best to make sense of things.
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Hanges eyebrows shoot up, and they're almost beaming. “ Oh, sweetheart, no worries at all! We haven't actually met, but we were there at the plaza tonight, and we sort of ran into you… We were so incredibly happy that you're okay, dear. The human body is truly amazing!! “
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Erwin straightens up from leaning against the wall slightly. “ Hange, we should allow her to get some rest.”
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“Oh, of course!! Don't mind us, I did forget to catch your name, dear.”
“Oh, um, people sort of just call me V, I guess. But it was great meeting you, I'm glad we met. And thank you both for checking up on me, I really appreciate it.”
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Hange lights up as they add, “ Oh, don't let me forget, let's get your phone number so we can chat some more, are you in school by the way?”
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“ Oh no, I can't really afford it right now, but I'd like to. I'm working at the coffee shop downtown, CorpseCafe, as of right now. I sort of applied for a scholarship to Paridi University, but I don't think I'll get in.”
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Hange is practically jumping up and down at this point. “ No kidding!!!! The three of us go to Paris University, honey, I'm sure you'll get in. It would be so fun to see you around campus! And I've heard of that cafe, I promise to check it out very soon! Alright, well, I have your number, I promise to text, and we'll hang out soon! See ya around, get some rest!”
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Hange and Erwin turn the corner and head out. They gather Levi and make their way back to campus.
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You don't know what it is exactly, but there was a certain light that Hange had in their eyes, their energy, it felt loving. They radiated happiness, and it made you feel warm and cared about. Even Erwin was very kind; he didn't say too much, but he certainly had an endearing aura about him. You truly did hope that that wouldn't be the last time you guys saw each other. That it would make you genuinely happy to have friends like these.
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and then Add to home screen.