Chapter Text
Is this real?
No. These eyes can't be real. They're too beautiful. Too vibrant. He has to be dreaming. But even still, Levi can tell the difference between dreams and reality in the midst of starvation. He blinks several times, waiting for his vision to focus entirely. But the view before him doesn't change.
This is happening. This is real .
A wonderful, brilliant pair of swirling, teal green eyes stare back at Levi through the darkness. Taking in the sight, he remains in his position, lying down with his cheek pressed against the dusty floor of his cell. The cell that he's been residing in for the past five years. The cell that, up until very recently it seems, he resided in alone.
Levi musters up the little strength he has left to push himself up into a sitting position. He takes a moment to brace himself against the floor on all fours with his head hanging low before the dizziness can overtake him from moving too fast. This is truly the worst part about the starvation process. The ebbs and flows of weakness and nausea that accompanies feeling so goddamn hungry all the time. After taking a moment to steel himself with several deep breaths, Levi sits up the rest of the way. Crossing his legs, he rests his back against the stone wall of the cell.
The young boy sits in front of him, shivering under Levi's appraisal. No. Not a boy. Levi quickly realizes by the smell of his blood. Definitely not a human boy… but what?
He takes up the one spot in the dark and dank cell where the sunlight pours in through a small, open window at the very top of the back wall, almost 12 feet off the ground. Levi eyes the kid's particular position in the space with narrowed eyes . Smart. Though if Levi had even a fraction of his original strength, he would've already launched himself at the boy with enough force to push him out of the sunlight and make a meal out of him. It'd take a nanosecond. Not even enough time for his meal to take his last breath.
Levi imagines what it would be like to tear into that flawless flesh. How his blood would taste as Levi's teeth pierced the artery under his jaw. He's clearly tall with tan skin that pulls taught over heavy muscles. His disheveled brown hair is long enough to be tied back with several loose strands framing his sharp jawline. And of course, brilliant green eyes that bore holes into Levi's soul, barely even blinking. It's clear that the boy knows to fear Levi, yet he has no idea how Levi can barely have enough strength to hold his own head up, much less feed on someone twice his size.
The kid continues shivering, though it's not particularly cold in the basement cell today. But of course, the sun can only provide protection for so long before he's left vulnerable against a starving vampire.
Even so, Levi has no intention to suck him dry. He rolls his eyes at the prospect of whatever his captors have in store for them. They wouldn't have given Levi a roommate for fear that he's getting lonely, obviously. What are they planning? Perhaps they've decided to test Levi's resolve. They've always asked him questions of how long it takes for vampires to break down and start eating each other. Even though Levi has told them several times over that vampires can sustain themselves on intraspecies feeding, they never believe him. Maybe they finally brought another vampire to him to test that theory. Though that can't be it. Levi's sense of smell may be out of whack with his starvation but he can certainly smell that this boy is not a vampire. Then there's also the obvious fact that this kid is sitting in the sun. Of course, how could he forget that? Levi snorts at his poorly functioning mind. Must be the lack of blood. That still raises the ultimate question, what is this kid?
Levi scoots a few feet to his left towards the back corner of the cell. The kid visibly tenses at the movement but scrunches his eyebrows in confusion when Levi simply makes himself comfortable in the corner. Sitting against the back wall, one leg propped up with an arm resting over top of his knee while the other leg stretches out in front of him, Levi tips his head to the side to rest against the adjacent wall. He savors the feeling of the cool stone on his feverish skin and closes his eyes once more.
The boy adjusts his position to face Levi directly once more, skepticism written all over his face but he refrains from saying anything. Clearly, he doesn't want to prompt Levi into any type of predatory action by accident.
This is how the two cellmates spend their time together. The boy trembles in anticipation of Levi's attack in the night, and then rests in the comfort of the warm sunspot during the day. Levi continues to shift between various positions as the sickness of his starvation continues to dictate his life. He's only given a quarter cup of blood each week to keep him conscious, and it's still going to be another few days before he gets the next dose. Meanwhile, the boy is too terrified to say a word, and the vampire is too weak to care about explanations.
Two days pass like this. In utter silence. The sun makes its warm welcome once more, and the boy lets the tension release from his shoulders as he scrambles to take up residence in the tiny rectangle of light it provides after his second night with the vampire. Meanwhile, Levi sleeps with his back to the boy, facing the stone wall.
The sudden sound of the dungeon door unlocking causes the two cellmates to perk up. That can mean one of two things. Levi's weekly ration… or another experiment. Levi prays to the moon that it’s the former. A guard stands in the area beyond the bars, a narrow type of hallway that passes in front of Levi's cell.
"Fetch, kid," the guard sneers as he tosses a piece of stale bread into the cell through the silver bars. It lands a few feet away from Levi, out of the boy's reach. Levi sits up but it becomes clear that he won't be getting his food today.
"You hungry too?" The guard asks Levi with a sick smile. "There's a perfectly good snack for you right there." He gestures towards the boy who sucks in a breath at the implication.
So, that settles it. They want to see how long Levi will hold out before feeding on live bait.
"Why?" Levi asks. His voice burns with the lack of use.
"What's it matter to you? A meal's a meal, either way." The guard presses a hand to his thick gut as he lets out a hearty laugh. He exits the room and locks the door behind him, leaving the two alone once more.
Levi relaxes with his back against the stone wall, stretching his legs out in front him. Dust kicks up from the floor in the process, causing him to cough. He winces at the dryness in his throat, trying to keep his composure. Soon enough, another wave of nausea hits him as the promise of blood came and went. The boy doesn't dare to move from his spot in the sun, even to grab the pitiful piece of bread that was thrown just out of his reach, a little too close to the vampire.
Levi scoffs.
"Name's Levi," he finally says after a few minutes. "What's yours?"
The boy eyes him with clear suspicion. A scowl settles on his face in his determined silence.
"I'm not planning on sucking you dry so you can drop the deathly glare. Must be tiring for your face." Levi narrows his eyes when he still doesn't receive a response. "Seriously, it's been 3 days. If I was planning on making you my next meal, don't you think I would've done that by now?"
The boy keeps up his façade. Brilliant teal eyes alive with rage and the will to fight. Though there is a spark of questioning. Like he's pondering over Levi's words, wondering how that could be true. Meanwhile, Levi is only left to stew in his annoyance.
He scoffs again and grabs the piece of bread, tossing it towards the boy before resuming his original sleeping position.
Levi has no idea how much time passes by before he finally hears a shuffle behind him. Then a crunch, like the sound of teeth sinking into stale bread. And finally, a despondent sigh.
"Eren," the boy says. "My name is Eren."
Levi exhales in relief before sleep overtakes him.
*
The cool evening breeze wafts through the bars of the cell window. Levi notes how the days are shorter, and the nights cooler. He lies on his back with a hand tucked under his head as he looks outside through the barred window. The sun is starting to set, casting an orange glow over the sky, though he's not able to see much else through the small opening. Eren sits cross-legged against the opposite wall.
He's on his fourth day of constant vigil, and it's taking a significant toll on him. Dark purple stains the skin under Eren's bloodshot eyes. He rarely stays asleep for longer than 20 minutes at a time. He's clearly growing weary. The lack of rest is settling in, taking its toll on his body. Those teal eyes are dull and drooping. And every once in a while, Eren's head drops forward until he jerks awake in a panic. Though Levi doesn't show any sort of reaction.
Meanwhile, Levi ponders the last few days. It's been a while since the last experiment. He's never had this much time to himself in all the years he's been here. Though, Levi supposes it's not really time to himself when he has an unwanted roommate.
The sound of shouting outside the dungeon door puts them both on edge. Each sitting up in preparation for whatever might be coming next. Levi meets Eren's confused and worried eyes with a mirrored expression just before the door bursts open. Solid steel slams against the stone wall with a deafening echo. Dr. Tybur rushes into the room, teeth bared in rage, with his assistant following closely behind.
"Wait! Just give it more time!" His assistant exclaims, a tall brunette with glasses and a pleading expression.
"Quiet, Hange! I've had enough of this," Tybur says, honing in on Levi. "Why won't you feed already?"
"Why should I?" Levi simply asks with a bored facade.
"You're starving aren't you? We've even withheld your rations this week but you still hold out against this. Tell me why!" Tybur yells. Levi rests an elbow atop his knee and props his head up in that hand. He looks off towards Eren's side of the cell, though not focusing on anything in particular. As though this conversation is merely a nuisance to him.
"Alright. Fine. Maybe he just needs some more tangible motivation," Tybur says. Straightening out the wrinkles of his white lab coat, he says, "Hange, shoot the boy."
Hange flinches at the sound of her name before she hesitantly unholsters the gun from her belt. Eren gasps and locks eyes with Levi's again in pure fear. Levi is equally distraught at the implication and the utter helplessness he feels at the center of it all. He swallows thickly, uncertain of how to react, what to do.
"Please, Doctor," Hange begs. It almost seems like she feels guilty. Like she knows that this is wrong. Levi takes note of that as she says, "This could be dangerous. We don't know what could happen if he feeds on a full body of blood."
"Nonsense. Hange, do it. Now ."
When Hange pauses again, Dr. Tybur growls in frustration and grabs the gun from her hand. He swiftly aims and pulls the trigger without hesitation.
Eren has no choice but to dive towards Levi's side of the cell to dodge the shot, though just a fraction of a second too late. He cries out when the bullet pierces the skin and muscle of his outer left thigh. Blood stains his pant leg and begins to pool on the floor. He quickly tries to apply pressure to the wound but to no avail. The smell of blood fills the cell instantly as it seeps out at an alarmingly fast rate.
Then, Levi's world shifts into slow motion. The shot rings out, deafening him as the sound reverberates in the enclosed space before the scent of blood reaches his nostrils. He can't hear or think of anything except for the sound of Eren's heartbeat. His silver eyes dilate until practically all that's left of them is the blackness of the pupil. Saliva fills his mouth as his fangs involuntarily extend down from his gums, pricking the inside of his lower lip. He clenches his fists so hard but he barely registers his nails splitting open the skin of his palms until blood starts dripping down to his knuckles.
Levi moves towards Eren before he can even think about stopping himself. His vampiric speed finds enough energy through his desire to eat, and he's at Eren's side faster than anyone could prepare for. Levi knocks Eren flat on his back with one hand on his chest and the other just above his knee in a punishing grip, towering over him with hiss, baring his fangs. Eren makes a feeble attempt at pushing against Levi's shoulders but his debilitated strength is nothing compared to the vampire's prolonged bloodlust. Dr. Tybur looks upon the scene in front of him with a twisted smile of excitement. Levi prepares to sink his teeth in. Though, just at the last second, his eyes meet Eren's. He sees the steady tears flowing down his face and hears his whimpers of pain and fear.
"Please, don't," Eren chokes out.
Levi manages to grab a hold of his sanity and shifts his body so his back is towards their audience. He gasps as his vision clears from the red haze he was seeing through before. Like his hunger had cast a red net over his eyes, and his mind was finally pulling it back. He nods once at Eren, attempting to convey his intentions in that moment. Though he's not sure if it even makes a difference.
Even so, he stares into Eren's soul, and he says, "Calm down."
Eren instantly stills, the tendrils of Levi's compulsion forcing his body into a relaxed state. Slowing his heart rate, lowering his blood pressure, calming his breathing. Then, Levi begins digging into the wound, locating the bullet with his fingers.
"Wait!" Eren yells before he cries out in agony. Using what little strength Levi has, he calls upon his compulsion again to change the experience of the sensation.
Eren gasps, and this time, Levi knows it's not from pain. He takes that as his signal to continue his actions. Even with the burn of silver against his skin, Levi has to resist the urge to dive into Eren's veins and drink him dry. Finally, Levi locates the bullet, prying it out of the torn flesh and muscle with his fingers before using all of his self-control to pull away. It burns his fingertips, and he tosses it aside quickly.
Finally, Levi bites into his own wrist, wincing as his weakened state causes him to feel the full force of the pain of his fangs. Yet, just as he prepares to feed Eren his blood, he pauses.
"You're healing?" He whispers. Eren meets his eye with a look of terror.
"It- It's not! No!" He cries. But it's too late. The skin and muscle stitching itself back together until it closes entirely. As if the injury never even happened.
Levi pulls away, scrambling backwards until he hits the wall, panting heavily as though he just ran ten miles. The whole ordeal had only lasted about seven seconds but Levi feels as though he just denied himself a feast.
If he hadn't pulled away when he did, he likely wouldn't have been able to stop himself.
Exhausted from using his compulsion in starvation, Levi rests his cheek against the cold stone. He places a palm against it as well, the icy rock wall grounds him in his moment of weakness. He licks his fingers, still stained with Eren's blood before his fangs retract into his gums, pulling the remnants of the sweet liquid away with a final swallow. His body cries out with the desire for more. More. More. Please, god. Just give him some more. Levi inhales deeply, letting his eyes fall shut.
"The kid healed!" Tybur yells out, cutting through the sounds of Levi's panting and Eren's terrified gasps. "Look at that, Hange! He healed by himself!"
"Incredible," Hange breathes. "Was that Levi's doing? I've read about vampire compulsion having several–"
"Quite the contrary, Hange," Tybur interrupts. "Vampire compulsion has no ability to heal at all. In fact, it's vampire blood that contains supernatural properties that attribute to healing, including some anesthetic capabilities," Tybur explains with wide eyes. Almost as though he had just witnessed a miracle. As he does so, he reaches into the pocket of his lab coat to procure a small black notepad and pencil before flipping through pages of mad scribbles. "And the incredible part is feeding another human vampire blood can heal practically any ailment, providing them with the strength and physical invincibility that vampires have on a daily basis. Now, when Levi bit into his wrist, he did so with the intent to feed his blood to Eren. Do you know what that means?" He asks.
"It means that he wanted to heal the kid," Hange responds. Though her expression remains crestfallen despite her own note taking.
"Precisely."
Eren darts his gaze from the scientists before him to his leg, where the only sign that any injury had occurred at all is in his torn pant leg stained with his blood, to Levi who still remains pressed against the wall, panting heavily. As though he can feel Eren's contemplation, Levi opens his eyes and meets Eren's gaze. Silver and green lock together in understanding.
"But Dr. Tybur, Levi didn't feed him his blood. He only bit his wrist and then backed away. So, how could the healing effect have occurred?" Hange asks.
Tybur considers the implications of the thought. His brow furrows before understanding dawns on him. Eren can't help but pray that he hasn't realized the truth.
"You're quite right, Hange. You're quite right, indeed. That can only mean one thing: we have another supernatural creature in our midst."
Eren shuts his eyes in despair. Meanwhile, Levi perks his head up. Another supernatural creature? Well, the truth was bound to come out at some point. There's no surviving in this place without all of one's secrets being laid out bare on the table. Both literally and figuratively. Now, this kid has fallen directly into the clutches of two monsters that seem intent on torturing the supernatural if Levi is anything to show for it.
"That's enough for tonight. We'll discuss more of this tomorrow. And we'll figure out what that is. Looks like you have a new permanent roommate, Levi! Aren't you excited?" Tybur laughs, gesturing towards Eren before he turns on his heel and flees the dungeon area, furiously writing in his notebook all the while with his assistant following after. Hange locks the door on the way out with a solemn gaze, leaving Eren to shudder in fear, wondering what will happen to him now.
Finally, an unsettling peace overtakes the room. Only the crickets can be heard over Levi's heaving breaths. Eren's eyes dart between his fully healed leg and the vampire's shaking form in the corner of the cell.
"You… wh- why did you–"
"Shut the fuck up for a minute," Levi snaps.
He trembles against a few more heaving breaths, raking his fingernails down the stone wall so hard that they leave light trails of red in their wake. But the pain helps ground him back in the present, pulling his mind away from the heavenly taste of Eren's blood. He'd barely had a mouthful, but after years of starvation, it might as well have been a three course meal. Minutes pass before Levi settles with his back against the wall, leaning his head back against the hard, cool rock.
"Quit staring at me with that gaping mouth. You'll catch flies like that," Levi finally says, cutting through the silence.
"Why didn't you kill me?"
"Just getting right to the fucking point, huh? No small talk first?"
"Shut the fuck up," Eren growls. His green eyes glow with indignation in the darkness. "You're starving. I know you are. I can smell the death on you. So why didn't you kill me?"
Levi scoffs and turns his head away, looking longingly out the tiny basement window. The moon is a waxing crescent tonight. Must be sometime in mid-October now. It's his only way of keeping track of time here. The changing of the seasons can only provide so much information. But the moon?
The moon never lies.
"It would've been easy, too," Eren continues with a snarky bite. "I know how strong your kind is."
Something about the way he says 'your kind' has Levi imagining that it's laced with venom. And if he was looking the kid in the eye, the words might've killed him on impact. Even still, he continues watching as the wind picks up and blows a few stray leaves in through the bars. They settle onto the dusty floor just a few feet in front of him.
"How did you do that… that thing?" Eren tentatively asks after a while.
"What thing?"
"That," Eren gestures with a wave of his hands, "mind thing."
"You mean when I compelled you to calm the fuck down?" Levi grumbles.
Eren sheepishly replies, "Yeah."
"What? You've never been compelled before?"
"No. I mean, I guess I've heard of it. But never seen it in action."
Levi smirks and says, "I basically can make you do whatever I want."
Eren gasps lightly, his jaw dropping.
"Now do you believe me when I say I don't care enough to kill you?"
"No."
Levi shakes his head before resting it against the stone.
"What?" Eren snaps. "Now you're just going back to ignoring me. I won't fall for your games, vampire ."
"God, you really don't know what the fuck you're talking about, do you?" Levi finally bites back, turning towards Eren.
"What?" Eren asks. Genuine confusion curls around his tone and expression.
"It's like I said before. If I was going to make a meal out of you, it would've happened the minute I saw your dumb face for the first time."
"But why?"
Levi narrows his eyes at the boy. A sick smile overtakes his face. He lets out a light laugh and says, "I'd rather die a slow, painful death than give them what they want."
*
The next morning, Levi wakes to find Eren fast asleep, his long limbs sprawled out on the cell floor. Levi sighs, looking upon Eren as he sleeps peacefully. All the worries and terror over Levi's intentions finally catch up with him, forcing him to remain unconscious. His body attempts to catch up on the rest he missed out on over the past four days. Levi supposes he should try to sleep too. Though the itch in his gut is too intense to ignore. There are so many questions. He doesn't know if he could possibly fall into a natural sleep until at least one of them is answered.
What is going to happen to him? Why did they want him to feed on Eren? What are they going to do to Eren now? What will Eren try to do to them ? And most importantly, what is Eren ?
Levi sighs again before turning his head towards the little window. He shivers with the gentle fall breeze that blows colored leaves into their space. Halloween must be coming up soon. That used to be one of his favorite times of the year. Going out to scare children with his fangs, bloodied face, and vampiric eyes brought a joy like no other. Now, the day just brings painful memories.
The sound of a groan pulls Levi back to the present. Eren stirs, curling on himself with a shiver before he gently opens his eyes. Levi leans his head against the stone wall as he watches. Eren blinks once, twice, and then bursts awake. Realization of his situation rushing back to him like a bullet piercing his heart.
"Shit," he breathes once his awareness completely returns to him.
"Sleep well?" Levi asks, sarcasm laced in his tone.
"Shut up," Eren replies, checking over his body with sharp, jerky movements.
"Fucking hell, stop that. Even if I fed on you during the night – which I didn’t – how would you even know? You'd be healed by now, mystery boy," Levi groans, turning his head away to stare out the window again.
"Shut up, I'm not a boy. I'm a man," Eren growls back.
"You look like a boy to me."
"I'm nineteen!"
"You sound like a boy to me."
"Yeah? Well, how old are you? Fucking fifty?"
"Well actually, what year is it? 2023? That makes me about… 1,084 years old," Levi replies simply.
Eren's jaw drops in response. His silence pulls a laugh from Levi's chest. The kind of full laugh that Levi hasn't experienced for years. Not since he was captured.
"Does that make me too old? Guess I didn't realize how the time passes," he says.
"You…" Eren starts softly, "You don't look like 1,084 years old."
"Don't you know the first thing about vampires?" Levi asks, shooting a glare towards Eren.
"I know enough," Eren bites back. "That you're bloodthirsty monsters that'll feed on anything as long as it keeps you alive. All you care about is fun and games. You don't give a shit about anything that actually matters. Throwing your humanity down the drain just for a quick bite. You're nothing more than a goddamn leech ."
"Hm. Not bad," Levi replies. There's no sense in arguing with someone who already has their mind made up. With that in mind, he leans back against the wall and shuts his eyes.
"So that's it?" Eren asks.
"What?" Levi responds without opening his eyes.
"I- I just insulted you. Repeatedly. Don't you want to fight back?"
"You already seem to have your mind made up about me. I don't have any use for fighting back. I'm too old for that, after all," Levi says with an amused huff.
A few breaths of silence pass by. For a moment, Levi wonders if he might fall asleep like this. Hunger settling back into his stomach, his head pounding, and the rising sun glaring into the cell through the tiny window. Sleep would feel good right now. Death would feel good right now.
"Why haven't you asked me what I am yet? Don't you want to know?" Eren cuts through the silence with a timid tone. Like he's nervous that his words will slice through the air and ruin the tranquility settling into their cell. In a way, they already have.
"I don't need to ask. You'll tell me when it's the right time."
"W- What?"
But the response doesn't come. Their attention is pulled away from their conversation at the sound of the dungeon door opening. This one being a careful creek rather than the immense slam from earlier. Hange peers her head from around the corner and catches Levi's eye with a sorrowful gaze.
"Ugh, it's that time again?" Levi mutters to himself.
"Time for what?" Eren asks. But Levi pays him no attention.
"Yes. It's time to go," Hange replies.
Levi blinks, focusing on Hange's apologetic expression through the bars of his cell as she pulls the cursed gurney inside the room, equipped with restraints made of pure silver. They jingle as the wheels bump against the stones on the floor, mocking Levi with their call. He eyes it with disdain, lips practically curling upwards in a snarl at the thought of willingly committing himself to an afternoon of torture.
"No," he says, turning his head away for good measure. As if it'll make a difference. But he likes to think it adds to the flare of his denial.
"Levi, please. If you don't cooperate, I'll have to use the tranquilizer on both of you," Hange pleads.
"What's going on?" Eren asks again. Levi rolls his eyes before glancing towards his unwanted cellmate. He'd almost forgotten that he was there, yet there Eren is, curled up in the spot of sunlight, hugging his knees to his chest, looking utterly puzzled at the conversation taking place before him. The others ignore him as they continue their interaction.
"So use the goddamn tranquilizer. You think I care what happens to him ? I won't let you freely take me like this. Not while I still have my dignity," Levi all but growls.
"Take you where?" Eren asks again.
Hange sighs before pulling a large firearm from the wire rack beneath the gurney. She takes a breath before pulling the trigger, and Levi's world turns to black. The last sound he hears is Eren's voice calling his name before that too fades into the darkness with dreams of blood and drinks and music and Halloween.
*
The first sensation he feels upon waking is burning. That's always the first thing he feels. It's never the hunger, the fear, nor the frustration over his situation. It's always the burn. The silver scorches his wrists and ankles, leaving bright red blisters behind in its wake. Levi hisses at the contact but remains still, knowing that struggling will only make matters worse.
"Nice of you to join us, Levi," Dr. Tybur's voice cuts through the murky sensations in his mind and his limbs, prompting Levi to open his eyes. "Come on now, wake up." Tybur says, shaking the chain connected to the silver cuff on Levi's left hand. Levi lets out a poorly suppressed groan, instinctively shrinking away from the burning sensation. The movement causes his other restraints to rattle against his skin, and suddenly Levi finds himself regretting not opening his eyes sooner.
"There he is!" Tybur says with a sadistic smile.
Levi rolls his eyes at the sight. No. He doesn't regret anything that would keep him from having to stare at this man's godforsaken face any longer than he has to.
"Now, now, Levi. Don't be rude."
"Fuck off."
"Oh, come on, I don't think that's any way to talk to someone who is quite literally holding your life in their hands."
"You're not holding shit," Levi bites back.
It's true. Tybur may work up a big game but in the end, he has no idea what he's talking about. Not that Levi will ever let that slip. No, he'll take this particular secret to his eternal grave. The one about the truth of his immortality. There's something almost funny about that. So much so that Levi has to physically hold back his laughter. The secret that he'll never share for as long as he lives is the secret to his inability to die, which means he'll be carrying that over his head for all of eternity. How funny. How funny, indeed.
For a moment, Tybur keeps silent, and Levi wonders if he might've said too much. Pushed too hard. Tybur presses his lips into a thin line, narrowing his eyes at Levi before he turns towards his tray of instruments. He grabs a pair of pliers, turning them over in his hands as if he were inspecting their integrity.
Then, he says, "Well, I suppose we'll just have to begin. And maybe you'll see exactly what it is I'm talking about."
Levi swallows around the lump in his throat, following Tybur's movement towards the examination table. Tybur lifts his hand to his mouth, clicking the button on his recorder and begins to speak.
"Date: October 20th. Time: 8:37 AM. Subject is restrained. We will be testing his healing abilities in various states today. To begin, I will remove the subject's eye and time how long it takes to regenerate."
Tybur picks up a scalpel, and Levi stiffens, gritting his teeth. Though his instincts tell him to turn away, he fights the urge, knowing it'll be in vain. The silver cuffs around his wrists, ankles, and waist are too strong, too sturdy, and too damn stubborn to let him go. Maybe, under different circumstances, he might've been able to rip his way out of the restraints. If he were at full strength, perhaps. But he's hungry and weak. Therefore, there's nothing left to do except take it with his dignity intact.
Searing pain spreads throughout his right eye and into his skull. Levi bites his lip to keep from screaming until he draws blood. The metallic tang is bitter on his tongue. Very unlike the sweetness of human blood. Tybur continues to dig out the muscle and sinew of his eye until there's nothing left except a pool of crimson. Tears burn in the back of Levi's intact eye but he holds them back, doing everything in his power to appear strong. Even though all he wants is to crawl into a hole and die. Wondering what he ever did to deserve this, as he always does when the experiments start.
"Eye has been removed," Tybur says into his recorder. "Starting the timer now."
It takes exactly four minutes and twenty-seven seconds for Levi's eye to return to normal. Then, the process begins again. Tybur explains that he wants to test Levi's regeneration abilities at least three times, taking the average of the measurements to determine a baseline for his tests. All the while, he takes note of his "findings" in his notebook and through his voice recorder. Levi grimaces through the pain, taking deep breaths to keep the nausea at bay while Tybur works his torture on Levi's body.
"Now, I'd like to see how loss of blood affects your healing abilities. Stay still while I insert this IV catheter," Tybur states.
Levi stares at the ceiling, pointedly ignoring Tybur's request. The prick of the needle in Levi's arm is nothing compared to the gruesome torture he's forced to endure every day. He practically welcomes the pinch with open arms. Then, Tybur opens the catheter, letting Levi's blood flow through the tubing and into a blood bag.
"Let the record note," Tybur records, "that I will not be discarding this blood. I will be saving it for future experiments." He clicks the little red button on his recorder before pocketing the device. Then, he turns to Levi directly and continues, "This'll take a while. I'll be back to check on you in an hour."
With that, Levi finds himself alone once again. He cherishes these times. The moments when he can relax. Though the IV itches his skin and the lightheadedness of blood loss is already settling in, he still savors the quiet. It's hard to come by nowadays. What with the experiments occurring more often, for longer periods of time, and with harsher outcomes.
He recalls the first time he was ever taken from his cell for an experiment. Two weeks after he had been caught. Even as the throes of starvation tugged on his mind and body, he fought like had never fought before, aching for his moment to escape. He thought that was it, until Hange pulled out that very same tranquilizer gun. The next thing he knew, he was waking up, strapped to the metal table with silver cuffs, fearing what might come next. Little did he know he would spend that entire afternoon getting repeatedly stabbed in the stomach with Tybur hovering over his body, examining the healing process over and over again. That's how it began. He vowed to stay strong throughout the torment, gritting his teeth and baring it. And later that night, when he was back in his cell, he cried. Silently wept, curled in on himself as he rubbed the stab wounds that were long since healed.
Sometimes, Levi will return to his cell with missing fingers, toes, teeth. His strength will be put to the test through drowning, burning, electrocution. Once, Tybur even went as far as to take out some of Levi's internal organs. It took a day and a half for those to heal entirely. Levi's huffs out a small laugh. He has to laugh at the memories. Otherwise he'll go mad with the need to escape. The need to feel fresh air on his skin again. The need to bask in the moonlight again. The need to feel alive again.
Alive like the vibrant green in a certain unknown supernatural creature's eyes. Alive and burning with the light of a thousand suns.
Eren is certainly an enigma. What he is. Where he came from. What will happen to him. What this might mean for Levi. There isn't time to ponder it too much before Hange enters the room.
She examines the fast-filling blood bag next to Levi's table before letting her hands wander over the tubing, ensuring that everything is working properly.
"How are you feeling?" She asks.
Levi remains silent, keeping his gaze trained upwards. His eyes wander over the pipes and electric wires of the little dungeon-torture-room, losing himself in the maze of colors and metalworks in the ceiling.
Hange hums at Levi's lack of response. She leans over his body, shining a small light into his eyes, checking for who knows what kind of pupillary reaction. Or maybe she's just trying to prompt a response from him. At this point, Levi couldn't care either way.
"Are you in any pain?" She tries again. This time, Levi's eyes flick over towards her. It's enough of a reaction to know that he heard her but is choosing not to answer.
"Believe it or not, Levi, but I'm trying to help you."
That does it. He finally turns towards Hange, and he all but growls, "Help me? Then why don’t you let me go?"
"You know I can't do that. While I don't agree with Tybur's methods, I can't, in good conscience, let you wander the streets knowing what you are."
"You have no idea what I am," Levi mutters.
"I know enough," Hange replies. She reaches towards Levi's face with a damp cloth in her hand, and she says, "Now let me just clean this blood off your–"
Levi bares his fangs with a hiss, causing Hange to jump back in surprise.
"I don't need your help," he says, returning his gaze towards the ceiling, letting his body soak in the heavy feeling of blood loss. His vision starts to waver but he keeps his eyes open and locked on one particular blue wire in the ceiling, hoping that might stop his stomach from turning over on itself.
Then, the door to the laboratory slams open. Tybur saunters in, notebook in hand, his unusually long, blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail.
"All this talk has me thinking this blood draining isn't happening fast enough," Tybur says smarmily.
"You idiot," Levi whispers under his breath, watching the flow of red liquid leave his body and fill the blood bag.
"What's that?"
"I called you a fucking idiot. It's been five years yet you still don't seem to understand how supernatural healing works. My body is going to replace my blood as it drains. Don't you get that?"
Tybur's eyes narrow with disdain. After a breath of silence, he replies, "Tell you what. I'll end today early, and let you go back to your cell, if, and only if, you can provide me with a little bit of intel."
Levi narrows his eyes, and he asks, "What do you want to know?"
"Tell me what that boy is."
Levi rolls his eyes. "I don't know what Eren is."
"Eren? Hange, we have a name. Write that down somewhere. How do you spell that?"
Levi scoffs, "Jeez, you know, I forgot to ask in the midst of all the blood and starvation and being shot with a tranq and all."
"I gave you a perfectly good meal. You have no one to blame your starvation on except yourself."
Levi doesn't answer. He presses his lips together in a thin line, clenching his front teeth hard. But he doesn't answer.
"Well then," Tybur says. "I guess we'll have to move on to another experiment. Hange. Get me a fresh set of scalpels, the rib spreaders, and the cautery. I'd like to see how long it takes for Levi's liver to regenerate."
Hange hesitates before complying with the command. Meanwhile, Levi braces himself with a deep breath. It's going to be a long day.
*
The dungeon door opens with a resounding clang . Eren jerks awake from the noise.
With the cell to himself, he'd been catching up on his lack of sleep. Though he couldn't help but toss and turn, something akin to worry settling deep in his bones with his cellmate's sudden disappearance. Where was he taken? What was happening to him? Would he come back? Would they take Eren to the same place?
A thousand questions rest on his lips but he can't bring himself to ask any of them when he sees Levi's limp body wheeled into the hallway atop the same stretcher he was taken away on. He would've assumed that Levi had simply been shot with the tranquilizer again if not for the blood spattered across his face and clothes, his torn shirt, and his ragged breathing.
"What happened to him?" Eren quickly asks, scrambling towards the bars but hesitating as he almost places a hand on the silver material.
The guard pulls out a gun, the same one that Hange had used to shoot Eren in the leg, and he says, "Get back. Don't make me use this on you."
Eren complies, backing away from the bars and keeping his distance from the cell door. He stands with his back pressed against the stone wall, his hands held up in reluctant surrender, watching as Levi's body is unceremoniously dumped onto the dirty floor, along with a damp towel and an extra white, button-down shirt. Dust kicks up around him, and Eren coughs.
Before he has a chance to think, the cell door is suddenly locked once more, and Eren is left alone with Levi's unconscious body. He glances at the dungeon's door with wide eyes, wondering if the guard might come back. But after a minute of silence and stillness, Eren decides to take a tentative step towards Levi's body. He waits for Levi to suddenly wake up. To bark at him and tell him to get away. Or worse. To pounce on him, latch his teeth into Eren's neck and suck his body dry of all his blood. But none of those things happen. Levi simply lies there. Unmoving.
Eren glares at Levi's still body. As though even in his current state, he was offending Eren by merely existing. Though, vampires are a threat to his kind. He and Levi were destined to hate each other at all costs. There's no fighting second nature. No changing what is written in the stars. By the moon and her sons and daughters, Eren would not help this creature.
Though, there's something about Levi's appearance now that tugs on Eren's heart. His face lacks its usual scowl, and he seems even more pale than he did before. He looks almost weak. Yet also… peaceful.
With a shake of his head, Eren mutters to himself, "Who am I kidding?"
He kneels and reaches for the damp towel before flipping Levi onto his back. Then, he gently dabs at the blood stains caked around the vampire's eyes.
"What happened to you?" He lightly asks with a furrow in his brow. To no avail though. It's not as though he's expecting a response. But he dares to admit to himself, he wants one.
When Levi's face is finally clean of all the blood, Eren sets to work on his abdomen where similar splotches and stains are dried over the hills and valleys of Levi's muscles. Eren finds himself surprised by how muscular Levi is. He isn't sure what he was expecting but it definitely wasn't an abdomen rippling with strength, even in his unconscious state. Eren tugs the torn shirt off of Levi's body and replaces it with the new one. He's almost done with the buttons when Levi finally stirs.
He groans low in his throat, blearily glancing up at Eren with a questioning look in his eyes.
"Don't kill me," Eren whispers. "I'm just helping."
Levi lets out another groan in response, letting his eyes fall shut. He twists away from Eren's hands but his body is too tired, too weak to fully protest the aid.
"Hold still, goddamn leech," Eren says.
"No," Levi grumbles.
"Still stubborn as always I see. I bet you don't even want a taste of my blood right now. Not that I'd give it to you anyways. The least you could do is let me finish buttoning your shirt. Jeez."
Finally, Eren decides to leave the top few buttons undone, frustration with Levi's squirming leading to his abandonment of the project. When his hands leave Levi's body, Levi finally stops wriggling. Like his body knows he's safe again, and he's ready to rest. Eren watches the vampire's eyes relax, simply shutting. He curls in on himself, letting his cheek rest against the cool floor of the cell.
Though every fiber of his being protests the action, Eren takes pity on the sight, taking off his own jacket and folding it up before tucking it under Levi's head as a makeshift pillow. Then, he brings his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and watching the steady rise and fall of Levi's chest.
"I know I'm supposed to hate you," Eren says. "But you seem… different."
Eren opens his mouth to continue but he's interrupted by the creak of the dungeon door. His spine stiffens, expecting the guard to return to mock the pair some more. But it's that doctor's assistant, again. Hange, Eren thinks her name is.
She peeks her head around the door, catching sight of Levi sleeping, Eren perched next to him with a growl low in his throat. As though he's ready to pounce on anyone who might threaten his cellmate while he rests.
"Easy," Hange says with her hands up. "I'm just checking on him."
Eren's scowl lessens slightly though still present, and he asks, "What did you do to him?"
Hange presses her lips together in a thin line before replying, "Nothing good."
Eren's eyebrows knit together in confusion. But before he can ask another question, Hange is turning on her heel and exiting almost as quickly as she came in, quietly saying over her shoulder, "Just… take care of him."
Eren rests his head on his knee, peering down at Levi. The moon shines into the dungeon through the tiny window, casting a blue-tinted glow over Levi's features.
"I'd tell you what I am, you know," Eren says, mostly to himself. "If you asked."
He sighs before continuing, "I know you're just a leech. But we're stuck here together. Might as well make the most of what we can."
Levi doesn't respond. Not even so much as a twitch of his eye. He simply breathes. As though that's all his body can handle right now. Eren never thought he would find himself wishing for a vampire to talk to him, but right now, all he wants is for Levi to open his silver eyes. To reply with a snarky comeback. To flash his fangs at him even. At least then, Eren would know he's alright. That he's going to survive whatever this is. That the same thing wouldn't happen to him. In the meantime, Eren rests beside him. Keeping watch over his cellmate, alluding to some sense of control. Even though Eren has no control over anything that might happen next. Not to Levi, nor to himself.
Eren frowns, feeling tears burning in the back of his eyes. What's going to happen to him? What will they do once they find out that Eren is a werewolf?