Ice Cold

Chapter 23

December 25

Levi's birthday is coming to an end.

Levi's party guests are all empty bottles of beer and whiskey. He chuckled as he glanced at his digital wall clock.

11:47pm

What is he waiting for? Nothing. He poured himself a glass of whiskey again and took a sip. When he finished the whole bottle by himself, he got up and tried to walk to his kitchen to get more whiskey. His legs gave up and he fell to the ground, he laughed at himself and crawled to the ground.

The days passed by faster than he expected. He didn't get the sleep that he needed. He haven't ate a decent meal to give him nutrients. The cold from the weather isn't making his skin better, all dried up and pale. All he did was drink and drink alcohol until he pass out and wake up for another day to repeat everything.

This is not the Levi that everyone knows. Levi wouldn't even finish a whole bottle of alcohol in 2 days, but now, Levi can do it with ease. Levi was a very clean guy and he will do anything that will make is house and himself clean, but now, Levi even skipped a shower or two.

Being drunk, he was laughing and talking to himself. Every now and then, closing his eyes and taking a nap and waking up to chuckle. It was like Levi was not himself.

A knock woke him up from his trance and he glance at his clock.

11:56pm

Levi was about to close his eyes when the knock began louder. He was forced to stand up and walk to the door, stumbling most of the time. He accidently bumped his head to the door causing him to get dizzy and fall to the ground. He stood up and opened the door before another knock was delivered.

A woman stood there with a smile plastered on her face. she smiled at Levi and hugged him tightly. "I hope I'm not late for your birthday, Levi."

Levi was shocked.

"I didn't even get the chance to buy a gift for your birthday."

Levi wrapped his arms around the girl. His legs gave out again, causing him to slightly pull her down with him. She tried to pull him up but her plastic wrapped broken leg made it slightly difficult for her, her arm is healed up though. Levi took a quick glance at her and completely broke down. Tears streaming down his cheeks as he cried, wrapping his arms around her waist as he kneeled on the ground. "It's okay, Levi." She ran her fingers through his untamed hair. Levi stood up and took her suit case from his doorstep and pulled it inside his apartment. He stumbled a lot but she helped him walk straighter.

They sat down on the couch. Levi took another glance at her before breaking down again. She scooted closer to him and hugged him closer. He put his head on her shoulder and stayed there. "I thought you're not coming..."

"I still made it, right?" She smiled and patted his back. "I don't have a gift for you though."

"You are the perfect gift, Y/n." He pulled his head back and looked at her. Y/n smiled at him and he tried to smile back but he began having hiccups, and then he began gagging. Y/n stood up and guided him to his bathroom since his can't even stand straight.

She opened the toilet and Levi immediately began to vomit. Y/n put his body between her legs so he will not fall over and vomit everywhere, while she pulled Levi's untamed hair out of his face. Once he stopped, Y/n flushed the toilet and cleaned Levi's face and gave him a tooth brush. She held onto him as he stood up and brushed his teeth. "You haven't taken a shower huh?"

Levi looked down and shook his head, regretting his action since it made him dizzy.

"Well then... Take a quick shower and I'll tidy up." Y/n said and sat him down on the toilet before going out of the bathroom and to his room to get some clean clothes.

Levi stared at his feet, thinking if this is really happening or he is just imagining this.

Y/n on the other hand, limped to Levi's room and check all of his drawers and closet. As she opened the last closet to what she assumed was the pajamas since every clothes are separated for different occasions. As she opened the closet, a picture frame fell but with her quick reflex, she caught it. She looked at it and smiled.

It was a picture of her and Levi in their graduation day when they were little. She put it back in the closet assuming that Levi doesn't want her touching his things. She took Levi's clothes and a towel and head out to go to Levi. As she enter the bathroom, Levi was there leaning on the sink, half asleep. "Levi, take your bath. Here's the clothes." She put the clothes next to the sink and looked at Levi, who was struggling to take off his shirt. She chuckled and help him take it off. She sat Levi on the shower chair and got out of the bathroom to give him privacy.

As she scanned the whole apartment, she saw a bunch of empty alcohol and beer bottles. She sighed and took off the plastic that was wrapped around her still broken leg. She took a garbage bag and put all the take out containers and put all the bottles in a cardboard box that she found. She put all the trash next to the door to remind herself to take out the trash tomorrow. She began sweeping the floor with a broom, cleaning the kitchen and living room, planning on cleaning the remaining dirty rooms tomorrow.

She glanced at the digital clock and it was 1:34am and Levi is still in the bathroom. She decided to check him. "Levi? Are you done with cleaning yourself?" She heard no reply so she took the risk of opening the door that Levi didn't get the chance to lock the door because of his dizziness. She closed her eyes and began touching her surroundings to feel on where she is heading. She touched the wall and asked for Levi again. But instead of hearing the answer, she heard a quiet snore. She opened her eyes, taking another risk, only to see Levi without a shirt and only in his boxers, still sitting on the shower chair. Her face became flushed with redness. She quickly but gently took Levi's shirt that he was holding and put it on for him. She pulled his arm and put it across her shoulder and pulled Levi up. She took the pajama pants for the sink and head to his bedroom.

She laid him down on the bed and dried his hair. She took the deep breath and gently put on Levi's pajamas on him. It took some time but she got it on him. She continued to dry his hair and stopped when it is fully dried up. She smiled and kissed his forehead. "Happy Birthday, Levi." She whispered.

Levi moved a bit and she began running her fingers on his hair, making him relax to her touch. "I l-love you, Y-Y/n..." He mumbled in his sleep.

She smiled and said, "I love you too, Levi." Before giving him a last kiss on the forehead before heading to the living room couch to get some rest herself.