Chapter Text
When Pieck Finger would envision what a happy life might look like, her picture had remained the same since childhood - a house with flowers and plants around the exterior, a nice bookshelf filled with all her favourites, and someone there to love her, that’s all.
Living in an apartment meant she couldn’t have plants and flowers outside, so she kept them inside near window sills and places where the light could reach them. Her bookcase was small, but contained most of her favourites, although the use of technology influenced her to go with digital books rather than physical ones. And of course, there was someone who loved her. Hange Zoe.
Pieck’s world became brighter after meeting Hange. They met while in college through mutual friends. The two had quite a few differences but despite this, they formed a bond that quickly blossomed into something beautiful. They would spend hours talking about their interests, visiting museums and galleries, and staying up well into the early hours of the morning learning more about each other. It wasn't until a few weeks after they first met that Hange took the first step and invited Pieck on an official date. Looking back, it seemed like a lifetime ago since their first date at the city aquarium, or their first kiss as the clock struck midnight on New Year’s, but every time they look at one another, it feels like they’re falling in love all over again.
Every Saturday morning, Pieck would go to the same cafe and order the same two drinks: a black coffee for Hange and a vanilla lavender oat milk latte for herself. Iced ones in the summer months. It was a routine she normally enjoyed, but with winter approaching, she’s beginning to think buying one of those fancy new coffee machines for their home would be better than making the 10-minute trek in the rain.
Pieck’s brow furrowed as she pulled her scarf up to cover her nose, pace quickening to get back home as soon as she could. She was starting to regret not wearing more layers. The weather seemed alright when she left, the sun peeking behind a thin layer of clouds, no rain predicted throughout the day. But now she was almost certain the temperature dropped while she was in the coffee shop, her breath visible in the air and her exposed skin starting to burn under the chill.
Once she reached her apartment, she carefully unlocked the door and snuck in, attempting to be as quiet as possible to not wake Hange. They moved here a few months ago after trying to find a place for what felt like forever. The apartment wasn’t big but looked spacious thanks to the open plan and big windows. They filled their home with furniture and decorations; Pieck made sure to buy enough plants to cover the windowsills, placing a small watering can near them as a reminder to top them up with water, along with countless amounts of plant nutrients feeders. Hange could never keep a plant alive for longer than a week, even with Pieck’s help, so they bought the Lego Botanical collection to be a part of the botanical journey. The pink frog-leaved Lego bonsai tree stuck out in contrast to the green leaves of the other plants. That never stopped Hange from pretending to water it while watering the other plants, claiming it would feel ‘left out.
Pieck put the coffees on the counter, took off her outerwear and made her way towards their bedroom, careful not to make any sudden noises. There, curled up on the left side of their double bed, laid Hange.
Sunlight streamed in through the window in their bedroom and flitted across Hange’s cheek as Pieck watched from the doorframe. It was quiet, the only sounds being Hange’s slow breathing and passing cars in the distance. When Pieck would watch Hange sleep, she would feel overwhelmed by their existence. She made her way towards the bed, getting in and slotting herself behind them, careful not to jostle them around too much. Her arms wrapped around their torso as she gave them a gentle squeeze, slowly peppering kisses to pull them out of their slumber, starting on their shoulder, moving up their neck, their cheek and finally, their temple.
"Hange, baby. It’s time to wake up"
Pieck pushed a lock of hair behind their ear as Hange’s eyes began to flutter open. Her fingers lingered on their cheek and traced their facial features as they slowly began to wake up.
"Morning" Hange mumbled back, voice raspy from the night's sleep. They rubbed the sand out of their eyes and reached for the glasses that sat on their nightstand. They didn’t need glasses to recognise Pieck, they could recognise her blind, but nothing started Hange’s day better than a clear view of the love of their life.
Their ‘clear’ view was partially disrupted as their glasses already had smudges on them, despite not being worn for hours. Pieck laughed and removed their glasses, giving them a thorough clean using her sweater before carefully placing it back on their face.
"Looks like you slept well, my love," Pieck remarks, before leaning in to give Hange another kiss. As expected on a Saturday morning, Hange can already taste the coffee on her lips.
"I still feel so tired. You went on a coffee run?"
"I’m not sure what you’re talking about" Pieck answered, smiling as she did so.
"Well then. No coffee, no kisses" Hange teased back, rolling over and covering their entire body in the duvet. Pieck gave their blanketed form a playful slap as she got up to grab the takeout cups from the kitchen, bringing them back to their bed. The smell of coffee certainly got Hange’s attention as they emerged from their blanket cocoon to sit up, looking slightly more awake than before.
After Handing the cup to Hange, Pieck cuddled back in bed with them, hands now warming up from the heat of the cups. This is usually how they would spend their weekends in the winter. Cuddled up in bed with a hot drink, watching whatever show is popular at the time. Sometimes they would do a little bit of work, Hange writing up test results or Pieck checking in on her emails, but it never lasted too long. The two simply wanted to spend all their free time in each other's arms.
Hange glanced over at Pieck, watching her grey eyes sparkle after every sip of coffee, how her slightly unkempt raven-coloured hair fell down her shoulders. Hange was enamoured of her. It’s because of Pieck that when Hange wakes in the morning, they can wind their spring and tell themselves to live another good day.
Hange would never leave her. They would be like this, forever, for as long as time would allow it.
The weekend went just as fast as it came, and before they knew it, Pieck and Hange were being rudely awoken by their alarm clock, signalling the start of a new work week.
Since their graduation, Hange had worked at the country's biggest Nuclear Power provider. It was surprising for some, given their enthusiasm for biology, that they would lean more towards a chemistry-based subject, but the possibility of working with a more sustainable energy source was too exciting. Hange took the job offer straight out of school. They loved their job, a perfect mix of analysing information and overseeing the power plant. Something about working in that field was rewarding for them, being able to see the Christmas Lights shine in the city and knowing that their team’s work helped make it possible filled them with immense joy.
The power plant where Hange worked was about 30 minutes out of the city by Metro, so they would walk to the station together. Pieck always made sure to see Hange off before they went. The alarm would go off and the pair would begrudgingly leave the warmth of their bed, which was becoming increasingly difficult as the weather became colder. They would occasionally shower together, to save some time and money on the bills, but the usage of too much deodorant and dry shampoo instead was not uncommon. They would dry each other off, get dressed, sit at the table and have breakfast together before heading off to the station.
The Underground Metro station was in the central area of the city, close to the financial district and subsequently, near the Library Pieck worked in.
After Pieck received her degree, she wasn’t too sure what direction she wanted to go in. There were so many things she could do with her degree, but that made the decision harder for her. She spent her time checking the newspaper and online for job listings, reading books, making jewellery to sell, and anything to try and pass the day. It wasn’t until one of her visits to the Library that she realised that she would love to spend her time around books. Luckily for Pieck, there was a vacancy in the City's library which she immediately applied for, receiving an offer within a few days.
So now the couple could walk to work together, or at least part the way. Walking hand in hand on the sidewalk, talking about their plans for the day, simply enjoying each other’s company before they have to part ways.
"I finish work at 2 today, so I’ll get home before you. Do you want me to meet you here after your shift?" Pieck asked, fixing Hange’s tie as she waited for a response.
"No need to, my love. Go home and relax. Call me if there’s anything you need me to pick up on my way back, okay?"
"Sounds good. I’ll see you later, Baby. I love you" Pieck held on to Hange’s arm as she kissed them, still having to go on her toes to reach them despite Hange bending down a little.
Hange pulled away first but placed a quick kiss on the crown of her head.
"I love you too. See you later!"
And with that, Hange walked down the stairs into the station, going through the turnstiles and down the escalators towards the trains.
It became clear to Hange while they were sitting on the train that they weren’t feeling right. They felt exhausted, despite only waking up an hour beforehand, and everything hurt. Their bones, muscles, and joints. All of it. They felt like they went 10 rounds against Mike Tyson. When the train reached their stop, they could barely stand, using the stanchions as leverage to pull themselves up and leave the train, hoping that the day wouldn't be too strenuous.
Luckily for them, they were able to spend the majority of their day at their desk, but the feeling of exhaustion remained. It took everything in Hange’s power to stay awake, frequently asking their subordinate Nifa to bring them coffee. They didn’t have the time to be sick. There weren't enough resources or staff for them to feel like this. The flu was already making its way around the plant, leaving a lot of Hange’s co-workers bundled up at home. They figured they were next on the flu's ‘hit list’, but they were determined to get through the day. There were only a few hours left of work, they could do this.
Although originally hopeful, the missing members of Hange’s team made it difficult to get much progress done on their data, and by the end of the day, they were shivering enough that they could barely hold a pen.
As soon as the clock hit 5, Hange immediately grabbed all their belongings and left, they didn’t even say goodbye to their colleagues. They just needed to get home. Their bones felt like they were made of lead, dragging them down every step that they took. It took all the energy they had to stay upright at the metro station, and then to stay awake once they took their seat. Resting their head against the window, they were shocked to find how soothing the cool glass felt on the side of their face. Logically, they knew they were probably feverish, but with the chills gripping them head to toe they hadn’t realised how warm their face was.
They were half asleep by the time their stop was announced and had to shake themselves so much to process the fact that they had to get off. Getting up from their seat was painful, their limbs sore and stiff, not cooperating with the signals sent from their brain, but stepping outside was worse. Within the 30 minutes they were underground, the clouds that were threatening rain earlier had now become a downpour. They wish they brought their umbrella. At least Pieck was at home now, they thought. Although they wished she was here to help them home...
They quickly shook that thought from their head, no time for self-pity, they needed to get home and get home fast . Within a few minutes in the rain, they were soaked to the skin and shivering harder than they had before.
‘One more step, just one more and you’ll be home’ they repeated to themselves. They kept this mantra up until they found themselves at the door to their apartment. It took them almost a full minute to get inside, their brain not working fast enough to remember where their keys were at first, their hands so shaky getting the keys into the door. But they were home. Finally, they were home.
When they opened the door, they were met with a blast of warmth and the smell of Lavender, a sign that Pieck was home. Thank God she avoided the awful weather. Hange quickly removed all of their wet clothing, letting it fall to the floor along with their work bag. They can sort it out later, but for now, they just wanted to lie down.
When Pieck heard Hange call out to her, she was reading on their bed, quickly putting her book down and jumping up to greet her partner home. She took one look at them and felt her heart break. They looked miserable. Their skin was pale, except for a bright flush over their nose and cheeks, tired-looking eyes circled with a dark shadow.
"Oh Hans. You look awful, love" She cups their cheek, pausing for a second. Hange felt warm. A little bit too warm. She pressed down a little more firmly, before sliding her hand up to their forehead. Hange was running a fever.
"Sorry, I just... I don’t feel good". Hange replied, their voice coming out quiet, barely like them. "I really don’t...”
"Yeah, no kidding. Let’s take these clothes off and get you in the shower". She led Hange to the bathroom, helping them take their clothes off and get in the shower. Once they were in, she took the wet clothes and put them in the wash, getting a fresh pair of pyjamas for them and laying them out for when they finish. A pair of fluffy socks too.
Pieck gathered all the things Hange may need; medicine, water, some extra blankets, things they could keep nearby just in case. It wasn’t long before Pieck heard the water turn off and saw Hange’s body stepping out of the bath. She helped them dry off and put them in their pyjamas before ushering them to bed.
"I just feel so cold’ Hange whimpers through chattering teeth, as Pieck tucks their shaking form under the covers.
"Shhh, I know. I’m sorry, Baby". Pieck put her hand on their shoulder, gentle against Hange’s aching muscles, before pulling the covers up to their chin and smoothing the duvet over. Goosebumps prickled on Hange’s damp skin. Despite just coming out of the shower, they are already covered with a thin layer of sweat. They hug themselves tighter under the covers to try and regain some of the warmth they had from the hot shower. Pieck’s hands run up and down Hange’s blanketed shoulders and back, trying to ease their misery and create some warmth.
"Thank you, Pieck. You’re the best". Hange manages a shaky smile, leaning into Pieck’s warm touch, their eyes now bright and glassy with fever.
She smiles back, leaning down to press a kiss on their forehead. "I know".
Hange spent the next few days in bed, alternating between sweating through their layers and kicking off their covers, to clutching multiple blankets to their body as they shuddered with the chills, only really leaving their bed to shuffle to the bathroom and back.
Pieck took time off work too, claiming she had the flu as well. She hated the thought of Hange shivering without relief, frequently climbing into bed with them, wrapping her arms around their trembling frame, rubbing her hands up and down their body. Hange would weakly tug at Pieck’s top, trying to pull her as close to them as possible in hopes to absorb her body heat.
It wasn’t until a few days after, that Pieck became more concerned. Hange showed no improvement from the first day they fell ill, slowly looking worse every passing minute. She figured that huddling up in the same bed which is probably covered in their germs isn’t doing Hange any good, so she ran them a bath. They can relax and clean up while she changed the bedsheets and opened the windows to allow fresh air into the room. Some clean, crisp bed sheets are enough to make anyone feel a little better. Hange also happened to smell rather musty after 4 days in bed. Not that Pieck would tell them that, of course.
Pieck ran the bath and put in some oils she thought would help; lavender, chamomile, eucalyptus and cypress oils. All ones to help during flu and cold season.
She helped Hange into the bathroom, as she did on that first day, removing their clothes and helping them into the bath, scooping some water up in her hand and letting it roll down their shoulders to help them relax. Hange had always been very attractive. Their brown hair was usually up in a ponytail down by their neck, and their chocolate brown eyes held so much light in them, even when sick. But they looked a little... off . She wasn’t sure, but Pieck could just tell something wasn’t right. She always could.
She starts inspecting Hange’s body, hand tracing their skin, careful not to press too hard and hurt them. They look like they lost a little weight, which isn’t very surprising considering their condition. But why did they have so many bruises? And where did these small red dots come from?
"Hange?"
"Hmm?" Hange was lying back, cold flannel over their eyes but head turned in Pieck’s direction.
"No one at work is hurting you are they?" Pieck asked, worry pulling over her like a blanket.
"Huh? No, why would you think that?". The question caught Hange off guard. They now found themselves sitting upright, the cold flannel falling from their face and sinking in the warm water. Hange had a great relationship with their co-workers. They couldn’t understand where this question came from.
"You have a lot of bruises." Pieck gestured to the bruises covering Hange’s body, shades of purple, yellow and green were littered across their frame. Pieck continued, ‘‘I know you’re clumsy, but you’ve been in bed for almost 4 days now, you’ve barely bumped into anything. These dots are weird too, look."
Hange looked over their body, thinking back hard. Had they bumped into anything recently? As Pieck said, they’ve just been in bed, so they can’t imagine how they’re getting there. Admittedly, they thought she was being a little over-dramatic, it’s just some bruises. The dots are probably just some sort of rash for being in bed all day. But Pieck was always a very easy-going person, so for something like this to bother her, there must be something up.
"I’m not sure, they kind of just showed up, I guess?"
"I’m going to make a doctor's appointment for you. You don’t seem to be getting any better, it might be something you need antibiotics for". Hange hated going to the doctors, but they hated their partner feeling upset even more, so they reluctantly agreed to go to the next available appointment.
Was there anything worse than going to a doctor's appointment? Pieck was able to get them an emergency appointment, so Hange didn’t have as much time to mentally ‘prepare’ as they normally do. Sitting in the waiting room, Hange’s legs bounced. Why are doctors always so late?
"Hey…" Pieck put a steady hand on Hange’s thigh, trying to calm their anxiousness. ‘It’ll be fine, don’t worry.’
"Yeah, sorry. I just hate doctors". They looked at Pieck’s hand, slowly taking it in theirs before bringing it up to their lips for a tender kiss. Hange loved her hands, her manicured nails, how elegant her fingers looked, and how gentle her touch was.
"Hange Zoe?"
The brash voice snapped them out of their trance, head whipping up to see the doctor standing in the hall. Pieck helped Hange up and they made their way into the doctor's office, exchanging their welcomes before sitting down. Hange felt a little better, able to make their way around the apartment a bit more, but the intense feeling of fatigue remained. If anything, they were at least happy they weren't sweating through every top they owned now.
Pieck gave the rundown on how Hange has been the past week. She knew Hange too well, they would never admit to feeling unwell, they’ve always been like this.
"They came home extremely pale, their muscle and bones hurt"
‘Fever?" The doctor questioned, typing away at her computer
"Awful one. Horrible sweating too, very tired and -"
"Actually, I feel much - " Hange begins to speak.
" Quiet. " Pieck shuts Hange down before they can continue, knowing they’re trying to downplay their symptoms and leave faster. Hange knows better than to pipe up again.
"They also have loads of bruises and these rash-like spots all over them? Hange, show her your arm."
Hange pulls up their sleeve so the doctor can get a good look at what Pieck was talking about. After carefully examining, she asks Hange to lie on the examination table for some more tests, starting to push down on their abdomen and asking if any of it feels uncomfortable.
"There. It feels a little weird"
"Here?" The doctor pressed down near where their stomach would be. Hange would never understand why doctors push down again after you tell them something hurts.
"Yeah. It just feels a little uncomfortable, almost like I'm full after eating. But I haven’t eaten anything"
"I see… Alright, you can get up now" the doctor announces, giving the table a light tap and returning to her chair. ‘I’m going to book you in for a blood test. Ideally, we want this done as soon as possible, so I’m going to check if we have any appointments this afternoon or early tomorrow morning’
The sudden urgency confused the pair as they exchanged looks.
"That soon? Is there a problem?"
The doctor hesitates to answer Pieck’s question, choosing her wording carefully. She didn’t want to jump the gun and cause them to worry.
"It’s always better to be on the safer side. Hange hasn’t been feeling well, so it’s best if we figure out what the situation is so we can treat it. It’s probably just the flu, but it could be an infection and a blood examination is the best way to figure it out"
The doctor was able to push Hange in to get their blood drawn almost immediately after their appointment. They would be lying if they said they weren’t a little worried, mainly because they weren’t a fan of needles, but at their big age, it’s not something they were about to admit.
They spent the rest of their day chilling out at home, eating as many snacks as they pleased. Hange used the excuse of ‘losing blood sugar’ to go to the store on their way home and buy supplies, even though they knew Pieck never needed an excuse to go on a snack run. Soda, chocolate, sour sweets. Anything that looked good, they got. The couple decided to have an impromptu movie day.
Pieck chose the first movie, a cute little animation about a girl whose parents turn into pigs after eating food not meant for them. Hange would have chosen the next one, but seeing how happy those films made Pieck, they let her pick all of them. They watched one about a pig that could fly a plane, who also happened to share the same name as one of their friends, Porco. One is about a boy and a fish. Fish girl? Either way, they enjoyed them all, cuddling up under a fluffy blanket, a snack bowl placed on their laps. They had almost forgotten about the day's earlier events.
Almost.
The sound of vibration against the table filled the room, snapping them out of their previous calm demeanour. Pieck paused the film, telling them to put the call on speaker so she could hear too.
"Hello, Hange Zoe speaking."
Pieck loved Hange’s ‘professional voice. She would be lying if she said that it didn’t cause her to blush.
"Hi Mx. Zoe, I’m calling from Libero City Medical Practice in regards to your blood test earlier today. The Doctor would like to discuss the results of the test with you. We have an appointment tomorrow at 10 am. Would you be able to make that"
Hange felt their chest tighten slightly, was there really something wrong? They tried to say something, to agree with the appointment, even to make a single noise. But nothing came out.
"We can make that one, thank you," Pieck spoke up. Hange felt the tightness around their chest snap, breathing returning to normal while Pieck spoke to the receptionist, politely hanging up before she took Hange’s face in her hands.
"I know you don’t go to the Doctor’s often, but this is something they have to do. You probably have an infection, so they need to prescribe medicine"
"Yeah… yeah, you’re right. I’m just overthinking it." Leaning into Pieck’s touch, Hange let out a breath of relief, covering Pieck’s hands with their own.
Going back under the warmth of the blanket, the couple returned to their movie marathon, although the thoughts kept plaguing Hange’s mind. Is this really normal? They’ve never been sick in their life before, only dealing with broken bones, and now they’re stuck with the flu they can’t seem to shake.
They figured there was no use worrying about it now, and to deal with whatever comes tomorrow. But they knew with Pieck by their side, they could deal with any curveball that gets thrown at them.
"Your blood results came back showing an abnormally high count of white blood cells, so we will need to do further tests to understand the cause of this." The doctor had her hands in her lap, giving her full attention to Hange to make sure they understood what she was saying. It was never easy telling someone they might be unwell, so she tried to approach this in the most gentle way possible.
"The best way to do this is through a bone marrow biopsy," she continued. "Have you heard of that before?"
White blood cells? Bone marrow biopsy? The words entered Hange’s brain but they couldn’t seem to process what they were being told. They found themselves staring blankly back at the doctor, not sure how to respond to the question. Of course, they knew what a bone marrow biopsy was, they’re a scientist for God’s sake. But having a biopsy done on them? The thought never crossed their mind in all their years of studying.
Hange felt a gentle squeeze on their hand and found Pieck looking at them sympathetically. She looked so worried, they felt awful. There was nothing Hange hated more in the world than making Pieck worry.
"Hange, are you there?"
"Yes, sorry. A bone marrow biopsy, sure. When can we get this done?"
The doctor spins around to check their computer, looking for the earliest date possible to get this done. Hange looked down, noticing how their hands were shaking.
"This is fine, it’s all fine. I’m sure it’s nothing" they repeated to themselves.
"We have an appointment in two days at the Libero City Hospital. Would that be okay?"
Hange agreed to the appointment, thanked the doctor and promptly left, holding onto the documents she gave them to read over about how the procedure will be performed. They didn't want to look at it, they already knew. At that point, they couldn’t even bear the thought that their body wasn’t perfect. It had to be a mistake. They’ve never been sick before, why would their body start failing now?
The two days in between the appointment and biopsy were stressful. When Pieck read the information pamphlet, she tried her hardest to not visibly wince at the thought of getting it done. That night in bed, with Hange wrapped around her body, she promised them that she would be with them every step of the way.
The procedure itself isn’t too big in the grand scheme of things. To put it simply, they put a needle into your hip bone or sternum, making a small incision first to let the needle in, and remove a small piece of bone marrow. Voilà, biopsy complete. Hange had their biopsy done on their hip bone, being asked to lay on their side as the doctor prepared the area. Pieck sat next to them on a chair, one hand holding Hange’s and the other hand on their cheek, partly to comfort them but also so they wouldn’t move to look and potentially mess up the procedure.
The pain wasn’t too bad either, with slight stinging when they injected the anaesthesia, and just some general discomfort when the needle went into the bone. Hange screwed their eyes shut, trying to ignore the dull pain in their hip. Pieck caressed their cheek using her thumb, whispering comforting words while the doctor finished up.
The whole procedure took about an hour, and Hange and Pieck were able to leave the Hospital 15 minutes later, once the anaesthesia wore off. Most biopsy results generally come back in one week, so until then, the couple continued their daily activities, acting as if nothing was wrong. Hange was able to work from home, creating a makeshift workstation on their dining table. Pieck went back for shifts at the Library, making sure to call Hange during her breaks to check up on them. It wasn’t a bad way to live, but both of them were well aware of the elephant in the room, too scared to address it.
They received the call to come back in to discuss the findings a week later as expected, although this time they would have to visit the hematologist at the City Hospital. The morning was strikingly similar to that first day Hange fell sick, grey clouds covered the sky, not leaving any chance for the sun to peek through. Instead of public transport, they decided it would be best to use their car, Pieck being behind the wheel. She was always a much safer driver, especially in the city where people would cross whenever and wherever they could.
The drive there didn’t take as long as expected, so they sat in the car for a few minutes before they went inside. Neither one knew what to say to the other. Sure, it might be nothing. But if it was nothing, would they be sitting outside a hospital, about to see a haematologist right now?
"I’m sorry." Hange was the first to break the silence, earning a slightly confused look from Pieck.
"For what, love?"
"All this, it’s just… insane" Hange wasn’t too sure what to do with their hands, making gestures while speaking, before releasing a big sigh and dropping them into their lap. "I’m sorry for worrying you and making you lose time at work because of me. I don’t want to become a burden to you"
"Oh, baby." Pieck softly touched their chin, guiding it up so they would look her in the eyes. Hange’s eyes, their beautiful brown eyes, were filled with so much sadness, Pieck feared it would trickle out and roll down their cheeks. "When I said ‘In sickness and in health’, I meant it. You’re not a burden to me, I just want you to be okay. Besides, we don’t know what it is they’re going to tell us, but whatever it is, we’ll get through this together." She gives Hange a small smile, before leaning in to kiss them on their forehead.
Sitting in the waiting room, Pieck rested her head on Hange’s shoulder. She wasn’t sure what would happen, but she knew the thought of losing Hange terrified her. It had always been ‘Pieck and Hange’ before Pieck was herself. Without Hange, she doesn’t quite know how to live.
Their name was called, and they entered the doctor's office hand in hand before sitting down in front of his desk. A few documents were in front of him, presumably to give to Hange to go away and read, but they couldn’t see the information written on them.
He said many words, most of them going in one ear and out the other, except the three most important ones.
"You have cancer."
Oh.