Chapter Text
“Hi Erwin. It's been a long time. » Hange murmured as she crouched down to place the bouquet of flowers on the grave of the former Survey Corps commander.
Levi stood next to her, trying to keep a straight face, but his heart sank painfully as he looked at Erwin Smith's tombstone. It hurt him differently than the one he felt at Eren's grave, but it still fucking hurt. It was as if seeing this grave had made him fully aware that his former commander was gone for good. Before coming here, the last sinister image he had of Erwin was his corpse lying in a bed and covered in his cloak. Levi subsequently did not have time to dwell on it further given the issues at the time.
This short stay in Paradis was mainly intended to discuss peace talks with the Jagerists and with the help of Queen Historia, but they also took the opportunity to see Mikasa and Jean again and visit the graves of their long-lost comrades. . It was also an opportunity for Connie to see his mother again who since the end of the Rumbling was now the only living member of his family and who had been freed from her Titan form. The talks had unfortunately not been conclusive, the Yeagerists from Paradis had not been completely open to discussion and had shown undisguised hostility towards the Ambassadors of Peace. They were scheduled to return to Paradis in the coming months, but Hange wasn't sure if she and her husband could attend because of the little secret she had inside.
As they mused, Hange glanced at Levi beside her. It had been two years since they were officially a couple and also parents. Hange's surprise pregnancy had been an upheaval in both of their lives, and things had almost ended in a bad way because it had caused Levi to panic. But today, they were happier and closer than ever, especially since shortly before their departure for Paradis, Hange had learned that a new human being was currently forming inside her. She had lived these last days in Paradis with this impatience that twisted her stomach, taking it upon herself to contain her impatience the time to find the right moment to tell him this news.
Levi's gaze was fixed on the grave, seeming lost in thought. Announcing it at the moment when they were paying their respects at Erwin's grave was probably not the most conventional way she had come up with, but something deep inside her made her feel that it was the right moment. Hange's intestines couldn't help but twist in excitement as she let these words escape her mouth :
" I’m pregnant. »
Levi didn't react immediately, his gaze remaining fixed on the grave, then he slowly turned his head towards her. Hange then noticed that her husband's face had softened slightly and that a small smile had appeared on his lips.
"I knew it. » he said simply.
He chuckled when he saw Hange's eyes widen. “How could you have known that ? » she asked as she thought about all the means she had put in place to keep this a secret until the right time.
Her husband refrained from rolling his eyes. “Tch, I can still recognize the symptoms of pregnancy. You had an abnormal fatigue which was not equal to that which you usually have when you are overwhelmed by Furlan or by your scientific research. I noticed that you hadn't bled a month ago and your breasts were harder than usual. Plus I saw that you were holding back from protesting and moaning in pain when I kneaded them, something you don't usually do either. I'm educated on this sort of thing, Hange. You managed to surprise me for the first time, that’s enough.”
“But it could have been something else !” insisted Hange who couldn't help but be a little disappointed that her announcement didn't have the expected surprise effect.
“You’re just not good at keeping a secret, shitty glasses.” Levi replied with a half-teasing, half-blasé look.
Hange pursed her lips and looked down, and that's when Levi gently took her chin between his thumb and index finger to force her to look at him.
"Even though you're the worst at keeping this kind of secret, know that I'm happy about it." he said softly, letting go of his wife's chin to place his palm against her still flat stomach.
Hange felt her throat tighten with her growing emotion. She cupped her husband's face and pressed her lips to his, feeling her chest swell with happiness as Levi wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her even closer. This kind of display of affection was probably inappropriate in front of a grave, but they weren't in a position to think about that right now while he was swimming in bliss. When they parted their mouths from each other, they still held each other and Levi could see how Hange's face was glowing.
“We’re having another baby !” she giggled happily as a slight rosy color appeared on her cheeks, an effect that happened when she was excited and Levi found it endearing. He couldn't help but smile in turn, because even if he suspected that his wife could be pregnant, having confirmation of it had sparked a nameless happiness within him.
It was totally different from how he felt when he found out about Hange's first pregnancy. At that time their relationship had not yet been established, and in a moment of weakness they had given in to what they had held for each other for all these years, causing them to end up in the same bed where they had spent the night making love for the first time. They had both naively thought that this first time would be of no consequence, because after all it had only happened once. It had been a shock to Levi to learn that he was going to be a father when Hange had told him the news at a dinner party and he had let himself be overcome by his emotions, acting like the worst coward as he left hurriedly to Hange's house, apologizing pitifully. But he quickly redeemed himself.
And this time, a second happy event would change their lives forever.
They eventually slowly came down from the cloud of happiness in which they found themselves and turned towards Erwin's grave again. Levi ended up crouching in front of the tombstone. There were so many things he wanted to say to his former commander, but he wasn't sure there was any point in speaking to a cold stone standing on the earth that housed the skeleton of Erwin Smith. He had already witnessed certain phenomena, such as the appearances of Erwin, Petra, Moblit and his other fallen comrades when the titans disappeared following Eren's death, these same appearances had occurred on his wedding day with Hange, and then he understood that somehow they were always by their side.
Levi took a deep breath before launching himself. “Erwin…” he began hoarsely. “A lot has changed since you left, as you have certainly seen if there is anything after death. I... We managed to permanently eliminate the power of the Titans, which inevitably led to Eren's death, and although tensions are not completely eased between the Mahr and the Eldians, life is different. Not everything is as perfect as we wanted, but we did it. »
He paused for a few moments, searching for words. “I wish you could have witnessed all of this. I wish you and everyone else could have witnessed all of this. May you all enjoy the results of all your sacrifices, may you realize that your courage and determination were not in vain. Do you see all this, Erwin ? Do you see how the world has changed ? »
Standing next to him, Hange listened in silence as she felt her throat tighten.
Levi continued, "Sometimes I can't help but feel selfish for having the privilege of experiencing this new world without you and our comrades who fought so hard to obtain it. I even found myself regretting having chosen Armin instead of you. But these regrets doesn't change anything, so we might as well take everything we were given. I think that's what you would have told me."
After a short pause, he continued: "I never admitted it to you but... I have always admired and respected you. My faith in you was unshakeable and I always considered you as our worthy commander. It's stupid that you have to wait until you die to receive that kind of compliment, isn't it ?"
Still crouching, he glanced briefly at Hange before turning his gaze to the stone. “You probably saw it from where you are, but things have changed a lot with Shitty Glasses too. There was a time when I thought I knew her, but I realized I was wrong. There are many things about her that I didn't know, a side of her that was unknown to me and that few people have had the chance to discover. I wish you could also discover this side of Hange. Not just that of the intelligent, crazy, obsessive commander or scientist who only washes once a week, but that of the caring wife and devoted mother. She endured the worst suffering to give birth to our son and soon she will give birth again. Despite our differences, it was in her that I found my soul mate. Could you have imagined this a few years ago? By becoming my wife and the mother of my children, she made me a different man. She gave me the peace that had always been missing from my life. »
Hange covered her mouth with one hand to suppress the sob that threatened to escape her throat. She was not used to hearing her husband open up like that and she knew that he was reaching deep into his heart to say these words. “Levi…” she whispered quietly, but she wasn’t sure if he heard her.
“I hope you can see us like this.” » continued Levi, who himself felt his throat tighten. “I wish you could have known our children. I hope that from where you are you were able to see our son Furlan. I can't tell you who he looks more like between me and Hange. He inherited her warm brown gaze, her heightened curiosity and her ability to be amazed by anything. But his hair, the shape of his nose and the way he shows when he doesn't like something comes from me. Before he was born I had never experienced this kind of feeling, it is a love so strong that you feel crushed. It’s just… indescribable. »
This time, Levi raised his hand to place his palm against the cold stone, right where Erwin's name was engraved. “I wish you could have witnessed all of this. I sincerely hope you can do this from where you are. May you rest in peace, Erwin. »
He then got up and turned his head towards his wife when he heard her sniffing. He noticed that Hange was having trouble holding back her tears.
“It was truly beautiful. » she told him before lifting her glasses slightly to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye.
Levi shrugged nonchalantly as he put his hands in his pockets, his gaze softening. They stood in front of Erwin's grave for a few more moments before leaving, Levi's mind now lighter after telling Erwin what was on his mind all this time. And as they turned their backs on the grave and slowly walked away, Levi felt a shiver run down his spine and sensed a presence behind him. He couldn't help but take one last look over his shoulder, but there was nothing there other than the grave and the flowers Hange had left. However, he was sure that...
“Levi ? » Hange said when she suddenly saw him look behind him.
But Levi remained silent and still for a few moments while staring at Erwin's grave, expecting to see something appear, but it didn't. " It's nothing. » he finally said before slowly turning away and walking again, unable to shake this strange feeling that something was watching them.
As they walked towards Jean and Mikasa's house, Hange slipped her hand into her husband's and squeezed it gently. “If this baby turns out to be another boy, we’ll name him Erwin. » Hange promised him.
Levi just nodded and squeezed her hand tighter in his.
~~
The sun was still high in the sky when they reached Jean and Mikasa's house. When they arrived they noticed that they were all outside as they had been a few hours earlier, sitting at the wooden table in the garden playing cards. The plates of leftover pastries they had eaten before Levi and Hange left to see Erwin's grave were still lying on the table, and Levi held back from grumbling at that.
“I saw you Connie !” Stop cheating. » Jean grumbled while trying to hide his own cards from the sight of his friend who was sitting next to him.
“I’m not cheating !” » Connie protested, giving him an outraged look.
“Of course you’re cheating, Springer. I saw you too. » Reiner intervened. “It doesn’t matter if you’re bad at cards, but you can at least pretend to be a good future loser. »
Pieck and Armin chuckled, hiding their faces behind their own cards while Connie scowled. It was then that Hange noticed that someone was missing, specifically an adult and a child. She looked around for Mikasa and Furlan before seeing them further away.
Mikasa held the little boy against her hip and was showing him the beautiful flowers that grew in the garden, and that she and Jean took great care of. Hange couldn't help but smile; Since the first day Mikasa had met Furlan, she had been deeply intrigued by this child. Subsequently, the young woman with jet black hair showed special affection for the little boy. During their first day in Paradis, when the two women found themselves alone under the tree where Eren's small grave was located, Mikasa had admitted to him that she was pregnant with Jean's baby and Hange was the only person to know about it for now.
Hange let Levi join the others playing cards and she walked over to Mikasa. As if he had felt his mother's presence, Furlan turned his head towards her and a huge smile appeared on his face when he saw Hange approaching.
“Mama !” » he exclaimed with joy as he began to fidget in Mikasa's arms. The latter then turned to Hange and gave her a small smile while the child stretched out her arms towards her mother.
" Everything went well ? » Mikasa asked as Hange took the little boy from her arms. Furlan hurriedly curled up against his mother and Hange kissed his forehead, reveling in his touch and his smell. She always missed her son when she was not with him, even if it was only for a few hours.
“It was… very emotional. » replied Hange who refrained from telling Mikasa about her pregnancy announcement to Levi. Mikasa didn't know about her second pregnancy yet, she had wished Levi would be the first to know, but now that it was done, maybe it was time for the others to know as well. As the Alliance was scheduled to return to Marley the next day, Hange planned to tell them this evening during their last dinner together.
It was then that Furlan began to move in her arms and moan, a sign that he wanted to be let go. Hange put him on the ground and the little boy ran awkwardly towards the group further away who were still playing cards at the wooden table. Hange looked at him until she saw Levi picking up their son on his lap while he pretended to be interested in the card game.
Then Hange began to look around the horizons, feeling immersed in the place. A part of her had missed Paradis all this time in Marley, and even if she no longer saw herself living there she was happy to find these landscapes both familiar and unfamiliar due to the many changes caused by the Rumbling. It was always strange for her and the others to no longer see the huge Walls that they had always been accustomed to. It had taken years to clean up the heavy property damage caused by Eren, and although the trauma was still present among the survivors of the Rumbling, people now seemed to live in a new carefree state, no longer constrained by fear of the Titans or by immense walls supposed to protect them. The absence of the Walls for all these years definitively proved that the reign of the Titans was indeed over. But now new issues were at hand and Hange and the other peace ambassadors were still disappointed to return to Marley with a failure.
She then forced herself to snap out of her thoughts and refocus on Mikasa. “So, when are you going to tell him ?” » Hange wanted to know, discreetly nodding towards Mikasa's stomach.
The young woman with black hair began to fiddle with the scarf around her neck reflexively. Even in the heat of the summer sun she was rarely seen without her scarlet scarf. " I don't know. I was never trained to announce a pregnancy, especially not my own. »
Hange chuckled. " I see what you mean. Take the time you need, but if you want to surprise him don't wait too long either. These kinds of things quickly become known. »
Mikasa looked doubtful. “As soon as I had the slightest doubt I went to see a doctor in secret, and he estimated that I was five weeks pregnant. I don't know how long it takes for a pregnant belly to start showing. Apparently it depends on the women. I'm afraid I won't have enough time to prepare my announcement. »
This time she blushed slightly and wrapped a finger around a dark strand of hair before gently pulling on it. Looked at like that, Mikasa looked like a shy teenager who didn't want to admit her crush, and Hange found that endearing. She had never been Mikasa's closest person, but Hange had always had a special affection for the young woman.
“We can announce our pregnancies together if you want. » Hange suggested point blank.
Mikasa's eyes widened and she stopped playing with her locks around her finger. “W-What ? Hange… are you pregnant ? »
Hange smiled at her. “I wanted to tell you the same day you told me about your own pregnancy under the tree, but I wanted to tell Levi first. He has known it since we went to visit Erwin's grave. »
" Oh."
A small smile appeared on Mikasa's lips. “It’s beautiful coincidence that we’re both expecting a child at the same time, isn’t it ?” » Then her smile vanished as suddenly as it had come and she instinctively turned her gaze towards the hill not far away, where the tree with Eren's makeshift grave stood. Hange followed her gaze and immediately understood when she saw Mikasa's expression darken.
“Mikasa…” Hange told her, taking her hand.
The young woman shook her head gently, burying her face further into the scarf around her neck. This time Hange squeezed her hand a little tighter and Mikasa lifted her face from the scarf. Hange then noticed that small tears were clinging to her long eyelashes.
" It's okay. » Mikasa said, wiping the corner of her eye. “It’s just… I feel so happy about this news and at the same time I feel… sad. It's often like this since Eren's death, I'm used to it. »
She cast a vague glance behind Hange and the scientist also turned her head in the same direction. Slightly further away, Jean continued to play cards with the others while arguing gently with Connie, still oblivious to the idea that he was going to become a father.
“Mikasa, do you really love Jean ? » Hange couldn't help but ask. She immediately regretted her question, thinking that it might have been inappropriate, but Mikasa didn't seem offended.
“Of course I love him." she replied softly. “But at first it wasn’t that simple… I was confused about my feelings for so long. For me it was Eren and no one else, and I was convinced that I could never love anyone else. But Jean questioned many things."
She let her hand slip from Hange's and slowly walked away towards the many colorful flowers that decorated this part of the garden. “For a long time, I did not spare Jean. At first, he was only passing through Paradis and we didn't see each other often, but little by little our paths began to cross more and more often and things started to happen slowly. He was there for me when I was grieving the loss of Eren, he wiped my tears patiently and listened to me. He knew he couldn't do anything else to ease my pain, so he listened to me tirelessly while I constantly confided to him my sadness and my regrets towards Eren and this life that escaped us. As time passed, his mere presence began to be enough comfort for me and I began to… not want to see him go."
Mikasa lowered herself slightly to delicately caress the petals of a blue flower with her fingertips while Hange listened without saying anything. “It was strange for me to feel that way. I had been alone for so long since Eren's death that I was no longer used to having a presence by my side. Jean began to have a place with me. We weren't a couple or lovers, he was just...there. It took me a long time... a long time to understand that new feelings were beginning to sprout in my heart. But I was confused. Was it romantic feelings or just this need to finally escape loneliness ? I gave it time and one day… I kissed him. » Mikasa finished. She glanced again at Jean in the distance, and Hange noticed her gaze soften. “I already told you that I felt guilty about Eren. I felt guilty about experiencing new happiness alongside Jean, I felt guilty for having dared to forget for a moment that I was now living in sorrow. I guess it's impossible to survive very long if the pain is not forgotten sometimes."
New laughter was heard at the table where the others were playing, interrupting her for a moment. Mikasa began to stroke her scarf with one hand, lost in her memories. “Jean accepted that I could continue to love and cherish Eren, he never held that against me and he encouraged me to continue to keep his memory alive. But... I can't help but imagine what Eren would think of all this."
Hange refrained from giggling as she imagined Eren's reaction if he had seen Jean in a relationship with Mikasa and getting her pregnant. If the afterlife existed, she could easily imagine the young man choking at that. It was then that she suddenly felt an unpleasant sensation and she instinctively placed a hand on her stomach, grimacing. Mikasa noticed this.
" Are you okay ? » she asked her, frowning slightly in worry.
“It’s nothing, just a little nausea. » Hange replied, taking a breath. She was so absorbed in the conversation that she had forgotten for a moment that she was early in her pregnancy and that the nausea had not completely gone away.
Thinking that it would help her feel a better, Mikasa guided her to the small wooden bench among the colorful flowers and invited her to sit there with her, which Hange accepted without flinching. Sitting on the bench, they faced the others who continued to play cards together further away. Hange even saw Levi glance at them quickly as he still held Furlan on his lap, as if he couldn't help but wonder what the two women were talking about to isolate themselves like that.
“Hange… Do you know what exactly happened the day I killed Eren ? » Mikasa suddenly asked after a brief silence.
The scientist was taken aback by this question and she held her breath, feeling that it wasn't going to help her nausea subside. She didn't know if it was a good idea for the conversation to take this direction and she feared it would create awkwardness.
But faced with her lack of response, Mikasa continued: “When I faced Eren for the last time, he… his eyes were closed. And as I rushed towards him, his eyes suddenly opened. It was as if he felt my presence, as if he felt it was me and not someone else. As I looked at him, I had the impression that he was trying to tell me something, but I could never interpret it. My heart was telling me to stop, I could have stopped, but I didn't. Our gazes remained locked into each other as I decapitated him. He didn't flinch once. When I realized the only way to stop Eren was to kill him, I couldn't bring myself to let anyone else do it. It had to be me.”
Mikasa's voice broke and Hange approached her to place a hand on her shoulder. “Mikasa… you don’t have to talk about this. » the scientist told her gently. She had always found that the young woman had shown indescribable courage and strength to resolve to kill the man she loved more than anything in order to save Humanity and her admiration for Mikasa exceeded everything.
"Do not worry, I... it makes me feel good to talk about it. » Mikasa replied in a soft voice. “I need to talk about this.”
Hange saw her blink several times quickly, probably wanting to stop more tears from falling. Despite the years that passed and the happiness that Jean brought her on a daily basis, Mikasa still had this pain brewing deep within her. The young woman with black hair took a deep breath, as if these words had cost her a lot of effort.
"You know, I thought about what you said to me last time under the tree: 'Even if Eren's life has stopped, yours continues.' You're right, Hange. I can't live my whole life locked up alone in this house and refuse happiness. This won't bring Eren back. But I will miss him all my life."
Hange felt her heart tighten and looked at her with compassion. “What you feel is purely human. Grief is a long and winding road, and you can never forget Eren or stop loving him. I can't promise you'll never feel these feelings about him again, but if life with Jean brings you any joy, you should keep it."
Mikasa nodded, a veil of sadness in her eyes. "I know you're right. For a long time I believed that the pain I felt would end up killing me, I felt like I was continually drowning in a raging sea. Then Jean managed to pull my head above water and showed me that I could still feel something other than this infinite sadness and weariness. Eren is dead and I'm still alive, it's a reality that I've had a hard time accepting for a long time, but I'm learning to do it. I learn to accept my contradictory emotions towards Eren, to accept that grieving can take time, but I also accept to move forward and be happy with the family I am building with Jean."
Mikasa's gaze softened again when she directed it towards Jean in the distance. She couldn't help but place a hand on her flat stomach. “I have no doubt that he will be an incredible father. And by talking about it, I'm starting to get impatient to tell him."
Her face suddenly lit up. Her eyes, filled with melancholy a few seconds before, were now bright with hope at the idea of a more joyful future. Hange moved a little closer to her on the bench and the two women stood there for a few moments watching Jean, Levi, Furlan, Armin, Connie, Reiner and Pieck gathered together as they continued to play cards, realizing how lucky they were to have them by their side.
~~
It was starting to get late as they all chatted together around the garden table, after having shared a hearty meal that Jean and Mikasa had prepared for them for their last evening in Paradis. They had probably never eaten as much as during their stay here, and they had discovered culinary talents that they had not suspected in the young couple. Tomorrow morning, the peace ambassadors are expected to return to Marley. They were still a little bitter that the talks had not been successful and that they were leaving without really being able to accomplish their goal, but that was only postponed.
Candles and strings of lights had been installed throughout the garden, giving a warm and comfortable atmosphere. Armin was sitting next to Mikasa; in recent days he had never stopped staying by her side as he had missed her so much, and a part of him had difficulty leaving her again, although he was happy that she now had Jean's company on a daily basis. But Armin had Annie and their daughter Amelia waiting for him at Marley, and he was also eager to be reunited with his family. He had brought with him photos of Amelia which he had proudly shown to Mikasa and Jean. Mikasa had pointed out the little girl's resemblance to Armin, although he had always thought that his daughter had instead inherited Annie's features. Her hair was blonde, as light as Annie's, and her soft eyes were as blue as a summer sky. Armin loved her so much it hurt. Back when he and Annie were struggling to conceive and couple Zoë Ackerman welcomed their baby boy, he heard Hange tell him many times how special becoming a parent was, that it gave us such strong love that it made one dizzy. Armin understood her words more than ever when Amelia was born.
He often wondered how Eren would have reacted to his fatherhood. Armin was sure that his childhood friend would have been more than happy to know Amelia and that he would have had an important place in her life. He was sure that his friend would have been Uncle Eren in his daughter's eyes, and he promised himself to tell Amelia about Eren as much as possible. He also thinks that Eren might not have been surprised by his marriage to Annie. However, Armin knew that Eren would have accepted Annie among them despite everything that had happened, unlike Levi who held a stubborn resentment towards her. One of his biggest regrets was never knowing this life alongside Eren, but he tried not to let himself be overcome by sadness and to fully enjoy these last moments in Paradis.
Summer evenings were relatively warm here. Despite the heat, Mikasa wore her scarf and shawl around her shoulders. Pieck, who was having fun with Furlan on her lap, even asked her if she wasn't too hot, to which Mikasa gently shook her head. Sitting next to Hange and with a stomach full of his hearty dinner – he was sure he had gained weight in such a short time – Levi longed to return to the comfort of his own home. Even if they hadn't stayed for a very long time in Paradis he began to feel the lack of his daily life alongside his family. He didn't like staying in Paradis to deal with these political matters, it was more a duty reserved for Hange and the others, but he also couldn't completely ignore the issues that were still current.
Moreover, he sometimes couldn't help but look up at the hill not far away, where Eren's small grave was located. They all went several times under the tree next to his grave during their stay, and Levi had each time tried to hide his discomfort. He hadn't even been able to find what to say in front of Eren's grave, unlike the others and unlike what he had done in front of Erwin's grave. In reality he had things to say to Eren, but for the moment he was unable to say them in front of the small stone that housed what was left of him, and he didn't know when he would have the opportunity to do so. This last day in Paradis had a bittersweet taste for him.
They all stopped one by one when Hange, who was sitting between Levi and Pieck, stood up. All eyes turned towards her. “Well, since our mission ends here, I wanted to first tell you that I was delighted with this stay in Paradise by your side. " she began.
“Even if things didn’t go as planned with the Yeagerists. » Connie sighed, resting his chin in his hand, sheepishly.
“Things did not go as planned. » Hange admitted. “But we will have other chances in the future and I hope that this cycle of hatred will one day end thanks to our efforts. I wanted to tell you that despite everything I am proud of all of us, proud that we continue to work for a better world even after the disappearance of the Titans. Over time, I am confident that our appeals for peace will be successful.”
Pieck nodded vigorously at Hange's words while her mouth was full of a bun, of which she had shared a small part with Furlan who was still sitting on her lap and biting the bread with difficulty with his small teeth. The others listened attentively, their eyes fixed on her.
“And also, I wanted to tell you that I am grateful to have you all by my side. I am grateful that despite all the losses we have suffered and all the hardships we have overcome, we are still here, together, working for peace to ensure an even better future for future generations and that all our previous efforts have not been in vain."
Hange saw Mikasa nod gently as she listened silently, one hand absently stroking her scarf. Something seemed to happen as their eyes met, as if Mikasa was silently encouraging Hange to tell everyone the little secret that had been hiding in the pit of her stomach. At this thought, the scientist felt butterflies fluttering throughout her body and this time she looked at Levi, who was observing her attentively.
“I only have one wish. » continued Hange. “The wish that all of our children and those yet to be born enjoy this hard-won freedom and peace. I'm not naive, I know that conflicts between people will always exist, but things can change for the better if we bother to fight for what we think is right."
She then placed a hand on her flat stomach and took a deep breath. “As a mother, I sincerely hope that our little Furlan will be able to enjoy this new world thanks to our efforts, just like his little brother or little sister to come. »
There were two seconds of complete silence before gasps of surprise were heard around the table.
“Whaaaaat ?? » Connie shouted, trying to get up from his chair so suddenly that he fell backwards onto the floor. Not hiding his hilarity, Jean got up from his own chair to help him up. "Again ? You two are real rabbits ! » Connie exclaimed, looking at Hange then at Levi as he got up with his friend's help.
“Don’t overdo it, brat. It’s only our second.” » Levi corrected him coldly, giving him an annoyed look. “It doesn’t take much to see us as animals that reproduce every month."
“You must excuse him. » Jean sneered with a mischievous smile, putting an arm around Connie's shoulders. “This kind of good news is indecent for the pure soul of a kid like him. He still believes that babies are born when mom eats dad's seed. » he taunted him and Connie broke away from his embrace with an annoyed look while Mikasa looked at them in silence, smiling behind her scarf.
Without letting go of Furlan, Pieck in turn got up from her chair to take Hange in her arms to congratulate her while Armin did the same. “Hey, why always only congratulate the woman when she's expecting a child ? There's a brave guy who did some of the work too. » Reiner pointed, nodding towards Levi.
“And he did great !” » Hange smiled proudly, and Levi rolled his eyes.
“Heeey big bro!” » said Connie and Jean who had gone around the table to tickle Furlan who was still in Pieck's arms. The little boy chuckled as he squirmed to escape the tickle attack, but he quickly stopped laughing before staring with wide eyes at the adults around him, not understanding this sudden agitation.
Hange gently took her son from Pieck's arms to hold him against her. “Do you know what that means, sweetie ? Mama has a baby in her belly. » she told him softly, pointing a finger at her own stomach. Furlan's eyes, so similar to hers, scanned her for a moment before moving down to her stomach, confused.
" Baby ? » he repeated, causing a few fond chuckles around him.
At that moment Hange realized again that her first baby was going to be a big brother and she felt a knot forming in her throat. She remembered without difficulty the day she learned she was pregnant after her first night with Levi and how upset she had been, the day she felt Furlan move for the first time in her belly, the stressful birth she had to manage alone with Levi's help, the indescribable love that had flowed through them when they had held Furlan in their arms for the first time, the day he had spoken his first words and taken his first steps... She hadn't seen the last two years go by, and now her baby was going to be a big brother.
It was then that in the hubbub, a small, sweet voice was heard. “Um, I also have something to say." said Mikasa who hadn't moved from her chair.
Everyone was silent and their eyes fell on her, intrigued. Hange met the young woman's gaze and she in turn silently encouraged her to reveal her secret. She could see that Mikasa's cheeks had slightly reddened from having all those eyes on her. Her own gaze focused on Jean then she lowered her eyes, not daring to look at anyone.
She took a deep breath. “I…I’m also expecting a baby. » she whispered so quietly that they could hear her only because of the silence that had fallen while waiting for her announcement.
The surprise was such that no one reacted for a split second, before Armin let out a strange noise from his throat as he rushed at Mikasa and hug her, while Connie was jumping up and down with excitement.
“We’re going to have more nephews and nieces !” Pieck exclaimed happily before going to hug Mikasa as Armin loosened his grip on her and fighting back tears of joy.
“Well, I have to say that some of us were the best performers. » Reiner taunted while giving a knowing look towards Jean and Levi. “A true baby boom. » he muttered before taking a sip of wine.
However, Jean does not react in the same way as the others, contrary to what they expected. He was frozen as he stared at Mikasa intently, looking completely in shock. “Hey man, say something!” » suggested Connie.
But Jean remained silent and kept his eyes fixed on Mikasa with an expression of pure shock. Even Mikasa didn't know how to interpret this and she suddenly seemed uncomfortable. It was then that Jean slowly walked towards the young woman who was seated at the end of the wooden table. She remained seated but their eyes did not leave each other while he was now standing in front of her. Silence fell and everyone held their breath as they observed the couple. Only Furlan seemed uninterested in the situation, preferring to play with a lock of Hange's hair.
“Mikasa…Is that true ?” » Jean finally asked him in a hoarse voice as if he couldn't believe it. He continued to stare into her eyes intensely to the point of intimidating her.
“Y-Yes. » stammered Mikasa, whose cheeks were now completely pink from announcing such news in front of everyone. “You’re going to be a father, Jean. We are going to become parents. »
At that moment it was as if her words finally made their way to Jean's brain. Mikasa stood up to hug him as he collapsed on top of her crying, all to the cheers of joy from their friends around them.
In the euphoria and excitement of the moment, Hange felt overcome by a wonderful calm that she had rarely felt. Seeing her loved ones so united and so happy, able to rebuild themselves despite the hardships endured filled her with joy and pride. She hoped that this moment would last forever, that they could all stay in this state of happiness forever on this summer night, with the hope that the future would only hold the best for them.
At that precise moment, Hange had the feeling that nothing could ruin this happiness. It was then that she felt a strange sensation. The hairs on her arms stood up and a long shiver ran down her spine. Her instinct pushed her to turn her head towards the hill not far away, where the tree protecting Eren's grave was located. Her gaze fixed on the silhouette of the tree as an uneasiness began to creep within her while her friends voices around her suddenly seemed muffled. She had the unpleasant feeling that something was watching them far away on the hill, hidden in the darkness. Despite her scientific mind, Hange couldn't help but wonder if she felt the presence of Eren's ghost. This thought seemed both plausible and ridiculous to her. She had witnessed apparitions of her dead comrades herself, but she didn't like how it made her feel to watch the tree in the distance. It was the first time this kind of thing had happened to her since she returned to Paradis and she instinctively hugged Furlan tighter to her.
“Hange ?”
She jumped and suddenly came back to reality at the voice of Levi who had approached her, and she was able to clearly hear the voices of the others around her again, as if her head had been pulled out of the water. "What's wrong ? You look like you've seen a ghost." he pointed out to her.
"Oh, uh, it's nothing. It's just fatigue. The start of pregnancy is not easy." Hange lied. She couldn't help but glance again at the tree in the distance, but she no longer felt anything. What had happened ?
Levi frowned, unconvinced. Except him, no one had noticed her strange behavior because they were all still in the euphoria of the news they had just learned, but Hange was quick to put aside the discomfort she had felt so as not to spoil this moment.
Jean and Mikasa's house had a room that could accommodate some of the ambassadors to sleep comfortably at night. It was a room that would probably later serve as a bedroom for their future child. The place wasn't big enough to accommodate everyone for the night, and since they arrived at Paradise Reiner and Connie had volunteered to spend the nights at a nearby hostel while the others could have the privilege of sharing the room together. Later that night, while everyone was sleeping, Hange couldn't do the same. She shared a rather small bed with Levi and Furlan, while Armin and Pieck slept together in a similar bed opposite. The nausea had started to resurface, and it certainly wasn't helping her find peaceful sleep. Plus, she was still quite disturbed by the strange sensation she had felt earlier when looking towards the hill. From where she was, Hange faced the window, whose semi-transparent curtains let the faint light of the moon shine through. She had been looking at the window for several minutes and she had difficulty tearing herself away from it, as if she was expecting to see something appear. Once again, shivers covered her arms and she pulled the sheet a little tighter around her, like a child afraid of the night.
Little by little, her nausea subsided and fatigue fell on her like a weight, which motivated her to finally look away from the window. Hange tried to put aside her discomfort and turned on her side to face the sleeping faces of Furlan and Levi. The sight of her loves reassured her somewhat and she moved closer to Furlan who was sleeping soundly between his parents. Hange snuggled a little deeper into the sheet and ended up falling asleep, her forehead pressed to her son's.
Outside, the wind suddenly began to blow.