Because of You || Hange x Reader

Chapter 2

I'm sitting with Connie, Sasha and Jean in the mess hall eating lunch. It's been a day since the expedition; a day since I met Hange. We haven't spoken since we took down the abnormal. She got called away to deal with her own squad and I had to go and rejoin mine. I can't stop thinking about her though. She seems to be just as fascinated by the Titans as I am. I take another bite of my roll, pretending to listen to Jean complain about Eren. We have chores this afternoon. Cleaning out the stables. Just thinking about it makes me want dive head first down a Titan's gullet. I'm still thinking about the digestive tract - or lack thereof - of Titans when someone taps me on the shoulder. I flinch involuntarily and turn around. Hange is standing behind me.

"(Y/N)!" she chirps.

"Oh, hi Hange!" I smile at her.

"Are you done eating?" she asks. She doesn't wait for me to finish before grabbing my arm and dragging me out of my seat. "Good!" she says. "Come with me."

"I- ok," I say, slightly flustered. I wave goodbye to my friends as Hange drags me out of the mess hall. We start walking down a part of Scouts HQ that I haven't been before. I glance nervously at Hange, who's walking so fast she's almost running. "I was going to come get you this morning," Hange chatters. "But I had a meeting and paperwork and all that so I though I'd come get you now. Sorry if I interrupted your lunch."

"Oh no you're fine," I say. "But, uh, where are we going?"

Hange grins at me. "I have something to show you!"

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"Aren't they beautiful!" Hange flings out her arms and I gasp. Because right in front of me are two Titans. We're in a large courtyard near the back of HQ. All around us members of the Scouts stand on guard. Swords out and pointed at the Titans. There was one of 4m class and one of 7m. Nails are hammered into their limbs, keeping them down, and there's ropes tied around their necks also keeping them in place. "I called that one Sonny," she pointed to 4m one. "And that 7m is Bean." She looks at me eagerly. "What do you think?"

A grin splits my face. "They're amazing! How did you capture them?"

"We got them in Trost. It took a lot to wrangle them in but it was worth it." Hange starts to explain in detail how they captured Sonny and Bean while I just stare at the Titans. I can't believe I get to see a live one this close. Without being nearly about to be eaten, of course. The Titans writhe and snap at us. I turn again to Hange, mirroring her eagerness. This is so exciting. "Have you tried to establish communication with them?"

Hange nods. "I did. It was unsuccessful unfortunately but the time spent doing it I felt was incredibly productive. We're still trying of course, just in case."

"Fascinating..." I murmur. "And what other experiments have you performed on them?"

"Lots! But there's still a lot more to do."

"Have you timed their regenerating abilities?" I asked. "Because I've always wanted to compare a regular Titan's with Eren's but when I suggested that Mikasa nearly shoved her fork through my eye."

Hange stares at me wide-eyed and I blush. "I was only saying to cut of his little finger or something, not his actual head or anything," I say quickly.

Hange grabs my shoulders. "No! That's a brilliant idea!" Her face is very close to mine, she's so exicited that she doesn't even notice. I blush harder looking back to Sonny and Bean. Hange realises then and let's go quickly, also turning back to face Sonny and Bean. I can almost swear a faint pink tinges her cheeks.

After a moment she asks, "Wanna try talk to them?"

I grin at her, nodding vehemently. "Yes!"