Against The Tide

Chapter Nine: Breaking The Chain

That night, Hange had allowed the two of them to bond with their newborn daughter, believing that she had done enough work, and Eren would let her know if there was something that had gone wrong in the night. As a result, after she had ensured Armin was settled fully, she snuck back off towards her cabin, hoping for some much-needed rest and to be able to tend to her wounds. It had been a long night for everyone, and logically Hange couldn't do much else for Armin except let his body regenerate on its own. Mikasa was worn out, sleeping peacefully while Eren sat at her bedside, holding a sleeping Carla. He didn't sleep at all, his mind flooded with endless thoughts as he gazed down at his daughter. He knew this would likely be the only time he could hold her for a long period of time...if he decided to continue his plans.

By the time the sun had peaked its way over the hillsides on the horizon, its warm light had shined down on a white surface, which sparkled at its lumination. A cool breeze blew over the clearing, brushing the white powder slightly from its surface as it whistled gently through the bitter air. Hange had practically slept through most of the day, allowing her exhaustion to cling her to the bed the night before, figuring she had needed the break. When she had finally awoken, she was quick to dress herself before rushing off towards the main cabin, hoping that the first night had gone smoothly for the new mother.

Carefully, she opened the front door, before sliding her way inside and closing it silently behind her. She then made her way across the room, at first checking in on Armin, who still remained limp on the couch, steam evaporating from his mangled face. Hange cocked a brow, taking a moment to look over him for a moment as she hummed softly in her focus. His body had been healing just as any other titan holder would be able to do...however, he should have recovered just as fast as Eren did with his legs, or at least in a few hours after the birth. What was different this time? Why was he taking so long to recover from a bullet wound, especially when he had faced many during his time over in Marley? She frowned worriedly, moving to brush his blonde hair from his face, carefully fanning away the steam. Suddenly, the steam dissipated, revealing that the wound in his cheek had grown slightly, and the flesh of his jaw had caved in, revealing the remainder of his teeth. It seemed almost as if.. his face had been decaying away, and his body had been decomposing just as many Titans had years prior.

Hange felt a sinking feeling in her gut, flinching away from the sight as she gave a shaky gasp. Her eyes panned downwards, checking over his chest. For a moment, it remained eerily still, as if his body had been peacefully laid to rest sometime throughout the night. Suddenly though, Hange watched as his chest rose up in a very small breath, ensuring he was still alive. She exhaled in relief, attempting to calm her pounding heart.

Eren was the first one up,, having not really slept much. Mikasa was completely spent, as she slept soundly in bed. She was laying on her side, her arm reached out and her hand resting on her sleeping newborn, who slept in the bed with her. It would only be until a bassinet was properly put together. The baby had also been dressed in lavender colored pajamas, obviously small enough to fit her. The baby also seemed to be sleeping peacefully, her tiny hand gripping Mikasa's finger as the two rested. Eren gazed down at them lovingly, brushing Mikasa's bangs from her face. He closed the window curtains to keep the sunlight from coming in too much, and exited the bedroom, sensing something was off. When he entered the living room and saw Armin's sight, he instantly knew something was wrong.

"Hange...he hasn't healed yet...?" Eren asked, keeping his voice low as to not wake Mikasa or the baby, but his tone was urgent as he looked down at his childhood friend, seeing the horrid condition of his face. He got a sinking feeling in his gut when he saw the wound on Armin's face, which should have been fully healed by now, looked as if it was getting worse.