Experimenting With Miracles // ERERI

Chapter 23

The next few days were rough to say the least - what with Eren’s surprisingly slow healing, the new parents attempting to settle into a routine with their children, and the various people visiting to see them… Things were borderline pandemonium.

Hazel and Cayden woke and cried together at random points during the night, waking both of their parents when they did. Levi would rise, hand off one or the other to his spouse, then take the other in hand. It was then they would calm the infants and distinguish the reason for their awakening. It was a bit of a surprise when they figured out it was usually for the same reason as the other twin, though there was still plenty of times when one woke the other by crying.

Hanji was great in assisting them where they needed. They were especially thankful for her intelligence, as she had single handedly made up a powder of sorts they were able to mix with milk in order to feed the babies. Her small inputs and advice definitely helped keep them sane as they adjusted to the change in their lives.

Eren, despite the help from his lover, Hanji, and other friends, continued to be stubborn. He would get up and attend the babies, even though it put him in obvious pain to do so. His incision site was healing at a snail’s pace at best, which only made for a more pushy Hanji and Levi. The lack of decent sleep was bad enough, not allowing himself to heal before being so active was worse.

By the time the end of the first week came, Levi was sure the bags beneath his eyes would be permanent if they weren’t already. But, despite this, he felt grateful for his little mismatched family. He never would’ve imagined himself as a father, and yet there he was, helping Eren raise the two new lives that had entered the world. Who would’ve thought?

One night as Eren was lying abed alongside his slumbering lover, he heard the distinct whimpering begin from the twins who were situated in their cribs in the small adjoining room to his and Levi’s. He sat up slowly, wiping at his exhausted eyes. His hearing had quickly become accustomed to hearing even the slightest of noises from his children. The same could not exactly be said for his spouse, who seemed to only hear them once they were fully crying loudly.

But, tired as he was, he couldn’t find it in himself to be bitter towards the other. Levi was still working a bit even though he was technically on leave, at least for three months. So that coupled with his usual lacking ability to sleep and then the wearisome days caring for their newborns was a lot.

He lumbered into the extra room and lifted his fussing son into his arms with a low hushing sound. “It’s alright baby,” he murmured, “Daddy’s here. Now what do we need this time?” If the usual timing was anything to go off of, it was time for a diaper change. He quickly changed his son and shushed both of them back into a sleepy peace.

Once they were both successfully out again, Eren found himself looking down at the twins as they slept. They were only about two weeks old, yet they already seemed attached to one another. Their little hands often found each other’s bodies, where they would clasp onto the fabric of their onesies. It warmed his heart to see.

He also felt immensely relieved that despite their quite early arrival, besides being very small, they seemed to be healthy. Nothing had come up by way of their breathing or otherwise. His babies were growing more everyday, and they were healthy.

“You got them back to sleep then?”

Eren looked to the doorway where he found his lover leaning against the frame. He sent him a small smile.

“Yeah. Cayden just needed a diaper change, and Hazel needed to be comforted but they’re okay now,” Eren replied in a low, quiet tone.

Levi gave him a small nod, “Sorry I didn’t get up sooner. I guess my hearing is still kinda fucked up.”