Ein Riese, der Fliegen Wollte

New Life

Eren is panicking.

Scratch that. Everyone is panicking. The humans are running back and forth frantically, there's shouting and screaming and the smell of blood and pain and distress.

Mikasa had instructed him to carry the fallen, screaming woman to the doctor, and Eren had been so grateful just to have some direction to follow, but the doctor isn't here and he doesn't know what to do. Humans are flitting around him like fish around a blockage in their stream-seeing him just enough to sidestep around him to complete some task or another without really acknowledging him or explaining anything. Bowls of water are passing hands, someone is lighting a fire under a heavy, black pot, someone is carrying in sheets and small pieces of cloth.

Eren doesn't know what to do. He feels helpless. The humans all seem to at least understand the situation but Eren doesn't understand and he doesn't know what to do.

Just then the door bursts open, slamming against the wall with a bang, and the doctor comes through, panting for breath, Armin at his heels. "Carla!"

The injured woman lets out a scream followed by a whimper. "Hannes! It's here! It's com-ahh!" She curls up on the cot even more tightly, a forceful tremor racking her body as she grunts in pain.

Now the doctor is yelling, too, pointing at each person in turn and issuing them a job. Eren is instructed to lean Carla forward while another human stuffs pillows behind her, and he does so without hesitation. Armin had always told him that if there was an emergency, he should listen to what the doctor said, so he wasn't about to ignore the orders given to him now.

When Carla has been adjusted according to the doctor's instructions, he turns back to see the blond human sitting between her raised legs, murmuring soft things to her. Soon, another shriek rips through her as her whole body clenches and shudders again. "Hannes," she whimpers "Hannes, I need you up here, please I-" she gasps "I can't do this without you here, I need, I-" Her hands twist into the sheets below her so hard, Eren expects them to tear.

The doctor gives her a look of pained sympathy. "You can, darling. You can do this. I have to be down here, though. I have to make sure our baby comes out alright. Don't want him to fall out onto the floor do you?" He gives a shaky smile, his hand stroking one of her legs comfortingly, and Carla gives a hiccupping laugh.

Another shudder wracks her body, and this time, one of her hands darts out to grab Eren's in a vice-like grip. He flinches away in shock at first, but she just holds onto him and doesn't do anything further. Belatedly, he manages to puzzle out the doctor's meaning, the word 'baby' catching his attention, and he looks around at the chaos around them in a new light.

Carla is going to lay her clutch. Mikasa's words about the dangers of childbirth spring to his mind all at once, and it's all he can do not to start panicking again.

Hannes makes more assuring noises and "that's it, Carla"s, and it seems to help her, the death-grip on his hand relaxing a little. Without thinking, he squeezes her hand, a quiet warbling noise slipping from low in his throat, just loud enough for the shaking woman to hear.

Carla looks up at him, and he uses his free hand to swipe the hair out of her face. Slowly, so she doesn't startle, he leans his forehead against hers, cooing softly again. Her grip tightens in thanks for just a moment before relaxing-as much as the tremors allow, at least.