{LEVIHAN} Always

Chapter 12: Affections

Hanji's POV

"Hanji... are you awake?" Levi kept prodding my arm awake. Groaning softly, I opened my eyes, looking up to see his beautiful gray eye. He smiles softly, caressing my cheek. "Good morning, Hanji..."

"What do you want...?"

"I need your help to get dressed."

Sighing heavily, I continued to nuzzle my face into his chest. "But... I don't want to..." I smiled softly, snaking my hand to find his. Then, there was a sly thought coming across my face. "The baby says no."

"The baby can't even talk, what the hell are you talking about? Just help me get dressed."

"No. I just want to stay here... just a bit longer..." Levi sighed, trying to caress my cheek with his wounded hand. It's a little weird that he only has two fingers... but that doesn't matter. 

"I had a strange dream last night..."

"What?"

"We had a son named Erwin- looking exactly like him too."

"That... is strange..."

I chuckled softly, nodding my head. "Exactly! He even spoke like him. Can you imagine a child Erwin shouting at the two of us about our paperwork wasn't being completed? He was like... 7 years old... maybe I'm a little bit crazy or hesitant..."

"About the baby?"

"Never really thought of a having a baby. Titans were all of my babies... I took care of them and, yes, I experimented on them, but I always treated them with respect. How are we supposed to raise a tiny human being?! I can raise a giant one, but not a tiny one..."

Levi sighed, trying to pull me closer to him. "We can ask Dr. Annis to give us books about babies since Onyankonpon won't know about it. Speaking of... how are we going to hide it?"

"The beauty of illusion." I smiled.

We stayed for another hour, just cuddling with each other. We haven't spoken another word as we stayed close to each other. This was the sort of peace we wanted... no one to disturb us... just the two of us.

"Levi!" I jolted up from the bed, hearing Onyankonpon's voice. He wasn't supposed to be here... not today. "Levi, listen to me. Armin and I are here to discuss something."

"Dammit..." I scowled, nudging Hanji awake. "Help me get dressed- now. Onyankonpon's here with Armin."

"What?!" Hanji quietly screamed, shaking her head. "Okay, okay, I'm hurrying!"

After I fell a couple of times as Hanji tried to help me get dressed and into my wheelchair, I was finally ready. "Get down and hide." I hissed, not knowing what they were here for. "And be careful of the baby!"

"I know to be careful! I'm not that reckless, Levi!"

"Just..." I sighed, shaking my head. "I'll be back, okay?"

*   *   *

"You want me to what?"

Armin began to stutter with his words, so Onyankonpon began to step in. "Let me explain it again, Levi. We have Marleyans who have mastered prosthetics. We have applied those things to those who were wounded. They are currently living well and free. Levi, it could help you walk, help you hold things. We're not advanced to fix your eye, but everything else... it's metal."

"And how does that work?"

"For your leg, they want to amputate it-."

"No. Next one."

Onyankonpon nodded his head. I can still use my injured leg, so why the hell am I going to get it cut off? "Still on topic with the leg, they want to know if you still want the brace? Of course, it'll be hard to continue putting on and taking it off-."

"That's fine with me. What about my hand?"

"Marley was thinking of using your nerves from your missing fingers to help use metal fingers to substitute it. I don't know how they do it, Levi, but that technology works. You can have access to your old fingers again."

"I... give me a minute to think about it." In reality, I wanted to go back to Hanji and discuss it with her. As much as I'm afraid of those new developments, I want to hear Hanji's opinion on it.

Onyankonpon nodded, "Of course." I think he understands what I was trying to do...

*   *   *

Hanji was hidden underneath the bed, gently caressing her stomach. When I called for her, she crawled out of her hiding spot, tilting her head like a little puppy. I explained everything to her, about Onyankonpon and the Marley technology; I told her about my doubts and fear, and she listened to me.

Once I was done, I asked her another question. "Do you think I should risk it?"

"Onyankonpon said that other people have survived it, right?"

"Yeah."

"I think we should try it. You don't want to use the serum on yourself, so... give it a shot. If other people have survived these things, then it should be safe to assume that it'll be successful. What else do you have to lose?"

"For one, my entire hand..."

"But it's not your mind... because you have me..." Hanji smiles, kissing my lips. "Go for it."

"Then that means I have to leave you to go into Marley... I don't know how long you'll be alone with the baby on the way..."

"Dr. Annis will be by my side throughout the whole thing. Don't worry about me... okay?" I don't feel good about this... but if Hanji says it's okay... then... I'll do it. 

I nodded my head, accepting it. "I'll go tell Onyankonpon then."