The Tomorrow

Mike awoke to see Nanaba smiling at him, her slim body nestled against his.

"Happy morning." She flecked a strand of dirty blonde hair out of his eyes.

He ruffled her hair and returned the smile. He had always been taciturn and dutiful, but lately his precious nights with Nanaba were bringing out his playful side.

She wrapped an arm around his massive, warm chest. "I wish we could stay like this all day."

"Me too." He rolled on top of her and sank into her kisses.

"Mmm…you shouldn't be late. Wasn't Erwin already questioning you questions earlier this week?" she murmured.

He sighed. "Unfortunately."

As much as Mike loved Erwin, Mike wasn't sure his friend would approve of a relationship among squad leaders. But that still didn't stop him from stealing a few more kisses.

"See you tonight?" When they were dressed, Mike caressed her calloused hands.

"Of course, mini-titan." Nanaba craned her neck to peck him on the lips before sneaking back to her own quarters for a clean shirt.

For a warrior of his size and strength, Mike had the gentlest heart she knew.

"Oluo, knock it off! I'm telling you, you've gotten the fattest head since our last mission!"

Nanaba stopped on her path to training to espy two of their loudest recruits sparring, as per usual.

"Nanaba, would you please tell Oluo to let me pass?" Petra Ral turned her pretty, exasperated face away from her comrade.

"She forgot her belt. I'm just trying to keep her sharp," Oluo said.

"Last I checked, you're still a baby recruit who's survived, oh, three years?" Nanaba cocked an eyebrow.

"And made Squad Levi with the most kills."

"That doesn't mean you're a squad leader or any more superior to your comrades. Here, we treat everyone with respect." Nanaba crossed her arms, feeling unusually faint. "Let Ral get her gear."

"Sorry, Petra," Oluo muttered as he stood aside.

Now Nanaba's head was really beginning to spin.

"Stop!" Oluo shrieked.

"You pompous – " Petra spun around to see Nanaba crumple to the ground. "Oh! Catch her!"

"Have you eaten anything today?" Bespectacled, beloved Dr. Gruber puttered around the medical office.

Nanaba pressed a hand to her throbbing head. "No…truthfully, I felt rather queasy."

"Hmm. Could be lack of sustenance, then."

"I ate last night. I've gone longer without food. Likely a mild illness. I'll be fine." Nanaba stood.

"Just you wait." Dr. Gruber blocked her path. "Please sit back down, Nanaba. I know you're going to be back in training within ten minutes unless I keep you here. So I consider it my physician's duty to run as many tests as I can. Just to be safe. We can't have any weakened soldiers."

"I'm not weak," she muttered, sinking back into the examining chair.

"Then you'll have no problem missing a day of training." Dr. Gruber pressed his stumpy fingers against her wrist. "Well, your pulse is a bit fast."

"It's impatient, like me," she said with a laugh Gruber had to join.

But half an hour later, he was deadly serious. "Nanaba…are you, hmm, how shall I say this, romantically involved with anyone?"

"Why?" Nanaba sat up straight.

"Sexually?" Dr. Gruber's face was almost as red as her own. "I'll take your silence as a yes."

"Dr. Gruber…" Nanaba's heart beat with dread. Please, no. "I can't be pregnant."

"Nanaba won't be joining us. Apparently she's taken ill." Erwin began their afternoon staff meeting with a concerned frown.

Mike felt alarm jolt through him. She'd seemed normal this morning. And if both of them became ill, well, their secret might leak.

"I heard as much from Oluo," Levi confirmed.

"Well, I'm sure she'll be fine after some rest," Moblit said. The meeting moved on, but guilt gnawed at Mike. He should be with her, although she'd likely send him right back here.

As soon as their meeting adjourned, Mike nodded good-bye to Erwin and hurried to Nanaba's quarters. He entered quietly, in case she was sleeping – but she wasn't there at all.

With a frown, he strode towards the medical office. She couldn't be that sick, could she?

"Hange, can you keep a secret?"

"Nanaba!" Hange jumped, slamming their science notebooks shut.

"Titan restraints?" Nanaba frowned at the strange drawings she'd seen.

"Well, yes. I'm not an engineer, but if I'm going to convince Erwin to keep capturing titans, I need something to present. All we need is one slip up and he might forbid me again." Hange paused. "Nanaba, holy walls. Why are you crying?"

"If – if I told you – can you keep it secret?"

"Depends on the nature of the secret," Hange said seriously.

Nanaba chuckled. "That's the answer I expected."

"Please sit." Hange plopped down on their desk, leaving the chair open.
Nanaba lowered herself into the seat. "Do you know how to end a pregnancy?"

"Of course, I –" Hange froze. "What? Why are you asking me this?"

"Because Dr. Gruber won't." Nanaba kicked the floor.

"You'd need to be pregnant to end a pregnancy." Hange eyed the tall woman.

Nanaba met her eyes.

"Say it or I won't believe you."

"I am. Pregnant, that is."

"What happened? Who's the father? Are you sure you want to end it?" Hange felt themself getting carried away with questions again.

Nanaba half-smiled. "You honestly don't know?"

Hange thought for a moment before gasping. "Nanaba!"

Nanaba buried her face in her hands. She couldn't do this. This couldn't be happening. End it. End it now. Better than she'd died on a mission.

"Does Mike know? Is he in agreement?"

"No and no."

Hange frowned. "Nanaba."

"I can't trouble him. I – I feel guilty enough distracting him as it is."

Hange huffed. "Then I can't help you."

"What?" Nanaba gasped. She would have to go into town, find some hack doctor –

She couldn't live this down, couldn't bring dishonor on the already lowly Survey Corps, couldn't burden Mike.

Hange grabbed the woman's wrist. "Listen, Nanaba. I can help you, but I'd really rather you tell Mike first. See what he says. Love is a beautiful thing, and any fool can see love between you."

"They can?"

"Yes. Erwin and Levi are fools."

"Oh, is Levi?" Nanaba couldn't resist giving Hange a sly smile.

"Shut up." Hange's face turned purple. "Please, I'm begging you to tell Mike. You're one the strongest woman I know. Mentally, too. You're running now, and as your friend, I can't let you act like a coward."

Nanaba pursed her lips. Coward… "I… Hange."

"I know you're scared. I support whatever you choose," Hange told her as they stood. "And your secret is safe with me."

Mike found Nanaba waiting for him in his quarters, on his bed of all places.

"Are you okay? Levi said you fainted." Mike reached her side in a mere two steps. Her eyes were bloodshot. "Good Walls, what happened?"

Nanaba pulled her knees against her chest.

"Nanaba?" Mike knelt before her and took her hands. "You can tell me."

She stared straight into his faded blue eyes. "I'm pregnant."

Mike felt weakness spread throughout his body. Pregnant – they were soldiers – they were a secret – "W-what?"

"I'm having a child. Unless I stop it." She balled her hand into a fist. "Hange has said they'll help, but I had to tell you first. And really, I think that's best for everyone."

Mike felt cold. Face gossip and Erwin, or…

He loved children. He always had. So had Nanaba. "But…don't you think we'd be throwing something away?"

Nanaba gaped at him. "You think I can be a proper soldier if I'm carrying another person in my stomach?"

"Well…you could handle logistics. The support squad for a few months, maybe," he blabbered. He wouldn't like her in danger, but he'd rather her feel useful. That was important to her.

"No. I can't." Tears leaked out her eyes. "I can't do this. I should have died before this."

He gasped. "Don't you dare! Don't you dare say that."

Mike wrapped his arms around her. "Please, never say that again."

She choked on her tears and squeezed her eyes shut. This couldn't be happening. If she couldn't see, maybe it wasn't.

She felt his tears drip onto her golden hair. "Nana, I'll be with you no matter what you choose."

"You want this," she sobbed.

Mike pulled back to look into her beautiful, soul-filled eyes. "I want you. I always have. Even before I showed up with roses a month ago. And if…" His hand rested against her stomach, and heat spread throughout her body. "…this is part of us, I want that too."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"I should be apologizing. It takes two, you know." Mike winked at her, and despite herself Nanaba broke into a smile. "I'll sneak into Levi's tea supply. I think we need it. You stay here tonight, and if you want to talk or sit or sleep, I'll do whatever it takes to help you."

Both Mike and Nanaba were awake until the wee hours of the morning, talking and finding comfort in each other's embrace. Still, they awoke early, thanks to a sharp knock on Mike's door before sunrise.

"Shit!" Mike scrambled to his feet.

"Mike, it's Hange," hissed a voice through the door. "Don't even try to hide her."

Rolling his eyes, Mike yanked the door open and let the mad scientist slip inside.

"You look awful," Hange remarked. Both of them – Mike in front of her and Nanaba in his bed – had red eyes and purple circles under their faces. The teapot on the counter made them grin. "I figured you were the culprits."

"Is Levi pissed?"

"Yes, but he's ignorant as of yet. I may have set him on Moblit." Hange winced. "I wanted to check that both of you were doing okay."

"We're alive," Nanaba said.

Mike leant against the wall. "Thank you for caring, Hange."

"Of course." Hange held out a stack of notes in their right hand. "I've compiled a list of medications for if you decide to terminate." Their left hand stretched forward with more papers. "Alternatively, I also have notes of medications you'll need if you decide to carry. And I just want to reiterate that I don't judge either decision."

Nanaba softened. "Thank you, Hange."

She stood and walked towards Hange. Mike's heart pounded. He wanted to beg her to choose the left hand, to let them create this child, but he did not own Nanaba. He stayed silent, strong, supportive.

Nanaba smiled gratefully at him. And her hand took the notes in Hange's left hand.

She exhaled. "I guess we better start strategizing for telling Erwin."

"It's Levi you have to worry about." Hange pointed towards the teapot, but neither Mike nor Nanaba noticed. They were too busy hugging each other.

Erwin Smith was not prepared for this.

And by this, he meant the letter from Dr. Gruber detailing why one of his most experienced soldiers could not join their next mission.

Of all the irresponsible –

No, he wasn't mad at that. These things happened. He was mad that he hadn't known one of his friends was romantically involved with, well, likely another soldier. Love was dangerous when they could die at any moment. That was why he'd given up Marie.

He still missed her.

Erwin looked up as his office door opened. "Darius. I wasn't expecting you."

"I came to discuss how you're handling leading the Survey Corps."

"Any problems?" Erwin raised an eyebrow.

"The nobles are upset at what they see as a lack of progress." Darius sat in front of him.

Erwin carefully closed the letter. "Well, if they cared to finance us more…"

Darius laughed bitterly. "I agree." He frowned at the letter. "Dr. Gruber's letter?"

"Yes." Erwin said no more.

"I hope you know that no sick soldier should be sent on these missions. The nobles might like that even less than all of you dying."

"Would they?" Erwin kept his hand on the note. The Commander-in-Chief could not know this.

"No, but I would." Darius snickered. "What are you hiding this time?"

"Personal issues between soldiers," Erwin said. "It's nothing compared to the titans."

Though he would rather deal with titans.

"I heard Nanaba's been summoned to Erwin's office?" Hange ran up to Mike. "I suppose you told him?"

Mike stared at them. "No, not yet."

"Well, someone must have."

Mike stormed towards Erwin's office. Damn Dr. Gruber. Nanaba shouldn't have to face this alone. "Erwin!"

Erwin glanced up. No one else was in his office.

Mike suddenly wanted to turn and run. Shit. "I…heard something about Nanaba?"

Erwin kept his face neutral. "What did you hear?"

"What do you know?"

"Your evasiveness tells me you know." Erwin laced his fingers together. "What do you think I should do? She's a valuable soldier, but this leaves us without an experienced person for our next mission – I don't even want her on the support squad. I can't have a kid's blood on my hands."

You really are such a softheart. Mike felt relieved. "I – I still think you should let her decide to be support squad or not. Let her make her own choice."

"I wonder what the father would think." Erwin stared at him.

Mike began to sweat. "Maybe the father would want her to choose."

"Maybe. I suppose I wouldn't know."

"You sound lonely."

Erwin chuckled. "Just confused by all of this. I'm surprised I didn't know. Usually I'm good at reading people."

"That's what makes you such a good leader," Mike agreed, guilt pounding along with his heart.

"Well, I hope it's not another soldier – that could make for a mess – though realistically, it is. And hear I thought we were done with this kind of stuff after training." Erwin grinned. "Do you remember the lectures we would get?"

Mike laughed. "And Nile would never listen."

"That's, um, one way of putting it." Erwin shook his head.

Mike gulped.

Now Erwin watched Mike with suspicion. "Is something wrong?"

No, it couldn't be.

"I love her," Mike blurted.

Erwin blinked. "What?"

Shadows clung to Mike's face. "Erwin."

"Mike?" Erwin goggled at him. "Mike?! Mike – you – the child is yours?"

Mike's face burned. He stood stock-still, afraid to move.

Erwin leapt to his feet to approach Mike. "Mike, why didn't you tell me immediately?"

"I know your thoughts on romance."

Erwin stared at the ground. Maybe, but he wasn't coldhearted. "Please tell Nanaba to return."

"Care to explain why you called this emergency meeting?" Levi leaned back in his chair.

"Is that a list of suspects?" Hange leaned over. "It is! Why am I number one?"

"Because Dita confirmed Moblit's alibi," Levi growled. "What sort of experiment did you need it for, Four-Eyes?" He pointed at Mike. "And Eld remembered seeing you near my quarters, so don't think you're out of suspicion just yet, either, big boy."

Nanaba's eyes were about to pop out of her head.

Why am I leading them again? Erwin cleared his throat. "I don't believe the tea is our primary concern, Levi. Can we deal with this later?"

"Fine."

"Actually, I'll settle this. I drank the tea," Nanaba said quickly.

Levi scowled. "You were not on my list."

"No, I wasn't," she said calmly. Mike was here. Hange was here. Mike was here. And Erwin had been surprisingly kind. She could do this. "I'm pregnant, Levi."

Levi looked confused. Why wasn't anyone saying anything? "Huh?"

Moblit frowned. "This is a joke, right?"

"No," Erwin said.

Levi crossed his arms. "You know tea is bad for babies, right?"

"I do now." Nanaba flushed. "I don't think one cup will hurt him. Or her."

"Or neither," Hange added.

Levi glanced around the room. "So, does everyone know except me?"

"Seems like it," Hange said cheerfully.

"Thank you, Shitty Glasses." Levi shrugged. "Well. That was unexpected. Shall I, however, expect a wedding in the future?"

Nanaba glanced shyly at Mike. "We haven't really discussed that."

"Wait, wait, wait." Levi held out his hands. "Mike?!"

Mike swallowed, as he reached under the table to squeeze Nanaba's hand.

"Mike. Mike," Levi said to himself. "Mike, Mike and Nanaba."

"You really didn't see that coming?" Hange rolled their eyes.

"You're going to have a huge kid. Good luck, Nanaba." Levi stood as Hange clapped a hand over their mouth to keep from laughing. "Meeting adjourned?"

"We still need to go over policies going forward," Erwin said tiredly.

Eight Months Later

Survey Corp Facility, Southern Wall Rose

Nanaba fell to her knees, one hand over her mouth, one over her swollen stomach. "We…we failed to discover the identities of the Colossus Titan and Armored Titan, or even to assess the enemy's combat strength. Today is the result. We've lost, Mike. Humanity has lost."

Mike eyed his wife. "No…not yet. Humanity's first defeat will come only when we stop fighting. As long as we keep fighting, we haven't lost."

Deep down inside, he did believe that. Somewhere. He had to.

"Ugh." Nanaba shook her head. "I can't let them see me like this. What we've done to the 104th – doubting them, leaving them defenseless in this situation – it's inexcusable, Mike." They're just children. Like little Mike or little Petra, whichever it is.

"I know," he admitted. "But we have to fight."

His hand latched onto hers and he hoisted her to her feet. "Nanaba…I shouldn't have kept you here."

"You and I both know you had no control, and I wanted this mission," she shot back.

"Stay alive, the two of you." He ran a hand down her cheek.

"You too." Defying her desperation, Nanaba squared her shoulders and prepared to meet the 104th again.

His horse screamed and hurtled towards Mike. In his rush to avoid being crushed, he tumbled downwards into a titan's jaws.

"No!" Mike screamed as it gnawed his legs. Nanaba! Ha had to survive.

The enormous titan, with hair so black its eyes blended with its body, bent over him. "Wait."

What the –

The titan merrily continued chewing, and now Mike could see the titan's eyes, could feel its rage at.

"Didn't I tell you to wait?" it growled, pinching the pudgy little titan until its eyes popped out of its head and fell along with Mike to the earth.

"Blech." The titan grimaced at the bloody guts upon its hands, its mannerisms not unlike Levi. Mike felt hysterical laughter bubble up within him.

His legs were broken and bloody. No arteries cut, but he couldn't move.

His legs were the reason, right? Right?

"What do you call that weapon?" The beast gestured towards Mike's 3DMG. "I mean, the one on your hips you fly around with."

It's talking – I should tell him about my family – no, no. Mike was hallucinating. He had to be. He wasn't a second Ilse Langnar.

"Hmm?" The beast snarled impatiently. "I thought we spoke the same language. I guess you're too terrified to talk."

It smiled then – it liked that he was scared. "I guess I'll just take it with me, then."

As its bloody hand yanked off his gear, a sword tumbled out in front of Mike. "Well. You're using swords. You know we're in the neck."

Mike gagged.

"Have it your way, then." The titan stood and strode away from a quivering Mike.

Nanaba…her smile. Mike felt warmth of her kisses and the feeling of their baby's kick. He saw her despair just an hour ago and heard his own words repeated back at him.

Humanity's first defeat will come only when we stop fighting.

Mike gripped his sword.

As long as we keep fighting, we haven't lost.

"Oh right." The beast huffed, its back still to him. "You can move now."

Fuck! Mike lifted his sword. He had to try – he had to do everything, everything to make it back to Nanaba –

"Wait! Stop!" he screamed at the mountainous monster.

Teeth bore down on his arm.

"NO!"

The titan snickered. "Well, look at that. You can talk."

Mike screamed then, screamed for everything his life was worth, because his life was fucking worth more than dying today, his life was more than this bastard had told him.

And then he heard the sound of a blade hacking into a titan, and suddenly his arm was free – bloody, but free, and the titan fell to the earth.

"Walls!" Marco Bodt cursed for perhaps the first time ever as he did his best to slice the titans' hands. Mike fell again to the earth.

One of the titans lunged for Marco, but the other was far too interested in Mike. Marco easily dispatched it before the taller one grabbed him.

"Jean." Marco's barely convinced his best friend to join the Survey Corps after Trost, and now he were going to die hundreds of kilometers apart.

He couldn't die. For Jean, and for Mike, who had to get back to Nanaba.

Marco launched himself headfirst into the titan's mouth, sword outstretched. The blade pierced the back of the titan's throat and slid into its neck. With a groan, it slumped to the earth and Marco emerged, bloody but alive.

"Squad Leader!" Marco shook Mike by the shoulders. Those cuts were deep, and his leg was broken.

And the beast titan was still in sight.

Marco fought back waves of panic and dragged Mike into the cabin. "You're gonna be okay."

"Why didn't you go with the mothers – I mean, the others?" slurred Mike.

"Gelgar sent me after you. And I wanted to," stammered Marco. "I don't want anyone to die." He peered out the window. "I think we're safe for now."

Nanaba sliced off a titan's arm from her position at Utgard Castle. She hadn't heard from Mike. He was probably dead.

But I'm not going to stop fighting. Not for them, not for him. Not for you. She sidestepped a titan as quickly as she could. "Gelgar!"

"Nanaba, I'd really feel better if you helped the kids."

"You want me not to fight – fat chance," Nanaba shot back, pressing her aching back against the tower wall.

"Yes, exactly. You make me want to drink!" Gelgar sighed. "I'm running on fumes. You?"

Nanaba sighed. "Yeah…"

"Please get back up there with the kids."

A titan hurtled down the tower, knocking Nanaba back inside and Gelgar into the hands of voracious titans.

Two Days Later

"Push, Nanaba." Dr. Gruber was about the only calm person in the hospital room.

She couldn't believe she'd gone into labor – she wasn't even that injured. Although if Ymir didn't turn into a titan –

She would forever be grateful to Ymir, no matter whose side the girl was on.

"Calm down." An exhausted Hange squeezed Nanaba's hands, like Mike used to, but not as strong as Mike –

Nanaba choked back a wail as her contractions began again. She wanted this child, Mike child, safe inside her forever.

"You can do this." Hange hadn't slept in hours, between Erwin's condition and Nanaba's two-days long labor. Not to mention the mystery of Ragako village.

"Help me," sobbed Nanaba.

"I am, Nanaba." Hange gulped back their own tears. No one had seen Mike or Marco since that day, and they and Nanaba both knew to assume the worst.

"Keep pushing," pled Dr. Gruber.

Nanaba screeched and felt something slip out of her.

"She's here. She's here." Dr. Gruber was holding a bloody, screaming baby, and suddenly Nanaba was laughing and crying as much as her child.

"Hold on." Hange leapt to their feet and took the child. "Petra, is it?"

Nanaba hiccupped. "P-petra? Let me see her, please."

"Of course." Hange nodded to Dr. Gruber. "I'll stay with her." Screw sleep.

Only when Nanaba fell asleep herself several hours later, the baby nestled in her arms, did Hange slip away to steal a few moments for herself.

"Nanaba. Nanaba, wake up."

Nanaba's eyelids fluttered open. Baby Petra was whimpering, and she was cursing herself for her bitterness that the child was not a boy she could name Mike. "What's wrong, Petra?"

Her eyes widened at the bruised man between Moblit and Marco Bodt. "No."

"Nana." With Moblit and Marco's help, Mike struggled to her side. "Nana, I'm so sorry I wasn't here."

"Shut up." Nanaba sat up between breaths and clutched his arm. "Meet Petra?"

Mike's face melted at his tiny, tiny daughter. His child. Nanaba's child. A new person. "Humanity is magical... and so are you."

He pressed his lips against her forehead, ignoring the pain from his broken legs.

Mike limped into Erwin's hospital room. "He's still unconscious?"

"Yeah. Too much blood loss." Levi clenched his fists. "I'm going to make them pay for his arm."

"We both are."

"And Nanaba…"

A smile touched Mike's face. "Do you want to see?"

"I guess."

"Hange keeps zooming between the lab and us."

"Typical Four-Eyes."

"Levi!" Nanaba's voice rang out from the bed on which she lay, a tiny, tiny human in her arms.

"Look, finally someone your size." Hange smirked.

"Shut the fuck up."

"No language around my baby!" Nanaba drew Petra close to her.

Mike laughed. "Well, we'll try."

"We should let Levi hold it." Hange wiggled their eyebrows.

"Me? What? No."

"Oh, I think yes." Mike pulled Levi closer to the bed. "I'm injured; don't fight me."

"Such a bleeding heart," Nanaba teased, holding out Petra.

Levi reluctantly held the creature. She was too tiny for him to be comfortable with.

Mike laughed and squeezed Nanaba's hand. Awakening to find out his best friend was gravely injured, three of the kids they'd guarded were titans – two traitors and the other responsible for saving his wife –not to mention that said wife had gone into labor with her injuries, had been the second worst moment of his life.

Had they been wrong, bringing a child into such a violent world? Mike looked at her beauty and regretted nothing.

As his mouth met Nanaba's forehead, she craned her neck to meet his lips, just as she had that morning she'd found out she was pregnant.

Hange giggled, and Nanaba flushed. Without Hange by her side during labor, she wasn't sure if she would have made it through.

"What if she spits up?" Levi's voice rose.

And yet, as he took in Petra's perfect nose, peaceful eyelids and wispy blond hair – even with Erwin missing an arm, traitors in the Survey Corps and a mysterious new titan power in Eren Jaeger – Levi felt the gentle dawn of hope.