Hange was an incompetent scientist. Well, at least that was what they had thought. Their area of focus was the human body, they studied cells, microorganisms, the functions of organs, and much more. Coming up with solutions had been a part of their job, and they used to be good at it! Until they had been given an impossible equation until they had been given a limited time frame to save the one they loved...until they had only one year before they could figure out a way to save (Y/N).
Hange slammed the book they had been reading on the desk, frustrated. They wanted to yell, to throw everything away, they wanted to scream up into the sky and demand answers. Why had she, out of all people, gotten sick with a mysterious disease? Why had she, out of all people, been given only one year to live before her body shut down completely? Was it some kind of cruel joke—give the brilliant scientist's partner a disease with no cure and see how they panic?
"Hange?" A soft voice distracted them from their worrying and their frustrated expression instantly fell from their face. They straightened, painting on a bright smile.
"(Y/N)!" Hange opened up their arms, engulfing her in a warm hug. "How was your sleep, love? Do you feel more energized?"
She nodded. The diagnosis had happened three months ago. The fatigue, nausea, and fevers had made her believe that it was either stress or something normal, and she hadn't gotten it checked out until the day she fainted. It was then the doctors had her blood tested to discover a completely bizarre pathogen. They weren't sure if it was cancer or something else entirely, but they did notice the rapid way her body was decaying. Since there was no cure, no treatment, they sent her home with proper care instructions. Her life had a time limit now. 1 year. 365 days. It was driving Hange insane.
"Well, are you ready to head over to the park, then?" Hange asked, excitedly. They were referring to the national park where they were going to take her hiking. Apparently, the view from the overlook was amazing. Hange described it as ethereal.
"Sure," (Y/N) nodded, eyeing their visage closely. Their eye bags had grown darker, their eyes lacking the same luster that had been there three months ago, their shoulders drooped, and she wondered if they had even gone to sleep. When she had drifted off into slumber, Hange hadn't been in bed. Were they sleeping alright?
"Great!" Hange chirped, heading over to the closet. "Let me just change into some hiking books and shorts and then we can go have the time of our lives! Oh, and we can also have a picnic and..."
(Y/N)'s thoughts drifted off as Hange rambled on. The books on their work desk were all about human cells and mysterious pathogens. Had they been trying to find a cure? She felt her heart sink. Ever since she had been given the diagnosis, Hange had been toiling away at researching every single thing about her illness. They pretended like they weren't, instead of taking her places to have fun. They brushed it off as trying to go on fun dates, but some part of her wondered if they were trying to make her last year memorable. Had they accepted that she was going to die? (Y/N) had accepted it the second she had heard it. There was something within her that told her that what the doctors said was true. She wasn't going to have much longer left to live.
"Hange, you look tired," (Y/N) said quietly, watching as the brunette hopped around the room to put on their hiking boots.
"Huh? Me, tired? No way!" Hange beamed. They walked closer and grabbed both of her hands, eyeing the outfit she wore. "All you need is to wear some sunscreen and maybe bug repellent and then we can go!"
"Are you sure? You're not trying to find a cure or anything, are you?"
"No! I was just doing some light—"
"Hange, my love," (Y/N) cupped their face. "I appreciate you trying, I really do. But there's nothing that can be done. Please just spend the rest of my time with me? I just want to be happy with you, I ask for nothing else."
"(Y/N)," Hange breathed, their fingers tracing her cheek. They stared down at the beautiful girl in their arms, wishing for the millionth time that it had been them who had gotten sick instead. They couldn't fathom living without (Y/N). She was their home. Anywhere she was, they felt at peace.
"Please, Hange?" (Y/N) begged softly. She didn't want Hange to wither away, selling pieces of themselves just to find a cure. She might have been the one who would die, but Hange would lose all feeling if they continued at this pace.
"Fine," Hange whispered, pulling her in for a hug. They were lying. They would never stop trying to find a cure for her. As long as they were living, they would do anything to make her feel better. There were no bounds they weren't willing to break. But they'd lie to make (Y/N) happy, to make her soul feel better.
~~~~~~~
The overlook had been beautiful. Standing at the edge of the mountain, one could see the river that winded along below, they could see the peaks of smaller hills, the fields of breathtakingly beautiful flowers...everything about that place was perfect. (Y/N) felt grateful that she was able to experience the beauty of nature before she died. She had spent most of her time indoors, going to school as a child and then getting an office job as an adult. Too much time had been spent around artificial and stress-inducing things, that (Y/N) had forgotten what it felt to be alive. Ironically, in her last year, (Y/N) felt the most present, more alive than she had ever been in her life. Sure, she might have been a little tired and out of breath and her legs might have felt like jelly, but the long hike to the top of the overlook was worth it.
The next day, Hange took her boating. The ocean was also as beautiful as the forest and mountains. The endless stretch of water that went on for miles, the unknown that lurked underneath their boat, the way the wind blew past her, and the way the air was filled with the salty scent of sea...(Y/N) loved it greatly. Hange had tried to catch some fish but had failed miserably. Their horrible balance had caused them to fall out of the boat, giving you a heart attack. But when their head appeared above water again, their hair plastered to their face, their eyes widened with shock, they began to laugh. After helping them onto the boat and making sure that they were alright (they had lost their glasses of course), (Y/N) also began to laugh. She hadn't laughed that much before in her life. At that moment, where her and Hange's laughter filled the air, she had forgotten about her illness. She had forgotten that she was going to die. Instead, she was focused on warming up Hange's shivering body and the bubbling laughter that threatened to explode from within them both.
The next few days, after the boating incident, (Y/N) couldn't go anywhere. Maybe she had caught a chill, or maybe her condition was worsening, but she felt horrible. Her throat was congested, her entire body felt so weak, and Hange was worried. They ushered her into bed, learned how to cook her favorite soups, and cuddled with her until she fell asleep. But once sleep overtook (Y/N), they would sneak into their workplace and read. They read so many books and articles, they created so many hypotheses. The lab they worked at had granted them permission to gather some of the pathogens and inspect them even closer. Hange was going to find a cure. They were dead set on saving (Y/N). All of their scientific knowledge, all of their awards, they had to be for something.
Months passed, and the 'chill' (Y/N) had caught grew worse. She grew weaker and weaker by the day, her strength fading. Hange practically saw the light fading from their eyes and they wondered if a quick death would have been better than this slow, agonizing one. But they needed her to hang on. Just for a few more months until they figured out the cure. Hange was so close. So, so close. All they needed was one last puzzle piece and they'd have succeeded.
The current week, (Y/N) had been feeling a little bit better. She had gotten up and could walk around. Hange had seized the opportunity and had taken her to a picnic. They wanted to take her to different countries, or to go do activities like skydiving, but they didn't think that her body would be able to handle it.
"You made all of this?" (Y/N) asked, raising an eyebrow. The spread on the blanket in front of her was impressive. There were sandwiches, cookies, fresh lemonade, and even little pastries. They didn't appear to be restaurant quality, but they all looked delicious.
"I tried my best," Hange rubbed the back of their neck sheepishly.
"Oh, love, this is so sweet!" (Y/N) grabbed a sandwich and dug in. It really tasted delicious and knowing that Hange had worked in the kitchen for hours to make it only increased its tastiness.
"Thank you!" Hange grinned as they helped themselves to a plate of food. The spring weather was perfect for a picnic, and even though the pond nearby and the trees were beautiful, Hange found themselves admiring (Y/N). No matter what she looked like, Hange would always love her.
"Hey, (Y/N)," Hange shifted, placing their plate down. They hadn't planned on doing this today, but (Y/N)'s health was unpredictable. They didn't know when she would be able to go out again.
"Yes, love?"
"Will you marry me?" Hange blurt out, pulling out a simple ring from their pocket. There were no diamonds, no jewels, but that ring had been the one that caught Hange's eyes. They looked at it and thought of (Y/N).
(Y/N)'s mouth dropped, and she stared at her partner. "You're...you're proposing?"
"I love you more than anything in this world," Hange continued. "And I'm sure I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want it to be official that you're mine...I want to be able to call you my wife."
(Y/N) smiled softly, reaching out to caress Hange's cheeks. "I love you too, Hange. But no."
"Huh?" Hange blinked.
"I'm going to die, love. If we get married, that'll just make you even sadder when I'm gone. Maybe one day, in another life when meet again, I'll get to be your wife...but here? In this life when I'm mere moments from dying, I couldn't do that to you," (Y/N) whispered softly. She wanted to cry. The entire time she had been given her diagnosis, she had accepted the inevitable. She was going to die and that was it. But Hange's proposal had given her a glimpse of the future that she could have had if she had lived. Marrying Hange...starting a family with them...it was at that moment she realized how much she wanted that. Life was cruel, wasn't it? Giving her a glimpse of genuine happiness and then snatching it away.
"No, you're not going to die," Hange stated firmly. They grabbed her hand, sliding the ring onto her left ring finger. "And we will get married. If you had said no because of a logical reason, I would have listened. But you're not going to die. You're going to live. And you will be my wife."
"Oh, Hange..." Nothing saddened (Y/N) more than seeing the hope that shone on Hange's face. If only they realized that it was nearly impossible for her to survive.
~~~~~~~
From that point on, (Y/N)'s condition only worsened. Before, she would have been able to move around her home and get her things done, but now she was completely bedridden. Hange had admitted her into a hospital after they noticed how she struggled to breathe. There, (Y/N) was receiving treatment that only lowered the pain of her symptoms but did nothing to cure it. Hange was growing closer to the cure day by day. At this point, they even had people in their lab helping them so that they could spend more time with (Y/N). There were many scientists and researchers that were applying the knowledge that Hange had given to create a small dose of a possible antidote. They just needed a little bit more time. Hange hoped that their teammates would be able to create the cure soon.
Hange sat by the hospital bed, both of their hands gripping onto (Y/N)'s. They couldn't lose her. They just couldn't.
"Hange, what are you thinking about?" (Y/N) asked, her voice hoarse. It was getting hard for her to speak, and all she wanted to do was sleep. But she stayed awake. She was afraid that if she closed her eyes, she wouldn't be able to open them again. She wanted to talk to Hange some more, hold their hand one more time, before she succumbed to the darkness that was luring her.
"Oh, I'm just thinking about the house we're going to buy," Hange smiled at her, trying to keep their tone light. They had to appear hopeful otherwise it would impact (Y/N). "One that we'll fill with pets and...children?"
"Children?" (Y/N) raised an eyebrow. She hadn't pegged Hange to have parental longing, they had always been so busy with their work, and they had never expressed the desire for children before.
"If you want, of course!" Hange said quickly. "I would love to see mini versions of you running through our home. Our kids would be the cutest."
(Y/N) smiled wryly, playing into the illusion of happiness. "We'd have to move out of the apartment and buy a house for that. What kind of house would you want, love?"
"A small cottage-like house," Hange said firmly. "I don't need riches or huge mansions. I just need you. Our house will be full of happiness and love, and that's all that I want."
"What would you name our children?" (Y/N) asked softly, settling back into the bed. Her breaths got sparse, and it hurt inhaling. She gripped one of Hange's fingers, wanting to hold them and feel them as she faded away.
"Hmm, I was thinking maybe Sasha?" Hange hummed. "Or Eren. Or maybe even Udo!"
"Three kids? You want three?" (Y/N) laughed weakly. "I won't be able to keep up with that!"
"Don't worry, I'll be there with you. We'll raise them together, in our little cottage," Hange whispered, brushing a kiss on her forehead. "I'll make us pancakes on Sundays, and we'll got amusement parks for the kid's birthdays...oh, and we'll even get a dog and name him Bean! Doesn't that sound like fun?"
(Y/N) sighed, content. The environment might not have been to her suiting—the lights were too bright, the bed uncomfortable—but Hange's presence brought her immense comfort. There was no other way she would want to go. (Y/N) closed her eyes, feeling overwhelmed by fatigue. Her breathing slowed down, and she wanted to tell Hange she loved them. One last time. But she didn't want to waste her last words on something Hange already knew.
"Hey," she whispered. "Don't beat yourself up for too long. I'll see you again sometime."
Hange's eyes widened, and they gripped her body tighter, pulling it closer to them. "Don't say that. You're going to be fine. You know the cure is almost ready, right? I just need a couple more days! Don't you want to live in our house, waking up to our children jumping on our bed? Just hang on. For a few more days, (Y/N), and then you'll be fine!"
"I'm sorry," she whispered, unable to open her eyes again. She knew that her time had come. It felt surreal—as if her soul was hovering outside of her physical body, just a breath's away from disappearing entirely.
"No, you're fine, just—"
A loud ring coming from Hange's phone distracted them and they glanced down at the screen. It was their lab assistant, Moblit. They wouldn't have answered the call, but they were desperate for some good news.
"Hello?" Hange asked quietly, one of their hands still grasping onto (Y/N)'s.
"Hange, we made a prototype!" Moblit's excited voice filled their ears. "We have a single dose of the antidote. It's not completely ready, but it's been approved for human trials!"
Hange felt a glimmer of joy, a spark of hope that flooded their body with warmth, but then they glanced at the heart rate monitor. (Y/N)'s heart was failing. She had mere minutes before she would go completely. With tears in their eyes, Hange closed the phone. There was no point now. If only they had just five more minutes. Hange gathered (Y/N)'s body in their arms, clutching onto her tightly. They rubbed her back and whispered sweet praises. (Y/N)'s heart eventually slowed down to the point there was nothing. Her body was just a mere husk of the personality that housed it. She was no more.
All of those months had not prepared Hange for the overwhelming loss that they felt at that moment. Their grief consumed them to the point they felt numb and empty. They couldn't even feel the sadness that came from (Y/N)'s death. They didn't even any tears left to cry. They stared down at the girl they loved, the one who was supposed to be their wife one day, and they wished their heart had stopped with hers. In a way it did. Hange would never be able to love anyone again. The memory of (Y/N) would always be engraved in their brain, keeping them from moving on. She had taught them how to love, and how to hope.
The cure that they had made would eventually become successful. Hange hadn't been able to save (Y/N) but their discovery saved the lives of many others. Saved many families from breaking.
"I'll see you someday too, (Y/N)," Hange whispered, brushing their lips against hers. They stroked her cheek softly, wanting nothing more than to hear her voice again. "Wait for me, okay?"
A/N: This was a request for sick y/n and Hange trying to make a cure. To make this even sadder, I will say that the domestic life series is just this y/n's dream/last minute hallucinations of what could have been if she had survived. I hope you enjoyed <3