Norie walked out as she saw Sasha lying on the floor as Armin and Mikasa cried next to her, Norie sniffled as she went back to the last interaction she had with Sasha.
"He's so cute!"
Sasha gushes over the 8 month old in her arms.
The baby grabs onto her face and places his mouth around her nose.
"He likes you"
Norie says as she walked over and sat down next to her.
"I promise you Norie that I will give him all the food in the world~"
Sasha says and hugs Jiro close to her.
"I always wanted a little brother too"
She whispered.
Norie smiles and says "if you want you can watch him today so I can go into town with Levi"
Sasha's eyes lit up and said "really?!"
"Yeah"
"Yes I will!"
"Sasha! You're 5 minutes is up! Let me hold him!"
Connie says annoyed reaching his hands out
"Uh no I'm next baldy!"
Jean yells.
"I have hair!"
"I'll hold him"
Mikasa says.
"But Mikasa...I wanted to go next"
Armin says sadly.
"Oi brats, don't treat him like a toy"
Levi says walking into the room and grabbed Jiro.
"But Captain Levi!"
They said.
"No"
He says as the baby messed with his chain that had Norie's wedding ring on it.
Everyone but Mikasa started tearing up and then yelled at the top of their lungs like always.
"Captain Norie!"
"Mama!"
The baby yelled after.
"Really? Mama? Say dada"
Levi said disappointed
"Mama"
"No dada"
"Mama!"
Norie smiles at everyone and then Sasha looks at her and gave her a smile back.
Norie kneeled down and caressed Sasha's hair softly, she smiled sadly and then she placed a soft kiss on her cold forehead.
"Captain?"She heard Mikasa mumble through her tears.
Norie looked up to see Mikasa and Armin looking at her, she felt a tear escape her eye and she sticks her arms out.
The two teens quickly crawled to her open arms and wrapped their arms around Norie tightly and cried into her chest.
Norie closes her eyes as she tried to calm herself and stay strong, she places her hands on the back of their heads and held them.
"It's okay...it's okay"she whispered as they cried.
----------------------------
Levi helped Norie off the wagon as they finally made their way back to the walls, Norie hasn't said a word throughout the ride and Levi noticed the fingernail marks on her palms.
He grabs her hand and whispers "come on, let's go get Jiro and we'll go to bed yeah?"
Norie stares at the ground and only nods silently.
They walk to where the 50 year old woman lives, her name is Rose, she had helped Norie when she was in labor and was so kind that day. They kept visiting her from time to time to show their appreciation.
They turn the corner and they found the house, Levi walked up to the door and Norie trailed behind him.
He knocked on the door and Norie couldn't help but feel impatient, she just wants her baby.
The door opens to reveal Rose, she smiled at the couple and Norie smiles back slightly.
"Rose, I apologize for the late arrival"Levi says.
"No no it's okay, your son is amazing as always. Here let me bring him and his stuff"she says and walks back inside.
Levi looks at Norie and she only stare at the door as she tapped her fingers on her arm.
"Norie?"he says
"I can't" she whispers.
Levi stares at her.
"I can't do it anymore" she says.
"What?"he asks.
Norie sniffles and then looks at the ground and whispers "it's hurting me too much...I can't pretend anymore..."
"I can't..."
Levi was about to say something but the door opened and Rose was holding their baby and the bag in the other hand.
"Oh I'm sorry did i-No Rose, you're okay. Just allergies"Norie cut her off.
"Okay...well here's your little boy!"
Rose passes Jiro to Norie and she happily cradled him.
Levi grabs the bag and then says "thank you"
"Anytime, remember, I'm always here if you need me to take care of the baby"
"Yes Rose, thank you so much"Norie says.
They said their goodbyes and Levi and Norie walked back to their room, Levi turned to look at their 8 month old in Norie's arms. He can't help but notice his chubby cheeks, his black hair and his beautiful hazel eyes that he couldn't see now since he was asleep.
The couple makes it to their room as Levi opens the door and motions Norie to go first, she did and he closes the door behind him.
Norie walks to their sons room and turns on the oil lamp, she goes to put him in his crib but was met with his hazel eyes, she smiled and said "you're awake my love?"
He gurgles and grabs Norie's hair and tried to put it in his mouth but she laughs and says "no baby, mommy's hair is not food"
"Ma..."the baby mumbles.
"Yes, Mama, say Mama"
"You know I'm hurt that he's saying Mama and not Dada"Levi spoke as he entered the room and stood next to Norie.
Jiro smiles up at him showing is two growing front teeth, Levi only stared not giving him a smile back.
"Brat"
"Levi!"Norie says looking at him.
"What?"Levi says.
"You can't just call your child that"
"Well he doesn't mind, do you?"Levi says looking at Jiro.
He only smiles again as he chewed on his fist.
"Say dada"Levi says
Jiro just stared at him making Levi sigh.
"Dada, say it"
"Ma..."
Levi closed his eyes as Norie laughs and says "he's mommies love!"
She started placing kisses on his cheeks and forehead and holding his little hands.
"Traitor"Levi mumbles.
"Okay before you argue with your own son, lets put him to bed it's late."Norie says.
She turns off the oil lamp and walks back to the crib and places a kiss on Jiros forehead, she smiles and whispers "goodnight"
Levi then places his finger on his tiny hand, the baby wraps his hand around his whole finger and Levi couldn't help my smile a bit.
"Goodnight my boy"he whispers and kisses his forehead.
They walked out of the room and Norie closed the door, she turns to see Levi looking at her. She raised an eyebrow and says "yes?"
"Don't think I didn't forget what you said back at Rose's...talk to me"Levi says.
Norie looks into his eyes and sighs, she looks at the bed and started "What I said...it's what I feel, and I'm being honest Levi."
"What's hurting you?"Levi asks.
Norie looked around his face and says "what I keep saying to everyone"
He stares at her and says "which is?"
She scratches her wrist and then her eyes filled with tears and said "Why do I keep promising everyone knowing that some will not come back? I can't keep pretending to know what's going to happen, I can't keep pretending..."
"And...I think I'm done promising... Because it all leads to the same shit Levi, I promised with Jiro and he ended up dead and I promised with our old squad and they ended up dead, now I promised these teens...and now Sasha's dead"Norie cries and covered her face with one hand.
"And now I keep promising you and I just don't want you to end up-"She cut herself off quickly, not strong enough to day it.
"Dead"Levi finished off.
He stares at Norie crying into her hand, he sighs and wraps his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder.
"Like you said, things happen, and it's not because of promising Norie. We've been promising each other for more then 12 years...and we're still here."Levi says.
"So please don't say you're done promising because then you'll end up dead...and I don't want that"
Norie sniffles and wraps her arms around his back and rests her chin on his shoulder.
"We're okay"he whispers.