Archive of Our Own ^beta

They hadn't needed to use the fire place in a while, so that was where the woman of the house now kept her knitting stuff.

It was the end of July of the year 1635 AD, and as of so it was rather warm in that not-so-big town in what is today western Germany, on the French border.

Again, the town wasn't big, and everyone knew each other: everyone knew the butcher, who was the son of the previous butcher, the one who'd attempted to be an artist, the one who'd travelled the world.

And he also was the man who happened to be married to the woman who got all eyes on herself, everytime she came in someone's field of vision for the first time.

Actually, further than the very first time.
Either a couple of times, or every single time.

Mikasa was for sure some of the most, if not the most beautiful woman those villagers had ever seen.

She'd been called 'exotic' way too many times, to the point it actually hurt her.

Those people were for sure weirded out by her appearance the very first time they saw her, in both a generous dose of racism and prejudice, but also genuine, ignorant curiosity.

Again, everyone knew she was married to that 'failed artist', the butcher that had travelled the world, and wasn't that difficult to do 2+2 and realise that he'd taken his wife with himself, on a journey from the other side of the world.

He was popular among the ladies for his good looks, and among the men too for the great effort he put into his work: it was rather rare, to have more and more high-quality meat available in that town like many others in the country.

If the women lusted after him, the men lusted after his wife, too.

Whenever she visited him at work, or they went to church -the bare minimum, to be honest- she got nearly all eyes on herself, and she didn't like it.

She'd initially answered the locals' questions, but after a while, some of them had gotten really, really pushing and quite rude, too.

That was why she rather preferred to stay home, and kept few friends like Annie, Hitch, Pieck, Sasha, Historia, and her husband's friends Connie, Eren and Reiner, Armin and Marco.

Then, to keep her occupied the most, was the fruit of the love story that had led her to escape an arranged marriage, her family's palace, and her country.

Their daughter Jöelle had just turned five; she looked really, a lot like her mother: same black hair, same nose, same lips, same profile, same uniquely shaped eyes that attracted people's attention like magnets.

Although, she'd gotten her papa's hazel eye colour: and Mikasa couldn't get over how beautiful it looked.

Going back to that empty fireplace: that was, again, where she was keeping her knitting utensils during the warm summer.

She pulled out the wool, and began knitting a beanie.
A very small beanie, for her second child.

She'd gotten a reference for the measurements from her mother-in-law: she held a ball of wood in her hand, chuckling at how small it felt on her hand.

Her baby fever was strong, and it'd helped her to cope with several weeks of nausea.

During the past couple of years, she and her husband had tried a few more times for another baby, but they hadn't succeeded.

Recently, finally, they'd managed to conceive again: all the symptoms were there, she'd missed her period a few times already, and her mother-in-law, a midwife, had confirmed the pregnancy.

Mikasa smiled a little, lightly caressed her lower stomach, as she worked quickly with her fingers to make the first piece of clothing for her future child.

They'd kept some of Jöelle's baby clothes, but she was born in the warmer spring, and her baby sibling was going to come into the world in January -so had her mother-in-law said-, and they were for sure going to need warmer clothes.

Speaking of the devil, Mikasa just then heard the door open, and little feet stomping on the wooden floor.

"Mama?! Where are youuu?!"
"Here, buttercup.
Please don't shout, mama's got a bit of an headache.."

"Hi mama," the girl began, and she leaned closed to kiss her mother on the cheek.
"Hi sweetie," her mother kissed her back.

"Watcha doing, mama?"
By her age, she was already fluent in two languages, and she was also picking some French up as her parents used that language to communicate when speaking in front of her of things she 'doesn't need to understand'.

The girl curiously pointed at the coloured wool her mother was working with, asking if she could sit on her lap as the woman knitted.

Mikasa sighed lightly: "I guess it's time you know: your father wanted to wait a little bit more, but I'll deal with him later."

She paused, and then continued: "Jöelle, mama's having another baby.
You're going to be a big sister, honey.."

She caressed her daughter's cheek, adjusting some of her hair behind her ear.

"So..? What do you think..?
I think you'll be the best big sister out there to your baby sibling.."

The little girl wasn't replying yet.

"Sweetie..? Everything alright? What's wrong?"

"Mama, you..."
"Yes, buttercup? What is it..?"

Jöelle looked up, tears in her eyes: "You and papa are tired of me..?"
"What?! No sweetie, that's absolutely not true!
How could we be tired of our little girl..?"

"T-then, why, why are y-you having another baby?!"
The girl was sobbing and crying, in anger too.

"Jöelle, come here.."
Mikasa got up, and stretched her arms out to pick her daughter up.
She was way too old for being held, but her mother didn't really care in that moment.

She sat back on an armchair, holding her daughter on her own lap, holding her head close to her chest.

"Shh, baby.. It's alright.
Mama and papa will love you forever.
It's not true that we're tired of our baby girl, why'd you think that..?"

"B-because Annika told me that since her sister was born, her p-parents don't care about her anymore..
And Hans told me that I'm lucky to be an only child. His parents don't play with him anymore, because he has younger brothers and sisters.."

"Aw, honey..
Look, I don't know how other parents treat their children, but I can assure you, that your dad and I will always love you and the new baby equally.

Maybe your friends' parents are busy raising the younger kids to play with the older ones, because y'know, babies are actually a lot of work.

They're quite hard to care for at times, so I can't assure you that we'll play together daily, but hey, Jöelle, look at mama.."

She gently grabbed her daughter's chin to have her look up and make eye contact: "We'll always be here for you.
Whenever you need us, we'll be there.
Mama will be super busy with the baby, especially in the beginning, she'll be tired, but this doesn't mean Papa or her don't love you anymore, alright..?"

"Mh.."

Jöelle still didn't look too comforted or happy about the idea of having a sibling.

Mikasa didn't really know if she would've just accepted it with time, or if something needed to be done immediately: nonetheless, she didn't want her daughter to think she'd been 'abandoned' by her own parents.

"Look honey, would you like to learn to knit..?
Look at what mama's doing: right here, we can use your own beanie from when you were a baby as a reference.

Try and hold it, feel how small it is.."

The girl held the beanie in her hands, feeling the texture a little.
"It's small.."
"It is. Babies are really small, y'know..?"

"Like my dolls?"
"Ahah, no.. A bit bigger than your dolls, but still..
Papa could hold you in his hands, when you were first born, imagine that!"

"But it's because Papa's all tall and big.."
"Yeah. But babies are really small, too."

Jöelle gave her mother back the beanie, and asked to get down from her lap: which was extremely rare, and weird.

Well, she was five already, it was also time she quit that behaviour.
As she'd gotten up, she went for the stairs.

"Where are you going, sweetie..?"
"My room. Playing."
"Okay. Would you like to make dinner with mama, in a bit..?"

Jöelle didn't reply, and just closed the door of her room behind herself.

Mikasa sighed, and took a deep breath: she could've imagined, that her daughter wasn't going to be exactly enthusiast at the idea of having to 'share' her parents, in her eyes.

But she didn't expect it to be that bad, either: she knew her daughter to be a curious child, always eager to learn, open to all kinds of new experiences.

That was the very first time she wasn't absolutely enthusiast about a news.
Mikasa felt bad.

She sat in silence, trying to grasp sounds from her daughter's room: finally, she could hear her playing pretend with her dolls and toys.

She smiled a bit, and got back at working on her second's clothes.

_________________________________________

Not long later, the ravenette could hear her husband's loud: "I'M HOMEEEE!"

She got up, and went to bury her face in the crook of his neck.
"Hi.."
"Hey, honey.. Aw, let go of me, I haven't taken a bath yet.
You're gonna end up vomiting again, baby.."

Working all day with blood and fresh meat didn't allow him to come home smelling like flowers, for sure.

She kissed his cheek: "It's alright. And I actually haven't vomited this morning.."
She smiled wider, when her husband got on his knee to kiss her stomach.

She wasn't showing yet, for sure, but she wasn't as flat as she was at the same point in her first pregnancy.

"Giving mama a break, sweetie..?
Mh, let her rest for a bit, before you start kicking.
Papa is getting the wood from uncle Marco tomorrow, so he can start building your crib for when you'll be here.
How's that, mh..?"

Jean felt his wife's hand running down his hair, slowly, not stopping as he got up from the ground.

They finally kissed on the lips, still on the door's frame.

"I told Jöelle I'm pregnant, just an hour ago."
"Oh.. how did she take it?"

Mikasa sighed: "She started to sob, asking me whether we still love her.
I tried to involve her by asking her if she wanted to learn knitting as I started making the baby's clothes, but she went to play in her room instead."

Jean sighed lightly, as well: "It's alright.
She's gonna get over it in no time.
And tomorrow, actually.. I'll take her swimming in the lake.
I'll finally teach her, this summer."

"That'd be amazing boo, do it.
She really fears she won't get one bit of love and attention from us once the baby is born, so we may need to remind her constantly how much we actually love her, at least until she's not mad about it anymore.."

Jean nodded, getting back on his feet: "I'm gonna talk to her.
It's already weird she wasn't here to welcome me in the first place."

He then added, mumbling: "Maybe, I gotta wash myself first."

He moved from his wife, not before caressing her back.

_______________________________________

Soap and water helped, for sure.
Jean got back inside the house, his gaze immediately going to his wife who'd switched from making a beanie, to small socks.

He couldn't help but to smile, as he passed by her.

He got on top of the wooden stairs to the first room on the right.
He knocked for a few seconds, to then open the door.

"Hey princess, watcha doing?"
"PAPA!!"
"Yeah, c'mere say hi to your dad.."

He lifted his daughter in his arms, kissing her cheeks till she started to giggle.

"So..? Watcha doing in here?"
"I'm just playin'."
"Mmh. Alright. Are you upset, Jöelle?"

Silence.

"Okay. Let's sit down a bit."
Jean sat on the girl's bed, holding her on his lap.

"If you're upset, you can tell mama and papa and we can find a solution together.
It's better trying than being upset forever, right?"
"Mh."
"So..? What's going on, sweetie?"

He 'played dumb', hoping that getting his daughter to talk about her emotions would've given him ideas on how to help the transition from an only child to a big sister.

"Mama said that.. she is having a baby."
"That's right.
Mama and I wanted another child for us, and a little sibling for you."

The girl hugged her father's neck, starting to sob on his shoulder.

"But I-I don't want a sibling.."
"Can you tell papa why?"
"B-because my friends said that their p-parents don't care about t-them anymore, because they have l-little siblings."

Jean hugged his daughter tighter, kissed her temple, and whispered into her ear: "Your mama and papa will always love you.
Always, Jöelle.
Always for real.
Always always.
Forever, and ever, and ever.
You're our little girl and that is not going to change, alright..?"

"But then w-why do you want another baby?"
"Because we also wanted you to have a little play-mate.
Wouldn't it be cool to play with someone when it's raining or snowing outside and you can't go out?
Mama and papa can always play with you, but it's not the same thing as playing with another kid, right..?"

"Mh.."
Jöelle sniffled some more, letting go of her father's neck.

"You know, when I was little, I really wanted a sibling.
But I never had one.
I was sad because when I couldn't go outside to play, I had to stay by myself all day, for days and days.

I was jealous of my friends that had big and little siblings.
They took their little siblings to the market, to the woods, to the lake to swim and play, or just outside to look for someone to play with.

And now, they have nephews and nieces who have aunts and uncles who spoil them."

"I have aunties and uncles too, tho."

"That's right, but they are mama and papa's friends, not their siblings.
Wouldn't you like to be an auntie, one day?"

Just then, Mikasa entered the room: she sat on her daughter's bed too, and held her in her own arms.

"Are you feeling a bit better now, sweetie..?"

"I dunno. I-I don't-"

"It's going to be fine buttercup, it's okay to be scared of something so big you don't know yet.
We're going to take one little step at a time."

"B-but I don't think I can be ready."
"We still have a lot of time, princess."

Jöelle looked up, into her mother's eyes: "A-aren't you going to pick up the baby tomorrow..?"

The little girl furrowed as her parents laughed out loud till they'd gotten red in the face.

"What's funny?!"
"Sweetheart, we aren't picking up the baby, not tomorrow, nor any day."

"Where are you getting it from, then?!
Hans told me that his parents got his siblings from the merchant of babies."

Uncontrollable laughing, again.

Her mother spoke again, still smiling and teary-eyed from how much they'd laughing.

"Babies grow in their mother's belly."
"In the belly?!"
"Yes. Haven't you seen around ladies with round stomachs?
When their stomachs looks like that, it means that their baby has grown enough to be ready to be born soon."

"Oh... I thought they had just eaten too much food."
It was Mikasa's turn to laugh, as Jean finished explaining his daughter what was going to happen.

"Your baby sibling is growing in mommy's belly, right here.."
He guided his daughter's hand to his wife's lower stomach, and rested it there.

"It's going to start moving in a couple of months, and you're going to be able to feel kicks and punches, and even back flips!"

"Okay.. I see.."

Jean and Mikasa looked at each other: that was enough for that day, most probably.

"Alright. Now, do you wanna help mama with dinner?"
"Yep. It's getting quite late, and papa's going to help, too.
Wanna join us, Jöelle?"

"O-okay.."
"Mh?! Where's the spirit?!"
"I SAID OKAAAAYYYY!!"
"Yeah that's better!"

Jean stood up: "I challenge you to make a better stew than your father.
Let's see who wins."

________________________________________

Well into October, the fall had already rolled around.

That was such a 'shitty day', as her husband had labeled it first thing as he'd woken up: it was foggy, cloudy and at times rainy.

But Mikasa, she didn't mind much: she actually liked those autumn days, that were silent and peaceful like no others.

Her house was especially quiet in that moment, as her husband and their daughter had been outside for hours: Jean worked with Connie and Jöelle caught up with her 'cousins'.

The ravenette woman had gotten completely lost in those thoughts.
She was only brought back to the real world by the squirming of her baby inside of her: she dropped the spoon, leaned back against the wall, and carefully pressed fingers and palms around her bump to feel.

Just then, the first 'proper' kick hit her: she felt a tiny foot pressing against her, followed by another one.

"Waking up just now, sweetie..?
Would you stay awake till your Papa and your big sister are back, so you can say hi to them too..?"

Speaking of the devil, again.
Jean opened the front door, letting his daughter in first.

"Hi honey..!"
"Hey mama!!"

Jean immediately looked at his wife, who still leaned against the wall and looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"Precious?! Everything alright..?!"
"Come Jean, quick...
You too Jöelle, come to mama real quick."

Thankfully, they both quickly obeyed: and once she could, Mikasa grabbed her husband's and her daughter's hand, guiding them to her stomach.

The baby kept kicking, doing back-flips and squirming around.

Jean's knees nearly collapsed: he kneeled down, hurrying to kiss his wife's growing bump.
"Hey there..! We're all awake, aren't we.
Oh, sweetie.."

"Hey princess, say...
What do you think it's gonna be? A boy or a girl..?"

Jöelle rested her hand on her mother's stomach for a while, fascinated: she'd never felt something like that before, it tickled and it seemed strange to her.

"Dunno.. But Papa.."
"Yeah, sweetie?"
"Is it true dads love boys more? Annika told me that her parents want to have children till they have a boy, because her dad wants a son."

Jean hurried to hold his daughter in his arms, and kissed her cheek.
"Dads who love boys more are just dummies.
Your dad will always love every child of his equally, no matter their gender.
I was the happiest man on Earth when I first saw you and mama told me that we had a daughter: she knew from the start you were going to be a girl, y'know?"

The man turned at his wife, smiling.

"True. I've always had the feeling I was carrying a beautiful baby girl.."
Mikasa got closer to her daughter to kiss her, and the latter stretched her arms out to be held.

"Careful on mama's back princess, you're getting big and the baby is growing heavier too."
"It's alright Jean, I still got this.."

The woman sat her daughter on the table, cuddling her.

"I really want to paint my family again.
Are you girls up for posing for me?"
Jean suggested, smiling at his daughter as her eyes widened immediately.

"Yes!! YES!!"
"That is exactly the spirit, Jöelle."

The girl was genuinely happy, relieved: maybe, this baby-sibling thing wasn't that bad, after all.

_________________________________________

About a month after Christmas, it was a cold late-January day like many others.
Jöelle had been playing outside after lunch, but quickly decided to come back home as her fingers were freezing off.

She swinged the front door open, closing it immediately after herself to not let any wind or rain enter her home.

The smile quickly disappeared from her face, as she saw her mother.

Mikasa stood in front of their table, gripping on the wood like it was her dear life.
She was biting her lower lip, as she tried to take deep breaths.

With her other hand, she massaged her huge bump, letting out suffocated moans in pain.
A drop of cold sweat was already running down her temple, to her cheek.

She noticed her daughter: finally, she was going get help.
There was no way she could've gotten out of the house in that weather, on her own.

"Jöelle, hi... hi baby.."
She tried to put a smile on her face, to not scare her daughter even further.
She needed her to be calm enough to follow her mother's instructions.

"Will you help mama with two little things..?"
"Y-ye, what is it?"
Jöelle's heart raced uncontrollably: what in the world was going on?!

"Mama needs you to go get your Nana first, Papa second and auntie Sasha last.
You need to tell them that your mama needs them now.
Will you do that, sweetie?
Will you help mama..?"

She couldn't control it, and Mikasa let out a moan in pain.
"Mama..?"
Jöelle was on the verge of tears, scared as she'd never been in her young life.

"Sweetie, I need you to be a strong big girl right now.
Will follow mama's instructions, p-please..?"

The ravenette girl turned around, grabbing her coat, beanie, gloves and shoes, and going out: "I-I'm off, mama.."

She ran: no matter if the rocks on the road were wet from the light rain, no matter anything.
In her eyes, her mother was going to die, that exact day.

She ran on her little legs the fastest she could, to get help.
She banged insistently on her grandmother's door, just a few houses away.

"Jöelle?! Easy on the door darling, it's not like it's made of iron."
"M-mama is in pain Nana, s-she told me to c-call you, and Papa, and auntie Sasha.."

The elder woman's eyes widened.
Well, it was about time her daughter-in-law gave birth.
Hopefully, she could keep it together on her own for a bit, being this her second delivery.

"I'm coming immediately, honey.
I'm just getting some things and I'm running to your mama.
You go call Papa and Sasha, alright?"

"Y-yes."
Jöelle again ran, feeling her head dizzy and her legs weak.
She waited to be out of anyone's sight to start wiping her tears: the wind was cold and strong, very few people were on the streets.

As she got in front of her father's butcher shop, she banged her fists on the much bigger and thicker door.

Falco, her father's employee, opened it for her.
"Jöelle..? Hi there, what brings you here?"

"M-my Papa, where is he..?"
"Just right there, little one.
Come inside, we're calling him."
"F-fast Falco, please.."

Jean startled from behind the counter, at the sight of his daughter.
"Jöelle..? How come you're here, sweetie..?"

"M-mama told me to get you and Nana, and auntie Sasha fast.
She i-is in pain, papa.."

Jean got whiter than he even normally was.
"Shit. Falco, you stay here.
I need to go help my wife.
Jöelle, please go get auntie, and then go back home.
You got this, princess."

Jean yeeted his apron, and went for the door to get out of the shop together with his daughter.
_________________________________________

Jöelle sat at the table, alone, shaking.

As she'd come home with Sasha, she'd been put there.
The brunette had asked her where the water was, where their wooden bath was kept, and that she was going to ask her to get more water if needed.

Soon after, her aunties Historia and Annie with uncle Armin had arrived, too.
Annie immediately sat to warm water up in the fireplace, after Armin had carried all the wood he could on his two arms.

Historia had brought the cloths, and a weird pair of scissors.

Everyone was in a hurry, running up and down the stairs, outside and inside, that they mostly forgot the poor little girl sitting alone, on the verge of tears.

Jöelle's own heartbeat hammered her ears: her mama was crying, in pain, she could hear her.
Her dad and grandmother seemed in distress, too.
Her aunt Sasha had grown nervous as a few hours passed.

Until, Jöelle was left alone.
She heard another wail, the loudest scream in pain from her mother, whose voice was usually so calm, and sweet.

That was way more than she could handle.

Jöelle got up from her chair, ignoring the voices of so many adults coming from the room just above her head, not distinguishing anymore their words, even.

She wore her shoes, nothing else, and ran outside.
_________________________________________

"That was some of the most difficult successful deliveries I've ever seen, Mikasa.
You did so great.."

Mikasa let out warm and heavy tears, listening to her mother-in-law's praise.

She was so, so incredibly tired.
She'd lost an excessive amount of blood, but the baby was out, alive and well: if a loud first wail was a sign of health, that baby must've been the healthiest of them all.

"Exactly. You did so good honey, I'm proud of you.."
Jean whispered, crying himself, and kissed his wife's temple.

If he loved and admired his wife before, he did even possibly more now that he'd witnessed her delivering their second child.

He hadn't been there for Jöelle's birth, he'd come late when she was born already, but he was glad he'd managed to be there this time.

Like she'd read his mind, his wife asked him: "Honey..? Where's Jöelle?
Someone can please call her?"

As Annie and Sasha bathed the baby and were ready to take care of the bloody sheets, Historia offered to go get the newly big sister.

"Thank you, Historia.
She seemed so scared, the poor thing.."

The ravenette was finally relaxing, leaning against many pillows, feeding her baby on her breast for the very first time as her husband cuddled the two of them, smiling in adoration.

Historia's loud steps up the stairs made everyone startle, breaking that peaceful atmosphere right out of a fairytale.

"Jöelle's not downstairs, not in the yard, not in the street."

Tears formed in Mikasa's eyes, again, immediately: this time, in pain.
"W-what..? Have you checked her room?"

"The door's open, and she's not there."
"Shit."

Jean stood up, declaring that he was going outside to look for his daughter.
Armin immediately wanted to accompany his friend, but the other man immediately stopped him.

"No, Armin. You've just recovered from that bad flu.
It's starting to snow outside, it could as well kill you.
I'm going alone."

The ash-blonde kissed his wife one more time, swearing that he was going to bring Jöelle home, safe.

Although that didn't stop the woman's tears, who had to be comforted by all the several people in the tiny room, as she started to sob and cry loudly.
________________________________________

Jean ran, fast and far as his long legs allowed him.
He asked everyone if they'd seen his daughter, and if he failed with the first and only two people he found on the main street, he finally found an answer asking the third.

It was a young woman, that was taking out a pig to be sold.
As Jean asked her, she replied that she barely knew him, let alone his daughter.

"She's five, about this tall, she has black hair and... slanted eyes.
For sure the only kid you've seen in this town with those eyes."

"Oh, I did see a little girl that resembles the description.
She was wearing a blue dress, and she was running towards the lake, in that direction..."

Jean's heart dropped when the woman added one last detail: "Now that I think of it, she wasn't wearing any coat, or beanie, or gloves.."

Jean didn't even say 'thank you', that he ran in the direction of the lake.

He cried, as he felt that his muscles were starting to hurt and he almost slipped on a few wet rocks.

It'd rained lightly most of the day, and as the evening approached and the air got colder, the snow was starting to paint white the houses, the streets and the leave-less trees.

It felt like several punches to the stomach, when he found his daughter at the end of the road.
She laid on the ground, right after a sharp stone that she must've tripped on.

She wore nothing, other than her dress and shoes.
The snow was starting to lay on her, too, like she was a lifeless object.

"J-JÖELLE!!"
Jean couldn't keep it in anymore, he was crying loudly.

Shaking like no other time, he held his daughter and sneaked her under his coat, he gave her his beanie and gloves, too.

He ran back home frantically, feeling the girl twitch in his arms a couple of times.

As he opened the door, he yelled out loud that he'd found her.
Simultaneously, he called Historia and Armin's help.

He managed not to cry in pain: he wanted anything but to alarm his wife further.
She was still weak, and trying to recover from the difficult delivery: such an heartbreak was the last thing she needed.

As the two blondes ran where Jean's voice came from, they found the man to have laid his daughter down on the table.

At the very first sight, Historia knew immediately.
Armin had to notice the girl's blue lips and even paler skin, to tell.

They both rushed to their 'niece', trying to calm the father down as well.
Jean whispered, explaining what had happened to the other man.

Meanwhile, Historia mumbled instructions in order not to alarm anyone else.

"We need to keep her further from the fire, at first.
She's still breathing, thank the Lord.
Jean, I need more covers, we need to wrap her up."

The men pulled her wet clothes off of her, to tuck her into warmer, thick covers, letting nothing exposed but her face.

They rubbed her limbs, to try to warm her up a little.
Armin then raised her legs up, and quickly after, she opened her eyes again.

She attempted words, with the only results that she kept stuttering, as she tried to call her mother and father.

"Papa's here, princess.
Papa's here.
You're safe, e-everything is going to be okay.."

Jöelle started to cry, confused and numb.

Her father kissed her forehead just like he did when he put her to bed: he could swear she was as cold as the quarters of pigs in the back of his shop.

Historia quickly started to warm up some soup, to give the girl to drink.
The fire was still burning quickly, thanks to all the wood Armin had brought: it warmed the room up nicely, almost perfectly to warm the girl up gradually.

Finally, soon enough, she was warm enough to wear clothes that Armin had put to warm up closer to the fireplace.

She sat up, and finished drinking some more soup, plus some hot milk.

She was still too weak to walk, but her father convinced her to at least try, to warm her feet up as they were still too cold.

"You're doing amazing, sweetheart.
Yes, just like that.."

Sasha finally came down, asking for Jöelle on Mikasa's behalf.
Historia gestured at her to come closer, so she could explain.

Sasha had nerves of steel, and she took the responsibility to inform Mikasa about what had happened.
Jean added that he was going to bring his wife their daughter first, so they could both calm down.

_________________________________________

Jöelle formed the first coherent word, the moment she saw her mother: "M-m-mama..!"

She stretched her arms out the bundle of covers she was still wrapped in, sobbing.
Mikasa said nothing, but showered the girl in love and kisses as soon as her husband laid her on her own lap.

Jöelle still cried silently on her mother's swollen chest, feeling her heartbeat race up as Sasha told her about what had happened.

"Jöelle, mama's so so sorry, baby.
You did amazing, Mama has never been more proud of you..
Shh, you're alright baby, it's over, you'll be fine.."

Jöelle finally started to calm down as she laid on her mother's much warmer chest, listening to sweet words that almost lulled her to sleep.

The ravenette woman waited for her daughter to stop crying, before letting out that: "Mama would like you to meet someone.."

Mikasa reached with her hand at the other hand of the bed, which was when Jöelle finally noticed the bundle of covers laying just next to her mother.

She saw tiny, red and wrinkly hands peeking out first thing, then chubby cheeks and a ton of hair just as black as her own.

Mrs. Kirschtein laid the baby on Mikasa's chest as Jöelle now sat on her mother's side.

Mikasa undid the swaddle a little, to let her daughter see better.
"So..? What do you think..?
Can you see how much he looks like you, princess?"

The baby opened his eyes, staring back at his sister.
Jean joined the picture, as the little family was left alone.
He looked at the details the best he could, trying to impress the scene in his memory: that was going to make the best painting of his life.

"Do you wanna try and hold him, sweetheart?"
Jöelle nodded, unsure.
She climbed between her parents as they asked her, a pillow was placed on her lap.

She laid her hand on the baby's stomach, as light as she could.
She startled, when she felt the tight grip of her brother's tiny fist around her finger.

"H-he smells good.."
Her parents chuckled, in relief: it was clear, that it'd been love at first sight between the siblings.

The baby boy suddenly let go of her sister's finger, to suck on his thumb.
"Still hungry..?"
"Probably. But he looks like he's enjoying his own fingers too."

Jöelle moved her hand to carefully caress her brother's head, admiring how smooth his hair felt.

Her mother kissed her temple once again: "You were so, so brave today Jöelle.
Me and your brother are fine just thanks to you.."
"Papa's so proud of you, too.
Look, sweetie... everyone is very sorry you've been left alone and scared.
But, please, under any circumstance, ask adults for help, first."

"Papa's right, sweetie.
It's not safe to wonder out in the snow without any warmer clothes.."

Oh, who were they kidding..?
The scolding could wait: now, they just needed to enjoy their new son, and their fighter daughter.

"Mama..."
"Yeah, Jöelle?"
"What's his name?"

"He's going to be Yuri.
Do you like it, baby..?"

Jean snorted: "Papa picked your name, so your mom had all the right to choose on her own this time."

"It sounds very Japanese, mama.."
"It does, doesn't it..?
It's actually a girl's name, in Japanese.
But by coincidence, it's also a European boy's name.
In Russian, it means farmer.
In Japanese, it's written with the characters of friend, and justice."

Jöelle stared at her brother a little more, before leaning over and leaving a kiss on his forehead.

"Aw.. That was cute, sweetie.."
"You're already the best big sister out there."

Yuri stared back at his sister, with his giant eyes.

"Did I mention it already, that he looks just like you?"
"Ye. Mama did, papa."
Jean snorted, again.
She was getting sassy again, she really had recovered from a near-death experience, already.

"Mama..."
"Yes?"
"Can you still teach me to make clothes for him?"

"Of course!"
Mikasa and Jean leaned over, above their children, to kiss.

They were raising that girl well, after all.
She was kind, sweet and even responsible, and still only five years old.

_________________________________________

Not long later, the snow was finally melting, as the spring seemed to have arrived rather earlier.

A rather rich, well dressed merchant entered Jean's butcher shop, now twice as big as when he'd first opened it, and started to look around.

A detail, though, got his attention: and it wasn't meat.
He asked the boy behind the desk to call the master of that place, as he needed to speak with him of an 'interesting offer'.

"Sir, a merchant with a weird accent wants to speak with you about a 'special offer', or so he said."

Jean's eyebrows furrowed, he was weirded out.
He cleaned his hands and wore his wedding ring again, as he always did as soon as he was done working on a carcass.

"You called for me, sir?"
"Yes. I wanted to ask about this," the merchant replied, and pointed at a painting on the wall.

"How much for it?"

Jean shrugged, and quickly spit out, almost mad: "That's my family.
That painting ain't up for sale."

The merchant's lower jaw was left hanging, as the ash-blonde man's in front of him completely changed his expression.

"Would you be interested in this special piece of veal?
I can lend you my wife's recipe for a soup.
It literally saves lives, y'know?"