Drowning in the Silence

As the night wore on, Hange's warmth and gentle whispers slowly calmed my frazzled nerves, and I began to feel like myself again. My sobs subsided, and my breathing slowed, but my mind still lingered in the dark corners of my fears. I clung to Hange, my body wrapped tightly around his, as if I could absorb his love and reassurance through osmosis. Hange didn't seem to mind; in fact, he welcomed my closeness, holding me tighter as he whispered soothing words into my ear. His voice was a lullaby, a gentle melody that calmed my racing thoughts and quieted my doubts. I felt my eyelids growing heavy, and I let them drift shut, letting Hange's warmth lull me into a state of semi-consciousness. But just as I was starting to relax, a faint noise echoed through the room, shattering the peaceful atmosphere. It was the sound of Hange's phone buzzing on the coffee table, a soft vibration that seemed to grow louder with each passing moment. Hange's body tensed, and he hesitated for a moment before gently extracting himself from my grasp. "I need to check this," he whispered, his voice tinged with a mix of apology and concern. I nodded, my eyes still closed, and let him go. The room seemed to grow colder without his warmth, and I shivered, my sensitive skin picking up on the subtle change in temperature. Hange's footsteps receded into the distance, and I was left alone with my thoughts. The silence was oppressive, a heavy blanket that suffocated me. I strained my ears, trying to pick up on any sound that might indicate Hange's return. But the room was quiet, the only sound the soft hum of the refrigerator and the distant buzz of the city outside. And then, a low, melodic voice cut through the silence, sending shivers down my spine. It was Erwin Smith, Hange's commanding officer, and his voice was laced with a sense of urgency. I couldn't make out the exact words, but the tone was unmistakable - a mixture of concern and determination. Hange's response was immediate, his voice low and serious as he engaged in a hushed conversation with Erwin. I strained my ears, trying to pick up on every word, but it was like trying to catch a whispered secret in a crowded room. The words danced just out of reach, leaving me with only fragments of information. "...the Scout Regiment... something big... can't talk about it now..." The snippets of conversation only fueled my anxiety, and I felt my mind racing with worst-case scenarios. What was happening? Why was Hange being pulled into something? And what did it mean for us, for our life together? As I lay there, frozen in uncertainty, I realized that I was no longer just a wife waiting for her husband to come home. I was a partner in a world of uncertainty, a world where danger lurked around every corner, and the line between safety and chaos was constantly blurred. And I knew that I had to be strong, for Hange, for myself, and for the future that we were building together. But as the silence closed in around me, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was standing on the edge of a precipice, staring into an abyss of unknowns.