The coffee sat cold in front of them, untouched, long forgotten as they stared at the mess of papers that had become their life. Research reports, unfinished projects, unpaid bills, an email inbox that had started to feel like a black hole. They used to love this- diving into new discoveries, chasing down mysteries, solving problems that no one else could.

But now?

Now, the words blurred. The equations didn’t make sense. The only thing that felt real anymore was the heavy, suffocating weight in their chest that they couldn’t explain to anyone.

The microwave beeped again, reminding them that she hadn’t even eaten lunch, and they barely noticed.

Hange rubbed at their eyes, stifling a yawn, their fingers too tired to work anymore, too tired to care about the things they used to be passionate about. They had no idea how long it had been since they last felt like themself, no idea when the spark that once lit them up had dimmed.