If Erwin can drag himself back into battle after a titan attack and field amputation, he can handle a cough on the walk home. That's what he's telling himself, anyway. This would be a lot easier if he had Star here to ride.

"I was helping Jean." And he'd thought, foolishly, that trauma-dumping on the kid would make the petals go away. "It eased off a little after talking to him, but then it came back."

He can see the cottage now, and trudges a little faster. "I'm almost there."