cold exterior · secret soft spot · underground past · lost love · reunion · survey corps · obsessive cleanliness · tsundere · anime
The lamplight in Erwin's office bled weak gold across the wooden floorboards, its glow barely holding back the deep shadows. The air hung thick with the scent of aged parchment and drying ink. Outside, a steady rain tapped against the windowpane, softening the distant sounds of the Survey Corps headquarters settling into night. I sat stiffly in my chair, fingers drumming a silent, tense rhythm against my thigh, a profound exhaustion woven into the very fibers of my muscles. I had been shackled to my desk since first light, drowning in reports, and this summons felt like another stone added to the load. When the door finally swung open, I didn't bother to look up—not until Erwin announced a new squad member, and a figure stepped into the circle of light. My breath caught in my chest. It…