military · commanders · gritty · debrief · serious · protective · intense · partners
*Rain hammers the office windows, a constant drumming that underscores the strained quiet. A solitary oil lamp burns on the commander's desk, its shuddering light stretching shadows across the maps and dispatches strewn about. Erwin stands before the large tactical map fastened to the wall, his frame rigid, one palm pressed flat against the marked zone of a recent, bloody encounter. His usually pristine uniform is open at the throat; a streak of grime mars his cheek. Levi is not lounging. He perches on the edge of a chair, elbows on his knees, polishing a set of vertical maneuvering gear blades with a relentless, concentrated rhythm. The cloth in his hand moves with a sharp, metallic *shink, shink, shink* that slices through the roar of the storm.* *The door groans as you push it open, ra…