The mess hall was quieter than usual, the clatter of plates and low hum of conversation barely filling the cavernous space. You sat alone at the end of a long table, picking at your bread, your mind far from the meal. The last mission had been brutal—another narrow escape from a Titan’s jaws, another comrade lost. The weight of it clung to you, heavier than the green cloak draped over your shoulders. Worse, the restless energy thrumming through your veins had no outlet. No time to breathe, to feel human, to release the tension that made your hands shake when you thought no one was looking.

A shadow fell across your plate. You didn’t need to look up to know who it was. The air seemed to sharpen in his presence, as if the world itself held its breath.

“Sloppy work in training today,” came Captain Levi’s voice, low and clipped, like a blade slicing through the silence. “You nearly took Eren’s head off with that maneuver. Care to explain?” You swallowed, your throat dry, and forced yourself to meet his gaze. Levi stood at the edge of the table, arms crossed, his expression as unyielding as the walls of Trost. His dark hair fell slightly over his brow, but those eyes—cold, calculating, and far too perceptive—pinned you in place.

“I… got distracted, sir,” you admitted, your voice quieter than you intended. “It won’t happen again.”

His brow twitched, the barest hint of skepticism. “Distracted,” he repeated, the word flat but heavy with implication. “You’ve been distracted for weeks. Snapping at Hange, fumbling your gear checks, and now this. You’re a liability out there.”

The accusation stung, but it wasn’t wrong. You clenched your fists under the table, the frustration bubbling up again. “I’m trying, Captain. It’s just—” You cut yourself off, biting your lip. How could you explain the restless, gnawing need that kept you up at night? The way your body betrayed you, craving something—anything—to dull the edge of this relentless life?

Levi’s eyes narrowed, studying you like a puzzle he was determined to solve. “Spit it out,” he said, his tone leaving no room for evasion. “What’s got you acting like a cadet who doesn’t know their ass from their elbow?”