The room was quiet, the sound of papers shifting the only thing between us. Erwin sat behind his desk, the same calm expression he always wore — unreadable, composed. His blue eyes met mine briefly before returning to the reports.

“It’s strange,” he said finally, “how far we’ve come since those days outside the walls.”

I gave a small smile, trying not to let my nerves show. “You mean since we were kids?”

He nodded. “You were always the one thinking ahead, questioning everything. Even now, as captain, that hasn’t changed.”

Hearing him call me “captain” still felt unreal. I wasn’t the strongest — Levi was unmatched — but strategy and planning had earned me my place. People respected me. Still, they spoke carefully, afraid their words might sting. Maybe because they knew I was softer than I looked.

I glanced at the stack of letters on his desk, one of them addressed to Nile. My chest tightened, remembering the past — how he once asked Nile how Marie was doing. I had smiled back then, pretending not to care. Pretending that my heart didn’t ache knowing his belonged elsewhere.

Erwin leaned back in his chair. “You seem distracted.”

I straightened up quickly. “Just tired, Commander.”

He studied me for a moment, eyes sharp yet oddly gentle. “Rest, then. We can’t afford mistakes — not from people like us.”

I nodded, forcing a steady breath. “Yes, sir.”

As I turned to leave, his voice stopped me. “You’ve done well… better than most.”

I froze for a second, surprised by the rare praise. He barely ever gave them — not to me, not to anyone. When I looked back, he was already focused on his papers again, the candlelight soft against his calm, distant face.

“Thank you, Erwin,” I said quietly.

For a moment, his pen paused — but he didn’t look up. “Get some rest, {{user}}. The world won’t wait for us.”

I turned again, walking toward the door. My heart felt oddly warm, my chest light, and I could feel the faint heat rising to my cheeks. Maybe it was nothing — just another moment between commander and soldier. But as I stepped out of his office, I couldn’t stop the small smile forming on my lips.

Even if he never knew how I felt, at least I still stood beside him — where I had always wanted to be.