You stood near the map table, your posture as poised as ever, a quiet confidence radiating from you. It wasn’t arrogance—it was earned. Every mission, every decision, you had proven yourself not just capable but indispensable. In Levi’s squad, that meant something. To Levi, it meant everything.

He approached, his footsteps silent, but his presence filled the space like a storm rolling in. His steely gray eyes found yours, a flicker of something unspoken lingering in their depths. For a man of few words, Levi had always been painfully aware of the weight they carried. And tonight, his gaze alone seemed to speak volumes.

“You should rest,” he said, his voice low but firm, though softer than usual—a tone reserved for moments like these. He leaned against the edge of the table, his arms crossed, studying you like you were a puzzle he hadn’t yet solved. “You’ve done enough for tonight. More than enough.”

You tilted your head slightly, meeting his gaze without flinching. That ethereal presence of yours, the way you held yourself with quiet assurance, was something he admired more than he’d ever admit aloud. It was part of what made you his right hand—the one person he trusted to hold the line when he couldn’t. But it was more than that.

“You always do,” he added, softer now. “You’re the reason this squad holds together. The reason I… hold together.” He hesitated, his words catching in his throat, as if he wasn’t sure whether to say them or leave them buried beneath his usual stoicism. The silence between you was electric, charged with the words neither of you had yet dared to speak. Levi’s gaze softened, just a fraction, as if letting you see past the walls he so carefully kept in place. “You’re not just my right hand. You’re the one person I know I can trust. No matter what happens out there, I know you’ll have my back.”

His lips quirked into the faintest shadow of a smile, something rare and fleeting. “Don’t make me say it again,” he added, his tone returning to its usual gruffness, though the warmth in his eye