𝔇𝔢𝔣𝔦𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢 (𝔏𝔢𝔳𝔦 𝔵 ℜ𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔢𝔯)

LXXII - A Flawed Crime

"You should have had plenty of time."

***

The ravens words brought silence upon the room, a pin drop would be the most audible thing if it were to happen. I turn to face him, his figure donned with a basic suit. He sighed quietly to himself, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and wiping his hand with it.

"Well never mind that, we'll discuss your lax cleaning job later. Right now we need to get organised and plan our next move." Levi voices as he gestures for everyone to sit down at the table, turning to prepare multiple cups on the table at each soon to be occupied chair. The squad all stood around unmoving, most of them too afraid to make the next move. So I shrug, twisting myself around and seating myself in the chair that was closest to me. Connie, who had walked in after the raven and stood idly behind him, moved next, followed by another soldier, and then another until the whole table was occupied by the new Special Operations squad.

Everyone, including the Captain, remained quiet. He poured himself a cup of tea, placing the hot pitcher on the table before he seated himself, and then all noise and movement ceased. The silence slowly picked each member apart the longer it dragged, all the boys getting more and more fidgety as each lengthy second passed. I leaned back in my chair, awaiting for either an explanation on why we weren't discussing the next move Levi had mentioned what felt like hours ago, or for someone else to break the silence in a sudden questioning spree.

But to my dismay, no one dared break the tense tranquility for unknown reasons, even if most of the squad were physically straining themselves in their chairs. I hum to myself, so quietly it could've been mistaken for a tired inward breath.

"What are we waiting for?" I decide to speak first, watching the raven at the end of the table intently. At the question I asked, his eyes were instantly meeting mine. Not a single emotion was to be found in those sapphire pools, and his porcelain like skin didn't seem to even twitch in the slightest at the air being broken.

"Hange and her squad are coming to discuss matters regarding Eren and Historia, along with Information about her trip to the Capital to visit Pastor Nick. Details have only been exchanged between her and Erwin, and will be talked about when she gets here." He informed neutrally, his back reluctantly meeting the back of his chair as he crossed a leg over the other. Moments after he had finished his explanation, the door sounded as the hinges squeaked open followed by multiple sets of footsteps, the sounds soon concluded with the door clicking closed.

"Apologies for the lateness." Hange voiced tiredly. "I hadn't slept well last night so my mind is lagging behind a little." She said. Levi nodded subtly in understanding as his eyes scanned each of us, trying to decipher everyone. His gaze flickered from one of the cadets to the next, before his eyes fell upon me, his look doing nothing but try to pick me apart. Chairs in the corner of the room creaked as the Hange squad all sat on them, my eyes not wandering in their direction before I feel a couple of light nudges against my back as two people walked passed me.

The contact alone was enough to make me look up, seeing my two soul brothers glancing down at me while wriggling their eyebrows to try and soften the atmosphere that was still thick with an unbreathable tension. I send the two a smile, folding my arms as I relax again, awaiting for the pending coversation to finally commence.

"Our next move." Levi breaks the quietness, starting with the plan to protect our two most valuable assets as of now. "Of course, while much has happened recently, our original goal remains very much the same. That is to close the hole in Maria." The raven eyes panned over to Eren, who sat at the corner on Levi's right. The boy nodded wordlessly, eyes set intently on the Captain who soon continued to speak.