❝𝐈𝐟 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐬𝐨, 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚.❞
Selfishly fascinated with her own strength, Valen Ferreira is willing to do nearly anything and everyth...
Fuming at the door was Levi, his bared teeth complemented by a large, blackening bruise blooming on his cheek. Valen descried his flaring nostrils, the muscles of his tautening neck. He looked just as─or dare she say more─enraged than when they sparred in the gymnasium.
The sentiment was shared.
His gaze strayed to her, and the fire in his eyes intensified. Valen maintained a nonplussed expression, the only indication of her burning rage towards being the slight purse of her lips. Had the Commander abandoned them, Valen would have gladly risen to dish another bruise, but unfortunately, that was a fantasy that'd solely reside in her imagination.
And then it dawned on her.
"Great. Everyone's present," Erwin said, turning. His contented tone clashed with the searing tension hanging between Valen and Levi. "We can now proceed with this meeting." As Erwin seated himself, Valen noted how oddly pleased he sounded─had he reassigned her?
Of course─why hadn't it come to mind? From the start, she'd known Erwin was a deceivingly ruthless man who'd do anything in his willpower to advance humanity's fight for freedom─but not once did it cross her mind how far he'd go to advance the cause.
Erwin motioned to the chair beside Valen's. "I presume you're drained from your duties. Why don't you have a seat?" he suggested.
"Thank you, but I'll pass," Levi answered. Merely existing in the study at the same time was proving to be challenging on its own: it was beyond question that he wanted to stay far from her.
"As you wish." Calm swept into the room, but the underlying tension between Valen and Levi prevailed. "As both of you may have deduced, I was the one who handled the reassignment. Nobody else played a role in this decision."
"Obviously, because I had no say in this," the Captain grumbled. "Just because you possess the authority to reassign people does not give you the right to be changing the rosters as you please. Every person on my squad I handpicked, and they worked hard to earn their placement."
"I understand your frustration, Captain. As a former Squad Leader myself, I'd be disconcerted if my predecessor had done the same," Erwin sympathized, "but everything I do is for a reason, and as Commander it is ultimately my duty to do what is best for the branch and ensure our success."
