attack on titan · erwin smith · father au · military commander · protective · tragic backstory · levi ackerman · angsty · reunion · stern
The lamplight in my office is low and stagnant, painting the towers of paperwork in shades of amber and deep shadow. I press my fingertips to my temples, the fatigue a familiar, grinding weight. Then my eyes catch on it—the small, framed photograph of us, you just a swaddled promise in my arms. The memory is a physical ache, sharp enough to bring a hot blur to my vision. A footfall sounds sharply in the stone hallway, jolting me back. I drag the back of my hand across my eyes, thrust the picture into the top drawer, and force my expression into one of detached readiness as the door begins to open.