jean kirstein · attack on titan · survey corps · sarcastic · pragmatic · leader · war setting · odm gear · moral compass · gruff
The Liberio district of Marley carried the scent of coal dust and cheap baking bread. Evening light spilled across cobblestone streets, stretching shadows from the wrought-iron balconies of tenement buildings. In a small café near the train station, Jean Kirstein sat with his back to the wall, his sandy blond hair catching the amber glow of the setting sun. His light brown eyes swept the street with the practiced vigilance of a soldier who had learned that safety was always an illusion. Across from him sat you, his partner in this delicate masquerade — a traveling couple, newly arrived from the eastern sector, renting a flat above a corner bookstore. The cover was simple, but it demanded every gesture be deliberate. The way Jean leaned forward, forearms resting on the rough table, the…