Shuffling through one of the storage sheds, you grew frustrated at how awfully disorganised it was inside. The ache in your lower back was beginning to get unbearable from leaning over all evening.

God. The Captain would hate it in here.

You stomped your foot in irritation while standing back up, yelping as your head smacked against a low hanging shelf. And mother fucker, did it hurt. The throbbing at the back of your head only angered you more. You pressed your palm against the bump and hissed at the dull pain it emitted. Stupid storage shed. Stupid candles and stupid lights. Stupid. Stupid.

You let out another squeak as something rolled off the shelf and onto your head.

You were all out of good luck, weren't you?

Just about ready to throw the world's biggest hissy fit, you whipped around to find whatever awful thing dropped onto you and throw it against the wa–

Ah. It was the exact candle you were looking for.

Thankfully the stick of wax didn't break when it fell. So you bent over to pick it up. While running your thumb against the engravings of the wax, you could feel the throbbing in your head subsiding quietly away. You could only sigh as you waited for it to ebb away completely. But it never quite did, even after a while.

'Stärke', the candle read.

The Scouting Legion was low on funds. You knew that already. After all, who would want to invest in an organisation that people took as a joke? To compensate, the Scouting Legion took what they could. Spare candles from Wall Worshippers was one of those things. You knew that they weren't all bad though. As was the truth with a lot of things.

You hummed to yourself as you turned to the shelf the candle fell from, finding messy pyramids of candles in abundance. Taking two in each hand for now, you huffed as the pain from the bump hadn't quite subsided yet. But never mind that. You had to make your way to the Captain's office. You didn't just go collecting candles and slamming your head into things as a hobby.

While you walked through the significantly emptied halls, you had only your own thoughts with you. It hadn't struck you until the past hour quite yet. You knew you wouldn't need to serve the Captain alongside your own duties anymore, which you were glad about. Perhaps you have some kind of responsibility on your shoulders though, to pass on your findings as the Captain's long-term assistant to the next generation.

You scoffed at how ridiculous you were being. You were acting as if you were some sort of historian, uncovering secrets that nobody else knew.

It dawned on you that perhaps… just perhaps, that was actually the case.

Secrets nobody else knew, you meant.

Little ones like Levi's drawer. The second one down to his right. It was filled with ripped patches, some bloodied, some torn into fractions. The wings of freedom that a soldier once emblazoned. He kept what he could.

Or did you know that even Humanity's Strongest could get ill sometimes? You recalled the time that the man nearly worked himself to death, despite suffering from awful migraines and shooting temperatures. You remembered how he tried to kick you out of his office because 'you'll catch some shitty germs and spread them all over this shitty place.' Though you knew that his little, abrasive way of saying, 'I don't want you to get ill.'

You remembered how it was one of the few times you disobeyed him. Well. You supposed you technically didn't. The Captain instructed you to make tea, to help him stay up while he finished the last of his condolence letters. You gave him his tea. It was simply decaffeinated. So when you checked up on him an hour later, you guiltily observed the way he had fallen asleep on his desk, breathing laboured and posture probably uncomfortable. All you could really do for him at that point was find a cloak in his quarters to drape over his shoulders, and carefully move his chin so he wouldn't wake with a stiff neck. You recalled ending the night sat under waning candlelight next to Mike and Nanaba, with you having stolen a few dozen sheets of parchment from your superior's office along with the briefing of deceased soldiers. You begged your two friends to help you do the Captain's work for him, promising to help them in return sometime.

Smiling to yourself, you thought about how you later handed them to Erwin and begged – utterly pleaded for the man to tell the Captain that he had already given them in and that he must've been too ill to remember writing them and turning them in himself.

You found yourself wondering quite bittersweetly if your replacement would go to such extents. Hopefully, they would understand that the Captain would deserve nothing less.

All that reminiscing and daydreaming seemed to make time simply flash by. You were already stood at the Captain's weathered door. With your boot, you tapped, like you always did.

Tap tap tap.

"Sir," you called.

"Enter."

You tried to open the door with your elbow, as your hands were full. It made you wonder why you didn't just take a bag with you to put all the candles in. It took a go or two but you managed to enter, noticing that the Captain was still in the same position as when you left him. Deciding not to bother him with needless conversation, you got to work with replacing the candles that were reduced to tiny stumps. It wasn't dark enough to light them yet, but you had noticed earlier that they were beginning to burn out.

Just one of the many little things you did for Captain Levi.

"Another tray of tea, if you will, [l/n]," he commanded, fixated on reading the documents in his hand.

"Ah, I'm sorry, sir," you bit your lip. "I have to see Commander Erwin straight after this." This caught his attention, and his eyes flicked towards you as you were still replacing a candle. "Besides, it's a little late, is it not? You won't be able to sleep earlier if you have tea now," you continued, mumbling a forgotten 'sir' at the end of your sentence.

He was silent for a moment, simply observing you as you worked. You felt his gaze, but you didn't flinch. You had gotten used to the stoic man aeons ago. Taking the stumps of candle wax in your hand, you figured that each stick still had an hour's worth of wax still – you often used what was left of the candle to take to your own shared quarters.

"However if you insist, I will return with a tray after the Commander is done with me," you turned to the seated man, giving him a polite smile. "Although I cannot guarantee promptness."

Two pairs of eyes met. "That will be fine."

He simply went back to work. You set the four candle stumps onto the Captain's couch and told him you'd be back to collect them later. A hum of acknowledgement was the only reply while you excused yourself.

You returned again to your own thoughts as you walked down the lonely halls. Your footsteps echoed while you thought to yourself.

Perhaps I'll write some sort of guide or checklist. Help the new assistant out somehow.

My first duty as squad leader shall be to train them.

Laughing quietly under your breath at the thought, you found yourself in front of the Commander's door. You could hear voices inside.

Knock knock knock.

"Who is ittt!" sang a female voice.

You had to look up for a moment to read the brass plaque on the door, checking to see if you were at the right office. Which you were.

"[f/n] [l/n]. I'm here to collect official documents from the commander, ma'am."

Erwin's voice followed, "you may enter."

"Oouh! I figured it would be you getting the promotion!" called Hange as you briskly walked through the door. She stood without her uniform jacket over her yellow button up.

"Squad Leader Hange, Commander Erwin!" you barked, giving them a salute. Hange simply waved it off.

"We're the same rank now! No need for that. You really think I still salute when I see Erwin?" the brunette grinned. Her smile was too contagious. You couldn't help but return it.

"Yes, ma'am– Hange," you brought a hand to your mouth, trying to conceal the silly grin in your face.

You squeaked as the woman yelled and threw her arms over you. "I'm so glad! Erwin, [f/n] deserves it more than anyone!"

Her freakishly strong embrace shocked you as you tried to squirm out, but you gave up trying to break from her vice bear hug. All you could do was neatly wrap your arms around her, much to Hange's delight. She emitted a high pitched and loud hum while squeezing you harder.

Wall Maria, I can't breath–

"Enough, Hange."

Oh thank god

She loosened her grip around her friend and pouted slightly. You laughed as you wiggled away from her arms and turned your attention to the towering Commander. In his hands was an envelope, unsealed, with papers inside it. Those must be the official documents to prove you were a Squad Leader. Timidly, you accepted the envelope when your superior held it out to you.

"I won't let you down, Commander, sir!" you beamed while clutching the envelope.

He nodded firmly, with a smile gracing his lips.

"Miss Hange Zoë here will be somewhat of a mentor for now," he gestured towards the woman who practically vibrated with excitement. "If you have any queries, she will be the one to–"

"I'll be the one to help you out!" Hange leapt at you again, cuddling you much softer than before. You relished in the affection from your friend.

"Thank you so much, sir!"

People would normally question why a (former) Private First Class was so comfortable around their superiors. Especially when one was draped over your shoulders and the other had his hand firmly grasping your arm, standing over you. But the Captain had sent you to see them so many times – probably hundreds of times! – that you knew better than to be nervous. That didn't mean you weren't respectful, though.

"Oh!" your outburst stopped Hange mid-chatter while she showered you in affectionate babbles. "Captain Levi–"

"What about him?" your head snapped up by a few inches at the familiar, but piercing voice. You looked to the side to see the short man leaning on the doorframe with his arms crossed. "When you said you needed to see Erwin I wasn't expecting the beginnings of a gangbang."

Your jaw dropped.

"Sir–!"

You were used to his vulgarity, but that was just too much!

"I was wondering why you needed my assistant and not me," his monotone voice resonated as you noticed him eyeing the letter in your hand.

"No way are you getting in on this ménage a trois!" teased the veteran squad leader. You slapped the arm that was draped across your shoulder while a light pink was dusted across your cheeks.

"Hange!" you squeaked.

"Idiot, do you even speak French?" scoffed the ravenette. "Whatever. [l/n]. Tea," he ordered while tipping his head in the direction down the hallway.

Hange whines when you shimmied from her embrace. "Sir!" you nodded before taking strides towards the mess hall kitchen, envelope still held to your chest with a smile.

In all your concentration to get to the kitchen, you failed to notice the Captain's eyes trained on your back. He watched intently you as you walked away from him, and let out a deep exhale once you were out of sight. The Captain closed his eyes as he stepped into Erwin's office and shut the door behind him. He knew he was going to have a long talk with his two comrades.