Chapter Text
The chair in front of his desk was so uncomfortable. At least right now it was. You nervously combed your fingers through your still-damp hair to ease your nerves. In a split decision, you wore your dress pants and button-up shirt to look presentable. Surely you didn’t need to wear your full uniform right?
It was midnight, nearly one in the morning, after curfew. You had been on evening watch but missed your window of leniency for shift changes, and so you decided to just take a shower since the window was already gone. No one was awake, so it’s not like you would be caught.
Of course, you doomed yourself with that thought.
And you were about to get off scot-free! Wrapped up in a towel and ready for bed, you set off to leave the shower room. And then Erwin happened to block the hallway exit before you got there.
---
“Oh!”
He shut his eyes and turned his head towards a corner as a shade of pink dusted his cheeks.
“Y/n, what are you doing out past curfew.”
You laughed nervously.
“Ehh well I-”
“Nevermind, just head to the exit.”
He heard your gentle footsteps walk past in a hurry, but before you got out he spoke in his serious tone again.
“When you’re properly dressed I need to speak with you in my office.”
You froze at the doorway, more awake than you had been in the past few hours as a chill ran down your spine. After wincing at the statement, frantic thoughts began to tear into you.
No no no no no this couldn't wait until morning? Ohh no he's pissed! What if I'm demoted?! What if-
“Move it!”
You jumped and almost yelled down the hallway as you took off towards your room.
“Yes sir!”
---
You had never been in his office to be scolded before, and not knowing what he was going to do for punishment was worse for your overactive imagination.
Maybe it won’t be too bad? I mean we’re friends right…? But he’s still the commander... so he’s not going to play favorites. He never has. Oh no.
You held your head in your hands as you grimaced when the thought of getting thrown out of the corps crossed your mind.
When you heard the door click open you rapidly sat up straight and then stood up to face the door while saluting. You stood stiff, blushing from both your embarrassment and also seeing Erwin dressed so differently.
He wore a relaxed style of just dress pants and a button-up. His shoes matched his belt and his hair wasn't its usual stiff style. He actually looked soft.
His eyes met yours and he put his hand up casually waving away to signal you to stop saluting. You continued to stand up straight and faced his desk as he walked behind you to get to his seat.
When he sat down he picked up a pen and continued to write on one of the many papers that covered his desk. He didn’t seem very angry.
“Sit down.”
Never mind.
You took your seat and shifted a bit while playing with your thumbs in your lap. The only sound in the room was him scribbling on the document he had before him and it seemed to go on for forever.
Finally, louder, exaggerated strokes sounded out as he signed his name and then finally put down the pen. You anxiously looked at the paper he put to the side and then watched as his eyes slowly raised up to meet yours.
Oh he’s LIVID
“Sorry I just needed to fill out that work order.”
The silence seemed deafening after he said that. You held your breath as he kept his heavy eye contact with you. He blinked, waiting for you to respond which brought you out of your trance.
A breathy whisper fell out of you.
“Wh- Huh?”
“A work order. It’s unrelated.”
He inhaled before moving to stand up once again. His footsteps sounded out a path as he walked to the table behind you to pour himself a cup of coffee.
“Would you like some coffee?”
“Uh, no, thank you, sir.”
You sat stiffly in the chair a bit confused as to what was going on. When was he going to start yelling?
The clinking of porcelain was heard and you sat staring at the amount of paperwork on his desk. There was quite a bit and you questioned how one person could get that done in one night.
Suddenly a cup appeared before you as he gently lowered it in front of your face.
“I think you’ll need it anyway.”
You took the cup from him, hesitantly wrapping your fingers around the handle while brushing against his warm skin. The touch seemed to linger but you took the mug away and held the warm drink in your hands, it almost made you sleepy.
“You’re not off the hook. You still broke curfew.”
Your heart dropped as you waited for his next sentence. He set down his cup and pulled open a drawer, producing another fountain pen, and put it on a large stack of papers, pushing it towards you.
“This will be your work for tonight.”
The nervousness left you as your eyes focused on the pen and papers, and the cup was still nestled in your hands. It seemed as if you were about to tip over as you stared wide-eyed at the large stack before you. His chuckle caused you to look back up at him.
He knew you were nervous that you were in trouble, but he could never yell at you. He knew his soft spot for you was his downfall but he couldn’t let you have too much leniency because he knew you would take advantage of that. Even if it was in an innocent way.
But he still felt a little guilty that he could frighten you so easily.
“Y/n, don’t be so tense. You’ve never broken any rule before, and you’re one of my best squad leaders. This-”
He finger quoted.
“ ‘punishment’ is really just to say I’m not playing favorites.”
He sat down and took a sip of his coffee before continuing to work on another document.
“But I won’t be so nice next time.”
His eyes pierced you as he said it until he focused on the papers once more. You sat still and watched him write until he paused to look up at you, giving a concerned look.
“Would you rather I yell at you?”
Your eyebrows perked up and you quickly moved to set up your station.
“No, no. I’ll get started.”
“Then by all means.”
He gestured to the empty space at his side and you set your cup down to position the chair parallel to the desk. Starting on the first document you got to work and quietly read the paperwork, filling out the proper items.
Many of the interactions between the two of you would start purely as a superior referring to a subordinate, but it always slipped into friendly interaction rather quickly.
You were halfway through the first paper when he spoke.
“To be honest, it’s nice to have company.”
You let out a small laugh and glanced up at him while continuing to work.
“Even if it’s forced?”
He smiled a little as he looked off to the side while a tiny nervous laugh came out.
“Well, you’ve voluntarily worked nights like this with me before.”
“Keyword voluntarily mister.”
He looked at you with raised eyebrows, amused by the sass.
“Really?”
There was silence as you felt a small blush form on your face from the dazzling smile creeping onto his face.
“But yes I enjoy your company. And for your sake, I didn’t say that so you can still call this punishment.”
You flashed him a smile and he watched as you dropped your pen to take a sip of your coffee. When you set the cup down your eyes were fixed on your papers once more.
“Still, you know how to punish someone. You’ve taken away my precious time for slumber.”
A small frown was on your face that imitated a puppy as you slumped over in your chair to add to your defeat.
It elated Erwin to no end when you made cute expressions but he would always have a relaxed or teasing response.
“Well maybe, our dear squad leader y/n shouldn’t be breaking curfew.”
A groan came out of you and you leaned back into the chair allowing for your head to lazily loll on your shoulders.
“The one time I broke a rule.”
He laughed at your expressions so a smile formed on your lips as your body found structure once more.
A shared smile floated between you before the focused environment returned. In what seemed to be mere minutes, two hours had passed and the stacks of papers were two-thirds of the way done. Really it could all be finished within the hour, but you found yourself blearily staring at the empty cup of coffee in front of you.
Before you let your eyes close you moved to stretch your arms over your head, inhaling a sharp breath before groaning slightly as you broke the silence.
Erwin took this as his signal to take a small break as well, sitting up straight while pulling his shoulders back and rubbing his neck for a brief moment. He briefly set his hands flat on the desk to let his sore tendons relax from the tense writing, and then he rested his head in one hand.
When you brought your arms down, your elbows rested on your knees while your chin rested on the desk. Nothing was said and you both kept your new stances, but you found your eyes falling on Erwin’s hand which was directly in your line of sight.
Blinking back the sleep in your eyes, you could see how his hands were bruised, which was common from handling the ODM gear, but an old scar that was on the side of his hand that ran down from the top of his palm to just above his wrist intrigued you. Without a second thought, you sat up and scooted closer while taking his hand in yours, raising it closer to your eyes to examine the scar.
He didn’t seem to mind and nonchalantly watched you curiously run your finger across his familiar old scar. He leaned further on his right arm as his left arm was suspended in the air due to your current examination.
“It’s an old training scar. Back when I was a fresh soldier, a blade broke off before I noticed and needless to say I may have gotten carried away on a practice target”
“You? The oh so meticulous Erwin Smith?”
He put his other hand down and sat up straight while inching a bit closer. His hand still rested in yours and his fingers wrapped around yours, squeezing gently.
“Even I was rough around the edges once y/n.”
A gentle smile formed on his face as his eyes followed your hand while he turned it over in his. Your hand was in his palm now, fully showing your scar that slashed across your knuckles from your pinky to your thumb. He traced it through its length with his thumb.
Your vision was darkening as your eyelids got heavier.
He almost sighed as he spoke.
“Everyone starts somewhere.”
After silence fell again you closed your eyes and put your head in your other hand. Your hand was still in his and he watched your expression slowly relax as you neared unconsciousness.
The sound of your name and then a soft warmth on your knuckles stirred you awake, but it did not register to you that it was Erwin since you didn’t open your eyes. Then his deep voice called you again to open your eyes.
You saw your hand raised up to his lips and he gave you a comforting smile even though he was caught.
“Maybe it’s time to go to bed. This can be finished later.”
“Mmmno I can finish.”
The protest came out of you but you didn't move an inch.
Erwin chuckled once more and planted another soft kiss on your knuckles before standing up, lifting you to stand up by your hand.
“Come on.”
He guided you over to the nearby couch and you let go of his hand to eagerly lay across the comfortable cushions while he retrieved a blanket from the closet. Within a minute you were out like a light and he sat down at his desk once more.
By the time sunlight came in through the windows, he had made his way over to the couch and slept alongside you. Serving as your new cushion to sleep on.
There were a few times that there had been knocks on the door, and he heard them, but you still were deeply asleep so he left them to think he wasn’t in office.
It was a good thing that it was the weekend. And that he had locked the door.