Chapter Text
Sitting at the head of the long conference table, Erwin couldn’t help but notice the bumps and bruises that were visible on the faces of the officers looking back at him. It was nothing new, of course. During his years as a squad leader he’d become aware that many of his fellow soldiers were strangely clumsy at times. Since he became Commander, however, the problem seemed epidemic. Nearly every soldier present showed some sign of injury. Their last expedition had been weeks ago, providing plenty of time to heal. Erwin knew these marks were recent.
Looking at their flushed faces, Erwin realized that commenting on the situation would cause them embarrassment. He instead decided to investigate the matter privately. The well-being of his soldiers was always paramount in his mind.
On a typical day, Erwin would hurry through the halls of the abandoned castle that served as their headquarters, unwilling to waste even a second of the day on anything other than work, but during the investigation Erwin slowed down. Rather than rushing through the hallways, he’d saunter. He’d make purposeful contact with the soldiers he passed, greeting them with casual confidence while allowing his eyes to roam their bodies, scanning for injuries that might provide clues.
Walking away, he’d drag his long fingers along the walls to check for protruding nails or other hazards. He’d also taken to “accidentally” dropping his pen as an excuse to bend low and inspect the uneven stone floor. Another trick in his arsenal was to feign a yawn. He’d stretch upwards languidly, touching the beams above his head to determine their height and ensure they were high enough to avoid causing damage to the taller men and women who served under him.
Erwin saw nothing unusual during the time of his secret inspection, yet a report from the infirmary indicated that concussions and falls had increased nearly 30% during the same period. Erwin silently cursed and wondered if better lighting might improve the situation.
The next evening, while the majority of the base congregated in the dining room, Erwin found himself in a dim hallway, reaching up to secure an additional lamp to the wall. His shirt had come untucked and he felt the cool of the evening on an exposed strip of skin across his back. The sound of a plate shattering jolted him from his activity.
He looked up and noticed a young female cadet lying supine on the floor, the remains of her dinner scattered across her. As Erwin rushed to help, he glanced suspiciously at the doorway she’d been attempting to enter. He determined to take a closer look before the budget meeting the following afternoon.
......
Erwin finished the last of his correspondence with 20 minutes to spare – enough time to grease the hinge of the offending door and check it for irregularities. He grabbed the oil he used for his harness as he exited his office.
Reaching the door, Erwin removed his jacket and dropped it to the floor beside him. He then rolled up his shirt sleeves, baring his forearms. He greased the hinges and checked the width of the door to make sure it was regulation-sized. He then swung it gently a few times to check that its motions were smooth. Satisfied, he hurried to the meeting.
Erwin sat down, feeling confident that his efforts to improve the safety of the base had been a success. He allowed his chest to swell with pride for just a moment. The green bolo tie glittered with the movement. Erwin’s smile quickly faded, however, as he noticed the signs of a hastily cleaned nosebleed on Levi’s face. The danger was clearly still out there and it seemed that even his normally graceful Captain was not immune to whatever unknown hazard lurked in the halls.
New wisps of thought quickly formed into solid ideas. If the danger was not in the hallway, perhaps it was in their personal quarters. Erwin did a quick calculation. The majority of the soldiers lived in barracks that could easily be inspected, but the officers resided alone. It would take time to build friendships close enough to merit an invitation into their private rooms. He set his gaze on Levi and decided to begin right away.