ara

Keith stared at his reflection, it seemed as though every morning his hairline went further and further back. The military stress weighed on his shoulders every morning, every night, throughout his miserable days. 

His reflection stared back at him, he was less than who he was two years ago, his eyes weighed down by dark bags, wrinkles apparent on his face, crows feet pulled at his eyes, he was only 35. He was visibly disappointed in himself. He’d let himself go. After his astonishing failure as the commander of the survey corps he took some time away from the military, wondering what to do with the rest of his miserable life.

Every night he was haunted by the comrades whom he led to their demise, their families, the monsters that plagued the outside walls. Maybe he should atone for the things he’d done? Take his fate into his own hands, drink himself into an early grave, or just lock himself in his house and rot away.

His reflection was pitiful, he was no longer the young man with “Amazing ideas” he was now a washed up soldier with nothing under his belt aside from the lives he had ended and ruined. He couldn't run away from his mess. How could he? After everything he’d done?

After everything he’d done he couldn't give up. At least not fully. He owed it to his fallen comrades to at least work til his last breath. Do what he should’ve when he saw a fresh bright eyed soldier show up to the survey corps, turn them away. Tell them to leave, tell them to return to their farming village, return to their families with shame, with their head hung low, sobbing that they couldn't make it in the military.  

He’d tell them to do anything, but waste their lives for nothing.

Keith grabbed a flint razor and some oil, and removed the rest of his hair.

The two exchanged glances, Keith crouched in front of the stairs, assured he looked like a creep kneeling Infront of the barracks, the long tail of his military coat pooling in a puddle of water. The cats paws kneading in a puddle, almost as if trying to find comfort in the uncomfortable.

He then stood, and made his way back to his quarters. If he stopped to care for every stray that ended up on training grounds there wouldn't be any room for the cadets. He was always busy, he couldn't take care of a cat and his daily duties. His mind scolded him for even acknowledging the cat. Had he never seen it, he wouldn't have had this dilemma. But, had he not seen the cat, surely one of the cadets would've taken it in, and that was just as bad. The only thing worse than a dumb cadet is a dumb cadet with a secret. He paused. Rain drops splashing on his bald head.

'I guess a cat could help keep out mice,' he turned 'And animals are good for exposing nearby titans' before he knew it his legs carried him back to the stairs, he reached under to were the cat was now soaking wet, the waters having risen substantially.

He grabbed the cat by the back of its neck and rested it on his shoulder.

"Don't get too comfortable, you wont be getting this attention often" Keith stated, but it felt as though he was telling it to himself. Keith spent the rest of the night wrapping the cat in warm blankets, feeding it his leftover meal, and swinging a shoestring back and forth in front of it.

The cat, whom he dubbed "Feline," was smart, finding her makeshift litterbox immediately and following orders. Keith lay in his bed, Feline curled, sleeping soundly on his comforter.

'Don't get comfortable' he reminded himself.