Erwin listened to Kuchel’s gentle criticism, his gaze fixed on her as she spoke. He appreciated the way she took her time, not rushing through the examination despite the fact that it was only a minor injury.
Erwin’s lips curled into a faint smile, trying not to feel like he was just being dramatic by coming here with nothing but bruising. But his Commander had told him to get checked out. "I’ve learned to be careful," he replied, his voice steady but with a touch of warmth. "Experience teaches you how to avoid the worst of it, but I suppose luck plays its part as well."
The soft touch of the woman still had his focus, watching her fingers on his thigh as if she was giving him a massage. There was something almost soothing about the way she moved, a calmness that contrasted with the chaos of the world outside.
"I imagine you see a lot worse than this," Erwin said, his tone contemplative. He knew the toll it must take on someone like Kuchel, someone who had to patch up the wounded, knowing that many of them would likely return to her care with injuries far more severe, or worse, not return at all.