Detective Levi x Reader - Vintage fic

Chapter Three - Smile

When I get home after mr. Pyxis go away, I finally face my parents, but what I get is worse than I expected:

"How long are you gonna stay home, Y/N? You're almost 24!" Mother says.

"I have a job! I don't need to marry someone!"

Julia and Armin were already gone. If my sister was here, she would speak up to me. I feel powerless.

"Y/N" Father calls me, calmer than my mother "We are going another month without payment, Armin and I. Chances are, Julia and him would have to move back with us. We are facing a tough future, sweetheart. Don't think that marrying you to an old man brightens my heart".

"W-we can find another way" I try saying, mother fast interrupting me.

"This is on you, for getting your hopes up for a troublemaker, freedom obsessive like...!"

"Mother!"

"He left you six years ago! And you haven't let any other man go near you".

"Stop it!"

She knows we don't talk about it. She knows how much it hurts me. I run to my room, not saying another word. I slam the door and lay down, crying in my pillow.

So this is what I get. Falling in love, trusting someone, just to be abandoned. Having to marry an old man to survive? It's not fair.

I only cry for a bit longer, but then get up and wash my face in my porcelain basin. I'll have to find my own way out of this.

— — —

I wake up before sunrise and get ready to take the tramway to the factory. If I'm going to escape my situation, I need to at least buy myself some time. The only way I can think of is to help get my family's paycheck. Armin is surprised to see me there.

"Y/N! What are you doing here?"

"Do you feel I have any chance of speaking to your boss?"

"Well, he doesn't let anyone without an appointment to get in. What is this about, Y/N?"

"I'm getting what this company owes us".

"Y/N, I don't think it will work..."

"Just tell me where to go, Armin".

"You will need to go to the treasury. You can try speaking to Jean, but..."

"Where is his office?"

— — —

I'm such a fool indeed. Jean Kirstein practically laughed in my face. I threatened to have all employees cause a riot. He didn't buy it and said couldn't do anything about it. This was my last chance.

"Morning, miss L/N".

Mr. Ackerman passes by, not questioning what I was doing at the reception. I follow him as I speak:

"Mr. Ackerman, you're exactly what I need!"

He turns to me, unimpressed by my distress, but his assistant by his side pays attention.

"I-I mean, may I have a word with you, sir?"

"No". He bluntly states "We're busy".

"Of course!" His assistant says instead "Oh, you're so pretty, like a dandelion! I'm Hange Zoe. Please come with us".

"Hange!"

Before mr. Ackerman can continue with his protest, miss Zoe takes my arm and brings me to their office. I notice how she's wearing large pants with a delicate blouse. So modern. Maybe that's how they dress in the capital. Mr. Ackerman sits behind the desk, where a teapot awaits him. He pours black tea into his cup.