That One Night... {LeviHan}

Chapter 9: Understanding

Iris' POV

2 days ago...

"Hanji, Mom's going to freak out."

"Eh? Why? What's wrong?" Mom sighed heavily as I crept near the living room. I was told to not be down there, but I got curious. After all, it was about me. "Don't tell me they found something in her genes-."

"Hanji," Dad said sternly, "Iris is not my daughter."

Silence as the hard truth hit us all. Was everything... a lie to me? Who's... who's my real father...? Silently crying to myself, I hear the front door opening and a cane tapping on the ground. 

"Mom-."

"Erwin," there was a soft, familiar tone of Grandma as she entered the living room, "how's my boy?"

"F-Fine, Mom..."

"What's that?"

"The results, Mom."

There was some crinkling of paper as Grandma spoke. "Oh? Let me see the results. Of course, we all know-." Once more, silence fell upon the Smith household as Grandma also saw the truth. I wasn't her biological granddaughter. Her tone changed as she directed her comments to Mom. "What the hell is this, Hanji?"

"I-I don't know! She should've been Erwin's-."

"What man did you see before my son, you little whore?!"

"Mom!" What should I even call him? My dad? But he's not my real dad. Some people can argue that being a dad and a father are two different things. I always thought a dad was... who helped make them. I'll call him my stepdad then... is that right? Or should I call him by his first name? "Don't call her that!"

"Erwin, I'm your mother. Listen to me. This woman cheated on you!"

"With who?"He continues, "Mom, Iris is 14 years old. We got married 15 years ago. The timing matches up. And besides, Hanji was with me almost 24/7. She couldn't have cheated on me with some man during our marriage. There's no way."

"Idiot," Grandma whispered loudly. "Erwin, she ran away before you two got married. Fine, if she didn't cheat on you after you got married, then she did it after you proposed to her. Remember, she ran like a little-."

"Mom! Enough!"

"Tell me, whore! Who did you see before marrying my son?!"

"Mom!"

Finally, Mom gave in to her tears. I heard a loud thud echoing in the living room. "I... I didn't think... he got me pregnant... Erwin... I... I didn't think-."

"That's right- you didn't think!"

"Mom, enough! Hanji, who was it? Listen, I'm not mad. For one, we didn't even get married so it was completely fine by my logic. Who was it?"

"When I ran... I ran into Levi Ackerman... he took care of me... and... I slept with him the night I left him..." She continued to cry. Levi... that has to be my father then. "I... I didn't... I'm sorry... Erwin... I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Iris..."

I retreated to my room without making another noise to continue crying even more. My whole world turned upside down in just a few words. Mom said Levi Ackerman, right? One of my friend's sisters is in the police force... it's just harmless to find that man... I have to have answers...

After texting my friend, there was a knock at the door. Wiping my face off whatever tears were on my face, I allowed whoever was knocking into my room with a single, "Come in."

Grandma was there with a stern look on her face. Before I could say something to greet her, she coldly said, "You're a daughter of a whore, you know? You're not my granddaughter. You weren't ever my granddaughter. Liar."

"G-Grandma-."

"Get out of this house. You're not a Smith. I don't even know what you are. But I think a good place for you would be the orphanage, huh? You're not my granddaughter at all. Your mom is nothing but a liar, cheater, and thief. So are you. I'll call security to remove you and put you in your rightful place: the orphanage."

She walked out and slammed the door shut on me. 

In a rage, I emptied my backpack and neatly folded clothes into it. Only a few things, of course. Though it weighed like a ton, I was ready to leave. No way in hell I was going to be in the orphanage. I love you, Mom...

I climbed out of my bedroom window, careful to not slip and fall. With that, I was escaping...

*   *   *

"I'm sorry, Iris," my real dad sighed, cautiously snaking his hand up to mine. Almost like he wanted to hold my hand. "I didn't know..."

"I... what was my mom like... that made you sleep with her...?"

He opened his mouth before his phone began to ring. As much as he tried to ignore it, I smiled. "Just... go and answer it. I can wait. I can wait, Dad."

"Don't... sorry, it's weird. I can expect it from little kids. Not... someone your age. I'll be quick." He says before taking his phone call.

Petra chuckles softly, "He'll get used to it. He has to." She reaches her hands towards me with a soft smile. "Do you feel closure now, Iris? Knowing that... well, he is your biological father."

"I just... have so many questions. Like... why is he so mad at her? Why didn't he stay with her? Why didn't he go to find her? Just... why, why, why. Those questions are all in my head... would he explain them to me, Petra?"

"In time, he will. I think he just needs to deal with the shock of this whole thing. After all, 14 years went by and he never knew he was a father. I know waiting sucks, but... he'll get there soon."

"Can I ask about how you two got together? And how long you guys been together? I want to know... know my father a bit more."

Petra began to speak, but Dad walked into the room with his phone. "I gotta pick up Eren from the office. He's having trouble again."

"Oh- is he? Little rascal. Do you want me to come or...?"

"Stay with Iris, please? I got this under control."

Confusion filled me up as they talked about this Eren person. "Is that my half-brother? Is he yours, Dad?"

Dad shook his head when I called him that again. Petra only laughed. "Iris, that's just a boy from Levi's work. He's working with child protective services now. And sometimes, he's able to take some of the kids home if they need a bit of extra help. That or they cling too much on a person. Eren loves Levi and won't do anything if it didn't involve him."

"Aw... cute..."

"Which is why Levi is a natural father." Petra leaned into me with a smirk on her face. "Maybe when you were born, his dad powers activated. Wouldn't you think so?"

"I can hear you, Petra."

"I love you too, Levi."

Dad powers...