Detective Levi x Reader - Vintage fic

Chapter Five - At Last

Mr. Ackerman asks me to meet with him tomorrow so he can explain what he needs from me. I offer my house for us to talk over some tea, since I've seen him drinking plenty while at work. He and Hange take the stairs to their rooms. I grab Sasha's hand before she goes home.

"Sasha, I need a favor. Are you going to Rose on Sunday?"

"No, father is going instead".

"Well, then I have a bigger favor to ask. Could you take his place and take me with you? I want to investigate something to mr. Ackerman".

"Hell no, Y/N! You can't make me work on a Sunday!"

"Pleeeeeeeease, Sasha!" I whine.

"You said we were going bathe in the springs this Sunday". She cries in return.

"I promise we'll go next weekend. I bothered mr. Ackerman so much about it, I can't make a fool of myself like that, I don't want to disappoint him".

"Why do you care what he thinks?"

I don't answer that. "Come oooon... Lunch is on me. I'll make your favorite sandwich, with pork".

She doesn't seem convinced.

"And that strawberry pastry you love so much".

Sasha is already drooling. "Alright then".

"But I need you to give me some strawberries for that".

"Oh, aren't you something!"

— — —

Mr. Ackerman is supposed to be here at 4 o'clock. I got home at 2 after grabbing ingredients and started baking a cake and going through the tea we had at home to serve. I spent the whole day a bit anxious about this, not sure why, though. Maybe it's because I was getting into something new.

My dad was at the factory, but my mom was home, so it wasn't weird for a single girl like me to have a single man at the house. I mean, I don't even know if he's single. I guess he is. Mother promised to not be nosy and let us be alone in the living room. She just wanted to see what he looked like.

The table was set. Everything was ready. I didn't want him to see me just standing there when he arrived, so I grab one of my favorite books and pretend to read it. When the bell rings, I let my mother welcome him.

"Oh, mr. Ackerman, the talk of the town! It's such a pleasure to meet you, please come in".

"Evening, mrs. L/N" Is all he responds to.

Mr. Ackerman steps on our entrance carpet and carefully swipes his shoes on it. My mother is smiling at him, analysing him from head to toe, expecting something else to be said, but he ignores her presence and stares with his weary eyes directly at me.

"Well, I'll let you be, then" she says, using the stairs to her room.

I put my book aside, greeting him with my head "Evening, mr. Ackerman".

He doesn't respond. Instead, he takes some steps to look closer at the book "What a coincidence. I was reading that".

I look at the book at the coffee table. He is reading one of my favorite books. But it is kinda...romantic. It's a whole lot of romance.

"It's one of my favorite books" I confess, a bit embarrassed.

"It's quite romantic. A bit dramatic for my taste, but it's a good book".

"I don't want to sound cliche, but I would expect you to be reading something more..."

"Serious?"

"More like Sherlock Holmes".

"It pisses me off, actually. There's nothing fancy in this job. Most of the time it is just boring. These past few days we spent reading contracts and taking note of everyone's related to it. Guess you like drama for yourself then".

"Real life is plenty dull, especially in a small city. So you never get to have some action in any case you take?"

"Most of the detective's cases are related to marital cheating. Being fair, I almost got shot trying to defend the man".

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, but I disarmed the lady fast enough".

"You know how to fight?"

"I guess".

He takes a look at the dining table. I was so immersed in conversation I forgot what he was here for.

"I'm sorry, we should keep focused. Would you like some tea?"

I sit and he pulls a chair for him, crossing his legs. I serve tea on our delicate porcelain cups. Mr. Ackerman grabs it by the top, not the handle. It's freaking weird.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't even ask if you'd like sugar or cream. I'm just used to drinking it plain".

"I prefer it plain too" He takes a sip before I can warn him that it's still hot. "This is really good".

I smile at him, proud of myself "Please, have some chocolate cake, too". I cut him a piece before he can accept it. I don't know why I want to impress him so badly. He eats fastly. When he's done, he takes another sip on the boiling tea.

"So, should we go through what you need to get done in Rose?"

I take some paper and a pen I had placed near me to note everything I might need. "Sure".

"You are not going alone, right?"

"No, my friend Sasha is coming with me. Why? Do you think it'd be dangerous?"

"No. Just wouldn't be good for a lady to travel by herself".

"I can take care of myself".

"But weren't both of you that I had to save days ago?"

"You just got there before I could take him out".

It's obviously a joke, since I've never kicked anyone's guts, and mr. Ackerman gives me a fast smile.

"Well, then, let's get to work".

What I had to do was quite simple and yet extremely unpleasant. I'd have to talk to both Reiner and Bertholdt families who lived in Rose. Mr. Ackerman gave all the details: their relatives and addresses, but I wondered why he had to come all the way here to tell me this. Not that I'd complain about it. The evening was pleasant.

When we're done, I start talking more about books, but he takes a glance at the clock on the wall and I sense he needs to be somewhere else. I walk him to the door.

"I'll be seeing you, mr. Ackerman".

"If we're working together, call me Levi, I prefer it".

"Alright then, Levi" I try, finding it a bit weird. But I do think it's a beautiful name.

I see him go with a smile on my face. Don't know why I was so nervous about having him at home. It was easier talking to him than I expected. He sounded someone with so much to tell. I wonder what kind of life he had. And still has.

"Doesn't he look interesting?" Mother says behind me, not having much to compliment. He's short, quiet and always looks tired or simply unimpressed. "You seem to have some things in common".

I just know she has been eavesdropping. "I know he's not very sympathetic, but he has some kind of courtesy".

"Honey, I'm not judging. If you don't want to marry mr. Pyxis, a detective is alright".

"I'm not trying to marry him, mom!"

"It was just an idea".

[Song from title - At Last, Etta James]

[Author-chan: Just a chapter of you and Levi getting along <3 next one will be IMPORTANT]