Detective Levi x Reader - Vintage fic

Chapter Six - Ain't no Sunshine

[I made up a currency for this AU which will be called Paradis for obvious reasons~]

My father always tells Julia and I how he and mom met and how everyone has a pair of their own. As I watch Connie helping Sasha load her cart while they throw offenses at each other, I am sure they are their pair.

It's 6 in the morning and yet Connie wanted to be at the Braus' farm to help us. He may be corky but he's truly a gentleman.

"So you're all going to do this for that detective? He's so weird, spent the whole night smiling at me while I danced with Y/N".

"Connie, why you gotta be so dumb for?! He was smiling at Y/N, you goof!"

So it wasn't in my head, he really was watching and having some kind of fun with it. I feel my cheeks burn.

"Anyway, take care, you two". Connie gives Sasha a quick kiss on the cheek before she climbs the cart. Her horse takes off and we take the road to Rose.

— — —

Rose isn't much different from Maria in size. I've been here only a few times in the past, but it doesn't look too difficult to find my way to the addresses I have.

Sasha leaves me in the central square to deliver her orders. When I find the first house from Reiner's family, I need to step back and think about how I'm starting this conversation.

They must be grieving and I have to ask about their payments. I know I said I wanted to help and wanted to look confident for Levi, but damn, doing this alone was going to be hard.

Also I was surely not expecting their house to be so big and fancy. Reiner Braun didn't have a top position in the factory. I step up the stairs and knock on the door. An older woman opens it, wearing all black. I'm guessing she is the widow.

"Excuse me, madam. I was sent here by Maria's factory to discuss the unfortunate event of a month ago..."

She cuts me off "I'm sorry, young miss, but everything was settled the day my husband's body came home".

"I'm sorry, mrs. Braun, but Erwin Smith would like to gather information to overlook what may truly happen with Reiner Braun".

"Reiner Braun?" She repeats.

"Yes, your husband, I suppose".

"My husband was Eld Gin".

I look again at a note I had of their names and addresses. Neither Levi or Hange would get something like this wrong.

"And your husband died at the factory?"

"What do you think? Were you really sent by them or are you just a nosy journalist trying to get your name in the newspaper? Have a good day".

She shuts the door right at my face. Oh my God. I was so bad at this. I take a quick note of the name Eld Gin before leaving the front porch. If the man wasn't Reiner, then who is Reiner?

I don't want to fail yet. I have a second chance at what's supposed to be Bertholdt's house. I walk there quite fast, finding myself at yet another fancy house. When a young lady gets the door, I simply ask "Excuse me, did Bertholdt Hoover live here?"

"Bertholdt? Never heard of, miss".

"I was sent by Erwin Smith to talk about the incident at the factory..."

"My uncle's name was Oluo Bozado".

I react better this time "Ah, yes, I think I've had the wrong name with me, forgive me about that. Would you mind answering me some questions?".

Luckily, she seemed clueless and not in much grief. She wasn't wearing black, her dress was a light pink with flowers. "Sure, would you like to come in?"

"Yes, thank you".

She welcomes me to the living room and offers me something to drink. I accept it because of the warm weather. It gives me time to think carefully about what I'm going to say this time.

"Well, my name is Y/N L/N and I've been asked to write an official note about your uncle's life. Mr. Smith would like to put it out at the factory reception in memoriam". I had no idea I could lie so well. Levi didn't give me any instructions aside from not mentioning his name.

She takes her seat and starts talking about what her family went through. How her grandparents came to Rosa before it had anything to offer. I listen patiently.

"Then, my uncle heard of the pharmacy factory and they called him in right away. He took the job as soon as they said how much they were paying. We don't get 10.000 Paradis anywhere in this city".

"Ten thousand Paradis?" I repeat, trying not to sound too surprised.

"He had a director position, so yes".

I knew one thing: neither one of the men who died were on the board of directors. They were supposed to be paid 2.000 Paradis. It was what my father earned. Even Armin, who worked as assistant, didn't earn more than 3.000 Paradis.

She continues to tell me how her uncle took the train everyday to work and how they received a fat payment for compensation.

Everything was off. I hadn't enough data to put it together, but the way it looked, Erwin Smith could have bought these men for some mysterious purpose. But what would make them use fake names?

I have so much to tell Levi.

[Song from title: Ain't no Sunshine, Bill Withers]