Don't Write Me Notes || Levi x Reader

4. it doesn't count if it's to convince the in-laws

"I'm sure you'll look great."

"You will," Levi murmurs next to you. It's his first time talking to you directly at the dinner table and it makes you feel a bit better. You shoot him a quick smile.

"You weren't aware of how fancy this would be," Lovof echoes.

You look to him, straightening up. He's playing with his food.

Lovof swallows a piece of chicken, then reiterates, "Levi never told you he was rich."

"I'm not," Levi says.

"You have full access to my accounts and are completely able to purchase what you want-"

"I don't."

"But you can and you have access."

"I don't want it. I can handle myself."

"Really? Because we can take back your car."

"That was a gift for him," Kuchel pleads softly.

"And he could stand to show a bit more gratitude," Lovof continues, and his fist comes down on the table hard enough to make you flinch. "Like coming home for the summers instead of making up your usual excuses of working in the area-"

"I have a summer job," Levi interrupts, pouring himself a glass of water from the jug on the table. He seems frustrated but kind of... unbothered. He's still going about his meal like this is normal. Honestly, maybe it is.

"A summer job you do not need to have, since money isn't an issue-"

"I want to earn my own money."

"No," his stepfather says. Someone else comes in to clear out more plates; this doesn't seem to deter the conversation. "No, you just want to separate yourself from this family, you have no respect for me and no love for your mother-"

"Dear, please," Kuchel cuts in. "He's allowed to do what he wants to do-"

"Am I?" Levi mutters.

"You know, if you're so good on your own, then I should just cut your school funding," Lovof interrupts.

Levi doesn't reply to that one, but you see his fingers tighten around his glass. You feel like you're intruding, sitting in on a personal argument that you shouldn't be here for. Suddenly, your passive aggressive arguments with your family seem rather tame. Your parents have never threatened to take away the money they gift you for school- granted, they think you're in a cheaper program that you're actually in, which is why you need the income from being a TA to supplement the extra. 

The entire table is quiet. Another cart is wheeled into the room: you think it's dessert. Levi looks tense, glare fixed on the table. His grip is tight on his glass, but his other hand is on his leg- it looks like his fingernails are digging into his thigh.

Without thinking, you reach across the space between the two of you, and you settle your hand on Levi's. You keep your gaze forward. You don't quite know why you're doing it, but... well, you hope he doesn't shove your hand away.

He doesn't. Levi's hand relaxes, and he twists his hand so that it's palm up. His fingers wrap around the side of your hand and you grab on, surprised at how cold his hands are.

"We've had a long trip," Levi says, waving off the woman who's trying to set a new plate in front of him. "We should go to bed early."

Lovof scoffs but doesn't say anything. "Of course, you've had a long trip," his mother says quickly, smiling in understanding. "We prepared a guest room for you, your bags should be there. It was lovely meeting you, dear," she adds, looking to you. "Maybe tomorrow we could bake something together? I would love to get to know you."