Don't Write Me Notes || Levi x Reader

8. it doesn't count during drinking games [minor nsfw]

At one point, your aunt asks about your necklace, and this, you don't mind being the center of attention for. You show it off a bit, pinching the emerald between your fingers and saying it's a Christmas gift from Levi. You think this earns him brownie points, or at least a bit more approval from your mother, but Levi seems unbothered.

It goes on for quite a bit of time. You're jittery, heel tapping against the ground as the dinner goes on. You're starting to get a bit caught up in your head until your grandmother's words reach your ears. "And you're all set to graduate?" she's asking you, you think.

You nod. "Yes. In June."

"Good," she says. "When ceremony times come out, let me know."

"I will," you say, trying to ignore the fact that you're going to be graduating from a completely different program than they're expecting you to. You'll have to figure that one out.

"And then you enter the workforce," your cousin Ymir says, kicking you from under the table. "Fuck yeah. Miss Money Bags."

"Not there yet, Ymir," you say with a roll of your eyes.

"You'll have no problem finding a job," someone else says, and you glance at Historia, sitting next to Ymir. She beams at you. "Lots of openings for graduating business students!"

She's sweet. You only met her once, when she came up for Christmas last year, and you really like her. "I'll find something," you murmur.

"And what is it you major in, Levi?" your mother prompts.

Levi swallows his food, then replies, "computer science and business. Double major."

There's appreciative hums from around the table. "What'd I tell you, dear?" she says, beaming. "You won't even need a job, not with a husband who can do work like that!"

"Careful, honey, you'll scare him off," your father murmurs.

"What? She knows full well that they're either getting married or breaking up," your mother says cheerfully, as if this is a totally normal thing to discuss when she's known Levi for all of an hour. "Considering this is the first person she's brought home, we'd best hope she doesn't scare him off, because who knows if there'll ever be another!"

Your knee keeps bouncing under the table, and your grip is so tight on your knife that your knuckles are paling in color. God, sometimes, she just...

Levi's hand comes to rest on your bouncing leg. You still yourself, pausing your train of angry thoughts; this is oddly reminiscent of your first dinner with Levi's family, when you'd held hands with him under the table.

You glance at him; he's looking at you. You shoot him a tiny smile, trying to thank him for the support, and underneath the table, your hand closes over his. 

"Well," Hitch says, tearing into the awkward silence (you mouth 'thank you' to her), "when do you guys leave for your opera thing tonight?"

You perk up. "Opera?" you ask.

"Ah," one of your aunts says cheerily. "Right after dinner! You'll all be good putting the kids to bed, yes?" 

Next, a chorus of complaints from the kids. "We want to stay up," protests Kaya, Sasha's younger sister.

"Nah, you're going to bed straight when they leave," your cousin Jean says, pointing at her. "You little demons need your sleep!"

"You're so good with kids, babe," Marco murmurs. Marco is Jean's longtime best friend and recent boyfriend, and you really like him: he's funny and he brings out the best in Jean, who was a bit of a shithead when you guys were growing up.