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Levi watched as Nile and his little family trickled into the building for an official family portrait to be painted. The littlest one was three, and Levi was unsure of how on earth they were going to get a three-year-old to sit still for that long.
The oldest was about six, with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. This was odd because, well, the other two children had black hair and brown eyes, like Nile. Levi swallowed thickly, exchanging a glance with Nile as he brought them in.
Erwin greeted Marie with a kiss to both her cheeks and shook Nile’s hand firmly. Levi eyed him curiously, wondering if he knew what Levi was thinking at that moment. Did Nile even know? Levi watched Erwin greet the children one by one.
First, the youngest, who giggled and hid behind Marie’s skirts as Erwin kneeled to meet her height. She was adorable, and Erwin was incredibly good with children, Levi had come to learn over the years.
“Hello little Annabeth,” Erwin smiled sweetly at her. “You remember me?”
She nodded, peeking her head out from behind Marie to look up at him with sweet little doe eyes. Erwin chuckled and reached out to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear, “You look so pretty today, sweetheart. Did your mommy do your hair?”
Annabeth nodded, turning a bright red at Erwin’s attention. Erwin was ever the charmer, even to a three-year-old, apparently. Marie beamed and picked her up, putting her on her hip as she kissed her cheek lightly.
“Annabeth was very patient while I did her hair. Weren’t you, darling?”
The toddler nodded, putting her thumb in her mouth and starting to suck on it. Erwin stood, moving on to the next little girl, the middle child of about four. She stared up at Erwin with a cheerful smile, waving up at him and clearly a lot more social than her younger sister.
“Hi, Mister Erwin!” She greeted.
“Well hello there Margaret!” Erwin grinned, picking her up and placing her on his hip. “Oh my, you’ve gotten big! You’re getting to be a big girl, aren’t you?”
“I’m dis many already!” Margaret held up four fingers. “And a half!”
“Wow! That’s quite the accomplishment!” Erwin exclaimed cheerfully, kissing the girl on the cheek before setting her back on the ground so he could greet the last little girl.
“And Emilia,” Erwin squatted down to her height. “How are you, my dear?”
The little blonde girl looked up at Erwin with a shy smile, swaying back and forth as her skirts twirled about her, “Hello Commander Erwin. I’m well. How are you?”
Being the oldest, she was the most polite, as her mother had taught her well about how to greet and interact with adults, even at her young age of six. Levi was impressed, but he knew that Marie had a reputation to maintain, and she wouldn’t be caught dead with three brats for children.
“I’m very well, my sweet,” Erwin beamed, taking her little hand and kissing the back of it. “You’re growing into a very fine young lady, aren’t you? I’m sure your mother is very proud.”
Emilia blushed and giggled happily, “Thank you, sir.”
“You’re very welcome,” Erwin let go of her hand and stood up. “I have sweets in my office for you girls when you’re finished getting your portrait painted. So make sure you’re on your best behavior, okay?”
The little girls nodded, looking excited at the prospect of candy. Levi stood there awkwardly, unsure of whether he needed to make himself known or not. He didn’t get along with Nile, and Marie always acted so standoffish around him.
“Levi,” Erwin turned to him. “Would you like to say hello?”
“Hello,” Levi greeted, walking over to shake Nile’s hand and kiss the back of Marie’s. “Hope you’re both well.”
The little girls looked up at Levi expectantly, as if waiting for him to say hello to them too. Levi wasn’t very good with kids. He thought the girls were plenty cute, but he didn’t know how to interact with them.
He settled for patting the littlest one on the head, who giggled at his action, “Nice to see you girls.”
The two older girls waved at him whilst the littlest one tugged on Levi’s pant leg. Levi looked down at her, waiting for her to speak. She grinned up at him, “You’re little, Mister Levi!”
Erwin and Nile stifled laughter, and Levi held back a glare, not wanting to scare the child. He merely forced a smile, “Thanks… I guess.”
As soon as the family of five filed down the hall towards the room where they’d have their portrait done, Erwin and Levi went back into Erwin’s office. Levi wondered if they were going to address the elephant in the room about the little girl with Erwin’s looks. He knew Erwin had slept with Marie, so the possibility that he’d impregnated her was certainly there. But did Nile and Erwin know? Did Marie know?
“So…” Levi cleared his throat, not knowing how to bring this up. “Emilia… she’s uh… a lot like you, Erwin.”
Erwin looked up from his paperwork briefly with a smile, “Yes, she takes after her uncle Erwin a little, doesn’t she?”
Levi almost smacked himself in the face. Was Erwin really so oblivious?
“No, I mean…” Levi sighed, leaning against the wall behind Erwin’s desk and crossing his arms. “Erwin, you know that’s your kid, right?”
The sounds of Erwin’s writing came to a halt, and he didn’t look up this time. He breathed out a laugh, “Very funny, Levi. Though I don’t think that’s an entirely appropriate thing to say.”
“I’m not joking!” Levi held up his arms in exasperation. “She looks just like you Erwin — eyebrows and all!”
Erwin set down his pen and turned to face Levi, staring up at him incredulously, “You think that I impregnated Marie? While she was married to Nile?! Levi, you must think lowly of me if you would suggest such a thing.”
Levi rolled his eyes, “That’s exactly what I’m suggesting Erwin. I don’t care if you fucked her while she was married to Nile. You know I don’t like him anyway. I’m just telling you: that is your child. She looks just like you! The other girls have Nile’s looks, and the oldest has yours! She looks nothing like Nile!”
Erwin frowned, looking as though his brain was short-circuiting, “But… no. That can’t be. Marie would’ve told me. Besides, recessive genes exist for a reason. She likely inherited the blonde hair from a past generation of Nile’s family.”
Levi let out another loud sigh, putting both hands on Erwin’s desk and looking down at him, “You fucking idiot. That is your child. How many times do I have to say it? She didn’t inherit stupid fuzzy eyebrows from Nile’s family, I’ll tell you that much.”
“Don’t call them stupid!” Erwin exclaimed self-consciously, rubbing his eyebrows in stress.
Levi grabbed Erwin by the collar and growled, “Listen to me. That’s your kid, blondie. Do you want to tell Nile, or should I?”
Erwin looked horrified, “I… I… I don’t know! I don’t believe telling Nile will change anything! He loves Emilia as his own. And I don’t believe this information would change that. If anything, it would just put a strain on him.”
“Good,” Levi let go of Erwin’s collar. “I’ll tell him then.”
Levi headed for the door, and Erwin quickly stood from his desk, knocking over a bottle of ink in the process and spilling it all over his papers.
“Wait! Wait Levi— dammit— wait!”
Erwin hurriedly tried to clean up his mess with a handkerchief, trying to keep Levi from going at the same time. Levi paused at the door, hand on the knob. He let go and turned around, crossing his arms and glaring at the idiot.
“What?” He asked in exasperation.
“You can’t just— barge in and tell Nile his daughter isn’t his!” Erwin cried. “That would ruin her life!”
“I’m not going to do that, stupid,” Levi growled. How dumb did Erwin think he was? “I’m going to take Nile into the hall and tell him there, away from the children and Marie.”
Erwin looked slightly relieved, though still stressed, as he rounded the desk to try and follow Levi, who was now pulling open the door and exiting the office. Erwin walked hurriedly behind Levi, looking very anxious. Levi didn’t blame him. It was certainly a big secret to have kept this whole time. But Nile deserved to know. Though Levi didn’t like him, he figured he owed Nile that much.
“Do we really have to tell him?” Erwin asked. “Can’t we just… keep it between us?”
“No!” Levi snapped. “He’s one of your friends, Erwin. You owe it to him to at least be honest.”
Levi knocked loudly on the door to the portrait room before pushing the door open. He saw the nice little family sitting posed for their picture, Nile standing behind Marie’s chair and the girls sitting about Marie’s feet.
“Nile,” Levi practically snarled, startling everyone in the room. Levi cleared his throat when he saw the alarm on the little girls’ faces. He toned it down, “We need to talk to you real quick.”
Erwin stood behind Levi like a fool, wringing his hands and looking pale. Nile scowled, “It can’t wait until—”
“No,” Levi emphasized. “Come on.”
Nile sighed in annoyance, letting go of Marie’s shoulder and walking into the hallway behind Levi. He crossed his arms, clearly irritated, and hissed, “What is it? You two can’t simply let me enjoy time with my family, can you?”
“Nile,” Levi frowned. “Erwin has something to tell you.”
Erwin went white, and for a moment, Levi feared that the man might pass out. Nile looked at Erwin expectantly, and Levi grabbed Erwin by the arm and shook him a little to help him snap out of whatever trance he was in.
“Erm… well…” Erwin stuttered. “Nile… do you remember the night I told you I’d walk Marie home from the ball… when you and Miche were playing cards and drinking?”
Nile stared Erwin down suspiciously, “… yes…”
“Well I… may have… erm…” Erwin sucked in a deep breath. “I slept with her that night, Nile.”
Nile’s expression quickly turned to one of anger, and he uncrossed his arms to form fists by his sides. Levi was suddenly worried the man might advance on Erwin, which he didn’t particularly blame Nile for, but couldn’t allow.
“You bastard!” Nile growled in a low voice so that his children and wife on the other side of the wall wouldn’t hear. “You brought me out here to rub it in my face that you slept with my wife while we were married! Have you no class?!”
“N-No!” Erwin tried, holding up his hands in innocence. “I… I’m telling you because… well… Levi believes—”
Levi shot Erwin a glare.
“Levi and I believe,” Erwin corrected. “That Emilia… well… she might… be my child.”
Nile stared between the two of them for a moment before rolling his eyes and huffing, “Figures. I knew something was up when she was born with your face, Erwin. What do you take me for? An idiot?!”
“You mean you already knew?” Erwin asked in some shock.
“Well I had my suspicions, didn’t I?!” Nile snapped, absolutely livid. “And just because you’ve finally pulled your head out of your ass and figured it out doesn’t mean that changes anything, so don’t get any ideas about taking her from me! She’s my daughter now, regardless of who impregnated Marie. She’s been my daughter for six years, and I refuse to let your psychopathic hands anywhere near her!”
Erwin looked a little hurt, blinking at Nile’s fury. Levi thought Nile was completely in the right here, though he hadn’t even considered what might happen if Erwin wanted Emilia to be part of his life, as his daughter. That would certainly change things, wouldn’t it?
“I understand,” Erwin replied, head down in shame. “I completely understand, Nile. I don’t want to take her away from you. She’s your child. But I… I do want to be part of her life. I’ve never had a child of my own, or at least, I didn’t realize I had one. But I’d like to help in any way possible, even if that means providing for your other children to make it equal—”
“I’m a commander too, you know!” Nile practically wheezed in anger. “I don’t need your fucking pity money, you absolute cretin.”
Erwin shook his head, looking up to face Nile finally, “That’s not how I meant. She’s my daughter too, Nile. I want to give her everything. Who else do I have to give my things to if I were to pass?”
Ouch, Levi thought, reminiscing about how Erwin had once promised everything to him. That hurts. He decided he’d berate Erwin for that later, though. There were more important matters at hand at the moment.
“She’s not your daughter,” Nile shoved Erwin away from him. “You stay the fuck away from her. I’m not letting your influence anywhere near her. She doesn’t need to grow up with that confusion. And besides, I’m not letting you convince her to join the damn Corps and ride to her death one day. You’ve killed enough people important to me, Erwin. You’re not taking her too.”
Erwin’s face softened, rubbing his forehead in stress, “Nile… just promise me that if she ever asks, you’ll tell her the truth about who I am to her.”
Nile grabbed Erwin by the collar, tugging him close and growling in his face, “I would rather watch her die than tell her she’s related to a fucking monster like you.”
With that, Nile let go and stormed back into the portrait room, steam practically pouring from his ears. Erwin looked destroyed by what Nile had said, but Levi honestly couldn’t blame Nile in this situation. He wasn’t entirely wrong. It was up to Nile what he wanted Emilia to know about her real father. He’d been her father for longer.
Erwin turned to look at Levi, clearly upset. Levi glared, “Don’t look at me like that. I don’t know what you expected.”
Levi turned on his heel to head back to Erwin’s office, and could feel Erwin’s presence trudging along behind him, defeated.