Drawn By Fate ~Levi Ackerman x Reader~

Hope

Y/N
14 Years ago

The spring breeze blew through my hair and tickled my spine as I sat reading on the porch swing. It rocked back and fourth gently as I turned the pages to my favorite worn down book. It was a romance novel I had been gifted one year for Christmas and the only thing that helped me escape reality. The faint sounds of a pick up truck motor grew as it got closer. I watched the red truck finally reach it's destination as my neighbor pulled into his driveway.

The hum of the motor stopped as Levi Ackerman got out of the driver's seat. He was a Junior at Maria High, and I was a Sophomore. Every time I saw him an unmatchable amount of relief washed over me. Whether it was in class, or when he would knock on my back door after my parents would go to bed. I tried not to stare, but it never worked. I would catch myself waiting on the porch swing for him on the days I knew he had after school detention.

I watched him shove the keys into his jean pocket and waltz into his house without a second glance. And just as fast as it had arrived, that hope, that relief was gone.

A muffled shout echoed throughout the neighborhood from inside the house. I quickly closed my book with shaky hands preparing for what I was about to walk in on. I moved the loose house panel from it's placed position before sliding my book into the hole, and placing the panel back on top.

I sucked in a sharp breath hoping someone would come help. Hoping someone would recognize the constant fighting that went on and echoed through the neighborhood.

I quickly twisted the knob of the front door and crept over the creaky floorboards to the kitchen. My mother sat at the dining room table with her head down as she ignored the commotion. My father had my eighth grade brother in a choke hold as he cried, struggling to breathe as he punched wherever he could reach my dad.

My gut twisted in all of the worst ways possible as I ran for my brother. He was barely breathing as my father wiggled him around. Muffled slurs left my fathers mouth as he tried to kill my brother, over, and over, and over...

My face felt hot, flooded with anger as I tried with all of my might to crush my father's big toe. I wore a thick set of converse. My father always seemed to go easier on me, which was proven by statistics to be universal. He let go of my brother, stumbling back in a drunk haze, gripping the wall for stability. This stuff only happened when dad got drunk, which appeared to be more often. 

I knelt down as my brother got on his knees, catching his breath while dad wasn't beating on him. Three taps rang in my ears. Tap, tap, tap.

They repeated. Tap, tap, tap.

A drunk mumble left my dad's mouth.

"Get the damn door I said." He nodded at me as he waved his hand in a 'shooing' motion. I swallowed as I looked back to my brother. His eyes were dead and hopeless.

"Now you fucking bitch." He hollered. My skin crawled at the fact that man makes me jump. I tried so hard to not let him get to me. But it never worked.

Tap tap tap.

I quickly moved to my feet, scurrying to the door. I prayed so hard that in that moment my father would just lay off my brother. This wouldn't take long.

Tap tap tap.

I quickly opened the door meeting those familiar silver eyes staring back at me from the other side. Hope. He was hope. 

"Levi..." My voice came out just barely above a croak. I choked back tears as I tried to talk. I fucking hated that he saw me like this. But without a word or hesitation he dragged me outside and sat me on the porch swing before darting back into the house. He quickly returned with my brother in hand. He let go of his shaky hand, diving for the key we had always kept under the floor matt.