The Smith family were well known for owning a variety of powerful business industries which lead to their great fame and success, and Erwin Smith, the head of the family, was also well known for being an extremely overprotective father.
This being the main cause as to why the said family is so highly feared.
It wasn't as if Erwin did this on purpose, of course not. But one could not say Erwin's name without thinking of how fiercely protective he is of his children.
Although the man had never gotten married, he had adopted seven children, and he had always denied that he had done it on a whim. But nonetheless, he loved them dearly, and he had promised himself that he would destroy all that dared attempt to hurt his children.
So that was why Erwin's fatherly instincts kicked in the moment his eldest son, who was only eight at the time, came strolling into his room.
In Erwin's defense Levi had never come to see him for any reason whatsoever. The main cause probably being that the boy had lived off of the streets since he was six which lead him to believe that all adults were sinful in someway or another.
"Did something happen?!" Erwin shouted fearfully.
His hands had instantly curled into fists as his anger was suppressed by worry. Did someone try to hurt his son? Who would dare!? He would kill them, tear their limbs, burn their body till the ashes became dust, and then …
"I had a dream," Levi spoke casually with a slight nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.
What? Erwin blinked in confusion as his anger subsided. He stared at his son for a long moment. Eyes searching for invisible injuries, upon finding none his eyes then turned to gaze at his son's face.
Levi was a good liar, but even more so, he was good at hiding his feelings behind a stoic mask. But this was something Erwin has grown used to as several of his children did this. The older man merely searched Levi's eyes, knowing that the younger boy had not yet learned to control the crazed look of fear that penetrated through the depths of his silver orbs.
Erwin remained silent before wordlessly pulling out a chair for his son and then sitting on the office chair with as much dignity as his mind allowed him. He then waited patiently for Levi to continue.
"I had a dream," Levi continued hesitantly. "You were all with me. Hanji, Annie, Jean, Armin, Mikasa, Eren, and even you, but … you were dead. All of you. And I … I was standing in front of your graves …"
Levi's voice trailed off and his shoulders, despite all of his best efforts, began to shake in fear and grief that no child his age should bear.
More than ever before Erwin wanted to hug Levi, protect him from the nightmares, to destroy everything that stood in his son's way, and hand all of Levi's dreams and wishes to him in a parceled gift. But this was not something he could help with. No father could, and Erwin hated himself for it.
He knew that all of his children had vivid dreams that left them screaming and tossing within their beds, but the moment Erwin ran into their rooms and shook them awake, they would claim that they couldn't remember a thing.
This would always puzzle the man, yet he never told them that he too had vivid nightmares that felt more like past memories than dreams. They were unclear and fuzzy, but he could still feel the fear and hatred that burned within him each time he awoke.
The thought of his son having the same dreams, and even worse, remembering them, caused Erwin deep pain far worse than any physical wound that could ever be inflicted upon him.
Levi had turned to look at Erwin with eyes filled with pain and regret so immense that the older man almost flinched by the sheer ferocity.
"I killed him. Dad, … I killed Eren. I don't know why, but …"
Erwin stood up from his chair and walked towards Levi before wrapping his arms gently around his son.
"That never happened. Eren is alive and fine. You never hurt him and you never will. Everyone is alive and happy. Nobody has died, and I will make sure that nobody will," Erwin spoke softly in a kind voice.
When Levi's breathing had calmed and his heart beat slowing, Erwin released him from his vice like hug before turning to sit back on his office chair.
Erwin's voice then lightened joyfully, "Besides, dreams like that never come true. When I was a child I once dreamed of having a perfectly normal family. Look how that turned out. I have a delinquent for a son, and …"
Erwin never had time to finish his sentence as he immediately ducked underneath his desk as a chair came hurtling towards his head.
000
Erwin was one hundred percent sure that all of his children were exceptional. Actually, make that two hundred percent.
In fact he was so confident to a point that he would, quite excitedly, brag about his children to the maids that worked within the large mansion in which they, the Smith family, resided in.
The maids would only smile kindly at the man's strange show of affection towards his children as he demonstrated their unique abilities which he called their greatness.
It's quite normal for a father to love his children with such passion and vigor, but it seemed obvious to everyone that worked in the mansion that Erwin's love towards his children bordered along the line of stupidity. Or perhaps all fathers are blind to their child's not so great qualities.
But for the maids and guards it was bluntly obvious. Erwin's affections going to the point of annoyance for all the workers within the mansion as time lapsed and their boss continued to dote on all the things his children do.
At one point Erwin had grabbed a maid's shoulders and shook her vigorously with great excitement and joy that could only be expressed by his glowing facial expression and almost giddy step as he walked.
"Look!" he shouted gleefully towards the maid whom dropped her broom in shock. "You must see this!"
Erwin, without waiting for a response, had then turned around to smile happily at the five children standing before him. He then spoke in a voice far too sweet for a man of his stature although the maid did nothing but watch patiently for the man to progress with his great achievement.
"Two titans walked into a room, and three more walked in. How many titans are in the room?" he asked with a genuine smile on his face that practically lit up the room.
The children glanced at each other in confusion as to why their father would ask the same question twice, but nonetheless they turned to answer Erwin with as much gusto as the man provided.
"Five?" the short blonde haired boy, Armin, spoke out in a hesitant voice.
"Ten!" Jean shouted in retaliation.
"Two hundred, because I would capture more!" Hanji shouted happily with equal exuberance.
"Zero, because I would kill all of them!" Eren said passionately with his fists clenched eagerly. Mikasa said nothing but appeared to be nodding her head in agreement with her younger brother even though her eyes said otherwise.
"See! Look at how smart my children are," Erwin said turning to the maid with a smile that could rival the Cheshire cat.
The woman, fearing for her life and her job merely nodded her head with eagerness while speaking in a soft tone no louder than a whisper, "Yes, they're very smart."