Long Time, No See - Levi x Reader (Modern!AU)

66 - How it Ended

Y/n's POV:

Once upon a time, Megan and I went shopping together. It wasn't a new instance, really. We used to do it all the time. But since I moved out of our shared apartment to live with Levi, it happened a lot less. It had all the makings of being a fun day; I'd had the idea on a whim, she picked me up, and we sang along to all our favorite songs on the way to the shops.

It had been my idea.

We had lunch together, visited our favorite stores and went window shopping at all the places we couldn't afford right now, and spent far more money than we realistically should have. At that rate, we'd never be able to afford those nice stores, now would we? But then again, she wanted those silly custom airbrushed shirts, and she wanted us to match. How could I say no?

It had been my idea.

With bodies weighed down by bags, several hung on each arm and several more gripped tight in our hands, we hobbled to her car. We hefted the bags inside, got a playlist ready, and left. Through the parking lot she drove, to the highway she went. We began to cruise, with our windows down, the music blaring, our spirits high.

It had been my idea.

Meg was a good driver, but for as careful as she was, she could not control what other people did on the road. It was a nice day out, traffic was picking up, but we were still driving at a good pace. The driver in the next lane over lost control of their car. There was a violent jerk of Megan's car as she reacted to the bump, a sickening scrape of metal on metal, the crunch and cracks of glass shattering, the horrible screech of tires as the car pushed us into the next lane and the other cars did what they could so as not to hit us.

It had been my idea.

Neither of us had been hurt. Not even the driver who crashed into us had gotten hurt. But Meg's car had been totaled, and if not for the emergency precautions in place... our lives might have been lost. We held each other as we waited for the tow truck and police to arrive. We quietly gave our information and told the officer that no, we didn't need an ambulance. We were fine.

It had been my idea.

We did not speak as the cop escorted us from the highway and waited with us for someone to pick us up. Her hands were shaky as she called Jerry; he was closer, he could pick us up. My hands were shaky as I called Levi, told him what had happened and where I would be. Our hands were shaky as we hugged each other, holding back our tears and willing ourselves not to cry.

It had been my idea.

The car ride after Jerry picked us up was deafeningly quiet. He avoided the highway, but every time a car approached us from the left, I would look over, expecting to be hit. Whenever a car would so much as swerve, I would wince. Whenever he braked a little too close to another car, I would flinch. Megan was the same, and I could see from the backseat the tight grip she had on the handle above the door, white-knuckled and still.

It had been my idea.

We arrived at their apartment complex without incident and on shaky knees I got out of the car, only to find that Levi was already there in one of the guest spots, standing and waiting outside the car, leaning back against his door with his hands in his pockets. It was the picture of nonchalance, but I knew better. He had been worried, incredibly so.

It had been my idea.

We said our quiet goodbyes but as soon as I was able, I leaned all my weight against Levi, crying against his shoulder with my hands clutching his shirt tight. He hushed me gently, urged me softly to stop crying. He rubbed my back, held me close, and pressed reverent kisses to my temple, doing what he could to reassure me that I was alright. That both of us were alright. That everything had been alright.