Happier

The stars will shine again

A/N: Hopeful-er ending - pt. 1

Levi POV:

"...and remember that time mom caught us sneaking out to play even though we were grounded?" Luca weakly nods along as I continue to retell some of our happy childhood memories, trying to keep him awake. He keeps getting worse, each staggering breath threatening to be his last. I hold him in a strong but gentle grip, I can tell he's struggling to hold on by the tiniest thread.

But he's trying.

I keep talking, rambling on about whatever nonsense comes to mind as I gently rock him back and forth and back and forth over and over again in a rhythmic pattern. Burying my face into his messy hair, listening carefully for each shuddering breath.

"L-levi... M't-tired...."

It's so quiet it's barely a whisper, but I hear it and I pull him in a little closer, hold him a little tighter.

"Just a little longer, just keep holding on, it's gonna be ok."

I'm so focused on keeping him alive that I don't realize the medics are here, only noticing when the sound of a door slamming open rings through the air. I snap my head up and feel a small, but satisfying sense of relief washing over me as a group of EMT's quickly run over and take charge.

"Please, h-help him."

The last thing I remember about that dreadful night, is watching my brother's eyes slide shut as they loaded him into the ambulance.

~

Luca POV:

Everything is dark, the feeling of weightlessness circling through my body. Its not dark in an evil or even threatening sort of way. It's calm, mysterious, inviting.

It's tempting.

I let myself sink further and further, my consciousness getting foggier with every second.

And then the blinding flourescent lights that could only belong to a single place, overwhelm my vision as the weight settles down into the pits of my stomach once more. There's a clock on the wall, and I can blurrily make out that it's sometime around 3 in the morning.

It all comes back in a rush of emotions I wasn't prepared to experience.

"Do you promise?"

"the old building near the library..."

"Goodnight brother, I love you too."

"have you been c-cutting again?"

"you are worth everything to us."

"just keep holding on, it's gonna be ok."

Hold on... hold on.

To what?

I sigh and look over, my eyes widening at the sight in front of me.
It's Levi. He's asleep, I thought I remembered him wearing something else... he probably changed clothes. His head and arm were leaning on the hospital bed, dark rings under his eyes as he gently snored, clearly exhausted. I try to ignore the throbbing in my arms as guilt washes over me and I sit up to think, to question.

Why?

whywhywhywHYWHYWHYWHY.

Why am I here? Why do they suffer for me? What am I worth? Why am I worth it?

What is wrong with me?

I grip the covers tightly with my bandaged hands, a silent tear rolling down my cheek as my eyes clench shut and I inhale heavily.

And then I feel a gentle warmth grasping my shoulder.

Levi's up, he tiredly smiles at me and I realize that his hand is on my shoulder. We exchange a wordless glance as the tears continue to drip off my cheeks, landing softly on the thin white sheets. He stands up, pulling me into an embrace.

And I...

I find something to hold on to.

There's tears, but they're not loud and ugly. They're quiet. They're full of comfort and longing, they're full of forgiveness, of acceptance.

They're full of love.

As I fall asleep in my big brothers arms, I realize we're dirty, bloodied and tired, our cheeks wet and tear stained. But for the first time in what feels like ages, somehow through the overwhelming guilt, self loathing, and depression, somehow...

I feel loved.

~

Levi POV:

It's early, very early.

I look around the hospital room once more, the curtains were open and the lights were lowered down, the sound of Luca's (finally) steady breathing comforting.

I gaze down at him, he's leaning against me, his injured arms rested carefully and gently on his stomach, and it sinks in.

He's here.

I haven't lost him yet, there's still a chance. I smile softly as I wipe my face with the sleeve of my hoodie that Alex brought me earlier. Relief fills me, though I'm fully aware were not out of the forest just yet. There's a lot of things Luca needs to sort out, things that he needs to deal with, demons he'll need to face.

But I'll be here for him, no matter what anyone says or does, or even what he thinks, I'll be here to support him. No matter what. Because as stupid or cliché as it may sound, I could never live without him, and all in all, even though I don't show it very often....

I love my little brother.

The stars had been there on that terrible night on the roof, tauntingly dull. But now as I hold him next to me on the hospital bed sleeping peacefully,

they start to feel bright again.

A/N:

(I'm considering continuing this for another chapter or two to show what happens with Charli and the squad and stuff but I need some ideas/inspiration. So I some of yall could help me with that- so yeah, just lemme know if you guys want that or not.

This went from a oneshot to a full on multiple chapter fanfic-

I love Taken, but this is my best work ngl...)