Return to sender

Goodbye

"Why would I ever leave you?"

Levi jumped, fully believing that you were asleep and he closed his lids, emotional plea having been heard after all.

"(F/N)..."

You turned, palm on his cheek and eyes burning in the dim light, a sudden power within that met soft grey, an awkward and apologetic stare close by.

"Levi, I'm sorry. I need to...I need to talk to you."

Here it comes, he thought. The harsh reality about to be laid bare and he matched your hold, hand on your face in an attempt to keep you there for as long as possible.

"Please don't."

"Don't what?"

"(F/N), if you want to go home, I understand but please don't."

"Levi?" The smile on your mouth came from the unexpected request and you shook your head, tiny laugh given as you realised why he looked so unnaturally timid. "That's the thing, I don't want to go back. I want to stay here, but how was I supposed to say that? Invite myself into your life permanently?" You paused, everything about to come out in one huge mess of vocabulary. "I was scared to bring it up because you might not think the same and then we'd be stuck in this awkward situation which we still might be stuck in and then there's my job and..."

"(F/N), shut up." A smirk danced playfully across lips you loved to watch move, relief spreading over handsome features and Levi yelled internally, insanely happy to have discovered the reason for your behaviour and finally in possession of the facts. "You're a fucking idiot."

"Hey! Why?"

"You were worried all this time about the same thing I've been shitting bricks over." He took your hand, tight hold applied as his heart swelled to probable bursting point, a combination of love and excitement replacing what had recently been dread and fear. "I know the logistics could be an issue with your work, but I don't want to think about that right now."

"So you want me to stay?"

Silver eyes rolled and he shook his head against the sheets with an exaggerated sigh, black hair ruffling into an adorably fluffy state and you grinned, waiting for the no doubt offensive response.

"What do you think I just fucking said? Of course I want you to stay. Even if you do annoy the shit out of me."

"Charming."

Equally joyous yet tired faces came together, a soft and delicate kiss to cement the occasion and nothing more, this was born of pure emotion. Levi took a deep, peaceful breath and pulled you close as he rolled back, your head resting on his chest and arms curled lazily around one another. Lids fell, fraught souls now calmed by the passing of a storm and before well earned sleep took over, you were able to murmur a tiny declaration of good night.

~~~~~~

To say you'd buried your heads in the sand would have been unfair - it was an inevitability that soon, you would have to return home one way or another but that didn't mean it had to spoil the time left. The need for an income spelt out your future, days numbered and you cherished every moment, threw yourselves into every little thing with a kind of energy never experienced before. Simple mundane instances became reason to celebrate, your recovery practically complete as Wednesday came to a close, Levi's office the scene of a flurry of activity.

The filing task you'd taken on was nearly finished and you hurried back and forth, wanting to bring this to a neat conclusion before leaving on Friday; bus tickets had been booked, discussions held around the journey and practical steps gone over. There was no way you could think of working here long term - apart from the current chore, this really only amounted to a one man job. Local openings were few and far between, no vacancies anywhere so the depressing truth remained clear. You had to go back.
Levi watched as you trotted from one place to the next, papers fluttering and legs moving swiftly as if there was a deadline to meet, your face set in a determined kind of frown whilst placing the flimsy invoices in their rightful home. He leant back, pen tapping against slightly pouted lips.