Hellfire • L.A.

A Sweet Gesture

hello all. sorry for leaving you in such a cliffhanger for a while, but I've gotten busy with work and my summer class. my mental health has also been a struggle lately because a close friend of mine literally broke my heart ahahaaaa :) I don't say that to gain pity I'm just really hurt and it's hard to write about love when you trust someone and they take your love for granted. I hope you guys can understand that and be patient with me for the next month...I promise it won't affect our lovebirds <3

The older man with the hat sighed and shook his head at me. "Look, girl, I understand you lost your family. Everyone down here is a loner. But I'm not here long term. I came down to check up on some shit, but I'm going back up."

I rolled my head back and groaned. When I sat back up straight again I looked him the eye. For someone who had escaped the underground and been living a life of luxury, he didn't look like it. I frowned at his greasy hair and the unkempt stubble on his chin.

"Please, I don't know what else to do. I'm alone down here and I can barely fend for myself. I don't know how to fight or-"

He slams a knife into the table, cutting me off. His long fingers tap the handle and he leans back in his chair. "You wanna learn to fight? You really think any man around this hell is gonna teach a beauty like you how to fight for herself?" He chuckles grossly and I swallow nervously. "How old are you brat?"

"Sixteen..."

"You'd be better off working in a brothel and catchin' a disease." he stands up and tilts his hat towards me. "Don't go lookin for trouble you idiot. You wanna survive? Learn to kill, not fight."

My eyes snap open and my heart skips a beat. Out of all the memories, I've got locked away inside my mind, this one pushes forward?

In front of me, the fire from last night is completely out, and the grey morning light pours onto the ground from the large skylights above. Behind me, I can feel Levi's chest rising and falling and his arm tightens around my waist when I shift. After everything that happened last night, we fell asleep side by side, but I guess Levi is a cuddler.

Sighing, I roll over to face him. His face is so relaxed. There's a light dusting of stubble on his face from the past couple of days without a proper area to sit down shave in. I reach up and touch his cheek with the tips of my fingers, accidentally waking him.

His grey eyes open barely and he stares back at me. They close again and he presses his face into my neck. "What time is it?"

"Don't know," I whisper. "It's early though."

He hums and the vibration tickles my collar bone. "How does your neck feel?" His groggy morning voice is different from the normal dull voice I hear. It's rough and hoarse, low and gravelly.

"It's...okay. Little sore, but I've had worse."

Unexpectedly he turns his head and presses his lips to my jugular, and works his way up lightly.

"Never would have guessed you were so affectionate." I smile to myself relishing in his presence.

"I'm still sleepy. Don't get used to it."

I actually giggle. My body shakes just barely, but I feel sore all over. My right side stings slightly and I hiss. Immediately he pulls away from my neck and stares down at me.

"What's wrong?"

"My side. Yesterday Bran sliced-"

Levi's jaw clenches and his eyes narrow. "Why didn't you say anything last night?"