Together, we heal | Levi Ackerman

༅ 12. Strolls With You

Life in the Underground, Part 6: Strolls with you

Year 844

"Finnick, the man who was with you... Levi killed him."

Vanya was certain she already was scorching a hole right through Levi's scalp as she intensely stared the back of his head. They were walking together to her house, as they usually did under the dim illumination of the lamp posts and down the chilly grimy streets of the city. In all honesty, it was more of Levi leading her as if he knew the way to her house better than the owner herself. It was always the same set-up: Levi walking ahead whilst Vanya meekly following his footsteps.

Her head was pounding from that one mere question ringing in her head like a siren's cry. The more steps she took, the question seemed to bubble even bigger in her consciousness that Vanya was sure she could get a headache.

Why did Levi kill Finnick? 

Vanya always knew what she had gotten herself into the moment she joined the gang; she'd be a fool if she didn't. If she was going to join a group that dedicates their waking moments committing crime, the thought of her best friend killing someone with his bare hands shouldn't even surprise her anymore. Yet, she couldn't help but feel a string of nerve-wrecking chills coursing through her. Though Vanya didn't like Finnick at all even one bit even if he had only barely touched her in the most inappropriate way, she thought the man who was most likely the same age as her didn't deserve a gruesome death. What if Finnick had a mother waiting for him at home? What if he didn't choose to be Reed's right hand? What if he was just like Cedric who didn't want to live the criminal life but had to because he had no choice?

But Vanya was smart enough to know that Levi doesn't just take someone's life without a reason. She was pretty damn sure her best friend wasn't a psychopath -- or maybe he was.

"Oy, shut up."

The redhead who was too busy in the depths of her contemplation snapped her head up. Levi was still looking forward as they walked down the streets at a slow pace.

"Huh? I didn't say anything." Vanya said confusingly .

"I can hear you thinking, it's annoying."

"Oh," Vanya uttered in a small timid voice. "Sorry..."

The silence accompanied the two young people like a comforting entity filling the void. The sound of their feet scraping the pavement and the whispers of the breeze drowned out all the rampant thoughts in Vanya's head as she succumbed into the solace of their stroll. She couldn't deny it -- no matter how good or bad her days would go, ending the day walking with Levi was one of those little things that brought tiny pleasures to her heart, along with sipping teas in quiet afternoons, and goodnight kisses from her mother when she was younger.

"Is there something that happened in the heist that I should know of?"

Vanya's question lingered for a moment like a leaf flowing through the air.

Levi didn't even bother to look at her, and opted to remain his gaze forward. "Furlan told you," he said, bland and unfazed.

"That, he did," she replied as she started quickening her pace so that she was finally walking beside him. "Why did you do it?"

There it was again: Levi's silence as his impractical way of avoiding questions he didn't want to answer.

"That man had a name, you know," Vanya mumbled airily, already expecting his habitual lack of response. "It was Finnick."