— 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐄, 𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟖.
𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐄. How could you repair a relationship when the formerly-trusted leader of your team tried — and arguably succeeded — to kill your sister? What ground could you possibly have to stand on to defend your position? Stevie and Levi fought over the events of June 1st just like they fought about the October riots, except worse; there was no resolution. Dismayed, helpless, Levi could do nothing but insist Daichi didn’t represent them anymore, but it wasn’t enough. Stevie told him to leave, and after a fraught, tense moment where he wanted to refuse, Levi left. The siblings haven’t spoken since.
𝐃𝐀𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈 𝐊𝐀𝐓𝐎. The betrayal of finding out his team leader had ( however unknowingly ) murdered his sister was already too much to take in; hot on its heels, though, was the realization Daichi had been involved with an Omega. You’d expect Levi, of all people, to understand the concept of ‘love over all else,’ but where was Daichi’s love for his team? Where was the concern for what could happen to them while he was fraternizing with the enemy? Catalyzed by the rage of what happened with his sister, Levi confronted Daichi at the compound. They fought, physically and verbally, but again, no resolution was reached except this: Levi made it clear he would still follow Daichi for whatever time he had left with the organization, but he couldn’t trust him anymore.
𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐋𝐄𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐒𝐇. In a month already stinging heavily of betrayal, thoughts of Finley returning to the Institute weighed uneasily in the back of Levi’s mind. He grappled with whether he made the right decision, if he was a hypocrite for taking Daichi’s betrayal so poorly when he’d orchestrated one of his own. The days crawled by and Levi waited for the other shoe to drop, for the X-Men to show up at his and Riley’s door to bring them in. But no one came. Finley, it seemed ( or maybe he just hoped ), had kept her end of the bargain. For now. He thought of reaching out, and didn’t. He’d like to explain himself to her. What could they possibly have to say to each other? They were on opposite sides once again, or they always were. All that was left between them was a promise that’d only hold as much weight as they let it.
𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐘 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑. On the first of June, Riley found the fractured body of his partner pinned haphazardly under rubble, left there by Prism for the authorities to return to collect once the dust had started to settle. Unburied by Riley’s own hands and with a potent first rush of healing, Levi gasped painfully back to consciousness, tears of relief pricking at his eyes as his bruised fingers twisted weakly in Riley’s shirt: You found me. I knew you’d find me. Of course. Just focus on me, yeah? It won’t hurt, I promise. Keep talking to me. The two found a secluded spot to hide for the remainder of the battle, Riley still tending to Levi’s wounds, Levi apologizing with tears in his eyes for putting them in jeopardy: letting Prism see his face, allowing Finley to walk free. Riley, patient and trusting as ever, forgave him.
Levi hasn’t proposed again. His mind is still made up, but the time still isn’t right.
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