Cruelty's Endless Termination

Chapter 5: Exhaustions Eventual Collapse

April 2nd, 9:37pm, year 849. Two weeks after the disappearance...

Levi thinks he's going insane.

That's all he does now. Think.

He thinks about her. He thinks about that night. He thinks about where he went wrong. He thinks about why. He thinks about how he can find her. He thinks about everything.

And then, he doesn't. He can't think. He can only feel.

And he can feel it hard. Like being slammed into the concrete over and over again. His migraines grow wildly fast, his chest feeling as though it's being compressed.

He can't think suddenly, he can only feel.

And then, he can't feel anything. He feels numb.

And then, he's back to thinking.

A squeeze on his hand brings his attention back to reality, away from his own thoughts.

"Daddy?" Levi glanced down to the child by his side, realizing they had already walked almost the whole way to Cora's room. He had been spacing out, again.

"When's Mommy coming home?" Isabel asked, looking at him with big eyes.

Levi blanked, opening his mouth to respond before closing it again, sighing.

"She'll be back, Isabel." Hange stepped in for him, smiling sweetly to the child.

Isabel frowned, but looking ahead again soon.

He hated this, he hated lying to Isabel. He just needed some time, to sort things out.

Knocking on the door awkwardly, Isabel called out, "Coorraaa!"

"Coming!" They could hear a muffled call from behind the door.

"Gimmie a squeeze!" Hange knelt down, opening her arms. Isabel was quick to jump in, laughing as the woman blew raspberry's into her neck.

Levi's lip twitched from the thrilled giggles.

"Alright, now give your daddy a big sloppy kiss." Hange said quietly, picking Isabel up and handing her to the man.

"Please don't-" He was to late. Isabel opened her mouth and planted it right on Levi's cheek, holding it there.

Closing his eyes Levi sighed through his nose. Quickly yanking his face away when he felt her tongue poke his skin, Isabel giggled even harder.

Turning to look at Hange, "Happy?"

Hange was laughing, "Very. Good job Isabel."

The door swung open, Cora and Matthew stood on the other side. The girls face immediately lit up when she saw the child, "Isabel!!"

Holding out her arms, she took Isabel from Levi.

"Ready to have the best sleepover?" Cora asked, grinning widely.

"Yeah! Daddy said you have cwakars?"

"Ahh, yes indeed, I do have crackers." Cora smiled, turning to Levi one last time. "You want me to drop her off about.. 1 ish?"

He nodded, "Thank you."

Cora had been doing this a lot recently, watching Isabel for Levi. It switched off between her and Hange.

It gave Levi some time to himself, to get his work done as well as try and figure out his life. He appreciates the help, the past two weeks felt like they've dragged on forever.

The pair turned to leave, however Levi's arm was caught in a grasp. Turning back, he noticed it was Isabel's hand that grabbed onto his shirt.

The girl pulled him closer, and closer, until she had wrapped her arms around his neck. Cora laughed softly, stepping closer to allow this movement with as little restriction as possible.