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.・゜-: ✧☾ ☽✧ :-゜・.
Levi woke up to the soft hum of the wind slipping through the cracks in the barn walls. He squinted at the golden morning light that slanted through the cracks in long, delicate beams, catching flecks of dust mid-air. His body was aching from the uneven surface of the barn floor but he couldn't really complain. He had managed to get more hours of sleep than usual.
He shifted in his makeshift bed, the absence of Stella instantly twisting something protective in him. He scooted up, his eyes tracing around the area before finding Daryl's frame, stationed by the door, watching the trees outside closely.
Levi quietly stood up and slipped over to him, avoiding a small puddle of blood on the ground —likely from one of last night's walkers.
"Morning," The boy said, his hands stuffed in his pockets.
Daryl looked up and met his gaze. "Mornin'."
"You got any sleep at all?" Levi rolled his shoulders, his face scrunching up at the tension in his muscles.
"Nah," Daryl shrugged without looking away from the woods.
"You should've woken me up, I could've taken over watch for you."
Daryl shot a glance over at the spot where Levi had been sleeping with Stella on the floor before looking back up at him. "You needed the sleep more than I did." He said. "Plus, can't sleep in here. Smells like horse shit. Ain't exactly lullaby material."
Levi cracked a tired smile. "Yeah," He grinned. "Hey, have you seen, Stella?"
Daryl nodded toward the small crack in between the barn doors and Levi shot him a polite smile. He stepped outside, the cool morning air brushing against his skin. His eyes scanned his surroundings, or what was left of it. The storm had wrecked pretty much everything, every tree, every walker. He was surprised that the barn was still standing.
When he stepped out further, he saw her. Her back was facing him, her frame slumped on a fallen tree with the sun rising at the horizon in front of her. He smiled faintly, the sky streaked in soft pinks and oranges. The kind of colors that made you forget for just a moment how broken the world was.
He moved toward her with quiet steps, not wanting to startle her. He greeted her with a gentle hand on her back to which she winced and flinched forward just slightly. Levi instantly froze, his hand quickly withdrawing from her.
It was slight—barely more than a twitch—but he felt it. Felt the way her body tensed beneath his palm, the way her breath caught for just a second too long.
"Stella-"
The girl turned to him, shaking her head and offering him a reassuring smile. "It's nothing. You just scared me," She placed her hand over his on the log, dragging a smooth caress over his skin but the boy remained stiff.
"That's not nothing. Are you hurt?" He carefully lifted the back of her shirt. Stella knew that there was no point in trying to argue, instead she just sat there. Beneath the fabric hid multiple dark bruises that marbled her skin along with scattered small cuts. A muscle ticked in Levi's cheek, the sight before him twisting something within his chest.
"Jesus, Stella." He huffed. His fingers gently came up to her skin, dragging along the edges of the darkest bruise. "What happened?"
The girl swallowed hard, something metallic lingering on her tongue. She pulled down her shirt and turned to him. "It's no big deal. Just a few scrapes."
Levi's features tightened, his hand on her back lingering with helpless care. "Just a few scrapes? Stella, your back is just one big bruise." He breathed out, lowering his tone a little. "Damn it, Stella, why didn't you say something?"
The girl shrugged with her gaze plastered on the sunrise before her. Levi let out a strained breath as if she could break if he blinked just too hard. His hand came up to wrap around hers. Her skin was warm in his palm, too warm.
"Stella, you're burning up." He stated and placed the back of his hand against her forehead. Heat radiated from her and it made his chest constrict. His hand carefully slid down to her cheek, her skin crimson under his fingers. "Something's wrong. Talk to me." He pleaded.
"I- I don't know. It's probably just the heat." She said.
"This is not just the heat, Stella." Levi's tone was firm but not harsh, his heart racing at the sight of her. The bruises, her pale skin, and the warmth. He stepped in front of her, gently lifting her to her feet. She swayed slightly in his hold, unsteady. "Let's get you inside."
A twig snapped.
Levi's body snapped to tension in an instant. He pulled Stella behind him, weapon raised. Her fingers, though weak, mirrored the motion. They moved in perfect sync.
From the trees emerged a man. An alive one.
Dressed in a plain shirt and a blue jacket he appeared in sight with his arms raised, a sign of surrender but the two didn't lower their guns.
"Hi," He greeted them like it was the most casual interaction ever. "Good morning."
Stella briefly glanced over at Levi. There was no such thing as a good morning anymore and his relaxed tone made him all the more suspicious. There was something too composed about him like he was performing for a script only he had read. Neither of them smiled back at him.
"My name is Aaron." He said as if that explained everything, or even anything at all. "I don't mean any harm."
"Then don't move," Levi took a step forward, cocking his gun. "Not one inch," His tone was firm, laced with something threatening.
The man before them stopped instantly and lifted his arms higher up in the air. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
"You're not scaring anyone." Stella's voice was quiet but icy.
But the man only smiled. "I get it- stranger danger but... I'm a friend."
Both Levi and Stella looked at each other, their hesitation and skepticism evident. They tightened their grip on their guns and glanced back at the man, their eyes raking his figure—hands too clean, clothes not tattered enough, no panic in his breathing. That was what unsettled them most. This world broke people, and Aaron didn't look even slightly cracked.
"I'd like to talk to the person in charge." He said. "Rick, right?"
Stella's breath caught. She exchanged a glance with Levi, her body stiffening beneath the weight of the name. How the hell did he know that?
