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.・゜-: ✧☾ ☽✧ :-゜・.
The minutes dragged like hours, each one sinking Levi deeper into a pit of helplessness. He sat beside Stella, his back pressed against the rough wood of the barn wall, her cold, trembling hand enclosed in his. His leg bounced restlessly, the silence between each of her shallow breaths clawing at his throat.
Rick had rocked Judith to sleep and was now swaying her carefully in his arms while his gaze was plastered on the trees outside, prepared for any movement. Aaron sat quietly against a beam, observing but silent.
Then—barely there—a faint squeeze of Levi's hand. His head snapped to Stella. She stirred, her frail body twitching with effort. Her eyes fluttered open, framed by dark circles that hollowed her sunken face. Her skin was waxy, her lips chapped and cracked. Levi quickly pushed himself off the wall and got to his knees beside her, watching her closely. The girl let out a strained noise as she moved, her eyes traveling around the room for a moment as if struggling to register where she was. As the realization sank in, her eyes met Levi's and the boy managed a small smile despite his chest tightening at the sight of her state.
"Hi, sweetheart." He breathed.
The girl swallowed hard, her mouth stinging as she tried to speak. "Hi," She rasped out weakly.
Rick, who had heard her voice from across the barn, quickly left his spot and hurried up to her, careful not to jostle Judith as he knelt beside Levi. Her eyes flickered up to him as he lowered himself beside her, his hand carefully brushing back some of her hair, feeling the heat of her skin under his fingers.
"Hi, dad." She breathed out, her voice thin and brittle and a smile bloomed over the man's face.
"Hey, you." He whispered, his hand lingering on her cheek, his thumb caressing her skin with reverent care. "How are you feeling?"
The girl drew a sharp breath, one that seemed to burn in her sick body. Her skin was aching, bruised, and cut and her gums were painfully throbbing. The fever was getting worse, her body left a trembling shell.
She didn't respond, instead, her eyes searched the two men for answers. "What's happening to me?" Her voice wavered, breaking at the edges like glass under pressure.
Levi blinked, his eyes hesitantly moving to Rick. The older man hesitated, clearly unwilling to lie—but the truth felt cruel, and his daughter was already drowning in it. "Maggie says it's some vitamin deficiency."
His words didn't give her many more answers but she wasn't sure she wanted more answers if it meant the harsh truth. Instead, she swallowed hard, her eyes trailing along the barn. "Where is everyone?"
"They went to check out if Aaron's telling the truth. They should be back soon." Levi explained only briefly as to not worry her with the truth that the rest of the group was out there, possibly risking their lives.
