✦.˳·˖✶
𝒎𝒊𝒌𝒂𝒔𝒂

The suddenness of these events shook me to my core. I became one with the door and four walls that surrounded me. With each force of friction made between the door and the back of my cardigan, I could feel myself sinking into the hardwood floor more and more by the second. My eyes glistened under the sunset that reflected from out the door's small glass window creating heaps of silent, but begging lachrymose. Lachrymose that gave out the sign that I wanted, needed a getaway and I was asking for that from the walls of my own home, which left me with an answer the same as their material: stone cold silence.

Eren wouldn't want to see me cry in this situation, but I couldn't hold back past the reality of the situation. My thoughts take the shape of my tears, long and forever running. I sobbed like a child over what befell my ears. I couldn't accept the fact that this could happen to my own home. Something that was supposed to be a last resort for Eren and I. Feeling like a total outcast even from my own husband's family, I still felt the need to make things right. To let them know that I'm still the good woman that they held me in a pedestal for, even if it was useless to continue trying. With every telephone call I desperately made, at the end of the line there was always someone apart from Grisha telling me that he was unavailable. Like someone catering to him to express his distaste for me in a gentle manner. I never realized why that behavior was taking place immediately after his funeral. As if my privileges were completely erased, even a home, whose right to be a house, slowly, brick by brick was being taken away from it as well.

"Breathe woman." I reminded myself getting up trying to steady my breathing over my sobbing.

My other half's misfortune ricochetted back to me. Now I couldn't believe how sensitive I'd become to the world.

I needed my wine to help me unwind.

Poche ore da quello.

"You have 7 new messages." My telephone went off.

I had gotten carried away and dozed off on my couch for a while and by while meaning it is now 7 P.M. when I was only overthinking at 5.

"Mmh?" I muttered at myself as I heard my telephone go off over the fact that I had new messages.

I picked it up and I heard the noise of a woman I hadn't seen since my wedding. It was aunt Kuchel.

"Mikasa, I'm sorry this had to happen to you. As a wife, I know what it's like to have your entire world crushed before your very eyes. You're like a daughter to me, my dear, I want to try and help you, my girl."

"Mika, my dear. You must be so mad at Levi and I right now and believe me, seeing you devastated over this situation makes me want to cry with you. Just..." I could hear her choking up. "...just come back, my girl."

"Mikasa, I don't want everything we ever built together to go back."

"Tell me if I've done anything wrong and I'll repent for each and every sin."

"I'm sorry, my love."

"I'm sorry."

"Come back."

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓.

Kuchel, Levi's mother, stood beside the telephone waiting for a response from her niece, but to her dismay, she didn't call back thinking that they may have done something so horrible that it dishonored the family name of the Ackermans and led to Mikasa not wanting to talk. Before Kuchel could form another thought, the door creaked open to reveal her son collapsing on the floor. He was all black and blue and coughed up blood, leaving the door ajar, kneeling on the hardwood floors, gasping for air, for clots of blood flooded his nose.

"Levi?!" Kuchel gasped rushing towards him. "Oh, my baby. What have they done to you?"

He stained her lilac dress with blood he coughed up from his mouth and blood running from his nose as his head fell on her shoulder.

As Mikasa climbed the final flight of stairs until her legs felt sore, she saw a ray of light and vague cries from afar sourcing from Kuchel's apartment. She immediately rushed to where the marble flooring reflected the single yellowish ray of light and stood adjacent to the apartment door.

"Aunt-" Mikasa interrupted herself before gasping at the sight of her cousin on the floor with his business suit ripped to shreds, his body bruised front and back. "Oh my God! Levi!"

"Mikasa." Kuchel's voice echoed from outside. "Help me get him up, child."

Mikasa and Kuchel picked Levi up a shoulder each woman, as Mikasa closed the door with her foot. Lying on the sofa, Levi was tended to with a pack of ice and first aid roller bandages. He was panting, the pain being too unbearable.

"Levi, what happened to you?" Kuchel whimpered a question, stroking her son's face.

He struggled to speak, only occasional breaths of air escaping from his mouth, but not a single word.

By the way, boys, take him away. I don't need him anymore.

"Holy shit!" Mikasa gasped in place as she was reminded of what happened earlier that afternoon.

"Niece, use proper language! And wait here, I have to cover up Levi, he's feeling feverish!"

"Sorry, aunt Kuchel." She apologized and turned to Levi to ask him. "Did that Altamura guy do his to you?"

He nodded, he tried speaking to me, his throat parched.

"They took me for questioning. We are your only family, so it was natural that they would ask for our blessing so that Signor could marry you to his son. I kept on refusing and refusing, because I know what my own boss is like and I do expect his son to be the same kind of heartless as him."

"And? What happened after that?"

"I..." Levi's voice scratched the walls of his throat as what he remembered from moments before coming here flashed before his eyes. "Let's just say, I had to say yes."

"What?!" Mikasa asked in shock and disappointment at hearing the single sentence Levi muttered. With that alone, she understood everything. "You don't mean...?"

"Mikasa, there's nothing more I can do. If they're gonna take the only property under your name, pack your things, shut up and let them do it. If they're gonna make you forget you had an amazing and mature man for a husband, then wear the veil, shut up and let them do it. In the end, you're gonna remember my words. Only the silent make it through the fog alive."

"But, what if he doesn't treat me right?"

"You shut up. The last thing your father in law would want to hear from you - or anyone, but especially you - complaints."

"And...?"

"You shut up. You shut the fuck up, you listen and you say 'Sì, signor Altamura.' to everything he has to say about you, good or bad."

"What?! That's not fair at all!" Mikasa got up from the couch.

"Levi! Here's your blanket, my dear." Kuchel tucked in the blanket at his knees.

"You think it's any fairer for me? Look at how they fucked me up." He waved a hand at his bruised figure. "You'll be seeing the worst of it once the wedding's over."

"The only thing that that family will be seeing, is two first class tickets to Palermo, because I'll be taking you with me." Mikasa pointed at Levi.

"Mikasa, my dear." Kuchel turned to her. "You're brave, but you just possibly can't! Not in this economy."

"I'd love to see you try, dear cousin."

"Try?" I chuckled. "I've booked them since August."