Gerald was brought back inside as Synthia carried him in with the aid of me and Lilith.
Synthia was really bothered by what had transpired, She said that Gerald would be alright since it wasn't anything major.
Her concerns were with Lilith, Who was sobbing on the couch next to me. None of us really knew why she was crying.
After Synthia tended to Gerald, She moved next to Lilith and sat in front of her. A worried look drew on her face.
"Lilith… can you tell us what's wrong?" Synthia asked.
Lilith clenched her hands to her cloak tightly and said what had transpired at her home.
Her father actually left her and her mom about a four months ago. We found out that yes, Lilith's father was actually a part of one of the families who were born as dragon hybrids. Lilith's last conversation with her father was to find someone who can teach her the style of swords to protect her mom. Her father never gave an answer to her, But…Gerald knew something. why didn't lilith say anything?
I didn't even know that Gerald even talked to Lilith's father, matter of fact, I didn't even know my father even talked to guys at all since I always see him only outside training. Where does he have the time to talk with him?
Anyways, Lilith's father started to act up around the time Me and her became friends. He went out of home for longer and tended to leave unannounced. Her mother was concerned with his action, but when she confronted him about it. He got aggressive. And from then on, Lilith's household basically turned abusive. It's the reason why she started to walk to our house early in the morning. Lilith was too afraid of confronting her dad and since their conversation was about sword training…Lilith also lied about her father training her. In fact, The only sort of training she ever got was just then when she fought Gerald and when she watched him. All of that stuff she did? Improvising, Which was really good fucking improvising.
We aren't really sure what was up with Lilith's father, Lilith mom was even more confused and distraught when things turned violent. She'd send Lilith away to ensure her safety from her father. And then he just…left. Leaving Lilith's mother to tend to everything, that caused her to basically stress out and in turn, Neglect Lilith.
Lilith sobbed and sniffled while telling this story, As Synthia sat there, stroking the girl's head.
I frowned at the situation. What the hell was her father doing? A girl like her would need a father in her life.
But…seeing how she fought Gerald and somehow with just pure instinct and improv. I don't think it would really matter.
Speaking of which…
"Umm, Lilith? How'd you do that thing with your eye?" I asked awkwardly, it seemed out of randomness. But my curiosity was bubbling at that thought.
"Uh- uh…M-my eye? I don't know what you're talking about?" She pressed her hand against one of her eyes, confused at my question.
"S-she's a dragon hybrid…her eye…allows her to…perceive…things faster. I don't know about it all, but it seemingly activates from high emotions and stress until the person reaches puberty. Least that's what Emmit said." Gerald seemed to have awoken at that moment as well, as we heard him groan and mumble that out on the floor.
Oh yeah, we kind of just plopped him on the floor as we came in. We Bumped his head on the way, No biggie. At Least he's awake now.
But that eye is because she's a dragon hybrid?
Hey, wait…shouldn't we be asking Gerald about all this?
"Gerald, what did Mr.Esheram say to you?" Synthia asked, she got up from her position and aided him in getting up.
"Oh…uh, last month I was out picking up some groceries in the market when you asked me to, and I saw him walking out the front gate. When I went to talk to him, he told me about how he needed to leave…to look for someone. He kept saying everything was different and saying everything was wrong…and that's when he brought you up." Gerald looked at Lilith, who looked at with teary eyes.
"He said that at some point I'll need to help Lilith and her mom, which I didn't understand. I asked him why he was doing this, but he never answered." He trailed off.
Synthia gave him a confused look. So did Lilith and I. None of this really added up. What the hell was her father doing?
"D-dad isn't coming back?" Lilith's eyes were welling up again.
Gerald frowned, thinking of how to answer that. I myself already knew that answer. It's been a month already…
"That…I don't know…" he answered.
Lilith began to cry again. This time, she held onto me as her tears wetted my shirt.
Poor girl, all of this coming to her at such a pace. This is going to mentally fuck her up. Better if I comfort her here.
I stroked her hair and patted her back as she let it out. She buried herself deeper into my chest.
I looked at Gerald and Synthia, but those two were giving each other worried faces. They were thinking of what to do.
And to be honest, I didn't know what to do right now. Only thing on my mind was to comfort Lilith in her dire situation.
For that night, we had Lilith stay with us. Synthia went to Lilith's home to tell her mother, who at first insisted she come home, But as Synthia told her what had happened. She basically folded and told her that Lilith could stay as long as she wanted.
Which was nice of her to do, Synthia said that Lilith's mother looked basically drained and tired from the stress.
What wasn't nice was the fact that I now had to share MY room with Lilith for the night. We have an extra room up here that we rarely use, but I guess Gerald was up to something when he told Lilith that it was ok for us to sleep together.
We were finishing up dinner and I ended up helping clean the dishes with Gerald as Synthia and Lilith went to take a bath together.
Nothing like father and son bonding while cleaning dishes.
"Yknow, Kota. We too can also take a bath toge-"
"I refuse to do that, father." I interrupted that offer immediately when he offered it. There is no way in hell I'll bathe with this man.
"Ah, what about a bath with Lilith?"
"I would a-" I almost answered that one before I realized I would be plummeting down a hole.
I turned to him and saw a big grin on his face.
"Ha ha, you do got a liking for her, huh? I saw how she was on you, crying." He mimicked that whole scene as he said that.
"I do not see why this is something to be making fun of, right now" I sighed, not fazed by it.
"Humor is my way to cope, son…maybe it'll be one for her too.." he stopped what he was doing and gave me a stern look.
I can't believe this man can really switch from one mood to another.
"I'll be making my way to her house tomorrow and see if there's anything I can do to help her mother. In the meantime, I'd say the best thing you can do for your friend is to make her laugh. Laughing is a good remedy. just…make her feel welcomed here, I guess that's what I'm trying to say." Gerald said in a warm way.
Huh. I guess I could do that. I am her friend, first of all.
We finished up cleaning and Gerald headed to his and synthia's room, it looked like she and Lilith had already finished their bath time.
Ok, deep breaths…
Nothing weird will happen, nothing odd will happen. Let's just go in, make her laugh. Sleep. Next day I will help her and her mom.
I knocked on the door, just in case she was still changing.
Changing…changing…in my room…
Get that sick thought out of your head, wait, what if she doesn't know where to put her clothes?
Does she know where the dirty clothes basket is?
Oh God, it'll be worse for me if I look through the clean basket and her dirty clothes are in it.
Wait, stop overthinking this shit!
"…You can come in." I heard from the other side of the door.
I gulped, guessing that was my Queue to come in.
When I opened the door, Lilith was already on the bed, laying flat on her back. Her whole body basically taking up all the space.
She wore her gray cloak still, though it looked like Synthia or maybe even she cleaned it during their time in the bath since it was now cleaner looking. Underneath from what I saw, she wore silver pajamas. A normal silver shirt and shorts.
Alright. Start a conversation, make her laugh.
"Hey, Lilith. How's the…bed?" I asked.
Bravo.
"It's…better than mine.." she got up into a sitting position as she said that in a sad tone, then looked at me.
"Oh…"
I already gave up on the whole joking thing. I don't think Gerald's advice is going to work. Laughing is a remedy, But I am not a jokester when it comes to one on one.
Let's just try something else. What would anyone else do when a girl is going through something?
I must've looked like an idiot when I was thinking that because Lilith snapped me out of my thoughts by patting the bed.
An invitation. Oh good…wait, not good. This could turn into anything.
Again, I gulped and awkwardly walked to the bed, Sitting where she was patting.
"Are…you ok?" She asked.
Both of us sat on the bed, not really sure what to say. I scratched my head, thinking of something to say. I guess I should just try to cheer her up.
"I'm fine, just wanted to make sure you feel alright…are you alright?"
"…" Lilith said nothing.
Ah, I'm no good at this shit. I've spent eighteen years in my old life trying to figure out girls and gotten nowhere with it. Now I'm spending Eleven years in this world with that knowledge and still can't figure things out.
Huh. That's right. I'm Eleven years old now. I didn't even think about it this past year. I was too focused on studying magic and hanging with Lilith that it just flew by.
I felt a warmth on my lap that took me out of my thoughts. A very nice warmth.
I looked down and saw that Lilith put her head on my lap, how cute.
"I'm…ok. But my mom.." she trailed off. she kept tapping her finger on my leg, thinking.
I understand. She's worried about her mom. Lilith must want to help her, but she doesn't know what to do. I wouldn't really know what to do, beside just being there. I don't know the full relationship those two have. So I can't make assumptions right now.
"Kota..." I heard her say. She said that in a calming way.
She turned around in my lap to face me, her face in full view now.
A serious look.
"I want to kill my father. I want to learn the way of the Fire king styles. Will you help me?"
K-kill? Is she on a vengeance quest now? She looks serious about this, Her hand clenched my pants as she waited for a response.
I feel cold sweats on my back. How the hell do I respond to that?!
She's your friend, Only friend. And she looks to be very serious with this. If she's really going with this, Who knows that might happen to her. Have you seen sasuke when he went on a vengeance spree for itachi? We wouldn't want that kind of stuff.
"I-I can't promise anything…But I'm sure my father will help you with sword fighting…" I responded.
I don't plan on killing anyone, nor do I want to see people die. But I can't stand watching a father leave their kid in the dust, I've felt that already.
There's a fire in me just from thinking that.
"Hm…kota?"
"Actually, I can promise you one thing, Lilith."
I finally made my goal in this life.
I know what I'll do in this world. With my second chance at life.
"I'll keep you safe, and be by your side. It's what I can do. I won't leave you like your father."
"...O-Ok." Lilith turned to face away from me, hands on her face.
I think back to my conversation with Gerald about her. Remembering when he asked me if I liked lilith. I couldn't give a real answer at that time. Not that my answer then doesn't reflect what I think now.
But for Lilith… I think I know what she feels about me and I can plan to keep it that way until we grow older.
I feel tired, My eyes are getting droopy. We should probably call it a night now.
I tapped her head and told her it was time to sleep.
She got her head off my lap and went to lay on her side of the bed.
I never really thought this life would really boil down to this. Calming and peaceful, except for what's happening right now. But still.
This restart to my life is so very different from what I had before. And I'm going to live it to its full extent.
I went to turn off the lamp next to us and stared at the ceiling. I can hear Lilith shifting and moving until finally she stopped and finally slept.
And then I slowly drifted into sleep.
[Lilith's perspective]
I told them everything.
From the first day my father slapped my mother, to the days where our house was just a battlefield.
I hated my father. For what he was doing.
He never gave a reason as to why, every night he'd come home with an angered face, scorning me and mother for being trash and useless.
Before I told him about Kota, he was calm and patient. He would still lecture me, but it was his smile afterwards that made me feel safe.
He'd show love to mother, joking with her and taking her out to the market.
But his demeanor has changed. I tried fighting him one night, but he threw me against the wall as he asked my mother why she had me.
Is this about me? Why do you hate me? What have I done?
And then one night, he left. There was no note, no sign of him. And my mother broke down.
I don't know what to do. I've tried to console my mother, but she also grew mad at me.
But she stopped when she realized what she was doing. She was human.
She didn't have The blood of a dragon in her, her humanity shown.
But not father. And I hated him for that.
Mother would usually now take me to Kota's house every morning so that she could find peace.
But I knew what she was doing.
She was trying to find father with her magic so she could bring him back, but every night it was to no avail.
"Damn it!" I would hear her.
"Damn it, Emmit. Please come back, we need you!"
But it's been months now, and mother was growing weary.
I want to kill my father. Mother is dying and he left us.
He left because of me. He doesn't see me as his daughter anymore and I don't know why.
I started to watch Kota's dad train in their garden.
I saw one of his practices, where he looks fast and brutal.
That one. I want to learn that.
So I decided I wanted to train with Kota's dad.
I stood outside of Kota's house and saw both of them practicing.
Kota is strong, And he can use magic.
But why is he learning something he didn't want to learn? I remember he told me he wanted to learn magic. This is surprising.
"Huh? Kota, are you learning how to use the sword?" I asked.
He opened the door for me and told me that I could open the door at any time. But that would've been rude.
I saw Kota's father already trying to put away his training stuff. I won't let him.
I need to show him that I can be a good student.
I can feel a fire burn in me right now.
I'm hungry. So I greeted Kota's dad and asked if he could train me, which confused him at first.
Did he know what was happening? It doesn't matter.
I'm angry, really angry. And so we spared and I ended up hurting Kota's dad.
I didn't mean to really hurt him. I let my anger get to me.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry to kota for that.
I hurt my only friend.
And now here I am in Kota's room. I took a bath with his mom and we talked about what was going on at home. Synthia is nice.
Kota has a good mother.
I can see my home from this window, has kota been looking out of this?
I heard a knock at the door. It's kota.
I laid back on the bed and let him in.
He's so awkward around me sometimes. It's weird.
But it's the good kind of weird.
He asked about the bed, which admittedly felt better than my own.
It was comfy, I could sleep here anytime.
He looked really nervous so I asked if he was ok.
Maybe he's worried about me?
To be honest…I don't feel ok.
I feel hurt and angry at everything. I'm angry at my father. And I'm angry at myself.
And I'm worried about my mom.
I decided to use Kota's lap as a head rest.
Haha…kota has really squishy thighs.
It's comforting.
Kota comforts me. I like him for that.
Maybe I can ask him…
"kota?"
"I want to kill my father. I want to learn the way of the Fire king styles. Will you help me?" I asked when I faced him.
His blue eyes widened.
He told me that he couldn't help me do that. Kill.
That's ok, He doesn't want blood on his hands.
But then he told me something else.
"I'll keep you safe, and be by your side. It's what I can do. I won't leave you like your father."
That echoed in my head when he said that.
I turned away so he couldn't see me blushing, how embarrassing.
He won't leave me? What did he mean?
He tapped my head and told me it was time to sleep, which I was ready for.
But I couldn't sleep.
Kota's words were repeating in my head the whole night as I kept shuffling until I couldn't keep my eyes open.