Young Writers Society

Hello Hello, today's Lilian's cannon birthday so I thought I could pull together an update today. However, it's a little rushed so forgive any repeated phases or wonky grammar ( still let me know though if you find anything.) 

Tw: Implied Self Harm & Mature jokes.

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“I hope you're ready for a sense of Déjà vu because I can explain. “

Even her heels wanted to escape the smell as she turned around, her disgust mirrored on Libby’s face. However, the wide-eyed shock was replaced by a confidence that wavered with every forced breath. Much like the ever-shrinking pool of excuses, her lungs resorted to shallow gasps of air. Still, Libby’s gaze threatened to pierce her squared shoulders as the shock sharpened into concern. It welled up in the depths of her brown eyes, turning them into a pool of burning orange.

This was it. Everything about the past few days was going to spill out. All the demons and possessed bleach would have her sent to some isolated psych ward far, far away.

Lilian’s resolve was on the brink of tearing itself apart in a bloody show when Libby’s fingers pressed into her sweat-soaked skin. The heat thawed the ice in her veins, yet colour refused to return to her hands as they shook. Underneath the comfort of an embrace, they turned into a pair of silent traitors showing what the face refused to.

“Look, I know it’s been rough and you might need some catharsis, but are you…You know? “Those pools of orange were struggling, as if the wrong words would cause her to crumble. All the while Libby tugged at the sweater around Lilian’s wrist which showcased a faint bruise.” Is that how this happened, the same with the smell? “

Words failed her before they even formed on her tongue. Instead, they made a home in the pit of Lilian’s stomach, falling away with it. A part of her wanted to hold on until her nails broke skin and scraped bone in a twisted plea. However, something else screamed within her, hungry to rip herself away in unspoken indignity.

This could've been her way out if only she could bear the pity.

““I-I’m not. That honor goes to Mcthissles. I must have bumped into a shelf when the lightning hit. "Lilian's breath reeked of half-baked lies." And If you must know, I'm bleeding right now. It's probably just a menstrual cup I forgot to wash out fully."

Libby's face softened as concern dragged her features down until that too melted. This time there were no gem-like hues to stare into. Rather, Lilian gazed into the murky depths of a forming charity case, one ready to fly from the pinched corners of Libby's frown. Although there was an ember of tenderness within it, the moisture fled from Lilian's mouth, eager to avoid the aftermath.

" Oh... Lil..."

" With all that dealt with, why don't we go and get my furniture back in place, huh?" The stench of copper stuck to Lilian's waning smile. " You know Your Fiance is going to get upset if you spend more time with me than her. Again..."

" Or…” Libby’s fingers moved from her wrist and dug into Lilian’s upper arms. There was a sense of tenderness in the way she moved her aside, more like a door than a person.” If you are struggling with personal hygiene, I could create a care package,”

Libby’s footsteps replaced any protests on Lilian's lips, despite their warmth a hollowness ran through them. Once the heat of her grip faded, she was left with stuttered excuses and morphing shadows that almost mocked the short descent into the bathroom. All while the smell of copper coated her twisted stomach and sharpened her senses. However, her hands began to shake and her heartbeat filled her ears, creating an inescapable reminder.

The whole place reeked of it. She was pretty much hiding a pin in a magnetic haystack.

" You can't just barge into my bathroom." Lilian's words were as quick and uneven as her steps.

" Perhaps if I was a normal person, but we’re different... "Libby's voice trailed off as she squatted by the sink, peering into empty drawers and loose containers. "Relax, I'm just checking what you have left, regardless I've seen way more personal stuff from you. After all, Salem was more than our first trip."

Even in the low light, a sweet warmth and a wash of pink kissed Lilian's cheeks. Her heart still pounded against her chest all the same. Rather than her nerves wringing themself's dry, it was closer to embarrassment beating against her skin. Her mind shuffled through responses as she slipped in between the trash and the sink like an actor who hit their mark.

“That was years ago and in the current, I'm starving. Can we please go? “

“If you're so hungry you can go and eat, no need to be snakey. “Libby got back to her feet as a mental checklist formed in between her eyes. However, it seemed to crumble as the smell of blood wafted from the trash.” It’s like you're hiding something over there. If it's just a cup like you said, what's the fuss? All you need to say is I need help, and I can do my job.”

The walls crept in, slow and silent as if to trap Lilian in her lies, the very same one Libby was nearing. Her open hands and careful steps were lined with a soft sense of cunning, as if she could see through her like the glass hiding by her heel. All she could do was backtrack through her words and path, pressing herself against her secret as the impact rang out. It seemed to consume the room, like a damming alarm masquerading as a bell.

" Let's try this again. Secrets only work when I can't read you like a book. "

Seconds dragged as soon as those words were spoken, like a ticking clock awaiting Lilian's defence. Libby's touch seemed to sting as she brushed past her in favour of blood-stained tissues and the gentle glint of a mason jar. The truth came in the form of a wrinkled nose and a far-flung grip. Libby's stretched-out arms walked the line between harsh accusations and jaw-clenching disgust.

Lilian's voice died in her closing throat, leaving her to peer into the glass. No strength would be found in her wispy reflection, nor would any answers be found in the turning liquid. Her gaze hardened as it drifted into the mahogany depths of her own blood.

" I... I should have come sooner." Libby said. Her voice was soft and pitiful, even. " Why did I let your cry for help get so bad? "

If anything, it was a peace offering, a fair trade to end her madness. But that wouldn't do.

" It's not like that. I didn't want to wallow in my breakup anymore, so I turned to science. " Lilian's words were as unpredictable as the shake in her voice. " You know I can't fix what happened with Pandora but I can fix things for future me. "

Even if it meant appeasing her haunted apartment until she could get far, far away from that book.

" Maybe start with poetry or us getting drunk on appletinis, not this!"

" Why would I do that when my favourite person will gladly let me use her fancy blood work equipment... After hours? "

Those words came with a quivering lip and wide pleading eyes that went from a stormy gray into freshly laid pastels on paper. It was a well-worn expression that Lilian’s muscles melted into, one that belonged to copied homework and impromptu sleepovers. The shadows that no doubt played on the bags under her eyes and her hollow cheeks added an extra layer of desperation.

“Do you think that's really going to work, Lil? We aren't children anymore.”

Lilian’s breath caught in her chest, creating a tumbling sphere of warmth that overtook her heart. The night crawled back in, stealing the willpower from her hands and weighing down her eyelids. A part of her waited for Libby’s gaze to soften with a weary sigh. For the whole dance to end with the same old words, for the same old outcome.

“I need help, Libs. “

Disgust rearranged itself into sympathy, an expression coated in nostalgia.

“Here's what we’re going to do instead. Tomorrow morning I want an answer to why you did this.’ Libby stuck out the jar as if to threaten Lilian before placing it on the sink. “And I want the full thing dumped out before I do it for you. “

Lilian’s breath seemed to pour out of her skin leaving the fading warmth to hold her body tight. Yet her heart refused to settle as Libby’s gaze once again wandered. It found a home with the mass of ripped pages and red ink that had been both of it all and a silent witness. A debate was carried out with her eyes alone before she stalked closer.

Warnings built on Lilian’s tongue as if the phrases would be burnt into her mouth. Her shaking arms were slowed under the burden of emotion, failing to reach out. Libby’s embrace was gentle as she took in every crack and engraving. Her grip, much like the thread placed within them, was careful. No muscles twitched nor did palor set upon her. Pain wouldn't mar the golden brown of Libby’s eyes instead, curiosity would return their light.

Even at the end, it posed more questions…

“How are you…” Lilian let the rest remain between her and the still air. “Got it. “

Her gaze swept to the title beneath her, as if to find solace in the shadow of Libby’s moving form. The remnants of dying conversation were reduced to the muffled click of footsteps. Although these walls witnessed their fresh-faced youth, the echoes felt like a funeral procession. Both fell into a rhythm like a pair of shambling mourners, weaving through a well-known path.

The air was as heavy as the night, leaving things unsaid to fester in the crawling shadows. Nothing seemed to shake them from their hiding place, not even the swish of Libby’s coat. It fluttered like a flag—a slightly dulled surrender, while time slipped through her fingers.

Her body refused to still, despite the calm surface of it all. Her shallow breath and frail tremors seemed to pierce her core with a sense of dread. It seemed to hide in her lungs like smoke as Libby froze near the door frame. White light lapped at her feet as it slipped from the doorframe, like an echo of time unchanging. Even in the low light, sorrow threaded her brows and rested on the edges of her eyes.

At that moment, the world began and ended within that gaze. Lilian’s once steadfast walls mirrored her conflicted goodbyes, both unsure if to pull away or drown within those reemerging pools of gold. However, before making a choice, the world shattered beneath the thud of pages and Libby’s light footsteps. Although their shadows closed in, a distance lingered long after her arms found Lilian’s back again.

“I worry about you…” Libby's voice filled her ears like the bluebells in her lungs. She drank it in, with grasping arms before it all slipped away.

Those goodbyes threatened to break out as tearful gasps, her words faded as quickly as the embrace. Each step weighed her down as if the path forward was a tossing sea to tread. By the time the light breached the door frame, all Lilian could muster was a dying wave. With one last nod, companionship left her night as quickly as it came.

She couldn't do that quite yet…

Once the silence resettled in the room, the strength seeped from her legs. Soon her back rested against the cool surface of her door. It stood unshaken compared to her heavy arms and sporadic heart as she rubbed stars into her eyes. Something stirred within the corners of her mind, Amid the fog of fatigue, it was honeyed. Her bones began to rattle with an old memory as she pulled her knees towards her heartbeat. Instead of her mother's tender voice, her wobbling notes filled the air.

“Hush child, try not to rush child. You don't know what rules in the wild, “Lilian’s voice filled the air as her eyes fluttered closed. “They’re anything but mild. Don't temper their deals, child… “

Before, her words could stick in the air, sleep for just a second won out. Her limbs became like stone and her throat sealed for good. Perhaps her brain sought to play one last trick. The whispers of incense and lilies tickled her nose.

“Bravo, I must say. “Destiny’s voice appeared before she did. Every word was punctuated with a hearty clap. “Here I thought your family was only musically gifted…Besides the singing, that is. “

No, No, No…