[attr="class","rdwnetop"]

[attr="class","rdwnepost"]



In those instances, Brasti noticed the differences in Lilith's appearance. The adjustments made by ageing and maturity became crucial factors in her development. Darkness still hid behind the mismatched blues of her eyes, however, the happiness he brought made his heart warm. Years had passed with only text communication, but the pair continued to care for one another regardless. Stretched across the manipulator's face was a genuine smile. One worn only in fleeting moments where he found humour or genuine bliss. The soft voice and prickling tears prompted a nod, as though confirming an unspoken question.

[break][break]

Abandoned luggage was hardly a concern as Lilith hurried up and wrapped arms around him. A laugh escaped Brasti as he unsteadily backpedalled. Immediately, his arms wrapped around the young girl's waist, holding her close... Years spent apart made him miss those physical connections, the awkwardness nonexistent. Perhaps they both needed the alleviation of a tight hug after the forced separation. Gradually, Brasti released Lilith, favouring her with a broad smile. Closer up, he took in the minimal changes that occurred to the girl he met in elementary school... He missed her...

[break][break]

"It's great seeing you again," he said, voice soft and sweet. "Well... I did volunteer to show you around... So how about we get your bags and get your dorm settled? Oh, and I may or may not have a surprise for you. I haven't been able to give you a gift in..." The teen paused, clicking his tongue. "Three-ish years? Maybe four? So you are taking it."

[break][break]

A chuckle rumbled from Brasti's chest as he informed Lilith about her gift. It was nothing extravagant, rather, a little fun and sweets to help his best friend settle into her life at Panacea Academy. From his pocket, he offered a bag of Swedish fish. The fish-shaped candies were a fun and safe choice to avoid dislike over shifted tastes. Once offered, he strode over to Lilith's luggage, hauling the bag onto his shoulder without a second thought.

[break][break]

"Are you excited to be attending or?" Brasti asked, violet eyes sparing a glance at Lilith.

[break][break]

Mental health would inevitably mean positive occurrences being soured by cruel and twisted thoughts. However, Brasti hoped his presence and the scenic environment of the academy would help alleviate some of Lilith's symptoms... He would accept even the slightest help from the surroundings.

[attr="class","rdwnebot"]





393 WORDS FOR Lilith Adie

[attr="class","rdwnetop"]

[attr="class","rdwnepost"]



Physical touch meant a lot after the trials and tribulations of family politics. The masquerade of his altered family life was stressful. When accompanied cruelly by the requirement for adequate grades... Lilith was an overdue interaction. The forcefully prolonged in-person plans were frustrating. Tranquillity was a welcomed sensation. One that transcended over Brasti as they continued and he witnessed that bright smile across her face. The sparkle glittering in her mismatched eyes widened the smile on the senior's face. The opportunity to bring joy to Lilith, especially after everything that happened and the anguish she faced before he left.

[break][break]

Laughter came naturally as Lilith mentioned she would not dare decline the gift. It was nothing extravagant. After years apart, anything above candy appeared a step too far considering someone's interests endlessly shifted as time progressed. Despite their online communication, everything felt distant and uncertain. Unless the person proactively told the other or there was reason to ask, changes in favourite candies and foods, experimental hobbies or recent disinterests faded away. His expression shifted to a more serious one as he gathered Lilith's thoughts.

[break][break]

As the junior spoke, Brasti nodded along to her words. Hopeful was something positive, even if cautious. The new scenery would, ideally, assist his friend in stabilizing from her mental anguish. He was aware there would never be a cure-all, but alleviation was something to strive for after everything.

[break][break]

"I hope it does something for you, Lilith... But hey, if you're struggling, just come bother me," Brasti offered with a smile and a shrug. "If my roommate gets annoyed, I can always come to you or we can meet somewhere else... Heck, I think you will like Firefly Pond. There is a waterfall!"

[break][break]

As he spoke, the dark-haired senior turned to lead the way for his friend. His footsteps rhythmically moved across the pathway, heading toward the dorms. Firefly Pond sounded like an ideal location for Lilith to find some serenity. His friend always enjoyed water sounds and Brasti was unsure if she attempted listening to waterfall sounds. Regardless, he hoped the suggestion would provide a place for Lilith to enjoy when she required a getaway from classes or the dorms. The mention of cooking brought a smile to Brasti's face. An idea popped into Brasti's head, one that interested him.

[break][break]

"Hmm, I'm not as good at cooking I bet, but maybe we could do a meal exchange? It could be fun," Brasti suggested with a broad grin.

[break][break]

The violet-eyed student's finger lifted to the learning commons first. The tour could begin while heading to the Silverbranch Court. The girl's dorm was tucked down the left path from the entrance point.

[break][break]

"That is the learning commons. That's where the library and the clinic is. Offices, study area, heck there is a convenience store and a cafe in there, Lilith. Fancy stuff," he explained with a broad grin before his finger shifted. "And there is Oakwood Hall."

[break][break]

He began, footsteps slowing to provide Lilith the opportunity to soak in the first buildings. The campus was huge compared to an average school. Sometimes, it reminded him of a sprawling college campus as opposed to a high school academy.

[attr="class","rdwnebot"]





529 WORDS FOR Lilith Adie

[attr="class","rdwnetop"]

[attr="class","rdwnepost"]



Time was lost between became precious after Brasti's mother pulled him from the school he attended with Lilith. The world fell apart, and gradually, it would be stitched together. Fortunately, there were facts about Lilith the upperclassman had doubted had changed... Which was the young girl's intense love of water. It made Firefly Pond a perfect location for his friend to find solace. The notion was proven correct when Lilith agreed on the pond being an excellent getaway when needed. He nodded as Lilith spoke about the uses of the location. It brought a smile to the dark-haired man's face.

[break][break]

The senior's feet crunched down the path as they continued the trek to the Silverbranch Dorms... However, he paused a moment to glance back at Lilith... She deserved reassurance, especially given she found herself in a new place without her family.

[break][break]

"And, Lilith... if you need someone, I'm here. I promise, okay?" Brasti added, his voice soft and gentle. "You're not alone."

[break][break]

Those words needed saying. There were endless times Brasti voiced those thoughts, but saying them in person meant more. Gazing at the young girl's face without wavering eyes, an attempt to prove the truth to the mental demons attempting to take the throne. The meal exchange sounded like an action of mutual care. Another potential way to show Lilith she was not alone during her stay at Panacea Academy.

[break][break]

"I'm good with either. It could be a good way to learn recipes from different cultures... even if it can't be super authentic as they say," Brasti chuckled.

[break][break]

Together, they continued down the path. A few crunching steps down the path and Brasti pointed at the Academic Buildings before shifting to also point at the sports and hobbies areas.

[break][break]

"Those are the Academic Buildings, that is where most your classes will be," he began, steps merely pausing rather than ceasing. "And that the Hobby Center and the Sportsplex is further down. There is a Horse Stable and Riding Area... Not sure how much you enjoy horses, but you could probably see about watching if you want."

[break][break]

Watching the horse activities could be something fun and distracting... If Lilith enjoyed horses. Admittedly, Brasti never had a reason to ask about the young girl's preferences for horses... but if she enjoyed animals, maybe the horses would be calming... At least he hoped it would be a nice suggestion as opposed to stressful.

[attr="class","rdwnebot"]





401 WORDS FOR Lilith Adie

[attr="class","rdwnetop"]

[attr="class","rdwnepost"]



There was a devotion that arrived with the deep, intricate friendship Brasti and Lilith had that made presence a requirement. His mother in her cruelness yanked him from familiarity. A coldness dug fingers into him when he arrived at Panacea Academy, uncertain and worried about those he held dearest. A friend he had known since childhood struggling with unseen demons and his half-brother with the abrupt arrest of their true parents... After those years of torment, Brasti was determined to start the ripples of changing tides. His wicked mother believed herself victorious, thus, he would spite her.

[break][break]

Not only to spite her but to regain something she viciously pulled him away from. Regardless, Lilith was valuable to Brasti and he wanted to help her with the darkness shadowing her world. The sheer mention of throwing darts at a map brought forth a soft chuckle. Researching dishes would be an excellent learning experience and could relate to media studies if it consisted of a recent fad. Either way, the opportunity would accomplish wonders and perhaps provide Lilith with something to look forward to.

[break][break]

"Could be a fun challenge, even if we need to supplement ingredients. So why not?" Brasti answered, providing a little shrug.

[break][break]

The mention of horses being a fear brought a gentle 'heh' from Brasti. There were always facts that Brasti would miss about Lilith. Questions he never thought to ask or information she never thought relevant to mention. Learning from conversations only unveiled a surface-level amount of information unless somebody dug for it. The dark-haired senior learned how to make people open up about a situation. It was difficult, but the task of earning was gradually becoming natural for Brasti. Where to search for records, how to find the social media of others and overall investigate with uncomfortable scrutiny.

[break][break]

"Ah, so maybe for Halloween I should be a horse for optimal Lilith scaring?" Brasti teased softly.

[break][break]

Eventually, the pair were passing the sportsplex, allowing the regal Silverbranch Dormitory to enter their site. Distant elegant pillars and a brick-laid courtyard would become the home for Lilith while she attended. The violet-eyed student hoped the regal settings of Panacea Academy would be comfortable for Lilith. As they approached, he heard the girl with mismatched eyes speak, his returning to her. The softest glint of surprise flickered in the violets, gentle and difficult to catch for an untrained eye. Concerns about drowning the other in happenings were a natural fear.

[break][break]

Burdening another with one's reality could be viewed as suffocating... but the senior was certain he could handle it. Why could he not? He handled his mother's ruthless takeover, his parents' arrest and subsequent incarceration and the separation... He handled those properly certainly... Cigarettes assisted enough with the stresses of student life and extracurricular truth discovery he was determined to leverage to his advantage. What was one more? The violet-eyed student favoured Lilith with a smile, broad and warming. He was certain he could manage more than these meagre formalities.

[break][break]

"I won't drown, Lilith. You don't have to tell me everything, but I want to help, okay?" As he spoke, his footsteps paused.

[break][break]

The words were gentle and soft. After years apart, he needed to return to his position beside Lilith. While the assistance Brasti could provide was limited, he was determined to be faithfully by Lilith's side. They were close friends reunited and Brasti wanted the familiarity even if differences persisted because of age. Was it not his duty to his closest friend after all?

[attr="class","rdwnebot"]





585 WORDS FOR Lilith Adie

[attr="class","rdwnetop"]

[attr="class","rdwnepost"]



A chuckle escaped the senior at the light-hearted shove he received for his teasing. There was a playfulness between him and Lilith that automatically rose within him. Something that inspired the side of him that maintained those happy memories. Those days when they spent endless time together and happily went about the days. The senior's violet eyes shone with jubilee as they joked around. Despite time spent over voice calls, everything about their interaction felt natural. Eventually, the laughter toned down, leaving a broad smile across Brasti's face as his eyes returned forward.

[break][break]

Admittedly, Lilith had a lot of excellent points about the horsehead masks. How they were floppy and difficult to breathe in. The dark-haired student had never worn one, but he could imagine the difficulty they provided.

[break][break]

"Well, damn. Guess I will need a backup plan," he teased in return. "Then again... I scare you too bad and it might be back to voice calls and games... Never mind, the plan has been abandoned."

[break][break]

Another laugh punctuated the senior's words; his words amused him. As the footsteps concluded for a time, all Brasti received in answer was the simple 'okay'. A gentle frown touched the senior's face, one brimming with hints of worry... How could he not worry about Lilith? After everything that happened, the frame of the young woman entered his mind. Alone in that world that tormented her... but there was little he could do. At most, Brasti could offer and insist he would be there and make true to those words at every single turn... It was the path forward, the method to try and help.

[break][break]

A few lingering steps were taken as they approached the Silverbranch Court's exquisitely crafted front door. At the threshold, Brasti paused, glancing back at his friend.

[break][break]

"Want me to help you get settled? I imagined the school won't mind as long as I'm not in there long," he offered with a shrug. "Annnnd, I doubt I would get into much trouble as a first-time offender if I do."

[break][break]

Laughter rumbled out of the senior. There was something about the tone of the chuckle that suggested mischief. Any consequences were already accepted in the older student's mind. Rather, he thought of it as a daring adventure into a building he seldom entered. The Silverbranch Court was a place he rarely needed to enter or wished to. There were times he met up with fellow seniors for school projects or a little socializing, but otherwise, he oftentimes kept his distance. An unintentional distance caused by a lack of need over avoidance of the school's female students.

[break][break]

However, despite the betraying sense of mischief, Brasti doubted he would be chewed out for entering and lingering for a time. He had no plans of staying... furthermore, he still needed to show Lilith around a bit more if she was prepared for it.

[attr="class","rdwnebot"]





479 WORDS FOR Lilith Adie

[attr="class","rdwnetop"]

[attr="class","rdwnepost"]



These instances of freeing camaraderie were a welcomed method of escapism. Briefly, it felt as though they remained in their hometown, teasing and laughing about random things. Topic hardly mattered as long as they both felt comfortable in the interactions. Their little world was a welcomed place brimming with warmth Brasti appreciated. Their eyes met as Brasti paused at the doorway of the Silverbranch Court, as though similar to a vampire, he needed an invitation. The faint smile at his offer to help out and agreement prompted a nod of agreement from the dark-haired young man.

[break][break]

Entering the Silverbranch Court made Brasti's violet eyes quick to curiously glance around. Similar to the Goldenleaf Manor, there was a sense of grandeur in the building's interior. A matching in appearance to the intricate exterior dressing the building's outside. There was a sleekness to the interior, a modern aesthetic that brought beauty to the inner design.

[break][break]

"Yeah... The Goldenleaf Manor isn't much different, honestly," Brasti commented, eyes glancing around. "I think... you should be able to get your key from the office."

[break][break]

The nudge of his shoulder brought violet eyes back to the girl he walked alongside. The giggle-broken teasing about faeries and being forever trapped brought out a shared laugh. Somehow, Brasti could not doubt Lilith's words given the building's name. Silverbranch Court genuinely sounded like a location where somebody would find faeries. The keyword 'court' along with the mystic notion of a silver branch provided the accidental aesthetic of faeries living in the dormitory

[break][break]

"Oh god," he began, dramatism and laughter mingling. "I should have known! Betrayed by my own friend to forever be trapped here."

[break][break]

A hand drifted to his forehead, the back of it dramatically drifting across as he leaned back. There was a pause of silence before Brasti broke into a gentle laughter. Gradually, the senior straightened up, laughter still lingering on his lips as his hands returned to his pockets.

[attr="class","rdwnebot"]





323 WORDS FOR Lilith Adie