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Lily Henituse sat on the edge of her bed, her knees tucked close to her body and her head buried between them. The room was dimly lit, the only source of light coming from the moon that shone through the window. She was trying her best to hold back her tears, even though she knew it was a futile effort. Her emotions were too strong, too overwhelming. The weight of her thoughts felt heavy on her shoulders, as she struggled to make sense of the tumultuous feelings within her.
Lily couldn't help but feel a sense of fear as she looked around herself. She had been an adult, well barely... when she died. But now, inexplicably, she was back in her seven-year-old body. Memories of her previous life still lingered in her mind, vivid and haunting. She remembered the battles, the explosions, the screams of pain and terror. She remembered dying on the battlefield, surrounded by the chaos and destruction. And now, she was back in the past, as if given a second chance to make things right.
But the weight of her knowledge felt heavy upon her young shoulders. She knew what was coming, what tragedies lay ahead. And yet, she was powerless to stop them. She felt like a bird trapped in a cage, unable to fly free. The more she thought about it, the more she felt like crying. The weight of the past and the uncertainty of the future felt too much to bear.
Lily took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She knew she had to be strong, for her brother's sake. Maybe she should try finding one of her brothers first? Her Oraboni, perhaps?
As she rose from her bed, Lily's footsteps were light and hesitant. The floorboards creaked softly under her weight as she made her way through the dimly-lit hallway, the only sound accompanying her being the distant ticking of a grandfather clock. Her heart was pounding with anticipation and dread, knowing that the reunion with her brother would bring back painful memories of war and death.
Finally, Lily arrived at her brother's room. She hesitated before opening the door, wondering if she was ready to face him yet.
What if this Cale didn't remember? She wasn't exactly close to him in the past, she didn't know how he might react.
Taking a deep breath, Lily pushed open the door and stepped inside. The room was dark, but she could make out the silhouette of her brother lying in bed. She approached him tentatively, her small hand reaching out to touch his arm.
Her Oraboni looked beautiful, falling messily over his forehead, even in the dim light. Lily couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness for him. She missed him so much. She missed the times he would protect her, in his own way of course.
Lily smiled fondly. Even though he was older than her, she always felt safe with her brother. Even if they weren't close, she would always feel warm and happy whenever he was near. He was her Oraboni, and nothing would change that.
As her fingers brushed against his arm, Cale stirred in his sleep. Lily froze, uncertain of what to do next. She didn't want to wake him, but she also didn't want to leave without saying anything. After a few moments of hesitation, Lily leaned closer to Cale's ear and whispered, "Oraboni, it's me. Lily."
Cale's eyes fluttered open, and he sat up in bed, blinking in confusion. "Lily? What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised and confused. Then realization dawned on him, and his expression became pained as he realized where he was. "You... did you have a nightmare?" he questioned.
Cale tried to keep his tone seem confused, rather than breaking down crying at the sight of Lily in front of him. He failed to protect her, and the memories of war were still fresh in his mind. But he had to be strong for his little sister. He had to stay strong, for her sake. He couldn't let himself break in front of her. He couldn't show weakness anymore.
When Lily shook her head, Cale relaxed slightly, sighing quietly. He didn't have tears to flee out of his eyesockets at the sight of his younger sister, so he decided not to cry today. Instead, he focused all his energy on staying strong for Lily, and keeping a stoic expression on his face.
"Oraboni..." Lily murmured hesitantly after several seconds of silence, unsure whether she wanted to continue or not. Finally deciding against talking again, she just hugged him tightly, hoping he understood that she needed the comfort.
Cale tensed slightly, unsure if he should hug her back. However, when Lily squeezed tighter against him, Cale wrapped his arms around his little sister, holding her close. He could feel her small frame trembling against him, and he knew she was scared. It broke his heart to see her like this, but he knew he had to be strong for her. So he spoke things that his mother would when he felt upset himself,
"It's okay, Lily. I'm here," he whispered, his voice soft and soothing. "You're okay."
Lily nodded, still refusing to look away from Cale's chest, her hands clutching the fabric of his shirt tightly, burying her face against his neck, hiding her tears from view. Cale held his little sister, rubbing her back soothingly as she cried. Cale could feel Lily's tears soaking through his shirt, but he didn't mind. He didn't care about what people thought anymore, about the judgement and ridicule they directed towards his family. His family would always be family. Cale wouldn't let anyone take his little sister away.
Lily clung onto her brother tightly, taking comfort in his embrace. She didn't know how long they stayed like that, but eventually, her sobs subsided and she pulled away, looking up at Cale with teary eyes.
"Oraboni, do you remember...?" she trailed off, her voice barely above a whisper. As much as she wanted to speak, to explain everything she'd experienced since she died, the words got stuck in her throat. Tears filled her eyes once more, threatening to spill over.
Cale's expression went from stoic and calm to soft and worried, Cale's expression became pained again, and he nodded slowly. "I remember," he said quietly, his voice filled with regret and sorrow. "I remember what happened to us."
Lily's eyes filled with fresh tears, and she buried her face in Cale's shoulder again. The weight of the past was too much for her to bear, and she didn't know how to deal with it all.
Cale held her tightly, his own emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He knew they had a difficult road ahead, but he also knew that they had each other. And maybe, just maybe, they could make things right this time around.
"It's going to be okay, Lily," he murmured softly, his voice filled with determination. "We'll get through this, together."
Lily nodded silently, her grip tightening even further. Lily continued to cry in Cale's embrace, her small body shaking with sobs. Cale felt helpless, wishing he could take away her pain and make her forget of those memories. He knew all too well the feeling of helplessness, the feeling of being unable to protect those you care about. It was a feeling that haunted him still, even after all these years. But for now, all he could do was hold Lily and try to comfort her. He whispered soothing words in her ear, telling her that everything would be alright, that he was there for her.
As the minutes ticked by, Lily's sobs gradually turned into soft hiccups. Her breathing became slower and more even, and eventually, she fell asleep in her brother's arms. That seemed to make Cale suprised, and he carefully and hesitantly extracted her from his arms, placing Lily gently on top of his bed. With careful movements, Cale tucked her into the bed, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Cale held her close, not wanting to disturb her peace. He gazed down at her sleeping form, his expression softening as he watched her. She looked so innocent and vulnerable, and it broke his heart to think of the dangers that lay ahead for her.
"Goodnight, Lily."
But for now, he would protect her. He would be her shield, her guardian. He would do everything in his power to keep her safe. As he held his sleeping sister, Cale made a silent promise to himself to never let anything harm her again. And with that thought, he, too, closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, holding onto Lily tightly.
All platonic, please don't mistake it for weird stuff.