Lilith ran tripping just as she reached the cottage. She barely took notice of the fact that she had hurt her hand as sat in the garden of the cottage. The plants however took notice of her mood. The tree she had grown months ago moved to block the soft rain. A few petals and leaves falling around her, as if it was crying with her. The flowers seemed to bend to touch her dress on comfort.
"Running is your specialty isn't it Lil-bear," Conner said and Lilith sighed, quickly wiping away her tears. "Girlfriend send you this time as well?" Lilith snapped, "She doesn't dictate everything I do Lilith," Conner said, "What do you want Conner?" Lilith asked, "Another dance?" Conner said walking to stand in front of her. "Ones my limit Wonderboy," Lilith said, "Well too bad," Conner said grabbing Lilith's hand and pulling her up into a standing position, Lilith pushed away from Conner. "No Conner I don't want to," she said sternly.
He sighed taking the 'no' with a hurt expression.
Then realized the hand he had grabbed was bleeding. "Your hurt," he said flipping her hand and cradling it in his. "Just a scratch, but my glove." Lilith sighed, Conner had let go of her hand and rushed inside. Seconds later he had a first aid kit in hand. Lilith watched Conner unable to will her body to stop as he tended to her. He sat down setting the kit down as well, Lilith almost involuntarily sat down across from him. He took her injured hand, then slowly and quietly tended her wound. He took off her glove carefully trying to keep as much blood off it as he could.
Lilith's heart squeezed as he held her bare hand. Lilith could count on one hand how many times she had touched another person without her gloves on. Or they touched her, in fact as she sat there thinking about it most of them were Conner. The time he had found out about her powers.
Or the night he comforted her after she found out her father had gone missing. The night of her birthday, and the other night when she had her nightmare. His touch was always so soft. So comforting.
"There," he said holding her hand in his. "Conner," Lilith muttered, "Yes?" Conner asked, looking at her with his kind expression. Her heart sank, and he just sat there waiting for her to speak patiently.
"I'm sorry," Lilith said, "You don't need to apologize, I get it." Conner said, "But I do need to apologize you're always being so nice and I just keep yelling at you-" Lilith stopped talking when Conners's finger touched her lips. "It's fine, everyone has their bad days." He said and she closed her eyes as he pulled his hand away from her lips.
"My days seem to just be getting worse by the moment," Lilith complained, "Perhaps you should try to live by the moment and stop focusing on the bad things," Conner suggested, Lilith pouted and sighed. "Kind of hard, with my mother running lose destroying things. My father disapproving of how I use my powers, and I keep pushing friends away. I'm not even sure if I'm doing it on purpose or not." Lilith said, "Think of it this way, you are back in the young justice league. You have friends that know your secret and still care about you, even if you do push us away from time to time." Conner said taking her hand and holding it to his chest over his heart. Lilith sighed staring at their hands.
"I just don't like feeling this way," Lilith muttered, "What way?" Conner asked, Lilith, pulled her hand from his grip and put the glove back on. It was torn but she felt better having it back on. "Useless and like a third wheel," Lilith sighed looking at him, "A third wheel, when have I ever made you feel like that?" Conner asked, "Just now at the dance, when we hang out with Meg, and even on missions." Lilith said softly, "What?" Conner asked, Lilith, looked away as she stood Conner quickly stood.
"You dance with me once and then Meg came over and I was left alone again. Wally and Artemis try but it's almost the same with them. Honestly, at least with them, I'm playing matchmaker. With you and Meg I feel as if I'm stepping in the middle of a play that wasn't supposed to be in." Lilith said warping her arms around herself, "I keep trying to tell myself that I don't care because I just want to be near you" Lilith said and for a split second considered telling him the truth yet when she opened her mouth what came out wasn't what she wanted to say at all.
"You're basically my best friend after all," Lilith said and it hurt to say. Conner in his adorable obliviousness missed her true meaning.
Conner sighed and pulled her into a hug, "I like being around you too Lilith," Lilith hugged him back hoping she wasn't getting her makeup on his shirt, "Perhaps it's time you try making friends outside of the league." Conner suggested and he felt her stiffen, "Don't worry I'll help," He said and Lilith let her arms fall to her side. She knew she really had to learn to get over Conner because in moments like this her heart hurt, 'only love can hurt like this.' She thought to herself as Conner let her go.
"You know I've had enough parties to last a lifetime, lets go back to the cave and play video games," Conner suggested taking her hand once again leading her toward the cave.
"Yeah, it would be nice to change out of this thing I look ridiculous," Lilith complained, and with her free hand removed the hair tie from her letting it loose. All the flowers fell from her hair as she did this. Conner stopped walking looking back at her, "You don't look ridiculous," Conner said, seeing the flowers on the ground leaned down and picked up the one her mother had given her. "I think you look beautiful," Conner said standing and holding out the flower, "You think so?" Lilith asked, "Yeah," Conner nodded putting the flower back behind Liliths ear, his finger brushing under her jaw making her look up at him, "As pretty as a flower," He said and he sounded so sincere that she almost believed him.
"Meg was really pretty too," Lilith said freeing her hand from his and started walking again, it took Conner a second to gather himself and move to walk next to her. "Yeah her dress kind of reminded me of her cheer outfit," He said and Lilith gave a half-hearted smile. "She was probably glad to hear it," Lilith said, "Yeah," Conner said and they walked in silence the rest of the way.
***
Lilith sat on the edge of the flower bed, playing with the roses. Classes had let out a while ago but Lilith had yet to see Meg let alone Conner. The courtyard was empty with all the students gone home or in their clubs. Lilith sighed as she trimmed away bad branches, it was too quiet without Conner. She smiled just thinking about how he had thought she was beautiful and his hand in hers. However, at the same time, her heart felt heavy.
She started humming trying to get the memory out of her head, she hummed the tune of a song that had been stuck in her head for days.
"Like a knife that cuts right through my soul," She sang softly, "Beautiful," A familiar voice said and Lilith jumped turning only to tumble into the flower bed. Lance looked down at her almost shyly. "I-I-I'm so sorry," He said running his hand through his hair making a chunk of it come loose from the low ponytail. "You scared me," Lilith breathed climbing out of the flower bed and looking down at the squished flowers in sadness.
"I didn't mean to," He said kneeling down next to her reaching out to touch one, it's stem was broken and he tried to make it stand up again. "It's fine," Lilith said reaching over and plucking the flower he had been messing with. This made him scoot back a bit in embarrassment. "You have a wonderful voice," He said and Lilith let her hair fall over her shoulder between them. "You heard me?" Lilith asked softly, "Well yes," he said, "Oh..." Lilith said, and he just watched her work for a bit in silence.
"Did you need something?" Lilith asked, "Um..well...actually-" Lance started, "And here's our club captain." Conner said Lilith stood quickly and turned to see Conner leading a few students towards her. She recognized them as Lance's friends from the dance. "Lance I'm glad you made it," Conner said putting his arm over Lance's shoulder.
"Conner, what's going on?" Lilith asked looking between him and Lance, "I'm showing our newest members around the garden." Conner said cheerfully, "Newest members?" Lilith asked, looking over them all.
It was a girl and two guys, they all seemed rather happy to be there and they however all went over to stand next to Lance. One of the guys was tall and lanky like Lance but his hair was dyed jet black. To top it off he was wearing as much green as Lilith, except his odd purple sunglasses. The girl that was with him was standing next who had t obe her twin, they both had soft short red hair and were dresses like they wished they had been born in a different era. The girl was in a full-length dark purple gown and a white corset. Her brother had a similar color pallet with his white suspenders black slacks, and dark purple shirt. To top it off he had a black fedora with a purple stripe. Lilith wondered why they were dressed that way but decided it was best not to ask.
"Conner said your club was looking for new members and we didn't have enough members to keep our board game club open so we thought we'd join yours." The girl said cheerfully her voice was as soft as a melody. "Lilith this is Edwin, Musa, her twin brother Tucker. Then, of course, you know Lance." Conner said, Lilith just stared in semi-horror at them.
"Y-you all really want to join?" Lilith asked softly looking at the ground as she spoke. "The question is not whether we want to but if you'll let us?" Edwin said, "What Edwin is trying to say is that we were all under the impression that the gardening club didn't accept new members," Musa said softly, Lilith couldn't help but find her voice enchanting. "We do, at least now. Right Lilith," Conner said looking at Lilith with an encouraging smile. The same one that made Lilith's heart melt. She sighed, knowing full well she couldn't say not to him. "Yeah as long as everyone is willing to put in the work, but I would understand if you don't want to," Lilith said with little to no emotion and a fake smile.
Lance's friends smiled and nudged him in the gut, "We'll do whatever we just want to have fun," Edwin said, and Lilith sighed again giving them all directions and sending them on their way to work on the flower beds.
She had paired herself with Conner, "They all seem nice right?" Conner asked, "You really were serious about finding us new members and me making new friends." Lilith sighed, "Yep, I think you'll like Tucker is a bit of a quiet one. Though Lance is a go-getter," Conner said cheerfully, Lilith paused. "This isn't just about me making new friends is it?" Lilith asked, "Well, um yeah." Conner said not sounding too sure, "Don't play matchmaker Conner it's not your strong suit." Lilith said bluntly standing quickly and walking over to the hose. Conner scratched his head watching her.
"She's amazing isn't she?" Lance told Edwin watching Lilith storm away from Conner. "Yeah sure, but I still don't get why you had to drag the rest of us into this," Edwin complained, "You're all my back up, besides talking to her is hard," Lance said, "I have a riddle for you. What do a Meercat and you have in common?" Edwin asked, "We're both adorable?" Lance said smiling, "You're both meek as hell, just talk to her magic fingers. I'm sure you can make her like you," Edwin said bluntly picking up a worm and tossing it aside in disgust. "Come on dude I want to do this right having you and the others here helps." Lance said, "Just don't leave her alone with Tucker, one word out of him and she never look at you again." Edwards teased, "His voice isn't that amazing," Lance argued, "Lies, come on dude when he sings even I'm attracted to him and I'm dating his sister." Edwin said, Lance gave him a look. "Then why don't you just go dig with her," Lance suggested, "I just might," Edwin said, standing turning around to find Lilith there with the hose.
"Oh hey Lilith," Edwin said and Lance stood turning quickly and nervously, "Did you need something?" Lance asked nervously, wondering how much she had heard. "I was going to water this patch, but if you want to I'll go see how the others are doing." Lilith said, "Oh yeah sure whatever you need," Lance rambled taking the hose. Lilith shrugged and walked away, "Dude you're hopeless." Edwin said, "I know," Lance groaned and started watering.