This is a mess. I should've just fixed all of this when I had the chance. But… Liz leaned her elbow against a pillow, cradling her cheek in her palm. When did I have a chance? By the time I started feeling like this, Gil was already too far gone. I wish I could apologize, but she'd probably just brush it off again.
As though on cue, Lili's eyes fluttered open. "Hey… why're you staring at me like that?"
"Nothing, I just had a strange dream."
Lili mimicked Elizaveta's position. "A bad dream?"
She nodded. "I'll tell you about it later."
"Hm… I had a weird dream, too. But it wasn't bad."
"I think I know what it was." She felt a smile pulling at her lips.
"No, I don't think you do. And what's with that smile?"
"Was it about me?" She absentmindedly poked Lili's cheek.
"I don't have to tell you anything. Unless you're telepathic, but that wouldn't be fair."
"So be it… I guess I'll just have to guess, then." She poked a few more times before Lili grabbed her hand and carefully placed it back at her side.
"You know, I'd rather you didn't." Liz opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, a knock was heard at the door. "That's probably Vash. I guess things didn't go well over at Roderich's…" her alarm clock read 3:45. "He doesn't normally get home this early. I'll be right back."
"I'll come with you."
Lili had already swung her legs over the side of the bed. "No, don't worry. I'll just tell him that you decided to spend the night."
"If you say so…"
As Lili made her way downstairs and to the front of the house, the knocking grew louder and more insistent. Soon enough, a familiar voice accompanied it: "Open this goddamn door or I'll break it down! I know you're in there." She felt her blood run cold.
"Over my dead body," she whispered.
"Lili!" more knocking. It sounded like Gilbert was throwing his entire body against the door.
His voice found its way up to Lili's room, and Elizaveta froze. Slowly, she picked up Lili's phone and scrolled through her contacts until she found Ludwig.
The dial tone seemed to last forever until it was cut off by a groggy "Hallo…?"
"Ludwig. I'm sorry to wake you up, but Gilbert is here. I'm not sure if he's armed or not, but—" A gunshot sliced the air, and she shrieked. "Ludwig, I don't know if there's anything you can do, but if you can help, then do it."
She heard a bit of rustling on the other side, a thud, and then… silence. "Ludwig?" No answer. "Ludwig." He had hung up. "Beilschmidt…" she growled, although she was unsure which one she was talking about. Another gunshot sounded, and she dropped the phone and flew down the stairs in a dead sprint. The front door was decorated with two bullet holes, a third one joined them as soon as Elizaveta reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Lili, where…"
"Down here." The small voice came from behind the couch. "I'm sorry… I didn't think he'd look here."
"Please don't be." Another gunshot sounded, and Liz could have sworn she felt the bullet passing in front of her. She lunged past the door and collapsed next to Lili. "I called Ludwig. Hopefully there's something he can do."
"But he'll get himself hurt! He can't come!"
"And if we don't do anything, we're going to get ourselves killed."
Neither of them said a word for a long while. As long as Gilbert threw himself against the front door and screeched obscenities at the people inside, no words could give them comfort. Well, there were a few words. They came fifteen long minutes later.
"Gilbert, what the hell are you doing?"
The voice was deep and steady, even if it dripped with anger.
"What does it look like? I'm trying to get Liz back."
"Well, it looks to me like you're damaging my friend's property and scaring the hell out of her. Why don't you go home, hm?"
Laughter. "Why would I do that? The little bitch is probably rubbing herself all over my girlfriend right now, and I can't just stand by and let it happen."
"Gilbert—"
"Don't touch me!"
Gunfire. A groan. Retreating footsteps.
"Please tell me… you're there…"
Lili didn't remember standing up or running over to the door or even unlatching it and opening it. All she remembered was clapping eyes on the blood that was spreading across Ludwig's shoulder, the anguish on his face, and the ground tilting just enough to bring her to her knees.
Apologies for the shortness! But I'm back. I'm not swamped with summer homework this year, so you can expect to hear from me at least once a week. Thank you so much for waiting! Man, it's been an interesting year. Ah, well. That just means more stuff to write about!