Status: I'm Sorry I'm So Indecisive. (:

Lilith

Chapter One.

"You can't leave again."

"It's not your choice, Lil."

"I don't care. You're not leaving."

"Lily, please don't do this again."

He didn't look at me as he spoke, but I hadn't asked him to. I moved from the doorway, slammed his suitcase closed, and stood in front of it with my arms crossed over my chest. I had to look up to meet his gaze, but he didn't dare look down his nose at me.

"You can't leave again," I repeated, staring up at him with the meanest glare I could muster.

He sighed, and put his hands on my shoulders. It made me feel like a child, and I didn't need to feel any shorter. "Lily, I'm leaving," he said. He brushed my bangs out of my eyes. They flopped back. "I am doing my job. You have to understand that." He reached around me and lifted the top to his suitcase, then started moving clothes from his dresser into it again.

I moved out of his way, but I wasn't giving up. "You just got back!" I argued. "You've been in Russia for seven months, and you were in the Philippines before that."

"I came back for your birthday in-between trips," he pointed out. "And I made sure to be here for Christmas."

"Not that it mattered," I muttered under my breath. Christmas had been a disaster. I brushed my bangs back behind my ear, where they stayed this time. "You promised that you wouldn't leave for a long time."

"I've been home for almost three months now, Lil."

"Alex," I said, moving into his way again. "You promised."

He looked at me sadly. The guilt was obvious in those electric blue irises, but I was sure that the betrayal I felt was heavier. It felt like a giant knot in my stomach and still somehow weighed on my shoulders. "Lily, this is my job. I don't have a choice. I'm just told what to do."

"Yeah, but Daddy gives you the option to accept it!" I argued. "Why can't you go tell him that you don't want to go anymore?" I grabbed his hand. "Come on," I said, attempting to drag him to the door. "I'll even go with you." He didn't budge.

"Lily," he murmured. I was still trying to drag him to the door. He was still not budging. "Lily, stop. This is ridiculous."

I whirled on him. "Ridiculous?" I cried. "Ridiculous? You wanna know what's ridiculous? When you're older brother tells you that he's going to be there for your graduation, but he makes it to your birthday instead. When you're older brother promises to stay home for a long time to make up for missing your graduation, and then he takes a trip to Paris, or Italy, or maybe even Russia again!"

"I'm staying within the States this time," he informed me, coldly. The ice dissolved quickly though, and he softened again. "Lily, I know you're mad. I feel bad, I really do. But this is a big assignment, especially for an Alchemist. It's not one that I particularly like, but I'm the best one to do it. Besides, I was requested for the job."

I had the sudden urge to stomp my foot, but kept my arms crossed over my chest instead. "Well...that's stupid." He smiled. He knew I'd given up, at least for the moment. He kissed the tears on my cheek and hugged me until I hugged him back.

"I'm going to miss you, Lily," he said. "But I promise, I'll come back to visit soon."

I relaxed a little in his arms, but I was still angry. "When are you leaving?" I asked quietly.

He bought himself time by sitting on the edge of his bed and pulling me down beside him. He held his breath for a moment while I tried to resist the urge to crawl into his lap like a little kid. "Tomorrow," he said finally. "We're leaving tomorrow night to make arrangements."

I closed my eyes. "You're such a jackass," I mumbled. Then, louder, "Why so soon? Couldn't it at least wait until next week...or next month?"

He chuckled a little. "The position needs to be filled as soon as possible." He lifted my head with a hand under my chin. "If it makes you feel better, I'll be back after we make arrangements, at least for a few hours to get my things. I'll take you out for coffee, okay?"

I huffed, peering up at him through the bangs that had fallen back in my eyes. "Iced coffee?"

He nodded and smiled. "Iced coffee."
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Here it goes. My first (new) story on Mibba in awhile. I hope the layout has improved; I had a great deal of trouble trying to fix it.