|
|
Post by Lyra Newbury on Oct 20, 2016 23:49:54 GMT -5
Looking back on it, the Southerland’s Ball had been an emotional night for Lyra. She was forced into the realization that everything she thought she knew about high society was a lie, perpetrated by her parents. She felt awkward initially but soon had fallen into a steady rhythm with her many conversation partners. But even that didn’t last long as Julian had stolen her heart and once again mangled it. And then there was Mason.
Lyra smiled as she thought of Mason. He checked so many of her boxes. He was handsome and rich, which were important. But even more enticing was the fact that he had a strange calming sensation over her. She felt at east both bantering and sharing with him. And he seemed comfortable with her as well. She was eager to get to know him better.
Lyra was changing for dinner, having thrown several dresses on the bed and was currently examining each one deciding which to wear. “Mimsy, which do you think would be best for tonight?”
“Oh, Miss looks terribly beautiful in all the dresses.”
Lyra rolled her eyes and smiled. House elves were terrible at making choices, as they really only chose whatever their master chose for them. Lyra would have to decide on her own anyway, as Mimsy scurried off to answer the door as the bell chimed.
|
|
|
|
Post by Julian Faust on Oct 21, 2016 0:10:56 GMT -5
Julian didn't tell her he was coming. He wanted to make amends for his mistake again, but he had a sinking suspicion she might not want to see him.
When Mimsy opened the door Julian smiled at the house elf and stepped forward, but Mimsy promptly shut the door in his face before muttering angrily about the "bad man."
|
|
|
|
Post by Lyra Newbury on Oct 21, 2016 0:29:45 GMT -5
She narrowed it down to two dresses and was holding each one up to her body in front of the mirror, turning from side to side as she inspected it. The vanity charm on her hair had faded and her naturally brown locks had returned. She pondered whether the royal blue dress she was currently holding against her would look better with the blonde hair she had worn to the ball.
"Who is it?" she called to Mimsy after the elf didn't return immediately to notify her.
|
|
|
|
Post by Julian Faust on Oct 21, 2016 0:42:13 GMT -5
Because Mimsy couldn't ignore her mistress's question, she muttered something akin to "the evil dark haired one," and quickly asked in a louder voice, "Would mistress like a glass of wine?" Mimsy asked bringing Lyra the bottle and glass as she poured.
Julian rang the bell again.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lyra Newbury on Oct 21, 2016 0:57:27 GMT -5
"What?" Mimsy's actions seemed random and as the bell rang again Lyra wondered aloud if Mimsy was having a stroke. "You didn't even answer the door," she said exasperated. Lyra tossed her dress on the bed and grabbed her black silk robe, covering herself as she went to answer the door herself.
When she pulled open the door she stared, blinking at Julian. Her brain couldn't compute him being here on her doorstep. She was not expecting him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Julian Faust on Oct 21, 2016 1:22:09 GMT -5
Mimsy huffed following her mistress. She shoved herself in between them, "You go now. Mistress is happy and going to dinner." She waved a soup spoon at Julian.
Julian didn't know why, but having the house elf that he secured for Lyra, now slam the door in his face, and tell him to leave, was both irritating and caused him a pain in his chest.
He tried to ignore Mimsy as he looked up at Lyra, as always she was beautiful. "Hi."
|
|
|
|
Post by Lyra Newbury on Oct 21, 2016 1:29:36 GMT -5
"Hi," she answered back. Mimsy was still attempting to scare Julian off. Lyra smiled at the elf. "It's okay, Mimsy. Thank you."
She looked back to Julian who was standing in the hall. She didn't invite him in. "What are you doing here?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Julian Faust on Oct 21, 2016 1:45:08 GMT -5
Mimsy was as defiant as a house elf could be about leaving her mistress with Julian, she even went a good mile to wave her cooking spoon at him, but she didn't spit at him like she wanted to.
"Feisty, that one." he said trying to inject some humor in the situation, but he could still hear Mimsy loudly cursing his name.
"How are you?" he asked seriously, noting that she didn't invite him in. He also noticed that she was only wearing a robe, which caused his blood to stir.
After being with her it was as though the floodgates had opened and he couldn't get enough of her. While he had reasoned with himself and gone over the words he had wanted to say to her, now that he was in front of her all words left him. He wanted her. He could hardly think of anything else.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lyra Newbury on Oct 21, 2016 2:00:23 GMT -5
Lyra gave a feeble smile out of politeness for his joke. She really was just waiting to see what he wanted. It was too difficult knowing that she couldn't be with him and knowing she couldn't control herself around him made it hard to be friends. Her heart hurt whenever she thought of him. The easier alternative was to simply not think of him.
"I'm lovely, Julian. But I really don't think it's a good idea for you to be here." It was taking everything she had to not jump on him, but she knew as soon as it was over he would make that face that told her it was a mistake. That face haunted her dreams, she wouldn't let it haunt her during the day as well.
|
|
|
|
Post by Julian Faust on Oct 21, 2016 2:10:49 GMT -5
Julian frowned, he knew what she was saying was true, but it hurt him all the same.
He sighed, "I'm losing you aren't I?" he brushed his hand through his hair messing it up. It was a different look for him to see him disheveled.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lyra Newbury on Oct 21, 2016 2:25:41 GMT -5
Lyra's heart tightened at his words. "No," she argued. "No, of course not. I just..." In truth, Lyra didn't know what was happening with them. She wanted to move on, and was honestly trying very hard to do so. She even had a date later tonight. But she would give it all up if he could be with her. She knew she was holding on to a fading hope that he could ever allow himself to love her.
A door down the hall opened and closed, and Lyra pulled her robe closer to her body. A moment later she saw her sleazy neighbor walk past. "Come in," she said to Julian and shut the door behind him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Julian Faust on Oct 21, 2016 2:34:33 GMT -5
Julian was too lost in his own misery at the thought of losing Lyra - his best friend really- that he didn't notice her sleazy neighbor. If he had noticed, in the mood he was in, he was likely to do harm.
He stepped inside and could hear Mimsy still cursing. Mimsy brought out Lyra's gowns magically floating them in the air, "Mimsy thinks this one would look beautiful on the Mistress for dinner tonight." she said selecting a seductive black dress.
"You have a date." Julian stated rather than asked, there was a hard edge to his voice that was confusing even to him.
"Oh yes. Mistress is very popular."
|
|
|
|
Post by Lyra Newbury on Oct 21, 2016 2:49:11 GMT -5
"Enough, Mimsy. Make yourself useful," she ordered roughly. The situation was difficult enough without the house elf's well-intentioned interfering. Lyra loved Mimsy and appreciated everything that the elf did for her, but Lyra's appreciation was much like that of a teenager's for her mother; only apparent after the fact.
Her eyes slowly turned from Mimsy to Julian, his hair still tousled in such a way that Lyra felt the urge to run her fingers through it. "Yes, I have a date." Obviously there was no hiding it now. Lyra prayed that he didn't ask with whom. She wasn't certain she could lie convincingly enough to spare his feelings.
|
|
|
|
Post by Julian Faust on Oct 21, 2016 2:54:05 GMT -5
Mimsy pouted and looked on the verge of tears as Lyra scolded her, but this too she chalked up to Julian's presence. With a final menacing look toward the "former" handsome one, she stalked off making an unusual racket for a house elf.
Julian bit his lip looking at the house elf, then looking back at Lyra. "And what esteemed gentleman made so good an impression on you? Atherton?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Lyra Newbury on Oct 21, 2016 3:09:31 GMT -5
She heard pots and pans clanging as Mimsy entered the kitchen, and at one point what sounded like all of the pans crashing to the floor at once. Lyra smiled softly in Mimsy's direction.
Her eyes met Julian's as he asked after her date, and Lyra quickly looked to the window behind him. "You didn't say why you're here," she reminded him as her fingers fidgeted with the end of the sash that held her robe closed.
|
|
|
|
Post by Julian Faust on Oct 21, 2016 3:15:12 GMT -5
His eyes were drawn to her hand where she fiddled with the tie on her robe. He knew it would take one small tug and she'd be bare for him to see. If he saw her, he would touch her, if he touched her, he wouldn't stop. That was there problem, and neither of them seemed to be able to do anything about it.
"You first. Who's your date?" he asked, in part because he couldn't remember the reason he had come.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lyra Newbury on Oct 21, 2016 3:29:34 GMT -5
"Julian," she looked at him with a sense of sadness and pity. "Why are you doing this? Please don't make me hurt you again. Just leave it be." She cursed inwardly at Mimsy for bringing it up to him. Though, she understood the elf's intentions. Mimsy had been with Lyra through each of her meltdowns. Mimsy cared for her. Seeing Julian here now was probably very distressing for her too. Lyra suddenly realized why Mimsy had brought her wine instead of answering the door.
|
|
|
|
Post by Julian Faust on Oct 21, 2016 3:36:23 GMT -5
He hated the pity in her eyes. He was a broken man and he should be pitied, but seeing it from her provoked him.
Two strides and he had her waist firmly gripped and her body flushed against his, "I don't know why!" he yelled. There was violence in his words. Violence and terrible confusion. He would never hurt her, he'd sooner cut off his hand than harm a single hair on her head, but the violence was real.
"Lyra I've hurt you. And I can't seem to stop." he said holding her tighter, "I can't stop." he let his forehead rest against hers, but that was too much contact because soon his lips were on hers, "Tell me to stop..." but he didn't let her say anything as he kissed her again.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lyra Newbury on Oct 21, 2016 3:54:01 GMT -5
He was scaring her. She'd never seen him like this before and it sent chills over her body. She tried to pull back but he held her tighter. He was kissing her now and her confusion was overwhelming. She loved him and he loved her. But she was scared. She didn't know what to do.
"Julian - " she managed. Her hands were on his chest and she was leaning away from him. "Please." She didn't know what she was asking for. Was she begging him to take her or to stop. She knew she'd never be satisfied, no matter which was the correct answer.
|
|
|
|
Post by Julian Faust on Oct 21, 2016 4:09:49 GMT -5
Julian's mind seemed to clear when he heard her plea. "Lyra..."
He released her immediately as if touching her had burned him, in a way it had. She had him twisted in knots. He wanted her. He loved her. He couldn't have her. He was hurting her.
"I'm sorry."
He didn't have the words. There were no words for his actions. He had scared her.
|
|
