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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 27, 2016 3:37:04 GMT -5
Lyra sent out two owls to men whom she had ruined. She cared for one with the undying passion of a young woman, while the other had once been a dear friend of her love's and she had forced them apart. She couldn't stand by and do nothing when neither man was courageous enough to do something.
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Post by Julian Faust on Dec 27, 2016 3:47:08 GMT -5
Julian arrived first. He was just as eager to see Lyra as she sounded in her letter to him. He found himself thrilled at the prospect of another non-date. He had also been painting more, but the tones in his work had taken a decidedly lighter tone. Each day he spent working through his own issues was one day closer to what he had come to view as the ultimate prize, a life with Lyra.
***
Mason hadn't decided if he would go yet. He had showered, shaved, changed into appropriate apparel and sat at home.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 27, 2016 3:57:32 GMT -5
Lyra wore a black dress with a circle skirt that flowed away from the curves of her hips which she normally put on display. Her hair was pulled up and twisted at the nape of her neck, pinned with a black jeweled comb. She had tried to find a balance between her natural style and something a little more demure, considering she was setting up a figurative trap.
She spotted Julian from the back of the room, having arrived early in case either man made an early appearance. She just needed to keep them separated long enough to get them into the same room, and she feared that if one of them saw the other at the door, they'd leave and she'd have lost her chance and reuniting the friends.
"Hello handsome." Lyra sauntered up to Julian and gave him a reserved kiss on the cheek.
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Post by Julian Faust on Dec 27, 2016 4:00:31 GMT -5
He sensed her before he saw her, but when he saw her his eyes lit up in a familiar way, "I don't think I'll ever be used to how stunning you are." he said letting his gaze take her in.
He took her arm in his, "Have you been here long?"
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 27, 2016 4:10:02 GMT -5
Lyra beamed at his compliment and basked in the joy of his eyes washing over her figure. His longing glances still gave her the thrill she had experienced when his looked at her affectionately back before they even admitted their feelings for one another. But the desire that now accompanied the look made it that much more intense.
"I wanted to be sure that if there was anything I liked more than your work I could compose myself in front of you." She leaned in and whispered in his ear. "There was no need." She grinned as she pulled back from him.
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Post by Julian Faust on Dec 27, 2016 4:12:17 GMT -5
He laughed, "If I were an insecure man, you'd do wonders for my ego." he said placing a hand over his heart. Lucky for him, he was neither insecure, and he also had the love of a good woman to keep him confident.
"But now that you've been around, is there anything of particular interest?"
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 27, 2016 4:19:45 GMT -5
"There's a sculpture in the back I don't quite understand." When planning how this evening would go, Lyra had assumed that she'd need to fake a reason to keep Julian tucked toward the back of the gallery until Mason arrived. Luckily there was no need to fake it as most of the art was abstract and Lyra actually did not understand it beyond thinking the colors were either attractive or poorly chosen.
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Post by Julian Faust on Dec 27, 2016 4:24:05 GMT -5
"The beauty of art m'dear, it's open to interpretation." he chuckled allowing her to lead him to the back of the room.
***
Mason had decided to go after all. He'd listen to Lyra, and with any hope he could put this all behind him.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 27, 2016 4:30:21 GMT -5
"Well my interpretation is confused," she said with a laugh. "Tell me what you think." She positioned herself so that as Julian faced her his back would be to the door. She could easily look past him to keep an eye out for Mason without making it to obvious that she was expecting someone else.
Lyra, too, wanted this whole mess to be put to bed but she'd resigned herself to being the lightning rod of each man's anger so long as it meant they would be friends again.
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Post by Julian Faust on Dec 27, 2016 4:32:51 GMT -5
Certainly had either man known of Lyra's nefarious planning neither would have shown up. Maybe Julian might have come to tell her that it was a well-intentioned, but ultimately terrible plan. Particularly for whoever's art show it was.
Of course both men were none the wiser. Julian began to explain the contrasts and shapes and how the piece spoke to him as a work of art, but caught himself, "I'm going to bore you to tears."
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 27, 2016 4:39:01 GMT -5
Lyra had actually gotten caught up in Julian's eloquent description of what looked to Lyra to be a twisted hunk of metal on a podium. She was so enthralled in fact that she forgot to check the door as her eyes shifted from the sculpture to Julian's face.
"Are you kidding? Julian, how did you see that? That was so...beautiful." She looked back to the twisted metal and tried to imagine the imagery he'd painted before he stopped himself.
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Post by Julian Faust on Dec 27, 2016 4:42:06 GMT -5
He gave a casual shrug, "Well don't take my word for it." he laughed, "For all we know the artist just liked to weld."
It was during his joke that Mason casually strolled in through the doors not actively looking for Lyra, but subtly glancing around.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 27, 2016 4:57:36 GMT -5
"Both can be true at once," she said playfully in return. Lyra was still in awe by the artist's heart that made up so much of who Julian was. She could have listened to him talk about this strange thing in front of them for hours.
But Lyra happened to glance past his ear and spotted Mason as he entered the gallery. She had to talk to him before they saw each other. Lyra knew, or hoped rather, that Julian would give it a small chance if Lyra asked him to but she didn't have the same sort of pull over Mason. She needed to work on him first.
"I have to use the loo. Stay around here so I can find you. Don't make me ask a stranger to interpret anything." She gave him a smile before turning toward the restrooms, ducking behind a group of patrons, and turning to seek out Mason.
"I'm so happy you decided to come, Mason. Honestly." She gave him a warm yet apologetic smile.
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Post by Mason Marlowe on Dec 27, 2016 5:02:25 GMT -5
"I figured it was time to put this all to rest. And truth be told, I missed you." he said with a charming smile, "I wanted to write sooner, I just wasn't ready to. I'm glad you wrote to me."
His smile was genuine as were the words that accompanied them.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 27, 2016 5:08:02 GMT -5
His words filled Lyra with a great sense of relief. She sighed through a smile as she remembered how wonderfully patient he had been with her.
"I don't know what to apologize for first. I've been so wretched to you, Mason. It truly pains me to think about."
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Post by Mason Marlowe on Dec 27, 2016 5:20:22 GMT -5
"Why don't we simply move past it?" he asked wishing to let go of the pain and anger he had felt at the situation.
"How have you been?"
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 27, 2016 5:26:42 GMT -5
If it were that simple to move past it then she probably wouldn't have had to stage this little intervention. Then again, Mason was probably only referring to moving past Lyra's deceit, not Julian's alleged betrayal.
She gave him a look that said it wouldn't be so easy, but engaged in the conversation anyway. "Honestly?" she said on a laugh. "Merlin, I'm surprised I'm still standing. It's been rough, but things are starting to look up I think."
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Post by Mason Marlowe on Dec 27, 2016 12:22:01 GMT -5
Mason was upset with Julian for several reasons, the biggest being that the man hadn't straightened things out or even spoke to Mason since the fall out. He had developed feelings for Lyra, introduced her to his mother even, and at the end of it realized he never even stood a chance. But then Julian, supposedly noble, honorable, and all things virtuous, sleeps with Lyra repeatedly with no honorable intentions what so ever. The man breaks Lyra's heart and refuses to even entertain the idea of a relationship. He toys with Lyra's heart knowing that he's in no position to even start a relationship. And then hides away and mopes in his painting room refusing to cope or deal with Belle's death and move on.
And he knew without a doubt that Julian was still plagued by Belle's death, that the man wasn't committed to Lyra the way Lyra was committed to Julian. He knew that Julian would hurt her again, and he didn't have the strength to walk away.
Mason on the other hand fought through and won against his demons, and he refused to carry anger or hatred in his heart, so he was glad to settle things, with Lyra at least.
"Anything I can do to help?"
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 27, 2016 13:12:02 GMT -5
Lyra smiled, forced to remember how caring and thoughtful Mason had been with her. If Julian wasn't in the picture, if he'd never been in the picture, Lyra could certainly see spending the rest of her life with a wonderful man like Mason. He really was perfect, she just didn't love him.
"You could act like you hate me a little more," she said jokingly. "It would help justify my guilt."
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Post by Mason Marlowe on Dec 27, 2016 21:39:30 GMT -5
He laughed, "I'll work on that."
It was easy to forgive Lyra, a part of him was still in love with her, but it was much more difficult to forgive the man she loved.
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