Let's complicate things

[Professor Lyra Potter]

As one grew older, it wasn't an uncommon occurrence for priorities to shift. However, there was one priority that would never drop off Lyra's list, and that was Felix Urie. He was Lyra's very best friend, and she had to admit that she missed him terribly. Lyra Potter had been spending a lot of time with James lately, and her time management skills had sucked. She hadn't seen Felix much at all this term. Of course, it didn't help that he and James didn't get along. It had gotten to the point that Lyra wondered if Felix was avoiding her. In an attempt to rectify the situation, Lyra had sent Felix a note, hoping that he would come meet her at her favorite spot in the castle, the top of the North Tower. It was late, almost curfew time, but neither Felix nor Lyra minded a little risk. It simply guaranteed them some peace and quiet.

Lyra arrived at the top of the North tower a little early with a bag. Inside was a large quilt and some snacks. She was dressed in an old Holyhead Harpies shirt that had once belonged to her mother when she had played for the team and an old pair of jeans. She put the blanket down on the ground, and sat down with her back against the wall to watch the setting sun.
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[Felix Styx]

Time was running out for Felix and he knew it, but what could he do? He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. It was driving him crazy. On one hand, he wanted to see Lyra, spend time with her. On the other, he was slightly afraid of what he might do. He'd recently discovered some things, feelings if you would, regarding Lyra. She was his very best friend and he didn't want to jeopardise that in any way. It was a little disheartening to think that she might want to avoid him if she found out and so he'd pre-emptively starting avoiding her, to avoid the inevitable avoidance he was sure he would experience when she found out the reason for his avoidance of her in the first place. It had been working for a time too, but as always, Felix came when called and so when she'd sent him a note, he'd jumped to attention and followed the instructions. Still, he supposed a late night catch up wasn't too bad, he could do that, for a little while anyway, nothing cute, nothing romantic, just a quick little "I'm not avoiding you silly," and then he'd get right out of there. Easy.

Felix made it to the North tower and stopped at the sight of Lyra, his plans thrown out the proverbial window at the sight of her. She looked like a damn Princess all shut up in a tower, hair moved slightly by the wind, the air around them charged with the feeling of magic, considering they were literally in a magic school, that probably wasn't all that special. But his princess was no damsel, she could fight for herself a dozen times over and that was one of the things he loved about her. But no, he couldn't say it, not in that way. He loved her as a best friend and that was all she would ever know if he could help it. He'd never tell another living sole, not even Falon. He walked up to her and reached over to flick her ear. "Is the Princess waiting for her Prince?"
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[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra's entire face lit up as she looked at Felix Urie. She rolled her eyes playfully at Felix as he called her princess. He has been doing that ever since she dressed as a princess for the Halloween feast first year. "Does that make you my prince then?" Lyra teased him. "I'm glad you came. It's been too long." she said. She looked at Felix and felt a weird sensation in the pit of her stomach. That had been happening a lot lately. She brushed it away as she motioned to the ground next to her. "Glad to see you aren't actually avoiding me. I've missed you, Fee." Lyra said with a side smile, thinking something looked like it was bothering him. She had always been good at reading Felix. She knew him better than most people in the school.

"Girl trouble?" the Gryffindor guessed. Felix had dated quite a few girls in their year. So many that it was often hard for her to keep up. Lyra had often felt jealous of Felix's girlfriends, and she couldn't stand Madeline. She knew her jealousy came from feeling like she was competing against them for time with her best friend. She couldn't stand the idea of some girl taking him away from her one day.
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[Felix Styx]

Felix grinned, all sense of urgency and need gone from him in a moment. He could do this, this was just him and Lyra, no need for fancy stuff. This is who they had always been. "Your highness," he swept his arms into a deep bow. "My services are yours as you may require." he added the solemness of his imaginary position to his voice and kept himself in his bow for a few more moments before picking himself back up. "I don't think Princes are allowed to be Australians." He shrugged at the thought and sat himself across her as he stretched out over the blanket, much like a cat would do. "Of course not, Dopey. I should flick you for that." of course the truth was that he had been avoiding her, atleast for a while. He didn't want to see the rejection in her face. He couldn't take it. "We're in all the same classes and we eat in the same room and don't forget the library." He would always think of the library as their place. So much of their time had been spent their so long ago. This of course was their secondary place, but it didn't have the same connection for him.

"Ha! As if I could have girl trouble." Though to be honest, he wasn't sure it wasn't girl trouble. He was dating someone and in love with someone else, it was all very confusing. After Isabelle and Amy he thought he'd sworn off girls entirely... and then Charlotte. Life was hard when you didn't know what you wanted. Maybe he should talk to Falon. "how about you though? That's who I'm here to talk about." He rolled up her legs to snuggle into her side laughing as he did so. He was actually really enjoying it, but he couldn't let her think that. "This is weird right?"
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[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra grinned at Felix as he bowed and continued his charade. He was endlessly entertaining. In fact, Lyra had never even been slightly bored when she was with Felix. "Probably not, but you'll always be a Prince to me." Lyra teased him. She would always remember him that way as a scrawny eleven year old boy. He certainly had grown up over the last five years Lyra noted as he stood up out of his bow. Really, he was quite pleasant to look at now. She occasionally caught herself admiring his features. Like how the brown of his eyes wasn't a dull, flat brown but more of a dark honey color. Sometimes, when he turned his gaze on her she felt her pulse quicken. "Please make yourself comfortable." she muttered dryly as he stretched himself across her slender frame, knowing he didn't care in the least. "We eat at different tables and classes don't leave time for talking. The library will always be ours, but I haven't seen you there lately either." Lyra said accusingly. "But at least I have you all to myself now." she said with a sweet smile at her best friend.

"As if you don't always have girl trouble." Lyra said, grinning. It was true that he had one girl after another. "Not that you actually take any of them seriously." she said, rolling her eyes. Lyra wasn't even sure who Felix was dating right now. She couldn't keep up with them all. "Girl trouble? I don't have any of that." she said laughing and knowing that's not what he meant. He snuggled into her side and she smiled. Lyra ran her fingers through Felix's hair absentmindedly, picking her way through his curls. "I did walk in on this weird moment with James and Maddie in the common room the other day." Lyra admitted, feeling uncertain of what was going on between her boyfriend and the girl she couldn't stand. "Hmm? Is what weird?" she asked, startled out of her thoughts into confusion by his question when it dawned on her that he meant was it weird for him to be laying on her. She had always been comfortable being close to Felix physically even if other people might find it weird, she didn't. "This is just us, Fee. It could never be weird." Lyra replied with a certainty that she felt deep down in her core. "You're my best friend. I love you. That will never change." she said, meaning every word.
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[Felix Styx]

Felix rolled his eyes. His Lyra was hilarious and he really did miss all of this, but that didn't mean he was about to put their friendship at risk at all. He didn't know what he would do if she ever left him. "Well, you've always been my Princess so that makes a certain amount of sense." he chuckled slightly. He always forgot what they were like together when they weren't together. He always missed it when they were back together again. Despite everything, the one person he really thought about all the time was Lyra. It probably shouldn't have been, but he couldn't control where his thoughts went. Ellie was important to him to, but it was Lyra's company he craved. "I always make myself comfortable, that's the point of being a Hufflepuff. Being comfortable." He liked to stretch out on furniture at home too. His mother used to hit him for it, but these days she just sighed and rolled her eyes. "Ah, come on Boots, you're just being pedantic. I'm busy you know, I have my whole adult career to think about. This year isn't easy you know and I still don't know what I want to do when I graduate." it certainly was not as big of a concern for him as he was currently making out. He wasn't really one to make plans and stick to them after all.

When Lyra accused him of always having girl trouble, Felix feigned hurt. "I absolutely reject that accusation. Girl trouble is not at all what I am known for in the slightest." Probably the biggest lie he's ever told. After all, was he not always hiding from one girlfriend or another? He laughed when she took what he said falsely and shook his head. She was a weirdo, it was true. He turned to look up at her when she mentioned a weird moment with James and Madeline. Felix hadn't thought much about Maddie after they broke up. She'd broken his heart after all, one of the many reasons he never left his girlfriends crying. He never wanted anyone to experience the kind of pain he had in his first relationship. "What do you mean a weird moment?" He wasn't sure he wanted to know. All he knew was that James was the root of all his problems with Maddie, at least that was what had been suggested. "Like weird weird?" He was glad she loved him, though it wasn't in the way he would've wanted. He couldn't blame her at all though, they had been best friends for such a long time and knew everything about each other. He didn't think that would ever change, at least he hoped not. Knowing that she was okay with it, Felix snuggled into her again. "Fair enough. You're so comfy."
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[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra winked at Felix as he said she had always been his princess. "Don't you dare forget it." she told him playfully, but meaning it too. Lyra enjoyed spending time with James and he was important to her, but something always felt like she was missing whenever she wasn't with Felix. He was her closest friend outside of Link and she couldn't imagine it any other way. Lyra rolled her eyes at Felix as he explained that he was busy. "As busy as you might get, you need to make time for me." she demanded in a typical "bossy Lyra" way. She had made him promise her as much all the way back during their first year. "Besides graduation is still like two years away. Why bother planning?" she asked. "Besides, I'm going to be a Quidditch star. You can be roomies until you figure it out, or even after that." Lyra said with confidence. Quidditch was definitely what she wanted to do with her future and living with Felix sounded even better.

"I might have been told that before." the Gryffindor said with a grin at Felix as he snuggled up to her even more. Lyra absentmindedly ran her hands through Felix's hair as she considered what he was saying. Lyra hated to bring Maddie up. She knew the girl had seriously broken her best friend's heart, and it was part of the reason she couldn't stand her. The reason had something to do with cheating on Felix, but Lyra wasn't entirely sure who Maddie had cheated with. She had never asked too many questions, not wanting to hurt Felix even more. "It was weird weird." she finally replied. "I mean I walked in the common room, and they were standing super close, and really, that shouldn't mean anything. I mean look," she said, gesturing to the fact he was pressed up against her side. "But it was the vibe I got. Like they were having a private, intense conversation. I don't know what it was about, but it seemed like they really didn't want to be interrupted." Lyra tried to explain. She felt as if she wasn't really making sense. It didn't seem like that big of a deal as she was explaining it. "Maybe I'm just making it all up in my head, but some times I see the way he looks at her and it seems like more. Am I crazy?" she asked him, looking at Felix directly in the eyes. He knew her better than anyone, and she trusted his advise more than anyone else in her year.

 

[Felix Styx]

Out of Character:

Apologies for the quality and m on the train to work atm

Felix loved his "Lyra time" as it gave him a more level head and the ability to really think about what he was doing. Despite Lyra not really knowing what was going on with him, she was giving him the clarity he needed to understand his situation. Things with his girlfriend were good, but it could be so much better with Lyra. Would she allow it? "I'm sorry, I promise to make more time for you." He was serious too, he would make as much time for Lyra as she wanted. The idea of living together was appealing, but he wasn't sure he'd want to do it if she was dating someone. Well, maybe he could. There was so much to consider, would his mother even let him move out? That was the question right there. He was pretty sure she suspected something with him, she was his mum, how could she not? But she liked Lyra and that was what mattered, not much else in her eyes did. "Famous quidditch star huh? I can get behind that." He remembered that her mother had played too. He also remembered that Lyra's family was going through a difficult time. He didn't get too into it because he never knew what to do in these situations, but he understood.

Snuggling closer into her side, Felix felt way more content there than he should strictly have had any right to, but he didn't care. If James saw them this way, more the better. He immediately admonished himself for such thoughts, they would only hurt Lyra. Hearing her talk about other guys put him on edge. He was jealous, extremely, a trait he'd not had to worry about before, but it was deeply intense with Lyra. It was annoying. "This thing you're feeling, don't doubt it. Remember what happened with Silus." Felix he wanted to much to punch that d*ck in the face. He still did, but it wasn't the ravenclaw he had to worry about these days. It was the people in his own backyard. Silus was the least of his problems. "If you think you felt something, you probabaly did. It's not easy to hide that stuff." should be even be the one saying this? When he wanted nothing more than to just admit everything to her? The rose, the thoughts, the jealousy. It was driving him crazy. "You know James, what does your gut tell you?"
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[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra smiled happily as Felix promised he would make more time for her. "You better. I don't know what I would do without my Felix." the brunette said, ruffling his hair playfully. She always thought of him as hers. She was the constant in his life. Not his string of never-ending girlfriends. Lyra always counted on the fact that he would tire of the girl eventually. The thought of one of them sticking around caused her heartache to even consider briefly though she didn't understand why. The stone wall was starting to dig into her back uncomfortably especially with the added weight of Felix leaning on her. She nudged him over so she could lie down on her back with her head on his shoulder. "Much better." she said, satisfied. It didn't even occur to her that she should not be lying here with Felix like she was while dating another boy. This just felt normal and natural. "Only the biggest." she said, flashing him a grin. Not that Lyra actually cared that much about being a big star. She knew all too well being a focus of too much attention was not always pleasant.

"Are you sure you aren't just saying that because you hate him?" Lyra asked. Felix had never given her bad advice when she was serious about something. He had been right about Silus after all, though Silus had been nothing more than a friend to her since their talk after the Valentine's Dance last year. "Why is that anyways?" she asked, not remembering if she ever knew the reason why Felix disliked her boyfriend. He hadn't said much about James since she started dating him. He had been more vocal in his dislike of Lanithro, but at least she knew that was mostly because he had once slammed a book in Lyra's face. Felix had always been protective over her, just like she was fiercely protective over him. "But I do really like James. We have fun when it's just us." the Gryffindor said, knowing in her heart that he was right. Lyra smiled as her eyes cut up towards Felix. "My gut tells me to trust you. You know me better than anyone. So, what should I do?" she told him, seriously. ​

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[Felix Styx]

Felix laughed at his friend. Knowing that they could still be this way after everything was good. It gave him hope for the future, that all of this would blow over and he could go back to thinking of Lyra as just his best friend. He moved with her as she did and wrapped his arm around her. He certainly wasn't going to say anything if this was what she wanted. "Just don't kill my arm." Felix knew that Lyra didn't actually care about game, not after everything her family had been through with well-known parents and the fact that she was related to the Harry Potter, which he eventually found out was a big deal. He couldn't imagine what that had to be like. He was certainly glad none of what happened in Harry's time was happening now, it was all pretty terrifying. "You'd be internationally loved though, I know it." It was hard not to like Lyra, you really had to go out of your way.

He looked at her when she asked him about James, it was true he didn't like the Gryffindor, at all, but he would never allow his feelings to cause him to lie to Lyra. Although maybe keeping this stuff from her wasn't helping either. He was about to answer when she asked him why he disliked James. It was more than just his dating Lyra, there was the whole Madeline and Charlotte aspect too. They seemed to keep dating the same people and to be honest he was starting to wonder if there wasn't a reason for that. Maybe they were competing without Felix even realising it. He'd never actually sat down and had a complete conversation with the guy. But was it really right to put him now? "I'm honestly not sure I can say." He said instead. It was all gossip and hearsay anyway, none of it could be proven. He sighed as she continued with her thought. He didn't want to be her deciding factor, atleast not like this. "You need to talk to him, I think he atleast deserves a chance to defend himself... should there be another reason for all of this." He'd moved to play with Lyra's hair by now and was just casually drawing circles on her arm. He was far to comfortable. He slowly moved away from her and sat up. "Its only fair that he has a chance to be with you. I know I'd do whatever I could to be with you if I was in that position. Though I also wouldn't let you feel like I was drifting."
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[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra stuck her tongue out at Felix as he told her not to kill his arm. "As if! I'm as light as a feather." Lyra quipped back at him even though she knew he didn't really mean it. She snuggled in closer, making herself totally comfortable and putting an arm across Felix. She grinned at him. "Just as long as you always do. That's all I need." the Gryffindor said. When you had a family like Lyra's, you learned you could do anything as long as you had the love and support of those closest to you. She also couldn't stand the idea of ever losing Felix. It caused her so much pain the one brief time it entered her mind that it had been permenantly locked out. It would never happen.

Lyra frowned slightly as he told her he didn't know why he didn't get along with her boyfriend. It was all very confusing, and Lyra often wished it could be different. Felix was such a big part of her life as her best friend that she wished she didn't have to always split her time between him and her boyfriend. Not hat James had ever expressed his dislike of Felix directly. It was just understood like her dislike of Madeline was. She felt Felix's fingers in her hair and thumbing circles on her arm. It was very soothing to her. She felt like she could finally breathe deeply after weeks of suffocating under classes and the drama with Madeline and James. She was about to respond when Felix slowly shifted her and sat up. The Gryffindor girl made a sound of protest as she moved with him, sitting up herself. "If that were true, I'd just date you. You really mean until you got tired of me and moved on to your next girlfriend." The brunette teased lightly. "You are a hopeless romantic, Fee, but I love that about you." Lyra said fondly, knowing he was only speaking in generalities. He could never think of Lyra in that way.
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[Felix Styx]

Felix had to resist the urge not to snort when Lyra retorted about her weight. "A feather under an elephant maybe." He almost purred at her, though he stopped himself when he thought it would seem weird. "Shall I continue?" He turned away from her as she mentioned that all she needed was to be loved by him. This was slowly chipping away at his resolve to not immediately declare his love from the rooftops. He was many things, but he was not impulsive, nor was he reckless. He couldn't live with himself if he hurt her. Accidentally or otherwise. He shuddered at the thought.

Felix didn't feel good about keeping things from Lyra, but what choice did he have. She would never love him the way he loved her. If he thought even for a moment that something like that could work for them, he would never leave her side. But it just couldn't happen. It wouldn't. He watched her as she sat up with him and spoke. He was shocked that she would think so lowly of him. But what other versions had she been witness to? He didn't exactly keep a steady girlfriend, not after everything that had happened with Maddie. Was that it then? Was he scared of getting hurt? Was he scared of hurting Lyra? "But that's not true. I could never tire of you, I'd never leave your side." He said, turning to look at her. She looked so... so much better with him than she did with James or Silus or Lanithro or any of those guys. He loved her, they would never love her like he did. "I... I love you, Lyra." This time It wasn't said as a reaction or in jest, he felt every word as he said it. "I don't want you to be with anyone else, just me." he leaned forward and pressed his lips softly to hers, taking advantage of the shock she probably felt in the moment.
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[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra had always thought that she was good at reading people. She thought she could predict what they were going to do next especially those closest to her. As it turned out, the Gryffindor girl was dead wrong about that because what happened next was a complete and total shock to Lyra Potter. Never in a million years would she have thought that Felix Urie would say he loved her and didn't want her to be with anyone else but him. Her green eyes stared widely back at his in pure disbelief. Was he really serious? And, Lyra was kissing him back without having made a conscious decision to do so. Her body reacted reflexively before she could process what had happened. Her lips moved in sync with his, deepening their kiss. Her hands went around his neck, pulling him closer. While she enjoyed kissing Lanithro, Silus, and James, the Gryffindor had never experienced a kiss like this, and she didn't want it to end. Fireworks exploded behind her eyelids as her pulse quickened and she felt the intense craving for more. It was bizarre. This was Felix! She knew him better. She should have known this was coming, but instead she had been blindsided.

When their kiss finally ended, Lyra felt dizzy and out of breath. Her heart was slamming against her rib cage so violently that she was sure he could see it. It would be a lie if Lyra said she hadn't ever considered what it would be like to date Felix Urie. He was perfect for her in so many aspects that also made him her best friend. The Gryffindor girl had often felt jealous of his girlfriends, especially Maddie, for taking him away from her. However, Lyra had never seriously considered it for too long a moment because she knew he would never be serious about any girl for longer than a few months at best, and she couldn't risk losing him. While Lyra knew that Felix wasn't impulsive like she was, she wasn't entirely sure he had thought this through. Only moments ago, he had been telling her she needed to talk to James and give him a chance to explain. The more she considered it, the less it seemed like he had put any thought into his declaration. Her lips trembled as she looked at him."I know you like your jokes, but I didn't think you would be so cruel with one." she said, her voice unsteady.
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[Felix Styx]

Never in his wildest dreams had Felix ever believed he could be kissing Lyra Potter. His Lyra. But yet here he was, locking lips with the most annoying, pigheaded, stubborn, gorgeous, intelligent, amazing girl he'd ever known. And it was fantastic. It wasn't like any other kiss he'd had before. It was everything and nothing all at once. They were everywhere and nowhere and once or twice Felix was sure his hands wandered to places he wouldn't dare go in any normal circumstance. Yet this was it. The one thing he'd wanted to do since before he sent her that rose. The one she'd thought was from Silus. He should have told Lyra sooner, should have been there from day one with this revelation. He would've gotten there if only he'd tried and he wouldn't have had to deal with any of this heartache. He pulled back, fully ready to commit only to her and no one else, when the moment was suddenly stabbed in the face by Lyra's first words. Hopes dashed, Felix could only look at her, the pain on her face. She truly believed her words. She honestly thought that was what he was trying to achieve? Did she think so little of him that this would be a game to him? Felix didn't know what to say. He was hurt, his heart ached with a pain he'd never believed in before. He'd known this was all going to end badly for the both of them.

"You think so little of me that you would believe my confession to be a game?" Felix asked, though she'd so clearly answered that question moments ago. He'd honestly thought they were better than this. But what was he supposed to expect. She was with James and after all this she would probably still choose him. His thoughts spiralled out of his control. He hadn't been rational since he'd walked into this tower. "I would never do that Lyra, never. I thought you would have known that. But who was I kidding, you want James, a guy who will cheat on you the moment he gets a chance. He doesn't want you!" Felix turned away from Lyra and stood up, moving to the other side of the room. He couldn't stand this. He'd never felt like this before. He wanted to leave and stay at the same time. He just wanted to pull Lyra into his arms and never let her go. He also wanted to push her away and disappear for ever. What was he going to do now?
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[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra wasn't sure what she had been expecting when she accused Felix of playing a joke on her, but the hurt and anger on his face was certainly not it. She knew him to the core of his being, or at least she had thought she did until he started making declarations of love to her. The Gryffindor could tell that her words caused the Hufflepuff more pain than she had ever witnessed him in including the time he took a fall several feet down out of a tree during first year. The look on Felix's face was enough to make her reconsider what she was saying. Was it possible that Felix had actually feelings for her? Did he really think he was in love with her? The anger and hurt told her that he really did mean it. Shock flashed across her face as the realization sunk in. Felix was serious when he said he loved her. He really believed it.

"If you aren't playing a game, then where does that leave us, Felix?" Lyra asked, anger in her tone. She was fighting to hold back tears as she felt like everything was falling apart. Lyra knew Felix was never serious about his girlfriends. He changed them almost as often as he did his shirt. She knew that if she gave into what her heart desired, which was to be with him, their friendship would be ruined beyond repair. How long would it take him to grow tired of her? The brunette scrambled to her feet as Felix turned his back on her. It infuriated her. How dare he lay all of this on her? She wanted to go to him and pull his hair out and wrap her arms around him at the same time. She stormed over to where he stood, getting up in his face. "How dare you! How dare you put this all on me! Leave James out of it. He has nothing to do with this. You are the one who just told me to give him another chance and now you say you love me? How dare you!" she said, tears glistening in her eyes. She was was close enough to feel his breath on her face. "How long would it be until you dumped me? A week? A month? Six months? And then what? We can't be friends anymore?" she asked, knowing in the back of her mind that she was being a little unfair to him. "I love you, but I can't lose you, no matter how I might feel about you." she said, having to look away from him before she did something impulsive and reckless.​

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[Felix Styx]

Lyra was a lot of things but Felix had never taken her for a weak person. Everything they'd been through together was enough to tell him that. He loved her for it. There was so much about her that he loved that he knew no one would ever live up to her. It was a conclusion he had come to as he compared Lyra to Charlotte and his past girlfriends in his head. It wasn't the same with any of them. Maddie came close, but even she was well off. Lyra was Lyra and nobody compared to her. Not ever. He knew Lyra, he knew her to the core of his very soul, just as she knew him. He knew this was fundamentally wrong, he had a girlfriend, but this was Lyra. His Lyra. He had no control over this. None whatsoever. This wasn't something he did lightly though, he'd been thinking about it for so long he wondered why it had taken him this long. He had to show her. He had to."Valentines day. Last year. Do you remember that rose? The one you got that was unsigned. You thought it was Silus?" It had caused him so much pain when she'd told him, but he'd not had the nerve to tell her then. He did now. "That was from me. I didn't tell you then because I was scared. I loved you then and I love you now. I always will, I swear."

It was clear that Lyra felt the same way, he could tell. They had been circling for so long that he had to wonder if this was ever going to work out. He still had Charlotte to consider, though he suspected there wasn't a lot to go back to after this, he had to try. Or atleast let her down gently. "I can't tell you what to feel, all I can say is that this, whatever this is, is not a mistake, it never will be." she was so close to him, he could reach up and touch her. Lean forward and kiss her again. But he needed to be level headed about this. "I think we need to take a break and think about this. You're right, I shouldn't have said what I did, but I don't regret anything, not ever. Not with you."
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[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra had never really been angry with Felix before today. A few minor squabbles here and there, but never had he made her as angry as she was right now. Yet, with every word that came out of his mouth, her anger faded into just confusion. She remembered the pink rose. The note had only said I wish you knew, and the Gryffindor girl had been utterly convinced it was from Silus. When she had mentioned it to Felix, he had said something about not believing Silus had been the one to send it. Now, Lyra knew it came from him. Felix was not cowardly. He was brave and selfless. They had been on too many adventures for her to think that, but it made sense that he hid it from her at the time. Surely, Felix knew how fickle he was when it came to girls. Lyra was confident that the entire school knew it. He had to know that her hesitation to believe him or act on his emotions came from that fact. The only explanation for his fear had to be that he worried about ruining their friendship. Lyra was beginning to wonder if they would ever be able to go back to the place of just friendship after Felix's confession of love. But if what he said was true, it meant his feelings hadn't changed in the last year. And, with that thought, the last shred of Lyra's anger vanished.

Lyra's pulse quickened as Felix looked at her, and she knew that she never wanted to lose this feeling. His decision that they needed to take a break to think only annoyed the brunette. Lyra Potter did not take well to being told what to do. "No." was all she said, defiantly, before throwing her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his in a kiss. Lyra was not the careful one. She was not patient, and she didn't think her actions through. How could she walk away from him when he was so sure of her? She kissed him as she threaded her fingers through his hair, not caring about anything else. A voice inside her head whispered that she needed to slow down and thing, but she was very effective at silencing that voice. A few minutes later, Lyra broke away with a concentrated effort. That voice was back, telling her to be careful or she would end up with a broken heart and no best friend. "Felix, I want to believe you, but this whole time, you've still been dating other people. Whatever you may feel, you don't just have feelings for me. What if you change your mind?" Lyra asked him, seriousness in her voice that was rarely ever there. "I don't want to lose you, Fee. And, then there's James to think about too. I do like him. Whatever issues we might be having right now." the Gryffindor said, voicing her uncertainty to him, something she would never do to someone else. She loved Felix all the way through to the very soul of his being, but she couldn't trust that his feelings would stay the same. In the meantime, she did like James and enjoy all the time they spent together. Feelings were so complicated.
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[Felix Styx]

There was a small part of Felix that was telling him to remember Charlotte, and and even smaller one to remember where they were, but all Felix care about was that this was Lyra and he wanted her. He didn't care what was going on anywhere else, what this meant for them, what this might've meant for James or for Maddie, Charlotte, anyone. He'd never been a selfish person, not once. Didn't he deserve to be now? Just for a little while? Lyra ignored his suggestions and instead pulled him into another crushing kiss. He left his hands by his sides this time, leaving her to do whatever she wanted. If she felt this kiss the same way he did, who could she ever doubt him? Had he really caused her to see him as someone with a fleeting heart? He'd never really loved those other girls, they were all just filling a void he didn't know he needed filled. Lyra was that void. And not Lyra his best friend, Lyra his future wife, because that's what he wanted. To grow up and marry Lyra and to spend their forever together. How could he get that across to her when she was so adamant that he would change his mind? He'd never changed his mind about her before.

"Ever since the day we first met I've been competing for you." He said, cupping her cheek in his hand. "First it was Silus, then Lanithro, now James, I've always competed for you and I always win, because you and I both know that I'm the only one you need." He told her, leaning in to press his forehead to hers. "I could never change my mind about you. You're too stubborn for that and though I'm not generally known for my stubbornness, I am known for my stubbornness for you." Felix leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek and then the lips. "You constantly worry that I'll tire of you, but you've been my best friend forever and I always come back to you. I will always come back to you because Felix needs his Lyra and... I think Lyra needs her Felix too."
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[Professor Lyra Potter]

The brunette waited anxiously, looking up at him with wide-green eyes. Her heart sped up at the slightest touch of his hand on her cheek. Their bodies were pressed together so that she could feel him breathing. Felix knew her, and it was evident he had given this a great deal of consideration even if it was all a surprise to her. Felix pressed his forehead to hers, and she breathed in his scent. It was intoxicating. His lips were close enough for her to kiss, but she waited until he pressed his lips to hers. He was the constant in her life, and the one she would fight to keep no matter who or what tried to come between them. They were inseparable. He was right. Felix was the one that Lyra needed. She needed him as much as she needed the air she breathed. Lyra Potter felt like she was having an epiphany. Everything had changed, and nothing had changed. Felix was still her best friend, but she knew it would kill her to go back to just being friends with him. Lyra would have never intentionally tried to steal another girl's boyfriend, with the exception of Maddie, possibly. And, she hadn't intended to cheat on James ever. Yet, here they were, and Lyra would never say she regretted this moment as she wrapped her arms around Felix, not interested in letting him go now that she had him.

"I've always known that a piece of me belongs with you, but I never imagined it like this. You're right. I need you." Lyra said, looking up at him, wanting to kiss him, but resisting the temptation for now. She had to get this out. "We both know I do not scare easily, but this scares me. I don't want to lose you. I need proof that you mean this. That you won't change your mind about me." Lyra told him, hoping he wouldn't be hurt by her words. "Can we try this out, see where it's going, in secret?" she asked, not certain how he would take her proposition."I won't tell anyone if you won't." Lyra promised. She knew what she was asking was wrong. It wasn't fair to James, and it wasn't fair to Charlotte, who she was pretty sure was still Felix's girlfriend. She didn't expect him to break up with her, just like she had no plans to break up with James. Not yet anyways. Not until she could be certain that Felix wouldn't change his mind about her.
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[Felix Styx]

Felix honestly couldn't believe things had actually gotten to this point. He loved Lyra and thats all he cared about. He would do whatever he could to be with her and he wanted to make sure that she understood that he loved her more than life itself. She was one of the only things that mattered to him, which was saying something because there used to be a lot that mattered to him. He gave up caring about too much when it became a chore. It was like he was expected to give a damn more than he actually did. He kept his hands on Lyra, afraid she might disappear or slip away if he stopped looking at her. It was an emotion, a feeling, he was not used to. Lyra was bringing out the best and worst of him and he wasn't sure how he felt about that. It was fair enough, to be honest, but he was honestly wondering what it would mean for the future of their relationship. Then he considered that all he cared about was Lyra's love and as long as he had that, they would always be okay, come rain, hail or shine, they would only ever need each other to survive.

When Lyra asked him to stay with her but in secret, at first he was inclined to turn her down, but as he thought more about it, he really wondered if maybe the idea had some merit. Lyra was Lyra, the most amazing woman he had ever met and the only person he would ever need in his life along with his family. But he would try to choose Lyra every time. He couldn't live without her, he knew that. "Lyra, I would do anything to be with you, even if it meant I couldn't see anyone else, I would always choose you." He said. Pulling her into one last kiss, Felix smiled down at his secret affair. "I would never endanger our relationship like that. Never. I love you Lyra Potter and I always will."

Fin​

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