Put me back together

[Professor Lyra Potter]

It didn't matter that Lyra hadn't spoken to Ezra in the last two months. As soon as James told her the news, she knew she was going to without even pausing for a moment to consider if he would want her there. The blonde was too familiar with what it was like to lose your mum when she was the only parent left. Lyra went straight home after practice, pausing only to change out of her quidditch gear and into a pair of shorts and t-shirt. It would be warm in America in July. Lyra looked in the cabinet and grabbed what she knew to be Ezra's favorite liquor before apparating away from her house.

A little while later, Lyra stood on the steps of Ezra's mansion, knowing this would be where he would escape to, or at least she hoping she was right. She would feel awfully foolish if he wasn't here, or if he refused to see her. Especially after the way they had left things. Lyra raised a hand and knocked firmly on the door, waiting for it to open. When it did, she smiled slightly and raised her hand that was holding the liquor. "Hi, Ez. Can I come in?" she asked, looking up at him with bright green eyes.

 

[Ezra Cade]

The news had been sudden and hit Ezra like a tonne of bricks. He hadn't been close to his mother in recent years, she had always been uncomfortable with some of the extreme views he had inherited from his grandfather. None of that mattered in the end, she had been his mother and her sudden death had shook him to the core in a way his father's death hadn't. Ezra was, for lack of a better term, broken. Since the news reached him Ezra had retreated to the mansion, leaving the shop in the care of whichever of his staff bothered to turn up. He made no effort to eat or take care of himself in anyway, if not the house elf he'd probably have been in much worse condition.

The knock at the door startled him. Ezra had finally left his living room chair to shower so was at least moderately presentable when someone showed up unannounced. With his Dakrey off doing chores Ezra made his way to the door. His lack of effort had translated to him only wearing a pair of sweatpants, he wasn't bothered who he was answering the door to, making a good impression was nowhere near the top of his list of priorities. Ezra opened the door to perhaps the last person he'd expected to see. Lyra Potter. He looked at her, a slight smile on her lips and a bottle of whiskey in her hand. Why did she have to be so perfect? He thought to himself. At he words he pushed the door open further and stood aside to let her in. Lyra knew her way the mansion so he didn't have to say a word to her as she stepped inside, she knew where she would want to go.

 

[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra took in Ezra's appearance from a single glance up and down. The one look was enough to tell her everything. Ezra wasn't put together as she had come to expect of him. Instead, he had sweatpants on. Normally, she would appreciate a shirtless Ezra Cade, but today it just made her concerned about him.He was doing worse than she feared, and it hurt her heart. Lyra knew his pain too well, but he wasn't pushing her away like she had done to everyone that loved her. Instead, Ezra was inviting her in.

Lyra brushed past him, pausing to kiss him lightly on the cheek. "I'm sorry, Ezra." the blonde said quietly. She wasn't sure if she was apologizing for their last meeting, or offering condolences on his mother's death. Lyra didn't say anything else to him as she passed. Lyra had spent a good amount of time in the mansion with Ezra, so she headed straight for the study where the liquor cabinet was. Lyra got out two glasses and poured in the whiskey generously. She picked up both glasses, leaving the bottle by the cabinet. The blonde handed a glass to Ezra, who was still standing, before sitting down on the sofa, curling her feet under her. Lyra looked up at Ezra and patted the spot next to her. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, taking a deep sip of her drink.

 

[Ezra Cade]

Ezra closed his eyes briefly as Lyra kissed his cheek on her way into the house. She knew the place inside out and instinctively made her way to the study and to the liquor cabinet where she poured too glasses, handed one to him and took a seat on the sofa. Ezra watched as she patted the spot next to her, of course he wanted to join her, but he didn't want to talk about it and wasn't surprised when that question came out of her mouth. "No," He said flatly taking a sip from his drink. It was the first words he spoken to her in months and they were hardly affectionate or warm in anyway. "It's good to see you," Ezra said not looking up from his glass. Things hadn't ended well between them and Ezra regretted that, he was so sure he'd never see her again but it seemed in his time of need she had shown up. He didn't know what it meant and while he wasn't about to cry on her shoulder, he was glad she was there.

 

[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra understood why he would refuse her offer to talk. Ezra didn't like to open up about his feelings, and she couldn't imagine he would want to open up to her now. Not after the way they ended. Lyra knew exactly how Ezra was feeling at the moment without hearing the words. Still, she wanted to be there for him, though she didn't think too deeply about the implications of her own feelings. Instead, Lyra nodded her head. "Let's not talk then. We can drink instead." she said, turning her glass up and swallowing the rest of the whiskey, loving the way it burned her throat as it went down. The blonde stood up, making her way to where she left the bottle, picking it up and bringing it back to the table in front of her. Lyra refilled her glass before offering the bottle to Ezra.

 

[Ezra Cade]

If there was one person who would understand Ezra's desire not to talk it was Lyra. The lengths she went to not to talk about her mother's death had led to them meeting up in the first place. He was glad she was understanding and he couldn't help but smile when she suggested they just drink in said. Ezra never said no to a drink. Ezra watched as she grabbed the bottle and took it back to the table with her. He finished the rest of his whiskey and joined her on the sofa before refilling his glass. "To not talking about it," He smiled at her and raised his glass to hers with a clink. Ezra was surprised at how glad he was just to have someone, anyone, in the house with him. He might not have wanted to talk, but he didn't want to be alone either.

 

[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra watched Ezra carefully as he filled up his drink before joining her on the sofa. She smiled slightly at Ezra as he looked at her and smiled at her for the first time in two months. She raised his glass to meet his with a satisfying clink. Lyra smirked as she raised the glass to her lips, taking a long sip. She pulled her feet underneath her on the sofa, moving closer to Ezra, but not touching him. "Is there anything else you would like to do?" she asked, looking up into his eyes. It was probably a mistake, what she was suggesting, but she had to admit that she had missed him. Even with the unpleasant circumstances and the state Ezra was in, Lyra had to admit that she was happy to be with him.

 

[Ezra Cade]

Watching Lyra shift closer to him, close enough that he could feel her body heat radiating from her but not close enough to touch was agony for Ezra. There was something about Lyra, something beyond her stunning exterior, that drew him in, they connected in a way he'd never felt before, he couldn't resist her and he wasn't sure he even wanted to try. Ezra took the glass from Lyra's hand and place it along with his own on the table in front of them. Lyra's intention was clear, whether or not she had come to his house with it in mind or if it was the result of them being in the same room for the first time in months, Ezra didn't care. He'd missed everything about her and in that moment he craved nothing more than to be with her again. Without a word to respond to her question, Ezra placed his hand on Lyra's face and pulled her towards him and kissed her softly.

 

[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra didn't resist as Ezra took the glass from her hand. It was almost empty anyways. It was clear from the look in his eyes that he understood her question. But, Lyra had known he would. Ezra understood her in a way that she wasn't sure anyone else did. She smiled as he took her face in his hands, going towards him willingly. It wasn't the reason she came, but Lyra couldn't resist Ezra and she didn't want to. She moved closer to him, kissing him, running her fingers through his hair. The blonde pulled away from him slightly, still close enough to his face to feel his breath. "I was really just suggesting we play cards or something." Lyra teased Ezra, lightly.

 

[Ezra Cade]

All of Ezra's woes seemed to melt away once Lyra walked back into his life. It was simplistic but in the moment that was how it felt. As they parted slightly he couldn't help but laugh at her comment, he suddenly felt relaxed and calm, an emptiness inside him he'd felt since his mother died seem less so. Maybe Lyra meant too much to him to be so rash and jump right back into something without discussing the elephant in the room, but Ezra didn't want things to be messy or complicated. He just wanted to enjoy the moment with her, with someone who understood him like no one else did. "I'm quite partial to strip poker," Ezra grinned at her as he tilted his head to plant kisses along Lyra's jaw and neck.

 

[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra laughed at Ezra's comment about strip poker. "If you want me to lose my clothes, all you have to do is ask. Besides, I think I have the advantage at that game." she said, eyeing his bare chest with meaning. She pulled him closer to her, kissing him again. A small part of her knew that this was a bad idea. James had helped Lyra to understand that Ezra had meant what he said when he told her he loved her. It was everything she had run from with Felix, who she would always love with a piece of her heart, but she didn't want to consider how he might view her relapse. "I missed you, Ez." she let the words slip out without her consent.

 

[Ezra Cade]

Ezra smirked and laughed, "If I knew it was that easy they'd already be on the floor," He allowed her to pull him toward her and kissed her back eagerly. There were things unresolved between them and what they were doing was probably a bad idea, but Ezra couldn't resist her, she had a hold over him and all he wanted was to get lost in her. Ezra had come to terms that he would never have her as he wanted her and that at some point it would have to end for good, for his own sake, but that didn't mean they couldn't enjoy themselves along the way, it was only himself he he was hurting anyway. Lyra's words surprised him, maybe even confused him. Ezra had made his feelings about her clear but she had never done the same, he didn't know what she felt for him, her statement suggested she at least felt...something. "I missed you too Ly, more than you know," He lifted his head above hers and planted a soft and tender kiss on her forehead, it perhaps wasn't in keeping with Lyra's motives in that moment, but it felt right.

 

[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra hadn't meant to blurt out the words and turn this meeting more serious than she intended to when she showed up here. But, maybe that was reckless of her when she knew how he felt about her. It was still difficult to believe he could love her. Lyra Potter smiled sweetly, touched by the intimate gesture. She touched his face, softly and tenderly. "I'm always here for you. I hope you know that. As soon as James told me what happened, I headed straight here. You helped me more than you will ever know when we met." she said, knowing that she had still been in a dark place when she met Ezra on the eve of the anniversary of her mother's death. Lyra gazed up at Ezra, knowing that her feelings for him had not disappeared over the past few months. If anything, they had actually grown stronger, and it surprised her. She leaned up, kissing him again on the lips to keep herself from saying something foolish.

 

[Ezra Cade]

The tone of the situation had changed drastically. They had gone from being within moments of tearing each others clothes off to being in the middle of a tender moment. Ezra smiled when Lyra told him she had come straight over as soon as she found out about his mother. It was still weird for him that a girl he was involved with was so close to his brother. He'd never have imagined he'd genuinely fall for someone who actually liked James, it was a strange way to think about your brother but Ezra and James had always had a complicated relationship. "I do know, and I'm glad you came over, there's no one I'd rather be with right now," Ezra knew he had to be careful about what he said, he didn't want to drive her away again so soon after getting her back, instead he returned her kiss, gently at first before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into his lap.

 

[Professor Lyra Potter]

The blonde grinned as Ezra pulled her into his lap. Her petite frame fit perfectly into his arms. She was pressed up against his bare chest, and she could feel the heat radiating off of him. It was natural for her to be here, and she hadn't realized how much she had come to rely on Ezra's presence until he wasn't around anymore. She ran her fingers through his hair, playing with it as she spoke. "I knew you'd be here alone, and I couldn't stand the thought of you being here upset without anyone that loves you. I know how you get, Ezra. I was worried about you." she said, knowing from the state she had found him in that she was right to worry about him. Not that she was only worried about him. Lyra was worried about James too, but at least he had Maddie to take care of him.

 

[Ezra Cade]

Ezra allowed Lyra's words to sink in. Surely she wasn't implying what he thought she was? There were a lot of ways a person could love someone without meaning it that way, still it was an interesting choice of words. Ezra looked up to meet Lyra's gaze, he studied her face trying to ascertain her meaning. "So, am I with someone who loves me now?" He asked. Ezra was a little taken a back by Lyra telling him she was worried about him, he couldn't remember the last time he had someone in his life to worry, at least, other than his mother.

 

[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra looked at Ezra, taken back by the pointed question Ezra asked her, as she silently cursed herself for letting this conversation get serious. Ezra had told her that he loved her two months ago, but she had hoped that it might have faded off or that he wasn't all that serious about her. She looked at him, not sure how to answer his question. It was a question she had avoided thinking about because the answer frightened her. It seemed there would be no avoiding this conversation now. The blonde hesitated as she looked at the handsome but broken man in front of her. "I think...I think that I might, but really, Ez, it doesn't change anything. I don't want to get married, and I don't want children. I've been running and fighting to avoid anything serious. You can't count on me." she said, softly, averting her eyes from his.

 

[Ezra Cade]

It seemed what Lyra had planned for them was out the window, Ezra certainly hadn't planned for a deep conversation when he pulled the woman onto his lap and yet there they were. Ezra listened to Lyra closely, listening for any indication that he was misunderstanding what she was saying but it didn't come. She loved him, it didn't change what she wanted, but she loved him and that was enough to bring a smile to his lips. "Lyra Potter, I'm not asking for any of that, I'm not asking you for marriage, kids, a white picket fence, none of it matters. All I've wanted since the moment I laid eyes on you in that bar, is you, no promises of forever, no vows, no rings, no labels, I just want you Lyra, because I love you and I can't believe you've got me to say this to another human being, but you can count on me,"

 

[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra bit her lip as Ezra spoke. A smile was on his face as if he had just won the lottery, and his words did nothing to calm her anxiety about the situation. She had been running away from love since her mother's death. Felix had also loved her, and Lyra was sure she had destroyed him completely, especially after their most recent encounter. Felix was everything that was kind and good and wonderful in the world, and Lyra had ripped his heart into tiny little shreds. James had never loved her, but even he hadn't walked away from their relationship without a Lyra-inflicted wound. Lanithro had been the only one Lyra had never hurt, at least that she knew of.

Ezra was less breakable than Felix, but she knew it would only be a matter of time before she broke Ezra's heart, too. But, Lyra was tired of trying to stay away from Ezra Cade because, for better or worse, Lyra loved him. The blonde believed him when he said he loved her this time, and as surprised as she was to come to this realization, she knew that she could count on him. Her wide green eyes looked up at Ezra with doubt in them. Had she somehow managed to give a love potion without realizing it? "Are you sure, Ezra? Are you sure that this is what you want? I can't make you any promises or commitments." she said. "But, if you want me here, I'll stay."

 

[Ezra Cade]

Ezra wanted more, he knew that, but if the choice was between having Lyra with no strings and no commitments or not having her at all, it was an easy choice. "I'm sure, stay, I don't want a commitment from you, I just want you," Ezra wanted Lyra all to himself but he knew that wasn't going to happen anytime soon, he didn't know how long he could pretend to be okay with her and Lanithro and whoever else she was sleeping with, but there was nothing he could do, all that mattered was that when he needed her the most, she had turned up. Ezra leaned forward and planted a soft, tender kiss on Lyra's lips. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life,"