Closed Truth Hurts

[Lyra Potter]

Lyra Potter carried a small hand in each of her hands as she walked up the path to her new house. It didn't look like Ezra had made it home from his business trip yet, which was good. She still needed to talk to him about what Lanithro had said last night, and depending on how that went, she had to break the news to him about the children. She had a feeling the conversation wouldn't go well. They entered the house, and Lyra let go of the little hands. Kamryn and Kingsley immediately squealed in glee as they noticed the beach below and the pool out back. She promised them she'd take them swimming tomorrow, but now it was time for bed. The blonde got them ready and tucked in to the bed in one of the guest rooms, kissing the tops of their heads before turning out the light.

Lyra made her way downstairs to the kitchen wondering how this happened to her. How did she end up living with her boyfriend and caring for two small children for when she didn't want anyone to depend on her? What choice did she have when Carter clearly wasn't fit to care for the twins? She knew Ezra would not be happy about it. Lyra poured herself a glass of wine before going to to sit at the dining room table with her head between her hands. What was she going to do?

 

[Ezra Cade]

Moving in with Lyra had been a bit of an adjustment. Sure he was no stranger to seeing her for multiple days on end but those times always had an end date, this one didn't. Unfortunately their honeymoon period was brought to an end when Ezra had to go back to the states for a business trip, he was only gone a few days but it had felt like an eternity knowing he'd been away from Lyra. Finally his business ended and Ezra was able to apparate home. He still wasn't over how beautiful the house was, Lyra really did have good taste which begged the question why she had settled down with someone like him.

Ezra entered the house, took off his coat and kicked off his shoes. The new house was always warmer to walk into than the mansion had been. "Lyra?" He called into the house. It wasn't that late, hopefully she was still up.

 

[Lyra Potter]

Lyra heard the door shut and the familiar sounds of Ezra returning to the home that she shared with him. She had finished her glass of wine about thirty minutes ago, and she had brought the entire bottle to the table. She had checked on the children twice, but they slept soundly. She had cast a spell around the room to keep noise out in case this talk with Ezra got heated. "God, don't let me screw this up." she muttered under her breath. She had no faith that she wouldn't screw up. There were so many ways that she could. "In here, Ez." she called back to him.

 

[Ezra Cade]

Ezra followed Lyra's voice through to the kitchen where she sat drinking wine, which wasn't unusual, but the bottle at her side was a little odd. Wordlessly Ezra went over to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a glass of whiskey and carried the bottle over to the table. He had a feeling he was going to need it. "Ok, out with it," He said sitting at the table opposite it. Ezra had got pretty good at reading Lyra and he knew she had something to say.

 

[Lyra Potter]

The blonde heard his footsteps in the hall, and then she saw him. He looked good. Like always. She wanted to get lost in his arms and his kisses, but she couldn't right now. She needed answers. Lyra sighed as Ezra told her to spit it out. She wasn't sure where to start. "Well. It's two parts. The first thing you should know is that Kammie and Kingsley are upstairs asleep." Lyra cautioned, not wanting him to shout. "Before I get to that story, I need to ask you something, and I need you to be honest with me. Someone told me they saw you out with a pretty brunette that wasn't me. Is it true? Are you seeing someone else?" she asked, hesitantly. Lyra knew what she was accusing him of, and she had a hard time believing it. If anyone other than Lanithro had told her that, she would have immediately dismissed it. It had been a long time since she gave someone this much of her heart. Surely, Ezra wouldn't break it so soon.

 

[Ezra Cade]

Ezra was mid sip when Lyra told him her baby siblings were sleeping upstairs. That was not what he had expected to come home to but he decided to hold his tongue until she came back to the accompanying story. He didn't have time to dwell on the presence of two children in the house before Lyra basically asked him if he had cheated on her, he didn't even have time to think before words fell from his mouth. "Excuse me?" He said trying to watch for Lyra's expression. Surely she couldn't be serious. "A pretty brunette?" Ezra mused, wondered anyone in his life matched the description that he could have been seen with. He didn't want to think someone in Lyra's life had flat out lied to her after all. "I'm not seeing someone else," Ezra said flatly. "Just haven't been with anyone else since we started this little dance over two years ago," Ezra emptied his glass down his throat then let the empty glass sit on the table. "I'm been faithful to you since the night we met, why would I stop now?" He asked her sincerely. Ezra wanted to know why she suddenly had reason to doubt him.

 

[Lyra Potter]

Lyra watched Ezra carefully, looking for any sign that he wasn't telling her the truth. Her own expression was guarded, not revealing any of her own emotions until the mask slipped into a face of disbelief and shock. Did she hear him correctly? There was no doubting the sincerity in his tone. "You've been faithful to me for the last two years? Really?" she said, the surprise clearly in her voice. She would have never expected that from Ezra Cade. She knew his reputation prior to meeting her and the arrangement they had originally agreed upon, even before their open relationship. "You liked me that much?" she said, the incredulity seeping into her voice. It was hard for her to imagine that anyone would be that interested in her. "I had no idea." she said, not letting on that it wasn't the case for her. She thought he probably knew, but she didn't want to confirm it for him. She wasn't that cruel. "I guess he lied to me." she said quietly, clearly upset. Lanithro had never lied to her. He had always protected her, held her when she cried, comforted her.

 

[Ezra Cade]

Ezra had never intended to come clean about the fact he'd never slept with anyone else during their whole time together, but the unusual situation in front of him warranted it. If Lyra needed him to prove something then he would do so, he just hoped in future she would trust him. "You seem surprised," He said simply. Was it that difficult to believe he would be faithful without being asked to be? Ezra couldn't help but smile when she asked if he had liked her that much. "That first night we spent together, that unexpected night turned weekend, I knew then I'd fallen for you," Ezra poured himself another glass of whiskey, keeping his composure. "I'm sorry, maybe they weren't lying, maybe they saw me with Madeline any jumped to conclusions?" Ezra offered. He didn't do benefit of the doubt usually, but the look on Lyra's face made him want to give her hope she hadn't been betrayed by a friend.

 

[Lyra Potter]

Lyra was surprised by this revelation that he had fallen for her the very first weekend they were together. It was just so....out of character from what she knew about him before, but it did explain why things had been so different with her. “I’m surprised, but I’m also flattered.” Lyra said truthfully. She listened to the story with disbelief. She’d be having a conversation with Ezra later. She suspected something else was going on it she wasn’t sure what. “Yeah maybe but Lanithro should know Maddie. In any case, I believe you.” Lyra said with a small smile. “I love you, Ez.” Now she had to tell him the rest of the story. "I went to see Carter tonight, and well, he was very drunk. Not friendly. Not making sense. He threw a glass at me, don't worry it missed and shattered on the door, and he called me by my mother's name. I just couldn't leave the children there. I don't think it's safe with Carter, and I didn't know what else to do about it. Do you mind terribly? I don't know what to do. It was horrible." she said, still a little shaken up by the way Carter had acted.

 

[Ezra Cade]

Ezra shrugged, he didn't know what to tell her short of confirming that Lanithro was a liar or that he had feelings for her but if she hadn't worked that one out herself he didn't want to help her to that conclusion. Listening to the story about what happened when Lyra went to visit Carter Ezra found himself getting angry, he clenched his fists and when she mentioned him throwing a glass at her he got to his feet abruptly, the chair falling to the floor behind him. "I'll kill him," Ezra yelled without thinking, suddenly aware of his own voice and temper, hopefully Lyra put a silencing charm to block the noise coming the kitchen. Ezra wasn't a big fan of kids, but he had to admit she was right, she couldn't have left the children there after Carter's outburst. "You're right," He muttered as he paced on his feet. Lyra owned the house they sat in, she didn't need his permission or blessing to move her siblings in but nonetheless he wanted to support her in the decision she had made. He'd put up with screaming children for her. There wasn't much he wouldn't do for Lyra Potter. "It's okay," He said taking a seat next to her and putting his arms around her. "The kids are safe, you're safe, I won't let anything happen to any of you,"

 

[Lyra Potter]

Lyra flinched at Ezra's sudden outburst towards Carter, though she hadn't expected otherwise. Her green eyes followed him as he paced back in forth, thinking. She bit her lip, hoping he wasn't upset with her for her impulsive decision. She loved Ezra and this not the sort of thing you did to the boyfriend you lived with. Lyra let out a breath she didn't know she was holding when he told her she was right. She leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around her. Lyra needed Ezra. Too long she had been trying to do everything herself. It was nice to have someone to depend on. Someone that promised to keep her safe. Lyra kissed his lips lightly. "I know. I count on that daily. Thank you, Ezra." she said softly, appreciating him more now than she ever had.