It had been a few days since the awkward dinner with Eliza and Lyra. Selene had tried to avoid thinking about it; she tried to convince herself that it wasn't a big deal, that she hadn't made the wrong choice. But every time she thought about Lyra, about the way Lyra had looked at her before she walked away, a weight settled in her chest. It was hard to ignore the distance that had grown between them in such a short time.
The library was quiet. It was late, and most of the patrons had long since left, leaving only Selene and Lyra to finish up the last bits of work. The soft hum of the overhead lights and the faint rustling of pages were the only sounds that filled the otherwise silent space.
Selene had spent most of the day shelving books, her thoughts drifting between the uncertainty she felt with Lyra and the lingering presence of Eliza. It had been days since that awkward dinner, and though she had tried to focus on her work, the tension between her and Lyra was impossible to ignore. Lyra had seemed distant since the incident, her quiet demeanor leaving Selene unsure of where they stood. But Selene couldn't help but hope that maybe tonight, they could take a step forward, even if it was a small one.
Lyra was in the back of the library, standing on the ladder as she carefully placed books back on the top shelf. Selene watched her for a moment, noticing the way Lyra moved with grace and precision, the familiar way she seemed to be lost in her task, her face slightly turned as she reached for a book.
Selene couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips as she watched Lyra. There was something about her, something quiet and beautiful, that Selene found herself drawn to more and more each day. The way Lyra's dark hair fell over her shoulder as she worked, the small furrow in her brow when she concentrated; it was all so endearing, and yet, Selene couldn't help but feel like Lyra was still holding back, still keeping something hidden.
Suddenly, the ladder wobbled slightly. Lyra let out a startled gasp, her arms flailing for a moment as she tried to steady herself.
"Lyra!" Selene called out, rushing forward just in time to see the ladder tilt a little too far.
Before she could react, Lyra lost her balance, and in a blink of an eye, she was falling toward Selene. Time seemed to slow as Lyra's body collided with hers, and the next thing Selene knew, they were tumbling to the floor in an unexpected heap of limbs.
The impact wasn't hard, but the suddenness of it all left Selene dizzy. She barely had time to register what was happening before Lyra's face was inches from hers, their lips meeting in a brief, accidental kiss. It wasn't planned. It wasn't intentional. But it was enough to send a rush of heat flooding through Selene's chest, and in that moment, she felt the world around her go completely still.
For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Selene could feel Lyra's breath on her lips, the warmth of her skin so close, the closeness that they had never shared before. And then, as quickly as it had happened, they both pulled away at the same time, eyes wide, hearts racing.
"Lyra," Selene breathed out, her voice shaky, unsure of what to say. Her body felt like it was still humming from the unexpected contact, the briefest spark of something that could have been more.
"I'm sorry," Lyra immediately said, scrambling to sit up, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She quickly pushed herself off of Selene and stood up, straightening her clothes. "I didn't mean to."
"No," Selene cut in, sitting up as well, feeling her own cheeks heat up. "It's okay. Are you alright?"
Lyra didn't answer right away. She was avoiding Selene's gaze, her hands shaking slightly as she clutched the rung of the ladder, clearly trying to steady herself both physically and emotionally. Selene could see the way Lyra was retreating inwardly, the walls coming up again.
Selene stood, brushing herself off, her heart still pounding in her chest. "That was, well, not what I expected, but it's okay. You didn't mean to."
Lyra nodded quickly, still not meeting her eyes. "I didn't mean to fall on you. I just..." She paused, her voice trailing off, and she looked down at the ground, clearly flustered.
Selene took a small step forward, trying to ease the tension. "It wasn't bad," she said, her voice lighter than she felt. "It was just an accident."
But the air between them felt charged now, as if the kiss had changed something. Selene couldn't ignore the way her heart was still racing, the way Lyra's presence felt more intense now, more immediate. The accidental kiss had been nothing more than that, an accident. But for Selene, it felt like a turning point, like the moment when everything between them could shift, for better or for worse.
"I..." Lyra started, her voice shaking slightly, but she stopped herself. "I should get back to finishing this," she said quickly, her eyes darting to the books she had left on the shelf. "I didn't mean to make things awkward."
Selene stood still for a moment, watching Lyra's retreating form. She felt a surge of frustration rise in her chest. Lyra had pulled away before anything could even begin, and now the distance between them felt wider than ever. The kiss, accidental as it was, had opened a door. But Lyra had slammed it shut before Selene had even had a chance to walk through it.
"Lyra," Selene said softly, walking up to her. "I'm not going anywhere, you know. You don't have to keep pushing me away."
Lyra paused, her back still to Selene. She didn't turn around, but Selene could see her shoulders tighten. "I know," she said quietly. "But I don't know how to do this, Selene. I don't know how to be with someone like you."
Selene felt a lump form in her throat at the words. She had known Lyra was afraid, but hearing it out loud made her heart ache. She wanted to reach out, to pull Lyra closer, to show her that it didn't have to be this complicated. But she could feel Lyra's walls rising again, and no matter how much she wanted to break them down, she knew she couldn't do it alone.
Instead, Selene took a step back, giving Lyra space. "I understand," she said softly, though her voice caught slightly. "I'll be here when you're ready. No pressure."
Lyra turned slightly, glancing at Selene from over her shoulder. Her eyes were filled with something, something deep, something Selene couldn't quite place. But before she could say anything, Lyra turned away again, busying herself with the books.
Selene watched for a moment, the ache in her chest growing. She wasn't sure what had just happened, but she felt like they were standing on the edge of something. The kiss, the closeness; it had stirred something between them. But Lyra's fear had pushed it all away before it could even take root.
Lyra's POV
Lyra stood there, her heart racing, her mind a blur of emotions. The kiss, however accidental it had been, had shaken her more than she cared to admit. She hadn't expected it. She hadn't prepared for it. And yet, when Selene's lips had brushed against hers, it felt like everything she had been avoiding had come rushing to the surface. The emotions, the longing, the fear; it was all too much, too fast.
She had pulled away instinctively, her breath shallow, and now, standing in front of the bookshelf, she couldn't shake the feeling of Selene's touch, the softness of the kiss, the way her heart had responded despite everything.
Lyra had spent years building walls around herself, keeping everyone at arm's length, protecting herself from the hurt she knew would come if she let anyone in. But Selene had chipped away at those walls, piece by piece, until she had reached a place where Lyra wasn't sure she was ready to be. She had tried to push her away, tried to keep her at a distance, but the pull Selene had on her was undeniable.
Now, she stood here, unable to face the truth. She was scared. Scared of letting someone get too close. Scared of what it meant to be vulnerable, to open herself up to someone who might walk away just like everyone else had.
But there was something about Selene that made her want to take the chance. Maybe, just maybe, Selene was the one person who wouldn't leave.