The night air was crisp as Selene and Lyra sat across from each other in the cozy corner of the café. The weight of their recent confrontations and confessions hung between them, a tangible thing in the quiet space. Selene had been so sure of her feelings, but now, everything felt uncertain, reshaped by the incredible truth Lyra had shared.
But Lyra was right. They could not keep avoiding it.
"I should have come to you sooner," Lyra said quietly, breaking the silence that had stretched between them. "But every time I thought about it, I froze. It is like I did not know how to explain... all of this."
Selene looked at her, her heart aching at the vulnerability in Lyra's eyes. She had never seen her this open before, and it made Selene want to reach out, to tell her everything would be okay, even if she was not sure it could be.
"What do you mean, all of this?" Selene asked, her voice soft.
"Everything," Lyra said, shaking her head, her voice tinged with a deep, ancient sadness. "The artifact, what I am... everything I have kept hidden. I should have told you, but I was afraid. I did not want to drag you into this world. I did not want you to see me as... different."
Selene felt a pang of guilt. "I do not think of you as different, Lyra," she said, her voice steady. "I see you. The person who has been there for me. None of this changes how I feel about you."
Lyra's eyes softened, but the sadness remained. She looked down at her coffee cup. "You do not know what it is like. To live for so long, to see everyone around you grow old while you stay the same. To be stuck in time... It changes you, Selene. It makes you numb. I did not want that for you."
Selene felt a rush of understanding. It was not just about immortality; it was about the profound isolation, the weight of centuries lived at a remove. She could see how it had shaped Lyra, making her retreat, making her push others away to avoid the inevitable pain of loss.
"I cannot imagine what that must be like," Selene said softly, reaching out across the table, her fingers brushing Lyra's. "But I am not going anywhere. I want to be here. With you. If you will let me."
Lyra looked up, her expression a mix of relief and fear. "You do not know what you are saying," she murmured. "This is dangerous, Selene. If you stay with me... it will not be easy. There will be things you cannot understand, things you will never be able to fix."
Selene squeezed her hand gently. "I am not asking you to fix anything," she said, her voice calm but firm. "I just want to be with you. I am willing to face whatever comes our way. Together."
For a moment, there was silence between them. Lyra seemed to be weighing her words, as though she could not allow herself to believe it. But then, something in her eyes softened, a hesitant smile forming on her lips.
"You really mean that, do not you?" Lyra asked quietly.
"I do," Selene replied, her heart pounding.
They spent the next few hours talking, slowly opening up in a way they had not before. There were still countless unanswered questions about Lyra's past, the artifact, and what a future could even look like for them. But for the first time, Selene felt like they were moving in the right direction. They were finally being honest.
But as the night wore on and they said their goodbyes, a lingering thought persisted in the back of Selene's mind.
Where did that leave Eliza?
She could not deny that Eliza had been a constant, fun presence. She had been a needed distraction, a friend who offered simplicity and light during a confusing time. But Selene knew, with a certainty that settled deep in her bones, that what she shared with Eliza was not the same. It was not the profound, terrifying, and eternal connection she felt with Lyra.
Yet, Eliza kept showing up. Every time Selene and Lyra took a step forward, Eliza was there, an ever present shadow, pulling Selene back toward the easier, simpler path.
As Selene walked down the quiet streets toward her apartment, her phone buzzed. She knew who it was before she looked.
Eliza: "Hey, are we still on for tomorrow? I am thinking we hit the beach for the day. I need to get out of town for a bit. Come on, it will be fun!"
Selene sighed, her fingers hovering over the screen. A part of her wanted to say yes, to lose herself in a day of sun and mindless fun, to avoid the difficult choices looming.
But the pull toward Lyra was stronger now. She could not keep living in this limbo, using one woman as a shield against her feelings for the other. It was not fair to any of them.
Selene typed back, her decision firming with each word: "I will let you know. I need to think about a few things."
She hit send. The message was non committal, but it was a start. She did not know what tomorrow would bring, or how she would navigate the complicated web of her relationships. But she knew she could no longer avoid the truth. She had to choose, and her heart, despite the fear, already knew its answer.