A Court of Stars and Memories

40. The End of an Act

    Azalea had already entered the courtyard by the time Lysander greeted her. "You look nice," she said, her critical gaze sweeping over him. "I know you have company so I'll make this quick."

    "I'm not in a hurry and Mitsi doesn't mind," Lysander replied. "What's going on?"

    "I wanted to talk to you about her actually. What does she know about us?"

    "The same as everyone else, as far as I know. She thinks we're in an off and on relationship."

    "Hm." Azalea rubbed her chin thoughtfully and made her way over to one of the benches. She sat down and Lysander joined her. "I saw you at the park earlier. I was going to speak with you then, but when I saw how you and Mitsi were behaving, I thought I should wait."

    "What do you mean?"

    Azalea shot him a look of disbelief. "Didn't you notice how quickly Orion backed off when you approached? That male knew to take his hands off her the minute he saw you."

    "That doesn't mean anything."

    "You were possessive of her, Lys. I've never seen you act possessive of a female before. It just...it made me wonder if there's something going on between you two."

    Lysander averted his eyes. "There's nothing going on."

    "Come on. I'm not stupid and neither are you. People have been coming up to me and telling me how much time you're spending together. If you want to be with her, that's fine. Just tell me so we can officially break this off and I can tell all of those nosy busybodies that you're free to do as you wish."

    "I don't want to be with her," Lysander protested, but even as he said the words, something flickered within his chest. A thread, barely noticeable, but there all the same.

    Azalea tilted her head, still watching him curiously. "What about her draws your attention?"

    Lysander thought for a moment and ran his fingers through his hair with a short sigh. "Her heart. She's selfless and caring, and tries to do her best for everyone without expecting anything in return. She's always thinking of others and hardly spares a thought for herself. She just gives to everyone, because she cares."

    Azalea smiled faintly. "I thought she seemed sweet when I first met her." She rested a hand on his shoulder. "You know, she sounds a lot like you. She also sounds exactly like the kind of female you need."

    Lysander shook his head at once. "I don't need a relationship. I'm perfectly fine without a partner."

    "I didn't say she had to be your partner," Azalea reminded him. "I just said that she sounds like the kind of female you need, and it's true. You need someone, whether they be your friend or your lover, who can care for you with no expectations in return. She sounds like someone who is capable of that. Am I wrong?"

    Lysander closed his eyes, his thoughts already running through the time that had passed since Mitsi and her siblings first came to the Night Court. "No," he murmured.

    She had always been understanding towards him. She had always respected his boundaries. She was always patient, always kind, and always caring. He had felt safe with her, even when the sight of her smile brought fear into his mind. Never fear of her, but fear of being hurt. Of being used.

    But he felt safe with her. He felt safe when she traced the tattoos on his arms. He felt safe when she took his hand and pulled him away from Celeste. He felt safe even when she was touching his wings.

    And, most importantly, she had always been honest. He had trusted her from the day they met, even if he hadn't realized it. "You do care for her," Azalea realized. "I can see it on your face."