Dancing With a Witch

Vulnerable (Chapter 4)

Lyra wasn't sure what time it was when she finally woke up.

Her nausea was gone and she wasn't dizzy anymore.

She wondered where Ryuji had gone, he wasn't beside her anymore.

Lyra gets out of bed and goes into the bathroom, not hearing the shower, or it turn off.

"Good to see you up," Ryuji's voice says from behind her.

She turns to face him, immediately covering her eyes. "I am so sorry! I didn't realize you were in here!"

"It's okay. Hold on," he gets a towel and wraps it around his waist. "There, I'm decent."

Lyra doesn't remove her hands, just stands there wishing her body would cool down from the embarrassment.

She feels hands on her shoulders. "Lyra, it's okay." His hands move to her forearms, running his thumb gently along her arm hair. "Let me see those hazel eyes?"

Lyra lets him move her arms away from her face and she slowly opens her eyes, looking up at his face. She feels the warmth on her cheeks as she gazes at him.

"It's okay," he says again.

His deep voice was lulling her nerves.

"But you were...." her voice trails off as he touches his forehead to hers.

"I was what? Naked?" he prompts. "So what? It's just flesh, nothing scary." He moves her hands and places them on his chest, "See?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you're the best guy in all the nine realms?" she asks. "You have the ability to calm my anxiety faster than anyone ever has."

"I do what I can," Ryuji muses. "I want you to know that you can trust me. I trust you."

"I trust you too," Lyra assures him. "It's me I have trouble trusting."

"I can understand that," he says. "It's not easy, trusting yourself."

"You're easy to trust," she notes. "I could fall backwards, and there would be no doubt in my mind that you'd catch me."

He smiles, "I'll always catch you."

She glances at his lips, "Will you kiss me?"

"Mmhmm," he mutters. "I'll do that too."

Ryuji's lips graze hers and he slides his tongue inside her mouth.

"You kiss by the book," she muses.

"Really?" he chuckles. "A Romeo and Juliet reference? I wouldn't have pegged you as someone who likes that play."

"I hate that play," she snorts. "There's nothing romantic about a play based off of infatuation and impulse marriage that results in suicide."

"I love you," he says.

"I love you too," she replies. "I need to use the toilet."

"I'll leave you to it," he exits the bathroom to go get dressed.

After Lyra has some breakfast, she sends Yukio a text to let him know she was feeling better, which earned a phone call from him.

"It's good to hear you're feeling better," he says. "It'll be a few more days until you're back at full strength though."

"Yeah I know," Lyra replies. "When can I come back to class?"

"Monday," he tells her. "Give you two more days to rest and recover."

"I appreciate that," she muses.