〖 Love is an Illusion 〗➻❥ LYNEY × READER

♦ Chapter 16 ♦

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...What the hell is going on?

You stand in confusion for a few seconds before storing the slip of paper in your pocket and resuming your search for Felicity. But the longer you walk, the weirder the feeling gets. The feeling that someone is not only watching you, but has been for a long, long time.

As you turn a corner, a tap on your shoulder makes you jump.

"Sorry!" A woman's kind voice apologizes. You quickly turn around and see Felicity standing there with an apologetic expression washed over her face. "I recognized you from afar, and I thought we should continue our conversation."

"Oh. Uh, yeah. Yeah," you breathe, looking around anxiously. Suddenly, you snap out of your distracted state. "Um, sorry. I was actually just looking for you, which is really convenient."

"Oh, it is, isn't it?" Felicity smiles. She begins to walk and motions you to follow her. Once you catch up, she clears her throat. "So...how have you been?"

"I'm alright," you reply. "I'm sorry for my father interrupting our conversation the other day. He's a little...uneasy."

"Your father?" Felicity asks curiously, expressing surprise. You nod in response. She looks off into the distance for a moment before redirecting her attention to you. "...I see."

The two of you continue walking around the city as you ask her questions about your mother. Her answers are extensive and filled to the brim with emotion. Every so often, however, she would ask you a question about yourself, your father, and other aspects of your life. The sudden and quite interrogative change of topic made you feel nervous and put on the spot, but you felt it was only fair since she was answering all your inquiries.

Eventually, you come to reach the edge of the city's gates.

"Thank you for all your answers," you say, smiling. "They're a lot of help to me."

"It's nothing," Felicity replies, mirroring your smile. She caresses the lamppost next to her, gazing at the world outside the city of Fontaine. "It was a nice trip down memory lane."

You clear your throat. "If it's not too much trouble, could we continue the conversation later?"

Felicity retreats her hand from the lamppost and holds her hands together. "Of course."

You agree to meet at Café Lucerne in two days before bidding the woman goodbye.

Later, in the comfort of your home, you begin to write down everything you remember Felicity saying. "...College...friend," you whisper, writing the words down on a notepad. You flip the pen around and catch the tip in your teeth, feeling your eyebrows furrow in thought. Next to those words, you write "truth?" and circle it vigorously.

She's dangerous...dangerous...rous...rous...

Your father's words echo in your mind.

As much as we were fighting earlier...he's right, you think. I have to be cautious about her; she's only a stranger, after all.

You pick up the photo frame and inspect it closer. Your younger self smiles with all the pride in the world. Felicity's grip on your shoulder looks normal, but you swear you can feel it in the moment...eerie. The man on your other shoulder was a complete stranger. Even after talking for hours with Felicity, I still have so many unanswered questions.

You grip the pen and begin to write again.

"One. What...is your...relationship..."

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"...with my father?"

You lean back on a box on the floor and sigh heavily, a clutter of props scattered around you. You bite on the end of one pen as the other threatens to fall out from behind your ear. Paying it no mind, you slouch over the notebook, whispering.

Lyney stands up straight, wiping his forehead as he looks over. He notices your troubled pose and makes his way over to you.

"Are you doing alright?" He asks, stepping over the mess. "You look...unsettled."

You laugh softly despite your slightly crazed state of mind.

"Just solving a mystery," you whisper, your laughing turning into a slight groan at the end. You glance at Lynette, who sits in a corner on the floor, practicing an assortment of tea-related magic tricks.

"Oh? Sounds intriguing," Lyney says, crouching down next to you. You look up and he tilts his head to the side, smiling. Your face softens as it returns his smile.

Lyney makes a little rainbow rose appear out of nowhere and replaces the unstable pen behind your ear with it.

"Make sure not to strain yourself," he whispers calmly.

"I could say the same to you," you giggle, looking around at the messy backstage. You look back at him. "Uh...do you need help with anything?"

Lyney shakes his head, pulling you up by the hands, making the notepad drop to the floor. "I just want your company," he says, grinning.

You place a quick peck on his lips before picking up the notepad and pen and stuffing it into your satchel. "I'm gonna head out for a while. Wanna come with?"

"I'd love to, but..." He glances over at Lynette, who has six teaspoons bent and scattered around the floor. She looks up and meets his eyes.

"Don't worry," she says quietly. "Go." Lyney stares at her for a few seconds before nodding and taking your hand. He pats Lynette on the head with his other hand before leading you out of the room.

A calm breeze brushes your hair as you step outside of the building. Lyney takes your hand and leads you down the road. The moonlight highlights his face perfectly; from the bridge of his nose to the lining of his lips.

"So, what's been on your mind?" Lyney asks as he and you stroll through Fontaine.

"Other than you?" You remark.

"Yes, other than me," Lyney laughs, squeezing your hand.

"I'm not sure if it's the best idea to disturb you with this. You're really busy," you say.

"Not busy enough to not care about you, y/n." He stops and holds the other hand.

Lyney stares into your eyes without another word, and his gaze tells you all you need to know.