All Roads Lead to Rome

Where Roads Meet

Lyra was sitting at her counter waiting, drumming her fingers. Irritation filled the sigh that escaped. It had been three days since the deliveries had started and they hadn't slowed. If anything, they had increased. Breakfast arrived with the flowers that came with cards reminding her to do things like lock the door, to eat, turn up the heat. Lunch came with chocolate and a request to come home. Dinner was accompanied by her favored red wine. That wasn't even counting the gifts.

They were driving her crazy.

She heard the approaching footsteps and went to open the door before the delivery person could knock. There was a surprised Antares standing there before a sheepish smile went across his face at her obvious irritation. He held the flowers in his hand and a bag of takeout. He was wearing jeans and a soft brown leather jacket over a white t-shirt. Simple but on him incredibly hot.

"I remember walking away from you two," she commented dryly, her heart beating too fast. Her eyes went over him hungrily and that's when she realized that he looked strained. "Come inside. What's wrong?" She reached out and pulled him in.

He set the flowers down on the counter and put the food next to them. He reached out and pulled her up, covering her mouth with his hungry one. His mouth drank from hers' with a desperation that she responded to instantly, her fingers curling into his hair. His tongue probed her lips softly and she opened to him with no hesitation.

He pulled away and stepped back when need began raking its claws over his control.

"I'm sorry for that. You did walk away. I just wanted to see you so I thought I would hand deliver today," he said with hunched shoulders. She leaned back against the counter, struggling for breath. "Then...I... I couldn't smell you and not taste you."

Her eyes went over him. Something was off.

"Antares, what's wrong? You don't look so good."

He smiled and brushed a strand of hair back from her face. "Worried about me? Don't be. I'm fine."

"You two have to take care of yourselves." she began. He laughed, the sound both beautiful and self mocking. Something she had never heard from him before. She didn't like it.

"Or what? You'll come home and punish us? I don't think that to do as you ask would be quite the motivator you think it is." Her eyes twinkled for a minute before she pushed it back.

"That reminds me. Antares, all of this needs to stop."

"Why? Is it working?" he questioned with a smile and a slight cock of his head.

"I'm not answering that," she responded heatedly, fighting back the urge to return the smile. "You have Romulus to take care of."

"That is actually why I came to see you," Antares said, his bright eyes turning serious. She sighed, anticipating what he was going to say.

"As adorable as it is to have the two of you telling me how the other needs me, it won't change my mind this time."
"Rome has been here?" Antares questioned.

"Not since that first night...Ok, Antares what is going on? You should know the answer to that. You guys depend on each other for everything. Tell each other everything."

"Not lately," Antares admitted in a low voice. She sat down on the couch a little heavily, dread in her heart.

"Please tell me I didn't break the two of you." Lyra managed. He sat down next to her and gripped her hand.
"No. You didn't break us. This is just the way we were already."
"I saw how the two of you were." she denied.
"You saw the united front that we show to everyone else. The difference is that you managed to get past that front and still care enough to want to protect us. That's what made you so vital so quickly."