ACCIDENTAL | lyney [✔︎]

ix.

after the whole fiasco with the garde turning into water, the audience was dismissed. [name] hurried towards the entrance of the epiclese, desperate to leave, only to have her wrist gently grabbed by a gloved hand. she froze, slowly turning to look at whoever grabbed her.

realizing it was lyney, she stiffened, eyes widening as she yanked her hand back. the boy stared incredulously, unsure why she was reacting that way.

"ma chérie?"

"don't call me that."

he was taken aback, frowning. "what's wrong?"

"you never told me you were a fatuus. that's what's wrong. the deal is off."

"now hold on a moment, please," he responded weakly. his heart sunk at the realization that she hated the fatui. they weren't a good organization, but hating him for it? it broke his heart hearing those words from the one he loved. "i can explain."

"you don't need to explain anything, lyney," she snapped. "you're a fatuus, that should be reason enough."

"[name], please. it wasn't my choice."

she froze at his words, frowning as she looked at him. "and what's that supposed to mean?"

he sighed. "it was my only option. it was either join and keep lynette safe or live on the streets. there was no other option, so i joined."

"how do i know you're telling the truth, huh?"

"[name], please..." he was pleading at this point, looking at her with teary eyes. "i know i wasn't honest with you, but please believe me. i'm telling the truth."

"i can't. that's final. now leave me alone, please." with that, she turned away, tears welling in her eyes. her heart ached but she ignored it as she walked, determined to get away. lyney stood frozen, unmoving as he watched her disappear. tears rolled down his face, leaving him distraught as he watched the woman he loved walk away.

he sniffled before sighing. it was for the best. arlecchino would be pleased to know they were no longer together. she would be less than thrilled to hear that his connection to the fatui was now known. lynette silently came up beside him, gently patting his shoulder.

lyney inhaled sharply, wiped his tears, and gave his sister a forced smile. "let us report to "father.""

•••

[name] cried as she lay with petit chou, who was whining. the poodle could sense something was wrong but didn't know what. the dog began licking her owner in an attempt to help. the girl giggled slightly despite weeping. she sniffled, petting the poodle as she tried to calm herself.

she exhaled shakily, wiping at her tears as a knock came from the door. in stepped her father, a look of concern on his face.

"darling, are you alright?"

she gave a shaky nod. "i'm fine, father."

"you're crying." he gently sat down on the bed. "what's wrong?"

as tempted as she was to tell her father the truth of what happened, she refrained. "lyney and i had an argument."

"about what?"

"he's, well, he's a fatuus," she muttered quietly. her father sighed, shaking his head.

"i knew he was bad news. the fatui are a disgusting organization that needs to be destroyed."

"but, father, he said it wasn't his choice..."

"and you believed him? [name], he's a fatuus. he's a part of the same organization that killed your mother, yet you defend him?!"

"it's not like he was the one who killed my mother!" she retorted, sitting up with an annoyed expression. she didn't know why she was defending him, especially after what she said to him, but she was. her chest ached and she felt tears form in her eyes. "get out, please, father. i don't want to talk about it."

he did as asked, standing and walking out. he shut the door behind him quietly. petit chou whined, nuzzling her owner in concern. [name] sighed, gently petting the poodle.

"i don't know what to do, chou. i'm at a loss."

•••

after he left her room, her father began thinking to himself. despite the fact that the fatui killed his wife, his daughter seemed happier around the fatuus magician. to the point where she seemed sad when he wasn't around. he appreciated that lyney made his precious [name] happy.

but the fact lyney was a fatuus changed everything. the father wanted his daughter to be happy, but with a boy who's apart of the organization that took her mother? he couldn't accept it. he sighed, rubbing a hand down his face as he looked at a picture of his wife.

"what do i do?" he asked quietly, staring down at the photo. "do i let her stay with him? i want her to be happy. archons, i wish you were still here...you'd know what to do."

he knew why the fatui killed her; she was snezhnayan, a previous member of the fatui before she committed treason to be with him. knowing didn't make it any easier on the family, though. the fact was the fatui killed his wife and his daughter was dating a fatuus. the father sighed once more, making his decision.