Icarus

Part 14

Two days later, Lyr woke up in a soft bed, surrounded by familiar faces. Miri was sitting in a rocking chair next to her, working on designing a new combat simulation hologram for the training room with Quark under her arm. Roger was leaning awkwardly against the wall, fiddling with a piece of wire. Taylee had just walked in with a tray full of delicious-smelling home-cooked breakfast, and sitting on the end of the bed was Lorani. Her mama. Lyr smiled groggily.
"Am I dreaming?"
Roger shook his head.
"Nope. You're finally awake. You passed out as soon as we got back to base."
"Science-magic that powerful takes a lot out of you, so you're staying on bed rest for three more days at least." Lorani added.
"What base are we at? Why are you alive, Mom? And why are you guys working with the Blackskulls?"
A long conversation and several snack breaks later, everyone was caught up on each other's exploits. Over the next few days, Lyr and her mother were inseparable, talking, cuddling, reading, looking at Lyr's old baby photos, and just generally making up for lost time. Miri would often join them, basking in the warmth of having an honorary Mama herself for the first time in her life and making them both laugh with her unique insights and weird sense of humor.
Once Lyr was out of bed, Lorani still made her take things easy. But finally, she was allowed to start training in science-magic with Kai and Miri and combat with Maysha, Rufus, and Finn. She explored the base and the tunnels, got to know the rest of the New Resistance, and lifted everyone's spirits with her wry jokes and helping hands. Roger, though, seemed to be avoiding her. He didn't seem angry, or even really upset at all, just distant. But she had no clue why.

Finally, one night when Lyr was out on the beach by the tunnel entrance, she noticed him sitting on a rocky outcrop a few yards away, looking up at the stars. She strode over and plunked her butt down on the damp stone next to him. They sat in silence for a few minutes before she said, "It was my birthday today. My real birthday. I'm seventeen now."
"I know." Roger said quietly.
He still didn't look at her.
"You can't keep ignoring me forever, you know. If I did something to upset you, just tell me and get it over with so I can make things right."
Roger heaved a sigh, then turned to face her. "You didn't do anything wrong, Lyr. I did."
"What did you do? Cause if it was something, like, wrong in a fun way and you've been holding out on me, that would suck."
"No. I . . . I think I'm in love with you. I mean, I'm not absolutely sure, which is why I wanted to figure it out before I told you. And I don't know if you love me back, I mean, you probably don't, and we couldn't really be in love like most people because, you know, I don't want to kiss you or anything . . ."
His voice trailed off into miserable silence.
"You know kissing doesn't necessarily equal being in love, right?" Lyr asked after a moment. "Being in love is just . . . caring about somebody so much that you'd do anything for them. Caring about somebody enough that you never give up on them, and you support them, and you put up with them even when they're really, really getting on your nerves. You've already done all those things."
"Oh. Then yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you. Sorry."
Lyr laughed under her breath.
"Why are you apologizing, silly? I love you too."
She put her arm around his shoulders, and after a moment he put his arm around her waist, and they stayed silent like that for a while. Just leaning on each other, warm and comfortable under the stars. Roger broke the silence to nuzzle the top of Lyr's head and say, "I made you a present."
"Is it another bomb?" She asked, teasing.
"Not exactly."
"What does that mean?"
"You'll see in just a second."
Just as he finished the sentence, a huge burst of crackling purple fire lit up the sky. Then another firework went off, and another, blooming into the night like glorious short-lived flowers in every color of the rainbow. Lyr turned to Roger, grinning from ear to ear.
"Is that the Annual Skyfire Show?"
He nodded, unable to hide a hint of a proud smirk. "Everyone will think it went off two weeks early as a malfunction. But it's really for you."
She hugged him tight enough to make him grunt in surprise.
"Thank you so much! You're the best friend ever."
"Uh, I thought we were more than friends now. Was I wrong?"
"Nope, just got distracted." She paused. "So, you're my boyfriend now?"
"If you want that."
"Course."
"This whole dating thing is going to take some getting used to."
"Eh, we'll figure it out." Lyr said confidently. "It's like, the one thing I'm not worried about."
He laughed. "That's it, huh?"
"Hey, it's a good start."
Roger wasn't sure whether she was talking about dating him, worrying less, or the Resistance's brewing revolution, but either way he had to agree. Things were off to a good start.