Failed plans

"What's wrong?" Clar asked Lyre, who was constantly glancing at the door as if he were expecting someone.

"Nothing." He answered, yet, he didn't turn to face her.

"Do you want more cookies? I can get them for you if you like."

"No, I don't."

Lyre frowned.

"You look—"

"What are you guys watching?" Rain walked into the parlour. He went straight to the cushion Lyre was sitting on, and sat next to him, making sure to keep a bit of distance between them.

"I thought you had your friends over? What are you doing here?" Clar narrowed her eyes at him, with her mouth upturned in a frown.

"What? Can't I watch movies with you?" Rain asked Clar; however, his attention was on Lyre and not on his sister.

Lyre swallowed deeply at the proximity. His heart was beating miles a minute, and it seemed as if the organ was about to lurch out of his chest.

Rain glanced at him from his peripheral, but didn't say a word to him. He pretended as if he were engrossed in the movie, and that made Clar let him be.

"Rain?" Chels called from the stairs. "Where are you?"

At the sound of the voice, Lyre frowned.

He doesn't know why, but he feels like using his non-existent power on the pretty boy.

"In the parlour." Rain answered without turning. He had his attention on Lyre, who was still pretending to be engrossed in the movie he was watching.

"What are you doing here? We need you to help play the game with—"

"I'm tired, Chels. The others are in the den if you want to play. I wish to watch this movie, it has been a long time since I last watched one."

Chels glanced at Rain before he turned a glare at Lyre, who was still focused on the movie.

"I want to—"

"Can you guys shut up for a beat?" Clar glared at them. "If you wish to talk, you can do that outside. Why will you disturb us!" She narrowed her eyes at Chels who was the most guilty one among them.

"I guess I will watch a movie with you guys." He walked closer to them and sat in the middle of them.

Lyre had to shift a bit, to create enough distance between them.

Rain narrowed his eyes at his best friend, but there was no way he could ask him to move aside.

Turned out, his plans to get close to his pretty Lyre had failed.

*********

"I love that character. He reminds me of the main character in a film I watched."

"You mean 'Polly Pop' Right?"

"Exactly! That's whom I was talking about! How did you know?"

Lyre frowned as he watched Rain converse with Chels.

It only took ten minutes for it to show that they were indeed close.

And this infuriated Lyre, who wished to be the only one Rain speaks to.

He wants to be the only one Rain smiles at. However, that wasn't possible since Rain was smiling at his friend.

"Are you asking about that? Have you forgotten that we watched the movies together?"

"Yeah, that's true! Oh my God, that day was a blast!"

"Yeah, we—"

"I'm going to my room." Angry, Lyre rose from the cushion he was sitting on and headed upstairs without sparring Clar who was calling him, a glance.

"Brother!" Clar stood up, intending to chase after him, but Rain stopped her.

"Stay back and watch your movie. I will go up there and check on him."

"No, I'm going up there. You can't—"

"Don't worry about him, Clar. I will go up and check on him while you watch your favourite shows. I know you wouldn't want to miss it, do you?" He arched a brow at her, with his mouth curved at a side.

"No, I don't want to." Clar sighed.

"Good girl. Stay back, and I will check on him."

"Where are you going to, Rain? We just—"

"I will be right back. I need to check on Lyre." Rain ran out of the parlour, leaving Chels behind.

Chels frowned at the door Rain ran out from.

"Who's he?" He turned to face Clar who was once more engrossed in her film.

"Are you talking to me?" Clar frowned at him, pissed that he was disturbing her.

"Who's he? The boy who left now."

"Lyre? He's my brother." Clar pursed her lips, "do you have anything else to ask?"

"No, I—"

"Then, shut up. I need to watch my film. If you have nothing else to do, the door is open, you can leave."

Chels murmured under his breath. He didn't leave as Clar told him to, instead he sat on the cushion to wait for Rain.

"Lyre?" Rain ran after Lyre.

He was fast enough to reach Lyre's door before he locked it.

Lyre left the door open and walked towards his window.

He leaned on it, with his back to Rain.

Rain entered the room and quietly closed the door behind him before he turned to face Lyre.

"What is it?" Lyre asked without turning to look at him.

The merman couldn't understand his feelings. He can't explain why he had such a feeling of anger deep within him. Lyre doesn't understand the reason for the strange feelings he has for Rain.

"Lyre, what's wrong with you?" Rain walked towards him. "Why did you leave the parlour?"

"I'm fine. I just needed to rest," Lyre sighed.

It was surprising how a person who was used to staying silent can fabricate lies as if he was born for that.

"You don't seem okay." Rain took a step closer to him, but not too close to touch. He was mindful of the fact that Lyre hates it when he's in proximity to him.

And as much as it pains him whenever Lyre flinched, Rain knew there was a reason for that.

"I'm fine." Lyre turned to face him, "I just need to rest." He said with his eyes on anything but on Rain who was standing a foot away from him.