Private Half-Past Five

[Lyra Ozu]

There was a long silence, awkward as the tension hung in the air, until the sound of the metal fork on the ceramic plate broke the silence when she placed it down but she still didn't move her gaze from the plate while she tried to gather herself to get some words out; her emotions threatening to betray her if she did.

"When?" She choked out, quietly. "When did you start seeing her?" She asked in a steadier tone.

Had he started seeing her when they were still seeing each other, she wondered. Though they hadn't been exclusive in any official capacity, she expected the same kind of loyalty that she showed, even if it was unspoken.

She finally looked up, a sadness in her expression that that threatened to overwhelm her, not helped by the heightened emotional state she was in from the intoxicating effects of the alcohol that she was coming down from.

Dagon Kaze

 

[Dagon Kaze]

He expected everything.

Even the fork flying at him.

But not this.

"Wha--" he stammered, blinking at the question. Does she... does she think I cheated? "...you're not implyin' that--"

Dagon shook his head, trying to brush away the madness of her assumption.

"No!.. way after we had broken up."

"Look, I was going to tell you--"

Lyra Ozu

 

[Lyra Ozu]

"I'm not sure I wanted to know." She replied, quietly. Of course, it could never have happened that way. Sooner or later she would've found out as she began to get entangled in the same mess as before. She just hadn't wanted to hear that he had found someone else, especially after the circumstances he claimed led to their breakup.

"You told me you weren't ready to commit. What changed?" She asked, the calmness in her tone cracking and her sad expression began shifting into a frown as she grew angry with him.

With the realisation of the situation came more questions. Questions which would become increasingly uncomfortable for the both of them.

Soon came the realisation that whoever he had found was enough to make him want to commit while she wasn't. "Why wasn't I good enough for you?" She asked, her tone once again dripping with sadness.


Dagon Kaze

 

[Dagon Kaze]

"Why wasn't I good enough for you?" She asked, her tone once again dripping with sadness.

"Whoa, no, nothing like that, Lyra." he exclaimed, gesturing with his hands, "I--" he threw a glance sideways as if the answer was written somewhere on the table.

"--I just needed time and I'm sorry if I've wasted yours in the meantime. It just happened. And after, when I realized, you know, that..." didn't have the same feelings for you, the words remained unsaid; only a sigh escaped his lips. "...I didn't wanna lead you on."

"I'm sorry." he said, then as if a brick of stupidity struck his head he added, "You're amazing - it's not you, it's me."

Lyra Ozu

 

[Lyra Ozu]

"That's all I was... Someone to spend time with?!" She asked incredulously, her sadness turning to anger. "Was I just a means to an end? Someone you could use?" She asked questions quickly as they came to mind. Part of her expected him not to answer them but they conveyed her feelings nonetheless.

Lyra scoffed at his final excuse and pushed herself up from the seat, albeit unsteadily at first, the chair scraping nosily on the floor behind her at the sudden movement.

"You're damn right it's you."

With tears in her eyes, she uttered a phrase that was clearly difficult to say. "I wish I had never met you if I'd known this was what you were going to do to me."

She turned to walk away. Not bothered in the slightest that they were in public. Maybe then the world would get to know Dagon Kaze for who he really was.


Dagon Kaze