A Human’s Guide to Surviving Magical Mishaps by Kit Bryan
Rule 169- The truth sets you free, think of it as your all-access pass to a life with no cover-ups or baggage fees.

I remove my glamour so that Lucy can see me as I am. She isn't as good as Kat is at seeing through glamours. Few people are. Kat is definitely better at it than I am. Regardless, I don't want to have this conversation while wearing some disguise. Lucy raises an eyebrow. Apparently she isn't going to ask twice. I take a deep breath, My wings are definitely twitching and Lucy's eyes are drawn to the movement.

"You once expressed an interest in my wings." I blurt out. Ugh, could I sound any more awkward? Lucy frowns at me.

"Well, yeah? I guess I did." She agrees. She's looking at me like I'm crazy. I feel crazy so maybe she isn't so far off.

"Wait, No I... What I meant to say is that I promised once that I would let you look at them properly. I would never break a promise." I tell her. What am I DOING? Technically this is true, but it's not why I'm here. Why is it so hard to just tell the truth? For the first time since I arrived, I see a hint of excitement on Lucy's face.

"Yes! I want to see them properly." She gestures for me to spin around. It feels unnatural but I turn my back to her. This isn't something I would usually do. My wings are easily damaged, they heal like anything else would but I don't enjoy having people behind me. But I don't move away, not until I feel the slightest touch of her fingers on the edge of my wing. I flinch it away from her. It isn't intentional, it's a reflex. I wasn't expecting to be touched. Lucy pulls away. "Oh, sorry. Do you mind if I touch them?" She asks. I look over my shoulder, her attention is still completely focussed on my wings. Well at least she's interested in PART of me, right?

"Y-Yes you can touch them." I answer nervously. No one has ever asked to touch my wings before. I don't know if I'm terrified or if I'm looking forward to it. I know Lucy wouldn't hurt me, but she IS angry with me. Maybe I should have left this until a time when she is feeling more positive towards me...

Lucy trails her hands over my wings, her touch more firm this time. It actually feels... Kind of nice. Huh, I didn't realise that would feel nice. I also appreciate that she is clearly being careful with them. I can't help myself, I relax and lean back into her touch.

"I am pleased to see you, Lucy. I have missed you." I murmur quietly. She draws away and I can hear her physically take a step backwards, putting distance between us. It hurts to see her back away. But I'm the one flinching when she speaks. "Seriously? Why the hell are you here Fin? The last time I saw you, you were leaving with my best friend and I didn't know if I would ever see you again. The time before that, you made it fairly clear that you didn't intend to have anything further to do with me. In short, you ditched me. It's been MONTHS since then and I haven't heard a word from you. I've seen Kat and even Ashton regularly. But nothing from you. Pan brings me letters from Kat in the weeks between their visits, but never any from you. Hell, I even got a letter from Ashton's mother, the QUEEN, thanking me for helping out with finding the assassins and taking care of you and Ashton for so long. I thought that we were friends, but clearly that was never true." She practically spits the last few words at me. I'm sure I must look like an idiot, I'm definitely not managing my usual calm expression. My 'poker face' as Kat likes to call it.

"I... I was wrong about that. I thought that a clean break would be the better option for us. I thought that I would leave and both of our lives would return to the way they were before. But mine has not. And I find that I miss you terribly." I admit. Finally, a step forwards. Next I need to apologise.

"I am sor-" I start but Lucy cuts me off.

"I don't want your apology. It won't change anything." She says harshly.

"What do you want?" I am practically pleading. She doesn't answer my question, just repeats hers from earlier.

"Why are you here Fin?" She repeats, her voice hard. This is it. I know it. Whatever I tell her here will be my last chance. My last opportunity to explain myself, to confess how I feel. If I screw this up, she isn't going to listen again. Next time, she won't answer the door.

"I am here because you are here, and I have realised that with you is where I truly want to be. I know that it might be difficult, there are many issues that we would face and a relationship between us might very well be doomed. But.... I regret my decision to leave you before. I do not want to give up without even really trying. I... I am in love with you." I confess. Lucy is silent for a long time and I can't read her expression. I'm not sure if I want to pass out, run away or be violently ill. Maybe all three of them. I could throw up, run away then pass out. Yeah, let's try to avoid that. I hold my breath instead and hope that she answers soon.

I'm lightheaded when she responds. Her voice is quiet, so quiet that I'm not even totally sure she wanted me to hear.

"Are you going to hurt me again?" She asks. I don't know if she expects an answer, but I'm going to give one anyway.

"I cannot lie to you. I am not perfect, and I very likely will hurt you again. But I am going to try my best not to. I can promise that I will not repeat my mistake and abandon you again." I pause then decide it's time to be completely honest, to lay it all out in front of her.

"I have bags outside. I have taken indefinite leave from my position as Ashton's attendant. Unless you send me away, I have no intention of leaving you again. I am here to ask your consent to stay and court you." I say firmly. Lucy's eyes widen. This time, there's no pause and no hesitation. She answers so quickly that I almost miss it..

"I thought you would never ask." She says with a mischievous smile on her face, all traces of anger gone. Actually, I'm starting to wonder if she was ever really angry at all. She winks at me.

"I thought you might need a little motivation to tell me the truth." She says slyly. Then she grabs the collar of my shirt and pulls me down. She goes up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against my cheek in a light kiss. I can't help myself, I turn my face towards and catch her lips in a proper kiss. It doesn't last long. At first Lucy kisses me back, then she suddenly jerks away from me. Her eyes are wide and she looks pale.

"Lucy? Are you okay?" I ask, stroking a hand gently down the side of her cheek. She is still clinging to my collar and I lean down further so that she doesn't have to balance on her toes. She is still staring at me.

"Uhm... Kat told me what a kiss like that means to fae. I'm okay with the whole... Courting thing. But I'm not agreeing to forever. Not just yet." She warns. I smile at her, unconcerned. She said not YET. My heart is soaring. I press a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"Kat also told me what a kiss like that means to humans. But since you are not fae, and I am not human. Perhaps we can choose what it means for ourselves." I suggest warmly. Lucy blushes and nods.

"Alright, well... In that case, what does it mean to you?" She asks. Honestly has worked out well for me so far so I keep it going.

"To me... It means that I want you. I choose you and I will stay committed to you as long as you are still willing to try." I promise. Lucy smiles at me, a real smile that makes me want to kiss her again. So I do. When I pull back I clear my throat before asking.

"And what does it mean to you?" I prompt. Her expression is serious when she answers.

"If I kiss you, it will be because I love you, and I want you to know it." She responds. I frown. She said IF she kisses me. I might have overstepped a little bit. My kisses didn't seem unwelcome, but maybe I'm reading her wrong. "Right." I agree self consciously. Lucy's serious expression falls away and she giggles.

"Hey Fin?"

"Yes Lucy?"

"I love you." She says sweetly. I'm still leaning down towards her, so she doesn't even need to go on her toes when she wraps her arms tightly around my neck and kisses me. I'm filled with relief and I wrap my arms around her waist and lift her up off the floor. When I finally put her down, we're both breathless and Lucy is smiling. I'm fairly sure that I have a silly grin on my face too.

"Well, you had best get your bags and bring them inside then. Fair warning, if you're going to stick around I expect you to help out around here. Starting with the party this weekend. If you're going to be my date then you had best be prepared to be put to work." She winks at me and I laugh happily.

"Anything you say, love. I'm all yours." I answer, finally I am being completely honest and I have never been happier.