even when I'm not actually fucking writing I still updated shit late at night wow I have not changed at all amazing

Get used to the late night updates; those are kind of a thing now.

Also, subtle reference to apologies and fallacies. There's really only a certain part you need to read up to to understand where this story is going.

usual disclaimers apply.

Agitated

—adjective
- excited; disturbed
Music.
- agitated; restless or hurried in movement or style

. = . = . = .

'Who the hell calls at four in the morning?' was the first thought of her day as phone chirped, not letting up for even a second.

"Pick up the phone. You're right next to it, aren't you?"

She could only sigh as her arm reached out and felt around for it, her head not leaving the sweet sanctity of her pillow.

"Who was it?"

"A business partner of yours," she murmured, her back to him as she put the phone back, curling up tighter than she had already been. "The shipping company from Canalave in Sinnoh."

Silver nodded once to himself and threw aside his part of the covers, stepping out of bed. Once he was dressed and gone, she rolled over to the middle of the mattress, turning so that she was facing his side.

They did hardly any talking outside of the piano lessons they had at night; he was so adamant on learning the piece that he would wake her up had she fallen asleep just for more practice each night. It was almost as though she was nothing more to him than a teacher who was around much longer than she needed to be. Other than that brief hour or two in the dead of night, she only existed to him when it was necessary, as it was that particular morning.

Upon catching herself whiffing at the sheets, she felt disgusted and ashamed of herself, springing out of bed immediately. How could she have done that when it was the scent of the man who had betrayed her? How could she have had the fleeting thought that she missed the days when that scent once gave her comfort?

She tried to clear the thoughts and memories from her head as she showered, scrubbing at her skin as if the filth that never left her since that day were visible on her skin.

But all the vigorous scrubbing at her skin would never cleanse the contempt in her mind.

. ~ .

"Missus Lyra! You have a guest!" The brunette looked up from the flower bed she was staring at to see a maid now standing beside her. Staying true to her nature, the lyre just tilted her head to the side in question, not uttering a single word.

"He claims he is your best friend... he wouldn't give his name, but he said he's come to visit his little pianist?" Her face lit up almost instantly, a warm smile tugging at her lips. The maid was shocked to see such an expression on the young mistress' face; in the month that she had been living at the manor, she had never once made an expression quite like that one.

"Bring him here, please," she said with a light, chiming tone, clapping her hands together once and folding them in her lap. "Right away, my lady."

She was giddy with excitement, fidgeting in her seat with the joy she was just barely able to contain. "Hey hey. Long time, no see, eh?" The breath of the voice tickled at her ear and she jumped, looking over her shoulder to see a raven-haired boy beaming at her, leaning over her shoulder.

"Ethan!" Scrambling off of the slate bench, she flew into his arms, grasping him tightly.

Desperately.

As she gripped the back of his shirt, she began to sob, her overwhelming emotions becoming too much for her to handle. She went slack in his arms, but he was more than willing and able to support her weight, rubbing her back and shushing her soothingly. "I m-missed you... s-so m-much," she bawled, her tears collecting in the crook of his neck.

Once she was calmed enough, she pulled away, wiping at her sodden face with the heels and backs of her hands. "I'm so sorry! I just... I d-don't know w-what came ov-ver me..." He chuckled softly and pulled her into a hug, patting her head endearingly, able to feel how her body was still shivering. "Same old Lyra. I'm glad to see you haven't changed a bit. But more importantly, I think you need to sit down." She nodded and let him put an arm around her waist and hold her hand, setting her down carefully on the bench.

"So, how have you been?" He watched her carefully, chuckling dryly when he saw the grimace settle on her face. "That probably wasn't the best question to ask, was it? Sorry."

They sat in silence for a moment before he started to dig into his pockets. "But I do think I have something that just might cheer you up." She stared as his hand slowly lifted, gasping sharply, clamping her hand over her mouth.

In his hand laid six shrunken pokéballs glinting up at her, waiting on her touch. She could almost swear her heart had stopped beating for a minute or two. When her hand dropped, it exposed her slack jaw, showing her failed attempt to speak; she could not force herself to produce even a squeak.

"Speechless? Well, then again, you've never been one for words. Here, for you." Seeing as she was temporarily catatonic, he sighed with a little chortle at the end of it, taking her wrist and lifting her arm, sliding the devices into her opened palm.

The feel of smooth metal was like a jolt of electricity shocking her back to reality. She cupped them in her shaking palms, her eyes wide and unblinking as her mouth was still agape, dumbfounded. Drops fell onto the pokéballs, the lyre hiccuping as sobs wracked her body once again.

Ethan gathered her up into his arms, letting her cry into his chest as he put his chin on top of her head, closing his eyes. A piece of the broken girl had been set back into place.

"Oh goodness, I m-must look like a t-total wreck right n-now... I'm sorry f-for getting your sh-shirt dirty..." He smirked down at Lyra, tugging lightly and playfully at her hair. "Quite honestly, my dear madame, you are the strongest person I know. You've been trapped here for over a month now and you're still sane. You're still standing. A wreck, you say? You're nowhere near."

Once she was sitting upright again, she looked down at her encased companions. "Do you know h-how much t-trouble you can in for this? He'd k-kill you!"

"I'd go to the moon and back if it meant not seeing that look on your face again. Hell, if doing this means death, I'd do it ten times over." He remembered the day of the wedding quite clearly, the pained face she had made at him when that bastard dragged her away from him. "I don't know what I'd do if he were to make you make that expression again. You deserve happiness, Lyra. You deserve to smile again."

She stared up at him then, studying the seriousness set on his face.

She knew her friend and she knew him well. He had meant every single world, every single syllable.

"... Thank you, Ethan," she murmured, holding the metal to her heart. "I don't know how else I should express my gratitude."

"How about like this?"

"Like wha—"

All the air in her lungs was squeezed out of her as he hugged her tightly, his arms constricting her. "I missed you too, you know."

. ~ .

"Give me a tour."

"... What?"

"This is your new house, isn't it? I want a tour of the place. That's what you're supposed to do when you move into a new house and you have guests over, Lyra. Jeez, are you a bad host or what?" She narrowed her eyes at him and he could only laugh as he followed her.

"Pretty nice place he's got here. Then again, what were we expecting from the son of the former Team Rocket leader? Though it seems he's become richer the last time I was here. Remember that wild party—" He cut himself off as he recalled that she was not there that day since she and Silver had just broken up and the latter had no choice but to throw the party since the plans had already been made. "Well, that's not important."

Though they had made small talk and there were plenty of other things that should have distracted him from this as she made the tour, once they were back downstairs at the bottom of the staircase, he asked, "Hey, what about that door over there? Why didn't we go in there?"

"Ethan, we can't. That area's off-limits," she said quietly but firmly, grabbing the back of his shirt when he walked in the direction of it. "Let's go back to the garden."

"But the tour's not complete unless you show me everything." He shook off her hand and sprinted to the door.

"H-hey!" But by the time she caught up, the door was already open. His eyebrows raised in surprise as he stepped in, seeing the grand piano that took up a good portion of the room, the high windows above shining down at it. "Wow, look at this thing. Did you know that this was here?"

Her lips made a tight line as she nodded slowly. "No one is allowed to touch it unless he says so. And he's not here. Can we please go back to the garden now?" He frowned back at her, his brow furrowed. "But you love pianos. Why don't you play something? It's been a long time since I've heard you play, you know."

"Ethan, please..."

Seeing her pleading face, he sighed heavily and gave up, following her out of the room. "Fine, fine. We'll only break minimal rules while I'm here. Same old Lyra, avoiding trouble as much as she possibly can..."

They spent the rest of the day catching up on precious time lost, her companion recounting all of the things she missed while at the estate as they walked along the garden path. Her heart was filled with longing, missing the days that she went on adventures as the Pokémon League's reigning champion. Her thoughts roamed as he spoke, lost in her memories and imagination.

"Your mom misses you. A lot," he murmured suddenly once they returned to the bench, ripping her out of her fantasies. "She wanted me to tell you that if there's anything you need or if you ever want to escape, don't hesitate to ask. No matter what it is or the kinds of punishments she'll suffer, she'll do it for you if it means making you happy again. And the sames goes for me as well. After all, I was the first person you came to that day."

She folded her hands in her lap and stared down at her upturned palms, clenching her jaw as she remembered that day quite vividly. Quick to react, Ethan put a hand over Lyra's, squeezing them tightly. "Don't relive it. Please don't. That's the last thing I want you to do. We'll get through this, alright? Don't give up just yet."

As they sat through another silence, his PokéGear went off. "Sorry." He picked it up with a sheepish smile, clearing his throat before speaking. "Hey. Uh-huh. Yeah... right now?" A heavy sigh. "Alright. Bye." Kissing the side of her head, he hugged her. "I have to go, okay? But I'll be back tomorrow. Also, you may want to tell your maids not to let Silver know I was here. I'm sure that'll just make things worse."

She glanced up at him with a soft smirk. "Thank you for visiting."

"Anytime. You have my number. Hell, you know it by heart. If you need me to come by again today, just give me a call. I'll be here in minutes." He kissed her head one last time before getting up, walking backwards and saluting her with two fingers, a half grin on his face.

"That boy, I swear..."

. ~ .

With Silver on his business trip to Sinnoh, there was no reason for them to worry too much about getting caught. Each day Ethan visited, he stayed even later and later, even leaving in the dead of night at times.

"Why don't you just stay the night tonight?" Lyra asked with a frown after he announced he was leaving for the day. The time already read 5 AM. "It's not safe to go out when you're tired. I don't want anything happening to you." He rubbed his chin for a moment before smirking, leaning down to her level. "Only if you play me a piece on that piano first. You know the one."

"Ethan! You know I'm not allowed to do that! I'll get reprimanded for it if he finds out!"

"But that's the best part, my little pianist. He's not here to find out. No one has to know but us."

"Ethan."

"I won't stay until you do," he sang, standing upright as he laughed.

"Still the playful bastard that likes getting us into trouble, I see," she muttered mostly to herself. Shaking her head, she led the way to the piano room.

"... Wow," he whispered breathlessly, greeted by the sight of the ebony instrument bathing in the moonlight. "It looks completely different in here at night." Lyra could only nod; no words could do the sight justice.

"So? Go on, play it." He gave her a little push, following after her and sitting beside her on the bench.

"If it gets out that we were here..."

"Don't worry, I'll take the fall for you. This was my idea anyway. Now come on! Quit stalling."

She sighed and shook her head before poising her fingers on the keys. The sound flowed out seamlessly, the melody of that infamous Ostinato ringing throughout the entire manor. And he could only stare in wonder at the fabulous pianist, enchanted by the way she played so fluidly, as though the piano was a part of her.

When the final chord was struck and faded, he clapped excitedly for her, grinning widely. "That's my little pianist. I can see you've still got it. Or hear, rather. Ah, man. New Bark's been so quiet without you. Everyone misses your piano-playing. Especially me."

"You should have said something earlier. I would have played it for you had you asked."

"Liar. Just a minute ago, you said you weren't allowed to be in here, much less touch the damn thing."

"I never said I was going to play anything on this piano."

"So you're offering to hold a private little concert just for me, eh? I'll definitely take you up on that offer next time." They both shared a chuckle and she rested her head on his shoulder, playing fragments of compositions here and there, his arm around her as he closed his eyes, his head atop hers.

"What the fuck is going on here! Who said you were allowed in my manor!"

The gentle peace was shattered in an instant by the bullet of malice.

"S-Silver! I th-thought... they s-said you'd b-be b-back at the end o-of this week..."

"Surprise. I'm back early." He prowled toward them, eyes glinting, visibly upset even in the poor lighting. As Lyra was about to stand up, Ethan threw his hand out, standing up for her instead.

"Get the hell out of my sight. This matter does not concern you. Kindly show yourself out before I do it for you."

"No, actually, I think I'll stay. This is her house too, isn't it? I think she has the right to invite me and keep me here if she wants."

"Oh, does she? The last time I checked, only my name was on the title. Now leave." He was face-to-face with the perpetrator he caught red-handed. The two men stared each other down, the tensions rising higher and higher by the second.

"Why? So you can hurt her some more as soon as I leave?" Silver flinched ever so slightly, his jaw tightening.

"Ethan..."

"No, Lyra," he quipped firmly, turning his head to look at her. "This has gone on long enough. He forced you into this marriage, didn't he? And after what he did to you, you're just gonna take it from him?"

With a rough shove, Silver sent Ethan stumbling back. He tripped over the bench and she was quick to move out of the way, narrowly avoiding getting entangled in the body that crashed down on the piano, sending the keys flying about.

"Oh no. Ethan! Are you alright! ?" She scrambled over to him, cradling his head. The lyre's hand touched dampness in his hair, watching the blood also leaking from his nose.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. This jackass just sent me reeling back."

"No. You're not fine. The back of your head is bleeding. You have a concussion," she lamented. Tears were forming in the corners of her eyes. The alloy could only stand and watch the scene balefully, his fists clenching as he witnessed his wife tending to that homewrecker.

"This... this is far from over," he hissed vehemently, turning sharply on his heel and storming out of the room. His slam of the door had so much of an impact, was so momentous, that it merely swung itself open again, slightly off its hinges.

"Ethan... Ethan, why?" she murmured, her tiny voice cracking. "Why did you fight for me? You didn't have to do that."

"Heh, I know I didn't," he muttered weakly, patting the arm she had under his chin with a slight smile. "But it was for your safety. How could I not? You deserve better, Lyra. So much better."

And she could only sob as she crushed him into her bosom.

. ~ .

She spent her days in the garden, staring blankly at the greenery around her. Though she had let her team free to roam the outside, they stayed close to her whenever Silver was not around, trying to comfort her and bring her out of the depths of depression she had sunken into.

But nothing they did worked.

Ever since that incident two weeks ago, she had o't heard a thing from Ethan. Her husband was not saying a word to her and he did not show up for the lessons at the usual times. She had picked up the keys and repaired the piano after it had become apparent that the lessons were indefinitely suspended. What was one a beautiful instrument was now a tainted structure.

Even though she had cleaned the blood from the keys, she could still see the stains on the ivory, on her hands. It was her fault that such an unnecessary event happened and someone she loved early had gotten considerably injured.

And for her sake, no less.

Her Meganium had her head rested in her trainer's lap, the trainer herself mechanically stroking her head, lost in misery.

"Hey! Psst! Lyra!" She flinched a bit at the sound of her name while the pokémon was up on her feet, both searching for the source with a frown. That voice almost sounded like—

"Over here!" She saw a recognizable hand wave her over and she approached with caution, parting the bushes where the hand disappeared.

A sharp gasp.

"What the hell are you doing here!"

"Today's kind of an important day, if you catch my drift. Or have you forgotten? Regardless, I think it's more than necessary that you come with me. I'll help you escape, but you definitely need to change first. You can't go visiting him like that."

Her brow furrowed with confusion as she tried to figure out just what he was talking about, eyes widening with remembrance once it clicked. "Finally came back to ya, eh? Now hurry it up. Silver just left. You have a small window of time before he gets back and we need every second we've got."

As she made a mad dash up the stairs, brushing off her stumbles, she berated herself for forgetting what the date was, even though she had a well-enough excuse with all the chaos going on in her life.

It was his special day.

Red's special day.