It felt a bit mean to point it out, but Lyra had been very twitchy since that night in the graveyard. Whether she saw actual fairies that night or not was kind of a moot point, because it was affecting her the same way regardless.
Avery had seen people like this sometimes after a UFO experience. They got a bit distant, searching the skies, following every satellite and passing plane just in case. Lyra seemed to be constantly anticipating something, even when they were safely home and the door was locked and Armaan was cooking something interesting for dinner. He'd seen her watching and checking her calendar for upcoming significant dates. That time she'd spent during her abduction had affected her in ways she maybe didn't want to admit to herself. Were there sympathetic therapists that didn't try to convince you that you'd had a break from reality? If so, maybe they should consider one, if it was covered by his insurance.
So, on his way home this evening he'd picked up a bottle of (cheap) wine, and he was going to try and help her forget that tonight was Summer Solstice, and that the fae weren't waiting in the shadows, picking their moment to pop out and drag her away again. They'd get pizza and chill, and it'd be alright.
Except there was a large man in their living room with his arm around Lyra, and she was crying-
"Woah, hey!" Avery exclaimed, his heart thumping a moment as he dropped his bags and came around the sofa (Apollo making himself at home this wasn't, but still-) "Lyra!?" Who the fuck was this and why was he here???