Part Two to the ManonxLaraxY/N story.

written by — @Minaliter (Me!)

The door clicked shut behind Lara, leaving Y/N and Manon sitting in the now-awkward silence. Y/N felt the weight of the moment still hanging in the air, their pulse still quickened from the kiss and the unexpected interruption.

Y/N cleared their throat, trying to shake off the tension. "That was... um, not how I imagined tonight going," they said with a nervous laugh, running a hand through their hair.

Manon, equally embarrassed, smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, you think? I didn't expect Lara to barge in on us like that."

Y/N nodded, their mind racing. "She probably just wants to get some sleep. It's late."

Manon shrugged, looking at Y/N with a gentle smile. "Hey, don't worry about it. It's not a big deal, right? We'll talk to her tomorrow. No harm, no foul."

But Y/N felt the discomfort bubbling up inside them. They wanted to pretend it hadn't happened, to move past it, but they knew they couldn't. "Yeah... maybe. But I should go check on her. I don't want her to feel weird about it."

Manon tilted her head, her expression soft but knowing. "You're not doing this because of her, right? You're *here* with me, Y/N. You don't owe anyone anything."

Y/N swallowed, glancing at Manon, but the knot in their stomach told them they needed to clear the air with Lara. "I just—yeah, I need to check on her. It's fine."

Manon nodded, her smile fading a little, though she didn't say anything more. She watched as Y/N stood, their eyes briefly meeting in understanding. With a sigh, Y/N left the room and walked down the hallway toward Lara's room.

When they knocked softly on Lara's door, there was a long pause before Lara called out from the other side. "Come in."

Y/N hesitated before opening the door, stepping inside to find Lara sitting on the edge of the bed, arms crossed over her chest, her gaze intense but unreadable.

"I'm sorry," Y/N said, voice soft. "I didn't expect that to happen. I guess we got carried away, but we didn't mean for you to walk in on us."

Lara's eyes locked onto Y/N's, her expression tight. "Is that what you think this is? Just a 'moment'?" Her voice was sharp now, no longer the teasing tone from earlier. There was something different in her demeanor—a coldness that made Y/N's stomach tighten.

"I—I didn't mean it like that," Y/N stammered, stepping further into the room. "It's just... I'm still trying to figure things out."

Lara's gaze softened, but only slightly. "You're trying to figure out what, Y/N? If you want me, or if you want her?" Her voice wavered only a little, but the question stung nonetheless.

Y/N's breath caught in their throat, the weight of Lara's words sinking in. They hadn't expected this. They hadn't expected Lara to push so hard, so directly.

"I—Lara, I'm not trying to hurt anyone," Y/N said, their voice cracking slightly. "I just—Manon and I... it's new. But you and I have been close for so long. I didn't want things to change between us."

Lara stood up from the bed, walking toward Y/N, her face a mask of emotion that Y/N couldn't quite read. "You need to be honest with yourself. If you really care about both of us, then you need to make a choice. You can't keep this up, Y/N. It's unfair to me. It's unfair to her. It's unfair to you."

The words hit Y/N like a punch to the gut. They'd never imagined having to choose. They had never considered how much Lara's feelings could complicate things, how much their own feelings were torn between the two of them.

Y/N took a shaky breath. "Lara, I don't want to hurt you. I don't know what to do."

Lara took a step closer, her eyes intense but filled with a mixture of sadness and resolve. "Then I guess you have to decide. You can't have both of us, Y/N. Not like this."

Y/N felt a lump form in their throat, the uncertainty of the situation making their chest tighten. They were starting to understand—this wasn't just about a kiss or a moment of spontaneity. It was about real feelings, real choices. And no matter what, someone was going to get hurt.

"I... I'll figure it out," Y/N whispered, their voice small, feeling the weight of everything pressing in on them.

Lara nodded slowly, her expression hardening, as though she had steeled herself for whatever Y/N would choose. "I'm giving you time. But don't take too long. You need to be honest with yourself, or this—this thing between us, it won't last."

Y/N stood there, their mind racing, feeling lost, caught between two people they cared about. With a final glance at Lara, they left the room, their heart heavy.

As they walked back down the hall toward the living room, they knew the decision wasn't going to be easy. Not by a long shot.

Manon was still there, sitting quietly on the couch, eyes flickering to Y/N's face when they entered. She could tell something had shifted.

Y/N sat down beside her, but neither of them spoke for a long time. The weight of the situation hung in the air like a thick fog.

"I didn't mean for things to get this complicated," Y/N finally said, their voice barely above a whisper. "But I have to figure things out... I can't keep pretending like it's not."

Manon's hand found Y/N's, her touch gentle but understanding. "You don't have to rush. Take your time. I'm here. Whatever you decide."

Y/N nodded, squeezing her hand lightly. And for a moment, it felt like maybe, just maybe, they didn't have to make a decision at all. But deep down, Y/N knew they couldn't keep avoiding it.

They had to choose.