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The Small Sparks.

——————————————— A Lyrason fic. Alternate Universe where Grayson and Lyra had a chance meeting as kids. ———————————————

GRAYSON

It was officially the fifth day of the Hawthornes camping trip.

And a camping trip that was— one, filled with kids around 8-10 years old (excluding Nash, of course) and two, an extremely Hawthorne style trip— was bound to be chaotic.

“I always knew I’d be better than you at fishing!!” Jameson screamed, Grayson tried his level best to ignore him.

“Well I beat you at forest darts!!” Xander yelled triumphantly, aiming the blow at Jameson.

“I wasn’t talking to you, Xan. And for the record, I am still one win ahead of you!” Jameson retorted, looking far too smug for his own good.

Yet Grayson didn’t reply, he didn’t so much as make a peep.

And that was because he had been losing. Consistently.

As in he had a losing streak going with no wins and only losses. As a result, Grayson had been pretty upset for the majority of the trip.

He knew his silence only further gave his brothers a reason to tease him, yet he couldn’t get himself to speak.

Not only because he had been losing for five days, but because of what had come after.

Tobias Hawthorne, their grandfather, had given Grayson that look— the one with the creased brows, hardened eyes and lips drawn into a thin line.

Disappointment.

Grayson let out a shaky breathe.

“You okay, lil’ brother?” Drawled Nash, the eldest of the four.

Grayson couldn’t bring himself to say anything, so he simply nodded.

Hawthornes never show weakness. His grandfather’s words reprimanded him.

“C’mon Gray, don’t be a crybaby—” Jameson started.

“I’ll beat you tomorrow.” Grayson cut him off, the sheer determination in his tone caught everyone off guard.

Then Jameson shot him his signature devilish grin, “Bring it on, bro!!”

“Don’t count me out!” Xander yelled.

Nash rolled his eyes and finally convinced the three to get ready for bed.

The boys all had brought four tents in total, one for each brother.

They all slept in one, though.

———————————

LYRA

It was that time of year again.

Miles End, Lyra’s home, was situated nearby a forest. Usually, that wasn’t a problem.

In fact, the woods only added beauty to the entire place.

But over the summer, there was always a group of people that took to camping out there. And they tended to be loud.

Lyra, for one, hated loud noises. Especially the ones that came from the woods. She was only eight, of course it’d spook her.

The worst part, though, was that it was always some super rich family that rented out the entire area.

So if any kid ran into Lyra, they’d act all high and mighty as if they were god themselves and Lyra was some sort of sinner?

In conclusion— Lyra dreaded the woods in summer.

And this year was no better, actually, it was worse. Way worse.

For some odd reason, this year’s family wasn’t just noisy, they were deafening.

And that did not sit well with Lyra, to say the least.

Lyra layed in bed despite it being 1 pm.

As a certified eight year old who was also a ballet freak, she had danced late into the night. Just because she felt like it and couldn’t hold back the urge— the need to dance.

She finally closed her eyes, ready to give in to the tiredness.

“I’m in the lead, Xannnn~”

“Fear not brother, I shall catch up!!”

“Ha! In your dreams!!”

“Tackle Incoming!!”

“Wait what— XANDER NO—”

Lyra’s eyes cracked open at the noise, her sleepiness gone as quick as the wind.

She groaned and sat on her bed.

God forbid a girl try and get her beauty sleep.

Lyra turned her attention to the window and glared. Hard.

These rich boys were annoying as hell and Lyra had had just about enough.

She grabbed her hat and made her way out.

————————————

GRAYSON

Grayson ran like his life depended on it. He ran until his feet felt numb and his lungs burned.

He pushed. More, harder.

Todays competition is easy, you simply need to make it to the tallest tree in the center of the forest and return back to the starting. The first to arrive shall be titled winner.

Grayson repeated the instructions in his head before looking around and smiling to himself.

After a full five days and five nights, Grayson was finally in the lead. He finally had a fighting chance to win.

He felt his heart speed up with excitement, he could make it. He would make it.

And that's when Grayson felt himself tip over. His eyes widened and then he was falling— fast.

No. He thought to himself and then he collapsed onto the ground.

Grayson couldn't process what had just happened, he had been running just fine? As if on que, a sharp pain shot out from around his ankle.

He let out a tiny groan before sitting himself up, leaning heavily against a tree as he bent over and gauged his injury.

There was a huge cut that spanned around his ankle and blood was gushing out.

Need to— stop the bleeding. Grayson thought to himself, still trying to catch his breathe as he closed his eyes.

He tried to focus on the race, the injury, now. But his mind still wandered.

It wandered to all of his previous losses, it wandered to his brother's relentless teasing, it wandered to his grandfather.

Tobias Hawthorne— his disappointed gaze, his disapproving look.

What would he think if he saw you lying here? Grayson thought to himself as his vision suddenly became blurry.

What was going on?

It was only when a drop of water fell on Grayson's lap that he realized he was crying. Grayson Hawthorne— the unwavering, handsome, heir to the household— was crying.

Because, despite it all, he was only nine.

He was but a boy.

I disappointed Grandfather. I can't win with this injury. I'll lose again. His thoughts circled in his brain, over and over again.

I'm a failure.

It began to rain.

It was odd that, at times like this, Grayson's thoughts always found their way to his mother. The way she always gazed down at him with a cold gaze— as if he was an investment. Nothing more, nothing less.

Then he thought of his unknown father. The man that found his child so unimportant, so despicable, that he had never bothered to come meet him. Never bothered to so much as look at him.

A sob escaped Grayson before he could help it, he quickly covered his mouth with his small hands.

If he cried, he would be considered unworthy of being the heir. If he cried, his grandfather would hate him too, just like everyone else.

So he didn't.

The small blonde boy held in all of his pain, all of his feelings, all of his thoughts, and locked them deep within him.

"A Hawthorne doesn't break," He muttered weakly, staring at his wound which only seemed to be bleeding more now in the rain.

So why did he feel so broken?

——————————————

LYRA

"Of course it had to rain now of all times!!" Lyra screamed to... no one in particular.

She grumbled some more to herself as she walked deeper into the woods, in search of at least one of the boys who had ruined her sleep.

I will not spare them. She declared to herself, marching on further into the woods.

That's when she spotted a speck of blonde among the green of the forest.

A deer? Lyra thought to herself. That couldn't be, this blonde wasn't the same muddy shade. It was more... shiny, majestic.

She walked towards it, her curiosity getting the best of her.

When Lyra finally got close enough, she realized it was a boy. And he looked like a fallen angel.

Holy shit— who gives these people permission to look this glorious?? Lyra thought to herself, staring. Could you blame her? She was just a girl who had found something pretty.

She assessed the boy, who had his eyes closed.

Messy blonde hair, top-notch clothes and definitely not a local.

He has got to be one of them! Lyra thought to herself. It was time for her to take her revenge.

Lyra walked over to ruffle the boys hair until he woke up, but his eyes flew open first. Lyra paused.

Beautiful silver eyes— lining on blue, met her deep amber ones.

Grayson broke the silence first, "Excuse me? May I ask why you were approaching me?"

For a second Lyra didn't reply, why does he talk so formally?

"Uh- well."

How do you explain that you were trying to take revenge on somebody while they were asleep because they, too, ruined your sleep?

She let out a huff.

"I don't know, Sherlock. Maybe because I saw a limp boy lying around in the rain in the middle of a forest??" She settled for the other, more minor, reason.

Grayson stared her down for a little bit. Considering the fact that he was on the floor and Lyra was standing up, she shouldn't have felt so overpowered by that.

Lyra decided to send him an assessing gaze of her own and looked him over, that's when her eyes landed on his wound.

"Oh my— YOU'RE BLEEDING?!" She screamed, Grayson flinched at her screech as his eyes fell on his ankle.

"Oh. Right." He said simply. Lyra gave him a look.

What was wrong with this guy??

"Well, is your camp near by? I could walk you over—"

"No, thank you. I'll be fine." He cut her off.

Lyra blinked at him once. Twice.

"Alright, asshole. Here's what we're going to do." Lyra started, using the only curse word she knew at the time. Grayson sent her a glare.

"I'm going to run on home, grab the first-aid-kit, and try to save you from bleeding out. Meanwhile, you will wait for me." She finished, sending him a customized glare of her own.

Grayson held her gaze for a while before closing his eyes and leaning his head against the tree again.

Oh yeah. Definitely a rich kid.

She took off.

————————————

GRAYSON

Grayson was suddenly glad he didn't have to deal with any girls in his family. They sure were bossy. And loud. And slightly annoying.

"I'm back, asshole!!" She yelled, Grayson suppressed a groan.

Lyra rolled her eyes as she approached, a box with a red plus sign in hand, "Hello to you too."

Lyra sat down near his foot, with the rain having calmed down.

"W-wait, I can bandage myself." Grayson said, flustered at her hand around his ankle.

Lyra looked at him with a raised brow, "When was the last time a rich kid like you had to bandage themselves?"

"Yesterday, actually."

Lyra's eyes widened slightly.

"My family is quite... unique. Don't bother." Grayson said, reaching for the bandage in her hand. She whacked it away.

"Listen here, boy. You are the injured and I am the... uh, not injured. So you will let me help you." She said, an order.

If Grayson hadn't been quite so tired, he probably would have put up a bit more of a fight. He simply watched her as she took out disinfectant, her eyes were focused.

"Stop staring. I can't focus." Lyra said, breaking the silence.

"What's your name?" Grayson asked, ignoring her previous order.

She looked up at him once before her gaze returned to her work, "Lyra. Lyra Kane."

Grayson nodded, "Well, Ms. Kane. I don't have any money on me, at the moment.."

Silence.

Lyra's hand had paused and she finally met his gaze, "You... don't have any money on you?" She repeated.

Grayson nodded.

"Right. And how exactly does that matter?" She asked, raising a brow.

Grayson blinked, obviously confused, "Aren't you helping me for... the money?"

Lyra looked on at him for a few seconds before her expression broke out into one of utter disbelief, "FOR THE MONEY?? WHAT DO YOU TAKE ME FOR?!"

Grayson flinched again, "Would you- Stop yelling!!"

Lyra's expression changed in a split second. She looked amused, "Oh? So mister asshole here can yell?"

Grayson didn't deign that with a response.

Lyra continued her work, putting the disinfectant aside and picking up the bandages.

"You didn't tell me your name yet." Lyra said.

Grayson froze for a second.

"You... don't know who I am?" He asked.

Lyra huffed, her eyes remaining on her work, "Sorry bigshot, but I don't."

Grayson turned her words over in his head. She didn't know who he was. Something lightened in his heart.

"Grayson." He said, finally.

"Graysonnnnn?" Lyra pried, trying to get his last name.

"Just Grayson."

Lyra looked up at him before rolling her eyes and withdrawing her hands, "Okay asshole, all done. We can both get going now."

Grayson looked up at her as she stood up, "Thank you for the help."

"Mmm, you're welcome." She turned to leave, his gaze on her remained unwavering.

She paused mid-step and whipped her head around, "Are you just going to continue lying here?! Its still drizzling, you'll catch a cold!!"

Grayson let out a sigh, "Stop screaming."

Lyra glared at him and stomped her way back before plopping herself down next to him. They sat there in silence for a while.

Grayson wasn't sure what it was about the girl, but he felt light, unburdened. Comforted, almost. She had a terrible habit of yelling, but there was something about it that threw Grayson off.

Something about her that threw Grayson out of orbit, that made something in his nearly perfected façade crack.

✦✦✦

Five-year-old Grayson jumped into bed as Nash settled down beside it in a chair.

Grayson had finally managed to convince his eldest brother to read him a bedtime story. They did it all the time in the movies.

"Alright Gray. Quiet down." Grayson did just that, under his blankets now— his silver eyes rested on his brother.

And so Nash began to narrate.

The story was about an angel who had accidentally found herself on Earth and fell in love with the prince. It ended with the two getting married with the entirety of heaven and the Earth present.

Nash closed the story book, Grayson's eyes were small now— he was getting sleepy.

"That's it' lil' brother."

Grayson's eyes made their way to the book, "What even is an angel?" He asked.

Nash thought that over, "Well, people say they are god's helpers or somethin'." He drawled.

Grayson blinked once, seemingly deep in thought, "That... sounds like bullcrap."

Nash barked a laugh, "Y'know what? I to'tally agree."

Grayson gave him a small smile, "So what do you think they are?" He asked.

"Hmm. Well, I think that angels are the same as people." Nash started, Grayson tilted his small head to the side.

"Its just that they see the world a bit differently. They see many fruits and wanna share. They see a lonely person and they wanna give 'em company. They see an injured person and they wanna help 'em." Nash continued, walking over to the bookshelf and returning the book to its place.

"And somewhere along the way, you realize that you want that person around. No matter how annoying you might find 'em." He finished, Grayson's eyes were sparkling.

"Do you know any angels, brother?"

Nash smiled back at him, "Aren't you one, lil' brother?"

✦✦✦

The memory surfaced and Grayson thought over what his brother had said.

Does that mean she's an angel? He wondered.

———————————————

LYRA

Lyra wasn't sure why she came back, but something about leaving Grayson alone in the rain unsettled her.

"Why don't you just go back to your camp?? I'm sure your group is worried about you." Lyra said, breaking the comfortable silence.

When he didn't answer, Lyra turned her head towards him and she froze.

The look Grayson had in his eyes was distant, almost like he wasn't present within the human realm anymore. As if he was gone.

It felt familiar, somehow. She hated it.

Lyra grabbed his hand and looked away just as quickly. That shook Grayson out of his trance as he looked at her, shocked.

"Um- why are-" Grayson started

"I just felt like you needed it." She cut him off, unable to stop herself from blushing.

He went silent before turning to look at the forest again.

Lyra stared at Grayson, trying to figure out what he was so upset about that he refused to return to his family and looked so disturbed.

Grayson must have felt her gaze on him.

"I just hate losing." He said.

Lyra was absolutely floored. So this asshole had decided to sit there in the rain and worry his entire family just because he was sulking about losing??

"No. I think I hate more what comes after."

Lyra waited for him to continue.

"I mean—" he took a deep breathe.

"Losing means I disappoint my grandfather. Disappointing him proves me unworthy of being the heir. If I'm unworthy of being the heir, my mom will hate me. And honestly? If she ends up hating me too, what would even be the point of it all?" Grayson finished, by the end of it he sounded suffocated, as if he had spoken it all in one breathe.

Lyra was taken aback. How was a guy that looked just about her age going through that much already?? Her heart ached for him and she gave his hand a comforting squeeze.

"Sometimes I wonder if it'd be better to just," he paused, "to just end it all."

Lyra's eyes widened. She had no idea why she was hurting so much for a random boy she had just met, but the very idea of him "ending it all" scared her to hell and back.

Her heart throbbed again. She took a deep breathe, trying to calm herself and praying some of her calm reached out to Grayson as well.

"I get it." She said.

Grayson didn't reply.

"The very idea of something seems so terrifying, so wrong that you feel like giving up entirely."

Lyra, in fact, did not get it. Not completely, at least. But some part of her understood him, some part of her could relate— a part of Lyra that her brain had hidden away.

Silence followed as Lyra pieced together the words in her head.

"I love to dance."

Grayson shot her a questioning look.

"My body aches for it sometimes, almost like I need it. And at times like that, when I finally stop dancing, I wonder what my life would be without dance." Grayson was really looking at her now, her ears reddened at the attention.

"Whether I would consider it a life at all."

She thought over her words before continuing, "And that's when I realized its not really life itself that we live for. We don't live to wake up, study, work hard, sleep and repeat. Even though that's what most of our schedule for the day is, its not why we live."

Lyra shifted a bit, the rain had stopped and it was quite dark by now. She looked up to the starry-night sky and smiled.

"Rather, its for the little things. The people you lean on, the things you enjoy, or small moments you can't forget." Lyra thought about her family, Miles End and dance.

"It's those tiny sparks that keep us going. They aren't prominent or forever, but you remember them nonetheless."

Her eyes found their way back to the blonde boy who was sitting next to her.

"So even if you get too tired, or feel like giving out just—" She took a deep breath and her eyes softened, "just live for those small sparks, Grayson."

Grayson's eyes widened slightly, as his eyes glowed with something like realization.

Then the boy had the audacity to smile, "Thanks again, Lyra."

Lyra tried to ignore the way her heart sped up when he said her name, god am I crushing on a rick kid?

She sprang up at the thought, her hand letting go of his, "O-okay!! Time to go, asshole! Enough of being sappy—"

Grayson stared at his, now un-clasped hand, before looking back up to her.

She let out a huff, "Nice meeting you, Grayson."

Grayson smiled again, "You too, Lyra."

And she sprinted away.

————————————————

GRAYSON

Grayson stared at the back of the peculiar girl as she ran away.

Though Lyra would never know it, apart from his brothers, Lyra was the first spark Grayson's life had had in a while. He smiled at the thought.

Time to go home.

✦✦✦

Grayson tip-toed back into their camp, it was nearing 12pm, so it was safe to assume that his grandfather and brothers were all in there tents. The bodyguards had probably been dispatched to find Grayson.

He looked around and saw a tent, still alight with a lantern inside. He eavesdropped.

"Why won't the old man let us look for him too?!" Jamie.

"Yeah!! It's been six hours. Six. Entire. Hours. What if a goblin ate him?!" That was definitely Xander.

Grayson watched as a cowboy-looking shadow grabbed both of his brothers' heads and pushed them into their respective pillows.

"Go to sleep lil' brothers. You both would just end up gettin' lost anyway, I'll go look for him in a bit."

Both of the youngest grumbled, knowing fully well that disobeying Nash was a terrible idea.

That's when Grayson chose to walk in. All three of his brothers froze to stare (and glare) at him.

"GRAYSON??" Jameson shouted.

"YOU'RE BLEEDING?!" Yelled Xander, which only earned Grayson a worried look from Jameson and an angry one from Nash

I'm doomed, aren't I? Grayson thought to himself.

"Gray. We will be havin' words." The threat was aimed at Grayson, all three of the younger brothers gulped though.

There was only one way Grayson could think of to wiggle his way out of this, "Wait."

He looked up to meet his older brother's eyes, "This is a code pink."

Grayson watched as all of his brothers' jaws dropped simultaneously.

"So, th-there's a—" Xander began, hesitant.

Grayson met his gaze dead on, "There's a girl."

—————————————————————— THIS TURNED OUT TO BE WAY LONGER THAN I EXPECTED RAH- enjoyyyy :DD @lyrakanefanatic @inkstainsonmyfingertips @alwaysthefangirl @talahsaudiobooklibrary

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