wintercompanion

Title: Stars
Author: wickedplotbunny
Prompts used: - A fistful of stars, the lapping of the waves.

Rating: PG-13
Spoilers/warnings: none
Summary: One of our pair has an important question to ask.

Stars

A fistful of stars. A pocketful of moonlight. A thimbleful of magic.

These are the things you gave me, that night.

**********

Some rules are made to be broken, you said. The glimmer of light that soars in your eyes lifts my spirits, and all at once, I am flying. You see it too, but those eyes have seen everything, seen far too much, and your soul is worn like broken stone. Cold, jagged edges, made only for the embrace of darkness. You wouldn’t think there would be any light left, inside of you, and I doubted too, in the freezing dimness before the warmth of dawn. My hope had started to dwindle and die, embers and ashes from the fire we once shared; until you tore the universe apart again in a blazing epiphany of glory, and began, once more, to shine. Oh, you shone, again and again, fire and ice, darkness and light, ancient and seemingly forever, nothing and everything all at once.

The moons shine down across the silent landscape, and the sky to the south is so dark that I shiver, until the stars begin to burn, driving away the nightmares, brilliantly shining pinpricks like diamonds laid to rest on crushed velvet. I hesitate behind, and stretch an arm skywards in the universal, childlike hope that my fingers will somehow make contact with the burning effervescence of glory that makes up the constellations. Your hand finds mine suddenly, a soft brush of skin on skin, and you lead me away from the outcropping, patient and silent, over the rocky plains. You do not stop to watch, though I am sure this is as breathtaking for you to behold as it is for me, the miracles of light dancing across the burnt orange sky, the moonlit city, the way the stars seem to be shining just for us. To our East and West, there are more mountains, great soaring peaks of majestic ochre rock thrusting sharply upwards, topped with ice and snow, raked by the wind into serrated scimitar shapes, wonderful to behold. To the North is the towering citadel, magnificent in all it’s glory, framed against the inky blackness of the frozen ocean, seeming to glow with some inexplicable inner light as the sound of the waves lapping on the shore rings in my ears.

We climb on, and on, until my limbs begin to tire despite their strength, until my lungs ache from the bitterly thin air, until I am sure that you too cannot possibly move any longer. You turn to me, and in the ecstasy of a fleeting moment, your arms are around my waist, pulling me close, your lips on mine, so soft and swift and gentle that I am almost sure I imagined it. Still holding me, you draw away, achingly slowly and smile. For once, the light nearly reaches your eyes. Almost. I see my own reflection in your gaze, so small and insignificant before the one who has lived so long, will still live and love long after I am gone.

“I can’t remember if it was always this quiet…” I mutter, and your eyes flicker away from me, back over the view. The darkness is so peaceful, so perfect in light of what’s to come. It is all I can do to watch, and hold your hand, as the flaming inferno sweeps through the city below, as the buildings crumble down to the dust from whence they came. The sky shatters into a thousand brilliant pieces. You blink, and I can see tears in your eyes, tears of hope, of joy, of reverence, remembrance and sorrow for me, for this place. You break our grip, and suddenly, you are kneeling by my feet, in the dust.

“I don’t know how to do this. I’m probably doing it all wrong. I mean – the TARDIS told me that your people…When a planet burnt, they celebrated…and I thought this place would be…I’m messing up now, aren’t I?”

You grin, in that way that you have, and rub a hand through your messy hair. “I guess what I’m trying to say is I...oh, I mean, would you, maybe…I mean, if you want to…will you…”

You trail off for a second, swallowing, and my heart stops as I finally understand, as you remove a shining silver box from your breast pocket, and open it.

“Will you marry me?”

Your blue eyes are so hopeful. I smile, and nod, and we hold each other, together as one.

**********

A fistful of stars. A pocketful of moonlight. A thimbleful of magic.

These are the things you gave me, that night.

In return, I give you my hearts, my soul, the very core of my being. I just hope that it will be enough.

Stars

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