#the really bright stars are part of Orion's Belt

[swarvey]

screaming over paper rings. stardew and taylor swift?? PEAK ‼️ so, in a similar vein, i have a lil request

could you possibly write a one-shot with any taylor swift song of your choosing? i'd like for it to be x sebastian but i know he's not one of your favorites, so if that's uncomfortable i'd be down with haley. either is fine, i would just love to see what you'd come up with! your writing is wonderful, and i can't wait to see what else you write <3

- 🪩

when you've moved on | sebastian x gn!reader | part one

summary -> you're with alex now, but is he really the one you want? warnings -> none! seb smokes a cig and there's some swearing, that's ab it. just angst. heh. word count -> 1817

a/n: ahhh ty disco anon!! i'm glad you're liking the taylor/stardew crossover as much as i do <3 decided to do my take on the trope where they watch you move on with someone else in town, enjoy!!

part two -> elliott (tolerate it)

the way i loved you ->"but i miss screaming and crying and kissing in the rain."

"seb."

"hm?"

"see that?" you point up to the stars, eyes wide and bright. "that's orion's belt. if you look close enough, you can see his whole body."

raising a brow, sebastian squints up at the sky, noticing the three, shining stars all in a row next to each other.

"huh. guess you're right," he says, smiling lightly at your excitement at the stars.

you'd been ecstatic when he offered to take you stargazing, riding out to the spot where he'd kissed you for the first time. the picnic blanket beneath the two of you is soft, and although the evening spring wind is chilly, seb feels warm enough to fall asleep with your head resting on his shoulder.

"we should do this more often," you sigh happily, grabbing onto his arm and pulling him closer to your side.

he kisses the top of your head gently, closing his eyes. "whatever you want, sweetheart."

"seb?"

"yeah?" he responds, keeping his eyes closed.

"seb!"

"what?"

"sebastian, wake up!"

sebastian wakes with a start at the sound of his mother shouting, groaning as he sits up reluctantly.

scratching his head and yawning, he asks, "what time is it?"

"nearly eight-thirty, seb, you said you'd be up by eight," robin chides. "come on, we're going to be late for the festival."

he scowls. he's tempted to lay back down and cover his head with his blankets again, but he would rather not deal with more of his mom's antics.

"fine. i'll be up in a minute." as she heads back upstairs, sebastian groggily pulls on some warm clothing, trying to ignore the stinging in his heart. why, why was he still dreaming about you? he knows you've moved on, so why has he been cursed to see you every night? sometimes, he wakes up and forgets you're not his anymore, forgets about the fight you two had, forgets the sharp, hurtful words that came out of his mouth he didn't mean at all.

he'll never forget, though, the words you said back to him, an unforgiving amount of hurt and anger in your eyes as rain poured down on the two of you.

"i'm done with this, seb," you'd said, voice shaking and weak from arguing with him. "i've given you enough chances to prove me wrong, to show you actually care about me, but i guess i was wrong. i can't do whatever this is any longer."

then, you'd walked away, leaving him alone in the downpour in front of his house.

how could he have been so stupid? no one in his life has ever known him better than you did, and he still let you slip from his grasp. what an idiot, he thinks, scoffing at himself as he makes his way upstairs and joins his family.

though, as they enter the festival of ice, seb immediately regrets not staying in bed.

you laugh as alex pulls your winter hat over your face, grabbing a handful of snow and throwing it at him in retaliation. haley rolls her eyes as she stands to the side, annoyed as she pulls out her phone and begins absentmindedly scrolling. meanwhile, alex starts to chase you, grabbing you from behind and hugging you tightly before pressing a kiss to your cheek.

seb looks away. he thinks he might gag.

"hey, seb! you made it!" his blond-haired friend runs up to him like an excited kid, snow already scattered in his hair. "geez, did you just wake up or something? you look kinda rough, buddy."

"thanks," he replies flatly.

sam scratches the back of his neck, flashing an apologetic smile. "sorry, didn't mean to tick you off. come on, abby's waiting over there!"

sebastian keeps his gaze on the trees as he follows his friend, trying his best to tune out the sound of your laughter he once craved to hear. how did you end up with a douche like alex, anyway? he never understands why sam speaks so highly of him, and now you go off and date him?

"helloooo," abigail sings, waving a hand in front of his face.

"oh, hey," he greets, blinking out of his thoughts. "sorry, i'm still waking up."

she raises a brow, studying his face. "right. had another nightmare?"

"i guess you could call it that."

abby shakes her head, crossing her arms. "i'm telling you, sebastian, if you would just listen to me and move on, life will start to be much nicer to you."

"i have moved on," he snaps, though quickly sighs when he sees the knowing look she gives sam. "i'm sorry, really, but i'm fine. i promise."

"if you say so," she says, her tone unbelieving. he can't blame her for being worried — abby was the one who was most concerned about him after the two of you broke up, knowing how much he'd cared for you.

or, more accurately, how much he still cares for you.

"how about we go check on vincent?" sam suggests, obviously trying to lighten the mood. "the little guy was super excited for today."

as the three make their way over to find sam's younger brother, seb finds his eyes wandering over to you once again, unable to keep himself from checking on you. to his surprise, your eyes meet his for a split second, only for you to jump slightly and turn back to alex and haley.

did you miss him, too?

after the festival ends, sebastian finds himself lingering around a little longer, telling his friends and family that he'll catch up with them later. he walks over to the river, listening to the comforting sound of running water as he pulls out a cigarette and his lighter.

"i thought you quit?"

he whips his head around at the sound of your voice, nearly dropping the items in his hand into the water.

"i did," he replies after a moment, continuing to light the cigarette. "just felt like i needed one right now."

you wordlessly walk closer and stand beside him. he can feel your eyes burning into his face.

"well, how have you been?" you ask, rubbing your arm. "i heard you . . . haven't been sleeping well."

he huffs. "what, did alex tell you?" i told sam to keep his mouth shut.

"does it matter?" he doesn't have to look at you to know you're frowning. "it's been nearly a year, you can't let this keep dragging you down, seb."

he ignores the painful twinge in his chest at the sound of his name rolling off your tongue. seb. sure, almost everyone tends to use that nickname for him, but it just sounds so right coming from you. it used to make his heart warm every time he heard it, no matter the place or time; while doing chores, eating dinner, in bed.

even now, when you aren't his anymore, a part of him is glad to hear you still say it with the same tone.

"as i've been telling everyone else," he says after blowing smoke out from his lips, "i'm fine. there's no need for you to worry about me anymore, anyways — you got mr. pro over there to care for now."

"don't talk about him," you snap, a sudden defensiveness coming over your voice. "you don't get to bring him up."

seb scoffs, finally turning to look at you. god, you look just as breathtaking as he left you, snowflakes glittering on top of your hair and eyelashes. there's a certain glint in your eye he doesn't recognize, though, and he decides to test it.

"why?" he questions carelessly. "are you scared i'll be too honest with you?"

"what? i—"

"well that's too bad, sweetheart," he interrupts, his old nickname for you filled with an unfamiliar venom. "i'll be truthful with you, just like i always have been. i wasn't perfect with you, not at all — i ignored you and hurt you, over and over until you got sick of it and left, so i know i could've treated you better."

he sees your eyes begin to water, and for a moment, guilt overcomes him, but he goes on anyway.

"but there's one other thing i know," he continues, taking a step closer to you. he points behind him in the direction of the town. "you and him? you'll never love each other like we did. sure, we had our fuck-ups and arguments, but i have never loved someone like i did with you, and i know you feel the same."

"you don't know anything," you whisper, though the confidence you had before has vanished.

he huffs a sarcastic laugh. "really? you sure about that? tell me, does he know you always sleep in every saturday, since you're in the mines until late on fridays? or how you always go to the saloon, just to play your favorite song on the jukebox?" he pauses. "i bet he doesn't know anything about the stars, does he? have you even asked him to look at them with you?"

"stop!" you demand, fists clenched tightly as you give him the same look you had when you left him. "this is different, okay? alex and i are taking our time, so neither of us ends up making stupid mistakes like we did."

"as stupid as they were, that's what i liked about us," seb says, his voice a level gentler than it was before. "we weren't perfect, but we didn't pretend to be. it's what made us so real." he shakes his head, lifting his cigarette to his mouth. "but if you want to go live your high school daydream, then by all means, go ahead."

you scowl. "you know, i came here to check in on you, but i see now that you're as helpless as you were when i broke up with you."

he winces slightly at your harsh words, but remains stoic nonetheless. "go ahead and think whatever you want, sweetheart, but i think one of us is clearly more helpless than the other."

"fuck off, seb. get over yourself."

as you start to walk away, he turns to look at you once more, watching as you hesitate.

"i wanted us to work," you say quietly, void of any hostility. "i tried so hard, but you made it impossible."

"would you do it again?"

the question is slipping out of his mouth before he even realizes it, but he can't take it back now. he expects you to turn around, to storm at him and laugh at how he can even think that.

instead, you leave him with no response, hugging yourself with your arms as you head back towards your farm.

interesting. he throws his cigarette down into the dirt beneath him, putting it out with the heel of his shoe. he wonders why you didn't say anything.

that night, for the first time in weeks, sebastian doesn't dream.

[shayoranwriting]

Calm Among the Stars

Fandom: Sanders Sides

Pairing: Analogical; can be read as platonic or romantic

Word count: 490

Summary: With Virgil feeling a little pensive, Logan decides to keep him company using stargazing.

-

"You've been out here a while," Logan said as he cautiously approached Virgil, who was currently sitting on the grass in the yard staring up at the night sky.

"Yeah," came the quiet reply.

"Aren't you cold?" he asked.

"...yeah."

With a sigh, Logan summoned a thick blanket and, sitting himself down beside Virgil, draped it around both of their shoulders.

Virgil looked at him with surprise.

"Would you like to hear about some constellations?" Logan said simply.

Virgil huffed a laugh.

"Sure thing, Teach."

Logan straightened to attention, eyes shining with delight.

"Alright. Do you see that star right there? The one that's brighter than all the others?"

Virgil nodded, humming in acknowledgement.

"Well, that is Sirius, or the dog star, which is the brightest star in the night sky and part of the constellation Canis Major. It is actually what is known as a binary star, where two stars orbit one another and they can appear as a single body at this great distance."

Virgil made an interested sound to show he was still listening. He shifted to lean against Logan slightly, causing him to pause, smiling softly at the other.

"Now, moving up from Sirius, do you see that line of three stars right there?"

"Mm-hmm."

"That's Orion's belt. See the shape of his body? And there's his sword, his shield, and his club. Orion is particularly easy to find because the constellation has a number of especially bright stars. For example, Rigel, there, and Betelgeuse, right there, are among the brightest stars in the night sky and Orion contains six more stars with a magnitude below than 3. Where stellar magnitude is concerned, the smaller the number, the brighter the object."

"That seems a little confusing."

"Not really. It's a reverse logarithmic scale that was adapted from the original system proposed by Hipparchus, who defined the brightest stars as the first magnitude, the next brightest as the second magnitude, and so on."

"That's less confusing," Virgil said genuinely.

"Indeed. And because Orion is so easy to find in the night sky, it can be a useful tool for locating other constellations. For example, you can follow Orion's belt in the opposite direction from Sirius to find the Taurus constellation."

Logan glanced at Virgil from the corner of his eye. "Just like you can use the Big Dipper and Polaris to find the tail end of Draco."

"Draco is my favourite constellation! Dragonheart was a good movie," Virgil said, now seeming more present.

A stretch of silence passed between them, though it was a comfortable silence.

Finally, Virgil looked away from the stars and turned to Logan.

"Thanks, Logan."

Logan's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"You're very welcome," he said in a bemused tone.

"I'm ready to head back inside now."

Logan smiled, "Alright."

He stood up, offering Virgil a hand to help him do the same, and, together, they headed for the familiar warmth of the commons living room.

[thatisntverycombefair]

(Glow in the Dark) Stars in your multitudes

fic under the cut :)))

just a wholesome little javert babysitting cosette fic ft Glow in the Dark stars.

“Uncle Javert! ” Cosette beamed, a few steps behind her babysitter for the day.

“Yes, Cosette?” He responded whilst checking his watch. He’s lost count of his many times he’s checked it and tapped his foot waiting for his niece to finish looking around the odd knick-knack shop they somehow found themselves in.

The knick-knack shop sold what Javert believed was useless tat. Notivality items that attracted tourists rather than the average Parisian citizen. Part of Javert was begging to never see an Eiffel Tower Keychain or a Notre Dame themed mug again. Even seeing the real thing might be too soon.

“I found something,” She smiled. Javert let out a sigh of relief at her words hoping that it would mean they could start heading home.

However, there was something mischievous behind Cosette’s smile. Or maybe it was something playful. Javert found them difficult to differentiate. Either or, she was hiding something behind her back. She teetered back and forth on her feet like an eager beaver or an otter holding a pretty smooth pebble.

“What have you found?” Javert asked, his foot tapping didn't stop, in fact it turned into strides towards the shop’s counter.

He was fully expecting something silly, maybe one of those things which dances when light charges it or one of the dolls with wool for hair and big rosy cheeks.

What Cosette was holding out to him made him arch a brow.

“Stars?” Javert queried slowly, extending his hand on order for Cosette to place it in it so he could get a better look.

“Yep!!” Cosette nodded quickly, her toothy-smile was a joyous sight which could easily rival the sun in how bright it shone.

The packet was small, with uneven staples on flimsy cardboard and plastic encasing several plastic glow in the dark stars of differing sizes. Javert hasn't seen these in years.

When the boys at the orphanage started raving about ‘the new cool thing’. It made Javert scoff and roll his eyes. As a young boy, he believed them to be tedious and meaningless things which lacked lustre. After all, what do plastic glowing stars have in comparison to real stars? The stars which align in the sky with sparkling pinpoint accuracy. The actual stars understand their duty, their order, their design. The neon glow of the plastic doesn't. Javert remembers when some of the boys would stick them to their little sections of walls, their little private observatory. There was no order or structure; half of those kids didn't even know what a constellation was. It irked Javert then. The memory irks him now.

Although Javert never hated the idea of them, he just thought they were rather silly, in the hands of 10 year olds who didn't know their big dipper from their Orion's belt. When he saw the children stick them on their walls he wanted to rip them from their hands and place them in the correct positions himself. Maybe he has a chance now.

“You want these?” Javert asked, brow still raised.

Cosette continued to nod.

“Okay, one condition” Javert continued, Cosette's ears perked up, confusion and curiosity flooding over her young face. Her feet have not stopped teetering. “I get to help you put them up."

Cosette bounced and gave a thumbs up “okay, deal!! Thank you, Uncle Javert!!!!”

It was now Javert's time to nod and smile. Just a little. It was a private smile to himself as he ran his thumb over the lettering.

Now, he can show those boys how to really stick up stars.

“Come on kid, let's make your own private galaxy.” Javert said, once the stars were paid for. He reached his hand out for Cosette, who took it as they finally left the shop.

[writing-for-life]

From time to time, I just need to flog the goods (speak: my fics) on here because I’m notoriously bad at it. So have one of my favourite chapters from The Light of Stars, and read the rest on Ao3. Bye 🤣

[Oh, before I forget: Even if the thing has been published for a while: I still love your comments, and it’s not weird to comment on a completed fic. We don’t suddenly stop caring just because a fic is finished. Actually the opposite.]

The Light of Stars (76,167 words) by Writing-for-Life

Chapters: 31/31 Fandom: The Sandman (Comics), The Sandman (TV 2022) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Dream of the Endless | Morpheus/Original Female Character(s), Dream of the Endless | Morpheus/Original Character(s), Dream of the Endless | Morpheus/Other(s), Dream of the Endless | Morpheus/Reader Characters: Original Female Character(s), Dream of the Endless | Morpheus, Lucien | Lucienne (The Sandman), Fiddler's Green | Gilbert, Mervyn Pumpkinhead, Matthew the Raven, Desire of the Endless, Original Male Character(s), Destiny of the Endless, Death of the Endless, Despair of the Endless, Delirium of the Endless, Dusk (The Sandman), Night (The Sandman), Hob Gadling, Thalia Callaghan (OC), The Gatekeepers (The Sandman) Series: Part 1 of The Light of Stars

Creating Stars

Thalia felt an inner restlessness that would not dissipate, and it could neither be manoeuvred with work nor distraction. She didn’t want to go to sleep yet because it meant seeing him, and while she wanted to, she also needed space. Space to tune into her feelings, space to let her soul speak. So she decided to go for a walk to create that space, despite the late hour.

It was a beautiful clear, if cold night. Autumn had closed in completely; the air felt sharper, the balmy feel of summer was gone for good. However, she hadn’t seen the stars so beautiful in a long time. It was rare to see them so clearly because of light pollution, and for a moment, she wondered why they shone so brightly tonight. It stopped to matter—their beauty made her feel small, but connected to the universe in a way that was new to her.

As she kept walking, she began to agonise over her time with Morpheus coming to an end. If her stories weren’t what had brought her to him, what else was there to explore? She understood, on a deep level, that she wouldn’t really lose him, that he had always been there, as he was for everyone. And yet, it wouldn’t be the same. Thalia had long realised she wanted him the way he was now—fully present with her in both her dreams and waking hours.

Thinking about it too much made her head spin and her heart ache, and the pain was sharper than the night air.

She wrapped her coat around herself tighter and pulled up the collar before looking up to the sky and taking a deep breath. Her attention was drawn to three intensely bright stars that lined up in almost perfect symmetry. Something about them felt significant. Just when she was about to check her mobile phone for constellations, she was overcome with a feeling of deep peace and clarity.

Let the stars remind you of your strength and courage. Your guidance springs from hope.

It was almost like she could hear someone, or something, say these words to her, and she neither doubted them nor did she feel afraid.

There was no hubris in her realisation that her effect on him was as profound as his was on her, and that all of it was somehow meant to be. Perhaps finding him was the universe’s plan, and while it might have been beyond her comprehension, she trusted it. She didn’t care if anyone else would be able to understand—she just knew it to be true.

She also knew he was with her, even before he began to speak.

���It’s Orion’s Belt. The three stars are called Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka. Some also call them the three sisters.”

Thalia turned around to face him, and for a moment, the way he looked in this darkness completely took her breath away. Something about him was night, but he was also light. Not the incandescence of the sun, but the reflection of a thousand stars in a pool of cool water, or the moon’s soft sheen in a hazy winter sky.

“You should not be out on your own at this time of night,” he said softly, and the slight hoarseness in his voice sent shivers down her spine.

“Are you worried about me?”

“What if I were?”

Diamonds set in gold was all she could think of when she looked at the stars in his eyes.

“Maybe it would mean you cared more about me than you want to admit.”

He stayed silent, eyes firmly fixed on hers.

Thalia could tell his breathing was shallow, not least because he seemed to breathe in perfect synchronicity with her, and she was acutely aware that none of the air she inhaled seemed to reach the bottom of her lungs.

She took a cautious step forward, reached out her hand and touched his face. For a moment, he allowed her hand to linger and leaned into her touch so subtly that it was hardly noticeable.

And yet, she did notice.

She sensed it with every fibre of her being, and she wished this moment of exquisite tension and closeness would last forever.

It didn’t.

Morpheus laid his hand on hers, his touch cool, and gently removed it from his face. He bowed his head and exhaled deeply.

When he looked up again, his eyes met hers, aureate stars shimmering. “I care about your safety, and you are not safe out here.”

The air between them remained charged.

“I can take care of myself.”

“I don’t doubt it for a second, but…”

She put two fingers on his lips and shook her head. “I think the real reason you’re here is that you like my company. Maybe, just maybe, you didn’t want to wait until I’m asleep?”

Morpheus didn’t shrink back, neither from her touch nor her brazen claim. The stars in his eyes were flashing and flickering in a dance of cool blue and warm red until they finally settled on the richest, most fluorescent indigo she had ever seen.

His lips were soft against her touch. Thalia became painfully aware how much she wanted to kiss them, and she was also cognisant of the fact that she might not be able to hide her thoughts and feelings from him. If she was totally honest with herself, she didn’t care. She decided, there and then, to let him in because she wanted him to know.

And from the look in his eyes, she could tell he did.

She felt his breath on her fingers, and his eyes were burning like molten copper. He laid his hand on hers once more, but this time, he gently pressed her fingers against his lips. For the briefest of moments, it felt as if he were kissing them so lightly that it might as well have been an illusion.

He closed his eyes, swallowed hard and removed her fingers, but he held on to her hand when he said: “Let us walk, Thalia Callaghan.”

Although his words felt like a cold shower, she couldn’t help but chuckle. “Uh-oh, the surname, I’m in trouble. In any case, you still have a talent for changing topic.”

As they began walking, he finally let go of her hand. “So I should.” He gave her a sideways look. “And you are not in trouble, although I might change my mind about it.” The faintest smile lit up his face before he refocused on the path ahead.

“Tell me about them.”

“About whom?”

“The stars. What were their names again?”

“Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka.”

“They are beautiful. It’s like they… called out to me tonight.” She hesitated. “Does that sound weird?”

“Not in the slightest.” He gently shook his head. “They are testament to the powers and wonders of the universe. Some believe they created the seasons, others think they are a symbol of the divine feminine and her strength. And then there are some who think Orion, the hunter, was transformed into the greater constellation after his death, and they like to see it as a symbol of bravery and courage.”

“Which one is true?”

He glanced at her. “All stories are somewhat true, even the ones that started as lies.”

Thalia stepped out in front of him and began walking backwards in her usual way, only that it was a lot harder in the dark, real world than it was in the Dreaming. “You sound as if you know but don’t want to tell me.”

He smiled faintly. “I do know.” Out of nowhere, he stopped. “Turn around.”

Thalia’s heart began to race the moment he stepped behind her, so close that she could feel him despite the fact their bodies didn’t touch. He moved his arm over her right shoulder and pointed. “Follow my hand with your eyes…”

She focused on what seemed the dimmest of the three stars.

“You are looking at Mintaka. What you cannot see is that she isn’t one star, but a whole stellar system, formed over 12 million years ago. And yet, she is very young, much younger than Earth. So are her people, who abhor violence but unfortunately also value conformity above all else. Some of them dream of being different, and to break free one day.”

Thalia felt her breath catching in her throat and turned her head to look at him. Their eyes briefly connected before he moved his head closer to hers and whispered in her ear: “Eyes straight ahead.”

It took all her resolve to follow his hand again, which slowly moved to the left. “This is Alnilam. She is the youngest of the three, 6 million years younger than her oldest sister, and she is alone. She is the brightest of them, some say the most beautiful. She lives and breathes and dreams of escaping her solitude before she stops burning and it is too late.”

Thalia couldn’t help but reach for him and let her hand rest on his upper arm. He inhaled deeply. His fingers were less steady than she had expected them to be when he pointed farther left.

“Alnitak is really a twin. The slightly younger one is stable, the other is unstable and perpetually circling her sibling. Over the past 7 million years, the elder was responsible for the death of three separate developing lifeforms. They both dream of being separate and free from each other.”

Morpheus slowly lowered his arm, and she removed her hand to face him. When she looked into his eyes, she knew everything he had just told her was true, and yet, it was beyond her comprehension.

“They live? How is this even possible?’ she asked.

“It is just as possible as my standing with you here right now.”

“And you are there for all of them?”

He nodded. “I have been for billions of years.”

She shook her head in disbelief, eyes wide. “I know Lucienne said you are old, but…”

“I have seen them come and go.” He looked up to the sky. “The nebula you can see right below Alnitak has been the birthplace of many stars. And when they start to dream, I am there.”

Thalia searched the sky. “I can’t see it.”

“It is there, trust me.”

“I do. I just wish I could see what you see.”

“Be careful what you wish for.”

“I know full well what I wish for.”

Morpheus looked straight into her eyes, and she could tell he was trying to judge whether she understood the true depth of her admission.

“I do,” she replied.

He looked surprised. “It seems we have learned to communicate without words, Thalia Callaghan.”

“We’ve been doing so for quite a while, it’s just that turned tables confuse you.” She blinked slowly, and the air charged with electricity again.

Morpheus seemed to get lost in her eyes.

“What are you looking at?” Thalia’s mouth was dry, and her voice nearly gave out.

He hesitated for a brief moment before whispering: “Close your eyes.”

Her deep trust in him made her do as she was told. A moment later, she sensed him, inside her head, her mind, her soul. It was nearly too much to bear, and yet, she didn’t want it any other way. A sweet dizziness enveloped her.

“Open them again…”

Clarity set in slowly. She didn’t know where they were or how they got there, and it didn’t matter. It felt like floating in space, yet her feet were touching the ground. All she could see was darkness and light and stardust, orange, pink and red. The stars were too numerous to count.

“Is it real?” She couldn’t help but reach for him because she felt unsteady.

“As real as your body and mind can handle.”

Thalia was completely overwhelmed, and silent tears began to fall. “I have never seen anything so beautiful.”

“Neither have I.” Morpheus was looking at her, and she could hardly breathe. He reached out his hand to catch a tear from her chin that had been slowly running along her jawline, all the while carefully avoiding to touch her face.

When he opened his hand, the droplet transformed into a tiny speck of light, shimmering like a diamond. He released it, and it moved away, floating, scintillating, and turned into a star right before her eyes.

She gasped. “Is it real, too?”

“If you believe it is, does it matter?”

Thalia couldn’t take her eyes off it. “When I wake up, will it be gone?”

“You are not dreaming…”

She turned her head to look at him. “But…”

“…and it will be here for as long as you remember it.”

“How could I ever forget?” She just didn’t care any more and embraced him.

Thalia could feel his resistance within an instant. He had somewhat become accustomed to the touch of her hand, but maybe feeling her body touching his was too much, and she immediately regretted her decision to act on her impulse.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

He stepped back ever so slightly. “I… Perhaps I underestimated the human need for touch.”

Thalia mustered up all her courage. “Maybe it’s not just humans who need touch. For what it’s worth, I don’t touch indiscriminately. I just want to be close to you.” He didn’t react, but she was determined not to give up. “Can you promise me something?”

His eyes narrowed. “I am not sure whether I can.”

“Maybe you should take a chance and trust me, just like I trust you.”

The stars in his eyes looked like the most beautiful, shimmering moonstones she had ever seen, and they made it hard for her to focus.

“Proceed.”

Thalia couldn’t help but smile at his attempt to be formal, all the while only managing to sound wary.

“I want you to…”

“Want?” He raised one eyebrow, and strangely enough, she knew he was back with her. And apparently he knew she knew, because he began to smile.

“Yes, I want you to promise that you will remember tonight. And that you will remember the star we just created when I am gone, so it will keep on existing. Can you do that?”

He just nodded and turned his head to look into the distance.

Thalia stepped in front of him. “Please look at me.” She only noticed then that his eyes were brimming with tears. “Have I said something wrong?”

He shook his head. “I promise I will remember tonight. I will remember you, Thalia Callaghan…”

[sammialex]

Babel

The grey, pebbled wool of your oldest sweater slips down over your hands as you type, words flowing out of your fingers and across the keys of your computer. Live and let live, you plead into the void. Vitriol spits back at you. Naive, the kind ones say. Idiot, say the rude. Traitor, say the rest.

You close the computer with a soft click, and spots burst in front of your eyelids as you press the heels of your palms into hollow sockets. Darkness has crept into the room while you were absorbed in the screen's blue brightness, and shadows loom from potted plants, various towering stacks of papers and books, and furniture that is cozy in the light of day.

No one listens. Every day you put out another letter to the editor. You write another blog. You post another picture. Every day you turn on the news and see another disaster, another shooting, another suicide, another law called FREE that will only limit freedom.

It's enough to turn someone to drastic action, you muse, and you're joking, really, you are, but some tiny part of you wonders what that drastic action would even look like. If the pen is not mightier than the sword, and surely it isn't if none of the articles and posts and memes make any sort of difference. If the sword is not mightier than the pen, and surely it isn't, if all of this violence can be caused or calmed by a word from the right person.

You don't have an answer.

The stairs creak beneath your feet, slow shuffling steps carrying you higher, closer to your bed. A slice of silvery moonlight through the window crosses your pillow, and you lean against the sill, just looking out at the sky. Stars struggle to peek through the light pollution from the nearby city, and you strain to see the brightest—there, Orion's belt. The hunter. There, his faithful dog, forever at his heels.

They watch over the sky, proud and sure, chests thrown out and blazing. Do they fear for us? You wonder. Do they know how much less we look to the sky, how hard it is to see them if we glance up? Do they resent our cynicism as it grows, generation after generation, scoffing at gods while looking to the false idols who live among us?

Perhaps they are unsurprised, watching another cycle of struggle and loss. You remember a quote you once heard, that the Earth is littered with the ruins of empires who believed they were eternal. You think of the boneyard your home is built on, the blood that was spilled to make room for your life.

The curtain grates over the rod as you close it with a sharp jerk, plunging the room into darkness. What would it take, you wonder as you crawl into your warm bed and feel guilty that you have one at all. What would it take, for humanity to stop acting the ouroboros, wrapped around and eating itself alive? Have we always been this way? Or did we climb too high, a species of Babel, meant to tear itself apart at the seams?

Your head hits the pillow, cool sheets against your cheek. Your eyelashes drag against the fabric as you blink once, twice, and then leave them closed.

What would it take, you wonder. You see how easy it would be to turn to violence, to let this helpless rage seep into action, to try and grab something, anything with two hands and do something people would have to acknowledge. You know how useless it is, that your name would be lost to the next one, and the next, day after day as the violence continues to mount, endlessly escalating.

Your sleep is uneasy.

The sun rises. Another day.

also posted on ao3 here.

[vodid]

as someone who lives and has always ever lived in that THICK bright red glob on the east coast, i have trouble making out even orion's belt in the sky sometimes. light pollution is plentiful here. the sky/horizon can get very bright most nights and all you'll be able to see is jupiter and satellites

the first time i ever saw a hint of the milky way was at an adventure camp at the tip of the chesapeake bay, which if you look closely, that area is green at best. it was a clear winter night and i remember looking up and getting smacked in the face with— IS THAT A LINE OF STARS IN THE SKY?! it was so faint, i had to actually stare and really focus to be able to make it out. but i was so fascinated with it. i didn't even care about the other shit we were doing, i didn't care if i looked silly looking way up or if i almost tripped on stairs — i only wanted to look at the stars. there were so so very few of them and they were so spaced out. it was like the worst dot graph in statistics you could possibly get on a paper that barely had any sort of distinguishable pattern to it, but i loved it. it was like drinking liquid gold with glitter inside. it was really like you could just soar up there and touch them, but it was so easy to lose sight of them

i actually used to hate space at one point as a kid; i thought it was pointless to explore or even think about. but as more time goes on and more stars in the sky disappear, i'm convinced it's just because i'd never really seen the stars. never got to truly experience them. light pollution has definitely gotten worse here just in the past decade and it wasn't until i was able to see one of the dippers at the age of 10 or so that i realized. oh. space. stars. magic.

but that fascination had truly always been a part of me. that primal fascination of a world beyond ours. even when i disliked space, i still wanted to go to a state park or somewhere the least bit clean to see the stars, and if that — the trip to the adventure camp — was only the beginning, then what does the rest look like to the naked eye? what would it feel like? i can only imagine through pictures on google.

The black areas represent the remaining natural dark skies in the United States

[darkness-and-books]

Sneak peak into something I’ve been working on

Author’s Note: it’s not a fan thing, it’s something of my own that I thought might be cool to share. Feedback appreciated, hope you like it.

⚠️: none

word count: 218

Pandora, a girl whose name shows just how confident her parents were that she’d be trouble, was actually quite a surprise, in that, she was nothing of a surprise. You see she lived on (or rather near as the thing itself was uninhabitable to life as we know it) Alnilam, although most people get a better idea of where she lives when she says “Yeah, you see that middle star on Orion’s Belt? That’s where I live” and as an approximation, the statement wasn’t incorrect. Living in such a place seems exciting until you realise that the nearest shopping centre is near Iota Orionis B. Alnilam is, for the most part, just empty space, its sort of like living on the space prairie. Which is an odd comparison as there aren’t any cattle up there either. Maybe a better comparison is that it’s like empty space with a couple of really bright lights. Pandora didn’t know why her parents worried about her so much, it’s not like there was actually anything for her to do around here. She often found herself thinking, “what if I made there be something to do around here?” And such things like that. She was an ambitious girl by all accounts, no one doubted that she could do anything, for better or worse.

Hope you like, feel free to comment on anything about it, it doesn’t have a title either if anyone has any ideas.

[obsessivefangirl]

Saw this rq and wanted to just go over this. Click read more if you want to go through why I think this is baloney

First of all, before we go any further, performed miracles and born on December 25th will not be touched upon. This is due to how every. single. god. has done some act above our nature or commanded nature to their will. If not they would just be a guy. It's vague and like saying prophets are knock offs of each other. Next, Jesus Christ was never stated to be born on December 25th. In fact, we can narrow His birth due to the shepherds in their fields on the day of His, and shepherds put out their flock in the pasture from spring until early October, meaning He could NOT be born by then. Due to the specifics of John the Baptist's birth, He was likely born somewhere in autumn. Now, let's get into this.

Horus

Horus was not born of a virgin. From all the accounts I could find, even the ones trying to say Christianity was not special, he was conceived through his father. The story is Osiris was collected after all but his penis was collected (his body parts were scattered,) who then healed him to have it, and made love to a resurrected him or a dead body. Others claim she had intercourse before his death. This is nothing like the Christian accounts.

Three wise men were stars of Orion's belt and east of them was Osiris' star (not Horus') from what I could find, even with sketchy skewed against Christianity sources. Also, stars are like, really pretty and seen as unreachable, a lot of myths have them involved. Another thing, Jesus wasn't a star. It wasn't one of those "the stars are gods" things, instead being about a very bright star helping to guide those to Christ. Heck, most biblical scholars agree that it was the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, not a star. Not the same. Also, we don't know how many wise men adored Jesus, and they weren't kings. I also could not find any 3 kings for Horus other than the 3 stars of Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka.

Jesus was not a teacher at 12. Instead He had amazing understanding of the scriptures and law. He started to preach later in life. He taught people at the synagogue once, that does not mean He was a teacher. I could not find Horus being a teacher 12.

Could find nothing about anything baptism related.

I could not find anything for disciples other than Christians claiming that he had 4, but I couldn't find any non-Christian sources about that either. Do with this as you will. I will call this a draw myself, as it seems like he said she said and I'm not really in the mood to go too deep of a dive (I am meant to be doing school as I write this ^^')

Here is a Christian source talking about Horus, with some sources. Didn't go through this but they may have better things than me

Krishna

The virgin birth of Krishna is completely false.

Could find nothing about the Hindu Krishna, but this might be bc it's flooded by a story where a girl named Jiddu Krishnamurti was declared messiah by Order of the Star in the East so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ it might be there, but it's buried under other stuff so I'm taking this as unconcluded.

Could not find anything about his resurrection.

Attis

You could argue that yeah he was born a virgin, but it was very, very different tale. Jesus' birth was important to be virgin in Christianity's eyes due to origin sin and also He was created with no seed, but God formed Him in Mary's womb with none involved. Attis was conceived by a tree made from genitals impregnanted his mother. Even this anti-Christian source that believes Christianity was made by secret societies will tell you that. I cannot find out the exact object whether fruit or seed, but the general idea is the same.

Crucifixion is a tricky one. There's many different tellings. All in all, it seems like he died by his own hand though some say a bull killed him. A tree was involved, either under or hung on a tree. This is not the same, as the reasons and ways They got there is not at all the same. I could show how both Abraham Lincon and Adolf Hitler died by a gun to the head. Yes, that's true, but the reasons and context is so ridiculously different no one would take you seriously.

Some just say "resurrection" but the sources that actually go into it seem to say that Zeus just... preserved his body. He never came back, just the body stayed fresh. Very different.

Mithra

Mithra hatched out of a rock. I mean he wasn't conceived by sex, so that's something? Not much though.

Actually Mithra is the most pathetic excuse on here. No mention of death (which means no staying dead or being resurrected) or disciples. Whoever made this just straight up lied for Mithra. Like, more than this entire thing.

Dionysus

Both ones have him conceived, then born by a new person bc something happened. He was always conceived from sex.

Could not find any proof of any other claims, unless the "resurrection" was his rebirth after getting killed as an infant, then having his heart eaten and being conceived again, but like. Jesus' resurrection and birth was very different, and Dionysus was more of rebirth. Not to mention that this is the lesser agreed upon birth of Dionysus.

I'm not saying you have to believe Christianity due to this analysis ofc, but I just saw this and wanted to see how fabricated this was, which is very. The similarities there are are not enough to claim it is inspired, as tales come eerily close to life sometimes, and these are not errily close at all. If you disagree or found reputable sources, you're welcome to add on. I will be ignoring and blocking rude and holier than thou comments or just "Jesus isn't real lmao" bc really it's not worth my time.

[maximura]

The Horsehead Nebula: also known as Barnard 33, this nebula is located over 1000-Lights Years away in the constellation of Orion. It was first discovered by female Scottish astronomer Williamina Fleming in 1888. Original photography by Ryan Steinberg, Adam Block et al. 

[luveline]

Could you write some robin x reader fluff 💖 I don't really have a plot idea just soft idiot robin

first time writing robin !! thank you for your request this is very soft so i hope it suits <3

"That one's Orion," Robin tells you quietly as the back of her hand brushes yours. 

Alone with her in the dark, there's no secrets. 

"How do you know?" you whisper, lolling your head to the side to take in her pretty face where she lays next to you in the grass.

Robin knows everything and this is no different. You watch her lips part, her words quick and sweet as her brain works faster than her mouth. She's halfway through her explanation before you remember to look up. 

"See how there's three that are super bright? Those are the Three Sisters. Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka. They make up his belt." Her hair brushes tickles you as she points them out to you, the tip of her finger kissing the very last. "That's Mintaka. She's technically a star-system; a double star." 

"A double star?" you murmur. 

"Right." The way she says it makes you want to kiss her, how she's encouraging though all you've done is repeat her. 

"What does that mean, Robs? Like an egg with two yolks?"

The thread bracelets around her wrist slide over your arm as she shifts, looking at you with fondness. Fondness mixed with something else – something big. 

"No," she says, her bottom lip curling in just slightly with the force of her smile. Time feels sticky slow. "No, not like a double yoke."  

You can't help beaming too, her happiness infectious.

She hikes up on one elbow, stroking the skin above your eyebrow with the pad of her index finger carefully until she reaches the end of its tail. "It's two stars orbiting each other." 

"Each other," you murmur. 

"Mm-hmm," she says. The lilting cadence of her voice is intoxicating. "Just the two of them. Eighty thousand times brighter than the sun." 

"I like that better than a double yoke," you say decidedly.

You can tell from the look on her face that Robin's going to kiss you. Rather than let her, despite everything in you wanting to be kissed, you push up and hover over her, the two of you giggling under your breath as she lays down flat again. 

You rest your hand in the space over her shoulder to lock her in. 

You lean down. You can see the moment she starts holding her breath, pressing your free hand into the space between her breasts and waiting for her chest to lift, and only then do you press your lips to hers. The barest of touches, so lightly that you're not sure if it's an imagined contiguity or the real thing.

"How do you know everything?" you ask.

Her lips part. You steal her breaths.

"I don't know anything," she says, her eyes fluttering open and boring into yours. She brings her hand to your face.

"You do. My smart girl." You tap her nose with yours, waiting for a babble of self-diminishing chatter that doesn't come. 

"I know one thing," she concedes. 

"Just the one?" 

"Yeah." 

Your eyes are closed, rubbing your nose into the pert point of hers, back and forth, waiting for her to tell you what it is that she knows. You kiss her, a true kiss, lips against lips. It's sweet and small – you want to know what she has to say. 

She seems to understand that you're waiting. 

"You're so pretty. I- I'm so happy you're with me."

Your chest fills with the heat of the sun. Two suns, two stars, chasing each other in circles two thousand light years away and underneath your hand, Robin's heart a skipping pulse to mirror your own.

"That's two things," you chide fondly. 

"Want a third?" she asks. 

You follow up her high cheekbone and tuck silky strands of hair behind her lovely ears.

"Is it that I'm a great kisser?" you ask, and kiss her.

Patience has never been a virtue you possess, especially with her lying under your hand, pliant and pretty as a peony. 

She laughs into the kiss, a giddy giggle. You understand the feeling. You're quick to deepen your kissing and Robin responds in turn, lips searching for yours, her head lifting from the blanket. 

You break away to take a breather and Robin does the same and the two of you pant and grin like idiots. You press your head to her chest as you do, only intending to take a small break. 

Her arms wrap around your head to pull you in. You can't begrudge her. 

"What's the third thing?" you ask the rigid triangle of her sternum. 

She cups your cheek, fingers bent and braced against your temples, palm squeezing the dough of your cheek. "Besides your immaculate kisses?" She wrinkles her nose at you, lips upturned. "I love you." 

You're grinning into her skin as you say, "You're not smart for that, I already knew." 

"Uh-huh." 

"I love you, too." 

Robin's hand moves to the back of your neck, holding you close though you couldn't be closer. "You were right. I do know everything." 

The night sky speckled with a hundred thousand stars, brilliant crushed pearls blanketed in a velveteen ebony, and still you ignore it all for the chance to press your face into Robin's chest.

[nasa]

Discovering the Universe Through the Constellation Orion

Do you ever look up at the night sky and get lost in the stars? Maybe while you’re stargazing, you spot some of your favorite constellations. But did you know there’s more to constellations than meets the eye? They’re not just a bunch of imaginary shapes made up of stars — constellations tell us stories about the universe from our perspective on Earth.

What is a constellation?

A constellation is a named pattern of stars that looks like a particular shape. Think of it like connecting the dots. If you join the dots — stars, in this case — and use your imagination, the picture would look like an object, animal, or person. For example, the ancient Greeks believed an arrangement of stars in the sky looked like a giant hunter with a sword attached to his belt, so they named it after a famous hunter in their mythology, Orion. It’s one of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky and can be seen around the world. The easiest way to find Orion is to go outside on a clear night and look for three bright stars close together in an almost-straight line. These three stars represent Orion's belt. Two brighter stars to the north mark his shoulders, and two more to the south represent his feet.

Credit: NASA/STScI

Over time, cultures around the world have had different names and numbers of constellations depending on what people thought they saw. Today, there are 88 officially recognized constellations. Though these constellations are generally based on what we can see with our unaided eyes, scientists have also invented unofficial constellations for objects that can only be seen in gamma rays, the highest-energy form of light.

Perspective is everything

The stars in constellations may look close to each other from our point of view here on Earth, but in space they might be really far apart. For example, Alnitak, the star at the left side of Orion's belt, is about 800 light-years away. Alnilam, the star in the middle of the belt, is about 1,300 light-years away. And Mintaka, the star at the right side of the belt, is about 900 light-years away. Yet they all appear from Earth to have the same brightness. Space is three-dimensional, so if you were looking at the stars that make up the constellation Orion from another part of our galaxy, you might see an entirely different pattern!

The superstars of Orion

Now that we know a little bit more about constellations, let’s talk about the supercool cosmic objects that form them – stars! Though over a dozen stars make up Orion, two take center stage. The red supergiant Betelgeuse (Orion's right shoulder) and blue supergiant Rigel (Orion's left foot) stand out as the brightest members in the constellation.

Credit: Derrick Lim

Betelgeuse is a young star by stellar standards, about 10 million years old, compared to our nearly 5 billion-year-old Sun. The star is so huge that if it replaced the Sun at the center of our solar system, it would extend past the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter! But due to its giant mass, it leads a fast and furious life.

Betelgeuse is destined to end in a supernova blast. Scientists discovered a mysterious dimming of Betelgeuse in late 2019 caused by a traumatic outburst that some believed was a precursor to this cosmic event. Though we don’t know if this incident is directly related to an imminent supernova, there’s a tiny chance it might happen in your lifetime. But don't worry, Betelgeuse is about 550 light-years away, so this event wouldn't be dangerous to us – but it would be a spectacular sight.

Rigel is also a young star, estimated to be 8 million years old. Like Betelgeuse, Rigel is much larger and heavier than our Sun. Its surface is thousands of degrees hotter than Betelgeuse, though, making it shine blue-white rather than red. These colors are even noticeable from Earth. Although Rigel is farther from Earth than Betelgeuse (about 860 light-years away), it is intrinsically brighter than its companion, making it the brightest star in Orion and one of the brightest stars in the night sky.

Credit: Rogelio Bernal Andreo

Buckle up for Orion’s belt

Some dots that make up constellations are actually more than one star, but from a great distance they look like a single object. Remember Mintaka, the star at the far right side of Orion's belt? It is not just a single star, but actually five stars in a complex star system.

Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/GSFC/M. Corcoran et al.; Optical: Eckhard Slawik

Sword or a stellar nursery?

Below the three bright stars of Orion’s belt lies his sword, where you can find the famous Orion Nebula. The nebula is only 1,300 light-years away, making it the closest large star-forming region to Earth. Because of its brightness and prominent location just below Orion’s belt, you can actually spot the Orion Nebula from Earth! But with a pair of binoculars, you can get a much more detailed view of the stellar nursery. It’s best visible in January and looks like a fuzzy “star” in the middle of Orion’s sword.

More to discover in constellations

In addition to newborn stars, Orion also has some other awesome cosmic objects hanging around. Scientists have discovered exoplanets, or planets outside of our solar system, orbiting stars there. One of those planets is a giant gas world three times more massive than Jupiter. It’s estimated that on average there is at least one planet for every star in our galaxy. Just think of all the worlds you may be seeing when you look up at the night sky!

It’s also possible that the Orion Nebula might be home to a black hole, making it the closest known black hole to Earth. Though we may never detect it, because no light can escape black holes, making them invisible. However, space telescopes with special instruments can help find black holes. They can observe the behavior of material and stars that are very close to black holes, helping scientists find clues that can lead them closer to discovering some of these most bizarre and fascinating objects in the cosmos.

Next time you go stargazing, remember that there’s more to the constellations than meets the eye. Let them guide you to some of the most incredible and mysterious objects of the cosmos — young stars, brilliant nebulae, new worlds, star systems, and even galaxies!

To keep up with the most recent stellar news, follow NASA Universe on Twitter and Facebook.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

[mendesblurb]

Hi, I’m such a fan of your writing and honestly a little in love with coffee lol

so I was wondering if you’d be okay to write Shawn x reader where they just enjoy some morning coffee together (Fluff).

Morning Coffee

Shawn Mendes x female reader

Word Count: ~2.8k

Warning ⚠️: fluff, maybe grammar error and maybe some punctuation errors.

Masterlist

A/N: oof so sorry for the sudden disappearance, but irl things got busy and messy lol. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this story! Love you all ♥️

There’s just something about coffee that made Shawn fall in love with it. Maybe it was the smell of it brewing in the bright sunny morning or the bitterness yet slightly addictive flavour.

It was his part of routine, even the fact that today was a Sunday and he could actually sleep in a little longer, and make that cup of coffee later.

The Coffee shop was a bustle of color, sound, and smells. The place was new, but it was able to give off a homey feeling, the one that made you feel instantly welcomed.

The lights were dimmed, so it would ensure an easy adjustment on one’s eyes after walking in the blinding sun's beams.

The sound of the soft jazz piano consistently playing in the background. Shawn felt glad he took Aaliyah’s advice about giving this new shop a chance. The smell of roasted coffee beans and sugar made Shawn inhaled all deeply before a familiar voice cutting through, interrupting his sensory bliss.

“Shawn?”

He spun in place to come face to face with the person.

“Y/N? Oh my god.” Shawn greeted you into a hug, his arms enveloping you into his chest, “How long has it been?”

“Basically since high school graduation.” You giggle, voice muffled in his sweater.

Shawn smiled to himself as he patiently watched how the steam from the boiling water started to rise above the kettle, swirling in the air.

You and Shawn lay there for a while, appreciating how the sky slipped from indigo to a rich, deep purple. For once, it was a clear and cloudy night and you could see almost every star in the sky.

“There’s the Big Dipper....” he said while laying down in the blanket and began pointing his finger up to the sky. Meanwhile, you began to move closer to him and lift your gaze up at the constellations he’s pointing out.

“That one’s Orion’s Belt..” pointing his finger up again.

“I know the constellations Shawn.” You said while giggling.

“Good. Because I only know those two.”

“Hey look! That's a shooting star. Make a wish Shawn!” you squealed, immediately squeezing your eyes shut.

Shawn chuckled at your adorable act for only a brief moment before letting his eyes close too.

Then after the high pitched 'ding' emitting from the machine, interrupting him from his thoughts. His hands were quick to work effortlessly, gently pouring the black liquid into two cups, and adding a splash of milk to only one of it.

“Thank you for walking me home,” You grabbed his hand and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, brushing your thumb over his cheek, “I had a really good time tonight, Shawn.”

Shawn’s eyes could only widen by your sudden act, and cheeks reddening even further.

“Me too,” he said, nodding, and unable to contain his giddy smile, “Would you maybe..” tilting his head, eyeing you with curiosity. “Go on another date with me?” He asked.

“I’ll, uhm”-,” you said, trying to ignore that your face probably also brightens with color as well.

You both stayed silent for several moments, slight awkwardness filling the space between you.

“Oh goodness was I too blunt? I didn’t make you uncomfortable, did I? I just assume, I– “

You interrupted him with another soft, chaste kiss on his cheek. Just a second, just enough to smell the mint on his breath. You pulled away and smiled at him, lacing your fingers with his. “I’d love to.”

Absolutely perfect, he thought, leaning in for a sip. There really was just something satisfying about this that brought him so much warmth and happiness at just one sip.

It was a rather slow day for Shawn. He was just in bed, reading one of his favourite Harry Potter books, attached to his lap, was you who stubbornly decided that today was a clingy and cuddly day.

He loved slow days like this one, since it meant he could spend time with you without having to worry about writing new lyrics or attending interviews anytime soon. He wiggled slightly to get into a more comfortable position, effectively stirring you from your short nap.

Soon enough, the book he was reading disappears from his grasp, held in your arm before being transferred over the nightstand next to the bed, and Shawn is pulled down a little further into the bed.

“Cuddle now, read later,” You commanded, trapping him to the bed with your entire body weight and legs.

“If you say so, baby.” Shawn sighed, happily settling into your embrace.

His lips quivered into a smile as he brought the warm cup to his nose again, inhaling the pleasant tanginess of the coffee before bringing the cup back up to his lips, humming delightfully at its strong odor, continued wrapping his fingers around the heated mug and relaxed his shoulders at the pleasant bitterness coming from the warm beverage.

"I have to tell you something," Shawn mutters as your face is still mashed against his chest.

"What is it?" You ask, barely above a whisper, his hand still stroking slowly over your back.

"You're gorgeous," he says quietly, muffled a little as he speaks, "I love your smile, your dimples, your face, I love your scars and your arms and your cute butt and your legs and basically your everything."

You smile, looking up at him. "You think I have a cute butt?"

"Don't push it," Shawn yawns. "But I do love all of you. Now go to sleep."

”I think you have a cute butt too.” You giggled as you continued nuzzling your head on his chest, and pressing a light kiss on the spot just above where you could hear the rapid thud-thud sound, “I love every part of you too, Shawn.”

The feeling of joy continues engulfing his body, like the warmest hug, transporting him out of this world.

Shawn woke up lying on his back with a weight on his chest. One arm was slung around his shoulders as you used his chest as a pillow and tangled your legs with his.

“Y/N,” Shawn spoke softly, rubbing a hand up and down the arm he had wrapped around your waist. The only answer he received was a low grunt. “Babyyy,” he tried again, a little louder this time. “It's already morning.”

“So?” You asked, voice rough as you otherwise remained unmoving.

“Maybe we should get up?”

“No thank you,” Shaking your head, you tighten your arm around his middle and legs, locking him in place. Shawn wasn’t going anywhere without a struggle. “Come on,” He wheedled as he poked at your shoulder and ran a finger down to trace little patterns across your back. “Don’t you want breakfast?”

“Nope,” You said again, trying to get him to settle back down into his previous position. “And please stop wiggling, you’re a terrible pillow.”

“Just use one of your actual pillows!”

“It’s not as comfortable,” You smiled, before lifting your head to kiss the top of his head, “So please for now,” You grumbled, taking one of his hands that you could reach and locking your fingers together, “We should just stay here.”

“Okay fine,” Shawn sighed, giving in, lightly squeezing your hand. “Okay you were right, this is relaxing, peaceful and cozy. And I like that we are together. I like this. Just laying here with you even if we are so hungover right now.”

“Told you this could be nice.” You laughed

Shawn smiled hearing your response, and proceeded to settle back into a more comfortable position and pulled you even closer.

So much so that he didn’t feel that moment of tranquility was interrupted by a pair of arms enveloping him into an embrace. A smile forming on his lips to a familiar slight sigh that escaped his accompaniment.

“Shouldn't you be asleep? It's late.” Shawn said, barely looking up from the screens hoping for some type of progress, or any progress had been made. He rubbed his temples and sighed in mild frustration.

“I could ask you the same thing you know...but that's why I got you this..”

Shawn looked up to see what you had brought. It was a steaming mug of what smelled to be coffee. You handed the cup to him, ushering a brief warning of how hot it was. “It's nowhere as good as your coffee, but I tried…”

“Thank you, baby.” Shawn smiled, taking a sip and went back to work, feeling slightly more awake.

“Don’t overwork yourself too much, okay?” You said, leaving a light kiss on his forehead before moving across the room.

“Hey now, what are you doing?” Shawn asked when he heard the slight creak of a couch, “You should be sleeping.”

“I'm staying here with you.”

“You have two early meetings tomorrow, don’t stay up with me.”

“I took a day off. Don't worry, I promise not to disturb you. I'm just here if you want a refill on coffee.” You said picking up one of the books lying around.

It was your favorite sight in the morning. Shawn had gotten up before you and was in the kitchen, making some coffee.

You lean against the doorframe of the kitchen, head slightly tilted as watching him, your eyes travelling down his body. A smile spread across your lips as you stood there and stared at him for a second longer before slowly walking towards him.

There he was, his back to you, wearing only his black boxers. Your eyes danced across his broad shoulders, to the tight muscles of his back and down to his butt, god he was a vision like this.

"Thank you for the food." You said, sitting down at the table and started eating the piece of the chicken, “Didn’t expect to have a home cooked meal made by my lovely boyfriend after a long day at work.”

"Is... Is the chicken... alright?"

He actually knew it wasn't, and you probably knew too.

"It’s alright," You muttered, but clearly trying to shove down a glass of water right after taking a bite.

Shawn reached his own fork towards the dish. "You don’t have to finish it."

As if in defiance, You took another piece of the burnt chicken. "It’s okay," you said, choosing not to look at him, "It's... actually not bad, for a first try."

Shawn couldn't help it, he chuckled, “You must really love me.”

“That I do.” You smirked, “Because I truly never thought a chicken could possibly die twice.”

"Oh dear god." Shawn said, embarrassingly hid his red face behind a hand, but couldn't quite smother the smile on his lips. ”We are so ordering that pizza."

"Morning sleepy-head," he said, his voice cheerful but low.

"Morning," you responded, planting a kiss on the back of his head.

He loosened your hold on his waist and spun around, pulling you into an embrace and clutching you by your waist and lifting you effortlessly onto the counter as he stepped between your legs. His hands gently caressing your thighs, lips curved up into a smile.

“Hey, Y/N?” He says, voice quiet as both of you stand on the front porch of his childhood house, to watch the snowfall for a bit.

You glanced up at him with a questioning look,“Yeah?”

Without another word, he grabs your scarf and pulls you in for a sweet kiss. You were a little stunned, but eventually melting into the kiss anyway.

“What did you do that for?,” you whisper when you break the kiss, “Not that I didn’t love that.”

“Oh you know I just love kissing you,” he laughed, before pulling you back in for another kiss, “And maybe being close to you too.”

He held you like that for a moment, both of you savouring the contact, listening to each other breathe.

The warmth of the shower water flowed over your body and you hummed happily at the sensation. Your eyes closed as you allowed this moment to just relax before the beginning of your always hectic day.

Your hands were caught in his hair, combing the suds from it. Shawn was pressed up against your body, his body slick with water from the shower, his lips nudging at your neck, “Oh my god!” You pull away slightly, rubbing some water from your eyes with your hand, and glanced up at him, “I don’t have clothes for work.”

“Just wore what you wore yesterday,” His chuckles, lips choosing to stay from your mouth, before making its way down your neck, licking, biting and sucking the skin.

“I can’t,” You gasped for breath, chest rising and falling rapidly as his hands slid up your body, “I have to go,” You said, while you unwrapped your arms around his neck, trying to move away but Shawn was instead pulling you closer, restricting your movements.

“No, no, please don’t go yet,” Shawn pleaded, nibbling at your sweet spot. “Two more minutes maybe?” He tried to convince you, pressing into your skin before a calloused hand reached around and grabbed your butt while another grabbed your thigh and pulled you up, “Or you know maybe it’s time for you to move in?”

You pulled him away from your body, forcing him to look into your eyes. He was grinning widely, and had this slight blush covering his cheeks. “Are you…. serious?,” You asked, while placing a finger on his lips to stop him from distracting you with his kisses, “Ummm, that.. is a huge next step..”

“Yes I’m sure!” Shawn nodded before carefully setting you back on the ground. He reached out his hand, cradling your face in it, rubbing small, tender circles on your cheek, “So, what do you say?”

“I don’t know..” you purse your lips and put a finger to your chin as if you were contemplating and then you shake your head with a grin splitting your face, “I have mixed feelings about your sleep talking or you can be a messy person sometimes.”

“Please,” he responded, wrapping his arms around your middle and holding you tight, peppering kisses on whatever skin he could, “Please.” Kiss. “Please” kiss. “Please.”

“Hmm..” You smiled as you wrapped your arms around his neck, and captured his mouth with your own again, “Okay, I’ll move in with you.”

"I made coffee," he said, pulling away to look at your face and giving you the cup.

“Thank you,” you said, taking a sip of the coffee before signing deeply, surely enjoying the heavenly taste that slowly woke you up, “Uhmm it tastes a little bitter,” you said, arm wrapped around his shoulder, nose brushing against his. Your hand cupping his cheek, lips lingering on his soft skin, “I think I need a little sweetener.”

“Bitter huh?” He mumbled against your cheek before looking down at the cup of coffee in your hand, “Let me make it taste sweeter for you.” He smiles, carefully taking the cup out of your hand.

You were expecting him to add some sugar and taste to make it less bitter. Instead, he placed it on the counter, turning to face with your soft warm hand, noses brushing, and lips sharing the coffee filled air.

His lips parted, moving closer to your lips. His tongue peeked out of his mouth brushing along his bottom lip before disappearing and connected with yours, molding effortlessly.

His bottom lip tucked between yours as your heads titled in opposite directions, moving in the familiar rhythm. Your tongue pressed oh his, tasting the bitterness of the coffee. He then planted your lips on his once more before pulling away. Hand still resting on his cheek, slowly caressing.

“Shawn, what are you doing?” You call up from the bed, from where you had been watching some Netflix, “You are missing out on the movie.”

“Have you seen my blue hoodie?”

You immediately wince, not knowing that this was what all the fuss was about. You scrub a hand down your face and bite at your lip, feeling bad for having stolen the soft pullover, but it fit you so comfortably, the one that was so cozy and warm and it was just filled with your favourite cologne of his.

He’s waiting for an answer, you know, and your face crinkles up apologetically, “…No.”

“You’re wearing it, aren’t you?” He walks out of the closet, as you chew your lip.

“It’s literally snowing outside and your clothes are so soft, it also smells like you and – ” You start to explain yourself, but he only huffs out a little laugh, a small chuckle, “You’re so lucky I love you.” He says.

“There it should taste sweeter now,” he whispered, brushing his thumb on your cheek.

“Uhmm.” Your eyes were still closed, lips curved up into a smile and continued learning into his touch.

God, he could get used to this. Sharing a home, coming home to you, sleeping beside you, staying up all night with you and waking up beside you.

He wanted nothing more than It to be a forever kind of thing.

Thank you for reading guys... feel free to like, reblog, follow my account, leave a comment and my chat is always open for random chats or requests... appreciate every single one of you... ❤️

Taglist (open) : @monikamendes @holland-styles @bvttercupbby @lonelyreputation @badreputationlove @shawn-is-my-giant-jellybean @benito-mi-vida @swiftmendeshoran @yournameoneverypage @shawn-is-bruh @mendesbhraanth @perfectlywrongsm @imaginashawnn @smendes-forever @nervousmendes @whenyoureadyholland @shawn-youth @myboyshawn @camilalewiss @camilalewisss @theregoesmyherojd @nanijaac1 @shawnieeboyy @silverswallow @inlovewithmendes @mendeslol @mendesx123 @23kofmendes @jellyloml @chipofmendes @poohmendes @wutheringmendes @shawnmendesbuddy​ @chocochipcookie305

Story code: 120322103

[redactedverse-thoughts]

Today's thoughts- Freddy and Bright.

Pre-Quinn. Fluffy.

It's late but here's a little Valentine's special? Maybe?

Imagine the two idiots out on a roof, a couple alcohols in hand. At some point Freddy had mentioned he wished he could see the stars better, so somehow or the other Bright had managed to get them access to the rooftops of a building furthest from the rest of the campus in their university. Freddy is pretty sure they weren't supposed to be there, but one look up had any protest from him dying on his lips.

The stars were the clearest he's ever seen them.

Bright seemed to be laughing at him as they lead him by the hand near to the edge of the building before letting go, and climbing onto the ledge, where they took a seat, swinging their legs over the side of the building. Frederick finally tears their eyes from the stars to approach. He sits on the ledge too, but facing the rest of the rooftop instead.

"[Bright], don't. That's... That's dangerous." In true Bright fashion, his friend only laughs, gently shoulder bumping him for his concern.

"I'm over the staircase balcony. It'd be fine, you worry wart. In fact, wont you just fall headfirst looking at the stars if you sit like that? Come onnnn."

And surprisingly... Bright had a point. Freddy, with Bright's help, turned so he was sitting cross legged on the ledge with Bright, facing the dark fields in front of the building.

His eyes trailed upwards again, enraptured by the sight of millions of stars decorating the night sky. Bright has a way of talking him into things, and this was one of the times he was glad they did. The stars were truly pretty.

His attention remained on the stars when he hears a clack of a can open, followed by the press of something cold on his arm. He grabs the opened drink from Bright and takes a sip.

"Even from here, the stars are kind of hard to see. You know, I should take you home with me some time. We could bring a tent. I'll show you my favourite stargazing spot." That got the man's attention. Freddy's head whipped towards their best friend, eyes sparkling brighter than the stars above at the mention. It was honestly adorable.

"This is 'hard to see'? You can see stars brighter than this?"

Bright looked slightly startled for a moment, their pink ears going unnoticed in the dark. Freddy was truly a city boy, they noted as they tried to regain their composure by opening a drink of their own.

"Y-yeah. This is barely visible. They're clearer back home... But this is the closest we can get right now."

Although the way they seemed to shine in his eyes suggested otherwise. Bright abruptly started choking at the thought. Freddy gives them a concerned look but they just waved him off, climbing off the edge to go choke somewhere safer. Freddy's eyes trailed after them for a bit, before they returned onto the pretty stars.

There was Orion's belt...

So that must be Orion...

And he thinks maybe that is part of Taurus?

Or was it the other one... Lepus?

He had to admit, he did't really know his stars.

But they were pretty nonetheless. So pretty, in fact, that he doesnt notice eyes on him, watching his awe with an awe of their own.

They didnt think they've ever seen Freddy look so entranced by anything. They took a sip of their drink. Looks like the trouble they went through to get them access here was worth all the favours they had to call in. And they found that they'd do it again in a heartbeat, just to see that look in his face again.

In a platonic way, of course.

They just, really care for their friend.

That's all.

Bright averted their eyes and stared exclusively into the can of their drink, trying to shake the thoughts, and the blush, off.

Freddy glanced at Bright with a warm grin when they finally joined him on the ledge again, bumping them in the shoulder. "Thank you... For taking me up here. I dont know how you got the key... But I'm not sure I want to know-" "You dont." Bright chuckled into their drink, their eyes trailing up to the stars and avoiding eye contact.. "You don't want to know, so don't you worry your pretty little head about that."

Freddy sighed but nodded, taking a other sip of his drink. He's learnt the hard way multiple times that they were right when they said he didn't want to know. It was a nice thing they did for him, and he may as well just... Enjoy it. They were here now, there was no point in ruminating.

There they sat, occassionally talking about a lot of nothing, occassionallt saying nothing, nursing their drinks until finally, a movement catches Freddy's eye. What is Brigh-

Oh. Freddy's entire body stiffens and his face turns a bright red- not from the alcohol, but from his tipsy college classmate's head on his lap. Sure, on more than one occassion Bright has fallen asleep on him before, but Bright wasnt asleep this time, although from the slightly dazed look in their eyes they were getting there. Still, there was just something special about the way the stars reflected in the half lidded eyes peering up at him. He has to force himself to stop staring at them and to relax, just a little. He returns his gaze to thr stars.

Unconsciously, one of his hands laid gently on their head, before he started softly playing with their hair. His other hand puts his drink down and rests gently on the Bright's shoulder, the one facing outwards, in a protective gesture. Wouldnt want them falling off in their mildly impaired state.

A soft rumbly grumble escapes from them, not unlike a cat's purr. Their eyes fluttered shut, and in moments they were asleep, much to Freddy's amusement.

He couldnt decide what was the best view that night- the stars dotting the sky, the peaceful sleeping face on his lap, or the following sunrise that gently bathed the two of them in its warm glow.

[whirligig-girl]

Nebulosity - an illustration from Chapter 14 of Two Ghosts, a Lower Decks story about being somewhere between alive and dead.

Tendi flickered faintly under a dark sky. The Milky Way stretched as a belt of glittery white and dusty dark lanes to her south, and the Great Nebula--which she had remembered the Federation gave the uninspired catalogue number “M-42” and had once been mistaken as a mere comet in Earth’s skies--was a broad clump of faint gray gas to her east. A trapezium of bright stars could be split from the cloudy nebula, if she paid attention. Overhead, three bright stars (Mintaka, Alnilam, and Alnitak) twinkled, arranged like a nearly equilateral triangle of bright blue-white stars in an especially glittery part of the sky away from the Milky Way. These were the pointers of the winter constellations, which Tendi knew by heart.

...

“Where are we?” Rutherford said.

“Orion, East Yu’obik,” Tendi said.

“Yu’obik?” Rutherford said.

“The middle of nowhere,” Tendi said.

“Ah.”

“I used to come here to stargaze when I was a kid. You know, before the Tascaren defense array went up and drowned everything out.”

“Oh,” Rutherford said. He pointed at the star-laden grayish cloud in the sky. He could see blues, pinks, and whites with his implant eye, but his biological eye saw only a dull blue boxy core with faint fuzzy gray wings. “What’s that?”

“That’s the Great Nebula. It’s one of the most prolific star-forming regions in this part of the galaxy,” Tendi said. “And it’s got lots of nifty hiding spots in the Bok Globules, so science ships have to be really careful when studying it. Actually you can see the Bok Globules with a telescope.”

“Bok Globules?” Rutherford said.

“Clumps of dust where a planetary system forms,” Tendi said, “they look like dark spots.”

“You can see that from your home!?” Rutherford said.

“Well, in the city, the lights are so bright that you only ever get a faint hint of it without binoculars or holograph tubes,” Tendi said, “and not a chance you’ll see the Globules.”

“Woah,” Rutherford said.

I had a crummy unfinished version of this drawing lying in my art folder for a couple months. When I wrote Two Ghosts Chapter 14, which includes basically this scene, I decided to finish the illustration. Though I redrew most of it, since Rutherford’s face was awful. And I ended up completely redrawing Tendi, since she wears an outdated uniform in Two Ghosts.

Rutherford’s holographic scanner is red because it preserves dark adaptation better and he’s being polite by not shining a bright blue screen in Tendi’s face.

The nebula is Messier 42, the Great Orion Nebula, as imaged with my smartphone at the Cline Observatory at GTCC in NC, where I volunteer. Smartphone astrophotography is usually a bad idea, but with 24 inches of aperture to work with, a very-well calibrated mount, and one of the most spectacular nebulae in the sky, it wasn’t hard to get good results. Tendi’s recollection of the history of M42 as seen from Earth is partly inaccurate--as far as I know it was never actually mistaken for a comet, however it was included in Charles Messier’s catalogue of 110 stationary faint fuzzy objects which are not comets but might be mistaken for one if you’re looking for comets.

So yeah in my headcanon Orion the planet is embedded in the Orion OB1 associations of bright hot young stars. The star itself is probably older than that association and nebulae and is ‘just passing through,’ but the result is its inhabitants are privy to a spectacular sky full of bright stars and a nebula which appears to the unaided eye as bright as it would in a telescope at perhaps 30-50x magnification in a 12″ telescope. And the view through a telescope? It’d be spectacular. Unfortunately the Orion Syndicate controls much of that region of space, and as a result, science ships have a dangerous job studying the region’s complex and interesting nebular and stellar terrain. Large-aperture space telescopes (subspace, radio, and optical) remain astrophysically relevant even for the study of local objects in the 24th century... mainly due to interstellar politics!

[theauthorlives]

uncharacteristic tenderness from the SINGULARITY — gunther is watched from afar as he goes about his duties. starbright gaze follows him from task to task. dutiful, devoted. (you ever think about running away?) (probably not.) when gunther lays down to sleep he might think he feels a touch of static trailing down one cheek. but it’s only a dream.

@sunstouch / @jumpinagain

-

"- change in the system? Good. The last thing we need is any damage to the weapons on the ship. What about rations? Have the recent batch been checked -"

Just like opening a book and picking up where you left off, the story of the doomed Invincible II plays out. Whereabouts in the space frontier are they? Does it matter, really? All that matters is the ship continues running. With Mark gone, and nothing to power the warp core, it was up to the remaining three Leads to take up the responsibility of the ship. There was an interim Head Engineer, but there was no Captain. Neither Burt, Celci, nor Gunther had received a promotion, so the jobs were equally shared out in an unofficial manner.

"It has to be an error," Celci had said, when the Computer insisted no promotions were available. "How can we have a ship with no Captain?"

"There is a chance that their ship is late. Like the dandelion seed drifting on the wind, they may not be able to properly steer a course in the right direction." Burt's words, however poetic, did little to truly offer consolation to anyone.

The third lead, Gunther, had said nothing. Normally, he would give a quip about the ship needing as much help as possible. When the other two looked for his input, he simply shrugged and gestured to the one unofficially in the role of Head Engineer.

Whatever had been on his mind had to be kept to himself. How could he explain that looking at the interim Head Engineer made his chest feel hollow? Everyone was so keen to move on from the absence of Mark that it never seemed right to bring it up.

He has no idea that no one mentions him because no one else remembers Mark. Did that one timeline where Gunther threw himself into the wormhole leave him with an extra memory embedded deeper than any programming reset?

The crew can't know the ADS Lead is burdened with an aching heart. They can't know the real reason why he slows outside certain rooms is because part of him hopes to see someone else walking out of it so he can lift him up and fluster him for just a moment. They can't even discover the reason there's a motivational poster on the wall in the dorm wing is because Gunther couldn't stand seeing the blank wall where a door used to be.

He missed Mark with ever fibre of his being, and he didn't realise how much he loved the engineer until he disappeared.

Sometimes, he glances at the exploration ships waiting in the hangar. Would he be forgiven if he took one and went on a quest across the planets to find Mark? But... Would Mark want that? The Invincible II was his baby, his pride and joy. He couldn't run away, no matter how badly he wanted to. It wouldn't be right. Even without him here, it was like there was the expectation that Mark might appear, that he might be watching in every metal panel, in every wire, in every screw and bolt. He'd make Mark proud and stay.

Instead, he had to content himself with staring at the stars from the bridge when things were quiet at the very end of his night patrol. He could almost imagine the conversations they would be having:

"Those stars lined up together remind me of Orion's Belt. Have you heard the story of that one, Gunther? It was the one about..."

He lied, sometimes. He'd pretend he forgot a story just to let Mark talk passionately about the stars that he adored so much. How grateful he was that he did that. He could remember the stories others might have brushed aside. Maybe he should try writing them down before he forgot.

("You're like that one star there. You see it?" Gunther had pressed close to Mark so he could point at the glass. "The bright one in the middle. That's you.")

The walk back to his cabin was lonely, but there was the faint trace of something watching. Obviously, his mind tutted, there are security cameras. But it went further than the corridors. It was in his room when he was ready to turn the light out and get some sleep before another day.

Something faint brushed against his cheek. It wasn't the pillow, it wasn't his hand absent-mindedly scratching his face. Whatever it was, it was comforting, even if it was just his imagination.

Moments later, something trailed down his other cheek, but that was far more tangible.

In the privacy of the cabin, none of the crew could witness the way the heartbroken soldier wept for his missing love.

[3hobbitsinatrenchcoat]

Heavens Look Down

An Owl House Fanfic for @howthemabelshaveturned - Crossposted to AO3

We had a little owl house exchange on discord and this was a lot of fun to write, though whoops my resurfacing Tolkien fixation is showing in the syntax XD

-----

“They’re different back home”

Amity tilted her head to look at her friend – her Girlfriend, her PARTNER, they’d only been together a day and she was still disbelieving – her dearest friend, stretched out beside her on a little patch of cliff they’d claimed for their own.

Laying out on a soft blanket and staring up at the stars had seemed like such a good idea after the chaos of Hooty’s “Tunnel of Love” but now, looking at Luz’s pensive expression, Amity wasn’t so sure.

She rolled fully onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow to gaze down at Luz, a frown tugging at her lips. She wanted to ask so many things – was afraid to ask so many things – that at first she wasn’t sure what was going to come out of her mouth. Would she ask if Luz regretted it, staying behind? If Luz missed home more than she wanted to be with Amity? If she would leave Amity behind someday for more familiar sights? If, if, if…

Instead she surprised herself by quietly asking “Tell me about them?” and reaching out to gently turn Luz’s face towards her.

Well, she tried to reach out, but halfway there she snatched her hand back, feeling a flush spill over her traitor face. Luz glanced at her, her own cheeks pink, before her eyes skittered away again.

“They’re just different, a lot of things are, but the stars sometimes seem… I’m not sure,” said Luz, waving one hand at the sky. “I know that seems weird since I’m the only human here and everything is new and different but stars are one of those things that don’t ever change, you know?”

Amity did know, she’d spent many nights staring up at the open expanse of sky, wondering at how it shifted little by little and yet she could always find her favorites. It was calming to look up and see Titan’s Eye looking back or the edge of Sickle Staff swinging low across the horizon. She couldn’t imagine gazing into the glittering darkness and seeing nothing familiar.

With a sigh, she settled back down on the blanket, hesitating a moment before scooting closer to Luz. When Luz made no attempt to move away, Amity squirmed closer still until she was curled against her girlfriend’s side.

Luz, for her part, froze for a moment before making a strangled sound in the back of her throat and pulling the loose corner of the blanket over her flaming face. A long, tense silence hung in the air before Luz spoke, a little muffled by the blanket.

“Its… hard to tell you about them without showing them,” she said, hand tapping against Amity’s side as she reached down and laced her fingers through Amity’s own. “A lot of them are myths, at least… the ones I can regularly find.”

She huffed out a sigh and then coughed as she got a mouthful of blanket instead of air on the intake. Struggling to sit up, she somehow managed without releasing Amity’s hand, and then stared out to sea, a wistful expression on her face.

“Show me then,” Amity said, and her voice was very nearly a whisper. She too sat up, though a bit more gracefully than her companion, and pulled a notebook out of her pocket. “I want to see what your stars look like.”

Luz didn’t look her direction, and laughed a little hollowly. “How? I can’t get back home, so how can I take you to see my stars?”

Amity rolled her eyes. “You’re a witch, aren’t you?” She bumped the notebook against Luz’s arm and repeated herself. “Tell me about them.”

It wasn’t a question this time.

Still bright red high on her cheeks, Luz took the notebook with a small laugh. She thought for a moment and then started sketching out glyphs, complicated things that Amity did not understand but longed to learn. Under her fingers, lights began to rise from the pages, filling the air around them with dancing and unfamiliar constellations.

Amity thought Luz might be showing off a bit with how far she’d come with her glyphwork, for they weren’t just the pinprick outline of stars, but ghostly shapes filling the spaces between. She didn’t mind a bit of showing off though, Luz deserved the admiration.

With the stars came stories, fables Amity had never heard. Orion the hunter and the imprisoned queen Cassiopeia, bears and vessels full of cool water. The bright northern star that guided the lost.

After that though, Luz stumbled and the lights started winking out, one by one. Amity, who had shifted so her head lay in Luz’s lap, reached up to cup her girlfriend’s cheek and this time her hand shook but she did not draw it back. Luz leaned into her touch, eyes fluttering shut with the last light.

“Those are the ones I remember the shape of,” she said, voice cracking. “I could always find Orion’s belt above the trees, and from there it was easy. I just….” she swallowed and Amity could feel her tremble. “I don’t remember the rest. What if I eventually forget these? I love it here, with you, but I don’t want to forget home.”

“You won’t. I won’t let you.” Amity said, and she meant every word even as her heart hammered in her chest. “I’ll make you tell me everything about your world. And then, when we figure out how to get you back… I want to go with you.”

“What?”

Her heart was in her throat but Amity forged onward. “I want to see your stars, Luz. I want…” she stopped and licked her dry lips, eyes darting away from Luz’s own startled ones. “They make you smile and…” She wasn’t brave enough to say it yet, she felt, but she wanted to see anything that made Luz smile in that wistful way she’d had when telling her stories.

Instead she merely screwed her eyes shut and said, “I… I like your smile.”

There was a long pause, and Amity thought she’d misspoken but then Luz quietly said, “You’d really go with me?”

Not trusting her voice, Amity nodded. Even if it meant she couldn’t come back, she knew she’d go with Luz. She’d known for a while, but it had never seemed as real as it did now, under a mix of familiar and unfamiliar stars.

There was a sniff, and Amity’s eyes flew open to see Luz beaming down at her, tears welling in her eyes.

“I’d really like that,” she said, leaning down to press her forehead against her girlfriend’s. “I can’t wait to show you my stars.”