In a moonlit field in the south of France, a man and woman walked hand in hand, stopping occasionally to look up to the stars that were their home. They would be leaving for their new starship in the morning; for right now, though, there was only the warm night, the cool breeze, and the company of the other.
They reached the crest of the hill they had been slowly climbing for the last few minutes, and found a flat spot in the soft, cool grass to sit and stare up at their favorite traveling companions. The moon, full in all its glory, bathed its admirers in its gentle white light, illuminating the gentleman's aristocratic features and the lady's fiery tresses, streaked blonde now by a summer under Earth's sun.
The man leaned over a plucked a stray wildflower that had yet to close itself against the night. He handed it to her and slid his arm around her, inviting her to curl herself closer to him. She did so, and smiled at him, content, the flower twirling delicately between her long, graceful fingers.
The peace and solitude pervaded their spirits, putting them at ease.
They both leaned back and enjoyed it, not needing words. The silence spoke
more eloquently than they ever could, for now.
Tilting their heads back, they surveyed the familiar pictures in the night sky, softly whispering the names of the constellations as they found them. While they stargazed, a shooting star graced the scene, curving towards the earth in an elegant downward curve before being swallowed up by the infinite blackness.
She turned to look at her best friend, and saw the wonder in his eyes as he took in the common phenomenon of his home planet. So many things he had seen, so many places he had been, and yet a single shooting star brought such reverence to him. She wondered how long ago she had fallen in love with him, and wondered how long it would take her to tell him. It was moments like these when she found herself falling ever so harder for him, when he took such joy in such a small thing, and the words within her ached to be set free.
His head turned to her, and their eyes met. Hers were shimmering bright with unshed tears, and he hugged her closer to him, placing a gentle, reassuring kiss on her forehead. She reached up and traced his jawline with the flower, and the words came, surprising her with their sudden freedom. "I love you."
There was no surprise in the hazel pools she gazed deeply into, only
tenderness and joy. "I know," he murmured softly. "I've been waiting for a
very long time for that." With infinite gentleness, he brushed his lips softly
against hers. "I love you, too. I've wanted to tell you for ages."
The moon and stars wondered down at the couple crossing the field
below. They soon disappeared into a brightly lit house, hand in hand, and the celestial
watchers twinkled in the night sky, silently blessing what they had witnessed.