Written on a whim
As friends, Arthur feels he and William are quite compatible. They both enjoy doing sports, and while he does tend to be the more studious of the two, William always seems content to sit there and listen to him ramble on about whatever new science concept he's been taught or how much further he's gotten with his mathematical studies.
So it's no surprise, really, that William is the only person he takes out with him during his biking trips. Arthur doubts anyone else would be interested, except perhaps for Winnie, but she always seems to be rather busy working around the house, so he's yet to take her out on a proper one.
To Arthur, a proper bike trip consists of riding hundreds of miles, as far as you can go that day, then camping out for the night and making your way back the next morning.
He's on one of those trips now, specifically the bit involving laying out in the grass under the stars, with all the gear only half set up. William lies besides him on the grass, and though he's less enthralled than Arthur by the sight, there is still a hint of amazement in his eyes.
"Is this why you believe in God, then?"
The question comes as a surprise to Arthur, and his gaze momentarily shifts from the sky to his friend besides him. Religion is one of those things in which they diverge; they were both raised in a religious home, though William took to it less than Arthur did. It's not something he really minds, though. It makes for interesting talks.
"Because there's such beauty, there must be a creator?" There's a hint of amusement in Arthur's words, and he can't help smiling as he turns back up to the sky.
"No, just....you told me once, how far all of those stars are. And people just seem to finding them further and further away. That's a lot of space for just us, don't you think?"
"I don't know," he admits, his voice becoming more of a murmur. There seems to be a sort of gravity to their conversation that wasn't there before. "We might have it all wrong. There's no way to go up and check."
Everything is quiet for a moment, and suddenly William laughs. It's light and unrestrained, and that alone seems to make the serious tone dissipate completely. "So you admit it, then. That might all just be rubbish."
Arthur sits up, pouting as he looks down at the other boy. He doesn't feel particularly insulted by the comment, though he still tries to seem like it. "I never said that! Or, I suppose I did, in a way, but that doesn't make it true."
"But who am I to question a great physics student like yourself?"
It's only on impulse, and with no real thought, that he pins William down beneath him. It's not the first time they've done this, as some sports tend to get quite physical, so it's only a matter of moments before they're rolling around on the ground, grunting and shifting as they each try to pin the other down.
In the end, purely by luck in Arthur's opinion, William is the one pinning him to the grass. He smiles down at him, smug and triumphant, the stars forming a bright backdrop behind him. Naturally, the argument is all but forgotten as Arthur finally pushes him off, sitting up on the grass.
"I've probably stained my trousers, you know." There is the slightest whine in his voice.
"So have I, probably. So don't worry about it."
Arthur is about to argue this, point out that shared grass stains won't make their clothes any easier to wash, but simply settles for turning his attention back to the stars, the job of setting up the camp site all but forgotten by both.
"I am still right, you know. Or wrong, as the case might be."
His only answer this time is William's laugh, and Arthur feels quite content with that. He's young, still, not yet old enough to keep social rules in mind during private moments such as this. For now, and for a few years to come, Arthur Eddington is happy enough to simply lie under the stars with his most dear friend, thinking of the future only as the bike ride they have ahead of them when morning comes.
Muse: Arthur Eddington
Fandom: Einstein and Eddington
Word count: 735
Prompt: None
So it's no surprise, really, that William is the only person he takes out with him during his biking trips. Arthur doubts anyone else would be interested, except perhaps for Winnie, but she always seems to be rather busy working around the house, so he's yet to take her out on a proper one.
To Arthur, a proper bike trip consists of riding hundreds of miles, as far as you can go that day, then camping out for the night and making your way back the next morning.
He's on one of those trips now, specifically the bit involving laying out in the grass under the stars, with all the gear only half set up. William lies besides him on the grass, and though he's less enthralled than Arthur by the sight, there is still a hint of amazement in his eyes.
"Is this why you believe in God, then?"
The question comes as a surprise to Arthur, and his gaze momentarily shifts from the sky to his friend besides him. Religion is one of those things in which they diverge; they were both raised in a religious home, though William took to it less than Arthur did. It's not something he really minds, though. It makes for interesting talks.
"Because there's such beauty, there must be a creator?" There's a hint of amusement in Arthur's words, and he can't help smiling as he turns back up to the sky.
"No, just....you told me once, how far all of those stars are. And people just seem to finding them further and further away. That's a lot of space for just us, don't you think?"
"I don't know," he admits, his voice becoming more of a murmur. There seems to be a sort of gravity to their conversation that wasn't there before. "We might have it all wrong. There's no way to go up and check."
Everything is quiet for a moment, and suddenly William laughs. It's light and unrestrained, and that alone seems to make the serious tone dissipate completely. "So you admit it, then. That might all just be rubbish."
Arthur sits up, pouting as he looks down at the other boy. He doesn't feel particularly insulted by the comment, though he still tries to seem like it. "I never said that! Or, I suppose I did, in a way, but that doesn't make it true."
"But who am I to question a great physics student like yourself?"
It's only on impulse, and with no real thought, that he pins William down beneath him. It's not the first time they've done this, as some sports tend to get quite physical, so it's only a matter of moments before they're rolling around on the ground, grunting and shifting as they each try to pin the other down.
In the end, purely by luck in Arthur's opinion, William is the one pinning him to the grass. He smiles down at him, smug and triumphant, the stars forming a bright backdrop behind him. Naturally, the argument is all but forgotten as Arthur finally pushes him off, sitting up on the grass.
"I've probably stained my trousers, you know." There is the slightest whine in his voice.
"So have I, probably. So don't worry about it."
Arthur is about to argue this, point out that shared grass stains won't make their clothes any easier to wash, but simply settles for turning his attention back to the stars, the job of setting up the camp site all but forgotten by both.
"I am still right, you know. Or wrong, as the case might be."
His only answer this time is William's laugh, and Arthur feels quite content with that. He's young, still, not yet old enough to keep social rules in mind during private moments such as this. For now, and for a few years to come, Arthur Eddington is happy enough to simply lie under the stars with his most dear friend, thinking of the future only as the bike ride they have ahead of them when morning comes.
Muse: Arthur Eddington
Fandom: Einstein and Eddington
Word count: 735
Prompt: None