Starlight
Title: Starlight
Chapter: 1/1
Author: stargirl82
Fandom: McFly
Pairing: Floynter (Tom Fletcher/Dougie Poynter)
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: sexual content, angst, drama, character death, fluff.
Wordcount: 5304 (including song lyrics)
Author's note: AU. Fantasy-ish fic. Set in the 19th century.
Inspired by the movie Stardust and Bat For Lashes' song I saw a light
This is my first attempt at writing Floynter. I desperately wanted it to either be a Flones or a Pudd. I'd decided that I wanted this to be a Pudd, but for some reason, I couldn't do it. It just had to be Dougie and Tom.
Also, there's a car mentioned in the song; kindly ignore the fact that cars didn't exist back then. It doesn't have anything to do with the fic.
Summary: Tom has lost everything and found a new home in the middle of nowhere. He's doing okay but he's lonely and doesn't have a chance of finding his soulmate, ever. Until one day, something magical happens and all of a sudden, the tables have turned.
Thomas sat on the window sill gazing at the bright starry sky like every night. He dreaded the nights when clouds hid the glowing stars, making the world appear cold, dark and lonely. Today however a clear sky allowed the stars to shine in all their glory. His lips curled into a soft smile as his gaze drifted from one bright star to another, recognising most of the constellations just like his late father had taught him.
He was alone now. His mother had died shortly after giving birth to her only son. His father had been a loving, kind man, caring for the little boy even though his parents hadn't been married. Never once had his father shown him any kind of disrespect. He'd treated him like a gentleman, unlike most of the people in the village they'd lived in. He was a bastard and the common people had made sure that he never forgot what exactly he was.
After his father had died when he was only 16, he'd been forced to leave the village and seek shelter elsewhere. The boy had spent weeks in the woods, eating berries and nuts and whatever he found that was edible. He'd slept under bridges, on trees and in barns until he'd found this place. An empty cottage hidden deep in the woods where no one ever dared to go; to great was the fear of getting lost and attacked by wild animals.
There were bushes and trees surrounding the house, protecting its secrets and mere existence. Thomas was alone but he didn't miss living in the village he'd grown up in. Sometimes he missed having company though. Lots of the animals of the woods came to visit as soon as they had realised that Thomas meant them no harm; but it wasn't the same as human company. In fact, Thomas hadn't eaten meat for years and he didn't want to kill an animal for this purpose, ever. He was content eating what Mother Earth provided him with.
It had been two years since his father had passed away and even though he still missed him, even though the hurt was still there, right there in his heart, he was sure that the old man would feel better, wherever he was. The year before he died he had been incredibly sick, slowly wasting away, begging Thomas on more than one occasion to end his misery. He hadn't been able to go through with it though and his father had understood but the picture of his father suffering haunted him every night when he went to sleep and so he found himself praying to God, to somebody that he'd show mercy and deliver his sick father from his misery.
The tears he'd cried upon finding his father lifeless in his bed had been tears of relief. The boy had quickly gathered his things and left the village after nightfall; making sure that he'd follow his father's instructions. Before he left, he'd kissed the cold, motionless forehead, stroked his hair once more before he'd silently bade farewell.
Life wasn't so bad. He had everything he needed, food, a creek behind the cottage that provided him with fresh, clear water, the animals that he shared his food with at times and the things he'd brought. A few books, parchment, a couple of quills and his flute. He'd been sad to leave the piano behind; he missed playing it, missed touching the white and ivory keys, missed hearing the sweet, soothing tunes. What he missed the most was losing himself in the melodies; to forget the world and allow himself to dream. He was grateful that he had the flute but it wasn't the same.
Other than that, he was content. Mostly. His father had often told him about love; he'd read books and poems to him when he was little, told him the story of how his mother and his father had met and how they shared a happy life together despite all difficulties, how he'd loved her more than any other woman. Thomas wanted that for himself. He wanted to fall in love, wanted to share his life with someone who'd look at him and see him for what he was: a smart, kind, caring boy. Someone who wouldn't judge him, who wouldn't look down on him because he hadn't been conceived the way he should have been. He wanted someone who'd accept him, love him, admire him. Someone who'd allow him to do the same for them.
Thomas sighed and leaned his head back against the wall. How could that ever happen if he couldn't leave this place? No one was forcing him to stay of course, but he knew that he couldn't go back to where he'd come from and he couldn't go somewhere else either. He was a nobody. No one would care for him or give him a job and he wouldn't have a place to stay. It would be stupid to leave his shelter.
Turning his head, he gazed back at the dark, velvety sky. "Father, what should I do? I wish you could tell me what to do." He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again; blinked and looked up at the sky again. Was he imagining things or was this one star... brighter than before? No, that was ridiculous. A star couldn't shine brighter all of a sudden. He was just going crazy.
"Father..." It was just a whisper and his eyes widened when the star seemed to glow even more. The yellowish light was slowly turning to a bright white, silver sparkles surrounding the white dot in the sky. Thomas had never seen anything like this before.
And then... it came closer. Jumping off the window sill, Thomas stumbled backwards, his eyes still fixated on the mysterious star. He watched the light move across the dark sky, watched it getting bigger and brighter; so bright that it should have hurt his eyes but for some reason it didn't harm him at all.
His eyes were wide open as he followed the light with them, too stunned to actually move. He should have run for his life or tried to hide somewhere in case the star landed on the house but he just stood there, staring, unable to believe his own eyes.
When the light finally hit the ground, it did so with a loud bang. The house shook and Thomas could hear the frightened squeaks of his animal friends. Why wasn't he scared?
The light wasn't as bright anymore but it was definitely still there, enveloping its surroundings in a soft silver glow. Thomas walked down the stairs and hurried outside, desperate to see if the light was still there - and relieved when he saw it shining near his house, maybe a hundred feet away from the entrance.
Slowly, Thomas made his way over to the light, his fists clenched at his side. He didn't know what was going on but he felt... safe. Weird considering that something had just fallen off the sky.
When he came closer, he noticed that the light seemed to disappear more and more, the longer it took him to get to the place where the star had landed.
He started to run, hoping that he wasn't too late. However, the sight that greeted him made him stop dead in his tracks. There wasn't a star on the ground, no rock or something else he'd expected. What lay on the slightly burnt grass was a boy. A boy with legs and arms and a head and if he hadn't been glowing, Thomas would have thought that this was some kind of practical joke.
Thomas knelt down next to the boy, chewing his botThomas lip nervously. "Are... are you all right?" he cleared his throat, repeating the words when he got no reply. His hands were trembling but he reached out and touched his fingers to the boy's cheek, feeling his soft, warm skin beneath his finger tips.
The boy's eyelids quivered and a frown marred his features as he slowly opened his eyes, revealing pale blue eyes that made Thomas believe that he was staring into the ocean on a stormy day even though he'd never seen the ocean. He knew instinctively that he'd never forget these expressive eyes. No matter what happened.
Blinking, the boy slowly sat up, still looking at Thomas. A smile curled his lips upwards. "Yes, I have never been better."
Thomas couldn't tell if it was a lie or not. "Did... did you just... fall? Off... off the sky?" So this sounded absolutely ridiculous and if the boy was normal and he'd just imagined this whole star-falling-off-sky thing, he'd be shipped off to an asylum in the blink of an eye.
However, if the boy was human... why was there still this silvery light surrounding him? Barely there, but still visible nonetheless. And while we're at it, why was the boy naked?
The boy's smile widened, his eyes sparkling as he reached up to brush a strand of his light hair out of his face. "I believe that's what happened."
Thomas frowned, pulling his hand back. "But... how? Why?"
"To save you, Thomas."
***
Three months later, Thomas still found it hard to believe that the boy, whose name was Dougie, had just fallen off the sky, right before his eyes, in front of his house. But every morning when he woke up and tip-toed into the living room where Dougie slept, he found him there, fast asleep, his hands clutching the blanket.
Thomas liked watching Dougie sleep. He could spend hours just watching his chest rise and fall, watch his lips part when he inhaled and curl into a smile every now and then. Maybe he was dreaming something particularly nice? Thomas didn't know.
He always went back to his room before Dougie woke up, pretending that he'd spent the time in there instead of secretly watching the beautiful boy. Yes, he was beautiful and Thomas found himself wondering what it would be like to kiss those pink, alluring lips. Would they be as soft as he imagined them to be? What would it feel like to press his own mouth to Dougie's perfectly shaped lips?
His life had changed so much since Dougie had appeared (practically) on his doorstep. He was no longer lonely. Dougie knew everything about astronomy and even about the earth. He could tell stories that made Thomas long for more even though he wasn't even sure if they were true. Some of them seemed too bizarre but he believed that Dougie was a star and had fallen off the sky, so really, what else was there that couldn't be true?
***
They had been living together for almost a year now and no matter how hard Thomas tried, he couldn't deny how much he wanted Dougie. When his father had told him about love, he'd mentioned that sometimes people of the same sex fancied each other but for some reason Thomas had never even considered that option. When he'd dreamt about love, he'd dreamt about a faceless young lady, not a stunning boy that also happened to be a fallen star. But with every day that passed, he grew more and more attached to the boy, lusting after him even more than the day before. He could hardly take his eyes off of Dougie and when Dougie spoke, Thomas stared at his lips, wishing he had the guts to just kiss him already.
But what if Dougie didn't want him that way? What if he ruined things, everything they had with something like a kiss, something he didn't even know if it felt good? Something...
... he hadn't even noticed that he'd been leaning closer to the blond boy. He hadn't realised that he'd licked his own lips anxiously, moistening them slightly before he pressed them to Dougie's. His eyelids drooped shut the second their lips met, only to open them again and pull back, horrified that he'd done something wrong.
In no way had he expected for Dougie to come after him, pressing his lips back to Thomas', a soft sigh escaping his throat as he moved them against the older boy's mouth.
Once again, Thomas' eyes closed and he relaxed as Dougie coaxed him into giving in and kissing him back.
Before he knew it, he was on his back, Dougie hovering over him, their lips still connected. Instinctively, he reached up and tangled his fingers in the strands of Dougie's silky-soft hair. He didn't really know what to do but Dougie showed him everything he needed to know. For the longest time, the blond kissed his upper and lower lip by turns, nipping at the soft flesh.
"Tom..."
A throaty whisper against Thomas' lips before he once again couldn't speak anymore. What a lovely nickname. He was surprised when he felt something particularly wet touching his full bottom lip but he willingly opened his mouth and invited Dougie in, happy to oblige and give the blond whatever he wanted.
He was hesitant at first but got gutsier and met Dougie's tongue with his own, groaning deep in his throat when the contact made him shiver and every hair on his body stand on end. How could something feel so good?
Dougie's tongue continued to explore Thomas' mouth, making him yearn for more. "Dougie..."
Thomas pulled back a little, gasping for air, his dark chocolaty eyes searching Dougie's.
"I have been waiting for this for a long time, Tom." That silver glow was back, surrounding the boy's body as he smiled down at the other boy.
"You... you have?"
Dougie nodded and shifted his weight, holding himself up with one arm as he brought his hand to Thomas' face, stroking his cheek affectionately. "Yes. This is what I'm here for, Thomas. I told you I came here to save you."
***
Many years later, Thomas and Dougie still lived in the cottage, growing old together. Thomas had a feeling that Dougie could have stayed just as young as he'd been when they'd first met. He remembered the time when he noticed his first grey hair and how Dougie hadn't understood why it mattered. The first wrinkle had made him react even worse and Dougie had been quick to soothe him with kisses and promises of his undying love. But Dougie hadn't aged even a little bit until Thomas had pointed that out. Dougie had shrugged his shoulders and mumbled something about "good genes" but a few weeks later he'd sported a silvery-white streak in his otherwise perfectly golden hair.
Thomas was suspicious but he'd never demanded to know the truth. He wasn't sure if Dougie could control something like that; and if he couldn't, he'd laugh at Thomas and make fun of him for the rest of their lives. Those were just excuses because quite frankly, Thomas didn't want to know the truth. He knew that he'd have to die one day and if Dougie could stay young forever, he wasn't sure if he could deal with the fact that Dougie had decided not to - because of him.
They had been happy every single day of their lives. Even when they fought and argued, something they did quite often since they only had each other for company. Sometimes Thomas wondered what it would be like to just go out and talk to other people but he didn't really have any desire to leave his home for strangers. He loved Dougie and he loved their life together. He didn't miss anything, with the exception of one thing, maybe. He'd never got to see the ocean.
As he got older and his body got weaker, he thought more and more about it, wondering if Dougie's eyes really resembled the sea. And when he snapped out of his thoughts, he found Dougie looking at him with something like worry in his eyes.
They never talked about it but a week after Thomas had turned 86, Dougie entered their bedroom which was now downstairs. Sometime after his seventieth birthday it had become harder and harder to climb the stairs every day, so Dougie had moved everything downstairs.
He held a travel bag in his hand and both of their coats. Thomas frowned and sat up. "Where are you going?"
"We are going on a little trip. Come on, get dressed."
Thomas groaned as he put his feet on the floor and pushed himself off the bed. It seemed to be harder to just move than just a few weeks ago. "Seriously, where are we going? It's dark outside. We can't go into the woods. If I fall... there's no way I'll be able to get back inside."
"We're not going into the woods."
"Then how are we supposed to get wherever you want me to go?" Thomas raised his bushy white eyebrows as he reached for his cane to help support him.
"You'll see."
Ah. Back to mysterious, obviously. Thomas sighed and let Dougie help him put on his coat. The fact that Dougie could still move pretty fast and wasn't in any pain once again led Thomas to believe that he didn't have to age if he didn't want to. He'd thought about this a lot and pushed the thought aside every single time but on this particular day, he couldn't. "You're not really getting old like I do, are you? You don't have to age..."
Dougie just smiled and took Thomas' hand in his. "Ready?"
Thomas nodded and before he could reply or ask his question again, the world started spinning as Dougie started to glow more intensely than usual. Silver turned to white and soon Thomas couldn't see anything anymore, nothing but the bright light that once again, just like so many years ago, didn't hurt his eyes.
His vision blurred and a wind that slowly but surely turned into a storm surrounded him, making him feel like he could fly. Dougie's hand in his gave him reassurance. If there was one person on this planet that he trusted it was Dougie.
Thomas felt like he'd been picked up and thrown into a tornado. Maybe he really was flying? He blinked, trying to make out something, anything, but he could see nothing but the light.
When it stopped, Thomas found himself lying on the ground. Ground that didn't feel like grass or soil. It felt like...
"Sand!"
Thomas opened his eyes as wide as he could and struggled to sit up, letting the small grains of sand run through his fingers. He looked up, seeing Dougie standing there, watching him with a smile on his face.
"Where... are we..." Thomas couldn't seem to finish a single sentence.
"The ocean."
Only then did Thomas notice that something was off. Dougie looked different and at the same time not different at all. He blinked, gazing up at the boy- Oh. Dougie's old self was gone, the young boy was back, smiling down at him. Thomas should have been mad but he couldn't bring himself to be angry with his partner.
Dougie reached out a hand and helped Thomas stand up, then guided him the thirty steps or so down to the water. It was dark but for some reason Thomas was sure that he'd see the ocean in the daylight. They weren't going anywhere.
***
The first time they'd made love was on a lovely spring day. Thomas remembered it well because the sun had shone into the bedroom, painting patterns of light onto Dougie's soft, rosy skin.
He often thought back to this day, savoring the memory. He on his back, head on the pillow, Dougie above him, kissing him, caressing him and whispering words of love into his ear. Lips, tongues, teeth nipping at each other's skin, hands touching, squeezing, hips moving, backs arching as they expressed their love not with words but their bodies, movements and soft touches.
The moment Dougie entered him for the first time, Thomas would never forget. Not so much because it hurt (because it did!) but because of the look Dougie gave him while slowly pushing his hips down, giving the older boy plenty of time to adjust to the new feeling. He could see how much Dougie wanted to close his eyes, what it cost him to keep them open and look into his own as he stilled his movements and just waited until Thomas was ready for the next step. Thomas saw worry there, wonder, love and devotion, all these emotions overlaid by pure lust.
Thomas had never felt so wanted in all his life and he knew that it wasn't just physical want, it wasn't just lusting after his body that made Dougie look at him like that, no it was more, so much more.
It was the day when Thomas started to believe that Dougie really had come to save him.
He didn't know how long they'd been together like this, how long it took or how often Dougie pushed into him, then pulled back, only to do it all over again. Thomas remembered vividly that he'd cried out in surpise and pleasure when Dougie had nudged a certain spot inside him, a spot he'd had no idea existed. He'd gripped his lover tighter, dug his fingernails into Dougie's skin, leaving crescent-shaped, bloody marks behind.
He had held on tight as Dougie took him for a ride, so to speak, a ride that had made Thomas wish it would never end.
Front teeth sinking into his full bottom lip, a hand curling around his hard shaft, squeezing him, pumping him. Thomas remembered seeing the silver light surround Dougie's body; he remembered it glowing more and more, the longer and more often he pushed into him.
Sweat, glistening skin, moans and tiny mewls as things got a bit rougher. Gasping for air, whispered names, flying high as they both got closer to release.
The combination of Dougie's movements inside him and his hand pulling on his length made Thomas trip over the edge, his body stiffening, then jerking a few times. Dougie followed soon after, groaning loudly.
When they had calmed down, Dougie lifted his head, smiling brightly. "I love you."
Thomas had opened his eyes, a tired smile on his sweaty, flushed face. He'd felt closer to Dougie than ever before, closer than he'd ever felt to anyone. "I love you too."
Then Dougie had hidden his face in the crook of Thomas' neck, his lips touching the older boy's skin but not kissing him. For the longest time they had just lain there, Dougie on top of Thomas, every part of them touching. The last thing Thomas remembered before falling asleep with Dougie in his arms was the younger boy rolling off of him, cleaning them up a bit before pulling the bed sheets over their naked bodies.
Yes, Thomas was fond of this memory and he'd treasure it forever and always.
***
Dougie helped Thomas walk and laughed when a perky wave flooded their feet. Thomas laughed too and bent down to undo his shoes but gave up when his back protested.
"Let me do it." Dougie bent down and quickly helped Thomas pull the shoes off, then tossed them aside.
Thomas just stood there, Dougie and his cane supporting his weight and holding him upright as he stared into the dark water, a smile playing on his lips. "It's beautiful."
"Wait 'til you see it by day."
They sat down in the sand, making sure that it was dry but close enough to the water so that the waves could reach their feet. Dougie pulled a bottle of water from the bag and took a sip before offering it to Thomas who declined.
They were silent for a while.
"I kind of knew that you were still young. Underneath."
Dougie smiled. "I wanted to make you feel better."
Thomas turned, his eyes taking in the sight of the young boy next to him. "I know. And you did. You've always made me feel better. More than that." Gazing back at the ocean, he bit his bottom lip nervously like he had done so many years ago. "You saved me. Just like you said you would."
Dougie didn't reply, just laced their fingers together, obviously not giving a damn that Thomas was old enough to be his great-grandfather.
"Why now? Why today?"
"Do I need a reason? Today's as good as any other day."
Thomas shook his head, his white hair flying in the wind. "No." For a while he was silent again, just listening to the waves rolling in. "It's time, isn't it?" He didn't even question how Dougie knew, how he could be sure. He could feel it in his bones.
Dougie chewed his own bottom lip, averting his gaze.
"Come on, Dougie. We have always been honest with each other. It's not like I didn't expect it. I can feel it." A tear leaked from the corner of his eye but he ignored it.
"You're right. It's... It's almost time."
Thomas nodded, another tear falling from his eye. "What's going to happen to you?"
Dougie gave him a sad smile. "Shouldn't you be asking what's going to happen to you?"
The old man shook his head. "I don't care as long as you are going to be all right. Will you be able to go... back up there?" He gazed up at the starry sky.
"I don't know."
Thomas's head whipped around. "How can you not know?"
"Because this is the first time something like this has ever happened to me? I'm very old, Thomas. I've seen a lot and I know a lot, but I've never been down here before."
More tears rolled down Thomas's cheeks, some of them stuck in his wrinkles. "How can I leave you here, not knowing what's going to happen to you?"
"I'm afraid you don't really have a choice, love."
Love. Dougie hadn't called him that for years. It had been something he'd whispered into his ear while making love to him and they definitely hadn't done that for quite a few years.
Silence.
"Do you remember our first time?"
Dougie smiled. "How could I possibly forget that? You were so beautiful. The way you looked at me, the love and trust in your eyes... I don't know why I was sent down here but I've never regretted it. Never."
They sat together for the rest of the night, sharing memories and talking to each other quietly. Mostly they just held hands and enjoyed sitting at the beach together.
"I've always wanted to see the ocean." Dawn was close. The sky had begun to brighten, black turning into dark blue, grey, lighter blue and finally orange and pink.
"I know. That's why I brought you here."
"Thank you, Dougie. Not just for this but... everything. I loved sharing this life with you and no matter what happens, I'll never regret it."
Dougie squeezed Thomas' hand. "I love you, Tom."
Thomas laughed but the laugh soon turned into a cough. "Damnit, I don't like being old." He glanced at Dougie, then looked down into the dark water. "You know that I love you too. I have always loved you."
The blond boy nodded.
They were silent again as the sun rose, an orange ball of fire in the light sky. The sight was spectacular and Thomas felt truly blessed. If this was the last day of his life, then he was glad that he could spent it with Dougie, watching something so astounding.
For a few more minutes they watched the sun go higher, watched a few birds fly high in the sky. Then Thomas felt something... unusual. He'd never really had any heart problems but now it was beating kind of... unsteadily.
"Dougie?"
He turned and watched Dougie do the same. The boy's cheeks were wet with tears. He nodded and blinked, obviously trying to see Thomas clearly through the wave of tears.
Thomas wasn't really scared; kind of curious really, but he hated seeing Dougie like this. "It's going to be okay." His heart tried harder, beat faster and faster in the confines of his chest even though he was sitting almost motionlessly on the ground.
Dougie nodded again but couldn't stop crying. He threw his arms around the man and held him tightly.
Thomas wrapped his own arms around the boy's lean body, held on tight for as long as he could. He didn't fight, knew that he was supposed to lose this fight anyway. Whatever happened to him, he just hoped that Dougie would be able to go back where he'd come from. It was his last real thought before his grip on Dougie loosened and he closed his eyes, whispering Dougie's name as he sank back to the sand.
Dougie burst into tears, the silvery light quickly turning into black as he pressed his face to Thomas' chest. His body shook, desperate sobs escaping his throat. Thomas' body lay still.
I saw a light
I saw a light
Coming through the trees
I saw a light
Coming through the trees
Freshly cut lawns
And little children sleepwalking
I saw a light
I saw a light
Shining on a car
And a couple inside
Had committed suicide
Death in your arms
Death in your arms
I saw a light
I saw a light
Coming through the trees
And I packed my things
After I saw the light
I packed my things
The light gave me life
Helped me see more clearly
And the children went to sleep
And the car was towed away
And the leaves were rustling
As the night turned to day
I saw a light
Getting smaller in the distance
And I said goodbye
The boy didn't notice the soft glow coming from Thomas' body, too wrapped up in his misery about losing the only human he'd ever loved. He didn't notice his own human body changing back into light as he clung to Thomas, didn't notice that his tears turned into rainbow-coloured glitter.
Up until he felt a movement beneath him. T-Tom? He wanted to speak, like he'd done for so many years, but no words came. He didn't have a voice anymore. There was a white light where Thomas' body had been just moments ago.
Dougie tried to move his hand but realised that he didn't have one of these anymore either. He was just... light. Golden light. Why was he gold when he'd always been silver?
He moved, glided up into the sky, the white light following him. 'Tom?'
'Dougie. I... I'm dead, ain't I?'
'Yes. Oh God, yes.' A laugh bubbled in his now non-existent throat and he watched pink and purple sparks glide through the morning breeze before they exploded like millions of tiny fireworks. So this was what a star's laugh looked like? He'd never laughed before. Not before he'd been sent to Thomas' rescue.
The golden light sped up, moved faster, raced up into the sky, then let itself fall down until it almost dropped into the ocean. The white light stood still in the air, watching the golden light and if it had still had a head, it would have shaken it and rolled its eyes.
The white light didn't know how it was possible; all that it knew was that it still had all its memories from its life on earth. It was still Thomas and the golden light was still Dougie.
And it looked like they'd been given eternity to spend together.
The white light raced down to the golden light and for a long while, the lights could be seen above the ocean, high up in the clear, blue sky, mingled together. United.
Chapter: 1/1
Author: stargirl82
Fandom: McFly
Pairing: Floynter (Tom Fletcher/Dougie Poynter)
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: sexual content, angst, drama, character death, fluff.
Wordcount: 5304 (including song lyrics)
Author's note: AU. Fantasy-ish fic. Set in the 19th century.
Inspired by the movie Stardust and Bat For Lashes' song I saw a light
This is my first attempt at writing Floynter. I desperately wanted it to either be a Flones or a Pudd. I'd decided that I wanted this to be a Pudd, but for some reason, I couldn't do it. It just had to be Dougie and Tom.
Also, there's a car mentioned in the song; kindly ignore the fact that cars didn't exist back then. It doesn't have anything to do with the fic.
Summary: Tom has lost everything and found a new home in the middle of nowhere. He's doing okay but he's lonely and doesn't have a chance of finding his soulmate, ever. Until one day, something magical happens and all of a sudden, the tables have turned.
Thomas sat on the window sill gazing at the bright starry sky like every night. He dreaded the nights when clouds hid the glowing stars, making the world appear cold, dark and lonely. Today however a clear sky allowed the stars to shine in all their glory. His lips curled into a soft smile as his gaze drifted from one bright star to another, recognising most of the constellations just like his late father had taught him.
He was alone now. His mother had died shortly after giving birth to her only son. His father had been a loving, kind man, caring for the little boy even though his parents hadn't been married. Never once had his father shown him any kind of disrespect. He'd treated him like a gentleman, unlike most of the people in the village they'd lived in. He was a bastard and the common people had made sure that he never forgot what exactly he was.
After his father had died when he was only 16, he'd been forced to leave the village and seek shelter elsewhere. The boy had spent weeks in the woods, eating berries and nuts and whatever he found that was edible. He'd slept under bridges, on trees and in barns until he'd found this place. An empty cottage hidden deep in the woods where no one ever dared to go; to great was the fear of getting lost and attacked by wild animals.
There were bushes and trees surrounding the house, protecting its secrets and mere existence. Thomas was alone but he didn't miss living in the village he'd grown up in. Sometimes he missed having company though. Lots of the animals of the woods came to visit as soon as they had realised that Thomas meant them no harm; but it wasn't the same as human company. In fact, Thomas hadn't eaten meat for years and he didn't want to kill an animal for this purpose, ever. He was content eating what Mother Earth provided him with.
It had been two years since his father had passed away and even though he still missed him, even though the hurt was still there, right there in his heart, he was sure that the old man would feel better, wherever he was. The year before he died he had been incredibly sick, slowly wasting away, begging Thomas on more than one occasion to end his misery. He hadn't been able to go through with it though and his father had understood but the picture of his father suffering haunted him every night when he went to sleep and so he found himself praying to God, to somebody that he'd show mercy and deliver his sick father from his misery.
The tears he'd cried upon finding his father lifeless in his bed had been tears of relief. The boy had quickly gathered his things and left the village after nightfall; making sure that he'd follow his father's instructions. Before he left, he'd kissed the cold, motionless forehead, stroked his hair once more before he'd silently bade farewell.
Life wasn't so bad. He had everything he needed, food, a creek behind the cottage that provided him with fresh, clear water, the animals that he shared his food with at times and the things he'd brought. A few books, parchment, a couple of quills and his flute. He'd been sad to leave the piano behind; he missed playing it, missed touching the white and ivory keys, missed hearing the sweet, soothing tunes. What he missed the most was losing himself in the melodies; to forget the world and allow himself to dream. He was grateful that he had the flute but it wasn't the same.
Other than that, he was content. Mostly. His father had often told him about love; he'd read books and poems to him when he was little, told him the story of how his mother and his father had met and how they shared a happy life together despite all difficulties, how he'd loved her more than any other woman. Thomas wanted that for himself. He wanted to fall in love, wanted to share his life with someone who'd look at him and see him for what he was: a smart, kind, caring boy. Someone who wouldn't judge him, who wouldn't look down on him because he hadn't been conceived the way he should have been. He wanted someone who'd accept him, love him, admire him. Someone who'd allow him to do the same for them.
Thomas sighed and leaned his head back against the wall. How could that ever happen if he couldn't leave this place? No one was forcing him to stay of course, but he knew that he couldn't go back to where he'd come from and he couldn't go somewhere else either. He was a nobody. No one would care for him or give him a job and he wouldn't have a place to stay. It would be stupid to leave his shelter.
Turning his head, he gazed back at the dark, velvety sky. "Father, what should I do? I wish you could tell me what to do." He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again; blinked and looked up at the sky again. Was he imagining things or was this one star... brighter than before? No, that was ridiculous. A star couldn't shine brighter all of a sudden. He was just going crazy.
"Father..." It was just a whisper and his eyes widened when the star seemed to glow even more. The yellowish light was slowly turning to a bright white, silver sparkles surrounding the white dot in the sky. Thomas had never seen anything like this before.
And then... it came closer. Jumping off the window sill, Thomas stumbled backwards, his eyes still fixated on the mysterious star. He watched the light move across the dark sky, watched it getting bigger and brighter; so bright that it should have hurt his eyes but for some reason it didn't harm him at all.
His eyes were wide open as he followed the light with them, too stunned to actually move. He should have run for his life or tried to hide somewhere in case the star landed on the house but he just stood there, staring, unable to believe his own eyes.
When the light finally hit the ground, it did so with a loud bang. The house shook and Thomas could hear the frightened squeaks of his animal friends. Why wasn't he scared?
The light wasn't as bright anymore but it was definitely still there, enveloping its surroundings in a soft silver glow. Thomas walked down the stairs and hurried outside, desperate to see if the light was still there - and relieved when he saw it shining near his house, maybe a hundred feet away from the entrance.
Slowly, Thomas made his way over to the light, his fists clenched at his side. He didn't know what was going on but he felt... safe. Weird considering that something had just fallen off the sky.
When he came closer, he noticed that the light seemed to disappear more and more, the longer it took him to get to the place where the star had landed.
He started to run, hoping that he wasn't too late. However, the sight that greeted him made him stop dead in his tracks. There wasn't a star on the ground, no rock or something else he'd expected. What lay on the slightly burnt grass was a boy. A boy with legs and arms and a head and if he hadn't been glowing, Thomas would have thought that this was some kind of practical joke.
Thomas knelt down next to the boy, chewing his botThomas lip nervously. "Are... are you all right?" he cleared his throat, repeating the words when he got no reply. His hands were trembling but he reached out and touched his fingers to the boy's cheek, feeling his soft, warm skin beneath his finger tips.
The boy's eyelids quivered and a frown marred his features as he slowly opened his eyes, revealing pale blue eyes that made Thomas believe that he was staring into the ocean on a stormy day even though he'd never seen the ocean. He knew instinctively that he'd never forget these expressive eyes. No matter what happened.
Blinking, the boy slowly sat up, still looking at Thomas. A smile curled his lips upwards. "Yes, I have never been better."
Thomas couldn't tell if it was a lie or not. "Did... did you just... fall? Off... off the sky?" So this sounded absolutely ridiculous and if the boy was normal and he'd just imagined this whole star-falling-off-sky thing, he'd be shipped off to an asylum in the blink of an eye.
However, if the boy was human... why was there still this silvery light surrounding him? Barely there, but still visible nonetheless. And while we're at it, why was the boy naked?
The boy's smile widened, his eyes sparkling as he reached up to brush a strand of his light hair out of his face. "I believe that's what happened."
Thomas frowned, pulling his hand back. "But... how? Why?"
"To save you, Thomas."
***
Three months later, Thomas still found it hard to believe that the boy, whose name was Dougie, had just fallen off the sky, right before his eyes, in front of his house. But every morning when he woke up and tip-toed into the living room where Dougie slept, he found him there, fast asleep, his hands clutching the blanket.
Thomas liked watching Dougie sleep. He could spend hours just watching his chest rise and fall, watch his lips part when he inhaled and curl into a smile every now and then. Maybe he was dreaming something particularly nice? Thomas didn't know.
He always went back to his room before Dougie woke up, pretending that he'd spent the time in there instead of secretly watching the beautiful boy. Yes, he was beautiful and Thomas found himself wondering what it would be like to kiss those pink, alluring lips. Would they be as soft as he imagined them to be? What would it feel like to press his own mouth to Dougie's perfectly shaped lips?
His life had changed so much since Dougie had appeared (practically) on his doorstep. He was no longer lonely. Dougie knew everything about astronomy and even about the earth. He could tell stories that made Thomas long for more even though he wasn't even sure if they were true. Some of them seemed too bizarre but he believed that Dougie was a star and had fallen off the sky, so really, what else was there that couldn't be true?
***
They had been living together for almost a year now and no matter how hard Thomas tried, he couldn't deny how much he wanted Dougie. When his father had told him about love, he'd mentioned that sometimes people of the same sex fancied each other but for some reason Thomas had never even considered that option. When he'd dreamt about love, he'd dreamt about a faceless young lady, not a stunning boy that also happened to be a fallen star. But with every day that passed, he grew more and more attached to the boy, lusting after him even more than the day before. He could hardly take his eyes off of Dougie and when Dougie spoke, Thomas stared at his lips, wishing he had the guts to just kiss him already.
But what if Dougie didn't want him that way? What if he ruined things, everything they had with something like a kiss, something he didn't even know if it felt good? Something...
... he hadn't even noticed that he'd been leaning closer to the blond boy. He hadn't realised that he'd licked his own lips anxiously, moistening them slightly before he pressed them to Dougie's. His eyelids drooped shut the second their lips met, only to open them again and pull back, horrified that he'd done something wrong.
In no way had he expected for Dougie to come after him, pressing his lips back to Thomas', a soft sigh escaping his throat as he moved them against the older boy's mouth.
Once again, Thomas' eyes closed and he relaxed as Dougie coaxed him into giving in and kissing him back.
Before he knew it, he was on his back, Dougie hovering over him, their lips still connected. Instinctively, he reached up and tangled his fingers in the strands of Dougie's silky-soft hair. He didn't really know what to do but Dougie showed him everything he needed to know. For the longest time, the blond kissed his upper and lower lip by turns, nipping at the soft flesh.
"Tom..."
A throaty whisper against Thomas' lips before he once again couldn't speak anymore. What a lovely nickname. He was surprised when he felt something particularly wet touching his full bottom lip but he willingly opened his mouth and invited Dougie in, happy to oblige and give the blond whatever he wanted.
He was hesitant at first but got gutsier and met Dougie's tongue with his own, groaning deep in his throat when the contact made him shiver and every hair on his body stand on end. How could something feel so good?
Dougie's tongue continued to explore Thomas' mouth, making him yearn for more. "Dougie..."
Thomas pulled back a little, gasping for air, his dark chocolaty eyes searching Dougie's.
"I have been waiting for this for a long time, Tom." That silver glow was back, surrounding the boy's body as he smiled down at the other boy.
"You... you have?"
Dougie nodded and shifted his weight, holding himself up with one arm as he brought his hand to Thomas' face, stroking his cheek affectionately. "Yes. This is what I'm here for, Thomas. I told you I came here to save you."
***
Many years later, Thomas and Dougie still lived in the cottage, growing old together. Thomas had a feeling that Dougie could have stayed just as young as he'd been when they'd first met. He remembered the time when he noticed his first grey hair and how Dougie hadn't understood why it mattered. The first wrinkle had made him react even worse and Dougie had been quick to soothe him with kisses and promises of his undying love. But Dougie hadn't aged even a little bit until Thomas had pointed that out. Dougie had shrugged his shoulders and mumbled something about "good genes" but a few weeks later he'd sported a silvery-white streak in his otherwise perfectly golden hair.
Thomas was suspicious but he'd never demanded to know the truth. He wasn't sure if Dougie could control something like that; and if he couldn't, he'd laugh at Thomas and make fun of him for the rest of their lives. Those were just excuses because quite frankly, Thomas didn't want to know the truth. He knew that he'd have to die one day and if Dougie could stay young forever, he wasn't sure if he could deal with the fact that Dougie had decided not to - because of him.
They had been happy every single day of their lives. Even when they fought and argued, something they did quite often since they only had each other for company. Sometimes Thomas wondered what it would be like to just go out and talk to other people but he didn't really have any desire to leave his home for strangers. He loved Dougie and he loved their life together. He didn't miss anything, with the exception of one thing, maybe. He'd never got to see the ocean.
As he got older and his body got weaker, he thought more and more about it, wondering if Dougie's eyes really resembled the sea. And when he snapped out of his thoughts, he found Dougie looking at him with something like worry in his eyes.
They never talked about it but a week after Thomas had turned 86, Dougie entered their bedroom which was now downstairs. Sometime after his seventieth birthday it had become harder and harder to climb the stairs every day, so Dougie had moved everything downstairs.
He held a travel bag in his hand and both of their coats. Thomas frowned and sat up. "Where are you going?"
"We are going on a little trip. Come on, get dressed."
Thomas groaned as he put his feet on the floor and pushed himself off the bed. It seemed to be harder to just move than just a few weeks ago. "Seriously, where are we going? It's dark outside. We can't go into the woods. If I fall... there's no way I'll be able to get back inside."
"We're not going into the woods."
"Then how are we supposed to get wherever you want me to go?" Thomas raised his bushy white eyebrows as he reached for his cane to help support him.
"You'll see."
Ah. Back to mysterious, obviously. Thomas sighed and let Dougie help him put on his coat. The fact that Dougie could still move pretty fast and wasn't in any pain once again led Thomas to believe that he didn't have to age if he didn't want to. He'd thought about this a lot and pushed the thought aside every single time but on this particular day, he couldn't. "You're not really getting old like I do, are you? You don't have to age..."
Dougie just smiled and took Thomas' hand in his. "Ready?"
Thomas nodded and before he could reply or ask his question again, the world started spinning as Dougie started to glow more intensely than usual. Silver turned to white and soon Thomas couldn't see anything anymore, nothing but the bright light that once again, just like so many years ago, didn't hurt his eyes.
His vision blurred and a wind that slowly but surely turned into a storm surrounded him, making him feel like he could fly. Dougie's hand in his gave him reassurance. If there was one person on this planet that he trusted it was Dougie.
Thomas felt like he'd been picked up and thrown into a tornado. Maybe he really was flying? He blinked, trying to make out something, anything, but he could see nothing but the light.
When it stopped, Thomas found himself lying on the ground. Ground that didn't feel like grass or soil. It felt like...
"Sand!"
Thomas opened his eyes as wide as he could and struggled to sit up, letting the small grains of sand run through his fingers. He looked up, seeing Dougie standing there, watching him with a smile on his face.
"Where... are we..." Thomas couldn't seem to finish a single sentence.
"The ocean."
Only then did Thomas notice that something was off. Dougie looked different and at the same time not different at all. He blinked, gazing up at the boy- Oh. Dougie's old self was gone, the young boy was back, smiling down at him. Thomas should have been mad but he couldn't bring himself to be angry with his partner.
Dougie reached out a hand and helped Thomas stand up, then guided him the thirty steps or so down to the water. It was dark but for some reason Thomas was sure that he'd see the ocean in the daylight. They weren't going anywhere.
***
The first time they'd made love was on a lovely spring day. Thomas remembered it well because the sun had shone into the bedroom, painting patterns of light onto Dougie's soft, rosy skin.
He often thought back to this day, savoring the memory. He on his back, head on the pillow, Dougie above him, kissing him, caressing him and whispering words of love into his ear. Lips, tongues, teeth nipping at each other's skin, hands touching, squeezing, hips moving, backs arching as they expressed their love not with words but their bodies, movements and soft touches.
The moment Dougie entered him for the first time, Thomas would never forget. Not so much because it hurt (because it did!) but because of the look Dougie gave him while slowly pushing his hips down, giving the older boy plenty of time to adjust to the new feeling. He could see how much Dougie wanted to close his eyes, what it cost him to keep them open and look into his own as he stilled his movements and just waited until Thomas was ready for the next step. Thomas saw worry there, wonder, love and devotion, all these emotions overlaid by pure lust.
Thomas had never felt so wanted in all his life and he knew that it wasn't just physical want, it wasn't just lusting after his body that made Dougie look at him like that, no it was more, so much more.
It was the day when Thomas started to believe that Dougie really had come to save him.
He didn't know how long they'd been together like this, how long it took or how often Dougie pushed into him, then pulled back, only to do it all over again. Thomas remembered vividly that he'd cried out in surpise and pleasure when Dougie had nudged a certain spot inside him, a spot he'd had no idea existed. He'd gripped his lover tighter, dug his fingernails into Dougie's skin, leaving crescent-shaped, bloody marks behind.
He had held on tight as Dougie took him for a ride, so to speak, a ride that had made Thomas wish it would never end.
Front teeth sinking into his full bottom lip, a hand curling around his hard shaft, squeezing him, pumping him. Thomas remembered seeing the silver light surround Dougie's body; he remembered it glowing more and more, the longer and more often he pushed into him.
Sweat, glistening skin, moans and tiny mewls as things got a bit rougher. Gasping for air, whispered names, flying high as they both got closer to release.
The combination of Dougie's movements inside him and his hand pulling on his length made Thomas trip over the edge, his body stiffening, then jerking a few times. Dougie followed soon after, groaning loudly.
When they had calmed down, Dougie lifted his head, smiling brightly. "I love you."
Thomas had opened his eyes, a tired smile on his sweaty, flushed face. He'd felt closer to Dougie than ever before, closer than he'd ever felt to anyone. "I love you too."
Then Dougie had hidden his face in the crook of Thomas' neck, his lips touching the older boy's skin but not kissing him. For the longest time they had just lain there, Dougie on top of Thomas, every part of them touching. The last thing Thomas remembered before falling asleep with Dougie in his arms was the younger boy rolling off of him, cleaning them up a bit before pulling the bed sheets over their naked bodies.
Yes, Thomas was fond of this memory and he'd treasure it forever and always.
***
Dougie helped Thomas walk and laughed when a perky wave flooded their feet. Thomas laughed too and bent down to undo his shoes but gave up when his back protested.
"Let me do it." Dougie bent down and quickly helped Thomas pull the shoes off, then tossed them aside.
Thomas just stood there, Dougie and his cane supporting his weight and holding him upright as he stared into the dark water, a smile playing on his lips. "It's beautiful."
"Wait 'til you see it by day."
They sat down in the sand, making sure that it was dry but close enough to the water so that the waves could reach their feet. Dougie pulled a bottle of water from the bag and took a sip before offering it to Thomas who declined.
They were silent for a while.
"I kind of knew that you were still young. Underneath."
Dougie smiled. "I wanted to make you feel better."
Thomas turned, his eyes taking in the sight of the young boy next to him. "I know. And you did. You've always made me feel better. More than that." Gazing back at the ocean, he bit his bottom lip nervously like he had done so many years ago. "You saved me. Just like you said you would."
Dougie didn't reply, just laced their fingers together, obviously not giving a damn that Thomas was old enough to be his great-grandfather.
"Why now? Why today?"
"Do I need a reason? Today's as good as any other day."
Thomas shook his head, his white hair flying in the wind. "No." For a while he was silent again, just listening to the waves rolling in. "It's time, isn't it?" He didn't even question how Dougie knew, how he could be sure. He could feel it in his bones.
Dougie chewed his own bottom lip, averting his gaze.
"Come on, Dougie. We have always been honest with each other. It's not like I didn't expect it. I can feel it." A tear leaked from the corner of his eye but he ignored it.
"You're right. It's... It's almost time."
Thomas nodded, another tear falling from his eye. "What's going to happen to you?"
Dougie gave him a sad smile. "Shouldn't you be asking what's going to happen to you?"
The old man shook his head. "I don't care as long as you are going to be all right. Will you be able to go... back up there?" He gazed up at the starry sky.
"I don't know."
Thomas's head whipped around. "How can you not know?"
"Because this is the first time something like this has ever happened to me? I'm very old, Thomas. I've seen a lot and I know a lot, but I've never been down here before."
More tears rolled down Thomas's cheeks, some of them stuck in his wrinkles. "How can I leave you here, not knowing what's going to happen to you?"
"I'm afraid you don't really have a choice, love."
Love. Dougie hadn't called him that for years. It had been something he'd whispered into his ear while making love to him and they definitely hadn't done that for quite a few years.
Silence.
"Do you remember our first time?"
Dougie smiled. "How could I possibly forget that? You were so beautiful. The way you looked at me, the love and trust in your eyes... I don't know why I was sent down here but I've never regretted it. Never."
They sat together for the rest of the night, sharing memories and talking to each other quietly. Mostly they just held hands and enjoyed sitting at the beach together.
"I've always wanted to see the ocean." Dawn was close. The sky had begun to brighten, black turning into dark blue, grey, lighter blue and finally orange and pink.
"I know. That's why I brought you here."
"Thank you, Dougie. Not just for this but... everything. I loved sharing this life with you and no matter what happens, I'll never regret it."
Dougie squeezed Thomas' hand. "I love you, Tom."
Thomas laughed but the laugh soon turned into a cough. "Damnit, I don't like being old." He glanced at Dougie, then looked down into the dark water. "You know that I love you too. I have always loved you."
The blond boy nodded.
They were silent again as the sun rose, an orange ball of fire in the light sky. The sight was spectacular and Thomas felt truly blessed. If this was the last day of his life, then he was glad that he could spent it with Dougie, watching something so astounding.
For a few more minutes they watched the sun go higher, watched a few birds fly high in the sky. Then Thomas felt something... unusual. He'd never really had any heart problems but now it was beating kind of... unsteadily.
"Dougie?"
He turned and watched Dougie do the same. The boy's cheeks were wet with tears. He nodded and blinked, obviously trying to see Thomas clearly through the wave of tears.
Thomas wasn't really scared; kind of curious really, but he hated seeing Dougie like this. "It's going to be okay." His heart tried harder, beat faster and faster in the confines of his chest even though he was sitting almost motionlessly on the ground.
Dougie nodded again but couldn't stop crying. He threw his arms around the man and held him tightly.
Thomas wrapped his own arms around the boy's lean body, held on tight for as long as he could. He didn't fight, knew that he was supposed to lose this fight anyway. Whatever happened to him, he just hoped that Dougie would be able to go back where he'd come from. It was his last real thought before his grip on Dougie loosened and he closed his eyes, whispering Dougie's name as he sank back to the sand.
Dougie burst into tears, the silvery light quickly turning into black as he pressed his face to Thomas' chest. His body shook, desperate sobs escaping his throat. Thomas' body lay still.
I saw a light
I saw a light
Coming through the trees
I saw a light
Coming through the trees
Freshly cut lawns
And little children sleepwalking
I saw a light
I saw a light
Shining on a car
And a couple inside
Had committed suicide
Death in your arms
Death in your arms
I saw a light
I saw a light
Coming through the trees
And I packed my things
After I saw the light
I packed my things
The light gave me life
Helped me see more clearly
And the children went to sleep
And the car was towed away
And the leaves were rustling
As the night turned to day
I saw a light
Getting smaller in the distance
And I said goodbye
The boy didn't notice the soft glow coming from Thomas' body, too wrapped up in his misery about losing the only human he'd ever loved. He didn't notice his own human body changing back into light as he clung to Thomas, didn't notice that his tears turned into rainbow-coloured glitter.
Up until he felt a movement beneath him. T-Tom? He wanted to speak, like he'd done for so many years, but no words came. He didn't have a voice anymore. There was a white light where Thomas' body had been just moments ago.
Dougie tried to move his hand but realised that he didn't have one of these anymore either. He was just... light. Golden light. Why was he gold when he'd always been silver?
He moved, glided up into the sky, the white light following him. 'Tom?'
'Dougie. I... I'm dead, ain't I?'
'Yes. Oh God, yes.' A laugh bubbled in his now non-existent throat and he watched pink and purple sparks glide through the morning breeze before they exploded like millions of tiny fireworks. So this was what a star's laugh looked like? He'd never laughed before. Not before he'd been sent to Thomas' rescue.
The golden light sped up, moved faster, raced up into the sky, then let itself fall down until it almost dropped into the ocean. The white light stood still in the air, watching the golden light and if it had still had a head, it would have shaken it and rolled its eyes.
The white light didn't know how it was possible; all that it knew was that it still had all its memories from its life on earth. It was still Thomas and the golden light was still Dougie.
And it looked like they'd been given eternity to spend together.
The white light raced down to the golden light and for a long while, the lights could be seen above the ocean, high up in the clear, blue sky, mingled together. United.