Contest fic: 'Seeing You Helps'
Contest: An Arrow to a Quiver
Title: 'Seeing You Helps'
Author: Morgan (queenmorgan23@aol.com)
Type: Slash
Main Pairing: Oliver/Clark
Status: Complete
Rating: Mature Content
Warnings: m/m love
Word Count: 2528
Permission to Archive: Y
Summary: Oliver comes back to Metropolis, just when Clark needs him.
SEEING YOU HELPS
"Oh, for-" Clark sighed, rolling his eyes as his cousin, Kara, took off into the night sky. Looking down at the darkened earth, he felt the pressure weighing down heavily on his shoulders.
So much. So much, and always all at once. Nothing was ever simple. Or easy.
It felt as though life was rushing through, swirling around him. Constantly stirring, and he couldn't quite stop to take a breath.
His mother was in Washington D.C., and he was so proud of her. He was so proud of everything she had accomplished, and was still working towards. Knowing the pain she'd had to work through only made her strength more amazing to him. She awed him with her quiet integrity and spirit. He couldn't have asked for a better mother.
And his father. Dad. He'd been gone for so long now. It seemed like it had been an eternity, and yet it could have been yesterday; the memories were so fresh sometimes.
Lana was gone. A missed moment, and a haze of violence, and she was wiped out of his life. He'd loved her. He supposed that he always would, just as he knew he'd always care for Lex.
God.
There was something that ripped at him throughout every day. Lex Luthor. He could still remember walking up to the castle with a lightness in his heart because he'd had a friend like Lex. There had been someone who hadn't known him BEFORE he knew the truth about himself. Lex had been there, and had known him as the person he was.
Finding out he was not a child of Earth had torn his reality to shreds. Chloe and Pete were his friends, of course they were, and he loved them, still. They'd always been important to him, but they'd known him BEFORE. They'd noticed the change, but hadn't understood it then. It had been awkward and uncomfortable, trying to 'be' himself and not really knowing who he had become...what he was capable of being.
Always wondering if he looked different. Worrying about whether or not they would realize that he wasn't the person they'd always believed him to be.
Chloe, of course, had only proved herself to be an integral part of his life. An essential part. He would have been lost without her. She'd held him together in times he knew he was ready to fall to pieces.
And, unlike Lex, he felt safe enough with her to confide his feelings AND his origins, now.
His parents, Chloe, Lex...that had been his circle. His comfort zone. Something he could depend on, even when he knew sometimes that he shouldn't.
He'd known, in the back of his mind, that someday he'd fight alone. He had known that there would come a day when he'd only have himself to depend on. Clark had tried to steel himself for that. Ready himself.
He had tried to prepare for that.
And then, there had been Ollie. Oliver Queen. A man who was someone unlike any person he'd ever known. A man who didn't have any 'special gifts' courtesy of meteors or solar rays. A man. Just a man. An amazing man, who chose to work within himself to help people...because he wanted to. Because he could. He'd given Clark hope, and he had shown him that it was all right to believe in a future where he wasn't alone in his purpose.
He respected the man. While he didn't always agree with Ollie's methods, he couldn't fault his heart.
Oliver had an incredible heart. He...admired him. Cared for him. He felt drawn to him.
Clark swallowed hard, and looked up into the sky. He watched the stars in the sky, his eyes seeing the infinitesimal flashes of light that signaled flares of gasses. He saw a flash of color streak across the sky and waved to his young cousin, a new part of his life. Another uncontrollable element he felt folding in on his already strained rationale.
He moved his focus to the bright sliver of moon in the black sea of air. Smiled at it. A pale gold slice of lunar light, lovely and consuming, and the light it reflected surrounded the lines of it with a soft navy haze.
It looked beautiful to him, and he wondered if Oliver was watching the sky somewhere else and seeing what he saw.
He smiled softly. Wherever Oliver was, chances were, he was looking at a bulls-eye or a beautiful woman. Or both.
The truth was, he missed him. He missed how he felt around him.
He missed his smart-ass smile, and the sparkling brown eyes that often narrowed in amusement at him...in welcome.
He missed having someone who understood the need to help. Someone who understood his inability to leave things alone. It had never been a need to be a 'hero', or to 'save the day'. It was about the people. Clark couldn't stand to see people in pain. It hurt his soul, and he knew Ollie empathized with that.
Knowing Oliver was out there somewhere made him feel less alone.
Clark's smile widened as he watched his cousin twirl in the sky, arching over the light of the moon. He looked down at his hands, long fingers clasped in front of him. Imagined hands, sure and confident, clasped around his. Clad in deep green leather.
"I miss you." He whispered into the darkness surrounding his hands.
"Talking to yourself is never a good sign."
Clark whirled around, his hair falling in front of his eyes, triggering his x-ray vision. Blinking, he reached up to swat away the fringe of black hair and felt his fingertips brush against his skin.
"Hey, Clark."
There. Stepped out from his thoughts. Right there.
"Oliver." Clark smiled and stepped forward. "When did you get back?"
Long, callused fingers lowered to brush against slender hips, and Oliver's hands delved into deep, tailored denim pockets. "Just now. I thought I'd stop by and let you know I was back in town."
Clark nodded, his grin brightening in response to Oliver's pleased smile. "Your phone wasn't working?"
Oliver laughed, seemingly surprised at Clark's teasing tone. "Actually, I wanted to see you." Warm brown eyes held onto Clark's, narrowing slightly as they followed a shiver that ran down Clark's body. "You don't mind, do you?"
"No," Clark said quietly, his voice low and soft, "I'm really glad you're here. I was actually just thinking about you."
Blonde hair shook as Oliver's head tilted to the side. "Were you?"
"Yeah."
"I heard you. You said you missed someone." Oliver murmured, moving over to stand beside Clark.
"Like I said." Clark said quietly, feeling his breath catch in his throat.
Clark heard Oliver suck in a quick breath. "You missed me?"
"I guess I did. Funny thing...somehow, I managed to start actually liking you when you were here before." Clark said, his voice dry. He turned his head, the side of his mouth tilting up in a playful grin.
Oliver smirked, "Strange."
"Tell me about it," Clark quipped, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the frame of the barn entrance.
Leaning over, Oliver bumped his shoulder against Clark's lightly. "It must be contagious. I think I missed you, too."
Clark smiled brightly, and looked closer, noticed Oliver's eyes darkening, the pupils growing larger than they already were in the dim light. "So..."
"So."
Chuckling softly, Clark rolled his eyes up towards the sky that had become clear of all movement. He bit his lip against the sigh that threatened to escape. "So. Are you back for a reason, or dare I hope you came back just for me?"
"Clark-" Oliver cut himself off with a deep breath. He reached out and clasped his hand around Clark's wrist. Held it. "I came back because I heard about what's been going on here. With...with Lana, and the dam. I heard you had a cousin in town, and...well, that was a little unnerving." Oliver shook his head slowly and moved closer. "I came back because I needed to hear you say that you're okay. I needed to see your face when you said it."
He felt warmth spread through his chest, comforting and easy, and he nodded. "I'm not okay. Not yet. But, I will be." His eyes met Oliver's and held them, "Seeing you helps."
Oliver's smile lit up his face, and Clark felt the tingling blast of awareness slam down his spine. His head rocked back, smacking the side of the wooden frame.
A wash of air flushed across their faces, grasping their attention skyward.
"What the hell was that?"
Clark grinned, "THAT would be the 'cousin in town'."
Brown eyes dropped down to meet his. "I see. So...it runs in the family."
"Yeah...she...she doesn't really know a lot about normal day-to-day stuff. But, she's a good person. She just needs some help, and someone to keep an eye on her." He raised his eyebrows and chuckled, the sound strangely dark. "She's met Lex already. I think he's curious about her...her connection to me."
He felt Oliver tense up beside him, and watched his eyes focus sharply. "Why am I not surprised? Is there a problem?"
"Not yet," Clark muttered, "but, there will be. I can feel something coming. Something's off. I don't know. I thought it was just Lana, at first, and having Kara show up, but it's not. There's trouble coming. I can feel it." Pushing away from the barn, Clark stepped forward, raising his hands into the air before dropping them down to slap against his thighs. "I don't know how to fight something when I don't even know what it is yet."
"Clark-"
Black hair fluttered in the night breeze, tickling the back of Clark's neck, and a small smile fluttered across his lips. "Don't listen to me. I'm just worrying. You know me."
"Yeah. I do." Oliver walked around him to stand in front of him and grasped his shoulders. "And, I trust your instincts. Maybe I can help."
Clark felt a wave of genuine happiness, and smiled brightly. For the first time, he felt a sense of rightness with accepting the offer of help. "Thanks."
Stepping closer, Oliver's face paused a bare breath from Clark's and his eyes twinkled as they stared into Clark's. "I'll stay as long as you need me to."
Clark felt the blush erupting on his face, spreading across his cheeks in a fiery burst, and lowered his eyes to Oliver's mouth. He tried to speak, and felt the words catch silently on his lips.
"Clark," Oliver nudged his face down, his lips a mere fraction from Clark's, "I mean it."
"I know." Clark whispered. Oliver's lips closed the distance, and he sucked in a breath as warm, smooth lips pressed into his. The heat of it flooded through his face and down his neck, and he felt the electric pulse of it shock his body. Shivers erupted within him, and his skin pulsed as Oliver's hands slid down his arms, and pressed around his waist. Held him. "This...I wasn't expecting..."
"No?" Oliver's teeth dug into his lower lip. Chewed softly, and sucked it into his mouth. His breath was soft, warm and it carried a smell that reminded Clark of honey. So soft.
"Mmm..." Clark sighed into the warm, moist taste and pushed back gently. His kissed back, opening his mouth and brushing his tongue against Oliver's before pulling back, panting softly into the air. "Didn't expect. I thought about it, though."
Oliver's mouth was wet, slick as he smiled. His teeth slid across his lip, and Clark bobbed down, his face glancing over Oliver's. Skin brushing against skin.
"Something else we have in common." Oliver's voice was rough, broken against his cheek.
"Yeah."
Oliver pulled back, stepping away, his eyes locked on Clark's face. "I'm really glad I came here first."
Clark knew his face must be a furious red, even in the darkness, and he couldn't stop the toothy smile from taking over his face. "I am, too, Ollie. I'm really glad you're here."
Moving towards his car, Oliver glanced over his shoulder. "I should get to Metropolis. Settle in."
Looking down at the ground, Clark nodded. "Yeah. That's a good idea."
"Clark." Oliver was grinning when Clark looked up, and his eyebrows rose playfully on his forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow."
He watched as Oliver opened the car door and slid in. Listened, as the throaty purr of the engine filled the empty night, and he couldn't resist jogging over to the driver's window and tapping on the window.
The whir of the window lowering was nearly silent, and Clark crouched down to look into the dark space of the car. Glowing green lights from the car's dashboard settled across Oliver's features, throwing shadows over his eyes.
"You said...you said that you'd stay as long as I needed you."
Oliver nodded, his hands tight around the steering wheel, "I did."
Clark swallowed hard, and glimpsed up into the empty sky. Kara was off in the far reaches of the night, floating with the birds and the chilled winds. And, he was here. Standing with Oliver. "I might need you for a long time. I think...I might need you to stay. I think I need you to stay, Ollie."
The lights flickered off as Oliver turned the key in the ignition, killing the car's engine. "I'm all yours, Clark."
-------------------------------------------------------
She watched from the air as her cousin kissed the handsome blonde man. He looked happy, for once.
He walked around, all the time, carrying so much sadness and pain with him. It was all over him, cloaking him...weighing him down. Everything he did and said was a reaction to the anguish that had slammed his life apart. It darkened his eyes, and every time she looked...it wrenched at her.
She remembered seeing him as a baby, loving him...her sweet little cousin, who had pulled her hair and drooled on her shoulder.
She had loved him then, and she loved him now.
It was a true pleasure to see him like this. Lighter, more free. The joy brightened his eyes, and flushed his skin. It brought out the beauty of his soul, and invited everyone who saw it to celebrate it's honest wonder.
And, the man...Kara grinned as she rose up through a thick, damp patch of cloud. His heart jumped with every brush of Kal-El's skin. His blood was rushing through his veins, soaring with her cousin's nearness.
They felt happy with each other. She looked down, working carefully to focus her eyes down towards the earth below and saw the pretty blonde man get out of his shiny, green car. He was smiling, wide and open, and leaning in to brush his mouth against Kal-El's. They moved in to each other, and held on. Their hands were together, even as they stepped together towards the lovely yellow house she was learning to love. She heard her cousin's voice, distant and low in the wind, and it sounded right.
Her bright laughter filled the sky, and she shared the moment with the stars.
Title: 'Seeing You Helps'
Author: Morgan (queenmorgan23@aol.com)
Type: Slash
Main Pairing: Oliver/Clark
Status: Complete
Rating: Mature Content
Warnings: m/m love
Word Count: 2528
Permission to Archive: Y
Summary: Oliver comes back to Metropolis, just when Clark needs him.
SEEING YOU HELPS
"Oh, for-" Clark sighed, rolling his eyes as his cousin, Kara, took off into the night sky. Looking down at the darkened earth, he felt the pressure weighing down heavily on his shoulders.
So much. So much, and always all at once. Nothing was ever simple. Or easy.
It felt as though life was rushing through, swirling around him. Constantly stirring, and he couldn't quite stop to take a breath.
His mother was in Washington D.C., and he was so proud of her. He was so proud of everything she had accomplished, and was still working towards. Knowing the pain she'd had to work through only made her strength more amazing to him. She awed him with her quiet integrity and spirit. He couldn't have asked for a better mother.
And his father. Dad. He'd been gone for so long now. It seemed like it had been an eternity, and yet it could have been yesterday; the memories were so fresh sometimes.
Lana was gone. A missed moment, and a haze of violence, and she was wiped out of his life. He'd loved her. He supposed that he always would, just as he knew he'd always care for Lex.
God.
There was something that ripped at him throughout every day. Lex Luthor. He could still remember walking up to the castle with a lightness in his heart because he'd had a friend like Lex. There had been someone who hadn't known him BEFORE he knew the truth about himself. Lex had been there, and had known him as the person he was.
Finding out he was not a child of Earth had torn his reality to shreds. Chloe and Pete were his friends, of course they were, and he loved them, still. They'd always been important to him, but they'd known him BEFORE. They'd noticed the change, but hadn't understood it then. It had been awkward and uncomfortable, trying to 'be' himself and not really knowing who he had become...what he was capable of being.
Always wondering if he looked different. Worrying about whether or not they would realize that he wasn't the person they'd always believed him to be.
Chloe, of course, had only proved herself to be an integral part of his life. An essential part. He would have been lost without her. She'd held him together in times he knew he was ready to fall to pieces.
And, unlike Lex, he felt safe enough with her to confide his feelings AND his origins, now.
His parents, Chloe, Lex...that had been his circle. His comfort zone. Something he could depend on, even when he knew sometimes that he shouldn't.
He'd known, in the back of his mind, that someday he'd fight alone. He had known that there would come a day when he'd only have himself to depend on. Clark had tried to steel himself for that. Ready himself.
He had tried to prepare for that.
And then, there had been Ollie. Oliver Queen. A man who was someone unlike any person he'd ever known. A man who didn't have any 'special gifts' courtesy of meteors or solar rays. A man. Just a man. An amazing man, who chose to work within himself to help people...because he wanted to. Because he could. He'd given Clark hope, and he had shown him that it was all right to believe in a future where he wasn't alone in his purpose.
He respected the man. While he didn't always agree with Ollie's methods, he couldn't fault his heart.
Oliver had an incredible heart. He...admired him. Cared for him. He felt drawn to him.
Clark swallowed hard, and looked up into the sky. He watched the stars in the sky, his eyes seeing the infinitesimal flashes of light that signaled flares of gasses. He saw a flash of color streak across the sky and waved to his young cousin, a new part of his life. Another uncontrollable element he felt folding in on his already strained rationale.
He moved his focus to the bright sliver of moon in the black sea of air. Smiled at it. A pale gold slice of lunar light, lovely and consuming, and the light it reflected surrounded the lines of it with a soft navy haze.
It looked beautiful to him, and he wondered if Oliver was watching the sky somewhere else and seeing what he saw.
He smiled softly. Wherever Oliver was, chances were, he was looking at a bulls-eye or a beautiful woman. Or both.
The truth was, he missed him. He missed how he felt around him.
He missed his smart-ass smile, and the sparkling brown eyes that often narrowed in amusement at him...in welcome.
He missed having someone who understood the need to help. Someone who understood his inability to leave things alone. It had never been a need to be a 'hero', or to 'save the day'. It was about the people. Clark couldn't stand to see people in pain. It hurt his soul, and he knew Ollie empathized with that.
Knowing Oliver was out there somewhere made him feel less alone.
Clark's smile widened as he watched his cousin twirl in the sky, arching over the light of the moon. He looked down at his hands, long fingers clasped in front of him. Imagined hands, sure and confident, clasped around his. Clad in deep green leather.
"I miss you." He whispered into the darkness surrounding his hands.
"Talking to yourself is never a good sign."
Clark whirled around, his hair falling in front of his eyes, triggering his x-ray vision. Blinking, he reached up to swat away the fringe of black hair and felt his fingertips brush against his skin.
"Hey, Clark."
There. Stepped out from his thoughts. Right there.
"Oliver." Clark smiled and stepped forward. "When did you get back?"
Long, callused fingers lowered to brush against slender hips, and Oliver's hands delved into deep, tailored denim pockets. "Just now. I thought I'd stop by and let you know I was back in town."
Clark nodded, his grin brightening in response to Oliver's pleased smile. "Your phone wasn't working?"
Oliver laughed, seemingly surprised at Clark's teasing tone. "Actually, I wanted to see you." Warm brown eyes held onto Clark's, narrowing slightly as they followed a shiver that ran down Clark's body. "You don't mind, do you?"
"No," Clark said quietly, his voice low and soft, "I'm really glad you're here. I was actually just thinking about you."
Blonde hair shook as Oliver's head tilted to the side. "Were you?"
"Yeah."
"I heard you. You said you missed someone." Oliver murmured, moving over to stand beside Clark.
"Like I said." Clark said quietly, feeling his breath catch in his throat.
Clark heard Oliver suck in a quick breath. "You missed me?"
"I guess I did. Funny thing...somehow, I managed to start actually liking you when you were here before." Clark said, his voice dry. He turned his head, the side of his mouth tilting up in a playful grin.
Oliver smirked, "Strange."
"Tell me about it," Clark quipped, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the frame of the barn entrance.
Leaning over, Oliver bumped his shoulder against Clark's lightly. "It must be contagious. I think I missed you, too."
Clark smiled brightly, and looked closer, noticed Oliver's eyes darkening, the pupils growing larger than they already were in the dim light. "So..."
"So."
Chuckling softly, Clark rolled his eyes up towards the sky that had become clear of all movement. He bit his lip against the sigh that threatened to escape. "So. Are you back for a reason, or dare I hope you came back just for me?"
"Clark-" Oliver cut himself off with a deep breath. He reached out and clasped his hand around Clark's wrist. Held it. "I came back because I heard about what's been going on here. With...with Lana, and the dam. I heard you had a cousin in town, and...well, that was a little unnerving." Oliver shook his head slowly and moved closer. "I came back because I needed to hear you say that you're okay. I needed to see your face when you said it."
He felt warmth spread through his chest, comforting and easy, and he nodded. "I'm not okay. Not yet. But, I will be." His eyes met Oliver's and held them, "Seeing you helps."
Oliver's smile lit up his face, and Clark felt the tingling blast of awareness slam down his spine. His head rocked back, smacking the side of the wooden frame.
A wash of air flushed across their faces, grasping their attention skyward.
"What the hell was that?"
Clark grinned, "THAT would be the 'cousin in town'."
Brown eyes dropped down to meet his. "I see. So...it runs in the family."
"Yeah...she...she doesn't really know a lot about normal day-to-day stuff. But, she's a good person. She just needs some help, and someone to keep an eye on her." He raised his eyebrows and chuckled, the sound strangely dark. "She's met Lex already. I think he's curious about her...her connection to me."
He felt Oliver tense up beside him, and watched his eyes focus sharply. "Why am I not surprised? Is there a problem?"
"Not yet," Clark muttered, "but, there will be. I can feel something coming. Something's off. I don't know. I thought it was just Lana, at first, and having Kara show up, but it's not. There's trouble coming. I can feel it." Pushing away from the barn, Clark stepped forward, raising his hands into the air before dropping them down to slap against his thighs. "I don't know how to fight something when I don't even know what it is yet."
"Clark-"
Black hair fluttered in the night breeze, tickling the back of Clark's neck, and a small smile fluttered across his lips. "Don't listen to me. I'm just worrying. You know me."
"Yeah. I do." Oliver walked around him to stand in front of him and grasped his shoulders. "And, I trust your instincts. Maybe I can help."
Clark felt a wave of genuine happiness, and smiled brightly. For the first time, he felt a sense of rightness with accepting the offer of help. "Thanks."
Stepping closer, Oliver's face paused a bare breath from Clark's and his eyes twinkled as they stared into Clark's. "I'll stay as long as you need me to."
Clark felt the blush erupting on his face, spreading across his cheeks in a fiery burst, and lowered his eyes to Oliver's mouth. He tried to speak, and felt the words catch silently on his lips.
"Clark," Oliver nudged his face down, his lips a mere fraction from Clark's, "I mean it."
"I know." Clark whispered. Oliver's lips closed the distance, and he sucked in a breath as warm, smooth lips pressed into his. The heat of it flooded through his face and down his neck, and he felt the electric pulse of it shock his body. Shivers erupted within him, and his skin pulsed as Oliver's hands slid down his arms, and pressed around his waist. Held him. "This...I wasn't expecting..."
"No?" Oliver's teeth dug into his lower lip. Chewed softly, and sucked it into his mouth. His breath was soft, warm and it carried a smell that reminded Clark of honey. So soft.
"Mmm..." Clark sighed into the warm, moist taste and pushed back gently. His kissed back, opening his mouth and brushing his tongue against Oliver's before pulling back, panting softly into the air. "Didn't expect. I thought about it, though."
Oliver's mouth was wet, slick as he smiled. His teeth slid across his lip, and Clark bobbed down, his face glancing over Oliver's. Skin brushing against skin.
"Something else we have in common." Oliver's voice was rough, broken against his cheek.
"Yeah."
Oliver pulled back, stepping away, his eyes locked on Clark's face. "I'm really glad I came here first."
Clark knew his face must be a furious red, even in the darkness, and he couldn't stop the toothy smile from taking over his face. "I am, too, Ollie. I'm really glad you're here."
Moving towards his car, Oliver glanced over his shoulder. "I should get to Metropolis. Settle in."
Looking down at the ground, Clark nodded. "Yeah. That's a good idea."
"Clark." Oliver was grinning when Clark looked up, and his eyebrows rose playfully on his forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow."
He watched as Oliver opened the car door and slid in. Listened, as the throaty purr of the engine filled the empty night, and he couldn't resist jogging over to the driver's window and tapping on the window.
The whir of the window lowering was nearly silent, and Clark crouched down to look into the dark space of the car. Glowing green lights from the car's dashboard settled across Oliver's features, throwing shadows over his eyes.
"You said...you said that you'd stay as long as I needed you."
Oliver nodded, his hands tight around the steering wheel, "I did."
Clark swallowed hard, and glimpsed up into the empty sky. Kara was off in the far reaches of the night, floating with the birds and the chilled winds. And, he was here. Standing with Oliver. "I might need you for a long time. I think...I might need you to stay. I think I need you to stay, Ollie."
The lights flickered off as Oliver turned the key in the ignition, killing the car's engine. "I'm all yours, Clark."
-------------------------------------------------------
She watched from the air as her cousin kissed the handsome blonde man. He looked happy, for once.
He walked around, all the time, carrying so much sadness and pain with him. It was all over him, cloaking him...weighing him down. Everything he did and said was a reaction to the anguish that had slammed his life apart. It darkened his eyes, and every time she looked...it wrenched at her.
She remembered seeing him as a baby, loving him...her sweet little cousin, who had pulled her hair and drooled on her shoulder.
She had loved him then, and she loved him now.
It was a true pleasure to see him like this. Lighter, more free. The joy brightened his eyes, and flushed his skin. It brought out the beauty of his soul, and invited everyone who saw it to celebrate it's honest wonder.
And, the man...Kara grinned as she rose up through a thick, damp patch of cloud. His heart jumped with every brush of Kal-El's skin. His blood was rushing through his veins, soaring with her cousin's nearness.
They felt happy with each other. She looked down, working carefully to focus her eyes down towards the earth below and saw the pretty blonde man get out of his shiny, green car. He was smiling, wide and open, and leaning in to brush his mouth against Kal-El's. They moved in to each other, and held on. Their hands were together, even as they stepped together towards the lovely yellow house she was learning to love. She heard her cousin's voice, distant and low in the wind, and it sounded right.
Her bright laughter filled the sky, and she shared the moment with the stars.