A Peculiar Time in 1944 - A Millard Fanfic (Miss Peregrine's Home) #wattys2020

Chapter 8

Millard and Aurora spent every night that week in the abandoned garden, they'd talk, they'd kiss, they'd sit in comfortable silence just holding hands or sharing the swing. Tonight Millard had brought an old blanket from the cabin and the two of them laid out in the yard looking up at the stars.

"That's the Auriga Constellation, it got its name because it's major stars form a shape similar to a charioteer's helmet. It was first catalogued by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the second century. It contains Capella, the sixth brightest star in the sky." Millard said pointing up at the sky and connecting the dots to show her the constellation.

"And over there is Andromeda, also catalogued by Ptolemy, comes from the mythological story of Perseus. Andromeda's mother, Cassiopeia bragged that her daughter was more beautiful than a goddess so as punishment their kingdom was attacked by monsters. The only way to prevent the destruction was to sacrifice Andromeda to the sea monster Cetus. But she was saved by Perseus and they ended up marrying and having nine children. When Andromeda died Athena placed her in the sky as a constellation to honor her."

As he told the story he pointed to the stars, Andromeda, Cetus, Perseus, and Cassiopeia. He spoke with such a passion, it seemed like there was no end to Millard's thirst for knowledge. She turned her head away from the stars and looked at him, or looked where she knew his face was.

"Millard?"

"Mmm?" his cap turned in her direction.

"Can I try something?"

"Of course." He said sounding slightly confused. She slowly reached her hand out to cup his cheek, she rubbed her thumb back and forth along his smooth skin as she closed her eyes. Her fingertips traced down his jawline, her mind bringing up the partial picture of Millard it had made. When she got to his chin he asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm looking at you." She said simply, "Just not with my eyes. It's like my mind is making a drawing of you based off what I've felt." She opened her eyes and pulled her hand away, "Is this too weird? I can stop."

"No, no." he insisted taking her hand and bringing it to his cheek again, "It feels nice."

She closed her eyes and continued, down his jaw, over his chin; she hesitantly brought her fingers to his full lips and she felt him smile. His nose was straight and narrow, well proportioned with the rest of his face; she carefully caressed his cheekbones not wanting to accidentally poke him in the eye. He exhaled deeply sounding completely relaxed, Aurora felt him close his eyes as his eyelashes brushed the tip of her thumb. She ran her fingers around his eye sockets and across his eyebrows; they were thick but not bushy and had a slight arch.

When she was done she dragged her hand back to cup his cheek, when she opened her eyes the image her mind had made lingered for a moment and it was like she could actually see him. Then she blinked and the image vanished, she pulled her hand back.

"Wow." She whispered leaning on her elbow.

"Well?" Millard asked sitting up and sounding slightly frightened.

"It's just. . . "

"Just what?"

She looked down at the grass and started pulling it up with her fingers, "You're really attractive."

"I am?" he asked, excitement seeping into his tone. Aurora only nodded, then his hand lifted her chin to make her look at him.

"You're blushing." He noticed.

"You have that effect on me." She said slightly embarrassed. Then his hand pulled her face to his, they didn't talk much after that.

oOo oOo oOo

MILLARD P.O.V.

"You're really attractive." Millard never thought he'd hear those words in his whole life. He was back in the cabin lying on his makeshift bed as that sentence repeated itself on a continuous loop in his head. He was glad for his invisibility when Abe walked in, knowing that his friend could see hollows but not the grin that had plastered itself to Millard's face all night.

"You're really attractive."

Abe did pause though seeing Millard completely at ease on the couch, usually he'd be reading, but tonight he was lying sprawled out on the couch, his ankles crossed and both arms folded behind his head.

"I take it you had an excellent evening – again." Abe had noticed how much time Millard spent with Aurora, he was happy for his friend, though scared for his future. Millard's only reply to Abe's comment was a heavily sighed, "Mm-hmm."

"Honestly, Millard I've never seen you get this worked up over someone. When you're not with her your running around town looking for something new to give her, or show her. "

"You think there's something wrong with that?"

Abe chuckled sitting at the table cleaning his crossbow, "I think you've completely fallen head over heels, and the logical head on your shoulder's is refusing to believe it."

Millard sat up and turned to his friend, "I've only known her for a couple of weeks, I don't want to rush anything."

"That's what worries me." Abe muttered but Millard had still heard.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Abe sighed putting his crossbow down, "It means that living in a loop you forget how short life is. You did say you intend to return to Miss Peregrine's?" Millard nodded, "Ordinary people can't enter time loops Millard, you know that. Where your life is leading you, she cannot follow. Eventually, you will have to choose, your friends or this girl. And if you do chose her you have to be sure your prepared to deal with the consequences."

"Consequences?"

"That hollow wasn't the only dangerous thing out there, and I won't be with you forever, this arrangement is only temporary. If you were to choose her and live a life in the present, you'd have to be prepared to fight off hollows, and the wights that they travel with. You've seen how quickly they locate peculiars, like you said you've only been here two weeks and you already were almost killed by one. "

"I'm no fighter Abe, you know that. I don't have an offensive peculiarity, I can't make fire, or launch a swarm of angry bees. I'm not strong, nor can I make the trees fight my enemies for me."

"Which is exactly my point." He took a deep breath, "Millard, I'm glad you've found someone, someone who sees you for who you are, who sees beyond your peculiarity, but the simple fact is you cannot protect her. Hollowgasts have an annoying knack for sniffing out syndrigasti. As much as I hate to say it, every moment you spend with this girl you put her in danger, a danger that you cannot protect her from."

"I need to be alone." Millard said abruptly getting up and undressing until he was completely invisible and left the cabin.