Colliding with Fate

~Twenty-Eight~

Fate: come over. the stars are beautiful tonight.

I stared at the next. A smile spread across my face as I typed back a quick, okay and grabbed my keys. The drive was quick. I spent my time listening to my thoughts. Sometimes when I'm alone I like to be just that - completely alone. But I'm never actually alone. Sometimes my thoughts attack me all at once and I get overwhelmed. This time my thoughts were excited. My entire body was excited. I could never get tired of Fate. Never get tired of the way his chest rose and fell. The way his lips curled upwards and formed a sweet smile he saved only for me. The way his hair fell across his forehead boyishly and curled at the ends.

I pulled into his driveway and spotted him in the yard on top of a blanket. He was right. The sky was beautiful. "That was fast." Fate said as I approached him. Even in complete darkness, his smile could light up an entire football field.

"Yeah." Is all I could think of saying as I sat down next to him. We stared up at the sky in silence.

"Look, there's the big dipper." Fate whispered as he pointed to our left. I laid down so I could see better, and Fate soon followed. "There's the little dipper."

I smiled. "Where?"

"Right there," he grabbed my hand and pointed directly above me. I grinned as I looked over at him. He gave me a lopsided smile in response. His eyes traveled down to my lips before they came back up to my eyes. Despite the fact that we were in complete darkness, his eyes burned brightly.

"You're so beautiful, Evanine," he whispered.

I felt myself blushing hard, and I was grateful he couldn't see it. "Thank you," I replied.

He looked back up at the sky in silence. Moments passed before I looked back over at him and realized he was crying silently. "Hey... Hey, what's wrong?" I asked quietly. Tears streamed down the side of his face.

When he turned to me, my heart broke. I could see the pain he had been trying to hold back. The hurt of losing his mother. For years, Destiny was the only person Fate ever really had - ever really loved. He didn't think he was loved by the world, but he was because Destiny had been his entire world for eighteen years now. Now... That's gone. The closure he so badly wanted and desperately needed was no longer here.

"Let's go inside." I whispered and helped him to his feet. I reached down and picked up the blanket we were laying on and took Fate inside. His house wasn't a mess. Since Mom has been around, she's cleaned everything and even hired a contractor to make this old abandoned building livable. The furniture was white, and a flat screen TV mounted to the wall. I led him into his bedroom, where I helped him to bed and pulled the blanket up to his chin. I turned to flip his light switch off when Fate caught my hand.

"Please," he begged, "stay." My breath caught at the desperate tone in his voice. "We don't have to kiss. We don't even have to touch, Evanine, I swear. But please... I need you right next to me." I swallowed the large lump in my throat. I felt like crying.

He was a broken little boy at this moment, looking for closure. I nodded and turned to flip the switch before I peeled back the blankets next to him and climbed in bed. Fate and I laid there in complete darkness.

"Thank you." He whispered.

Our fingers brushed against each other's. I felt my hand twitch in anticipation. Almost as if Fate read my mind, his hand enveloped mine. I heard him sigh in relief, his breathing evening out with time. I felt myself relax as I realized it was so dark the room could be my eyelids. I felt like I already had my eyes closed and that feeling alone made me relax even more.

I turned on my side, dropping Fate's hand, and faced him. I could feel his breath move the stray hairs around my face, we were that close. I slowly reached out and came into contact with his cheek, which was wet with tears. "Please stop crying. It hurts to see you like this." I whispered gently.

He sniffled in response.

I traced his skin lightly with my fingers, feeling the curve of his sharp jawline under my touch. I traced his hairline, his eyebrows, then his eyes. I slowly closed them before my fingers traveled further down his gorgeous face and traced his perfect lips. Cupping his face, I lean in and plant a small, light kiss on his lips before leaning my head on his chest. His arm pulls me further into his side and I exhale deeply.

"I love you, Fate."

"I love you, Evanine."

And with that, my eyes fell shut and I fell into a peaceful sleep, the sound of Fate's strong heartbeat below me.