Constellations of Vivia

Silky scattered into the house and Vivia grabbed the boy in panic, but he wasn't about to move. 

"*Run!*" She pulled at his wrist and followed Silky into the house. Shoving the boy at the kitchen table, she hurried after Silky. 

"Vivia!" The boy stupidly didn't get under the table. Did he not understand earthquakes? 

"Take cover!" She ripped Silky from the couch and ran back to the kitchen. 

"Listen!" He grabbed her wrist to stop her from taking shelter. 

"Are you—" But something was leaking out of his skin. Like cuts on his arm, white dust and black vapor dissipated into the air. ...*Blood?* 

The ground stopped shaking and she stared at the rips in his skin, like the rips in the earth behind him. He was... smiling? 

"Whatever happens around me can't hurt you. Or anyone else. I just... wanted to see you. Say—ow!" He flinched and pulled his arm away. 

"What's happening to you?" Vivia breathed.

He gave her a sound between a cough and a scoff. "I'm dying." His constellation eyes avoided hers. "My star. It's dying and I die with it. I'm the spirit of the star you've wished on all these years. You and many others."

"Dying?" Vivia loosened her hold on Silky and the black cat squirmed out of her arms. 

He turned away and walked back into the cold. "I could have stayed out there, but... I came *because I love you.*"

Something caught in her chest. An emotion she couldn't describe. Confusion, anger, terror, sadness...and something else like happiness and warmth. "But what about the others?" 

"None of them chose me as often as you." He looked at the dusty vapor leaking out of his arm and clenched his fist. "They'd be able to see and witness my death too, but..." he looked to the dark sky. "I wanted it to be you."

The snow still sparkled in the air as it flurried around him alone. The crack in the ground was obvious, but... could only those who wished on him see it, then? And she couldn't get hurt? Something tore at her heart when she looked at the cracks in his arm. Anger pulsed. 

"You wanted it to be me?" Her star. Always loyal. Always there. "Like some sick *birthday* gift, I get to watch you die?" 

He looked at her, confused. "I wanted to say goodbye. Most humans say the death of a star is beautiful, even in spirit form. My image will still be there for all of your life, but I—"

"You think your image is what I care about?" Vivia felt sick. "Here I go my whole life talking to and wishing on this star, only to find that it really was conscious and responding—on the day that it's going to die! You gave me Silky, you kept my family together—you...you're beautiful." Her heart ached to touch him, hold him. She scowled and turned away. "And you're dying." 

After a pause, he reentered the house. "*Why do you push me away?*"

The cold air from the open door breathed winter into her house. She turned with offense and he greeted her with the innocent curiosity of a thousand stars in his eyes. 

It tore at her heart again. "If you really are the spirit of a star, and you *faith*fully answer the wishes of humans... don't you understand death? Why am I upset and you don't even look...scared?" 

He tilted his head and the cold breeze from outside made her shiver. Realization hit him and he closed the door behind him, walked to the coat hanger at the front door and presented her with her coat. "Stars get cold when they die. Sorry."