Work Text:
The afternoon light rested gently on my skin, warm without being heavy. Perfect weather, I told myself—perfect for playing the tune meant for my heart’s desire.
Right?
Standing before him, my chest tightened. My throat dried no matter how many times I swallowed. This was the boy who had stolen my heart when I wasn’t looking, when I hadn’t been ready. I envied how at ease he seemed beneath the Vanessa tree, as if the moment belonged to him alone. Above us, the leaves whispered together, the wind threading them into nature’s quiet symphony.
I exhaled, letting the tension drain from my shoulders, and began to sing.
The first notes trembled—thin, uncertain—but as my throat loosened, the melody grew stronger, steadier. Is this what love feels like? I closed my eyes, the song lifting from my chest and spilling through my limbs, light and unrestrained. For a moment, I forgot everything else. It felt like freedom.
But even the most beautiful things must end.
The final note faded softly, and when I opened my eyes, my breath caught. He was closer—far closer than before. I hadn’t heard him move.
He lifted his hands and gently cupped my face.
“That was a lovely song, my dove.”
Heat bloomed in my chest, spreading until I melted into his touch. Is this what love feels like?
With you, it might as well be.