Golden Stars / Scarlett Johansson

Chapter 28: Stars and Silent Moments

The beginning of October had cast a soft chill over the city, and with the days growing shorter, the nights seemed to stretch endlessly. It was one of those nights where the stars were finally visible in New York, faint against the sky but there nonetheless. Y/N found comfort in the quiet darkness. She sat beneath an old tree in the park, with Cebrus curled up beside her, his rhythmic breathing keeping time with the soft strumming in her ears.

'Smoking cigarettes on the roof  

You look so pretty and I love this view  

We fell in love in October  

That's why, I love fall  

Looking at the stars  

Admiring from afar...'

The song "We Fell in Love in October" by girl in red played gently through her headphones, syncing perfectly with the peaceful autumn night. Y/N nodded her head slightly to the rhythm, engrossed in the words as she traced her finger across the pages of her book. The world felt like it had slowed down to match her pace, and for once, she didn't mind it. She felt at ease.

Suddenly, a presence beside her pulled her out of the peaceful moment. Someone sat down quietly next to her. Y/N, startled for a second, looked up and met the gaze of the person sitting beside her, her headphones still playing the song. 

'Looking at the stars  

Admiring from afar...'

At that exact moment, her eyes locked with a pair of familiar, intense green ones. Scarlett Johansson.

For a second, the world came to a halt. The soft strum of the guitar and the delicate words of the song seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the sound of the wind rustling through the park and Scarlett's steady breathing next to her.

Snapping back to reality, Y/N quickly removed her headphones and smiled. "Hey, Scarlett."

Scarlett returned the smile, her eyes warm. "Hey," she greeted softly, her voice low and calming in the stillness of the night. "Mind if I sit here?"

Y/N nodded, pushing her book aside and motioning to the open space next to her. "Not at all."

Scarlett sat down, settling in beside Y/N, her gaze lifting up to the stars. "Where's Rose?" Y/N asked, glancing around for the baby.

Scarlett chuckled softly, leaning back on her palms. "She's with Chris. He wanted to give me a little break tonight. Said I deserved some time to myself."

Y/N smiled. "That's nice of him."

"Yeah," Scarlett agreed. "He's good like that."

They both fell silent after that, gazing up at the stars twinkling faintly above the park. It was a rare sight in New York, where the lights from the city usually drowned out the stars. But here, in this small patch of nature, they could see them clearly. The quiet between them was comfortable, the kind of silence that didn't need to be filled.

Cebrus, lying beside them, let out a soft snore, his body curled up next to Y/N's legs.

Y/N broke the silence first, her voice soft, almost as if she were hesitant to disturb the peace. "You know," she began, "there's this story that everyone has their own star up there in the sky. Each person has one that belongs to them, and it's meant just for them."

Scarlett tilted her head slightly, her curiosity piqued. "Really?"

Y/N nodded, smiling a little as she recalled the story. "Yeah. Every important person in our lives has their own star, too. Family, friends... lovers. And those stars are the ones that shine the brightest for each person."

Scarlett's eyes flickered from the stars back to Y/N, her interest clearly growing. "That's beautiful. So the people we care about most... their stars are brighter for us?"

Y/N turned her gaze upward, staring at the tiny points of light scattered across the sky. "Exactly. The more they mean to you, the brighter their star shines. And sometimes... sometimes those stars form constellations, like a map of the people who've shaped your life."

Scarlett smiled softly, her eyes returning to the stars. "That's a wonderful legend. I love that idea." She paused for a moment, her voice gentle when she asked, "Where did you hear it?"

"My mom used to tell me when I was little," Y/N said, her voice growing quieter as she spoke. "She'd point at the stars and tell me stories about the people she loved. She said one day, I'd do the same... with someone I care about."

Y/N stopped herself from saying more, the last thought lingering silently in her mind. Her heart felt a little heavier as she thought about her mother, her father, and all the stars they had talked about. She thought about the people who were her stars now—Scarlett, Chris, Rose, Calie, Carolina. Her parents, too, even though her father's memory brought more pain than warmth.

For a moment, she lost herself in the thought, a small smile playing on her lips. Her stars. Golden stars.

Scarlett watched her closely, noticing the change in Y/N's expression. "What are you thinking about?" she asked softly.

Y/N glanced at her, the smile still lingering on her face. "Just... the people who are my stars. The ones who shine the brightest for me."

Scarlett nodded, her gaze following Y/N's to the sky. "And who are they? If you don't mind me asking."

Y/N hesitated for a moment, her thoughts still drifting. "My mother, for one. My father, too, I guess... despite everything. And..." She glanced at Scarlett briefly before continuing. "My friends. Calie, Carolina... Chris. Rose. You."

Scarlett turned her head toward Y/N, her expression softening. "Me?"

Y/N blushed slightly, but nodded. "Yeah. I mean... you've become important to me. In a short amount of time, but still."

Scarlett didn't say anything for a moment, but a small, genuine smile spread across her face. She looked back at the stars, her voice quiet. "That means a lot, Y/N."

Y/N felt a warmth bloom in her chest, and the two of them fell into silence again, both gazing up at the sky. Cebrus stirred beside them, his soft snores providing a gentle background to the moment.

Scarlett broke the silence after a while, her voice thoughtful. "I love that story. About the stars. It makes me think about the people in my life... and who shines the brightest for me."

Y/N glanced at her, her curiosity piqued. "And who would those people be for you?"

Scarlett smiled softly, her gaze still fixed on the sky. "Well, Rose, of course. She's my brightest star. And then there's my family... my friends." She paused, her voice growing softer. "And maybe... maybe you, too."

Y/N's breath caught in her throat for a moment, her heart skipping a beat. She didn't respond, but the warmth in her chest spread, filling her with a sense of calm and quiet happiness. They sat there for a long while, under the blanket of stars, wrapped in the peaceful night. Neither of them needed to say much. 

The stars above seemed to twinkle a little brighter.