Falling Slowly {{ sweeran }}

Chapter 4

"Don't you see the starlight / Don't you dream impossible things?" - Starlight, Taylor Swift.
@Mystolenheart_

Stars have always been Taylor's thing.
I mean, telling the truth, she hadn't gotten to divulge this to anyone in a long time.
It's not that she hadn't wanted to, it just never really struck her that anyone would care as much as Ed does.

And there they stayed most of the night, just laughing and talking and staring at the stars. It strikes Taylor more than once how easy the whole exchange is. Never once does she feel she has to apply a filter or explain herself. She doesn't have to be on. She doesn't have to be America's Sweetheart, or the Maneating Bitch. She can just be Taylor, a girl who grew up in falling in love with the night sky.

Time passes quickly, too quickly, and before long Nigel is knocking his fist on the polished glass and mouthing something through the window.
"What time is it?" Taylor asks Ed, disdain in her voice.
Ed pulls out his phone and presses the lock screen. Taylor notices the way his mouth goes in to a small frown when he concentrates.
"Twelve thirty A.M." Ed reads, sliding his phone back in to his pocket and looking up at her, almost looking surprised.
Taylor exhales deeply and rolls her eyes discreetly, before giving Nigel a winning smile and holding up a 'just a moment' finger.
"I have to go pretend to enjoy this party. Find me after?" Taylor asks, eyes hopeful and wide. Ed hesitates, looking pained. She could tell he'd rather gouge out his own eyes, but she reached over and took his hand.
"Promise you won't leave?" She asked softly, a small smile on her lips.
Ed sighed, and then nodded.
"Thank you." Taylor was relieved. "You can stay here if you want, or explore the house. Just stay out of my sex dungeon. I have my last boyfriend hanging in there by his genitals, or so the tabloids say." Taylor gives a wink and squeezes his hand, before reluctantly heading back to civilisation.
Taylor stopped at the door, turning around briefly.
"By the way- I have a private studio. Do with it what you will." Taylor gave him a grin and closed the door after her, feeling sort of light.

***
Another hour and a half went by before the 'intimate soirée' she was promised eventually reached its terrifically un-climactic end.
However, Nigel informed her that she'd done her part, and done it well. Apparently she made a good impression on all the important people, which was a poor consolation for the smile-induced ache in her cheeks.
Nigel claimed with a smirk that, in fact, she had 'obviously made quite the impact on Mr. Ed Sheeran', whom, it seems, had watched her walk away.

Taylor had to roll her eyes at that. Her deluded manager was always telling her things with his pay check in mind. However, the thought still made her blush a little.
Or a lot.

With the last guest poured in to a private car (curtesy of Taylor, of course), there was just Taylor and Nigel, who stayed a few moments only to confirm for a meeting before heading off in a car of his own.

Taylor wandered up the spiral staircase, hand lightly grazing the polished mahogany bannister.
She reached the landing and thought for a second, before smiling a little.
Where else to look other than the studio?
She almost excitedly navigated her way to the music room, the sound of gentle guitar strumming getting closer.
And she was right- pausing for a second outside the door to listen, before lightly knocking and turning the doorknob.
Taylor leaned against the doorframe and just watched as Ed artfully strummed, a collection of notes that she was not familiar with.
"You working on something new?" Taylor asked, appearing to frighten Ed, who cut off abruptly and stood up awkwardly.
"Oh- hey." He gave a shy smile. She entered the room and gestures for him to sit, taking a seat opposite.
"That's my favourite, you know." She nodded at the guitar.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you want to-" he offered it to her, but she shook her head.
"No, I'd rather hear you play that again, if that's alright." Taylor smiles across at him, and he blushes a cute dusty pink before shrugging.
"It's nothing, really. I've just been playing around with the notes recently." Ed met her eyes.
"Well I think you struck gold." Taylor says sincerely.
Ed looked down bashfully and continued, stopping and starting every couple of minutes.
"Could I run something by you?" Ed suddenly asks, chewing his lip.
Taylor nods yes, secretly proud that he'd ask her for advice.
He opened his mouth and started to sing, accompanying it with the guitar.
"Cause all I know is you said hello,
And your eyes lookin' like coming home.." Ed sang softly, looking up at the end. Taylor looked at him expectantly.
"That's all I got." Ed started to laugh.
"Try it again. I might have an idea." Taylor said tentatively.

Ed complied and started playing again, taking a cue from Taylor to sing, whom, to his surprise, added a melody.
"Cause all I know is you said hello,
And your eyes lookin' like coming home.." Ed and Taylor sang in unison. Ed continued to strum, meeting her eyes.
"..all I know is a simple name, and everything has changed.." Taylor shyly contributed, giving a nervous smile when she finished. Ed gave a delighted grin.
"Yes! Thank you!" He exclaimed.
"You sure?" Taylor asked, blushing a little.
"Very. I'm also sure of something else." Ed's smile didn't falter.
"This is going to be a duet. A duet with one Ms. Taylor Swift."