Stars Leave Black Holes Behind [HS]

25

The first time Harry ever said he loved Val, he was sitting on the fire escape, leaning back against the railing as Valerie sat across from him, cross-legged, eyes focused on her notebook with her back pressed against the window.

The air was filled with warmth, he remembered. Warmth and sunlight and something else. Something electric. Something that made his hair stand on end, made his heart feel like it was concaving in his chest, made him feel like the air around him was on fire.

Harry remembered being utterly mesmerised as he sat there, watching silently as she brought her mug of black coffee to her lips, unknowingly realigning his galaxies as she tapped a pencil against her knee.

"Val?"

"Mm?"

"Can I play you a song?"

Valerie grinned, nodding lazily as she looked up at him.

Harry could remember the way she had beamed. The way she had glowed. How it seemed as if every atom that made up her entire being was suddenly made of the sun. Pieces of the universe lighting her up from the inside out, turning her into something so glorious Harry could feel her even with his eyes closed.

Could feel pale hands in his hair, soft lips against his neck, a gentle heart beating against his own.

Slowly, Harry slid his phone out of his pocket. Shaking fingers flicked on the screen as Valerie stretched her legs out, ankles resting on his thighs as she observed him.

He pressed play, and suddenly a new sound shot into the air around them, soft waves of music slicing through the hot electricity that was so intense it was almost suffocating.

Harry remembered liking that- the idea of suffocating on electricity. Of choking on it. Of being so alive on the inside that it kills you.

In fact, Harry sort of felt like that, right then. Right as the soft sounds were sloping over their bodies and drifting above their heads as they sat back and listened. Sort of felt like his insides were so fucking electric that he might die. That these words, that that word was like fire on his tongue, in his mind, in his body. That it was like he was burning up. Silently. As he sat there and listened to Valerie's slow breath behind the calm thrum of music.

They sat silently until the song ended, eyes both shining in the sunlight. Eyes both tracing the familiar terrain of skin and edges, of bones and body.

Harry remembered feeling entirely consumed. Remembered feeling as though part of himself was inside of her. As if pieces of him had become lodged inside of her ribcage, between the joints of her bones, underneath her fingernails. He was inside her.

And she was inside of him too, weaving herself into the quilt of his anatomy, unmaking and remaking him all at once as she existed beside him. Right there on that fire escape.

Harry loved it.

Harry loved her.

"Val?"

"Mm?"

"I love you."

And suddenly Harry could feel the electricity inside of him. Could feel it wrapping around his throat like wires.

He was choking choking choking. About to combust on the spot as he sat there, watching her crystal eyes as they widened, as they blinked, as they stared.

It was all silence and shock and agonizing suspense as he let the words hang there, loud and unapologetic and absolutely fucking terrifying.

But then, finally, Valerie began to smile. Began to nudge forward, legs now on either side of his hips, smiling so wide Harry could see rays of sunshine filtering through the gaps in her teeth.

Her hands held his cheeks, black coffee and worn-out sketchbook completely forgotten, because there was only blue eyes. Only blue eyes and glowing skin and love.

So much fucking love it burned.

And then, as gentle as a feather, there was a whisper.

Harry could hear her smile.

"I love you, too."

And then, all at once, he felt the world coming together beneath his fingertips. All the stars exploding, all the galaxies colliding as their lips touched, all soft around the edges, moulding to fit each other's bodies as skin pressed against skin, hands intertwining, melting into each other like lava.

The final thought Harry had before his mind went white, while Valerie was kissing love onto his lips and breathing the sunshine onto his skin; was that he wasn't dead. Somehow. Because despite the fact lightning bolts were shooting through his veins, and despite the fact he could feel sparks bursting down his spine- he was alive.

He was alive, and he was in love, and he was kissing the sunshine.

And she tasted like heaven.

__

Song: Halo by Ane Brun (originally by Beyoncé)

"Hit me like a ray of sun, burning through my darkest night, you're the only one that I want, think I'm addicted to your light."

--

this isn't the end yet... YET omg !! but im going for another two-three chapters depending on whether or not im going to write an epilogue ,, i can't decide just yet, but sadly sadly sadly Stars Leave is coming to an end .... *cries in spanish*

also, i rlly wanted to make this chapter perfect and get the whole vibe right , and i adore writing harry and val in the past when it was all sunshine and butterflies so hopefully u guys have enjoyed it too !!

-rosie

p.s.  i'm still debating over what im going to be posting next, something is definitely coming soon but idkidkidk

p.p.s. also im v sorry about the glitch thing i accidentaly published this part while i was editing (oops) so i had to unpublish......