StarShine (Temporarily On Hold)

7

Elara couldn't sleep.

It was early morning or late at night if you asked Emmett, with the sun still perched on the other side of the world while the moon enjoyed her time in the sky. She had tried every imaginable position but just couldn't seem to find her sleep. 

Usually, on nights like this, she would think about the woman in her dream garden. Elara's mind easily drifting to the peacefulness of it all. The calming sounds of nature and the beautiful full moon perched above the luscious garden the perfect calming agent for her. 

But as her eyes started to drift close tonight, it was those eyes looming in the darkness of the garden that haunted her. There was something in those obsidian eyes that made Elara uneasy and no matter how many times she told herself it was just a dream, she couldn't shake the feeling. 

She found herself staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars that her father had stuck to her roof all those years ago. Her heart aching for all that her parents were missing, but Elara's mind stayed exactly thirty-eight steps away, stairs included. 

Yes, she had counted the number of steps she took after saying goodnight and leaving Bennett to the couch. 

Bennett's brown eyes pushed those obsidian eyes away, surrounding her with a feeling of safety. Bennett was safe and Elara knew if she let him, he could chase her nightmares away. Or at the very least, hold her until they passed. 

Her hands played with the comforter, debating with herself if she could go down the stair just to be near him? 

If she should?

It would be easy,  she thought. Just say that she couldn't sleep and needed a glass of water. It's a simple excuse and it would only be needed if Bennett was still awake. 

She thought of weighing the pros and cons but before she could talk herself out of it, she left the bed and began tiptoeing towards the stairs.

In reality, she knew that she was being quiet. That her steps didn't sound like she was stepping on landmines or that her helicopter heart could be heard miles away. By the time her toes touched the floor, her heart and skipped a few beats, Elara was positive of that. 

She could hear Bennett's even breathing from where she stood at the entrance of the living room. She could make out his tall form squished on the couch even in the darkness of the night. 

She couldn't wake him. Even if he did look uncomfortable, she knew he had had a long day and needed his rest. Elara shouldn't have come down here because now she didn't want to go back upstairs. 

At least not alone, so she quietly unlocked the front door and sat on the stairs of the porch. 

The night air was cool against her warm skin. She sat with arms wrapped around her knees and kept her gaze on the moon. 

She could hear her mothers' voice telling her the story of the girl and the moon. Her mind giving her the images she needed to play the story like a movie in front of her. 

She wondered if the story were true. Could the Moon Goddess have been a scorned lover who sought freedom from heartache?

"Is everything okay, Elara?" she jumped at Bennett's voice ringing through the emptiness of the night. 

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear him moving about the house or even open the front door. 

"I'm sorry if I woke you. I just -"

"You didn't," Bennett interrupted what she was going to say, slowly sinking onto the step next to her, "I can't seem to find sleep." 

A comfortable silence surrounded them as they stared up at the night sky. Elara had been out here for she wasn't even sure how long, but now that Bennett was here with her, the night had truly come alive. 

Even the moon and the stars seemed to shine brighter now, trying to gain even a minute of attention from Bennett. He let out a thoughtful hum from his throat, capturing Elara's full attention. 

"What?" Her interest peaked and whatever Bennett had been thinking about to make him hum, she wanted to know. 

She wanted to know everything about him. His likes his dislikes and especially what interested him enough that he makes that noise. 

Bennett turned his full attention to Elara, her blue eyes a perfect reflection of the night sky like a body of water. She blushed under his gaze and he reached over to run his thumb along her cheek. 

"I use to believe there was nothing more beautiful than a clear night sky," the huskiness in his voice sent a small shiver up her spine.

"There isn't,' Elara responded without much thought.

Her gaze dropped to her lap but Bennett didn't remove his hand from her face. His thumb moved in a slow circle and after a few beats of silence, she lifted her gaze to meet his brown eyes. 

Bennett furrowed his brow, looking at Elara like she was a puzzle and one he didn't know how to solve. 

"Then you don't see yourself very clearly," he whispered before cupping the back of her neck and bringing her lips to his. 

The kiss is slow and deep. It is endless and suspends them both in a world all their own. A world that's perfect and only big enough to hold them. But the kiss ends much too quickly for either of their liking.

Bennett pulls away, just barely, enough to look her in the eyes. 

Both of their lips were slightly swollen as they took a few seconds to catch their breath. 

"I know I said I wouldn't push you, but maybe if we lay down together we could get some sleep," had Elara asked, he would stay up all night with her and just watch as the sun outshone the stars, but he could still feel the exhaustion from everything weighing him down. 

Elara wasn't sure if she responded to Bennett or not but she allowed him to help her to her feet. His fingers intertwined with hers as he led them thirty-eight steps through the house. 

She nibbled her bottom lip as they climbed the stairs and quietly shut her bedroom door behind her. Would Bennett think her childhood bedroom was too childish with the few stuffed animals she still had in one corner or would he laugh at her purple bedspread? 

She didn't have to much time to panic before Bennett was climbing into the bed. He carefully moved some pillows around, making himself comfortable, before opening his arms for his mate. 

He looked perfect in her bed, in her room. It's like he's the one feature that has always been missing and she didn't realize it. 

Elara didn't hesitate climbing after him and the minute her cheek pressed over his heart, they both felt their eyes drifting to a close. 

<3 <3 <3 <3 

Not gonna lie, kinda wishing I had a mate... Is that sad? lol, Thanks for reading!!!!!