Chasing Stars {Ereri/Riren}

1. Prologue

A/N: Just a quick author's note, I swear I won't waste much time.

Hey guys! This is my first Ereri fanfiction, so I'm totally open to constructive criticism. I got the idea from a book, Walk Two Moons, which is a very good book, if you plan on/already have read it. I suggest reading it, for you might see some similarities in here. Anyways, that's all from me.

As always, epicturtle0623, out!

~~~

"Are you sure about no alcohol, sir?" The bartender asked with an almost twinge of concern as she filled my glass. "Y'look like you've been having a rough day." I glanced up at the woman once more.

Her glasses seemed almost completely concealed by the thick brown locks stubbornly falling out of its loose hair tie. I wondered how people survived with such thick-rimmed spectacles. She was half smiling, that questioning look still arranged on her polite expression. The woman withdrew the hand holding the root beer pump and rested it lightly on her hips. She wore that tight black shirt waitresses always seemed to wear in books, and blue jeans that hugged her curves. When the lady rose her eyebrows, I flushed for staring. My fingers drummed on the polished wood counter.

"No, this'll be all," I murmured. She left me then with a lingering smile, attending to a man with a glass as empty as his lost-looking gaze. My eyes followed her almost sorrowfully.

I tightened my hand on the glass. It was cold, and tiny pinpricks sent shivers up my spine. My hand whitened slightly from their stone grip, and I watched the veins on the back of my tanned palm with a sort of detached interest. The watch read 6:59. It glistened black, and if I leaned in just a smidge, I could see the initials-

"That's one fine wedding band you've got there," a voice said lightly.

"Thank you," I retorted and looked up. A pretty woman watched me not two feet away. I must not have noticed her approaching. Strawberry blond hair curled lightly around her shoulders, and warm, amber eyes encompassed me and sent a foreign feeling inside me stirring. She leaned forward and pointed at my band unconsciously.

"So what's she like?" The woman asked with a calm excitement, her eyes glittering. She must be into couples. Still, a bolt of electricity speared through me as I furrowed my eyebrows.

"She?" I blurted incredulously. Despite each time, this still flabbergasted me thoroughly.

"Yes. Your wife?" She narrowed her eyes, talking more tentatively and calmly with each word. My eyes darted down to the slick glass of soda.

"Well, I suppose his anger could be considered feminine," I chuckled softly.

"I don't-" she began in absolute bafflement, but broke off mid-sentence. Then, the woman began again in a rush. "Oh. I'm terribly sorry, sir, I just-"

"It's fine," I dismissed her panic away with a wave of my hand. I glanced back up at the blanching woman. "You aren't the first. Hopefully not the last, either."

She nodded and smiled. "Where is he? Surely you'd spend a nice Monday evening with your husband, not alone in a bar."

"Well, I'm not entirely alone, am I?" I winked. "Oh, he's at his place, I guess. Should be heading over soon, anyways. It's cold. Small walled place, y'know? Gets kinda 'boxed in.'"

"I see." She leaned in, a bright twinkle in her eyes. "So what's he like?" A faint grin tugged at her lips. "How did you meet?"

I stared into her eyes, biting my lip anxiously. The cool temperatures of the vaguely warming glass seemed to finally seep into my blood. It made my stomach churn. Impossible! It was impossible to utter a word now; however, my mouth apparently had other plans. Words flowed out of me before I could stop or even begin to consider how to arrange my thoughts. Before my mind was even aware of it, I was using complex voice inflection and making wild hand gestures.

And so I began the tale of Levi and me.