026: You Know What Else is Beautiful?

He folded his arms behind his head. Grass tickled his neck. Through the open door into the living room he heard music and laughter. 'Beautiful Nows' was playing.

Stretched out on her back next to him, a hand folded across her stomach, she pointed up at the sky. "That's the Plough." She traced the pattern. "If you draw a line from the point at the front, up there—that's the North Star." Her finger followed the line, pausing at one of the stars.

"Right."

She dropped her arm and turned her face towards him. "You don't see it, do you?"

"Not really." He glanced at her, meeting her gaze.

"Fair enough." She turned back to the sky.

He peered up again, looking at the glimmering dots of white, and wondered what it would have looked like if there was no light pollution. "They're really far away."

She hummed.

"Beautiful, though."

"Yeah." She paused. "You know what else is beautiful?" There was a smile in her voice.

His stomach curled into a tight knot. He held his breath.

"Tolkien's written works."

He exhaled, but the knot didn't ease. He snorted. "Thought you were going to say the Bible or something."

She laughed. "I'm not that religious."

Written by: Katrine H.