Silver and Gold (Wilbur Soot)

25: Will

June 9

"You know," Will said amidst the silence, "It's the anniversary of the first day we met." Luna sat up, looking at him.

"I thought you'd forgotten," She marveled. Will had one hand up to the sky, fingers spread apart as he peered at the clouds through them. The other was shielding his eyes from the sun, making sun and shade split his face into sections. Even through the sections, Luna could see his smile,

"How could I? It was the day my life changed," Will sighed, and Luna chuckled.

"Laying it on a bit thick, don't you think?" She asked, and he exhaled amusedly.

"Not at all," Will said. In fact, he thought it was appropriate. "I mean, maybe it wasn't that exact day where everything happened, but this day last year started it all. It got us here." And here was quite the spot. They were camped out on top of a hill underneath a tree, overlooking an endless grassy valley. The colors were bright and rich, the breeze was soft and sweet, and the jays and robins flying through it filled the valley with birdsong. It was a majestic place for a picnic, and an incredible place to have a first official date, and though that was a massive deal in theory, it felt to them as though nothing had changed. The 'Non-Platonic Picnic' was what they were jokingly calling it, since one of their first hangouts was of the platonic variety (Luna was trying to get Will to shorten it to 'Non-Plat-icnic, but he wasn't having it.).

"I suppose it did," Luna agreed, lying back in the grass. "And I'm mighty glad."

"You can say that again," Will noted, "It changed everything. I thought life was great as it was, but I was so wrong. I was missing you." Luna giggled. Maybe it was being laid on a bit thick, but he was still right.

"We really do think alike," She told him, and gently, she brought a hand to Will's face, getting him to lean over so she could press her cheek to his. "I was thinking about that earlier. Before I spent this last year with you, I really thought life was the best as it was. I was satisfied, and then I met you."

"And it wasn't enough anymore." Will added. "I know what you mean." Luna cracked a smile.

"We're so corny," She commented, scrunching up her nose and giggling at their exchange. Will leaned over again, resting his chin on top of her forehead.

"Maybe so," Will said, "But it's how we feel." He raised his head once more, inhaling the soft country air and running his hand through the grass just beside the blanket. This truly was a moment like no other, a day like no other. Will knew he'd never forget it. And he wanted to remember it with a song.

"I want to play something for you," Will decided.

"Is it hobby time?" Luna asked. Will had asked to plan their first date, and while he took that responsibility seriously, he still very much wanted Luna's input. So she suggested that they 'hobby together' and enjoy each other's company doing different things. Ever the musician, Will brought his guitar along, wanting to play in and for the outdoors. Luna had her sewing bag with her, having brought her latest project along with her.

"It's hobby time," He confirmed. He handed Luna her sewing bag and fetched his guitar. He leaned up against the sturdy oak of the tree, positioning the guitar comfortably on his outstretched legs. Slowly, as Luna brought out her embroidering kit, Will began to play.

The tune wasn't anything special, it wasn't anything planned. It was just a musical brain dump, his train of thought translated into notes. He couldn't explain it, couldn't put it into words if he tried, but Will knew he didn't need to do any of that. Luna understood- he was certain. The music didn't have to have a specific meaning for her to know what it meant. He just trusted that she would feel the music and understand it.

And she did. Luna curled her legs underneath her as she threaded her needle, beginning to work as she listened to him. She knew exactly what she wanted to do with the middle of her embroidering project, but like Will, she was improvising the details on the outside. In an instant, Will became her muse. The breeze kicked up, making his fringe flutter against the brim of that light-colored beanie she'd made him forever ago. His eyes were closed as he strummed, but Luna could imagine the twinkle in them. A little smile sat on his lips, and Luna couldn't stop a matching one from painting itself across her face.

Eventually, when Will felt that he'd improvised enough, he transitioned into a song they both knew well. Dullahan poured softly from his guitar, and immediately, Luna smiled, looking back down at the fabric in her hand.

Will's eyes opened and he saw her face brighten at the perfect time. Her hair was blowing softly behind her, her head slightly bent over her work as she embroidered, and he began to sing to her. Luna, after a while, joined him in soft harmony. Their voices sailed across the empty hills, filling them with a sound so beautiful it was nearly melancholy. It made their hearts hurt, even though the two were right next to one another. The two lovers in the song were separated, but the two singers were sitting right in front of each other, more connected than they ever had been.

Time seemed to float peacefully by on top of that hill. Will continued to play for himself, for Luna, and for the breeze. Luna embroidered steadily, Will her muse. She usually took breaks when her creative fire dwindled, but inspiration was the fruit of the muse, and Will had ideas literally pouring from her fingertips. She couldn't find it in herself to stop, but at some point, she did adjust her sitting position. Will chuckled as he looked down at Luna, who'd laid her head on his lap as she continued to work.

Quiet enveloped them. Peace surrounded them. Will played, and Luna sewed.

The next time that Will looked down made the last time he'd done it feel like forever ago, because Luna was drawing her embroidery to a close.

The previously blank, white rectangle of fabric was now beautifully embroidered with flowers, insects, and plants on the edges. In the middle, in near-perfect cursive and yellow thread, Luna had embroidered:

𝐿𝓊𝓃𝒶 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒲𝒾𝓁𝓁

𝒮𝒾𝓁𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒢𝑜𝓁𝒹

Will's breath was genuinely taken away. She held it up for him to see.

"What are you going to do with it?" He asked slowly once he'd recovered. Softly smiling up at him, Luna raised her head from his lap. She leaned over, gently grasping the edge of the picnic blanket and bringing it toward her. Wordlessly, she removed the white rectangle of fabric from her embroidery frame and held it flush against an empty green square at the corner of the blanket. The two fabrics were a stark, beautiful contrast, and Luna's newest embroidery piece fit perfectly in the middle of the square.

Almost like she'd planned it.

"I'm going to put it here, of course," She said, turning to smile at Will. "I'm going to add you to the blanket."

Will absorbed the new information. He looked at Luna, into her smiling, freckled face that was glowing in the sunlight. He looked down at the two fabrics, held together by Luna's gentle grasp, a declaration of care from her to him. He was overwhelmed in a way that made his heart feel full, so full it would burst. But even if it did, he knew all of its contents would pour right into the woman next to him, who'd stolen his heart altogether.

"I do love you, Luna Silver," Will declared softly, unable to keep from telling her.

"And I love you too, William Gold."