I Wanna Sing You a Sunrise

Chapter 1: Sweet Sweet Songbird

Hi all! I love writing and a few weeks ago I got bitten by a plot bunny to write a story about these two: it's going to be a look back over specific moments during the past few years. This story is completely a work of fiction, no disrespect intended. Enjoy and please let me know what you think! Story title is from Music To My Eyes by Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper.

A/N: I have no idea what actually happened at the benefit, this is just my vision of it:)

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April 2016

She stared at herself in the large dressing room mirror, slowly lowering a tube of red lipstick back onto the table. Huge green eyes stared back at her, perfectly and beautifully enhanced with makeup but still for some reason slightly dullish, lacking the usual spark and eagerness to face each new day of her without a doubt absolutely incredible life.

God, she needed something new. Despite everything being no short of perfect on the surface, she just yearned for something new.

The door opening and closing downstairs startled her from the slight trance she had fallen into, a moment later followed by her fiancé's voice.

"Stefani?"

"Yeah," she replied, letting go of the lipstick and standing slowly. "Up here."

She heard Taylor's footsteps pounding up the stairs and he appeared on the doorway, wearing his trademark grin.

"Hey." His eyes widened slightly, taking her in. "Wow."

Stefani smiled, did a slight twirl. "You approve?"

"Hell yes." He kissed her tenderly. "Where are you going again? I'm not quite sure I want to let you go anywhere looking like that."

She chuckled, pressed a kiss on his cheek. "The cancer benefit at Sean's. And you could still come with me, you know."

"Nah." He wrinkled his nose. "I mean, it's a great thing he's doing, hosting that, but I really can't face the crowds after the week I've had."

"I know." She rolled her eyes slightly, turned back towards the mirror. "I've barely seen you."

"Yeah. I'm sorry, filming's been nuts." Taylor kissed her shoulder, yawned. "I think I'm gonna grab a shower and hit the sack. Have a great time; you look incredible."

"Thank you." She watched him make his way to the bathroom, then glanced at her reflection one more time. A black dress, stylish and figure-hugging yet very sophisticated and timeless. Long blonde hair slicked back from her face, falling down her shoulders in slight waves, not too much eye makeup and her signature red lipstick. She was quite proud of the result, especially as she had created it herself without the help of her team; it was a perfect mix between her usual stage persona and the everyday Stefani.

"Are you performing tonight?" Taylor returned, now with a towel slung around his hips, reaching into the closet for a t-shirt. She allowed her eyes roam his back for a moment, smiling slightly; all the recent gym sessions had really worked wonders on him.

"Yeah. A small set, three songs." She frowned slightly. "I think I told you this a few times."

"Sorry." He gave her a smile, headed back to the bathroom and Stefani shook her head a little. Sometimes it really felt he didn't listen to her at all, or if he did, he didn't really seem to care about what she was saying. Their relationship was good, at almost five years the longest she'd ever had but by no means perfect, as much as she wanted to tell herself it was.

"I have to go." She grabbed her purse, filled it with keys, a small mirror, the lipstick and her phone. "I'll see you..."

The sound of shower turning on was her only response and Stefani sighed, starting to head downstairs, carefully navigating the staircase in the very high heels she was wearing. God, she sometimes wished she wasn't so damn short; she could pull off all sorts of shoes, was used to them but the slight fear of falling and breaking either her ankle or her neck was always there at the back of her mind.