Rising Dawn (Willy Wonka X OC)

Released

     I grip his hand and make a noise between a yelp and a whimper. "Are you serious?!"

     He stands and nods with a smile on his face. I pull him down and he lets me hold him close to me with one arm. Will threw a hand down on my injured side so his weight wouldn't hurt me, and he manages to keep his body hovering an inch away from mine despite my death grip on his shoulder. I squeak happily and Will pulls back with a smile on his face. Will tilts his head and timidly brings his face close to mine. He asks permission silently with his eyes and I nod. I lift my head to close the distance and bring our lips together.

     The nurse hustles in, having heard my squeals, and looks around for danger or peril. Will backs off quite hastily and sits down, composing himself. The nurse smiles and asks, "Are you alright, hun? Is everything ok?"

     I smile back at her and finally loosen my hold on Will's hand. I glance at the nurse. "Yeah. Everything's going to be just fine."

     And, for the first time in a long time, I actually believe it. So maybe I didn't answer her question, but I did answer my own. Deep down, I think I've always wondered if I'd end up being enough. There was always the question of survival hanging in the balance, the uncertainty each day brings, the possibility of death from every which direction, the daily struggle to be "fine." I think I just eliminated that question. I think from here on out, I'll always be fine, my family will be fine, all thanks to one man.

     The nurse nods and leaves to get my paperwork to discharge me. I watch Will fiddle with the cuffs of his overcoat. Satly tears glisten in the corners of my eyes, but I manage to keep them from dripping down my cheeks. I'm not sad, but I can't really explain these tears. I sniffle and Will turns to me with wide eyes. He slides closer and puts one hand on my arm and the other on the side of my face.

     "What's wrong?" Will's voice is sure and steady as he strokes down from my temple to my jaw, thumb grazing my skin lightly, giving me chills. He moves his hand back up and smooths my hair away from my face. He repeats this motion several times, and I pull my arm out from under his other arm to hold his forearm. His hand stills. "What's wrong, my Starshine?"

     A couple tears drip onto my cheeks and collect on my eyelashes while I mouth, Nothing.

     He smiles a little, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Then why are your tears telling me otherwise?" He moves his hand horizontally and wipes the tears away from under my right eye with his thumb. "You have cried entirely too many tears throughout your life and I don't want to be responsible for any more. Please don't tell me I did this."

     His wide, violet eyes plead for me to say No. I can almost feel concern radiating off of him, care for me mixed with anxiety over having done something to upset me. I just shake my head. "I'm just..." I take a steadying deep breath and let the corners of my mouth turn up a bit. "I'm finally getting what I want." I shake my head again. "I didn't even know what I wanted before all this business started. I've only known you for a week now and spent just a couple hours with you, but my soul has somehow attached to yours. And you're all I want."

     He smiles quietly and looks down. This time the smile sparkles in his eyes, and when he finally looks up again, his face has a look of pure euphoria. "You don't know how much I wanted to hear those words." His dark brown spikes of hair shine and his pale skin makes him look like a ghost in this bright hospital light. He swallows hard and continues, "I've been alone for so long...of course the Oompa Loompas are nice company...but one does start to miss other humans. Just normalcy in general. You saw how I was at the beginning of that tour, how I still am sometimes. I'm awkward and alien and it doesn't feel right. I want to be human, and you make me human. I want a life. I want a family. I want days of laughing so hard our bellies hurt and nights so feverish we gasp for breath. But look at me! At the rate I've been going, that's never going to happen. Hell, kissing you is the most physical affection I've experienced in years." I shift silently, letting him get this off his chest. "Then you came along and changed everything. I was content with my life, I had resigned myself to the fact that I'd end up alone, but then I met you again. And you reminded me of the life I thought I'd never have."