A/N: What else would this be? FLUFFTASTICAL. That comment will be funnier after you finish reading this. Enjoy!
"I get better looking every day."
He didn't respond, but his eyes said it all. Of course you do, darling. It was silent for a few moments, and he leaned in to her, so close that their lips nearly met.
She knew he loved to push boundaries. She also knew that if she hadn't been so tipsy, he might have leaned all the way in…but his lips remained just out of reach, causing her to sigh softly.
He heard the sigh, but couldn't quite pinpoint its meaning. "You know, those stars you're so fond of…they form a constellation called Dorinda," he informed her, "You see, Dorinda was a lovely princess, and Perseus fell in love with her. But, he didn't realize what he had. Took her for granted an' all that." Gillian seemed to be quite intrigued by the story, as evidenced by the arch in her brow, so he continued. Of course, he was completely pulling all of this out of his arse, but she didn't need to know that…
"One day, though, he really mucked it up. I'm talkin', War of the Worlds kind of bad, know what I mean? So, he had to make it up to her. He knew jewelry wouldn't fix it, or any kind of tangible gift, you see, so he did something better. He plead his case to the gods, and they cast her figure in the stars."
"How romantic," Gillian commented, another unreadable sideways grin playing on her lips.
"It sure was, love. Dorinda forgave him, and though he wasn't nearly perfect at loving her, he never took her for granted again. They lived happily ever after, you know."
"Did they now?" she replied, a hint of amusement in her tone.
"Absobloodylutely," he said, proud of himself for coming up with such a wondrous story right off the top of his head, "And that there," he said, looking up at the sky and pointing to a random cluster of stars, "That's her. Looks a bit like you, really. Beautiful, innit?" He turned back to her, a warm smile on his face.
"Cal Lightman, I never took you for such a romantic," she said, laughing softly.
"Yeah, well, you're rubbin' off on me," he said, chuckling along. "So why aren't you swoonin' yet, Miss Romance Novel?"
"Oh, I am. On the inside," she replied with a grin.
"What's that smirk about, then, eh?" he inquired, leaning in closer. There was a soft yet intense look on his face; his eyes were a-twinkle.
"Partly because I enjoyed your story…but more so because I know it was complete and total baloney," she replied, catching him off-guard. She let out a laugh, so clear, crisp, and genuinely full of mirth that it made him laugh in spite of his shock.
"You knew, the whole time? Well, love, you're more than just a romance novel addict with a pretty face, aren'cha?" he asked with a gleefully amused grin.
"I am. I am so good that I caught your lie while drunk," she complimented herself, "You don't even know how good I am."
"There's one way to find out," he said, his eyes fixed on hers. They stared at one another, unfaltering, each daring the other to make the first move.
"Tell me about another constellation," Gillian finally requested.
Cal brought her to the balcony's edge, "I don't know about constellations, but that star there," he said, pointing up at a particularly bright ball of light, "That's called Gillian."
She laughed, "And who, may I ask, named a star that?"
"Me," he replied, his eyes boring into her with desire so thick she could almost taste it…almost…
"Cal," she whispered, not knowing how to finish the thought.
"Gillian," he replied, one hand on her waist, the other in her hair, drawing them ever closer, "You're the kinda girl stars get named after. And if I had the power, I'd have the gods make a constellation for you," he told her, feeling lightheaded from being so close to her; from letting those words leave the safety of his thoughts and form into a real, audible sentence. They hung in the air, causing the tension between them to become as thick as their desire.
Finally, he could no longer stand it. This dance they'd been doing for years, the jealousy and the longing looks they'd exchanged, the wanting and the needing and the being too scared to jump, it all ended now. It had to, for the sake of his own sanity, if nothing else. He gave in, claiming her lips in a hungry kiss.
Somewhere in the background, he heard Ol' Blue Eyes crooning a familiar tune,
Heaven,
I'm in heaven,
And my heart beat so
That I can hardly speak,
And I seem to find
The happiness I seek,
When we're out together
Dancing cheek to cheek…
He smiled against her lips, and felt her smiling, as well. "Gillian," he muttered against her lips.
"I know," she replied softly, her arms wrapped around his neck, "I love you, too, Perseus."
His face began to hurt from grinning so broadly, but it didn't bother him in the least. "Are we gonna live happy ever after then?"
"Only if you don't muck it up," she replied, grinning just as widely as he was.
"Never, Dorinda," he promised, pulling her in for another kiss, "And if I do, I'll just make it up to you with another romantical story about Jason and Adonia."
She laughed, "Romantical?"
"Haven't you heard, darlin'? I put the Cal in romantical," he told her with a proud grin.
She laughed again, shaking her head, "You also put the Cal in antilogical. And anarchical. And apocalyptical. And-"
"And whimsical, and magical, and completelymadforyou-cal," he broke in, prompting another laugh from her.
"Don't forget calamari," she said seriously, as though it were a very important point.
"Oh yes. Calamari," he agreed, chuckling. "Speaking of, are you hungry?"
"Positively ravenous," she told him, smirking as she pressed a series of kisses along his jawline.
"Mm," he groaned, "Let's get somethin' to eat then, yeah? Maybe somethin' to absorb all that alcohol that's cloudin' your judgment?"
She chuckled, "My judgment is just fine, thank you," she insisted, "But first…a dance," she requested, resting her cheek against his and swaying to the last refrain of the song,
Come on and dance with me,
I want my arm about you,
That charm about you
Will carry me through,
Right up to
Heaven…
And so it goes.