A/N: The story is similar to the original, yet I changed it up. I wanted it to be a little more civil, in the sense that I didn't want them to randomly start making out, I wanted it to be sweet and romantic. So I hope you like it! Please review and let me know what you think!
Confessions under the Stars
The stars shone brightly as the moon's light spilled across the sky, the peaceful quiet surrounded him, and the wind breathed onto his face, cooling his tender flesh. His steps were gentle and without sound. His thoughts were scattered and his body irrelevant as his feet took him through the garden from which he was forbidden. Danger could creep up at any moment, but he didn't worry, he felt as though he was surrounded by a cloak of invincibility, he was invisible to the eyes of all, excluding those of the moon and the stars. He was so naive to believe that even if a Capulet walked passed him this very moment, he would remain unseen.
The wind spoke, a soothing and gentle whisper of wonder, guiding his thoughts. What was it that made him feel so invincible at this moment? What could be so strong as to raise such confidence? It wasn't him alone, it could never be, he'd never felt so strong as he did tonight. But why? What had changed? He'd never felt so full of life, so strong, but he did tonight.
Juliet. She was the reason. He had never felt as good as he did the moment he laid eyes on her. Her beauty was incomparable. Her voice was soft and – just then, a shimmering light from afar caught his attention and broke his thoughts. He took a few steps towards the light, but he remained hidden, peaking through the bushes to take a glance at the source of such wondrous, unnaturally beautiful light. It took a moment before he realized what it was he was seeing, and that it was in fact not a what, but a who. It was Juliet. The glorious, angelic beauty, the girl he had fallen for so quickly, the one who had, in no time at all, erased the memory of Rosaline from his mind. All it took was one glance, one dance at the costume party. And that almost-kiss they shared – unfortunately, Lady Capulet had called for Juliet just as they were about to kiss. If there was one thing he could change, it would be that; he would have grabbed her and kissed her before she could leave, but alas, he wasn't quick enough.
She leaned over the balcony, looking up into the deep, dark sky. Her mind took her into a warm, desirable place, but this place had its dangers. Dangers of secrecy, betrayal and even death. This place had a name, a reason – it was Romeo. "Oh Romeo," she sighed. He perked up when he heard the angel speak his name. He moved closer so he could hear her clearly. "Come on beautiful, say something more," he whispered in a voice that was barely audible. She obeyed him almost instantly, or so it seemed, as she continued to voice her thoughts, "why did you have to be a Montague? It would have been so much simpler if you weren't; or if I hated your guts. Why couldn't I have fallen for Paris instead? Mother would have been so happy, but now, I can't even tell anyone how I feel about you." His heart sank a little when she said that. "But it isn't you who I hate, it is your name. This hate of the Montague's wasn't my doing either; I could never understand the feud our families are in. Why is it we, as Capulet's, hate your family Romeo? Is there just reason? Or am I stupid to follow it?" She took a deep sigh and looked up to the moon. "Oh moon, I have no one else to talk to, and though you could never answer me, I know you're always listening. If Romeo wasn't a Montague, wouldn't it have been alright to fall for him? But he is a Montague, which cannot be changed. What is Montague anyways? It's nothing but a name, a simple name. Names can be changed, can they not?"
She sighed again and leaned forward, placing her hand under her cheek to support her head. Romeo's heart jumped when she did this. He wished he could be as close to her as her hand was to her cheek. He dreamed of her needing him the way she needed her hands, the way she needed air to survive, because right now, that's how he felt – as though his heart would stop if ever he lost her, even though he didn't even really have her, yet.
"Oh Romeo, I don't care that your name is Montague, it is nothing but a name, meaningless. I want to be with you. How could I ever tell you how I feel? Oh, if only, my dear Romeo, you would take me now, as your own. Confess you want me the way I want you. Please, just take me, make me yours."
The moment he heard her last few words he felt his heart beat quicken and he came out from behind the bushes, appearing before her as though in a dream. "I want to be with you too, I'd even change my name if that's what you want." He spoke in a cool and collected manner, his infatuation clear as the words flowed from his mouth, even though on the inside, he was screaming it excitedly, like a little child.
His sudden appearance startled her at first, and her first instinct was to pull her robe closed to cover her thin white nightgown. But when he offered to change his name, she smiled a little. "And then what will you be? If you are not Romeo Montague than whom will you be?"
"I will be whatever you want me to, because my name as it is, is my own enemy."
"Really? How so?" she inquired, quite bemused.
"My name is the one thing that keeps us apart. I'd gladly give it up if it means I could be with you. I couldn't care less about what they think of us, I just want to give us a chance."
She blushed, "then what shall your new name be?"
"I could be Richard Rain," he stepped forward, "or Kieren Smythe," he took yet another step forward, "I could even be John Doh, if it would please you," he smiled.
"Oh really now?" she giggled, noticing very well that he was coming closer, her blood rushing with every step closer he took.
"Yes," he stepped even closer, "really." He took one last step which brought him close to the wall; he looked up at her, smiling. She smiled back a bit. He reached one hand out to her, and pleaded, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair," he joked.
Despite herself, she laughed at his joke. "I doubt my hair will do you any good. How did you get here anyways? The gates are high and guarded, and if you were to be found, you would surely be killed."
"My heart was given its life back tonight, and in its favour I grew wings with which I flew over the gates. And I travelled through your yard with a cloak of invincibility, a cloak of a man who's been blessed by love. Your spell hid me from the eyes of all, except that of the moon and the stars." He answered her, his face shinning with happiness.
"But if you were caught, they would murder you without hesitation. Romeo, it isn't safe for you here. And if you were truly hidden, how come I can see you?"
"I couldn't be caught because I had my love to hide me from their eyes, to protect me. As I said, only the moon and the stars could see me tonight, and you, beautiful Juliet, you own the stars above and you've conquered the moon, and that is why you see me now. And what if, by chance, I was caught? I would rather die than be deprived of a chance at knowing your love. Besides, one angered look from you would be worse than death by any enemy of mine. But if you look at me kindly, then I am invincible to death." He told her, in a serious, yet loving manner.
"I'd do anything to keep you safe, to prevent them from finding you here." She answered genuinely.
"The darkness of the night will hide me, but if you do not want me, do not want to love me, then let them find me here. I'd rather be murdered by their weapons than die of a broken heart."
"You can't see me clearly in this darkness, but if you could you would see how red you've turned my cheeks. All the things I've said tonight were meant only for me and the skies to hear, and now that you've heard them, I'm embarrassed. I could simply deny the things you've heard me say and act like a lady is meant to, but forget manners. I want to know the truth." She paused, "The things you say are sweet and poetic, but they're only words. How do I know you're telling me the truth? It's been said that Jove laughs when lovers lie to each other, how then can I know you really do love me? Romeo, I know if I ask you whether you love me you will tell me 'yes', and I'd believe you, but if your love is a lie, than it will only hurt us both. I don't want Jove or anyone laughing at us, or calling me a fool for believing such a heavy lie. Please Romeo, know that I'm only asking you because you overheard me earlier and that in any other case, I wouldn't be so easily won, but I can't act as though you never heard the things I said. But if you prefer a woman who is "hard to get" then I could act the role, though I do swear I'd be a better match with a truer heart than that of any girl who would play such a part and that when I love it is deep and evermore. Tell me now, Romeo, do you love me?"
He smiled warmly when she finished, "beautiful lady, I do believe its love I'm feeling. I swear by the moon –"
"Don't swear by the moon." She cut him off, "the moon is ever changing. Every month it finds itself in a new form and position. I do hope you don't turn out to be as inconsistent as the moon."
"Then what do I swear by? How else can I prove my feelings to you?"
"Don't swear by anything." She attempted to sooth his confusion, "but if you feel you must swear, than swear only by your own soul."
"Most wondrous Juliet, my heart is –"
"No, stop." She cut him off yet again, "don't swear at all. This is silly, it's taking us nowhere. We just met and now we are making vows of a love we aren't even sure is love. Leave. Leave and then maybe the next time we meet the love we think we have now will have grown, and we will be certain it is love."
"That's it? After everything we've said, that's it?" he grasped onto the tree near the balcony and began to climb.
"Romeo, what are you doing?" she asked, worriedly.
He continued to climb until he reached the top. "I don't want to end tonight like this."
"But you could get hurt! Is that how you'd like it to end?"
"Give me your hand," he pleaded as he reached out to her, "give it to me or I will jump."
She began to reach for him, and then, suddenly she pulled back. "No, this isn't right; we need to end this before we do something too crazy." And with that, he jumped, luckily landing at the edge of her balcony, griping the railing and lifting himself up. "Would you really wish to end this with me so dissatisfied?" he asked her as he hung over her balcony.
"Dissatisfied? What more could you possibly want?" she huffed, presuming his intentions were sexual.
"It would please me if we would exchange true and proper vows of love. Tonight." He spoke sincerely.
"I already confessed my feelings for you before you asked me to, before I even knew you were here. And now, I wish I could take it all back so that I might have something to give you now."
"You would take it back? But why? Don't those words reflect the way you feel? The way you love?" he asked, quite disappointed.
"So that I might give it to you personally, intimately. I am infatuated by you; you're such a wonderful, beautiful person Romeo. But I do not like the way in which I conveyed my feelings to you. I wish I could take it back so that I may tell you myself, in a more appropriate manner. My feelings for you are true and deep, and so are all the words I speak to you." She placed her hand on his cheek, "oh Romeo, my heart soars –"
"JULIET!" a voice called from afar.
"I hear someone calling me. Wait here a minute, I will be back." She whispered to him, "I'll be there in a minute Nana!" she hollered to the house, and then ran inside.
"Oh beautiful night, is this real? I can't believe it's true, it feels like no more than a dream, a wonderful dream." He whispered up to the moon, his heartbeat racing.
She returned to the balcony, and spoke to him in a quiet voice. "A few words and then it will truly be goodnight. If you're intentions as my love are true and honest, then send word to me tomorrow. I will send someone, a messenger, to whom you may pass on your message. And then, and only then, I will be yours. But if you're intentions are dishonourable then –"
"JULIET!" the voice called for her once again.
"I'm coming!" she yelled to her Nana. "But if your intentions are not as honourable as they seem then I ask you, I beg you –"
"JULIET!" the voice rose in volume as it called her.
"I said I'm coming!" she yelled once more and then turned to her love, "then do not pursue me further, I'd rather my heart be broken now than later."
"My intentions are more honourable than that of any man," he said as he leaned in close to her, gently grasping her face in his hand, "I love you, Juliet."
He leaned in closer, his lips swept up against hers, and that's when she brought her hand up to meet his face, gently placing it on his cheek. She wanted so badly to kiss him, and to make it deep and meaningful, to show all her feelings through this one kiss. She wanted him to know her passion, know her love. But just then, when she was so close, when they were both so close to showing each other their feelings through more than just simple words, she gently pushed his head back with her hand. He stared at her in confusion, and locked his eyes on hers. His eyes were enough to tell her what he was thinking; 'why'. "I'm sorry, but tonight is not the time for this. We have said enough for now. I will send someone to see you tomorrow. Goodnight," she lifted her other hand to assist in cupping his face between her palms, "please don't be disappointed, love is more than a kiss, it is deeper than lust could ever dream. If this is love, we can wait. And when we do kiss, it will be more than special, it will be magical." The last few words she said made her eyes sparkle and her lips form the sweetest, most beautiful smile he had ever seen.
"Goodnight," he smiled lovingly, "Juliet – my love."
She smiled brightly at him one last time and then turned swiftly around and disappeared into the mansion. When she made it inside, she closed the balcony door and leaned against it lightly, whispering to herself the words she could not seem to say to his face, "goodnight Romeo, my life, my love."
A/N: I really wanted Juliet to reject him, I just thought it would be more romantic that way, its not an all out rejection like I'd planned...but I'm happy with it :)Thanks for reading! So, what did you think? Was it good/bad? Anything you liked in particular? Also, I'd like to thank my Braintwin ConfessorLove for betaing this for me! Especially since she had to do it last minute, thanks twin ILU