Chapter VII: Through Your Eyes

Satine tossed her necklace into the jewelry box and snapped it shut, not even pausing to admire how they glittered against the velvet background. She carefully arranged her pillows to make them appear like her sleeping form, and finished dressing. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, at the wide smile that she couldn't contain, and hugged herself tightly. She was being a fool, but somehow that didn't matter. Not here. Not now.

And she had promised to meet in him in the park in just a half hour. For the first time in her life, Satine had thrown her misgivings away and followed the demands of her heart. Her smile faded as she realized what she had unleashed. Christian would doubtlessly be head over heels for her, and she-- she could not fall in love with him. She couldn't give herself like that. She had to have something tangible given in return.

Satine's shoulders sank down and her stomach tightened. The key was being turned again, just enough so she could hear the siren song of freedom. But it wasn't enough. It would never been enough. Her intellect pointed out the thousand worries about getting involved with him. What if the Duke found out she'd been having a fling while he was gone? Did Christian even know the full extent of her relationship with the Duke?

He can't know, Satine said, a little bitterly. He can't. Her hand paused on the doorknob. Her mind knew that she shouldn't go. She should stay here, and just throw Christian an apologetic smile tomorrow. Her heart told her otherwise.

I only know when he
Began to dance with me
I could have danced. . .
All night. . .

Satine recalled the strange feeling of flying that came over her whenever Christian held her in his arms. The sweetness of his kiss, the way his breath rose and fell in his chest. The soft fall of black hair over his forehead and his gentle blue eyes. The doorknob turned into her hand, and Satine crept down the hall, careful to keep from stepping on any of the noisy spots on the floor. She would be there in the park. And if he never came. . . then so be it.

Christian sat on the bench, blowing softly on his hands to keep them warm. He wondered briefly what time it was. He had been waiting here for the past half hour. He knew that she had promised to come at midnight, but he couldn't help hoping that she would come earlier.

This all seemed so unreal. The happiness he felt couldn't be possible on earth. He was in love.

Oh, he'd heard the rumors about Satine and the Duke, and seen the sideways glances directed at her. But he'd also seen the look in Satine's eyes that told him there was more to her story than what appeared. And he loved her. Loved her with every ounce of his soul. That stolen kiss in the garden had sent fire through him. He knew in his heart that he was meant to love her.

The words were spoken in a whisper, but he knew her voice. A little shy and hesitant now, but still so sweet and beautiful.



Christian, I-- She was stopped the warm pressure of his hand on hers.

Wait. I want to show you something. He led her through the small grove of trees that the park held and into the very center of it. Satine gave a soft gasp. A circle of pines surrounded the sanctuary that Christian brought her into. The floor was mossy and filled with tiny blue flowers. The inky blackness of the branches bled into the starry sky, and a pale beam of moonlight hit the very center of the circle, illuminating it. It looked, Satine suddenly realized, exactly like what she had always imagined a fairy's home to be. She glanced over at Christian. His face was lit by the muted tones of the night, and he looked beautiful. His face was soft and tender, and his eyes were filled with a mystery that she longed to reveal.

Is this where you write poetry? she asked. She rested a hand on his arm, a thrill running through at just touching him. Christian turned to her, a joyous smile in his blue eyes.

he said, caressing her cheek with the back of his hand as he spoke. But tonight it's just for you. He impulsively kissed her forehead, and she flushed.

Then write me a poem, Christian, Her voice was soft, but charged with passion. She could feel her hands trembling a little, and wondered at the strange sort of fear that came over her. She'd never felt like this before. It was all at once crazy and beautiful, and she didn't understand it. Her song came out of some untapped spring in her soul, and it came to her lips as she traced the counters of Christian's face with her eyes.

Look at the sky, tell me what do you see
Just close your eyes and describe it to me.

Christian understood what she was asking. He reached out for her hand, amazed at how it fit so easily into his. Her slim fingers were cold, but they warmed up as he pressed a kiss to the tip of each one. Such beautiful hands and so small in comparison to his! He answered her in song, promising her that she could be his eyes, his muse, his Satine.

The heavens are sparkling with starlight tonight,
That's what I see through your eyes.
I see the heavens each time that you smile,
I hear your heartbeat just go on for miles.

Satine shuddered as the words wrapped themselves around her heart with a tender, bold intimacy. How could poetry whisper the eternal secrets of all that was immortal like that? Through the voice of one boy, she saw the real reason for living. Beauty, truth, freedom, love. Wasn't that the creed of the Bohemians?

And suddenly I know why life is worthwhile
That's what I see through your eyes.

Christian took his coat off and wrapped her in it. She closed her eyes, drinking in the warmth of him. That steady, tender scent of his surrounded her, filling her with his presence. She loved him. The realization came as no surprise to her in the moonlight. She loved him for the way his black hair fell on his forehead. She loved the kissable dent in his chin, and she loved the way his voice softened when he spoke to her. She loved him for everything he was and everything he would be, but most of all, she loved him simply because it came to her like breath. She had to.

Here in the night, I see the sun,
Here in the dark, our two hearts are one,
It's out of our hands, we can't stop what we have begun.
And love just took me by surprise,
Looking through your eyes.

Christian felt lost and found all in the same moment. He'd never found anyone who could reach that part of him that he kept hidden from the world, but Satine revealed it all in a single glance. Love. . . yes, love was truly the greatest thing you'd ever learn in this life. It made you whole, filled the loneliness in your heart.

I look at myself, and instead I see us
Where ever I am now, it feels like enough.

Satine felt all her worries slide away. They weren't important. Christian would help her and show her the way to happiness. If love could bring her here, then love could take her anywhere. It was a leap of faith, but she wasn't afraid to make it with Christian-- her Christian-- by her side.

And I see a girl who is learning to trust,
That's who I see through your eyes.

Satine slipped into his embrace. She wanted to stay here until the end of time, safe and loved. All the pent-up emotion that she had buried for all these years spilled out now, and tears filled her eyes. Christian wrapped his arms around her as she leaned her head against his chest. Why love, now? She wondered briefly about the time, why love had chosen to come to her in this moment. It didn't matter, she decided. All that mattered was that she was here, underneath the velvet sky, with him.

And there are some things we don't know,
Sometimes a heart just needs to go.
And there is so much that I remember,
Underneath the open sky, with you forever.

They sank down onto the mossy floor together, still in each other's arms as they sang softly. They would sleep here tonight, with a pillow of blossoms and wake with the sheen of morning dew on them both. Satine put both her arms around Christian and kissed him deeply, tasting his breath, her lips moving against his. He drew back a little and touched the hollow at the base of her throat wonderingly. His hand curled back and he bit his lower lip.

Satine-- I don't want to hurt you or-- this could lead to the wrong things-- Satine stared at him in amazement. Never had a man paused to think of the consequences of a night with her. Married men with children had come to her bed, never considering what the cost would be to their families. But Christian, who had nothing to lose, and everything to win, had thought of her first.

I know, Satine said softly. This was not the right time or place. This was a place of dreams, not realities. Dreams and only dreams. . . But stay here with me, please.

I'll stay here with you forever, Satine.

Christian kissed her hair lightly and laid his coat down for her to lie on. She settled down, feeling the rhythm of his breath against her back. He sang her to sleep, gently running a hand along her arm as she sank into the peaceful darkness of sleep.

Here in the night, I see the sun
Here in the dark our two hearts are one
It's out of our hands, we can't stop what we have begun
And love just took me by surprise
Looking through your eyes . . .
Looking through your eyes.

Love you, Christian whispered before he joined her in sleep. Till the end of time.




Author's Note: Well, this was shameless fluff. My muse is not being up to scratch lately, but at least this didn't end up too badly. Hope you enjoyed it. . . if you did, please leave a review! Constructive criticsm will be very much appreciated. Don't worry. I can take it. :)

BTW, this is a totally a/u fic in which Satine is not sick at all. Sorry for not making that clear earlier, but it was just a given in my mind. Tells you what happens when I spend a bit too much time talking to myself, eh?