A follow up to chapter 4 with Ted and Andromeda. Written for the Out of This World Challenge - The Moon.
Prompts used: (Song) Man on the Moon (REM); (Word) Moonlight; (Dialogue) "Never ignore a coincidence. Unless you're busy. In which case, always ignore a coincidence."
Word Count: 873
'This isn't a game of life,' Andromeda said grumpily, crossing her arms as she watched her money pile dwindle into nothing. 'There's no magic, for starters. And there's no way you just retire at age fifty. That's ridiculous. Actually, the only accurate thing here is getting married as soon as you hit eighteen. If you listened to my mother, that's the only accomplishment worth achieving.'
Ted grinned, putting the game away before Andromeda could do any damage to it. He was glad he had taken her to see his parents' house whilst they were out. He knew his parents wouldn't include Andy if she didn't know at least a few traditional games.
'It's a Muggle game of life,' he replied, flicking Andy on the forehead. 'There's no magic involved. Come on, you've only just begun your education.'
'But we've already played Monopoly, twenty-one, checkers and chess,' Andy complained, stretching her legs. 'How many more games must I suffer through?'
'You'll understand once you meet my family,' Ted replied. 'They love all types of games. Board games, card games, party games, you name it. Come on, you'll like this one better. It's called Twister...'
'Tell me why, oh why, oh why won't that sun appear,' Andromeda crooned, swaying from side to side, her fingers tapping the beat on the microphone.
Eight shots of Firewhiskey after their game of risk, Andromeda was finally letting go. Edward was ecstatic. He knew she rarely let her hair down, but she seemed to really enjoy the Muggle karaoke machine. He had half a mind to fetch his camera, but somehow capturing the moment felt like it would ruin it.
I'm glad I introduced her to the Muggle world, he thought. She has more fun here than anywhere I've seen her before.
'We're lost in a cloud,' Andy twirled, her skirt flaring out around her, 'with too much rain!'
Ted couldn't help it. The sight of Andy goofing on Elvis was almost too much to take. He howled with laughter, effectively ruining the song for good. Andy glared at him and switched off the television.
Ted had a twinge of regret. She was learning about his world so quickly, and he suddenly realised that he was enjoying having her depend on her. What if the novelty wore off? What if Andy gave up on him when she had learnt all there was to learn?
His raven-haired girlfriend collapsed on the sofa with a giggle, and snuggled up to him, pushing her head into the crook of his neck. With a sigh of reassurance, Ted clasped his arm around hers tightly.
'So Moses just, poof,' Andy gesticulated upwards wildly as they walked around the duck pond in St James's park, 'went walking with his staff and the waters parted for him?'
'That's the general gist of it, yeah,' Ted replied, grasping one of her arms to stop her from falling in.
'Wow. He must have been some wizard.'
'He was God's prophet,' Ted explained. 'So technically, it was God who moved the seas, not Moses.'
Andromeda swivelled her head left and right, dramatically looking from side to side. There was no one around. It was a Wednesday night in the middle of June, why would they be?
Clearing her throat, she rolled up her sleeves, took out her wand and tried to levitate the water.
At least, that's what Ted thought she was doing. Several large bubbles of water rose into the air before crashing back down into the middle of the pond with a large splash. Geese flew out of spattering range, honking their discomfort. Water rolled over either side in waves, waking the ducks that had been nesting for the night.
Andromeda lay down on the ground spread eagle, her face pulled into a pout of dismay. 'I thought if I used enough force, then it would create a gap in the middle. I suppose that I'm no God, then.'
'It's alright Andy,' Ted reassured her, laying his head next to hers. 'You're a galaxy. That's much more romantic.'
'I suppose it is,' Andromeda replied, looking dreamily at the sky. 'Do you believe in coincidence?'
Ted turned to look at her. Her dark brown hair was shining in the moonlight, her eyes reflecting the stars after which she was named. He had no idea what she was thinking about half of the time, and that was what drew him to her. He fingered the ring in his pocket. Tonight would have been a perfect night to propose, coincidentally. But he didn't want Andy's memory of his proposal tarnished by her inevitable hangover the next day.
'I never ignore a coincidence. Unless I'm busy,' he added as an afterthought, 'in which case I always ignore a coincidence.'
'There's a cloud shaped like a man with a stick up there,' Andromeda pointed, ignoring the humour in his response. 'What do you think that means?'
Ted glanced up. So there was. Ordinarily, he would have joked about Astrology and fate, but this time, he let fate slide. Instead, he propped himself on his elbows and turned back to the girl lying next to him.
'That particular coincidence will have to wait. I'm rather busy kissing my girlfriend right now.'
