A million stars stretched out past the darkened horizon. Uncountable and infinite – and yet, sometimes I felt like we'd already visited them all. There were only so many lives we could live, so many parts we could play, but it never seemed to repeat itself, no matter how long we existed.
My ringtone echoed into the silent night, dragging me out of my thoughts and reminding me where I was. Achilles must be close by now, if not pretty much here. I answered the phone, and let his voice ring through the speaker.
"Patroclus? Where are you? I'm here, but I can't see you."
"I'm sat round the front, on the steps." The museum I worked at stood behind me, marble columns stretching up towards the sky. Achilles was probably in the car park at the back. The breakdown cover had towed away my car, but couldn't take me back, so after reassurance that someone could come to pick me up, they had left me under the setting sun.
Achilles turned the corner and walked toward me. "Hey."
I stood up and let his arms wrap around me. "Hey." We stood for a moment in silence, just relaxing in each other's presence. Eventually, we parted and started making our way back to his car. The stars were so beautiful out here – it was almost worth taking the long train to work every day just so I could see the unpolluted sky in its true glory, with all the constellations spread out like a map.
When we reached the car, Achilles reached around and opened the door for me. I raised an eyebrow.
"The least I could do after making you sit out here in the cold for so long," he murmured. I pulled him around into a short, searing kiss, and then told him;
"That was no one's fault – and besides, I get to see you sooner anyway. Now come on, I want to get home."
Achilles pouted but got in the driver's seat anyway. "You're the one that kissed me."
I turned to him later that night. "Thanks for picking me up."
"It was no problem. Try to charge your battery next time, though."
"Ass."
"Love you too."