Chapter Text
EPILOGUE
Years later
SIMON
The Greek sun is shining generously over us. Baz is lying on a towel under a beach umbrella, glasses on, book in hands, knees bent, feet buried in sand. He looks like a picture from a postcard. Penny is visiting us today and then moving on. She is on a secret mission with a Normal I think.
No help needed, she assured us. "You’re celebrating graduating from Uni, you deserve to rest." I tried to point out that she too, graduated from Uni but she refused to listen.
I stroll innocently to where a gorgeous unsuspecting Baz is anxiously hiding from the raging sun. I take his hand by the wrist. He lets me, because love makes him an unsuspecting adorable git.
“Penny, Penny look!” I call out. She is in her beach costume in the water. The Normal, Shep, is splashing water at her. He seems nice. Though I dislike how shady Pen is being when I ask questions about him.
She looks up at me now.
“I want to show you what true love looks like!” I holler.
I can see from here that she is rolling her eyes.
I see recognition in Baz’s eyes as he hears me. He knows what’s coming, I’ve done this before. I have been running on the beach playing with a dog whose owner fell asleep. My back is so sweaty it feels like it is coated with layers of slippery goo. Disgusting if I say so myself.
He groans loudly but doesn’t resist me as I pull his hand to my back.
“Is it necessary, Simon? Is it truly?”
“Yes, babe. Penny needs to know that your love is true and burning bright, so that she can go do her thing with the Normal and not worry about me.”
He rolls his eyes underneath the glasses. I can sense it.
“Penny! Penny! You’re not looking!” I sound 5 years old but I don’t care.
I finally place Baz’s lovely dry (and cool) hand on my sweaty back.
“Look Penny, Look! Without hands!” I raise my arms in the air to show her, while Baz scratches my incredibly disgusting sweaty back, he’s petting me and a rueful grin shapes his features, making Penny laugh heartily. (Shep joins in, he’s not half bad, really)
I turn to Baz, grinning from ear to ear.
I pounce on him. He harrumphs when I knock the air out of him, but there is a smile playing on his lips.
“True love proven!” I declare theatrically and smother him with kisses. “Now what shall I do to prove mine?”
Some more years later
BAZ
There is something magical about snow. It falls slowly, waltzing a lazy waltz in the air, as if swayed by someone’s gentle breath. My head is resting on Simon’s abdomen, his hand is in my hair, fingers massaging my scalp.
We are both lying on the carpet, half naked and satiated. (we put on pants because it’s not really proper to lie about fully naked. You never know when your daughter might collapse the ceiling on your asses).
We’re watching the snow as it gently falls outside, just under the lamp light. The night casts shadows everywhere else. The yellow light of the lamppost makes the snowflakes look like falling stars. Thousands of wishes right outside our window.
It feels so good to simply be here. The quiet envelops us and the only thing I hear is the rhythm of Simon's heart, and mine, chiming in its own slower, steadier rhythm.
I stroke his arm with gentle fingers.
“Happy Anniversary, Love.”
He sits up and bends to kiss me but lacks the mobility so he reaches only my nose. I laugh and twist around propping myself on my elbows and meeting him halfway for a proper kiss. He bites my lip, “Don’t laugh. This was supposed to be crazy sexy.”
I laugh harder “It was!” He gently bites my jaw, my neck and then my earlobe.
Laughing becomes less possible when butterflies riot in my stomach.
Snowflakes swirl outside in spirals of soft glowing light.
We kiss. We laugh. We live.
***
THE END