"Do you believe in fate?"
The question was barely a whisper, though it rang through the silence, a stillness appearing in Narcissa as she spoke, eyes remaining on the night sky above them.
Alice hummed in response, a smile playing on her lips as she reached a hand out, grasping her lover's fingers. "You and your deep questions," She chided, "Though, I suppose I must. After all, something must have led me to you."
Using her free hand to trace the constellations belonging to her family, Narcissa spoke once more, "My family wants me to join them."
The words struck like lightning, and Narcissa watched as the smile she grew to love faded away. "I know, love." Alice sighed, turning to face her. "I know."
"I don't know what to do, I can't- I'm not brave. Not like you."
The confession hung in the air, and Narcissa shuddered as she closed her eyes, pushing back the tears that threatened to escape.
"I know." Alice replied, "But you have me, don't you? You have me to be brave for you, and you'll learn, someday, to be brave yourself." She smiled once more, "And I'll still be there when you see how brave you already are."
Silence filled the space between them once more before Alice spoke again, her words quiet but full of conviction.
"You are not your family."
Narcissa didn't say anything in reply. She didn't need to. For in Alice's eyes, the girl with a name of flowers instead of stars might not have shone as bright as the rest of her family, but when she bloomed, she was, to Alice, worth more than any of them.
And Narcissa knew, knew that as long as Alice was by her side, there would always be something more filling the space in between them than silence. Whether it was only a kernel, or something larger than anything imaginable, it would always be there.
Hope.