Chapter Text
“Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.”
Tessa began, gaze flickering across the dusty page of the ancient book she held in her lap.
“ So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.”
Tessa’s gaze rose from the hefty book of poems she held, emerald eyes illuminated by the warmth of the sunset. She pondered, slouching back against one of the many ancient oaks in the vast gardens of the Elliott manor.
“Nothing gold can stay, eh?” Tessa repeated, eyes twinkling with the golden speckles of the dipping sun’s light.
“That would be it, Boss.” J nodded, attention drifting to the open book beginning to slide off of Tessa’s lap. J squinted, attempting to get a better look.
“Robert Frost? The same guy who wrote ‘The Road Not Taken’?”
“Think it’s the same bruce, not really bothered to remember who wrote what.” Tessa shrugged, a soft smile spreading across her freckled face as she admired the sunset. “That sunset’s a real beauty, never seen somethin’ like it. Reminds me of you, my Jaybird.”
“Huh, never paid much attention to things like that before. Now that you mention it though, it is quite the sight. Rather breathtaking.” J blinked, her white optics tinted gold from the massive star’s glow.
Silence filled the air as the two gazed out at the scene, leaves and flowers fluttering and dancing in the cooling breeze, birdsong beginning to fade. After a few moments, Tessa turned to J, eyebrow raised as she prepared to pitch her thought.
“Is that what that Frost fella was on about? Gold — like the rise of the sun at dawn and its fall in the evening — how it can’t stay. Night will always plunge the world into darkness.” Tessa’s hand found J’s, giving it a tight squeeze as the lovers basked in this moment.
“Until the moon returns.” J replied, mirroring Tessa’s smile. “Reflecting the sun’s light, a perfect match.”
J scooched closer to Tessa, resting her head on Tessa’s shoulder as Tessa wrapped her arms around J. J’s light, silvery hair tangling with Tessa’s dark brown, almost black locks. Sun and moon, night and day. Maybe something gold could stay.
“Really ‘preciate ya listenin’ to my yakking ‘bout this.” Tessa spoke after a moment, lifting a hand to comb through one of J’s pigtails, beaming.
“Anytime, Boss.” J exhaled, fully content in the present, being able to forget about her responsibilities for once.
“I never noticed colours and clouds and stuff until you kept reminding me about them. It’s kind of like they were never there before.” J admitted, glancing around at her surroundings, the manor fading out of view and into the shadows in the distance. The closest thing to an escape.
“Awh, really Birdie?” Tessa’s heart swelled, planting a gentle kiss on J’s head.
“I don’t think I could ever tell Cyn — or even N or V — about the clouds and sunset. Just you.” Tessa confessed, resting her head on top of J’s.
A blush appeared on J’s visor, puffing out her chest ever so slightly in pride. Hell yeah, that would show the others! Truly an honour for J to have been chosen by her Tessa as the best suited for these conversations.
J listened to the sound of Tessa’s calm breathing, cooling J’s inner system. J tuned into her senses, imagining this being their future. Watching the sunsets every evening together, not having to worry about J potentially getting scrapped if Tessa’s parents knew of their relationship. Free to be with each other. Not having to worry about Mr and Mrs Elliott at all. Tessa allowed to be as unladylike as she pleased, to openly add to her bone and trinket collection without judgement.
For J to get a real job for a real company, to climb the corporate ladder and to give orders and boss around the slackers. The merchandise possibilities! Designed by none other than J herself, she was a bit of an artist afterall. The drawing she had left N in his dog book was enough proof of that. Then, after a long, hard day of work (where J pulled most of the weight, of course) to return home to her beautiful, radiant Tessa.
“Hey, Jaybird?”
J was pulled from her thoughts at the sound of Tessa’s voice.
“Yes, Boss?”
“D’ya think we could just stay like this forever?” Tessa queried.
“Forever?”
“Forever.”
“Then forever it is.” J chuckled, grinning ear to ear with joy.
“Stay gold, Jaybird. Stay gold.” Tessa giggled, giving J a peck on the cheek.
The pair waited until the sunset faded, then returned inside and headed for Tessa’s room.
If only it could be forever.