Stardust AU: Chapter 1
I really didn't think I would continue this story, but I was possessed by some sort of demon last night and could not stop writing until 2 am. For day 3 of O'Knutzy week, I have Chapter 1 of the Stardust AU that follows the prologue that I posted last year. Thank you to @lumosinlove for the characters and @oknutzy-week-2025 for the fest!
Prompt E1: Feather
Since they were boys, Finn and Logan had been hiding out in the alcove in the trees by the Merrylakes’ field. They had stumbled upon it out of pure necessity, running from some other kids who decided it would be fun to practice fencing with sticks and defenseless opponents. It had seemed to open up just for them to dive in, and everyone else ran past none the wiser. That magic, luck, or whatever you believe in was preserved as they grew, as anything they left there was exactly how they found it when they returned. If they were paying a little bit more attention to their surroundings than just each other, they might have also noticed how it grew in size with them. It became the witness of existential musing, hushed secrets, uncontrollable laughter, and heart-hammering confessions.
Now, a Finn of 9 and 10 years was sitting leaned back against his hands in the moss and staring up at the pinking sky through the feathery leaves of the tall bushes that kept him hidden from all but one (and the stars, of course). He tried to revel in the peace that this place brought him, but it did not work quite as well when the weight of the small box in his pocket felt as if it belonged to a sizable cube of lead. There was at least some comfort in his preparations for the evening. The picnic basket at his feet contained all of Logan’s favorites plus the sweetest bottle of champagne they had in the shop. Finn was ready… he just didn’t know if Logan was too.
He started at the rustle of leaves behind him, but had not even turned around before, “Just me, Fish,” reached his ears. As if it could be anyone else. Finn did not have to understand or even believe in magic to be certain of that.
Finn’s nerves eased and flared at the same time, but he could never not smile at the presence of his love, “Hello, mo fhíorghra.”
Nose wrinkling as he sat down, Logan chuckled, “As I keep telling you-”
“Yes, yes, French pet names are far superior because they sound soooo much prettier.”
“What? You don’t agree, mon coeur?” Logan moved closer and Finn felt his face heat. “Mon cherí,” his voice lowered, “mon amour.”
Finn pushed his face away, laughing, “Yeah, yeah, I concede,” but he pulled Logan right back in to kiss him firmly. “I love you, bear.”
“I love you too, fish.” Logan pressed their foreheads together for a touch longer than usual before turning to the basket. “So, what did you bring for me?”
Grateful for the distraction, Finn launched into descriptions of each item as if he was presenting before a king and laid out the meal. When they were almost too full to move and the sun had fully set, he lit the candles and popped the champagne. He almost spilled his glass watching the bubbles pop under the shine of Logan’s eyes in the flickering light.
Half-finished, Logan’s glass was set on the rock behind him. “D’accord, let me give you your anniversary present now.” He pulled out a box from his pocket and Finn’s heart almost leapt from his chest.
No, it was the wrong shape. He did not know whether to be relieved that he could still enact his plan or be disappointed that they had not been on the same wavelength, as they almost always were. Those feelings were dismissed as soon as he opened the box to see a necklace whose pendant was a triquetra knot with a fleur-de-lis in the middle, all wrought in shining silver. “Oh, Logan…” Finn felt tears prick his eyes.
“I made it in Papa’s shop. Had to get his help of course—it was pretty tricky—but look! You can put the flower from your mom in the band here.” And sure enough, the band of the fleur-de-lis extended out to create just enough space to slot the stem of the flower through to rest over the pendant. Logan was one of the few people that knew the truth of Finn’s mother—or at least, the truth that Finn knew. The snowdrop that she had given to his dad was kept tucked away in a jewelry case, but Ramsey caught little Finn sneaking in to stare at it enough times that he promised the flower would be his if he could keep it safe and hidden. He had kept it inside a hollowed book on his bedside table ever since. Finn was not quite sure why he had to hide it, but he trusted his father.
“Lo, I cannot- this means- thank you, thank you so much.” Tears were rolling down Finn’s face as Logan fastened the necklace on him, but he did not care, tackling Logan to the ground and smothering him with kisses.
“You are so welcome, rouge,” Logan was smiling, but his eyes were bright too.
Finn sat back up suddenly and started fumbling to get the box out of his pocket. His chest could not even begin to contain all of the emotions flooding through him, and all the carefully planned words had fled his brain, “My love, you are everything to me, and I can no longer wait for our future together, I-” Finn’s hand froze in his pocket when he saw Logan flinch. “What is it?”
Logan said nothing, only turned his head away.
The flood in his body was freezing glacier water. “Lo, what is going on?”
“I did not want to tell you this on our anniversary.”
“Bear, you are scaring me.”
Logan finally faced him again. His hands were trembling, and tears had spilled onto his cheeks. Shakily, “I thought I could hold myself together for one last perfect night, at least.” His self-deprecating laugh held no joy, and he took Finn’s hands. “I will be leaving for France in two weeks.” He paused, but Finn could say nothing. “I am to start an apprenticeship under the royal jewelers.”
“What? I do not understand. I thought you would take over your father’s business here… and we could-”
“I was chosen. This-” Logan’s eyes flashed in anger through the tears, and the next word came out through gritted teeth, “opportunity cannot be refused.”
“Says bloody who!?” Finn blew up.
“Says the king!” Logan glared.
“Oh, yeah? What is he going to do about it from fucking France?”
“He could shut down Papa’s business, Finn! It does not matter where he is—one bad word, and no one will ever buy from the Tremblays again, even in the damn English countryside. Not to even mention my family still in France.”
Finn felt the fight leave him as quickly as it came. “You really are leaving.” He met Logan’s eyes, which had softened as well, “for how long?”
“I do not know for sure. Papa told me these apprenticeships last longer than normal, five years… at minimum.”
Five years. In five years, Finn had thought they would be married and living in a house of their own, somewhere in town halfway between their respective family shops. Maybe they would have a pet, maybe even a child. Now, in five years, Logan may not even be in the same country. “And after your apprenticeship, will you come back?”
“I might be able to come back,” Logan took a shuddering breath, “but if I am chosen as a royal jeweler…”
“Then never.” To think, the tears on his face mere minutes ago were those of joy.
“Finn-”
“I’ll come with you,” Finn interjected.
“Rouge, no, you have your father’s shop. With Alex away at university, he needs you.” Logan cast his eyes down, “And besides, you would grow to resent me.” He kept speaking over Finn’s sound of protest, “I would take you away from your family, your home. The travel to Paris alone would use up all your savings—and for what? I will be living in the apprentice quarters spending all of my time learning and working. We would hardly ever see each other.”
The faint outlines of hope on the plans that Finn had been hastily thinking up were fading quickly. Logan had to go. Finn could not. Logan would be chosen as a royal jeweler (how could he not?) and live in Paris for the rest of his life. Finn would never see him again.
He had been planning to propose tonight.
“Fish,” Finn looked up to see Logan crying in earnest, “you have to know that I do not want to leave you. I have tried to think of alternatives, but I see no other way.”
Whatever was left of Finn crumbled, “I know that, mo fhíorghra.” He pulled Logan into him.
“I made you the necklace so that you would always have a piece of me with you. Please do not ever take it off,” Logan pleaded.
“It will stay against my heart forever,” Finn murmured into Logan’s hair. He wanted to give Logan something too, but pulling out the ring would only make both of them feel worse. He pulled back from Logan and retrieved his lucky coin from his coat pocket. He had found the strange coin while playing near the wall with Alex years ago and put it in his pocket every day since. Something about the seemingly innocuous piece of metal called to him, and it felt like good enough of a token. “Take this. To remember me by and bring you luck.”
Logan took it from his hand and pressed it to his lips, “I will never need aid to remember you,” but he tucked it into his pocket anyway. Finn opened his mouth, but Logan hurried to add, “I just want to enjoy the time we have left.”
There was still more Finn wanted to say, but Logan wanted to drop it. Besides, he could hardly think anymore, and the reality of the situation had not fully sunk in. “Stay here for the rest of the night?” Logan nodded, and Finn laid his head down on his lover’s lap.
Logan’s fingers ran through Finn’s hair where he was pillowed on his soft thighs and gazing into the night sky, but Finn could not feel the calm their sacred space usually brought, too aware of the fleeting time. Suddenly, he saw a star fly across the sky. It burned so brilliantly that it felt seared into his mind. Finn was unable to pull his eyes away as he wished for forever with Logan. He wished they didn’t have to worry about familial duty or money. He wished that love, pure star-bright love, was enough. What he did not know was that Logan made a wish on a star of his own, falling down at a slightly different angle, having been accidentally knocked down by the star that Finn had just wished upon.
