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According to scientists, nearly every atom that makes our body was created during the fusion of stars, so we are made of stardust.
Ilya thought that was why his mama decided to go. The sky was too far from her, so she decided to cross the bridge.
He was tempted many times to join her up there. But he never got the courage to actually do it. Svetlana wouldn't be there and he has his mama with him thanks to the cross around his neck.
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The first time he saw stars on Earth, it was cold around him and his cigarette wouldn't lighten up. The frustration started to take over his body when a man's voice came from behind him.
“Ilya Rozanov? Shane Hollander. I wanted to introduce myself.”
At first, he didn't see them. Hollander held his hand and kept talking to him in English. Hearing there was a lull in the conversation and just answered with a “Ok.”
Hollander didn't stop there and tried talking again. That's when Ilya's eyes stopped on them, small dots under his eyes.
‘Wow. Is that the stardust they were talking about? I wonder if it will take me home.’
‘I want to touch them, to feel them under my finger. How will they feel? Is it warm?’
‘I want to taste them. Will he let me lick them? I always thought it would be sweet.’
‘Is there more? I want to know. To map them. To know the way between each constellation.’
Hollander stepped away to go back to his parents, still looking at Ilya.
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Maybe the dust on Hollander is a map for him to get back to the night sky.
Ilya looked up constellations names.
He decided that the one on his shoulder blades is Orion, because Orion was a talented hunter and it’s one of the easiest constellations to recognize, just like Hollander.
Those on his lower back is Persee, a hero that showed intelligence while fighting Medusa, like Hollander on the ice.
On his thighs is Canis major, because he likes the name Sirius and some traditions identify Canis Major as a magical dog that never failed to catch its prey and is often imagined hunting alongside Orion.
And finally, the one he fell in love with at first sight, Auriga, because of its brightest star named Capella. It’s a multiple-star system that appears as a single and exceptionally bright star from Earth. They were the ones to catch his attention from the start.
And each time they see each other, Ilya follows them with his eyes, his mouth and his hands, imprinting their path and their names on his soul for him to follow when it will be his time to go back where he came from.
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It’s during a visit at the Pikes household that Ilya discovers Shane’s star name.
The Pikes kids decided to watch “The princess and the frog” in the afternoon with Ilya wearing a crown on his head and his ring from their marriage officiated by the kids the last time he came over.
‘Evangéline.’
Ilya couldn’t take his mind off that name even on their way back home. He will always recognise the star he has been staring at for a decade.
‘I finally found your name. My Evangéline.’
The next time Cliff looked over Ilya’s phone, he was confused.
“Who is Evangéline? What happened with Jane? Something’s wrong?”
“No, I changed my Jane to my Evangéline because she is the only star I look at.”
“Damn, bud. Didn’t know you were a poet.”
“What can I say, a Russian has a lot of secrets even you don’t know.”
Cliff goes back to what he was doing with a small laugh and Ilya texts back his Shanya.
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Shane is beautiful.
But there is something about him when the sun sets and the moon comes out. His drooping eyes when they are outside the cottage with the fire alive in front of them.
Ilya looks at the sky and lets his mind wonder.
‘The day my Evangéline goes up there, I hope he will let me be right next to him. Maybe let me be a part of Capella so I can finally be a part of him.’
‘And he could meet mama. She must be so happy up there. Is she proud of him?’
‘I hope papa is at the scorpion constellation since it’s at the opposite of Orion. And Alexei with him.’
Shane snuggles even closer to Ilya, bringing back slowly to Earth.
“малыш, we should go to bed or you will fall asleep on me.”
“I don’t want to move. Carry me.”
“As you wish моя звезда.”
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After their marriage ceremony, Shane and Ilya are finally alone together.
“Ilya, if you had to choose a constellation for me, which would it be?
Without hesitation Ilya answered.
“Perseus.”
“Oh. That was fast.”
“да. You are brave, smart and you always accomplish your goals.And you? What would it be?”
“Hum… Well if I am Perseus, then you must be Andromeda.”
“Who?”
“She is a princess that was rescued by Perseus after she was sacrificed by her father to appease Poseidon because her mother said that her and Andromeda were more beautiful than the sea nymphs. But Perseus fell in love when he saw her attached to a rock for the sacrifice and decided to free her and marry her. Their union is actually seen as one of the happiest in Greek mythology. And fun fact, the constellation Andromeda is the nearest large spiral galaxy to the Milky Way, it’s the most distant object visible to the naked eye and in several billion years, the Andromeda Galaxy and the Milky Way are expected to merge, creating a new larger galaxy.”
“Wow. So we are the happiest couple in Greek mythology? And we are married? Perfect. I love it.”
“Yes we are. And I love you.”
“I love you too моя звезда.”