The Stars Are Out and Magic Is Here

AN: Just to clarify how awesome musician!Tamsin is, I've equated her violin skills to that of Mairead Nesbitt, aka the best violinist ever to walk the earth.

"So Bo, are you coming to the Lughnasa celebration this weekend?" Dyson asked. He, Bo, and Tamsin were nursing their drinks at the bar of the Dal while Kenzi and Hale flirted their way through a game of pool.

"The what-now?" the succubus asked.

Tamsin rolled her eyes mid-swig of beer. "I keep forgetting you're baby Fae," she remarked after lowering the bottle. "The Fae have six High Festivals: each solstice and the four seasonal celebrations. Lughnasa is the summer festival and marks the beginning of harvest season."

"Wow, look at you being all helpful," Bo grinned, surprised. Tamsin responded with another eyeroll, scrunching her nose as she took a drink. "So what sort of celebration are we talking about? There aren't going to be any animal sacrifices or anything, are there?"

"Not for over a thousand years," replied Trick as he placed a fresh beer in front of Dyson, who nodded his thanks. "Traditions vary across the world, but around here, everyone goes to the hills a few hours north and lights bonfires from sunset to sunrise. It's a full night of food, drink, music, and dancing. Some people even use the excuse of Lughnasa to go camping for the weekend."

"I always do," Dyson grinned.

"But what about the two sides?"

"It's like La Shoshain, except Fae are still allowed to use their powers during the High Festivals," Trick explained.

"How many celebrations do you guys have?" Bo asked with helpless incredulity.

"Who cares?" Kenzi cut in. She and Hale had finished their game of pool and made their way to the bar for another round of drinks. "It's an excuse to par-taaaaay!"

"And when have you ever needed an excuse?" Bo quipped.

"Better to have one ready than to have to make one up," the human replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "So can we go? Please, please, pleeeeeeeeease?"

Bo stared at Kenzi for a moment before gazing around at her smirking companions. Finally, she sighed in submission. "Sure. Why not?"

"Yes!" Hale, Dyson, and Kenzi all cheered before launching into a discussion about preparations and who was bringing which types of alcohol.

…

"So…" Bo began, trailing her fingertip along Tamsin's arm. The two lay bare beneath the sheets of Bo's bed, simply enjoying the feel of being in each other's embrace. "If there's going to be music at this celebration I've agreed to be dragged to…are you bringing your violin?"

Ever since their duet brought them together (or, rather, dispelled all their doubts so that they would finally make a move) they had practiced guitar and violin whenever they had the chance. Kenzi and Bo were still the only ones with knowledge of Tamsin's talent, and Bo hadn't let on to anyone that she'd been improving her skills as a guitarist. To the succubus and Valkyrie, the time they spent playing together was something private and precious to both of them, and they weren't quite ready to share it with anyone yet, the same way Tamsin hadn't originally wanted to share her secret with Bo. Even Kenzi left them alone when they played, though she still listened in and often requested concerts. She even invented a drinking game that involved taking a shot for every mistake – a game that Bo was constantly losing.

Tamsin scrunched her nose at the succubus. "Who says I'm even going?" Bo gave her a light slap, and the blonde chuckled. "That depends, succulette: are you going to bring your guitar?"

Bo sighed in thought, her fingertips still drawing absentminded designs on Tamsin's skin. "I guess? I mean… I told Dyson I-"

"Hey," Tamsin cut her off, rubbing her shoulders. "This isn't about what Dyson or anybody else wants; this is about what you want."

The succubus bit her lip. "I…the thought of sitting around a bonfire, laughing, and playing music with everyone is just so…it just sounds like so much fun, but…I don't want to do it without you."

"Why not?" Tamsin asked softly, tucking a strand of hair behind Bo's ear.

"Because it's ours. Because you're the melody to my harmony," she smiled.

"Wow, succulette, that was really deep," Tamsin teased.

Bo rolled her eyes in a typical Tamsin fashion. "Whatever, Valkyrie. Just telling it like it is."

Tamsin chuckled, pulling Bo close and kissing her forehead. "Tell you what: I'll bring my violin with me, but I'm making no promises that I'll play it."

"So you're coming with us?"

"Of course I'm coming with you. Summer nights are still cold; you're gonna need someone to keep you warm."

"Do we even have a tent? Or sleeping bags?"

"We'll go shopping tomorrow. But no air mattresses, succulette: that's just cheating."

It was Bo's turn to laugh. "Whatever you say." She brushed her nose against Tamsin's as she let her fingertips dance beneath the hem of the Valkyrie's shirt. "Play a duet with me?"

Tamsin grinned and rolled over so Bo was pinned beneath her, bending her head for a kiss.

…

The hills that hosted the Lughnasa celebration sprawled for miles, and by Saturday afternoon, massive piles of wood waiting to be lit dotted the landscape. Every member of the Happy Sunshine Gang met in the makeshift parking lot before hiking along the hills until they found the perfect spot for their bonfire. Dyson and Tamsin tromped into the nearby forest to collect extra wood while Hale and Lauren hauled a wagon piled high with split logs. Trick ignored his tent in favor of putting together the most elaborate cooking setup the group had ever seen ("Dude, that's like a five-star kitchen in a box," Kenzi commented) while the others set up camp. Bo, having grown up where she did, had her tent up within minutes and thus was able to take pity on poor Kenzi, who had somehow gotten herself tangled in the tent she'd be sharing with Hale. It took a few hours to get everything ready (including the air mattress Hale had brought for himself, which Tamsin and Dyson were quick to make fun of), but the end result was a cozy little weekend getaway.

Trick and Dyson began the cooking (Dyson had to kneel in front of the Trick-sized table) while the others got a game of cards going. Knowing that Kenzi would wipe the floor with everyone if they played poker, they played a very amusing and slightly tense game of BS. Kenzi suggested turning it into a drinking game, which Tamsin immediately agreed to, but they were both overruled.

By sundown the two chefs had produced an extraordinary chicken and stuffing dinner for the group. As they ate and chatted amiably, fires began to spring up across the hills and strains of music and laughter drifted through the air. Some of the nearby groups of Fae had begun to dance while others simply played and sang along. Dyson and Tamsin set the bonfire ablaze and the warmth of the roaring flames cut through the approaching chill. Kenzi insisted on s'mores, because tradition, and so it was fully dark when the musicians of the group brought out their instruments.

Dyson had brought his guitar and was surprised and delighted to see that Bo had brought hers as well. Hale had brought a tin whistle while Trick had brought a set of Irish pipes. "Wait, so they're like bagpipes?" Kenzi questioned as he put the instrument together. "Where's the mouthpiece thing?"

"There is none," Trick replied patiently. "You work the bladder with your arm."

"Bladder?" Kenzi repeated with a giggle.

Trick rolled his eyes. "Yes, Kenzi, it's called a bladder," he sighed, no longer patient. Sensing this Kenzi clamped her lips together to hold back her laughter, but her immaturity still threatened to escape.

"So, what are we playing first?" Dyson asked.

"'Rattlin' Bog'!" Hale, Lauren, Bo, and Kenzi exclaimed at once.

"Of course," the shifter drawled, shaking his head as he checked the tuning of his guitar. Bo took the opportunity to send a questioning, hopeful glance in Tamsin's direction. The Valkyrie just smirked and shrugged, and Bo had to suppress a grumble of annoyance as she turned back to the group.

Hale forewent his tin whistle in favor of showing up everybody with his ability to get through the entirety of the last verse unfazed. Trick made it through, but it left him gasping for air. "How do you do that?!" Kenzi asked in astonishment once the song was over.

"I'm a siren, lil' mama; singing's my thing."

"More to the point, how many times have you circled the verses back around?" Lauren asked, also winded. "I mean, the words are such that you can keep it going as long as you want."

"The most I've ever done was three before we lost track," Dyson replied.

Hale scoffed. "Please. I've gotten through seven with a group of other sirens, and we didn't have to take a breath once."

"As a succubus, there are a million inappropriate comments I could make about that skill," Bo quipped, evoking snorts of laughter from the others and much embarrassment from Hale until he saw the suggestive smirk Kenzi was giving him.

"Next up?"

"'Dúlamán'!" Kenzi all but shrieked.

"Aw, c'mon, momz," Tamsin whined.

"Pleeeeeease?" the human begged, batting her eyelashes at the Valkyrie before shifting the expression over to Dyson and Trick.

"Yeah, pleeeeeease?" Bo added, gazing oh-so-innocently at Tamsin. The blonde groaned, knowing there was no backing out of this one.

"You owe me, succubitch," Tamsin grumbled. Bo just chuckled as she joined Dyson on guitar. Trick and Hale joined in on pipes and tin whistle for the introduction and let Tamsin take the first verse. The Blood King and shifter eventually joined in with the harmony, and as they had at the Dal, all three sang the last line in unison. Everyone cheered an applauded as the three singers took their bows.

"What does it even mean, anyway?" Lauren asked.

"Honestly? It's a song about two pieces of seaweed talking to each other," Tamsin laughed.

Lauren's jaw dropped in crestfallen astonishment. "But…but…the words are so pretty!"

"Everything sounds pretty in Irish," Dyson commented. "Same way everything sounds pretty in Italian." When Lauren still looked disappointed, the shifter continued, "We'll play you one that means something pretty, I promise."

"Thanks, Dyson."

"Ooh, D-Man, I just thought of the perfect song! It's like it was written for tonight!"

"Depending on the song, it may have been. What's it called?"

Bo should've known by the gleam in Kenzi's eyes that she was up to something, and her suspicion was confirmed when the human asked the shifter, "Do you know the song 'Fires at Midnight'?"

"I love that song!" Dyson, Lauren, and Hale replied, all grins.

Bo's heart twisted in her chest as she looked over at Tamsin. She loved the song, too – very much. Tamsin had written out the chords for her, and they had practiced together into many a late night. It was one of their songs, and Kenzi knew it. Playing it without Tamsin just wouldn't be right. It would be…hollow.

But to Bo's surprise, the Valkyrie winked at her and disappeared into their tent. Heart lighter and confidence renewed, Bo turned back to the group. Seeing this and noticing Tamsin's disappearance, Kenzi clapped her hands over her mouth to contain her squeak of joy, trying not to bounce where she sat. "Dibs on the first verse!" the succubus claimed as she played the opening chord.

"You know this song?" Dyson asked, startled.

"I have been practicing," she retorted.

"Well alright then," he smiled. He tapped out the tempo on the body of the guitar before plucking the opening notes.

It was lucky for him that the introduction was repetitive. As it was, he nearly faltered when the violin pierced the air. Bo and Kenzi beamed while everyone else gaped as Tamsin let the melody light the wind. With eyes closed and an ever-so-slight smile, her hands moved with effortless grace as she played, and the notes danced to the flames of the bonfire reaching into the night. With a flourish and a glide, the Valkyrie led the succubus into the verse.

"I stood out here once before,
With my head held in my hands,
For all that I had known of this place,
I could never understand.

On the hills the fires burned at midnight,
Superstition plagued the air,
Sparks fly as the fires burn at midnight,
Stars are out and magic is here."

Low and sweet, Bo's voice entwined with the notes of the violin, joining the fire's dance in curling tendrils. The song began its slow rise from the embers as Kenzi took the next verse.

"I wished on the seven sisters:
Bring to me wisdom of age,
All that's locked within the book of secrets,
I long for the knowledge of the sage,

On the hills the fires burned at midnight,
Superstition plagued the air,
Sparks fly as the fires burn at midnight,
Stars are out and magic is here.
The stars are out and magic is here."

Kenzi's voice rang high and clear in the night, adding her strand of music to the growing flame. All the while, the violin sounded low in the background, joined by the pipes and tin whistle. Lauren joined Kenzi in the last line of the chorus with high harmony before taking the next verse.

"So the sisters smiled to themselves,
And they whispered as they shone,
And it was from that very instant
I knew I would never be alone.

While on the hills the fires burned at midnight,
Superstition plagued the air,
Sparks fly as the fires burn at midnight,
Stars are out and magic is here.
The stars are out and magic is here…"

Sure and strong, Lauren's voice echoed in the night as the guitars picked up their tempo in preparation for the first interlude. The key changed in an upward sweep as the fire of the song roared to life. Instruments called forth their musical evocation in joyful cries, dancing with and within each other just as the two humans jumped up to dance. Kenzi and Lauren spun circles with each other as the song wove its way into the night and carried laughter to the stars.

The end of the interlude slowed the song one last time and Tamsin intoned the verse in a smooth, husky voice.

"Many stars are long forgotten,
Many faded and became ghosts.
Still the sisters glitter down from heaven,
Always there when I need it the most.

And on the hills the fires burned at midnight,
Superstition plagued the air,
Sparks fly as the fires burn at midnight,
Stars are out and magic is here,
The stars are out and magic is here…"

The song once again leapt to its feet and changed its key for the second, longer interlude. It began as the first did before changing into what could only be described as a musical free-for-all. The musicians fed the fire of song with leaps and trills and flourishes until night and flames spun with music. Guitars chuckled as the violin crooned; pipes boasted as the tin whistle cheered. All came together in familial harmony until a nod of agreement began the chromatic ascension to the finale. Hale lowered the tin whistle and all voices joined in the final verse.

"I stood out here once before,
With my head held in my hands,
For all that I had known of this place,
I could never understand.

On the hills the fires burned at midnight,
Superstition plagued the air,
Sparks fly as the fires burn at midnight,
Stars are out and magic is here!
The stars are out and magic is here!
The stars are out and magic is here!
The stars are out and magic is here!"

The last word was drawn out in unison as Dyson plucked the final notes, letting the song echo into the night until all that could be heard was the crackle of the bonfire in its wake. Everyone gazed at one another before bursting into laughter and applause.

"Tamsin!" Dyson was finally able to manage.

The Valkyrie smirked and shrugged. "I'm a woman of many surprises, wolf. Deal with it." Her response provoked another round of laughter from the group.

"Did you know about this?" Lauren asked Bo and Kenzi.

"I walked in on her practicing and ordered her to play me a concert," the dark-haired human replied. "Bo overheard, they started playing duets, and the rest is history. I have a video of their first duet on my phone."

"You WHAT?!" Tamsin and Bo shrieked in horror. In the time it took them to blink, everyone was gathered around Kenzi's phone watching the expert violin/guitar cover of "Hey There, Delilah."

"I thought you said you didn't know how to play," Dyson whined at Bo.

"Like I was gonna admit only knowing that song!" she protested.

A good laugh was had over the video, much to Bo and Tamsin's chagrin. "You think that's funny, wolf?" the Valkyrie challenged as she readied her violin. "Try and keep up" was the only warning she gave him before beginning "Granuaile's Dance." Bo immediately took the harmony, startling Dyson and leaving him fumbling to join in.

Tamsin let her eyes drift shut as she played, letting herself drown in the song. The notes came deftly and fluently to her fingers before flying free along the bow, the age old jig sparking through the air in nine-eight time. The Valkyrie gave life and light to the dance that leapt around them, swaying with the music and letting it guide her. Bo was so entranced that she almost forgot to strum. Tamsin was so very beautiful when she was lost in her music, and it never ceased to take Bo's breath away.

The Valkyrie's eyes snapped open and a smirk crossed her face as the jig became a fast reel. Trick and Hale joined in on accompaniment as Tamsin's fingers all but blurred along the fret of her violin, the bow never leaving the strings. Lauren and Kenzi clapped in time as the reel took flight and chased the wind, teasing the flames of the bonfire before leaping from star to star. The last notes sang out their laughter into the air before snapping a bow, and group burst into applause.

Tamsin took her own bow, glancing over at Bo. The succubus was giving her that look again: that affectionate fondness and joy and…love? The realization knocked the wind out of the Valkyrie in a harsh gasp. As much trouble as Tamsin had had understanding Bo before, there was no mistaking this gaze. It was love.

And Tamsin knew, as she had for so long, that she loved Bo back.

…

The celebration lasted until the first strands of dawn began to creep over the horizon. By then even Kenzi was exhausted, so they put out the dying fire and retreated to their tents to get some sleep. Trick had one to himself while Kenzi shared with Hale and Lauren – to Bo's immense surprise – shared with Dyson. Despite the roominess of Bo and Tamsin's tent, the two women lay curled in each other's arms under a thick blanket.

"Thanks for bringing out your violin," Bo murmured, caressing Tamsin's cheek. The Valkyrie's responding smile made the succubus's heart stumble in its rhythm.

"Anytime, succulette."

There was so much more that Bo wanted to say, but it all came out in mumbles as she drifted in and out of dreamland. Tamsin chuckled and kissed her hair. "Sleep, babe." Warmed by the pet name, Bo murmured her assent and snuggled closer before succumbing to sleep. Tamsin waited until her breathing was deep and even before pressing another soft kiss to the succubus's forehead.

"I love you, Bo," she whispered. Only then did she allow herself to drift off.

…

"WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP TRICK IS MAKING US BREAKFAST…LUNCH!" came a shrieking voice from outside the tent. Bo and Tamsin groaned, pulling the blankets over their heads. "OH, COME ON, YOU TWO! FOOD!" The voice continued.

"Keep your pants on, short-stack, we'll be out in a second," Tamsin groused. Apparently satisfied by this answer, the voice retreated.

"Don'wanna," Bo whined, nestling further under the blankets.

"She does have a point about food, succulette," Tamsin noted as she stretched, voice still rough with sleep.

"I have you."

"Also a good point," Tamsin smirked, pulling the blankets down so she could press her lips to Bo's. The succubus hummed her contentment and wrapped her arms around the Valkyrie, pulling her down. "We've still gotta get up, Bo," Tamsin murmured against her lips. "If we were in the clubhouse I would have no problem sleeping in and 'making music' with you, but even I'm not gonna have sex in public."

"But it's fucking intense," Bo teased.

It took Tamsin a moment to get it before she groaned at the pun. "You did not just," she protested as she got to her feet.

"I did just," Bo giggled. Tamsin reached her hand down and Bo accepted, letting the Valkyrie pull her up.

"I'm getting back at you for that somehow," Tamsin promised with a scrunch of her nose.

Bo laughed and kissed her cheek. "You do that. Meanwhile, I'm going to haul my ass out of this tent." She was about to unzip the flap before she paused and turned. "Oh, and Tamsin?"

"Yeah, succulette?"

Bo grabbed the front of Tamsin's shirt and pulled her into a fierce, passionate kiss that left the Valkyrie trembling. When she pulled away, her smile made Tamsin forget to breathe. "I love you, too."

The blonde could only stand there and gape as Bo made her way out of the tent.