(via James Earl Jones, Actor Whose Voice Could Menace Or Melt, Dies At 93 - The New York Times)

(via James Earl Jones, Actor Whose Voice Could Menace or Melt, Dies at 93 - The New York Times)

James Earl Jones, once a stuttering farm child who became a voice of rolling thunder as one of America’s most versatile actors in a stage, film and television career that plumbed race relations, Shakespeare’s rhapsodic tragedies and the faceless menace of Darth Vader, died on Monday at his home in Dutchess County, N.Y. He was 93.

Wish

This is my first one-shot featuring an actor rather than one of their characters. Timothée reminds me a lot of my first love and high-school sweetheart. We grew apart later in life, but I still look back fondly at moments we had like this.

Summary: You are heading off to college across the country. Your boyfriend, Timothée, surprises you with a sweet gesture on your last night together.

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"Come on," Timothée whisper-yelled as he looked down at you from his perch on your shared apartment building's fire escape.

You peered up at him nervously. "What are you doing?"

"You'll see if you ever get up here," he playfully mocked and then disappeared over the roof ledge.

Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down, you chanted to yourself as you pulled yourself up the ladder one rung at a time. "Doesn't he know I'm scared of heights?" you grumbled.

Your irritation melted when you finally made it to the top. Timothée stood by a telescope and a palette of blankets and pillows.

"I want to look at the stars with you," he said sheepishly as he gestured to the setup.

Your heart melted. You had no clue when he could have snuck away to set this up. The two of you had spent nearly every moment of the day together, trying to make the most of the remaining hours. The next day, you and your parents would be driving across the country to move you into your dorm room.

Timothée had the telescope trained on the moon. You both took turns looking through the apparatus, then laid down on the blankets with your pinkies linked to stare up at the sky. You looked over to take in his profile, the sharp angles of his jaw and nose, his curly head of hair.

"Thank you for this."

He squeezed your hand. "I find comfort in the fact that we will still be able to look up at the same moon, at the same stars, even though we're thousands of miles apart. When you look up, know that I am thinking about you." He rolled to his side to face you. "That I love you."

Your breath hitched, "You do?"

"At the risk of sounding super corny, to the moon and back," he replied with a big grin.

"I love you, too, Timmy." Your trembling lips met his as you tried to stifle your tears. "I'm going to miss you so much." Your voice broke and betrayed you.

He reached over and held your cheek. "Hey, shh, none of that. There will be plenty of time for tears tomorrow."

You saw his eyes move to something above you. He leaned up on his elbow and pointed to the sky. "Oh, look! Look! It's a shooting star!"

You sat up to look where he was pointing. "Timmy, that's just an airplane."

"I know, but we can pretend. Annnnnnd it distracted you from crying." He winked. "Make a wish."

You closed your eyes and smiled, complying with his silly instructions. You felt him staring at you.

"What did you wish for?" he asked softly.

"Well, if I tell you, it won't come true," you pushed playfully at his shoulder. His small smirk fell from his face as quickly as it began. He gently lowered himself back down to the blanket once more.

"I'll tell you mine because I don't want it to come true."

You gave him a puzzled look.

He looked up into your eyes and took your hand in his. "I wished you could stay. I'm saying it out loud because it would be selfish of me to genuinely want it to come true. You got a full ride to the school of your dreams! This is an amazing opportunity for you, and I'll be damned if I'll be the one to hold you back."

"Oh, Timmy." You laid down and snuggled into his side. The two of you stayed like that for hours in relative silence before he walked you back to your family's apartment.

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Timothée helped you and your parents load up the last of your belongings the next morning. He shook your dad's hand and gave your mom a hug before they stepped up into the truck, leaving the two of you alone for one last lingering moment.

He pulled a small, flat box from his pocket. "Open this on the way," he said as he handed it to you.

You looked down at the box and ran your thumb over the ribbon. Fat tears fell from your eyes as you looked up into his. Timothée pulled you into a hug, and you sobbed against his chest. You felt him plant a kiss against your hair.

"I am going to miss you so much, [Y/N]. But that has nothing on just how proud I am of you for pursuing your dreams. You are going to do amazing things." His voice cracked at the end.

"I love you, Timmy."

"I love you more."

He lifted your chin and drew you into one last kiss. Your tears mixed as your lips moved together. You pushed yourself away and wiped your face before hurriedly climbing into the back seat of the truck. You knew if you made eye contact that you might not have the strength to leave.

Timothée shut the door behind you. Now that you were buckled in and committed to the journey, you risked looking up at him. He looked as pitiful as you felt. His greenish blue eyes were red and puffy. His hands were stuffed in his pockets like he wasn't quite sure what to do next. As the truck moved forward, he loosened one to wave. You placed your hand on the window, wishing you could touch his one more time. You stared and waved until he was out of sight.

Your attention then fell to the gift in your lap. You gently tugged at the bow and opened the box to find a bracelet with delicate moon and star charms. Underneath, there was a small, handwritten note:

Don't forget to look up.

Love, T

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Masterlist

This scene hits differently now 🥺

George Lucas's statement on the passing of James Earl Jones

I feel like this is a regular occurrence throughout the clone wars