Author's Note: A friend of mine over on LJ is a BIG Shichiroji/Yukino shipper, and one day when she was down in the dumps, I wrote her this little vignette based on the prompt "stars." It cheered her up immensely, so I was happy. Hard to believe I wrote this story almost exactly ten years ago, but never posted it here...

STAR-TOUCHED LOVERS

Nights were her favorite time, when everything was still after the laughter and the music and the light had surrendered to the shadows. For Yukino, the silence of the night made each laugh, each song, each glow more precious as she tasted them once again in her memories, and savored them like the finest sake.

Now, standing alone on the highest balcony of the Firefly House, she reached up and shook out her long hair so that it fell in silken black waves all the way past her hips. Even now, at the end of the night, the faint scent of jasmine still remained in her hair, and she inhaled deeply and let her breath out in a happy sigh as the night breeze rustled her hair around her.

"You look happy," she heard behind her, and she turned to look back over her shoulder as Shichiroji climbed the last step up onto the balcony behind her.

"I was content," she corrected him as he came to stand behind the geisha. Then she let out another sigh of pleasure as he wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her back against him. "Now I am happy."

"Good," he murmured against her hair, holding Yukino close and enjoying the warmth and softness of her body against his own.

For a long time, they stood there in silence, letting the night weave its soft spell around them as the fireflies danced in the gardens below. Then Yukino tilted her head back to look up at the stars that twinkled overhead.

"They're so bright tonight," she said softly. "Usually this low in the valley, they're harder to see."

"Ahhhh, that's because I told the heavenly kami to make them brighter," Shichiroji said mischievously. "'Rival Yukino's eyes,' I said, but it seems that even kami have their limits."

She giggled softly, covering her mouth with her sleeve. "You're such a fool, Roji."

He gave a mock harrumph. "Fine, then, don't believe me. You're a tough woman to please, Yukino."

"Why wish for stars when I have you?" she murmured, tilting her head back toward his for a kiss, but he teasingly moved his head away as though searching the skies for something.

"I even had stars all picked out for you," he remarked, ignoring her seductive pout. "See that one there?" He raised his arm and pointed at one particular twinkling star, and as she turned her head to look, he lowered his lips to brush against her temple. "I wanted that one for a ring... with a fire a diamond couldn't hope to match."

"Hmmm..." she whispered, trying not to give away too much of a reaction to the warmth of his breath against her skin. "What else?"

Shichiroji pointed to an arc of five stars that glimmered to the east. "Those... for a tiara for your hair..." he whispered, trailing kisses lightly down her neck before nuzzling her hair and deeply breathing in its jasmine scent.

"You certainly do think big," she replied in a slightly breathless chuckle, melting even more against him. "So... stars for my hair... stars for my jewels..." She lifted her own hand to point to a pair of stars almost directly overhead, letting her head fall back against his shoulder, and her breath sighed out of her as his arms tightened around her. "What about those?"

To her surprise, he let her go, and slowly turned her around so that she was facing him. For a moment, bright blue eyes met dark grey eyes, then he reached up and tilted her chin upward so that the light of the stars was caught in her eyes.

"Yes..." he whispered, never taking his eyes from her face, his expression almost worshipful as the moonlight caressed the geisha's features. "Yes..."

Then with a touch so soft that it might almost have been the wind, he brushed his fingertips across her face so that her eyes closed.

"Hold them for me, Yukino," he murmured as he brought his lips down on hers. "Keep our stars in your eyes forever."

Yes, she thought as her lips welcomed his. Tonight... I am happy.