Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All characters, terms, and affiliates of Noein: Mou Hitori no Kimi e are not mine, but belong to their respective owners, Hiroshi Onogi, Satelight, Manga Entertainment &c.
I actually didn't have a copy of this saved on my laptop and stumbled across it during a cleanup of my LJ. It's been ages since I've watched Noein, but I think this is set post-series. Inspired by a prompt ("sky") by Dia, who I've unfortunately lost touch with over the years. Hope you're well, D.
Sky
"Will I meet you again?"
"In fifteen years."
"Because you're Yuu?"
"Yes."
Yuu sighed and rolled onto his back, careful not to dislodge the hand sifting through his hair. Somewhere behind them on the floor, their homework lay spread out and forgotten, the setting sun striping their textbooks in long bars of gold. A faint voice in his head reminded him that work needed to be done, but it was hard to move when he was so comfortable. Haruka was beside him, warm and quiet, her hand light on his temple and gaze out the window.
Watching her now, Yuu realized that she did that a lot. Her gaze was always to the sky. It didn't matter what she looked at. The clouds, the tops of trees, the highest points on buildings; they all seemed to hold her fascination. Like she was searching for something that always darted just out of view. He didn't know why, but the urge to get her attention grew inside him as he watched her tilt her head. The sound of a distant cawing stilled her hand.
"My birthday is next week," he announced and waited for her to look his way. "Do you want to do something?"
"Of course," she smiled and took her time smoothing his bangs from his face. "How old will you be?"
"Seventeen, Haruka. You know that."
She laughed but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Just making sure I was right." Her hand resumed her favourite passtime even as her gaze wandered back outside. Yuu manged to hear her softly mumbled words.
"What about ten years?"
Her hand stopped again. "Did I say something?"
"Yes."
"Oh. It's nothing," she replied, shifting so that she faced him more completely. Yuu felt a tug as she pulled a lock of his hair down so he could see. "Did you know your hair looks lighter at sunset?"
After a beat, he shook his head no.
"Almost silver," Haruka affirmed and her smile was back in place.
"Really?" Yuu was sure he wasn't understanding something, but to question her now felt instinctively like a bad idea. "I'm not sure I like that thought. I'm too young to have my hair turn silver."
"Yes." He heard her sigh and looked up to catch her crooked smile. "You are too young."