A/N: This one shot uses symbolism heavily, so yeah. If you aren't familiar with the popular ones, basically: Naruto represents "the sun", Sasuke "the moon" and Sakura "the stars". And yeah, now you can figure out where this is headed. Sorry, it's another short one, I don't feel like dragging out these one shots as much, since I think a simple small amount of words sums it up perfectly. Anyways, enjoy!
XI. A Night With No Stars
There were no stars out tonight.
The sky was dark, ominous, empty. All that existed tonight was the weak light of the crescent moon. He stood on the grass, looking down at the piece of perfectly carved slate in front of him. Aching muscles pushed his hand up to caress the Hidden Leaf insignia in the stone. Shakingly, he retracted his fingers, letting his hand drop back to his side. His breath was light, weak, ready.
She had been gone two years today, but to him, it felt like a painful eternity. He wanted to join her, up in a higher place, to be by her side again. His heart thumped in his chest. Slowly, he lowered himself to sit in front of the gravestone, rubbing his painful joints. Che, he used to be so agile, so flexible. But now, it hurt to sit down, to bend the wrong way. He supposed that she had done her time well on Earth, had lived a lovely life, he knew this, and was happy at her death. She died in her sleep, peacefully, her light flickering out like a candle in a whisper of wind.
He wanted her buried next to his parents.
He looked to the left to where their own gravestones were in the grass, and then moved his head back to her stone.
Uchiha (Haruno) Sakura, it read in perfect, scrolled kanji, beloved mother, wife and teammate. He swallowed, and closed his eyes. Tears formed, and he willed himself to push them back, even though his throat began to feel heavy with the potential for a breakdown.
"S-Sakura.." He whispered in a cracked tone. He was ready. Perhaps it was his time. The arthritis in his joints seemed to agree at least. He rubbed his knees, in deep in thought, letting small breaths escape his parted lips. Then, the tears began to fall. To cheer himself up, he tried to focus on memories of when they were little.
There were so many good memories, so many happy ones, and then.. darkness. When she wasn't there, he would look at the sky and see that the stars weren't bright and shining as they used to be, but weak, flickering. When he returned to her, to his village, the stars returned. She was happy again. He made her happy again.
His hand fell back to her gravestone to press to her name.
"Sasuke-kun.." She murmured, her voice weak, yet confident. He chuckled. Even after so many years, she still used that dear suffix. Her hand moved across the bed sheet to grip his hand, intertwining their aching fingers. His other hand reached out to stroke her hair and she smiled.
"We're so... senile.." She whispered and giggled. He huffed and rolled his eyes. He was not that old. His lips found their way to her hair, and she exhaled, her other hand cupping the back of his hair, running her shaking hands through his white locks. Okay, he thought, maybe they were that old. She giggled once more, but remained silent after that, as if she were in deep thought. He arched an eyebrow at her, his old characteristic trait forming. She smiled warmly again.
"We're already grandparents, Sasuke-kun.. what are we supposed to do now, hm?" He shrugged.
"Enjoy the rest of our life." He said simply, and her eyes welled with tears. She nodded, and closed her eyes, hands still stroking his head. He moved to lay down next to her, encasing her frail body against his.
"I don't really know how eight-one year olds are supposed to do that." She laughed and he smirked into her hair.
"Hn."
Had he known that that would be one of the last nights that he would ever hold her in his arms again, he would have made it last forever. Tears slipped down his cheeks and fell into the grass. She fought until the end, but she was right, there wasn't much that people of such an old age could do; could live for anymore. Of their age group, they were one of the last to survive. The Uzumaki's were gone five years prior, Naruto's son assuming the Hokage status, and Sasuke and Sakura's son had already taken over the Konaha Police Force, leaving his parents to enjoy a quiet retirement. Sasuke swallowed.
"Sakura.." He said again, gently, lovingly. He licked his dry and cracked lips.
There was silence around him, except for small cricket chirps. He looked back at the sky. Still, there was complete darkness, and the moon's light weakened still.
"I'll be there with you soon, Sakura.." he murmured, and swallowed, "you'll have to wait for me once more.."
His funeral was an evening one a few nights later; Sasuke's son had abided to every wish in Sasuke's will. He was buried next to his wife and parents.
Uchiha Sasuke, his gravestone read, beloved husband, father, and friend. May he lie beneath the shining stars forever.
His son, wife, and kids all shed tears. The Uzumaki's, Hyuuga's and Nara's attended. Even the Hatake's made an appearance. It was a funeral for honor. Finally, he would be with his wife again.
At first, there was no moon. The dusk turned to darkness, as the funeral ended, and then the moon made its appearance. It was dim, weak against the darkness of the sky. But then, the stars appeared, bright, luminous, alive.
The moon was bright, and the stars shined brightly, embracing it in the sky. Reunited.