Title: star gazing
Prompt: a cup of stars
A/N: this one jumps a bit back in time
Summary: It was rare, for them to be awake at the same time.
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"This is a surprise," a voice murmured, echoing in the darkened bedroom. A single candle sat on his table, enough light for him to see no one was in the room. "You're home early."
Sasuke turned his head to the sound, following it to their balcony. As he stepped outside, his wife turned her head to greet him. "I wasn't expecting to see you today."
"There was less to do today," Sasuke explained, closing the door behind him. It was strange seeing her awake at night; he was far more used to finding her asleep on the bed, her chest slowly rising and falling to shallow breaths. With him sleeping late and her waking early, their marital bed was at best a communal thing, a shared necessity.
She turned away from him, back to the stars. "I see." In the dim light, he could make out the curve of her bare shoulders, the gentle tumble of her hair. He was reminded catching her by candlelight that morning, of her exposed neck. It was all intimate, a scene he didn't know if he should be privy to.
He still wasn't sure if he wanted to step beyond shallow desire.
And, it seemed, neither did she—her words were a rebuff, as usual, as always.
"It's a nice night."
Or not. Sasuke halted at the door at her words. Leaning against the rail, she patted the spot beside her. "Join me."
Sakura's eyes were on the constellations, a thousand light years away. Hesitantly, he stood handspan away from her, his fingers curling around the cold rail. From the corner of his eye, he observed her.
"There's a meteor shower tonight," she explained, as though that answered everything. This conversation was already running longer than the majority of their talks and Sasuke wasn't sure how to answer.
"Have you seen any?" He tilted his head up as well now. A million stars glittered above him, far too many for him to watch.
"No," she muttered under her breath, her voice laced with disappointment. "Not yet."
A wind blew and Sasuke resisted the urge to shiver. It was the end of winter still, the last traces of it lingering into the spring. "It's chilly tonight."
"Chilly?" She snorted derisively. It was a surprisingly crude sound, completely unexpected from her. In the moonlight, her eyes glowed softly. "You forget where I come from."
Sasuke closed his eyes, a map of the lands brought up from the recesses of his memory. Her lands were up north, by the mountain bypass. "You are used to this, then?"
"This barely passes for spring in my homeland." She peered down at the snow, her arms casually hanging off the rail. He could almost see the girl she used to be, the persona she dropped after their marriage. "You're all far too soft down here."
"I doubt you can handle our summers, then," Sasuke finally retorted, a touch insulted.
She blinked, considering the thought for the first time. "I hadn't thought of that." Her lips curled into frown. "I suppose I'll be getting soft as well."
It was an acknowledgement of sorts, of their marriage, of their future. He swallowed.
"Oh," she gasped, pointing up. "There's one." He looked up to see the tail end of the comet, the white hot trail of its destruction. "I need my telescope."
"We can have one ordered," Sasuke offered, and she stiffened slightly, as though remembering where she was.
Remember who she was.
"Perhaps I'll take you up on that offer next time." Her fingers squeezed the rail tightly, he could make out the whites of her knuckles. None of that showed on her face. "It's late, I'll be heading in."
He stayed out a little longer, watching the comets draw lines in the sky. All of it quick, all of it temporary—a blink and the sky was back to normal.
This moment, he hoped, was not like that.