A quiet sob reached his ears.
A melody of pain came from behind him.
Clenching his eyelids, he counted to ten. He waited, listening to see if she was still crying. He didn't feel like talking in the middle of the night; he didn't want confessions or words of comfort. But Sakura didn't stop.
Taking a deep breath, he turned on his other side in the sleeping bag. Her long hair covered most of her face, but Sasuke could perfectly see the tears flying onto the already soaked fabric.
Extending his hand, he automatically exposed her other eye. Sakura only now realized that he was looking at her. With her eyes wide open, she looked into his deep black.
They didn't need any words.
Sasuke stared at her red skin, while Sakura tried to get rid of the last wet marks on her cheeks.
Unable to look at her like this any longer, he reached into his bag, pulling out one of three handkerchiefs his mother had made herself when he was still a child. Handing it to Sakura, he watched with what gratitude she received the small gesture.
Sasuke gave her a piece of the past; a thing that no one but him could have; without hesitation.
Wiping her nose, she handed him a handkerchief, but he stopped her with a movement of his head, conveying with a glance that she should leave it to herself. Instead, he gently touched her shoulder and pointed to the sky.
The stars were his anchor. He loved looking at them, turning off intrusive thoughts.
Sakura followed suit and after a while her eyelids began to close.
.
Sasuke fell asleep as his mirror, in which the stars are reflected, closed.