Daylight

Dayspring

A/N: Thank you for all the votes! 

The chill of the August air had dwindled away, and in its wake was left a temperature that was neither too hot nor too cold - it was almost just right. Almost. If you lingered too long outside, you would be able to notice the slight cracks in the perfect picture that was framed: the way the green leaves had already started to age and fall to their doom before summer was even over. If you stayed too long you may even notice how there were barely any stars visible held over a village where everything should be seen clearly, even in the night sky. But these cracks were only visible to those who stared for too long and too hard; for most, it was easier to turn away and never look back. 

But a husband and his wife stared at the sky, and they acknowledged their cracks, and they traced them with a delicate finger, hoping not to widen them, and committed them to memory. The stars twinkled back at them, but Sasuke could not find the usual starlight that would usually bring him home - maybe he would not see it for another decade, and that was if he was lucky, he mused. Each wink of the stars held promises of the future or held a glimpse of the past, as well as disclosing their secrets to anyone who dared look up and count the cracks - or was it stars? There were few enough. 

Pink hair tickled a chiseled jawline and only the rhythm of soft breaths could be heard. Only those beyond the blanket of swirling galaxies could know what time it was - whatever it was, it was definitely unholy, and possibly a time for only the hopeless and desperate to be awake. A time for those who sought answers in their prayers as they stared into oblivion into the night sky. It was a time for longing. 

"Make a wish, Sakura," came a whisper. 

"Huh?" The pink haired woman lifted her head up from her husband's chest and stared into an onyx eye. "I didn't see a shooting star?" 

His only response was to stroke her hair and plant a promise onto her forehead. The next thing she knew, her hair was being tugged as it caught itself in a tangle of hand signs before a burst of lightning burst into the sky and a thousand artificial stars lit up the night sky. 

He didn't care to look at his magnificent work, for the stars shined brightly in her eyes, and her face lit up and he almost thought it was dayspring. He was enchanted by the way her eyes danced as the specks of light flickered away, and the way her lips were left slightly parted in awe, almost as if demanding that they be caught by another. His heart sang her name, and his entire being was entranced by her presence. It was hard to believe she was of this earth. 

"Sakura..." he whispered. 

She finally regained her senses and looked back at him. Her eyes held grief and distrust but her mouth curled upwards to a smile anyway. "I remember you doing something similar at our wedding," she reflected in wonder. Her eyes flickered to her hands resting over his heart. "So much has happened since then... But, like you, no matter what, my heart would only ever belong to you, Sasuke. Only you. And... I know that in my heart I would continue to love you no matter what. Even if it kills me. Even if you make me want to hate you. I would still only ever love you." He wondered if she understood his feelings through the thumping of his pulse beneath her fingertips. For him, it was the same. He had pushed her away so many times, he could barely count how many - but the moment she had pushed him away, it was too much to bear and it overwhelmed him. She gave him life, and without her, the world would return to black and white, and no longer golden. 

He brought his hand to her chin and leaned closer until lips grazed each other. "What did you wish for, Sakura?" he whispered. 

"I think you already know," she whispered back.