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It was cold.
It was absolutely, positively freezing.
Why had Roderich let himself be convinced to come out to the middle of nowhere so late in the evening? The sun was nearly set, and it was beginning to grow dark. At the very least, he should have brought a thicker coat, and perhaps a flashlight
But, regardless of how much he wished he’d indoors where it was warm, here he was. Arms crossed tightly across his chest to preserve some heat, he trudged forward. Several paces ahead of him, Ivan stopped, glancing over his shoulder with that ever present smile of his.
“Do I need to slow down?”
Roderich’s expression could likely be described as a pout. “No, it’s fine, I’ll catch up.”
There was a giggle; clearly Ivan didn’t believe him. “Hmm, if you say so. We’re almost there, though, so you won’t have to walk much farther.”
Where exactly they were going was something Roderich hadn’t yet deduced, and Ivan wouldn’t tell. Behind them, the lights of the city were beginning to fade as they stepped further and further away from the road where they’d parked Ivan’s dilapidated old car. They’d driven a ways out on a bumpy road, stopping at a seemingly meaningless spot before getting out of the car and beginning their walk. It wasn’t the first time Ivan had dragged Roderich out on some odd, unexplained adventure, and he was certain it wouldn’t be the last. At the very least, he’d learned to just accept it and see what would happen. Most of the time, despite his own doubts, it ended up all right.
So, though he was cold and tired, Roderich continued to follow Ivan through the field.
They walked together in silence for a few more minutes until finally, Ivan stopped, turning on his heel with hands clasped behind his back. “This should be just perfect!”
Once Roderich was caught up to Ivan, standing beside him, he looked about their surroundings with a light frown. “...And what, exactly, is this particular spot perfect for?” he asked, looking up at the taller man, not entirely expecting an answer.
As predicted, Ivan only smiled mysteriously. “You’ll see!”
Roderich sighed. “I certainly hope so.”
Silence fell over them a while longer. Usually, silence would seem stifling, but for the two of them, there was a comfort to it.
At least, there was a comfort for a while, but it was incredibly cold. With a slight shiver, Roderich looked to Ivan once again. “So, how long until I’ll see what it is we’re here for?”
“Impatient tonight?” Ivan teased. Before Roderich could protest, he continued. “Not long now, I promise. See? The sun is nearly set.”
Roderich looked to the horizon. All that could be seen of the sun were the last few rays of light glowing in the distance, and those too were beginning to fade from sight. It wasn’t long after that darkness filled the sky.
For a few more moments, Roderich stood in silent confusion, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the night. As they did, he blinked, glanced up, then gasped.
Very slowly, as the night grew darker, lights began to twinkle in the black sky. With every passing moment, they grew brighter and brighter, until, over time, the sky seemed to glow with the shining stars. How long had it been since he’d last seen a sky so bright? Roderich could scarcely remember. When he finally tore his gaze away, he found Ivan looking not at the sky, but at him.
“You like?” His smile was softer now; earlier it held a mischief to it, but now there was a tender fondness. Roderich found himself speechless a moment, before finally, he nodded.
“Yes, it’s... it’s gorgeous.” He turned his eyes back to the sky. “I haven’t seen a sight like this in years.”
“Hm~ I assumed you hadn’t. Which is why I wanted you to see this. I’m sorry I did not tell you why we were here, but I wanted it to be a surprise. Perhaps a scenery like this will help you with your music?”
An unwitting smile found its way onto Roderich’s face, a soft laugh escaping him. “Yes, perhaps it will.” He paused. “...Thank you. This is wonderful.”
Once again, a tranquil silence passed over them as they gazed up together at the stars. As beautiful as they were, it still was rather cold, and after a time, Roderich couldn’t help the shiver that passed through him.
Though he hadn’t said anything, he heard movement beside him, and soon he was being pulled back into an embrace.
“That better?”
A pause, then Roderich nodded, giving a quiet hum of response.
He looked back to the starry night sky.
Perhaps it wasn’t as cold as he thought it was.