𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔 [a rini au]

- PROLOGUE!

6 months earlier...

"i think that one's the big dipper! i read about it once upon a time."

"it just looks like a clump of shiny spots to me."

thursday evenings were prime constellation hours according to pop star by day, amateur astronomer by night, nini salazar-roberts. she didn't know how true that was, considering she read it on a random blog with no credibility a few years ago, but it didn't stop her from dragging her boyfriend to the hollywood sign during the designated time.

ricky bowen was a singer, not a stargazer, but he never minded accompanying his girlfriend on these escapades. it was the same routine every week – sprawl across one of ricky's old blankets, nini's head on his chest as the two stare up into los angeles' navy blue, nighttime sky. nini would make a questionable statement about a constellation she thought she recognized while ricky took her word for it, always following her observations with a dry comment about his inability to perceive anything but a cluster of bright dots. the redundancy didn't make these nights any less special, though. in fact, it was the familiarity that made them so worthy of cherishing. if there was anything the famous couple loved, it was familiarity.

"i really love this, you know," nini whispered regardless of the surrounding silence. she tilted her head upwards, straining her eyes to peek at a peaceful ricky. he was doing the thing he always did when he was deep in thought, sticking the tip of his pale pink tongue out from between his pouted lips. "what are you thinking about?" the girl asked curiously.

hand holding nini's, ricky stroked his thumb across her cracked knuckles. "nothing much," he pursed his lips, feeling nini's innocent, chocolate eyes on him. he let out a deep breath. "just that i could do this for the rest of my life – exist alongside only you and the stars."

nini's heart skipped a beat. "oh, yeah? that's your idea of a perfect life?"

ricky's eyes fell down to meet nini's. "there's nothing i've ever been more sure of."

the brunette girls lips twitched upwards, trying not to ruin the sincerity of the moment with a cheesy grin. instead, she squirmed to position her head comfortably again, nuzzling into ricky's side further. nini gave her boyfriend's hand a squeeze, eyes landing on the constellation she previously pointed out to him. maybe it was the big dipper, maybe it wasn't. regardless, at least there was one star she was certain of that night – one manifesting itself in human form on the blanket beside her.

"then cheers to a future of this and only this," nini sighed with relief, eyes fixated on the sky.

ricky kept his gaze on the top of nini's head, wondering if she could feel his heart fluttering in his chest. the curly-haired boy reciprocated the hand squeeze.

"cheers, nini."