"Normally I'd say you're weak, but I'm must used to coffee." He paused. "This has a been a nice chat, but it appears it must end. Have a goodnight, then."
"You too, Francis," she said, turning to unlock her door, pushing her curls out of her face. She pushed it open, revealing the dark room inside, entered, and closed the door with a sharp click.
Francis went to his room as well, opening the door and staring in for a moment, before shutting the door quietly.
The pillow was cool against Poppy's cheek as she stared into the darkness, her legs curled up underneath her. She sighed and turned over for the eleventh time that hour, sleep evading her. She hadn't truly planned to sneak up to the observatory; breaking the rules was not something that she did frequently. The idea of the stars stayed in her mind though, and she sat up in bed, coming to a decision. The ground was cold as she slipped out of bed, and she pulled her sheets around her as she made her way through the darkness. Her door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit hallway, and she stepped out her room as quietly as she could, wincing as the door clicked behind her. The metal beneath her bare feet squeaked, and she frowned. Walking quickly, she set off towards the observatory, holding her blanket around her as she turned the corner at the end of the hallway.
Francis had been asleep, but slowly woke due to the sound of a door closing and squeaky metal. He lay there for a long while, momentarily forgetting about Poppy's plan. After a moment, he sat up, looking around the almost pitch black room.
Poppy took the stairs carefully, the sheet dragging behind her. She got to the observatory, pulled open the heavy doors, and went inside.
Francis got up, clumsily moving to the door and opening it. He stepped out, following the way to the observatory. "Just one look," he thought to himself, "then I'll come back to bed."
The observatory was cold. Perhaps it was the glass; maybe it hadn't been properly treated or something. However, when Poppy sat onto the cool ground, she was glad that she had brought the blanket. She sat in the middle of the room as the plane glided just above the clouds. The sky was shimmering with more stars than she had ever seen in her life, shining twice as bright in the clean air. The glass beneath her only revealed the dull grey of the fog, and she stared up to the heavens in wonder, her breath making steam clouds in the air.
Francis reached the room not long after, and slipped in quietly, as the door was left slightly ajar. He was about to speak, but instead looked up. His words caught in his throat. He hadn't seen anything like this before. It was new.
Poppy said nothing, only pulled the blanket closer around her. Her eyes traced the constellations that her mother had taught her so long ago. Gradually, after a few minutes, she became aware that someone was in the room with her. She turned her head slightly, her eyes almost silvery in the moonlight. It took her a moment to focus on Francis, but when they did, her expression broke into a smile. She beckoned him over, not wanting to break the silence quite yet.
He slowly moved and sat down, shutting his mouth finally. He didn't say anything, just watched the sky, almost expectantly.
She sat still for a moment until she exhaled. The swirling tendrils of steam reminded her how cold it was in the observatory, and she turned to him, lifting the blanket slightly, offering some to him.
He considered the offer for a moment, but ultimately turned it down. He didn't want things to get awkward.
Pulling the blanket back around her, she turned back to the stars. They were quiet for a moment until she finally spoke up. "Do you see Orion now?" she asked, pointing out the six stars that formed his bow. "Right there."
"I see dots, not a bow. The only thing I can make out is the big dipper, but only because of the North Star," he said quietly, though there was a hint of smile in his voice.
"Oh? How about the Ursa Major?" she asked. Her finger shifted and she pointed up to a different set of stars. "See, there's its tail."
"Hmm. I think I see it, but I can't be certain." He scratched the back of his neck, staring intently at the stars.
"I appreciate you trying," she said, her gaze returning to the lights above. They were quiet for a little while, sitting in the floor of that observatory. Poppy sighed, breaking the silence. "It's amazing, isn't it?" she said, her voice a little more sleepy and tranquil. "This is what it looked like once. This is just what people saw at night. I wonder if they appreciated it.."
