Chapter Text
Of course, the goddess knows it as well.
He should have known from how the god of the sun commented on how he should not get “ahead” of himself when presuming things about the night goddess.
It’s laughable, really. It’s almost as if he were being played around. Have they been talking about things behind his back? Have they conspired to use all of this as his punishment? Is the sun eclipse just a farce to veil something of the intentions of these two gods?
Well, he doubts the last, as the phenomenon has been happening for centuries past. In all honesty, he’s starting to doubt everything he has learned from his studies and these gods. Where does the boundary between truth and lie end?
“So, you have known, Mayoi-sama.” His voice was quite low, his words were slowly becoming venomous.
Green eyes look at him quite pitifully, yet his smile remains. “I… deeply apologize, HiMERU-san…”
“There’s no need for that, Tatsumi-sama has already apologized to him. Considering you seem to have worked with him to… deceive me.”
There was a certain bite on his words as he continued speaking. He saw the goddess’ brows furrow, but somehow he wasn’t guilty of his wording or his tone at all. If anything, he should verbally communicate how distraught he was in this theater act he didn’t sign up for.
“He has to admit, you two are great actors. Why would he ever underestimate such beings that have played their role well endlessly in the night sky?” He bitterly chuckles, “It was too believable, but of course, he knows he shouldn’t have trusted you in the first place.”
Golden eyes bore on the turquoise ones. Tension filled the solemn night sky.
The goddess rose with practiced eloquence, his face filled with a frown. “I accept your words, HiMERU-san. After all… it’s quite hurtful to have been betrayed as if you are being played upon.” His gaze turned to him and HiMERU found no disgust or wrath emanating within the sea-green eyes. “I have known your contempt towards divinity and you may hate me after displaying such cockiness…” His voice lowers into the depths of his usual self-deprecation.
“But I would like you to know that this was of my own volition.” He sighed as he looked back at the warm hues in the distance, slowly walking to it. “It is no lie that we don’t meet except on the day of the solar eclipse… where I block Tatsumi-san’s light from the rest of the world.”
The small voice coming from the goddess slowly pulls the thread in HiMERU’s heart, and he tries to shake it off. It’s not the time to take pity on someone who willingly admitted to playing over his mortal mind.
“We barely exchange any words during those times… mostly because I try to get away as much as possible… B-but that’s not the point…” He gulped and shakily looked at him, “We will not have any means to team up against you, HiMERU-san, if that’s what you are thinking.”
It was quite a normal sight for the goddess to be shaken, after all, he was nervous and unconfident despite being a literal higher being. However, the sight before him was quite pitiful.
The goddess was afraid of him? It seems so.
However, he has already learned how the other god used his empathy to get him to turn in his fingers, so he stayed with his resolve. He maintained his straight face, “He could believe in that. However, he’s within his right to be vigilant and wary of you two.”
Mayoi sighs, “I.. understand that HiMERU-san…” He looked at him, his eyebrows furrowed. “But… I would also like to call you out. Earlier, you weren’t reviewing your studies, were you?”
HiMERU had to hold out a huff. Well, if he has surmised that he has been working with the sun god all by himself, it shouldn’t be a surprise that he has seen through his own deception.
Taking the silence as a yes, Mayoi continued. “I don’t mind that you had to do that, after all, it would be quite hypocritical of me to get upset by it.” He giggled gently, the soft yet unnerving sound echoed in HiMERU’s ears. “However, I found it quite endearing that HiMERU-san tried to sneakily hint at the origins of stars.”
Despite the dejected face earlier, Mayoi’s frown turned into a small smile. HiMERU was quite confused at such a change of mood and was even more confused as a hand was offered to him.
“Well, as you have said, I hold the answers to your question. But… I would like to ask you… do you still trust me, HiMERU-san?”
HiMERU was left dumbfounded with the question. Well, it was well-placed, he has openly said that he regretted ever trusting the gods he was subservient to.
However, he felt as if there was more to what the goddess had said to him. And if he said yes, he would fall into not a rabbit hole, but a black hole itself.
No escape and no one knows what’s in it.
Before the goddess could retract his hand, he firmly placed his on top of his palm, gripping on the smooth skin.
“He still has some left, so it’s wise for you to use it sparingly.”
A small grin was given to him as he was gently pulled deeper into the vast ocean of darkness lit up by the sea of stars.
“You may have already felt now how lonely it is to be here,” Mayoi started, walking with no certain direction at all. “You have only met two gods in your life, haven’t you?”
HiMERU nods, he was not interested in the divinity after all. He has heard several names here and there, especially those who pledge on their patrons. There were several gods, but what struck him the most was that there were few sky gods and the only ones that were talked about the most were Tatsumi, the God of the Sun, and Mayoi, the Goddess of the Moon. He was quite disoriented to have met the goddess, only having to reveal he was referred to differently than on Earth. He surmised that having long hair warrants you already having a goddess title, which was quite illogical from his standpoint.
“The world of divine beings is far more complicated beyond us two in the sky. Many skilled ones guide a certain discipline or existence in the universe. But among them… there are ones that rule us all.”
HiMERU raises his eyebrows, “So, you two aren’t the highest?”
“Being the most important celestial beings doesn’t warrant us greater power.” Mayoi looked at him, “If anything, I and Tatsumi-san’s existence is more of a punishment than a privilege.”
The goddess stopped, looking away to stare at the vast darkness illuminated with specks of light. HiMERU follows his face, a solemn smile decorating the goddess’ face. “The moon shall never shine with the sun and forever be in the darkness, where it shall belong…”
There was a moment of silence before a sigh escaped from the goddess: “I know since the start I am never worthy of standing by Tatsumi-san’s side… but it’s more the crueler that we are really destined to only meet once in a few decades…”
“But of course, we can’t go against what’s destined by those who truly oversee the world. I am but just a god that was made to shine in the darkness where I truly deserved to be.”
HiMERU’s eyes dilated at that very statement, slowly piecing together the puzzle.
✵✵✵
“The moon and the sun can never rise together.” There was a somber tone in the god of the sun as he looked at the stained glass behind him. “For it is the way of the world. If the two celestial beings meet, a catastrophic event will happen on Earth.”
Amethyst eyes peered towards golden ones. “It was even by miracle that there were considerations for these rules. The little time isn’t enough, even if you add up every second we spent for centuries.”
HiMERU knows all of these well, even if none of them mention them. However, it’s much different hearing it from the ones who are experiencing the solar eclipse that humans have always witnessed since the dawn of time.
“The gods above were never fond of I and Mayoi-san’s closeness and the Earth suffers for our transgressions as well.” Tatsumi sighs, “So, we were destined to rise in the sky, but never together.”
“For it is the way of the world…” HiMERU doesn’t like that statement rolling off his tongue. While he witnesses the fate of others, he wouldn’t like them to be trapped in them. “He won’t be questioning you for the things you said earlier. It seems that you are really bounded to your position.”
He clicks his tongue, “However, he wishes for you to be direct in your will. After all, it is his punishment.”
“...I wouldn’t call it a punishment. Treat this as your own mission, after all, you seek answers from everything you have been put through, right?”
The small, gentle smile from the god was unnerving, coming from what they just had earlier. With a small nod, the god closed his eyes in satisfaction. “I have said everything I am supposed to say. If you truly want to finally put the puzzle in place, the goddess of the moon shall have your answers.”
“Ask him what the stars truly meant.”
✵✵✵
“...T-that’s why… I am not allowed... no, I am hesitant to tell you such things and even more, HiMERU-san. We are just mere puppets to keep the world as it is, those who are above us, the creators, will always be right. For it is the way of the world…” Mayoi turned to him, and his solemn gaze mirrored what the god of the sun gave him just days ago.
“For it is the way of the world…” HiMERU muttered in his breath again.
He disdains that phrase, a lazy excuse to let things be as they are. It’s a wordier version of “Let things be” and he’ll be honest, the gods he dealt with are the smartest they could have been in HiMERU’s mind.
He looked at the goddess, his bright yellow eyes piercing through the sea-green ones. “He knows what you wish… What you two wish.”
The goddess lazily gives him a smile, but nonetheless, an endearing grin, as he lowers himself on the floor, if it could be called that, and gently touches the boundless stretch of the night sky.
He gestures for him to join him, which makes HiMERU hesitate, but he knelt on the ground anyway. “The stars are your friends, aren’t they?” Mayoi gazed at the specks lovingly, a look that stirred HiMERU inside.
“They guide those who are lost. They give hope to those who are losing it. And more importantly, they give you the fate of those who are below us.”
He gently laughs, putting his hands back on his lap. “To me, to us… It provided the same hope and hopefully, an astrologer could change our fates.”
Mayoi turned to the one beside him and said, “HiMERU-san, how do you think stars came to be?”
The blue one could only stay silent as the goddess gazed at the sea of stars in front of them, now slowly glowing brighter than before. “Well, there’s a tale that haven’t been written in one of your tomes.”
“As the cycle of day and night continued,” Mayoi started. “One day, the god of the sun noticed the goddess of the moon in a somber mood. After all, nothing could get passed to him. He concluded that the moon was lonely in the night sky. I guess even someone like the moon could feel such a longing feeling, sitting in the dark sky as time passes.”
His grin widened as he giggled, “He promised, then promised the moon in that one solar eclipse, that they would find a way to be together. For now, as they wait, these stars will hold their fate and bring them connection when they don’t physically meet. Until they could find something, someone who would bridge that and bring our fates closer.”
Mayoi turns to HiMERU, who is kneeling still. “And it seems the wait is over.” A wide, beautiful, toothy smile graced the goddess’ glowing face, accenting her small blush. Her teal eyes were sparkling with hope, which made the blue-nette finally resigned to what his heart yelled.
He was confused by the sun god’s instructions for his punishment, but it seems it led to what his mission truly was. He looked at the stretch of sky full of sparkling stars and turned to his right, where he could see the orange hues surrounding the side beyond.
HiMERU turned back to the goddess and said, “How would you know… I was really the one you have been waiting for?”
Mayoi seemingly blushed at that, her eyes widening at the sudden question. The goddess looked down before hesitatingly reaching out for HiMERU’s hands. A soft smile upturned his lips, “Astrologist HiMERU, gazer of stars and reader of fates, who possessed the trust of both of the sun and moon, who guided those who were lost and gave hope to those who lost it, and who seeks freedom for those who are shackled, do you truly ask that question?”
A quite mocking chuckle was let out from the beautiful and gentle lips of the goddess, and HiMERU couldn’t help but be entranced by it. It was quite idiotic for him to ask such a rhetorical question when every word that both of the gods used was intricately spoken to hint at one thing.
That smile quickly turned into a frown, “O-of course… You really shouldn’t be burdened by it… a-after all, we did trick you all this time. You could think over such things for now, I know it’s such a big responsibility to bestow upon you. You’re free to say no… but I hope you won’t deny us…”
HiMERU looks at the goddess and at the hands that encapsulate his, he can feel something rushing to his face. It wasn’t unpleasant, but he felt undeserving of it.
The punishment for betraying the two gods is to unite them, contrary to how the world truly should be.
He stood up, earning a shocked face from the goddess when their hands parted. But his shock was replaced with another one when a hand was offered to him.
Mayoi was met by a gentle smile and a very familiar phrase, “Follow me, Mayoi-sama.”
He returned such a smile and accepted his hand, rising from his knees. HiMERU turned to the golden horizon just beyond. He guided the goddess closer to it, as close as they could be. He let go of his hand to reach for the two familiar trinkets in his pockets. He was met by the golden rays of the sun and the lovely curve of the moon in his palms.
HiMERU wouldn’t see the day that he would be in such a predicament, choosing between the sun and moon in his daily life. However, he wouldn’t have witnessed the tales of everyone who has sought help from him and given him the answers to what’s truly fated.
The swallow, the dove, the swan, the panda… and especially the tiger.
In this world, there will be those who are lost and hopeless, yet despite those adjectives, they are guided and hopeful enough to seek what could solve their problems.
It’s a shame that they are stuck in fate bestowed by them in the universe if the seamstress of fate ever sows one.
Yet in that idea, HiMERU, despite holding a profession that follows what fate dictates, couldn’t make himself follow it himself.
And nevertheless, it was the same for the gods he pledged under.
He was never interested in divinity and has grown to despise it, and these past few days were no different. They are cunning due to their time and resourceful despite having their powers at their disposal. They get their way; after all, they rule all of the universe.
What intertwines the sun, the moon, and the gazer of the stars is one: to defy what’s woven into fate.
And in that sense, he could put their differences aside.
HiMERU closed his eyes. Each palm has its own symbol of two celestial bodies that grace the sky day and night, slowly levitating in the air as he treads the boundary between the horizons of night and day.
A surge of energy welled up in his body, and he could feel some type of force blowing him away. Even with his eyelids closed, he could see how bright the trinkets were shining.
He opened his eyes, preferring to witness such once in a cosmic lifetime event with his very own eyes.
The sun and moon never touched each other before, yet they are in the closest proximity now. Slowly inching towards each other as the bright light gets blinding every second. He could feel it was getting harder to push them together, with some kind of force resisting him.
He shut his eyes once more and closed his two hands, clasping them together. The blinding light became a seemingly blinding darkness. He felt his body go limp, his knees painfully crashing on the ground.
As he could feel as if his consciousness was slipping away, h e was pressed against something and felt the weight on both his shoulder and head. Warmth enveloped him as something slithered between his body and his arms, tightening its hold on him.
✵✵✵
Artifacts and antiques are something HiMERU always cherishes. He always does his diligence to upkeep them so they will never be lost. Such things are precious and a testament to the enduring battle against the test of time.
They were like the fragile wishes of people. Currency couldn’t buy them in this world and determination are what keeps them alive.
It was the same as Tatsumi, the god of the sun, who loves to help write the stories of the journeys of mortals, guiding them towards the right path.
As well as Mayoi, the goddess of the moon, who loves to read these stories, witnessing every dream to propel such journeys toward the unknown.
As the bridge between them, the twilight between day and night, HiMERU does his best to be the guiding star for these stories to continue.
“Thinking deeply again, HiMERU-san?”
HiMERU turned to Tatsumi, who was smiling at him as he watched him wipe the dust off a locket. Beside him was Mayoi, a sight that HiMERU wouldn’t have seen before.
“Perhaps, he was just entertaining himself internally while cleaning his treasures.” A smile appeared on his lips as he could feel the two gods seeking his attention.
“He’ll join you in a moment, he needs this after everything.”
The two wordlessly nodded and left him be, his eyes wandering at the trinkets around him. One caught his eye—a beautifully crafted pendant with an eight-pointed star at the center of the half of the sun and the moon.
He smiled at himself as he continued wiping the dust from a locket.
What truly intertwines the sun, the moon, and what once was the gazer of the stars is their fate.