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Each night, the moon rose over the otherwise dark sea, casting brilliant light over the chaotic and unpredictable waves. Like clockwork, as if forcing the moon to submit, the sun rose each morning, illuminating that same sea with blinding warmth. The sun and the moon, despite their romantic dance around the planet, were never meant to meet, only destined to pass one another with tempting closeness once in a great while. They spun in circles around the same planet, the sun bouncing its glorious light off the moon to guide sailors in the night, the moon resting each night to allow the sun its full potential. When they did have the pleasure of crossing each other’s path, it made them both dysfunctional to their purpose- lighting the planet.
Monkey D. Luffy, with all the velocity and purpose of a planet, had his own Sun, and even his very own Moon. Revolving around him to provide guidance, protection, and companionship. The grand and tragic fact that the Sun and Moon could never be was lost on Luffy, and on his Sun and on his Moon. Even if somebody let Luffy in on that fact he’d be as determined as ever to break the rules, because Sanji and Zoro were not only his Sun and his Moon, but also the wings that allowed him to soar.
There was, however, a reason that up in the grand vacuum of space that the sun and moon kept their distance from one another. Their union would be brief and bright and catastrophically violent.
Sanji took a harsh drag of his cigarette before putting it out on the ash tray on the small table in front of him. He was infuriated at just how much of his mind was consumed by the crew’s swordsman. He could gawk at Nami and Robin and their divine femininity all day, but Zoro was always at the forefront of his mind. His beautiful body, his scars, his hands and the ways he knew how to use them… it was disgusting.
For the most part, Zoro and Sanji’s relationship was an open secret that didn’t much change the dynamic between the Straw Hat Pirates. Spats and spars were still far more common than their rare displays of affection, and so the crew opted to let them have their privacy.
For the most part.
Now, however, Sanji was rapidly cycling between completely despondent and burning with rage, and it was beginning to grate on everybody aboard the Thousand Sunny as the ship floated away from Thriller Bark, Warlord Gecko Moria’s massive vessel.
Currently, he was despondent, leaving everyone mildly on edge, waiting for the rage to return.
“Sanji.” Chopper addressed the cook as he entered the room. As he walked in, he shed his backpack, carrying it in his hooves.
Sanji lit a cigarette, eyes not leaving the ground.
“I’ll give you some privacy to work.” The blonde said, standing and wincing in pain as he did so.
“I’m here to check on you, actually.” The reindeer replied. Sometimes Chopper cursed Brain-Point. While it was easily the most comfortable transformation to hold, it did not give him the imposing presence he occasionally needed.
“I don’t need it.”
“I need to change your bandages.”
Sanji bit the inside of his lip. Minor scrapes and abrasions covered his face and feet- those were not the bandages that needed changing. On his side, there was a massive wound and a purple and red bruise that climbed his entire side, from hip to sternum. The wound was from a sword- but it was nothing as neat as a slice or a stab- no, it was blunt force trauma. The type of trauma that rips your flesh like fabric, leaving skin and capillaries dead and curled like split threads seeking their ends. It was the type of slow-to-heal wound that couldn’t be stitched.
“I’ll be okay.” Sanji said, voice completely flat. “Where’s Zoro? Have you checked on him?”
“He’s sleeping. It’s hard to wake him even when he’s well. You know that.” Chopper replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
Sanji exhaled, smoke burning his nose on its way out, and sat back down.
“I think he’s pretending to be asleep.”
Chopper peered at Sanji uneasily.
“Why would you say that?”
“He knows that when he wakes up, I might kill him myself.”
Chopper chuckled and shook his head, uncomfortable.
“I really do need to check you out, Sanji. I know you’re not doing very well but you can’t let your physical health suffer too.”
Sanji rolled his eyes at that implication and stripped off the hooded sweatshirt he was wearing, revealing his mostly bandaged torso. His bandages were in bad shape. They were bloody and dirty and sweat through.
Chopper began to work. Sanji, out of respect for the small doctor, snuffed out his cigarette so as to not blow smoke in his face. He winced as the gauze peeled from his side.
“The bruise has stopped growing, so that’s good.”
Sanji managed a weak smile. As the small reindeer got to work, cleaning the wound with a tonic derived from witch hazel and alcohol (that burned like hell), Luffy entered the room.
“Woah!” He shouted, earning sharp glares from both Chopper and Sanji. “What happened to you?”
He was as bubbly and bouncy as ever, unaffected completely by his fight with not one but two Shichibukai.
“Kuma.” Sanji said, eyes glazed over as he tried to ignore the immense stinging of his wounds being cleaned.
Chopper furrowed his brow as he worked. Kuma used a single attack- a shockwave, designed to cause damage to the whole body. Broken bones were possible, but it seemed unreasonable that a wound with a specific point of impact would come from that. It seemed unlikely that it would be rubble, as there were no remnants of rubble in the wound when he first cleaned it. Oars couldn’t have caused it either. He was much too large to create such a localized impact. He decided to let sleeping dogs lie. Clearly there was something he wasn’t privy to at play here.
“You’re really worried about Zoro, huh?” Luffy asked, leaning in a little-too-close-for-comfort to get a better look at Sanji’s bruises.
“Not in the slightest.” Sanji lied.
“He’ll be okay.” Luffy said. “Isn’t that right, Zoro?”
“Something like that.” Zoro replied, making his presence known. Sanji nearly jumped out of his skin, shocked by the swordsman’s presence. He’d entered quietly behind the ship’s captain, and Luffy so easily stole attention that neither Chopper nor Sanji even noticed.
Zoro had his fair share of wounds still open as well, but they’d mostly stopped bleeding, leaving bandages in place just to protect them from the elements. He was a bit shocked that Sanji’s wounds still hadn’t healed. He blinked, staring at the bruise discoloring the body he knew so well.
Zoro didn’t feel guilty for a second. Better a hilt to the side than the hell that he experienced. He was terrified, in the moments between Sanji’s arrival and his decisive strike, that Kuma would act with haste- that Sanji would be killed right in front of him. It spoke to the chef’s strength- as well as his own, although he wouldn’t admit it- that he was able to stand after the Ursus Shock. He was glad he pulled his wits together quickly enough to knock Sanji out.
“I’m trying to work here, guys.” Chopper chided, frustrated. Sanji winced as new gauze was placed down, soaked in that god-awful witch hazel solution.
“They’re fine.” Sanji insisted. He relaxed a bit as new bandages went on over the gauze.
“You really need to rest.” complained the small doctor, tearing off the bandage at the roll and tucking an end to secure it.
“I’m hungry, though.” Luffy complained in turn. Zoro punched the rubber man’s shoulder. Luffy rubbed his shoulder and pouted, as if it actually hurt him.
Sanji put his sweatshirt back on, grateful for something less restrictive than his usual day-to-day clothes while he recovered.
“Thank you, Chopper.” He said. Chopper nodded and exited the room quickly. “You seem well.” Sanji said, to neither Zoro or Luffy in particular.
“I recover quickly.” Zoro quipped with a smirk and a cocked brow. Sanji’s face immediately went red, flustered.
“Unbelievable.” Sanji retorted, without energy for anything witty. Zoro pursed his lips and watched as Sanji froze for a moment before standing.
Maybe he felt a little guilty. Of all the things he could still feel, more than any wound or bruise, the cooks’ grip on his shoulder as he struggled not to fall to the the ground seemed to linger like a phantom’s touch. Zoro didn’t appreciate Sanji’s weak attempt at martyrdom, and he didn’t even necessarily understand his motivations. The fact was, it wasn’t his place to intervene- not as a comrade and not as a lover. At the end of the day, Zoro knew that Sanji would survive another bad hit, but likely wouldn’t survive whatever it was Bartholemew Kuma had to dish out. He didn’t want Sanji to die.
For selfish reasons, sure, but also because it was his duty to protect Luffy and Luffy’s crew, and that would always come first. Zoro was grateful for his own life, and in hindsight, especially positive now that he did the right thing.
Luffy had long since lost interest in the tense exchange and slipped out. Zoro glanced around, ensuring they had privacy, before taking a step closer to Sanji.
“You’re an idiot.” Sanji said. His face showed no sign of attention or affection. Zoro rolled his eyes, bringing his hands to Sanji’s hips to try and pull him closer. The chef didn’t budge.
Sanji admired Zoro’s sacrifice. He knew the crew’s mission was more important than just the two of them. He also knew, however, that Zoro was a more central part of the crew than he was. There would be a massive hole in the Straw Hats- physically and emotionally without him. Sanji, despite his usually massively inflated sense of self-worth, sometimes felt that if he up and left the only person that would notice was Luffy- sheerly because the food quality would go downhill quickly. He felt sick thinking about what would’ve happened if Zoro had died. He remembered the sheer panic he felt rushing down the cascades of rubble- seeing the blood-soaked ground first, and then Zoro, against all odds, standing.
He lit a cigarette to clear his mind, keenly aware that the flame was a hair’s breadth away from Zoro’s lips. The swordsman’s faced scrunched at the heat.
“Are you okay?” He asked, hands resting gently against the blonde’s hips.
Sanji blinked slow, as if processing the question in slow motion, taking a long draw of his cigarette and French inhaling it.
“I’m in a lot of pain.” Sanji complained. “A few broken ribs.”
Zoro sighed.
“You need to rest, curly.” Zoro said. He tried again to pull Sanji in closer and again, he didn’t budge.
Sanji grit his teeth, grinding them absentmindedly in thought. He knew, realistically, he should be concerned about Zoro. He was brought nearly to the brink of death and then given every single blow that had brought Luffy- someone arguably tougher than Zoro- to that same brink, and he stood there and took it. He lost pints of blood in the process and somehow had the strength to live. He was playing off his concern and playing up his anger instead. Zoro would be furious if he knew that anyone else knew of his sacrifice.
Sanji would’ve done the same for Luffy if his opportunity were not so rudely stripped to do so. He wondered for a moment if Zoro would do the same for him. Sanji would, for Zoro, and he was still mildly infuriated at that revelation. They never did take the time to explicitly define their relationship- in fact they actively avoided it. There was an emotional investment from both sides, and they seemed to intuitively understand that. For now, that was enough.
He ashed his cigarette and brought it back to his lips, taking a harsh drag.
“Hello?”
Sanji huffed, rolling his eyes.
“I was thinking, steel-for-brains.”
Zoro’s jaw tensed.
“Do you wanna do this right now, really?” Zoro hissed, a hushed whisper.
“Yes, actually I do. You’re a moron. To think you’d throw away your dream without so much as a second thought.” Sanji spat before he deflated slightly, crushing his cigarette butt under his shoe and leaning into Zoro. He felt strong arms wrap around him immediately as he gave into the other’s presence. His words were harsh, but he felt comforted by the swordsman’s presence.
“You’re an idiot, too.” Zoro said, taking the opportunity to lift the other man easily, trying his best to avoid his injuries and putting him over his shoulder.
Sanji yelped- in pain and surprise- as he was suddenly tossed over Zoro’s shoulder. He was carried out of the lounge kicking and groaning.
“ZORO!” Chopper fretted, scurrying over to the pair. “Please don’t manhandle Sanji- and you shouldn’t be lifting anything!”
Zoro just laughed, firmly holding Sanji.
“Give it a rest, Chopper, just be grateful they aren’t coming to blows.” Usopp said with a chuckle.
Zoro started towards the stairs down to the crew’s living quarters.
“I’m just taking grumpy chef here to bed.” He laughed, eliciting chuckles from Nami and Luffy, who were watching from the upper deck.
Sanji stopped struggling in defeat and frustration as he was carried gingerly down the stairs. The men’s sleeping quarters was a large room with a small library, filled mostly with Sanji’s cookbooks and Chopper’s medical tomes. Hung from the ceiling in neat rows were several beds of various heights and sizes and several hammocks. Beds for comfort, hammocks for safer sleep through rougher seas. One corner had a plush floor bed, used by Chopper to sleep comfortably in his reindeer form.
Sanji braced for impact, used to being dropped without care by the swordsman, but felt his face flash hot as he was placed very carefully into a hammock. In the dimly lit underbelly of the ship, he felt a bit less guarded, and felt tears well up in the corner of his eyes.
Zoro offered a sympathetic smile.
“I thought you were dead.”
“Is that why you’re upset?” Zoro asked, his expression softening just slightly. Zoro’s change in demeanor made Sanji crack a bit further. He took a deep, stabilizing breath before speaking again.
“It should’ve been me.”
Zoro sighed, staring down at Sanji, the inside of his lower lip caught between his teeth in hesitation.
Zoro was conflicted- he felt flattered that Sanji felt comfortable enough around him to cry. He felt sad that Sanji was so affected. He was certainly angry that Sanji could be this selfish. He bit the inside of his mouth harder to prevent an angry outburst from winning the fight.
“You’re in a lot of pain.” The swordsman observed quietly. He referenced the mental anguish the other was quite evidently experiencing, but also the physical injuries Sanji had suffered.
“No thanks to you.” Sanji managed through hot tears, bringing a sleeved arm up to cover his face. Zoro let out a sharp exhale in exasperation.
“You tried to lay down your life, and you’re mad I broke a few of your ribs to stop you?” He chuckled, sheer disbelief crossing his face. “I saved your life. You should be grateful.”
“It’s not about the broken bones.” Sanji started, although it was a little-bit-about-that too. “Leaving my own feelings aside, do you realize how crucial you are to this crew?”
“And that’s exactly why it was my place to step up.”
“No, that’s exactly why it was stupid and reckless to offer up your life like that.”
“Sanji!” Zoro snapped, pulling the other’s arm from his face, revealing teary and deep-set grey-blue eyes. “Just be grateful. There’s no argument to be had. I lived. I won. It’s fine. It’s like nothing even happened. I’d lay my life down for you, or Luffy, or Nami, Robin, Chopper, or anyone on this ship again a hundred times. This is dangerous. You understand that, right? And it’s only going to get more dangerous, and we can’t keep acting like we’re invincible.”
Zoro sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, seeking clarity. This is exactly why he didn’t want to get emotionally involved in anyone else. He’d be lying to say he didn’t have similar feelings when he watched Sanji try to sacrifice himself instead- but above all, and he knew this was true for the both of them, it was about protecting the crew. The dreams of many over the dreams of one. He was terrible with comfort. It did not come naturally to him.
Sanji sniffled and blinked the tears out of his eyes. He wasn’t going to win this argument. He was feeling a complicated mix of emotions that were swimming around his head without outlet, and all he could focus on was the damned bruise making it impossible to breathe, each breath in and out stretching wounds against the gauze meant to keep them closed.
“I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have to take care of me. You’re probably-“ He tried to sit up as he spoke, but a broad hand pushed him back into the hammock.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
Sanji shot Zoro a look, and for a second, they just exchanged a knowing glance.
“I’m more exhausted than anything.” Zoro admitted.
“You’re always tired, that’s nothing new.” Sanji quipped.
“Tired of you, maybe.” Zoro said, a smile crossing his lips.
“You could never be tired of me. You love me.” Sanji teased back, relaxing a bit. He smirked; a look laced with challenge.
“You’re right, and that’s exactly why you’re exhausting.” The green-haired man replied with a dramatic faux yawn.
Sanji blushed, looking away. He didn’t expect the other to agree. Despite the light-hearted nature the conversation had taken, a heavy silence hung in the air.
“This isn’t going to be easy.” Zoro said, breaking the silence. There was an uncharacteristically soft look on his face. “This… Us..” He clarified, trailing off. “We both have a duty. To Luffy- to the whole crew, really. We can’t let this get in the way.”
Sanji sighed.
“It’s impossible, actually.” The blonde huffed, crossing his arms and averting his gaze to the ceiling. “There’s no instructions. No recipe. I didn’t want this to happen.”
“Neither did I.” Zoro chuckled. “This is so stupid. It’s reckless. It’s never going to work out- you know that, right? We’re pirates. We’re going to die young.”
Sanji laughed at that disturbing revelation, and Zoro did too.
It was true, but they were like magnets. After they’d unintentionally confessed feelings to one another they were at each other’s throats more than ever, as if trying to prove to themselves it would never work. At the end of the day, though, they’d always find themselves tangled up one way or another- be it getting close over drinks or in a dark corner of the ship, their bodies pressed together in pure desperate need. As expected, it was bright and chaotically violent. They were gravitationally pulled together, like celestial bodies who lost their orbit. It made them both shine brighter.
“I wouldn’t want to grow old with you anyway. You’d be a boring old man. Those heavy swords you carry are going to destroy your back and your wrists one day, you know? I’d have to carry you around all the time and help you open your drinks.” Sanji teased.
“Carry me? I’m not so sure about that. Your lungs are going to fail you before I so much as grow a grey hair.” Zoro replied with a smile, pantomiming bringing a cigarette to his lips.
“I wouldn’t be worried about your hair. Your teeth are going to be brittle and shattered long before that goes. You fight with a sword in your mouth. You know why you’re the only person that does that, right? Because it’s insane.”
“Oi, that’s a low blow.” Zoro said, exhaling and shaking his head. “I’m sure my teeth will still be straight and shiny when your knees give out.”
“In that case, I can only hope you don’t make a habit of volunteering yourself to be killed, so we can have some fun together before that day comes.” Sanji replied, out of insults.
“I won’t make any promises.” Zoro replied grinning and gesturing with his hands up as if to say don’t hold me to that. “You need to rest, though, really. Somebody needs to cook dinner tonight and it’s not going to be me.”
“Is that all I am to you? Your personal chef?” Sanji questioned the other, lip quivering in faux-heartbreak.
“No, you’re a good fuck, too.” Zoro said. He stretched as he spoke, adjusting his clothes and getting ready to leave the other to rest.
“Ugh.” Sanji groaned in disgust. “You’re so vulgar.”
“Oh, you don’t like that? I’ll be nothing but chaste. I won’t touch you again until we’re good and wed. That’s a promise, your holiness.” Zoro quipped back, a brow cocked in challenge.
“As if I’d marry you.” Sanji replied. Zoro tossed his head back and laughed.
“Yeah, you’re right. It’d never work.” He leant down and placed a kiss on the blonde’s forehead. “You’re too needy.”
He stood straight and turned on his heel to walk out. Sanji watched for a moment, biting his lip. He really didn’t want to be alone. With each step the other took away he felt his heart rise in his throat, beating rapidly. He wasn’t sure why. He wasn’t a solitary creature like Zoro was, but he also didn’t necessarily crave attention. Something inside of him felt like if Zoro left, he’d never see him again- like seeing him alive was just a bad dream.
“Zoro?” Sanji asked quietly. Zoro stopped in his tracks just before reaching the stairs, but didn’t turn. He was still unaccustomed to hearing his name from the other’s mouth. They’d spent months addressing each other exclusively with insults. “Nevermind. Forget about it.”
“No, what is it?” The green-haired man asked, turning around with one hand still on the stair banister.
“Nevermind. Go.”
“Spit it out, cook.”
“Can you just stay here?”
Zoro closed his eyes and just smiled, crossing his arms.
“See?” He asked, crossing the room to the bed hanging next to Sanji’s hammock. He set his swords against a cabinet and climbed into the hanging bed with ease. “Needy.”
Sanji rolled his eyes and, after a moment’s hesitation, slid out of the hammock. He shed his sweatshirt, bearing just his bandages on his torso, and moved to join Zoro in his bed. He winced as he climbed up, his side throbbing in pain as he did so. He moved carefully, so as not to swing the bed too much as he climbed in. Hanging the beds from the deck with chains made them more stable at sea, but it did make them a bit difficult to get in and out of.
Zoro instinctively scooted to the side to allow the other space in the small bed. He smiled with satisfaction as he felt the blonde curl into his side.
“You comfy?” Zoro asked. He glanced in admiration at Sanji as he shifted to get comfortable on his uninjured side. Zoro’s tan skin contrasted beautifully against Sanji’s pale northern complexion. His beautiful blonde hair hung perfectly and effortlessly in his face. Sanji was more leanly built than Zoro, so their bodies fit against one another, like puzzle pieces meant to fit.
Sometimes Zoro cursed the moment he let his judgement lapse enough to get physical with the chef. Sometimes, though, he was appreciative. He was not the type of person who desperately needed a relationship, but he certainly appreciated it. He didn’t expect it to come from the man who had been the bane of his existence just weeks ago, but since joining the Straw Hat Pirates, his life had been anything but predictable.
“Mm-hm.” Sanji hummed affirmatively. He felt a calloused hand drag up his bandaged ribs before resting lazily on his waist. He took a deep breath, willing his heartrate to slow. He was embarrassed by how much comfort the other’s presence brought him. For the first time in days he felt an immense sense of safety.
“I’m right here, baby.” Zoro whispered, as if reading his companion’s mind. Sanji buried his face in a pillow, no doubt hiding a blush. Zoro adored how terms of endearment affected the chef. He carefully moved to lay on his side, wrapping an arm and a leg around the other carefully, pulling him in closer.
Sanji fell asleep first, and as Zoro found himself silently reflecting on the situation he’d landed himself in. He was a bit shocked at himself, really, allowing it to happen. He was a badass take-no-nonsense bounty hunter, and a pirate. He was, by nature, a very possessive and protective person, and yet he found himself falling for someone who did not need protection, and who could not be possessed. He sighed, leaning his forehead against the back of Sanji’s head and closing his eyes. He knew it was a bad idea, but he also knew it simply couldn’t be helped. The more time he spent with the other the more invested he became and try as he might he simply couldn’t ignore the other.
Lost in thought, it didn’t take long for Zoro to fall asleep, either.
Sanji felt a warm hand on his chest shake him slightly and heard stirring in the living quarters. He opted to attempt to ignore it. Without opening his eyes, he smiled.
“Zoro, stop.”
Luffy stared at Sanji blankly, doing his best to wake him without waking Zoro who, historically, didn’t like being woken up. He shook the chef a little harder.
“Seriously,” Sanji started, cuddling back into Zoro’s chest a bit further, eyes still closed tightly. “let me sleep.” In his sleep-addled mind, it didn’t connect that Zoro was behind him, and the shaking was coming from in front of him.
Luffy leant in close to Sanji, completely aloof to the fact that he was interrupting a private moment. Privacy was almost impossible on a pirate ship, anyway. (For everybody but Luffy, of course, who had private captain’s quarters complete with a locking door.)
“Sanji. Wake up.” He whispered, just inches away from the chef’s face.
The blonde's eyes flickered open, and through hazy sight he saw not Zoro but Luffy, who was about two inches from his face.
Sanji screamed, jumping backwards over Zoro and to his feet.
“Luffy, what the FUCK?” Sanji hollered, trying to get his wits about him, head still spinning with sleep. The sudden movement woke up Zoro, who panicked and fell off the bed, faceplanting onto the deck. He scrambled to his feet quickly and grabbed Sanji’s shoulder roughly, spinning the other to face him.
“Cook!” He yelled, not having noticed Luffy yet.
“You moron mossball, it wasn’t me!” Sanji replied through gritted teeth. Just as he gestured towards Luffy, the captain started laughing. Cracking up, actually, at the chaos he’d caused. Zoro eyed Luffy through sleepy, heavy eyelids and took a less defensive stance. “What?” Sanji asked harshly, turning back to face Luffy who was now on the ground laughing.
“I wanted to ask what you’re cooking for dinner.” Luffy said through hearty laughter.
“What’s so funny?” Zoro asked, stepping forward.
Luffy didn’t, in the slightest, find Zoro intimidating and so just kept laughing without a response.
Sanji rolled his eyes and slunk away, grabbing his sweatshirt from the small nightstand he’d tossed it onto. He felt a bit better after resting. Since leaving Thriller Bark, sleep had escaped him, so he was grateful for the few hours of shuteye.
“You two are hysterical.” Luffy said, getting his bearing and standing, stretching his body slightly for an easier time balancing on his feet.
“Did you wake him up?” Zoro asked, stretching himself awake, brows furrowed in frustration. He grabbed his swords, hooking them onto his belt. He watched as Sanji tossed his sweatshirt on and walked upstairs, red-faced.
“Yeah. I was hungry, and he wasn’t busy.”
Zoro rolled his eyes, exasperated. Not busy. Interesting way to put sleeping.
“What? It’s dinner time.”
Zoro crossed his arms, shifting his weight to one leg as he eyed Luffy. He had to hand it to the captain, despite witnessing it with his own eyes several times at this point, he’d declined to comment on the suddenly intimate nature of his relationship with the chef. It seemed uncharacteristic of the younger man, a silent and respectful understanding.
“You didn’t need to wake me up, too.” The swordsman finally complained before slipping his sandals on and moving towards the stairs.
“I tried not to, I swear!’ Luffy replied, following Zoro towards the stairs. Zoro just laughed in reply, shaking his head as he climbed the stairs towards the sun deck.
And so the Sun and the Moon, against all logic, brought their waltz around the planet into one another's respective orbit. No longer passing briefly in the night, they now danced together. They began taking their steps in sync and burning brightly in tandem. Their fate, and the fate of their beloved planet, were now intertwined in ways that could not be undone, and for once, the Sun and Moon had no complaints.