Chapter Text
How many times had she wanted to hear a «Yes» come out of his mouth? A real answer to her proposal, a «Of course yes» to her declaration, a «No matter the distance, we'll be together no matter what.»
But instead, how many times had she heard a «I don't know, give me some time» as cold and mysterious as the darkness of the night?
Words that couldn't be considered an answer, words that didn't even respond to whether he felt the same way, words that only asked for time, a wait for his answer.
How much longer did he have to wait to know what he was thinking? How many years would pass before he heard the same words again? Was it okay to wait so long to hear such a short answer that dictated what their relationship would be?
It didn't matter how many years would pass, she didn't care how many hours went by before she could even see him from afar, she didn't even care if she could only see him for a few seconds.
Just looking at him, just meeting his gaze, just seeing him as peaceful as ever, her heart always skipped a beat.
Her heart beat fast, as if it were the first time she had ever seen him.
That elegant white glow that lit up the darkness every time she left, that calm gaze he gave his companions every time he saw them, that beautiful, serene voice that came out of his mouth when he spoke, those soft gestures that were barely noticeable when he expressed himself, that subtle appearance that, even though he tried not to be so striking, would always be so brilliant to her.
A chameleon with purple scales, almost as dark as the darkness he was responsible for illuminating, long garments covering his body, decorated with bright white stars and moons that gave him such a divine appearance, he was the Moon.
A badger with orange fur, like a beautiful sunset on a sunny day, her clothes so striking and colorful in various shades of yellow only made her natural glow stand out more easily, even the stars along with the white suns that decorated the fabric of her clothes helped her stand out more, she was the Sun.
Beings so different but with the same purpose: to illuminate the Earth, a white hedgehog that needed both of them to stand, so that their duty could function perfectly.
Perhaps that was the only thing they had in common, but the Sun didn't realize it. How could she? She was too in love to realize that maybe they weren't meant to be together.
—————
She could remember that day perfectly, the day they met, when the era of dinosaurs, pterodactyls, and tyrannosaurs was just beginning, the dawn of her companion Earth.
They had had the opportunity to be close, at least for a while, but for her it was enough to be enchanted by the Moon. He was different, unlike any of her companions. She had never seen anyone like him before.
Mysterious, cold, distant but present; the Moon was like that, so different from the rest of the Solar System that it somehow sparked a small flame of curiosity in her heart.
"Nice to meet you, companion." She hadn't avoided him, she had approached him, taking a seat next to him. The Moon barely looked at her. "My name is Sticks, although everyone knows me as «The Sun».
As direct as ever, she extended her hand, hoping he would return her greeting and strike up a conversation.
But he barely glanced at her, instantly pulling his hand away. It was just a simple brush of their hands, something normal, but for her it was like a cold shock to her warm hand.
"I Espio, but everyone calls me «The Moon»"
His rejection of her greeting did not affect her; the happiness of knowing his name was much greater. She was always happy after all, but now she was even happier.
She gave him a smile that could have blinded him if he had dared to look at her, but he did not. The Moon got up and, without saying goodbye, approached the Earth to talk to him.
To Sticks, his behavior seemed normal. «Maybe he's shy,» she thought, perhaps another time they could talk better.
But that time was slow in coming, especially when her new task with Earth arose.
Their schedules were different, day after day she had to see him from afar before leaving, and so on, it didn't seem like she would have another chance to talk to him for a while.
That is, until Silver, the Earth, came up with a plan to help her friends.
A strange event that could happen every 400 years where the Moon hid the Sun, an event that the hedgehog called an «Eclipse» so that both shining beings would have the opportunity to talk for a short time.
Sticks was grateful to Earth, Espio not so much, but there was nothing he could do. When the eclipses occurred, the Sun and the Moon would talk for a while, at first short conversations due to the chameleon's seriousness, sometimes quick chats due to the badger's excitement.
But after all, they were spending time together. The Sun learned more about the Moon, which made his admiration for the boy grow even more. The chameleon, on the other hand, continued to hold the same opinion he had had since the moment they met that time.
«She's strange, she probably doesn't even bathe because she's a ball of hot light.»
His image of the girl was cruel, at least that's what Silver told him every time they talked.
"No one would like to be thought of that way, especially if it's a girl," Earth had said reproachfully, too indignant at the way he was referring to his badger friend.
Espio promised to change his mind about the Sun, simply because he didn't want to hear any more complaints from his hedgehog friend.
But how could he do that? What he said was true. How could she bathe if she couldn't touch the water? It was a question that lingered in his mind every time he saw his shining companion in the distance.
If Sticks knew that her companion, the Moon, thought about her, she would shine brightly, thinking of him, even if it wasn't in the way she expected.
—————
Waiting was torturous, but it was worth it when they saw each other.
Several centuries had passed, during which time their schedules aligned so they could spend some time together.
They had tried to get to know each other a little, to find out what they liked and how they spent their time when they weren't illuminating the Earth.
The Sun told him excitedly what she did. Most of the time she rested, but that didn't stop her from having fun. She used to dance when she wasn't tired, visit some of her friends, like the Wind or the Stars, and if she could, she tried to get ready earlier to go out sooner to light up Silver, although she never revealed that last detail to him.
The Moon was different, keeping his distance, waiting for his turn to come, or in some cases enjoying writing poetry, a hobby so secret that he only told her about it because he trusted her more than the others.
That detail made the girl even happier, and she excitedly asked him to recite a poem, but the chameleon refused because he hadn't finished them and perfected them.
Sticks was not disappointed; she believed that by their next meeting, he would have one ready that she would be willing to hear.
—————
The Sun rose a little earlier than usual, confusing the hedgehog with the role of the Earth, but he wasn't the only one who felt that way. Next to him, the Moon watched her with doubt.
It wasn't yet time for Sticks to go out and fulfill her duty of illuminating the Earth. Could she have forgotten?
"Good morning, everyone," she greeted them both with a bright smile that made her shine even more than usual, ignoring their strange looks. "Is it too early for me to be here?"
The white hedgehog shook his head, laughing with happiness at what his eyes were seeing. It wasn't a mere coincidence after all.
The Sun wanted to see the Moon.
"Of course not, Sticks," the Earth replied, this time more calmly. "It's always good to see you, isn't it, Espio?"
The latter did not respond, simply looking away, not wanting to join the conversation at that moment.
"I'm glad to hear that, Silver, thank you."
I waited patiently for her partner to finish so she could continue, yawning every few minutes, forcing myself not to fall asleep so I wouldn't be late for my duty.
When the Moon finished, she didn't even look at me, she just stood next to me where I waited for her to begin illuminating the Earth.
"You look tired," the chameleon remarked, noting this unusual detail in the Sun, who was always energetic after all; her change was easy to notice. "Didn't you get enough rest?"
She barely managed to shake her head in denial as another yawn interrupted her. The chameleon shook his head from side to side; his companion definitely hadn't gotten enough rest.
"Why didn't you?"
In the midst of her exhaustion, she barely murmured.
"I wanted to see you first."
Surprise ruled the Moon's face, astonished by what he had heard, his gentle gaze completely gone.
The Earth, watching them from afar, laughed again. Those two had something going on.
The Sun was slow to react to what she said, but when she did, a deep blush covered her face, making her clothes glow a reddish yellow.
"I'm sorry! I don't know what I said! It was just a joke!" Sticks began to laugh nervously, trying to lighten the growing tension a little.
But it was impossible, especially since Espio couldn't stop staring at her in amazement.
"Moon, remember that it's time for the Sun to start work," Earth intervened just in time, before the badger could react negatively. "You can talk another time, now you have to go."
The chameleon finally reacted and, listening to his hedgehog friend, left, but not before glancing sideways at the Sun, who for the first time avoided his gaze.
How would he look at him now? He just hoped he hadn't misunderstood his words.
—————
They never brought up the subject again, and their conversations continued as normal, although deep down something tormented the Moon.
He had been talking about it with his companions, especially with two people he held in such high esteem, the Earth and the Sea.
The Sun was their main topic of conversation. What did that badger feel for him? The Moon didn't realize it, but the rest of her companions had noticed it easily, especially when those two got together.
Sticks was in love with Espio.
But as I said, the chameleon didn't realize the feelings his companion had for him.
Earth tried to make it clear to him, without being direct so as not to reveal what her brilliant friend felt for the boy.
"Sometimes we want to spend more time with the people we love, Espio."
He had only said that, not specifying what kind of love the girl felt, simply responding with that, leaving the Moon a little doubtful.
The Sea, who was nothing more than a bright royal blue beetle, replied calmly, almost wistfully.
"The Sun is usually so radiant, I always see her happier with you, I guess she has a more special appreciation than it seems."
Jewel only gave her point of view, never answering the real question Espio wanted to know, that was something he had to figure out on his own.
He began to pay more attention to the Sun's behavior every time they met to chat. It was surprising how, even with the passing of the years, she always acted so bright and happy.
—————
"I finally finished a poem..."
The girl next to him turned to look at him quickly, leaning in close to him, just a few inches from his face, without realizing she was invading his personal space.
"Really? You finally had the inspiration to finish it?"
The chameleon nodded, maintaining his posture close to her, silently embarrassed by the great glow that covered him.
"That's great. Does that mean I can read it now?" Sticks asked slowly with a sincere smile.
But Espio shook his head, finding the courage to slowly move away, overwhelmed by the heat. The Sun looked at him with a hint of sadness.
"Actually, I'd rather do it myself. You probably don't know how to read poetry."
The Sun looked at him, offended, her gaze causing an amused smile to form on the Moon's peaceful face.
Lately, his expressions made her laugh more; he had become more expressive when he was with her.
"Well, never mind," the Sun sat down next to her, forgetting his sad expression, and indicated that he would begin to read his poem.
"Before I start, I need to tell you something."
The girl hesitantly agreed to listen, somewhat nervous that what he was going to say was something bad.
"For this poem, I took inspiration from you..."
The image of the Sun was priceless to the Moon. She looked at him in shock, her eyes shining like yellow stars, even her glow somehow becoming brighter.
"Are you okay?"
"Why didn't you tell me before?!" the girl shouted, scaring him.
"It's because I just finished it," he replied logically, although the Sun seemed stranger than usual.
She had turned red again, but this time she didn't look nervous, she was happy, she seemed happier than she usually was when they met.
"Can you read it now? I'd like to see what inspired you about me to write it."
The chameleon cleared his throat and, with a sigh, began reading.
I, who silently contemplate you from afar
Sun, with your fire and your overflowing light,
I look at you without touching you, I follow you without resentment,
for in your brilliance I find my still reflection.
Your presence is a song that carries the days away,
while I, timid, hide in the shadows.
You in your splendor, eternal and steadfast,
and I, behind my cloak, follow your uncertain shadow.
Under your gaze, the world breathes,
but my brightness only appears when you bid farewell.
While you give life, warmth, and invade the sky,
I slip away into the night, embracing mystery.
I do not envy you, Sun, nor do I seek your center,
for in your absence, I am the one who understands you best.
You are the queen of days, of light and brilliance,
and I, so quiet, am the inspiration of dreams and love.
So, at the end of the day, when you hide in peace,
I blossom in calm, knowing you will return.
You, great beacon of dawn, eternal and brilliant,
and I, shy moon, still and distant.
When I finished reading, I waited patiently for her to say something, perhaps a funny comment about his poetry or, in other cases, that she had loved it.
But silence was all that followed after he finished reading her poem. He didn't dare look at she. In a way, he was also a little embarrassed for having read she one of the poems that had inspired her the most, a poem dedicated to her friend Sol.
He decided to break the silence.
"What did you think?"
There was no response.
"Was my poem so great that it left you speechless?" he asked mockingly, hoping that would get her to talk.
Again, she said nothing.
This time he dared to confront her, a little annoyed that the Sun hadn't responded. It was unusual for her to remain silent, and to do so after reading something that was important to the Moon was a huge lack of respect.
But before he could utter a word, the Moon was caught in the Sun's arms, tightly but without the intention of hurting him.
He had never dared to do that to her before; he always respected her personal space, but this time was different. She was hugging him.
At first, he was stunned, too surprised by this new gesture from the badger. He could feel her warm body, and somehow it was comforting.
"I loved your poem," Sticks murmured in a low voice, almost as if she had whispered it. He could barely hear her.
Now it was him turn not to respond, but didn't need to. Returning his embrace was all the Sun needed to feel good.
The Earth and the Sea were right: Sticks was in love with him.
And the worst part was that he felt the same way.
—————
The Earth listened attentively, his eyes lighting up with every word her companion the Sun said, until him couldn't take it anymore.
"Are you really planning to ask her to get engaged?!"
Sticks blushed involuntarily and signaled for her to be quiet, embarrassed that someone else had heard them.
But Earth couldn't stay quiet as if nothing had happened. His smile betrayed how happy he was about what he had just heard. The Sun wanted to ask the Moon to marry she, and his excitement was not something he could hide so easily.
"But how?!"
Sticks began to blush a little, making him glow a little warmer for her companion.
"Well, you know that ever since I met him, I've liked him a lot..." With every word she said, her face grew redder and redder. "It's been several centuries since we started talking, and I think spending all that time with him has made me sure that what I feel is real. I love him, Silver."
The albino hedgehog screamed with excitement, grabbed the badger by the arms, and they began to spin around, laughing hysterically at how much fun it was.
"I'm so happy for you," said Silver, shaking the girl a little. "I always knew you two would be together, it was just a matter of waiting."
The badger smiled and, matching his excitement, said she hoped the Moon felt the same way.
Nothing could go wrong that day.
—————
It was rare for the Sun to arrive early to begin his duties. Espio knew this. In fact, the last time he did so was 1,600 years ago, when the badger came up with a great joke that was supposedly too funny.
It hadn't been, but he had pretended it was so as not to make his companion feel bad. He had done it before, and he wasn't willing to do it again.
So when he saw her arrive, he didn't look at her with confusion, but with a short smile that showed he was happy to see her.
First, he greeted the albino who, although he couldn't hear what they were saying, seemed to be encouraging Earth.
Sticks wanting encouragement? Something was probably worrying her.
"Hi, Espio..." The Sun stood beside her and greeted her as well. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, thanks for asking," he replied sincerely, then asked him the same question. "But are you okay? You seem a little distracted."
The Sun barely managed to nod, fidgeting with his hands from time to time and looking nervous again.
"Like the time she said she liked seeing me," a smile appeared on his face; remembering that event somehow made him happy.
"Is something wrong? You can tell me, I'll try to help you however I can."
It was the least he could do for her. She had always wanted to talk to him and hang out, get to know him better. His days had become better when she, as brilliant as ever, appeared in his life.
But contrary to what he expected, the Sun did not respond. She moved away a little and, lifting the large shiny garments she always carried, began to kneel down, as the chameleon looked on in disbelief.
"What are you doing? Your clothes will get dirty," exclaimed the boy, not knowing what else to say.
But what he said was not important to the Sun, who was already holding the Moon's hands carefully, almost as if he were worshipping them, an action that made the chameleon blush.
"Espio, I know we're just friends, but from the moment I saw you, I was curious about you..."
"Sticks...?"
"I thought that when I spoke to you, that feeling would easily disappear, but it didn't. We got to know each other, I learned many things about you, I knew everything I needed to know. I was supposed to walk away and focus on my duties... But I couldn't do it," she said carefully, taking a small box out of his clothes. "You're incredible, always so calm and serene in the face of adversity. You're dedicated to your work and kind to your colleagues. I know these are simple things, but everything I know about you so far has completely captivated me." She opened the box, which contained two rings, one gold and one silver. Moon's eyes widened in surprise. "I love you, Espio. Will you marry me?"
The proposal was like a blow to his heart, a reminder that he felt the same way, a feeling that made him want to say yes, but there was also something holding him back.
The Sun's emotions.
It was something he admired about her, but at the same time it caused him concern. Sticks was too emotional; when she was happy, she seemed to shine with much greater intensity.
But there was a time when, for some strange reason, she began to experience sadness, her radiance ceased, and she almost seemed to lose all emotion.
He had two options, the typical two words that could be said in a marriage proposal:
If he said yes, the badger's excitement would likely be more difficult to bear, causing terrible consequences for the entire Solar System.
If he said no, the Sun would become sad, fading away until its glow was completely extinguished, which kept her alive.
Both options would only cause harm to the two of them and also to all their companions. He had to think of an answer, something that was not «yes» but also not «no», a middle ground.
After a long wait, the chameleon, trying him best to make his voice sound normal, whispered:
"Sticks, I don't know what to say, this is very sudden..."
The bright eyes of the aforementioned lost some of that sparkle she always saw when he looked at him, a pang of pain shot through his chest, and instantly his throat felt dry, as if his own body had betrayed him.
"Give me some time, please, I really need to think about it..."
He couldn't even look at her, afraid that if he did, she would discover that he was lying, that he couldn't accept her or reject her for fear that something bad would happen to her.
But the badger, without letting go of his hands, began to get up, put away the box of rings, and calmly said to him:
"I understand, Espio, I'll wait long enough until you feel ready, I promise."
She smiled at him again, as charmingly as she had the first time they met, always looking radiant even now that he had asked her for time.
He nodded and slowly let go of her hands. The cold returned to his body, leaving him with a strange feeling of emptiness, as if something were missing.
He began to walk away, thinking seriously that he had done the right thing, not only for her, but also for all his companions.
His feelings didn't matter; what mattered was that everyone was okay. That was the new burden he carried.
The Sun never stopped him. He knew he needed time. Perhaps he had gone a little too far with his confession, but at least he hoped that in the future she would give him an answer.
«It's just a matter of waiting...»
«Even if I waited again, my answer would still be the same...»