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Earth’s eyes fluttered open when he broke the kiss and leaned slightly back to have a better look at the taller being whose arms he found himself in. The normally psychopathic and manic G type yellow dwarf star in the centre of the Solar System held him with such gentleness as if he was terrified of breaking him while staring down at him with the softest and warmest expression anyone has ever seen on him. Sun’s gaze was filled with affection and awe as he brushed his hand through Earth’s blue and green hair while his other hand held his waist with a reverent touch. Afterwards, the fingers combing through the soft locks slid down to brush against the planet’s cheek.
“I…” Sun was at loss for words as he started down at the being in front of him. “I don’t know what came over me, but I don’t want to stop. I don’t think I can, not after this.”
Earth leaned his head into the touch, pressing it into the warm palm on his cheek. A faint blush coated his face below his dual-coloured eyes when Sun’s thumb gently caressed his skin, and he slowly raised a hand to place it over the larger one.
“I never knew you wanted me this way…” the terrestrial planet whispered. “You… you’re a star and I’m a planet. We’re so different, so are you sure you want to be with me? Will it even work out?”
The Sun patiently listened to his doubts with a pang in his chest. His grip around Earth’s waist instinctively tightened and he pulled him closer while his expression shone with determination as, for the first time in his 4.5 billion year old existence – apart from his obsession with having a planet with life – he was fully sure about his feelings and about what he truly desired. He wanted Earth, the beautiful blue and green wanderer who defied all odds and has not only managed to develop life on his surface, but has developed intelligent life on the top of that.
Even if he didn’t show it nor showed it the proper way, Sun has always been proud of him and had admired him from afar. He regretted not talking to him earlier, but now that he was and now that the impossible has come true in the form of confessing his feelings for his little miracle planet – and having them be returned in the most shocking turn of events – he never wanted to let him go. Never again.
“Earth”, Sun spoke as he brushed Earth’s hair from his face. “It doesn’t matter that I’m a star and you’re a planet. We’re not that different. We’re both celestial beings inside this Solar System within our galaxy and we’re both important in our own way, alright? You are important to me and I’m fully sure that I want you. Very much so.”
Earth blinked at him before his lips pulled into a small smile and he took a step closer. He threw his arms around the star’s waist and rested his head against his shoulder.
“You’re right”, he replied. “We’re both important. And I want you too, I want to try as well.”
Sun grinned while a wave of relief washed over him. His heart swelled with joy as he gently tucked the planet closer to him in a way that his head was instantly fully pillowed against his chest.
“Thank you for giving us a chance”, he spoke as he ran his fingers through the messy two-toned hair. “I promise I will do everything within my power to make this work.”
He held him a little tighter like he never wanted to let go of him. He tilted his head down and pressed a kiss on the top of his head, causing Earth to blush more with a shy smile. When Sun noticed the deepening colour, he felt a rush of affection and love go through his very being. He was so beautiful, so precious, and all his.
“You’re welcome”, Earth responded. “And so will I.”
Sun’s smile turned more genuine.
“You don’t know how happy you make me”, he murmured as he kept on playing with Earth’s soft strands of hair. “Just having you here in my arms means everything to me. I feel complete.”
He leaned closer to him, staring right at him unblinkingly in all seriousness.
“I’m never letting you go, you know that, right?” he asked. “Right?”
Earth tilted his head up to look back at him. He hesitated at the sheer intensity of the other’s gaze, but soon, his own smile returned.
“You better not!” he chuckled with genuine mischief and amusement.
Sun laughed loudly, the sound echoing throughout the entire Inner Solar System. He grinned down at him with obvious playfulness.
“Oh trust me, I won’t”, he reassured him with a wink while his arm around his waist tightened a little further. “You’re stuck with me now, Earth. No take-backsies.~”
The smaller planet chuckled in response before their lips connected into a second kiss, one that was less hesitant and more passionate. Sun pulled him flush against him, his arms tightening protectively around him at the same time as he lightly nipped at Earth’s bottom lip, eliciting a gasp from him. Using his shock to his advantage, the star coaxed his mouth open and deepened the kiss. Hearing a soft sound coming from his new lover caused a new fire to ignite deep inside his already boiling surface and a low rumble to reverberate from his throat.
“You’re mine”, Sun growled out possessively against his lips once he pulled away a millimetre. “Mine. I won’t let anyone come between us.”
Earth’s face turned into a deep crimson colour akin to a fruit cultivated by his humans called a ‘tomato’, but his smile remained on his face, small and shy.
“So…” he hesitantly began. “What does this make us? I know I’m yours, you just said it, but what am I to you now?”
Sun leaned further back as he took a moment to think, his expression becoming serious but his golden eyes never losing the desirous gleam they held. His hands gripped his waist briefly before relaxing, his touch becoming more comforting.
“You’re the most important being in my existence”, he answered earnestly. “You’re my love, my significant other. My boyfriend as your Earthlings would call it. You’re the one I want to spend all of eternity with.”
He let go of his waist to take a hold of both of the planet’s smaller hands before bringing them both up to his lips and brushing a soft kiss against his knuckles. His unwavering gaze never left Earth’s, one that was filled with a deep and intense affection and love that left no room for any doubt. Earth’s smile widened at the sincere declaration and at the romantic and gentlemanly kisses… before a thought reared its ugly head in his mind, tarnishing the moment and slowly erasing the smile on his face, making it instead pale as his eyes fractionally widened. Sun noticed the change in his expression alongside his sudden pallor and he frowned with a mixture of worry and confusion, thinking that he said something wrong.
“Not eternity really…” the planet mumbled out before the star could ask what was wrong, apologize, or anything to maintain the lovely atmosphere between them. “In five billion years from now, you will turn into a red giant and destroy Mercury, Venus, and potentially me in the process. Do… do you still want to be with me even with the knowledge that you might kill me in the distant future?”
Sun’s expression darkened as he understood the reason for his sudden hesitancy and righteous fear. He avoided thinking about their grim future as often as he possibly could, not wanting to accept their distant fate. He sometimes spiraled into episodes of anxiety and self-hatred when he recalled he was nearly halfway through his life cycle and by that extent, so were his planets. His myriad of negative emotions stemming from the knowledge that he’d be the sole cause of the inevitable demise of the Solar System manifested explosively in the form of aggression and manic outbursts of various forms that made his planets scatter away from him or tremble when his horrifyingly dark glare fell on them. Not Earth though. He had never cowered away from him, even before the two started talking much more frequently all those months ago.
Sun’s hands around Earth’s squeezed more before he sharply pulled him back against him, holding him so close all space between them was eliminated. He slightly decreased his surface temperature in an attempt to avoid hurting his beloved and the trillions of lifeforms living on his surface.
“Yes”, he replied firmly and without hesitation. “I do. Even knowing what’s to come, I want nothing more than to be with you and have you by my side.”
Earth’s expression, hidden by the fact that his face was pressed against the star’s chest, turned relieved at the determination in his love’s voice. He used the Sun’s black shirt to wipe the tears from his eyes before they could fall, eliciting a breathy chuckle from the larger being.
“Me too”, he replied. “Because I know it won’t be your fault. Neither of us can stop or modify our nature.”
The Sun let out a shaky sigh as he ran his fingers through the planet’s hair. He felt a surge of relief and gratitude wash over him at the newfound knowledge that Earth did not blame him for something that would be beyond his control, but it did nothing to squash down his stubborn self-hatred.
“I know too”, he breathed. “But it doesn’t make it any easier to think about.”
He paused for a moment, looking down at the unruly mop of blue and green hair resting against him.
“But we’ll face it together”, Sun added. “Whatever happens, whatever the universe throws at us, and whatever will happen to my system, I will be there for you. I promise I won’t let anything or anyone hurt you.”
‘Including myself’ was left unsaid.
Earth nodded fiercely as his arms tightened around the star’s waist.
“Yes”, he said quickly. “We’ll face it together. I love the sound of that. Boyfriends.”
Sun’s heart swelled at his words, his features shifting to a soft look as he began rubbing his back gently. At that moment, he felt so many things for his new boyfriend. Love, affection, protection… even possessiveness. He leaned in to press a gentle kiss against Earth’s forehead after gently lifting his head up with his other hand.
“I love you, Earth, until the end of time”, he whispered against his skin.
Earth’s eyes widened at the declaration as he stared at him in awe. No one has ever told him those three words before. Not even Mars, nor Venus, and especially not Mercury, apart from Luna and once fleetingly from Jupiter, but both were meant platonically and akin to a brotherly manner. To hear those precious words be uttered to him with all the romantic emotions backing them made Earth’s core skip a beat and jump into his throat.
“Say it again…” Earth whispered hoarsely, his voice and expression vulnerable and desperate to hear it aimed at him more often. “Please. Say it again.”
Sun pulled him closer, his hands gripping his waist tightly.
“I love you”, he repeated without hesitation. “I love you.”
I love you.
I love you.
****
“I love you.”
Earth gasped as he was torn out of the memory and thrown back into reality, eyes snapping open and his hands gripping the space in front of him where his lover had stood. The scalding heat was the first thing he noticed as the soothing emotions accompanying the positive images faded, replaced by the hollow emptiness that was the norm to his day to day life. He rubbed at his eyes, scratching his scorched surface in the process. Pieces of his crust detached and floated into space, having no more atmosphere to contain them anymore. His atmosphere has been eroded a while ago, stripped away by the increase in heat and luminosity from the Sun. All of his life has gone extinct a long time ago as a result, but the Earth found solace in the knowledge that most of his intelligent humans have managed to escape and aim for interstellar space before it happened.
The planet let out a heavy sigh as he turned to face the huge red star that his beloved Sun has become, the saturated light highlighting the dark circles under his ash-coloured eyes. The solar wind made his dry shoulder-length hair swing softly like a breeze would on his surface back when life had been flourishing. Behind him, the only other existing planet in the Inner Solar System sat in his orbit, studying the dusty rings around him that were the remains of his largest moon, Phobos with a distant look of resignation. Luna snoozed in his own orbit around the former planet with life, much further compared to five billion years ago. Earth swallowed as he pushed the memories away of a much happier time that threatened to resurface once more.
Ever since the Sun depleted his hydrogen reserves and began fusing helium, thus triggering his red giant phase and causing his surface to expend significantly into Mercury’s and Venus’ former orbits, leading to their demise, that’s all Earth could do; reminisce. Mars folded onto himself, refusing to play cards or anything else anymore. He barely spoke to him or Jupiter, choosing to occupy himself by staring out at the stars beyond and at his thin rings. Sun has become increasingly distant as well, as terrified of hurting him as he was. He shied away from physical contact and would send Earth away after just a few minutes of them talking when the planet went to visit him. After Mercury got destroyed, followed by Venus, he completely shut himself off, keeping his back turned to his remaining planets at all times to prevent them from seeing his grief-stricken face and the tears of guilt and pain flowing from his glowing red eyes. But sometimes, he would feel the ghostly touches on his back from his beloved Earth who tried his best to comfort him through this tragedy.
The scorched planet looked at his partner before he got up and made his way towards the red giant star that sat motionlessly in the centre of the dying Solar System, ignoring Mars’ urgent whispers to come back to his orbit lest he be killed. All that mattered to the Earth was to talk to his boyfriend, soothe him, and remind him that none of this was his fault. It wasn’t his fault that his life died off to a runaway greenhouse effect following an increased brightness and heat coming from the star. It wasn’t his fault the closest planets to him disintegrated due to his rapid expansion, and it wasn’t his fault the Solar System was coming to an end.
Earth knew that he was the next and last on the list of planets being torn apart by the Sun’s gravity, but he had made peace with the prospect from the moment the two of them got together and confessed their feelings for one another so long ago. He knew what would come in the distant future, a future that became the present moment. He didn’t blame Sun one bit for what was happening, and in turn, the star shouldn’t blame himself either.
When the small planet got to his significant other’s much closer position, he reached out and placed a gentle hand on his massive back, his expression falling when the star flinched and shrugged his hand off.
“Sunbeam…” came the hoarse croak from the Sun.
He had been crying again and that made Earth’s eyes water as well. He periodically cried, unable to stop himself as he wanted nothing more than to stop this and rewind time to just a few million years ago when everything was still stable and all his planets were alive, and he loathed himself for not being able to. He regularly cursed himself for having been born as a star and for being doomed to this destructive fate from day one. The planet took in a deep breath to compose himself.
“Hey Sunny…” he greeted as he walked around the star to come face to face with him.
When silence greeted him, he spoke again.
“Could you please look at me?” Earth asked in a low voice.
At first, Sun didn’t react, choosing instead to keep his head bowed with his hair hanging in his face in order to avoid looking at his partner. But then, painstakingly, he looked up and right into Earth’s gray eyes that shone with nothing but love, affection and empathy. When the rocky planet took a step closer to him, he flinched once more and averted his gaze.
“You shouldn’t be here”, the Sun murmured, wanting to be left alone yet craving his presence at the same time.
Ultimately, his selfish desires to keep Earth safe won, causing him to attempt to push away the being he loved the most and couldn’t live without, and raise mental barriers between them. Earth let out the umpteenth sigh as he took another step closer to him and placed a warm hand onto his cheek, his thumb gently brushing a rose gold teardrop away.
“Nonsense”, he replied. “I’m right where I want to be, with you. Remember, none of this is your fault.”
The star straightened up stiffly as anger briefly flashed in his reddening eyes, his features contorting into an expression of outrage marred with stabbing pain.
“How can this not be my fault, Earth?!” he retorted loudly as he gesticulated, accidentally knocking Earth off with a gravitational wave. “Just look at the destruction I caused!! Look at what I’ve become and am still changing into! I’m dying and I’m bringing you all down with me! I can’t stop it no matter how much I want to!”
He moved and reached out to tightly grab Earth’s wrist to fling him away, causing him to wince out of instinct, but at the last moment, he aborted the movement. Horrified by what he was about to do, Sun let out a strangled whine and scrambled to his feet before backing away. Earth followed him without fear and without batting an eye, having to float upwards to remain at eye level with his beloved star.
“Sunny…” he called out, only to be interrupted.
“No!” Sun cut in. “This is all my fault! You saw what I did! I’ll try to stop this even though I know I can’t, but I refuse to hurt you! If only I wasn’t…”
“If only you weren’t a star?” Earth interjected as he caught up with him and tenderly touched his cheek again, heaving a sigh of relief when he wasn’t shrugged off this time. “Sun… love. Please listen to me. You unfortunately can’t change your nature, nor this process, nor our collective fate, no matter how much you want to. We all knew this was going to happen and trust me when I say that none of us hate you for it. We’ve all accepted it because we know it’s part of our existence, just like it was part of my Earthlings’ lives to die in the end, allowing for new life to be created and to flourish in their place. That’s the circle of life. New planets and stars form from the remains of dead stars just like we were. And now, it’s our turn to create new “life” by letting go. It’s our time, Sunny, but don’t worry. I’m not leaving you. We’ll face this together like we promised all those years ago.”
The giant star stared at his boyfriend for a couple of terse seconds, blinking rapidly to clear his misty eyes. He slowly reached over and delicately held the planet in both hands. Their size difference was significantly more drastic now that he has entered his red giant phase and has become over two hundred times larger than he was during his main sequence stage… and was still growing. Therefore, his hands were roughly as big as three quarters of Earth’s entire body, an observation that made him shudder with horror and grief as it reminded him of their fate. A huge thumb tenderly brushed against Earth’s unruly gray hair, messing it up in the process, but he hoped the touch felt at least a little comforting to him. Sun’s weakening heart swelled with compassion as his expression shifted into one of pure love and melancholy when Earth leaned into the touch, nuzzling against his thumb as his eyelids fluttered close. He wanted nothing more than to keep him close, but he knew that it was not possible. He had a promise to fulfill.
“Earth, listen to me carefully”, he spoke, getting Earth’s attention and causing his eyes to open. “You need to leave the Solar System. Take Luna with you and go. Don’t look back.”
Earth’s eyes widened in shock as he felt his magma run cold under his surface, gaping at his Sunshine with his mouth hanging agape.
“W-what?” he stammered out. “No!”
“Please…” the star pleaded. “Leave, my love. You can have another chance elsewhere. You can find a younger star to orbit around, one who will live for longer than I ever could. Your life can start from anew and evolve again.”
“No!” Earth cried out as he reached out to grab onto him, letting out a strangled gasp when Sun denied him of the contact and let him go before taking a step back.
The star's control over his unstable nature was slipping and the last thing he wanted to do was to accidentally hurt him. If he were to do that, he would do anything within his power to deliberately accelerate his dying process to go out sooner.
“I want to stay with you!” Earth pleaded. “You promised! You promised we’d stay together! Please, I need you!”
Sun turned his head away as tears ran down his cheeks. He tightly balled his trembling hands into fists as he swallowed thickly.
“I also promised that I would protect you from anything”, he said, his voice cracking yet remaining soft in pitch. “And that includes myself. I’m only becoming more unstable by the minute. Venus and Mercury are dead, turned into dust because of my ever expanding outer layers. I don’t want you to suffer the same fate. I can’t let you live through it.”
“I told you I already knew that was going to happen, Sunny!” Earth replied as he took a step closer to him. “I knew when we confessed and even way before that. I had five billion years to prepare myself for this moment. I don’t care about having life again, I’ve had it and I’m grateful that I’ve been able to develop it thanks to your light and warmth. You’re way more important than my survival. We’re in this together, Sunny, like you said before.”
His hand touched the star’s shoulder, and when he didn’t rear back this time, he latched onto him and held him like his existence depended on it. His body shook as he wrapped his arms around his neck and tears gathered in his dark, tired eyes when he felt a gentle hand press against his back, holding him against his much larger frame.
“Please, love…” Earth begged again. “I want to stay, so please let me. Please…”
The star remained silent as he took his pleadings into consideration with an agonized expression. He wanted nothing more than to listen to him and keep him close in his arms… but he knew he wouldn’t be able to live his remaining life with the knowledge that he had shattered him into pieces. He was already suffering from the soul-crushing guilt of having caused an excessive amount of damage already, including the death of two of his planets. He selfishly couldn’t bring himself to do the same to his beloved Earth.
Sun raised his other hand and held the planet in both of them as he gently pulled him off him, his eyes meeting Earth’s and his lips pulling into a bittersweet smile at seeing the determination and sadness shining in them.
“I admire your bravery”, he whispered as he tipped his head forward and pressed the gentlest kiss on the top of his head. “That’s just one of the many things I love about you, my Sunbeam. I want nothing more than to have you stay with me…”
Earth smiled back through fresh tears and was about to open his mouth to reply when the star’s hold around him shifted and gravity was felt building up around them. His optimistic expression instantly vanished and his eyes widened with intense trepidation as he realized what was about to happen. Sun ground his teeth while his expression darkened, and, without further delay, a huge gravitational wave slammed into the planet, sending him flying towards the Outer Solar System.
“…but I can’t”, Sun finished.
Earth’s tears fell, the droplets evaporating into the emptiness of space as he approached Jupiter with dizzying speeds and got further and further away from the star he loved the most by the second.
“NO!!” he screamed his throat raw, his core breaking into a myriad of little shards as he watched his Sunny becoming smaller the more the distance between them increased. “SUN! NO! PLEASE DON’T DO THIS, SUNNY!”
Sun was openly crying at this point and he didn’t bother to hide nor wipe the glowing tears that freely flow from his bloodshot eyes. He sank heavily to his knees as he watched Jupiter catch Earth using his powerful gravity and hold him close. He gripped his chest with both hands, his large fingers tightening around the fabric of his buttoned up shirt and his fingernails tearing holes into it from the force of his trembling grip. He was close to hyperventilating from his distress and heartbreak, flinching every time his Sunshine yelled out loudly, begging him to reconsider, let him stay, and to not go through with the plan of ejecting everyone that was left.
“I’m sorry, Earth…” he whispered. “Please forgive my selfishness one… last time…”
His tear-filled eyes met Jupiter’s wide-eyed stare, and he nodded.
“GO!” he roared, the raw power and volume of his voice shaking the very asteroids in both the asteroid and Kuiper belts.
Sun gathered whatever strength he had left and pushed. Jupiter held Earth against his abdomen as he flew towards the Oort cloud, joined by Saturn, Luna, Mars, and the ice giants. He watched with blurry vision as they drifted away, feeling like someone had taken his heart and ripped it out of his chest before crushing it into dust. He tried to find comfort in the hope that they would be safe out there, but his torment was too immense. He sat as he watched the planetary system he spent the last ten billion years taking care of drift further and further away until they were nothing more than a bright dot against the inky black blanket of space, feebly illuminated by his wavering light. Earth’s cries and pleas echoed in his head and he buried his face in his hands as he bitterly wept.
“Forgive me, Earth…” he whispered to what was once his glorious Solar System. “For I will love you until the end of time.”
****
Rogue planet Earth floated through a planetary nebula as he approached what was once the Solar System, his expression guarded. He walked slowly between the gaseous clouds, his alert eyes scanning his surroundings from left to right and from top to bottom until his gaze fell onto what he was looking for. His breath hitched and his quickened his pace, his true emotions peaking through his neutral mask. There, in the middle of the colourful nebula laid a small, bright and flickering white dwarf star on his back, his head turned away from the direction Earth was coming from. His arms rested limply by his side, fingers loosely curled on themselves.
The planet took in a shaky breath as his ashen eyes stung with the beginnings of unshed tears. He slowly crouched down in front of the stellar remnant whose eyes were closed and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“Hi, Sunny…” he whispered brokenly.
The white dwarf that the Sun has become weakly turned his head towards the sound of the voice he hasn’t expected to hear ever again. He slowly blinked, his glowing sky blue eyes opening and falling onto Earth for the first time in a few hundred million years.
“S-Sunbeam..?” he croaked out, his vocal chords destroyed from screaming in agony and from subsequent lack of use.
Earth’s tears fell as he took one of his hands and gently squeezed it in support.
“Yes”, he replied in a low tone. “It’s me.”
The dying star swallowed thickly before he coughed meekly.
“Why..?” came the quiet question.
“Why I came back after so long? Because I love you and I wanted to see you again. I missed you so much, Sunny…”
Earth wasn’t the only one who was weeping by now. A single tear drop escaped from Sun’s eyes and rolled down his cheek. He attempted to sit up to have a better look at his boyfriend, only to be lightly eased back down by Earth.
“My Earth…” the star spoke as he squeezed the rogue planet’s hand. “Forgive me.”
He was silenced by a soft kiss being pressed onto his lips. His glowing eyes widened before his instincts took over and he shakily returned the affectionate gesture. Oh, how he had missed the feeling of his lips against his and his touch that made the whole universe around them disappear in a bliss. More tears fell as he tightened his hold around him and sobbed into the kiss.
“There’s nothing to forgive you for”, Earth whispered when he regretfully broke the kiss and leaned back, the thumb of his free hand caressing his pale cheek and continuously wiping the silver tears as they came. “But rest assured that the others and I forgave you a long time ago.”
“The… others?” Sun choked out in surprise. “They…”
“We’re all ok”, his significant other smiled through his own crushing emotions. “Mars, Jupiter, Luna, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and the dwarf planets. We’re all safe and sound. We haven’t found a new star system yet because we’ve stayed a safe distance away from you. I came back to you the moment you finally shed your outer layer and the danger was over.”
Fat tears rolled down the star’s face as he broke down in earnest and pressed a hand against his trembling mouth. They never left him even if he had ordered them to and physically flung them all out of his system. His brave, lovely and beautiful planets never left. His beloved Earth stayed as well. They all remained nearby, waiting for the first opportunity they got to come back.
Soft and gentle arms wrapped around his frail body before he felt a comforting weight tucking itself against his chest as Earth snuggled against him just like they used to cuddle billions of years ago, with the exception that they currently were the same height and the dying star wasn’t emitting any new heat. The planet hated how cooler to the touch he became, but he pushed it to the side in order to instead comfort his lover.
“Let it all out”, he soothed as he delicately rubbed his shoulder and planted a kiss onto his cheek. “You’re alright now. I’m here for you.”
Sun turned onto his side and pulled him close, wrapping his own arms around his boyfriend. Despite his rapidly declining strength and energy, the gesture was still protective with a hint of possessiveness. Earth pressed himself closer to him, eliminating all space between them as he sought out his warmth after having spent an unfathomably long time drifting in the cold emptiness of interstellar space. A shift in the fabric of space time announced the cautious approach of the others, but Earth ignored them as he chose to remain close to their Sun. In turn, the remaining planets and moons stayed a respectful distance away, observing the heartwarming scene with expressions varying from grief to compassion. Saturn’s low cries were heard, his emotions shared by all former members of the Solar System as they prepared to say their goodbyes.
No one knew how much time had passed since Earth had found their star, but eventually, Earth opened his eyes and took in the flickering glow of the Sun’s own eyes and the weakening of his light. He felt his core clench painfully in his chest and he reached out to softly brush his knuckles against his cooling skin.
“Rest now, my love”, he smiled shakily through his heartbreak. “Be at peace.”
Sun used his last fleeting strength to return his smile, his light dimming quickly.
“I… love you…” he whispered.
Earth snuggled against him, crying uncontrollably when the light flickered out and his lover’s body went still and cold.
“Until the end of time”, he murmured back.