Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The breeze gently wisped past the castle, filling the otherwise quiet afternoon. The hustle and bustle of the city below was vaguely audible, and from up on the balcony, you could see most of the houses, shops, restaurants, farms, and many other buildings.

Stargazer breathed out a soft sigh, leaning on the rails of his bedroom balcony and glancing down at the city below. It was a very nice view in his opinion, but not as good as his observatory.

His prosthetic shark tail wagged lazily behind him as he slumped a bit, holding his head in his hands. He'd been a lot more down recently, for a reason he couldn't explain. However, he told himself constantly he'd be fine.

The Kingdom of Star had recently been trying to gain allyship with the Kingdom of Sun, and apparently one of the best ways to do that was arranged marriage between the princes of each kingdom. So, here Stargazer was, stuck in the middle of it all.

Murmuring something under his breath, Stargazer stretched out his posture, trying to appear more refined despite being alone with nobody to show off to. It had become a habit over the years to always be formal and courteous and elegant and prince-like; a habit that was difficult to break.

Stealing one last glance at the afternoon sky, Stargazer stepped back into his bedroom, sitting on the edge of his plush bed. He gently sunk his claws into the blankets, deep enough to offer some sort of release but not enough to tear.

His thoughts recently had become so jumbled. Diplomacy this, money that, marriage this, kingdom that- it stressed him out. Stargazer normally led a relaxed life; thus, he didn't know how to regulate his stress and anxiety properly.

He flopped onto his side with a groan, sinking into the soft covers. Glancing up at his ceiling, he smiled a bit when he saw the glow-in-the-dark stars he had put up with his mom years ago. It was one of his few childhood memories he looked back on fondly.

While Stargazer did have somewhat of a childhood, it was never 'normal'. When he wasn't taken up by royal duties and private tutoring, he was almost always by himself, simply watching the stars; which was how he got his name. It was still his favorite thing to do.

The stars listened to him. They never judged. They never interrupted. They were kind and understanding. Stargazer much preferred them over everybody. The stars never called him weird and they never stereotyped him as some snobbish prince. They understood. Inphernals never did. That was what he hated about the world.

He never got along with spawnlings his age when he was young. Too energetic, too loud, too feisty. Too much for him to bear. Any time his parents tried to make him socialize, he'd always be crowded and shouted at and touched and it all was too much. He simply grew to associate almost everyone with the feeling of too much.

He'd learned to avoid the feeling, like a dog and a shock collar, which led to him growing increasingly antisocial. But he didn't mind. The stars always kept him company. They'd listen to him talk for hours and they wouldn't say a word, which he both liked and hated.

Stargazer wanted someone to talk to, to share all his thoughts with. To ramble endlessly about his favorite things and rant continously about his most hated things. But, it was hard enough to just introduce himself to people, so he knew the stars were the closest he'd get to an actual person.

He'd always felt… disconnected from others. He never made friends since he didn't know who only wanted to befriend him to brag about being close with the prince, and who actually liked him for himself. He doubted anyone actually did. He was awkward and shy and easily overstimulated and 'weird'. At least, he always thought that. People's perceptions of him only made those thoughts more realistic.

Just thinking about it all made him want to scream into a pillow. And so he grabbed the nearest one, put it over his face, and he screamed. He screamed until he was almost lightheaded. He let out all his anger at the world and all his stress and fear and built-up overstimulation onto his pillow.

He eventually pulled away, staring at the pillow with a slightly sad look. " …You didn't deserve that. I'm sorry. " Stargazer gently put the pillow back in it's place on his bed, then made sure everything was symmetrical and exactly where it should be. Every little imperfection made him want to scream again.

Right as he was about to get off his bed and actually do something productive, a soft knocking sound radiated from the door. He froze, taking a moment to mentally reassure himself it was fine. He then called out tentatively, " …Who is it? "

The person on the other side of the door responded curtly. " Eggsquerade. Your parents' new assistant. You have been requested to come outside and meet someone. I can escort you when you're ready. "

Stargazer nodded, but then replied with a quick " of course " once he realized Eggsquerade couldn't see him. He checked and double-checked his clothes, making sure they were all neat and good-looking. He then looked in his mirror, running his fingers through his hair once or twice to make sure it looked just right. He didn't even know who the certain someone was, but he was taught to always try to make the best first impression you can.

He eventually opened his bedroom door and walked out, seeing a dapperly dressed person waiting outside, who he assumed was Eggsquerade. " I'm ready. " Stargazer dipped his head, reaching down silently to fidget with a clay beaded lizard in his pocket. It was one of his favorite things, and he took it everywhere for comfort.

" Ah, let's go then. " Eggsquerade dipped their head back, then led Stargazer down one of the large hallways. Tapestries hung from the walls, some of the Kingdom's flag, some of the night sky, and some of famous people from the Kingdom's history. There was even one of the myths Sianachkit and Beaststaff, which still made Stargazer shiver a little.

The walk was filled with an awkward yet somewhat comfortable silence. Stargazer wanted to make some form of small talk, but both had no clue how to start it and also he just didn't have the energy to talk much. The best small talk he'd ever started was 'uh, nice weather, right?' that somehow turned into an actual conversation. The opening made Stargazer cringe.

Eventually, the two of them reached the castle entrance, where Stargazer noticed a few people were gathered. The two he instantly recognized were his parents, but then… the queen of the Kingdom of Sun. Odd. Then someone he very vaguely remembered. The prince of the Kingdom of Sun. His heart dropped a little as his brain began to realize. As Stargazer got closer to the small group, he silently tuned in on their conversation.

" …Lightblade, it's truly an honor to connect our kingdoms like this. May the stars be in our favor for the future. " His father bowed, earning a light amused chuckle from Queen Lightblade. " Of course. May the sun be in our favor as well. "

As much as Stargazer wanted to stay in the back and let everyone else socialize, that dream was quickly crushed. " Ah, is that your prince? " Queen Lightblade asked, gesturing to Stargazer. He quickly nodded and put on a smile, though internally he wanted to shrivel up and turn into dust. The person he assumed was the Sun prince waved at him, and he quietly returned the gesture.

His mother turned to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. " Stargazer, meet Sunburst, your future husband. "

Stargazer tried to keep his eyes from widening. " I- I thought it was supposed to be months out..? " He questioned warily, trying his best to not come off as rude. His fidgeting with his bead lizard was probably obvious, but nobody commented on it.

" We decided the earlier you two meet, the better! Do you have a problem with it? " It felt condescending, almost. Stargazer hated it. He swiftly shook his head no, knowing he shouldn't talk back or speak out. He just had to roll with the punches and then it'd all be fine.

" That's great then! I was thinking the two of them could spend some time together to get to know each other? " Lightblade queried, earning an affirmative nod from the Star king. Stargazer wasn't listening much at all; he was beginning to space out.

He had been trying to ignore the marriage for as long as he could. Distraction helped with his anxiety- it could totally help with his long-term issues. Definitely. He simply stared at the ground, tuning out the world for just a minute.

Was he really going to marry him? Well, he didn't mean it in a bad way, but still. Just the thought of marrying anyone made him want to retch. Spending the rest of his life with someone and having to actually love them? At least it was arranged and more for diplomatic reasons, so he probably didn't have to actually love hi-

" Dear, are you alright? " A hand on his shoulder made Stargazer jump a bit, then he quickly nodded yes. " Sorry, I uh- zoned out a bit. I apologize. "

" It's alright, try to listen next time. " His dad huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. " Did you pay attention to anything? " He scoffed slightly.

Stargazer stammered. " Uh- I didn't exactly hear everything, no… " He felt the shame wash over him in waves, making him tremble a tiny bit. This was exactly why he hated social interaction. It just made him want to crawl into a hole in the earth and bury himself inside.

" You and Sunburst can go and get to know each other in private, alright? You can go wherever you wish. " His mother explained, instantly making Stargazer even more anxious. He needed to have been warned before this. He had plans, and he needed to practice speaking to himself in the mirror and-

" Are you okay? "

" Y-yeah. I apologize again. " Stargazer dipped his head, not exactly identifying who was talking to him.

" We can go now then, right? "

Oh. It was Sunburst. He really didn't feel like talking to him right now.

" Of course. Might I recommend the flower fields near Stargazer's observatory? They're very nice to take a walk in. " His mother suggested, making him a little relieved he didn't have to speak.

" Sure, lead me there! " Sunburst chirped enthusiastically, then lightly tugged on Stargazer's sleeve, making him flinch. " Let's g- wait I'm sorry I uh- forgot you don't like touch- " Sunburst quickly apologized, pulling away.

" It's- it's okay. You don't need to apologize. " Stargazer murmured, turning around to follow Eggsquerade as the latter guided the two towards the fields.

Chapter Text

Sunburst was stretched out on his bed, groggy and only half-awake. Normally he was awake at 6:30am, but now it was 8:00am and he felt like he could barely get out of bed. …Probably because he stayed up much later than normal just wondering about the Star prince.

What would he be like? He'd already heard a few stories about him. Quiet, antisocial… A lot different from Sunburst. And he was going to marry him in a few months. It was still weird for him to think about.

Deciding enough was enough and it was time to get up, he stretched out his crow wings, sitting up afterwards despite feeling a little dazed from the moving. He extended his arms out, cracking his knuckles with one fluid movement.

Draping his legs over the bedside, he eventually stood up, wobbling for a moment or two before he steadied himself. Letting out a sigh, he decided to change out of his pajamas, and just pulling his shirt over his head proved to be a challenge as he somehow forgot the wings on his back.

Once he was fully changed, he exited his bedroom to brush his teeth, and thankfully it was only a very short walk from his room to the nearest bathroom. He grabbed the toothpaste and his toothbrush, accidentally putting too much toothpaste on but not caring enough to fix it. Once he had brushed his teeth and flossed, he sighed quietly, mentally preparing for the day ahead.

Sunburst's father had been dead for a while, leaving some of his duties passed on to his son. It made Sunburst both respect him for how much he had to endure, but it also made Sunburst slightly resent him. He knew it was out of his father's control, but it was his choice to handle a very venomous snake and get bitten.

Granted, his mother did handle the brunt of the responsibilities, but it didn't mean Sunburst didn't have to pull more than his weight for the kingdom. On top of his knight training he did for fun, he had to manage most of the diplomacy between kingdoms. He also took up managing the knights due to his battle knowledge he'd gained over the years. He felt all the pressure had begun to take a toll on him. He just wished his brother hadn't gone missing, and maybe then they could share the responsibilities… He also just wanted Sunflare back.

While he never dreamed of getting married, he wasn't that opposed to it as long as it was someone he truly loved. When his mother told him he was to be put into an arranged marriage, it took him a few days to fully process that. It felt almost unreal, and he had no clue why. He was never good at having a firm grasp on things and concepts.

He stared at himself in the bathroom mirror for a while, just analyzing himself. Hyperfocusing on the smallest details. He had a little speck of dust on his right horn there, he needed to smooth his feather there, there was wrinkles in his clothes there… Soon he got tired of it, and finally left the bathroom, then headed over to the library.

After a minute or two of walking, he finally reached it. Glancing past the shelves, he ran his fingers along the spines of the books until he saw one that interested him. Folklore and Myths from Around the Kingdoms. Sunburst had already heard many fairytales and folk stories as a kid, but he was interested in the full myths, especially as the less kid-friendly ones intrigued him (despite his squeamishness in some situations).

He grabbed the book from the shelf and chose a nearby table to sit at and read. Flicking a lamp on, he set the book on the table, flipping to the table of contents. He looked until he saw one that caught his eye. Sianachkit & Beaststaff. He'd heard of them before; inphernal-deer hybrids that lived in the woods and would curse children for the rest of their lives if they went into the woods alone. Though he knew now it was just a tale to scare spawnlings from running off, it made younger Sunburst tremble.

He only made it a paragraph or two in before he heard someone calling his name. Sunburst looked up in surprise, seeing Cybertana, his mother's most trusted advisor. " Your mother is waiting for you. There is a carriage just outside the castle that will take you to Kingdom of Star. " Cybertana dipped his head.

" Oh, thanks for letting me know! " Sunburst chirped, quickly putting the book back in it's place on the shelf after a moment of looking. He then flicked off the table lamp and got up to practically scurry after Cybertana and to the castle doors.

Once he had made it there, he stepped inside the carriage, sitting next to his mother, Queen Lightblade. " Finally, you're here. " She commented with a soft smile. " Did Cybertana tell you where we're going? "

Sunburst nodded, then thought for a moment. " Why are we going to the Kingdom of Star suddenly? Or is this another diplomacy thing? " He questioned with a perplexed expression, his wings shifting behind him to be more comfortable against the seat. He jumped a bit when the carriage started moving, then eventually relaxed.

" Oh, sweetie, we're going to meet your future husband! Isn't that exciting? " Lightblade crowed, putting her hand on a surprised Sunburst's shoulder. " Already?? I thought it wasn't for like, a month or two- " Sunburst gently pried her hand off of him, meeting her gaze with confusion.

Lightblade shook her head. " The Star Queen and King agreed to have you two meet early. There's no harm in it. " She shrugged with a gentle smile.

" I, uh- I guess, yeah. I'm just.. nervous, you know? " Sunburst replied sheepishly, fidgeting with his hands as he looked outside at the town around them.

" That's perfectly fine! Just try to be brave, like your father. " Lightblade's last words stung Sunburst slightly. He always felt like he had such big shoes to fill in his father's passing; being reminded about it wasn't helping much.

Sunburst sighed a bit. " Yeah, I'll try. "

It took a while, but eventually the carriage reached the castle in the Kingdom of Star. He climbed out, stretching out his wings in relief he wasn't in the cramped place anymore. It's why he rarely liked to travel via carriage. He followed Lightblade, soon meeting the Star Queen and King outside the castle entrance. He sorta awkwardly stood next to his mom as the three rulers made small talk, waiting for the Star prince to come.

Eventually, the Star prince emerged from the castle, and something overcame Sunburst in that moment. He looked stunning; handsome, even. Something about him felt serene, without the prince having even said anything yet. He averted his gaze once he realized he was staring.

He waved with a warm smile when the Star prince glanced at him, and was almost delighted when the gesture was returned, even if less enthusiastically.

Something about him made Sunburst somewhat… excited for the arranged marriage. Like he had a gut feeling it might work out.

Chapter Text

" Soo, like.. What do you do for fun? "

Stargazer averted his gaze, looking down at the hyacinths peppered around in the field surrounding him and Sunburst. He really wished he was anywhere but where he was at the moment. Well, not anywhere, but still.

" …I, uh- I enjoy stargazing. Making paper stars. Making bracelets. " Stargazer shrugged as he named random things, crouching down to look at a mantis. He observed it for a few moments, temporarily tuning out the world around him before his trance was broken by the voice next to him.

" Oh, that's cool. I like drawing and writing and stuff. And fighting and training my skills. I wanna be a knight someday. " Sunburst chirped in response, fluttering his wings a little. " Do you like any of that stuff? " He questioned with the tone of a curious child.

Stargazer thought for a second, almost hesitating to reply as he gathered the energy to speak again. It already felt like a chore to just talk. " …I sometimes write, but not often. I've never been very skilled at drawing. " He murmured, standing back up since he felt awkward staring at a bug during their conversation. He still had to be formal and proper. The both of them were princes, after all.

" I'm sure your drawings look great! Can I see them sometime maybe? " Sunburst crowed, surprising Stargazer. He thought for a moment before slowly shaking his head no. " I'd… like to keep them private. " Stargazer muttered sheepishly.

" That's okay! I won't look if you don't want me to. " While it was the basic level of decency and politeness, it still made Stargazer a little happy he got to have his privacy. His drawings weren't weird or gory, he just preferred to keep his creative works to himself.

The two fell into a somewhat awkward silence. Stargazer didn't want to talk, but almost felt like he had an obligation to. " ..What's the Kingdom of Sun like? I've never been there. " He inquired, quietly sitting down in a soft patch of grass.

Sunburst glanced over with a warm grin. " Well, there's a lot of people and fun stuff to do but it also gets really hot during summer so I stay inside a lot during then but also- " Sunburst took a breath so he could keep rambling. " -I really like the spring since it's like the perfect temperature and I love seeing all the flowers and little critters around and it's really nice and you should really visit sometime! "

Sunburst's rambling almost overwhelmed Stargazer, but after a moment or two his brain fully processed it. " …I could go sometime. I just don't like being around lots of people. " He gazed away, instead choosing to look at some purple and blue wildflowers next to him.

" Well, you could always wear a disguise! You should really come to the central marketplace with me, there's tons of stuff and it's great for hanging out! " Sunburst chirped happily.

" That's… not really the problem- "

" Then what is? "

" Just… the crowds, the noise, so many people, having to mask constantly, the stress… I'm sorry. " Stargazer dipped his head as he apologized. He never talked about his crowd stress with others, let alone basically a stranger. Then again, Sunburst asked first.

Sunburst seemed to hesitate before responding. " Oh, uh- sorry then. Do you still wanna go or..? "

" My parents will likely make me go anyway, so I suppose. " Stargazer shrugged quietly. " They say I have to build a tolerance for these sorts of things. "

" Does it, like, work though? "

" No. "

" Oh. "

They both fell into another awkward silence. Stargazer pulled out the bead lizard he had in his pocket, fidgeting with it for comfort. " Ooh, isn't that one of those clay bead lizard thingys I've seen before? " Sunburst questioned with a child-like smile.

" Uh- yeah. " Stargazer replied dryly, feeling bad for not being as enthusiastic or energetic as the other. " I made it myself a while ago. Meant to look like a night sky with stars. "

" Looks really good! Do you think you could teach me to make one? " Sunburst cawed, his wings fluttering behind him like he was stimming.

Stargazer thought for a second, then responded " …Maybe. "

" Cool! Also I have a question, how did you get your prosthetics? They look super cool! Did you lose your limbs in a fight or something? I wanna hear! " Sunburst scooted a bit closer, running his fingers along Stargazer's tail, which he quickly lashed away.

" Don't touch me. " He snapped, sounding more rude and standoffish than he meant to be. " I mean- sorry- I just- " He panicked, scooting away a few feet and holding his head in his hands. Stars above, he couldn't do anything right. Sunburst probably hates him now.

" Oh, no- it's okay- I shouldn't have touched you- sorrysorrysorry- " Sunburst fervently apologized, giving Stargazer his space. " I didn't mean to be pushy or touchy, I'm sorry Stargazer- " Now Stargazer made Sunburst feel like shit. Great. Greatgreatgreat.

The two spent the rest of their time together in uncomfortable silence, one which Stargazer both wanted to break but also didn't want to break. Even if he did actually want to, he didn't have the energy to.

Eventually, bodyguards came and retrieved Sunburst to take the prince back to the Kingdom of Sun. Sunburst waved goodbye with a warm smile, but Stargazer could only return the gesture half-heartedly.

Once Sunburst was gone, Stargazer fully laid down in the bed of grass, letting out a loud sigh. All that was on his mind as he stared up at the clouds was how he definitely fucked that up. Why was he like this? Why couldn't he be more comfortable with everything like everyone else was? The question about his prosthetics alone made him extremely uncomfortable. He buried those memories deep down for a reason, and he wouldn't let them resurface now.

He spent the next couple hours simply watching the sky, letting his thoughts and worries drift away like the clouds. It was almost therapeutic to him. Not as comforting as stargazing, but it was nice.

He just wondered what it'd be like marrying that idiot in a few months.

Chapter Text

" …and that concludes my speech. Thank you all for listening, and may the Sun bless you today. "

Sunburst bowed, feeling a surge of pride at the roaring applause of the citizens below. He then turned around and walked back into the castle, his cape billowing in the wind behind him.

He figured an assistant could tell his mom he finished the speech; he was too tired to find her (even though she was most likely in her room or the throne room). Instead he made his way over to his bedroom, collapsing on his bed from tiredness.

He had very much overworked himself yesterday, spending hour after hour training and trying to hone his skills. He felt like he had hit a wall; even if he kept fighting and training, he stopped feeling himself getting better and improving. So he kept throwing himself at that wall, too stubborn to try a different approach. He could definitely feel the effects it had on his body.

Eventually Sunburst sat up, stretching out his full wingspan, almost hitting the nearby wall. He reached one wing out in front of him so he could preen, gently running his fingers through his dark feathers. It was comforting to him, even if sometimes he accidentally hurt himself by pulling a loose feather.

Once he was done preening both of his wings, he got off his bed and did a few push-ups as well as stretched out all his muscles as a small warm-up before his daily training. He planned to take it easier today, even if he knew he'd probably forget about that and overwork himself again.

He exited his bedroom, then made his way over to the small nearby field where he always trained and fought at. He summoned his gear, looking over it for a moment or two to make sure it was in perfect condition.

He walked over to the nearby dummy. It was covered in slashes and cuts, and definitely looked worse for wear. Oh well, Sunburst would replace it when he needed to. Gripping his sword's blade, he winded up then slashed at the dummy, striking it over and over as the stuffing flew out of it like some sort of replacement for blood.

He kept striking and slashing, his mind subconsciously wandering when he should've been focusing. Every time he tried to hone in on the dummy, on his hits, on his posture and form, his mind kept going back to one thing- or, rather, person. Stargazer.

He didn't know why, exactly. There wasn't much particularly special about him. Except for just about everything. Sunburst hadn't met anyone like him before, and it was safe to say he was intrigued by him. He felt horrible after how their chat had ended last time, and he prayed he could make it up to Stargazer somehow. Maybe the next time they met up.

Sunburst wiped off the sweat beading on his forehead, taking a deep breath from the exertion. He glanced at the dummy, and it was almost fully shredded. A good sign of progress. He picked up some of the stray stuffing, leaving it in a pile next to the dummy.

Sitting down on the soft grass, Sunburst took a few more deep breaths to relax his body. He had been doing good on stamina, but still felt like he needed to improve. There was always a voice in the back of his mind telling him he needed to get better at this, get better at that, or else he could never be a royal knight. It stressed him out a bit, but he tried to ignore it.

He glanced up at the partially cloudy sky, looking straight into the sun for a good while before looking away. He liked seeing how long he could stare at the sun before he had to stop. He knew it would screw up his eyes, but he didn't care much. As long as he wasn't going actually blind, it was a fun game for him.

After the couple minutes of break time he alloted himself, Sunburst stood back up, gripping his sword firmly and getting back into proper posture. He lined himself up, prepared to swing, then hit the dummy with probably too much might- the dummy promptly crashed to the ground, falling off of it's pole. Sunburst awkwardly watched as the stuffing fell out all over the grass, and he let out a quiet sigh.

He felt bad for the assistant that would probably have to clean it all up and replace the dummy, so instead Sunburst began to pick it all up by himself. He put it all into the pile from earlier, then sat back down on the grass again for another small break. He didn't know why his stamina was suddenly so much lower. Then again, it was a gamble every day for how much energy he had. His luck must've been running out on it. Eventually, Sunburst stood up from the ground, stretching out his muscles. He walked back over to the castle, deciding to eat breakfast. It was more of a brunch given the time, though.

Once Sunburst had finished eating, he made his way back to his room, closing his bedroom door with a small sigh of tiredness.

Out of boredom, he randomly decided to draw, and pulled out his sketchbook and pencil. When he was thinking of what to draw, his mind still kept going back to Stargazer. Weird. But, he could work with that.

The next few sketches of Stargazer that Sunburst drew were left discarded and unfinished, all deemed bad by himself. He decided to draw himself instead as a break, choosing to draw himself in the field him and Stargazer were in.

It still didn't turn out well. That or Sunburst was very self-critical today. He stared at the drawing for a while, hyperanalyzing every bit of it. Everything he deemed bad; perspective was off near the bottom, the legs weren't proportioned correctly, the lines were messy on the head… He eventually stopped, only once he started to feel bad.

With a huff, Sunburst ripped the paper out of his sketchbook with a considerable amount of force. He crumpled it up in his hands, then threw it to the side to be picked up later.

Chapter Text

" You've received a letter, Stargazer. " A voice called out from outside his bedroom door.

Getting up off his bed a moment later, Stargazer opened the door slowly, taking the letter from the mailman, Rainbeau's, hand. " Thank you, sir. " Stargazer dipped his head respectfully then closed the door, glancing down at the envelope in curiosity. He rarely received personal letters; besides the common few from spawnlings who wrote to him for little reason.

Gently cracking the seal on the envelope, he pulled out the letter inside. The handwriting looked somewhat rushed but still neat and mostly legible. For some reason, this card had piqued his interest. He sat on the edge of his bed and mentally read it to himself.

Dear Stargazer,

I'm sorry if J seemed hyperactive or annoying or anything. I didn't mean to be. My mom says I can be a lot to handle sometimes, so sorry if I was. I didn't mean to trigger you by touching you either, I just forget that some people aren't comfortable with things. I hope you can forgive me because you actually seem really kind and genuine. Hope we can meet up again soon! :)

Sincerely, Sunburst

Stargazer blinked in surprise, holding the letter a bit closer. People rarely apologized for their behavior towards him, and it felt weird to get a sincere apology at that. As well as being called really kind? It almost felt strange to him, especially from someone he barely knew.

He softly put the letter back in the envelope, then put it in a special drawer he reserved for things close to him. It felt nice to receive such a letter, even if what caused it wasn't as nice. Maybe Sunburst wasn't all that bad. But still, he should've known not to suddenly touch him and scare him like that. Hopefully he'd know better the next time they met.

Stargazer fell back onto the grassy field with a huff, basking in the midnight moonlight. He laid on his back and glanced up at the stars, quickly feeling notably calmer. He felt like rambling today, and the best people to do it to were the stars. His tail flicked lazily as he gathered the energy to speak.

" Today was… tiring. " He started off with a sigh. " Too many responsibilities. I'm… not used to it, I suppose. " He rolled over onto his side for comfort, his tail curling around his legs.

" I've just been tired a lot lately. Too much going on for my liking. Too many people. Hard to think. " Stargazer shrugged, gazing away from the constellations. " Speaking of thinking, I just- I don't know what to think about Sunburst. He's… a lot. A bit stressful, but I can tell everything he does is in good faith. I think, at least. " His tired expression wavered into a frown for a moment or two.

He hesitated before speaking again. " …I don't think I can handle getting married. I'm barely old enough, at that. It should've been for a few months, I- they should've at least asked me- "

Feeling himself growing frustrated, Stargazer took a few deep breaths, rhythmically clapping his hands to try to regulate his emotions. It was something he often found himself doing when stressed, though he only stimmed in private. It was calming for him, even though other people likely viewed it as weird or child-like.

Once he was mostly relaxed again, he glanced back up at the stars, analyzing the constellations and faintly visible planets. He basked in the starlight and the silence of the field around him, the only sounds audible being those of crickets and other insects. Stargazer found a sense of home in the darkness of the night.

Once he had enough on his mind to rant again, he continued speaking. " I- …I don't- " A sigh escaped his lips as he found himself struggling to form words. His mind felt almost foggy, despite being rather clear a few moments ago. " …I like the idea of having a friend. But- not a husband. Too much commitment for someone I won't end up liking. " His fingers carded through the grass next to him.

He could see the signs already. Loud, hyperactive, too talkative; why couldn't Stargazer be allowed to marry anyone else? He knew it was all to form a bond between Kingdom of Star and Kingdom of Sun, but he didn't know how much it'd actually contribute. Would he have to adopt an heir? That was one of the things he hated about his future. Since he was an only child, either he had a spawnling of his own or the royal bloodline died with him. He had a slight preference towards the latter.

" I'd rather run away than have a kid. " Stargazer muttered, enjoying that he could say whatever he wanted while he was alone. " They're annoying and needy and just- eugh. " He rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand, then took off his mask. He very rarely took it off; it was comforting to him and almost like a symbol of his identity. Right now, it was a symbol of his openness and honesty.

" …Sometimes I wish I wasn't a prince. " His voice was no louder than a whisper. " It's too much. Too much pressure to be perfect. I'm… I'm not perfect. I know that. " His voice cracked at the end, the emotional weight of the words hanging in the air. " I've been- They've tried to teach me to be perfect, but… There's something flawed with me. I wish I was just- no-normal. " His voice cracked again, a small sob caught in his throat.

" …Do you accept me f-for who I am? " He glanced up at the night sky, trying to find any sign of an answer. A few stars twinkled slightly, then a midnight crow flew past, but that was it. His heart seemed to drop, metaphorically stuck in his stomach.

Curling up in a ball, Stargazer's head rested in his arms, his mask cradled between his hands as he fought not to cry. The stars normally weren't all that responsive, but he could've gotten anything more. More than their usual sparkle, of which he was normally fond of, but now seemed cold and near unforgiving.

He hated how he over-analyzed everything. It was just the stars. But not just the stars- he couldn't refer to them like that. They were still beings he should respect. He loved them, and he had always believed they loved him back. If only they could comfort him now as he felt himself spiraling.

" I don't- I'm- " Stargazer struggled for words as his tail slowly lashed behind him, the swishing against the grass being both slightly calming and also irritating his senses. A tear fell from his eye, sliding down his cheek like a raindrop. Another fell, then another, until he began to cry. He wanted to put on his mask, to hide behind it as if he were a scared child, but he didn't want to wet it with his tears either.

He let out a choked sob, it racking his body slightly. Gently placing his mask against his chest, Stargazer began to clap quietly again, the movements growing faster as he tried to let out his frustration and despair. He bit down on his lower lip a bit harshly but not strong enough to cause him to bleed. He then quickly pulled away from his lip, not liking the sensation of the dull pain.

Stargazer laid in the field for a while. It could've been minutes or hours; he had no clue anymore. He didn't speak for the rest of his time there, not having the energy to muster up words. Once he had wiped his tears, he quietly and wobbily stood up, then made his way over to his nearby observatory. He didn't have the energy either to made it back to the castle, so he instead opted to sleep in his observatory. If anyone needed him, they knew where to find him.

Chapter Text

It had taken admittably too much time to complete, but it was finished. Sunburst had put a good amount of his heart into it, and was surprisingly happy with the end result. In front of him on his desk was a watercolor painting of his future husband Stargazer, the colors vibrant and the drawing intricately detailed.

He had often enjoyed putting his emotions and thoughts to paper, so why not the person that's been suddenly taking up most of his head? He didn't even know why Stargazer wouldn't leave his mind. He was so pretty and genuine and soft and a little rude but Sunburst didn't care. He knew there was something beyond that hard outer shell. He didn't know how long it'd take to crack it, or if he even could.

Sunburst glanced over at all the art hung up on his bedroom wall, and quickly noticed an empty spot where he could put up his new painting. As he was getting up off of his chair, he was startled by a knock on the door. " Sunburst? " A voice called out, which he quickly recognized as Cybertana.

" Yeah, what is it? " Sunburst replied, his wings fluttering and stretching out, wanting to be moved after a while of not moving much.

" You and the Star prince will be going to the marketplace. A guard has requested that you put on your disguise before leaving. The Star prince will arrive any moment now. " Cybertana's voice was very formal, which was common; Sunburst had never seen the man speak or act more casually or less refined.

Sunburst chirped in surprise, having previously thought it'd be longer before him and Stargazer met up again. " Oh, yeah, I'll get changed real quick! " He responsed in a slightly rushed tone, setting down the painting he was holding onto the desk.

He speedwalked over to his closet, grabbing a maroon tunic and some brown pants. He also grabbed a cloak from the back of his closet which he used to hide his wings while in disguise. The outfit was overall simple, but Sunburst didn't mind much. He wore just about any kinds of clothes, even experimenting with dresses sometimes in private.

Once he was fully changed, he grabbed some jade green horn paint from a drawer, as well as a thick brush he normally used for his artwork. Sitting down at his desk and grabbing a mirror, he began to cover his horns with the paint, being a little messy but not caring enough to be more precise, though he probably should have cared.

Eventually, Sunburst was finished painting his horns, and he twisted the lid back on the paint and put in the drawer, drying off the brush with a piece of scrap paper. He then rushed out the door, running through the castle hallways and to the castle entrance while praying to the Sun he wasn't late.

Soon he was met with Stargazer who was fidgeting with an awkward expression next to a guard, avoiding eye contact from everyone.

Stargazer had horn paint akin to the color of an orange carnation, the color slightly dulled due to his genuine horn color underneath. He was wearing a dark gray jacket and an earthy brown shirt underneath, his pants a dull navy blue. He wasn't wearing his prosthetic tail, and both of his prosthetic limbs were hidden by his clothes, most likely on purpose to further conceal his identity.

The guard cleared their throat, then gestured out north where the marketplace was located. " I trust you two to be alone again. We will know if anything happens. Be safe and return before 5pm. A carriage will be waiting for you as well, Prince Stargazer. " The guard dipped their head in respect, motioning with their hands for the two to go.

Sunburst obliged with a smile, reaching out to take Stargazer's hand in his own but stopping just short. " Uh- you can hold my hand. If you want to. " He quickly added, glancing away at the tiled ground.

Stargazer shook his head quietly, taking a step back with an almost ashamed expression. " …No thank you. We'll- we'll go now, thank you. " The prince bowed to the guard, then stepped behind Sunburst to signal the latter to guide him to the marketplace.

After a good bit of walking and a small amount of awkward small talk, the two reached the storefronts and restaurants of the bustling central marketplace. Merchants barked out deals and prices while people walked past them, either visibly in a hurry or simply taking their time and observing all the shops and sellers around them. Sunburst felt a little guilty at how uncomfortable Stargazer looked, despite it not being his fault.

To Sunburst's surprise, Stargazer stepped closer to him, not close enough to touch however. Sunburst felt something brush against his hand, and he gazed down to see Stargazer's fingers silently interlocking with his own. He looked away quickly, hoping Stargazer didn't see that he noticed so the moment didn't turn awkward. However, internally, Sunburst was somewhat delighted.

" So, uh- you wanna check out the art, maybe? " Sunburst asked, having to raise his voice a little to be heard above the noise of the people surrounding them. He had to consciously stop his wings from uncomfortably rustling under his cloak, and he wasn't fully sure it was even convincingly hiding them.

Stargazer nodded, his gaze fixated on the rocky tile ground below them. His other hand was covering one of his ears, making Sunburst feel even worse for him. He didn't exactly know what it was like to have sensory issues, but he could imagine it was very unpleasant. His brain then began to subconsciously hone in on everything; all the inphernals shuffling around them, the sounds of footsteps against the ground, the almost enticing smell of baked goods, meats, and vegetables, the feel of the cloak against his sensitive feathers, the metallic taste in his mouth- Oh. He was biting on his lip. Hard.

" Ow- " Sunburst muttered, wincing as his lip curled back from the pain. He then noticed Stargazer looking at him in curiosity, and he shrugged slightly. " Bit my lip. " He said simply, the taste making him want to drink water just to cleanse it. He'd never liked the taste or even just the sight of blood.

" Oh. Sorry. " Stargazer glanced back away, then paused his walking to point at a specific small shop. " Those look interesting. " Sunburst looked closer, and saw an assortment of little painted sculptures and clay pottery.

" You wanna check them out? Those look cool! " Sunburst chirped, subconsciously tightening his grip on Stargazer's hand.

Stargazer nodded, having to slowly shuffle through the crowd to reach the storefront. Sunburst gravitated towards the intricate pottery, admiring the colors and carved details when he heard Stargazer speak. " …This looks nice. " Sunburst glanced over at what Stargazer was looking at and saw a tiny blue and white spotted shark made out of glazed clay.

" Ooh, that looks cool! I could get it for you, I have the bux! " Sunburst offered with a warm smile, whereas Stargazer looked surprised. " If- if you want. " Stargazer clutched the clay shark in his palm, slowly stepping over to the shopkeeper with Sunburst at his side. He quietly placed it in front of the shopkeeper, then stepped back a bit to let Sunburst do the talking.

" How much does this cost? I'd like to buy it. " Sunburst gestured towards the shark, catching the shopkeeper's eye. " Only 150 bux. A steal if you ask me. " They grinned, leaning back in their chair.

Sunburst fished for his wallet in his pocket, pulling it out and grabbing some bux. " Sounds good, here you go! " He handed over the bux, beaming a bit as he placed the clay shark back in Stargazer's hands. Stargazer looked a bit happy, but seemed to be mostly hiding his face.

" Wanna go check something else out? " Sunburst asked as the two walked away from the shop, re-entering the busy flow of people. Stargazer shrugged as a response, which Sunburst understood as 'if anything else catches my eye'. He was used to observing others and inferencing off of context clues.

The two manuevered through the crowd, Sunburst eyeing some shops in particular but not going to check them out closer. Eventually, Stargazer seemed to find one he liked, quietly guiding Sunburst towards a smaller shop. Glancing at its wares, he saw various crystals and jewelry.

He watched as Stargazer picked up a small piece of azurite, then he tenderly handed it to Sunburst. " …I want to get this for you, but I forgot my bux at home. " He said in an almost hushed tone, avoiding meeting the gaze of a surprised Sunburst.

" Oh- uh, thanks! " Sunburst replied a little awkwardly, taking the polished, round gem from his hands. " I can pay for it, you don't need to worry. " He took a couple steps until he was in front of the shopkeeper, then fished for his wallet again.

" One piece of, uh… this crystal, please! " He blanked on the name for a moment, not bothering to re-check what it actually was. His memory was really bad like that; he probably couldn't tell you what he had for dinner yesterday.

The shopkeeper nodded, taking the bux from Sunburst and putting in their pocket. " Nice doing business. " They smiled, pushing the azurite back over to Sunburst, who took it gladly. " Nice doing business with you too! " He chirped happily, then took Stargazer's hand and left the shop.

The two returned back to the Sun castle not too long after, with a carriage already waiting for Stargazer outside the entrance. They both said their goodbyes to each other, soon parting ways.

Sunburst gazed down at the small polished azurite in his hand, smiling fondly. It almost felt like he still had a piece of Stargazer still with him, even after the prince had left.

Chapter Text

Dear Stargazer,

I hope this letter finds you well! I really enjoyed our time yesterday. ######## I forgot you can't make mistakes in ink… Anyway I really hope we get to see each other soon! It's just been a day and I already kind of miss you. I hope that doesn't sound strange or creepy. You're just really nice and sweet. I hope you know that.

Sincerely, Sunburst

Stargazer clutched the letter in his hands, glancing away from it as if he were (positively) embarrassed. Any time someone complimented him, he felt like melting. Sometimes in a good way, sometimes in more… neutral way, to put it in words. The feeling especially washed over him whenever Sunburst happened to compliment him, though he didn't know why.

Slowly standing up from the side of his bed, he once again opened the small drawer that contained everything he held dear. He quietly slipped the letter inside, placing it right next to Sunburst's first letter. However, this time around he decided to write a respnse. It was only courteous of him to do so.

Stepping over to his bedroom desk, he pulled out a quill and a small bottle of ink, as well as a sheet of paper. He then began to write.

Dear Sunburst,

I simultaneously wish this letter finds you well. Whilst it was hard for me to function properly in the midst of the crowd, I am glad you did not judge me. I also enjoyed our time together and would not mind seeing you again. Do you mind if it's more private next time though?

Best regards, Stargazer

He gazed down at his writing, swiftly noticing how oddly formal it sounded. He always wrote like that, even in the journals he tried to keep but inevitably ended up abandoning and/or forgetting about. He had a habit of starting projects then moving on to new ones while never having finished the first one. His habit of always being formal and refined was a hard one to drop as well.

Holding the letter close to his chest, he hoped Sunburst took it well.

" The lake's pretty today. " Stargazer commented, sitting on the edge of the dock with his legs hanging just above the water. The sounds of bugs and creatures surrounded the forest, the noise of the slow-moving, almost still water being music to Stargazer's ears. Sunburst was sat next to him, picking at a small piece of the wooden dock.

Sunburst nodded in agreeance, glancing back at the water. " Kingdom of Sun doesn't have many rivers or anything. I've never seen such a beautiful reflection of the sky. " He smiled, taking a pebble from his pocket which he had grabbed on the journey to the lake, and threw it out against the water. It didn't skip and instead sunk quickly with a small plop.

" I've heard it's hot there. I'd assume it's true, given the name of your kingdom. " Stargazer commented, watching as Sunburst tried and failed to skip another pebble on the water. " Or it could be a coincidence. " He added with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

Sunburst looked over at the prince with a chuckle. " I don't know what it's named after in specific, actually. Some say our religion came first, some say it didn't. I'm not really religious myself, though, despite what you might think. Or do you think that? I don't know. " He rambled, with Stargazer being a bit amused at how quickly he changed topics.

" I don't like to stereotype people, if that's what you're saying. " Stargazer said first, praying it didn't come off as rude. " I never saw you as the religious type anyhow. It's not like you're heavily involved with a church or anything either. " He gazed down at his hands, brushing his fingers against each bead of his beaded lizard and mentally counting them. It was something he often found himself doing absentmindedly when he didn't know what to do with himself in the moment.

" I don't think I was implying that… Sorry if I was, heh. " Sunburst awkwardly laughed, looking away from Stargazer. One of his wings twitched a bit as he seemed to think of what to say next, his right hand quietly picking at the wood again. " My mom is pretty religious. Like, on a scale of not religious at all to bases their whole life around it, I'd say she's in the middle. Leaning towards the latter a little on some days. How are your parents? " He asked with a curious gaze.

Stargazer took a moment before responding. " They're really religious. I say I am too, but I don't know where I am on that scale. I see the stars more as my friends than as a collective overseer and divine guardian. They listen to me when I'm upset and when I'm happy. I… talk to them a lot. My apologies if that sounds strange. " He confessed, gripping his bead lizard a bit tighter, his tail swishing against the wooden dock. He reached back to grab it and hold it still with his free hand, a little irritated by the noise it made.

" That doesn't sound strange at all! That actually sounds kinda therapeutic. I might try it out. " Sunburst hummed, his wings stretching behind him to their full wingspan, catching Stargazer's slight surprise.

" …Your wings are pretty. "

" Huh? "

" Nothing. "

" Oh, uh- okay. "

Stargazer looked down at the lake sheepishly, his face flushing a little. He was never the best at complimenting people. Anything with compliments he wasn't good with. " I- nevermind. " He didn't know what he was going to say, so he quickly stopped his mouth from saying whatever it was going to say.

Sunburst gave Stargazer a perplexed look, but didn't comment on anything. His wings folded back up against his back, the carefully preened feathers looking beautiful in the afternoon sunlight. They were mostly black with hints of maroon and dark red, just the right- Oh. Stargazer was staring. He quickly looked away, acting as normal as he could.

" Is there something on my wings? " Sunburst questioned, his wings fluttering a bit to shake off the imaginary thing. Stargazer rubbed his forehead, mentally bringing himself together.

" Uh- no. Just- nothing. Sorry. " Stargazer's tone was a little rushed, almost like he was caught in a lie. His tail continued swishing behind him as he fidgeted with his comfort item. Sunburst shrugged in response. " Whatever you say. "

Both of them were lost in thought, the silence between them growing slowly. However, it was growing more comfortable than awkward, the only thing to be heard being the forest ambience.

Stargazer was snapped out of his metaphorical trance when a bird landed on his shoulder, startling him so bad he almost fell into the lake. It thankfully scared the bird off of him, making Stargazer calm down a tiny bit. It still almost a minute for him to regain his composure. Sunburst just watched him with surprise and concern, but not reaching out to help.

Once Stargazer was mostly okay, he finally took a good look at the bird, which was standing behind Stargazer on the dock and waiting patiently. He noticed it was a messenger lovedove, a bird commonly used for urgent mail that would take too long to be delivered by a mailman. It held an envelope in it's beak, it's head outstretched as if signaling to Stargazer to take the letter.

He did so, warily cracking the seal on it and pulling out the letter inside. He read it to himself mentally, his grip tightening on the paper.

It simply read-

To Prince Stargazer-

Emergency, come home right now, a carriage will get Sunburst

" …What does it say? " Sunburst asked, breaking Stargazer out of his small trance he entered after reading the letter.

Stargazer took a deep breath, replying a couple moments later. " …We have to go. I'll- I'll show you back to the castle. " He quickly stood up, shoving the letter and the empty envelope into his pocket. Sunburst followed behind as he jogged through the forest, trying to get back as fast as he could without tiring himself out.

" What is it? " Stargazer breathed, standing in front of his mother in her quarters. He had still managed to use most of his energy despite his efforts but tried to keep proper posture and not slump.

His mother had dried tears on her cheeks that she seemed to not bother to wipe away. She was almost visibly trembling, struggling to meet Stargazer's eyes.

" S-Stargazer, I- … "

The silence was thick with unsaid words, words which Stargazer couldn't decipher. He waited patiently for her to speak, but the dread of the incoming news ate away at him with each growing second.

" Stargazer. Your- your father- He was assassinated. "

Chapter Text

Shit. Shit shit shit.

Sunburst had very recently heard the news about the Star King's assassination, and dread ate away at his stomach like woodpeckers to a tree. He couldn't be more worried for Stargazer. Not when he could be next. From what he heard, nobody has seen the prince since. Was he even okay? Sunburst didn't know and he hated it. He wanted to know- no, he needed to know.

He felt like tearing out his feathers from the stress. He didn't, but he was damn near close to doing it. He didn't know why he cared so deeply for Stargazer either. It could be that he was caring and kind and genuine and handsome and wonderful- Since when was he so admiring of Stargazer either? It hadn't even been that long since they had just first met. Did Stargazer reciprocate the feelings? But- what feelings?? Sun above, he was confusing himself.

He paced his bedroom floor, hugging himself tightly as a means of comfort. The sound of his footsteps echoed throughout the room, almost harsh against the silence. The silence that filled his ears and only made everything worse. He needed a distraction before he spiraled into an anxious mess.

Pulling out his desk chair and sitting down swiftly, he pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil. He thought for a few moments of what to draw, then eventually settled on the marketplace him and Stargazer were at. He knew the finished product wouldn't look good, but it was meant to distract him, not look pretty.

In the middle of the sketching phase, Sunburst's pencil jolted at the sudden sound of his bedroom door being swung open. He turned around in surprise to see his mother walk in, slamming the door behind her and making him flinch a bit. He silently watched as Lightblade sighed deeply, sitting down on his bedside with her head in her hands.

" …Are you okay?- "

" No, I'm not. " Lightblade muttered, looking like she was on the verge of pulling her hair out. Her wings anxiously twitched and fluttered behind her as she tried to take deep breaths to steady herself. " Too much going on. I assume you've heard of everything going on, correct? " She looked over at Sunburst, meeting his concerned gaze with an almost defeated expression.

Sunburst slowly nodded, gripping his pencil tight. " And I assume it's making you that upset. Normally you're not this visibly stressed… " He commented, feeling bad when his mother winced at the reply. She nodded back, rubbing her temples as if she had a headache.

" Yes, it is. " She said exasperatedly. " I just found out about the whole story. It's- not good. "

" …What is it? " Sunburst warily questioned, wanting to reach out to comfort Lightblade but not wanting to accidentally provoke her.

" You know the king of Kingdom of Moon, King Grimgold? "

" …Yeah? What does he have to do with anything? "

" He hired someone to assassinate the Star King. "

" …What? "

The silence between them was almost palpable. It took a while before Lightblade regained the composure to speak again.

" He has a very deep-seated grudge against Kingdom of Star. Nobody knows exactly why. Nor do they know what caused him to do such a thing. " Lightblade murmured, glancing down at the wooden floor.

Silence descended upon the two once again, cloaking the room. Sunburst struggled to process the information, while Lightblade still looked shaken. Eventually Sunburst spoke, his voice trembly. " I-Is everyone else okay? I'm- I'm scared for them. " He whispered the last sentence, almost feeling weak for admitting it.

" As far as I know, they're okay. Stargazer is being kept in his quarters for safety measures while the Queen figures everything out. " Lightblade explained, finally meeting Sunburst's gaze again, then glancing back away. " You shouldn't have to worry about these things. I'm sorry for telling you, I- I'm really stressed and needed to let it out to someone. I shouldn't hold information from you either. " She murmured guiltily.

" No, no, it's okay. I just- I don't… " Sunburst's reassuring tone faltered. He took a good few moments to come up with anything to say. " I just feel so bad for them. I know I couldn't have done anything to prevent it, but… I feel like I- I don't know. Sorry. " He whispered an apology, an apology for who knows what.

Lightblade shook her head, looking wistfully at the ground. " It's okay. None of it is your fault. " She responded simply, seemingly not in the headspace to comfort someone. Her wings slowly wrapped around her, almost like a hug. It made Sunburst's heart ache.

Silence descended upon them once again, now oddly a bit more comfortable. Eventually, Lightblade silently left the room, the door creaking quietly then shutting behind her, the sound echoing throughout the otherwise silent bedroom.

Sunburst was left with his own thoughts- the thoughts that nagged him and wouldn't leave him alone. The thoughts of 'am I safe', 'is Stargazer safe', and 'what happens next'. The thoughts that ate away at his mind, demanding the answer he didn't have. He didn't know if he'd ever have the answer.

He could only pray to the Sun that, at least, Stargazer was safe.

Chapter Text

Stargazer was bored out of his mind.

He had been kept in his room for so long and his concern and fear only grew with each passing day. He was told it was for his safety, but he felt like he was going crazy. He had tried drawing, writing and journaling, making bracelets and lizards out of beads, looking out the window, but it had all grown boring and tiring. He could hardly stand it. He couldn't even rant to the stars anymore.

He stared at his bedroom door, analyzing every crack and crevice and stray splinter in the wood. How he wished he could leave. But he was afraid of the consequences- he had always been. Any little step out of line was horrible for him. One bad run-in with a guard as a child and that was it for his very occasional rule-breaking.

Letting out a low sigh, he rolled to the other side of his bed, instead staring at the dark blue curtains pulled over his window. His tail lazily flicked against the blankets as he rubbed his eyes, resting them for a bit. He had grown more and more tired each day, likely from the lack of activeness and things to do. He almost felt like he was in a depressive episode.

He grasped the collar of his shirt tight, then relaxed his grip repeatedly. Progressive muscle relaxation sometimes helped him when he was anxious, so he might as well try it, he figured. He would do anything to get rid of the boredom. It didn't work much, unfortunately.

Stargazer didn't know if it had been 30 minutes or 3 hours. It might as well have been 5 hours, for all he knew. He was startled by a knock on the door, instilling a small amount of hope and simultaneous dread into him. He stared at the door for a few seconds before murmuring " …Come in. "

The door creaked open slowly, revealing Eggsquerade, holding a letter in hand. " I have news. One, Sunburst has written another letter back to you. " He smiled softly, handing the envelope over to Stargazer, who looked at it curiously and in relief.

" Two, you've unfortunately been ordered to stay in your room for longer. There is an ongoing… ordeal. " Eggsquerade said simply, his smile faltering and turning into a frown. Stargazer cocked his head, replying " What is it? "

Eggsquerade didn't respond for a moment, then took a deep breath. " Kingdom of Moon has declared war on Kingdom of Star. " He glanced away from a shell-shocked Stargazer.

" Wh-what? " Stargazer whispered, scooting away from Eggsquerade and clutching the letter close to his chest. His tail wrapped around his legs, but it wasn't like it would protect him at all.

" I'm afraid you heard me. Now, I must leave. Remember that you're safe here. " Eggsquerade dipped his head, quietly stepping out of Stargazer's bedroom and shutting the door tight behind him, leaving the room cloaked in a terrified silence.

Stargazer let out a deep breath he didn't know he was holding, feeling himself tremble. A war? What was he going to do? Not that he could do anything to stop it. It was as if an unstoppable force met a very movable object. He couldn't do anything. He was stuck, alone and horrified.

A tear rolled down his cheek as he tried to think of what to do. Another tear, then another, until a choked sob escaped his throat. He curled up into a ball on top of his blankets, just crying and shaking. All of a sudden, everything was just too much. The dread eating away at his stomach, the mild nausea from the terror, the feeling of the fabric and cotton, the feeling of his metal prosthetics, the tears, everything. He hated it he hated it he hated it.

He wasn't in the state of mind to think about solutions, no matter how much he just wanted an escape. So, he forced his mind to focus on calming himself down, which was a large task on its own. He took shaky deep breaths, on the verge of hyperventilating. He slowly reached up to try and wipe away his tears, but gave up and only tried again when they slowed down their flow. His heart still felt like it was going a million miles a minute.

Once he had finally calmed down enough to form proper thoughts, he let out a deep sigh and began to try and come up with anything he could do. Not that he could do much while being locked in his room, away from the world. He couldn't even send letters anymore due to the Kingdom of Star mail system being halted a couple days ago. So, what did his very logical brain come up with next? Running away.

He paused for a moment, trying to think of why he even came up with that. He was so privileged in his current role, why would he want to run away? But the more he thought about it, the more appetizing the idea felt. He internally shamed himself for even considering it, but the desire was still there, deep inside him. The desire to run from his problems and be free. Free from society and expectations and war and living in fear for his life.

He glanced over at his curtained window, eventually letting out a deep breath and getting up off his bed. He stepped over to the window, gently pulling away the curtains to reveal a beautiful view of the city below. The orange-purple sunset painted the kingdom in a soft, warm glow, the streetlights and lanterns lighting up the dusk. He ached to go out and see the fireflies, the flowers, the stars…

If he ran away, he could always see them.

There was the thought again. He just couldn't seem to get rid of it. He hated it, but still- some part of him liked it. He tightened his grip on one of the curtains, his tail swishing behind him.

He shot one last look at the dusky horizon, then swiftly shut the curtains, cloaking his room in darkness once again.

Chapter Text

Chirp, chirchirp.

Sunburst swiftly glanced up from his desk, a bit startled by the noise. A messenger lovedove was sat on the opposite side of the closed windowsill, almost as if patiently waiting to be let in. An envelope was being carried in it's beak, which sparked a small ember of hope inside Sunburst. He had been anticipating this exact thing for days.

He got up and gently opened the window, the lovedove flying inside and landing on top of his chair. He took the letter from it's beak, watching as the bird promptly flew back out into the world. He followed it with his gaze in slight awe until it was out of view. His fascination with birds might have stemmed from him being partially one, but they had always piqued his interest no matter the fact.

Eagerly cracking the seal on the envelope, he pulled out the letter inside and read it out loud to himself.

Dear Sunburst,

This may be the last time I write to you. I am sorry to tell you that I am leaving tomorrow. Don't worry for my safety, I will be alright. It's for the best. The best for both of us. Goodbye.

Best wishes, Stargazer

Sunburst almost let the letter fall out of his shaky hands. He then gripped it tight, re-reading it once. Then again. Then again, until the words were firmly planted inside his mind.

Stargazer was… leaving?

Where? When? How? What? He didn't have an answer and he hated it. He needed to know right that second. Subconsciously, he fidgeted with some of the feathers on his right wing, beginning to yank them out before he forcefully stopped himself. Pulling out his feathers wouldn't do him any good. Then he'd have to deal with pain and heartbreak. Heartbreak? He wasn't heartbroken, he was… Concerned? Terrified? Maybe heartbroken was the best way to put it into words.

He quickly placed the letter and envelope on his nearby desk, taking a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm his racing thoughts. What could he do? It wasn't like he could stop Stargazer.

Or maybe he could.

His brain near instantly came up with what felt like a stupid solution- Just run all the way there and stop Stargazer before he could leave. But he couldn't run all the way from one kingdom to another… The next best thing he thought of? Travel by horseback. And so, Sunburst ran out of his room and down the castle hallways, sprinting over to the nearest stables. Thank the Sun they had a few horses.

Once he had arrived, he was mostly out of breath, but had already firmly convinced himself he didn't have time to stop. He had to make it to Kingdom of Star now. Noticing none of the stablehands or caretakers nearby, he quickly grabbed a saddle and bridle, entering one of the horses stables and putting the gear on. Thankfully, the horse was mostly obedient, other than being a bit hesitant to be near Sunburst.

Getting on top of the horse's back in one fluid movement, he guided the horse out of the stable, then out in the direction of Kingdom of Star. He just thanked his childhood horseback riding lessons that he somehow remembered for teaching him how to properly ride a horse. He was going much faster than he was used to, but he hadn't fallen off yet, so he was probably fine.

He eventually made it to the border separating Kingdom of Sun and Kingdom of Star, and was somewhat surprised to see many more guards than normal. He slowed his horse to a stop, getting off of it's back warily. He walked over to the gate, and was quickly stopped by a guard. " No entrance allowed. " They huffed, their voice deep. Their larger form intimidated Sunburst, but he was determined to get in, even if it took a bit of persuading.

Sunburst cleared his throat, puffing out his chest to appear more confident. " Excuse me, I am Sunburst, the prince of Kingdom of Sun. I need urgent access to Kingdom of Star. " He replied, trying to sound as dignified and serious as possible. His wings fluttered a bit behind him and spread out slightly to make him appear bigger, as if he were a prey animal faced with a predator.

The guard paused for a moment, then eventually conceded and stepped to the side, signaling for another guard to unlock the gate. " I am sorry, Prince Sunburst. " They bowed to him, soon returning to their position with a hidden sigh. Sunburst hopped back on his horse, galloping through the gate and into the territory of the Kingdom.

It took a long while, but eventually Sunburst was at the entrance of the castle. It took a few seconds for him to realize he couldn't just barge in and walk around until he found Stargazer's room, and he'd probably have to ask for directions or just be escorted there. He got off his horse once again, then walked up to the castle doors until he was stopped again by a royal guard.

" Greetings, Prince Sunburst. " The guard dipped their head in respect. " What business do you have here? " They asked with a mild tone of curiosity, their hands settled on the hilt of their sword.

" Do you think you could show me where Prince Stargazer is? I need to see him urgently. " Sunburst had to consciously stop himself from absentmindedly fidgeting with his hands.

The guard thought for a moment, then nodded. " Once you enter the castle, take a left turn then go straight, then up the stairwell. His room should be straight ahead, if my memory serves me correctly. " They explained, one hand making vague gestures as they talked.

" Thank you very much! " Sunburst waved his thanks with a smile, opening the castle's entrance doors and walking inside. The inside had an air of royalty, but in a way different to castle he had been raised in. Everything was navy blue, stony silver, or onyx black in coloration, and various tapestries covered the bricked walls. As he was speedwalking through the large hallways, he watched as people passed him, in different uniforms and different styles. It felt almost odd to be experiencing a different culture firsthand.

Stepping up the stairwell, he eventually found what he was looking for; Stargazer's room. He jogged over to it, then took a deep breath and knocked on the door. It didn't take long for Stargazer to respond, opening the door with a confused and wary look that soon turned into a shocked one.

" Wh-what are you doing here? " Stargazer questioned cautiously, taking a step back. Sunburst was then able to get a good look at him; he was dressed in much less royal attire, and his horns were half-painted orange. He quickly recognized it as Stargazer's disguise.

" You can't leave. Not without me. "

Wait. Why did Sunburst say that? That wasn't what he meant to say. Why did his mind just-

Suddenly, he was yanked forward by the collar of his shirt, the bedroom door closing behind him. " Shhh. " Stargazer shushed lowly, then he pulled back with a deep breath. " What- what did you say..? " His look was now near indecipherable, a mix of concern and perplexity.

" I said you're not leaving without me. " There it was again, but now his brain decided to say it much firmer. Sunburst felt like he was just a passenger inside the carriage of his mind, unable to do anything but watch where it was headed. He was currently mentally wrestling with the driver of said carriage in an attempt to gain back his control.

Stargazer took a few moments before responding. " You… want to leave too? " His voice was hesitant a bit shaky, one of his hands fidgeting with the end of his coat.

" Maybe. "

What. No he didn't? He- what? Why did he say that??

" Really? I- I've always believed my thoughts of running away were- too privileged, if that makes any sense, but- I- " Stargazer took a few deep breaths, his tail swishing behind him in a mix of emotions. " …Thank you. I- wouldn't mind if you came along. " He whispered softly, glancing away at the wooden floor.

" Y-yeah. " Sunburst nodded quietly, wondering why he was abruptly so casual about such a major life decision. But, the thought of abandoning his life to live peacefully with his future husband felt… oddly comforting, in a way. He couldn't particularly explain it, but the thought of them no longer being separated from each other felt strangely calming.

All of a sudden, Sunburst was pulled into a tender embrace, Stargazer's arms wrapping around his body. He returned the gesture after a moment of surprise, his form visibly relaxing as he took in the warmth of the other. Slowly, Sunburst's wings wrapped around the two of them, holding them closer for just a few moments longer. The few moments that Sunburst cherished.

Stargazer eventually pulled back, removing his head from the crook of Sunburst's chest. " Th-thank you. I need that. " He whispered, wiping away a growing tear with the back of his hand. " I was planning on leaving soon. You can borrow some of my clothes as a disguise, they should roughly fit you. " He gestured towards his closet.

" Oh, uh- thanks. " He smiled a bit, then walked over and opened it, revealing various outfits. He picked out a simple jade green shirt, a black overcoat, and some muddy brown pants. He changed in the corner of the room, putting his now spare clothes in an extra bag that Stargazer had.

Once Stargazer had finished painting his horns and filling up a backpack with supplies, it was time for the two to leave. It still felt surreal to Sunburst, like he was dreaming. He was leaving his whole life behind to be with his future husband. He still had yet to wrap his head around it, but he didn't particularly have the time for that.

" Are you experienced at climbing out of windows? " Stargazer tried to joke, but it sounded more like a legitimate question. He gently opened the nearby window, revealing a considerable drop to the ground below. Sunburst shook his head, looking away from the drop out of slight fear. " I can make it. Probably. " He chuckled sheepishly.

Stargazer slung the backpack over his shoulder, then climbed out the window and dropped to the ground with a small thud, thankfully landing on his feet. Sunburst anxiously followed after him, trying to replicate the movements the other had made. His wings instinctually flapped as he fell down, but it didn't do much other than ever so slightly slow down the impact. He landed on the ground, letting out a huff as he regained his composure.

" All that's left to do is figure out where to go. " Stargazer shrugged, glancing out at the now dusky horizon, the orange-pink clouds covering up the sunset. " I… didn't actually think this far. " He confessed with an almost embarrassed tone.

" Straight ahead and to the forest, maybe? " Sunburst suggested, receiving an affirmative nod from Stargazer. The latter began to walk forwards, with Sunburst trotting close behind.

He could only pray to the Sun that everything would be okay.

Chapter Text

" Have you ever, like, been in this forest? It's pretty close to your castle. "

The two princes trekked through the orange-brown forest as the daylight filtered through the treetops, leaves and twigs crunching under their boots with each step. The woody autumn smell filled Stargazer's nose, and the chirping of birds and buzzing of insects helped calm his senses. He rolled the beads of his beaded lizard in-between his fingers absentmindedly, humming a comforting tune under his breath.

" No. I wasn't allowed to venture this far on my own. " Stargazer glanced at the ground, stepping on a particularly crunchy leaf and smiling a bit. " It feels odd to be this far out. At least I have you. " He shrugged.

" Aww, that's sweet- "

" Forget I said anything. "

Sunburst chuckled, making Stargazer slightly regret saying that. It made him feel weird to admit he somewhat enjoyed Sunburst's presence. At the very least, it was better being with him than being alone, even if being alone often had it's perks.

" Did you ever really travel anywhere? From the rumors I've heard, you've never left Kingdom of Star except that one time at the marketplace. " Sunburst questioned with a curious glint in his eyes.

Stargazer blinked in muted surprise. " Rumors?- Uh, yeah, that's true. I don't like travel. " Abruptly he paused, hearing something rustle nearby. His nerves calmed down somewhat significantly upon realizing it was just a squirrel in a bush, and he continued walking at Sunburst's side. " Too much to adjust to, if you understand what I mean. "

Sunburst nodded along respectfully, twirling his thumbs as a way of fidgeting. " Yeah, I understand. I've been to Kingdom of Star twice other than the times I've met you, and uhh… Only been to Kingdom of Moon once when I was little. " He recounted off the top of his head. " Oh, and, random question that was on my mind. What's it like having prosthetics? Aren't they like, really really expensive and hard to make and put on? " Sunburst pointed at Stargazer's prosthetic leg as an example.

" I suppose so. I've had them for a long time. You get used to it, I guess. Can't swim though due to the crystals powering it- " Stargazer was cut off by a surprised Sunburst.

" Crystals power it? That sounds really cool! " He chirped enthusiastically, his pace picking up a bit as his energy seemed to increase. " Tell me all about it! " He grinned warmly, making Stargazer chuckle a bit out of awkwardness.

" I don't actually know all too much about the inner workings of it… It was simply that I needed them and the technology was recently created by a dedicated scientist. 7mk0 was his name, if I remember correctly. I sometimes had to meet with him to get the most recent updates for the prosthetics. He was energetic and didn't seem all that professional. He did seem very invested in his work however… Sorry for going a bit off-topic. " Stargazer added with a sheepish smile.

" Nonono, I like hearing you ramble! Sounds interesting! I'd like to meet the 7mk0 guy one day too. He sounds nice! " Sunburst's wings fluttered behind him as his eyes seemed to sparkle.

" Really? Uh- thanks, I suppose. " Stargazer glanced away in an attempt to hide his slight grin. He had always seen his tendency to infodump as something to hide and avoid, and being complimented on it felt… odd. But he didn't not like it. " If you do want to meet him someday, he lives quite close to the castle. In Kingdom of Star. " He quickly clarified.

" Oh, nice- waitwaitwait, is that what I think it is..? " Sunburst interrupted himself mid-sentence, vaguely pointing over to something in the distance. " Stargazer, look! " He chirped with a smile, already beginning to rush over to something Stargazer hadn't even had the time to glance up at yet. However, once he managed to figure out what it was, he quickly tried to match Sunburst's pace while attempting to not nearly trip as much as the other prince did.

" A cabin! We're saved! " Sunburst threw his hands up into the air like an excited spawnling, with Stargazer skidding to a stop behind him. The latter took in the sight of the small cottage: rather small-looking, a bit worn down, but it seemed cozy- at least from the outside. They had been trekking for a few hours at this point with not many breaks, and it was amazing to finally find a place to rest.

Sunburst was already stepping inside the cabin, the door and floorboards considerably creaky, though that was to be somewhat expected. Stargazer followed closely behind, taking in the dusty, foresty scent of the small home.

The interior was sparsely decorated, and all the furniture and decor that was there was covered in thin layers of dust. There only seemed to be two main rooms; a living room and a bedroom, with the living room taking up most of the cabin. The dull, faded red rug muffled both of their footsteps as Stargazer sat down on the leather couch, glancing at the unlit fireplace.

Sunburst flopped down next to Stargazer, letting out a content hum as he laid his head against the other prince's shoulder. " This is nice, isn't it? " He smiled, closing his eyes and breathing in the fresh yet also dusty air. For Stargazer, the air seemed almost refreshing, in a way.

" Mhm. It's a little calming, even though I'm still not used to being away from home… " Stargazer absentmindedly took off his masquerade mask for a few moments to rub his eyes, pausing when he heard a small gasp from Sunburst.

" Wait. Look at me. " Sunburst cocked his head to the side slightly, gazing at Stargazer's face intently.

" …Okay? " Stargazer did as he asked, pulling his hand away and opening his eyes to meet Sunburst's.

The latter just… stared at Stargazer, creeping him out a good bit. Eventually, Sunburst broke the silence, seemingly realizing how weird the atmosphere between them now felt. " Your eyes are beautiful. You should show them more sometime. I-if you want, of course. " He complimented, reaching a bit forward before pulling back with an awkward glance to the floor.

" Oh, uhm- th-thank you. " A small smile formed at the corner of Stargazer's lips, one which he tried to hide out of sheepishness. His eyes were something he was never complimented on; probably because he always hid them. " I'd prefer to keep my mask on though. For uh- comfort reasons. " He said as he put it back on, adjusting it slightly to make sure it was snug on his face.

" That's alright! Just wanted to let you know, I guess. " Sunburst chirped, leaning back onto Stargazer. Only then did the latter realize he was… letting Sunburst be near him. He didn't even know when his brain and body had become okay with physical touch from him, but he wasn't in a state of panic at the moment, so he figured it was okay for now. He'd figure out boundaries later- he was too tired right now.

" Should we go to bed? It's been a long day and my legs are rather sore. " Stargazer gently pried Sunburst off of him, letting Sunburst stretch out his tired muscles and joints.

Sunburst then nodded, standing up with small assistance from Stargazer. " Yep, I think the bedroom is over… here! " Stepping over to the only other door in the cabin, the two of them were greeted by a rather cozy-looking room (granted, it was also still dusty like the rest of the cottage).

As Sunburst was looking around the room and inspecting the half-empty drawers and shelves, Stargazer's voice cut through the quiet as he came to a particular observation.

" Uh- Sunburst? There's only one bed here. I, uh, don't think it's comfortably big enough for the both of us. " Stargazer commented awkwardly, glancing at a confused Sunburst then back at the bed.

Sunburst turned around to gaze at it, staying quiet for a few moments before eventually saying " Oh, uhh… I can sleep on the floor for tonight, y'know. "

" There's a couch here. "

" Oh. I… forgot. " Sunburst looked away out of sheepishness. " You can still have the bed though. "

Stargazer stepped over to sit on the side of the bed, noting how surprisingly soft the blankets and sheets were. " You sure? I mean, I can- "

" Nonono, you take it. If you'd like, we can switch every night. " Sunburst suggested with a shrug, leaning against the doorframe.

" That sounds fine to me. " Stargazer nodded, beginning to slip under the covers of the bed after he dusted some of it off with his hand. " Goodnight, then? "

" Goodnight! " Sunburst chirped happily, closing the door behind him and leaving Stargazer in the slowly darkening room. He had forgotten it was already dusk; the only reason he was going to bed was out of exhaustion, but it also happened to sync up with the nighttime starting.

With a soft sigh, Stargazer laid his head on one of the flat pillows, his eyes fluttering shut as he waited for the forest ambience outside to lull him to sleep.

Chapter Text

It had been a couple months since Sunburst and Stargazer's escape.

The two were now happily living in the forest, secluded from the world and its disputes and issues. They didn't need much to live a content life; if anything, living with only the essentials really taught Sunburst just how much stuff he didn't actually need.

Even though their initial meeting was a bit forced, over the months, Sunburst grew to believe they were almost meant to be together. Like the Sun itself made this their destiny. While it was far from what he imagined his future to be like as a spawnling, he was happier here than in the Kingdoms. Even though he had to give up his dream of becoming a royal knight, he wouldn't trade his newfound bond with Stargazer for the whole world itself.

Currently, Sunburst was sat on the leather couch in the living room of the cabin, a medium-sized flat rock and a thin stick in hand. He dipped the pointed end of the stick in a small bowl that contained the crushed juice of blueberries as well as small amounts of mud to make the liquid thicker, which he was using as makeshift paint. He then used the stick as a brush and the juice as watercolor, painting abstract shapes and whatever came to mind. He had to use multiple coats since the paint didn't stick that well, but it was better than nothing.

As Sunburst was in the middle of a brushstroke, humming a tune from his childhood, he jumped at the sound of a knock on the cabin's front door.

Stargazer never knocked when he came back from his walks and foraging, and neither did Sunburst. In the months they had lived here, they hadn't gotten a single visitor; which made sense, they were outside of Kingdom territory. So- who was it..?

Stargazer emerged from the bedroom where he was taking a small nap, seemingly awoken by the loud noise. He and Sunburst shared a confused, slightly nervous glance, before Sunburst set down his supplies and stepped over to the door.

His hand slowly reached for the doorknob, and the door creaked open to reveal someone entirely unfamiliar. They were wearing silver armor, with two pairs of teal horns on the sides of their head. A gray wolf tail flicked behind them as they held something behind their back and out of view. A good amount of their face was covered by their helmet, making it a bit difficult for Sunburst to figure out their expression.

The stranger cleared his throat, dipping his head in greeting. " Hello, I'm lost and I was wondering if I could stay here for the night? " His tone was respectful and formal, and if the polished armor wasn't a clear indicator of his status, Sunburst could tell he was of noble upbringing.

Sunburst was about to accept, but before he did, he turned to Stargazer for confirmation. " That's fine, right, Stargazer? "

Before he could get a response, he heard the stranger mutter " …Stargazer? "

Sunburst turned back around to see him staring dead straight at Stargazer with an indescribable look on his face.

Stargazer was very rarely friendly around strangers, especially this new one. He had this certain… aura to him, like he couldn't be trusted. Stargazer tried to ignore the gut feeling despite how difficult it was. The knight armor, his overly formal demeanor, the fact he was hiding something behind his back-

" That's fine, right, Stargazer? " He was snapped out of his thoughts by Sunburst's question. Right as he was about to answer, he heard-

" …Stargazer? "

Stargazer shifted his glance to find the stranger's gaze locked onto him, the newfound silence swiftly growing almost unnerving from the stranger's tone of voice.

Stargazer took a small step back, nodding a tiny bit. " That's- my name, yes..? "

Still, the stranger just kept staring.

It was only broken when, in a sudden flurry of movement, he rushed straight at Stargazer and pulled out a sword from behind his back.

Nearly instantaneously, Stargazer was knocked to the ground, the tip of the blade pressed dangerously close to his chest. He let out a shrill screech of terror, flailing underneath the attacker desperately, letting out incoherent begs for his life within moments of being threatened.

Almost as soon as he was pinned to the floor, the stranger was knocked right off of Stargazer, Sunburst's sword clashing with the attacker's. Stargazer crawled away from the fight, looking back to watch in horror as their blades met again and again.

With a skillful, practiced slash, Sunburst pierced the flesh of the stranger's leg right between his armor plating, eliciting a sharp cry of pain from the latter. He shakily dropped his sword, raising his hand up in surrender while his other hand clutched his bloodied knee.

Stargazer quickly glanced back away, shaking almost violently from shock and pure terror. He hardly even had time to process what happened, let alone properly regain his bearings. He could only listen to the now defeated knight's pleas of stopping the fight, as well as the ragged, trembling breaths of all three of them.

Trying his best to tune into the words of his companion and the stranger, Stargazer tried his best to ground himself in reality, trying to block out the sight of the blade just inches away from piercing his heart. No matter his attempts, it stuck to the forefront of his mind and refused to go. Eventually, he caught a few words from the stranger, his tone rushed and weak.

" M-my- my name is E-Egobworder, I-I come fr-from Kingdom of- of Moon. Spare m-me and I can e-explain..! " Egobworder coughed out, both of his hands now holding onto his injured leg, shakily trying to staunch the bleeding with his gloved palms.

Sunburst only stared down at Egobworder for a few moments, blood steadily dripping down the edge of his sword. " What did you do? You- you monster! You almost killed him! " Sunburst spat out fiercely, visibly withholding more anger than Stargazer had ever seen him have.

Egobworder took a rushed deep breath, his tail lashing behind him. " I can ex-explain- "

" You better have the best explanation for this. " Sunburst stepped back a small bit, giving Egobworder the space to sit up properly.

Once Egobworder had seemingly collected all his thoughts, he began to talk in a bit more of a steady voice. " I'm- I'm a high-ranking kn-knight in my Kingdom. I was tasked to- t-to hunt down St-Stargazer. I'm so sorry, I only d-did so because I'll be- I'll be exiled o-otherwise… May thou f-forgive me. " He dipped his head, pushing his sword farther away from him as a way of showing he meant no harm anymore.

Hunt down… him? He was being hunted down? He didn't know Kingdom of Moon was that… vicious.

How many others were searching for him, enemy or friendly? Would anybody else find him? Was someone waiting to assassinate him right now? Was anybody after Sunburst? How many people wanted the both of them dead? What did Stargazer do to deserve this..?

Sunburst and Egobworder's talking was subconsciously tuned out by Stargazer's mind as all he could focus on was the racing thoughts. He was so dead. He was so dead.

Without a second thought, he shakily got up from the floor, bolting out the front door which was left ajar. He could hear Sunburst shouting his name, but Stargazer didn't care. He needed to run.

Dead leaves and late autumn frost crunched under his boots as he sprinted, nimbly dodging trees and bushes with each panicked step. He almost tripped multiple times, but as long as he was still moving, he didn't care. The farther he was from Egobworder, the better.

Eventually, he fell to the ground on his knees, panting and sobbing from the exertion and the terror. He grasped onto the grass underneath him as he tried to find support in anything. His non-prosthetic leg hurt from all the running, and there was a good chance his prothestic leg had gotten some nicks and scratches from the slightly harsh terrain.

He was safe out here. Right?

Right.

Chapter Text

Soft morning light filtered through the half-cracked window of the cabin, painting the bedroom a gentle golden hue. The song of birds lulled Stargazer into consciousness, letting him know it was already dawn.

The night prior had been… tense, to say the least. It turned out that Egobworder's leg was now too injured for him to walk properly, and Sunburst was kind enough to let him stay the night since he had nowhere else to go. Stargazer was much more reluctant, but he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. By the time he had come back from the forest, it was already decided that Egobworder would stay.

However, he could only stay on two conditions: that he wouldn't do a single thing to harm anyone else, and he had to be under supervision most of the day since he couldn't be fully trusted. Egobworder had quickly accepted the conditions, seemingly already desperate for forgiveness.

Slowly snapping himself out of his thoughts with a long yawn, Stargazer gradually shuffled out of bed, stretching out his body to wake up properly. He then grabbed an old reused bottle of water on the nearby desk and chugged it, finishing about half of it before closing the lid and setting it back down. He was considerably hungry, but he normally skipped out on breakfast. He'd be fine.

Stepping out into the living room, he had almost forgot Egobworder was there. …Fun. Egobworder was silently sitting on the couch while Sunburst was painting wood in a chair next to the couch. Stargazer tried to make his steps as quiet as possible so as to not be noticed, but his efforts were swiftly proved futile.

"Oh, morning Star!" Sunburst chirped, making Stargazer jump a tiny bit from the slightly high volume of the other's voice. He waved back a bit, ignoring the fact that Egobworder was now watching him.

" …Greetings. " Egobworder's glance shifted to the ground. Only now did Stargazer realize the knight had changed out of his armor, now wearing some of Sunburst's spare clothes even though they looked a tad bit tight on him. Stargazer didn't wave at him, too uncomfortable even just by his presence to do so.

Sunburst hummed quietly as the three of them fell into an awkward silence, continuing his wood painting. Eventually, he spoke, clearing his throat first. " Soo, how's life been, Egobworder? " He questioned, seemingly trying to create a bit more of a friendly atmosphere and ward off the unspoken tension.

Egobworder took a moment or two to respond, his demeanor a bit off for some reason Stargazer couldn't pin down. " It's been fine. I'm… slightly glad I get to stay away from all of my Kingdom's issues for a while. It's been hectic lately. " He sighed, rubbing one of his eyes as he replied. " No Kingdom has taken the war well. Kingdom of Moon has been repeatedly accused due to both of your disappearances, as well. "

" …Oh. I, uh- I'm sorry..? " Sunburst's voice wavered, his brush pausing mid-stroke. " Truthfully, us running away was a bit of an… impulse decision. Neither of us were taking everything well, Stargazer proposed the idea to me, and we left. " He shrugged a little, resuming his painting, though a bit more absent-mindedly.

" It isn't your fault. Well, it is, but I don't exactly blame thou. " Egobworder shook his head, sitting up straight and tapping his fingers on the couch armrest idly.

Hearing that it was his fault- for anything in general, but especially for fueling the fire of the war- only made Stargazer feel even worse. He had had second thoughts about his escape, mostly because of the stress he must've put on everyone back in Kingdom of Star, but now? Stars, he felt horribly guilty. The one thing defending his decision- that he would be safe out in the territory outside the Kingdoms- was very much proven false by the attack of last night. He should add 'running away and starting a new life' to his metaphorical list of things he'll regret for life.

Sunburst stayed quiet for a good few moments, the slightest hint of a grimace on his face. It was quickly overtaken by a calmer expression however. " Uh- yeah, yeah. Random question, but- what was your life like back in Kingdom of Moon? I've never met someone from there before. " He attempted to switch the topic, shooting a small glance at Stargazer to seemingly make sure the latter was okay this whole time.

" It was nice. Stressful at times with the extensive training and internal disputes. It seemed like the royal family never had it together, although that grew to be expected of them. I always wanted to be a royal knight, and so I practiced my whole life to become one. I spent hours and hours every day in the training fields, trying to impress my mentor. Said mentor wasn't of much help, so I learned most skills by myself. Over the years, I became one of the highest-ranking knights in the Kingdom. I even served as a bodyguard for the princess for a handful of months. Then, I… I got the assignment to hunt you down, Stargazer. I was too loyal to my Kingdom to decline. I'm- I'm sorry, from the bottom of my heart. Please forgive me. " Egobworder rambled, his tone growing lower and more somber at the end.

Neither Sunburst nor Stargazer spoke up for a while, turning the silence somewhat uncomfortable. Stargazer let out a quiet exhale, one of his hands balling into a tight fist in an attempt to steady himself. The same person who tried to murder him was now… apologizing? Honestly apologizing? He didn't even know what to say in return.

Out of the corner of his eye, Stargazer saw Sunburst softly gesturing at him, almost as if beckoning the former to say something. Hesitantly, he obliged.

" I- …I don't know if I can accept your apology. I'm sorry. " Stargazer sighed, glancing out the nearby window and at the trees.

" Stargazer, liste- " Sunburst was interrupted with a snap from Stargazer.

" What? " His reply came out harsher than intended, but Stargazer had just woken up and didn't have the patience for someone to try to reason with him on something he was firm about.

" I know Egobworder tried to, uh- kill you, but he's obviously regretful. Plus, he's injured and we're gonna have to stay with him for a while until he heals- "

" You know you caused that injury. "

" It was in defen- n-not the point. " Sunburst set aside his painting supplies, rubbing his temples. " I know it's hard for you, but… give him a chance? He seems like a good person, you know. "

Stargazer only stared back at Sunburst in a mix of disbelief and anger. " You're- you're siding with him? I'm- I- " He sputtered slightly, stopping himself before he said something he would regret. Standing still in silence for a couple moments, he eventually stormed out the front door of the cabin, just wanting to be alone in the woods again.

To Stargazer, it was comfort. Solace. A place where he can be alone and welcomed. He can watch the stars and listen to the birdsong and pick flowers to make flower crowns. Nobody would watch. Nobody would judge. He was safe. Well, that last part had been proven false, but it was still his safe place.

Stepping through the forest on the way to the creek he always sat by, he listened to the rattly crunching of the dead leaves under his boots and the faint but ever-present noise of the breeze sifting through the trees. It was comforting. It was home.

Settling down onto the ground, Stargazer let out a sigh, his fingers carding through his own hair while his other hand picked at the grass patch next to him.

Why was Sunburst siding with Egobworder? He thought he could trust the prince. They had been through a lot together, but… this felt like a new low. He knew Sunburst was oddly quick to trust, but why him of all people? Just thinking about it all was starting to make Stargazer stressed out.

In an attempt to tune out the now-racing thoughts, he listened to the slow but steady rush of the creek beside him. The way the water flowed between rocks, adjusting to the winding path but never faltering. Just going with whatever was in front of it. Maybe he should be more like the creek.

Every problem and struggle was another twist in the path, and Stargazer was the water, nimbly navigating the obstacles and continuing on his journey. No matter what happened, he'd just move past it. Forgive and forget.

…Maybe he'd accept Egobworder's apology.