Little loves

by FateInspiration

Summary:

Very short stories about Arturia and Gilgamesh.

Notes:

You can find me on twitter and tumblr :
@Basykail
and
Basykail on Tumblr OR My fate inspiration

Chapter 1: Library

Somewhere in the Chaldee, Arturia was putting the books away she had borrowed at the library. She was particularly calm today, she wondered if she was going to take another book or stay in the library to stay in this calming setting. But she hadn't planned to be interrupted.

The door opened at the other end of the room, a loud and familiar laughter was heard. She pursed her lips when she realized who the laughing was, but she concentrated on her task of getting out of the library as quickly as possible.

“These mongrels are always so unnecessarily boring. Fortunately, you are here to make this place more entertaining...” A moment was silent. Arturia heard footsteps approaching, but she was calmly hidden between the bookshelves, checking where she needed to go to store her next book. “You are very pretty today, more than usual, have you done something to your skin?” The voice came just not far from her, as if speaking to her.

Arturia stopped moving, holding a book suspended in the air. What was he saying?

“Are you blushing ? That doesn't look like you. You are generally so indifferent to my compliments.”

Did she blush?

The King of Knights lowered the book to bring it close to her face, hiding herself a bit. Since she couldn't see herself in a mirror, she couldn't tell if the King of Heroes was lying or not.

“In this case keep it up and I will compliment you again…” Said the king with a softer and more sensual voice, expressing his desire to observe her like ça again.

This time, Arturia felt her cheeks warm. It was the first time Archer's words had affected her. She felt a little stupid. She didn't dare turn around to look at him, she didn't want to show him that he was right …

“Stop saying such stupid things Gilgamesh. Lies are not for you. I'm just a little sick today.” Enkidu replied in a bored voice.

“Haha! I know I'm sorry.”

oh…

It wasn't for her… of course. What was she thinking? Enkidu was more beautiful than her and it was natural for them. She felt the shame in her body. It was normal if Gilgamesh admired Enkidu and not her, after all.

Arturia didn't want to be surprised here, so she put down the books she still had in her arms. She will apologize later to the person running the library for leaving the books in a mess, but she wanted to leave.

Discreetly, she walked towards the exit. But when she tried to open the door, a hand took her by the arm and she felt someone approach her ear.

“Those words were especially for you, Arturia, one day let me have the pleasure of making you blush, once again.”

The King of Knights jumped and turned to look at the King of Heroes who had stepped back, withdrawing his hand which he had placed on her. The man gave her a wink with a triumphant smile, admiring the blush Arturia had on her face for being surprised so easily.

She looked at him for a moment, a little taken aback, noticing Enkidu staring at them in amazement, but she just pulled herself together, looking away and out of the library quickly, slamming the door behind her.

She reached her room as quickly as possible and let off steam in her bed, blaming herself for letting that stupid king affect her so easily.

A moment, just a moment ... but that moment was too much!

No one dared approach the King of the Knights that day, she was in a bad mood.

But she blushed every time she thought of the words he had said to her.

-

“Gil! It's not nice, you should have told me she was there. She's going to think I'm an accomplice and she's going to hate me." Complained Enkidu sadly and sniffling because he had a rum.

"Fool, of course not. Arturia appreciates you too much for that." Gilgamesh seems particularly happy. "I don't know why, the light in the library always makes her more beautiful. I wanted to see her today."

“You really look like an idiot in love.”

“Hey!”...

Chapter 2: Without the sword

Summary:

Lily follows a different path.

Notes:

Thank you xxxDreamingflowerxxx for being my Beta Reader for this story. Really a good person ^^

You can find me on twitter and tumblr :
@Basykail
and
Basykail on Tumblr OR My fate inspiration

“Remove the sword from the stone!” Gilgamesh ordered! He looked at the woman in annoyance as she worked in a degrading manner.

Arturia turned to him, displeased by his behavior. Since this morning, Gilgamesh had instructed her to pull out Caliburn out of the stone. The woman however, had no desire in following his command.

“Can you stop disturbing me? I need to finish my work! ”

She lifted a bucket of fresh milk and passed Gilgamesh without giving him a single glance.
The girl headed towards the kitchen.

“The mage told me everything. Why have you not fulfilled your destiny? To see you work like a simple servant is such a disappointment.

“If you are so bothered by my decisions, why aren’t you complaining to Merlin? He is your master after all! ”

The girl quickened her pace while making sure she would not spill any milk. She was not keen on having her personal space invaded by the blonde man.

The man clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Do I have to remind me that that accursed mage dared to order me to act as your guard?” Gilgamesh glared angrily at the girl as he recalled the moment. “How dare he to command a king to waste his time with this tedious task! I have no interest in the daily lives of mongrels! "

The woman sighed… She never met a person who loved the sound of their own voice as much as this man. She wondered how the people around him were able to tolerate his behaviour.

Despite his flamboyant attitude, there were still a lot of things that she did not know nor understood. Such as the strange relationship between him and her mentor. Gilgamesh seemed proud enough to not abide to anything if it did not suit his fancy, so why did he accept Merlin’s request to watch over her? The only thing she knew was that Merlin appeared with a strange man in a golden armour and told her that the man would watch over her while she chose her destiny. Merlin did not blame her for not wanting to unsheathe Caliburn, it was her choice after all. He just told her it was a different path with other trials.

Arturia entered the kitchen and placed the bucket on the table. She swiftly listed the remaining morning-tasks she had to finish, before her father and brother would return from their hunt.

"Do not delay any longer and pull the sword out!" Gilgamesh ordered her for the umpteenth time.

Her patience had finally run out. His constant demands made him look like a child who wanted candy. She turned to Gilgamesh. He was leaning against the door frame, his stern gaze was fixated on her.

"Do you think I'm uninteresting?"

"That is a given. You live your life like a common mongrel with no desire for achievements. Even a beggar has more potential that you!”

Arturia pursed her lips at the words.

“Is that what your worth amounts to? To stay as a pathetic forgettable girl? The highest achievement you would get, would be as the mere wife of a noble who might fancy you. But that would be all your worth. A wife with no presence. The abandoned child of Uther Pendragon, will achieve nothing in life nor be remembered by anyone. "

His words were harsh.

Arturia frowned, no one had ever insulted her so openly and unfairly. Gilgamesh was not a man to care for anyone’s feelings and it made her want to rebuke him even more.

"I refuse to sit here with my arms folded, while my fate is being decided by others, King Gilgamesh!" she replied curtly. “Just because I did not choose a bloodied path, does not mean that I will not carve my own future.”

Gilgamesh cocked his head to the side before raising an eyebrow and moved away from the doorway to approach her.

"Oh really?"

He looked very dangerous at this point. Arturia looked up as the man approached her. She did not want to be intimidated by this man and thus refused to break eye contact.

"It is not the sword that decides who I am, your majesty…" She announced coldly.

Arturia noticed from the corners of her eyes that Gilgamesh’s mouth formed into a smirk.

"Then hurry and prove it ..."

"Excuse me?"

"To see a beautiful woman like you act like a slave does awaken my appetite."

Arturia blinked in surprise "What…" but before she understood what was happening, he had already grabbed her petite body and pushed her against the table, spilling the bucket of milkthat stood not far from them. Gilgamesh was half-lying on top of her, nestled neatly between her legs. He was already leaning down to bring his face closer to hers. Arturia was too shocked to react and her cheeks had taken on a red hue similar to the flowers in the garden, she would have never imagined to commit such inappropriate acts.

"A slave has no right to complain or call for help. She obeys her king and lets herself be taken if the king experiences a carnal desire like mine at the moment."

Speechless, the woman watched as Gilgamesh’s face inched closer to her lips.

-

Merlin observed the King of Heroes who sat next to him. The man had been resting his cheek on his knuckles for a while in order to hide the burning pain.

"You probably deserved it." Merlin joked with a slightly mocking smile.

Gilgamesh wanted to chastise him. But smiled instead, after remembering the incident.

"I merely spilled the milk…" he said simply, admiring the blonde beauty who has helping the servants in the house with the laundry.

Notes:

Seriously, what would have happened if Arturia didn't choose to take Caliburn? :)

Chapter 3: Avalon?

Summary:

Arturia wakes up in a strange place.

Notes:

No beta. Directly translated from french.
Enjoy it anyway!

You can find me on twitter and tumblr :
@Basykail
and
Basykail on Tumblr OR My fate inspiration

The soft caress of the wind on her face made her open her eyes.

Her blurred vision looked blankly at the clear sky above her, barely tainted by the white clouds that crossed the skies in all serenity, and she wondered in silence where she was.

Her body was lying on the stone slab and covered with heavy objects that she thought were her armor. But when she took the trouble to look down and observe, she saw that she was dressed in a royal ceremonial outfit, meant to be worn at the death of a king, as well as many jewels that she had never worn in her lifetime, but which she recognized as her own.

Arturia straightened up painfully, bearing the weight of the cloak on her shoulders and her body slightly sore from lying on the stone. Her eyes looked around and she didn't recognize any of the elements that decorated this shrine.

Where was she?

Where was Mordred lying at her feet? Where were her fallen soldiers? Where was Camlann?

Disbelief invaded her heart, slowly letting her body slide to the ground. There was nothing here that explained why she was here, but she felt like she recognized this place, as if it were her final resting place... where her body was to rest for eternity.

Avalon ?

But she was filled with uncertainty... because the slight touch of magic in the air indicated to her a dome, a piece, a small place among others. It was not Avalon, but a reflection of it.

Without a doubt.

She tried to remember what had happened before she opened her eyes, but only an intense golden light came back to her mind. Something that she had caused herself... but that had ended a whole journey from another place... to another world.

Where was she?

Her attention turned to a stone archway, noticing that the decor inside was different, like a door to a new place.

Cautiously, having to support all the heavy clothes on her back, she stepped out of the arch and looked over the other side to observe a huge landscape made of prairie, mountain, lake, desert and more. A surreal landscape composed of all types of climates and plateaus that mixed and harmonized with each other.

The sky was also more than strange, perfectly blue and a huge halo replacing the sun and overflowing with clouds. What was it? Where was she?

A hint of an answer came to her mind, but it was too unlikely to be real. The king of knights was quite aware that she had not yet lost her life and it was impossible for her to be here, she thought.

Yet, when she heard a loud, booming voice, exclaiming in her direction to call her... she easily recognized the tall, massive, red-haired man who was waving to invite her to join him and his companion at the table.

As if the structure of the place had adapted to them, a space several meters away was formed to easily accommodate a table furnished with wine and food, comfortable chairs and decorations worthy of the king of Macedonia and Mesopotamia.

A buffet worthy of kings.

But when her green eyes met the red-eyed one... the clear memory of their last exchange came back to her mind, like a torrent trying to drown her by the lust this man had for her.

So, they had both lost?

And now they were here, having to stand next to each other until duty calls again...

To the Throne of Heroes.

Chapter 4: Cursed diplomatic marriage

Notes:

If you want to see illustrations/stories about fate, especially Artoria Pendragon, come to my tumblr blog @fate-inspiration

You can find me on twitter and tumblr :
@Basykail
and
Basykail on Tumblr OR My fate inspiration

Arturia knew she was being pursued by this greedy man.

Fear did not dominate her, but she felt a certain annoyance at the stubbornness of this idiot who kept telling her that she would be his. Whether she wanted it or not. However, their two kingdoms could not live together for the simple reason that their cultures were too different and that war was about to break out at any moment. Yet, surprisingly, when she met with the king for the umpteenth time, he said that if he were to fight this war... it would be for her.

She refused his advances.

Her parents had initially refused the possibility of marrying her to him since he was not a Christian... but as time went on, they soon realized their disadvantage and the possibility of having to avoid this war at all costs.

A diplomatic marriage was therefore envisaged.

Arturia intended to take the throne from her father, the only legitimate daughter of King Uther... but her half-sister manipulated her parents into considering a male heir from another branch of the family and giving Arturia to the tyrant instead.

Arturia was angry.

A dance party was organized.

The heiress was forced to dress only to seduce the king.

This king who was staring at her since they were in the same room.

They had dinner together, exchanged a few formal words and even danced to a song that was strangely common to both nations... But Arturia did not hide that she disapproves of this union.

She was polite, but made no effort to engage in conversation or to seduce the king.

And when she was able to slip away, she jumped at the chance, pretending to be unwell and skilfully fleeing the room.

But this was underestimating the king who had every intention of making his intentions clear.

She didn't know if he was going to follow her forever, but it was ridiculous to think that she was going to be able to outrun him. He had caught up quickly, not even bothering to run, and had even pushed her into a room.

A room... damn it.

She turned to make sure the man was still in sight, anticipating his movements toward her. He closed the door, his eyes filled with lust on her, and approached with a threatening step, as she backed away.

She was good with a sword, but she had no weapon. He had the advantage of size and physical strength. Hitting him in the right place would be ideal... but the risk of provoking a war as a result would be far too great...

"Do you intend to intimidate and rape me?" She will say openly as she hits the bed behind her.

He laughs at this nonsense. "Now that is a disgusting practice..."

However he continues to advance and he tackles Arturia on the bed in some second, holding his wrists.

"And what do you think you're doing right now!?" As she struggled.

Gilgamesh looked amused. Seeing her fidget like that, like a little mouse in the claws of a cat, made him smile.

"Take this moment to finally have the talk you and I need to have before our wedding."

"Even if I marry you, you will disgust me until my last breath."

"Wouldn't you rather listen to my proposal before being so insulting and shutting you up in an unappreciative manner?"

She frowned and observed him coldly. But he seemed charmed.

"Your sister intends to have you killed..."

"...What?"

"She never wanted peace, making you marry me was just a bonus for her to see you suffer. But she intends to get rid of you and your parents for the sole purpose of regaining the throne. She made an alliance with my rivals, foolishly thinking they had a chance against me..."

Speechless she looked at him for a long time, totally baffled and he let go once she calmed down. He straightened up to get off the bed and let her sit back down.

"Don't marry me thinking only that I want you. Even if it is a fact. I am willing to be generous and prevent your sister from harming you on the condition that you become my queen and rule by my side. Your kingdom will be under Uruk's regency, but you would be allowed to be the matriarch as much as you wish... and in our names."

They looked at each other for a long time, the young woman shocked to learn this information. But Gilgamesh didn't give her time to think too much about the pros and cons.

"Arturia Pendragon... Become my queen, not out of necessity, but because you want to and I will fulfill your desires."

Arturia has rarely been so silent in her life.

Chapter 5: New Year's Eve

Summary:

The snow has an air of magic.

Notes:

You can find me on twitter and tumblr :
@Basykail
and
Basykail on Tumblr OR My fate inspiration

"And guess who else I invited?"

"Iris, please..."

"Gilgamesh!"

Arturia couldn't hold back a sigh of exasperation. She loved her friend very much, but she had been stubbornly trying for years now to get her and Gilgamesh together. It was ridiculous.

"When he heard you'd be at the party, he immediately accepted my invitation." Said the woman, handling her white hair with pride.

"Of course..." Why else would a man like Gilgamesh be interested in her friend's New Year's Eve party? He who was so... condescending.

"Isn't it adorable that he still has hope after so many years?"

"I think it's more that he can't stand to fail on a project where he's certain to win."

"Oh and I also invited Diarmuid, Lancelot, Lucius..."

Well, it was clearly not a simple New Year's Eve party organized by Iris, but really a date night and this was extremely embarrassing for Arturia who was trying to hide the blame for having arranged this without even warning her.

The young woman was just grateful that there were not only single people in the room. She recognized Ozymandias and his wife, Rama and Sita, Brynhildr and Sigurd and many others. This made it possible to have conversations other than the unpleasant undertones that she was interested in.

Of course, Arturia had no grudge against the people who were invited, except maybe Gilgamesh (or Lucius in some cases) but it was not the kind of atmosphere she would have wished to see everyone again, especially if they came expressly for her.

"Iris, I appreciate your efforts, but you don't have to..."

"And I got you the perfect dress for it!"

Said the woman showing Arturia a dress much too sofestiqué and low-cut to be reasonable, which made Arturia mute looking at the dress with horror.

 

-

 

Arturia did not apologize for not wearing the dress Iris had bought for her, on the contrary, she had preferred a simple blue dress for this evening. But even though she was hoping to have a pleasant evening, the young woman felt uncomfortable quite quickly. The men Iris had invited were not aware of the ploy, but Arturia did not want to see them provoke each other into a discussion that would make no sense.

Anyway, she slipped away to the mansion where the party was being held and found herself in the snowy garden, away from the festivities to enjoy the quiet with a glass of wine. The terrace where she had taken refuge overlooked a beautiful garden that had been made by Iris. Refined and beautiful under that white blanket. Something refreshing. She tightened her jacket against her so as not to suffer from the cold.

She smiled, just a little sad that her friend thought she was unhappy by staying single. But it wasn't going to make a difference by getting people to meet her.

Well…

...Maybe it is.

"Going to the trouble of drinking this aberration of a mongrel is not worthy of you, Arturia."

At this, the young woman turns her gaze to a Gigamesh holding a bottle of wine that must surely be worth a fortune. He waved it in front of her green eyes and smiled as he realized that he had caught her in her thoughts.

Arturia blinked, watching that smirk on his face, his arrogant air accentuated by his hair pulled up in a spike above his head. She held back a sigh, but didn't hide her annoyance. No matter where she was, Gilgamesh would always find a way to reach her.

"Her name is Iris..." correcting that annoying habit he had of calling everyone he despised "mongrel", or simply those who were not worthy of his company.

Before she could push her glass aside, the man grabbed it and poured the contents into the snow with a dismissive gesture. Artuira's eyes crinkled and she watched as he placed the two glasses on the terrace table and opened the bottle of wine with great skill. What showed an annoying tendency to consume a lot of alcohol.

He served the two glasses himself, observing the young woman out of the corner of his eye and handed her his cup of wine.

"Mongrel or not, she's still a mongrel."

"If it bothers you so much, you should have declined her invitation."

"Why? The only thing I give her credit for is giving me the opportunity to see you. We see each other so little, Arturia."

Her name sang on his lips like a tasty wine he was tasting. Leaning against the table, he looked at the young woman with smugness, but especially with a certain intensity that she could hardly bear.

"I think we already see each other way too often."

He shrugged as if this were not a reality. "That doesn't stop us from enjoying a source of memories from our younger years, does it?"

But that was a long time ago and Arturia no longer saw Gilgamesh as a friend, not since they were teenagers.

Gilgamesh raised his hand as if to make a toast, but Arturia simply took a sip and looked away...

The wine was delicious, as always. The matured, sweet flavor matched Gilgamesh's taste well. But she wasn't willing to indulge him by showing that she enjoyed the wine.

A snowflake attracts her attention and others follow right behind.

The snowfall was far from over at this time of year and despite the problems it can cause, Arturia still enjoyed watching the flakes fall, slowly to the ground. It had a calming effect.

"I remember how hard it was for you to accept playing in the snow when we were kids." Said Arturia suddenly with nostalgia.

The man looked at the landscape in silence, seeming to have erased any emotion that this kind of memory might give him. He didn't like snow... he had never liked it. Probably because of his southern origins where it never snowed. As a child, he always lost in outdoor games where snow was present. Arturia will always remember that he almost burst into tears when he fell under a tree and a pile of snow fell on him. He was so offended by Arturia's laughter that he didn't see the ice-covered pond and fell in.

The freezing water made him sick for the next few days and he spent his time in bed.

... As he left, he was so sad to have spent so little time with her when he had been looking forward to this vacation for so long. Arturia had kissed his cheek to comfort him... At least he had left with a smile.

But when they became teenagers... Gilgamesh had become unbearable... Arturia never wanted to spend time with him again. As he got older he calmed down. But with age, the arrogance had not improved at all.

"I only agreed to have fun outside because you liked it..."

Arturia looked at him, as if he was telling her that he was making these efforts for her. She raises an eyebrow.

"You never wanted to try my favorite activities..." he added.

"Talk about making fun of others and putting them down all the time."

Gilgamesh doesn't appreciate this scathing remark when the conversation was soothing. "You are so stubborn and obstinate that you can't see beyond your already constructed opinions... Don't you remember the treasure hunt I organized?"

Of course she remembered. Everyone hated Gilgamesh, even as a child, so no one had wanted to play his game.

"If... a good way to show how good you are at your own game..."

Gilgamesh smiled bitterly, but he walked over to Arturia to look at the garden with her. "In truth, everyone had their own treasure to find, so everyone could have been a winner. What I find amusing is knowing that these little insignificant treasures are still hidden in this garden."

Arturia blinked in surprise. If Gilgamesh was telling the truth, which he probably was, because lying was not his habit, then Gilgamesh had suffered injustice when they were children.

Arturia felt a pang of guilt.

"You mean you hadn't retrieved the items you had hidden back then?"

"No... they're still out there, somewhere, waiting... I think you would have liked that bracelet I picked out for you."

Arturia was doubtful.

She took another sip of wine. "You could have expressed yourself better back then."

"I thought you liked surprises...?"

Of course she liked surprises, but Gilgamesh was so prone to being hated that she didn't want to be disappointed... "Like the pranks you used to pull when we were at boarding school?"

"I was never at fault for those mistakes. Iskandar always tended to enjoy a joke with Ozymandias. I accepted your admonitions without flinching because it was one of the few times you would agree to talk to me."

Arturia thought it was so stupid. But she couldn't deny that she was never going to talk to him back then. But he didn't realize that he was really unbearable. She didn't know what to say and just sighed.

Their relationship was too strange to try to understand.

Gilgamesh walked into the garden, soiling the snow with his steps. The snow was beginning to cover his shoulders and hair.

He turned to Arturia and offered her his hand. She looked at him questioningly.

"Will you come with me? I think I remember where I hid the treasure that was meant for you. It will remind us of those good old days."

Arturia looked at him and his hand and again at him.

She had not expected this kind of proposal from him.

“No…”

She turned around haughtily, already walking back inside when the evening was not yet over. Gilgamesh watched her walk away, a small stab in the back that hurt more than he thought. Still, Arturia stopped at the door and turned around one last time, mimicking Gilgamesh with one of those smug looks.

"Tomorrow... currently it's dark and cold. And I'm not dressed for a walk in the snow. If we are going to go on a trip, it will be in better conditions. Have a good evening... I'll see you tomorrow."

And she went inside, leaving Gilgamesh surprised under the falling snow.

He had never felt so content in a long time and with a satisfied smile.

Chapter 6: Stars

Summary:

The sun is at the center of everything, but not for everyone.

Notes:

I am inspired by the possible history of our solar system.
Our sun will not become a super nova, it is too far from other suns for that. It will become a white dwarf after becoming a red giant.

The sun, Gilgamesh
The moon, Arturia
(Venus, Ishtar)

Here is a specific discord for Gilart :D
https://discord.gg/axcvs9Hs

You can find me on twitter and tumblr :
@Basykail
and
Basykail on Tumblr OR My fate inspiration

The Sun, center of the solar system, the most important star of all, especially for its small planets, was the king of kings, the king of this empty expanse, accompanied by those colorful spheres that orbited around him like insects around his light.

Shining with a dazzling white light, its light pierced the spaces and each of its subjects enjoyed basking in its warmth and the clarity it offered, thus allowing them to appear in this darkness. To the point that life arose on one of them.

Yet, the Sun was so annoyed...

Another white beauty, independent of him, shone almost as much as him, but refused to orbit around him like the others. She preferred to orbit around the Earth, taunting him by refusing to show that she revered him as much as the others. No, she preferred to act like a common satellite around the blue planet.

She kept teasing him, getting in between him and the earth, casting shadows, creating eclipses, and she continued to ignore him as if he were just another sphere among the void.

Unacceptable.

But to say that she did not suffer the consequences of her impudence was false. Because when she passed behind the Earth, she turned red and gloomy, no longer receiving his light, becoming cold and dull. She disappeared for a few hours before returning freezing under his warm light.

Yet, she continued... again and again... She orbited around the Earth.

The Sun, too arrogant to admit his frustration, took a long time before deciding to talk to her, as he had been watching her for so long.

"You, almost as bright as me, why don't you want to shine until my end and by my side? Wouldn't you be happier?"

The Moon then turned to him, making her white dress fly and sparkle with a thousand stars. They looked at each other... she smiled at him, teasing him gently for his ignorance.

"Yes, I would, but I don't want to. Thanks to you, life was born on Earth. But the nights are so dark and cold despite the stars. As I orbit the Earth, I reflect your light and illuminate their nights... even if I can't do it every night."

And she continued on her way, dancing around the Earth in an eternal motion, and the Sun watched and watched.

He was worried during lunar eclipses, where she would die of cold, and now happy during solar eclipses, as she was closest to him.

Since they exchanged these words, they continue to look at each other, admittedly from afar, but they look at each other.

The Sun had eyes only for her, ignoring the complaints of jealous Venus. And time passed, over and over...

Until the end.

The Sun was aging, life on Earth had long since disappeared, but the Moon was doomed to this endless dance, assuming her ideal as her only reason for living.

Age had allowed the Sun to become bigger and more imposing, but his light had turned red and was beginning to fade, announcing his end soon. Yet one day, he reached out and grabbed the Moon's wrist, who turned around in surprise. She had fallen asleep, drowsy and sleepwalking with age, turning without even realizing it.

She opened her tired eyes... before smiling at the one who had allowed her to shine so brightly for so long. She finally stopped turning, holding his hand in return, ignoring the burn she found so sweet.

It was finally over.

He welcomed her into his arms where she could cuddle up against him, engulfed by his suffocating warmth and finally finding rest.

They merged, but he did not consume her. She stayed by his side, observing with him the rest of the universe and its different lights. The Sun was also tired and slowly extinguished, becoming as small and white as the Moon. They admired each other and always held hands as the end approached.

They smiled at each other one last time as the Sun slowly faded, becoming an inert sphere of pallor in the vastness of the void, barely distinguishable in the light of the stars.

The Moon no longer shone either. She cried, holding her lover's body close to her, turning around him as she always did with the Earth, falling asleep in an infinite silence... waiting for the universe to finally cease to exist.