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naffeclipse · 4 months ago

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Little Chicks

Penguin!Reader x Orca!Eclipse

Commission Info

I'm so excited to share this fic! The lovely @pluck-heartstrings requested a continuation of Cardinal Instincts with a mix of fluff and typical Orca Eclipse with some angst/backstory for the harpy reader! I also enjoy writing baby sirens Sun and Moon as well <3

Content Warning for mentions of death and angst.

———

Tiny flukes flip along the ocean’s surface. You watch the siren young closely, perched on the edge of the ice with your winged arms folded tightly against you. Though you’ve grown used to how the orca siren tests the babes’ abilities, your heart flutters nonetheless whenever one sinks a little too deep below the surface without acquiring a deep enough breath and you must swallow back a squawk of fear when the other gives anxious, tired chirps after swimming for a moment too long.

But Eclipse is there, scooping the little ones into his hands, and if they refuse to calm, he presses them into your lap and allows the familiar, comforting touch of your plumage to soothe them.

Your siren young, you remember. Emotion thickens in your throat as Sun flips his tail, flashing cream and golden colors. The orca siren child struggles across the shallow water in the half-submerged alcove. Moon’s teeth gnash together as he whines. Eclipse chirrs gently, encouraging the children as if they were of his own blood. It still surprises you that they are not, with their eyes each containing at least one yellow or scarlet hue. The brothers share a blue color to their gaze, however, and confirm that they are twins.

The icy alcove sheltering them from the harsher, direct light outside is comfortable. Though it’s far from your natural habitat of flat icy plains with plenty of diving holes into the water, you’ve dared to settle into this home.

Eclipse courts you still, and though you both share the work of caring for the siren young, he makes it clear with a flash of his hungry eyes that you are the only mate for him. The only one who will raise Sun and Moon with him.

You watch him now, while the boys occupy his attention. His sleek, black and white form dipped in deep red and dark orange is lethal in every capacity. He is the apex predator of the seas. His body is lithe with toned, sleek muscle. His jaws split wide into a maw full of shark-like teeth. Yet, his claws curl carefully over Moon while he lifts him back to the surface, and the soft sounds of the babe’s sputtering pull your muscles taut, insisting you dive after the babe.

An instinct within understands how easily Eclipse’s natural weapons can turn on you, could rip you apart to feed his young, but then Sun is squeaking in anger. Eclipse turns to him quickly. He rumbles a soothing hum while holding Moon in the crook of his arm and gathering Sun in his other hand. His gentleness is always at the ready for his adoptive children. Your heart softens.

The siren lifts his eyes to you. In the light that refracts from the ocean surface and icy walls, his gaze glows brighter, hungrier. A shiver falls down your spine. How naturally your body remembers your place in the food chain. He closes the distance. His dorsal fin arches high behind him while strong, smooth motions of his tail push him until he’s looming over you on the shelf of ice you reside on.

A pulse starts in your throat. You gaze up at him, small and easily devoured, but he leans closer to nuzzle into the crook of your neck. The thick feathers covering your body ruffle under his persistent touch. A soft squawk escapes your mouth at the graze of his teeth over your sensitive, vulnerable throat.

“Sun and Moon must be getting hungry,” you breathe, fighting the heat that longs to stain your fluffy cheeks.

“They’ve worked up an appetite,” he agrees over the sharp squeaks and chirps of their demands. “They’re getting stronger.”

And hungrier, you note. Eclipse has been a provider, killing and retrieving meals of squid and other soft meat for the boys to tear apart with their nubby teeth. Eclipse explained to you once that these milk teeth will fall out once the boys have grown enough and will be replaced by sharper, more capable incisors.

It might have scared other harpies like yourself to know these children who depend on you for food and warmth will soon become as capable and dangerous as Eclipse, but only a swell of pride fills you with the thought. They will become strong. They will thrive and no one will ever harm them. A gentle need to watch them flourish propels you to open your arms.

“When will you hunt for food?” you ask softly. Your dainty clawed fingers brush gently against the squirming, wet forms of Sun and Moon held in the crook of Eclipse’s arms.

A low grumble, deep and chilling, rolls through the orca siren and into you. You still when this jaws nears your lips. The press of his forceful kiss pushes you back slightly, and you give an indignant squeak under his mouth, tasting you like he may or may not sample the flesh hidden under your feathers.

“I’ll go now, birdie,” he murmurs. “I won’t keep Sun and Moon hungry. Wait here for me.”

He draws back to capture your gaze with his own. The intensity of his eyes, one red, one yellow, pierces you with the strength of the sun. A desire to look away, to shrink from underneath his power nearly takes you, but he growls softly.

“Be good, birdie.”

“I will,” you answer, then immediately flush.

He nods smugly then presses a kiss to your cheek. You close your eyes though you are no less attuned to the sharp squeaks of protest of being slightly squashed between yours and his exchanges of fondness.

“Eclipse,” you mumble against his mouth, “The babies.”

A chortle escapes from his wicked jaws as he parts from you. At least, he eases Moon then Sun into your arms. The most natural embrace overtakes you as you cradle the precious siren young, though they are steadily growing, becoming just a little bigger for your arms than a regular chick might have been. It doesn’t matter to you. They are slick, warm, and safe.

Sun chirps soften into babbling chatter, his wide eyes beautiful and bright. On your other arm, Moon turns against your chest. His little nubby fingers grasp your feathers, clenching and unclenching, as his mouth roams for milk he will not find here.

“It’s alright, little chicks,” you coo at your children. “Your bellies will be filled shortly.”

You spare a glance at Eclipse, prodding him with a look but he lingers on the edge of the ice shelf. You lift your head, curious.

“They’re hungry,” you remind.

“I know, birdie.” His gaze slips into something like snowmelt as if he finds you simply adorable. “You’re beautiful. I simply had to admire how you take care of them.”

Your mouth opens but silence tumbles out.

He flashes a wicked grin to your dismay. Pushing off of the ice shelf, the orca siren dives out of the alcove and leaves you simmering with pink heat. Your words fail on your tongue, but there is little you can say to the orca siren who has decided to make you his.

You are unable to resist sinking softly in the after waves of his boldness and courting gestures. A small pile of beautiful stones and gems has piled in the far corner of the ice shelf. Tokens of his love. Each beautiful pebble made you believe he couldn’t find a better one, and each time, he has proven you wrong.

Pebbles are for building nests for a chick. To accept a pebble is to build towards a future, to prepare for the young that will come once two penguin harpies agree to be mates.

You press the memory of a small nest and a tiny, new life away from your thoughts. A nibble along your fingers draws your attention. Gazing down at Moon gnawing his nubby teeth along your hand, you smile. You gently free your fingers and stroke his head, sliding along the deep midnight blue appendage that falls down his head. The small bulb at the end is frilly and yellow.

“Oh, my darling,” you murmur in a soft voice. You slip back along the ice shelf, waddling carefully to not slip with the babes in your arms before gently rearranging them to rest in your lap. Wrapping your winged arms around them, they will stay warm.

A sharp squeak turns your head towards Sun. Hunger rips through him loud and clear. You laugh gently as he begins wiggling, impatiently and restlessly. His sharp, golden, and white gold fins crowning his head twist importantly with the jerks of his head.

“I know, my love, I know,” you softly cup his cheek and pull him closer to your chest, holding him to keep him from slipping away. “Your father is getting you squid. Patience, Sun.”

The high-pitched demanding chirp that falls from him squeezes your heart. He is far too loud, too excited, and you laugh. Softly taking Moon against you as well, you lean back against the alcove wall and try to hum. They adore when Eclipse sings to them, but his vocal cords are powerful and entwined with magic. Yours are too strained and, in a word, unfit for a lullaby. The best you can give them is your warmth and protection.

Your adoptive children.

Your mind drifts to a distant echo of sharp chirps. Insistent, hungry, and then, silent.

A slow collapse shuts away your throat. Your hum cuts short.

The memory takes you like an ocean wave, pushing you down, deeper and deeper until you can no longer breathe.

Your chick was so small. He was beautiful. He chirped fiercely. Then he did not make a sound at all.

Shoulders heaving, your breath becomes ragged. It scrapes out of your throat. Your chest tightens. Tiny bodies squirm in your arms, little fingers sinking into your plumage and grip tightly, demanding attention, but your vision is far, far away, lost on an empty ice plain dusted in snow.

You held your little chick in your arms. He didn’t move. Your mate told you to let him go.

You couldn’t. You didn’t, not until your mate pried him from your hands and forced you to leave him, to let the snow bury him and the ice creep over him until he was cradled in the Antarctic cold forever. He has to be warm. You were keeping him warm.

What did you do wrong?

No one answered.

A splash echoes in the distance. Wiggling bodies attempt to crawl away from you, eager chirps filling the air, but your vision is blurred over ice and water. A deep, abysmal voice calls out. You don’t answer.

You hold tighter to Sun and Moon, clinging to them. Their tiny voices grow louder as they fill with hunger.

Another wash of water echoes throughout the alcove, and then a shadow looms over you. Something wet splats just a few inches onto the ice shelf. Then, a low rumble and claws crack the ice, dragging over the uneven terrain.

A hand falls on your shoulder. Claws threaten to sink into your flesh.

“Birdie, what’s wrong?”

A gasp wretches from you. You blink, staring up at the looming orca siren. His eyes blaze, searching for threats and wounds, but only finding you unlocking your fierce grip from Sun and Moon. The babies gleefully slip away from you. Their wiggling tails flip and flap, and Eclipse watches them carefully before pinning you with his stare again.

“What happened? Are you hurt?” he demands, growling with an abysmal darkness.

“No,” you gasp, “No, the babies—they need to eat.”

Eclipse hovers. When did he pull himself onto the ice? His tail sweeps along the cold terrain, his flukes curling to form a barrier between you and the water. You want to shrink. You want to bow your head and swim away—it wouldn’t be so different from when the colony decided you couldn’t stay any longer.

A mush pile of chomped squid lies near Eclipse’s side fin. The siren young cry out. Slowly, Eclipse takes Moon, then Sun, setting them down by the food so they can begin tearing the soft flesh apart in their young moths. Securing them in the bow of his tail, he turns back to you.

“Birdie, tell me what is going on. I will make it right.” His clawed hands cup your face. You want to fall back, push him away until you can escape.

You can’t leave. Even wandering, you were trapped with what you’ve done.

Fear and shame form into a fine, frozen layer within you. You can’t look at Eclipse. His hand insists, pushing you by the chin until you're locked under his gaze again.

“Be good, birdie. Tell me so I might rip apart whatever is causing you such pain,” he insists, snarling just under his breath. You tremble and touch his arm.

“I,” you gasp and it wheezes through you. Your throat closes up. You look once to Sun and Moon devouring their meal, unaware of their harpy parent dissolving into sea foam. “I was driven from my colony.”

Something snaps within you. A great and terrible acceptance. A truth so ugly and rotten, you have no hope of holding its broken bones.

Eclipse’s jaw slackens. Teeth no longer bared, he slowly tilts his head.

“Why?” his eyes narrow.

He’ll know now you are unfit. He won’t have you raising his babies. You won’t hold Sun and Moon again.

You close your eyes and whisper, “I tried to steal another’s chick.”

Eclipse’s thumb slowly brushes along the fluff covering your cheek.

“Go on,” he says in a shockingly gentle and low voice, as if you needed a lullaby in the dark of night, “Tell me, birdie. It’s alright.”

You quake. Opening your eyes slowly, you are filled with Eclipse’s soft gaze. His attention is fierce, ever sharp, but when he holds you, everything else falls to the wayside.

A rattling breath fills your lungs.

“My baby,” your voice cracks. Eclipse’s gaze widens. “My poor baby died. He was so small… I don’t know why.”

“Such things can happen,” he says so firmly, you long to believe him, “It’s not kind, but little ones simply don’t endure by no fault of their own nor yours.”

“Eclipse, wait,” you grasp onto him tighter. He is your last island in the sea of your grief. He doesn’t understand.

“What of your mate?” he asks instead, his teeth glint.

“He left me,” you say quietly. A fact you have accepted long ago. Whenever you looked at him, you only felt the same grief again. “After my—our chick died, he left.”

Eclipse dips his head in the slightest, not exactly pleased, but reassured, in some way. You don’t know what to make of his expression.

“Then what became of you?” he asks in his growling cords.

You quake.

“I don’t know why I did it. I just couldn’t stand it. Everyone with their chicks, hearing their little cries. I was alone,” you pull in a breathless gasp, “I didn’t stop myself. One little chick was unattended, for just a moment. Her mother was looking away. I wasn’t thinking at all. I just did it—I swooped in and stole the babe.”

Eclipse rumbles deep within his chest. You glance anxiously at Sun and Moon. Sounds escape Sun even as he chews vigorously. Moon is quiet, slurping down a tentacle. Eclipse draws a black-bone claw down your cheek, returning your attention to him.

“What happened?” he asks softly.

“I tried to feed her, but she refused to take any food from my mouth.” A strained sound, like a sob, escapes your throat. Eclipse hushes you softly, stroking the back of your feathered head. “She was crying—I told her I was her momma but she wouldn’t stop.”

The tiny babe was not your own, though just as small and hungry and fierce. The chirps were just a little off. They weren’t your babe’s.

Your heart twists. How could you ever have your little chick back? How could you try and replace one by taking from another? You were selfish and mad. You were trying to force another mother to go through what you just had.

“She wasn’t yours,” Eclipse answers simply, as if he might understand wanting something so terribly, and doing awful things to have it, but not being able to keep it.

You hold his gaze, wetness blurring your vision.

“It was cruel of me.” You shudder again. “They caught me. The colony decided I could no longer be a part of them. They sent me away. I could never return.”

Eclipse is silent for several heartbeats. You sit, heavy with shame and grief. His flukes brush against the little ones eating. A small complaint of being bothered during their meal rises in a sharp squeak. You glance over them, wishing to pull Sun and Moon into your arms again. What if you can never hold them again?

“That’s why you were waddling alone.” Eclipse sweeps a claw down your temple, almost touching your eye. Your eyelids flutter, and a great fear takes over you. Does he not want you anymore? Has he decided you will make a better meal than a parent?

“I still don’t know why I did it,” you mumble. You felt mad. You still feel unstable with loss and emptiness. You could only take and take to try and fill up the gaping place left within you. The baby you love so dearly was gone without a whimper.

And now two little sirens need your care. They are so beautiful and precious. Your heart bobs within you for longing to tend to them.

“You wanted your child back,” Eclipse hums. Your eyes lift to him, stained with tears. “You love your child. Now you have two little ones who need you. And you have been a beautiful mother to them.”

Stunned into silence, you blink. “You… you still want me?”

Eclipse chortles, looking at you as if you were simply precious.

“I have already chosen you as my mate. I have witnessed how tenderly you tend to Sun and Moon. I will have no one else but you, birdie.” He leans in and kisses your tear-wet cheeks. Your feathers ruffle underneath his affection. “Breathe, and when you are ready, you will hold our children again.”

Our children.

You cling tightly to Eclipse for one moment. His eyes widen. Leaning up, you lay a kiss on the corner of his mouth and smear salty tears on his maw unwittingly. You hope he doesn’t mind. All the while, he holds very, very still.

“They’re my little chicks,” you whisper.

“They are,” he rasps softly. Eclipse holds you until the Sun and Moon finish eating. Their cries of attention are answered as the orca siren scoops them up, one by one, and places them in your arms.

Your family.

#naff's writing commissions #cardinal instincts #apex polarity #orca!eclipse #penguin!reader #baby sirens #orca!sun #orca!moon #ohhh i loved writing about Y/N's back story #it's a good thing momma has Eclipse <3 #naff writing

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lunarmoves · 1 year ago

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beauty and the beasts

summary: you should've expected they were up to something when they picked you as a volunteer for one of their theatre shows. you just... didn't expect all of this.

pairing: DCA sun/moon/eclipse x reader

mentions: gender neutral reader, non-sexual intimacy, pining, fluff, true love's kiss<3, takes place when the dca used to work in the theatre, so includes ruin eclipse & their characterization, more eclipse-focused than anything tbh, eclipse uses they/them while sun & moon use he/him, they are all the same animatronic, lowercase fic

word count: 3.2k

ao3 link

this was not how you'd expected your day to go.

the theatre had been scheduled for an afternoon show according to the email you'd received from management. you were the only one on shift at the moment, so you were required to go and supervise. you didn't mind, not really. all of the jesters' stories were perfect for the kids, with just enough adventure, magic tricks, and morals to satisfy everyone. you liked watching them perform—weaving tales from that robotic mind of theirs. they never did the same story twice, not precisely, anyways. it was entertaining. and hey, getting to spend time in a dimly-lit auditorium beat having to walk around the plex any day.

ten minutes before showtime, you made your way over to the theatre and entered through the main double doors. families were already starting to trickle in, sitting on the plush seats that surrounded a curtained stage as they chattered excitedly. you smiled and offered polite nods to those you made eye contact with as you walked over to the stage to take your position next to it. you leaned against the wall and crossed your arms, gaze surveilling both the lower level and the balcony of the auditorium. looked like it was going to be a full house.

from your position, you could see the edge of the red curtain closest to you shift a tad before a glowing, white eye peeked out from behind it. you watched as it seemed to take stock of the room's capacity, the sunrays you could see spinning left and right in little motions. then the eye turned to look right at you.

you offered them a smile and a wave. they jerked back a little in a way that made your smile falter only slightly. then, their eye upturned in delight—sunrays spinning once around their faceplate—before they disappeared once more behind the curtain.

they'd been acting a bit weird lately, you pondered to yourself as you waited for the show to start. at least, weirder than usual. you'd caught them numerous times staring off into the distance—sometimes at you—or mumbling lowly to themselves. you figured maybe they were just thinking about more stories to perform. but when you'd approach them about it, they'd jump and their voice would start glitching out slightly before they'd run off to their little room.

they didn't always act like that, of course. it just happened enough times that you were starting to wonder if they were okay. did they need a check up in parts 'n services or something? maybe you'd bring it up next time you chatted with them.

as soon as the clock hit three p.m., the curtains rustled a little before a tall figure stepped out from the middle part. a hush settled over the theater at its sudden presence, the lights dimming slightly so that everyone's attention could focus on it.

"hello friends and welcome to the faztheatre!" eclipse spoke out, hands politely clasped in front of them as a spotlight beamed down on their body. you were always in awe at how easily they could command the attention of a room. their rays did a little wave-like motion around their faceplate, shifting the night cap they had on slightly. "before the show begins, please make sure to silence your cellular devices. flash photography is not permitted in the theatre. in the case of an emergency, exits are located in the back and to the sides of the stage. we hope you enjoy this fazbear-approved performance!"

and with that, they stepped back behind the curtain. a gentle murmur started up in the audience as music played from the speakers overhead. the lights dimmed further and you got yourself comfortable as the curtains parted so the first story could begin.

whoever designed eclipse had certainly done a good job helping to balance the three A.I.s they had in them. you always found amazement in how easily they were able to switch from eclipse, to sun, to moon. it was seamless—smooth. almost natural. you ended up zoning out slightly as you watched them perform, having watched this particular story so many times beforehand already. you mostly liked watching the motions they made, observing every click, twitch, and spin of their joints and head adornments.

ten minutes later, you were roused from your daydreaming when clapping erupted around the theatre. you blinked and glanced at the stage to see eclipse doing a little bow. done already? that was fast. well, the stories were rather short. each show was about half an hour long, after all. kids could only sit still for finite amounts of time. you clapped along for a bit, then quietened when you noticed eclipse straighten back up.

"for our next story," they said as they rocked back and forth on their heels, "we will need a volunteer!"

you tilted your head to the side slightly as a few hands waved up in the air, a chorus of 'me me me!' following in their wake. you don't think you'd ever supervised one of their performances where they asked for a volunteer from the audience. first time for everything, you supposed.

eclipse made a show out of tapping a finger against their chin, faceplate moving from one side of the theatre to the other until their bright gaze landed on you.

"you there! eager participant!" you blinked owlishly as a metal hand extended in your direction. their grin seemed to widen at your stupefied look. "come on up if you so insist!"

"wh—" you started, only to cut yourself off as your gaze darted around the audience. a sea of eyes stared at you, some expectant, some disappointed. sweat broke out on the back of your neck. "i don't—"

"come on, don't be shy!" eclipse bounced closer to the edge of the stage and reached a long hand over to grab at your arm. you swallowed thickly and found your legs moving to climb up the small set of stairs and onto the stage. the lights were so much brighter here, nearly blinding you and causing your eyes to squint slightly. large hands grasped at your shoulders, moving you along to the center of the stage. eclipse made a sound as though they were clearing their throat, then projected their voice out to the rest of the auditorium. "the show will resume in five minutes. please take this time to stretch, use the restroom, or purchase a drink and/or snack from one of our nearby stations!"

and with that, the curtains drew themselves back across the stage, hiding you and a seven-foot-something robot behind them. you were grateful for the reprieve from the lights, but the feeling did not last all too long.

"eclipse, dude, what the hell?" you wheezed as you stepped away from their hold and spun around to look up at them. a rasped 'language!' came from moon that you ignored as you gave them a look. a smile was still on their face. "you and i both know i didn't volunteer myself. what gives?"

"come on, it'll be fun!" they told you delightfully, rays spinning slightly. they swayed gently side to side to a tune you could not hear. you frowned. they were planning something, you knew it.

"i don't even know how to act," you grumbled, listening to the chatter of the audience from beyond the curtain. it left an uneasy feeling in your gut that made you feel slightly sweaty. you did your best to push it down.

"fret not, my dear! just follow along with us and you'll do wonderfully!" eclipse soothed you, hands reaching out to hold onto your upper arms. "you needn't even say a word, just allow us to guide you!" your frown only deepened before you let out a long sigh and allowed some of the tension to ease itself from your shoulders. something seemed to sparkle in their eyes at your relent.

you only had to last through a ten minute show for a bunch of children. you could do it. you didn't even need to speak. it shouldn't be too bad. "fine, but this is the only time i'm doing this, okay?" you wagged a finger up at them, then poked them right between their eyes that upturned at your action.

"amazing! now come—let's get you a costume."

five minutes went by quicker than you'd expected and soon you found yourself standing off to the side as eclipse stood in the center of the stage once more. you fixed the shiny headpiece they'd put on your head and took in a deep breath when music started playing through the speakers once more. the curtains withdrew and the audience quieted.

"once upon a time," eclipse began in a honey-coated voice—soft, gentle, dulce—as he narrated, "there lived a humble prince."

before your eyes, they shifted over to sun—who stood proudly on stage decorated with a fluffy cape and golden crown placed around the rays on his head. eclipse's voice continued on even as sun let out a hearty 'ho! ho ho!'. "the prince loved adventure. the thrill was something he chased after. sword in hand, he journeyed far and wide, looking for people he could help." sun brandished a wooden sword from somewhere behind him and bounced around the stage, pretending to fight invisible enemies.

"one day, the prince learned of a gentle noble who'd been kidnapped and locked far away in a castle for reasons unknown." that was your cue. you took in another deep breath and stepped into view on the stage, resisting the urge to squint your eyes in the light. "none had been able to save the noble, for a dangerous beast guarded them."

sun suddenly shifted over to moon, white eyes being replaced with red ones that lit up his face in an ominous glow. straight teeth slanted into ones sharp enough to rip you to shreds. the crown disappeared and was replaced by a familiar night cap. moon let out a low, raspy chuckle and swept up close to you, circling you slowly in a way that had goosebumps rising on your skin. he reached out a clawed hand and pulled you close to him so he could guide you across the stage in a strange, sweeping dance.

your gaze darted up to his face, allowing him to lead you along. moon's sharp grin seemed to widen at the slight confusion on your face. the close proximity made your heart skip a beat. you hoped he couldn't hear how fast it was racing.

moon suddenly let you go as eclipse continued with the tale, shifting over to sun in the process. you stepped away into the shadows of the curtains. "naturally, the prince believed this to be a worthy adventure. so he set off in search of the noble." sun marched about the stage, a determined look on his faceplate. "he found the beast in his travels. knowing he was close, the two fought against each other."

you watched as sun and moon took turns shifting into each other as they enacted a dramatic battle. it was interesting to look at, especially with you standing so close by. sun struck his sword out in front of him, then twirled around into the spot he'd slashed as he shifted into moon. "the prince won the battle. but as the beast lay dying on the floor"—moon made some choking sounds and collapsed onto the ground in a heap, clutching at his chassis where sun had presumably injured him—"he used his last breath to curse the prince."

moon made a clawed motion with his hand, then shifted up into sun who clutched at his rays and made a pained noise. he dropped his sword and cleverly kicked it to the side near the curtains. he seemed to fight with himself, rays jittering in and out of his head before he shifted into eclipse. they stared down confusedly at their sharp hands. "the prince turned into a beast. dazed and disoriented, he found himself stumbling towards the castle the noble was imprisoned in until he found them."

you emerged back into view as eclipse staggered over to you, reaching a clawed hand out. "the noble looked in horror at the prince, and as he managed to tell them that they were free—that he killed the beast—they only looked at him in sadness." you did your best to school your expressions into the ones eclipse was describing, but you weren't quite sure if you succeeded.

"the noble told the prince that they had been kidnapped and locked up because of their powerful magic. they had grown to believe it was dangerous and that they needed to keep away from society." eclipse took your hand in their own and squeezed it gently. you patted it sympathetically with your other one. "they refused to leave and with the prince now turned into a beast, he did not want to go either. so they stayed in that castle together—healing. grieving."

eclipse tugged you close and twirled you around in another dance, your hand still gripped in their own. they were being awfully touchy with you. you found yourself not minding all too much—not with how careful they were being. "the two grew close together over time. they danced around the feelings that had developed between them." eclipse dipped you swiftly and brought you back up so fast you wondered if it had happened at all. a rosiness dusted itself across your cheeks that you did your best to fan away. "but just when the prince thought to confess, disaster befell them."

eclipse ripped themselves away from you and shifted into moon again, crouched low to the floor. "a warrior had arrived at the castle, intending to free the noble once and for all without knowing their story. and upon seeing the prince-turned-beast, the warrior struck."

moon launched himself forward and made a slashing motion with one of his clawed hands. he spun around and switched over to eclipse, who clutched at their chassis and fell dramatically backwards onto the floor. "in the noble's grief at seeing the prince fall, they used their magic to end the warrior's life then stumbled over to the side of the prince."

you didn't know what to do about the whole 'using magic to end the warrior's life' bit, so you just fumbled your way over to eclipse's side and sank down onto your knees by their chest. their eyes were closed and they lay as still as possible. their voice continued on with the story. "the noble grieved over the prince's body." you sniffled and did your best to force yourself to cry, wiping your hand at your eyes. "and as the prince let out his last breath, the noble leaned down and gave him true love's kiss."

wait— what the fuck?

there was a moment where you froze, eyes widening slightly. eclipse's grin twitched from where they were laying on the floor, feigning death—or close to it, anyways. and as you processed the words they'd spoken, you shot them an incredulous look and felt your face burn with the heat of a thousand suns.

were they messing with you? they were just messing with you, right? you glanced up at the audience before you—so silent that you'd nearly forgotten you were on stage, performing. right. you were just acting. you swallowed heavily and—ignoring the way your heart thumped rapidly away in your chest—leaned down to press a light kiss to the metal of their smile. you added a weak "mwah" for effect.

eclipse's grin widened delightedly.

"the prince turned back to normal and came back to life," eclipse said as they shifted back into sun, who wasted no time in springing to his feet and grabbing onto you. he swept you up into a crushing hug that shocked a laugh from you and spun around, rays happily clicking in and out of his face. "and they all lived happily ever after. the end."

the audience burst into applause at the end of eclipse's story, the sound echoing in your ears. but all you could hear was the pounding of your heart—feel the breathlessness in your lungs. sun grinned happily up at you as the curtains drew together once again, swathing the both of you in shadow.

"you did great, dearest!" sun exclaimed once you were both out of view, spinning you around once more for good measure. you laughed and attempted to hold onto the headpiece you were still wearing to no avail. it slipped off your head and fell somewhere to the floor in a light clatter that you couldn't hear over the crowd of people leaving the theatre.

"that was surprisingly fun," you admitted, your hands holding onto sun's shoulders so you could keep your balance. "it's cool seeing you guys at work. you've really got a knack for storytelling." as sun preened with your compliment, you paused for a second and thought back to the ending. "well. you've got a few plot holes."

sun's grin twitched a little before he switched over to moon. it was a bit strange, especially with you still clutched in his hold. moon grinned sharply at you. "plot holes? do tell."

"well for one, the noble used their magic to kill the warrior when they were in the castle because they were afraid of how dangerous they were," you rambled, tapping moon on the arm so he could set you down. he did so after a short moment of hesitation. you fixed your clothes once you were solidly on the ground. "like, talk about trauma. no way they're gonna wanna leave the castle after that. they didn't really have any character development either in terms of accepting their magic."

moon tilted his head at you then said, in a dry voice, "it's a story for children. they won't remember it by tomorrow." he then switched over to eclipse, who clasped their hands together.

"we'll workshop it!" they chimed out, swaying side to side animatedly. "a tale of helping others, love, and embracing who you are!"

you gave them a smile. "i'm sure it'll be great after."

eclipse seemed to look at you then, almost in an expectant manner. their hands wrung together. "you know, maybe you should get a position as a theatre assistant! you'll do numbers on stage!"

at that, you laughed and waved a hand at them. "who, me? no thanks, i don't think acting's for me. you guys do fine on your own." something changed in their expression that you couldn't quite make out, but before you could ruminate on it further, you distracted yourself with looking at your phone. you didn't know why you were feeling so... odd. you brushed it off easily. "i need to get going. got a mess to clean in bonnie bowl. i'll catch you guys later."

with that, you spun around and waved at eclipse as you headed to the stage's stairs. you couldn't linger—if you did then you'd never leave. their arm spasmed a little before they lifted it up to wave back at you. "come back soon, friend!" they called out, watching as you disappeared past the thick, red curtains. they waited—as though hoping you'd return—but when you didn't, their body slumped.

their arm fell slightly before they reached their hand up to touch at the smooth metal of their grin thoughtfully. longingly.

eclipse sighed, the sound getting lost in a stage that was a bit too big for just a solo act.

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