Soleil and the Eclipse

(Warning for very minor mentions of abuse, and being ill. Marking as sensitive content just to be safe, but none of these things are in-depth.)

The eclipse does not originate from natural causes.

I’d understand your conflict reading that statement. To the average man, a total eclipse is just a product of our solar system, the moon centering itself in front of the sun to block the light of day. What if I told you that this comes from something more unreal, however? That the moon and the sun align in honor of two people in love?

My mother told me a story, which originated from one of her grandmothers from long ago, about two men who met as the moon settled in front of the sun. These men were gifted from birth, drawn to the light of day and darkness of night, respectively. One’s name was Soleil; the other, Eclipse.

This story is told from the perspective of Soleil.

Soleil was raised in a family that was mostly lenient with their rules, especially since they only had one kid at the time. His parents were new to raising children, so of course they were bound to give him freedoms that the average kid may not receive. They let him play outside alone for hours, and would offer him whatever he’d like so long as he was happy. They were still poor, but they did the best they could.

Before his birth, his parents struggled with keeping their home life stable. Their crops would barely grow at all, and they’d never have any luck receiving help from others. The family was viewed as cursed, thanks to a few unruly gossipers, and was treated as such. However, once Soleil was born, things took a turn for the best.

Birthed right as the sun began to rise in the sky, he was called a blessing. His family, which was incredibly superstitious, believed him to be a good omen. The townspeople followed their beliefs, agreeing that he was certainly a child of the sun. As such, life improved for the homestead.

Soleil, young and unaware of his meaning to the family, was simply happy to be born into such a loving environment. It didn’t matter how well they treated him, however, as he still yearned for another someone. Someone he loved, despite their differences.

The truth is, since birth, Soleil had dreams of another boy. A boy that was opposite to him entirely, with black hair instead of blonde, and modest attire as compared to Soleil’s more eccentric style. This boy loved bugs and books, while Soleil hated bugs and never enjoyed books. Yet they still got along in his dreams, and they seemed to be close. This boy’s name was Eclipse.

As Soleil aged, the dreams became more vivid, and he remembered them more often. He knew so many details about this other individual, and it only pulled the two closer. The rest of his family felt these were good omens, the same way Soleil was, and that this was merely a gift from God. That the two were meant to be together, even if their relationship was considered “taboo” for the time.

Soleil would draw pictures of Eclipse on paper, and would pick flowers to honor the drawings of him that he’d made. Everything he’d eat, he’d save a bit on his plate for him, even if he wasn’t really there. He was fully in love with this man that, as far as anyone was aware, didn’t exist outside of his dreams.

Soleil was certain this man was real.

The way Eclipse described his own life in the dreams was too detailed, and the images were too vivid. Eclipse would explain his home life as abusive, treating him as though he was a curse. He was born as night fell, and his family believed that he would bring nothing but darkness to their lives. His sister especially, who picked on him on the daily.

Wishing to help Eclipse out of his situation, Soleil would plan out an “escape plan” for him, with the help of his — albeit very hesitant — parents. Eclipse, in one of Soleil’s dreams, agreed with this. He did, however, specify one particular problem. He was sick, and it was a struggle for him to properly move around. Soleil did not care. He told Eclipse that he’d sacrifice anything for him, and that he’d help him walk if he so needed.

This led to the two deciding on a date to meet up. Despite the lack of proper directions, Soleil was so determined to meet up with his partner, that he chose to pack for a multi-day trip. Where he was going was mostly unknown, and God only knows how far away it would be. All he knew, from what Eclipse had told him, was that it was near where the sun fell.

Soleil worked for days on end in preparation for this trip, making his own food and packing his own supplies. He went through the effort of getting a job and everything, all for Eclipse. Soon enough, he was all set, with enough supplies to last him a small amount of time. Long enough to find Eclipse, surely.

Before long, Soleil was waving goodbye to his family, heading out with just a large bag and the clothes on his back.

Surprisingly, it didn’t take long to find Eclipse’s home. He’d left out before morning, and arrived at his home right around noon. It was just across town. Despite the long walking distance, it wasn’t too horrible of a walk, and Soleil could see himself traveling to Eclipse’s house daily if he so needed– but the plan was for the two to stay together, forever, and not have to separate.

He went to knock on the door of the building before he caught himself. Eclipse’s parents were abusive, so surely, they’d hurt Soleil too if they knew about their relationship. Besides, he wasn’t getting the vibe that he was there, instead feeling as if he was just behind the house…

So, he went there instead. Walking behind the house, he noticed a small figure with black hair standing perfectly still, appearing to stare up at the clouds. Without hesitation, Soleil approached the figure, moving in for a hug.

This was when Eclipse collapsed, falling right as Soleil wrapped his hands around him. Eclipse should’ve been shocked, Soleil figured, but it must’ve been the fact that he knew he was coming in the first place. He smiled down at him, gently settling him down on the dirt as he sat beside him.

Coughing, Eclipse spoke first, a surprised for Soleil given that he was always significantly quieter in their dreams. “Are you alright? That was not too bad of a walk, was it?” He sounded the same as in the dreams; articulate.

“I’m just fine, now that I’ve got you.” Soleil smiled, leaning into Eclipse’s shoulder. It was a pleasure getting to see the man he’d always wanted to see. He wanted to kiss him right there, if it weren’t for the fact that they’d literally just met. “I’m in shock, the way you look the exact same.”

Eclipse nodded his head, a small smile forming on his face as well. “I could say the same for you. You look lovely.” His reply was quick, as he moved to the side to cough away from Soleil.

As he recovered, Soleil looked him over closely, frowning at how disheveled he seemed to be. His sickness concerned him greatly, as he’d never seen people this sick that haven’t died. He chose to savor this moment, however, and shoved that thought to the back of his head.

“Is this the part where we kiss?” Soleil asked directly. This shocked Eclipse, who was now blushing up a storm.

Nodding his head slightly, Eclipse had to gather himself. With the tiniest smile, he turned his head to the side, offering his cheek to Soleil. To which, he planted a small kiss, leaving Eclipse with an even brighter blush than before.

This was when the moon fell in front of the sun, for the first time. Neither of them had known that this was going to happen, so they were both surprised when things suddenly went dark. It didn’t take too long before Soleil grinned, pointing up at the now covered sun.

“Look, it’s us!” He said with heavy enthusiasm, the complete opposite to Eclipse’s demeanor. “The moon’s in front of the sun, like how you’re in front of me right now! It’s like a…”

He had to think to himself the proper way to describe this scenario. It took a few seconds before he finished his sentence, ending it off with a, “... Solar eclipse! It’s like you and me, the solar eclipse!”

Eclipse, recovering from the kiss, smiled as well as he nodded. “Yes, Soleil. ‘Solar eclipse’ is very fitting.” Pausing, he contemplated. “Do you think other people will call it that later down the line, if this happens again?”

“If we tell enough people that’s what it’s called,” Soleil replied, as happy as he could be, before moving to pick Eclipse up from his spot.

“Where are we going?” Eclipse asked.

“Home.” Soleil replied, lifting Eclipse up and proceeding to walk in the direction of his own home.

And that’s how the solar eclipse came to be.