Tsuki Hime

It was well into the night when I finally walked through the front door of my home. The lights were still on and my wife was asleep on the couch, a small trail of drool was going down her chin. I chuckled slightly and kissed her forehead before seeing our daughter behind the couch with a stuffed cat in her arms. “You should have been asleep hours ago kit.” My daughter just turned her head and whistled badly.

“Momma and me ate some ice-cream before you got here so I’m not tired.” She let out a yawn before holding her cat tighter. I just smiled at her and lifted her up.

“Sure you aren’t kit. Of course if you let me take you to bed I could tell you a story that you’re bound to love.” She just nodded her little head and offered no resistance as I laid her in the bed. I tucked her in and sat down.

“I’m in bed so you have to tell me a story that was the deal.” I took her hand and laughed slightly.

“Alright kit, but I want you to really pay attention.” She nodded her little head and I started my tale.

There was once a kind man that would do anything for others. No matter what was asked of him he would do it without question because he wanted to make everyone happy. He built houses, fixed families, and uncovered secrets. To some he was a hero and to others he was a tool. They took advantage of him and used him to make themselves better. When he finally discovered the truth he was devastated. He wondered around in the world lost and broken.

For 2 years he walked the world thinking that maybe he had been wrong. Maybe the pain he felt was his fault? Just when he was about to fall into despair he saw a light in the clouds. He was confused, there was no light in the sky other than the sun and it was only out during the day. He had never seen a light in the darkness before. So he stood there and stared at the pale light that drifted down to him and him alone.

Hours passed and he was left speechless. When the clouds parted he could finally see her clearly, the beautiful moon wrapped in a dress of stars. She drifted down to him and lifted him to his feet. He tried to say something to her but was too ensnared in her beauty to say a word. She blushed as he stared at her and looked away. The more he looked the more he saw how extraordinary she was. Her eyes seemed to glow but he could also watch as they slowly changed colors. He had never seen anything like that.

After what felt like an eternity he finally spoke. “Who are you?” He couldn’t hide the fascination in his voice as he took her hands. “I would love to know.”

Her lovely eyes seemed to dull lightly as she pulled back but still she smiled. “There is not much to know about me. I am sure that you are much more interesting.”

The man simply rubbed his neck and smiled. “I am just a broken man thinking about what is left in my life. I have no family to love, no friends to trust, and no one to call my own. I was alone until I saw you. Why did you come here? Surely there are people more worthy of your presence.”

The moon shook her head sadly. “The clouds blocked my sight for many years. Whatever friends I had may have forgotten me by now. I do not know if there is anything left for me in this life.” Her eyes looked terribly sad as she spoke those words so he cupped her cheek and held her gaze.

“It may be true that we have nothing left but maybe we can find something in each other. Would you come with me? Would you take my hand and see the world?” He didn’t know why he asked that question. All he knew was that if he lost her at that moment the world would never be a good place. She stared at him wordlessly for a moment before nodding her head and tackling him in a hug.

They held each other for what felt like an eternity before holding hands and walking through the darkness. There were times when they couldn’t see each other clearly. There were also times when they stumbled and bumped into each other. It wasn’t easy for either of them to make it through the darkness but they knew they were together and that made everything better.

Sadly the sun came up to signal the start of the day and the moon had no choice but to return to the sky. She looked to him desperately and he placed her hand on his heart. “You need not worry. I will be here come the next night. I will be waiting for you.” And so he sat there and waited for her to return. Hours passed before night fell and he had not moved an inch. Once more the clouds parted and she found herself in front of him.

“Why did you not leave? Surely there is something else for you to see.” She spoke in surprise; she had not expected him to wait for her. He took her hand and placed it upon his heart.

“Without you there was no reason to move. Had you not returned this night I would have waited an eternity.” She heard the sincerity in his voice and knew in her heart that he spoke the truth. She felt his steady heartbeat and leaned against his chest. “No matter what I will always wait for you.”

They continued their routine for months and those months turned to blissful years. Before either knew it they had fallen completely in love. Every moment and secret shared brought the 2 closer and closer together. It came as no surprise when he got on his knee and asked for her hand in marriage. The only thing that she could say at that point was yes.
They lived together, smiled together, laughed together, and enjoyed life together. That is the story of the man who fell in love with the moon.

I looked down at the form of my tired daughter and kissed her cheek. “Papa, why did you tell me that story?” I bit my lip and wondered if I should tell her. I sighed and moved some hair from her face.

“It’s a story about me and your mom. When I was trapped in darkness she was always the light that brought me to happiness. No matter what happened to me she was always my moon shining from above.” She stared up at me with wonder in her eyes.

“I didn’t know mama was the moon.” I chuckle at her and kiss her forehead.

“Your mom is the moon and the beginning of all the best parts of my life. Now go to sleep kit, you need to rest.” She nodded her head and turned over before snoring lightly. I turned off the light before heading to the living room where my wife was sprawled on the couch. “I can’t believe our daughter stayed up longer then you Hime.” I smiled and picked her up bridal style before walking up the stairs.

“So I’m a beautiful moon wrapped in a dress of stars am I Pumpkin?” My wife said causing my face to burn scarlet.

“How much did you actually hear Hime?” She smirked at my question and I knew she had somehow heard everything. “When you 2 were playing you used the old baby monitors as radios didn’t you?”

“Oh look you’ve started to figure us out…is that really how you see it? Did you really see me as something that good and pure?” I sighed and laid her gently on the bed

“I saw you as someone that lit up my dark world. I then saw that you were someone as scared as I was. And finally I saw that you were truly the best part of my life. Every dark moment and memory was worth meeting you and keeping you by my side. You loving me back, marrying you, having a family with you and all that we’ve had and done together has just made this life absolutely amazing.”

“You are a very cliché person ya know that Pumpkin.”

I leaned forward and kissed her “It doesn’t make it any less true my beloved Tsuki Hime.”