Goldheart padded through the ship's corridor, careful not to make the wood creak. Normally at this time of night, Goldy would be asleep in bed and dreaming of adventures with a certain captain. But he couldn't sleep, not tonight. He needed fresh air.
The blue hedgehog stepped outside onto the moonlit deck, taking a deep breath of night air. He sighed, still feeling stuffy. Goldheart began making his way to the mast, planning to climb up to the Crow's Nest and spend the night there. He knows he might end up with even more of a stuffy nose, a running one as well, and a bad cough, but he cannot spend the night under deck confined to his room.
Just as Goldheart was about to make his way up the mast, his emerald green eyes caught a familiar sight towards the helm. A black hedgehog with red stripes in his upturned quills, dressed in a red leather coat with a captain's hat, was at the helm, gripping it tightly and steering the ship. The blue hedgehog tilted his head slightly, studying the captain. Goldheart wondered what he was doing out here; perhaps Shadow needed some air as well. It wouldn't hurt to ask.
Goldheart hopped down, landing on the wooden deck with a soft thud . That was enough to grab Shadow's attention. The black hedgehog glanced over, both ruby eyes glaring softly at the blue hedgehog. Goldheart was stunned. The captain had his eyepatch off, and he had both eyes.
Shadow had his attention back on the ocean ahead. The moon was almost at its place in the sky; for now, though, it was still rising from the east. Shadow had his eyes set on following the moon, heading directing east to find whatever land he could make port and restock the ship's supplies, and hopefully give his crew a well-deserved break from pirating.
A creak of timber snapped Shadow out of his stance. The captain turned to his side, seeing a brilliant shade of blue fur and bright green eyes. Shadow smiled softly at Goldheart, asking what the blue hedgehog was doing out so late at night.
"I was just about you ask you." Goldheart answered, leaning on the rail of the staircase. Shadow sighed softly.
"Someone has to steer the ship." Shadow shrugged, yet to let go of the steering wheel. "And I couldn't sleep, anyway."
Goldheart chuckled softly, making a lighthearted joke about him and Shadow being night owls. Shadow smiled in response but found the joke not nearly as amusing as Goldheart's previous comedic ideas. The blue hedgehog noticed the captain's obvious uninterest, so he cleared his throat and looked to the sea as well.
"So," Goldheart spoke after a few moments of awkward silence, "have you always had two eyes?"
"Of course." Shadow answered, turning the wheel after sensing a change in the direction of the rudder.
"Then why the eyepatch?" The blue hedgehog asked again, pointing at Shadow's right eye, which was typically covered by a black eyepatch. Goldheart had always thought the captain was hiding something under the patch; a scar or maybe a missing eyeball. But seeing Shadow's right eye clear as day definitely brought some confusion.
"Night vision," Shadow answered bluntly, "my right eye is pre-adapted to minimal lighting under the eyepatch. Helps me see in the dark. Helps me see them better."
Shadow looked up, no longer interested in chasing the rising moon. His ruby eyes traced the twinkling stars in the sky, forming constellations and reading their stories. He smiled, remembering nights of his childhood when he lay on a hill with a young human girl, naming every constellation their eyes found and making up constellations with the stars they couldn't connect. It was easier times. A melancholic sigh escaped as Shadow looked back to the sea.
Goldheart looked up to the sky, seeing the tiny dots of light in the never-ending black sky. He blinked softly, having rarely ever taken the time to look at these stars; or the night sky for that matter. But he saw how happy it made Shadow, and Goldheart wanted to learn more.
"Can you show me?" He asked, shifting closer to the captain. "The stars?"
Shadow turned to Goldheart again, a soft blush forming on his face. Then, he let go of the helm and took the hedgehog's hands into his own.
"I thought you'd never ask." Shadow whispered, pulling Goldheart away from the helm.
A few moments later, the two hedgehogs were sitting in the Crow's Nest, side by side with each other; Goldheart even dared to lean on Shadow's shoulder, to which the captain did not mind at all. They spent the entire night there, Shadow pointing out every constellation in the sky and telling their corresponding story to Goldheart.
By the time the sun began to rise and the crew slowly awoke one by one, the captain and the first mate were long asleep in the Crow's Nest. Shadow, in deep sleep, holding Goldy close to him.
The star of his life.
