TWs: Awkwardness/tension and denial of feelings. Stay safe :)

"Interesting... so you were also in the area." Messier spoke, "Do you know where Pinwheel is?"

"If I did, I wouldn't be here..." Wěi responded, "NovaStars can't touch lest you want to be sucked into a black hole."

Neptune perked up at that, moving his hands containing the objects further apart, "Well, do you know where they might be?"

Wěi hummed, "The edge of the Kuiper belt, the darkest part... I can sense something."

"You too?" Messier uttered.

"The edge of the Kuiper belt... that's where Nine resides." Neptune spoke, "Unless we can distract him somehow..."

"I can do it!" Sedna smiled.

"Really? But from what I remember, which is very little, he was always very focused." Neptune looked away, trying to think back.

"He is." Gonggong nodded, "Sedna was the only one who could gain his attention for more than a few minutes."

"Maybe he has a thing for Sedna?" Quaoar smirked.

"Wh-What!? That's preposterous!" Sedna jumped to the defense, her face flush with embarrassment and irritation, "We've just known each other longer, that's all."

Gonggong and Quaoar glanced at each other with disbelief tracing their features.

"Anyway, Sedna, you'll be distracting Nine." Neptune spoke, "Triton, Orcus, and Salacia are to look around. Quaoar and Gonggong, you two are on lookout duty; make sure Nine doesn't see you or the others."

"Wh-What about us, M-Mr. Neptune?" Io asked.

"Sorry, guys, but Jupiter needs you back." Neptune gave them a kind look, "And a part of me doesn't want to see him get angry."

"Awe..." Io frowned.

"Come on, Io, we can talk to them later," Callisto assured, bumping her shoulder into the other's.

"I'll bring the little ones along next time." Triton straightened his jacket, placing his hands in his pockets.

Io nodded, a small smile forming as he brushed past him, "Th-Thanks, Triton."

Callisto gave Triton a look, shifting forward, she placed a hand on his chest, "Thank you."

"For what...?" Triton felt his core flare up at the touch.

"Without you, me and Io probably wouldn't be here, with you or them." Callisto gestured to the group, "I never knew the solar system had so much to offer other than being a big... void of darkness."

"Callisto..."

"So, yeah," Callisto retreated her hand from the other's chest, clearing her throat as her face flushed warmly, "Thank you for that, or whatever..."

"Anytime." Triton nodded.

Io looked between them, a small huff escaping his mouth, "Y-You can flirt more later, c-come on, Callisto!"

The two moons looked at the other, their faces flushed and wide-eyed.

"We're not-!"

"Y-Yeah, yeah, yeah, you can say th-that all you want." Io turned around, "I-I don't want Jupiter to be u-upset, so I'm going to go on a-ahead!"

As soon as he left, Triton eyed Callisto with a quirked brow. Callisto met his gaze, crossing her arms, "What is it?"

"Ah, nothing." Triton shook his head, his head rubbing the back of his head, "I'll see you later, alright?"

Callisto hummed, making her leave, "See you, Triton."

Triton raised a half-salute, adjusting his sunglasses tensely.

Neptune raised a hand to his chin, his worrying gaze set on Triton before focusing on the task at hand. Looking at the glowing object in his hand, he contemplated something.

"Don't," Wěi spoke.

Neptune blinked, frowning, 'But it's Uranus! I think you'd like him!'

"I'd rather spend my time elsewhere, away from you and other distractions."

'...It's not healthy to be alone.' Neptune looked down, 'Trust me- I spend a hundred and sixty-five years in isolation. It really did a number on my mental state.'

"I can see that," Wěi uttered.

Neptune opted to ignore the Star's words, 'I'm just saying it's better to have someone by your side in case things get... serious. Uranus spends most of his time painting and writing in his diary anyway. He's probably the less talkative one out of the Giants- other than Nine.'

"If I may," Messier spoke up, "Even a NovaStar needs stimulation, and if you were to go back to the depths of space, there are Celestial beings who would use your power to their advantage. A NovaStar cannot survive on its own- you're lucky to have ended up here instead of some... other system."

Wěi didn't respond.

'Well...?' Neptune etched for the Star to say something.

A sigh echoed within the Blue Celestial's head, "Fine. Let's go."

Neptune grinned before turning to the group of dwarf planets and Triton, "Great! So, now that everyone knows what they're doing, are you all ready?"

Orcus looked unsure, his gaze turning to Salacia, who kept her focused look forward.

Triton nodded, "Guess I'm leading then- if everyone can keep up."

"Pfft- I bet I can go faster than you!" Quaoar puffed out his chest.

"Maybe in your dreams." Gonggong remarked, "Your shape and rings slow you down."

"Stay close, Actaea. I don't want to lose sight of you again." Salacia muttered to her moon.

Orcus felt a tug on his arm, averting his gaze off the faded red Celestial to look down at his moon, "There you are, Vanth."

"Where are we going, Orc?" The small moon asked, his beady eyes peering up at his planet.

"You remember Nine, right? We're going to find something for him." Orcus raised a finger over his mouth, "But you have to be quiet about it, okay?"

Vanth covered his mouth, nodding sharply, "Mhm...!"

Orcus smiled, ruffling the moon's head.

Salacia couldn't help but smile at the wholesome moment between the blue-grey dwarf Celestial and the muted brown moon. She huffed, averting her gaze to the void below, her hand fiddling with a keychain. She shook her head, ridding of the thoughts that tried to pierce her where it hurt.

"Salacia...?" Actaea whispered, taking hold of her other hand.

"It's nothing," Salacia spoke far too quickly, "Come along now."

"Salacia!" Sedna called, flying up to the smaller.

"Ugh, what is it now?" The muted red Celestial faced Sedna begrudgingly.

Sedna seemed hesitant, opening and closing her mouth like a fish- whatever that was- before finding the right words to say, "Can we talk later- after this is all said and done?"

"Why are you asking me? You'll talk to me regardless if I said no." Salacia crossed her arms.

"I figured..." Sedna tapped the side of her face in deep thought, "You don't like or see anyone as a friend, so I figured we could get to know each other."

"...What?"

"It would be like a girl's night! I can invite Eris and Charon from the other group to join us." Sedna continued, "I'm still thinking of activities... b-but it'll be fun nonetheless!"

Salacia's eyes only got bigger the more Sedna kept rambling.

"Maybe I can invite some of the moons too! Callisto seems cool, maybe even Europa... ooh, the moons of Uranus as well." Sedna listed off on her fingers as she zoned out. Blinking, she looked at Sedna, "So, what d'you think?"

"I, uh... wha, uhm..."

Sedna gave her a sympathetic look, fiddling her fingers, "Sorry to spring all of this on you- I know you don't like distractions and overthinking while on a mission, but just- please think about it, okay?"

Sedna waved goodbye and flew away, bringing her attention to Triton, who told her something.

"I, wha, uhm..." Salacia trailed off, shaking her head as her wide-eyed stare glanced down at her moon, "What. Just. Happened?"

Her moon shrugged, "You have a friend now...?"

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