TWs: Crying/breaking down, keeping secrets, cliffhanger. Stay safe :)

Theia interlaced her fingers, an apprehensive look on her face as she faced the past moons of the planets.

Morta, a moon of Nine, frowned, eyebrows furrowing, "But why? Why did you feel the need to hide this from us?"

Theia rubbed her knuckles, letting out a sigh, "At first, I said it because I didn't know it was possible... until one day when I found it was. It was disorienting, confusing, and terrifying. No one could see, or hear me, and I phased through objects... we're not on the same plane of existence as other Celestial objects."

Some, especially the smaller moons, looked disheartened to hear that while others seemed cognizant.

"I've experienced firsthand what it's like," Theia continued, her voice shaking as her whole body trembled, "That no matter how hard you yell, no one will hear. No matter how hard you try, you can't touch them, you can't even comfort them when they're depressed, you can't talk them out of doing something irrational and idiotic, you c-can't...!"

The moons watched as Theia covered her face, breath shuddering. The smaller Celestites huddled together, some eyes filling with tears more than the rest. The bigger moons looked on in sympathy.

"Theia..." Chrysalis uttered, a bleakness in her eyes as her lips quivered.

"N-No matter what you do, you can't be with them..." Tears flowed from Theia's eyes. She tried blinking them away, turning toward the others, "I-I'm sorry I hid this from everyone... after my experience, I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up. It's agonizing not being able to be there for your planet... but that doesn't excuse the fact that I should've told you guys sooner. I'm sorry..."

Herschel, a moon of Uranus, stepped forward, offering Theia a hand, "It's alright, Theia... we've got til the Sun turns into a Red Giant to find out what our planets have been up to."

"Not to mention we get to see them again!" A moon of Saturn, Cardea, exclaimed, jumping up and down.

"Yay!" The other small Celestites celebrated. Theia smiled softly despite some tears falling from her eyes.

"Go on now, Cura..." Chrysalis pushed the smallest moon toward Theia, "Just like we practiced."

Cura nodded, turning to face the chestnut and sepia planet, "Miss Theia...?"

"Yes, little one?" Theia gave her her full attention.

Cura averted her eyes, fiddling with her fingers, "I-I'm sorry... for yelling."

Theia frowned, tilting her head. Slowly, she took the small Celestite's hands in her own, "It's alright, Cura, I didn't think anything of it."

Cura smiled before rushing forward to hug Theia. The Celestial returned it, patting her on the head.

"Miss Theia, can we go now!?" Clementia exclaimed as she darted around.

"Uh-"

"Yeah! Can we, Miss Theia!?" Cardea grinned.

"Can we!? Can we!?"

"Uh, w-well..." Theia knitted her brows, thinking about it.

"Clementia, Cardea, you're stressing the poor thing." Dia, a moon of Jupiter, lightly scolded as she pulled them away.

"Sorry, Dia..." They apologized.

"Don't apologize to me." Dia gestured to Theia.

"S-Sorry, Miss Theia..." The small moons uttered.

"It's alright... as for exiting the Ethereal," Theia paused, her eyes glancing around at everyone. She smiled, "I don't see why not."

The smaller moons cheered.

"Are you sure, Theia?" Chrysalis asked, eyes full of concern.

"I'm sure, Chrys." Theia nodded, "As long as they behave and stick with one of the older moons, they should be fine."

« × »

"Has anyone else been feeling... heavy, lately?" Venus questioned while placing a card down.

Mercury smirked at the play, pulling out an ace and placing it down, "I thought I was the only one."

Mars gave Mercury an annoyed look, drawing four more cards. He frowned, "I guess we all feel like that... maybe it's because of everything happening around here."

After a few beats of silence, all eyes turned to the planet who hasn't played. Earth's unblinking gaze was focused on the cards.

"Earth, it's your turn," Mercury spoke.

He didn't respond.

"Can I slap him? That should wake him up." Venus suggested, raising a hand.

"No!" Mars glared at his friend before focusing on the lively Celestial. Mars placed his hands on Earth's shoulder, rubbing his arms, "Hey, you still with me, Earth?"

Earth loosened his hold on his cards and they flittered out of his grasp, floating in different directions. He blinked, "S-Sorry, what was happening?"

"You've been doing that a lot lately... are you okay, Earth?" Mars smiled, concern lacing his features as he stared into Earth's eyes.

Earth found himself blushing under the other's stare, trying to hide it by turning away, "Oh, y-yeah! I'm fine, never better!"

Mars raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by the response.

"Get a room, lovebirds." Venus huffed.

"Venus, you ruined the mood!" Mercury pouted.

"Does it look like I care, pipsqueak!?"

Earth jolted, pulling away from Mars and shifting from the others. The rusty red Celestial glared at their interruptor.

"H-Hey, uh... where's Luna?" Earth finally realized there was a loss of gravity around him.

"He's right over there." Mercury pointed without lifting his eyes from the cards, "He left around ten minutes and thirty-six seconds ago."

"And you just know that...?" Venus scrunched his face, looking at the smaller one weirdly.

"Uh, well..." Mercury covered his face with the cards, face flushing in embarrassment.

Venus simpered, giving the smaller a knowing look that only worsened the blush on Mercury's face.

Earth flew up to his moon, noting that he was looking toward the Sun. The lively Celestial quirked an eyebrow, "You know staring at the Sun is bad for your eyes."

Luna jolted, whipping his head to face his parent, "Oh, right..."

"What is it, buddy?" Earth noted how tense Luna was as the moon cradled his arms against his chest.

"Nothing, I just thought..." Luna glimpsed around, "I thought I saw something and decided to check it out."

Earth hummed, following the moon's gaze, "Well, there's nothing there, so..."

"I know, but..." Luna trailed off, "She looked familiar to me almost."

"She?" Earth's eyes widened and he placed his hands on the Celestite's shoulders, a desirous feeling setting in his core, "Did she- was it... was it her...? Theia?"

"I don't know, all I could make out was her wavy hair." Luna shrugged, his eyes casting to the right.

Earth frowned, the longing feeling leaving his chest heavy. He let go of Luna's shoulders, a remote look in his eyes.

"Sorry, Earth..." Luna uttered.

"You don't have to apologize, Luna." Earth forced a reassuring smile on his face, "Me and Theia's story ended when we collided. I just need to let go of the past."

"You don't have to. Not completely." Luna spoke.

"What do you mean?"

Luna hesitated, his cheeks puffing out, "Ever since we found out about her, I-I've always wanted to hear more about what she was like."

Tears started forming in Earth's eyes. He nearly choked, masking it as a cough. A wavery smile appeared on his face, "I would like that very much..."

Mars watched the interaction from afar, a small smile on his face.

"Ooh~, I'm Mars and I have a huge crush on my best friend but I'm too much of a coward to tell him how I feel~...!" Venus feined a distraught expression as he raised a hand to his forehead, shifting all of his weight against Mars.

Mars gave him a deadpan look, eyes twitching as he pushed Venus off of him, "Alright, alright, that's enough, Venus. Thank you."

"No problem. Annoying you guys is my specialty." Venus smirked.

"Have you ever been in love, Venus?" Mars questioned.

"No," Venus responded, crossing his arms, "It's not for me."

"How would you know?"

"Because I just do." Venus huffed, "Sure, I care about you guys and the others, but not to that degree. I dunno... maybe I'm just weird or something."

Mars blinked, "I don't think so... actually, I'm pretty sure there's an Earthling term for what you're describing- Aro...? Aro... something."

"Of course, leave it to the Earthlings to have everything figured out," Venus uttered.

Mars stifled a chuckle, instead continuing to watch Earth and Luna.

Venus rolled his eyes, "Seriously, though, the staring is getting creepy."

Mars huffed, lightly glaring at the other before casting his gaze toward the asteroid belt, a streak of blue weaving between the debris, "What's that?"

"Huh?" Venus followed the other's gaze, "What is it?"

"It looks like..." Mars' eyes widened upon witnessing the destruction of rocks, chunks spiraling into the inner zones. On instinct, Mars flew toward Earth and Luna, arms outstretched, "Look out!"

« NOTE »

That's right! I headcanon Venus as being Aromantic :)

I don't know why, I just do. I can't see him in a relationship.

Anyway, HAHAHAHAH CLIFFHANGER

What'll happen next? You'll have to wait until the next chapter ;)

Comments are appreciated 3