our own private supernova

chapter three: bad moon rising

Jupiter let out a sigh. Immediately, Ganymede curled up on their stomach. It was something, Jupiter had discovered, that animals often did when their owner was distressed or anxious. Jupiter ran a hand through Ganymede's orange and dark grey fur. They were worried about Pluto. They had heard him break his mirror earlier

Jupiter ventured in the corridor, still holding her cat. Pluto's room was open. They hovered around the entrance before Pluto said: 

"Can I help you?"

Jupiter stuttered something before inviting themselves into the wrecked room. Ganymede let herself out of their arms and snuggled next to Pluto's wretched body. He quietly pet her. Jupiter picked up Pluto's desk chair off the floor and sat on it, their huge body squeezed in the small seat. Io had also let herself into the room and was leaving hairs all over Pluto's clothes rumpled in a corner. None of the cats seemed to notice the smell of the room but Jupiter had. They got up and opened the window, still without a sound. 

"I think you need help", Jupiter said almost silently.

"Pot calling the kettle black," Pluto snorted.

They tried not to let it sound like they were hurt, but they were, and it did.  

"Sorry..." He apologized. "It's not your fault if you can't talk to people." 

Jupiter said nothing. Pluto just picked up one of the cats and studied it, unable to name it.

"Which one is this one again?" He finally said, defeated. 

"Europa, she has a dark spot behind her ear."

Pluto was one of their siblings they could enjoy being quiet with. Petting cats was something overly relaxing and even if it wasn't the help Pluto needed, it could still ease him out. 

After the petting session, Jupiter retrieved back to their room, advising their sibling to get help once more. Glancing at the mess of cat hairs and gaming devices, Jupiter let out a sigh. Their four cats lazily roamed the place like monarchs in their kingdoms. The last one, Callisto, was more inclined in staying in the room than venturing outside to help hurting siblings but now that her master had returned, she happily purred at their feet. 

The screen in a corner of the room lit up with a notification. "Fattie". Jupiter glazed over it, they were used to it by now. Even after they had stopped going to school, the insults had continued. Jupiter didn't really care anymore. Another notification came in. "Adopted."

It was unfair, they were all adopted. Jup just stood out more because they were Filipino. Saturn and the Sun had the same complexion and the other were just plain white because the author is a lazy writer. 

Jupiter fumbled in their record collection and placed a vinyl on the record player before raising volume to its maximum. They quietly stepped out of the room again to get some food. The Sun was already in the kitchen, making herself tea.

"Hey," she said softly. "I like your record." She gestured at the upper floor. 

"Bad Moon Rising," they simply said, almost in a murmur. 

"Sonic Youth? Yeah, it's good... It's nice to see your face. You changed your hair, didn't you?"

They hadn't.

"Can I talk to you about something?" The Sun asked suddenly. "It's a secret."

Jupiter shrugged. Who would they tell?

"I found these in Mars's room."

Jupiter raised an eyebrow. In front of them, the Sun layed out polaroids. None of them were captioned. Mars appeared in all. Jupiter leaned forward, amazed. The pictures were pretty good. The photographer had managed to capture Mars's two-faced personality. He was both soft like velvet and raw like a knife. No, a sword. The last polaroid was a close up of a shiner. Mars's icy blue eyes made them uneasy. He had this way of scanning your soul that made Jupiter's skin crawl. 

"Do you think he has a friend?" The Sun asked.

Jupiter laughed. Mars doesn't have friends. Anyone who isn't his enemy just hasn't met him yet. 

"Do you think you could ask him?"

Jupiter laughed some more. Their laugh sounded like "me? of all people?".

At this exact moment, Mars slammed the front door, the vinyl skipping a few notes with the force that shook the whole house. "Bad Moon Rising." The Sun collected the polaroids and hushed Jup in front of their brother's path. His nose was bloody and his smile sharp. He stopped in front of Jupiter.

"You're blocking the hallway, midget. What do you want?"

They weren't that short, okay. Mars was just tall.

"I need to talk to you," Jupiter almost mouthed. 

Mars nodded. "Let me just get this cleaned up." In less than a second, he had slipped into his soft self. It always took Jup by surprise.

He headed toward the kitchen but Jupiter held back his arm. They gestured toward the staircase and led Mars to the bathroom instead. The polaroids were burning their hand, awful in their secrecy. 

"Mom found these. She wants to know if you have a friend."

Mars looked up to his sibling, a paper towel up his nostril. He looked nothing like a sword in this instant.

"I have a boyfriend. He likes to take polaroids. It's his dog there, Deimos." Mars said in a soft voice.

Jupiter melted. They often forgot Mars was capable of being human. 

"Sorry I called you a midget earlier by the way."

Jupiter shrugged it off. They gestured to his bloody nose, inquiring.

"Some guy, don't worry, he's not mortally injured. He was catcalling a woman in the street, he deserved it."

"So, a boyfriend eh?" Jupiter said, quiet over the record playing in her room.

Mars smiled. His face looked weird. 

"His name is Phobos, he's really..." Mars pondered on an adjective. "...amazing. Beautiful. Smart. Sweet. Pretty. Talented. Funny. Handsome. Gorgeo-"

"I get it, you love him!" Jupiter cut him off, laughing. 

Mars smiled again and scratch the scar on his brow. Bad Moon Rising? No, just a tender sword. Chiseled by hard times into an instrument of war but deep down, like everyone, made for love.

"Here," Jup said, giving the polaroids back. "He has a dog, you should keep him."