What Line?

Makings of a Spiral

It's quiet. The only sound was the shuffle of cards as they danced between Mars' hands. He's quiet too. Probably still angry. Venus could see it in the tension in his finger as they flexed around the deck.

Usually, Earth would've filled in the silence with his yapping. Always so obnoxious — but Venus had to give to the guy, he was good with lightening up the mood.

But now it's just him and Mars.

Him and Mars.

...

Venus tried not to think about Earth but it's hard not to. Not when there's a gaping space between him and Mars where a certain planet should be. So empty, so unfilled. Venus' stomach twisted whenever he would stare at it for too long.

He's still mad at Earth — betrayed and hurt by what he'd done. But they've always been a trio. Venus wondered how he's doing now, with him and Mars gone.

Knowing him, he probably ran off to Mercury looking for a clean slate. Someone new to play 'best friends' with.

Tch. Venus scowled bitterly at thought, there's a painful tug at his core.

"Venus! Mars!" someone called. Earth's Moon rushed into view. Huh. Venus didn't think that he'd heard him speak before.

As the satellite got closer, Venus noticed his current state. He never paid much attention to Earth's Moon before, but he didn't remember him looking this rugged.

He looked like he just ran a marathon. His hair was all over the place, strands sticking out in every direction everywhere. His clothes were wrinkled and dirty.

"Earth's Moon?" Venus said, just as Mars turned to look behind him.

"Great! You're here." He heaved. He's been looking for them? "You gotta go talk to Earth."

Immediately, Venus' face turned stony and Mars' shoulders tensed.

"Yeah fuck that. Never gonna happen." Venus snarked. "Mars, deal the cards."

"...Did Earth put you up to this?" The smaller planet asked.

"Well—"

"Guess he didn't regret it at all." Mars didn't let him finish. He already lost interest, expression dark and stormy as he went back to the cards.

"He does!" Earth's Moon said.

"Yeah? Where is he then? I don't see an Earth around here looking to apologize to us." Venus said.

"He wants to! He's been looking for you two." And Venus paused ...He was? "And it's not like you guys are in your orbit so of course he asked me to help look for you."

...He guessed that made sense. There's an abomination of mixed feelings and biases brewing in his stomach, he's not quite sure what to make of this yet. Has Earth really changed? Ready to admit his faults — how he's wronged them? Venus turned to Mars nervously, he's always been the cool-headed one between the thre— two of them, he'd know what to do.

"And how do we know you aren't just lying to us because Earth told you to?" He asked, he wasn't half as convinced as Venus was.

"Mars, you saw that I was upset with him too! —Back then with Titan."

"I've seen the two of you argue more times than I can count." He droned coldly. "And oftentimes, Earth was in the wrong. Yet you'd so readily forgive him— Stars! I don't think I even remember him apologizing! You're soft on him, always have been. Your opinion is biased, and therefore invalid."

"That wasn't his fault!"

"Then whose was it?" Mars shouted, his voice thundered — dark and loud. He threw his hands up as he spun around to face the satellite, the cards flew in every direction. Mars' loomed over the smaller — his face inches away from Earth's Moon's.