Archive of Our Own ^beta

Dione always considers herself to be a calm, level-headed moon. From the day she sprouted from existence, she'd always been one to listen to both sides of the story. Although, admittedly, she has gotten more prejudiced and biased over the years, with her enabling the other moons’ behavior towards Titan and letting her dislike to him show when they talk. She'll admit that she let her jealousy and bitterness cloud her judgment when it comes to how the other moons treat him, but she's never heard of Mimes saying those kinds of things against Titan! And hearing how the moon had managed to hear every single insult leveled against him made her feel extremely guilty.

Titan was never close to any of them, and Dione had always thought it was because she presumed he believed he was better than any of them. Now, after this fiasco, she thinks there are other reasons at play, mainly over how hostile and unwelcoming the other moons seem to be. Dione has always been cold and civil towards Titan for the sake of keeping up appearances, but she didn't know the others would go as far as to torment him behind his back and him noticing. She always lets then do whatever they want to keep them happy, but perhaps she should've stepped in before things got bad.

When Titan had gotten Saturn’s attention, she could pick up the fact that the ringed planet had heard everything. She may not be heavily well-versed in Saturn’s body language unlike Titan, but she knows some obvious tells. She knows that the ringed planet heard everything and will address what he'd heard to them in a way gas giants do.

Dione is one of the oldest moons, although not as old as the likes of Titan or Rhea. She was created when Saturn had already integrated himself as a member of a solar system, and no longer labeled as the traitor he once had been regarded as. Those were some years of particular adjustment towards her and the other newer moons, and most of her early memories were of Rhea helping them all get used to their orbits and having to revolve around the planet. Her memories of Titan are faint, as he is always off doing his own thing alone or conversing with Saturn with what she once believed as camaraderie.

Now, however, when the other moons have taken their tormenting and insults too far, she’s beginning to see all the instances of Titan usually interacting with Saturn in a different light. Rhea has always been one to sympathize with Titan, stating that he has his own struggles with being the favorite moon in the Saturnian orbit, however, most believe he was simply charitable. Titan’s little breakdown must’ve already been building up since a few billion years ago, when the other moons have begun taking their anger and bitterness over being ignored out on Titan when Saturn’s back is turned.

Dione should’ve socialized with Titan more, but the other moon is quite… taciturn. His socially awkward nature did not endear most of the moons to him, and they had believed that his unforthcoming with them was because he thinks himself highly. Now, he must have tried to mingle with them and ended up getting the cold shoulder.

She watches with pronounced guilt in her eyes as Titan walks away, because she could not bring herself to face the gas giant she is bound in eternity to. He has heard everything Titan had said, and she hopes, for Mimes and the others’ sakes, that he did not get to hear the mere whispers of a moon threatening his favorite. She always finds their jokes about Saturn being a ‘moon-lover’ disgusting and shocking to hear. Such relationships are frowned upon, and Saturn doesn’t seem like the type of planet to enter in a relationship with a moon. It was taboo, but some planets practiced it, most especially some dwarf planets and, a long time ago, Uranus. That disastrous affair resulted in the seventh planet being tilted sideways, after all.

Her eyes flit to Rhea, who was looking at the ground glumly. She puts a comforting hand on her shoulder and pulls her close. “You okay, Rhea?” She tried to comfort and steer Titan out of the area now that Mimes is going too far, but he’d snapped. She wanted to leave this orbit with Rhea, however, the gravity around them had grown heavy— likely Saturn’s doing.

It seems like they’re all going to have a long talk.

“I’m just sad for Titan, that’s all,” she sniffs, blinking back her tears. “We should’ve changed roles every once in a while, so he wouldn’t have to deal with the burden of helping Saturn grow as a person.”

Iapetus floats towards them. His normally straight face was laced with guilt and fear, having felt the pull of Saturn’s gravity. “Titan’s departure has caused tensions within the other moons, most particularly the newer lunar satellites. They do not deserve to face the wrath of the ringed planet. We must beg him to spare the little ones whatever lesson he wishes to confront us with.”

“Well, I’m not Titan,” Rhea spits bitterly, to Dione and Iapetus’ surprise, seeing the regularly soft-spoken moon harden. “I don’t have his favor. He won’t listen to someone whose name he can’t remember.”

“We have to try,” Dione persists, looking at some of the younger clusters of moons, huddled up together behind Thethys and Hyperion. “Just… let them out of their orbits for a while as he talks to us about his concerns.”

“That may be hard, considering he is angry,” Iapetus argues.

“What choice do we have? Didn’t Titan want equality for us? Asking nicely to spare the little ones would not hurt much, would it?” Dione looks pleadingly towards Rhea, who sighs, resigned.

“I’ll ask,” Rhea walks forward, but is stopped by Dione, who holds her hand and nods encouragingly.

“I’m with you,” she tells him, and the two of them float towards Saturn, with enough distance between them and the planet, while also letting him notice the two moons.

Rhea clears her throat, and Saturn, who seems to be thinking about something — preferably something that doesn’t have to do with killing his moons — looks at them. His eyes were, unusually, a very bright gold, as if they are solar flares waiting to fire and melt at them in a distance. Dione tries not to step backwards, clearly fearful of the ugly consequences this confrontation may bring. These are not like the times when Saturn has mistakenly called her ‘Diane;’ it is a matter of life and death.

She also notices that his pupils, usually earthling-like, have become his symbols— the ♄. Dione has never seen anything like it, and she feels her core heating up. She’s only seen such symbol sewn in the moons’ clothing, or the jewelry which Saturn wears, and some parts of his body, if it is ever exposed, but not in his eyes. Rhea trembling beside her must mean it is an omen.

“Saturn…?” Rhea calls, with Dione holding her hand. “I… want to request that you let the littler, younger moons leave their orbits if you want to talk to us about some concerns.”

Saturn looks at them, fully, and Dione fully realizes just how big the planet is. It is why they decided to attack the Earth to send a message to the other planets to take their moons a whole lot more seriously. They know they can’t stand up to the full force of Saturn’s own power.

The two moons enter a staring contest with Saturn, tension flooding their rocky bodies as they see Saturn mulling over their presence and gentle request. Then, finally, the planet hums, a thrumming vibration which reaches Dione’s core. Her hand tightens against Rhea’s own. This is a dangerous planet.

“Titan wouldn’t want to see the little moons distressed and fearful of me,” Saturn muses, stroking his cheek. His golden hair, filled with hellish winds and wild storms that move at speeds incomprehensible by the earthlings. His rings, one made of the corpses of ancient moons, glimmer with light. He truly was the most beautiful planet in the entirety of the solar system, even without his rings. “So I’ll let them leave. The rest of you, however, you must stay.”

Rhea nods. “That is understandable, um, Saturn.”

He waves a dismissive hand at them. “You can tell the little moons to go to Jupiter’s orbit. My husband told me that he is there.”

Titan is with Jupiter’s moons? The last time he interacted with them, he’d been beating the shit out of Ganymede’s ass in the asteroid belt. Dione had never seen two fellow moons fight, and unlike Mars and Venus, who responded through defensive attacks that don’t hold back against their onslaught of asteroids, however, Ganymede and Titan fight as if they were, truly, in a war. Dione couldn’t help but cheer for Titan, since she didn’t even want to do that stupid plan in the first place, even if Earth had said something about how moons should know their place.

Rhea and Dione return to the cluster of moons, Iapetus expecting them. Dione looks at the littler moons with an encouraging smile, hoping that no one could see through her panic as she says, “The younger moons are permitted to leave. Saturn also doesn’t want them to see what’s about to happen. To those who want to stay, they can.”

Thethys nods to the younger moons, encouraging them to find Titan somewhere in the orbit and getting Ymir to lead them to take refuge from the incoming wrath of the second largest planet of the solar system. Dione watches as they leave their orbits as fast as they could, with her core thrumming with fear and anxiety. Not even Iapetus, who is usually calm and quiet in dire situations, was stoic any longer. With the way he is comforting Phoebe and Methone, he is just as nervous as everyone else here.

“I’ve never seen Saturn this angry since the final years of the war,” Rhea says, sighing. “Enough to keep us in his orbit.”

“Do you think he’ll…?”

“No, I don’t think he’ll turn us to rings,” Rhea comforts Iapetus, who visibly exhales. “He and Titan have been talking about the way he treats us, and one of his promises was that he won’t turn us into an accessory like his rings.”

Iapetus and the others, who heard Rhea, look in surprise. Iapetus’s face shifts into a sad look. “Why did he not tell us about this…?”

Dione gives him a pointed look. “You know why.”

Before Iapetus could respond, Saturn finally stands, his full height imposing on every and any moon at a distance. He was terrifying, in a beautiful way— like those sirens in Jupiter’s little earthling stories, who uses their beauty and voice to lure entities so they could feast on them. His cold, golden eyes, still with his symbol etched onto them, look at his satellites. His face was impermeable; not bubbly or optimistic like he always is. His rings gleam in full height, and Dione now notices every trace of rock and dust holding it together.

“Nøw ŧħȺŧ ŧħȺŧ's øᵾŧ øf ŧħɇ wȺɏ, łɇŧ's ǥɇŧ sŧȺɍŧɇđ.”

Dione flinches at his voice— he is speaking in the old language of the solar system, before Martian and Earthling speech have spread through the vastness of their community. A language that have been considered from a bygone time, forgotten as they pick up on the trends of Earthlings, being quite fast learners. It is a language that all celestial bodies are born fluent in, and thus she does not need any reminder when to switch from their regular speech to the old language.

Saturn’s eyes roam around the moons, looking at them quizically. Unlike the times he’s done it, such as Titan finally convincing him to get a good look at his moons to memorize their names and faces, this is done with ill intentions.

“Do you know who the Earthlings named me after?” Saturn switches back to the default language they are now speaking. Dione tilts her head at the sudden question and randomness of the topic— were they seriously going to talk about something else? What about talking about how all of their treatment towards Titan was unfair?

Anyways, she tries to remember all the lessons and information Saturn rants to his moons sometimes. She remembers the planet crying about what his name means to the Earthlings— his name, while existing even before time itself alongside the others, have been deified by them. Something about how antagonistic his name means.

“It’s named after the Roman god of agriculture, Saturn,” Iapetus replies, keeping his composure in check. “To the Greeks, you were called Kronos, and King of the Titans who cannibalized on his own children in order to keep the throne. In the end, the god was ousted by his son.”

That sounds familiar, Dione muses.

Saturn nods, sighing dramatically. “Sometimes, it is so surprising to see how accurate the stories of the earthlings could be to the real history.”

Rhea stiffens beside her, and Dione, now knowing what she knows, similarly freezes in her place due to the hidden meaning in her words.

Kronos and Saturn ate their children. The moons are usually the de facto children of a planet— some take the label literally (Mars with his moons) while others have more counteractive ways of labeling their relationship. Kronos, from what she can now remember from the stories she is told, ate his children due to paranoia, as the prophecy dictated that he will be defeated and supplanted by a son. Saturn, too, had devoured his moons and turned them into rings, despite him being oblivious to it.

What is Saturn getting at with this story…?

“Ɨ sɇɇmɇđ ŧø ħȺvɇ øvɇɍħɇȺɍd ŧħȺŧ mɏ møøns ħȺvɇ ƀɇɇn... mɨsŧɍɇȺŧɨnǥ Ⱥ fɇłłøw møøn øf ŧħɇɨɍs.” Saturn continues, now switching onto a different topic, the one they’ve all been biding their time for.

At this, Mimes, Enceladus and the others all gulp, exchanging glances with one another. Dione grinds her teeth together, her usually cold palms now clammy with sweat.

Saturn laughs, but it is cold and unforgiving. So not like the mirthful chuckles he gives when he says something he thinks would make his moons happy. “FȺvøɍɨŧɨsm. WħȺŧ Ⱥ fᵾnnɏ ȼønȼɇᵽŧ. Wɇ đɨđ nøŧ ɇvɇn ꝁnøw wɇ'vɇ ƀɇɇn đøɨnǥ ɨŧ ᵾnŧɨł ɏøᵾ Ⱥłł ħȺđ ɨssᵾɇ wɨŧħ sᵾȼħ.”

Dione heard that the gas giants once had favorites with the smaller rocky planets. Apparently, Saturn’s favorites were Venus — appropriate — and a dead planet named Theia.

“ŦɨŧȺn ɨs ȼøɍɍɇȼŧ. Ɏøᵾ sħøᵾłđ Ⱥłł ƀɇ ǥɍȺŧɇfᵾł Ɨ ħȺvɇ ȼħȺnǥɇđ ᵽɍɨøɍ ŧø ɏøᵾɍ ȼønȼɇᵽŧɨøn. Ⱥnđ ɨŧ ɨs ŧħȺnꝁs ŧø ħɨs ȺssɨsŧȺnȼɇ Ɨ Ⱥm ȼȺłmɇɍ Ⱥnđ łɇvɇł-ħɇȺđɇđ ŧħȺn ɇvɇɍ ƀɇføɍɇ. Ɨs ɨŧ nøŧ nøɍmȺł ŧø ħȺvɇ ŧħɇ møøn wħø ħɇłᵽɇđ mɇ ƀɇȼømɇ Ⱥ ƀɇŧŧɇɍ ᵽɇɍsøn ƀɇ ŧħɇ fȺvøɍɨŧɇ? Ɏøᵾ Ⱥɍɇ Ⱥłł sø…” Saturn makes a face, trying to think of a word that could accurately describe them. He is about to say something, but he shakes his head, muttering something about how hurtful it must be.

He shrugs, clasping his hands together. “Ɏøᵾ đøn'ŧ ǥɇŧ ŧø ꝁnøw mɇ ŧħɇ wȺɏ ŦɨŧȺn đøɇs. Wħɇn Ɨ đø ŧɍɏ, ɨŧ ɨs ȺłwȺɏs mɇŧ wɨŧħ ɍᵾđɇ ɍɇmȺɍꝁs. Ɨf Ɨ Ⱥm ɇxᵽɇȼŧɇđ ŧø ꝁnøw wħø Ⱥłł øf ɏøᵾ Ⱥɍɇ, ŧħɇn ɏøᵾ sħøᵾłđ ƀɇ wɨłłɨnǥ ŧø sᵽɇnđ møɍɇ ŧɨmɇ wɨŧħ mɇ, ȼøɍɍɇȼŧ?”

The moons stay quiet.

He tilts his head, a smile on his face. “ȻØɌɌɆȻŦ?”

Rhea nods insistently, bobbing her head up and down. “Ɏɇs, ɏøᵾ'ɍɇ ɍɨǥħŧ, SȺŧᵾɍn.” She too, replies in the old language.

Dione gulps as the ringed planet rests his eyes on her, peering at the moon with recognition. “ɌħɇȺ, ɨs ɨŧ? Ɨ ħȺvɇ ŧø ƀɇ ħønɇsŧ; Ɨ ȺᵽᵽɍɇȼɨȺŧɇ ɏøᵾɍ ɇfføɍŧs ɨn ȼȺɍɨnǥ føɍ ŧħɇ møøns.” She perks up at the surprise compliment, her jaw slightly ajar. “Ɨ ȼȺnnøŧ ꝁɇɇᵽ ᵾᵽ wɨŧħ ŧħɇm, Ⱥnđ ƀɇȼȺᵾsɇ ŦɨŧȺn mᵾsŧ ȺłwȺɏs ƀɇ ꝁɇɇᵽɨnǥ Ⱥn ɇɏɇ øn mɇ, ħɇ ȼøᵾłđ nøŧ đø ŧħɇ ɉøƀ Ⱥs wɇłł Ⱥs ɏøᵾ đø. Sø, Ɨ mᵾsŧ ŧħȺnꝁ ɏøᵾ, Ⱥnđ Ɨ Ⱥᵽøłøǥɨƶɇ ɨf Ɨ ħȺđ ŧᵾɍnɇđ Ⱥ ƀłɨnđ ɇɏɇ ŧø Ⱥłł ɏøᵾɍ ɇfføɍŧs ƀɇføɍɇ.”

Saturn seems pacified by her response, but his glare returns towards the moons behind Rhea. Iapetus is in front of them, but even his stare wavers at the sight of the giant now leering at them. “ŦɨŧȺn mȺɏ ƀɇ mɏ fȺvøɍɨŧɇ møøn, ƀᵾŧ ɨŧ ǥɨvɇs Ⱥłł øf ɏøᵾ NØ ɍɨǥħŧ ŧø ŧɍɇȺŧ ħɨm ŧħȺŧ wȺɏ. Ⱥłł ŧħøsɇ ɨnȺᵽᵽɍøᵽɍɨȺŧɇ ȼømmɇnŧs ŦɨŧȺn ħȺs mɇnŧɨønɇđ ɨn ħɨs đɇnᵾnȼɨȺŧɨøn Ⱥɍɇ ǥɇnᵾɨnɇłɏ ɍɇvøłŧɨnǥ ŧø ħɇȺɍ, møsŧ ɇsᵽɇȼɨȺłłɏ ŧħɇ ɨđɇȺ Ɨ wøᵾłđ ħȺvɇ ɍɇłȺŧɨøns wɨŧħ ħɨm.”

“Um, Saturn?” Rhea speaks up once again, and his eyes land on her. She shrinks back at the attention, but, believing she has gone far, speaks. “I think that some of the moons have felt rather bitter that you can only remember his name and that you worry too much about him compared to the others. Like… what happened a few days ago, remember?”

The ringed planet hums, stroking his chin. “Ɨ sᵾᵽᵽøsɇ Ɨ đɨđ ᵽɍɨøɍɨŧɨƶɇ ħɨs Ⱥƀsɇnȼɇ møɍɇ ŧħȺn ȼȺɍɨnǥ føɍ ɏøᵾ. ŦħȺŧ ɨs ȼłɇȺɍłɏ mɏ fȺᵾłŧ.”

Dione blinks in surprise.

“Ƀᵾŧ, fɍøm wħȺŧ Ɨ ȼȺn ǥȺŧħɇɍ, ŦɨŧȺn ȼłɇȺɍłɏ đɨđ nøŧħɨnǥ wɍønǥ ŧø Ⱥłł øf ɏøᵾ. Ɨŧ wȺs sɨmᵽłɏ ɉᵾsŧ ɎØᵾɌ ØWN ᵽɍɨđɇ nøŧ łɇŧŧɨnǥ mɏ fȺvøɍɨŧɇ møøn ǥɇŧ ȼłøsɇ ŧø ɏøᵾ, ƀɇȼȺᵾsɇ øf ɏøᵾɍ ɇnvɏ. Ɏøᵾ ħȺvɇ mȺđɇ Ⱥ føøł øf ɏøᵾɍsɇłvɇs, ȺNĐ ɏøᵾɍ øwn ᵽɇɇɍ. ⱣɇɍħȺᵽs ħɇ ħȺs møɍɇ ᵽɍɨvɨłɇǥɇ Ⱥs mɏ fȺvøɍɨŧɇ møøn, ƀᵾŧ ɏøᵾ føɍǥɇŧ ħɇ ɨs øᵾŧnᵾmƀɇɍɇđ ƀɏ Ⱥ ħᵾnđɍɇđ. Wħø ꝁnøws wħȺŧ ȼøᵾłđ'vɇ ħȺᵽᵽɇnɇđ ɨf ɏøᵾ łɇŧ ɏøᵾɍ ɇnvɏ ȼønŧɍøł ɏøᵾɍ ɇvɇɍɏ møvɇ? Wøᵾłđ ɏøᵾ ħȺvɇ... ɍɇsᵾłŧɇđ ŧø Ⱥȼŧɨøns ƀɇɏønđ vɨŧɍɨøłɨȼ Ⱥnđ ɍɇᵽɇłłɇnŧ wøɍđs?”

His eyes are on Mimes and Enceladus, who both cower in fear.

“We… never went beyond words,” Iapetus speaks for both of them. He never had insulted Titan, but he had never let himself gotten close to him before.

“Đø ɏøᵾ wȺnŧ Ⱥ sŧøɍɏ? Ⱥ ȼȺᵾŧɨønȺɍɏ ŧȺłɇ ŧħȺŧ wɨłł sɇɍvɇ Ⱥs ɏøᵾɍ wȺɍnɨnǥ ɨf ɏøᵾ łɇŧ Ⱥnɏ ꝁɨnđ øf ɇmøŧɨøn ȼønŧɍøł ɏøᵾɍ đɇȼɨsɨøns? Fɨnɇ ŧħɇn.” Saturn’s eyes flit towards Jupiter, and his mouth curls to an eerie smile. “Ønȼɇ ᵾᵽøn Ⱥ ŧɨmɇ, Ɉᵾᵽɨŧɇɍ ħȺđn'ŧ ƀɇɇn ŧħɇ ƀɨǥǥɇsŧ ᵽłȺnɇŧ ɨn ŧħɇ søłȺɍ sɏsŧɇm. Sømɇønɇ ɇłsɇ ħȺs ŧħȺŧ ŧɨŧłɇ. Ɉᵾᵽɨŧɇɍ wøɍꝁɇđ ᵾnđɇɍ ħɨm, ƀᵾŧ ħɇ wȺs NØŦ ŧħɇ fȺvøɍɨŧɇ; ɨŧ wȺs sømɇønɇ ɇłsɇ. Ħɇ ħȺđ ꝁɇᵽŧ ħɨs ɇnvɏ ᵾnđɇɍ wɍȺᵽs ȺǥȺɨnsŧ ƀøŧħ ħɨs sᵾᵽɇɍɨøɍ Ⱥnđ ŧħɇ fȺvøɍɨŧɇ, ħɨđđɇn fɍøm ħɨs sᵾᵽɇɍɨøɍ ƀᵾŧ nøŧ ŧøwȺɍđs ħɨs ɇꝗᵾȺł, ƀᵾŧ Ⱥs ŧħɇɏ sȺɏ, ŧħɇ ɇmøŧɨøns wɨłł ȼømɇ øᵾŧ søønɇɍ øɍ łȺŧɇɍ, Ⱥnđ ŧħɇɍɇ sħȺłł ƀɇ ȼønsɇꝗᵾɇnȼɇs. Ønɇ đȺɏ, Ɉᵾᵽɨŧɇɍ, fɨnȺłłɏ ħȺvɨnǥ ɇnøᵾǥħ øf nøŧ ƀɇɨnǥ ŧħɇ ƀɨǥǥɇsŧ ᵽłȺnɇŧ ɨn ŧħɇ søłȺɍ sɏsŧɇm, ꝀƗŁŁɆĐ ŧħɇ ƀɨǥǥɇsŧ ᵽłȺnɇŧ.”

Dione gasps at the story— she’s heard mentions of the cataclysmic war here and there, but never one of the causes of it. To think that Jupiter had started the entire conflict… the gas giants are certainly not to be messed with.

“Do you know what I am telling you with my story?”

Enceladus manages to speak, but he is shaking like a leaf now. “That– that we’ll sooner resort to our actions to display our bitterness in the wide open?”

A small gleam in Saturn’s eyes. Dione exhales; a small victory for them.

“Correct,” Saturn beams, his contagious joy returning for a moment, putting Dione off slightly. “I am impressed you only managed to strike Titan with your words for billions of years, but you must put a stop to it now. Jealousy and targeting it against the wrong person will get you nowhere, and once you taste the temptations of whatever makeshift power you have over them, you are gone. There will be consequences to your actions, and you cannot take it back. Am I clear?”

The Saturnian moons all nod, with Rhea and Dione taking the lead. Saturn raises an unsatisfied brow.

“Am. I. Clear?” He repeats, his voice echoing tremendously, and Dione almost feels her core melt at her utter fear.

“Yes, Saturn,” all the moons say in unison.

“Now, I don’t want to punish you, you’re not children,” Saturn admonishes, shaking his head. “But I don’t want to hear anything about you all venting your frustrations out on Titan. If you have problems, talk to him, or Rhea.”

Rhea looks up in surprise, finally being addressed by the giant himself. Dione nods at her encouragingly, and she takes a deep breath.

As all of the moons verify his comments in unison, Dione could feel her core heat up again. Once more, they are saved by utter destruction, with only a mere warning over their heads. That was one of the most tense conversations she ever had— and she thought her parleys with Titan were tense.

***

Titan wasn’t quite sure how he ended up with children under his care. He was not very well-versed with child-like moons, the closest being Phobos and Deimos, who are not as naive or oblivious as these Saturnian moons are. He knows Triton, the only mature moon of Neptune, has the same problem, but he is so far away for a little interrogation on how to babysit little moons. He’s seen them all before, of course: at an insurmountable distance, usually cared for by Rhea and Hyperion. The others do not let him play with them, which is just petty.

They all suddenly came from Saturn’s orbits looking distressed, looking for Titan, and the other Jovian moons guided them to where Titan had been chatting with the Galilean moons about Saturn’s ridiculous makeup routine. To say that they all barged in without any warning was an understatement, swarming Titan with cries about Saturn being mad at the older moons.

Panicked, he had asked Ganymede for an audience with Jupiter, who comforted him by saying Saturn was simply giving the others a ‘stern’ talking to, and will alert him when they’re done. Knowing there’s nothing he can do, Titan tries to keep the moons entertained with the other Jovian moons to help.

“Ugh, how do the other moons put up with this?” Ganymede exclaims, trying to shake off one of the small moons that Titan doesn’t know the name of.

“You’re looking like a real father there, Ganymede,” Titan jokes, while Callisto smirks in amusement and Io laughs behind him.

“Titan, I swear if you call me a dad one more time, I’m gonna fu—”

“No swearing in front of the kids, dad!” Io laughs, sputtering and coughing.

“And I thought Pandia and Valetudo had been annoying,” Europa huffs to herself, not involved in anyway at this attempt at caretaking. Only Ganymede and Io were trying, and the former was failing hard.

“Titan?” He feels someone pull at the sleeve of his shirt, and he looks down to meet, uh, S/2020 S1?

“Uh, what is it?” He awkwardly asks, and Europa mumbles something about him being bad at this.

“Will Rhea and Dione be okay?” The childlike moon asks, their eyes shining with tears.

“They’ll be fine,” Titan replies, emphasizing the word with a smile that is, hopefully, comforting to a child. “They’re strong moons, they even went toe-to-toe with Mars and Venus! They can handle a long talk with Saturn.”

S/2020 S1 beams and goes back to playing. Titan sighs, deflating.

“Not used to children?” Callisto’s low baritone enters his ears, and he nods.

“They never let me play with ‘em. It’s the first time we even interacted. They just stay in the back whenever the moon gatherings occur.”

“Wow, they hate you that much, huh?”

“I suppose so—”

“If you start blaming yourself for the seventh time today, you can shut up now,” Europa cuts in, and Titan rolls his eyes fondly.

“Titan?” Jupiter calls, his eyes searching around for the second largest moon. Titan, knowing that being called means it’s urgent, floats until he can be seen by Jupiter with ease.

“What is it?” He almost calls him sir before he bites his tongue.

“Saturn called, he’s finished speaking with the moons,” Jupiter replies with a comforting smile. “You and the moons can go home now, if you’re ready.”

Titan smiles. “I do feel refreshed and prepared, so I’ll be out of your orbits soon. Thanks for letting me and the little ones crash here for a few days.”

“You’re welcome. Now best be moving along, the little ones look as if they are homesick already.”

Titan nods, and he returns to where the young moons are, clapping his hands to get their attention. Perks of being the second largest moon means having some natural leadership prowess inside him. All the little moons look at his direction, tilting their heads in the process.

“We’re given the go to return already,” Titan declares with a smile, “So, who wants to go home to the other moons?”

All the other moons cheer, running towards him and hugging his legs. Titan wobbles a little, before regaining his balance immediately.

“Well, it was pretty nice to spend time with you again,” he says, smiling at the Galilean moons, who were all showing their contentness in their own way. “Yes, even you, Ganymede and Europa.”

A scoff and a huff is heard from the two moons, followed by a synonymous, “Whatever.”

“I hope I’ll see you again!” Titan beams, waving goodbye at them, which were followed by the shouts of joy and laughter from the moons, as they also bid their farewells to the other moons, moving out of their orbit.

As they make their journey back to Saturn, Titan feels a growing heaviness within his core. He takes a deep breath, anxiety becoming frost on his skin. What if Saturn obliterated them all as a cautionary tale? What if they all become so afraid they might not interact with him again? He’d gladly prefer insults peppered his way rather than be considered as a planet’s prized jewel! That’s the Earth, and he’s already changed his ways!

“Titan?” One of the younger moons call, and he hums, looking at who seems to be Ymir.

“Yes?”

“The other moons told me that you were mean,” Ymir assays, looking at him up and down. “And that you think you’re better than everyone! But that isn’t true! You’re just… what did Europa call you? ‘Socially bad?’”

“Oh, I am going to kill Europa for that one,” Titan hisses under his breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.” He fixes Ymir and the others with a sad smile. “I’m… sorry I ain’t ever around you much. It’s not because I didn’t care about you, or anythin’ as bad as me thinking I’m superior! It’s ‘cuz the other moons don’t like me much.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m the favorite, and they’re mad Saturn only remembers my name! Which… fair, but it made me sad that I didn’t get to meet y’all personally.”

“Well…” Surtur scratches his head. “Now that I know you, you aren’t evil! And you aren’t a big bully as well!”

“Yeah!” The kids yell, and Titan laughs at the feeling of their hands, comforting and warm despite the cool weather of the solar system beyond the asteroid belt.

Titan chuckles at their enthusiasm, but, confessedly, wants to drop them by Rhea and Dione— he is not a kid person, but he is willing to take care of them.

As they reach Saturn’s orbit, they are noticed by a moon named Helene first, who gasps at their return.

“Titan and the other moons are back!” She announces to her fellow moons, who immediately desert their orbits in order to reunite with their fellow moons. She is followed by an onslaught of the older moons, who reunite well with the younger lunar satellites, telling them how fun Titan is.

Noticeably, they avoid Titan, and he’s not sure if it’s a result of Saturn’s little ‘conversation’ with them, or if it’s just their subtle distaste for him.

“Titan.” He turns around and is met by Iapetus, whose eyes look relieved to see him despite the eternal frown he wears.

“Iapetus!” Titan exclaims, relieved to see that he is still here. “Did Saturn hurt anyone? I am so sorry that my silly little rant had gotten the attention of Saturn, I didn’t know! Are Mimes and Enceladus fine? I—”

“Titan,” Iapetus interrupts him, looking a bit resigned. “Everything’s fine. Saturn just addressed some concerns and issues regarding our behavior and his favoritism of you, and we agreed that…” He sighs, looking at him apologetically. “It is us who should be issuing an apology to you, not the other way around. I truly am sorry for standing by and letting the other moons take their jealousy out on you and spreading those rumors around. I suppose even the most mature of us wanted to see you knocked down on your supposed pedestal.”

Titan blinks, never expecting Iapetus, one of the smartest, most common sense-laid moons out there to apologize to him.

He must’ve been staring too hard, as Iapetus touches him on the shoulder. Suddenly, Titan is reminded he’d been making egregious, uncomfortable eye contact with one of the moons who wasn’t fond of such.

“You do not need to accept my apology yet, but I just want to tell you that I truly do think you keep the balance here in check.” With that, the moon leaves Titan, who is still speechless at his declaration.

His eyes fly towards Saturn, who, noticing that he’d been meeting his gaze, meets his and nods, encouraging him to go back to his orbit if he feels overwhelmed by all of this.

Titan cannot lie: he is quite deluged by everything that has occurred today.

You always know when I need to rest and recharge, Titan thinks gratefully towards the gas giant, giving him a small smile to know his efforts are appreciated. He floats to his orbit, a bit further from any other moon, but enough to see the grandeur and beauty that Saturn exhibits.

Looks like things are changing.