Forever Luna

Apprehension

noun ~ anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen

NOVA

Pollux was staring off into space, and Phoenix was actively holding my gaze. It wasn't his usual smoulder, or soft gaze, and it made me even more frustrated. He was sitting so casually too; man-spreading with his arms across the back of the sofa.

"Spit it out, will ya?" I grunted.

Pollux smirked, the mask on his face so perfect. A year ago I wouldn't be so sure he was hiding something. He was good, I will give him that. But I was better.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say." Pollux shrugged.

"Enough games, Polly. Please," I begged.

He sighed, nails scratching at the fabric of the pillows. "Fine, fine, okay. Something is bugging me. But not in the way that you think."

The way that I think?

I felt my head tilt, staring at him, confused. I knew something was bugging him, but I assumed it was just pack things. He had made a small dig about not having a home. Was that what he meant? We gave him a cabin. Was it not enough?

"You can tell me anything, Polly." I promised.

Green collided with green, and ever so slowly, the façade slipped. I stayed still and quiet, like I was watching a rabbit in the wild. One wrong move and he would run and close himself off.

"I..." He began before drifting.

I waited, so eagerly and so patiently. I noticed Phoenix staring at my twin rather intensely and sent him a sharp mental reminder to ease his gaze. The only acknowledgement of my message was the twitch of his wrist, fingers curling before dropping back onto the sofa.

"I want to leave."

My head reared back to my twin so fast, I was sure the tendons snapped.

"Leave?" I screeched.

My voice was too loud when I spoke, and Annabelle gurgled. We all tensed, holding our breaths as we awaited a wail. It was the hardest thing to do, my body burning with a thousand questions whilst forced to stay silent.

When she settled back to sleep, I lowered my voice to a harsh whisper.

"What do you mean by leave?" I wondered. "Leave the planet? My house? Being alive?"

He rolled his eyes, my twin so blasé. "Why would I want to leave the planet when it has so many good foods?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Pollux... Please elaborate."

He sighed. "Okay, okay. I just... I want to travel."

"Travel?" I wondered. "Where? Why?"

"Nova, that's a lot of questions in one go." Phoenix chuckled.

I pursed my lips. "I'm sorry, I'm just confused."

"Well, if you give me a minute, then I can explain."

I grinned apologetically. "Okay, from the top?"

Pollux chuckled. "I want to travel."

I nodded. "Where to?"

"Wherever my feet take me." He shrugged. "There are some territories and islands I never got to discover before I met you."

"How would you survive?"

"I have money, Nova." He mused. "Most of the time, I sleep in the forest in my fur."

"That's not safe." Phoenix interrupted.