Who We Are (A Zodiac Story)

POV: Cancer (Part 2)

"Why are you crying?" Neptune asks, his voice cutting through the oppressive silence as he pulls the sleek, wireless earbuds from his ears.

I can't help but find his sudden appearance a bit suspicious. We used to be friends, our paths crossing occasionally as the planets and zodiacs mingled, but we were never particularly close. After Earth's devastating death, Neptune completely shut down, becoming distant and withdrawn, hardly uttering a word to anyone. So the fact that he's even acknowledging my presence now feels...off, his usually aloof demeanor seemingly softened by a touch of concern.

"Go away," I mutter, burying my face deeper into the cradle of my trembling arms, unwilling to let him see the vulnerability that's written so plainly across my features. "I'm not even your zodiac."

"No..." he shrugs, stuffing the tiny devices into the pocket of his uniform pants as he comes to sit beside me. "But I'm still a planet. Helping a zodiac in distress is kind of what we do," he says, his voice laced with a touch of nonchalance.

I roll my eyes, sniffling as I hastily wipe the tears from my face with the sleeve of my shirt, a futile attempt to regain some semblance of composure. I try to ignore him, but his persistent gaze, boring into the side of my face like twin lasers, makes it utterly impossible.

"Are you gonna tell me what's wrong or what?" he asks, his eyes never leaving my profile.

I contemplate it for a moment. The zodiacs and the planets don't really hang out anymore, so I suppose there's no real harm in confiding in him.

"Scorpio," I mutter, the name like a dagger to my heart as I draw his attention. "I'm in love with him, but..." I choke on a sob, the words catching in my throat, my lips trembling with the weight of my unrequited affection. "It's too late... he loves someone else."

Neptune nods, his expression softening with a hint of understanding. "Who does he love?"

I lift my face, turning to meet his unwavering gaze, my eyes shining with unshed tears. "Aquarius."

He chuckles, nudging me slightly. "That's an odd pair."

I scoff, shaking my head, a mirthless laugh escaping my lips. "You're telling me."

I frowned a little, as I found myself opening up further, "We used to do everything together, but now I feel like I don't even know him."

"Have you talked to him about it?" Neptune asks, his voice softening with a touch of empathy, his deep azure eyes brimming with a genuine concern that catches me off guard.

"I try, but the words come out wrong and we just end up fighting," I confess, my eyes filling with fresh tears as I speak, the pain of my troubles etched into every syllable.

Without a moment's hesitation, Neptune wraps his arm around me, pulling me in for a comforting side hug. I find myself giving in to the vulnerability, laying my head on his sturdy shoulder as I stare at the rows of crimson lockers before me, my lips trembling as I reflect on everything.

"I miss the way things used to be," I cry into his shoulder, the sorrow in my voice undeniable, echoing the ache in my heart.

"I get it..." he murmurs, his voice tinged with a hint of melancholy, "I lost someone I love too."

"It fucking sucks," I say, lifting my head to look at him.

"Yeah," he laughs, a bittersweet smile on his lips. "It does, doesn't it?"

I nod, pouting slightly before wiping the remnants of my tears from my eyes and standing up from the ground, brushing off the creases in my skirt. I hate when anyone sees me in such a vulnerable state, no matter who it is.