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Europa had been crying all night. It wasn’t something she was accustomed to. In fact, she often considered herself an ugly crier and preferred to keep her emotions hidden in private, far from the prying eyes of others. The tears she shed now, however, were uncontrollable, raw, and vulnerable—too much to bottle up anymore.
Ganymede had insisted she sleep in his and Io's room for the night. He knew she was struggling, but he never imagined things would get this complicated, this quickly. At just fifteen, she was carrying the weight of responsibility she never thought she'd bear so soon. Being pregnant was an overwhelming shock, and though it had never been part of her plan, the situation had unfolded as it had. Life had a way of doing that sometimes.
Now, Ganymede found himself holding her close. His arms were wrapped around her, trying to comfort her, but there was only so much he could do. His hand gently rubbed her stomach, hoping that the motion would ease the tension and the knots that seemed to have settled there. She had been through so much in a short amount of time—more than any fifteen-year-old should ever have to endure. He never expected to be thrust into the role of a parent so soon in life. Parenthood was supposed to be something you grew into, something you had time to prepare for. But here they were, facing a future neither of them had anticipated, trying to figure out how to navigate the waters of uncertainty.
Europa's breath was shallow, her body trembling from the weight of her emotions. Ganymede just held her, letting her cry without interruption. He wasn’t the best at offering the perfect words of comfort, but he didn’t need to be. What mattered was that he was there—present, in the moment, offering his quiet support.
As the night passed, the room fell into an uneasy stillness, only broken by the soft sounds of Europa’s sobs. The other Galilean moons tried their best—Io, Callisto, and even Jupiter, who had always been a kind of father figure to them, were there to help in whatever way they could. Jupiter had never intended to take on the responsibility of parenting so many, but he did what he could. His presence, though quiet and steady, was a comfort, especially for Europa, who had never asked for any of this.
The weight of everything was starting to sink in, and Ganymede knew that they all had to adjust to this new reality. Europa was scared, confused, and unsure of what the future held, but she wasn’t alone. No one was. They were in this together, and while it wasn’t the life they had planned, it was the one they had. And Ganymede would do everything in his power to help her through it.
“I'm here,” he whispered softly, as Europa finally began to calm down in his arms, her sobs turning into quiet hiccups. He didn’t know how things would unfold from here on, but he would be by her side every step of the way. They would figure it out, together.
Europa's breathing began to slow, her sobs fading into soft, labored breaths. Ganymede kept his arms around her, his hand resting gently on her stomach. He didn’t have the answers, and the fear in her eyes when she looked at him earlier that evening had been impossible to ignore. She wasn’t just scared for herself; she was scared for the child she now carried—so much responsibility.
