I Told The Moon About You

5: Black Hole

pls do not comment on the mistakes w dates n stuff. i am very, very very very very very very painfully aware it is just too much of a pain to go back and fix <3 sometimes i am not perfect even tho most of the time i am /j <3

FIVE
Black Hole

It was uncomfortably quiet when Elias woke up in the morning.

He had never gone a morning or night without Mars around. She was either complaining about something or going on and on about her newest obsession (as of late, said obsession was a video game).

He was so used to hearing her so early in the day. Well, he was relieved she was doing okay. She hadn't texted him — other than updates every now and then. It seemed like the sleepover went well, and so had the party overall.

That knowledge took some weight off his shoulders.

He played some music while he got ready and made breakfast, later lightly kicking at the ground with his socked feet as he ate. Being alone in the mornings wasn't a great feeling. Being lonely at all wasn't great. He hadn't realized that before until last night and now.

Talking to Roman had been almost therapeutic. Having someone his age around who knew what it was like being an adult was comforting. He hadn't had much time to build proper relationships.

His family had kind of ruined that for him.

They had been average at first. Typical mom and dad, four kids, normal sibling banter. But then he came out as bisexual and things took a turn for the worst.

His parents heard "bisexual" and all they thought was: our son is not straight. They hadn't been outright homophobic, but it showed in subtle actions, like only referring to women when talking about his romantic life. Calling his soft features "too feminine" instead of "beautiful." All in all pretending he had never come out in the first place.

Two of his sisters were younger at the time, and therefore easily influenced by their parents. The only one who accepted him was Kris, his late sister who was the closest to him in age by three years.

She was at his side the whole time. And when she got pregnant at seventeen, he was there for her, too. Every moment, every good memory and every bad one. They became best friends, brought closer by being deemed the "black sheep" of the family.

Until it was only Elias.

Elias, who watched his sister die for a new life to take her place. He had almost resented Mars for it in the beginning, until he realized it wasn't her fault and she was important to Kris, so she quickly became just as important to him. He took custody, and since then, it had been him and Mars against the world.

He was so used to only having Kris that only having Mars was no different. He had acquaintances, sure, but his heart didn't have the capacity for any more than one.

His life was an organized train wreck, to put it in the most simple terms.

You got a wife? A husband?

Elias let out a quiet laugh when he remembered Marco's words. While it was nosy, hearing it was oddly validating. And at the same time, it left an ache in his chest.

He liked the idea of romance just like any other person who experienced romantic attraction. Sure, he could live without a partner, but he had always wanted to know what it was like to love someone in a different way than what he knew.

"Damn," Elias whispered, running his hand down his face. Maybe Marco was right. Maybe he did need to get out.

But I already have enough on my plate.