𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣'𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙣

𝒔𝒊𝒙𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏

Saturn
• • •

"Afternoon, Thomas."

As Saturn greeted my roommate, a grin crept across my lips.

"It's just Tom," I heard him mutter.

"I know," Saturn mused. I was surprised she'd remembered his name at all.

My grin widened, then faded to nothing in an instant as their interaction progressed.

"So, would you like me to leave the room?" I heard Tom ask.

"No, of course not," Saturn replied, sounding confused.

"I just wondered if you were here to, you know..." Tom added, "I wouldn't want to intrude."

"What do you mean?"

Saturn was lost.

I stepped out into the other room. "Come," I said softly. I flashed Tom an irritated glance as he continued to snicker to himself.

I gestured for Saturn to sit. She complied. My usual stone-cold demeanour had returned, and she was frightened by it. "Did Tom misspeak?" I asked her.

Saturn shook her head. "He was very friendly."

"I could hear him, Saturn," I said, "I heard what he said to you. I'm sorry, it's quite like Tom to get the wrong idea about you being here."

"What did he mean, Calvin?"

I paused. Had genuinely not understood Tom's amusement?
"What did he mean by saying what?" I asked.

"By saying he didn't want to intrude," Saturn said, "I mean, you told him we were just working, right? I wouldn't want to bother him..."

I shook my head, in disbelief. "Innocent," I muttered. She was like a little doe looking up at me with those big, beautiful eyes. Begging to be worshipped. She did not reply.

"Are you wearing pants?" I joked, trying to lighten her mood. Saturn was wearing an oversized hoodie which fell just above her knees. She crossed her arms, as though to conceal the fact. I chuckled. Surprise clouded her expression just as it had in the shop.

"Yes, I'm wearing pants," she said softly, "why do you think I'm innocent?"

"It's quite apparent," I replied, "shall we get to work?"

For the next hour, we did not speak. Quietly, we sorted files on our laptops. It was much faster with two people, and with devices that weren't created in the nineteen hundreds. Saturn had been the one to develop a new system of sorting the files so that we could both be working at once. I was grateful, but that was not why she was here.

She was so quiet, I nearly forgot she was there. I wondered if she was afraid to speak and distract us from our task. It had never been my intention for Saturn to fear me, but unfortunately, that was how I tended to earn people's respect.

"Saturn," I caught her attention, the silence burdening me. She glanced up from her screen. "What are you thinking about?" I asked her.

"I'm thinking about these files," she said softly, "I'm finished, by the way." How had she already sorted her half of the files? I still had over two hundred left to organize.

"Well done," I commended her. I decided to back off, before making a comment I might regret. I wanted Saturn to finish my list as well, seeing as she was so quick. I also didn't want to see her leave so soon.

I watched with a pit in my stomach as Saturn rummaged through her bag. She slipped her laptop back inside, and I was sure she was about to go. But rather, she withdrew the collection of short stories we had been reading in Literature class. I smiled inwardly. Saturn wasn't going anywhere.

I couldn't help but watch her read. Watching as her soulful eyes scanned each page with care. Seeing her lips turn upward into a grin at parts which amused her. She fascinated me.

"What?"

Saturn had caught me watching her.

"Hm?" I murmured, unfazed.

"What are you looking at?" Saturn asked. She wasn't being judgemental, she was simply curious. I adored her curiosity.

"I was just enjoying watching you read your book," I said softly, "how are you liking it so far?"

"Some of the stories are interesting," Saturn shrugged, "but others are a bit dated in my opinion."

I raised my eyebrow. It was my turn to speculate now. "What do you mean, dated?"

Saturn closed the book and set it in her lap. "In most of the stories there is a man and a wife, and the wife is expected to be this perfect, pure woman," she explained, "I mean, what kind of a woman would submit to a man 24/7?"

I'd like you to submit to me, Saturn.

"I agree," I nodded, "that is rather dated."

Though her feminist take was inspiring, I thought it couldn't hurt to have Saturn hold me in such a high regard. I certainly did not believe that men were superior to women, but I did find it amusing to have Saturn obey me with such respect. That was not to say that I did not want to return the favour. One day, I wished for a wife whom I could honour.

"Calvin?"

There it was again. I never knew how foreign my own name could sound coming from the right person's lips.

"Yes, Saturn?" I replied. I attempted to milk her name as she did with mine, and a beautiful name it was. A flushed tone sprung to her usually pale cheeks.

"I was just wondering why you'd decided to be nice to me all of a sudden," Saturn said.

I've always wanted to be nice to you, Saturn. I've wanted to be so much more than nice.

"I never meant to be harsh with you," I said softly, "your work ethic in the shop impresses me. From now on, you'll be treated with that in mind."

And the fact that you are the most angelic girl to walk this Earth.

Saturn only nodded slightly before returning to her book. I wondered if she'd wished for my silent response, rather than my spoken one. It was impossible for her to have such feelings for me after how I'd treated her in the past. But still, that would not stop me from being drawn to her light.

The room was quiet once more. Too quiet, without Saturn's voice enchanting it. By the time I'd finished with sorting by my own list of files, the Sun had set outside my singular window. Saturn must have nearly finished her book of short stories by now, I thought. But when I saw her, it was clear that she had now.

Saturn had drifted off to sleep. Her head rested on her bag, and her book had slipped onto the bed next to her. I grinned. She was such a beautiful sight to witness.

I stood from the bed slowly, grimacing as it cracked slightly. I didn't wish to wake Saturn, as she would surely leave. I crossed the room, and drew the blinds. When I returned from changing, I was relieved to see that she had not yet awoken.

Slowly, I slid Saturn's bag out from beneath her head, and replaced it with one of my pillows. I covered her in blankets, and found myself recalling the night of the party. I had not wished for that to be the last time I put Saturn to bed, and now here I was, with her sleeping in my room. It may have been accidental, but I would take it.

"Goodnight Saturn," I whispered for the second time. Her eyes fluttered, and I feared that I'd woken her. But within moments, she was soundly asleep once more.

Goodnight Saturn.