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Venus had mixed feelings about the moons.
Initially, he hated them because they bombed him and Mars, and wanted to destroy life on Earth (which would have possibly destroyed the planet as a whole).
The only exceptions were Luna (Venus never told anyone this, but he thought Luna was the most sane of their group) and Phobos and Deimos (even though they irritated him because they were too loud).
But, after The Solar System Trials, when Ganymede and Europa were banished, his attitude towards the moons became more... neutral.
Still, the other planets had also sinned against them, although it was not for him to judge, since he and Mercury were the only planets without moons.
Well... until a certain point.
Venus was in his orbit as usual, occasionally falling into a light slumber.
However, his peaceful moment was broken by a quiet yawn.
Venus was pulled out of his half-sleep and looked around in search of the source of the sound.
And he found it.
Or rather, her.
The little girl, curled up, slept peacefully next to him.
Venus froze in bewilderment.
Who is this? And where did she come from?
Is she a lost satellite of Jupiter or Saturn?
Then why did no one notice her absence?
"Because Jupiter has 95 moons, and Saturn has 146." Venus scolded himself for being stupid.
The hot planet's gaze returned back to the sleeping... moon, taking a closer look at her appearance.
Her clothes were simple, consisting of a gray and white knee-length dress, gray knee-highs with black shoes, a silver bracelet hung on her right hand, and her hair was tied in a small ponytail, strangely similar to his.
The dress also had the Sun brooch attached to it, which all living celestial bodies in the Solar System had, and another one was visible, which Venus couldn't see because the girl was pressing her hands to her chest, but he could see... orange?
Could this girl really be a new moon of Mars?
Then what was she doing in his orbit?
And why wasn't Mars aware that he had a third moon?
Rolling his eyes in irritation that his friends weren't paying attention to what was going on around them (since Mars hadn't noticed that he had a new moon), Venus grabbed the girl with her gravity and headed to the Red Planet to return what belonged to him.
---
Mars was in Earth's orbit, playing space poker again, this time winning a planet with life.
Luna, along with Phobos and Deimos, were absent from the Moon Club, so Mars also held the Earth's axis.
"It seems today is not your lucky day, Earth." Mars grinned, throwing aces and winning the round.
"Yeah, yeah my congratulations. I take off my crown to you, great Master Mars." Earth playfully bowed to his friend, who chuckled.
"I accept them with great happiness." The Red Planet responded, and then noticed a familiar hot planet, "Oh, hey Venus! Will you play space poker with us?"
"Sure, after I return your lost one to you, Mars." Venus said, approaching his friends.
Mars stopped smiling, and he blinked in confusion.
"My what?" Mars asked, to which Venus sighed again in irritation.
"Your new moon, idiot. She somehow ended up in your orbit, when she should have been with you and your crazy moons." Venus lightly nudged the sleeping girl, as Mars and Earth stared at her in surprise.
"Venus, that's not my moon and I don't know who it is. I've only ever had Phobos and Deimos." Mars said looking up at his friend and then both looked at Earth with raised eyebrows, to which the planet with life just raised his hands.
"Don't look at me. She's not mine either."
"Then who the hell is she?" Venus grumbled.
"Maybe one of the moons of Jupiter or Saturn?" Mars suggested.
"I thought so too, but by the time I found it, the other moons should have already been looking for it. At least they remember their...siblings, I guess." Venus replied.
"Yeah good point." Mars said.
Earth meanwhile looked at the girl more closely and noticed her designation on her bracelet: (524522) 2002 VE68, as well as her second icon, which was under the Sun brooch.
His eyes widened and then lit up, and he let out a small laugh.
"What's so funny Earth?" Venus asked impatiently.
"Nothing, just...I would advise you to be gentle with your quasi-moon." Earth replied nonchalantly.
For the second time that day, Venus froze, but this time it was shock.
"What...did you say?"
"That girl is your quasi-moon, Venus. That's why she was in your orbit." Earth said, pushing the quasi-moon closer to the hottest planet.
Venus felt his jaw drop slightly, but he quickly closed it.
"I...I have a moon?" Venus muttered.
"Well...not exactly. A quasi-moon is a celestial body that is in orbital resonance with a planet, allowing it to remain near the planet for many orbital periods while it orbits the sun. But that girl is still technically yours." Earth said before pointing to the second brooch, which was now visible to all three planets.
The icon was red-orange-yellow, like Venus herself.
Mars, who had been listening to the conversation, glanced at his friend with a smile.
"Wow, congratulations Venus. You've got an orbital companion." He nudged Venus, who was still looking at his quasi-moon.
"I... I don't even know how to react to this." Venus muttered to himself.
The girl, meanwhile, continued to sleep as if nothing had happened, slightly moved towards Venus in her sleep as if trying to feel his warmth closer.
"Oh, she already likes you, Venus." Earth was touched, looking at this.
Venus swallowed, but managed to stretch out his hands in order to press the girl closer to himself.
Something strange stirred in his core.
Something as hot as he was, but pleasant and not burning him.
Venus decided to put those thoughts aside for now.
"Well, I guess that means she really is mine." Venus concluded with a sigh, "Does she even have a name?"
"2002 VE68" Earth replied, to which Venus and Mars winced.
"Dude, is there a shorter name?" Mars asked.
"I don't know, maybe she'll tell me when she wakes up." Earth shrugged.
Venus suppressed a sigh before shifting into a more comfortable position.
"Okay, so be it. Maybe we can play cards then?" He suggested, trying to distract himself from his thoughts and the still strange warm feeling in his core.
Earth and Mars agreed, and all three plunged into their usual game, but this still did not stop Venus from occasionally glancing at her quasi-moon.
---
About an hour and a half had passed since the three rocky planets had started playing.
The sun naturally noticed again that they were not in their orbits and sent a warning solar flare to get everyone to return to their places (which they did with displeasure).
Now Venus was once again looking closely at his peacefully sleeping quasi-moon, waiting for her to wake up.
And after a couple of minutes, it happened.
Venus could have sworn that he held his breath when the girl finally woke up and stood up, rubbing her eyes.
Her eyes.
Holy stars, only now he noticed that they were almost the same as his.
The same shape of the eyes, the same distance between them, as his. Even the color was similar, although lighter in contrast to his golden color.
"Hey, you're finally awake." Venus said, not knowing where to start the conversation. His voice, to his surprise, was softer than usual.
What's going on?! He's never had anything like this before!
The girl blinked, and lowered her head slightly.
"I...I think so."
"What's your name?" Venus decided to move on to the more important part.
"Um...2002 VE68..." She answered quietly, to which Venus almost let out an irritated cry.
Will he really have to learn such a designation for his quasi-moon?!
"But I am also called Zoozve." The girl added.
Zoozve?
Ha, an unusual name.
Yet, Venus didn't complain.
"Nice to meet you Zoozve" The hot planet said, deciding to at least make a good impression now, knowing that Zoozve will want to leave him later when he sees what a terrible planet he is.
---
She didn't do it.
Zoozve didn't leave his side, and seemed to be glued to him like glue.
Which should have irritated him, to want to yell at her so that she would leave him alone..
But he didn't want that.
Even when these thoughts visited him, at the sight of Zoozve they immediately fell away.
Venus didn't understand what was happening to him.
Zoozve had a character similar to Mercury.
Just as modest and quiet as him, but at the same time neat and polite, always trying to find a word so as not to offend either her "planet" or others.
And indeed, Venus couldn't longer deny it, she was... sweet.
It was surprising that although she was tiny (smaller even than Phobos and Deimos), but it seemed that she had become an important part of his life for him, although Venus hadn't known her for long.
Damn, he'd have to ask Earth what this damn feeling was...
Although, it also made Venus feel ashamed.
Zoozve always looked at him with adoration, as if he was the most beautiful thing in this galaxy (which was far from true).
He didn't deserve her..
He didn't deserve her smile and the joy in her eyes when she looked at him..
Zoozve deserved more than him...
She deserved a Mars that loved his loud crazy moons and was more calm than him...
She deserved an Earth that had changed for the better (or rather returned to his original personality before humans) and treated Luna with warmth and care...
But she got him instead.
Venus is the hottest and most toxic planet in the solar system, named after the stupid goddess of love and beauty...
Venus' self-destructive thoughts were interrupted by a movement from Zoozve, who leaned against his side, falling asleep again.
...
Venus sighed, but slightly hugged his quasi-moon and allowed a fleeting smile to touch his lips.
Still, despite his shortcomings, Zoozve loved him, even without being his true moon.
So he would try to be better, to be her "Parent Planet".
To be better for her.
And if anyone hurt her, let them pray to escape Venus at that moment.