Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Put any requests you have in this chapter so I can keep them all together!

I am not watching the new LAES so I will not be writing about that Lunar, only TSAMS Lunar (aka Cosmos), nor am I following EAPS lore.

I also don't keep up with new characters, such as NovaFrost, so I wouldn't be able to write about them.

I know I added one-shots for BSWF over here, but I'm likely going to keep any new requests for that particular au over on my one-shot series made specifically for that.

Some of these are based on my own fics/aus and may not make sense if you haven't read those.

Things I will write:

• Fluff
• Hurt/comfort
• Angst
• violence
• focus on trauma/mental health
• Pretty much anything Lunar positive

Things I won't write:

• NSFW
• anything anti Lunar/Cosmos (this is for people who want Lunar-positive stories)
• anything with your OCs or AUs (unless It's something I already follow and feel I understand enough to write something for)
• Anything that tries to defend Eclipse's behavior towards him. I'm openly very anti-Eclipse and don't feel comfortable writing something that excuses abuse.
• absolutely NO underage or incest or any of that nasty shit. don't even try to use the age regression loophole, it won't work on me.
• THIS IS NOT A SAFE SPACE TO ASK FOR INCEST I DONT GIVE A SHIT IF THE CHARACTERS AREN'T BLOOD RELATED.

if you request anything anti-Lunar you will be ignored. but most importantly, if you really aren't sure about something just ask!

I'll add more tags as I add more stories.

Updates may not be super consistent since this is mostly just for me to practice writing while taking breaks from my bigger fics, and sharing little stories about my favorite character

Chapter Text

 A searing pain shot through his arm and Bloodmoon cracked it nearly in half. Too focused on the pain, Lunar couldn’t stop the claws digging into his eye sockets, ripping out the light blue orbs, wiring breaking and coming with them.

Lunar screamed; the pain unbearable as they felt the wiring in their head get ripped apart as his eyes were pulled out of their sockets. He heard Bloodmoon’s dark laugh, then another voice he couldn’t place and the sound of Bloodmoon…being electrocuted? Then Earth was yelling for him to run, but he couldn’t bring themself to stand so he weakly crawled away, supporting himself with their good arm. He could hear Earth yelling at Bloodmoon, could hear the sounds of her fists against their metal casing.

He couldn’t see anything; the world was pitch black. The pain overwhelmed as they curled into themself, trying to block out the noises that were suddenly far too loud.

“Stop. It’s too much,” he pleaded, rocking himself back and forth.

Earth kept punching and kicking Bloodmoon, too angry to think about anything else, until the bloodthirsty animatronic ran off. No longer focused on the feral bot, Earth turned her attention back to Lunar. Her heart broke at the sight before her, Lunar curled up and sobbing. She pulled him into her arms, rocking them gently as she tried to soothe them.

When she knew it would be okay to move, Earth stood up with Lunar in her arms and carried them to parts and service.

The arm was an easy fix, Earth could manage that just fine on her own. The eyes on the other hand, those would be a much more difficult fix. Sure, she could place the eyes back in the sockets just fine, but the wiring was far too damaged to connect them.

Earth paced around, trying to think of a solution. She decided to call Monty, he knew Lunar’s body better than anyone else, even better than Lunar themself, so they might know what to do.

“Monty?” she said into her phone, “I need you in parts and service, Lunar’s hurt,”

She heard Monty make a noise of concern before assuring her that he’d be there right away.

Earth held her little brother’s hand, whispering comforting words to their unconscious body, glad she thought to shut him off before operating even in her panic.

The doors opened after just four minutes, Monty running into the room and straight into the cylinder where repairs were done. Earth explained everything that happened and how she was having trouble with Lunar’s optic wiring.

Her boyfriend inspected the wires, looking at them closely, “I’m sorry, babe, but I really don’t think this is gonna be an easy fix,” they sighed, “why don’t you go find Sun and Moon and explain what happened to them? I’ll call Solar and see if’s there’s anything he can do.”

“Okay,” it was all Earth could say as she slowly walked out the doors and made her way to the daycare.

She forced herself to explain the situation once again. Not even alarmed when Moon got, justifiably, angry. Sun reacting with a mix of shock and anger.

“I was able to fix their arm just fine, it might be sore for a bit but at least they won’t be in pain, at least not in their arm,” she assured them, “it’s the eyes I’m worried about, Bloodmoon ripped the wiring apart so we can’t just reconnect the wires. Monty tried fixing it but he couldn’t do anything either, he said he would get Solar to try and help.” Earth took a deep, simulated breath, worry for Lunar continuing to grow, “what if we can’t get his sight back? What do we do if Lunar ends up going permanently blind?”

Moon’s fist clenched tightly, “I swear to god I’m gonna kill Bloodmoon the moment I get my hands on them,” he threatened, unable to hide his anger.

“Let’s just wait a bit for Monty or Solar to contact us with news,” Sun suggested, knowing didn’t have enough knowledge in this departed to know what to do.

For the next hour, the sibling tried to distract themselves, first with cleaning, them games, although none of them were really in the mood for gaming, until Earth finally got a call from Monty, asking her to come back to parts and service and to bring the twins.

“Did you fix him?” Earth asked as the siblings ran into parts and service.

“Unfortunately, no,” Solar started, getting straight to the point, “finding the right parts to fix Lunar’s optics is gonna be incredibly difficult, nearly impossible even. As we all know, Lunar’s current body was built in space and many of his parts were created using materials from space, including his eyes, so fixing them won’t exactly be easy,”

“So, they’re permanently blind now?” Moon asked.

“It would seem so, or at least for a long time. Fixing them isn’t one hundred percent out of the question, but the chances are very slim,” Solar Explained.

“But what do we tell them?” Sun asked.

“I think it would be best to approach it carefully but straightforward,” Solar responded, “I’m gonna have Monty wake him up now,” Solar signaled at Monty, who flipped a switch, waking Lunar up from his shut down.

The first thing Lunar noticed upon waking up was that his vision was still pitch black, they couldn’t see a thing, they couldn’t even pick up on the lights. The next thing they noticed was Monty’s voice, speaking softer than normal.

“Hey, kid? Are you alright?”

Lunar tilted his head down, “I still can’t see… I thought I was gonna get fixed?”

They heard a sigh, it sounded like Solar, then Earth spoke up, “let me, Solar,” she said, then Lunar felt her hands grab his, her grasp feeling soft and comforting, he turned his head towards her voice. “Lunar, there’s something we have to tell you,” She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she knew was going to be difficult for Lunar to hear, “we don’t know if we’ll be able to fix your sight, at least not for a long time. Your body was built using some pretty rare materials which means certain parts of you are going to be very hard to repair, and that includes your visual sensors.” She did her best to explain it as gently as she could.

The small animatronic couldn’t believe what they were hearing, so they might be permanently blind? They wanted to cry, and that’s exactly what they did. Letting out a choked sob as he felt himself get pulled towards Earth and allowed her to hold him close to her.

“We don’t know for sure if it’s permanent,” Solar tried to reassure them.

“Maybe they should lay down, they’ve had a rough day,” Earth put her hand on Solar’s shoulder, “we can talk about this tomorrow,”

Solar gave a nod of agreement, helping Lunar off the seat.

“How about you two stay with us tonight?” Moon suggested, as Sun made a noise of agreement, “It doesn't feel right to put Lunar back in that room and you still haven’t gotten a place to stay,”

“That would be nice,” Earth agreed, “what do you think Lunar?” she asked the small bot.

Lunar just have a small nod, reaching up a had for Earth to take, and she guided him to the portal Moon had opened.

Chapter Text

Lunar stood in front of the mirror, in the brand new body Monty had given her. She thought back to the previous week when she came out as genderfluid to Monty and smiled at the memory. She had been supportive but still teased the little bot, which was to be expected from the gator, but Lunar wouldn’t want it any other way.

Today was a ‘girl day’ for Lunar and would also be the day she came out to her siblings, showing off her new body for the first time. Monty had given her one much like her own where she could choose between her regular form or this new feminine one.

Monty placed a hand on her shoulder, assuring her that every would be fine.

“Are you sure?” Lunar knew she had no reason to worry, her siblings supported her through everything, and they were cool with Monty being fluid, so why would it be different for her?

As if reading her mind, Monty spoke again, “it’s okay to be scared, but I promise you have nothing to worry about. Sun, Moon and Earth all love you and they’ll support you no matter what. And if you decide to tell Solar, and the others too, I know they’ll support you too.”

Lunar felt slightly less anxious after getting reassurance, but still wasn’t completely sure, “but what if they’re disappointed? What if they get mad that I don’t always want to be called their brother?”

“Then they’re stupid,” Monty put it simply, “besides, I’m sure they’d love to have another sister. I know Earth would love a little sister and another girl to hangout with,”

Lunar smiled at Monty, “alright, I-I think I’m ready,”

“You sure? We don’t have to do this today if you’re not comfortable,”

“No, no I’m sure. I wanna do it now.”

Monty gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and a reassuring smile.

Sun, Moon and Earth waited in Sun and Moon’s living room. Monty had asked them to wait there while her and Lunar prepared a surprise.

“What do you think they’re up to?” Moon wondered allowed.

“I don’t know, but I hope it’s not something reckless, you know how those two can get,” Sun replied.

“They know not to make messes, especially not around you, Sun,” Earth assured.

“Did any one else notice how nervous Lunar seemed when he got home? And he practically pushed me away when I tried to follow him downstairs to talk,” Moon pointed out.

“You’re right, he did seem rather anxious,” now that Earth thought about it, she realized Lunar’s behavior did seem a little off, and Sun nodded in agreement.

They all looked in the direction of the basement as they heard footsteps coming up. Moments later, Monty walked in, “y’all ready to see the surprise?”

The siblings nodded eagerly, waiting for Lunar.

Monty turned towards where the others’ assumed Lunar was, “you ready, kid?” she called out.

It was then that Lunar finally stepped out, looking at her siblings sheepishly as she showed of her new dress.

Earth gasped excitedly, “Lunar! You’re wearing a dress!”

Seeming to take it the wrong way, Lunar shrunk back, “I’m sorry, I’ll go change,”

But before she could leave, Monty held her in place, “what’s wrong?”

“They don’t like it,” she whispered back, but her siblings caught what she said.

“Lunar, we love it,” Moon assured, “You look very handsome,” he almost missed the way Lunar flinched at the word ‘handsome’.

“Why don’t you show them the rest?” Monty urged her.

Lunar took a few steps closer to her siblings and they could now see that her features were overall more feminine, with eyelashes and more prominent eyeliner, then she lowered her hood, revealing fluffy white hair, much like Earth’s.

Finally, she simulated taking a deep breath, “I have something to tell you,” she paused, almost turning away, but once again feeling Monty’s hand on her shoulder gave her enough confidence, “I don’t always feel like a boy. Sometimes I feel like a girl and sometimes it’s neither or something in between. I guess what I’m trying to get at is…I’m genderfluid, and today I feel like a girl,”

She closed her eyes, not wanting to see her siblings reactions. She was taken aback when she was suddenly enveloped in a hug. She didn’t need to open her eyes to know it was Earth hugging her.

“I’m so proud of you,” Lunar wanted to cry at her big sister’s words, “thanks for telling us,”

Soon after, Sun and Moon both joined the hug, “Yeah, we’re real proud of you, kid,” Moon ruffled her hair, causing Lunar to swat his hand away playfully and pull her hood back on.

“We got another sister!” Sun exclaimed happily.

“She our sometimes sister!” Earth exclaimed.

“sometimes sister?” Moon asked.

“Yeah, because Lunar is sometimes a girl, like right now, so she’s our sometimes sister and also our sometimes brother!” Earth explained.

Lunar giggled at her sister’s excitement, “I like that! Sometimes sister!”

“Does this mean you’ll be joining us for girls nights sometimes?” Earth could hardly contain her excitement at having a little sister.

“Of course she will,” Monty cut in, “can’t leave out our favorite tiny little girl,” she teased, laughing when Lunar stuck out her tongue.

Lunar sighed in content as she felt her siblings hold her, her little surprise for them turned out far better than she feared, and she couldn’t be happier.

Chapter Text

Lunar was everything Moon was not. They were kind, small, cheerful, empathetic and full of innocence.

And yet, they were one in the same, Moon and Lunar, big brother and little brother, mama and baby.

‘Mama’ the word had rolled off Lunar’s metaphorical tongue so easily, wrapped in the swirling clouds of Moon’s own mindscape.

The gendered term didn’t bother Moon. Whether Lunar had said ‘mama’ or ‘dada’ didn’t matter, the meaning was clear: Lunar saw Moon as his parent, and Lunar was Moon’s baby.

So, Mama Moon it was.

It was funny, Moon hated kids. Some days he’d honestly rather unplug the wires on the back of his head than help Sun in the daycare, but there was something about Lunar that softened Moon. That little AI was a part of him, like another line of coding or an extra limb.

Monty had offered to build Lunar their very own body, Sun had even brought it up a couple times. Like hell Moon would ever allow anyone to take his baby away. Lunar was exactly where they needed to be, and Moon would protect them.

“They won’t ever take you away,” Moon had whispered as he rocked himself, “the world isn’t safe for little baby moons,”

Truth be told, Moon wasn’t so sure he was safe for Lunar. He was cruel and violent. He’d hurt so many people. What if he hurt Lunar too?

No. Moon couldn’t think that way. He was the one keeping Lunar safe, Eclipse may have created Lunar, but they were Moon’s baby, not his.

Just because Lunar was Moon’s baby didn’t mean they were safe. Moon knew that. He had seen the way the world treated those who were different, those who didn’t fit the mold. Lunar was one of those beings, a delicate balance of innocence and complexity, a fragile existence within the harshness of reality. Moon had to be their shield, their protector, even if it meant standing against everything and everyone, including himself.

Chapter Text

Kerian and Lunar had gone out for the day, just a simple outing to give Lunar a distraction. He had been doing so well that day, he’d been back in their adult mindset all day and felt comfortable enough to go out. So, Kerian offered to take him on a little date.

They had found themselves at a small café, a simple and casual setting where they could enjoy each other’s presence, or at least that’s what they had hoped for.

Lunar jumped at a sudden noise, someone had dropped a metal platter in the back, then there was the crack of something breaking, but the loud noise sounded all too familiar.

It sounded like-

No, he shook his head, they couldn’t think about it, not now, not when they had been doing so well.

“Lunar?” Kerian noticed how Lunar reacted and gently squeezed his hand, “hey, it’s okay, you’re okay,”

Lunar trembled slightly, the sound continued to ring in their audio receptors, Kerian’s voice muffled and distant.

Sensing that something was very wrong, Kerian stood and help Lunar to their feet, bringing them outside and to an alley that gave them a bit more privacy, “Lunar, baby, can you hear me?”

His voice still sounded muffled and distant, but the bot could make out his words, so they nodded, body trembling, but not yet regressing.

The negative star being sat down, back against the wall, and gently guided Lunar into his lap. The smaller one instantly curled into themself, arms over their head as if trying to protect himself from an oncoming attack.

Lunar wasn’t speaking, but their fans were running fast and their systems were on high alert.

Little sparks shot around them, not anything dangerous. Their powers weren’t that strong anymore, but still, Kerian took notice.

He held Lunar just a little tighter, rubbing his back in soothing circles while humming a tune he’d heard at a theatre ages ago.

The sparks grew the slightest bit stronger when Lunar’s cries turned to sobs and a few even hit Kerian.

They didn’t exactly hurt, but they had startled him enough that he let out yelp. Lunar, noticing this, curled further into himself.

He was still barely speaking, unable to get any words out, but Kerian heard them mumbling what sounded like a frantic apology.

“Lune, I’m not mad and I’m not hurt. It’s okay, you don’t have to apologize,” he adjusted his old on the little bot, “do you want to go home? Then we can cuddle,”

Lunar, finding a bit of comfort in the thought, gave a tiny nod and Kerian helped them up.

“Want me to carry you or are you okay to walk?”

Lunar attempted to take a step on their own, but their legs shook and nearly collapse beneath them, so Kerian scooped them up without a word, easily carrying him even in his adult form.

The walk home was fairly long, and Kerian felt himself get shocked several times, but he wouldn’t let it show. No, he wouldn’t give Lunar any reason to believe they shouldn’t be helped or that he was a burden.

By the time they had gotten back home, Lunar’s cries had turned to quiet sniffles and their eyes began to droop. Kerian carried them to the couch and wrapped them in his wings, cuddling the little bot close while they slept soundly against his chest, his breakdown having tired them out completely.

Chapter Text

Sun had to get to work, he was the only one available as he didn’t feel comfortable having Earth working there, and Lunar was regressed and still recovering.

By some chance, there was only one person available to look after Lunar.

Taurus.

Sure, Sun could take them with him, he did work at a daycare after all and he usually took Dazzle with. But he knew it was supposed to be a busy day, Fazbear had once again overbooked, and he doubted Lunar was ready to be in such a crowded place with so many other kids running around.

So, the tall Astral now found himself sitting in Sun and Moon’s living room, babysitting an animatronic toddler.

Sun had explained that Lunar had a nightmare and ended up regressing to a more toddler-like state, which was why he was even smaller than before, now he barely reached Dazzle’s elbow.

The Astral was now attempting to make lunch for the kids, although that was difficult considering he had little to no experience with feeding another being, and he currently had Lunar held in one arm, the toddler refusing to be put down.

Eventually, the grilled cheese was done, and only a little burnt, but now he just had to get Lunar to stop clinging enough to actually eat.

“Lunar, your brother will attempt to kill me if I let you starve…although I do not believe that is something you are capable of,” Taurus sighed as Lunar refused to be set down.

Taurus realized Lunar wouldn’t go down without fussing, so he brought him to the living room and sat on the couch, holding Lunar in his lap. This seemed to please the little bot and he happily ate his sandwich. He then turned on the TV, switching to the channel Sun had instructed him to and put on a show with dancing fruits.

“This is the kind of entertainment you earthlings enjoy?” he questioned.

Lunar just clapped his hands and giggled at the show, wiggling in Taurus lap as if trying to dance along to the music.

After the show finished, Taurus took Lunar outside to run around, and the toddler kept finding bugs and plants that he would excitedly show the Astral, eyes going wide with each new finding. He didn’t let it show, but the bull-man was beginning to find Lunar’s childlike wonder amusing, he could understand why Sun was so protective of the little guy.

By dinner time, Lunar was exhausted from all the running around and was back to being stuck to Taurus’s side, not that he minded all that much. He quickly figured out how to use the stove one-handed and this time managed to heat up a can of soup, and convinced Lunar to sit in the high chair Sun had gotten for him by telling him it was a spaceship, which excited the toddler greatly.

Once Lunar finished eating, Taurus helped him get cleaned up and changed into their pajamas.

They were sitting on the couch, Lunar asleep against Taurus’s chest, when Sun and Dazzle came home. “Hey, how was he?” Sun asked, sitting down next the Taurus.

“Clingy,” the Astral responded.

“Yeah, that’s Lunar for you, doesn’t like to be alone when little,”

Taurus nodded in agreement, subconsciously curling a protective arm around the little bot.

“Thanks for watching him,” Sun pet Lunars hair, “I know you're busy and I was asking a lot for you to take a whole day to look after him,”

“It is alright, I will admit I am quite fond of the little puck,” Taurus admitted.

Sun smiled, “he likes you too, they ask for you a lot more than I think you realize,”

“Then I will have to visit more often,” Taurus sounded far more gentle than Sun was used to, and smiled at the yellow bot who let out a yawn, “get some rest, you need it. I will put the kids to bed,”

Taurus stood, holding Lunar in one arm and taking Dazzle’s hand with the other, bringing the kids to bed and tucking them in.

“Can you read us a bedtime story?” Dazzle requested, holding her Sun plushie close.

Taurus simply nodded and sat beside the bed, pulling out a book from the little shelf and reading until Dazzle’s eyes drooped and she began snoring softly.

Chapter Text

This wasn’t a conversation Monty had wanted to have; he didn’t want it to end like this.

But here he was, looking at Earth’s database and the evidence was clear as day.

She still has Lunar listed as a threat.

She had told Monty she removed his name, told him that she was getting better, and yet their name was still there, listed as a threat. As someone who needed to be gotten rid of.

He had asked her to sit with him, hoping his tone made it clear that this was going to be a serious conversation.

“You haven’t been making progress,” he got straight to the point, “No, that’s not it. You haven’t been trying to make up for what you did,”

Earth looked uncomfortable, not sorry, just uncomfortable, “Monty,” she began, trying to keep her voice steady, “I told you I was working on myself, and I am. These things take time.”

Monty clenched his fists, frustration bubbling to the surface. “Time? How much time are you going to need, Earth? How long before you actually start making an effort?”

“It’s not that simple,” she cast her gaze downwards.

“Not that simple? Earth, you haven’t even removed Lunar’s name from your list of threats. If you ever get to see them again and your security protocols go off again because you couldn’t be bothered to do something as simple as erasing his name…” Monty trailed off, he couldn’t even voice what he was thinking out loud, “I’ve lost that kid twice now, I ain’t losing them again, especially not to someone I thought was a good person,”

“I am a good person,” Earth insisted.

“Look, I’m not trying to imply that you’re some evil villain or that you’ve never been good, but I can’t let this slide. When do you plan on reaching out to apologize?”

Earth was silent, she didn’t have an answer for that.

“You don’t, do you?” Monty sighed, “because you know your apology wouldn’t be genuine. You want to find some way to blame Lunar because you think it’s easier than admitting you were in the wrong,”

Earth kept her gaze down, still not responding. Because, she knew everything Monty was saying was true.

“We let your behavior slide, and at first your anger was understandable, but now? Now you’ve let it ruin that kid’s life. They will never be the same after what you did to them. Did you know they spend most of their time regressed, and I mean physically and mentally regressed? Just a small child, so scared they barely leave Sun’s side. They can’t even control it,” his claws gripped his knee, as if trying to ground himself.

“I didn’t make them regress,”

“That’s your defense? Really?” Monty was exasperated, “sure, you didn’t force them to become a child, but it was your actions that led to them being so traumatized that this is the only way he knows how to cope. So, tell me, when are you going to start making an effort and showing us that you’re not a danger?”

 “I- I don’t know…”

“Then I think we need to be done, it doesn’t have to be forever, and I still love you. I’m still willing to help if you show that you’re willing to try, but this relationship can’t work if we’re not both doing our best to show we care,” Monty stood up, getting ready to walk away.

“Monty wait-” Earth called out, “are you actually breaking up with me? After everything we’ve been through?”

Monty turned away, he couldn’t let her see him cry, couldn’t let her see how much this pained him, “Like I said, this doesn’t need to be forever, but for now, I think we need to put our relationship on pause. I’ve done my part to work on myself, and I know I’m not perfect, I know I still have issues, but at least I’m trying. Now it’s your turn to work on yourself, until then, we’re done. You can stay in the house, because there’s no way you’re living in Sun and Moon’s place, not with Lunar there,”

He didn’t bother looking back, didn’t turn around when he heard the soft, “I love you,” being called out.

His attention was caught, however, by a small blur of movement, “kid, I know you’re there,” he sighed.

Lunar slowly peeked out from around the corner, they were an adult right now, but they still seemed smaller than usual, more closed off.

“I’m sorry,” they whispered.

“For what?” the taller one asked.

“You broke up with her because of me,”

“Listen, kid,” Monty kneeled down to be more level with them, “I made that choice myself, no one forced me to do it, especially not you. You have nothing to apologize for, don’t ever think this is your fault, you hear me?”

Lunar hesitated, as if not fully believing the words being said to him, “you wouldn’t have broken up with her if I hadn’t made her angry,”

“I broke up with her because she chose to let her anger over power any care she had for you, you’ve done more than enough to prove you’re sorry and that you’re a good person, she needs to do the same,” he pulled Lunar into a hug, “I’m not going to pretend that this doesn’t hurt, but I don’t want you to ever blame yourself for what she’s done, or for what I’ve done. Now, how about you and I go get ice cream, I wanna spend time with my favorite kid,”

Lunar let out a soft laugh that had Monty already feeling better, “I’m an adult right now,”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t be my favorite. Besides, adult or not, I can still do this,” he effortlessly lifted Lunar onto his shoulders, causing the smaller bot to laugh again, louder this time, and began walking to the nearest store, “what do you say? Think we should buy the biggest tub we can find and eat ice cream until our tummy’s hurt?”

“I think Sun would hate you for letting me do that,”

“Maybe if you were a kid, but as long as you’re an adult, you get to make your own choices, don’t ever forget that,”

Monty hadn’t expected to feel this content after such a difficult breakup, but here, with Lunar on his shoulders talking excitedly about what kind of ice cream he wanted, he felt pretty good.

Chapter Text

One thing that stayed consistent no matter what age Lunar was at was his love for Nutella. As an adult, he could often be found with at least one jar nearby. But when they were little? His brothers quickly learned the Nutella had to be kept in the tallest cupboard, far out of reach.

It was usually an effective enough tactic, it never stopped Lunar from climbing on the counters in an attempt to get it, but he was usually caught before getting very far up.

Unfortunately for Sun and Moon, Lunar learned that if he snuck into the kitchen at night when everyone else was asleep, they had a much lower chance of getting caught.

Now in their four-year-old form, only three feet tall, they climbed their way to the top of the counter and stood on their tip toes trying to reach Nutella. They never made it this far up before and hadn’t thought of what to do once at this point, they barely managed to reach up high enough to open the cupboard, but the jar was on the highest shelf within, still much too high for him.

He sat down on the counter as he thought of the best solution, then remembered his nano machines, he could make himself taller!

Of course, in his little 4-year-old mind, rather than thinking to just make themselves tall, they instead thought to turn themselves into someone who was already tall.

So, they shifted their nanos, until they took on the form of their tall, sunny brother. “Yay!” they giggled and stood back up, easily grabbing the jar of Nutella.

They sat down on the floor at started shoveling the treat into his mouth, still in the form of Sun.

And that’s what Moon saw when he came into the kitchen for his own midnight snack.

“I think you’ve been around Lunar too long,” Moon judged.

‘Sun’ tilted his head and stared up at Moon as he shoved another hand full of the spread into his mouth, “I Sunny,”

“…Lunar? Did you use your nanos to turn into Sun?” Moon didn’t know if he should laugh or be disappointed.

“…no,”

“Tell me the truth,”

“Sunny hungry,”

This time, Moon did let himself laugh, “okay, well if ‘Sunny’ is hungry, I think he’d prefer some nice veggies over Nutella,”

“noooo,”

“Then I guess he’s not too hungry to go back to bed,”

“I’m Nutelly hungry!” Lunar insisted.

“Really? Well I think you’ve had enough Nutella to satiate your hungry, kiddo. I know for a fact that jar was nearly full a few hours ago when I let you have a spoonful and now it’s nearly empty,”

“Little more?” Lunar tilted their head and gave their best ‘puppy dog eyes,”

“You know, that would work a lot better if you actually looked like yourself,”

“Oh,” Lunar then shrunk back down, returning to their own child form, keeping the ‘puppy dog eyes’ going, “better?”

“Nice try, but you still can’t have anymore, the actually Sunny is not gonna be happy with me if he has to deal with a sick Lunar tomorrow,”

“I’m not sick,”

“You will be if you eat too much. You’ll get a tummy ache and you won’t be able to play with Dazzle or cuddle with Sun,”

“But I wanna play with Dazzle,” Lunar whined.

“Then you gotta get to bed, no more Nutella tonight,”

Lunar looked down at the jar in his hand, the back up at Moon, as if making a difficult decision.

“Let’s make a deal, if you let me get you cleaned up and back to bed now, I’ll give you extra Nutella on your toast tomorrow,” Moon offered.

“Promise?”

“I promise,”

“Okay! Cuddle time!” Lunar lifted their arms, waiting to be held, suddenly forgetting he was upset in the first place.

“Bath time first, your covered in chocolate,”

“Noooo,” Lunar pouted, and Moon realized another consistency, Lunar’s hatred for baths.

Chapter Text

Monty had walked into the living room to find Moon on the couch with his knees pulled up and head tucked between them. “Hey man, you good?”

Moon had to take a deep breath before speaking, which was already alarming, “head hurts…really badly,”

Monty immediately crossed the room, concern deepening the furrow between his brows. He crouched in front of Moon, lowering his voice, “How bad is it, on a scale of one to ten?” He reached out, hesitant but steady, offering silent reassurance.

Moon gave a shaky laugh, muffled by his arms. “Honestly? Feels like a twelve. It just started out of nowhere.” The room fell quiet, the tension between them charged with worry and a hint of helplessness, “I was just minding my own business and my head decided to split open out of nowhere,” he grunted through the pain.

“Did you do any tests or experiments lately that might’ve caused this? Or do you think it has something to do with the Dark Sun or Nexus?”

The nighttime bot shook his head, “I don’t know. I was talking with Lunar earlier and I felt perfectly fine then, or at least fine for me. This started shortly after they left,”

“That could be something,” Monty sat beside Moon, “when you came back, Sun mentioned you were really concerned about the kid,”

“Of course I was concerned, he’s my little brother. But what does that have to do with my headache?” he winched as a shockwave ran though him, amplifying the already intense pain.

“I mean, Sun said you sounded like you were really upset you were away from him for so long, said you wanted to make up for not being there for him. Listen this is gonna sound crazy, but I think your head misses Lunar,”

Moon let out a shaky breath, burying his face deeper into his arms as Monty’s words settled in. “That’s ridiculous, Monty,” he mumbled, but there was no real bite behind it. His mind raced, sifting through fragments of memory from earlier in the evening, trying to make sense of the sudden pain and its timing. A moment of silence stretched between them before Moon finally spoke again, his voice subdued, “I’ve been back for a few months now, why would it take this long to start?”

Monty considered Moon’s question, brow furrowing with thought. “Maybe being back for a while let some things settle, you know? Sometimes stuff builds up and we don’t even notice until it finally breaks through. Maybe seeing Lunar again stirred up something deeper than you realized,” Monty’s tone was thoughtful, “the little guy has talked about being in your head a lot, I don’t think he’d ever admit it but it’s seriously sounding like he misses it. And I think you do too,”

Monty moved to dim the lights, hoping to reduce the sensory overload Moon was no doubt on the edge of.

“Thanks,” the moon model muttered in response to this simple action, “but even if you are correct, how do we even test it? We can’t just grab him and shove him back in,”

“You know Lunar can still enter people’s head’s, right?” Monty asked, unsure if Moon actually had this information, “he did it when Earth had this ‘Forgor’ guy messing with her memory, and he entered Solar’s mind this one time too,” 

Moon hesitated, mulling over Monty’s suggestion. His fingers fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve as he spoke, “I guess… if there’s a way to let Lunar in, just for a moment, maybe it would tell us something. I’m not saying I believe you, but I’m willing to try anything to get rid of this pain,”

“Great,” Monty patted Moon’s knee, “besides, we’ll have to ask them if they’re okay with it first. And where is that kid anyways?”

“He’s spending the day with Sun and Dazzle, I think they went to the park,” the pain was growing now, “can we please stop talking about Lunar now? My head feelings weirdly empty and that’s just making it worse,”

“And that’s just proving my theory,” Monty chuckled lightly, careful not to disregard Moon’s pain, “think you can hold out until they get back or want me to call and ask him to return early,”

“No, don’t call,” Moon shook his head, voice quieter but with a firm resolve. “Sun needs this break, Lunar’s really helping him out right now. I don’t want to disrupt them just because I’m feeling weird,” He hesitated, fingers squeezing his sleeve tighter. “Besides, Lunar always looks forward to spending time with Sun and Dazzle. I don’t want to cut that short for my sake, you know? If it gets worse, we’ll figure something out, but right now, let’s just let them have their day,” Moon glanced over at Monty, trying to muster a reassuring smile despite the discomfort. “I’ll manage until they get back. Promise,”

“You know being in pain isn’t gonna make Sun or Lunar feel any better. But if you really want to wait, I won’t stop you,” Monty exhaled, mildly frustrated with Moon’s stubbornness, settling back into his seat to give Moon space. The quiet stretched between them, filled only by the gentle hum of the dimmed lights. For a long moment, neither spoke, each lost in their own thoughts about Lunar, Sun, and the strange ache Moon was enduring. But the silence was comfortable, a small reassurance that whatever happened next, they’d face it together.

It was a long while before the pain eased enough for Moon to speak again, “Lunar’s been really distant lately. At first I figured he just didn’t care about what happened during that whole Nexus ordeal, like everyone else claimed…but he seemed kinda sad when I spoke with him earlier,”

Monty nodded, concern flickering in his eyes. “Yeah? What did he say?”

Moon hesitated, gathering his thoughts. “He said he’s been tired a lot, but he didn’t really explain why. I could tell something was off, but you know how he is - always putting on a brave face,” He rubbed at his temple, trying to chase away the last remnants of the pain. “I just wish he’d talk to me about it instead of keeping everything bottled up,”

“You know I say this cause you’re my best friend, but you’re not exactly the kind of person he should be going to for advice on handling emotions,” the gator animatronic turned fully to Moon, “but it must mean a lot to you if you’re noticing how upset they seem before anyone else. You care more about the kid than you’ve been letting on,”

“I guess I kinda do,” they both went quiet after that. There wasn’t much more to say and Moon honestly didn’t want to talk about his little brother anymore if missing him really was the cause of his pain.

…

It was late evening before Sun, Lunar and Dazzle got home, but it felt like an eternity. Moon wanted to reach for Lunar straight away, feeling a strange tug upon seeing the smallest family member. Instead, he offered a weak smile, letting them take Dazzle upstairs to get her ready for bed.

“Hey, Sun,” he greeted his twin instead, “how’d today go?”

Sun nearly flopped onto the chair beside the couch, “Dazzle had fun with Lunar. She wants him to do puppet shows at the daycare like he used to,” Sun leaned back, a tired but genuine smile on his face. “She heard him say something about being in your head and kept asking questions about it,”

The younger watched his sunny brother relax, “you seem to be doing better. Did Lunar get some sugar in you?” he teased playfully, just enough to see Sun fail to hold back a small laugh.

“The puppy eyes are too convincing. I’m surprised you never made him use them for one of your schemes,”

As if on cue, Lunar came downstairs with Dazzle, who was changed into her nightgown. “She wants to say goodnight to you,” Lunar told Sun as he brought the little girl over.

Sun knelt down to Dazzle’s level, letting her wrap her arms around his neck in a gentle hug. “Goodnight, sweetheart,” he murmured, his voice soft.

The little girl beamed, “goodnight, Sun!”, then scampered off with Lunar, leaving Moon watching them go with a hint of longing. He glanced at Sun, who caught his look and offered an understanding nod - no words needed between them in moments like this.

“I’m going to bed myself,” the older twin stood, “getting tired,”

“Goodnight, brother,” Moon watched him go as Lunar returned from tucking in Dazzle. Already, he felt a bit of the aching pressure in his head start to ease. “Come here, Lunar,”

Lunar approached quietly, sensing Moon's need for comfort even without words. Without hesitation, Moon pulled him into a gentle embrace, holding the smallest close as if that simple act could banish the last of his lingering worries. Lunar didn't protest, instead resting his head on Moon's shoulder, both of them soaking in the much needed comfort from one another.

Lunar loved his other siblings. He really enjoyed their company and cared deeply about them. But there was something different about Moon. The first real family he had, the one who didn’t treat him like just a burden. The way the two melted into each other didn’t go unnoticed by Monty.

Monty, arms folded and watching the quiet exchange, felt a pang of something oddly warm in his chest. The sight of Moon, usually so guarded, looking content as he held Lunar was enough to make even Monty soften a little. He cleared his throat, trying for nonchalance as he lounged back in his seat. “You two look comfortable,” he commented, a hint of teasing in his voice, but it lacked its usual bite. Moon shot him a half-hearted glare, but there was no real annoyance behind it – just a kind of peace that had been missing for too long. “kid, there’s something Moon and I discussed that we think you could help with,”

Monty’s words seemed to hang in the air, giving Lunar pause. He looked up at Moon, then at Monty, curiosity flickering in his eyes. “What is it?” Lunar asked quietly, not pulling away from Moon’s embrace.

Moon exchanged a quick glance with Monty, wordlessly communicating before turning back to Lunar, his tone gentle. “We were hoping you could help us figure something out. It’s nothing bad - just… something I think only you can do,” Lunar’s eyes widened, a of nerves lighting his face, and the warmth in the room grew just a little.

“Is someone hurt? Do you need me to use my star power for something?”

“No, it’s got nothing to do with star power,” Monty denied, “I guess I’ll come right out and say it. We want to try putting you back in Moon’s head,”

Lunar blinked, the weight of the request settling in. “You mean - like before? When we shared space?” His voice was small, but there was a curious hopefulness beneath the nerves. Moon nodded, reassuring. “Just for a little while. Only if you want to. Monty thinks your absence is what caused this sudden headache I got, so if we can confirm that, I can work on finding a more permanent solution,”

 Lunar took a steadying breath, nodding slowly. “Okay. I’ll try,” The room seemed to grow quieter, as if holding its breath for them. “but how are we gonna do that? With that same  device we used to put me in Earth’s head?”

“No, I don’t have that anymore. The easiest option would be to take your core chip and put it into Moon. And if you two decide to make this shift more permanent, I can work and reworking your code to be a part of Moon,”

Lunar swallowed, the uncertainty clear on his face. He glanced down, fiddling with his hands as he tried to process the idea. “So, I’d just… go in again? It won’t hurt, right?” His voice was barely above a whisper, but Moon squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

“No pain. I promise. You’ll still be you, and I’ll still be here. We’re just sharing space again, like old times,” the older brother promised.

Monty nodded, adding, “You’ll be safe. I’ll be right here the whole time, in case either of you need help or something goes wrong,” Lunar managed a small, nervous smile, hope and worry mingling in his eyes as he prepared himself for whatever came next.

“If Lunar’s ready, can we get it started? Not gonna lie, him just being here is helping but not nearly enough,” Moon winced as the pain hit again.

“Alright, alright. You ready, kid?” Monty waited for Lunar to give the ‘okay’, then carefully removed the chip from the back of his head, their body powering down in response. He cradles the fragile little chip gently – Lunar’s whole life was in there – and brought it to Moon’s head, sliding it into the port.

As the chip clicked into place, there was a tense moment where nothing happened—Moon held his breath, Monty’s hands hovered, waiting for the slightest response. Then, Moon’s eyes flickered, a faint shimmer of blue overlaying their usual color. Lunar’s presence stirred within, a delicate awareness blooming between them. It was strange, but familiar in a way that tugged at shared memories. For a heartbeat, both were silent, adjusting to the renewed closeness.

Monty leaned in, looking for any sign of distress. “You two alright?” he asked, voice soft and careful.

Moon blinked, and Lunar’s tentative voice echoed in his mind, calm but tentative. “I think… I’m okay. It’s not like before - it feels easier this time.” Moon nodded, a small smile passing between them, their thoughts overlapping in quiet harmony.

Then, Moon’s whole world shifted, a blissfulness he’d never felt overcoming his senses,“I actually feel good,”

Monty could almost see Moon’s face light up, despite his expression never changing, “that’s good, man. Means your headache is gone,” he patted his shoulder, getting up to leave.

“No, you don’t understand. This isn’t just ‘my headache is gone and I’m back to normal now,’ I actually feel good. Like, really good,” the moon model put both hands on his best friend’s shoulders, “you know, most days I wanna punch you for no good reason. But now I don’t feel that anymore. That’s not normal,”

Monty paused, searching Moon’s eyes for any hint of a joke, but found only sincerity. The change in Moon’s voice was subtle, yet unmistakable - a quiet certainty that hadn’t been there before, a new softness. “Are you sure?” Monty asked, half expecting the old sarcasm to slip back in, but it never came.

“I am absolutely sure,” his voice softened, “you don’t think it has anything to do with Lunar? Do you?”

“You think you feel good ‘cause I put the kid inside you?” Monty sat back down, clearly this conversation wasn’t at an end yet.

Moon grimaced, “please don’t say it like that. It sounds so wrong,”

“Hey, isn’t that what Eclipse did?” the gator was met with a punch to the shoulder as he laughed.

“Stop talking like I got pregnant with Lunar!”

“You know I can hear you!” they both laughed at the voice coming from Moon’s head, “Moon isn’t pregnant you weirdo!”

“Good!” Monty called back, “cause I ain’t paying child support,” Monty rolled his eyes, grinning despite himself. “So, what does it actually feel like?” he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Moon took a breath, seeming to consider the question. “It’s like this weird peace. Like I’m finally quiet inside, and not constantly bracing for something to go wrong,”

Monty nodded, sensing the gravity of the moment and letting the silence linger just a little longer before speaking again.

He glanced over at Moon, studying the way his friend’s shoulders had relaxed, the tension that so often haunted his features now replaced by something gentler. “That’s… actually kinda nice to hear,” Monty admitted, “how’s the kid doing?”

Moon looked into his headspace to find Lunar already settled in, as though he’d never left in the first place, “you alight, Lunar?”

“Uh huh,” the little voice sounded sleepy, possibly on the verge of falling asleep.

“Wow, I put you to sleep that easily, huh?” Moon joked with mock offense.

“Shut up,” Lunar glared, but there was no real bite to his words, “’m comfy,”

Moon couldn't help but smile at Lunar's response, warmth filling his chest. He hadn’t realized just how much he missed this until now.

“Ya’ll get some sleep, we’ll figure out what to do about this in the morning,” Monty stood to leave, this time actually making it to the door. “Moon, call me immediately if something goes wrong, I don’t wanna come back here tomorrow to find out you accidentally killed the little guy with your weird science brain,”

Moon rolled his eyes, “that’s not gonna happen. But fine, I’ll call if anything happens,”

Monty paused in the doorway, casting one last glance back over his shoulder. “I mean it, Moon. Cause I’ll make you wish you never had a head to begin with,”

Moon snorted, appreciating the concern hidden beneath Monty's gruffness. “Yeah, yeah, I got it. Head’s staying right where it is,” The reassurance came easily, the banter helping to ease the remnants of earlier tension.

After the gator animatronic left, Moon sighed, relaxing into the couch cushions, “this really does feel nice,” he whispered to no one in particular, smiling softly as he noticed Lunar already drifted off to sleep, “you missed this too, huh?... how are we gonna explain this to the others?”

Chapter Text

Moon found Cosmos asleep on the couch – did he even sleep in a bed anymore? How had Moon not noticed this? The cushions dipped as he sat himself beside his little brother.

“I know you’re sleeping right now, and I want you to keep sleeping because you need it. But if I don’t say this now, I’m afraid I never will. I just hope one day I’ll be good enough to say it while you’re awake,”

He waited, searching for a noise, a twitch, any sign that Cosmos would wake up. Nothing.

“I screwed up, badly. I’ve been awful to you in so many ways, maybe I even treated you worse than I did Sun. With Sun, at least he can look at me and tell me he’s upset, he’s learned to fight back and let me know when I screw up with him. You don’t do that, you roll over and take everything we throw at you like it’s nothing,” the moon model sank deeper into the couch, half considering putting a portal in it so he could sink into a whole different dimension, “when you hurt Terra, I shouldn’t have reacted so harshly. I should’ve been more rational and taken time to consider why things happened the way they did, what drove you to that point,”

He wished he could take back every harsh word, every cold glance that made Cosmos feel alone. Thinking back, Moon realized he’d let his anger and frustration cloud his judgment, pushing away the person who needed him most. It hurt to admit, but he knew he’d failed to see Cosmos for who he truly was, rather than who he wanted him to be.

“Maybe if things had been different, if I had been different, you’d wouldn’t have left us. Maybe you’d still be Lunar, my baby brother. Instead, now you’re Cosmos, you destroy planets, and I know you hate it. I know you’re doing good and helping stop the infection, but you’re not a killer, you don’t enjoy ending lives even if it is doing good in the long run,”

Moon’s gaze flickered to Cosmos’ face, noticing the smallest little twitch – still deep in slumber. He kept going, voice low, “those simulations… I can’t even begin to explain how messed up that was. I wanted to help, I really did, and I did so the only way I knew how; Repression. I trained you into apathy, told you to control your emotions. But now everyone is telling me I’m not emotional enough, that I need to learn empathy. It’s confusing and frustrating and I’m afraid I only pushed my problems onto you. I don’t know what’s right anymore, I used to think locking my emotions away was helpful. Now that I have them back, I don’t know if I want them, and that scares me even more,”

He stared into the quiet, wishing the words could reach through the haze of sleep and find Cosmos somewhere in his dreams. “I guess all I’m trying to say is, I’m sorry. Not just for what happened back then, but for all the times I didn’t try to understand you, for the times I resorted to bullying instead of listening, for the times I made you believe you mattered any less than everyone else. I hope you hear this, even if you never say anything about it. I just want you to know you matter to me, more than I’ve ever shown,”

He rose, watching the rise and fall of his little brother’s chest – it still amazed him that he actually breathed now – and ever so gently wrapped his arms around the frame that felt too tall now, too different from the one he used to hold at night, yet still impossibly light and frail.

“You’re not sleeping on the couch anymore, my bed’s way comfier,”

Chapter Text

“COSMOS! KILL HIM OR SO HELP ME I WILL STRANGLE YOU!”

“I CAN’T!” the young astral yelled back, “HE’S NOT EVEN DOING ANYTHING! I’M NOT GONNA SEEK OUT AND KILL SOMEONE WHO’S NOT HURTING YOU!”

Both of them were seething by now, Solar’s hands balled into fists, “fuck you,” he spat, “you wanna help this family? Why don’t you be useful for once in your damn life,”

“Useful? Oh, I’m sorry, did you forget why I even have these powers? Or did you not want me to save your kid? I really thought you would’ve learned your lesson after what happened to him,”

Solar sneered at them, “don’t bring Jack into this,”

“I’m not the one who did. You were the one crying about how you want Jack to have a good life but can’t even treat him like a normal kid half the time!”

“Cosmos, if I die because you couldn’t man up and kill the Overseer, and I somehow come back after, I will make you wish you were still with Eclipse,” the threat was final, done.

Solar stormed off, not staying long enough to see the smaller flinch or the fear in his eyes.

Cosmos watched his brother go, chest heaving as barely contained sobs bubbled up.

Left alone in the dim hallway, Cosmos gripped the edge of the nearest table, knuckles white. The cold silence settled around him, amplifying his turmoil. He stared at the spot where Solar had stood, willing himself to be braver, stronger - anything but this trembling mess of regret and fear.

“I want to help,” he whispered to the silence, “why can’t he understand that?”

…

Meanwhile, Solar paced in his room, grumbling to himself. If Cosmos wasn’t going to kill the Overseer, Solar would make him do it.

He clenched his fists, frustration simmering. There had to be a way to force Cosmos’s hand, to finally end the Overseer's threat once and for all. Maybe he could built something to take control of Cosmos, or he could mess with his code directly – did Cosmos even rely on coding anymore? Either way, Solar would make it happen.

He tossed tools and scrap parts onto his bed, mind racing as he sketched half-formed plans in his head. Every failed attempt, every harsh word exchanged with Cosmos replayed, fueling his determination. No matter the cost, he’d make sure the Overseer was dealt with - even if it meant crossing lines he once swore he never would.

Weeks had passed and Cosmos was now at the end of another visit. They had said his goodbyes to Solar and was about to leave but the eclipse model stopped him.

“Cosmos, wait, before you go I wanna check something,” he reached for the younger’s arm, but Cosmos yanked it back, suspicion crossing his features.

“Check what? There’s nothing wrong with me,” he took a step backwards, creating some distance.

Solar took a step forward, closing the distance. “I’m just gonna check your code, I need to be sure of something,”

Cosmos was getting a very bad feeling now, he knew better than anyone that you didn’t allow someone to touch your systems while angry, besides, “I’m mostly astral now, I don’t rely on my code anymore,”

“I don’t care,” Solar reached for his arm, this time grabbing it, “you wanna do this the hard way? Fine, that’s how we’ll do it,”

Cosmos’s eyes narrowed, and a flicker of astral energy shimmered. “Let go,” they warned, voice low and electric. But Solar’s grip only tightened, desperation and anger mixing on his face. For a moment, the room was tense - two wills colliding, neither willing to back down. The tension buzzing in the air was almost tangible, a silent threat of escalation.

Cosmos’s breath quickened as he weighed his options. Power surged quietly within them, ready to flare if provoked, but restraint warred with indignation. He knew Solar was desperate, perhaps even afraid, but that did little to soften the impact of Solar’s grip, the way his fingers dug into Cosmos’s wrist as if by sheer force he could unlock secrets that no longer existed.

The room seemed to shrink around them, shadows lengthening as the sun dipped below the horizon. Tools clattered to the floor, forgotten in the intensity of the standoff. Solar’s knuckles turned white, his expression oscillating between pleading and fury. “Don’t make me do this,” he whispered, a note of vulnerability cracking through his stubbornness. “If you would just cooperate with me, I wouldn’t have to forced you,”

Cosmos’s eye widened, Solar’s choice of words, his tone and body language, everything in this moment was too familiar, too close to someone Cosmos thought he’d finally let got of. They wanted to scream, Moon and Molten were right downstairs. If he just called for them maybe they’d help.

Solar’s eyes seemed to flare with anger and desperation, “you don’t leave me any choice, this could’ve been easy, painless even. But you have to make everything difficult, don’t you?”

“Eclipse, please,” Cosmos Lunar didn’t know why he called him that, or why his voice was suddenly younger with his old lisp returning.

But Solar didn’t see the scared little child or even his own brother who had been traumatized by someone who shared his likeness.

No, Cosmos was nothing but a weapon now, and Solar was going to use him.

“I’ve located the Overseer again, you’re gonna come with me to find him and then we’ll take care of him,” Cosmos Lunar watched him grab a device he hadn’t seen before, slipping it into his pocket.

“What’s that?” their voice shook. Fear increasing tenfold, though they didn’t quite know why.

“Something I wouldn’t have to use if you cooperated and didn’t resist the check up,” Lunar swallowed the lump in his throat, Solar opened the portal, shoving the small astral through. The other side was cold, so unlike the desert they had first confronted the Overseer in. The snowy planes stretched a great distance and the strong wind would’ve knocked Cosmos Lunar over had Solar not been keeping such a strong grip.

The eclipse model pulled the device from his pocket and with it something that made Lunar’s eyes widen even further – a collar of some sorts. “what’s that for?” they were afraid they already knew the answer.

“For obedience,” Solar Eclipse pulled his brother weapon close, not wasting another second before clicking it around their neck.

Lunar’s breath caught as the metal snapped shut, an icy pulse racing down his spine. He dug his nails into his palms, searching for any sign of comfort or escape, but all he found was the bitter realization that Solar’s grip was absolute. The collar hummed quietly, a constant reminder of his newfound captivity, and he wondered how long until its meaning became more than just symbolic.

They jolted as an electric shock ran through them, “good, it works,” Solar muttered to himself, “now follow me so I don’t have to put a leash on you too,”

Lunar’s mind raced, panic threatening to override any sense of logic. Each step he took behind Solar was heavy, the snow crunching beneath his feet barely audible over the whirring of the collar. He tried to focus on breathing, on staying upright, but the threat of another shock lingered dangerously close, keeping him in line. The world felt impossibly vast and unforgiving, yet the space between him and Solar was suffocatingly small.

Reaching the Overseer took far too long yet came far too quickly.

Every minute stretched into an eternity as Lunar trudged through the snow, his breaths crystallizing in the frigid air. The sky above was an endless gray, promising no warmth or comfort. He longed to ask Solar for mercy, or for any explanation, but the threat of pain kept his lips sealed and his thoughts trapped. The only certainty was the path ahead - one that promised confrontation, and death,”