𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: canon deviation, series-level of blood and violence, some implied ships, modified relationships, expansion on character backstories, OCs included and mentioned, pining and unrequited feelings will be prevalent
𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: terminal illness mention, implied/confirmed past child abuse, mental illness and delusions
The Confrontation
Atsuya arrived back at the manor well into the middle of the night.
Despite the time, the manor was still abuzz with activity. The workers were still building the planetarium, and they usually took shifts to ensure the work continued uninterrupted.
He chose not to enter the manor just yet, he instead wanted to see how the children were fairing.
Parking his car and tucking the keys into his coat pocket, he walked around the side of the manor towards the barracks of the 100 boys. Recruits, orphans, no matter what they were called, Aiolos was going to have to live with the fact that because of him, some of these children lost their families.
It made him so angry, but he cannot turn back time. All he can do is ensure the hardships that these children have and will go through aren’t in vain.
“What did I say?! Curfew for you brats is 21 hundred hours! Did you think we wouldn’t know you were goofing off in the middle of the night?!”
Atsuya paused at the door. This voice… Tokumaru?
“W-we weren’t goofing off!” came a small voice from within. Atsuya recognized it as Shun, one of the more recent recruits. Well, could they even be called recruits after how they were gathered? “Myko had a stomachache and threw up, so we were helping him clean up…”
“Shut up! You’re training to become Saints, Athena’s warriors! You’re not babies anymore!”
“Don’t talk to Shun like that!” a harsher voice barked in response. “You’re just being a bully! We’re doing all the bullshit you guys forced on us, the least you can do is treat us like people!”
“You! Always the mouthy brat!” There was a sound of a scuffle, before multiple children began crying out in protest and noticeable fear.
“Ow! Get your mitts offa me!!”
“L-let go of my big brother! I’m sorry! We won’t break curfew again!”
“Shut up, all of you! Since Ikki wants to run his mouth, he can take the punishment for all of you!” Tatsumi lifted his hand to strike the child, but his arm was immediately restrained.
“Tokumaru.” Atsuya seethed, tightening his grip on the other’s forearm. “What is going on here.”
“A-Atsuya-sama!” Tatsumi sputtered, glancing down at the children before looking at the other again. “Well, the children were misbehaving, so I was going to discipline them-”
Atsuya glanced around the room. Most of the children were huddled far away from the scene, shaking like leaves. The only ones who were resisting Tatsumi were Shun, Ikki, Seiya, and two boys that Atsuya hadn’t learned the names of. A blond boy, and a boy with long black hair.
“That’s not true!” Seiya stamped his foot in irritation. “He was bullying us! Like he always does!”
“If you lot didn’t act like animals, I wouldn’t have to discipline you!”
“Bullshit!” Ikki spat, breaking free from Tatsumi’s grasp. “You nitpick every little thing we do! You beat us day in and day out! You just want any reason to take out your frustrations on us!”
“Why you―”
“Tokumaru, take a walk.” Atsuya warned, gripping Tatsumi’s arm so tightly the man yelped in pain. Any more, and he’d probably shatter the bone.
“Y-yes sir!” He quickly ducked out of the building, leaving Atsuya and the children.
After a breath, Atsuya knelt down to the children’s heights and looked Ikki in the eyes. “Has he always treated you like that?”
Hesitant, Ikki nodded slowly.
“And the rest of you? Has he treated you all like that as well?”
More timid nods.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone…?”
“We tried,” the blond boy spoke up, a thick Russian accent permeating his speech. “The old man told us it is necessary to be Saints.”
“Hyoga’s right,” the black haired boy chimed in, shaking his head. “Tatsumi and Mr. Kido told us that we didn’t have the right to complain, that becoming a Saint was a tough route. If we couldn’t handle this, we would die when sent to our training grounds.”
“I never would’ve let him continue to train you if I knew.” Atsuya looked between the five children in front of him. “Being a Saint is indeed a tough and dangerous path, but that doesn’t mean you deserve to be abused and treated like garbage. I wo―”
Ikki scoffed loudly. “And why would we trust you? You barely ever showed up here anyways. Even the little princess is around more. You probably don’t even know half of our names.”
At that, Atsuya winced. No, he didn’t know most of the children’s names. Their official Saint training hadn’t started yet, so Atsuya wasn’t called in to teach them. And yet, he didn’t even do the bare minimum of learning the names of the boys that were to become little soldiers. He’d been so preoccupied with his own issues that he didn’t even consider what the children were going through.
Perhaps a part of him, deep down, didn’t actually care about them.
“No.” Aiolos said, silencing the treacherous voice within his heart. “I don’t know your names. I don’t know anything about you. And I’m not going to pretend that I’m an upstanding individual.”
“Mr. Atsuya-” Seiya started, but Aiolos put his hand up to stop him.
“No matter what my excuses will or could have been, the point of the matter is I failed you all, in more ways than one. It was my passiveness that made things escalate as far as they had. If I had been more observant, none of this would have happened.”
To the children, this may have been referring to Tatsumi directly. But Aiolos was referring to everything, from Kido’s sneakiness to the mistreatment of these boys. He should have realized how little Kido cared for their wellbeing when he’d found that the boys were being fed table scraps and near expired food. He’d changed things then, but never bothered to ensure that the children were comfortable.
What kind of person did that make him?
“He’s never going to lay a hand on you again.” Aiolos promised, extending a hand to Ikki. It was his choice whether or not he wanted to take it. He wasn’t going to touch them without permission. “From now on, I’ll handle your training personally.”
Ikki raised an eyebrow, looking at the hand that was outstretched to him. Still not entirely convinced, but the tough facade was slowly melting away. “Who’re you to train us on anything? You’re just a rich guy.”
Aiolos stood, and in one smooth motion, he channeled his cosmo into his hand to form a golden arrow. He didn’t fire it, but the gesture alone was enough to draw the amazement of all of the children.
“I was a Saint myself,” Aiolos confessed, crushing the arrow in his hand. It exploded into a burst of golden light and fractals. “There’s no one more qualified to teach you than me.
“So? What do you say?”
–
Atsuya returned to the manor, heading right up the stairs towards Kido’s bedroom.
“Ah, Atsuya-sama!” Tatsumi called out, wincing at the glare that was shot his way. Despite the earlier situation, Tatsumi didn’t seem the least bit concerned. In fact, it almost seemed like he didn’t expect Atsuya to still be angry.
How utterly disgusting.
“Tokumaru, I don’t want to hear anything you have to say to me.”
“Ah, but- Kido-sama isn’t in right now-”
What? Where on earth could he be at this time of night?
“When will he return.”
“He said that he should be home before midnight, or 1am at the very latest.” Tatsumi held out a small slip of paper, which Atsuya had taken from him to read himself. Indeed, it was a note in Kido’s handwriting stating that he’d be home late.
“That’s fine,” Atsuya said, burning the note with a burst of cosmo. “I can wait.”
For some reason, Tatsumi found the declaration unsettling.
–
Mitsumasa Kido returned nearly half an hour after midnight.
After passing his greetings to Tatsumi and sending him off to bed for the night, the old man climbed the steps and approached his bedroom. He’d been reading over the documents that he’d gotten from his prior engagement as he opened the door and entered the room, absently flicking on the light with a practiced gesture. Something he’d done every single day to the point of muscle memory.
He approached his desk, setting the papers down with an exasperated sigh.
“Odd. I’ve never seen you emote like that before.”
Mitsumasa nearly jumped out of his skin, whipping around to the direction of the voice. On the far wall, right beside the lightswitch, was Aiolos.
“Good lord lad, have you been standing there this whole time?” Kido immediately reverted to his normal unflappable expression, but his heart was still loudly thrumming in his ears.
“I was waiting for you to return.” he calmly responded, still leaning against the wall. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a doctor’s appointment today?”
“...How did you know that?” He hadn’t told anyone where he was going, not even Tatsumi. As if subconsciously answering his own question, the old man’s eyes darted to his desk. The black book he kept there to keep track of his schedule was missing. His eyes returned back to Aiolos, and in his crossed arms dangled the missing book. “Did you sneak into my room just to swipe my schedule book?”
Ignoring his questions, Aiolos opened the book with one hand. “19:00, Meet with the oncology team.” A pause. “Do you have cancer?”
Kido’s expression was unreadable, but eventually he nodded.
“Liver. It’s proceeded extremely far, and at my age, there aren’t many options for treatment.” Kido motioned to the papers he’d brought home with him.
“Are you dying?”
“Mn. I perhaps only have 2 or so years left.”
Aiolos closed the book, never moving from his spot against the wall. “When were you planning on telling me this?”
“When I couldn’t hide it any longer.”
Aiolos nodded, as if understanding everything now. “Did you do it on purpose? Sending that letter to Vander when Tokumaru was busy, knowing he’d ask me to deliver it for him? Knowing I wouldn’t be able to resist looking at it?”
Mitsumasa slowly sat down in his office chair. Now that Aiolos knows that he was sick, all of Kido’s slow and methodical movements seem obvious now. He looked like a suffering man. And yet, he didn’t feel bad at all for not realizing it sooner.
“You’re angry with me.”
“I don’t think there’s a word to describe what I feel right now.” Aiolos admitted.
“Everything I did was for Saori. For our family.”
“We are not your family. You have a family. Hoshiko, and her son Mei.”
Kido seemed confused, as if the names were strange to him. Vander and Hoshiko had said that Mitsumasa always had problems mentally. The cancer must’ve exacerbated that, thoroughly ruining whatever semblance of a rational brain the old man had left.
“No matter… What will you do now? No matter what punishment you enact on me, I won’t live long enough to truly experience it. But if it’s for you, I’ll accept it all.”
“Stop it. Stop talking like that.” Aiolos threw the book across the room. “You’re a lunatic. I trusted you!”
“Yes? I did all I could to help you and Saori, did I not? What did I do that made you so cross with me?”
“You kidnapped those children! Killed their parents! Bribed people!”
“You told me to find Saint candidates.”
“I didn’t tell you to steal them!” Aiolos slammed his hand on the dresser, causing it to splinter under the force of his strength. And yet, Kido didn’t look concerned at all.
“I want to live long enough to see them sent to their training grounds. I think we should push forward the selection day.”
Aiolos couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It was as if the man had completely lost his mind, acting as if the moment at hand didn’t matter at all to him.
“Mm. Yes, I think that’s what we’ll do. I’ll advise Tokumaru to handle the preparations.”
“We’re not done talking about this. You can’t talk your way out, not this time.”
“We are done,” Kido replied, a lucidity in his voice that reminded Aiolos of when they had first met. “I’m tired, Atsuya, I would like to go to sleep.”
In a breath of a second, Aiolos cleared the distance between them and grabbed Kido by the lapel. The man was extremely light, and up close Aiolos could see that his bulky frame was mostly because of multiple layers of clothing. He truly was just a sick old man. Fragile, like glass.
“What will you do?” Mitsumasa said, meeting Aiolos’ gaze. He harbored no fear, in fact he looked almost relieved. The look in his eyes, as if begging the other to do something. To take that leap past the point of no return. “Are you angry enough? Do you hate me enough?”
Enough to kill?
Aiolos would be lying if he said he hadn’t thought about it. After everything, there was a tiny voice in the back of his brain that agreed that perhaps the world would be better without Mitsumasa Kido in it. It was an awful, awful thing to cross his mind, and yet the more he learned about what the man had done, the louder that tiny voice became.
And yet, no voice was stronger than the one of his heart.
He flooded cosmo from his body into Kido’s, rejuvenating him just a bit. It wasn’t much, there wasn’t much that could be done at this point. But at least Aiolos could extend his lifespan, if by just a little bit.
“Wha-”
“To take a life simply because I could; I wouldn’t be any better than you, now would I?” Aiolos bitterly mumbled, closing his eyes for a moment longer than a simple blink before releasing the old man. “I can’t cure you, and I can’t force you to feel remorse for what you’ve done, but I can keep you alive, just a bit more. For a bit longer. For as long as it takes.
“You don’t get to run away from this. You ruined a lot of lives, you hurt a lot of people. I doubt there’s any humanity left in you. Who knows if you’ve ever truly felt anything for anyone that didn’t involve elevating yourself above them like a tyrant lording over the masses.
“But for as terrible as you are, and for as angry as I am at you, I will never take your life. I’ll do the exact opposite. I’ll extend your lifespan as much as I can, for as long as I can.”
“You’re condemning me to a life of suffering…” Mitsumasa gasped, finally showing emotion. How funny, how fear only appeared when it was for his own wellbeing.
Aiolos smiled, that practiced way that he’d perfected long ago. “Those boys would say the same to you. Isn’t it funny how that works?”
“You can’t do this. You’re a Saint of Athena! You protect mankind! Saori would never forgive you for letting me suffer like this!”
“Don’t you remember? I haven’t been a proper Saint in years.” Aiolos walked over to the book he’d thrown, picking it up and returning it to Mitsumasa’s desk. “Don’t worry, I’m not heartless. You won’t feel much, and with your fortune, you could make yourself comfortable.”
Aiolos helped the man into his bed, tucking him in.
“Such a wicked nature. You’re just like your mother.” Mitsumasa grumbled, closing his eyes. The delusions were taking over again, it seems.
“No, Father.” Atsuya whispered, watching as the old man drifted off to sleep thanks to the residual warmth of his cosmo. The room fell silent, save for the soft snoring of Mitsumasa.
“If anyone passed on their wickedness, it was you.”
Aiolos had been planning this Valentine's Day for almost 3 whole months.
There was so much he had to ensure before being able to spend the entire day away from his responsibilities. Coordinating his schedule, but also Saga's schedule to make sure they both had that day entirely free.
Aiolos first had to tell Saga to clear the day. Saga was often busy at Sanctuary by his own intent, and would work from sunrise to sunset unless someone stopped him. By telling him to take the day off in advance, Saga would spend the time leading up to that day tidying up any work that crossed his desk.
It was perfect, because this way Aiolos could ensure Saga was free, but also be able to work on his own plans without worrying on Saga finding out what he was preparing for the day.
Once that was done, Aiolos had to free his own schedule. Which was easier said than done.
Aiolos had to make sure that all of his training plans for the next few months were airtight. He'd stayed up all night for almost an entire week writing and double checking those plans, and once he was satisfied, he handed them right over to Tatsumi.
"Ah… Sir, you do know that it's currently the end of November, correct?"
"Correct."
"…So why are you submitting plans for as far forward as February?"
"Because I have plans for the 14th." Aiolos smiled in that rehearsed way he'd perfected after his years with Mitsumasa Kido. Tatsumi couldn't help the shudder that ran up his spine.
"O-Okay sir, thank you for your diligence!"
Next, Aiolos had to assign administrative duties to Marzipan for February. Luckily, it was easy enough to direct her. Marzipan was smart, and a quick learner. As he handed her the clipboard full of tasks she had to memorize, she glanced at him with a vaguely inquisitive look on her face.
"This is only for the first couple of weeks of February."
"Indeed."
"There's nothing here after the 14th."
"That is correct."
The two stood in silence for a moment, Aiolos with his practiced smile and Marzipan with a very suspicious glare.
"You're doing this just so you can go on a date with Saga, aren't you?"
At that, Aiolos simply shrugged his shoulders. Ah, so he wasn't even going to admit to it to me.
"Will you take care of the tasks for me?"
All Marzipan could do was sigh in annoyance. "Do I even have a choice?"
Again, Aiolos smiled and shrugged his shoulders. He was just asking as a courtesy, there was no choice here at all!
"…I'll handle it."
"Thank you, Marzipan~!"
―
"Father, are you planning on going on a long trip?" Saori asked, sitting across from Aiolos during their daily tea time. Even though she was 17 now and fully awakened as Athena almost a year ago, she still refused to let divinity take away what made her Saori.
Aiolos appreciated her stubbornness, but the amount of choice words his fellow Gold Saints had for him when Saori refused to stay in her temple was quite the ordeal.
"No, not at all. Why?" he asked, setting the tea cup down to refill it.
"How strange… I'd heard buzz around the manor about you preparing to take some time off."
She must've heard about my plan to clear out Valentine's Day…
"I'm planning on taking a day off in February, that's all. But I have to make sure that there's nothing that could come up unexpectedly before that point."
Saori tilted her head in confusion for just a moment, before she seemed to figure it all out right away.
"Oh! Are you planning to spend Valentine's Day with someone?!"
Sometimes Aiolos forgot that she was the goddess of wisdom. To guess with just that small tidbit of info he mentioned…
"Saori-"
"This is so exciting! Shall we clear out the manor and set up a lovely dinner here?"
"Saori-"
"Or perhaps we can rent out a popular restaurant in another country! How about France? I hear it's the perfect place for lovers on Valentine's Day!"
"Saori!"
The girl blinked, finally being shaken from her thoughts. "Yes Father?"
"You don't need to worry about any of that, I'll be handling the plans for the day myself. All I ask is that you help me keep that day entirely clear. I don't want any distractions, and you're the only one I can trust to keep an eye on the manor while I'm gone.
"Can you do that for me?"
Saori couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed. Of course she was ecstatic that Aiolos was trusting her with the work at home, but when does she ever get to talk with him about his personal life and romances?? As far as she knew, he was single without a care for anyone who crossed his path.
When she was little, she had assumed her father never dated or remarried out of respect for her mother. But when she awakened as Athena and learned that Aiolos was not in fact her biological father, she realized that his solitude must've just been his preference. Saori was fine with this, of course. She didn't need a mother, she had Marzipan and that was good enough for her. But surely, her father deserved to happy sometimes…
"Saori?"
"Ah- Yes, Father. I'll take care of everything on my end!"
Aiolos smiled, one of the rare genuine ones that he'd saved only for her, and Saori could sense the relief he felt. This date was this important to him?? Now she HAD to know who this person was. But she couldn't just ask outright; if Aiolos hadn't introduced her to this person yet, then perhaps he wasn't comfortable bringing them into his life.
"…Will you excuse me, Father? I'd like to get started on some tasks as well."
"Hm? Of course, don't let me stop you. But don't you want to-"
Saori politely bowed her head and quickly left before Aiolos could finish his sentence.
"… I guess she didn't want to know who I was spending the day with…"
Once the door shut, Saori hiked up the ends of her long skirt and sprinted down the hall to her bedroom. She yanked the door open before slamming it shut behind her, blocking the door with her body as if preventing anyone from approaching.
Alicia Mii Benethol, Saori's secretary and closest friend, was startled so badly she dropped the bedding that was bundled within her arms. She must've been making the bed before Saori arrived.
"S-Saori-san??"
"Alicia! Can you call my aunt please? This is a matter of utmost importance."
Mii quickly shifted to Saintia mode, gripping the Dolphin medallion that hung from around her neck.
"Is it an enemy? Perhaps Poseidon or Hades have awakened? …Wait, your aunt, as in Hoshiko-san?"
Saori nodded sternly. "I need her help, my father is going on a date!"
Mii's shoulders immediately went slack. "Saori-san, Master Atsuya often gets marriage and relationship proposals from influential families. If we dropped everything for each one, we'd―"
"No Alicia, you don't understand," Saori gripped the other girl's shoulders, getting nearly nose to nose with her. Immediately, Mii's face went red. "Father chose this date all on his own. He's cleared his entire schedule for it. On Valentine's Day."
"…"
"…"
"I-I'll call Hoshiko-san right away!"
―
While Aiolos was toiling away at clearing his schedule and any potential obstacles, Saori was now working on her own plans for Valentine's Day. And such plans included help from her foster aunt, Hoshiko Guraad.
The two women sat opposite each other, staring intently into the other's eyes. Mii bustled around them, placing tea and snacks before them as they continued their impromptu staring contest. Strange to any outsiders perchance, but this was a common practice amongst the Kido women. Started by Vander Guraad herself, the intention of this stare-off was to gauge the limits of the opposing party.
The first to blink was deemed the submissive one of the conversation, and was forced to hand over control of the discussion to the winner. Admittedly, Vander only ever used this tactic with business partners or when she wanted to get Hoshiko to confess to some sort of misbehavior, but the intentions of this particular use of the tactic were crystal clear.
The winner gets to take the lead of their Valentine's Day plan.
Though neither of them shared a single drop of blood with Aiolos, they both loved him as family. Saori with unconditional love to her father figure and Hoshiko with her teasing love to her brother figure. As such, milestones like these were exceedingly rare. The loser of this bout will potentially never get another chance like this ever again.
However, Saori was at a distinct disadvantage. She shared no blood at all with the Guraads, meaning that Hoshiko, who was Vander's daughter, was genetically predisposed to win this game of wits. And unfortunately, she could hold the gaze no longer and blinked.
"Woo-hoo! Sorry, Riri, but you're 20 years too young to master the patented Vander gaze!" the older woman cheered, much to Saori's disappointment.
"Hoshi-nee, this was a rigged competition and you know it." She slumped onto the table, avoiding knocking anything over thanks to Mii's swift repositioning of the tea cups and plates.
"You agreed to it! Besides, I'm not actually gonna lord it over you." Hoshiko sat back down, grabbing a cookie off the serving plate and stuffing it into her mouth. "Mmn, we have to work together for something like this. I mean, this is way bigger than either of us can comprehend!"
Saori nodded, sitting up. "R-right! Father never once mentioned a romantic partner to me, so this is very important! But we have to be secretive about this, I don't want him to be embarrassed about us finding out like this."
"Why not just ask him outright? If he didn't hide the fact he wanted to spend his time with someone on Valentine's Day, surely he would tell you who he was seeing if you expressed interest in knowing?" Mii asked, standing beside the table with a serving tray held against her abdomen.
Hoshiko waved the girl off, shaking her head. "No way, Atsuya would never spill the beans. He probably wasn't expecting Riri to guess that he had plans that day. He'd probably keep the secret until the day he dies."
Saori nodded in agreement. "He would have told me something this important. I wonder if the person is someone I wouldn't approve of."
"Perhaps it's someone from his past, before he became Atsuya. Maybe he doesn't want them to see he's a rich heir to a huge conglomerate!"
Saori gasped in horror. "Do you think he's worried they'd only like him for his money? Or maybe they'd leave him if they found out how much responsibility they'd have to deal with??"
Hoshiko sucked her teeth in annoyance, as if already building a negative image of them in her head. "Or worse, maybe they don't like children that aren't their own."
"What? Father would never get involved with someone who hates children-"
"Well, you're almost 18 right? Not to mention you're also the reincarnation of a goddess. Maybe he's expecting you to move out right away and do your goddess duties, so he didn't even think it would effect you much."
Suddenly, Saori felt a bit self conscious. Aiolos had told her that she could stay with him as long as she liked, especially if she didn't feel comfortable at Sanctuary among strangers. However, if Poseidon or Hades awakened, they agreed that she would have to return and embrace her destiny as Athena. He was always hyper aware of her feelings, and did all he could to accommodate her. No matter how selfish her request, he granted it. But would he ever prioritize his feelings over her own?
Saori wasn't so sure that he would.
"I don't want Father to make those kinds of decisions just for my sake. If he loves someone, I want to support that. I want him to love freely."
"Same here! I think if anyone can crack his exterior, then that's someone I wanna be friends with. Listen, I have a great idea! Let's follow him on his date! Just until we can see how he really feels about this person!"
Mii scrunched up her nose in concern. "But that would be invading his privacy, no? What if he catches you?"
"I'm a master of disguise! And we won't stay close enough for him to even notice us!"
Mii really didn't look very convinced, but Saori seemed excited. To be able to meet the person her father fancies and witness him being in love? How could she ever say no to that?
"Let's plan our mission carefully, Hoshi-nee!"
"Right!"
Meanwhile, Aiolos had been so busy planning his day that he didn't even notice that Saori and Hoshiko seemed to be plotting something on their end. Or maybe he did notice, but didn't put much thought to it. Well, as long as they didn't give him any extra things to worry about, then it'll been fine…
And with that train of thought in mind, the aforementioned day finally arrived.
"Saori, I'll be gone for the day and I may be home late." Aiolos said to her on the morning of, checking himself in the hall mirror to make sure everything is perfect. He wasn't dressed overly fancy, but it was notably that he was indeed dressed up for the day. His hair was properly brushed and far less wild than it usually was.
"Have fun, Father! I'll actually be spending the day with Hoshi-nee and Alicia, so you won't have to worry about me!"
Aiolos blinked, turning to look at Saori. He hadn't heard anything about her leaving the manor today. "Hm? Are you three going out?"
"Oh, just into town to pick up some snacks, and then we'll be right back!"
"Hm…?" For some reason, the way she said that made him a bit suspicious. But he didn't have time to worry about that now, Saga was known to be very punctual. If he took too long to leave, he'd end up making Saga wait.
"Ah, wait, did you need a ride into town or-"
Saori gasped and immediately pushed him towards the door. "No no, Hoshi-nee will drive us! Go on! Don't worry, we'll take care of everything at home for you!"
At that, Aiolos' worries faded away. With Saori watching after things, surely today will go off without a hitch.
He waved and walked out, getting into his car before driving off towards town. Once Saori was sure he was gone, she waved over Hoshiko who was hiding nearby.
"He's already left, let's hurry."
"We'll use one of the unmarked cars so he doesn't realize it's us. C'mon!"
―
Aiolos parked his car at the meeting point, a little cafe in the downtown area. He didn't see Saga and at first, he was worried that he had actually beaten him here. However, those fears were alleviated when a sudden burst of golden light flashed beside him. A cosmo he knew all too well, of course.
"Saga!"
The aubergine-haired man gently brushed his shoulder off before standing upright. Despite having traveled here using light-speed, there wasn't a hair or wrinkle out of place. As expected of a Saint trained from birth.
"Aiolos- Did I arrive late?" Saga looked confused to see him there. Not surprisingly, considering that Aiolos was usually the last one to arrive to their gatherings. But not this time, as he so proudly displayed.
"I decided to make sure I was on time!"
Saga glanced at a wall clock nearby. It was almost 20 minutes before their designated meeting time.
"Hm."
"Are you ready? This is going to be a wonderful day for the both of us." he extended his arm for Saga to take before leading him into the cafe.
The first step of today was to have some coffee and a light snack. An easy endeavor that Aiolos wasn't worried about in any regard. And since it was Valentine's Day, the cafe had plenty of new pastries to try.
On the street outside, Hoshiko and the younger girls parked the car in a nearby lot before stepping out to survey the area. They were all dressed in fancy yet inconspicuous clothing, with their hair tied up in tight buns and tucked under large sun hats.
"Okay, so he's supposed to be in the cafe right? But it's not even their meeting time yet, why'd he have to leave so early?" Hoshiko adjusted the large sunglasses on her face, looking over at Saori who had a large sheet of paper in her hands.
"I think perhaps his valentine is prone to showing up early, so he wanted to match that."
Mii sighed, the least dressed up of the three. She was still adamantly against this entire situation, but she was powerless against Saori's pleading. Still, it didn't stop her from injecting her two cents into the conversation.
"I still think we could have just asked him outright… And where did you even get that plan?"
"Oh, we just eavesdropped on him making the plans. We probably much have everything planned out here, but there are a few gaps." Hoshiko shrugged. "Nothing we won't learn while following him. Riri, do you recognize the person he's with?"
Saori squinted through the large sunglasses, unable to properly see the face, but she couldn't shake that she recognized the person. Especially the hair.
"…It's too far away, I can't see-"
"We can't get any closer without him notici-"
"That's Gemini Saga," Mii said, having removed her own pair of sunglasses to see better. She had perfect eyesight, and was trained to notice things most people couldn't thanks to her position closest to Saori. Despite the difference in how the man looked and was currently carrying himself, she knew it was him.
"Saga? Really??"
"Whozzat?" Hoshiko interjected, tilting her head.
"He's a Gold Saint under Athena's army. Currently he acts as the Grand Pope of Sanctuary." Mii raised an eyebrow. "Honestly, I should have expected this. I always thought Master Aiolos had a strange soft spot for him."
Saori was conflicted; on one side she was happy to know that Aiolos was progressing his relationship with Saga after the 16 year stagnant period they encountered. The two were childhood friends, and had worked hard to cooperate despite everything that happened. However, she wondered if it truly was her fault that Aiolos didn't mention this to her.
Saga, though he was possessed, HAD tried to kill Saori years before. It took nearly a year and a half for her to convince him that she didn't blame him at all for the situation, but she could tell how uncomfortable Saga was with being around her. Perhaps the secrecy was an effort to spare them both the headache.
"Huh. Well, I can't lie, he's super beautiful. Are you sure that's a guy?"
Mii nodded. "Only men are allowed to act as Athena's Saints. A woman's only option to join the army is either as a Saintia, or as an Amazon."
"Amazon? Like Wonder Woman?" Hoshiko asked, sitting at one of the outdoor cafe tables. It still granted a good view of the cafe without putting them in Aiolos' line of sight.
"Not quite. Amazons must abandon their womanhood and wear masks in order to become Saints. They effectively become men."
"Wow. That's kinda sexist..."
"The point is, if Saga were a woman, he would be wearing a mask."
"They have to wear the mask all the time?? Even in public??"
"Of course. It's a part of them. To see an Amazon's face would be even worse than viewing her naked."
"What?!"
The door to the cafe opened, causing all three to stiffen and fall silent.
"I'm always surprised by all the different ways there are to prepare coffee beans." Saga remarked, exiting first as Aiolos held the door open for him.
"Wait til you learn about canned and bottled coffee." Aiolos grinned, following after him. His eyes caught the three women sitting nearby, and his gaze lingered for just a moment before Saga gained his attention again.
"Where to next?"
"Oh, there's this lovely bookstore nearby―"
The girls waited until the mens' voices drifted far enough away before tentatively glancing around.
"They're gone." Mii confirmed, exhaling softly. Despite her saying that this was a foolish idea, she found herself swept up into the shenanigans nonetheless. The idea of being caught was almost terrifying!
"I could feel his eyes staring holes into the back of my head," Saori mumbled, pulling the hat down further. "I thought we were caught for sure."
"Who goes to a bookstore on Valentine's Day? When we get home, I'm coaching Atsuya on the right way to romance a valentine." Hoshiko stood, gesturing to the direction they went. "Let's hurry before we lose them, alright?"
"Right!"
―
At the bookstore, Saori learned that Saga apparently loved books. He had bustled about, looking at all the different types of books available. It seemed like history books were his favorite, judging by how long he lingered in that area. And Aiolos seemed happy to just watch him.
"Ah, he's a nerd. Like a kid in a candy store…" Hoshiko said, amused.
Saori was extremely engrossed in the scene; she wasn't able to speak to Saga about anything personal like this. So being able to see his likes and hobbies with her own two eyes was a rare situation indeed. She could've watched them all day.
"Saori-san? What're ya doin'?"
"S-Seiya?!" What was he doing here??
Seiya was holding a large paper bag, dressed in his usual attire of a red shirt and jeans. She'd hadn't seen him in a few months, and still he bore some scars from his fight with the Gold Saints despite his cosmo and the expensive medical attention he'd received.
Her heart clenched at the sight.
"Why're ya wearin' this weird hat?" He gently grabbed the rim of the hat with his free hand, lifting it to get a better look at her face. "Are ya here to buy some books?"
"Uh, no I-" Saori looked behind Seiya and didn't see Hoshiko or Mii anywhere. Did they abandon her?!
"Oh hey, that's Aiolos and Saga in there! No wonder you were here, you wanted to chat with 'em!" Seiya knocked on the large glass window and opened his mouth to say something.
"SEIYA NO!!" Saori yanked him out of the window's line of sight and pinned him against the brick wall.
"S-Saori-san??" She quickly put a hand over his mouth, going silent as the bookstore door opened and the two Gold Saints walked out.
"How odd, I swear I heard someone tap on the glass." Aiolos mused, looking around. He noticed the two pressed against the wall, but the large hat obscured their faces.
"Ah, how cute," Saga chuckled. "Young love is the same everywhere, it seems."
Aiolos grinned mischievously, softly nudging the other with his elbow. "Reminds you of our youth, hm?"
"Oh please."
The two continued onward to their next destination, and once they were out of earshot, Saori finally freed Seiya.
"What was that about??"
"Oh- Father is on a very important date and I'm trying to make sure it goes perfectly." She crossed her arms under her chest, shaking her head. "Don't you know what today is? I can't believe you almost interrupted them without a care!"
Seiya didn't seem to understand the situation, but he did understand that it was something he shouldn't interfere in. Instead, he reached into the paper bag he was carrying and pulled out a smaller paper bag.
"What's this?" Saori asked as Seiya dropped the bag into her hands.
"Three strawberry muffins. Got em for free when I was buying some stuff for the others." he smiled, gesturing behind him. "You're here with a couple friends right?"
There stood Hoshiko and Mii, who were hiding behind a pole a couple feet away.
"Oh… thank you-"
"No problem. Happy Valentine's Day, Saori-san!" Seiya waved and walked off, leaving her dumbfounded and admittedly, a bit flustered.
"How dare he get so close to Saori-sama… And to gift her something on Valentine's Day no less…" Mii dug her nails into the pole, denting it with her sudden influx of cosmo.
"Easy there-" Hoshiko gently put a hand on Mii's shoulder. "Let's just go on to the next stop..."
―
If Saori thought Seiya was the only familiar face she was going to encounter today, she was sorely mistaken.
For some reason, every single person she knew was out on the town today. And they were all dangerously close to encroaching on Aiolos' date!
At the restaurant they went to for lunch, Saori ran into Shoko and Kyoko. Then Jabu and Ichi arrived, which almost led to a fight between Jabu and Shoko. Luckily, they managed to diffuse the situation before something awful happened, however keeping Aiolos and Saga from sensing the sudden rise in cosmo was the real struggle.
After lunch, the two had gone to a park to spend some quiet time together. Unfortunately, this was also where Saori found Hyoga, Ban, Ikki, and Nachi fishing. Fishing, in a public park! She gave them an extremely length and violent tongue lashing, so much so that she almost didn't notice Aiolos and Saga approaching.
In a sudden bout of panic, she threw the boys into some nearby bushes just in time for the pair to pass by without an issue.
After the park, the two had gone to watch a movie. Saori was hopeful that at least this would be uneventful, until she ran into Shun, Shiryu, June, and Geki. A hopeful situation turned into another catastrophe as June and Geki got into a heated argument about what to order at the concession stand, causing enough of a ruckus to start drawing the attention of other theatre guests.
Saori mediated by buying a bunch of items and shoving them into the arms of the four before sending them off to their movie, which was thankfully in a room completely different from the one Aiolos and Saga were going to.
The final event of the day was dinner at a high-end restaurant, and this time Saori was certain that nothing could go wrong. She'd already dealt with the Bronze Saints and none of them would be able to afford coming to a place like this without her help anyways, so she was ready to settle down and watch the night wrap up.
That is, until she ran into an unlikely group right outside the restaurant.
Aiolia, Marin, Shaina, and Milo were apparently just as surprised to see her there as well.
"You all- what are you doing here??"
"Marin and I were on our way back from dinner at Seiya's place." Aiolia said, gently shaking Saori's hand.
"Milo and I had a spa and manicure day, we just finished actually." Shaina added, gesturing to the other two. "We all agreed to meet up to head back to Greece together. What are you doing out here?"
"Oh, uhm-"
Aiolia paused, turning towards the restaurant. "I sense my brother's cosmo, is he who you came to meet?"
"Saga is there too," Milo crossed his arms, looking down at Saori. "Are you having dinner with them?"
"No, they're on a date! So we can't bother them, it's not every day that they get to spend time together!"
The four glanced at each other, before Marin spoke up.
"Have you been monitoring them all day?"
Saori's shoulders slumped a bit. She'd been running herself ragged alongside Hoshiko and Mii all to ensure that Aiolos and Saga had a good day, and it was finally starting to wear on her. If there was any other interruptions, she might just collapse.
"Athena," Aiolia gently placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to meet his eyes. "You didn't need to go to such lengths. Even if Aiolos wanted this day to himself, he wouldn't approve of you breaking your back trying to protect that. It's just one day, you know?"
"It's not just one day! It's Valentine's Day, and they deserve to have the day for themselves! It's the least I could do, since I make Saga so uncomfortable-"
"Who told you that?"
"F-Father??"
Aiolos and Saga had chosen that moment to leave the restaurant, cutting into the conversation on complete accident.
"Lady Athena, what made you think that you make me uncomfortable?" Saga approached her, gently taking her hands into his own. "Nothing you could ever do would lead to such an outcome."
"What-? But, I thought that you were uncomfortable after the whole temple fight! I thought that that's why you two haven't been open about your relationship to me!"
"It was nothing like that, but what do you mean we weren't open? I thought it was apparent that Aiolos and I were in a relationship?" Saga looked around to varied responses.
"…Erh… Maybe we were a bit more reserved than I thought…"
"Saori," Aiolos leant down to her level, putting a hand on her cheek. "No one is embarrassed or uncomfortable around you. And no one was hiding anything from you either. It's just rare for Saga and I to have some free time."
"…
"If that's true, why didn't you tell me that you were seeing Saga today? Why hide it?"
Aiolos tilted his head, apparently confused.
"I wasn't hiding anything? If you wanted to know, you just had to ask-"
From the back of the group, Mii shook her head in annoyance, shooting a very knowing glare towards Hoshiko.
"Hehe… Oops…"
dividers by @uzmacchiato
Valentine's Day prompts and event by @shions-corner
Dohko had realized that leaving Shion alone for a long time was a detriment to both of them.
Shion already secluded himself, and Dohko was worried about the toll that will take on the other's mental state. Meanwhile, he often grew bored without someone around. Talking telepathically was fine, but Dohko was a social animal. He wanted to be able to see people face to face, to talk with them and enjoy their company.
So this distance between the two of them was driving Dohko insane.
He sat in front of the waterfall, watching but not really processing the sight in his mind. He was actually lost in thought, trying to decide what to do.
Visiting often wasn't within the realm of possibility, they both had their own tasks to manage. And he'd already decided that just talking wasn't enough stimuli for him. So what was the best course of action, here?
"Master Dohko, I've finished sweeping out the living quarters."
He turned, watching as the student bowed his head politely. Even since Dohko was stationed at the Rozan Peaks, he was tasked with training any potential Saints that came his way. It was easy enough, but he still wasn't used to the Misopethamenos. It made it hard for him properly move and train the younger Saints as he normally would, but he somehow managed to make do.
"Thank you, I know it wasn't easy cleaning out that huge area."
"It was fine! Besides, it was to make room for new students right?" the student adjusted a satchel over his shoulder.
"What is that you're carrying?"
"Oh, it's just some old items from past students. I was on my way to donate some things and throw the rest out, actually."
The student opened the satchel and showed off the items within. It was mostly books, clothing and toys, but one of such toy caught Dohko's attention.
"What is this, a teddy bear?"
"Oh yeah, it must've belonged to someone from years earlier. It's all dusty and falling apart."
Dohko held the little bear in his hands, suddenly recalling the student who had owned it. She was a young girl who was aiming to become an Amazon, but she unfortunately abandoned the training after a couple years. Dohko remembered how much she loved this little bear.
When I hug him, I'm reminded of my family. She would always say, nuzzling against the stuffed toy.
"Hmm… Perhaps this could work…"
"What could work, Master?"
"Oh, I was just thinking to myself. Say, did you find any spare fabrics while cleaning?"
The student nodded softly. "Some old blankets and clothes, plus some bedding and pillows."
"Perfect. Bring them all to me. And a sewing kit, if you could."
Confused, but unwilling to ignore his master's orders, the student hurried off to gather the items Dohko requested.
―
His first attempt was an utter failure.
Dohko had no control over his body for fighting or training young Saints, so he had assumed that something small and detailed would be a lot easier for him. Instead, it was the exact opposite. This seemed to be much more difficult than larger movements. His hands shook and he was constantly jabbing himself with the sewing needle.
He was using the old teddy bear as a guide, which helped him piece together the overall shape of the figure, but actually applying it to practice was a lot harder than he thought.
To conserve fabric, he made small palm sized teddy bears. There was a very obvious disconnect between how he wanted them to look and how they actually ended up looking. It was extremely disheartening.
But, he had plenty of time to improve and learn. Any of the fairly okay looking teddies were given to some of his students or the children in the neighboring village. In return, he was given better materials to work with.
Before he knew it, he had started making some decent looking stuffies. Not to pat himself on the back, but they actually looked pretty close to normal teddy bears.
Once he mastered the small ones, it was time to move on to larger ones.
He applied the knowledge he learned with the small bears and scaled it up, but he was still having some issues with the sewing and assembly. But he was persistent, and intent on completing this project before too long.
So, he worked a few hours each day, tending to the students' training first and foremost before returning to the teddy bears.
Days, weeks, and even months went by as he diligently worked on the bears, until finally he was happy with how they looked. There was still some messy stitching and the bears didn't look at perfect as he had hoped, but they were to the best of his abilities at this moment. Honestly, that was all that really mattered to him at the end of the day.
So, on a warm Saturday in February, Dohko returned to Sanctuary.
As he walked to the 12 Temples, he found it odd how many strange decorations and stalls were set up along the lower training grounds. But, he simply assumed it was a birthday or celebration of some sort and continued on his way.
"Oh, Master Dohko!"
He turned, seeing a group of Saints in training approaching him with their arms full of items.
"Where are you four rushing off? Has something happened?"
"We're off to deliver cards and candy! Are you gifting something today too?"
Huh? How did they know that?
Dohko nodded. "I'm off to deliver a gift to Shion."
The Saints immediately exchanged glances with each other, their cheeks faintly dusted red as they fiercely whispered amongst themselves.
"To Pope Shion no less…"
"Perhaps those rumors were true…"
Dohko tilted his head in confusion. What rumors…?
"I-if you're going to see Pope Shion, you have to take some candy with you!"
"Oh, and some pressed flowers too!"
"Here, I'll bundle it up for you!"
And suddenly, Dohko was saddled with a wrapped satchel of sweets and some flowers pressed into what looked to be clear resin. Paperweights, by the looks of it. Perhaps Shion would have some use for these…
"I…don't quite know why I need any of this, but thank you. I'll be going now…"
The group waved him off, congratulating Dohko on taking the first step and coming all this way for Shion. Whatever that meant…
He proceeded through the temples, making sure to linger a bit at the Libra temple to check on his armor before continuing onward.
When he finally reached the Pope's Temple, he was surprised to see that Shion wasn't busy at work like he usually was. Was the celebration so extensive it even granted Shion of all people a day off? That was perfect news for Dohko, who now had time to sit and chat with his partner without worrying about eating into his busy time.
"Shion! How have you been, we haven't spoken face to face in years!"
The other looked up in surprise. Apparently he hadn't been expecting Dohko to show up unannounced either.
"Goodness, you could have warned me that you were returning to Sanctuary. I would have prepared some tea for you."
"You can prepare it now!" Dohko took off his straw hat and set it aside, plopping himself down on the guest bench within the Pope's office. "Say, what on earth is going on out in town? All those decorations and stalls, you'd think it was Athena's birthday.
"…
"Wait, Athena hasn't been reborn yet, has she??"
Shion shook his head, preparing a pot of tea in the corner. "Of course not. It hasn't been 200 years yet. And besides, I would have told you."
"Hrmn." Dohko couldn't argue with that. Athena's rebirth would be a pretty big deal, but the decorations outside all seemed to resemble hearts. Red and pink as far as the eye could see! It reminded him of something. What a weird situation… "Oh well! Look at what I brought you!"
"You…brought me something?" Shion turned and came face to face with Dohko― No, this wasn't Dohko himself. It was a teddy bear that resembled Dohko. Or, it was supposed to resemble Dohko. It was a bit scruffy looking from the trip from China to Sanctuary.
"Ta-dah! I figured that you'd be lonely working in your office all the time, so I made you a little me! It took forever, I can't lie. I only just recently managed to finish it!"
Shion gently took the plush toy into his hands. It was slightly bigger than a normal teddy bear, but when he gently smoothed down its fur and "hair", it really did look just like Dohko.
"I'm surprised, Dohko. You even managed to capture your height with this little creature."
"Oh hah hah. I bring you a gift and this is how you treat me? I have half a mind to take little Dohko back!"
"You can't take back a gift, that's in poor taste!" It was just a joke, and yet Shion couldn't resist hugging the toy protectively to his chest. It smelled just like Dohko. All it was missing was being able to speak like him also.
"You came all the way here just to deliver this to me…"
"Sure did! Oh, and I passed some rascals on my way here, they gave me a bunch of candies and pressed flowers. Here, I'll give you some!
"Can't understand why they'd just give me this stuff though…"
Shion continued to hold the toy close, watching as Dohko pulled out little bags of homemade treats and the pressed flower paperweights, apparently not surprised at all. "Of course they gave you things. You're a Gold Saint. Valentine's Day is more than just romance for a lot of people. Gifting to someone you love can encompass all sorts of relationships."
Dohko handed some of the items over to Shion, tilting his head a bit. "Hm? What do you mean?"
"About what?"
"You said Valentine's Day, what does that have to do with anything?"
Shion quirked an eyebrow, looking down at Dohko. He seemed to be expecting some sort of laughter or follow-up joke, but when he realized the other was entirely serious, Shion had to bite back the urge to laugh.
"…Dohko, today is February 14th. Valentine's Day?"
Oh. Oh.
Suddenly everything he saw and heard made sense. Valentine's Day! And this was the day he'd chosen to deliver the teddy bear?? No wonder those young Saints looked so embarrassed!
"…You didn't even realize, huh?"
Dohko put his head in his hands, groaning. "I'd been working nonstop the last two months, I didn't even glance at the calendar before leaving…"
Shion chuckled, approaching Dohko and softly pressing a kiss on the top of his head. "Valentine's Day or not, I appreciate you thinking of me like this. Though I wasn't expecting you showing up today with a gift, no less. I'm afraid I don't have anything for you in return."
"Oh don't worry about it! I'm the one who showed up unannounced on a holiday. You don't have to give me anything!"
"Mm…" Shion paused, apparently thinking of something. "…Are you planning on leaving soon?"
"Oh yeah, I was just going to drop this off and head back to Rozan."
"Stay a while longer," Shion gently set the teddy bear down, turning it to face the other wall. "It is Valentine's Day, after all."
"Well yeah, but what does that have to do with me staying?
"…
"Shion? …Hey, that's a dangerous look in your eyes- H-hey!"
―
A few weeks later, Dohko found himself once again sitting before the waterfall. A boring, lonely task. He was regretting not making himself a proper teddy bear to sit with after all that work he'd done, but he'd run out of materials and only had one tiny Dohko bear left from his prior attempts.
"Maybe I'll go out into town to get some more materials…"
As Dohko pondered what kind of stuffed toy he'd make for himself, the student who had been tasked with cleaning just a few months earlier approached the peak, carrying a medium sized box in his arms.
"Hmm? What is that you have?" he blinked as the boy handed the box over.
"It arrived a few minutes ago. The box has your name on it, it looks like some sort of gift."
Dohko tilted his head, looking down at the box. It wasn't wrapped, but it was made of red card stock that was so shiny it looked polished. He popped off the lid and was greeted by a teddy bear.
However, this one looked just like Shion!
He pulled the teddy bear out of the box and noticed a little card tucked into the toy's neck scarf. On the card was a simple sentence scribbled in handwriting Dohko knew very well.
[For when you feel lonely]
"Pft-
"Puhahhah!"
Despite insisting he didn't need a gift in return, Shion still seemed to just know exactly when Dohko needed a pick-me-up. The bear was far better than any that Dohko had made, and he couldn't help but chuckle imagining Shion sewing the little thing.
He gently set the teddy down and tucked the tiny Dohko bear into its neck scarf.
"Now neither of us will be alone."
dividers by @uzmacchiato
Valentine's Day prompts and event by @shions-corner
Holidays were always a strange occurrence at Sanctuary.
Everyone has their own way of celebrating them. There's many different religions and traditions that aren't often celebrated by every single Saint. There were some that were main stay, of course, but usually each Saint stuck to what they knew.
One that tended to be celebrated by most Saints was Valentine's Day. An entirely Western, yet extremely popular holiday across many countries, it was brought over by a few Saints some decades back and became a yearly tradition.
When Camus was still young and freshly minted as the Aquarius Gold Saint, he was thoroughly confused by the custom. He hadn't experienced it himself while training in Siberia, and the idea of giving out candy and chocolate at one's own whims was completely foreign to him.
One such Valentine's Day, Camus went to visit his neighboring Gold Saint to ask about the custom.
"Ouh? Are you thinking of gifting a chocolate to someone? How very romantic of you!" Aphrodite, the Pisces Gold Saint, cooed from behind the teacup that was lifted to his lips. Camus always wondered how on earth Aphrodite could drink tea with a rose in his mouth, but the man never seemed uncomfortable about it.
"Come off it, Dite," grunted Cancer Deathmask, who was sitting across from him with his arms behind his head. "The brat isn't going to gift anything. He doesn't even know what's going on. Not a thought behind those eyes, look at him."
Both turned to look at Camus, who was visibly confused. Aphrodite almost looked like he pitied the younger Saint.
"Oh dear, do you truly not know the customs?"
Camus shook his head, much to the amusement of Deathmask.
"See? Told ya!"
Aphrodite shook his head, taking another sip of tea. "Honestly. How can a Frenchman be so ignorant to affairs of the heart?"
"What's the point of this custom?" Camus quickly interjected, hoping to stop the two from delving into a conversation on their own. "Where did it even come from?"
"The sources are pretty scattered, but the day commonly referred to as Valentine's Day got its name from a myriad of saints who were martyred on February 14th, causing the day to be called 'Saint Valentine's Day'." Aphrodite explained, gesturing Camus over to serve him a cup of tea.
"Over the years, it began to be affiliated with lovers and marriage, leading it to transform into the holiday it is today."
"Saints? What Cloths did they use?" Camus asked, intrigued.
"Ah, no, it wasn't that kind―" Aphrodite began, but found his words flounder at the youngster's expression. "Oh forget it… The point is, the day is for showing your affections to those who mean the most to you. It doesn't have to be romantic, you can even gift chocolates to your close friends. It's a day of love and closeness, how you interpret that is up to you."
Camus seemed to understand then, and committed the remark to memory.
And yet, he'd never really indulged in the holiday all these years later. Sometimes he received candy and flowers from other Saints, like Aphrodite and Milo. Once, he'd even been gifted a heart-shaped cake from Deathmask.
This is just payment because I need to cut through your temple to get to Pisces! He'd barked back then, though Camus appreciated it nonetheless. However, when he'd gone to Siberia to train his students, Camus had all but forgotten the holiday existed. He was far too preoccupied to deal with something like that, though he wasn't ignorant of the chocolate that would show up on his doorstep in February.
Though, he had admittedly just assumed it was something for his birthday, which was also in February.
So, imagine his surprise upon returning to Sanctuary and seeing the extent of the hold Valentine's Day had on everyone.
There were stalls all around of fresh flowers, baked goods, and rows upon rows of candies and chocolates. It was enough to make his head spin.
"Camus?"
He blinked, looking up to the person who'd called his name.
"Aphrodite." Camus replied with a slight nod, which was reciprocated by the other. "It's been a while."
"I'll say." Aphrodite's eyes scanned Camus up and down for just a moment, before he tilted his head with a smile. "You've grown! I remember when you were barely up to my chest."
"You're only two years older than me. And I was never that much shorter than you."
"Sure, sure." He'd tried, and failed, to hide the amused grin that crossed his lips, shifting a set of boxes under one of his arms. Camus' eyes darted to the movement before returning to meeting Aphrodite's gaze, but his momentary act of curiosity was not ignored.
"A couple of the asterism Saints have been running a popular chocolate and baked good stand. This year they've made special chocolates for each of the twelve Zodiacs. You should stop by, they're wonderful. And Gold Saints get a free sampler box."
"Hm."
Camus waved to Aphrodite as the other left to return to his temple. And suddenly felt the very familiar pang of curiosity gnawing at him. He'd had nothing else to do today, why not see what the buzz was about? He turned on his heel and walked towards the aforementioned stall.
"Asterisms…"
The asterisms were Saints that didn't fall under the normal 88 constellations and were a class of Saint all on their own. Despite most all Saints being warriors and using Cosmos, asterisms typically weren't put on the frontline. Most worked odd jobs or managed different jobs that normal Saints wouldn't have the time for.
If Camus remembered correctly, the asterisms that he knew of in Sanctuary were the two Dippers.
The Big Dipper, and the Little Dipper; asterisms of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor respectively. The two were inexplicably tied to the parent constellations that house them, and sometimes they were lumped together under the same name. Though he'd heard that the cloths were very different, the Ursae being in the shape of bears and the Dippers being in the shape of a figure holding a ladle.
How on earth could one confuse a bear for a ladle…?
Camus had never actually met either the Ursa Major nor Ursa Minor Saints, but he knew that they were bronze level cloths. Though asterisms didn't have a proper ranking, they were usually lumped into the same level as their parent constellations.
He approached the stall where the asterisms had set up shop, and could see what Aphrodite had been talking about earlier. There were so many different candies and foods all over, and each were decorated with things like hearts and colorful wrappers. It was a bit overwhelming honestly, but everything looked good.
As expected of the asterisms that handled the cooking at Sanctuary.
"Hello, I'll be right with you!" called a small and cheerful voice from the back area of the stall.
"Take your time." Camus responded, which caused the owner of the voice to immediately peak her head from behind the curtain. Upon seeing his face and armor, she quickly rushed out to greet him.
A small woman clad in glimmering blue armor that had a frilly apron hanging at the front stood before him. On the belt at her waist hung a large ladle depicting the Cloths' namesake, The Big Dipper.
"Aquarius Camus! I didn't know you were back in Sanctuary, how was your training? How's Siberia? Is it cold this time of year?" she quickly wiped her hands on her apron before extending a hand to shake with Camus.
"Great Dipper Catalina. I just arrived. Training was fine. Siberia is as it always was, and it was a very cold winter, as per usual."
Catalina nodded her head to each answer, apparently just happy to speak with him. Then, she seemed to remember something.
"Ambrose is in the kitchen! Would you like to speak with him?"
Ambrose, the Little Dipper asterism. Ironically, he wasn't little by any stretch of the word. He was easily as tall as Aldebaran, and just as well built muscular wise. If he was busy in the kitchen, Camus saw no reason to disturb him.
When he conveyed as much to Catalina, she once again nodded in complete understanding. Perhaps her offer was just one of courtesy, and not one that either expected to be acted on.
"Are you here for a chocolate set?" she asked, gesturing over to the display that housed tons of intricately crafted chocolate pieces. And standing at the display was yet another familiar face.
"…Capricorn Shura?"
At the mention of his name, he glanced up.
"Ah, Aquarius Camus. You've returned."
The two stood there, staring at each other in silence. Between them, Catalina poked her head over the display counter.
"Shura has been here for a while! He can't decide what to pick!"
"This is a very important decision, if I choose wrong and leave here, I'll regret my choices later."
Camus couldn't help the confusion that washed over his features.
"Are you… planning on eating every single one?"
"I haven't decided. I originally wanted to focus on my own star sign, but all of the unique flavors are equally interesting. Now, if you'll excuse me." He returned to his lost in thought stance from before, becoming as still as a statue.
Camus turned to Catalina.
"Surely you told him that Gold Saints get a free sampler of all of them, yes?"
She simply smiled with no response.
Ah, she was enjoying seeing Shura's struggle.
However, she did eventually spare him further turmoil by handing him a beautifully wrapped box of pink velvet with a silk ribbon.
Catalina also handed one to Camus, which he gratefully accepted.
"If you'd like, you can also build your own treat box by picking particular chocolates." she pointed to the displays of each Zodiac themed candy. 12, with a few chocolates based around Athena's Nike and Aegis. Camus' eyes scanned over the signs before noticing something strange.
"Why are there no more Aquarius chocolates?"
"Ah…"
Catalina seemed at a loss for words now. Odd. Were the Aquarius chocolates that popular? For some reason, that made him a bit proud of his star sign.
"Would you like me to reserve some? Ambrose is actually preparing more, but they won't be ready for a while…"
"I can wait, it's fine. I'm just surprised they sold out, is all. Did you have a lot of customers?"
At that, she averted her gaze as if hiding something. "You… could say that, sure."
"Hm?"
Before Camus could inquire further, he was handed a large bag of heart-shaped cookies and sent on his way. That was strange, but he figured they had plenty of work and other customers to tend to. So, he didn't think too hard on it.
He soon began his trek through the 12 temples. As the 11th temple, it was a pretty long trek if everyone happened to be back in Sanctuary.
First was Aries. Mu was away at Jamir as he so often was, so Camus was able to pass with no issues.
Second, Taurus. Aldebaran was there, and he refused to let Camus pass without gifting him some candy. Oh well, it couldn't hurt to say yes… In return, he gifted Aldebaran a couple cookies.
Third, Gemini. Saga apparently wasn't around either, so Camus continued onward.
Cancer, and Deathmask was also absent. Though Camus assumed he was already at the Pisces temple, so he didn't spare another thought.
Next was Leo, and Camus was greeted by both Aiolia and Aiolos. Not a rare sight at all, but this certainly made his life easier.
"You can go on, Camus," Aiolia said, to which Aiolos nodded in agreement.
"You can pass through mine as well, no need to ask. Give my regards to the others on your way. Oh, and happy Valentine's Day!"
Camus gifted them a few cookies and continued onward.
Passing Virgo was simple as well. Shaka seemed to be deep in meditation and didn't even respond to Camus' greeting. He left him a cookie either way.
After an uneventful pass through Libra, it was time to enter the Scorpio temple. Camus was certain that Milo was here, considering he hadn't run into the other at all while in town. Which was odd, Milo usually was around to greet Camus in some regard. Oh well, they'd greet each other here.
"Milo, I've returned…" a pause. "What are all of these boxes…?"
The Scorpio Saint sat amidst a stack of pink velvet boxes. The same kind as the ones Camus had seen at the asterisms' stall. Amid Camus' confusion, Milo looked proud of himself.
Not a good sign.
"What did you do…"
"Why do you instantly assume I've done something wrong?"
Camus did not dignify that with an answer. He walked over and grabbed one of the boxes, popping it open. He was expecting to see the assortment of chocolates from the sampler box, but he was instead greeting with 16 identical pieces of chocolate.
The Aquarius chocolate, no less.
Camus grabbed another box and popped it open, seeing the same 16 identical pieces. Each and every box he opened was the same. Suddenly, it made sense why Catalina refused to look Camus in the eyes earlier.
"Milo…"
"What? I paid for all of them, if that's what you're worried about!"
If Camus was expecting shame on the other's face, he was sorely mistaken. Milo swiped the box away from him, setting it atop the stack.
"Milo, you can't just buy out every single chocolate like that. What if someone else wanted some?"
"Don't pocket watch me, I do what I want."
"Why did you only buy the Aquarius ones? Why not buy your own star sign?"
Milo turned away with a huff. "I wasn't expecting you to come back, so I bought em all to feel closer to you."
He paused, noting the sincerity that Milo was showing. He must've missed him…
"Milo, that's very sweet of you…
"Is that what you wanted me to say?? Don't try to use me as an excuse for this, you inconvenienced Great Dipper and Lesser Dipper with your antics!!"
Milo deflated a bit, much like a dog that was scolded for misbehaving. It almost moved Camus to forgive him.
Almost.
"Well, if you bought them then I can't expect you to give them back. Just… next time you're feeling sentimental, just come and see me directly. Or at the very least, confirm where I am first."
Milo perked up at that. If he had a tail it'd surely be wagging a mile a minute.
"Ridiculous… Did you really like the flavor that much?"
"Oh uh, no actually. I don't really care for apples that much."
Apple? Camus wasn't even aware that the Aquarius chocolate was apple flavored.
He opened his own box of chocolates and looked at the Aquarius piece closely. It had an apple puree center and some candied apple slices on it. Pretty apparent now that he actually took a good look at it.
"You'd better not be planning on wasting those chocolates."
"I-I'm going to eat them! I just need to psyche myself up first-"
Camus glanced back down at the chocolates, scanning over the others. Each one really was unique, and it was fairly apparent for most what flavor they were. And for those you couldn't guess, the back of the box's lid had the list of all the flavors as well.
He reached down and picked up the Libra one. Pomegranate, had he ever eaten a pomegranate before? He was curious enough to try.
"Wait!" Milo put his hand over Camus' mouth, stopping him just before he took a bite.
"…?"
Camus wondered if perhaps Milo had tried them all already and was trying to warn him that that particular flavor wasn't very good.
Milo sheepishly glanced to the side, avoiding eye contact. Camus quirked an eyebrow at that. Why was his face so red? Was it really that bad? Surely a single piece of chocolate can't be that disgusting―
"At least… eat the Scorpio one first…"
A chill cut through the air. Milo knew that particular temperature drop well from the way it made his spine shudder. Dangerous, like being eyed by a predator. A look Camus honed to perfection thanks to his training in a harsh environment like Siberia.
"…You're annoyed with me, aren't you―
"Look, I just think that since I tried yours first, you should extend the same sentiment to me―
"You understand, don't you? It's for the sake of fairness! It's the least you could do for me, on Valentine's Day no less!
"…
"Please respond―"
Camus swiftly bit down on Milo's hand. But, he did put down the Libra piece and picked up the Scorpio one instead.
After all, fair was fair.
He popped the entire chocolate into his mouth and chewed it slowly.
"What flavor is it? Do you like it??"
Camus hummed softly. Lemon and custard, not bad at all.
"It was alright." He finally said, causing Milo to grunt in annoyance.
"Only alright?"
"Weren't you the one who said you didn't like the Aquarius one because it was apple?"
"Urhk… Look, I'll finish them all!"
Camus tilted his head. If he ate all of that candy, he'd give himself a stomachache.
"…Knock yourself out, I guess. But give me a couple boxes, I want to send some to Hyoga and Isaak."
"Only if you go and buy all of the Scorpio chocolates."
"…"
"Haha, look at your face! I was just kid― Hey, hey!! Don't freeze me in place! C-Camus!!"
dividers made by @uzmacchiato
Valentine's Day prompts and event by @shions-corner
𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: canon deviation, series-level of blood and violence, some implied ships, modified relationships, expansion on character backstories, OCs included and mentioned, pining and unrequited feelings will be prevalent, chapters will have specific tags if needed
Apollo settled against the tree at his back, flipping through the book in his lap. It wasn't often that he got the time to himself to just relax, least of all within the Garden of Eden. This area was technically forbidden to those who weren't a part of the royal family, but luckily Apollo got a pass from his childhood friend.
He flipped a page, relishing the moment. A gentle breeze, soft sunlight that was perfectly blocked from the shade of the tree, and the subtle scent of the many flowers that flourished here. It was a wonderful place to be, and he could understand why it was forbidden for outsiders to come here.
"Hey! This is where you were hiding?"
Apollo did not look up from his book. "I wasn't hiding."
Suddenly, the light he had been using to read was unceremoniously blocked. Standing before him was his aforementioned childhood friend.
"…
"Lucifer, you're blocking my reading light."
Lucifer smiled, the little wings that sprouted under his ears flapping a bit in response to his emotions. He must've been happy. Or thoroughly amused.
"Why're you reading now anyways? Let's play!"
Apollo sighed, slowly closing the book but still holding it in his lap. "We're too old to play around. I've got a lot of studying to do. I can't take care of my baby sisters if I'm not well-read."
Recently Apollo's family had been blessed with not one, but two little girls. Athena and Persephone. They weren't twins, not like Apollo and his younger sister Artemis, but still were close enough in age nonetheless.
As the only son in the family, Apollo had a huge responsibility to bear. Something that he figured Lucifer would understand, and yet…
"Just one day of playing around isn't going to totally ruin your studying you know!"
Perhaps not, but Apollo meant what he said when he'd advised that they were too old to play silly games. And he sternly reiterated that fact.
"You should be studying too," Apollo sighed, opening his book back to the page he left off at. "You're the Crown Prince, you have a lot of responsibility in store."
Lucifer scoffed, flopping down onto the grass beside the other. He unfurled his white wings, all six of them. Apollo begrudgingly scooted over to give him room.
"You're starting to talk like my old man. I gotta go to all these boring classes and talk to all of these boring adults― If being Crown Prince means I have to turn into a boring old man like my dad, then I don't want it."
"You can't say things like that," Apollo glared down at him. "You're an only child, no one else can take your place."
Lucifer simply shrugged, which annoyed Apollo to no end. He always dismissed the other's concerns and advise. It was literally a waste of breath to scold him half the time.
"Don't you understand? You have a lot of responsibility resting on your shoulders. You can't afford to be so lackadaisical about these things."
"Mm? Then what's your excuse?"
Apollo paused, taken aback by the retort.
"What…?"
"You're not a prince. You're not set to inherit any thrones or anything. You and Arty are just supposed to ride chariots across the sky. Why do you have to study so much?"
Apollo had nothing to say in response to that. Of course, he was studying to be of use to his little sisters, but just as Lucifer said, he was no Crown Prince. His father Zeus never intends to step down as King. And even if he did, Apollo would probably never take the throne. His father had already showed immense bias and favoritism to Athena. If anyone were to take his place, it'd be her.
"I―"
Lucifer watched the other closely, folding his hands behind his head. He knew that he struck a soft spot there, but he didn't like seeing Apollo stressing himself out for something no one asked of him. Or, no one had asked of him yet.
"What if you had a reason to study? A real reason? Not just one you made up for yourself."
Apollo tried to put venom into the glare he was shooting at the other, but it felt very half-baked. How could he be mad when Lucifer was right? Maybe he could be mad BECAUSE Lucifer was right, despite how silly it seemed.
"Alright, what's this magical reason you've thought of?"
"Become the Crown Prince."
"What- You just told me that I wasn't the prince of anything. What in the world are you expecting me to become prince of?"
Lucifer stood and gestured all around.
"This Garden, Heaven, the entire domain my family rules."
Apollo blinked incredulously. Had Lucifer lost his mind?
"Luci, you're the Crown Prince of Eden and Heaven. I can't just take your place, I'm not related to the Morningstars at all."
"You don't have to be. I'm not asking you to take my place, Sunshine. I'm asking you to rule with me!" Lucifer smiled without a care in the world, the sunlight beaming through his pure white feathers as he spun around. There was something… beautiful in that visage.
"What- But I-" But what? There was nothing against Apollo marrying into power. His father might be annoyed that he was entering a relationship with a future monarch, but at the end of the day it would erase Apollo from their own royal registry.
If Apollo married into another family and ruled over their jurisdiction, then Zeus never has to worry about Apollo vying for Zeus' throne. His eldest son would be out of the royal running forever, and Zeus would never be in danger of a violent usurpation like he had done to his own father centuries before.
As much as it hurt to admit, Zeus would probably approve the union right away.
Apollo meant nothing to him, not when Athena existed.
He wanted to feel bitter about that, but he knew that their father's feelings were not Athena's fault. She was his baby sister, and he loved her. If he could support her with this, then it had to be a good idea.
However, he couldn't fight the embarrassment that crept up in the back of his mind. He'd have to marry his friend. Political as it was, it would still be a marriage nonetheless. They would have to discuss many things down the line, including building a family and producing heirs.
"How can you ask something like that with a grin on your face…?"
Lucifer smiled down at him, extending a hand. There was a freedom within the sparkle of his eyes that Apollo found himself drawn to. Becoming Crown Prince was not going to be a walk in the park by any stretch of the word, but it'll be better than whatever was fated for him back home. Tentatively, he took that outstretched beacon of freedom.
"…You do know that now you won't be able to slack off on your studying. I'll be keeping an eye on you."
"I'll study, but only if you promise to let us take breaks and play!" Lucifer enclosed Apollo's hand with both of his own. A bright glow emitted from beneath, and when he removed his hands, there was a band of gold around Apollo's finger. And upon closer inspection, a matching band found its place on Lucifer's finger.
He glanced down at the band, his expression softening. "…I told you, we're too old to play around…"
"We have our whole lives ahead of us, surely we have all the time under the stars to inject a little fun into our days!"
―
Lucifer glanced down at the band that rested on his pinky finger. It's long since lost the meaning it once held.
A bond forever broken, a union doomed to crumble. They never even made it to coronation day.
Lucifer's former radiance felled by the very gods he'd once considered friends. Family.
As he plummeted to the earth below, his once white wings burning black, there was no one who extended a hand to help him. No one believed that he was innocent, that he was cast out purely because of rumors spread by hateful and jealous gods.
Even Apollo believed them, he took their side over Lucifer, and watched as he was cast out.
What did the Sun think as he watched the Morning become Night?
This band that once symbolized a bond beyond friendship was just a bitter reminder of all he lost, and all that he can never reclaim. A curse bound forever to his finger, forever reopening the wound of that day.
And yet, he couldn't bring himself to truly hate the piece of jewelry. Those days weren't all bad, and sometimes you have to bear the brunt of the pain to enjoy the good times. Perhaps this was the true extent of the curse he bore; to be constantly ripped apart by the bad memories and yet just as consistently repaired by the good ones. A wound that can never fully heal, a scab that is ripped off just before it can fully mend.
He hated it, and yet, loved it all the same.
"Nothing shines down here, neither sunlight nor moonlight. Would you even cast a glance down here if you could?" He asked to no one in particular and of course, no response ever came.
"Haah… Of course you wouldn't." Lucifer whispered, looking up. He couldn't see the sky this far underground, but he still cast his glance skyward, hoping to one day see light wash over him.
The surface, that long since cast him out.
and on the surface, Apollo was unaware that he was being thought of at all.
His days since that point were filled with monotony; to ride across the sky bringing sunlight to the world. This was what he was destined to do, after all. He was never fated to be a prince, or a king. Never to rule over anything but sunbeams and armies. Apollo was a commander, not a monarch.
But sometimes, he wonders how different his life could have been. All those years before, had he accepted the role of Crown Prince, would be still be guiding this gilded chariot across the sky? Perhaps not, but he couldn't imagine ruling by himself.
If Lucifer had never fallen, what would his life be like now?
He thinks about that day often, he relives it every time he closes his eyes. The condemnation, the unjust circumstances, the smell of burning skin and feathers.
Apollo had heard the rumors about Lucifer's wrongdoings. His fraternization with other gods, theft, even whispers of treason. But none of them were true. Apollo had known Lucifer better than anyone. And he saw how Ares skulked about, whispering into ears and causing mischief.
Apollo had assumed the situation would blow off. Gods were fickle, but Lucifer was the Crown Prince. None could displace him over simple words. Or so he thought.
Lucifer's trial was a nasty and public affair. Even his own father couldn't protect him. Well, to Apollo, it seemed more like he wouldn't protect him. At some point, his father had another child. Now Lucifer had a younger brother who was just as, if not even more talented, than his elder. Losing one son meant nothing to him when he had the perfect replacement.
Despite the rumors being false, a ploy by Ares and Eris to get rid of an obstacle, Lucifer was cast out. And Apollo was entirely powerless to help him. He'd attempted to reach out, perhaps in vain to catch him, but was pulled away from the edge.
A fall from the Heavens to earth was surely a fatal endeavor. At the end, they'd pulled him back so he wouldn't have to see the aftermath. But that was not their decision to make. By the time Apollo wrested himself free and peered over the edge, Lucifer was gone.
As if some sort of cruel consolation, Apollo was promised the younger Morningstar brother. A bid to allow him to keep his position as Crown Prince, but also a calculated strategy. Heaven didn't want to lose him or his abilities. If he could devote his time and energy to helping the second son ascend, then it was the perfect outcome for the royal family.
And yet, Apollo refused it all.
"I'd only accepted because Lucifer had asked for my hand," he'd said, his voice tight with emotions he couldn't place. "If Lucifer is gone, then I shall leave as well."
Now here he stood, upon his chariot streaking across the sky. The wedding band, or really just a promise band since they'd never made it to a wedding day, hung from a pendant that rested against his chest. It was a symbol of a bond never properly forged, but never truly broken either.
As the Sun rose across the sky, Apollo always found himself looking down.
They'd never recovered a body. Hades and Thanatos never recounted receiving a soul. That meant Lucifer was alive somewhere, perhaps hiding. Licking his wounds.
Perhaps even plotting his revenge.
Lucifer would never let something like that go. He was gentle, and kind, but who knows if that were still the case. Gods were fickle, but they never forget a slight. Lucifer was prideful at heart, and something like this…
If the only way they were to meet again was on opposite sides, then so be it. Apollo harbored no love for his Olympian brethren. He'd seen how they treated their own kind and wanted nothing to do with them.
But he still had his sisters to think of. They weren't present for Lucifer's fall and they had supported him until the very end, just as Apollo had. He was content that Lucifer, if he were truly seeking revenge, would never turn his blade on those three.
However, he couldn't say the same for himself.
Apollo figured that some of Lucifer's resentment may be aimed towards him personally. And he did not blame him at all.
If only Apollo had done more, if only he had appealed. If he had simply tried, perhaps Lucifer would still be here. But gods cannot deal in what-ifs and regrets. He was the god of the Sun, it was all he could do to move forward.
The Sun cannot look back. The Sun cannot worry about the past. There was always tomorrow. Always another morning.
As long as he kept moving forward, then one day they'll encounter each other again. Be it for better or for worse, there will always be another sunrise.
Tomorrow will always come.
Apollo will ensure it. It was all he could do, to guarantee another day.
As the golden chariot carrying the Sun crossed the sky, he watched as the dark of the night was awash in daylight. A new day has come for the surface world, but all the light in the world couldn't penetrate the depths of the Underworld.
For just a moment, eyes from above glanced down just as eyes from below glanced up. Despite miles of earth and sky between them, for just a single fleeting moment, their eyes met.
Did they even know how similar in thoughts they were? Could they have known that despite it all, even Fate could smile at them every once in a while?
If they did know, neither spoke on it. The moment passed, and those sets of eyes returned to their tasks. If there was something there for them, neither one acknowledged it.
After all, tomorrow will always come. One day, they'll be forced to confront each other. But for now, the bond of their youth lingers untouched. Unsoiled, but cumbersome.
Morning may have fell to night, but even the darkest of nights will always give way to the warmest of mornings.
At least, that was what Apollo hoped.
dividers by @uzmacchiato
Valentine's Day event and prompts by @shions-corner
𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: canon deviation, series-level of blood and violence, some implied ships, modified relationships, expansion on character backstories, OCs included and mentioned, pining and unrequited feelings will be prevalent
𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: character death, mild blood and injury, character possession, characters are aged up in this story, OC Saintia/Saints
Old Stories Told Anew
It was a warm, calm night.
The scenery was as it always was, silent aside from the sound of nature; birds and insects chirping, rocks tumbling down the nearby cliffs, the sound of plants rustling gently. It was a sobering and rugged kind of sound, one without the man-made bustle of cars and things. There was also no light pollution, so most nights the sky was speckled with the beauty of the universe.
Aiolos sat in his bedchamber within the Sagittarius temple, flipping through a small hand-bound book. It was old and weathered, like it had been read repeatedly throughout the years. He was so engrossed here that he almost missed the owl that had flown into his temple through the window-esque area near the roof.
“How odd. . .” the man grumbled, closing the book and setting it in his lap. Seeing exotic birds in Sanctuary was nothing new, but owls were something completely different. Owls were the personal bird of choice for the Goddess Athena; though their symbolism was everywhere, it was considered taboo and insulting for any living specimens to be kept at Sanctuary as pets. Aiolos personally had only ever seen an owl once in his life, and that was a few days prior.
The goddess Athena had been reborn on earth yet again, signifying that a great strife between gods will soon befall the land. As an elder of the twelve Gold Saints and the next in line to lead Sanctuary as the Grand Pope, Aiolos was of course present for such a momentous occasion. He and his closest companion, Saga, had arrived at the Temple of Athena at the very peak of Sanctuary. Though they couldn’t lay eyes upon the maiden goddess at that time, the very notion of standing near her chambers filled them with the warmth that is her divine cosmo and they both knew then that their goddess had truly arrived. The Saintia, a special type of Saint who were exclusively women and handmaidens to the goddess, were extremely kind towards the men, even gushing about the adorable babe that slept just beyond the doors they stood at.
Notable of them all being Olivia, the leader of the Saintia. She held an immense cosmo and an even stronger aura of compassion and femininity. A lovely woman through and through, and at her shoulder was a large owl. That was the first time Aiolos had ever seen one, aside from carvings and pictures in books. A beautiful and regal animal, truly befitting Athena.
Yes, the birth of Athena is a joyous yet concerning occasion indeed, which had prompted Aiolos to spend his time within his temple, studying the texts of long before, when last Athena descended to earth. The situation of the 18th century’s Holy War, Athena’s turmoil of facing her brother by human blood, and the many battles that drew from it. All of it was fascinating, and was worth researching even if it happened nearly 200 years prior. There was always wisdom to be learned from the efforts of those who came before you, as Pope Shion had repeatedly taught Aiolos and Saga.
However, there was nothing in the texts to explain why Olivia’s owl had made its way to his temple of all places. Though he was certain it was indeed the same one he saw days prior, as it bore the same markings and coloration.
“What’s the matter, my avian friend?” Aiolos extended his arm, to which the bird immediately flew to and perched upon. It flexed its large wings, hooting softly. He gently scratched under its beak, suddenly being assaulted by the immediate sense of dread. The owl quickly took flight again, leaving the man behind as it soared out of the temple.
Something was wrong, horribly so.
Aiolos threw the blanket off his lower half and pulled on his boots, sprinting out of the temple to follow the bird. It seemed to be waiting for him, as it was circling outside the temple before taking off towards Athena’s temple. Horrified at what this implied, Aiolos wasted no time sprinting after the creature, leaving the temples of his comrades behind. Normally he’d never intrude on the other temples without invitation, but if something was threatening Athena, he and the other gold saints had a duty to protect her no matter the courtesy or lack thereof. As such, he made sure to signal the alarm as he passed through each temple.
I’m sorry for the wake-up call, my friends. . .
He made it to the Temple of Athena and was greeted by the scent of blood and the sight of bodies scattered across the floor. Aiolos recognized these corpses based solely on their attire. They were the Saintia, the direct attendants to Athena. He felt his heart drop into his stomach. Who could have done this? And who could have surpassed Sanctuary’s defenses so soundly, without any alert to the 12 temples? Worst of all, Aiolos feared he was too late. If the Saintia were bested, what hopes could there be for the newborn Athena?
The gold saint fell to his knees before one of the Saintia, extending a hand to test her pulse. A futile effort, just judging from the lack of cosmo she was emitting he knew she was beyond saving. There was a glint at her chest that caught his attention, so he gently grabbed the item and lifted it up to see it better. It was a Cloth Medallion. He glanced around a tad and noticed as well that none of them were wearing their Cloths, meaning the assailant must have wiped them all out before they had a chance to react.
“Waah..waaahaah!”
Aiolos was ripped from his melancholy at the sound of an infant’s cries. Athena was still alive!
He launched towards the door that led to the infant’s bedchambers, using his shoulder to bust the door open. There laid Olivia, apparently having been the last line of defense for the goddess, and standing over the cradle was the Grand Pope himself, holding a glittering golden knife.
The golden knife was plunged down at the child but was stopped at the last second by Aiolos himself. He had grabbed both hand and blade, his blood flowing from the fresh wound and saturating the crib below. The infant cried, but not a single drop of blood touched her delicate frame.
“Your Holiness, what are you doing?!” Aiolos cried, using his free hand to grab the other by his arm and push him away from the infant. The Pope seemed startled to see him here, judging by how he didn’t immediately react. Though, this melted away soon enough as he tried to pull himself from Aiolos’ grasp.
“Unhand me, Aiolos! This must be done!”
“What are you talking about?! This is the goddess Athena! Do you understand who you are threatening here?!”
The two men grappled with each other for a few moments, before the Pope stumbled back, morbidly tripped up by Olivia’s body. The mask helmet he wore fell from his person, clattering onto the marble below.
There was nothing but silence between them, but the tension spoke a million words and more.
“It’s. . .you. . .?” Aiolos gaped as the Pope stood, covering part of his exposed face with his hand.
“Why did it have to be you? Why you, of all people?” The Pope muttered, his voice choked with emotion. He raised the hand that still held the golden knife, slashing across Aiolos’ chest while he was stunned.
“Ghhk!” Aiolos stumbled back as the knife carved through his skin for the second time tonight. It sliced through flesh like warm butter, spilling blood onto the marble below. The knife must’ve held some divine qualities, as it felt like his cosmo was dripping from him just like his blood.
“You’ve seen my face, Aiolos. . . Now you need to die.”
Aiolos looked at the man before him and saw the pain in his eyes. As if he were acting not of his own accord. He wanted, no, it was more so that he needed to know what was going on. But the cries of the baby grounded him. There were more important things that he needed to focus on now.
The Pope lunged forward with the weapon held out, swinging it now to plunge the blade within the saint’s heart. Aiolos flicked the golden medallion that hung proudly around his neck, becoming encased in a golden light that momentarily blinded the other man. It was a brief distraction, but it was all he needed.
He grabbed Athena from her crib and took flight, leaving the temple and the Pope behind. He didn’t know where he was going to go, but he knew Sanctuary was no longer his home. Even from the sky he could hear the commotion and the sirens. The Grand Pope must’ve labeled him a madman and who knows what else. In his arms, the infant quieted down, settling back into sleep despite the circumstances.
Seeing her like this reminded him of his kid brother. His kid brother, whom he had left beyond. Aiolos took one last look at Sanctuary, his expression somber.
“Aiolia. . .forgive me.”
His peaceful flight did not last, however, as a slash of light whizzed past him followed by two more. They all got dangerously close to hitting him and the baby he held, yet he still managed to dodge, driven purely by instinct. The issue was not the slashes themselves, but the one launching them at him.
“Shura!”
A bright comet of golden light streaked from Sanctuary, gaining on Aiolos from behind. The Blade of Athena, wearer of the Capricorn gold cloth; the man known as Shura. Admittedly, despite being gold saints and knowing each other for such a long time, Aiolos didn’t know much about Shura as a person. He was a quiet and stoic man who always kept to himself, but his battle prowess and abilities were always considered top-notch, even among the other gold saints. It was this very prowess that concerned Aiolos; normally dodging or even engaging in direct battle with Shura was easy enough. Sure, he’d end up sore and with a few new scars, but it was certainly nothing he couldn’t handle.
But carrying a baby made these options incredibly difficult. Dodging too haphazardly could hurt her, but taking direct hits would be foolish as well.
“Halt, traitor!” Shura called, his voice clear and steady. With a determined glint in his eye, he swung his arm in an upward slicing motion, loosing another energy slash. “First you murder the Saintia who tend to our goddess, next you threaten Her Ladyship directly, all to run once you’re caught?! Where is your pride as a gold saint?! As one of the upper echelon of what all saints aspire to be?!”
Aiolos held the babe to his chest, furling his wings around her as he dodged attack after attack.
Shura’s story made no sense, but Aiolos didn’t have it within him to be surprised. The Pope was twisting the narrative, framing Aiolos as the traitor. An effort to ensure both he and the infant Athena die at the hands of the saints that’ll hunt him down. He was almost impressed at the man’s abilities to adapt under pressure, but he knew the man under the mask better than he knew himself. Which is what made this turn all the more strange.
“Answer me, Aiolos! The Pope ordered us to not let you leave Sanctuary!”
At the sound of his name being called with such deep tones of betrayal and hurt, Aiolos turned to face the other and saw the pain that lay beneath his features as well. So much pain, and all for a reason that he hadn’t grasped yet.
“I’m sorry, Shura. You’d never believe me even if I told you.”
“Because it’ll all be lies!! What reason do you have to barge into Athena’s chamber and challenge the Grand Pope?! Why flee instead of staying and defending yourself?!”
“Shura,” Aiolos used the wings of his cloth to form a protective casing for the infant, fastening it to his chest so his arms would be free to move. “If you had to choose between believing the Grand Pope or believing me, who would you have chosen?”
The Capricorn saint noticeably paused, his expression lost on Aiolos. However, the pause was all he needed to see.
Smiling despite the bitter taste in his throat and the tears stinging at his eyes, Aiolos brought up his golden bow and arrow and fired a shot straight up into the sky. The arrow flew upwards, encased in glowing cosmo, before breaking into hundreds of smaller arrows that fell towards Shura.
“Goodbye, Shura.”
“Aiolos!!”
Using the attack as a distraction, Aiolos quickly flew towards the edge of Sanctuary. If he could just escape the boundary, he’d have time to get some distance before the other saints pursued him further. Judging by Shura’s statement, Aiolos was to be stopped before he left completely. Meaning they were all still bound to stay within Sanctuary’s boundaries until the Pope orders otherwise, lest they too be branded a traitor. All he had to do was leave the boundary and he could disappear! He didn’t know what he’d do once free, but hiding from the other saints would be easy enough using the right precautions.
As he thought of what to do after this point, Aiolos neglected to realize that Shura had freed himself from the arrow bombardment and as a final ditch effort to keep the other from escaping, launched an Excalibur slash directly at Aiolos’ back.
“Gnnh!”
The blow was luckily too weak to cleave the man in half due to being fired off in desperation, but it was still more than enough to hurt, and hurt badly at that. Unable to sustain his flight, Aiolos fell to earth like a glittering shooting star of gold. Shura watched from a distance as his attack hit its mark, as the other fell to his presumable death.
“. . . Goodbye, Aiolos.”
Shura gave a final glance before flying back to the Pope’s temple to report.
—
“Young man, are you alright?”
Aiolos groaned, feeling the brunt of the night’s events bearing down on him all at once. The adrenaline had long since faded away, leaving nothing but pain and throbbing aches all over his battered body. In his arms still was the baby Athena, who was somehow still fast asleep despite everything that happened. The Sagittarius cloth spared them both from becoming smudges in the countryside, and it was probably the only thing keeping Aiolos together.
As his eyes adjusted to the light currently being shined at him, some sort of flashlight, he noticed two figures standing over him.
“Young man?”
“Who. . .who are you?”
“That’s what we should be asking you! What kind of lunatic falls from the sky in the middle of the night?! And what on earth are you wearing! Master Kido, please don’t get too close!” The bald headed man with the flashlight barked out, looking as if he’d seen a ghost. And judging by how ghastly Aiolos currently looked, he couldn’t find it within himself to blame the guy. The man who had been gently calling out to him, an older man with a beard and a soft expression, turned to the other and lightly scolded him.
“Leave him be, Tokumaru. Can’t you see the poor man is injured? Do you need help?”
Aiolos looked around, before turning his head towards Sanctuary which was quite a ways in the distance. Shura’s attack must’ve sent him flying, way farther than he expected. This was good news, it meant he was out of the boundary and had time to put more distance between himself and the other saints. However, he had these two to deal with.
They didn’t seem to have any cosmo within them, latent or otherwise, and Aiolos didn’t recognize their faces so it was doubtful they were Sanctuary soldiers. They also had foreign names, which Aiolos recognized as Japanese thanks to his world studies when he was preparing to become Grand Pope.
Deciding to take the chance, Aiolos told the two all about what happened and who he was, as well as the identity of the baby he had spirited away. At first, he could tell the men were incredulous, but after remembering that Aiolos had fallen from the sky and lived, but also wore a golden set of armor, they were more inclined to believe him.
After his story was complete, the bearded man nodded.
“This all sounds very serious. If the goddess only revives once every 200 years, then her death would spell certain doom for earth, would it not?”
“Yes. Hiding her away will be easy enough, as Sanctuary will most likely assume she’s dead from the fall I took. However, they’ll continue to hunt me down as a traitor. I can never return to Sanctuary, especially not while injured.”
“Though, they wouldn’t have any reason to hunt you down if they thought you were dead.”
“Pardon?”
The older man crossed his arms, gently scratching at his beard as he collected his thoughts. “If we leave some sort of body double here, when those saint fellows come searching, they’ll find a corpse and call off the search. That way you’ll be free to live as you please without a target painted on your back.” He turned to the man named Tokumaru, snapping his fingers. “Search the morgues around here for anyone resembling this young man. And bring up the car, we need to vacate the area.”
Tokumaru bowed deeply before pulling out a cellphone and sprinting out towards the main road, leaving the two men alone.
“. . .
“Why are you doing this for me?” Aiolos held Athena closer to his chest, as if protecting her from the other man.
“You said it yourself, you’re a saint of Athena. Anyone willing to risk his life for another person is worth saving.” The man stood, extending a hand to the other. “My name is Mitsumasa Kido. Come with me, and I can ensure both you and the little lady’s protection.”
Aiolos looked at the offered hand before looking down at the baby. If he declined Kido’s help, he’d be forced to wander with an infant and no way to take care of himself, at least not right away. And without the capabilities of leaving Greece, there was a good chance he’d be found again. On the other hand, he didn’t want to leave Athena by herself with a stranger, no matter how kindly he seemed. Finding no other option, Aiolos grabbed Kido’s hand, getting up into a standing position with the man’s help. Once he was on his feet, the Sagittarius cloth reverted back to a gold medallion, dangling from around his neck.
“Neat trick.”
“Yeah well, it’s either this or carry it around as a giant gold box. Which is fine for training purposes. Not so great for escaping.”
The two turned as Tokumaru returned with the car, which was more like a limousine than the regular cars Aiolos had seen in town. Noticing his stunned expression, Mitsumasa let out a chuckle before opening the door for the younger man.
“Not the most subtle thing on the planet, but it’ll get us where we need to go.”
“I don’t know who you are, Mr. Kido, but it seems like you also have some explaining to do.” Aiolos shook his head in disbelief, sliding into the backseat as carefully as he could without jostling the baby too much.
“We can discuss things in the car ride to the hospital. You look awful lad.” Mitsumasa replied, getting in beside Aiolos and shutting the door behind them.
“I feel a lot worse than I look, that’s for sure.” Aiolos turned to look out the window, watching as Sanctuary grew smaller and smaller as the limousine drove off in the opposite direction. He felt homesick already, leaving the only place he called home and everyone he loved behind. But it was for the greater good. He had Athena to worry about now, and her safety was far more important than his melancholy.
One day, when Athena is old enough and he’s healed up, they’ll return to Sanctuary.
For now, for the first time in hours, Aiolos can relax. And, like the babe lovingly swaddled in his arms, he drifted off to a peaceful sleep.
–
Six hours later, Aiolos found himself waking up in a bland looking room filled with medical equipment. This wasn’t much of a surprise, he’d walked himself into the hospital at the behest of Mitsumasa due to the many wounds on his body. Though Aiolos advised him that he’d heal soon enough thanks to his condition and his cosmo, Kido didn’t seem very impressed at the notion of magical healing and sternly advised him to stop and rest.
Admittedly, he felt pretty good. It’s been a long time since he had the comfort of modern medicine as Sanctuary and the saints had their own healing rituals and remedies that were used. He put a hand over his chest, seeing it was heavily bandaged. And with it, all the memories of the night prior washed over him.
“Oh, you’re already awake?”
Aiolos turned to the sound of the voice, seeing Mitsumasa Kido standing at the door with a tray of what looked to be food. There was a sense of panic that gripped the brunet man as he didn’t see the baby Athena anywhere in the room, to which he quickly began to get off the bed despite being attached to heart monitors and IV drips.
“Easy, easy there lad.” Mitsumasa set the tray down on the bedside table, putting a hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “She’s fine. The hospital is looking over her for any wounds or internal damage. Tokumaru is with her.”
Aiolos sighed heavily, leaning back against the pillows as Mitsumasa readjusted the blankets and set the tray table over the other’s lap. It was a hefty meal for a patient; a serving of omelet casserole, two slices of ladenia flatbread, a takeout cup of coffee, and a piece of karythopita. His stomach growled in empty protest, which spurred him to pick up the fork and start devouring the food before him. He hadn’t eaten much in regards to full meals due to his constant studying, which was something that Saga scolded him for constantly.
Saga. . .
He lowered the fork slowly, picking up the takeout cup and taking slow, pensive sips.
“Aiolos, we need to discuss some things.” Kido said, taking a seat beside him. Whether he meant to or not, Aiolos welcomed the distraction.
“Like what?”
“Your and Athena’s identities. Once you’re discharged, we’ll be leaving for Japan. We’ll need to explain then where you two came from that won’t raise red flags in case Sanctuary happens to cast a glance on the rest of the globe.”
He brought up a good point. If this new life aspect were to take root, he would need a new identity to go with it. However, Aiolos wasn’t known for his skill in naming things.
“What do you suppose I do?”
“I have an idea, though I wanted to run it by you first.
“I’ll be declaring both you and the baby as my kin, specifically my son and my granddaughter. We’ll explain your absence as you were living overseas but the death of your wife in childbirth drove you back to Japan to stay with me.”
Aiolos took another bite of his ladenia, raising his eyebrows in surprise.
“Your son?”
“You’re certainly young enough to be my son, so it would fit well. How old are you, lad?”
He paused, thinking about it for a tad. Aiolos was never very good with dates either, and birthdays weren’t something he kept track of. Aside from his kid brother and Saga, he normally didn’t recall any birthdays. Least of all his own. However, he did know that he had a birthday coming up, as age was one of the main reasons why he and Saga were chosen to study as potential heirs to the Grand Pope title.
“I’ll be turning 19 soon. On the 30th of November.”
“And the child?”
“She was born just a few days ago, on the 1st of this month.”
Mitsumasa nodded, writing the information down in a memo pad he had removed from the breast pocket of his blazer. “Very good. I’ll have my people make some birth certificates and things to officiate your existence in Japan. Unless you have these things in Sanctuary?”
Aiolos shook his head, which the man had already expected was the case. He wrote that down as well as the door to the room was opened. It was Tokumaru Tatsumi and the baby Athena, who was currently cooing and awake.
“She’s been cleared by the hospital, sir. They found nothing wrong, not even a hair out of place.” He advised, bringing the baby over and placing her in the arms of Mitsumasa.
The infant giggled, reached out to grab at the man’s beard. Kido smiled, a beaming warmth that Aiolos knew was genuine care. He’d seen that look before, and even had that expression himself a few times.
“Saori.” he suddenly said, causing the other two occupants to look at him in confusion. “Her name from now on shall be Saori. Saori Kido.”
“Lady Saori. Saori-ojousama.” Tatsumi repeated, testing the name and its honorifics to himself a few times.
“And you, my boy, shall be known henceforward as Atsuya Kido.”
Aiolos scrunched his nose a bit at the name. He didn’t know what it meant or the significance behind it, but it was foreign. Which meant he had plenty of extra studying to do on Japan and its customs.
“Judging by your expression, I assume you don’t know much Japanese?”
“Not quite sir, Sanctuary is quite traditional in its ways, but I needed to learn multiple languages in my studies to be Pope. However I'm only fluent in Greek and English.”
“English is a great first step, meaning we can at least properly communicate with each other. When we return to Japan I’ll hire some tutors for you to learn the language.” Mitsumasa stated, cradling little Saori for a bit before looking at Aiolos again. “Would you like to hold her?”
“No, I shouldn’t―”
“Nonsense, I can see it in your eyes. Here.”
Aiolos quickly moved the tray out of his lap so he could properly hold the infant, supporting her head with the crook of his elbow. She giggled, reaching out and gently grabbing at the gold medallion around his neck. At her touch, it glowed faintly, as if rejuvenated by the goddess’ cosmo.
“I know it must be a lot for you, you’re so young yourself. But Saori will be raised looking up to you as her father. She may be Athena, but within her beats the heart of a mortal. She’ll have doubts, fears, worries. But she will also be full of love, kindness, compassion, and hope. You’re her only tie to the life she was forced to leave behind.”
Aiolos gently ran his thumb along her chubby little cheek, smiling as she laughed and looked up at him with those large blue eyes. The kinship he felt towards her was partly his duty as a saint, but Mitsumasa was right. Athena is always born as a human, even if she has the power and cosmo of a goddess. If only Olivia or the other Saintia had survived the assault. He could use the advice.
“This is pretty unconventional,” Aiolos began, turning to Mitsumasa. “Usually the Saintia would raise the infant Athena. Us saints, being all men, would never be allowed to take care of her.”
“Saintia. You mentioned them before, those poor women who died protecting the child?”
“Yes. . .I didn’t witness what happened, but I can only assume the Grand Pope is the one who killed them. I didn’t know any of them personally, but they were always kind and regal. They didn’t deserve what happened to them, but it's a Saint’s fate to die for Athena. I’m sure they’d have no regrets.”
“Are there any more of them?”
Aiolos paused, trying to recall the faces of the women who died. Aside from Olivia, he counted at least 7 or 8 visible bodies.
“I. . .Not in Sanctuary, no. There may be others across the planet at other Saint camps, but I’d have no way of knowing for sure.”
“The Graude Foundation will search for any living Saintia. We’ll need more of these cosmo-wielding superheroes to protect Saori. These saint fellows, can they be replicated?”
Aiolos leant back against the pillows, not quite understanding the line of questioning but seeing no real harm in it. “It’s not a matter of replicating. Anyone with the ability to harness and use cosmo is able to become a saint. They would typically be sent to any of the training camps across the planet and if they survive the curriculum, they can earn their Cloth.”
Mitsumasa nodded, as if understanding everything perfectly. Aiolos wished he could say the same.
“We’ll handle the travel and extra information on our end.” Kido said, gently taking the baby from Aiolos. Tokumaru came and grabbed the empty tray so that the saint could fully lay back and relax. “Take some time for yourself to recuperate, and we’ll head out before the end of next week.”
“Alright.”
Once they left the room, Aiolos was alone with his thoughts. And his regrets. He recalled the Grand Pope, the bodies of Olivia and the Saintia. He could almost smell the overpowering scent of blood and death, could almost feel the golden dagger rending his flesh and the impact of hitting the ground from thousands of feet up.
Aiolos turned to the window, watching the scenery outside his window. Soon, he’ll be in a new country with a new name and a new life. By now, Sanctuary probably assumed that he was dead. He thought of Aiolia, and the suffering he would endure for the narrative that the Grand Pope will paint of him. He thought of Shura, so duty bound, who would probably self-destruct if he learned the truth. He thought of Saga. . .
“. . .”
The Pope he saw in Athena’s chambers was someone that Aiolos didn’t recognize, not completely. He saw a face and he recognized it, sure, but it didn’t make sense to what he knew of the Grand Pope and the people of Sanctuary. For all he knew, the person he faced was just some spectre, who stole the face of his loved one in an effort to sew distrust and get rid of Athena.
The only names that come to mind were the ones he had recalled from the books and records he had been studying, in addition to his own training and stories passed down by word of mouth. Hades and Poseidon, the two gods who arose every 200 years to steal the Earth. It was this reason that Athena is reborn, as both a herald to the end of days but also the sole salvation of the planet. The only people who would want her dead would be those who want the planet for themselves.
“Gnnh.” Aiolos rolled onto his side, albeit a bit shakily, closing his eyes. He didn’t have the strength or the emotional fortitude to think about this right now. He had to worry about Athena, and how he was going to help her reclaim Sanctuary. It would be a long way out, of course, but it didn’t change the fact that he needed some sort of plan. At least now he wasn’t alone; he had Kido and Tatsumi to help him. They were both older, and more worldly compared to him. He felt like he could trust them with some of the responsibility, at least until he grew a little wiser.
For now though, he felt sleep overcoming him.
Aiolos closed his eyes, drifting off for the second time in less than 12 hours.
–
Mitsumasa remained good on his promise and at the end of the following week, they left Greece to head to Japan.
Aiolos, despite his age, was a child at heart. There were so many things he never got to experience as a Saint living in Sanctuary, and the advancements of technology in the outside world thoroughly amazed him. He clicked through the channels on the onboard tv system within the private jet, going between movies, tv shows, commercials, and sports games. Sure, he’d heard of these things through the grapevine from Saints who traveled to Sanctuary after living in other countries during their childhood, but he never had a chance to experience any of it.
Mitsumasa couldn’t help but be amused at the sight before him. He walked down the aisle and sat across from the younger man, holding out a bottle of water.
“Are you enjoying yourself there, lad?”
Aiolos paused, looking at Mitsumasa, then the tv, and then down at the water bottle. Suddenly, he felt a bit self conscious, grabbing the bottle and uttering a thank you. He had been hoping that question was rhetorical, but once he noticed that Kido was staring at him for a response, he grew even more embarrassed.
“Uhm. I’ve never seen things like this back at Sanctuary. Like I said, it’s very traditional. There isn’t even electricity, not that we need it.” Aiolos looked down at Saori, who lay in a travel seat beside him. “Cosmo pretty much gave us everything we needed, warmth, strength, healing, and even light. There wasn’t much need for anything else.”
“This ‘cosmo’ sounds like quite the effective superpower. Why haven’t we heard more about you all?”
“It’s forbidden to speak of Sanctuary and the Saints to the outside world. Typically our battles take place far away from the eyes of normal humans anyways, so there’s never any need to worry about innocent bystanders or people spreading our existence around.” Aiolos rested his hand in Saori’s car-seat, his expression softening as the infant gently grabbed his fingers in her sleep. “Even the Saints who were born in the outside world and migrate to Sanctuary or any of the other camps later in life had no idea what exactly a Saint was prior to their training.”
“Then how did they find the camps if it’s such a well–guarded secret?” Tatsumi responded, coming out from the galley of the plane with two trays of food. He set the trays down on the table in front of the two men before stepping back to get out of their way.
“If someone manifests Cosmo, Saints who are tasked with recruitment will come and take them to the nearest camp for training. Usually nothing much is said and if a recruit has any family they're convinced it’s just a special type of scholarship or schooling. Though oddly enough, most of the people who end up becoming Saints are either orphans or estranged from their families.”
“So their absence is never missed.” Mitsumasa replied, to which Aiolos nodded.
“Though some Saints are born within the compound of their respective camps. Like me and my younger brother were born and raised in Sanctuary, though we never knew our parents very well.”
“Your younger brother?”
Aiolos glanced down at the trays of food, his silence telling Mitsumasa everything but nothing all at the same time. He knew, at least, that this was a conversation that shouldn't be continued.
“Kido-sama, we'll be touching down in Japan soon.” Tatsumi called from the door of the cockpit, apparently having been conversing with the pilot as the two spoke. Taking this newfound thread, Mitsumasa grabbed a pair of chopsticks and separated them, picking up the bowl of steamed rice covered in delicately arranged meats and a fried egg before looking over at Aiolos.
“Are you ready, son? Once you step off this plane, your life as Atsuya Kido begins. Aiolos died after escaping Greece, leaving nothing behind but his corpse and a wrongly obtained title. You get a luxury that not many can obtain; the ability to start over.”
Aiolos heard the man's words and understood the gravity of it all, yet still there was an awful lump in his throat. Once the plane landed, Aiolos would be dead for good. Atsuya will take his place, breathe air through his lungs and trudge forward on his legs. The road ahead of Athena and himself was paved in cracked stones made of blood and tears, and the cracks can only be patched with more blood and more tears. Innumerable amounts of pain and hardships await them, but it is their destiny to endure it. They, as the last bastion of hope for the earth, were the future generals of the army to fight the Holy War.
But the war will not be fought tomorrow. Nor will it be fought the day after, or the day after that. Perhaps some part of him longed for his future as Atsuya; to live a normal life free of poverty and hardship. The war was far off, and so he could afford, at least for the meantime, to raise Saori with love and care, to teach her of the beauty of the world and all that resides upon it, so that one day when she takes up arms against the old gods, she will do so as a human. Not a human in that she will be easy to defeat, but human in that her love for her fellow man would outshine the divinity that lives as her birthright.
Saori is destined to fight, but she will fight as a human defending her home, not as a god protecting her property. Her mortal heart will beat for humanity and humanity alone, and the fire within her will burn so fierce and so righteous that it will purify the evil that surrounds her. He can wish that of her, as her guard, as her Saint, as her father.
That though the burden she carries is much like Atlas carrying the planet upon his shoulders, she will carry that burden with pride. She with her maiden heart that beats of blood and not ichor, may not be able to shed tears or wear her heart on her sleeve, but she will love. And her love will be stronger than any steel, sharper than any sword, more unyielding than the boulder uphill.
Yes, by the gods, she will love and she will love so truly that some may forget there was ever a time that her love didn't exist. And if he can plant that seedling, then she will do the rest on her own. Aiolos knows in his heart that this is true because her very existence already sparked the growth of love within him.
“Saori. I’ll protect you with everything that I am and everything that I have. So please, grow up healthy and safe.”
The baby, as if awoken by her name, looked up at Aiolos and giggled. She began reaching her tiny hands up to grab at him, cooing happily. He resolved then, upon seeing it, that he will devote his all to protect everything about her, including that smile.
Not that he needed any more reasons, of course.
–
“The traitor’s body has been located and recovered. Nothing was found on him, no Cloth or anything.”
“He must’ve hidden it somewhere right? Keep searching!”
“Hidden how?? His body was in a crater! He must’ve died on impact! Someone must’ve looted his body. Check the pawn shops or black market areas near the area. We cannot let the Sagittarius Cloth fall into the wrong hands.”
A man with deep purple hair stepped away and excused himself from the group of Saints, walking towards the zodiac temples. No one seemed to approach him, instead giving him space or even ducking their heads as he walked by. As he walked through the temples, which all seemed to be entirely empty due to the Saints being scrambled to chase after Aiolos, he simply trudged on like a zombie. His stupor brought him to the Sagittarius temple, the very same one that Aiolos abandoned days prior.
“. . .”
The man collapsed to his knees in the center of the temple, staring down at the ground.
“Aiolos. . .” he whispered, his voice soft and choked with emotion.
“What are you so emotional about, Saga?” Another voice replied, a man with a powerful yet angry tone. “If he stayed here then everything the Grand Pope, that I, worked so hard for would be ruined. You should be glad he died a relatively painless death falling thousands of feet to the ground instead of being dragged back to Sanctuary.”
“How can you expect me to be happy about that?!” Saga yelled, gripping his hair and shaking his head repeatedly. “Of course I didn’t want this! Aiolos― He didn’t deserve any of that. He’s not a traitor, he was next in line to become the Pope! You of all people should know and understand that!”
“You’re so infuriating. If I didn’t need you for my plans, I’d kill you in a heartbeat.”
“I’d rather die.” Saga sobbed, leaning forward until his forehead was touching the ground. “If it means I can atone for my sins and ruin your plans, I’d do it. I’d do anything.”
A burst of light rushed forward and struck Saga, slamming him against the temple wall. The force was immense, enough to crack the stone and knock the wind out of him. He shuddered to think what damage he would have sustained if he wasn’t wearing his armor.
“You’ll die when I say you can die. Your life only means something because I still have a use for it. So save your nonsense, you'll only serve to embarrass yourself.”
Saga groaned from his position on the ground, rolling onto his stomach to get into a better position to stand up.
“Saga!”
He looked up partially, coming face to face with Shura, the Capricorn Saint. He looked concerned, placing his hands on Saga’s shoulders as if he were close to falling apart. “Saga! Are you alright?? What happened to you?”
The aubergine-haired man sighed, standing on his own two feet before placing a hand on Shura’s to ease his worry.
“I’m alright, thank you. I just. . .had a disagreement with the Grand Pope. He mistrusts me, you see.”
Shura seemed to understand completely, nodding his head. It made sense that anyone affiliated with Aiolos would be looked down upon by the rest of Sanctuary. Saga most of all, considering he was not only a Saint as well, but extremely powerful to boot. If he wanted to overthrow Sanctuary, Shura thought, he would definitely get the closest. A sobering and terrifying thought, but Shura was confident that something like that would never happen.
“You’re the epitome of a true Saint, Saga. No one would ever judge you unfairly.”
Saga laughed at the cruel irony of the younger Saint’s words, resisting the urge to look away. “Some good that did for Aiolos, no?”
Shura immediately shut his mouth. Saga appreciated how honest Shura was. He seemed stoic, but he actually wore his heart on his sleeve. He was easily flustered at times, but always staunch in his beliefs and what he held dear. There was power in feeling as Shura did, Saga acknowledged. He wished that he too, had the luxury to feel so openly.
“Worry not about me, Shura. I just. . .need some time. Though you’ll have to forgive me if I don’t want to see Aiolos’ body at the mausoleum but, I must know, is it him? Truly?”
Shura pursed his lips, a pained expression crossing his face, but he did not avert his eyes. “I. . .laid eyes on the body, yes.” He didn’t want to mention how battered the body looked from its plummet to Earth, but he was confident the body had to have been Aiolos. It couldn’t have been anyone else.
Saga exhaled shakily, putting his hands on his head as if fighting back a headache. “Oh, Aiolos. . .”
“Stop coddling him!” came the voice from before. The Grand Pope had apparently been there still, listening to their conversation. “He harbors guilt and regret over a traitor, one who tried to murder Athena with his own hands! He needs to see reality!”
Saga shook his head mournfully. Shura was never one to talk back to those of authority, but even he could tell how this was going a bit too far.
“My Lord,” Shura knelt respectfully in the direction of the voice, steady and calm despite the fear that seemed to bubble within his heart. What was this overwhelming and angry presence? Was this. . .the Pope? “Please, this is a delicate time for all of us. Saga has a right to be upset about this―”
“A right? You think that he has the right to be upset over something as insignificant as a traitor? “
The tone of his voice gave Shura pause.
“If we had mental breakdowns for every single problem we encountered, our Saints would be incompetent and soft. None of you have a right to be a detriment to Sanctuary. Athena’s very life was threatened, and you see fit to indulge him in his delusions? Nonsense. Utter nonsense.
“I want you both out searching for the Sagittarius Cloth. The sooner we recover it, the sooner we can start looking for a replacement. Do not fail me again, Shura.”
He winced, looking down at his feet and not daring to presume to make eye contact. Shura awaited the sensation of the Pope walking past him on his way to his temple at the summit of the Twelve Temples, but there was nothing. Saga had knelt beside him, no longer gripping his head in agony but he looked exhausted, both emotionally and physically. Come to think of it, Shura hadn’t sensed any other presence in the Sagittarius temple aside from Saga, and he had simply stumbled upon him in his sorry state after being attacked.
But, attacked by what? The Grand Pope?
Shura looked around before closing his eyes and focusing hard. He heard his own heartbeat, and the heartbeat of Saga beside him. But there was nothing else. No other signs of life, no one else here with them.
Where had the Pope gone?
“Shura.”
The midnight-green haired man jumped at the sound, thinking that the Pope had returned or perhaps could sense Shura’s blatant disrespect, but upon further thought he realized the voice came from Saga. He turned to the other, blinking in confusion.
“Whatever you’re thinking, bury it deep within yourself. Some things are not worth the price they invoke.”
Something about those words sent a shiver up Shura’s spine. He didn’t quite understand the meaning, but he did recall the state he found Saga in and the anger within the Pope’s voice. Perhaps Saga had gone down the same rabbit hole and was punished for it, so now he was warning his junior of such dangerous thoughts. Shura nodded solemnly.
“We should go,” he said, standing and holding out a hand for Saga. “We don’t want to aggravate the Grand Pope any further.”
Saga seemed to contemplate it, but eventually he took Shura’s hand and stood. Even he knew that it would be suspicious to ignore a direct order from the Pope, especially in regards to a traitor.
“Mm. Let’s head out to the site of the crash. If the Cloth was stolen, the thief should still be somewhere in the area. I doubt they had the wherewithal to go too far to sell it. We’ll send forces out across Greece to search and we should have our resolution within the week. I’m confident that there won’t be any further issues.”
Shura let himself be relieved at Saga’s words. Letting Aiolos make it out of Sanctuary was something that bothered him immensely, and while no one openly blamed him for it, it was still something that felt silently agreed upon. If he had gotten there sooner, he could have stopped Aiolos and prevented the Cloth from being lost in the first place. However, there was no point in thinking of what could have been. He could only focus on the here and now.
As the two left the Sagittarius temple, Saga couldn’t help but look up towards the sky. Millions of stars peppered the night sky like freckles, and it was beautiful, yet sobering. A sight he had seen hundreds, if not thousands of times, and yet it always amazed him. Filled his chest with warmth and hope. Amidst the many twinkling stars, one seemed to glow brightest. Saga bowed his head and gave a silent prayer to the constellation that held the star, wishing for a beacon of hope, a light to cut through the darkness. And, as if answering his prayer, the star and its siblings within the constellation burned brighter. A constellation he recalled from old books of legends in Sanctuary.
