Shun's Gift
Irrelevant Maverick's comments: Aphrodite was ordered by Saga (then posing as the Master of Sanctuary) to kill Daidalos (thanks Incisivis), Shun's Master. Shun fought Aphrodite to avenge his Master in the Twelve Temples Battle in Saint Seiya. Now everyone's revived, but has Shun forgiven him?
Disclaimer: I disclaim Saint Seiya but one day, I will be a specter in the anime.
-+Shun's Apartment+- Full SS Hades Manga scanlation link at bottom!
Seiya and Hyoga each have a hold of a blue mattress. They easily set it down in Shun's empty bedroom.
"Wow, Shun. I still can't believe you're taking the room next to mine. It's like we're in college or something!" exclaimed Seiya, slapping Shun on the back.
Shun had decided to start living on his own and the others got wind of it. They all pitched in and helped carry his few belongings to the dockhouse where Seiya and a few other people rented too.
"Thanks for your help guys!" said Shun cheerfully. He puts down his box of clothes. Taking out an envelope, he hesitantly shows his friends the content.
Hyoga takes the piece of paper from Shun.
"A plane ticket? To Greece?"
Seiya and Shiryu look over Hyoga's shoulder. They couldn't for the life of them, think of a reason why Shun would travel to Greece alone.
"I've just sent a letter to Aphrodite. June came by and she should've given it to him by now," said Shun. The others blinked.
"APHRODITE?"
-+Pisces Terror+-
In the Garden of Narcissus; Aphrodite, Shura, and Deathmask pondered over the situation.
"So what? The little Bronze brat just wants to talk to you. Now, what I wanna know is why you dragged me by the ear all the way out here!" yelled Deathmask.
He and Shura were each unceremoniously screamed at at 2 in the morning by the Pisces Saint, who's hair was uncombed and with a morning breath that smelt like dead fish.
Aphrodite began rambling, "I thought it was just a letter from an admirer! So I opened it and… and that BOY wants to..!"
Shura, used to Aphrodite's sudden panic-attacks (though usually from running out of conditioner) pushes him down onto the soft grass. Deathmask falls onto his back, just staring up at the early morning sky.
Aphrodite takes a deep breath and explains, "I mean, he defeated me already! What more does he want? A HUG?"
-+Talk Time+-
"Hello? Aphrodite-sannnn?" called Shun at the entrance of Pisces House. He was wearing his orange sweatshirt and jeans. The young Andromeda Saint decided against wearing his cloth, thinking that it might increase the tension between the two.
"Don't answer!" whispered Aphrodite urgently. Shura and Deathmask came together to make sure Shun actually gets invited in. They sighed.
"OI! We're in here!" called Deathmask. Shura immediately shoves a refusing Aphrodite towards his living area, which consisted of a carpet topped with dozens of large pillows for sitting. There was a small wooden table in the middle.
Aphrodite crosses his arms and stares Shun down. Shun pulls out a package from his sweatshirt's pocket.
"If that's for me, just leave it here and carry on," said Aphrodite, making a shooing motion. Shun smiled in return, sending chills down Aphrodite's spine.
"Shun, come in. I have tea ready," said Shura politely. Aphrodite glared at him. Reluctantly, they take a seat where Shura brings in the steaming cups.
Shun takes a sip. "Aphrodite-san, I just want to thank you for allowing me to meet you on such short notice. I really want to talk to you."
He puts the teacup down, but it spills on the table.
'Now's my chance!' Aphrodite starts walking backwards, away from the table where Shura and Shun started cleaning up the mess. He bumps into someone.
"Man, if you really don't want to see him that badly, I guess I'll send him off for you," muttered Deathmask.
Aphrodite looked down at the ground in shame.
"Aphrodite-san?"
Said person jumps up 3 feet in the air at the sound of his name, so close by. Shun was approaching them, too fast for Aphrodite's comfort.
But luckily, the Pisces Saint was saved by the bell. Shun takes out his cellphone out of his sweatshirt's pocket. "Hello? Seiya, I… What? But how'd you guys…? Okay, okay. I'll meet you guys in Athens… Bye."
Aphrodite lets out a sigh of relief. His young adversary is about to leave, sooner than he expected. Yet somehow, he didn't feel happy about letting it end like this.
"Sorry, Aphrodite-san."
Aphrodite smiles and waves his hand as if to let him know the apology doesn't matter.
"I'll come back later!" His smile freezes over.
Shun heads down the stairs. Shura walks into Aphrodite's room.
"Aphro? Shun left this. He said it was for you," said Shura. He hands his friend the package. Aphrodite hesitates, and then opens the package. He takes out a small rectangular box and reads the card attached to the ribbon.
Dear Aphrodite,
Today is the anniversary of my master's death. I know that you were under orders to kill him. We fought, and I did so to avenge him. But when I fought you, I could sense your unique nobility. You tried to have mercy on me, telling me to give up. I thank you. But what I really want you to know is this: I forgive you.
-Shun
Deathmask and Shura traded glances.
"Heh, he said you're nobility is 'unique'! He's calling you WEIRD!"
The Crab and Goat Saints cracked up laughing. Aphrodite shoves two white roses up their noses. While his two best friends were having their blood sucked out, the Pisces Saint takes off the top of the box.
He walks over to the opening between two pillars. In the distance, he could see Shun, walking slowly towards the exit of Aquarius House.
"Thank you Shun," said Aphrodite, holding up a delicate vase with a simple heart-shaped gem on it.
Owari
EXTRA: Saint Seiya Hades Manga scanlations at: (dot)com. Credit goes to thehua and sonmichael who gave me permission to post the link. Please leave a Thank You at their forum. Reviews will be nice too!