across the universe
Characters: Leo, Aries
Summary: She is still there.
Patience is a virtue most Celestial Spirits have long perfected because they all need it. It takes patience to wait until the next time the master calls them. It takes patience to wait for a friend to return. It takes patience to wait until a nicer, friendlier master comes along.
But it also takes a lot of patience to wait for a friend to return.
Aries is patient.
She has lived through so much cruelty and by now, the cruel masters are faceless to her because there have been so many of them already and why should she bother with their names and faces if they are mortal? They will eventually fade away and she will shine forever. Maybe this explains some of them – they are jealous because she can recover from lethal blows within a short time while they are limited by their fragile bodies.
And because she is so patient, she can wait for Leo's return.
She sits under a tree and looks at the gleaming stars above her and remembers a time when everything has been easier, when everything has been dedicated to a brighter future. She hears some of the other spirits whisper about her, she hears them calling her a fool but this does not hurt her. It hurts her, however, to see Aquarius' scowl as her little sister scolds the other spirits and chases them away because this is not Aquarius' fight and she should be able to stand up for herself, no matter how many centuries have passed since wool has been fire and pink has been crimson. And the realisation that she is really weak now hurts a lot more than expected.
"Aries," Virgo says as she sits down next to her friend. "Why are you in this place?"
"I am waiting," Aries says as the familiar sensation of being summoned befalls her.
The fight is different from the other battles she has fought for Angel-sama and she cannot even understand why it is painful and yet nice to see that Leo is happier now, that he has a good master now, someone who does not hurt him the way Karen-sama has tortured him.
And yet, she fights him seriously for more than the reason she declares with the shred of pride she has still left from the time when she has been one of the most powerful Celestial Spirits. It is also to show Leo, to show him that she is stronger now, that he does not have to protect her anymore because she has regained a part of her old strength. She knows that he understands when he fights her seriously – something he has not done in centuries.
And yet, their fight ends with Angel-sama's betrayal, with a piercing pain in her chest and her stomach. She stumbles forwards, reaching for Leo's extended hand before she vanishes before she has the chance to scream.
She ends up on the same bench once more, feeling how Angel-sama is defeated and thus breaks the contract. She cannot hide behind cruel masters anymore and she knows that Gemini and Scorpio will come to the same decision because they are sick and tired as well and because the blond girl – Aquarius' and Leo's master – seems so much kinder, so understanding.
And after a moment, she is no longer alone on the bench. Leo materialises within seconds and removes his glasses before he even notices her.
"Aries," he states – halfway surprised and halfway with the smug voice of someone who has been proven right after having faced many doubts.
She nods. "Leo," she replies and finally, their hands connect and she marvels at his warmth and his tenderness. "Welcome home."
He looks at their interlocked fingers like he cannot believe that it is really happening before he smiles at her. "Sorry for taking so long, Aries," he says and hugs her tightly, as if he is scared that someone might take her away from him once more. "I got lost."
"You are not too late," she says kindly as she hugs him back with all the force she can muster up. "I think that it's obvious that you are back just in time for the cherry trees to bloom."
He looks up and sneezes as a falling petal strokes his nose. "True," he says. "Still, I should have come to look for you after I was first allowed back in the realm. Sorry for being a coward."
"Don't apologise – I had heard rumours that you are back and I could have looked for you as well. So … no, let's just listen to Lyra, yes?"
He nods and ruffles her hair. "I missed you," he whispers and she only smiles.