Note: Thank you for reading

Beware for the error in grammar and vocab, I do check it several times.

Disclaimer: no character is mine.

It's Cooking Time!

Part 28

Minos was finding the blue sky fascinating. The red sky in the underworld was beautiful but he didn't mind the pretty blue for once. Although he did mind the scorching heat… underworld temperature was more on the cold side. Their surplice and Hades gave them protection from it so they constantly within comfortable temperature.

Yesterday, he could practically ignore the heat since he was inside a store or in the mountainous area but he never had this leisure of enjoying human life. On second thought, after he was revived from the seal 23 years ago; what he done was waiting, judging, reading, writing, re-writing, torturing, punishing, searching, guiding and training. Everything in that order… he never… he paused, swim… He looked at the pool where his master lazily perked on the pool side enjoying the cold water.

He stopped in wonder, could their surplice protect them in the river? On second thought, many of them might drown, he shook his head. Specters never really learn how to swim, the Underworld River was never suit for swimming anyway. The heat was so scorching hot that the sinner practically sensed it as frozen cold.

His eyes finally caught a sight of other person passed by him and sat; one blonde saint was now staring at him unmoving. Seeming wanting to interact but didn't know how to…

"Yes?" He said, tense could be felt on his shoulders. He never caught his name in the battle but knew him from the former gold saint specters. This one had the word of 'caution' written all over the gold saints' rank.

"…" Shaka was silent, eyes were still opened. He gave a sideway glance to Milo who was busy with the drink but managed to sign him with his hands. The blonde rolled his eyes. He managed to catch the meaning of what Milo's trying to say. 'Ganbare ka? (Hang in there?)' Minos also caught a sight of the blue hair saint but looked back with a question mark floating above his head and suspiciously watched the blonde saint.

"Well?" The silver hair specter asked once again.

"… nice weather today…" Shaka said awkwardly, he could feel a slap on his forehead mentally.

"Uh… um yes?" Minos blinked. All right, that was unpredictable. The specter was caught off guard for the third times by gold saint. That was so random. First, Aphrodite with ice cream (Gelato, damnit!) he could almost heard Deathmask's curse. Second, the wrestling with Deathmask. Now Shaka with weather? There was another awkward silent followed suit but Minos was one of the more outgoing specters so he let out a chuckle instead. The blond saint though, seemed to take it a wrong way as he twitched his eyes in annoyed. The silver hair quickly grinned lightly apologizing. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. You guys really random."

"Random?" Shaka didn't know why he said that.

"Nevermind. Say… can you swim?"

"Yes?" Now who the one that was random?

"Great. Teach me, this temperature is uncomfortably hot and that pool seemed cooler." He said, standing up and readied himself to…

"Wait, what are you doing?" Before he could continue, the lad in front of him was running and jumped into the pool. "HEY! NO JUMPING!" With that, Shaka stormed into the pool, no jumping included though. On the side, with violent react of the water, Hades opened his eyes and gave them a lazy side glance but was back to closing his eyes. Persephone and Athena were looking at the boys, before back to their conversation; glad that their 'bodyguards' were behaving. Milo had finished the drink for Hades and Persephone, was grinning in approval when he saw reluctant Shaka teach Minos on how to swim.

Meanwhile back to the mansion,

Camus groaned lightly, his thumping headache was still present. This is the last time ever! He swore; he wouldn't touch any drink that Dohko provided! Ever! He had his share of alcohol in Russia but it seemed his alcohol tolerance was defeated by beer + baijiu. This is also the first time he ever got a hangover.

Darn… he was very cranky since morning. His ice cold coated hand he placed on his forehead to reduce pain was no use at all. Hyoga had been quite helpful with bringing him drink and food, but his protégé had his hand full with Kanon at the moment. He had tried Potari (another change of name due to copyright :p). Still the migraine persisted.

How the hell that the big Ox knew about this hangover cure was questionable. That guy never got any hangover as far as he knew. His peers had that fair share of it but Alderbaran? Really! To make the matter worse, he couldn't sleep even a wink. Which is; according to Shaka, the best cure of hangover. He could feel irritating fluctuation cosmos of his comrades all around the mansion; he assumed most of it was a result of hangover.

"Irritating migraine!" He growled, the thumping continued, he could feel cold sweat dripping down his neck.

"Yo?" Dohko poked his face from the open door of his room. If only he could launch ice coffin, he would but he settled with a glare instead. The man grinned, walking in with questionable drink on his right hand. "I come with peace, Camus." The glare continued, and he had just sworn to never take any drink from Dohko's hand just a while ago. "This is mixed herb that may help with hangover."

"May? No, thank you." He answered too quickly, the older saint though laughed good-naturedly.

"Right, either you drink or I force it down to your throat; like what I did to Kanon and Aiolos." Camus really want to launch his aurora execution, the temperature had lowered slightly, enough to see white mist of their breath. The Aquarius blinked when he noticed, he had just slipped his control. The temperature was back to normal quickly. Instead of being angry, the old teacher grinned even more, very glad that one of his 'kids' was not as emotionless as what it seem. "This thing will help your body. You just need to sleep this off after that."

"…" The emerald hair finally growl in defeat as he took the drink. The smell was quite weird and that thing was brown earth color, not appetizing at all. He sipped it once and quickly cringed in disgust of the flavor.

"Drinking while pinching your nose may help." With that Camus rolled his eyes and did what he was told. The medicine did go down quicker but the aftertaste of it made him choked a little. "Good boy." The dragon user pat his head, took the mug back and processed out of the door leaving the sick boy alone. Camus was groaning, he was insulted but let it slide since it was Dohko. He shut his eyes once again as he tried to sleep.

Saint

Seiya

Shun had finally finished in shaping balls of rice and meat. He had been working in silent with the chef for fifteen minutes. There were no other sound except the constant tic tac of spoon that portion the balls, it was quiet that Shun almost forgot that he was with Deathmask. The older lad usually threatens, yell or insult. Then out of nowhere he heard a humming sound once again. He looked up and indeed the older guy was once again humming a tune of… he didn't know what.

"If you keep ogling like idiot, I swear I poke your eyes out from its socket."

"Ek! Sorry." He didn't realize that he was staring. The older lad 'tsk' but his hands were still shaping another ball of rice. "Um, what is this actually?" Deathmask looked at him, raising one of his eye browns.

"Arancini al ragù."

"Some kind of onigiri?"

"Hmrf better. This will be passed into batter and fried." There were pride on his tone; Shun would risk it with another question.

"Oh? And the dough there?"

"Dessert, for cannoli shell."

"I see." Deathmask finally put all the rice filled with meat on the tray into the refrigerator and was back to his dough and taking all the sweet ingredients. He then looked at Shun.

"You are dismissed. Come back in 5 hours." He said as he teleported out. Shun looked through the open door to a clock on the wall. He had times to spare until four then… maybe he should be helping the dining room team. The Andromeda saint removed his apron and walked toward the dining room. He spotted that all the tables and chairs had been repainted and waited to dry outside. The bar also had been put to place, Italy wine bottle on the place and clean glass wine were placed neatly. Shun paused. They definitely didn't need his help at all. He also felt the fluctuation cosmos around the mansion had slowly died out into a more stable. One of them was still quite alert.

"So some of them had finally able to sleep."

"Indeed."

"Oh, Aphrodite."

"I felt his cosmo gone."

"Yes, Deathmask had dismissed me. I have some spare time."

"Oh! Good. They still got hangover or otherwise occupied. And since Mask is also busy… you will join me." Nope, it was not request; that was definitely an order. Shun couldn't help but felt that he should have say no. "Oi, come on."

"Yes, Aphro-san…" He tossed his apron on the bar's table, he moved toward the last guardian of the twelve temples. Aphrodite smirked as he put one of his hands on Shun's shoulder and teleported out.

Two hours later after the questioned potion from Dohko…

The Aquarius saint was still groaning, he was annoyed, his head was still thumping and he still couldn't sleep at all. It was past noon already and while other gold saints had been waking up feeling a little better, he was still feeling miserable. He had no appetite whatsoever, Aiolia had checked on him and bought him a cream soup with bread but he hadn't touch even a spoon of it. The Leo had definitely worried about him since the older lad could feel his fluctuation cosmo since the morning; which of course, means he was awake all the time…

Camus growled, he had been lying on his left side for quite some time. His eyes squeezed shut, he really need this migraine to go away! Problem wass this migraine kept him from having his sleep. On the same time in order to get this headache away, he need to sleep! He was in the brink of yelling out loud if only shouting wouldn't make this headache worsen. He cursed and covered his face with one of the pillow when he heard a sound of crackling, then the door was opened. He wanted to freeze whoever braved enough to enter his 'lair' but a familiar cosmo made him stop.

"Camus?" There were a low groan from the bed, the blue hair saint noted his friend cosmo had been on the purple hue instead of the cold blue he usually had. That man definitely was annoyed.

The swimming group had all back to the mansion. Hades and Persephone were welcomed to join the lunch at first but the Goddess had declined and teleported back with her spouse to the underworld (Minos in tow). Milo finally had time to excuse himself to check on his friend. He also had heard from Alderbaran and Aiolia that his best friend was in that condition since the morning and hadn't settled down at all.

"… you, all right."

"No…" Came a desperate whisper, Milo widen his eyes. He hadn't heard distressed Camus since… he paused… since the accident with Isaac. Milo sat on the side of the bed and moved his hand, pulling the pillow that covered his friend's head. A tug up for a second was enough. Camus had gritted his teeth, hands pulled the said pillow back; this time to his embrace. The Aquarius did as far as curling his body into a fetal position. '...he really had this bad.' crossed Milo mind. "Had you ate anything?"

"Drinks…" The ice master murmured, squeezing his eyes shut once again; trying to ignore the now heavy thumping…

"What drinks?"

"… potari and Dohko's medicine." 'Ah… at least he had some sugar in.' The Scorpio finally stood up, walked around the bed to the vacant side and lay on his side near the lad. Camus had felt the shift of weight on his mattress, but ignored him. It was not a daily occurrence but it was not strange either to share bed, at least not for them.

"Camus, turn to this side."

"No… pain worse when move." Milo could only chuckle, it was quite funny to see his intelligent friend reduced to whining kid. He gently slid his left hand under Camus' side and moved his body with ease toward him. Camus still in his fetal position emitted a growl. He peeled open his eyes and glare hard; the movement indeed had worsened the throbbing. Milo smirked while moving away his own body, giving a 'not so intimate' space to his friend.

"Now then… Do you need a hug?" He teased. The ice boy was inched into launching his ice coffin. He really is! His mind had been going a mile on how to torture his 'ex-best friend' at the moment. Milo quietly laughed before he linked his right hand into Camus'. The ice master wanted to retort something but he stopped himself as he felt Milo had synced with him and pouring his cosmo, slowly wrapping his body.

"What are you doing?"

"… relax, Camus. Had I do anything that harms you?" Came a gentle whisper inside his head directly.

"Yes!"

"Oh, geez, I'm hurt."

"You prank!" Milo let out another snigger but had kept his cosmo flowing.

"Try to breathe in and out evenly, and don't force yourself to fall asleep."

"I'm trying to sleep and you said not to force it, do you know how conflicted that is?"

"Camus… just trust me." The water bearer let out a sigh. Anything to get rid this pain, as ridiculous as it might seem, he would try. He admitted though, with Milo beside him and the warm cosmo around his body like this, he felt a little… safer. 'Is that what lack? A safe feeling?' As absurd as he wanted to deny… he was lured quickly to sleep, he closed his eyes. But he felt a little annoyed due to his weakness.

"Stop resisting, I do can hear your thought."

"Shit." Camus really forgot about this inconvenient. He could felt his face flushed lightly in embarrassed.

"Camus, breathe and stop thinking about anything." There was one long sigh from the lad as he surrendered. He let himself enjoy the warm gentle cosmo that warped him. He didn't like to feel this vulnerable but for whatever reason; when the time he indeed needed it, the older lad could always able to sense this since they were young. He was grateful and glad that it was Milo…

To be continue…