Hyoga was in front of the apartment door, hesitating. His master Camus, the cold and ruthless Aquarius Camus, was a philosophy student at a French college. He could not imagine that such an imposing figure as he would become a mere young college student, living an ordinary, quiet life, far from the mess of wars against the gods.
It reminded him that they, all of them, were noticeably young. His master Camus was like a father to him, but he was only 20 years old. He started training Hyoga when he was still a teenager. Hyoga himself was young, at the height of his adolescence, at 14 years of age, fighting for a goddess. But Athena's Saints became men and women incredibly early, for the battle was hard and demanded strength and maturity. And Hyoga managed to achieve these goals, thanks to the sacrifice that his master made to pass on such teachings.
He would be eternally grateful for that.
Now, the situation is reversed, and Hyoga does not stop thinking that it was comical. Now, he was two years older than his own master, and much more battle-savvy than he was. Not only because Hyoga helped Seiya and Athena to kill a god, but Camus also himself did not remember the battles in the 12 Houses and The Holy War against Hades, according to Saori's information. He would now have to be the master of his own master, he was proud to be able to pass on his teachings to him, and he was ready for all challenges.
That is what he thought when he rang the doorbell happily.
The problem was that Hyoga was not ready to be seen by a boy, with dark blue hair tousled, dark jeans that were tight and ripped with a chain hanging, T-shirt from some noisy band, leather jacket, dark nails properly painted and bandana black on the head.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah?"
Milo?
Wait... That was... That was Milo? Scorpio's golden knight, serious and dedicated, competent and fair... With a black headband and spiked leather jacket?
Hyoga was vaguely aware that he was with his mouth open, his eyes wide and with an astonished expression. He was aware of this as he saw Milo turn his friendly expression into a confused one, not understanding what a man was doing at his door at this hour of the weekend morning.
"Sir...? Sir...?" Milo called him "what do you want?"
Think fast, Hyoga, think fast!
"Oh, it's just... I was looking for Mr. Camus, but..."
"Ah, you must be Mr. Hyoga, Camye's interviewer! Come in, the house is yours!" said Milo, excited "I thought you would arrange a meeting place to talk, I didn't know that interviewers came to the houses! Camus went shopping for the week's food, so he's back soon! Do you want a coffee? And, oh, I'm Milo, by the way! We live together."
Hyoga could not think straight. What was Milo doing at Camus' house at that time of the morning? How did he know Camus? What do you mean they lived together?
He remembered that his master Camus had a strong connection with Milo. The two were remarkably close to each other. On rare occasions, Milo came to visit his master in Siberia, at his training ground, to find out if his master was all right (1). Hyoga thought that friendship was beautiful, which did not fall apart over time. It was there that he realized the power of friendship, which he himself shared with his bronze colleagues.
So that should have been it, thought Hyoga happily. Not even the gods, not even fate, were able to separate the paths of friendship between Milo and Camus. Two friends, two brothers, two companions in battle and in struggle met again in a cubicle in Paris and began to live together, facing the ailments that young university students could face. Together. In addition, he had found Milo, who had been targeted by the Graad Foundation, but who had not been located. It must have been an address error.
Good friends, good brothers, Hyoga thought. As he and Isaak were during training, their master Camus had a good friend to help him.
"Camus was so happy with the opportunity the Foundation gave him" Milo continued to chatter. Nothing had changed "he was crazy about this scholarship. You know, humanities universities have been attacked by public opinion, they think philosophers don't do anything... Nonsense! In my homeland, a philosopher has great prestige and pride! Philosophy is the mother of all sciences... I am very proud to have someone like Camus on my side..."
"We were trying to look for you, Milo. The Foundation also had a scholarship for you."
"Yes, I saw! I sent an e-mail, but no one responded… I thought they had given up on me," Milo said, laughing.
"We can't find your address. I was responsible for looking for him, including" said Hyoga.
"Ah, it's just that at the beginning of graduation, my address was wrong in college, and they haven't fixed it until today, can you believe it? I didn't have a home yet when I enrolled in college..."
Milo continued to chatter and Hyoga noticed the captivity they called an apartment. Very, very tight. A tiny kitchen with cabinet, fridge, microwave, table and stove, an even tinier bathroom, a hallway with a bookcase full of books (and more books piled on the floor), a charming French balcony and a bedroom, just one room.
With a bed. A couple one.
"...I'm so happy to have a boyfriend as smart as Camus!"
Boyfriend?
Boyfriend?
BOYFRIEND?
"Boyfriend?" Hyoga said. It was the only thing he could think of. It was the only thing he could say.
Your master Aquarius Camus, the coldest and most implacable Saint, hard as the ice rocks of Siberia... Did he have a boyfriend?
And was it Milo?
Before Milo could respond, Camus entered the apartment, keys, and a grocery bag in hand.
"Mon amour, I didn't find that yogurt you asked for, but I got another one from the same..."
Mon amour?
Mon amour?
MON AMOUR?
Since when did your Aquarius master Camus call someone mon amour?
"Camye, the Graad Foundation interviewer is here!" said Milo, going to meet Camus "he said he didn't find you, but he found our address and came here!"
"Oh, so he doesn't need to interview me anymore" Camus said, "you must have already said everything he needed to hear from me, I have nothing more to add."
"Rascal!" Milo said laughing.
Hyoga looked at the dynamics of the two, amazed.
How long had they been dating? How long had they had loving feelings for each other? Did it happen now, in this new life, or had they loved each other since the battles in the 12 Houses? Or since his training? Or before that? How did they fall in love? When they fell in love?
The Sanctuary's rules were clear. Saints should avoid romantic relationships. Even Amazons, if they showed their faces to a man (and Sanctuary was old-fashioned on that requirement, as they thought a woman would only fall in love with a man), must love him in secret. No relationship, no marriage, no children, after all, this whole situation could put both Saint and loved one at risk. What if the enemy attacked a Saint's wife and asked for Athena's life in return? The Saint in question could succumb and the Sanctuary would easily lose a war.
Of course, there were Saints who "disobeyed" the rules. One of them was his friend Shiryu, who was already dating Shunrei during the battles in the 12 Houses. The other was Ikki, who had an affair with a girl on the Island of the Queen of Death. Orpheus of Lyra was the greatest example of why knights could not have wives or family, as he allied with Emperor Hades only to bring his beloved Eurydice back.
If their master Camus and Milo had a relationship, it should have been in secret, so they would not suffer reprisals from their peers. And that was the problem: he swore he knew Camus. Only he was now in front of him, in plain clothes, young people's clothes, with a shy smile on his face as he placed his groceries on the counter. That Camus would not be his master. When did this Camus come into existence?
"Sir? Sir?" Camus asked.
Hyoga woke up from her trance.
"Oh, sorry!" Hyoga said "I'm just thinking about the coincidence that it was to find you two together. We were looking for Milo, but we didn't know his address."
"Yeah, they haven't changed his address in college, no matter how many times he asks" Camus said "Well, I'm surprised. I didn't expect that I would have an interview on Saturday."
"Don't worry, today is just an informal conversation" replied Hyoga "as the two are here, I'll be able to talk to them about the scholarships."
And, in general, they talked formally about the subject, each with their respective doubts. Of course, all that talk was false, as were the scholarships in question: they would be lured to the Graad Foundation headquarters in Greece and sent to the Sanctuary, to be protected from the attacks of the new enemies that arose. That was Saori's idea, at least. Not that he agreed with the fact that he would have to deceive his master and his boyfriend, but it is not like they had much of a choice.
"Can I ask a personal question?" Hyoga said. He could not leave without that answer.
"Yes" Camus replied.
"It's a strange coincidence for me that you live together. I swear, it was impossible to find Milo" said Hyoga "How did you meet?"
"Ah, I was looking for a roof here in Paris, and everything is very expensive around here" said Milo "so I found a curmudgeon who wanted to share an apartment."
"You're very funny, aren't you Milo?" Camus said.
"Thanks," said Milo, smiling, "then I found Camye. The rest everyone already knows. There was a mood, we liked it and he asked me to date! We've been together for a year since then." He finished with a wink.
"I find it funny that you always like to mention that I was the one who asked you to date."
"Of course," said Milo, "your interviewer must know that behind that wall of ice there is a heart burning like fire," said Milo, laughing, and kissed Camus on the lips, holding his face while Camus smiled and looked at him, passionate.
Hyoga could not believe what he saw.
Hyoga got into the taxi to go back to the airport, bewildered. Camus did not remember anything. Milo did not remember anything. Absolutely nothing.
Camus did not remember that he had taught Hyoga for five long years. He did not remember that he threw his own mother into the depths of the sea. He did not remember that he sacrificed his own life to pass on the teaching about Absolute Zero. He did not remember that he was resurrected as a traitor, that he killed Shaka, that he helped to kill Athena, that he was hanged by Milo himself, by his own boyfriend. He did not remember that he had been humiliated and trampled by a low-ranking Hades' specter. He did not remember that he sacrificed himself at the Wailing Wall.
Milo did not remember hurting him with the 15 Scarlet Needles. Of trying to kill whoever he considers to be the love of his life, twice. Of kneeling before the man he loves and shed bitter tears, for having to watch Athena die, for having to see his friend as a traitor, for being a Saint. He does not remember his sacrifices.
None of it was part of them. From their world. From their experiences. Camus and Milo were just two normal young people, with normal experiences, who met in romantic Paris and live the romance of dreams, with an incredible career ahead of them. Maybe they think that one day they will get married, have a family and children. Living in a nice apartment in Paris and kissing before leaving for work.
Hyoga would not save them. Hyoga would destroy them.
He prayed to his mother god, asking for strength for what was to come. But the gods were not good at listening to his pray.
(1) In my story, the Crystal Knight will not be the master of Hyoga, it will only be Camus. Reason: There's already too much character, I'm not George R.R. Martin.