"Okay...when you're going to tell me what's going on?"— she finally asked soon as we arrived at the Aquarius temple.
"I'm…just not having a good day. And that vodka was horrible, honestly.— I answered, avoiding facing her.
Great, now not only do I have a real headache but also a metaphoric one in front of me
"I've known you better than anyone else here so I don't buy it. Please, you know you can talk to me, I would never tell Milo anything."
I turned to her, giving my best try to make an "is it really necessary?" look but it didn't have any effect on her.
I sat on the rocks around the temple to catch my breath and she followed me, stared at me until I finally gave in to saying anything. She's really annoying when she wants to…
"You and Milo were talking about Isaak's death earlier today. It got stuck in my head all day long and also made me remember a few things I just didn't want to". – I shoot
"Oh, you heard it….sorry about that. But you know it wasn't your fault, right? He saved Hyoga an- "
"Aurora, it's not just that". — I interrupted, —" There's something you don't know. She looked intrigued but kept staring at me with those very dark eyes". I sighed, calmly- Before I met you that day, I used to practice along with another boy, Surtr, until one day I accidentally caused an avalanche, killing his sister. He has never been the same since and gave up on being a saint. It was just a week before you appeared."
She looked surprised, but not horrified. I continued but lowered my voice — "Then there's also some things happening here that just do not feel right. And then there's our Hyoga who I failed to teach and who keeps risking his own life to visit his dead mother. And Milo was bein- "
"Cam, can you shut up, please?" — she interrupted me, abruptly.
"Pardon?" —I looked at her, confused
"Let's be rational, as you always like, right?… Isaak's death was an accident. Period. So was that avalanche. Hyoga will learn things at the right time and you were fantastic as his teacher. You just suck at feelings, but who doesn't, right?. And Milo was really annoying today if it was what you were about to say. That I agree."
She lay on the rocks and watched the sky. I remained in silence, processing her blunt words. I never talked about those things with anyone before; in fact, I probably just did because I was drunk and sometimes I feel comfortable with Aurora. Sometimes.
Aurora is a walking contradiction; she is the one who knows me best yet doesn't' act as she did, she could stay in silence with me yet mock me at the first opportunity. She gave me peace and anxiety in the same proportion. I wanted to tell her everything but all that I could do most of the time was just remain silent.
"Also, about the things that are happening around here…I'm not blind. But there's nothing that we can do, at least not now, apart from keeping our eyes wide open with the others.
. I agreed, facing the sky.
"I hope you're feeling lighter now". — she said, getting closer by side and resting her head on my shoulder. She's tanned ".
"I guess I do, a little"
"But Milo was right about one thing" she added, gazing at me.
I did my best and hoped that I did not get red before calmly asking "What?" and failed. Avoiding visual contact was not even an option at this very moment. Not that anyone would want to. Not even me.
Her face was getting closer to mine."You really need to relax."
Oh
And like there was obviously no other way, we gazed at each other for a brief moment, before our lips met each other under a thousand stars.
Must have been the alcohol.
—-
"I'm busy, what do you want ?" — I mumbled while drinking my tea and turning another page of the book. It's been a couple of days after the bar incident, I was in the library when Milo showed up. Aurora left on a mission and I haven't seen her since...then. For some inconvenient reason, she crossed my mind every now and again, as well as the softness of her lips could still be felt on mine.
"Erm, I just wanted to apologise for being such an idiot at the bar that day. I don't even know what came over me and why I was acting like that" Milo struggled, slightly uncomfortable.
"Because you love being the centre of attention and drag me to this ridiculous circus with you"—I thought but instead I just added —You were drunk, gosh you shouldn't even be drinking. You're still seventeen and still a minor.
Milo rolled his eyes "Alright, dad, sorry if I was born in November, that's really unfair. Anyway, man, I messed up that night but I hope it doesn't make you stop hanging out with us. It's fun, even though you're a grumpy bastard.
"I won't promise anything but I'll try."—I sighed, picked up my book and started reading again— " Afterall, you and Aurora are my best friends
Milo laughed —that malicious Scorpio laugh "You're so wrong"
I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Pardon?"
" I'm your best friend, Camus. Aurora is clearly more than that."— He stared at me like an adult telling the obvious to a child—" I'm saying that completely sober, but perhaps you should drink a little to see it with your own heart."
I sighed, closing the book once again. "Milo, stop the nonsense. You're being silly again.
"And you are a fool, break that ice and live a little, my friend." — he declared with a grin on his face while heading towards the door.—" Goodbye"
I stood alone in the library, thinking about that and why his words bothered me somehow. My tea was already cold. Perhaps my heart was about to get cold too.